Page 1421 - Sports
Sole focus on performance, ranking not a concern: Sarfaraj
Pakistan skipper Sarfaraj Ahmed has said that his side is looking to put up an impressive performance in the upcoming triangular T20I series against Zimbabwe and Australia.Ranked as number one in the shortest format of the cricket, Pakistan will be pushed down if Australia won all their matches in the series. But the Pakistan captain emphasized that the team is not too concerned about the ranking."We are not too worried about the rankings as we are solely focused on winning the T20I triangular series. Although we always want to improve our rankings but our main objective is to play good cricket," The Express Tribune quoted Sarfaraj, as saying.The 31-year-old underscored the importance of team combination and stated that one of the reasons behind Pakistan's success in T20 cricket is a better combination in the team."We have been performing well in T20 cricket for the past couple of years due to a good team combination arising from a blend of young and senior players," he said.Speaking .
With Cavani and Suarez, Uruguay can beat anyone: Captain
The captain of the Uruguayan soccer team, Diego Godin, has said that his team "can beat anyone" when strikers like Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez reach the level that they have shown at the World Cup in Russia.
Brazil prepare for Samara samba in last 16 clash vs Mexico
World Cup favourites Brazil continue their campaign for the 2018 World Cup here on Monday against a Mexican side which stated their campaign brilliantly before coming dangerously close to elimination.
Argentina head coach not considering stepping down
Jorge Sampaoli ruled out stepping down as Argentina's head coach after his side 4-3 defeat against France in the round of 16 of the 2018 World Cup Russia.
China's Su Bingtian equals 100m Asian record
China's star sprinter Su Bingtian continued his soaring form into the current season as he clocked 9.91 seconds to finish third in the men's 100 meter race at the Paris leg of the 2018 IAAF Diamond League, levelling the Asian record for the second time in nine days.
England's Kane says he can score in every World Cup game
England captain Harry Kane believes he can score every time he sets foot on the pitch in Russia after netting five goals in his first two World Cup appearances. Kane leads the race for the Golden Boot but was kept in reserve by Gareth Southgate for a 1-0 defeat to Belgium that meant the Three Lions finished second in Group G, to keep him fresh for England's last-16 clash with Colombia on Tuesday. However, Kane is sure he will pick up where he left off in Moscow after scoring a hat-trick against Panama in his last outing. "Maybe if I'd played against Belgium and didn't score, I'd be thinking, 'I didn't score in the last game'. But I'm coming off the back of a hat-trick and I'm ready to go in a very important game for us against Colombia," Kane told Britain's Sunday newspapers. "At the moment I think I can score every time we play. Especially when balls are just dropping in for you and things are going for you. You can't wait to get out there." Kane dismissed suggestions he had put ...
India U-16 out on month-long tour ahead of AFC Championship
Elevating its preparation for the AFC under-16 Championship, Indian football team will be heading for a month-long tour to China, Thailand, and Malaysia, beginning in the month of July.The Indian team will play ten to twelve international ties, including seven against Under-16 national sides.Indian players, coached by Bibiano Fernandes, have been training in Kolkata for the last five weeks since they returned victorious from Serbia in May.The 25-member squad and seven support staff left for Weinan city, China on June 30 to participate in the four-nation invitational tournament alongside the U-16 national teams of DPR Korea, Thailand, and host China.On the eve of leaving for China, Coach Bibiano Fernandes said that he is lucky to have this bunch of boys and is really excited about the upcoming journey."I am fortunate to have these groups of boys, the majority of them being with me since U-15 competitions. It has been an exciting journey for us over the last 14-16 months in preparing ...
FIFA WC: Russia and Spain to battle for quarters spot
Russia and Spain will be aiming for the quarter-final berth of the ongoing 21st edition of the FIFA World Cup, when they lock horns in the third clash of the last-16 round here at Kazan Arena on Sunday.Russia will be looking to make most of their first knockout round appearance in last thirty-two years and continue with their realistic approach in the tournament so far.Igor Akinfeev-led side will be heading into the clash on the back of a stunning 5-0 victory against Saudi Arabia in their first group match. They thrashed Egypt 3-1 in their second match before stumbling 0-3 against Uruguay in their last group match.Spain, on the other hand, had a relatively rough start to the tournament after Coach Julen Lopetegui departed a day before the start of the tournament.The 2010 world champions played well in their opening encounter against Portugal, but were completely outclassed by the brilliance of Portuguese star striker Cristiano Ronaldo as they ended with a 3-3 draw. They lost their ...
