Qatar's 13-year-old opposite hitter makes waves at Asian Volleyball C…

Doha, Qatar: At just 13 years old, Mubarak Musa Thiik Madut, who is representing Qatar at the Asian Volleyball Championship in Japan, is making waves online not only because of his age but also due to his remarkable height. mieszalniakolorado.pl

Standing at 2.10 metres, Mubarak appeared in the Qatari jersey and made an appearance in the competition on September 5 against Thailand, according to French media outlet, L’Équipe.

Born on November 24, 2012, in South Sudan, Mubarak made his first appearance for the Qatari national team in 2026.

He competed in the U18 Asian Beach Volleyball Championships in May, where he helped Qatar finish third.

Mubarak played in three of Qatar’s five matches, scoring 40 points. He delivered an impressive performance against the Republic of Korea, scoring 11 points from 16 attack attempts.

Doha: The sixth edition of the Seashore Phoenix Games 2026 is witnessing strong participation in its women’s competitions, which began today and continue until tomorrow at Aspire Ladies Hall.

More than 150 female athletes are taking part in the competitions according to the media relations specialist at Aspire Zone Foundation Tahani Al-Suwaidi, which feature three categories, Advanced Arab Women (RX), Women’s Doubles and Women’s Beginner Doubles.

The competitions includes athletes from Qatar and abroad, with challenges focused on strength, endurance, speed and performance under pressure.

Around 80 percent of the total women’s participation are Qatari athletes, according to organisers, highlighting the growing interest in fitness competitions among women in Qatar.

The Advanced Arab Women category features 19 athletes, while the two doubles categories provide competition at advanced and beginner levels.

The judging panel includes around 30 female judges from Qatar, Russia, Egypt, the UAE and Jordan, overseeing the women’s competitions.

The women’s competitions are being held exclusively for female participants and attendees, with the programme running over two days.

A new live results system has also been introduced, allowing athletes and spectators to follow competition results as the events progress.

The Seashore Phoenix Games 2026 began on September 10 and runs until September 17, with the women’s competitions forming part of the wider championship programme.

The women’s competitions and the closing ceremony will conclude tomorrow, September 14, 2026.

Doha, Qatar: Boubakary Soumare fired a late equaliser as Al Duhail secured a 1-1 draw against Al Shahania in the Qatar Stars League at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium yesterday.

Al Duhail were trailing after Jawad El Jamili put Al Shahania ahead in the second half, but Soumare’s strike in the sixth minute of stoppage time rescued a point for the former champions.

Al Duhail moved to six points, level with Al Arabi, who also drew 0-0 with Qatar SC yesterday.

Leaders Al Sadd are two points clear of Al Rayyan after four straight wins, with Al Shamal third on eight points.

After a slow start, Al Shahania were first to threaten, with Salah Zakaria making a fine save to deny Francesco Antonucci’s dangerous effort from outside the box.

Shehab Ellethy produced an equally impressive save at the other end, stopping Soumare’s effort as the teams went into half-time level.

El Jamili broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute. Zakaria had earlier denied Antonucci with another long-range effort, but a poor clearance by Ibrahima Bamba allowed El Jamili to pounce and slot a diagonal shot into the far corner.

Tahsin Mohammed’s effort from outside the box was parried away as Al Duhail pushed for an equaliser.

They finally got it in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Shehab Mamdouh Ellethy saved Jean-Charles Castelletto’s header from a corner, but Soumare reacted quickly to the rebound and headed the ball into the net to rescue a draw.

Al Shahania, however, climbed to seventh place with four points.

At Al Thumama Stadium, Al Arabi and Qatar SC played out a draw in a scrappy clash that produced 36 fouls and two late red cards.

Al Arabi had the better chances, with Jordan Veretout coming closest in the fourth minute when his shot, following a cross from Rodrigo, struck the top corner of the right post.

Qatar SC threatened late in the match but Al Arabi goalkeeper Jasem Al Hail denied Faiz Selmani in the 85th minute, making a save in the bottom left corner.

Qatar SC were reduced to nine men in the closing stages. Abdulrasheed Umaru was sent off in the 89th minute after elbowing Rodrigo during an argument near the goal line, before Ali Saoudi received a second yellow card in stoppage time for arguing with the referee.

Qatar SC remained 11th with two points.

“It was a tough match. Al Arabi are a strong team. We didn’t avail ourselves of our chances, but hopefully the next match will be better,” said Qatar SC’s Mohammad Amin.

Al Arabi’s Lotfi Madjer said: “Honestly, I feel we deserved the win today. We did our part and executed the coach’s instructions. But that’s football. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and sometimes you draw.”

Karachi: A young Razaullah arrived in the northern Pakistani city of Mardan with his two elder brothers, dreaming to make it big in cricket with his thunderbolt deliveries and powerful hitting.

His brother Samiullah did not want his sibling to be a truck loader like him, and instead made sure the tall and strapping fast bowler went to the town's cricket academy on his way to play for his country.

Razaullah dismissed one of the world's best batters Joe Root with his fourth ball on his Test debut before smashing nine sixes in a sensational innings of 81 against England at Edgbaston.

The 21-year-old's fearless batting brought Pakistan from the brink of an innings defeat on Friday as he added a fighting 121 runs for the ninth wicket with Mohammad Abbas, who scored 42.

His sensational hits -- some landing in the under-construction hotel adjacent to the stadium -- caused a sensation from England's Midlands to Mardan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa back home.

"This is the beauty of Pakistan's raw talent," said commentator Urooj Mumtaz, a former Pakistan women's captain. "He batted fearlessly and entertained all those who were watching. It was sensational."

Razaullah himself admitted he wanted to entertain others and enjoy himself.

"I just had to bat, you are the ones who get to enjoy it," he said in post-match comments on Sky.

Just like his sensational Edgbaston knock, Razaullah's induction to the Pakistan team was as much out of the blue.

Smarting from humiliating defeats in the first two Tests, Pakistan withdrew seven players in a shock reaction, drafting as many new ones -- with unheralded and uncapped Razaullah one of them.

Number 14

Razaullah's coming of age at the international level will inspire the next generation of players.

The unassuming young man left his remote village of Wari in the hilly parts of Upper Dir -- an area close to Lower Dir from where another fast bowler Naseem Shah emerged in 2019.

He endeared himself to everyone at the Mardan academy for his obsession to bowl as fast as Shoaib Akhtar -- the former Pakistan express pacer -- and ability to clear the boundary off many deliveries bowled to him.

"He (Razaullah) came for Under-19 trials in 2023 wearing spikes bigger than his size and with his first delivery he sent the batter staggering with his speed," Mardan and Abbottabad coach Ahmed Said told AFP earlier this year.

"I asked him not to bowl another delivery for fear of causing injury to any young and inexperienced batter."

Said recalled Razaullah always wanted the Number 14 shirt that Akhtar used to wear.

"Razaullah insisted he wanted a Number 14 shirt in the National Twenty20 Cup and was elated after he got it, albeit two sizes bigger, and we all started to call him Shobby."

Former Pakistan coach Abdul Rehman spotted Razaullah in a Twenty20 tournament in Quetta and recruited him for the Rawalpindi team in the Pakistan Super League, where he impressed with his speed.

Pakistan selector Aaqib Javed helped his growth in the High Performance Center in Lahore, from where he jetted to England.

Razaullah's idol Akhtar was impressed with his play.

"Look at his intent and fearless batting and this was the intent Pakistan players were missing in earlier matches," Akhtar said on television.

"He is a product of the Pakistan Cricket Board's pathway, and it's now the duty of the coaches to manage him properly so that he can progress further."