Sports

Melbourne, Nov 13 (IANS) England captain Jos Buttler has won the toss and elected to bowl first against Pakistan in the final of the Men's T20 World Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

Both England and Pakistan, who featured at the venue in the 1992 ODI World Cup final 30 years ago, are entering the title clash with unchanged playing elevens from their respective blazing wins in the semifinal.

While Pakistan registered a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground, England thrashed India by 10 wickets at the Adelaide Oval.

"Huge game, good nerves, good energy around the team and in the stadium. Looking forward to the challenge. I think it is a good wicket and hopefully it will stay the same throughout. Both teams in red-hot form, looks a good wicket, a bit of weather around which is why we bowled first. We start fresh today, we bring confidence from the other day but we know it counts for nothing today," said Buttler after winning the toss.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam said he would have bowled first if he had won the toss. "We'll try to put runs on the board and put pressure on them. We have good momentum with us and will try to continue with it. The way the team is playing is outstanding.

"We lost our first few games but have come back strongly and want to continue that in the final. A win always gives you confidence and with the way the team is playing we will give our 100 percent. Yes, History repeats (from 1992), we'll do our best to win this game and hold the trophy."

Apart from winning the crown of T20 World Cup 2022, the winner will also join West Indies as the second two-time championship-winning side in the shortest format of the game. Pakistan won the trophy in 2009, while England emerged triumphant in 2010.

If England, the 2019 ODI World Cup champions, win over Pakistan in the final, they will become the first side in men's international cricket to hold two World Cup trophies at the same time. Fans will be hopeful that heavy rain stays away from the title clash.


Playing XIs

England: Jos Buttler (captain & wicket-keeper), Alex Hales, Phil Salt, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Chris Jordan and Adil Rashid.

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Haris, Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf.


--IANS

nr/akm

By Mukesh Sharma
Doha, Nov 13 (IANS) With just a week left for the FIFA World Cup 2022, hosts Qatar have announced the final list of the national team players for the tournament.



Qatar, popularly called Al Annabi, will make their World Cup debut in the opening match against Ecuador at 7pm on November 20 at Al Bayt Stadium, which is about 30 km from Doha.

Qatar will play Senegal in their second match of the World Cup on November 25 and meet Netherlands four days later.

Spanish coach Felix Sanchez's 26-man squad does not include Abdelrahman Mustafa.

The Qatar squad: Akram Afif, Boualem Khoukhi, Pedro Miguel, Saad Al Sheeb, Hassan Al Haidos (captain), Tariq Salman, Abdul Karim Hassan, Ali Asad, Muhammad Waad, Mishaal Barshim, Musab Khader, Salem Al Hajri, Mustafa Tariq Mishaal, Ismail Muhammad, Bassam Al-Rawi, Asim Madbo, Karim Boudiaf, Al-Moez Ali, Muhammad Muntari, Ahmed Alaa, Hammam Al-Amin, Youssef Hassan, Abdulaziz Hatem, Nayef Al-Hadrami, Khaled Munir and Jassem Jaber.

--IANS

mukesh/akm

New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) Former India head coach and 1983 ODI World Cup winner Ravi Shastri is expecting middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav and left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh to shine in the side's upcoming T20I series against New Zealand, starting from November 18.

Suryakumar was one of India's bright spots in their Men's T20 World Cup campaign, making 239 runs in six innings with his jaw-dropping 360-degree style of play.

Arshdeep, on the other hand, stepped up admirably in Jasprit Bumrah's absence to pick 10 wickets in the tournament. Apart from the duo, Shastri also expects opener Shubman Gill, in the T20I squad for the first time, to do well in the upcoming three-match series.

"Expect some fireworks from Suryakumar Yadav, who is at the top of his game. Arshdeep Singh, has been a revelation and is expected to shine in the series, as he becomes India's highest wicket-taker at the Men's T20 WC. The young Shubman Gill is already a star on the horizon when he gets going with his wide range of strokeplay and rotation of the strike in T20I cricket," said Shastri in a statement issued by Prime Video.

