■ Chess
Anand and Kramnik draw
Careful defense brought Russian challenger Vladimir Kramnik a draw against world champion Viswanathan Anand of India on Thursday in the seventh game of their championship match. The draw means that Anand leads 5-2, maintaining his three-point advantage in the 12-game match. While the draw moves Anand closer to retaining his title, it also stems a bad run for Kramnik, who had lost three of the last four games. US grandmaster Yasser Seirawan praised Anand’s “dominating performance so far.”
■ Cricket
Pakistan could suffer: Imran
Former Pakistan star Imran Khan has warned the standard of his country’s side could suffer because of instability that has prompted the cancelation of home international fixtures. “Not just the Pakistan cricket team, every sport in Pakistan because if it applies to cricket, it applies to every other sport,” he said. Imran also warned that plans for Pakistan to play their home games abroad were unsustainable during an interview on Thursday. Imran, who is now chairman of the Pakistan Movement for Justice, said foreign teams would not be targeted by militants if they came to Pakistan, despite fears that saw the Champions Trophy one-day tournament, due to take place in Pakistan last month, delayed until next year. “Terrorists do not target cricketers because cricket is a passion in Pakistan,” he said.
■ Soccer
‘Holy Goalie’ in trouble
Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc escaped a match ban after a Scottish Football Association disciplinary panel chose to fine him £500 (US$764) on Thursday following gestures he made to Rangers fans during the last Old Firm derby. Photographs published in Scottish newspapers appeared to show the Polish international making a one-fingered salute during Celtic’s loss to Rangers on Aug. 31. Boruc is nicknamed the “Holy Goalie” -— but the epithet is more ironic than a nod to his miraculous saves. Boruc is Roman Catholic, thus fitting in with a long-held tradition at Celtic. But he has regularly found himself in hot water for stepping over the line between displaying his faith and provoking Rangers fans, who are predominantly Protestant. In June he escaped disciplinary action after stripping off his top after a game against Rangers to reveal a T-shirt with the slogan “God bless the Pope.”
■ Cricket
Court overturns Malik ban
A Pakistan court on Thursday overturned a life ban against former captain Salim Malik for alleged involvement in match fixing. Malik was banned following a 2001 inquiry into allegations by three Australian players that he offered them bribes. Malik appealed against the punishment to Pakistan’s top court which earlier this year ordered Lahore’s Civil Court to hear the case. Judge Malik Mohammad Altaf ruled in favor of Malik on Thursday and ordered the ban be lifted. Malik’s lawyer said the court ruled that the Pakistan Cricket Board wrongly imposed the ban after acting on recommendations from the inquiry which was headed by a High Court judge. “The PCB did not have the jurisdiction to ban Salim Malik so the court lifted the ban on our appeal,” lawyer Shahid Salim said. Malik was banned after Shane Warne, Mark Waugh and Tim May claimed he offered them bribes to underperform during Australia’s tour of Pakistan in 1994. Malik’s name also featured in an Indian match-fixing inquiry and the late South African captain Hansie Cronje named Malik as an offender in a probe in South Africa.
Taiwan kept their hopes of advancing to next year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Saturday, backed by solid pitching. Taiwan last night played against Nicaragua. As of press time, Nicaragua was leading 6-0. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan on Saturday kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen struck out one and allowed no hits, except for a hit-by-pitch over
Taiwan kept its hopes of advancing to the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome last night, backed by solid pitching. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The win was crucial for Taiwan, as a loss would have eliminated the team from contention for the next WBC. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen (沙子宸) struck out one and allowed no hits, except for
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tonight for the final berth at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Sunday. The home team’s loss on Sunday means Nicaragua finish first in the qualifier round in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to next year’s finals. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier on Sunday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan finished third while South Africa placed at the bottom with
Team Taiwan avoided missing the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for the first time by defeating Spain 6-3 in a do-or-die game in Taipei last night. After narrowly escaping a mercy-rule loss to Spain in the WBC Qualifiers opener on Friday last week, the home team — winner of last year's WBSC Premier12 title three months ago — got their revenge against the 2023 European champions at Taipei Dome. "It felt quite different from when we won the Premier12," Taiwan captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) said after the game, recalling the ups and downs the team has experienced over the past few days. Unlike in
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