Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah grabbed early goals in each half for Arsenal as they won 4-2 away to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday in the final Premier League game of 2022 to open up a seven-point lead at the top of the table.Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal expressed his disappointment after Pakistan narrowly escaped defeat in the Test series opener against New Zealand. Notably, the Babar Azam-led side failed to win a single Test at home this year. While criticising the pitches used for the recent Test matches on home soil, Akmal said that a change in approach is a must for Pakistan if they want to produce better results in Test cricket. He suggested that Pakistan should make tracks where there is something on offer for the bowlers as well.
"Pakistan's approach in Test cricket has been quite negative, considering the pitches that we have been preparing. While we have used batting-friendly pitches in the last seven home Tests, it is equally important to give our bowlers some confidence. If your spinners are going to bowl so many overs, how are you going to take 20 wickets? We should consider playing on grassy wickets, as our pacers are quicker than the New Zealand fast bowlers," Akmal said in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel.
Akmal added that fans got bored during the first Test, and might start to lose interest in Test cricket soon, if the Babar and Co. don't change their approach.
"Fans were bored during this Test match. If Pakistan continue to do the same, it will be tough to bring fans to the stadium for red-ball matches. It is imperative that Pakistan change their approach to keep Test cricket alive in the country. We will have to play fearlessly," he added.
Uruguayan international striker Luis Suarez has signed a two-year contract with Brazilian club Gremio, the Porto Alegre side announced on Saturday. The 35-year-old had returned to his boyhood club Nacional last summer, scoring eight goals in 14 matches to help them win the Uruguayan league title. Suarez played at the World Cup in Qatar without scoring as his country were eliminated in the group stages.
"HE'S AT GREMIO! One of the greatest in the history of Uruguay, Luis Suarez arrives to continue his victorious journey, this time wearing our jersey!" Gremio posted on Twitter.
"Scorer, multi-titled, warrior! Welcome, Luisito!"
The club confirmed that Suarez had signed until December 2024.
Suarez first left Nacional in 2006 for a season at Dutch club FC Groningen before spending four years at Ajax Amsterdam.
He joined the Premier League in 2011 and spent three seasons in Liverpool before moving to Spain where he played for Barcelona from 2014 to 2020 and then Atletico Madrid until the end of last season.
With Barca he won the Champions League in 2015, and La Liga four times. He was again crowned La Liga champion with Atletico in 2021.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Manchester City slipped off the pace in their bid to catch up with Premier League leaders Arsenal as they were held to a 1-1 draw by strugglers Everton in their final match of the year.Manchester City's Premier League title defence suffered a major setback as Everton snatched a 1-1 draw against the champions, while Marcus Rashford responded to his benching for missing a team meeting with the late strike that clinched Manchester United's 1-0 win at Wolves on Saturday. City needed a victory at the Etihad Stadium to put pressure on Arsenal ahead of the leaders' trip to Brighton in Saturday's late game. But Pep Guardiola's second placed side blew the lead given to them by Erling Haaland as Demarai Gray scored an eye-catching equaliser for struggling Everton.
City trail Arsenal by four points after failing to win for the second time in their last three league games.
Haaland had scored eight goals more than Everton's entire squad in the first 16 Premier League matches this season.
And inevitably it was Haaland who put City ahead in the 24th minute with his 27th goal in 20 competitive appearances since his close-season move from Borussia Dortmund.
Riyad Mahrez provided the assist with a dazzling run and pin-point pass to the Norway striker, who slotted past Jordan Pickford in ruthless fashion.
Yet Everton equalised against the run of play in the 64th minute as Gray robbed City midfielder Rodri, cut in from the right flank and curled a blistering strike into the top corner, in the process buying under-fire boss Frank Lampard some much-needed breathing space.
While City laboured, their Manchester rivals survived an eventful day that started when United manager Erik ten Hag dropped Rashford because of an "internal disciplinary" issue that broke "our rules".
The 25-year-old's exile only lasted until half-time when he was sent on by Ten Hag in a move that proved the catalyst for United to seal their fifth successive win in all competitions.
Rashford looked determined to prove Ten Hag wrong as he rampaged through the Wolves defence to score his 11th goal in all competitions this season and his third in three appearances since the World Cup.
In a post-match television interview, the England forward said he was disappointed to be left out after missing the meeting because he over-slept.
But both Ten Hag and Rashford appear ready to bury the hatchet and move on.
"We draw a line under it and move on. I was a little bit late for a meeting. I overslept but it can happen," Rashford said.
"Obviously it's team rules. I made a mistake. I'm obviously disappointed not to play but I understand the decision and I'm happy we managed to win anyway. I think I'm in a good place."
Ten Hag added: "It's good after the decision. I think it happens often. Coming in he was bright, lively, he scored a goal and that is the right reaction.
"Of course (that is the end of the matter). Everyone has to match the rules. This is the right answer."
United climbed to fourth place in the Premier League, two points above Tottenham who have a game in hand, as they bid to qualify for next season's Champions League.
Third placed Newcastle's six-match winning run came to a halt in a 0-0 draw against Leeds at St James' Park.
Fabian Schar and Dan Burn wasted glorious opportunities to put Newcastle ahead, but Eddie Howe's side still go into 2023 in good shape after their unexpected surge into the top four.
Joao Palhinha's last-gasp goal sealed Fulham's 2-1 win against Southampton, who sit bottom of the table after a fifth successive defeat.
Andreas Pereira's long-range strike deflected off Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse for a 32nd minute own goal.
Ward-Prowse equalised with a superb 55th minute free-kick, but Palhinha headed home from an 88th minute corner to win it for Fulham, whose striker Aleksandar Mitrovic saw his stoppage-time penalty saved by Gavin Bazunu.
