SportsGR*

At www.sportsgr8.com, we're passionate about sports, and we know you are too! Whether you're a die-hard fan or a casual observer, this is your one-stop destination for all things sports-related. From the latest scores and game highlights to in-depth analysis and behind-the-scenes stories, we've got it all covered.

[sportsgr8]

R Ashwin Retires From International Cricket With Immediate Effect

Gavaskar Trophy Test: Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect. Ashwin revealed his decision at the end of the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Brisbane, which ended in a draw due to rain.“This will be my last day as an Indian cricketer in all formats at the international level. I do feel there's a bit of punch left in me as a cricketer, but I would like to expose and probably showcase that in club level cricket, but this will be the last day. I've had a lot of fun. “I must say I've created a lot of memories alongside Rohit and several of my other teammates, even though I've lost some of them over the last few years. We are the last bunch of OGs, if you can say that, left out of the dressing room. I'd be marking this as my date of having played at this level,” said Ashwin in the post-match press conference. Ashwin ends his career with 537 wickets at average of 24 in 106 Tests and becoming India’s second leading wicket-taker after legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble. He also scored six Test centuries and 14 fifties with the bat. His last international game was the day-night Test in Adelaide, where he took 1-53. His retirement announcement looked imminent once TV visuals showed an emotional Ashwin being given a hug by Virat Kohli on the balcony of the dressing room during the rain delay. Ashwin also played 116 ODIs for India, taking 156 wickets, and being a member of 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy winning teams. Ashwin also played 65 T20I matches and took 72 wickets. “Obviously, there are a lot of people to thank, but I would be failing in my duties if I didn't thank the BCCI and fellow teammates, several of them. I want to name a few of them. “All the coaches who've been a part of the journey, most importantly, Rohit, Virat (Kohli), Ajinkya (Rahane), (Cheteshwar) Pujara, who've taken those spending catches around the back to give me the number of wickets I've managed to get over the years. Also, a big thank you to the Australian cricket team, who've been very fierce competitors. I've enjoyed my time playing against them,” added Ashwin. In Tests, Ashwin was one of the big figures in the Indian team’s 12-year long home domination and played a starring role in the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy win in Australia. Ashwin was one of 11 allrounders to clinch the double of 3000 runs and 300 wickets in Tests. He also won a record 11 Player-of-the-Series awards, level with Muthiah Muralitharan. “I think it's already getting long. I wouldn't be taking any questions, but it's truly a very emotional moment. I don't think I'm in a position where I would be answering the questions in the right way, so please pardon me for that. Once again, that's my time. “Thanks for being the journalist that you've been, writing good things and, of course, writing nasty things on occasions. That's a relationship I think we would maintain forever. I hope the cricketers to come in the future will also get the same amount of love that you've given them. “I think it's already getting long. I wouldn't be taking any questions, but it's truly a very emotional moment. I don't think I'm in a position where I would be answering the questions in the right way, so please pardon me for that. Once again, that's my time. Article Source: IANS Read the full article

[sportsgr8]

BGT 2024-25: Next 24 Hours Crucial In Deciding Brisbane Test Availability, Says Hazlewood

Gavaskar Trophy Test: Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood said the next 24 hours are crucial in deciding his availability for the crunch Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Brisbane, starting on December 14.Hazlewood was ruled out of Australia’s day-night Test in Adelaide, which the hosts’ won by ten wickets to square the five-match series 1-1, due to a side strain. On Monday, Hazlewood had two bowling sessions at Adelaide Oval on Monday, with the Australian team fitness experts gauging if he’s fit enough to play in the third game at The Gabba. "I think it'll be how I pull up in the 24 hours following it really. It’s just that repetitive (action) and obviously two spells makes a big difference. Cooling down pretty much fully and then going again in the same day, and the intensity has got to be right up there as well. "So a few boxes to tick, but it's probably the 24 hours that follow and pulling up again the next day and then thinking 'yeah, I'd be right to go again if I had to'," said Hazlewood to reporters on Monday. Hazlewood also explained his latest injury was not a typical side strain, as compared to his past history of this issue. Instead, it’s a part of an existing issue which had left searching for a solution. “I think if this was the last Test of the summer, I could have potentially run the gauntlet and played (but) I think I would have been in a pretty bad state by the end of the game, even though it was only a short game. It just wasn’t quite right. “It’s not necessarily your typical side strain, which I’ve had a couple in my career, (where) you’re running in to bowl and you just grab your hat and you’re off and you’re out for six weeks. It’s not that sort of side strain. It’s from a sort of repetitive use. “It’s caused me a lot of trouble over the last few years, but (I had a) perfect prep this year, and played the Shield game and ticked all that off. I was very happy (with) where I was and it still happened. So I was pretty annoyed there for a few days.’ “There was plenty of meetings from CA's point of view (with) physios, (and) doctors, all that stuff. So (we will) come up with a few options and see if we can stop it from happening again. I've ticked every box so far this week. The side's obviously been a troublesome area for me in the past. So if I can lean on the side of caution, I guess (I will) a little bit," he elaborated. If Hazlewood is cleared to play the Brisbane Test, the Australian selectors will be forced to choose between him and seamer Scott Boland, who picked figures of 5-105 as his replacement in the Adelaide Test. "Obviously (we've) got Scotty there, who does a fantastic job every time he plays. That sort of makes the decision a little easier. Sometimes you've sort of got to be pretty much 100 percent to play. And if not, Scott is there (ready) to go. (It's) just admiration, he just sticks to his guns. If Hazlewood is cleared to play the Brisbane Test, the Australian selectors will be forced to choose between him and seamer Scott Boland, who picked figures of 5-105 as his replacement in the Adelaide Test. Article Source: IANS Read the full article

