Page 317 - Sports
Cannavaro steps down as China football coach
Italian coach Fabio Cannavaro has announced he is resigning from steering the Chinese national soccer team after just two consecutive defeats and said he would continue to focus on his role as the Guangzhou Evergrande Club's manager.
With team spirit, Sri Lanka will do well in World Cup, says Chaminda Vaas
Member of the 1996 World Cup winning team, Chaminda Vaas believes with "team spirit", Sri Lanka will do well going in the marquee event, beginning May 30."Sri Lanka are an unpredictable team. They need to be united, and there are special cricketers who can perform extremely well there (in England). If they have the team spirit, unity amongst the team, I think Sri Lanka will do well in the World Cup," ICC quoted Vaas, as saying.The 45-year-old, who featured in 322 ODIs and picked up 400 wickets, is part of Sri Lanka's coaching set-up. Vaas called on the players to take responsibility, overcome recent ODI struggles and prove their capabilities at the World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in England."I played for 20 years and enjoyed my game and as a coach, I'm enjoying what I'm doing for the youngsters. I tell young fast bowlers, 'Do not take short cuts, give 100 percent, focus on fitness, focus on endurance stuff and bend your back and bowl. Don't keep it for the next game, what you
Playoffs berth at stake for Royals against RCB
Having won their last two fixtures in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), Rajasthan Royals will be hoping for another win and keep their slim chances of making it to the playoffs alive when they take on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, here on Tuesday.
RR look to keep playoffs hopes alive against RCB
Royal Challengers Bangalore will look to give their forgettable campaign a semblance of respectability and dash Rajasthan Royals' faint playoffs hopes in the IPL here Tuesday. Rajasthan, with 10 points from 12 games, still have a theoretical chance to make it to the playoffs, provided they do not lose any of their remaining two matches. Also, they would require table-toppers Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals to defeat their respective opponents. Under the circumstances, Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes' absence will add to Rajasthan's pressure, more so when Archer's 12-ball 27 for a winning cause against Kolkata Knight Riders is taken into account. Jos Buttler, who had 311 runs and three fifties in eight innings, had also returned to England for World Cup preparations. The change in captaincy - replacing Ajnkya Rahane with Steve Smith - helped RR to an extent as this helped Rahane roar back to form with an elegant century, albeit in a losing cause, against Delhi ...
Bowlers could have done much better, says Nehra after RCB's 16-run defeat from DC
Royal Challengers Bangalore bowling coach Ashish Nehra stated that RCB's bowling department did not perform well which caused them a 16-run defeat in the hands of Delhi Capitals in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) here on Sunday."I don't think it was a 188-run wicket. They batted well, there is no doubt about it but I still feel we could have bowled much better. When you play in Bombay, Bengaluru those are tough wickets, this was comparatively easier wicket to bowl on. Bowlers missed the trick especially the way Navdeep Saini and Umesh Yadav bowled the last two over, 36 are too many runs. Anything more than 160 batting second on this wicket is tough," Nehra said during the post-match press conference.Moreover, Nehra believes that Umesh Yadav, who gave away 39 runs in his four overs, does have the skill set but lacks confidence."Umesh is short of confidence, the way his international cricket has gone in the last 4-5 months. He is not a part of the World Cup, it's not easy for ...
I am always under pressure: Russell tells wife
Andre Russell, who came out with yet another match-winning performance as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeated Mumbai Indians (MI) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) fixture, said he is always under pressure as he wants his fans to enjoy and be happy.
Bangladesh good enough to win World Cup, says Mushfiqur Rahim
Bangladesh wicket-keeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim believes his side is good enough to go all the way and win the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, beginning May 30.However, Rahim, who will make his fourth World Cup appearance, considers the new format -- 10 teams playing against each other in the round-robin stage -- would be challenging.With few experienced players in Bangladesh's 15-man squad, Rahim, as quoted by the ICC, said: "It is a tough format, but every team will get an equal chance to prove their skill through it. I can say the format is more comfortable for Bangladesh.""Having most experienced players in the team, this is the strongest World Cup team that Bangladesh have ever had. We lost many finals in the recent past. Maybe, a big achievement is waiting for us in the future. It (winning) is not impossible. It is tough but possible. I personally believe that we have the ability to reach the knockout stages, and anything can happen if we can reach that point.""Everyone wants to ..