Crystal Palace eased to a 2-0 win at Bournemouth as Patrick Vieira's side ended their three-match goal drought thanks to Jordan Ayew and Eberechi Eze.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Only hours after Cristiano Ronaldo penned a two-year contract with Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr, crowds flocked to a football kit store in Riyadh to buy the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's new club jersey.Ever since Ramiz Raja was removed from the post of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, several current and former players in the country have spoken out against him. Ramiz too has been vocal about the changes in the PCB management after being sacked. During a recent appearance on Suno TV, Ramiz spoke on a range of topics, and slammed his critics for being foul mouthed. Ramiz insisted that Pakistan's performances were "outstanding" in white-ball cricket, during his tenure.
Ramiz also went on to claim that it was Pakistan who forced India into making changes in their cricketing set-up.
"We gave outstanding performances in white-ball cricket. We played the Asia Cup final, India didn't play that. India, a billion-dollar industry, was left behind. Tod phod hui, unhone apna chief selector, selection committee fire kar di, captain badal diye kyunki unko hazam nahi hua ki Pakistan unse kaise aage nikal gaya. (They fired their chief selector, selection committee, changed the captain because they couldn't digest how Pakistan went ahead of them)," Ramiz said during an interaction on Suno TV.
During Ramiz's tenure, Pakistan registered their first win over India in World Cups. Pakistan had beaten India by 10 wickets during a group match of the T20 World Cup in 2021. They went on to reach the semi-final, losing to eventual champions Australia.
In 2022, Pakistan reached the final of both, the Asia Cup (vs Sri Lanka) as well as the T20 World Cup (vs England). However, they ended up on the losing side on both occasions.
Karim Benzema buried his World Cup nightmare with two late goals as Real Madrid defeated Valladolid 2-0 on Friday to go top of Spain's La Liga. Ballon d'Or winner Benzema was selected in the French squad for the World Cup in Qatar but a thigh injury in training saw him forced to withdraw before the opening game.Rishabh Pant met with a horrific accident on Friday morning as he was driving from Delhi to Dehradun in his Mercedes Benz. His car caught fire after it hit a divider. Pant was fortunate enough to come out of the car in time, though he suffered a ligament tear in his right knee and cuts above his forehead. His condition is stable. A Haryana Roadways bus driver, named Sushil Mann, was among the people who took cricketer Rishabh Pant out of the Mercedes SUV after it crashed. Mann said he did not know who the injured man was and acted swiftly to arrange for an ambulance.
Haryana Roadways later honoured Sushil, news agency PTI reported. "We gave them an appreciation letter and a shield in our office when they returned to Panipat," Haryana Roadways Panipat depot general manager Kuldeep Jangra told PTI.
VVS Laxman, former India batter and current NCA head, hailed Sushil. "Gratitude to #SushilKumar, a Haryana Roadways driver who took #RishabhPant away from the burning car, wrapped him with a bedsheet and called the ambulance. We are very indebted to you for your selfless service, Sushil ji #RealHero," Laxman wrote in a tweet.
"Also special mention to the bus conductor, Paramjit who along with Driver Sushil helped Rishabh. Very grateful to these selfless guys who had great presence of mind and a big heart. Gratitude to them and all who helped," he wrote in another tweet.
Also special mention to the bus conductor, Paramjit who along with Driver Sushil helped Rishabh. Very grateful to these selfless guys who had great presence of mind and a big heart. Gratitude to them and all who helped. pic.twitter.com/FtNnoLKowg
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) December 30, 2022
Sushil Mann, the bus driver, told NDTV that the SUV was coming in high speed from the opposite direction and it hit the divider.
"I put my bus on the side and quickly ran towards the divider," Mr Mann said.
"I thought the car would flip under the bus as it was turning over and over before it stopped," he said. "The driver (Mr Pant) was half out of the window. He told me he's a cricketer," Mr Mann said, adding the cricketer asked him to call his mother, whose phone was, however, switched off.
"I don't watch cricket and I didn't know this is Rishabh Pant is. But others in my bus recognised him," Mr Mann said.
"After removing Rishabh, I quickly searched the car to check if anyone else was there. I took out his blue bag and Rs 7,000-Rs 8,000 rupees from the car and gave it to him in the ambulance," he said.
Rishabh Pant met with a horrific accident on Friday morning as he was driving from Delhi to Dehradun in his Mercedes Benz. His car caught fire after it hit a divider. Pant was fortunate enough to come out of the car in time, though he suffered a ligament tear in his right knee and cuts above his forehead. His condition is stable. A Haryana Roadways bus driver, named Sushil Mann, was among the people who took cricketer Rishabh Pant out of the Mercedes SUV after it crashed. Mann said he did not know who the injured man was and acted swiftly to arrange for an ambulance.
Haryana Roadways later honoured Sushil, news agency PTI reported. "We gave them an appreciation letter and a shield in our office when they returned to Panipat," Haryana Roadways Panipat depot general manager Kuldeep Jangra told PTI.
VVS Laxman, former India batter and current NCA head, hailed Sushil. "Gratitude to #SushilKumar, a Haryana Roadways driver who took #RishabhPant away from the burning car, wrapped him with a bedsheet and called the ambulance. We are very indebted to you for your selfless service, Sushil ji #RealHero," Laxman wrote in a tweet.
"Also special mention to the bus conductor, Paramjit who along with Driver Sushil helped Rishabh. Very grateful to these selfless guys who had great presence of mind and a big heart. Gratitude to them and all who helped," he wrote in another tweet.
Also special mention to the bus conductor, Paramjit who along with Driver Sushil helped Rishabh. Very grateful to these selfless guys who had great presence of mind and a big heart. Gratitude to them and all who helped. pic.twitter.com/FtNnoLKowg
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) December 30, 2022
Sushil Mann, the bus driver, told NDTV that the SUV was coming in high speed from the opposite direction and it hit the divider.
"I put my bus on the side and quickly ran towards the divider," Mr Mann said.
"I thought the car would flip under the bus as it was turning over and over before it stopped," he said. "The driver (Mr Pant) was half out of the window. He told me he's a cricketer," Mr Mann said, adding the cricketer asked him to call his mother, whose phone was, however, switched off.