[sportsgr8]

ZIM vs PAK Dream11 Prediction 3rd T20I, Pakistan tour of Zimbabwe 2024

ZIM vs PAK 3rd T20I Dream11 Prediction: Pakistan's tour of Zimbabwe has come to an end as the visitors have won both series. They have a 2-0 unbeatable lead in the ongoing T20I series. The final game between these two teams is scheduled for Thursday afternoon at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. It will begin at 5 PM IST, and Pakistan have a great chance to register a 3-0 whitewash here. They have been superb, and their bowlers have once again helped them to win yet another series. Zimbabwe have looked out of sorts, and it will be as big a challenge for them to put up a fight. ZIM vs PAK 3rd T20I: Match Details Date: December 5 (Thursday) Time: 05:00 PM IST Venue: Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo  ZIM vs PAK 3rd T20I Live Streaming Details To watch the third and final T20I between Zimbabwe and Pakistan, Indian fans can switch to FanCode app or website. ZIM vs PAK: Head-to-Head In T20is Total Matches: 20 Zimbabwe: 02 Pakistan: 18 No Result: 00 ZIM vs PAK: Ground Pitch Report This is a bowling-friendly wicket that tends to slow down a little bit, making it hard for the batters. It becomes challenging to bat here. That is why the toss will be important, and the team that wins the toss should bowl first to use the conditions. Zimbabwe vs Pakistan Predicted XIs Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Sikandar Raza (c), Ryan Burl, Clive Madande, Tashinga Musekiwa, Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, Trevor Gwandu Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Omair Yousuf, Usman Khan (wk), Tayyab Tahir, Salman Agha (c), Jahandad Khan, Irfan Khan, Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem ZIM vs PAK Dream11 Team Wicket-keepers: Usman Khan, Tadiwanashe Marumani Batters: Omair Yousuf, Saim Ayub (Captain) All-rounders: Sikandar Raza, Agha Salman, Jahandad Khan Bowlers: Haris Rauf, Sufyan Muqeem (Vice Captain), Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmad Dream11 Prediction: The way Zimbabwe have struggled so far, it looks difficult for them to compete here. They will be hoping for something good from their batters, which might help them. But Pakistan have shown better performance, which is why we predict Pakistan to win the final game. ZIM vs PAK 3rd T20I Dream11 Prediction, Today Match ZIM vs PAK, ZIM vs PAK Dream11 Team, Fantasy Cricket Tips, ZIM vs PAK Pitch Report, Today Cricket Match Prediction, Today Cricket Match, Dream11 Team, Playing XI, Pitch Report, Injury Update of the match between Zimbabwe vs Pakistan  Disclaimer: The fantasy team is purely based on the understanding and research of the writer. So kindly make sure to consider the points above while making your Dream11 team. Read the full article

[sportsgr8]

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Meets International Tennis Hall Of Famer Leander Paes

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya: Union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya met Indian tennis great and International Tennis Hall of Famer Leander Paes on Thursday to discuss the future of sports in India and strategies to further enhance the country's performance in the Olympics and Paralympics. "It was a pleasure to meet legendary Olympic medalist @Leander today! Also Congratulated him on being inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame! He continues to inspire youth and athletes to chase their dreams," the sports minister posted on X. The discussion centered around building a stronger sports foundation in India, with an emphasis on identifying and nurturing grassroots talent. The union minister expressed his commitment to creating more conducible environment where aspiring athletes have access to world-class facilities, coaching, and competitive opportunities, the ministry release read. Paes shared his experiences and insights on what it takes to succeed at the highest level. In July this year, Paes along with Vijay Amritraj became the first Asian men to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. While Paes was inducted under the player category, Amritraj made it into the coveted club under the contributor category. Widely regarded as one of the top doubles players in the history of the sport, Paes is an 18-time Grand Slam champion with eight men's doubles titles and 10 in mixed doubles. He is one of only three men in tennis history to capture a career Grand Slam in both disciplines. He spent 37 weeks at No. 1 in the world rankings in doubles, and won 54 doubles titles on tour. Widely regarded as one of the top doubles players in the history of the sport, Paes is an 18-time Grand Slam champion with eight men's doubles titles and 10 in mixed doubles. He is one of only three men in tennis history to capture a career Grand Slam in both disciplines. Article Source: IANS Read the full article

