Djokovic ready to fire at Roland Garros as Grand Slam landmark beckons
PARIS ?? - ? World number one Novak Djokovic believes he is peaking at the perfect moment to win four successive Grand Slam titles for the second time in his career by capturing the French Open. After a dip in form following his Australian Open triumph this year, the 15-times Grand Slam winner has impressed on the European claycourts, ...
Eoin Morgan injures finger, to miss warm-up
LONDON ? ? -? ? Eoin Morgan, the England captain, injured his finger during training on Friday, 24 May, and is expected to miss the team?s first warm-up fixture. As a result, he won?t be leading England in their warm-up match against Australia on Saturday, but in news that will come as a relief for England fans, he is ...
We’re not favourites, but we’ll use that to our advantage: Dussen
CARDIFF ? - ?? South Africa batsman Rassie van der Dussen thinks his side have ?a really strong chance? of taking home the title at this summer?s ICC Men?s Cricket World Cup 2019 in England and Wales. It will be the 30-year-old?s maiden Cricket World Cup campaign, and he spoke of the excitement surrounding his and his teammates? arrival ...
South Africa start World Cup warm-ups with big win
Contributions at the end from JP Duminy (22), Andile Phehlukwayo (35), Dwaine Pretorius (25*) and Chris Morris (26*) saw post a total that was easily defended, but they will feel they left runs in the middle. Scorecard : HM Amla b BMAJ Mendis 65 AK Markram c MDKJ Perera b Lakmal 21 F du Plessis c Lakmal b de Silva ...
Senators XI beat Parliamentarian XI in friendly cricket
ISLAMABAD ?? - ? Senators cricket team of Upper House of Parliament defeated Parliamentarian cricket team of National Assembly by 63 runs in a friendly floodlight cricket match played here at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday night. He especially appreciated senators Shibli Faraz, Ahmad Khan, Agha Shazaib Durrani and Mirza Afridi for their outstanding performance in the match. ...
Pakistan set 263 runs target for Afghanistan in first warm-up
He was quickly followed by Hasan Ali (6), Shadab Khan (1) and Wahab Riaz (18) when Pakistan were bowled out at 262 in 48 overs. Two overs later, Fakhar Zaman (19) was sent back to the pavilion by Mohammad Nabi. Nabi picked up another wicket two balls later, when he bowled Haris Sohail (1). Squad: Pakistan Imam ul ...
Smith ready to pick up where he left off at WC
The 29-year-old has admitted it left him devastated but he has done his time, worked hard to be in prime condition for his return and provided an ominous reminder of his sublime skills in pre-World Cup warm-up games against a New Zealand XI. He and Davey (Warner) have done the same thing, they are in pristine condition.? While the Test ...
Fifa shelves idea to extend 2022 World Cup to 48 teams
Florida FIFA shelved a proposed expansion of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to 48 teams on Wednesday, dealing a blow to the world football body?s president Gianni Infantino. ?[The tournament] will therefore remain as originally planned with 32 teams and no proposal will be submitted at the next Fifa Congress on 5 June,? Fifa said in a statement. ...
Nadal, Federer on French Open collision course
Nadal starts against qualifiers in the first two rounds while 37-year-old Federer, bidding to become the oldest Grand Slam title winner of all time, faces Italy?s Lorenzo Sonego, ranked at 73. If the seedings work out for the quarter-finals, then 15-time major winner Djokovic would face Germany?s Alexander Zverev who has still to get past the last eight at ...
ICC warns off ‘corruptors’ from WC
London The head of the International Cricket Council?s anti-corruption unit said Friday he had been in direct contact with around 12 ?corruptors? to warn them off the World Cup. An education video urging players to ?recognise, reject and report? any corrupt approaches has been shown to all 10 competing World Cup teams. The film also contains names and imagery of ...
Wenger says his football future may not be in management
I?ll come back soon, but I cannot tell you exactly in what capacity.? The Frenchman also described the nearly 6,000-mile round trip fans would have to make from London to Baku for next week?s Europa League final as a ?nightmare.? Arsenal face London rivals Chelsea in the Azerbaijan capital on Wednesday with victory guaranteeing Wenger?s former club a spot in the ...
Afghanistan stun Pakistan by three wickets in World Cup warm-up match
One-down Babar Azam top-scored with a 108-ball 112 runs, reaching his century in a rather sluggishly manner as he was forced to glue the innings together while the rest of the Pakistan batting faltered before the Afghanistan bowling. Ace Afghanistan spinner Mohammad Nabi picked up three wickets for 46 in his 10 overs, while Dawlat Zadran and Rashid Khan ...
Sports and politics to mix again in Pakistan, India match-up
Several former India players urged Virat Kohli?s men to boycott the June 16 match in Old Trafford, Manchester, against their arch-rivals while others saw more merit in playing and extending India?s 6-0 unbeaten record against Pakistan in World Cups. ?India-Pakistan matches have always been billed as the final before the final, because people have attached political factors to the ...
ICC warns off ‘corruptors’ from Cricket World Cup
The head of the International Cricket Council?s (ICC) anti-corruption unit said on Friday he had been in direct contact with around 12 ?corruptors? to warn them off the World Cup. ?It?s around a dozen people who have had the ?disinvite? to the Cricket World Cup and who we will keep away,? Alex Marshall, the head of the ICC Anti-Corruption ...
Babar Azam primed to thrive under World Cup spotlight
Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur first mentioned Azam, the world?s top-ranked Twenty20 international batsman, in the same breath as Indian skipper Kohli early last year, based on the 24-year-old?s potential across formats. He also reached 1,000 ODI runs in 21 innings, a record he shared with an elite group of players, including West Indies great Viv Richards and England ...
England’s Morgan injures finger ahead of World Cup
England captain Eoin Morgan has sustained a small flake fracture on his finger but the injury will not affect his participation in the World Cup starting on May 30, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Friday. ?Morgan picked up the injury during catching practice? he will not take part in the match (against Australia)? but ...
PCB bans wives and family from travelling with team
The players? wives and families were allowed to stay with them during the bilateral series against England, but the team manager has since informed the players about the new policy. Previously, Pakistan?s players insisted on having their wives during series abroad, and they were allowed to share hotel rooms.
Dynamic West Indies a dangerous World Cup wildcard
?This will probably be the biggest World Cup, so there will be great expectations and I know we will do very well for the people of the West Indies.? All-rounder Russell was even more destructive with the bat in IPL, smashing 52 sixes and scoring at a strike rate of more than 200 for Kolkata, both best in the league.
Clinical South Africa hand Sri Lanka 87-run defeat in warm-up
Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis scored half-centuries while Lungi Ngidi and Andile Phehlukwayo impressed with the ball, as South Africa beat Sri Lanka in their first warm-up match in Cardiff on Friday. 338 for 7 (Faf du Plessis 88, Hashim Amla 65, Suranga Lakmal 2-63, Isuru Udana 1-43) beat 251 all out (Karunaratne Dimuth 87, Angelo Mathews ...
Barcelona, haunted by Anfield nightmares, eye another King’s Cup
Record signing Philippe Coutinho is expected to come back from injury in time for the game, although his woeful form means his return does not necessarily boost Barca?s chances of winning a record-extending fifth consecutive Copa del Rey. Football has given us another tough lesson but we must put it behind us and prepare for the Cup final and ...