"I don't watch cricket and I didn't know this is Rishabh Pant is. But others in my bus recognised him," Mr Mann said.
"After removing Rishabh, I quickly searched the car to check if anyone else was there. I took out his blue bag and Rs 7,000-Rs 8,000 rupees from the car and gave it to him in the ambulance," he said.
Cristiano Ronaldo on Friday signed for Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia, the club announced, in a deal believed to be worth more than 200 million euros. The 37-year-old penned a contract which will take him to June 2025. "I can't wait to discover a new football league in a different country," said the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus player. The Portuguese star was pictured on the Al Nassr Twitter feed holding a blue and yellow shirt with his favoured number seven printed on the back.
"The vision with which Al Nassr operates is very inspiring, and I am delighted to join my teammates, so that together we can help the team achieve greater success," he added.
Al Nassr have won nine Saudi Arabian league titles, the last in 2019.
"This is more than history in the making. This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league, our nation and future generations, boys and girls to be the best version of themselves. Welcome @cristiano to your new home @alnassr_fc," tweeted the Saudis.
History in the making. This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league, our nation and future generations, boys and girls to be the best version of themselves. Welcome @Cristiano to your new home @AlNassrFC pic.twitter.com/oan7nu8NWC
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) December 30, 2022
Ronaldo heads to the Gulf after a year that saw him relegated to the bench for Portugal and cut adrift by Manchester United.
United parted ways with the Portuguese star after the veteran forward gave an explosive TV interview in which he said he felt "betrayed" by the club and had no respect for coach Erik ten Hag.
United terminated his contract while Ronaldo was with Portugal at the World Cup.
Ronaldo's quest for a World Cup winners' medal started well as he became the first player to score in five global tournaments when he converted a penalty in their win against Ghana.
But he was left out of the starting line-up for their last-16 clash as Portugal ripped Switzerland apart.
When Portugal lost to Morocco in the quarter-finals, he started on the bench and ended the tournament in tears.
Ronaldo has long been one of the top-paid players in football.
His salary was a reported 31 million euros at Juventus, although the Turin club's accounts are being investigated for possibly under-reporting what they paid players.
While he took a pay cut to rejoin United, with reports putting his basic annual salary somewhere between 15 million and 28 million euros, before bonuses, that still made him one of the best-paid players in Europe.
As his relationship with United soured, Ronaldo was linked to a string of Champions League contenders including Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Napoli.
A return to his first club Sporting in Lisbon was also rumoured. There was talk of a move to the MLS to join Inter Miami, part-owned by former United team mate David Beckham. None of those deals came to fruition.
United decided his diminishing contribution coupled with his growing and public dissatisfaction made him a pricey luxury they no longer needed.
Saudi image
For Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo is the latest high-priced sporting jewel acquired to add lustre to their international image.
The rebel LIV Golf series has offered huge guaranteed contracts and purses to attract stars.
Dustin Johnson reportedly signed a contract worth up to 125 million dollars and them won more than 35 million, including bonuses, in eight tournaments.
Saudi Arabia has staged heavyweight boxing title bouts, has hosted a Formula One grand prix the last two years as well as the Dakar Rally.
The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia acquired Premier League club Newcastle in 2021 and is being linked with Manchester United.
Ronaldo has long been in competition with Lionel Messi for the titles of greatest player and biggest earner in football.
Messi pulled away from Ronaldo on the field by winning a World Cup, but the sums of money the Portuguese star will reportedly receive in Riyadh, far surpasses what the Argentine is making from Paris Saint-Germain.
Ronaldo has won five Champions League titles (2008, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018), league titles in Italy (2019, 2020) with Juventus, in Spain (2012, 2017) with Real Madrid and in England (2007, 2008, 2009) with United.
He is also the top scorer in the Champions League and with the Portuguese national team with whom he won Euro 2016.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Friday morning’s accident has left Rishabh Pant’s return to play for India in doubt. While he has survived major injuries, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) is worried about the ligament tear on his right knee. TOI has learnt that BCCI’s panel of doctors have had a meeting with doctors treating Pant in Dehradun and it has been decided that the treatment on his ligament will only be treated by BCCI’s medical team.Iconic Brazilian footballer Pele, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and the only player to have won the FIFA World Cup thrice, has died at the age of 82, his family said Thursday. "Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace," daughter Kely Nascimento wrote on Instagram. The legendary footballer had been battling colon cancer and was admitted in a hospital for a respiratory problem on November 29. He cheered for the Brazilian team during the recently concluded FIFA World Cup in Qatar from the hospital bed.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, popularly known as Pele, was born on October 23, 1940, at Tres Coracoes, in the Brazilian State of Minas Gerais. He gained global superstardom after playing an important part in Brazil's maiden FIFA World Cup triumph in 1958. Still a teenager, Pele fired in a hat-trick in the semi-final against France and followed it up with a brace in the final against Sweden to help the Selecao win the first of their record five world titles.
He was part of the team again that defended the title in 1962, before adding a third World Cup to his name in 1970, when Brazil famously defeated Italy in the final. He scored 12 goals in the World Cup during his career.
A inspiração e o amor marcaram a jornada de Rei Pelé, que faleceu no dia de hoje.
— Pelé (@Pele) December 29, 2022
Amor, amor e amor, para sempre.
.
Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pelé, who peacefully passed away today.
Love, love and love, forever. pic.twitter.com/CP9syIdL3i
It is only fitting that Pele remained the highest goal-scorer for Brazil, with 77 goals in 95 games, during his lifetime. His record was tied by current Brazil sensation Neymar, during the team's quarter-final loss in the World Cup earlier this month.
Pele breathed his last following colon cancer, for which he was undergoing chemotherapy. However, he stopped responding to chemotherapy and was shifted to palliative care. Pele had a tumour removed from his colon in 2021 and was taking chemotherapy ever since.
