19 June 2019 Former UEFA president Michel Platini has been arrested during the corruption probe into the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar
Confirming a report by online news publication Mediapart , the official said Platini was taken into custody on Tuesday as part of the investigation into the awarding of the tournament. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss an ongoing investigation. Platini, a former France soccer great, was being detained at the Anti-Corruption Office of the Judicial Police outside Paris. England beat Afghanistan by 150 runs at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester
With this win, the hosts have moved up to the top of the points table, with 8 points from five matches. Afghanistan remain stuck at the bottom of the table, with 0 points from five matches. Morgan’s six-hitting spree in his career-best 148 set the tone for England’s team total of 25 sixes, which was also a new ODI innings record. The Dubliner’s innings, which featured 118 runs in boundaries, was all the more impressive as Morgan had been doubtful for this match with a back spasm suffered in England’s win over the West Indies, in which he could not bat. Ex-Australia Rudgy player says that “the devil” is influencing the transgender debate
Sacked Australia full-back Israel Folau says “the devil” is trying to influence the debate over transgender rights. Folau, 30, is taking legal action after having his Rugby Australia contract terminated over a social media post saying “hell awaits” gay people. In a church sermon on Sunday, he again criticised homosexuality. Folau also said “kids in primary school” were being allowed to “change their gender” because the government was taking away input from parents. In April, Tasmania became the first state in Australia to make it legally optional to list gender on birth certificates.
———————————————————————————————————————– 18 June 2019 The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has shot down rumours that the national cricket team had violated their curfew the day before the match against India
After the sad but expected loss, many were quick to criticise the team for its lack of fitness and the apparent flouting of the curfew to fix blame for its lacklustre performance, especially after a series of photos and videos showing certain members of the team allegedly socialising past curfew went viral online. “The cricketers did not violate their curfew,” a PCB spokesperson told the media. “The videos and photographs that went viral [on social media] are from two days before the match,” the spokesperson said. “The day before the match against India, all the players were in their hotel rooms by curfew time,” he added. The KP government has allocated Rs20 billion budget for sports, tourism, archaeology, culture and youth affairs in fiscal budget
An official source in finance department revealed that the amount would be spent on 43 ongoing and 32 new schemes. The ongoing schemes included multi-purpose gigantic sports projects from Chitral to Dera Ismail Khan, tourism projects and projects for youth affairs, he said adding Rs 2090.240 million would be earmarked for 32 new schemes. The government has allocated Rs5.5bn for the merged tribal districts for development of sports infrastructure construction of 1000 grounds at Tehsil and district levels. Shoaib Akhtar has criticized Sarfaraz Ahmed’s game plan against India at the ICC World Cup
While speaking in a video on his Youtube channel, Akhtar questioned Sarfaraz’s decision to bowl first against India, despite playing five regular bowlers. “The mistakes committed by the Indian team during the Champions Trophy 2017 final were repeated by Pakistan today,” said Akhtar. “I can’t understand how Sarfaraz can be so brainless. How could he forget that we don’t chase very well. Knowing our strength, which is bowling, is important. Toss was very crucial and even if Pakistan had made 260, with their bowling, they could have defended it.” He added: “It’s a very saddening and disheartening performance from the Pakistan team captain. I wanted to see shades of Imran Khan in him but it’s too late for him now.”
