Page 120 - Sports
It is a 6! Mali out for lowest total in women's T20 Internationals
Rwanda bowled out Mali for mere six runs, the lowest total in a women's T20 International, in the Kwibuka Women's tournament in Kigali City on Tuesday. Rwanda took just four balls to knock off the target. Mali's innings lasted nine overs with opener Marima Samake scoring one, while the rest five were extras. The previous lowest total was 14, posted by China against UAE during the Women's T20 smash in Bangkok earlier this year.
New Zealand expect South Africa to go for broke in World Cup clash: Boult
New Zealand pace bowler Trent Boult has warned his side not to underestimate "hungry" South Africa as their troubled opponents fight for World Cup survival on Wednesday. The Black Caps will go top of the World Cup group table if they beat South Africa at Edgbaston. But the Proteas, with just one win from five matches, know they cannot afford another defeat if they want to maintain their slender hopes of a semi-final place. "It's a must-win in their tournament," Boult said. "We're looking forward to facing them and I am sure they are eager and hungry to put in a good performance, because it's a big one for them." The stakes are not as high as in their meetings at the past two World Cups, with New Zealand winning the quarter-final clash in 2011 and a semi-final showdown in 2015. Boult has fond memories of New Zealand's run to the World Cup final four years ago and hopes his team can make another strong showing in the current edition. "There have always been exciting games between New ...
Former UEFA President Michel Platini taken into custody
Former UEFA President Michel Platini on Tuesday was taken into custody as part of corruption investigation regarding the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup."The former UEFA President has been brought in for questioning but till now he has not been arrested or charged with a crime," CNN quoted French financial prosecutor's spokesperson as saying.Platini was earlier facing a four-year ban from the sport since 2015, over a suspicious $2 million payment he received from FIFA, CNN reported.French Platini held the UEFA reins from 2007 to 2015. He was supposed to take over from FIFA head Sepp Blatter but both men were swept off the sport after a massive corruption scandal."FIFA is aware of today's press reports concerning Michel Platini. We don't have all the details about the matter and we are not in a position to comment further," CNN quoted FIFA spokesperson as saying."Generally speaking, FIFA reiterates its full commitment to cooperating with the authorities in any given country of the world ..
De Kock urges South Africa to keep calm as World Cup pressure mounts
Quinton de Kock has told his South Africa teammates to keep their heads when they face New Zealand in a must-win World Cup match on Wednesday. South Africa's hopes of making the semi-finals would effectively be over if they lose at Edgbaston after a wretched start to the tournament. Defeats to England, Bangladesh and India have left South Africa wicketkeeper-batsman De Kock billing the New Zealand match as a "quarter-final". A nine-wicket victory over Afghanistan on Saturday was their first win in this World Cup in England and Wales. The Proteas cannot afford any more slip-ups in their remaining games against New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia if they are to maintain slender hopes of a semi-final berth. De Kock admits South Africa's chances of avoiding an embarrassingly early elimination will be wrecked if they do not cope with the stress of playing in a do-or-die situation. "Obviously it's a big game for us but, in saying that, our next three or four games that we have, ..
MCA to soon announce new Mumbai Ranji coach
The wait for the new Mumbai Ranji coach is likely to be get over soon with the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) expected to shortly announce the name for the high-profile post. According to MCA insiders, the name of former Mumbai stumper Sulakshan Kulkarni has been suggested by "senior cricketers" for the post of the Ranji coach and a final call on it will be taken by the ad-hoc managing committee comprising five members. A meeting to discuss the issue was held here Tuesday. A senior MCA official said the committee has taken advice from "senior cricketers" to fill various coaching positions and accordingly a decision will be taken shortly. "We have taken suggestions from senior cricketers on the names of coaches (for age groups). "We will check their availability, whether they (the applicants) have taken any other assignment and accordingly the name of the new coach should be announced in a couple of days," the official maintained. It is understood that these senior ...