[sportsgr8]

The Nation Draw Inspiration From Your Spirit’: Henna Sindhu Lauds Preethi Pal s Paralympic Heroics

Henna Sindhu: Olympian pistol shooter Heena Sindhu lauded para-athlete Preethi Pal for her historic medal winning performances at the ongoing Paris Paralympics.Preethi on Monday scripted history after clinching bronze in the women's 200m T35 as she became the first Indian woman athlete to win two medals in track & field in the Paralympics or Olympics. She clocked the personal best timing of 30.01 seconds to finish behind the Chinese duo of Xia Zhou and Guo Qianqian, who bagged gold and silver, respectively, with a timing of 28.15 seconds and 29.09 seconds. "Heartiest congratulations to Preethi Pal for a medal winning performance at the Paris Paralympics. Despite facing innumerous challenges throughout your life, you stand tall scripting your name in history. The nation is not only proud of you but draw inspiration from your character and spirit. Keep winning and keep rising Preethi," Heena posted on X. Earlier on Friday, the Indian sprinter won bronze in the women's 100m -T35. The 23-year-old finished third in the final with a time of 14.21 seconds, which was also her personal best. "Heartiest congratulations to Preethi Pal for a medal winning performance at the Paris Paralympics. Despite facing innumerous challenges throughout your life, you stand tall scripting your name in history. The nation is not only proud of you but draw inspiration from your character and spirit. Keep winning and keep rising Preethi," Heena posted on X. Article Source: IANS Read the full article

[sportsgr8]

UP T20, Season 2: Clinical Kanpur Superstars Beat Noida Kings By Seven Wickets

BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium: A complete team performance by Kanpur Superstars earned them a seven-wicket victory over Noida Kings in Season 2 of the Uttar Pradesh (UP) T20 League at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium here. The bowlers did a good job to restrict Noida to 119 and the batters then overhauled the challenge clinically with 28 balls to spare.On winning the toss, Noida opted to bat first. The start by the openers was rather watchful as they kept working the strike over and did not hit boundaries. In the early phase, Vineet Panwar was particularly good for Kanpur as he bowled a wicket-maiden – dismissing Aditya Sharma in the fourth over. Mukesh Kumar was then introduced into the attack; he bowled a very economical spell and took the wickets of Mohammad Amaan and Nitish Rana. When Mukesh dismissed Rana in the ninth over, Noida were 34 for four. Run-scoring wasn’t an easy task. The first six of the matches came off the bat of Piyush Chawla, who walked in at 50 for five in the 12th over and lofted his second ball down the ground. Up until then, Noida had managed only two boundaries in their innings. It was due to the efforts of Chawla, who scored 19 and Mohammad Sharim that Noida got to 119 in their 20 overs. Sharim’s knock was critical as he was the most aggressive Noida batter on the day. The 20-ball 35 was worth its weight in gold under the circumstances. During his innings, he smashed one four and four sixes. When he walked out to bat in the 16th over, Noida were 68 for six. Sharim started off as he intended to go – smashing his first ball for six over mid-wicket off Aaqib Khan. Sharim stayed through to the end and was run out off the last ball of the innings in an attempt to pick a run. Mukesh was Kanpur’s most successful bowler but the others too chipped in with good performances. Ankur Malik bowled two overs and took a wicket, conceding only four runs. Mohsin Khan picked two for 27 and there was a wicket apiece for Panwar and Aaqib. Kanpur’s run-chase was off to a shaky start when Aashiyan Saifi was dismissed in the second over while trying to clear mid-wicket. Shoaib Siddiqui, the Kanpur wicketkeeper-batter, allayed any nerves his team may have had. With his attacking approach, he ensured the runs came at a quicker pace. He smashed the first two balls of the fourth over for fours to find some momentum. Kanpur brought up their fifty in the eighth over when Siddique hit two fours off Rana’s off-spin. Adarsh Singh gave Siddiqui good company by holding one end. The first six of Kanpur’s innings came in the 10th over when he hit Naman Tiwari over fine-leg for a six. At the halfway mark, Kanpur had moved to 65. Siddiqui followed that with his first six when he hit Sharim over mid-wicket soon after. The partnership ended when Adarsh edged one to point off Tiwary. The pair had added 76 in good time and put Kanpur on course. That brought Sameer Rizvi to the crease, who seemed to be in a hurry to finish the game. He started by smashing two fours of Piyush Chawla. When Tiwari came on to bowl the 14th over, Rizvi started with a four off the second ball. He then pulled the third over the leg-side for a six and followed it up with another maximum over fine-leg. The Rizvi charge continued as the target approached and the Kanpur captain put on an exhibition for the fans. With four needed to win, he tried to follow up a six with another off Kartik Yadav but was bowled. His innings of 33 came off only 16 balls with three fours and three sixes. Siddiqui finished the match with a four off Prashant Veer over long-on and got to his half-century Brief scores: The Rizvi charge continued as the target approached and the Kanpur captain put on an exhibition for the fans. With four needed to win, he tried to follow up a six with another off Kartik Yadav but was bowled. His innings of 33 came off only 16 balls with three fours and three sixes. Siddiqui finished the match with a four off Prashant Veer over long-on and got to his half-century Article Source: IANS Read the full article

