Category: Sport

Four-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) on Thursday cruised to a 48-run win over Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Chasing MI’s total of 191/4 wickets in 20 overs, KXIP only managed to reach 143/8 wickets in 20 overs as a clinical MI bowling attack rarely allowed the batsmen any space to score runs freely.

MI separated KXIP’s star opening pair of KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal early on. Jasprit Bumrah accounted for Agarwal in the fifth over. Karun Nair fell for a duck in the very next over while Rahul Chahar outfoxed KXIP captain and top scorer KL Rahul in the ninth.

Nicholas Pooran kept KXIP’s hopes alive, smashing 44 runs off 27 balls and putting up 41 for the fourth wicket with Glenn Maxwell. It also turned out to be KXIP’s highest partnership and the last one that crossed over into two figures as they wilted after Pooran fell to James Pattinson in the 14th over.

Between the start of the 15th and 19th overs, KXIP scored just 18 runs and lost three wickets and the match slipped away from them.

Earlier, a late blitz from Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya helped Mumbai Indians (MI) post 191/4.

Sheldon Cottrell gave KXIP a good start with the wicket of Quinton de Kock in the very first over. While captain Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav then seemed to be steadying the ship for MI, the latter was run out by Mohammed Shami with a direct hit from short fine leg.

Ishan Kishan, who scored a memorable 99 in the previous match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, struggled to get the run rate for much of his innings. His troubled stay at the crease was eventually ended on 28 off 32 balls by Krishnappa Gowtham, thus ending a 62-run stand between him and Rohit.

Pollard then came in and provided able company as Rohit increased the run rate. The MI captain, who crossed 5,000 runs in the IPL through the course of the innings, looked set for a century but a brilliant piece of teamwork between Glenn Maxwell and James Neesham at the boundary behind the bowler led to his dismissal.

Maxwell ran in from long-off and caught the ball which Rohit was looking to deposit over the ropes off Shami. His momentum however took him over the ropes but he lobed it back towards Neesham who ran in from long on before he touched the ground beyond the boundary.

But Pollard and Hardik came in and smashed 44 runs off the last overs to take MI beyond the 190-run mark.

Brief scores: MI 191/4 wkts in 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 70, Kieron Pollard 47; Sheldon Cottrell 1/20) beat KXIP 143/8 wkts in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 44, Mayank Agarwal 25; Jasprit Bumrah 2/18) by 48 runs

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Indian batters Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues have been able to remain in the top 10 of the ICC T20I rankings for batswomen. While Verma is the highest ranked Indian batter at the third spot, Mandhana and Rodrigues have also been able to hold their respective seventh and ninth places in the list led by Australias Beth Mooney.

In the bowlers’ rankings, Deepti Sharma remains the highest ranked Indian, currently occupying the sixth spot. She is followed by Radha Yadav and Poonam Yadav at seventh and eighth places respectively.

Among all-rounders, Deepti remains the only Indian in top 10, currently placed at the fourth spot.

Meanwhile, Australia all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner and Captain Meg Lanning have advanced in the batters’ rankings after finishing as the leading run-scorers in their three-match home series against New Zealand that they won 2-1.

Gardner’s series-topping 90 runs, which came in only two innings, won her the player of the series award and lifted her seven places to a career best-equalling 18th position among batters. Lanning, who has been top-ranked in both ODIs and T20Is in the past, has advanced one spot to take fifth position after aggregating 71 runs in the series.

For White Ferns, former captain Suzie Bates and present captain Sophie Devine have retained their second and fourth positions, respectively, while another former captain, left-hander Amy Satterthwaite, has re-entered the rankings in 35th position after finishing as the highest scorer from her side with 69 runs. Satterthwaite was on maternity leave for 18 months, during which she missed this year’s T20 World Cup in Australia.

Australia leg-spinner Georgia Wareham has reached a career best-equalling 10th position after her five wickets in the series helped her advance five places, while left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux (up two places to 13th) and seam bowler Delissa Kimmince (up eight places to 22nd) have also progressed in the bowlers’ list.

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The LA Lakers made their intentions loud and clear in the 2020 NBA Finals with a dominating 116-98 victory over the Miami Heat in Game 1.

In a game played late on Wednesday, the Heat were able to take an early 13-point but that was it. Post the first six minutes of the Game, the Lakers took control of the game and closed the first quarter on a 19-3 run. At one point, it became 75-30.

Lakers head coach Frank Vogel agreed that the team got off to a slow start but lauded his bench for turning the tide. “Kuzma and Rondo came in and Alex, those guys brought great energy. Helped us get stops and get out on the break some. Rondo orchestrated a few buckets for us and helped turn the game around,” said Vogel.

LeBron James too agreed that run from Miami was like a wake up call for his team. “From that moment when it was 23-10, we started to play to our capabilities. We started flying around. We started getting defensive stops. We started sharing the ball a lot better offensively and just got into a really good groove,” explained James.