I knew I wasn't done with swimming: Virdhawal Khade
He upstaged an Olympic champion on the comeback trail but one of India's most accomplished swimmers, Virdhawal Khade, says he had all but "forgotten" how to perform at the big stage owing to the mundanity of a job and injury setbacks. The 26-year-old, the youngest swimmer from India to qualify for the Olympics at the age of 16 in the 2008 Beijing edition, has risen back to prominence after outpacing Olympic gold medallist Joseph Schooling in the 100-meter freestyle event at the Singapore National Championships. The performance couldn't have come at a better time for the Maharashtra lad as he prepares for the Asian Games in Indonesia after a less-than-impressive show at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. "The CWG was the first big competition after 2010 and maybe I had just forgotten how to perform at the big stage. I was training very hard but wasn't able to put it together. I think between the CWG and now I have learned how to swim faster," Khade told PTI in an interview. The ...
Injured Bumrah ruled out of England T20 series
Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the upcoming three-match T20I series against England due to a fractured left thumb.The 24-year-old sustained the injury, while attempting a catch in the first T20 against Ireland in Malahide on Wednesday.The death bowler came for the practice the next day, but did not train during the session. Subsequently, he missed the second T20 international against Ireland on Friday.Deepak Chahar, who appeared for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018, will replace the Bowler for the T20I series as Bumrah is likely to return for the ODI series against England.The 25-year-old is also a part of the India A team, which is currently in England playing tri-series with England Lions and West Indies.Three games into the tri-series, Chahar has picked up seven wickets with an economy rate of 4.04.Meanwhile, Indian off-spinner Washington Sundar is also unavailable for both the T20I and ODI series against England after he ...
Ancients humans played team sports to test hunting skills: Study
Competitive team games may have originated among hunter-gatherers, to help men to hone their physical skills and stamina, and see how each performs under pressure, a study has found. Competitive team games in which men test their mettle against others are universal across the world, and may have deep roots in our evolutionary past. The games helped men hone their skills, assess the commitment of their team members, and see how each performs under pressure. All these activities suggest motivation to practise skills involved in lethal raiding, said Michelle Scalise Sugiyama of the University of Oregon in the US. Play behaviour in humans and other animals is thought to have evolved as a way to develop, rehearse, and refine skills that are critical for survival or reproduction. Chase games, for instance, build stamina and speed, which is helpful for evading predators. Similarly, play fighting is believed to develop skills used in actual fighting. Although many animals play fight, only ...
Mexico show no fear as they target end to fifth-game hex
Mexico do not have history on their side in their bid to dump Brazil out of the World Cup but the 2018 version of El Tri have already demonstrated a capability to surprise in Russia. For a seventh straight World Cup Mexico have made it to the last 16, but, agonisingly, they have failed to go any further on the six previous occasions, turning the desire just to make the "quinto partido" (fifth match) an obsession. "There's no greater memory than making history with a fifth match," said Mexico captain Andres Guardado. "We're different players in terms of the mental aspect, but we know we'll be judged by whether we get through or not. "What greater motivation could you need when we face off against the five-time champions? It's the perfect scene. It's the biggest game of our lives." Mexico's last-16 misfortunes have often come down to the finest of margins. Defeat on penalties to surprise package Bulgaria in 1994 started an inauspicious run. They blew a lead against Germany four years ...
Belgium wary of complacency as Japan chase history
Dries Mertens has warned Belgium against the perils of complacency as they prepare to face Japan here tomorrow with one eye on a possible quarter-final showdown with Brazil. The Belgians have emerged as dark horses at this World Cup, with their "Golden Generation" of players tipped to mount a deep run into the knockout rounds. Roberto Martinez's side defeated England 1-0 in their last outing to top Group G, earning what on paper should be a straightforward last 16 assignment against Japan. But Mertens says the Red Devils are wary of a possible repeat of their Euro 2016 quarter-final, when they crashed to a 3-1 defeat to Wales despite being favoured to progress. "I remember the Wales game," Mertens said. "Everyone thought we were going to go through, no problem. And then suddenly, we're out of the tournament. "We're not going to under-estimate Japan because they have a strong team. If they have got this far, it means they're a good side." After making nine changes for last Thursday's ..
Cavani optimistic over injury after firing Uruguay into quarter-finals
Edinson Cavani is hopeful he will be fit in time to face France in the World Cup quarter-finals despite coming off hurt in victory over Portugal. The Paris Saint-Germain striker scored both his side's goals in the 2-1 victory in Sochi in their last-16 tie, before hobbling off with a calf problem. "I just felt something at one point and couldn't recover. I hope (to be fit), I'll do everything to make sure I can take to the field with my teammates," Cavani told journalists after the game. "It hurts a little bit, but we will see how it looks tomorrow." Uruguay are due to play France in the last eight on Friday in Nizhny Novgorod, and veteran coach Oscar Tabarez said he was "worried" for Cavani. He had to be helped off the pitch by Portugal skipper Cristiano Ronaldo and was replaced by Cristhian Stuani in the 74th minute of the game at the Fisht Stadium. "Our next game is in five days which is not a lot of time, but after today we will rest. Obviously we are worried but we don't know ...