Being called superhero makes me happy, says Avengers fan Russell
Saying Andre Russell and Avengers in one breath may sound a little more than odd but being tagged a 'superhero', like the protagonists of the cult Hollywood franchise, makes the cricketer "happy". While the Avengers series has an unbelievable following across the world, the kind of strokes that the West Indian conveniently pulls off can often be hard to believe in the world of cricket. He again played the central role, guiding Kolkata Knight Riders to a win over Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) here Sunday, smashing 80 odd runs in very few balls. "Yes, I am a fan of (Avengers), I am watching it for a while," he said at the post-match presentation ceremony. "If the fans say that I am a (super hero) I am happy." "Hand-eye co-ordination, a good bat speed and balance is important. I generate a lot of power from the shoulders and core. Everything works together. "You need to make sure your body is fit and strong in order to play those upward shots in those moments," ...
Situation demanded me to go all out: Hardik Pandya
Swashbuckling Mumbai Indians (MI) all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who played a blistering 91-run knock against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) fixture, said he couldn't have done anything else apart from going from the word go.
Game more batting friendly only in IPL: de Kock
In the Indian Premier League (IPL), flat wickets and shorter boundaries make the game heavily tilted towards the batters unlike other T20 competitions around the world, feels South Africa's Quinton de Kock.
MU-15 Championship: India lose opener to USA
India suffered a 0-3 defeat at the hands of USA in their ongoing MU-15 Championship in Palmanova, Italy.Austin Brummet converted a penalty just after the changeover to put the USA into the lead, before Carlos Cortez and Osvaldo Cisneros scored two more in the last 10 minutes on Sunday.Both the teams started off with great gusto, as they attempted to breach their opponent's goal early on. After settling into the game, India created chances through the likes of Ratanbi Singh, who won a free-kick in the 20th minute from 30 yards out. Maheson Singh tried his luck from the distance but his effort went wide.Maheson was involved in yet another close chance for India a couple of minutes later, but his shot was blocked this time. India goalkeeper Ayush Deshwal made a smart save minutes before the half-time whistle to keep both the sides goalless.The USA got off the blocks swiftly in the second half, winning a penalty that was smartly converted by Brummet. Maheson had the perfect chance to put .
No one batting with Hardik made it harder for us, says MI's De Kock
Mumbai Indians' Quinton de Kock has rued the lack of support for Hardik Pandya, whose incredible power-hitting kept Kolkata Knight Riders on tenterhooks till the final ball of the 18th over here. Chasing 233, Hardik's 91 from 34 balls kept MI in the hunt till his dismissal swung the game in favour of KKR at the Eden Gardnes. "We would have loved a couple of less wickets when Kieron (Pollard) and Hardik walked in. But, unfortunately, it didn't happen today so there's the collapse and no one batting with Hardik made it harder for us," the South African said at the post-match news conference Sunday. De Kock got out without opening his account, after top-edging Sunil Narine in the second over. "When you have to score of 233, you need to play one or two shots anyway. You have to try against any bowler who comes on and take a chance to get things going. "So if I hit that ball for four or six, you probably would have said 'great shot' but unfortunately I got out so didn't look," he said ...
Had one of my best knocks this IPL: Gill
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) bastman Shubman Gill feels his knock under pressure against Mumbai Indians (MI) on Sunday is one of his best in this edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Great to see Russell's maturity: Karthik
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Dinesh Karthik has heaped praise on Andre Russell, saying it is great to see him grow as a player and get matured.
Opening or floating, talented Gill 'happy' to bat anywhere
His two half-centuries this IPL season may have come in his favoured opening slot but Shubman Gill has defended Kolkata Knight Riders' debatable decision to use him as a floater. Opening the batting for only the third time this season, the talented 19-year-old smashed a career-best 76 to power KKR to 157 for one in 15 overs against Mumbai Indians Sunday. In the end, KKR notched 232 for two in 20 overs. The Punjab opener, who batted at No. 3 in his debut series for India in the New Zealand ODIs earlier this year, was tried out in various positions, including at No. 7, in a couple of matches. "Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine have been doing well (as openers). Narine was giving good starts. So I was happy to happy to get a chance and capitalise on that," Gill said at the post-match news conference following his team's 34-run win. "It's one of the best knocks in this IPL, especially considering the situation that we had lost six matches in a row. We do all kinds of practice in various ...
