Category: Sports

Namibia was defeated by the UAE by seven runs in their last Group A match of the T20 World Cup 2022. In the history of the T20 World Cup, this is the UAE’s first victory.

The final Group A match of the ongoing T20 World Cup was at Simonds Stadium, Geelong. After opting to bat first, UAE posted a competitive total on the board after Muhammad Waseem scored 50 runs off 41 deliveries and skipper Chundangapoyil Rizwan hit 43 runs off 29 deliveries.

The United Arab Emirates bowled their best game against Namibia as they had nothing to lose. The UAE let a four-wicket lead slip after 13 overs, putting Namibia in a worrying position. The last over bowled by Muhammad Waseem against Wiese, however, ensured Namibia’s elimination.

A few early blows were dealt to Namibia in their chase for 149. Namibia’s middle order failed to step up in this game that they had to win, and as a result, they were unable to get going. The team was on the cusp of defeat when the score reached 69-7. After this, David Wiese and Ruben Trumpelmann revived Namibia’s innings with a stand of 70 runs, the highest 8th wicket stand in T20 World Cup history. Namibia tried their best; however, in the end, it wasn’t meant to be.

The UAE’s win over Namibia kept both sides on two points each, and the Netherlands moved into the Super 12s after Sri Lanka, who topped Group A with four points.

During Mumbai’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), Roger Binny officially succeeded Saurav Ganguly as BCCI president. With a reported net worth of $2 billion, the richest cricket board in the world has appointed Binny as its 36th president. Binny previously served as Karnataka State Cricket Association president, but he will now step down to serve the apex cricketing body of the country.

The former BCCI president and cricket icon Ganguly reacted on Tuesday to the appointment of Roger Binny as the new apex cricket board’s president. For three years, Ganguly served as the BCCI’s president, one of the best batters of his generation.

Ganguly expressed his best wishes as he wished the new office-bearer success in carrying forward the BCCI legacy. Following Binny’s appointment as BCCI president, the outgoing president declared that the apex cricket board of India is in good hands.

In an interview, he said, “I wish Roger (Binny) all the best. The new group will take this forward. BCCI is in great hands. Indian cricket is strong, so I wish them all the best.”

Meanwhile, Jay Shah has been re-elected as BCCI secretary after Binny replaced Ganguly as president. Furthermore, Jay Shah confirmed that Team India will not travel to Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023 due to Rohit Sharma’s injury.

The 19-year-old Arjun Erigaisi, an Indian grandmaster, beat the world champion, Magnus Carlsen, in the Aimchess Rapid preliminary round on Sunday.

He is currently ranked fifth after eight rounds after losing to compatriot Vidit Santosh Gujrathi. Early on Sunday, the Indian won his first match over world champion Carlsen in the seventh round. After beating Nils Grandelius (Sweden), Daniel Naroditsky (USA) and Carlsen, Erigaisi drew with Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland).

He said, “It felt really good. I was really happy with the game.”

Currently, he has 15 points and claims fifth place behind Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov (17 points), Shahkriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan), Carlsen (both 16) and Duda (15).

The Julius Baer Generation Cup online tournament was won by Carlsen last month. Erigaisi lost to him in the final. As a result of his 54-move win over the world champion, he was able to bounce back after a slow start to the event. Carlsen has not been at his best so far, having suffered two defeats (to Mamedyarov and Erigaisi) and escaped with a draw against young Indian GM Mittal in round four.

The Meltwater Champions Tour tournament, Aimchess Rapid, features 16 players, including five Indians.

On Wednesday’s final day of the National Games, Olympic bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain defeated former World Championship silver medalist Saweety Boora 5-0 to claim the gold medal in the women’s 75kg category.

As a middleweight, Lovlina will make her international debut at the upcoming Asian championships in Amman after switching weight classes. Despite suffering a nose injury during the selection trials for the continental event and entering the games at the last minute, Lovlina managed to find some rhythm against Saweety.

Using her lanky frame, Lovlina dodged Saweety’s attacks and landed a series of jabs and combinations. A fascinating duel between Simranjit Kaur and Jaismine Lamboria resulted in a 4-0 victory for Simranjit Kaur in the women’s 60kg weight class.

The first two rounds were dominated by Simranjit’s good manoeuvring and accurate head shots and body shots. Simranjit, an experienced southpaw, was able to avoid Jaismine’s punches in the third round due to her superior movement. Despite both boxers bleeding midway through the bout, Sanjeet clinched his Asian championship by defeating Naveen Kumar 5-0 in the trials.

The men’s 92kg championship was won by Sanjeet after an exchange of heavy blows. Five gold medals went to Services among the eight men’s events. A total of five gold medals were on offer for women, with Haryana and Assam taking home two each.

In the third match of the series, India thrashed a below-par South Africa side by seven wickets to secure a 2-1 victory.

The hosts bowled brilliantly to limit South Africa to 99 runs in their innings. With 34 off 42, Heinrich Klaasen rescued his team from embarrassment. The first ball was bowled by Team India after winning the toss.

There were some changes in the South African starting lineup compared to the Shikhar Dhawan-led side from the second ODI.

A 26/3 scorecard was recorded by the Proteas after the first powerplay. The hosts took complete control of the proceedings to pile pressure on the visitors. This was also Team India’s best powerplay bowling post the 50-over World Cup 2019.