[sportsgr8]

Paris Olympics: Most Resilient Performance By Any Indian Hockey Team, Says Somaya

World Champion Germany: Former India captain and selector MM Somaya on Sunday termed the Indian Men's hockey team's victory over Great Britain in the quarterfinals in the Paris Olympics as "one of the most resilient" and "tactically well played" performance in recent times. Despite being a man down for three of the four quarters of the match, the Indian team defended stoutly and absorbed tremendous pressure to end the match 1-1 and then emerged 4-2 winners in the shootout to seal a place in the semifinals. This is the first time that India have reached the semifinals in two successive Olympics since the 1972 Olympics in Munich. Somaya, who was a member of the team that won India's eighth gold medal in men's hockey in the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, hailed the players for their performance in the Paris Olympics and said they have raised hopes of going through all the way. India had ended a four-decade-long medal drought by winning the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics. "It was one of the most resilient and the most, I think, tactically very well-played (game) given the circumstances that the team found itself in. So, I think a very resilient and very strong tactical game to pull it off in the quarterfinal at the Olympics. So the game was not a, you know, pool game or a, you know, some smaller tournament quarterfinal. To do something like this at the Olympics is amazing. It is definitely one of the most resilient performances by an Indian team," said Somaya, who was the captain of the Indian hockey team at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. For years, lack of resilience and tactical acumen was considered as the reasons for the Indian men's team's failure to progress through key knockout matches in mega events -- conceding last-minute goals like at the 1984 Los Angeles and 2000 Sydney Olympic games that thwarted them from progressing to the last-four stage. On Sunday, resilient play and a strong tactical game saved the day as Harmanpreet Singh's team battled hard despite being reduced to 10 players at the start of the second quarter after Amit Rohidas was shown a red card. A keen observer of Indian hockey since his playing days, Somaya, who is a member of the senior men's selection committee of Hockey India, has seen the team grow in the last decade and said by reaching the semifinals in two successive Olympics, the team has lifted the stature of India in hockey. "There has been an amazing change. They have really lifted the stature of India in hockey. They have put us (in the top four). They have retained that stature we used to have earlier. May not be finishing as first, second, or third very often, but the quality of hockey they have played over the last ten years has been very, very encouraging and they have again put Indian hockey on the World map. So very happy with the style of playing," said Somaya. The 65-year-old Somaya, who was born in Madikeri, Karnataka but now settled in Mumbai for the last many decades, agreed that the team's performance was not perfect as they made many errors in midfield easily giving away the ball on many occasions, but said that could be because the players could not go up on attack too much as they were a man down. Somaya felt that the mistakes could be because the players were very tired while covering the length and breadth of the field as they had one person less. Asked what areas should the team focus on for the semifinal where they will meet the winner of the match between World Champion Germany and Argentina, Somaya the players' main concern would be to recover from Sudnay's exertions and get fully fit for the semifinal. Another area of concern will be the absence of Amit Rohidas for the next match because of the red card as that will reduce the squad to 15 players whereas the opponents will have their full quota of 16. "Recovering physically, mentally, emotionally is going to be difficult as the day after is the next match. So, you have to first recover physically, mentally, emotionally. These sorts of games drain you completely. So it has drained them. So, the first thing is they have to recover. And they, again, may at a handicap. If Amit Rohidas doesn't get a reprieve from the disciplinary committee, then he may have to (miss the semifinal). We may have to play one player short from the 16. And in today's rules of rolling substitution, where they make 40, 50 changes, you know, then your options are limited as compared to the opposition. "Recovering physically, mentally, emotionally is going to be difficult as the day after is the next match. So, you have to first recover physically, mentally, emotionally. These sorts of games drain you completely. So it has drained them. So, the first thing is they have to recover. Article Source: IANS Read the full article

[sportsgr8]