The Brazilian football player, also termed 'The Greatest' by FIFA, had been married thrice. He had a total of 7 children.
(With AFP inputs)
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday announced nominees for the Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year 2022 award. Pakistan skipper Babar Azam, Australia spinner Adam Zampa, Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza and West Indies' Shai Hope are the contenders to win the award. The ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year 2021 is in the running to do a repeat in 2022. Babar Azam once again showed his prowess in the 50-over format, showing once again why he has ruled the roost at the top of the ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings since July 2021.
The 29-year-old Pakistan skipper registered eight scores of more than fifty in nine matches this year, three of which he converted into hundreds. He finished the season with 679 runs at an astounding 84.87 average.
Adam Zampa continued to show why he has been a vital cog in the Australian white-ball setup, finishing the year as the highest wicket-taker for his country in ODI cricket.
The leggie had his joint-most productive year in ODI cricket, matching his debut year tally of 30 wickets. His feat was even more impressive this year because nine of his 12 matches were at home, where conditions aren't ideal for spinners.
The 30-year-old started the year with a four-wicket haul and finished with a couple more to cap off a fantastic 2022.
Zimbabwe's resurgence on the international stage in 2022 was largely due to one man - Sikandar Raza.
Raza scored 645 runs at an average of 49.61 and a strike rate of 87.16, adding two fifties to his three centuries. All of his runs came against top teams that were dominant in the white-ball game in 2022.
The 36-year-old scored three centuries, all while chasing, two of which resulted in victories and another nearly taking Zimbabwe over the line against India.
Shai Hope made his ODI debut in 2016, and since then, he has finished every year as the West Indies' leading ODI run-scorer. In 2022, Shai Hope was once again one of the West Indies' few shining stars in a difficult year.
Hope did not have the best of starts in 2022, but in typical fashion, began to grind out runs in the second half. He finished the year with 709 runs at an average of 35.45, including three hundreds and two fifties.
France striker Kylian Mbappe has shrugged off Argentina keeper Emiliano Martinez's taunts after the World Cup final, saying he did not "waste energy on such futile things" as he awaited the return of Paris Saint Germain team mate Lionel Messi.The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday announced nominees for the Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year 2022 award. Pakistan skipper Babar Azam, Australia spinner Adam Zampa, Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza and West Indies' Shai Hope are the contenders to win the award. The ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year 2021 is in the running to do a repeat in 2022. Babar Azam once again showed his prowess in the 50-over format, showing once again why he has ruled the roost at the top of the ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings since July 2021.
The 29-year-old Pakistan skipper registered eight scores of more than fifty in nine matches this year, three of which he converted into hundreds. He finished the season with 679 runs at an astounding 84.87 average.
Adam Zampa continued to show why he has been a vital cog in the Australian white-ball setup, finishing the year as the highest wicket-taker for his country in ODI cricket.
The leggie had his joint-most productive year in ODI cricket, matching his debut year tally of 30 wickets. His feat was even more impressive this year because nine of his 12 matches were at home, where conditions aren't ideal for spinners.
The 30-year-old started the year with a four-wicket haul and finished with a couple more to cap off a fantastic 2022.
Zimbabwe's resurgence on the international stage in 2022 was largely due to one man - Sikandar Raza.
Raza scored 645 runs at an average of 49.61 and a strike rate of 87.16, adding two fifties to his three centuries. All of his runs came against top teams that were dominant in the white-ball game in 2022.
The 36-year-old scored three centuries, all while chasing, two of which resulted in victories and another nearly taking Zimbabwe over the line against India.
Shai Hope made his ODI debut in 2016, and since then, he has finished every year as the West Indies' leading ODI run-scorer. In 2022, Shai Hope was once again one of the West Indies' few shining stars in a difficult year.
Hope did not have the best of starts in 2022, but in typical fashion, began to grind out runs in the second half. He finished the year with 709 runs at an average of 35.45, including three hundreds and two fifties.
Hyderabad FC registered their fourth win on the trot with a 6-1 thrashing of NorthEast United FC in the Indian Super League here on Thursday. Javier Siverio bagged a brace, while Borja Herrera, Odei Onaindia and Joel Chianese were on target for the defending champions, with the final Hyderabad FC goal coming in the form of a Gaurav Bora own-goal.Ever since Ramiz Raja was removed from the post of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, several stakeholders of the game in the country have spoken out against him. Now, veteran Pakistan pacer Wahab Riaz has also criticised the former PCB management led by Ramiz, who is also an ex-Pakistan cricket team skipper. Riaz, who has played 27 Tests, 91 ODIs and 36 T20Is for Pakistan, said the former management never paid heed to players' demands.
"We had a lot of difficulties with the previous board," Wahab Riaz was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan in an interview to Samaa News.
The veteran pacer said that he was made to feel unwanted. "We were told things 'You have no idea how difficult it is to adjust you, nobody would keep you in a team,'" Wahab said. "That made us feel as if we've some loolhay langhray players who have never achieved anything in the game."
Wahab added that former PCB chairman Ramiz Raja never responded to his messages or calls. "I'm a present cricketer, I have not retired. Why did he never answer me?" he asked. "If people working under you aren't happy, then that says a lot."
The Pakistan Cricket Board on Wednesday threatened to take legal action against Ramiz Raja after a war of words broke out between the Board's new management committee and the former chairman following his unceremonious exit.
"The Pakistan Cricket Board has expressed its disappointment over the comments made and language used by former Chairman Mr Ramiz Raja against Chairman of the PCB Management Committee Mr Najam Sethi on a social media platform and in a TV interview," the PCB said in a statement.
"The PCB believes former Chairman Mr Raja's comments are aimed at tarnishing and damaging the impeccable reputation of present Chairman Mr Sethi, adding it reserves it's rights to pursue legal proceedings to protect and defend the image and credibility of its Chairman and the institution."