Yuvraj formally writes to BCCI seeking nod for participation in overseas T20 leagues
Newly retired Yuvraj Singh has formally written to the BCCI seeking the board's permission to play in T20 leagues around the world. Yuvraj called time on his glorious international career last week and expressed his desire to play overseas leagues for "fun". "He wrote to the board yesterday. I don't see an issue in him getting the nod to play in overseas leagues now that he has retired from international cricket and IPL," a BCCI source told PTI on Tuesday. The BCCI has barred active players from taking part in overseas T20 leagues and that is one of the reasons, Yuvraj considered retirement to make himself available for competitions around the world. Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan, who had retired from international cricket, were allowed to be part of the T10 League in the UAE. Last month, Irfan Pathan became the first Indian player to be included in the Caribbean Premier League draft though he remains an active first-class player and did not take prior permission from the BCCI. The .
Argentina, Paraguay to meet in Copa America battle
Argentina and Paraguay, who got off to rough starts at the 2019 Copa America, will square off later this week at Mireirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line.
Luke Wright criticises Iceland Cricket for directing jibe towards Rashid Khan
Former England all-rounder Luke Wright on Tuesday criticised Iceland Cricket for directing a jibe towards Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan.Rashid conceded 110 runs in his nine overs against England in a World Cup match at Old Trafford. He became the most expensive leg-spinner in the history of 50-over cricket. He was dispatched for 11 sixes during England's innings.Wright came in support of Rashid and denounced Iceland Cricket, calling their tweet rubbish. The Englishman advise them to be respectful towards Rashid as the latter has done so much for Afghanistan cricket."Rubbish tweet. Rather than trying to be funny why not be respectful to someone that has done so much for cricket and especially associate members," Wright tweeted.Iceland Cricket had tweeted, "We've just heard that Rashid Khan has scored Afghanistan's first century of the #CWC19! Wow! 110 from 56 balls. The most runs ever scored by a bowler in the World Cup or something. Well batted young man. #ENGvAFG ...
India-Pak CWC'19 match becomes the most tweeted ODI
Twitter India on Tuesday revealed that the match between India and Pakistan on Sunday in the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup was the most tweeted ODI as the match generated 2.9 million tweets.The official hashtags like #TeamIndia and #WeHaveWeWill trended very well and when the comparison between Indian cricketers and Pakistani cricketers was drawn, it was revealed that India dominated the conversation on Twitter.Virat Kohli was the most tweeted about player during the #INDvPAK match in #CWC19 whereas Vijay Shankar taking a wicket off his first ball in the world cup was the most tweeted about moment.Rohit Sharma, as a result of his 24th ODI century, was second on the list, followed by Pakistan captain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, all-rounder Shoaib Malik and wicket-keeper MS Dhoni.Vijay Shankar taking a wicket off his first World Cup ball was the most tweeted about moment followed by Rohit Sharma's brilliant innings of 140 runs, and the rain interruption in the first half of the innings ...
Tsonga beats Paire to set up potential Federer clash
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is likely to face Roger Federer in the second round of the ATP tournament in Halle after beating compatriot Benoit Paire in straight sets on Tuesday. Tsonga broke Paire's serve early in the first set and looked the better player as he battled to a 6-4, 7-5 win to set up a potential meeting with Federer, who later plays Australian John Millman. The 30-year-old Paire, infamous for his on-court tantrums, was given a warning in the first set after throwing his racket, but had the crowd laughing in the second when he and Tsonga, 34, engaged in a spontaneous keepy-uppy rally. Last year's winner Borna Coric eased to a straight sets win over Spain's Jaume Munar in his first-round tie, winning 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 to set up a second-round tie with Portugal's Joao Sousa. Home favourite Jan-Lennard Struff also reached the second round with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Serbia's Laslo Djere, his first ever singles victory in Halle. "I used to live nearby. I would come here every year and lose,
CWC'19: Joe Root becomes second highest run-scorer
England batsman Joe Root on Monday displaced Australia skipper Aaron Finch to become the second highest run-scorer in the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup so far.In a match against Afghanistan, Root entered with 279 runs under his belt. The 28-year-old batsman hit 88 runs off 82 balls to climb up and sit at the second place in the most-runs' table. His innings saw five boundaries and one six.Root along with Jonny Bairstow (90) built a 120-run stand, before stitching a devastating 189-run partnership with his captain Eoin Morgan for the third wicket.Following the quick dismissals of Root and Morgan, Moeen Ali's cameo of 31 from just nine balls towards the end took England to register their highest total in the ongoing tournament with a score of 397/6.Earlier, openers James Vince and Bairstow provided a steady start after England opted to bat first. The duo formed a brief partnership of 44 runs before Vince was sent back to the pavilion in the 10th over by Dawlat Zadran.England are ..