Paris Olympics: French Swimmer Marchand Takes Historic Double Within 2 Hours

Paris La Defense Arena: French superstar Leon Marchand stunned reigning champion Zac Stubblety-Cook to take his second Olympic gold medal in a day with an Olympic record time of 2:05.85 in the 200m breaststroke at Paris Games. With his second gold, Marchand accomplished the rare feat of winning two golds in the same swimming session. In just two hours, he secured two gold medals, dethroned two reigning champions, and set two Olympic records. This marked the first time since 1976 that a swimmer has won two gold medals in a single night at the Olympic Games. The 22-year-old first overtook reigning champion and world record holder Kristof Milak of Hungary to claim the 200m butterfly title. Less than two hours later, he returned to the pool to dominate the 200m breaststroke, securing his third gold medal of the Games. In the process, Marchand became the first French swimmer to ever win three gold medals, and he did it all within four days in front of an electric home crowd of over 15,000 at the Paris La Defense Arena. Australia’s Stubblety-Cook entered the 200m breaststroke race as the reigning Olympic champion but secured the silver medal with a time of 2:06.79, finishing 0.94 seconds behind Marchand. It was Stubblety-Cook's record from Tokyo 2020 that the Frenchman broke on Wednesday night. In the process, Marchand became the first French swimmer to ever win three gold medals, and he did it all within four days in front of an electric home crowd of over 15,000 at the Paris La Defense Arena. Article Source: IANS Read the full article

[sportsgr8]

Paris Olympics: China s Pan Sets World Record To Win Men s 100m Freestyle Swimming Gold

Paris Olympics: China's Pan Zhanle has set a new 100m freestyle world record of 46.40, the first swimming world record of the Olympic Games 2024. Pan touched the wall a second ahead of Australia’s Kyle Chalmers, who took silver with a time of 47.48, followed by Romania’s David Popovici in bronze-medal position with a time of 47.49. Pan's time eclipsed his own previous record of 46.80 set in Doha in February. His gold-medal victory also represents a first-ever medal for China in the 100m freestyle. Swimming’s most decorated Olympian, Michael Phelps, reacted to Pan’s world-record time on US broadcaster NBC, saying, "That is mind-blowing for me. I’ve never seen a win of that margin in that race in my career. And to go 46.4 - that’s unheard of! “To be that much closer to going 45 seconds in a 100 freestyle, I can’t understand that, I really can’t." On the other hand, this is the second medal in Paris for Chalmers, who also won silver in the 4x100m freestyle relay. Swimming’s most decorated Olympian, Michael Phelps, reacted to Pan’s world-record time on US broadcaster NBC, saying, "That is mind-blowing for me. I’ve never seen a win of that margin in that race in my career. And to go 46.4 - that’s unheard of! “To be that much closer to going 45 seconds in a 100 freestyle, I can’t understand that, I really can’t." Article Source: IANS Read the full article

[sportsgr8]

Wimbledon 2024: Italy s Musetti Holds Off Fritz In Five Sets, To Meet Djokovic In Semifinals

Lorenzo Musetti: All eyes in Italy were on Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon but it is Lorenzo Musetti who has kept the country's hopes alive by reaching the semifinals and setting up a clash with 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic, who progressed to the semifinal after Australian Alex de Minaur withdrew due to an injury.Musetti delivered arguably the Grand Slam performance of his career so far on Wednesday to outlast Taylor Fritz 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-2, 3-6. 6-1 in a quarterfinal clash at the grass-court major. In doing so, the 22-year-old became just the fourth Italian men’s singles semifinalist in event history. Even after World No.1 Sinner fell to Daniil Medvedev on Tuesday, Musetti gave an immediate reminder of the strength-in-depth of Italian tennis with a classy and composed display in his maiden major quarterfinal. The 25th seed deployed his slice backhand to great effect to outfox an elite grass-court opponent and set a last-four meeting with Djokovic. The two-time ATP Tour titlist Musetti composed himself superbly in the deciding set after Fritz had snatched the fourth via a break in the eighth game. The Italian raced to a double-break lead with some of his best tennis of the match before sealing a three-hour, 27-minute quarter-final triumph. The foundation of Musetti’s triumph in his debut appearance on the All-England Club’s No. 1 Court was his serve. The No. 25 in the ATP Rankings won 76 per cent (63/83) of points behind his first delivery, and that stability allowed him to express himself freely in return games. Musetti converted six of the 13 break points he earned against one of the biggest servers on the ATP Tour. The penultimate point of the match was a good example of the way Musetti found his magic touch in the final set. He produced a well-disguised drop shot which Fritz chased courageously. The American caught his leg in the court as he tried to slide and the crowd held its breath, but fortunately, he was soon up to face match point. There was nothing the three-time Eastbourne champion Fritz could do to rescue the match situation, however. Musetti served out for a famous victory to join his countrymen Nicola Pietrangeli (1960), Matteo Berrettini (2021), and Sinner (2023) as a Wimbledon semifinalist. Alex de Minaur pulled out from Wimbledon before his quarterfinal clash against Djokovic due to an injury. There was nothing the three-time Eastbourne champion Fritz could do to rescue the match situation, however. Musetti served out for a famous victory to join his countrymen Nicola Pietrangeli (1960), Matteo Berrettini (2021), and Sinner (2023) as a Wimbledon semifinalist. Also Read: Akram ‘hopes’ Indian Team Will Travel To Pakistan For Champions Trophy "I'm devastated, but I had to pull out due to a hip injury, a little tear of the fiber cartilage that is at the end to the adductor," De Minaur said. "I felt a loud crack during the last three points of my match against Fils and got a scan yesterday and it confirms that this was the injury. a high risk of making it worse if I was to step on court." Read the full article