———————————————————————————————————————— 16 June 2019 South Africa beats Afghanistan by 9 wickets at the Cricket World Cup 2019
South Africa kept alive their slim hopes of reaching the World Cup semi-finals, crushing Afghanistan by nine wickets on Saturday to record their first victory at the tournament. Faf du Plessis’s side endured a torrid start to their campaign, losing their first three matches before a no result against the West Indies. But the outcome never looked in doubt in Cardiff, with man-of-the-match Imran Tahir taking four wickets as South Africa bundled out their opponents for a meagre 125 after two rain delays cut the match to 48 overs per side. Srindhar says that India is keen to make it’s fielding better count against Pakistan
Pakistan looked sloppy in their defeat by Australia in Taunton, where Sarfraz Ahmed’s team dropped catches, one by the skipper himself, in a display plagued by misfields including over-throws. In contrast, India out-fielded Australia in their victory at The Oval last Sunday. “Fielding, I’d say, is vital in every match,” Sridhar told reporters at Trent Bridge after India’s match against New Zealand was washed out. “We saw that at The Oval on Sunday when we played Australia. Although we had a big total on the board, we had to field out of our skins to defend the total. The chairman of Prime Minister Task Force on Sports Ehsan Mani has said that there is no need to issue any grant to any national sports federation
In a media talk the other day, Mani was reminded that none of the sports federations have received annual grants from the Pakistan Sports Board (PCB) this year. His reply was: “The grants should not be given until the time these federations assure the government about their business plan. At least the government has the right to ask from the beneficiary of the grant what it will achieve and what their targets are? How much the funds will help you and there will also be accountability.” When Mani was told about the upcoming South Asian Games, to be held in Nepal in December this year, and the government must release funds to ensure that proper training camps are set up to field a strong Pakistan contingent, he said: “Why Pakistan should participate in these games when it has to come last.”
———————————————————————————————————————— 15 June 2019 Indian cricket great Sachin Tendulkar has filed a civil lawsuit against an Australian bat manufacturer, accusing it of using his name and image to promote products and then failing to pay him $2 million in royalties
In Federal Court papers filed this month and reviewed by Reuters , Tendulkar said Sydney-based Spartan Sports International agreed in 2016 to pay him at least $1 million a year to use his image, logo and promotional services to sell “Sachin by Spartan” sporting goods and clothing. The retired star batsman soon went to work promoting the products, and appeared at a range of promotional events in places such as London and the Indian financial hub of Mumbai, the documents showed. Joe Root led England to a comprehensive eight-wicket win over West Indies
Chasing a modest 213 for victory, Root and Jonny Bairstow shared an opening partnership of 95. After Bairstow fell for 45, Root and Chris Woakes added 104 for the second wicket. Woakes, promoted up the order due to injuries, departed for 40 but Root and Ben Stokes took the hosts and tournament favourites to their target with more than 16 overs to spare. England’s third victory in four matches lifted them to second in the 10-team standings while West Indies are sixth following their second loss. Lionel Messi back again for another shot at Copa glory
Lionel Messi was fed up and hurting three years ago, on the losing side once again at the Copa America. “For me, the national team is over. I’ve done all I can,” Messi said after Argentina’s penalty-shootout loss to Chile at the 2016 edition in the United States. Three years later, the five-time world player of the year is back at South America’s biggest tournament, the guy Argentina is relying on once again to end their trophy drought in international football. Now 31, Messi is still among the best players in the world. He is coming off another prolific season for Barcelona 51 goals in 50 matches in all competitions where he led the Spanish team to a fourth league title in five years.
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14 June 2019
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ehsan Mani that international cricket will return to Pakistan later this year
The country will be hosting matches for the Asian test championship against Sri Lanka in September and Bangladesh in January/February next year. “This is very good news for Pakistan cricket and it will herald the resumption of international cricket in Pakistan,” he said while taking to media at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. Mani said the ICC test championship is spanned over two years and will end in the year 2021. Imamul Haq expects ‘huge-pressure game’ against India
Wednesday’s 41-run loss to the reigning champions in Taunton left Pakistan eighth in the 10-team table and with plenty to do if they are to qualify for the top four, who will contest the semi-finals. Asked if the reverse at Somerset’s headquarters meant Sunday’s match at Old Trafford was now one Pakistan simply had to win, Imam replied: “Yes, we’ve had one game rained off, which was very important for us — every game now is very important for us, so yes you can say that.” Tears as badminton star Lee quits after cancer battle
Cancer-hit badminton star Lee Chong Wei announced his retirement on Thursday, ending a brilliant career in which he collected a swathe of honours but never won a world or Olympic title. Lee, who spent a total of 348 weeks as world number one but lost six world and Olympic finals, wept as he called it quits months after fighting off nose cancer. “My decision to retire is a heavy one. I really love this sport. But it is a demanding sport. I thank all Malaysians for the past 19 years,” Lee, 36, told a news conference.