Last Thursday, Raja was removed as PCB chairman by the country's government, which appointed a 14-member committee, headed by Najam Sethi, to run the affairs of the game for the next four months. Following his sacking, Raja alleged that he was not allowed to even take his belongings from the board office after the government suspended the constitution.
Australia vs South Africa 2nd Test Day 4 Live: Australia closed in on winning the second Test and the series against South Africa on Wednesday after Alex Carey struck a maiden century to leave them in a commanding position. The hosts declared at tea on 575-8 on day three with an ominous lead of 386 after South Africa were bowled out in their first innings for 189. In reply, the Proteas were 15-1 when play was abandoned early at the Melbourne Cricket Ground due to persistent drizzle. (LIVE SCORECARD)
Australia vs South Africa 2nd Test Day 4 Live: Australia closed in on winning the second Test and the series against South Africa on Wednesday after Alex Carey struck a maiden century to leave them in a commanding position. The hosts declared at tea on 575-8 on day three with an ominous lead of 386 after South Africa were bowled out in their first innings for 189. In reply, the Proteas were 15-1 when play was abandoned early at the Melbourne Cricket Ground due to persistent drizzle. (LIVE SCORECARD)
Opener Priyank Panchal led from the front with an unbeaten half-century as Gujarat gave a strong reply to Chandigarh's 304 in their Ranji Trophy Group D match on Wednesday. Panchal was batting on 87 off 146 balls (8x4, 1x6) in company with wicketkeeper-batter Het Patel (37) in an unbroken 53-run stand as Gujarat were 249/3 at stumps on day two, trailing Chandigarh by 55 runs. Panchal was also involved in two key partnerships; first with Kathan Patel (47; 66b), and then Priyesh Patel (62; 108b) to take the team forward.
Earlier, Chandigarh managed to add 57 runs to their overnight total before being dismissed in 116 overs.
Lather, who was unbeaten on 68, was dismissed 13 runs short of a century, becoming Hardik Patel's third victim (3/39).
Shen Patel claimed 4/85 while Sidharth Desai (2/74) ended Chandigarh's first innings dismissing Hartejassvi Kapoor.
In reply, Gujarat put on an opening stand of 76 with Panchal and Patel before the latter fell short of his half-century after being dismissed by Lather.
Having shone with the bat, Lather was also the pick of the bowlers for Chandigarh and took all the three wickets to fall.
After trapping Patel lbw, Lather accounted for Chandigarh No 3 Saurabh Chauhan (11) with the addition of just 17 runs. But Panchal held firm and forged a century-plus stand with Patel.
Brief Scores In Ahmedabad: Chandigarh 304; 116 overs (Bhagmender Lather 87, Arslan Khan 56, Gaurav Puri 51; Shen Patel 4/85, Hardik Patel 3/39, Siddharth Desai 2/74). Gujarat 249/3; 61 overs (Priyank Panchal 87 batting, Priyesh Patel 62, Kathan Patel 47; Lather 3/62). Gujarat trail by 55 runs.
In Indore: Railways 274. Madhya Pradesh 243/8; 83.3 overs (Rajat Patidar 54, Himanshu Mantri 48, Shubham Sharma 40; Sagar Jadhav 4/28). MP trail by 31 runs.
In Nagpur: Jammu and Kashmir 191 and 75/3; 28 overs (Shubham Khajuria 39 batting; Akshay Wakhare 2/17). Vidarbha 272; 83.5 overs (Aditya Sarwate 75, Atharva Taide 74, Harsh Dubey 55; Umar Nazir Mir 5/39, Abid Mushtaq 3/66).
In Agartala: Punjab 203; 64.2 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 55, Mandeep Singh 41; Manisankar Murasingh 5/48, Abhijit Sarkar 2/57, Ajay Sarkar 2/57). Tripura 17 for no loss. Tripura trail by 186 runs.
Suthar stars in Rajasthan's big win over Puducherry
Manav Suthar completed a match haul of 11 wickets to compliment his unbeaten 96 as Rajasthan romped to a 101-run win over Puducherry in a Ranji Trophy match. A day after the 20-year-old propped their first innings total to 335 with a 97-run last wicket partnership, Suthar returned to grab the limelight with his left-arm spin in a match haul of 11/62 as Rajasthan bowled out Puducherry twice in the day -- 104 and 130 while following-on -- to seal a seven-point victory.
Suthar was on a song in the first innings en route to 17-6-33-8, while Ravi Bishnoi claimed 2/33.
Paras Dogra was Puducherry's top-scorer with a 68-ball 33 but once Suthar dismissed him, the rest of the batters fell in addition of just 29 runs. Their first innings lasted just 38 overs.
Following-on, Puducherry lasted 40.1 overs this time with Mahipal Lomror claiming 4/38, while Deepak Hooda bagged 2/13.
Suthar this time opened the bowling but Rajasthan openers saw through his spell. Lomror gave the first breakthrough dismissing Neyan Shyam Kangayan (17), before Hooda chipped in to open the floodgates.
Pandey slams double in 100th first-class match
Manish Pandey slammed an unbeaten double century in his 100th first-class match as Karnataka declared their first innings score for a mammoth 603/7 against Goa. Overnight on 90, Pandey continued his assault on the Goan attack to notch his double century off 183 balls.
Pandey remained unbeaten on 208 off 186 balls with 14 boundaries and 11 sixes. Opener Ravikumar Smarth struck 140 (14x4) and was dismissed by Arjun Tendulkar (2/79).
In reply, Goa were 45/1 in 23 overs.
Brief Scores In Puducherry: Rajasthan 335. Puducherry 104; 38 overs (Manav Suthar 8/33, Ravi Bishnoi 2/33) and following on 130; 40.1 overs (Arun Karthik 38; Mahipal Lomror 4/38, Suthar 3/29). Rajasthan won by an innings and 101 runs. Points: Rajasthan 7, Puducherry 0.
