Page 354 - Sports
Struggling RR look for double against formidable MI
Fast running out of time, a struggling Rajasthan Royals will hope to complete the double against Mumbai Indians in a return-leg IPL fixture and revive their campaign here Saturday. With six losses and two wins, hosts Rajasthan Royals are languishing at the second last position in the points table and they would be desperate to bring their campaign back on track with a much-needed win here. Rajasthan would be taking heart from the four-wicket win over Mumbai Indians at their own den last Saturday and will hope to get the better of their rivals once again, this time at home. However, it will be easier said than done considering Rajasthan's dismal record at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium. Apart from their lone victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan have lost three matches at home. England's Jos Buttler has done the bulk of scoring for Rajasthan. His fiery 89 off 43 balls was the cornerstone of Royals' four-wicket victory over Mumbai but rest the batsmen have either struggled
Bayern Munich sporting director Salihamidzic fined by DFB
Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic has been fined 8,000 euros ($9,000) by the German Football Federation (DFB) for unsporting behaviour towards a referee.
'Host' of problems for DC ahead of Kings XI Punjab clash
Seeking home comforts after multiple reverses at the Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi Capitals will be desperate to buck the trend when they take on a rejuvenated Kings XI Punjab in the IPL here Saturday. Rechristened before the start of the cash-rich event's 12th edition, Delhi Capitals have been at ease on the road, winning three matches on the trot after an authoritative beginning in Mumbai. However, things have turned out quite differently in their home ground, where they found the pitches far from friendly. The unwavering support, cheers and chants, from the galleries have not helped so far and the side, coached by Ricky Ponting and mentored by Sourav Ganguly, will look to play in the manner that befits the two greats' status in world cricket. For they know that if they are able to live up to Ponting and Ganguly's expectations, chances of the fans going back home with smiles on their faces will increase manifold. And so will be their prospects of reaching the playoffs. Standing in their ..
AB de Villiers eyes on BBL stint
Former South Africa wicket-keeper batsman AB de Villiers has expressed his interest to play in the Big Bash League (BBL) 2019-20 season in Australia.De Villiers is understood to be on the lookout for a BBL club in the back half of next summer's tournament, with a number of clubs having been approached by batsman's management. It is believed several clubs have shown interest in his potential recruitment, cricket.com.au reported.The 35-year-old hung up his boots from international cricket in April last year. However, de Villiers remains one of the world's best player as he transferred his one-day batting skills in the shortest format of the game.In the ongoing 12th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL), de Villiers is in spectacular form. So far he has crossed half-century in four of his seven outings for Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). De Villiers and West Indies' Chris Gayle are the only two players to strike in excess of 150 while averaging more than 40 in the ...
Hardik's work ethics are second to none: Krunal
Flamboyant all-rounder Hardik Pandya was out of the Indian cricket for almost six months, owing to a back injury and a suspension he got from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for his comments on a chat show.
Hardik has become a better cricketer after forced break: Krunal
Mumbai Indians all-rounder Krunal Pandya feels that the time his younger brother Hardik spent away from the game has helped him become a better cricketer. Hardik seems to be in menacing form with the bat ahead of the World Cup, having overcome a back injury and a massive controversy following his sexist comments on a popular TV show. "When he was away from the game due to injury and the other reasons (controversy), he worked a lot on his fitness. We started playing the game together and one thing that I can say that cricket has always been his priority. "Honestly, there are very few players who have a work ethic like him. His goal is always to improve and if you do that, you become consistent," said Krunal after the Pandya brothers guided Mumbai to a 40-run win over Delhi Capitals here Thursday. Be it spinners or bowlers with express pace, Hardik has developed the ability to hit them out of the park. "Earlier he used to smash spinners, now he is also doing the same to pacers. He ...
KXIP start as favourites at Delhi's home (Preview)
The wicket at the Ferozeshah Kotla once again came back to haunt Delhi Capitals and stop their three-match winning momentum on Thursday. And Kings XI Punjab will look to feed off that very advantage when they come to the Kotla on Saturday with some quality spinners in a side led by none other than R. Ashwin.