Slow tracks making batsmen earn their runs this IPL
One significant thing which has come to the fore so far in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) edition is the drop in the scores posted by all the eight franchises. So far, the average scores posted by the teams lie between 150-160, which is quite less if one compares it to the previous years.
'Special day' for history-making woman umpire
Australia's Claire Polosak said it was a "special day" as she made history in becoming the first female umpire to stand in a men's one-day international. The 31-year-old officiated in the final of the World Cricket League Division 2 between hosts Namibia and Oman at the weekend and admitted she would "sleep well" after her performance. "It was a special day for everyone and I wanted to do the best I can," said Polosak. "There was a little bit of intensity out there, some argy-bargy between the teams but I nipped it in the bud with a quiet word. "Everyone responded well, there were no issues with player behaviour." Polosak has already stood in 15 women's ODIs, the first one in November 2016 between Australia and South Africa. She has also umpired the semi-final of the Women's T20 World Cup in 2018 between England and India and four matches at the 2017 Women's World Cup. "I had a couple of big calls," she added of Saturday's game which was won by Namibia by 145 runs. "Big caught ...
'We have to apologise for our performance, all of us', admits Zidane
Zinedine Zidane apologised after Real Madrid were beaten by La Liga strugglers Rayo Vallecano and admitted he would like the season to end now. Adri Embarba's penalty, given after consultation with VAR, was enough for a 1-0 victory for Rayo, who move to within six points of survival, with three games left to play. But Madrid's latest setback widens the gap to 18 points between them and Barcelona, who wrapped up their fourth league title in five years by beating Levante on Saturday night. "Today we did nothing," Zidane said. "From minute one until the end, at all levels. Sometimes you cannot score but today we did not even create chances, did not play at all. "We must be very angry. I am angry, because the image we gave off today was bad. I am responsible for this as well, not just the players. But we have to apologise for our performance today, all of us." Zidane said it was not just the lack of creativity at Vallecas but the attitude of his players that concerned him. "It was ...
Madrid misery continues with defeat at struggling Rayo
Real Madrid's response to Barcelona winning the title was to lose to 19th-placed Rayo Vallecano and fall 18 points behind La Liga's newly-crowned champions. A deserved 1-0 defeat at Vallecas Sunday means Zinedine Zidane's second term now shows four wins from eight games and a worrying lack of improvement since he returned as Madrid's coach. Adri Embarba's penalty, given after consultation with VAR, was enough for Rayo, who move to within six points of survival, with three games left to play. For Madrid, the gap widens between them and Barcelona, whose players had been dancing on the pitch at Camp Nou the night before and posing for photos with their children after wrapping up a fourth La Liga title in five years. Zidane took over knowing Madrid's challenge was all-but extinguished but the difference on Barca then was 12 points while catching Atletico Madrid still seemed achievable. Atletico are now nine points ahead and the way Madrid are closing out this season will surely be a cause
Pak to take on Bangladesh in U-16 series
Captained by Umer Eman, Pakistan under-16 are set to open their three-day tour of Bangladesh on April 29 in Fatullah.Top-order batsman Umer was the leading run-getter in the 50-over series against Australia earlier this year. Another star performer from the series, Kashif Ali will be deputy to Umer. Other performers who shone against Australia include Ahmad Khan, who was the pick of Pakistan bowlers with 13 wickets, and left-arm chinaman bowler Faisal Akram, who took 10 wickets in the UAE.However, all eyes will be on opener Mohammad Shehzad who smashed two centuries (104 and 107 not out) in the three-day practice match at the Gaddafi Stadium. Shehzad had played in just two 50-over matches against Australia, but his most impressive performance came in the one-off T20 when he scored an unbeaten 73 to help Pakistan achieve the 154-run target on the final ball of the match with six wickets remaining.Bangladesh captain Rihad Khan and Umer attended the trophy unveiling ceremony on ...