Will Messi quit the international stage after Argentina World Cup pain?
Four France goals ended Lionel Messi's fourth World Cup and may have brought down the curtain on an international career seemingly destined to end in disappointment. Tens of thousands of Argentines poured into Kazan hoping to see Messi carry an ageing side over one more hurdle after his solitary goal in Russia helped avoid an embarrassing group-stage exit against Nigeria. He played his part with two assists in a World Cup classic in the last-16 tie but it was not enough to save Argentina's fragile defence from the firepower of France and, in particular, 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe in a 4-3 defeat. "It will depend how we do, how it ends," Messi said before heading to Russia on whether he would continue on the international stage after the World Cup. The last 16 is the earliest he has exited the competition. Having turned 31 earlier in the tournament, it looks increasingly like defeat in the final four years ago is as close as he will come to matching Diego Maradona's feat of leading ...
Semenya and Samba sizzle in Paris
Caster Semenya put her run-in with the IAAF over controversial new rules on testosterone firmly to one side as she scorched to the fourth-fastest time ever run in the women's 800m at Diamond League meet in Paris. There was also an outstanding performance by Qatar's Abderrahman Samba, who set the second-fastest time ever in the men's 400m hurdles in balmy conditions of 29 degrees Celsius (84F) at the Charlety stadium in southern Paris. Semenya, double Olympic champion (2012, 2016) and twice world champion (2009, 2017), completely dominated her two-lap sortie, leading from gun to tape to clock a scintillating 1min 54.25sec that left the large crowd gasping. Only Kenyan Pamela Jelimo, in Zurich in 2008, Soviet Union's Nadezhda Olizarenko in 1980 and Czech world record holder Jarmila Kratochvilova (1:53.28), in 1983, have gone faster. "In Oslo we weren't happy with the pace and we said no pace setters this time around," Semenya said. "I'm always about chasing records. "I'm just a human ...
Hockey Champions Trophy: India stun Netherlands with 1-1 draw
The Indian men's hockey team held their nerves with stunning teamwork to draw 1-1 with the Netherlands as they romped into the final against Australia at the Rabobank Men's Hockey Champions Trophy Breda 2018 here on Saturday.This is only the second time in the history of the tournament that the Indian men's hockey team have made it to the final.Previously, the team had won a silver medal in 2016, after a gap of 34 years.It was Mandeep Singh (47') who scored the crucial goal for India in this thrilling encounter while Thierry Brinkman (55') scored the equaliser for the home team.There was plenty of action in the first quarter with both teams vying for a place in the final. India, however, created a goal-scoring opportunity first with youngster Dilpreet Singh making the right call to ask for a video referral. The video umpire ruled in India' favour for a dangerous ball in the striking circle, though Harmanpreet Singh's powerful flick was brilliantly parried away by Dutch goalkeeper Sam .
Ronaldo tight-lipped on future after World Cup KO
Cristiano Ronaldo declined to comment on his international future after bowing out of the World Cup following Portugal's 2-1 defeat by Uruguay. The Real Madrid star exited his fourth World Cup in disappointment after two goals from Edinson Cavani saw the Uruguayans advance to the last eight yesterday. However, Ronaldo, who will be 37 by the time of the next World Cup, would not be drawn on whether he planned to extend his international career. "Now is not the time to talk about the future of players and coaches," Ronaldo said. The 33-year-old did however say that European champions Portugal could look forward to the future with confidence. "We have a fantastic group, young and with a lot of ambition and for that reason I think the team will remain strong," he said. Ronaldo finished his World Cup campaign with four goals, one adrift of England's Harry Kane who leads the standings with five. Earlier, Portugal coach Fernando Santos said he hoped Ronaldo would remain part of the ...
FIFA WC: Cavani's double knocks Portugal out
Uruguay forward Edison Cavani scored one goal in each half to help his team brush aside Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal 2-1 in their round of 16 encounter at the ongoing 21st edition of the FIFA World Cup at the Fisht Olympic Stadium here on Saturday (local time).Right from the beginning of the match, both teams played attacking football and tried hard to gain an early advantage.In the 5th minute, Ronaldo almost gave Portugal their first goal, when he played a beautiful straight shot, just a few yards away from the penalty box, only to be saved by Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.In the 7th minute, Cavani drew first blood for Uruguay by scoring a perfect header assisted by striker Luis Suarez to give his team an early lead.Although the ball possession was in Portugal's favour, they failed to get past the stubborn Uruguayan defence and were frustrated as they missed out on opportunities of scoring goals.Leading from the front, Ronaldo played the aggressor's role, motivating his ...
Argentina's Mascherano announces retirement
Argentina's veteran defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano announced his retirement from international football on Saturday after his team's 3-4 loss to France in the World Cup Round-of-16.