Page 1397 - Sports
Bday wishes pour in for captain cool Dhoni
Former Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni turned 37 on Saturday, and warm birthday wishes poured in for him not just from the cricket fraternity but also from the fans all around the world.Taking to his Twitter handle, Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings teammate and close friend Suresh Raina wrote that India was blessed on this day when "a legend' like Dhoni was born."Walking out of your 500th international match & gracefully walking into the blessed day of India, when a legend like you was born! Wish you a very Happy Birthday brother @msdhoni ??You have been my inspiration & will always be! I cherish all our good times! #HappyBirthdayMSDhoni," Raina tweeted.Former Indian batsman V. V. S. Laxman also extended birthday wish to the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup-winning captain, saying, "Wishing you a very happy birthday @msdhoni .May you continue to entertain ,inspire and provide joy. #HappyBirthdayMSDhoni"Posting a picture of Dhoni at full stretch trying to avoid a ..
Serena advances to Wimbledon fourth round; Bertens upsets Venus
Seven-time champion Serena Williams has kept her Wimbledon hopes alive with a hard-fought 7-5, 7-6 (7-2) third-round victory over Kristina Mladenovic.
Brazil coach bemoans bad luck against Belgium
Luck was not on Brazil's side here in their 2-1 defeat to Belgium in a World Cup quarterfinal, the South Americans' coach said afterward, even as he praised the performance of the Belgians.
Suarez says Cavani's absence cost Uruguay
Uruguay striker Luis Suarez said that the absence of fellow attacker Edinson Cavani from the line-up was decisive in the team's 0-2 loss to France here in their 2018 FIFA World Cup quarter-final.
Griezmann: It would have been 'inappropriate' to celebrate goal
France forward Antoine Griezmann said he chose not to celebrate his goal against Uruguay in their World Cup quarter-final "out of respect".
England level T20I series with 5-wicket win over India
England levelled the T20International (T20I) series at 1-1 after Alex Hales struck 12 runs off the final over to register a five-wicket win over the visitors on Friday, with the final game in Cardiff on Sunday to be the decider in the series.Having been put to bat first, Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan failed to provide India with the cushion of a good start, with Sharma the first to return to the pavilion at the end of the second over.Dhawan followed suit in the fifth over, as he was run out, dropping his bat and unable to make it back inside the crease before England captain Eoin Morgan collected Jason Roy's throw and dismissed him.K. L. Rahul was unable to repeat his Old Trafford heroics, where he scored his second T20I ton and was cleaned bowled by Liam Plunkett, the pacer returning the best economy figures of an English bowler in a T20 match in England.Captain Virat Kohli (47 from 38) and Suresh Raina (27 from 20) then steadied the ship, with former skipper M. S. ..
Belgium eliminate Brazil with 2-1 victory to enter semis
Potential dark horse Belgium eliminated five-time world champions Brazil with a 2-1 triumph here on Friday to book their place in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup only for the second time after a gap of 32 years.
Belgium stun Brazil to reach World Cup semis
A superb first half display by Belgium ended Brazil's hopes of a record sixth World Cup crown as a Fernandinho own goal and a superb Kevin De Bruyne strike proved enough to win 2-1 and seal a semi-final spot. Although Brazil roared back in the second half with a headed goal from Renato Augusto, it is the Belgians who will face France in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday. Unbeaten in their last 15 games, Brazil's bid for a second consecutive place in the semi-finals looked in safe hands. But after an energetic start that saw Thiago Silva come close and Neymar show early promise, Brazil heads went down following Fernandinho's own goal before De Bruyne's superb strike from distance put the Red Devils in control on 31 minutes. Late changes by Brazil coach Tite paid off as Renato Augusto's superb header 14 minutes from time dragged the south Americans back into contention. But as Belgian legs tired, Brazil spurned several great chances to push the match into extra-time, Augusto drilling inches ..
Hales guide England to thrilling victory vs India in 2nd T20I
Alex Hales' brilliant batting helped England beat India by five wickets in a thriller second Twenty-20 International match at Sophia Gardens here on Friday.