At Thumba: Chhattisgarh 149; 49.5 overs (Harpreet Singh 40; Jalaj Saxena 5/48, Vaisakh Chandran 2/39, Sachin Baby 2/4). Kerala 100/2; 38 overs. Kerala trail by 49 runs.
At Porvorim: Karnataka 603/7 declared; 148.2 overs (Manish Pandey 208 not out, Ravikumar Samarth 140; Darshan Misal 3/145, Arjun Tendulkar 2/79). Goa 45/1; 23 overs Goa trail by 588 runs.
Himachal bat with purpose after first-innings debacle
Himachal Pradesh's top and middle-order batted with purpose to bail them out from a hopeless situation as they were just 10 runs away from wiping out a massive deficit against Uttarakhand at stumps on day two of their Ranji Trophy Group A match.
Uttarakhand seamer Deepak Dhapola, who was unplayable on Tuesday and returned with enviable figures of 8 for 35 to dismiss Himachal for just 49 runs in the first innings, could not recreate the same magic on Wednesday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
At stumps, Himachal were 277 for four, just 10 runs away from Uttarakhand's first innings lead of 287 runs.
With Akash Vasisht and Rishi Dhawan batting on 73 and 32 runs respectively, the duo have, for now, ensured Himachal will not suffer an innings defeat, though with two full days of play left, Uttarakhand are in pole position to win the contest and earn full points -- and perhaps a bonus if they win by 10 wickets.
Earlier, Uttarakhand continued from where they had left off on Tuesday at 295 for six, with Aditya Tare adding just one run to his overnight score of 91 before being dismissed by Vaibhav Arora.
The other overnight batter Abhay Negi added 28 more runs and eventually the home team's first innings wound up at 336 off 75.4 overs.
With a massive lead of 287, and the fragility of the opponents laid bare by Dhapola in the first innings, Uttarakhand would have fancied their chances of finishing the game inside two day.
But the determination showed by openers Raghav Dhawan (32) and Prashant Chopra (43), rubbed off on later-order batters, especially Ankit Kalsi (44) and Akash Vasisht (73 not out), as they played sensibly to make amends for their first-innings recklessness.
Dhapola sent down 12 overs but only got the wicket of Ankit Kalsi, while left-arm spinner Mayank Mishra was the most successful home team bowler, returning figures of 22-1-85-2.
Brief Scores: At Dehradun: Himachal Pradesh 49 and 277/4 in 76 overs (Raghav Dhawan 32, Prashant Chopra 43, Ankit Kalsi 44, Amit Kumar 37, Akash Vasisht 73 n.o., Rishi Dhawan 32 n.o.) versus Uttarakhand 336 in 75.4 overs (Jiwanjot Singh 45, Aditya Tare 92, Abhay Negi 70; Vaibhav Arora 4/80, Rishi Dhawan 3/65). Himachal trail by 10 runs.
At Cuttack: Haryana 338 in 100 overs (Nishant Sindhu 142, Rohit Sharma 55, Jayant Yadav 41; Suryakant Pradhan 6/93, Prayash Singh 3/66) versus Odisha 204 for 3 in 78 overs (Anurag Sarangi 63, Shantanu Mishra 60, Subhranshu Senapati 42 n.o.) Odisha trail by 134 runs.
At Vadodara: Uttar Pradesh 258 in 100.5 overs (Priyam Garg 52, Akshdeep Nath 71; Bhargav Bhatt 3/81) verus Baroda 221 for 6 in 78 overs (Ninad Rathva 93 n.o.) Baroda trail by 37 runs.
At Sovima: Nagaland 166 (Chetan Bist 64; Pradipta Pramanik 6/43) versus Bengal 336 for 4 in 82 overs (Abhimanyu Easwaran 170, Sudip Gharami 104). Bengal lead by 170 runs.
Pranshu, Harshit lead Delhi fightback against TN
Young Delhi all-rounder Pranshu Vijayaran put up a gutsy show before twins Aparajith and Indrajith were dismissed in identical fashion by speedster Harshit Rana as Tamil Nadu reached 214 for five at stumps on day two in a Ranji Trophy.
Vijayaran, playing his second first-class game, smashed spinners Washington Sundar (0/36 in 11 overs) and R Sai Kishore (0/32 in 4 overs) to score 58 off 79 balls to take Delhi to a respectable first innings score of 303.
He (1/14 in 8 overs) then bowled on a good channel and got the dangerous N Jagadeesan (34) caught behind but it was Harshit (3/73 in 16 overs), who tirelessly dug it in short and induced identical miscued pull shots from Aparajith (57) and Indrajith (71), both caught at mid-wicket.
Tamil Nadu, however, batted with a lot of positive intent right from start as Sai Sudharshan (25) hit six fours in a jiffy during the pre lunch session before left arm seamer Kuldip Yadav (1/50 in 10 overs) got one to move away, getting a nick.
Aparajith and Indrajith added 86 runs with consummate ease as they kept the run rate over 4 runs per over.
Left arm spinner Vikas Mishra (0/56 in 12 overs) was once again ineffective as he bowled to a defensive field which allowed Baba brothers to rotate strike with ease.
However, credit must be given to big bodied youngster Harshit, who learnt from his erratic first spell and started digging it in short, trying to take advantage of the two paced track.
"I was ready to concede a few boundaries but plan was to keep on bowling the short ball and allow the brothers to play their shots and wait for a mistake," Harshit, who has been coached by former India seamer Amit Bhandari, told reporters after the day's play.
Both Aparajith and Indrajith committed to the short ball early but it didn't come to them at a pace that they expected and hence there was no power in both strokes.
Another man who would be very disappointed is Washington Sundar, who was dismissed by an ordinary delivery drifting down leg side and his tickle ended in keeper Anuj Rawat's gloves.
While Tamil Nadu need 90 runs with seasoned Vijay Shankar (14 batting) at the crease alongside Pradosh Ranjan Paul (2 batting), skipper Indrajith conceded that the five fours and three sixes hit by Pranshu in the morning hurt them.