Shastri will be a part of the English commentary team for India's white-ball tour of New Zealand, alongside Anjum Chopra, Murali Kartik, Simon Doull and Harsha Bhogle. "It gives me great pleasure to come on-board the Prime Video commentary team to call the live action from India's limited-overs tour to New Zealand.

"This is even more significant because it will give a new crop of India players a chance to be tested by the very best. I have watched some of these youngsters from close quarters, and believe this team is one of the best in the world in the short formats of the game.

"But make no mistake, this will be a hard-fought battle as India will not only have to face a tough bunch of Kiwis but also the conditions, grounds and the pitches that will most likely to have a tinge of the green. I am looking forward to a cracker of a contest and sure the commentary will be top-notch, matching the action on the field across the five languages," he added.

Apart from English, the commentary for the series will be provided in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada. Former India batting legend Gundappa Viswanath, who will be a part of the Kannada commentary team, feels that from his experience of playing previously in the country, the Hardik Pandya-led side full of youngsters will be tested very well in challenging conditions while facing off against a strong New Zealand side.

"For any visiting team, playing in New Zealand comes with its own set of challenges. The conditions are similar to that of England which tests the mettle of even the best of teams; and this will not be lost on the two limited-overs Indian teams which travel to New Zealand later this month."

"From experience, I know the weather and pitches will prove challenging for both of the teams especially during this time of the year. Conditions apart, New Zealand have always been a formidable opposition for any team. They are self-driven, motivated and know how to play to their strengths even when their resources are limited.

"Having exited the ICC T20 World Cup in the semi-finals, the New Zealanders will be hurting and will look to bounce back against the Indian teams to be led by Hardik Pandya (T20Is) and Shikhar Dhawan (ODIs)."

India and New Zealand, both crashing out of the Men's T20 World Cup at the semifinals stage, will face off in a white-ball series featuring three T20Is and as many ODIs from Nov 18 to 30. The series will be broadcast on Prime Video in India.


--IANS

nr/akm

Melbourne, Nov 11 (IANS) Former India skipper Virat Kohli has said the team had come to Australia for the ICC T20 World Cup to achieve their dream but fell short, but promised the side will strive to "get better from here on".

Kohli again played a key role in helping India to a competitive 168 for six in 20 overs, scoring a 40-ball half-century, but Alex Hales and England skipper Jos Buttler's unbeaten blitz of 170 runs made the target look miniscule as they breezed into the final to set up blockbuster showdown with Babar Azam's Pakistan with four overs to spare and all 10 wickets in hand.

Kohli was the stand-out batter in the side and continues to top the scoring charts with 296 runs from six innings and a batting average of 98.66, but his innings wasn't enough on a perfect Thursday afternoon at the Adelaide Oval as India bowed out of the global tournament, with the bowlers letting the side down.

Kohli took to twitter to express his disappointment at missing the trophy one more time, saying "We leave Australian shores short of achieving our dream and with disappointment in our hearts but we can take back a lot of memorable moments as a group and aim to get better from here on," said the charismatic India batter.

India's next major ICC assignment will be the ODI World Cup at home next year and they would be aiming to recreate the magic of 2011 to win back the trophy after a series of debacles in ICC tournaments.

Kohli also thanked the fans for showing faith in the side and turning out in huge numbers to watch the match.

"Thank you to all our fans who turned up in huge numbers throughout to support us in the stadiums. Always feel proud to wear this jersey and represent our country," Kohli wrote in another tweet.

Kohli was in smashing form during India's thrilling last-ball win against Pakistan in the Super 12 opener on October 23, clobbering an unbeaten 82.

India's disappointments in ICC events have continued to pile up with the team doing hardly anything of note since the 2011 ODI World Cup title triumph under Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

In the 2014 T20 World Cup final, Virat Kohli was the standout batter against Sri Lanka, but the rest didn't turn up to the occasion at Dhaka. In the 2015 ODI World Cup semifinal at SCG, their batting crumbled under scoreboard pressure after Steve Smith raised a magnificent century.