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13 June 2019
Australia’s Hazlewood finds the World Cup too painful to watch after being left out of the national team
The 27-year-old was overlooked after being out of action since January with a back injury, as selectors preferred him to focus on getting ready for the Ashes Test series in England, which begins in August. Hazlewood is currently in camp at Brisbane with the Australia A squads — along with the likes of Peter Handscomb, Travis Head and Marcus Harris — ahead of their departure for England on Friday for a seven-week tour. Now fully fit, he said he was trying to avoid the World Cup and direct his energies elsewhere. The ICC has defended it’s no-reserve-day decision, blames unseasonable weather instead
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday defended not scheduling reserve days for group matches at the rain-marred World Cup and blamed the disruptions on ‘extremely unseasonable weather’. A record three matches have already been either abandoned or called off in the weather-hit tournament and the forecast is for further washouts this week. The organisers have been criticised for not allotting reserve days in the group stage and outgoing ICC chief executive David Richardson said it was not a feasible idea. Pakistan’s FIFA World Cup qualification at risk with loss to Cambodia
A 2-1 loss to Cambodia on Tuesday means they will now have to wait another four years to end their unenviable record of not having won any of their 32 qualifying matches for world football’s showpiece tournament in a run stretching back to 1989. The 4-1 defeat on aggregate meant Pakistan went out at the first round of the joint-qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in China. For the next four years, they will have to make do without competitive matches until the next qualifying cycle begins. Pakistan, whose football scene has been burdened by politics, corruption and incompetence for years, just made it to the qualifiers.
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12 June 2019
Cricket fans lash out at the ICC, as the rain keeps interfering with the World Cup
The rain has started to make its presence felt in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. The Pakistan vs Sri Lanka match at Bristol was the first casualty of rain as it was abandoned without a ball being bowled. On Monday, South Africa vs West Indies was abandoned after only 7.3 overs of play was possible in Southampton. And on Tuesday, the rain yet again washed out the Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka match in Bristol. To make things worse, the weather forecast is not good for the upcoming games as well. There are chances of Pakistan’s second match being washed-out as well as they face Australia on Wednesday at Taunton. Not only this, the weather for India vs New Zealand clash at Trent Bridge in Nottinghamshire doesn’t look good and the game could be washed-out as well. Faf Du Plessis says that De Villiers would have helped South Africa’s chances at the World Cup, but it was too late
South Africa really could have used A.B. de Villiers’ experience at the ongoing World Cup. Even more, it could have used his runs, according to their captain Faf du Plessis. The revelation last week that the star batsman made a last-minute offer to come out of international retirement for the World Cup reportedly unsettled a squad that had already lost its first three games. It was South Africa’s worst-ever start to a World Cup, and none of the batters have really clicked. Mohammad Shahzad threatens to quit cricket after being declared unfit for the remainder of the World Cup by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB)
The opening batsman and wicket-keeper played in Afghanistan’s the first two matches but the ACB cut him from the squad last Thursday, saying his knee injury would not allow him to play any further part in the tournament. The 32-year-old, who picked up seven runs over the losses to Australia and Sri Lanka, said medical advice he had received said he would have been fit to play in a few of days after having his knee drained.