[sportsgr8]

T20 World Cup: It s All About Reaching Respectable Total , Pooran Unfazed About Missing 100 Vs Afghanistan

T20 World Cup: West Indies batter Nicholas Pooran was not bothered about missing out on a maiden T20I century after getting run-out following a record-breaking 98 off 53 balls in a thumping 104-run win against Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup last group stage match on Tuesday. Pooran missed out on reaching the impressive century after Azmatullah Omarzai's direct hit ended his show in the final over. The wicketkeeper-batter's knock was decorated with eight sixes and six fours. His innings guided West Indies to 218/5 in 20 overs. In reply, they bundled out Afghanistan for 114 in 16.4 overs to remain unbeaten in Group C. "You don’t want to be on 98 and get run-out but it was all about reaching a respectable total. I assessed the conditions early on, we had a good start in the powerplay, I had to take the responsibility in the middle overs with the Afghanistan spinners bowling," Pooran said in the post-match presentation. "I just felt that it's my night and I could get on with it. It’s difficult to strike the ball when it’s a little slow and spinning, but when you get a good wicket like this, you got to capitalise, got to appreciate the conditions," he added. During his knock, Pooran also surpassed legendary batter Chris Gayle in the six-hitting fest with 128 sixes in T20Is, four more than the veteran's feat. He also completed 2000 T20I runs for West Indies, becoming the first batter to do so. The Player of the Match awardee said Sherfane Rutherford's unbeaten 68* against New Zealand inspired him to play a fearless knock. "It’s just not today, it started 12-14 months ago we have been consistent as a team, we went to No. 3 in the rankings. In the last game, Rutherford took the opportunity and played wonderfully, he inspired us," Pooran concluded. West Indies will take on defending champion England in their first Super Eight match at the same venue on June 20. Read the full article

[sportsgr8]

T20 World Cup: South Africa Beat Bangladesh In Record-breaking New York Nailbiter

Nassau County International Cricket Stadium: Spinner Keshav Maharaj claimed two wickets while defending 10 runs in the final over as South Africa came up with a brilliant bowling effort to defend the lowest score in the history of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup to beat Bangladesh by four runs in a Group D match at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium here on Monday.With Bangladesh needing 11 runs to chase a target of 114 successfully, Maharaj bagged the wickets of Mahmudullah (20) and Jaker Ali (8) as Bangladesh were restricted to 109/7 in 20 overs. This is South Africa's third win in as many matches and has virtually sealed a place in the Super 8 stage. No team had ever successfully defended a total as low as 113/6 in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup history, but South Africa’s attack pulled off a Manhattan miracle. After Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller had rescued the Proteas with a 79-run stand, Pacers Kagiso Rabada (2/19) and Anrich Nortje (2/17) played crucial roles in limiting the Bangladesh batting line-up. Towhid Hridoy almost played a winning hand with his sparkling 37 (34), but it all came down to a dramatic final over by Keshav Maharaj. After dismissing Jaker Ali (8 from 9), Maharaj was inches away from conceding the final runs, with Mahmudullah caught on the fence for 20 (27) with Bangladesh needing six to win from the final two balls. And new batter Taskin Ahmed wasn’t able to find the maximum off the closing ball of the innings as South Africa made it three wins from three to top Group D. The Bangladesh top order scrapped through a testing opening period in their chase, reaching the end of the Powerplay on 29/1, with opener Tanzid Hasan (9 from 9) the only batter dismissed – caught behind off Kagiso Rabada. But South Africa’s leading bowlers hit back through the middle overs to set up a nailbiter. Keshav Maharaj struck with his very first ball to get Litton Das for 9 from 13, and Anrich Nortje did damage to remove Najmul Hossain Shanto (14 from 23) and Shakib Al Hasan (3 from 4). A superb knock of 37 from 34 balls by Towhid Hridoy gave the Tigers a terrific chance, only for the match to take another swing in momentum when he was trapped lbw by Rabada to leave Bangladesh five down with 20 runs still required at exactly a run a ball. The game went down to the final over, bowled by the spinner Maharaj, who picked up two wickets and got away with a pair of full tosses from the two final balls of the innings as South Africa somehow escaped with a four-run margin of victory. Earlier, South Africa won the toss and opted to bat first against Bangladesh at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. An excellent partnership between Heinrich Klaasen (46 from 44) and David Miller (29 from 38) helped the Proteas recover to 113/6 after losing four early wickets. It was the Tigers who enjoyed the better of the opening stages, even after Quinton de Kock banged ten runs from the first three balls of the innings. Tanzim Hazan Sakib did much of the damage in the Powerplay, removing Reeza Hendricks (0 from 1), De Kock (18 from 11), and Tristan Stubbs (0 from 5), with Taskin Ahmed also getting in on the act to clean up captain Aiden Markram (4 from 8). And that flurry of early wickets left South Africa on 25/4 at the end of the opening six overs, but with Klassen and Miller still out in the middle and eyeing another rescue job. The pair put on a solid recovery partnership worth 79 at a run-a-ball, lifting South Africa to triple figures. Both set batters fell in the death overs as they looked to accelerate, but 113/6 could well prove tricky on a surface that offered plenty for the bowlers. Brief scores: South Africa 113/6 in 20 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 46, David Miller 29; Tanzim Hasan Sakib 3-18, Taskin Ahmed 2-19) beat Bangladesh 109/7 in 20 overs (Towhid Hridoy 37, Mahmudullah 20; Keshav Maharaj 3-27, Anrich Nortje 2-17, Kagiso Rabada 2-19) by four runs. Read the full article