In the 2016 T20 World Cup at home, Kohli again stood up to propel India to a high total. But West Indies, especially Lendl Simmons, successfully chased down the target with ease in semifinals. In the 2017 Champions Trophy final, all was smooth sailing for India till Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Amir turned it around for Pakistan.

In the 2019 ODI World Cup semifinal, Rohit Sharma was in form of his life till Matt Henry and Co dismantled the Indian batting order.

--IANS

akm/

New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) Former India left-hand opening batter and ex-captain of two-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champion side Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Gautam Gambhir, posted a cryptic message on social media, which indicated his frustration with Rohit Sharma's side that lost to England in the ICC T20 World Cup semifinal at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.

In his cryptic post, Gambhir, who played a key role in India lifting the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup trophy in 2007 and the 2011 ODI World Cup, wrote, "You only expect from those who can deliver! Chin up boys (Three flags of India symbol."

Reading between the lines, a fan responding to Gambhir's tweet wrote, "Man's (Gambhir) basically he saying he had no expectations from this team from the start."

Another fan attributed the 10-wicket loss to England to an overdose of IPL and Indian players caring little for ICC events and trophies.

"@IPL and brands are spooling (spoiling) the players. They are least bothered about their performance in international cricket. They play well in #IPL and get handsome money This should be stopped," tweeted another fan in response to Gambhir's comment.

Since the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, where they beat Pakistan to lift the title in Johannesburg, India have never won the trophy and doubts have been raised over the side's approach.

India posted 168 for six in 20 overs, thanks largely to half centuries from Hardik Pandya and Virat Kohli, respectively, but England's Alex Hales (86 not out) and skipper Jos Buttler's unbeaten 80 propelled them into the final with four overs to spare. England will meet Pakistan in the final.

India chief coach Rahul Dravid has admitted his side was outthought in the knockout calsh.

"Obviously disappointed to finish in the semifinals. Probably would have certainly liked to go a couple of steps further. But yeah, just outplayed, outclassed today," Dravid said post-match.

India's string of below-par performances has continued since the 2011 ODI World Cup triumph. In the 2014 T20 World Cup final, Virat Kohli was the standout batter against Sri Lanka, but the rest didn't turn up to the occasion at Dhaka. In the 2015 ODI World Cup semifinal at SCG, their batting crumbled under scoreboard pressure after Steve Smith raised a magnificent century.

In the 2016 T20 World Cup at home, Kohli again stood up to propel India to a high total. But West Indies, especially Lendl Simmons, successfully chased down the target with ease in semifinals. In the 2017 Champions Trophy final, all was smooth sailing for India till Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Amir turned it around for Pakistan.

In the 2019 ODI World Cup semifinal, Rohit Sharma was in form of his life till Matt Henry and Co dismantled the Indian batting order.

--IANS

akm/

Doha, Nov 11 (IANS) In a group where Argentina are the only team in the top 10 in FIFA's last rankings before the FIFA World Cup kicks off in November, Mexico, Poland and Saudi Arabia will also be vying for a ticket to the round of 16.


Here is a breakdown of the four teams in Group C.

ARGENTINA

It has been 36 years since Argentina last won the World Cup. If 35-year-old Lionel Messi wants to recreate the team's golden age after Mario Kempes in 1978 and Diego Maradona in 1986, this might well be his last shot at glory, reports Xinhua.

Although nobody on the team made this year's Ballon d'Or 30-man list, the Albiceleste are feeling their oats after beating rivals Brazil to win the Copa America last year, and the team is now more creative, balanced and united since head coach Lionel Scaloni took charge in 2019.

But midfielder Giovani Lo Celso injured his right hamstring in last weekend's La Liga game and will miss the World Cup. Despite not playing a single minute in Russia four years ago, Lo Celso has become a regular starter and Messi's best partner. His ability to control the ball and create chances in multiple positions, especially on the left side, could have released Messi closer to the goal area.

How to fit in a replacement in an already polished and well-shaped squad is something Scaloni will have to work on in the next few days.