Our middle order needs to fire: Pravin Amre
Delhi Capitals scouting head Pravin Amre has said that the extra 18 runs leaked in the death overs cost them against Mumbai Indians and going forward, he expects a much better performance from the team's middle order. Pandya brothers -- Hardik and Krunal -- hammered 51 runs off the last three overs to take Mumbai Indians to 168 for five on a slow and low Kotla wicket. The 40-run loss was Delhi's third at home in four games though they have been doing well in away matches. "It is very important to win at home as well. We have won game so far (the super over one against KKR). The last two games, we did not do well in the Powerplay, the positive in this game was that we did very well in Powerplay (48/0)," Amre said. "It is the middle overs which really cost us and it is one area we have to work on. If we can play the spinners well in the middle overs, it will be very important," he said at the post-match media interaction. The former India batsman said Hardik's 15-ball 32 towards the end
Takeaways from Pakistan's World Cup squad
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced its national 15-man squad for the ICC Men's World Cup. However, the inclusion and exclusion of some players turned out to be a talking point among critics and fans.Mohammad AmirThe left-arm fast bowler has experienced ups and down to be named in the World Cup squad. Amir's exclusion is a turnaround for a player who was adjudged Player of the Match when Pakistan claimed the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017. Since then, he could not pick wickets in nine out of 14 ODIs he has played, averaging 92.60.However, Amir has been given a chance to prove himself in series against England ahead of the World Cup squad finalisation. Pakistan will play five-match ODI series and one-off T20I against England.Mohammad RizwanRizwan was handed gloves in place of Sarfaraz Ahmed in the recent series against Australia. The wicket-keeper batsman scored two centuries in the five-match series, which Pakistan lost 0-5. With the omission of Rizwan from the World Cup squad, ...
Cricket is priority for Hardik, says Krunal
Mumbai Indians all-rounder Krunal Pandya believes "cricket is a priority" for his brother and teammate Hardik Pandya, who has been named in India's 15-man World Cup squad.A back injury and a suspension for his comments on a talk show kept Hardik out of the national team for about six months. However, Hardik utilised that period, putting hard work in order to play match-winning knocks in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and earn a call-up for the marquee event in England."When Hardik was out of the game because of injury and the (suspension) that happened, he utilised that time to work on his fitness. He is the kind of player for whom cricket is a priority, no matter what. His work ethics are second to none. He puts in a lot of hard work," ICC quoted Krunal, as saying after Mumbai Indians defeated Delhi Capitals on Thursday."His (Hardik) goal has always been to improve his game. If you improve, you become consistent. Every year if you see, he keeps on adding something to his game. He ...
Windies' Hayley Matthews, Stacy Ann King recalled for Ireland, England series
Hayley Matthews and Stacy Ann King have been recalled in West Indies' 14-member squad for nine limited-over games against Ireland and England, beginning May 26.West Indies will play against Ireland in three T20 Internationals on May 26, 28 and 29. The Caribbean side will then take on England in the ICC Women's Championship on June 6,9 and 13, followed by three T20 Internationals on June 18, 21 and 25.Matthews returns to the squad after an injury layoff, when she damaged her medial collateral ligament while playing in the Women's Big Bash (WBBL) in Australia last December. The injury resulted in Matthews missing the recent series against Pakistan in Karachi and Dubai.Stacy Ann King is returning to international cricket after an almost three-year absence. King last represented West Indies in the home series against England in 2016."Stacy Ann King's return to the West Indies Women's team to tour Ireland and England is no real surprise after her performance during the recently concluded ..
Rohit Sharma 3rd Indian to score 8K T20 runs
Explosive opener Rohit Sharma has become the third Indian batsman to score 8,000 runs in T20 cricket. He achieved the feat while playing for Mumbai Indians against Delhi Capitals in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
MI outplayed us in all departments: Shreyas Iyer
Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Shreyas Iyer conceded that his side was outplayed in all the three departments by the Mumbai Indians (MI) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash.
Rohit all praise for Chahar post Delhi win
Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma has heaped praises on Rahul Chahar for playing a crucial part in his team's thumping 40-run win over the Delhi Capitals in the ongoing IPL, saying the young spinner has a good attitude and is always clear about his plans and executes them well.