[sportsgr8]

French Open: Zverev Reaches Fourth Straight SF, Faces Ruud Next

German Alexander Zverev: Fourth-seed German Alexander Zverev defeated No.11 seed Australian Alex de Minaur to book his spot in the French Open semifinals for the fourth consecutive year. The German, who played back-to-back five-set matches on Court Philippe-Chatrier in the third and fourth rounds that totalled a combined eight-plus hours, registered a 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-4 win in Wednesday night’s last men’s singles quarterfinal. Zverev, who is chasing his first major title, rallied past Tallon Griekspoor and Holger Rune in five sets earlier this week, while he also overcame 14-time record champion Rafael Nadal in the first round and former World No. 7 David Goffin in the second round. "I have a mindset that you have to work harder than anyone else to be the best player. I think the best players are all doing that. "I like to work to my absolute limit, and if I do that, then playing five sets, all of a sudden, is not that difficult. I’ve been doing that over many, many years now, and I’m happy it’s paying off, still paying off. I’m happy to be in another semi-final, and hopefully, I can win one," Zverev said after the win. The German squandered a break advantage in the first set to take the opener. He then rallied from a 3/5 deficit in the second-set tie-break to take full command. Zverev then produced front-foot tennis in the third set and recovered from a late wobble when he failed to serve out the match at 5-3, breaking De Minaur in the next game to advance after two hours and 59 minutes. De Minaur, who upset World No. 5 Daniil Medvedev in the fourth round, was competing in his first Roland Garros quarterfinal and second at a major. Zverev is the 11th man in the Open era to reach at least four consecutive semi-finals at Roland-Garros. By reaching his eighth Grand Slam semi-final, he and Daniil Medvedev now share the ATP tour lead for the most Grand Slam semifinal appearances among players born in 1990 or later, according to Roland Garros website. Now on an 11-match winning streak, the 27-year-old German will take on two-time Roland-Garros finalist Casper Ruud of Norway in the semifinal, in a bid to break through to the final weekend in Paris for the first time. The Norwegian Ruud received a walkover from Novak Djokovic ahead of their quarter-final clash. Read the full article

[sportsgr8]

Arsenal In Pole Position To Sign Benjamin Sesko: Reports

The North London: Arsenal will be looking to bolster their squad with reinforcements ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League season. According to reports they are looking for a solid number nine, a midfielder and a left back on priority. Arsenal are in the pole position to sign RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko. The Slovenian forward has a reported release clause of 65 million euros and the Gunners may be looking to spend the cash on someone with Sesko’s profile, according to a report by The Athletic. The only doubt in Arsenal's mind is whether Seko's output can be higher than Kai Havertz at the club. The team is also in talks with Napoli over Victor Osimhen, whose price tag of 100 million plus is very off putting for most European clubs. The North London club is also eyeing the Newcastle duo of Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimares but a move is highly unlikely due to the heavy price tag set by the Toons on their two star players, the report added. Martin Zubamendi and Joao Neves are two of Arteta’s preferred players in the midfield and will be hoping to begin conversations in regards to the players. The side will use the same transfer strategy that they used last summer which was to close all incoming signings before the start of preseason giving the side enough time to gel with the new incoming players. The likes of Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson and Aaron Ramsdale, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Emile Smith Rowe and Kieran Tierney, are likely to depart due to a lack of game-time. Read the full article

[sportsgr8]

Bochum Stay In Bundesliga After Dramatic Comeback Win Over Dusseldorf In Play Offs