For Lakers, Anthony Davis was the star with 34 points, nine rebounds and five assists. James was happy he was on the same team as Davis. “I’m happy to be on the same floor with him and in the same uniform. He was, once again, a force in every facet of the game, offensively and defensively,” he said.

Game 2 of the Finals between the two teams will now be played on Saturday.

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Rafael Nadal, the 12-time Roland Garros champion, completed another overwhelming show at the ongoing French Open as he registered a straight-sets win No. 236 Mackenzie McDonald to progress to the next round.

On Wednesday, the ‘King of Clay’ defeated McDonald 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 in just one hour and 40 minutes to improve his record at the clay court grand slam to 95-2.

“I am very happy,” Nadal said after his triumph as per the ATP Tour website. “(It) will be another difficult match against Travaglia or Nishikori. I hope to play a good level. It’s always very special to play here in Paris, especially here on Court Philippe-Chatrier, so I’m very happy to play another time,” he added.

Second seed Nadal will now face Italy’s Stefano Travaglia in the round of 32. The latter survived a five-set thriller against Japan’s Nishikori Kei to advance 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7), 4-6, 6-2.

In the other men’s singles clash, newly-crowned US Open champion Dominic Thiem extended his winning streak to nine matches, defeating American qualifier Jack Sock 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (6) in two hours and 22 minutes. He will next face No. 28 seed Casper Ruud.

Meanwhile, in women’s singles, top seed Simona Halep beat her fellow Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3, 6-4 to book a spot in the third round, while third seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine overcame defeated Mexican qualifier Renata Zarazua 6-3, 0-6, 6-2 to keep on track for her maiden Grand Slam title.

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A clinical Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Wednesday secured a 37-run win over Rajasthan Royals (RR) here. After scoring 174/6 wkts in 20 overs, KKR restricted RR to 137/9 in 20 overs, with top scorer Tom Curran (54 not out off 36 balls) being one of just three RR batsmen to enter double figures.

Pat Cummins struck early with the big wicket of his Australian team mate Steve Smith in the second over of the RR innings. The in-form Sanju Samson was dismissed by Shivam Mavi in the fifth over which meant that RR had lost both their highest scoring batsmen thus far this season within the powerplay.

Jos Buttler scored a quickfire 21 off 16 and threatened to get back to the form he displayed last season, before falling to the very first ball of the seventh over bowled by Mavi.

It was all downhill for RR after that as they failed to get partnerships going. They were reduced to 88/8 in the 15th over with the fall of Jofra Archer. They were dragged to 137/9 by Curran who scored 54 not out off 36 runs and it meant that his unbeaten last wicket stand of 31 runs with Ankit Rajpoot ended up being RR’s highest on the day.

Earlier, opener Shubman Gill’s 47 and Eoin Morgan’s unbeaten 34 helped the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) score 174/6 against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. For RR, Jofra Acher marked his return to form with the ball as he bagged 2/18.

Sunil Narine’s dry spell with the bat continued as he was dismissed for 15 runs in the fifth over. His opening partner Gill, however, anchored the innings throughout its first half before finally falling in the 12th over to Archer, three runs short of a second consecutive half century.

Explosive all-rounder Andre Russell was threatening to finally show his full array of shots this season, reaching 24 runs in 14 balls. His innings was punctuated by three sixes but it was cut short by Ankit Rajpoot who got him holed out at deep midwicket. Morgan then anchored the lower middle order and saw KKR through to 174 for six in 20 overs.

Brief scores: KKR 174/6 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 47, Eoin Morgan 34 not out; Jofra Archer 2/18) beat RR 137/9 in 20 overs (Tom Curran 54 not out, Jos Buttler 21; Kamlesh Nagarkoti 2/13) by 37 runs’

Also Read: Rajasthan Royals seize their first outing

Manchester City have completed the signing of Portuguese international Ruben Dias from Benfica. The 23-year-old centre-back has signed a six-year contract, which keeps him at the club until 2026.

Dias has made more than 100 appearances in three seasons for the Lisbon giants, with whom he won a league title in 2018/19 and has been capped 19 times by Portugal.

“To have the opportunity to join a club like Manchester City is a fantastic opportunity for me and one I couldn’t turn down,” Dias said.

“I believe I can improve here, at a club whose ambitions match my own and I will give everything to be successful and win titles,” he added.

Meanwhile, defender Nicolas Otamendi left City and has signed a permanent deal with Benfica. The 32-year-old defender embarks on a new challenge in Portugal after five years of service during which he helped the club lift every major honour in English football.

“They were five wonderful years, not just in a footballing sense, but also at a club where they treat you in the best way possible, from the chefs to the kitmen, through to the backroom staff,” he told mancity.com.

In total, Otamendi made 210 appearances, scoring 11 goals and he departs a two-time Premier League champion, with four League Cup medals to his name and having lifted the FA Cup in 2019.He also won the Community Shield on two occasions.

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Liverpool FC have confirmed that Spain international midfielder Thiago Alcantara has tested positive for COVID-19.

“Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently self-isolating according to the necessary guidelines,” the club said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The 29-year-old, who missed Monday’s match against Arsenal, has exhibited minor symptoms of the virus but is in good health and is getting better,” it added.

Alcantara had joined Liverpool from Bayern Munich earlier in September and had made his debut against Chelsea eight days ago.

“The club has, and will continue to, follow all protocols relating to Covid-19 and Thiago will remain in self-isolation for the required period of time,” informed the club.

LFC first-team doctor Jim Moxon said: “It is the choice of each individual whether they reveal publicly the outcome of a COVID-19 test. We have followed all the protocols to the letter and Thiago is ok. He will be self-isolating now as per the guidelines and hopefully he’ll be back with us soon.”

Thiago will now miss Spain’s forthcoming international games, which see them play a friendly in Portugal on October 7, and UEFA Nations League games at home to Switzerland on September 10 and away to the Ukraine three days later.

Also Read: Zlatan Ibrahimovic tests COVID-19 positive

SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Tuesday recorded their first win of the IPL season as they beat Delhi Capitals by 15 runs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium here.

After scoring 162/4 in 20 overs, spinner Rashid Khan led the way with figures of 3/14 as SRH restricted DC to 147/7 in 20 overs. Rashid was adjudged the Man of the Match.

Fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck early for SRH, dismissing DC opener Prithvi Shaw (2) in the first over of the innings. DC captain Shreyas Iyer joined Shikhar Dhawan in the middle and while the pair ensured that the team didn’t lose any more wickets in the powerplay, they could not take the attack to the opposition. Shreyas Iyer eventually fell on 17 off 21 balls to become Rashid’s first wicket.

Rishabh Pant struggled to get the run rate up, taking 27 balls to get to his 32. Shimron Hetmyer (21) also struggled to get going before hitting a couple of sixes off Khaleel Ahmed in the 15th over. He tried to keep up the pace and ended up falling to Bhuvneshwar off the very first ball of the next over. Pant eventually fell to Rashid and in the next over, Marcus Stoinis was out LBW to T Natarajan.

Khaleel bowled the last over with 27 to defend and he rarely gave the batsmen a chance to get going. He dismissed Axar Patel off the third ball and Kagiso Rabada ended the match with a six.

Earlier, Kane Williamson, playing his first match of the season, helped SRH to 162/4 with a quickfire 41 off 26 balls. Jonny Bairstow played the role of anchor, scoring 53 off 48 while his opening partner and SRH captain David Warner made 45 off 33.

Brief scores: SRH 162/4 in 20 overs (J Bairstow 53, D Warner 45; K Rabada 2/21) beat DC 147/7 in 20 overs (S Dhawan 34, R Pant 28; Rashid Khan 3/14) by 15 runs

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The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 witnessed another thrilling contest between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians which the Virat Kohli-led side were able to win in the Super Over.

On Monday, Bangalore posted 201/3 while batting first, riding on brilliant half centuries from Aaron Finch (52), Devdutt Padikkal (54) and AB de Villiers (55). In response, the Rohit Sharma-led side managed to match the score, courtesy brilliant knocks of 99 and 60 not out from Ishan Kishan and Kieron Pollard respectively in their allotted 20 overs.

The result of the match was decided through a Super Over in which Mumbai Indians could muster seven runs and then RCB chased down the 8-run target on the last ball of the over bowled by Jasprit Bumrah at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

This was the first instance for Mumbai Indians where they lost a match in the Super Over bowled by Bumrah.

Earlier on April 29, 2017, Bumrah had won the match for Mumbai Indians against Gujarat Lions when he managed to defend 11 runs. Bowling to the likes of Aaron Finch and Brendon McCullum, the Indian pacer gave just six runs from his six deliveries at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.

Then on May 2, 2019, Bumrah again won the match for his franchise against SunRisers Hyderabad when he conceded just eight runs in the Super Over which Mumbai Indians chased down within the first three deliveries at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

The Shreyas Iyer-led Delhi Capitals (DC), high on confidence after two wins on the trot, will be up against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), the only team without a point, in the 11th match of the IPL, today.

While DC will aim for a hat-trick of wins, the David Warner-captained SRH would aim to register their first win of the season, having lost two of their previous outings against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

In their first game against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), which went into the Super Over, Marcus Stoinis and Kagiso Rabada ensured a win for DC before they comprehensively defeated a star-studded Chennai Super Kings in the next match.

In batting, the DC top-order comprising Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw will look to lay the foundation of a big total. While Shaw looks in good nick with the willow, Dhawan is dish out something special.

Rishabh Pant and Iyer have also been in fine form. While the duo rescued DC after a top-order collapse against KXIP, they also chipped in with valuable contributions against CSK.

In the bowling department, the South African pace duo Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje have looked sharp so far. The DC team management will just hope Nortje to be a bit economical like his compatriot.

In the absence of ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who is recovering from an injury, Axar Patel and Amit Mishra have performed decently well and they are once again likely to share the spin workload. Ashwin suffered an injury in their game against Punjab and his inclusion in the playing XI remains doubtful.

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