Lahiri makes modest start at RBC Heritage
Returning to action after a gap of three weeks, Anirban Lahiri was unable to build on a superb start, finishing with one-over 72 on a blustery morning to lie 77th after the first round of the RBC Heritage here. Lahiri, who has been struggling this season with just one Top-10 in 11 starts, began well when he sank a 20-footer for birdie on the first hole. The Indian then hit good second and third shots on the par-5 second to get with 27 inches of the cup for a tap-in birdie and go two-under in two. Thereafter his play was patchy, as he hit only eight of the 18 greens in regulation. On the par-5 fifth, he hit his tee shot into the fairway bunker, followed by getting into another fairway bunker. He hit his fourth shot to the green and two-putted for a bogey. Lahiri went into the water on seventh and after a drop, he hit to eighth feet for a bogey, thus wiping out both his early birdies. On the Par-4 473 yard eighth, Lahiri went to right rough but got to eight feet with his third shot, but
Jordan says Woods comeback is "greatest I have ever seen"
Michael Jordan described Tiger Woods' Masters comeback as the "greatest ever" and added he called the golfing icon to personally congratulate him. "To me it is the greatest comeback I have ever seen," Jordan told The Athletic. "I never thought he'd get back physically. He didn't think he'd get back physically. But he did it. No one expected him to be back the way he is now. "He's probably the only person who believed he could get back. To me, that's a major accomplishment. To me, it's unbelievable." Woods ended an 11-year major drought with a thrilling and emotional Masters victory on Sunday. Aged 43, Woods trails only Jack Nicklaus who won at age 46 in 1986. Woods has 15 major championships, second to Nicklaus' 18. Just two years ago his back pain was so bad Woods thought he might never play again, let alone win another major. "Mentally, you always think you can. But you can't answer to what your body has to deal with," former NBA superstar Jordan said of Woods. "I'm pretty sure he ..
Man City must 'stand up' from Tottenham knockout blow to keep Liverpool at bay
The third act of Manchester City and Tottenham's trilogy has some living up to do after a Champions League classic saw Spurs prevail on away goals to reach the semi-finals. However, their Premier League meeting on Saturday has huge implications for both City's bid to win the title and Spurs' hopes of just qualifying for the Champions League again next season. Pep Guardiola's men are five games away from becoming the first side in a decade to retain the Premier League. However, it is Liverpool who lead by two points as things stand having played a game more than their title rivals. City were on course for an unprecedented quadruple until falling short in the most dramatic fashion in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday. With the sides level at 4-4 on aggregate, Raheem Sterling scored the goal that would have sent City through in stoppage time, only for a VAR review to rule the goal out for offside. "We have to stand up, we have to react," said Guardiola. "We fought a lot in
Juve look to bury Champions League misery with another Serie A crown
Juventus turn the page on yet another Champions League disappointment as they focus on sealing an eighth consecutive Serie A title at home on Saturday. Massimiliano Allegri's side host Fiorentina needing just one more point to lift the Scudetto for a 35th time, days after a shock 2-1 defeat (3-2 on aggregate) to Ajax. The Turin giants have won the Scudetto more than any other team in Italy with AC Milan and Inter Milan trailing second best with 18 each. Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo will have to settle for a Serie A title in his first season in Italy after missing out on a sixth Champions League title. The 34-year-old was inconsolable after the defeat to Ajax and has remained silent on social media since, with his spectacular hat-trick in the last 16 against Atletico Madrid, and two diving headers over two quarter-final games against Ajax not enough. "He told me he doesn't perform miracles," his mother Dolores Aveiro told the Portuguese press. "He was sad. He would ...
La Liga set for big finish despite Barcelona procession
Barcelona might have their eighth title in 11 years all-but sewn up but, with six games left to play, La Liga is far from finished. Atletico Madrid are battling city rivals Real Madrid for bragging rights and second place while Sevilla, Getafe and Valencia are in a three-way scrap for the last Champions League spot. Real Betis, Athletic Bilbao and Alaves could all make the Europa League, and at the other end of the table, seven clubs are facing the threat of relegation, with five of them separated by only three points. Here, AFP Sports takes a look at what is left to play for ahead of round 33 this weekend. Barcelona on for the treble =========================== Barcelona sit nine points clear of Atletico and will be confirmed as champions later this month if they beat Real Sociedad on Saturday, Alaves and then Levante at Camp Nou on April 27. The title could be wrapped up sooner if Atletico slip up, with Diego Simeone's side away to Eibar on Saturday before a tricky game at home to ..
Friendly fire for Barty, Azarenka in Fed Cup as Halep eyes final place
Ashleigh Barty will be overjoyed when doubles partner and two-time major winner Victoria Azarenka returns to the peak of her powers but hopes it won't be this weekend when Australia and Belarus clash for a place in the Fed Cup final. Barty and Azarenka teamed up this season, making the doubles semi-finals at the prestigious Miami Open just days before the Australian clinched the singles title, a breakthrough which propelled her into the world's top 10. Now Barty leads Australia's hopes of reaching a first Fed Cup final since 1993 when they face 2017 runners up Belarus in Brisbane on Saturday and Sunday. And the pair have been selected to meet each other in the second singles rubber, with Azarenka preferred to her higher-ranked teammate Aliaksandra Sasnovich. Australia also opted for experience, with former US Open champion Samantha Stosur, who made her Fed Cup debut back in 2003, a surprise pick to open the tie, rather than Daria Gavrilova, against world number 10 Aryna ...