Star player: Lionel Messi

Messi will no doubt be one of the headliners in Qatar as he chases the World Cup one last time. Having scooped the FIFA World Youth Championship in 2005, an Olympic gold medal in 2008 and the Copa America title in 2021, along with every possible titles at club level, Messi's trophy room has everything except the World Cup.

There's nothing much more to say about how and why Messi is the best player on the planet; perhaps all he needs is a bit of luck and patience.


One to watch: Julian Alvarez

Argentina never lack attacking talents, and Julian Alvarez could be the latest. The Manchester City striker scored twice on his first league start and once on his first start in the Champions League, and has five goals and two assists so far this season.

With his ability on and off the ball, as well as his tireless running and aggressive defense, 22-year-old Alvarez is expected to get consistent minutes off the bench.




MEXICO

Mexico have advanced to the round of 16 in seven consecutive World Cups dating back to U.S. 1994, an achievement that powerhouses like France, Germany and Argentina have never managed.

But Mexico have been struggling to emerge as a top-tier team on the World Cup stage with a lack of world-class stars, as they have not won any of their knockout games in the last seven tournaments. But this time, whether "El Tri" could survive the group remains in doubt.

As key players like Javier Hernandez, Carlos Vela and Giovanni Dos Santos withdrew from the national team in recent years and young players failed to make their mark, Mexico have lost their solid dominance in the North American region, despite still qualifying from CONCACAF in second place.


Star player: Raul Jimenez

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Raul Jimenez is the absolute playmaker in Mexico's offense, but the 31-year-old suffered a groin injury in September and a knee injury in preseason, and has made just three league appearances so far this season.

It is still uncertain if Jimenez will make it to Qatar, but his absence or lack of fitness would have a huge impact on head coach Gerardo Martino's game plan.


One to watch: Edson Alvarez

25-year-old Alvarez plays for Ajax as a midfielder. Standing 187cm tall, Alvarez is a supreme athlete, and his versatile playing style allows him to cover the midfield from box to box.

Starting 17 of 18 games this season, Alvarez has provided one goal and two assists, attracting the attention of some of Europe's biggest clubs, including Chelsea.




POLAND

Poland have only qualified for the World Cup three times since 1990, each time being knocked out in the group stage. But back in 1974 and 1982, Poland had their best World Cup memory as they finished third twice.

With the rise of Robert Lewandowski and players like Wojciech Szczesny and Arkadiusz Milik, Poland were considered one of the stronger teams at the 2018 World Cup, but suffered an early group exit with two losses and a consolation win against Japan in the last group game.

Poland now rank 26th, behind third-placed Argentina and 13th-placed Mexico, so their opening game against Mexico on November 22 will likely decide their fortune.


Star player: Robert Lewandowski

2022 has been a remarkable year for Lewandowski, as he left Bayern Munich after eight years to join La Liga giants Barcelona. The Pole now leads the league's scoring chart with 13 goals, showing that he is still in the prime of his career at 34.

But at international level, Lewandowski failed to score in any of Poland's three group games in Russia, leaving his only appearance on football's biggest stage with no goals or assists.

One to watch: Matty Cash

In Poland's aging squad, right-back Matty Cash is one of the few young players that could occupy a starting position. The 25-year-old joined Premier League side Aston Villa from Nottingham Forest in 2020 and has been a regular fixture, being named Supporters' Player of the Season last year.

Cash made his national team debut in Poland's 4-1 victory over Andorra in the World Cup qualifiers last year and has made seven appearances so far.




SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Arabia are making their sixth World Cup appearance. Their only realistic anticipation in Qatar will be to avoid another humiliation after their embarrassing string of results from the past editions, including an 8-0 loss to Germany in 2002, a 4-0 loss to Ukraine in 2006 and a 5-0 defeat to hosts Russia in 2018.

But football is often where miracles happen. Nobody would have expected Saudi Arabia to finish their World Cup Asian qualifiers campaign ahead of Japan and Australia at top of Group B with seven wins, two draws and one loss, with excellent physical fitness, delicate footwork and outstanding passing skills on display.

Unlike the other three group opponents, all the Saudi players compete in their domestic league, mostly for Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr. The special team chemistry and familiarity of the players will be something Saudi Arabia can rely on.


