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Overdrive Racing’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi claims eighth victory at Hail Rally

Overdrive Racing’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi claims eighth victory at Hail Rally
Overdrive Racing’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi followed up his recent Dakar Rally victory with an eighth career success in the Hail Toyota International Rally (Saudi Baja) on Saturday. (Supplied)
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Updated 01 February 2025

Overdrive Racing’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi claims eighth victory at Hail Rally

Overdrive Racing’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi claims eighth victory at Hail Rally

HAIL: Overdrive Racing’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi followed up his recent Dakar Rally victory with an eighth career success in the Hail Toyota International Rally (Saudi Baja) on Saturday.

The Toyota Hilux driver won the event five times in its longer format before 2020 and since then has won in 2022, 2024 and 2025. His German co-driver Timo Gottschalk won the longer rally with Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah in 2011 and has now taken won with Al-Rajhi in 2015, 2016, 2024 and 2025. The duo lead the 2025 FIA World Baja Cup after the opening round.

Argentina’s Juan Cruz Yacopini and his Spanish co-driver Dani Oliveras kept the pressure on Al-Rajhi for long periods of the three-day event on a new route through the north-central deserts of ֱ, eventually finishing second in their Toyota Hilux, 5 minutes 49 seconds behind the Dakar winner.

Dania Akeel and Stephane Duple — hoping to defend Akeel’s 2024 FIA Middle East Baja Cup title — finished third to give Overdrive Racing a clean sweep of the podium places.

A prologue of 5.76km determined the start order for the opening special stage over a new route through the An-Nafud desert. Al-Rajhi set the pace with a run of 3:56, beating Khalifa Saleh Al-Attiyah by eight seconds. Yacopini and Akeel came fourth and sixth respectively.

Al-Rajhi started the opening 260km from ninth on the road and made his favorable starting position count with the fastest time. The Saudi beat Yacopini by 1:35 to take the lead with Akeel in third, 3:48 adrift.

There was no late drama for Al-Rajhi, who won the final 160km stage by 4:14 to secure victory.

The 2025 FIA World Baja Cup continues with the Jordan Baja in Aqaba on April 10.

2025 Saudi Baja unofficial result:

Yazeed Al-Rajhi (SAU)/Timo Gottschalk (DEU) Toyota Hilux Overdrive 4:28:15*

Juan Cruz Yacopini (ARG)/Daniel Oliveras (ESP) Toyota Hilux Overdrive 4:34:04*

Dania Akeel (SAU)/Stephane Duple (FRA) Toyota Hilux Overdrive 4:38:26+

Khalifa Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Dmytro Tsyro (UKR) Taurus T3 Max 4:39:51+

Saleh Al-Saif (SAU)/Alexander Toril (ESP) G Rally Team OT3 4:45:12+

Ahmed Al-Kuwari (QAT)/Augusto Sanz (ARG) Taurus T3 Max 4:46:17+

Miroslav Zapletal (CZE)/Michal Goleniewski (POL) Ford F-150 4:53:28*

Hamza Bakhashab (SAU)/Marcin Pasek (POL) Can-Am Maverick R 4:54:21+

Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (QAT)/Nasser Al-Kuwari (QAT) Taurus T3 Max 4:56:25+

Sergei Remennik (ARE)/Aleksei Ignatov (KGZ) Taurus T3 Max 4:58:28*

* registered for FIA World Cup

+ registered for FIA Middle East Cup


Pakistan revises ODI, tri-series schedule with Sri Lanka as tour proceeds despite security concerns

Pakistan revises ODI, tri-series schedule with Sri Lanka as tour proceeds despite security concerns
Updated 13 November 2025

Pakistan revises ODI, tri-series schedule with Sri Lanka as tour proceeds despite security concerns

Pakistan revises ODI, tri-series schedule with Sri Lanka as tour proceeds despite security concerns
  • Sri Lanka players had asked to return home after a suicide bombing in Islamabad killed 12, but their board said no
  • PCB has moved the remaining ODIs to Nov. 14 and 16, shifted the upcoming T20I tri-series entirely to Rawalpindi

KARACHI: Pakistan on Thursday announced a revised schedule for its ongoing One-Day International series against Sri Lanka after confirming the tour would continue as planned, despite concerns raised by some Sri Lanka players following a deadly suicide bombing in Islamabad.

According to Reuters, some Sri Lankan cricketers requested to return home from their Pakistan tour for safety reasons after the incident in Islamabad that killed at least 12 people and injured 36, but their board issued a stern directive to stay put or face consequences.

Sri Lanka are touring Pakistan, playing a three-match ODI series followed by a Twenty20 tri-series along with Zimbabwe this month. Sri Lanka were scheduled to play Pakistan in the second ODI in Rawalpindi, hardly 20 kilometers from Islamabad, on Thursday, but the contest has been rescheduled for Friday.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would like to inform fans and stakeholders that the schedule for the ongoing One-Day International (ODI) series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi has been slightly revised,” the PCB said in a statement.

“The 2nd ODI, which was originally scheduled for 13 November 2025, will now be played on 14 November 2025 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium,” it added. “Tickets purchased for 13 November will remain valid and can be used for entry on 14 November.”

The PCB also said it had revised the schedule of the upcoming T20I Tri-Nation Tournament involving Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, saying the changes were made in consultation with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC).

Under the revised schedule, the remaining ODI matches between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will now be played on 14 and 16 November, 2025 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (RCS), while the T20I Tri-Nation Tournament shall now completely be played in Rawalpindi, commencing 18 November, with the final scheduled for 29 November 2025.

The PCB said the T20I Tri-Nation Tournament will serve as an important preparatory platform ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

It informed the updated fixtures for both the ODI series and the T20I Tri-Nation Tournament will be shared shortly on the PCB’s official platforms.

The Sri Lankan players were targeted by militants in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore in 2009 who attacked their bus, injuring at least six players.

The incident brought visits by international teams to Pakistan to a halt. Pakistan’s own team had to play their “home” matches in the United Arab Emirates.

However, security improved in subsequent years in major urban centers and test cricket returned when Sri Lanka toured in 2019.

In the ongoing series, Pakistan have won their first ODI, which was also held in Rawalpindi, by six runs on Tuesday.