Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan hit a swift half-century as the 2009 champions comfortably beat the United States by 32 runs yesterday, clinching their second straight Group A win in the Twenty20 World Cup. Farhan’s knock ‌of 73 off 41 balls helped Pakistan post 190-9, before spinners ‌Usman Tariq and Shadab Khan ‍took five wickets between them to ensure that the US could not replicate their shock 2024 win over the South Asian side, despite Shubham Ranjane’s defiant fifty. Put in to bat first in Colombo, Farhan scored three boundaries against ‍Ehsan Adil, the former Pakistan international debuting for the US, before hitting Milind Kumar for two sixes to get Pakistan to 54-0 after five overs. But after Shadley van Schalkwyk dismissed Saim Ayub (19) and Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha (1) in the sixth over, Babar Azam and Farhan cautiously consolidated their innings, adding only 35 runs in the next five overs. Babar picked up the pace in the 13th ‌over, hitting his first two boundaries and a six as Harmeet Singh conceded 21 runs. But the former Pakistan captain fell to Mohammad Mohsin soon after for 46 as Kumar caught ‍him at long on. Player of the match Farhan’s ‌fighting knock, which included six boundaries and five sixes, came to an end in the 16th over as he got caught trying to hit Singh for a six, leaving Pakistan at 143-4. But Shadab Khan kept the pace going, hitting a hat-trick of fours against Adil to add 28 runs in the next two overs, and scored a quick 30 off 12 balls before falling to Van Schalkwyk. Van Schalkwyk, 37, ended his spell with four wickets for 25 runs, the same figures he had against India in Saturday’s campaign-opening game. Chasing 191, Shayan Jahangir got the US off to a ​bright start, with two fours ‌against Shaheen Shah Afridi in the first over, and a six over the long-on boundary against Ayub in the next. But Pakistan introduced spinners from the ‍third over to control the flow of runs. After Nawaz dismissed Shayan’s fellow opener Andries Gous (13) in the fifth over, the US could only add 26 runs in the next five overs. A frustrated Shayan was one run short of a half-century when he got caught trying to hit Shadab (2-26) down long on, leaving the US struggling at 69-3 ​in the 11th over. Kumar (29) tried to help Ranjane revive the chase with a 54-run partnership for the fourth wicket, and Ranjane (51 off 30 balls) hit Afridi for back-to-back sixes, but it was too little too late. Tariq (3-27) allowed only three runs as he took two wickets in back-to-back deliveries in the 19th over, leaving the U.S. 39 runs short of victory in the last over. The US could only reach 158-8 as they suffered their second straight loss in the tournament. Pakistan, who beat the Netherlands in their opening game last Friday, face defending champions India on Sunday, the same day that the US play Namibia. BRIEF SCORES Pakistan 190 for 9 (Farhan 73, Babar 46, Shadab 30, van Schalkwyk 4-25) beat USA 158 for 8 (Ranjane 51, Jahangir 49, Tariq 3-27, Shadab 2-26) by 32 runs

Under the slogan “Our Legacy in the Lead,” the HH The Amir Sword Festival kicks off Wednesday at the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club (QREC) and runs through February 14. This year’s edition marks a historic milestone, as the flagship festival is staged over four days for the first time, coinciding with QREC’s 50th anniversary.The festival features a total of 32 races across the four-day programme, with this year’s competition set to deliver thrilling, top-class racing as contenders vie for prestigious titles and major prizes. The schedule also includes the traditional Al Sabiq Championship, which brings together a select group of promising Qatari riders and continues to generate strong interest.The festival opens with two days of racing on the sand track, featuring leading sand performers among both Purebred Arabians and Thoroughbreds. Attention then shifts to the turf track on the third day, where one of the key races is reserved for local Thoroughbreds in the Al Rayyan Breeders Cup. The closing day, also on turf, stages the Festival’s most prestigious contests, led by the HH The Amir Sword and the HH The Amir Trophy, each carrying prize money of $2.5mn. The former, the centrepiece of the Festival, is sponsored by QNB and is a Group 1 contest for