Star player: Salem Al-Dawsari

Salem Al-Dawsari plays as a winger for Al-Hilal following a short loan at Spanish club Villarreal. The 31-year-old was one of the key players in Saudi Arabia's journey to Qatar as he scored seven goals in 13 games.

Al-Dawsari was awarded Best Player as Al-Hilal won the Asian Champions League in 2021. His ability to dribble past multiple opponents and create chances for his teammates will be decisive for the team's offense.


One to watch: Firas Al-Buraikan

Born in 2000, Firas Al-Buraikan made his national team debut at the age of 19.

Returning from the senior national team after the group stage, Al-Buraikan scored one goal and laid on two assists in the quarterfinals and semifinals, and scored the second goal in their 2-0 victory over hosts Uzbekistan to help Saudi Arabia win the U23 Asian Cup for the first time in June this year.

Unlike a traditional center forward, Al-Buraikan has great dribbling skills and touches in front of goal as he tends to move close to the left and cut inside.


--IANS

akm/

New Delhi, Nov 7 (IANS) Indian boxer Sumit toiled hard to enter the semifinals at the 2022 ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships by earning a well-deserved 3-2 win against Thailand's Borworn Kadamduan in Amman, Jordan on Monday.

Sumit, the current Thailand Open champion, got off to the best possible start in the men's 75kg quarterfinals bout, courtesy of his agility while dodging the opponent's attacks and powerful attacking technique that gave him the upper hand in the first two rounds.

Kadamduan, however, managed to stitch together a late comeback in the final round but it wasn't enough as the Indian clinched the thrilling bout by a split 3-2 decision and also sealed his place in the Last-4. He will be up against the defending champion Jafarov Saidjamshid of Uzbekistan.

India's guaranteed medal tally is now up to 11 at the ongoing prestigious championships following Sumit's triumph.

Naveen Kumar (92kg) suffered a 0:5 defeat against Kazakhstan's Aibek Oralbay in the quarterfinal bout. The other two Indians in action on Monday -- Sachin (71kg) and Lakshya Chahar (80kg) -- exited after defeats in their respective quarterfinals bouts.

Sachin could not sustain the momentum from his previous win as he suffered a 1-4 loss against the 2018 Asian Games silver medalist Aslanbek Shymbergenov of Kazakhstan. Lakshya, on the other hand, lost to Uzbekistan's Aslonov Odiljon by a 0-5 margin.

Late on Sunday night, Amit Kumar (67kg), Monika (48kg) and Simranjit Kaur (60kg) bowed out of the competition after suffering defeats in their respective games.

The boxers will get a chance to rejuvenate and come back stronger to compete in the semifinals with Tuesday being a rest day. The competition has been witnessing the participation of 267 boxers from 27 top boxing nations.

On Wednesday, the Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) and reigning World Championships bronze medallist Parveen (63kg) will be among seven Indian women pugilists to play their semifinals.

The other women boxers in action will be debutants Minakshi (52kg) and Preeti (57kg) along with Ankushita Boro (66kg), Saweety (81kg) and Alfiya (81kg).

--IANS

bsk

Leeds, Nov 7 (IANS) Though England have reached the semifinals of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, their journey has not been as smooth as they would have liked. England pipped Australia to the second spot in the Super 12 Group 1 on Net Run Rate and along with New Zealand to the last four stage and set up a clash with India.

However, England are yet to put up a complete performance in the 2022 Men's T20 World Cup as they had lost to Ireland by five runs. The abandoned match against arch-rivals Australia too made things difficult for them. Their batting is one of the elements that has not clicked much and is the main reason for the rough ride in Australia.

England spinner Moeen Ali, however, sees a silver lining in the uncomfortable ride to the semifinals as previous teams have romped to the last-four stage but have fizzled out after that.

"I don't think we've played that well in the whole tournament. But we got the job done. We wanted to get to the semis. In the past, we've played well and got through. This time I don't think we've played well but we've got through and I feel the best is yet to come with this side, the best performance," Moeen Ali was quoted as saying in a report by Yorkshire Post newspaper.