FIFA says wrong to stop Iran activists in World Cup stadiums
It was wrong to remove people campaigning for women to be allowed into Iranian soccer stadiums from a Women's World Cup game in France, FIFA said Tuesday. Stadium security officials intervened in Grenoble during Saturday's game between New Zealand and Canada when they spotted T-shirts campaigning for women's rights in Iran. FIFA questioned the conduct of local organizers after reviewing the incident. "FIFA believes that the message to allow women into football stadiums in Iran is a social, not political, matter and so the message on the front of the T-shirts worn by two fans is not against the FIFA rules, which rules always need to be applied with a sense of proportion," FIFA said in a statement Tuesday. "As such, in this specific case, the fans should not have been asked to remove their T-shirts or to leave the stadium by local security, even if there were other messages on the back of their T-shirts. FIFA will do its best to ensure that any similar situations do not occur at future .
Atletico closing in on Portuguese star Felix - reports
Atletico Madrid are set to sign teenage sensation Joao Felix from Benfica for 120 million euros ($134m), according to reports in Portugal on Tuesday. The fee would make Felix the fifth most expensive signing of all time after Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele. Three Portuguese sports newspapers - A Bola, Record and O Jogo - claim the 19-year-old has accepted an offer of a five-year contract from Atletico, with a net annual salary worth six million euros. Felix has been linked with a number of Europe's leading clubs including Manchester City, Manchester United and Juventus. Winning the race for his signature would come as a significant boost to Atletico, who are expecting to lose Antoine Griezmann this summer after the Frenchman said he is seeking a new challenge. Griezmann's release clause will decrease to 120 million euros on July 1, with his projected sale likely funding Atletico's sizeable bid for Felix. Griezmann is expected to join Barcelona. Felix, a ..
BCCI turns down Afghanistan's request to host APL in India
The BCCI has turned down Afghanistan Cricket Board's request to host its T20 league in India. It is rare for the Indian cricket board (BCCI) to say no to ACB as it has contributed immensely to the growth of Afghanistan cricket. "The ACB did request us to host its league in India but it would not be appropriate considering we have our own league (the IPL)," a BCCI official told PTI on Tuesday. The ACB officials had conveyed their request to the BCCI CEO Rahul Johri and GM Cricket Operations Saba Karim during their meeting in Mumbai on May 16. ACB CEO Asadullah Khan had also asked for a third home ground in India after Dehradun and Greater Noida and on that front, the BCCI has no issues. Lucknow is likely to be their third home ground in India. "Since Dehradun doesn't have a five-star hotel, hosting teams is an issue. We would prefer it to be Lucknow," Khan had told PTI. The inaugural Afghanistan Premier League was held in Sharjah from October 5-21, 2018. Five teams took part in the ...