"Yes, we gave 40 runs too many. In the morning, I was forced to bowl with spinners as we were running short on over rate. At this point, I am not even thinking about outright win and want to ensure first innings lead first," Indrajith said.
Suryakumar's 95 helps Mumbai reach 230 against Saurashtra
In Mumbai, India's white ball star Suryakumar Yadav smashed 95 off 107 balls to take Mumbai to 230 all out in response to Saurashtra's first innings total of 289.
Mumbai lost the first innings lead but bounced back to reduce Saurashtra to 120 for six in their second innings. Mumbai left arm spinner Shams Mulani once again did the bulk of the damage with four wickets.
Going into day four, Saurashtra lead Mumbai by 179 runs and would be looking to add another 50 runs at least to make a match out of it on a turning track.
The 2020 Ranji champions will be relying a lot on left-arm spinner Dharmendra Singh Jadeja and young offie Yuvrajsingh Dodiya, who took four wickets in the first innings.
Brief Scores: Delhi 1st Innings 303 in 97.1 overs (Dhruv Shorey 66, Jonty Sidhu 57, Pranshu Vijayaran 58, L Vignesh 4/50). Tamil Nadu 214/5 in 54 overs (Baba Indrajith 71, Baba Aparajith 57, Harshit Rana 3/73).
In Mumbai: Saurashtra 1st Innings 289 in 79.1 overs and 120/6 in 32 overs (Prerak Mankad batting 25, Dharemendrasingh Jadeja batting 24; Shams Mulani 4/50) vs Mumbai 1st Innings 230 all out in 63.3 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 95, Sarfaraz Khan 75; Dharmendrasinh Jadeja 4/70, Yuvrajsinh Dodiya 4/43).
In Hyderabad: Assam 1st Innings 205 in 56.4 overs and 182/6 in 39 overs. Hyderabad 1st Innings 208 all out in 66.5 overs (Rohit Rayudu 60; Riyan Parag 4/48, Mukhtar Hussain 3/62).
In Vizianagaram: Maharashtra 1st Innings 200 and 89/1 in 27 overs (Ruturaj Gaekwad 51 batting) vs Andhra 211 all out in 79 overs (Hanuma Vihari 49, Karan Shine 52; P C Dadhe 3/56).
Fifteen-year-old Indian WIM B Savitha Shri on Wednesday won a bronze medal in the women's event of FIDE World Rapid Championship in Almaty, Kazakhstan Seeded 36th, she finished with an impressive tally of eight points from 11 rounds to finish third. The teenager, who was on 6.5 points at the conclusion of the eighth round, picked up 1.5 points to end the tournament on a high in a star-studded field. A loss to Kazakhstan's Zhansaya Abdumalik in the ninth round hurt Savitha's chances of a top-two finish.
She bounced back by beating Qianyun Gong of Singapore in Round 10 and drew with Dinara Saduakassova of Kazakhstan in the final round.
Savitha Shri became the third Indian after Viswanathan Anand and Humpy to win a medal at the world rapid championship.
India's top player and Asian Games gold medallist Koneru Humpy, who had come back into medal contention after a modest performance on day two, had to settle for sixth place though she logged eight points.
Though Savitha, Humpy, a former world Rapid champion, and two others ended on eight points, the teenager took bronze on the basis of a superior tie-break score. Savitha had shone bright on Tuesday, posting four consecutive victories.
Noted coach R B Ramesh wished Savitha Shri and wrote on Twitter: "Hearty Congratulations to @SavithashriB for winning the Bronze medal in the World Rapid Championship! Attended @ishafoundation inner engineering course & it seems to have calmed the nerves at crucial junctures. Let this be a good beginning! " The All India Chess Federation also hailed the Chennai player.
"It's an incredible performance from 15 year old Savitha Shri B to clinch the Bronze medal in World Women Rapid Chess Championship at Almaty ahead of many fancied players. Congratulations Savitha!!" Tan Zhongyi of China won the title, defeating Saduakassova in a play-off.
A total of five Indians participated in the women's event while 15 were in the fray in the Open section.
Meanwhile in the Open event won by world No.1 Magnus Carlsen, 19-year old Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi finished fifth.
In the 13th and final round, Erigaisi defeated Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan) to finish with nine points. Also securing nine points were Vladimir Fedoseev, Vladimir Artemiev and Richard Rapport (Hungary).
Carlsen defeated Iran's Parham Maghsoodloo in the final round to emerge clear winner with 10 points after having been in joint lead with Artemiev and Vincent Keymer (Germany) on nine points.
India's Nihal Sarin took the 10th place logging 8.5 points while compatriot Vidit Santosh Gujrathi with an equal number of points finished 15th.
Experienced Indian GM Surya Shekhar Ganguly scored 8.5 points and ended up 20th while teenaged GM Raunak Sadhwani (8 points) settled for 33rd place.
Gujrathi, who had a mixed run in the tournament, scored a memorable win over defending champion Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan) in the 11th round. However, a defeat to Keymer in the 12th round dented his chances of finishing higher in the event.
In the women's event, Padmini Rout took the 38th place with six points while GM D Harika with an equal number of points ended 39th. Tania Sachdev (5.5 points) was placed 50th.
ATK Mohun Bagan snapped FC Goa's three-match unbeaten run in the Indian Super League with a 2-1 win here on Wednesday.
Australia opener David Warner said his double-century in the Boxing Day Test against South Africa was among the finest knocks of his career after coming into the match under pressure to score runs.
Chelsea returned to winning ways as they scored early to ensure a 2-0 triumph over Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday in their first Premier League victory since mid-October.
For Yuki Bhambri, shifting focus from singles to doubles has been the most sensible decision he could have made and he wouldn't change anything in his career even if he were to have the benefit of hindsight.
Although India won both Tests, they were far from convincing & some shortcomings became evident. As for the ODIs, the series loss is a wake-up call ahead of next year’s World Cup.