CEO Patrick Fabian: Bochum rallied back from a 3-0 first leg defeat and overpowered Dusseldorf 6-5 (3-3) on penalties to stay in Germany's top-flight following the second leg of the relegation. Bochum started highly motivated into the second leg, knowing that only three-goal lead would force second-division outfit Dusseldorf into the overtime. However, Dusseldorf staged a lively start and nearly extended their lead to 4-0 on aggregate but for all that Ao Tanaka's shot got blocked by defender Ivan Ordets in the last nick of time. Bochum responded well and opened the scoring with its first clear-cut opportunity as Philipp Hofmann headed home Kevin Stoger's free kick cross into the area, cutting Dusseldorf's aggregate lead to 3-1 with 18 minutes gone. The visitors remained dangerous and gained momentum in front of the target before the half time as Keven Schlotterbeck headed narrowly wide in the 41st minute while Lukas Daschner's effort from 20 meters rattled the side netting moments later. Daschner remained in the thick of things and got his dangerous shot blocked by Tim Oberdorf five minutes into the second half. Bochum eventually reduced Dusseldorf's aggregate lead to 3-2 as Stoger's cross into the penalty area found Hofmann for the second time in the 66th minute. Dusseldorf was shocked and had to witness that Bochum levelled the tie four minutes later when Stoger converted a handball penalty after making it 3-0 on the scoreboards. The hosts couldn't put up resistance whereas Bochum missed the chance to take the lead as Takuma Asano squandered two promising chances in the closing stages. After an evenly balanced overtime the penalty shoot-out had to bring decision. Both teams missed one penalty before Dusseldorf's Takashi Uchino pulled over the target in the sudden death. "I am exhausted and can't describe my feelings. We have suffered a lot in the last week. Respect to the boys for turning a three-goal loss around. It will be fantastic for Bochum to play another season in the Bundesliga," said Bochum's CEO Patrick Fabian. With the result, Dusseldorf stay in the second division whereas Bochum stay up for another season. Read the full article

[sportsgr8]

IPL 2024: DC V LSG Overall Head-to-head; When And Where To Watch

Lucknow Super Giants: Delhi Capitals (DC) will go up against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their final home game of IPL 2024 on Tuesday. DC are currently sixth on the points table with 12 points and a net run rate of -0.482, while LSG are seventh with the same number of points. In the head-to-head matchups, LSG is leading against DC by a 3-1 margin. The win in the reverse fixture in Lucknow last month was Delhi's first against LSG in three seasons. DC v LSG Head-to-head 4- Delhi Capitals: 1 Lucknow Super Giants: 3 DC v LSG match time: The match starts at 7:30 PM IST (2:00 PM GMT) with the toss taking place half an hour before the match i.e., 7:00 PM (1:30 PM GMT) DC v LSG match venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi DC v LSG Live broadcast on television in India: The DC v LSG match will be broadcast live via Star Sports Network. Live stream in India: The live streaming of DC v LSG is available on JioCinema Squads: Delhi Capitals: David Warner, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel, Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Kumar Kushagra, Axar Patel, Tristan Stubbs, Rasikh Dar Salam, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed, Praveen Dubey, Sumit Kumar, Ricky Bhui, Vicky Ostwal, Gulbadin Naib, Lalit Yadav, Prithvi Shaw, Lizaad Williams, Jhye Richardson, Anrich Nortje, Yash Dhull, Swastik Chikara Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul(w/c), Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Deepak Hooda, Krishnappa Gowtham, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Yash Thakur, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Ashton Turner, Manimaran Siddharth, Amit Mishra, Devdutt Padikkal, Arshin Kulkarni, Mohsin Khan, Kyle Mayers, Matt Henry, Prerak Mankad, Arshad Khan, Shamar Joseph Read the full article

[sportsgr8]

IPL 2024: GT V KKR Overall Head-to-head; When And Where To Watch

Kolkata Knight Riders: Gujarat Titans (GT) will host table topper Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their last home game of the IPL 2024 on Monday. The two sides have played three times in the IPL with GT winning two. GT v KKR head-to-head 3- Gujarat Titans: 2 Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 GT v KKR match time: The match starts at 7:30 PM IST (2:00 PM GMT) with the toss taking place half an hour before the match i.e., 7:00 PM (1:30 PM GMT) GT v KKR match venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad GT v KKR Live broadcast on television in India: The GT v KKR match will be broadcast live via Star Sports Network. Live stream in India: The live streaming of GT v KKR is available on JioCinema Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill(c), Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, David Miller, Matthew Wade(w), Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Kartik Tyagi, Sandeep Warrier, Abhinav Manohar, Sharath BR, Darshan Nalkande, Jayant Yadav, Joshua Little, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Spencer Johnson, Azmatullah Omarzai, Manav Suthar, Sushant Mishra, Vijay Shankar, Kane Williamson, Wriddhiman Saha Kolkata Knight Riders: Philip Salt(w), Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer(c), Rinku Singh, Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Vaibhav Arora, Anukul Roy, Suyash Sharma, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Dushmantha Chameera, Srikar Bharat, Chetan Sakariya, Sherfane Rutherford, Sakib Hussain, Allah Ghazanfar Read the full article