Purebred Arabians over 2400m. Al Ghadeer eyes historic trebleIn what promises to be a particularly special renewal, Al Ghadeer will be bidding not only to defend his title, but to win the HH The Amir Sword for a third consecutive time. Victory for Al Ghadeer, owned by Al Shaqab Racing, would secure a historic third triumph in the Doha Triple Crown, cementing his place in Purebred Arabian racing history.The champion will face a searching test against a number of strong rivals engaged in the race, with Wathnan Racing represented by two runners, Lippo De Carrere, winner of the UK Arabian Derby, alongside Haseef, a multiple Group PA winner, including the Group 2 PA French Arabian Breeders’ Challenge Sprint. Al Shahania Stud, meanwhile, fields Samsa Al Shahania in the hope of rekindling memories of lifting the coveted sword in previous years. HH The Amir TrophyThe international stature of the HH The Amir Trophy continues to grow, with this year’s renewal staged as an International Group 2 contest. The race will feature Satono Glanz for the third consecutive year, carrying Japanese hopes of victory after finishing runner-up in each of the past two renewals. He will not be the sole Japanese representative, with fellow Group 2 winners Byzantine Dream and Deep Monster also carrying the same hopes. After Godolphin captured the Trophy in the past two years through Rebel’s Romance, their colours will this time be carried by El Cordobes, prepared for this assignment following a similar programme to that previously employed with the globetrotting Rebel’s Romance. HH The Amir Silver SwordThe HH The Amir Silver Sword is run over 2000 metres and will bring together 16 runners, including four of the leading Purebred Arabians from France. Among them is Laffan, owned by Al Wasmiyah Farm and trained by Francois Rohaut, who remains unbeaten to date, including victory in the Group 1 PA Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains. He is joined, under the same colours and for the same yard, by Alhaarith, who finished fourth behind Laffan at Saint-Cloud that day. Also lining up are Sienne Al Maury, representing Khalifa bin Sheail al-Kuwari, who finished placed in a Group 3 contest, and Inaya Grine, carrying the colours of Salmeen Bin Abdulla al-Jabri, who finished third in her most recent outing in Casablanca. HH The Amir ShalfaThe festival’s closing day opens with Qatar’s biggest and most important domestic handicap, the HH The Amir Shalfa, contested over 2000 metres and restricted to horses that have qualified throughout the season. Last year’s winner Aafoor, owned by Al Jaryan Stud, returns to defend his title following his second victory in the HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani Rifle last month. Qatar International CupThe Group 1 PA Qatar International Cup for Purebred Arabians is run over 1600 metres and features Lino, a dual Group 3 winner. He was bred by his trainer, Eric Dell’Ova, who also prepares the horse and retains a share in his ownership. Another notable contender is Jenkille Hipolyte, owned and trained by Osama Omer Al-Dafea. The seven-year-old bay finished fourth in last year’s renewal and arrives off a win on his most recent start. Irish Thoroughbred Marketing CupThe Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup, also over 1600m, takes on a new look this year as an International Listed contest. The race renews last season’s clash among the leading finishers, with Point Lynas, runner-up twelve months ago, aiming to go one better this time, particularly after finishing second in a Group 2 at Ascot last July. The task will not be straightforward; however, as last year’s winner General Panic, owned by Mohammed Abdulhadi Saad al-Hajri and trained by Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki, has continued to perform well this season and finished third on the HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani Rifle Day. Al Rayyan MileAmong the international runners confirmed for this year’s Al Rayyan Mile is another Godolphin-owned runner, Pacific Avenue, who previously travelled to Doha to land the Al Rayyan Stakes by two lengths last December. Also added through supplementary entry is Andab, from the Al Shaqab Racing operation and trained in Ireland by Joseph O’Brien. The three-year-old gelding will be coming off a Listed victory at Dundalk.