Liverpool got off to the flying start they craved on the Premier League's return from the World Cup as a 3-1 win at Aston Villa on Monday cut the gap on the top four to five points.
Taylor Fritz said that if a men's player on the ATP Tour came out as gay, he would be welcomed by his peers, the top-ranked American told tennis publication Clay.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have signed Brazil forward Matheus Cunha on loan from LaLiga side Atletico Madrid, both clubs said on Sunday.
Ravichandran Ashwin once again showed his batting prowess to help India eke out a narrow three-wicket win over Bangladesh in the second Test at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka on Sunday.
Rafael Nadal is aiming to successfully defend his Australian Open title at the first Grand Slam of the year in January, after an injury-plagued 2022, despite arriving a bit short of his peak level, the Spaniard said on Friday.
Lyu, who became the oldest man to win Olympic gold in weightlifting when he claimed the 81kg title in Tokyo last year, tested positive for erythropoietin, a prohibited peptide hormone.
It's time again for the 10 IPL franchises to shell out some serious money to bolster their squads ahead of the next season. The IPL mini-auctions are here and this time the venue is a non-IPL centre, Kochi.
In a good news for franchises and their fans in India, top English and Australian stars like Ben Stokes, Cameron Green and Sam Curran are set to be available for almost the entire duration of IPL-2023.
Venus Williams will roll back the years next month, with the 42-year-old accepting wildcards to play in the main draws of both the Australian Open and the Auckland WTA tournaments, it was announced Wednesday.
All-rounder Heather Graham claimed a hat-trick after Asheigh Gardner and Grace Harris' power-packed batting performances as Australia women floored India in the fifth and final T20I in Mumbai on Tuesday. With a 54-run victory in the final match, Australia bagged the series 4-1.
Supporters packed a square in central Paris on Monday to give a rousing welcome to the French football team despite their loss to Argentina in a nail-biting World Cup final.
Argentina's national team will celebrate their World Cup triumph on Tuesday in Buenos Aires at the Obelisk, the monument that is the traditional epicentre of sporting celebrations, the federation said on Monday.
Argentina won their third World Cup trophy after the final in Qatar on Sunday. Here is what you need to know about their route to the title:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated Argentina on winning the World Cup and said the final will be remembered as one of the most thrilling football matches. Millions of Indian fans of Argentina and Messi rejoice in the magnificent victory, he said.
Ace Indian drag-flicker Gurjit Kaur scored an all-important winner in the sixth minute of the final as India registered a 1-0 win over Spain to clinch the inaugural FIH Women's Nation's Cup title in Valencia, Spain on Saturday.
Argentina and France meet in Sunday's World Cup final at Lusail Stadium. Both countries are bidding for their third title with the French having the chance to become the first back-to-back champions since Brazil in 1962.
Jose Arnaldo dos Santos Junior traveled to Qatar to cheer on his beloved Brazilian national team led by Neymar in their ultimately failed attempt to claim a sixth World Cup crown. But since they were knocked out by Croatia in the quarter-finals, he switched allegiance to Brazil's arch rivals, Lionel Messi's Argentina.
Fernando Santos is set to leave his job as Portugal's coach after his team lost against Morocco at the World Cup in Qatar last Saturday, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday.
India's batting frailties were exposed again as Australia women produced a clinical performance to register a comfortable 21-run victory in the third T20 International on Wednesday. Australia now lead the five-match series 2-1.
After taking his team to the World Cup final with a mesmerising performance in Qatar, captain Lionel Messi praised Argentina's intelligence on Wednesday. The two-time champions swept past Croatia 3-0 in their semi-final match at Lusail Stadium, riding on Julian Alvarez two goals and Messi's one from the penalty spot. It was a contrasting win for Argentina, after showing more guts than flair to beat the Netherlands on penalties in the quarter-finals.
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Lionel Messi mesmerised again as he helped Argentina storm into their sixth World Cup final by defeating Croatia 3-0 in the first semi-final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 on Wednesday. Messi scored a goal and produced a stunning assist, while Julian Alvarez struck two goals for the two-time champions at Lusail stadium.
Rocky is playing out at the World Cup here. For a millennial to invoke the late 1970s underdog idea so simply would show how Hoalid Regragui, the Morocco manager, articulate, thoughtful, scheming and now, a minor cinephile too, knows his popular metaphors too. “We are making the whole world happy. You know, when you watch Rocky Balboa, you want to support Rocky because he’s the one who loses, that is normal,” he would say.
Indian women's cricket team produced one of their finest performances in the T20I cricket as they handed Australia their first defeat across formats in 2022.
Holders France continued their pursuit of back-to-back titles as they defeated England 2-1 at the Al Bayt stadium to reach the FIFA World Cup 2022 semi-finals in Qatar on Sunday. The defending champions will face first-timer Morocco, who knocked Portugal out of the tournament on Saturday, for a place in the final on Thursday.
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They were surprise finalists in Russia 2018 and Luka Modric and his band of merry Croatians have left everyone stunned in Qatar as well, this time in the quarter-finals.
Brazil's performance in the knockouts of the FIFA World Cup continued to haunt them with the five-time champions making another quarter-final exit at the quadrennial event after going down to Croatia 2-4 in a penalty shoot-out on Friday.
The extra-time goal against Croatia in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals saw Neymar equal football legend Pele's record as Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 77 goals on Friday.
A terrific run of form in the latter half of 2022 put Nick Kyrgios among the Grand Slam contenders and while the Australian knows much is expected of him heading into Melbourne Park next month he says he has learned to embrace the pressure.
Alexander Zverev on Thursday returned to tennis for the first time since tearing ankle ligaments in his French Open semi-final defeat to Rafael Nadal in June. The 25-year-old German appeared in the Diriyah Tennis Cup exhibition tournament in Saudi Arabia where he defeated Austria's Dominic Thiem in two super tiebreaks.