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11 June 2019
South Africa’s Cricket World Cup chances appear to have been washed out, just like their match against the West Indies
The ‘no result’ has given them a first point of the competition from four matches, but they likely needed double that in order to compete for the knockout phase. West Indies now have three points from three games. It is more bad luck for the South Africans, who have endured injuries to key bowlers Dale Steyn and Lungi Ngidi, and lost their opening three matches to England, Bangladesh and India. Rain had been predicted in Southampton, with the match the second of the tournament to be washed out after Sri Lanka versus Pakistan was abandoned without a ball being bowled in Bristol. Imam-ul-Haq can’t wait to go up against Australia’s Mitchell Starc on Wednesday’s match of the Cricket World Cup
The 23-year-old, a nephew of Pakistan great Inzamam-ul-Haq, said the confidence he had gained from facing England quicks Jofra Archer and Mark Wood would help him tame the Australia attack. “Starc isn’t a threat,” said Imam. “In fact I am excited over the prospect of facing him. Same was said about Archer and Wood but we played them with confidence.” Imam scored a solid 44 in an 82-run opening stand against England in Nottingham, setting up Pakistan’s second-highest total ever in a World Cup of 348 for eight in a match they won by 14 runs. That came after he could only muster two runs in Pakistan’s seven-wicket defeat against the West Indies in their opening game, when they were bowled for a paltry 105. “I have played (Kagiso) Rabada and Dale Steyn in more difficult conditions in South Africa,” said Imam, referring to Pakistan’s tour of South Africa earlier this year. Yuvraj Singh has retired from international cricket with immediate effect, although he will look to play on in Twenty20 leagues around the world
The 37-year-old all-rounder, accompanied by his wife and mother, told reporters of his decision at a city hotel close to the Wankhede Stadium where India lifted their last 50-overs World Cup title in 2011. “After almost 17 years of international cricket on and off, I have decided to move on,” he said after being reduced to tears by a video of the highlights of his career. Yuvraj, who played the last of his 304 one-day internationals two years ago, was a key cog in India’s World T20 triumph in 2007 and was player-of-the-tournament at the World Cup four years later. In his heyday, Yuvraj was one of the cleanest strikers of the ball in the game — as Englands Stuart Broad discovered when he was bludgeoned for six sixes in one over during the 2007 World T20. Aaron Finch says that Adam Zampa may have been using hand warmers, in response to a flood of ball-tampering accusations on social media
Video footage showed Zampa putting his hand into his pocket before rubbing the ball prior to bowling the 24th over. Zampa’s teammates Steve Smith and David Warner have just returned to the national setup after serving 12-month ban for their roles in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa early last year. “I haven’t seen the photos, but I know that he has hand warmers in his pocket,” Finch told reporters. “He has them every single game he plays”
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10 June 2019
India beats Australia by 36 runs at yesterday’s match of the Cricket World Cup 2019
Earlier, Shikhar Dhawan hit a sparkling century to help India post 352 for five. The opening batsman led the Indian charge after captain Virat Kohli won the toss and batted — a decision he said was a “no-brainer” given the sunny conditions in south London. Kohli also came out all guns blazing to smash 82 and combine with Hardik Pandya for a 81-run third-wicket stand that saw the pair pummel world champions Australia’s bowlers. The left-handed Dhawan made 117 off 109 balls and shared an opening stand of 127 with Rohit Sharma (57) that set the tone for the innings. Rafael Nadal wins his historic 12th Roland Garros title and 18th Grand Slam crown after beating Austria’s Dominic Thiem
The 33-year-old Spaniard becomes the first player, man or woman, to win the same Slam 12 times after seeing off a brave challenge from a weary Thiem in a repeat of the 2018 final. Nadal is now just two behind Roger Federer’s all-time record of 20 majors and three ahead of Novak Djokovic who was knocked out by Thiem in the semi-finals. The world number two also took his Paris record to an astonishing 93 wins and just two losses having previously won the title in 2005-2008, 2010-2014, 2017 and 2018. Barbara Bonansea helps Italy win over Australia, claiming a 2-1 Group C victory in the Women’s World Cup
Juventus’ Bonansea pounced on a dreadful first touch from Clare Polkinghorne to race through and level for the Italians 11 minutes after the break after hotshot striker Sam Kerr had rammed home the opener for the Matildas on the rebound from her own 22nd-minute penalty. Daniela Sabatino thought she had won it for Italy with nine minutes remaining when she finished well after hitting the post, only for her goal to be ruled out for offside. But Bonansea scored from a free-kick five minutes into added time to see the Italians home on their return to the World Cup afte