Hales powers England to five-wicket win, series level at 1-1
Alex Hales struck an unbeaten half-century and powered a much-improved England to a series-levelling five-wicket victory over India in the second T20 International here. Hales scored 58 not out off 41 balls. The hosts scored 149 for five in 19.4 overs to overcome India's sub-par total of 148 for five on a Sophia Gardens surface that offered bounce. Virat Kohli had top scored with 47 runs off 38 balls as the visitors struggled to get going after being put into bat. England used the short-ball tactic to good effect and tied down both Rohit Sharma (5) and Shikhar Dhawan (10). Rohit was the first to go, trying to pull a short delivery after failing to make contact repeatedly. He skied a catch off debutant Jake Ball (1-32) in the second over and was caught behind. First game's centurion KL Rahul (6) was in next but didn't look comfortable at the crease either. The groundsmen left an extra layering of grass on the wicket's top-surface and English bowlers used it amply. With the short ...
Scoreboard of the second T20 International between India and England here today.
Scoreboard of the second T20 International between India and England here today. India Innings: Rohit Sharma c Jos Buttler b J Ball 5 Shikhar Dhawan run out 10 Lokesh Rahul b Plunkett 6 Virat Kohli c Root b Willey 47 Suresh Raina st Jos Buttler b Adil Rashid 27 MS Dhoni not out 32 Hardik Pandya not out 12 Extras: 9 (b-4, lb-2, w-2, nb-1) Total: 148 for 5 wkts in 20 overs Fall of wickets: 7-1, 22-2, 22-3, 79-4, 111-5 Bowling: David Willey 4-0-18-1, Jake Ball 4-0-44-1, Liam Plunkett 4-0-17-1, Chris Jordan 4-0-34-0, Adil Rashid 4-0-29-1.
India A lead by 286 runs with 6 wickets remaining
Opener Prithvi Shaw slammed 188 off 169 balls and Ravikumar Samarth made 137 as India A amassed 536 for four against the West Indies A on the third day of the first unofficial Test here. At stumps, India A led by 286 runs with six wickets and a day's play remaining in the game at the Kent County Cricket Ground. India A thus made amends for the horrendous batting display in the first innings when they were bundled out for 133 in just 42.1 overs. The West Indies A scored 383 before being bowled out for a substantial lead. However, the Indian batsmen feasted on the West Indian bowlers in their second innings as they not only overcome the first-innings deficit but also raced to a handsome lead. After his failure in the first innings, opener Shaw smashed 28 boundaries and two sixes during his blazing knock, while Samarth found the fence 14 times. Shaw put on 181 runs for the opening wicket with Mayank Agarwal (68) and 158 runs for the second wicket with Samarth. After Shaw's dismissal, ...
England restrict India to 148/5 in 2nd T20I
A disciplined England bowling attack restricted India at a moderate 148/5 in the second T20I of the three-match series at Sophia Gardens here on Friday.
Dhoni guides India to 148/5 against England
The seasoned Mahendra Singh Dhoni clobbered 22 runs in the final over and lifted India from a precarious 22 for three to 148 for five in testing conditions in the second T20 International against England here today. Skipper Virat Kohli top-scored with 47 against a much-improved England bowling, but it was Dhoni's effort that gave India's total a semblance respectability. Dhoni remained unbeaten on 32 off 24 balls with the help of five boundaries. Sent into bat after the coin landed in favour of Eoin Morgan, India were off to an inauspicious start, losing the opening duo of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan and last game's centurion KL Rahul, with just 22 runs on the board. The visitors often struggled to cope with the bounce the Sophia Gardens surface offered to the English bowlers. However, Kohli stood firm amid the ruins and found an able ally in Suresh Raina (27), with whom the captain added 57 runs for the fourth wicket. Coming into the game on the back of a convincing eight-wicket .
FIFA WC: France beats Uruguay to enter semis
Putting an end to Uruguay's golden run, Raphael Varane and Antoine Griezmann on Friday helped France secure a 2-0 victory to advance to the semi-finals of the ongoing 21st edition of FIFA World Cup.Being dominant right from the opening, Varane glanced home a Griezmann free-kick to open the scoring in the 40th minute of the game.Soon after, Griezmann doubled France's advantage in the 61st minute - a moment to forget for Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.Griezmann found space 25 yards out and fired in a shot that should have been routine for Muslera, but the ball slipped through his grasp and went into the net.Without striker Edinson Cavani, who was out of the game post-injury, Uruguay didn't look in full spirit as they lacked behind France in terms of pace, agility and pass accuracy.While it seemed that the game was heading towards a draw after the first 40 minutes, Varane's goal shifted the momentum to France's side after he received a Griezmann's inswinging free-kick from the ...