Indian women's football team's preparatory camp to begin on July 1
Manipur's Ngangom Bala Devi was among the 30 probables who were called up on Tuesday for the National women's senior football team's preparatory camp beginning July 1. Head coach Maymol Rocky announced the probables for the camp, which will help India's preparation for the COTIF tournament to be held in Spain, and the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2022 Qualifiers. Bala Devi, who top-scored with 26 goals in seven matches at the recently concluded Indian Women's League, will join the other girls at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here for the camp to be held from July 1 to 19. Recently, India had produced a spirited performance at the Olympics 2020 Qualifiers second round before losing to hosts Myanmar on goal difference. India scripted two back-to-back wins over Indonesia and Nepal, before drawing 3-3 against Myanmar. Probables: Goalkeepers: Linthoingambi Devi, Aditi Chauhan, Sowmiya Narayansamy, Crystal Pinto, Archana A. Defenders: Ashalata Devi, Sweety Devi, Jabamani Tudu, Dalima Chhibber, Lako
Man files petition to ban Pak cricket team after embarrassing defeat to India
A dejected Pakistani fan has filed a petition in the Gujranwala Civil Court against Pakistan's cricket team, seeking a ban on the squad as well as the sacking of the selection committee following the embarrassing defeat to arch-rivals India in a World Cup game in England. Pakistani cricketers are facing strong criticism from both fans and former players after the 89-run defeat to India in the marquee World Cup clash in Manchester on Sunday. With just three points from five games, Pakistan are at the ninth position, just ahead of Afghanistan in the tournament table. The petitioner, whose name was not revealed, has called for a ban on the cricket team while also demanding chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq-led selection committee to be dissolved, SAMAA news channel reported Tuesday. In response to the petition, the judge at the Gujranwala Civil Court in Punjab province has summoned officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the brief report said. Meanwhile, Geo News reported that the ...
Morgan slams 4th fastest WC ton, hits most sixes in an ODI
England captain Eoin Morgan on Tuesday created a new world record for maximum sixes in an ODI innings as he hit 17 sixes en route to his breathtaking 148 off just 71 balls against Afghanistan in their World Cup tie at Old Trafford. The previous record (16 sixes) was held jointly by Chris Gayle, Rohit Sharma and AB de Villiers.
ICC Women's World Cup 2021 to be held from Jan 30 to Feb 20
A total of 31 matches, including the semi-finals and the final, will be held when the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2021 begins in New Zealand on January 30. The showpiece will be the fourth event to be fully or jointly hosted in New Zealand after two men's World Cups in 1992 and 2015, and women's event in 2000. The 50-over tournament will run from January 30 to February 20, a New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said in a statement. The 2021 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup will be the 12 edition and New Zealand have qualified automatically as hosts. The top four teams based on the ICC Women's Championship standings will gain direct qualification for the prestigious event, while the remaining three teams will get a second chance through the Qualifier event in which the sides will be joined by Bangladesh and Ireland, and the winner of each regional qualifier in 2019 - Africa, Americas, Asia, East Asia Pacific and Europe. Currently, the top four teams in the point table are - Australia (22), ...
Eoin Morgan registers 4th fastest ton in WC history
England ODI skipper Eoin Morgan on Tuesday recorded the fourth fastest century in the history of the World Cup at the Old Trafford.Morgan reached the feat in just 57 balls during a World Cup match against Afghanistan. The England captain now sits after Ireland's Kevin O'Brien (50), Australia's Glenn Maxwell (51) and South Africa's AB de Villiers (52).During England's innings, Morgan came out to bat in the 30th over and started smashing aggressively all around the park from ball one. The 32-year-old along with Joe Root stitched a devastating 189-run partnership for the third wicket.The left-hander Morgan continued to pile on the misery on the Afghanistan bowlers. He also whacked 17 sixes, recording the most number of sixes by a batsman in a single ODI match.Cricket World Cup lauded Morgan's innings on its Twitter handle.The England skipper's magnificent innings came to an end by Afghanistan skipper Gulbadin Naib, who delivered a slower ball and Morgan was caught at long-off for 148 ...
England registers highest score in CWC'19
England registered the highest total in the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup as they scored 397 runs against Afghanistan on Tuesday.The previous highest total in this World Cup was also held by England as they had scored 386 runs against Bangladesh.Openers James Vince and Jonny Bairstow provided a steady start at the top as the duo put on a partnership of 44 runs, but their stand was cut short as Vince was sent back to the pavilion in the 10th over by Dawlat Zadran.Joe Root came out to bat next and he continued his rich vein of form. He along with Bairstow put together a partnership of 124 runs, which saw the right-handed Bairstow bringing up his fifty. Bairstow missed out on his century as he was dismissed for 90 after being dismissed by Afghanistan skipper Gaulbadin Naib, reducing England to 164 for two in the 30th over.Skipper Eoin Morgan came to the crease next, and he started playing in aggressive fashion from the very start. Morgan provided the much-needed impetus to the ...