The Proteas, who find themselves in a terrible scenario with dwindling chances of straight qualification for next year’s 50-over world cup, is defeated by Team India to complete the bilateral series in a lopsided fashion.

However, South Africa will now go for Australia for the T20 World Cup with the hopes of seeing a turnaround. There, they will once more face India in Group B alongside Pakistan, Bangladesh, and two other teams who advanced via qualification.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands became the F1 drivers’ world champion, during the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, Japan, Sunday.

Verstappen successfully concluded his world title defense to claim his second consecutive Formula One championship with four races to spare.

The victory in Japan was Verstappen’s 12th win of the season after starting from the pole position to reach the chequered flag before any other driver on the grid. Despite the rain in Suzuka, Verstappen retained his title at the same venue where he made his debut as the youngest-ever driver to participate in a practice session

His second title came in less disputable circumstances compared to his maiden win last year, in which he secured the title in a seemingly controversial manner at the cost of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton during the last race of the season. But, this year, the Dutchman has been far better than anyone, with a lead of over a hundred points segregating him from his closest competitor.

With four races still to go on the race calendar, Verstappen might break the current record for most wins in a season, i.e. thirteen, jointly held by German great Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.

On Sunday, Novak Djokovic won his 90th career title and fourth of 2022 by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the ATP final in Astana. Djokovic, 35, won the match 6-3, 6-4 in 75 minutes to add to his three titles this season in Israel, Rome and Wimbledon. As a result of the win, the fourth seed assured himself a spot at the ATP Finals in 2022.

On his won 90 titles, he said, “I dared to dream actually, I always hoped that I would be going to have a great career. Obviously, didn’t know the number of finals I was going to play, the number of tournaments I was going to win, but my intention was always to reach the highest heights in our sports.”

Having won a seventh Wimbledon title and 21st Grand Slam championship in July, the Serbian won his first singles tournament last week in Tel Aviv.

As a result of his refusal to get vaccinated before returning for Roger Federer’s farewell in the Laver Cup team event in London last month, he was banned from the US Open and the entire North American hardcourt swing.

This was the third time Tsitsipas lost in an ATP Tour 500-level final he has participated in, as he was seeking his tenth career title.

In the AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2023 Qualifiers, India won 3-0 against Kuwait because of Thanglalsoun Gangte’s brace. In their previous match, India won 5-0 against the Maldives. Three points were earned by the Indian side thanks to two goals from Gangte. Sahil also stood out with a remarkable performance, making a number of crucial saves and keeping the score clean.

As soon as the game began, the Indians were in command. After a corner-kick opportunity, Gangte headed the ball into the net in the ninth minute. There was, however, a foul called by the referee in the build-up.

A low, fizzing shot by skipper Vanlalpeka Guite was saved by the Kuwait custodian three minutes later. As the pressure mounted, Bibiano Fernandes’ side took the lead in the 16th minute.

Korou was in space on the right flank after Manjot Singh Dhamib delivered a delicious long ball. In a clinical first-time finish, the onrushing Gangte converted a pinpoint cross played by the winger. At the end of the first half, Indian goalkeeper Sahil made some fine saves to ensure a clean sheet.

The Indians poured forward again on the break and Lalpekhlua provided a fine cross that Gangte slid home in a clinical fashion. The Indian team will face Myanmar at the same venue in the next match.

India defeated South Africa by 16 runs in a high-scoring Twenty20 international in Guwahati on Sunday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series as David Miller and Quinton de Kock’s unbeaten 174-run proved futile.

India’s imperious batting performance helped them post 237 runs on the scorecard. Miller played a brilliant knock (106 off 47 balls) and opener De Kock posed danger to India at one stage but eventually fell short of 16 runs and help India clinch victory and their first home T20 series win over South Africa.

South Africa was struggling at 5-2 at the end of the second over after Temba Bavuma and Rilee Rossouw got out at zero to Arshdeep Singh.

The play was interrupted in the third over of the chase after one floodlight tower in the stadium went out. Early in India’s innings, a snake slithered onto the field, which stopped the play for some time.

India was put in to bat and scored a sky-high 237-3, thanks to Suryakumar Yadav’s fiery 22-ball 61 after opener KL Rahul’s 57 from 28.

The last match of the series will be played in Indore on Tuesday.

Suryakumar Yadav became the first batsman in the history of cricket to hit 50 sixes in the shortest format of the game in a single calendar year.

He reached this milestone during the second T20I match against South Africa at Guwahati.

In the match, Yadav scored an extraordinary 61 off just 22 balls. His five towering five sixes and five speedy fours amused players and fans alike.

Now Suryakumar has amassed 50 sixes in the 2022 calendar year. Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan, who had hit 42 sixes last year, is his closest rival. New Zealand’s experienced opener Martin Guptill is at the third, with 41 sixes during the previous calendar year.

Coming to the match, Proteas won the toss and made India bat first. India scored an enormous 237/3 in their 20 overs. Sensational knocks from KL Rahul (57 off 28 balls), Suryakumar Yadav (61 off 22 balls), and Virat Kohli (49* off 28 balls) helped the Men in blue gather so many runs.

Spinner Keshav Maharaj was the only bowler who gave a tough time to the Indian batters, taking 2/23 in his four overs.

Miller scored a brilliant century, 106* in just 47 balls, while de Kock scored 69* off 48 balls, but South Africa eventually lost by 16 runs. The final T20I will be played on Tuesday at Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.