Uruguayans admit France gave 'football lesson' at World Cup
Uruguayans were gracious in defeat after France ended their World Cup hopes today with a 2-0 quarter-final victory. "France crushed Uruguay!" admitted Observador, one of Uruguay's main newspapers. "They handed out a football lesson, dominating the light blues from the first minute to the 90th, and deservedly qualified for the World Cup semi-finals." El Pais insisted the players were nonetheless heroes. "Thanks lads!" said its title, before adding: "The dream is over." Despite defeat, fans took to the main Independence Square in the Old City of Montevideo, Uruguay's capital, and sang songs, honked horns and danced. On social media, the hashtag "More Uruguayan than ever" proved popular.
Griezmann did not celebrate goal out of 'respect' for Uruguay
Antoine Griezmann said he did not celebrate his goal against Uruguay in the World Cup quarter-final out of "respect" for the South American nation. Griezmann scored France's second goal in the 2-0 win in the 61st minute, when his long-range strike found its way into the net after a mistake from Uruguay's goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. Instead of celebrating, Griezmann stood still as French players rushed to him, despite scoring the goal that helped secure his country's first World Cup semi-final in 12 years. "I didn't celebrate that goal because when I started as a professional footballer I was supported by a Uruguayan, who showed me the good and the bad of football," he said. "Out of respect, I thought it was not appropriate to celebrate that goal." In the run-up to the match, Griezmann had spoken about his affinity with Uruguay and his friendship with two Uruguayan players, Jose Gimenez and Diego Godin. Griezmann plays his club football with Gimenez and Godin at Atletico Madrid and ...
World Cup semi-finalists France can still improve, says Deschamps
France coach Didier Deschamps said his side can still get better despite beating Uruguay 2-0 to reach the World Cup semi-finals today. Raphael Varane's fantastic header and a goalkeeping howler by Fernando Muslera to gift Antoine Griezmann a goal saw France ease to victory in a far more comfortable outing than the thrilling 4-3 last-16 win over Argentina. "We had done something big against Argentina and today we have again raised our level," Deschamps told BeIN Sports. "I have a good team that still has plenty of room for improvement. "You can see our lack of experience sometimes, but we have so many qualities too. "In any case, it definitely won't be a failed World Cup now, and we'll wait to find out our opponents and see what happens." France will face either five-time champions Brazil or Belgium in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday for a place in the final.
Lahiri on fire in second round, shoots 61 to move to top
Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri fired his best ever round on the PGA tour -- a stunning bogey free 9-under 61 -- and rocketed to the top of the leaderboard after his second round at the Greenbrier Classic here today. Lahiri, who has not had a bogey in 36 holes, had nine birdies on the second day. Regularly holding 15-20 foot birdies for the first time this season, Lahiri could do little wrong after starting the day on 10th. He started the second round with 3 birdies on the trot and closed the day with back-to-back birdies on eighth and ninth, his last two holes of the day. After weeks of blues on the putting green, things finally came together for Lahiri. At 12-under for 36 holes he was in lead, as many of the players were still out in the course, including overnight leader Webb Simpson, who shot 61 on the first day. Lahiri's first round 67 put him at tied 24th but now at 12-under, he could be in sight of his maiden PGA tour title after being on the Tour for over three years. Lahiri ...
Dhoni completes 500 international games
The Indian team's senior most player Mahendra Singh Dhoni today reached the coveted milestone of playing 500 international matches during the second T20 International against England, days ahead of his 37th birthday. In doing so, Dhoni became the third Indian after Sachin Tendulkar (664) and Rahul Dravid (509) to breach the 500 match barrier in international cricket. Today's T20 International was Dhoni's 92nd in the shortest format. This apart, the former India captain has played 90 Test matches and 318 One Day Internationals. In 90 Tests, he had scored 4876 runs with six hundreds and 33 half centuries before calling it a day. In the 318 ODIs, he has so far scored 9967 runs with 10 tons and 67 half tons. In the 91 T20's before the current match, he had scored 1455 runs with two half centuries. In 499 international matches so far, he has taken 602 catches and effected 178 stumpings.