The England all-rounder said though England may not have performed as strongly as they would have liked, the semifinal is the right time for them to put their act together.

"I don't think we've really been near where we want to be, but now is a great opportunity to put that right and put in a team performance where we could be the best side in the tournament.

"You always talk about peaking at the right time and if you just about scrape through, it means you can get better. If we play our best cricket in the next two games we win the World Cup, I believe," Moeen said.

Moeen added: "There is something to be said for winning ugly. I think the conditions have been hard work, the wickets haven't been great, the weather's been poor and it's almost felt like a tournament that's not really got going.

"But I think this is the stage where you want to be in at these tournaments and hopefully put in a good performance," he said.

--IANS

bsk

Al Ain (UAE), Nov 7 (IANS) India won two medals -- a gold and a bronze -- on the second day of the 2022 World Shooting Para-Sports (WPS) World Championship at Al Ain, bagging gold in P3 Team Event - 25m Pistol Mixed SH1 event.

The team of Rahul Jakhar, Singhraj and Nihal Singh won the gold in the Team event.

In the individual event, Rahul Jakhar won the bronze medal, finishing behind Kim Jungnam of South Korea and Olseken Denysiuk of Ukraine. Jungnam finished with 28 points ahead of Denysiuk and Jakhar ended with 21 points.

In the qualifying stage of the P3 25 Mixed Pistol SHi, Jahkar had topped the rankings, with a score of 582 points and 12x (inner 10s), with Jungnam and Denysiuk second and third respectively with 577and 575 points.

Among the other Indians, Singhraj was placed seventh with a score of 565 (10x) while Nihal Singh was ranked 8th after the qualifying round with the same number of points as they made it to the final.

In the final, Nihal Singh finished fourth with 20 points while Paralympic Games twin medals winner Singhraj ended 6th with a score of 13 points.

In the P3 - Mixed Air Rifle Prone event, India's Avani Lekhara shot 630.6 to finish 19th in the qualifying round. Sidhartha Babu was placed 17th with a score of 631.3 points.

Fellow rifle shooter from India, Swaroop Mahavir Unhalkar too came up with a below-par score of 622.5 to end 45th in the qualifying stage.

Yulia Watanabe of Japan topped the list with a score of 637.7 and Natascha Hiltrop of Germany was second with 636.2 points.

Veronika Vadovicova of Slovakia won the gold medal with 255.5 points.

--IANS
bsk/inj

Madrid (Spain), Nov 7 (IANS) Struggling former champions FC Barcelona will play their last game in La Liga before the FIFA World Cup finals when they visit Pamplona to face high-flying Osasuna on Tuesday night.

Barca travel after Gerard Pique's emotional goodbye to the Camp Nou Stadium on Saturday night and coach Xavi Hernandez is likely to make some changes against a rival that is currently fifth in the table after an excellent start to the season.

Andreas Christensen and Eric Garcia are both likely to start for Barca, while Ansu Fati and Raphinha are options if Xavi wants to refresh the Barca attack.

Osasuna will look to striker Chimy Avila to bully the Barca back line, while Kike Garcia and Ante Budimir will also be present in the attack.

Elsewhere, Athletic Club Bilbao dropped out of the top six after their defeat in Girona last Friday night and coach Ernesto Valverde will be looking for a much-improved display when his side entertains Valladolid.

Iker Muniain is likely to be fit again and could come into the side, while Valverde has to decide who will play at full-back after the flanks leaked continually in Girona.

Valladolid travel in good spirits after their 2-1 win at home to Elche left the recently promoted side sitting comfortably in mid-table with 17 points, reports Xinhua.

The defeat in Valladolid cost Elche coach Jorge Almiron his job after less than a month in charge and Sergio Mantecon will be in the dugout for their home game against Girona.

Elche go into the game seven points adrift at the bottom of the table and desperately need a win for survival after the World Cup, while Girona impressed on Friday and will again look to get men forward in numbers to pressure Elche's leaky defense.

--IANS

bsk