NEW DELHI: Cricket fans across India were praying, fasting and holding fire rituals for their team to end a global title drought in the T20 World Cup final Saturday.
Rohit Sharma’s India face South Africa in a blockbuster climax in Barbados with both teams unbeaten in the ninth edition of the tournament.
India last tasted success in a world-level tournament in the 2013 Champions Trophy and have since faltered in the knockout stages of ICC events, despite being ranked number one in both T20s and one-day internationals, and number two in Tests.
Rohit and team came agonizingly close to winning the ODI World Cup at home last year, but lost to Australia in the final at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.
News channels repeatedly showed images Saturday of fans holding Hindu fire rituals to urge the gods to take the team to victory over South Africa, who will be playing their first-ever World Cup men’s final.
Some featured pictures bedecked with flower garlands of captain Rohit, who has hit three half-centuries in the tournament, holding the World Cup trophy.
India knocked out defending champions England in the semifinal in Guyana and a triumph would be a fitting finale for outgoing coach Rahul Dravid.
“With a quiet prayer on my lips, I hope the team wins it for Rahul Dravid,” Saad Majeed, an ardent fan wearing an Indian jersey, told AFP.
“Rohit is in top form and I am sure a final flourish from him would drive the team home to a memorable win, which will help us forget the previous heartaches.”
Sumit Dagar, another fan, said in Delhi: “I will be fasting since morning and will eat only when India will win against South Africa today. There is no chance they will lose.”
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly told reporters on Friday: “I am very happy for Rohit Sharma.
“Life comes a full circle. Six months ago he was not even the captain of Mumbai Indians and the same man is now leading India to a World Cup final, unbeaten,” he said, referencing an Indian Premier League team.
Star batsman Virat Kohli partnered Rohit at the top of the order but has failed to fire, scoring just 75 runs in seven matches.
But Ganguly, a former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, backed the struggling star to come good in the final.
“He is a once in a lifetime player,” said Ganguly. “He is human, he will have three or four bad games, but I have got my fingers crossed for him in the final.”
The tournament could be the last World Cup for both openers, with Kohli aged 35, Rohit two years older, and the next edition of T20’s showpiece only in 2026.
Rohit was part of India’s T20 World Cup triumph in the inaugural edition in 2007, while Kohli won the ODI prize under M.S. Dhoni in 2011.
That was India’s last World Cup triumph, when Dhoni lifted the trophy at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium and the country erupted in joy.
Two years later, Dhoni’s team beat hosts England in the 50-over Champions Trophy final but fans have now been waiting for 13 years for another major title.
India lost in the semifinals of the 2019 ODI World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup, before last year’s ODI final defeat again left fans heartbroken.
Fans pray for India’s elusive world cricket trophy
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Fans pray for India’s elusive world cricket trophy
- Fans across India praying, fasting and holding fire rituals for their team to end a global title drought
- Rohit Sharma’s India face South Africa in a blockbuster climax in Barbados with both teams unbeaten
Euro 2024: After shaky group stage, Netherlands still favored against Romania in round of 16
- The Netherlands have traditionally dominated this fixture but the Dutch also hadn’t lost to Austria since 1990 until last week
Match facts
— Romania finished top of its group thanks mainly to a 3-0 win against Ukraine in Munich in their opening fixture. They then lost 2-0 against Belgium and drew 1-1 against Slovakia as all four teams in the section finished with four points – a European Championship first.
— The Netherlands started its Euro 2024 campaign with a 2-1 comeback win over Poland, but then drew 0-0 against France before losing a thrilling match 3-2 to Austria. That saw Austria top the group and relegated the Dutch to third, below France.
— The winner will advance to face Austria or Turkiye in the quarterfinals on Saturday. That could see a quick rematch between the Netherlands and Austria in Berlin.
— This is only Romania’s second time in the knockout stage of the European Championship. It reached the quarterfinals in 2000.
— The Netherlands won the tournament in 1988.
Team news
— Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman has reported no injury concerns.
— Romania winger Nicuşor Bancu is suspended and will likely be replaced by Deian Sorescu.
By the numbers
— The Netherlands have won 10 of the 14 matches between the two teams, scoring 29 goals in the process to Romania’s three.
— Romania’s solitary win was in October 2007, in qualifying for the following year’s European Championship.
— The Netherlands’ loss to Austria was only their second defeat in seven matches this year, having won four of those.
— Romania’s win over Ukraine in their opener was only its second ever at the Euros, after beating England in the group stage in 2000.
— Romania has lost both penalty shootouts it has been involved in at major tournaments. The Dutch have lost six out of eight.
What they’re saying
“I understand the Dutch fans are disappointed after the Austria game. All I can say is that we will do everything we can against Romania to change that. I still believe completely in our team.” — Netherlands midfielder Jerdy Schouten.
“We are really happy and proud to be first in our group to qualify. The joy that we brought to all Romanians is one of the proudest moments of my life. It’s been a long and hard road because it didn’t start one or two months ago, but instead two years ago.” — Romania defender Radu Drăguşin.
“I am not afraid of anything at this point. I am doing what I love, and I do it with enthusiasm and passion. Why should I be afraid?” — Romania goalkeeper Florin Niță.
DaC-to-DaC wins — Antonio makes it three in a row with Portland double
PORTLAND: In a thrilling weekend, Antonio Felix da Costa delivered a spectacular double victory for TAG Heuer Porsche in Portland and marked his third consecutive win in front of enthusiastic fans at the Hankook Portland E-Prix.
His triumph came amid high on-track drama which once again highlighted masterful race management by da Costa and TAG Heuer Porsche. The third-in-a-row win means da Costa equals his own 2019 record for the longest win streak in Formula E.
Round 14 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship saw a defining moment of the season when current standings leader Nick Cassidy of Jaguar TCS Racing failed to score points for the second consecutive race. As a result, Mitch Evans and Pascal Wehrlein are now neck-and-neck in second place, setting the stage for an intense showdown at the upcoming London finale.
Joining da Costa on the podium was Robin Frijns, who celebrated his 100th Formula E race with back-to-back podium finishes for Envision Racing. Mitch Evans, representing Jaguar TCS Racing, claimed third. The race was rife with pivotal moments, including Pascal Wehrlein dramatically losing his front wing early on. Despite this setback Wehrlein finished fourth, keeping his championship hopes alive.
Less fortunate were NEOM McLaren and Mahindra Racing, who both experienced a series of retirements due to errors, punctures and on-track collisions.
Jean-Eric Vergne, who started on pole, secured a solid fifth-place finish for DS PENSKE while ABT CUPRA’s Nico Muller delivered an impressive sixth place.
Norman Nato finished seventh for Andretti, followed by Maximilian Guenther for Maserati MSG Racing in eighth. Sebastien Buemi claimed ninth for Envision Racing, despite a penalty, ahead of reigning World Champion Jake Dennis who rounded out the top ten for Andretti Formula E.
As the championship heads to London, the battle for the top spot is more intense than ever, promising fans a thrilling conclusion to the season. The Hankook London E-Prix double-header season finale will take place on July 20-21.
António Felix da Costa, No. 13, Tag Heuer Porsche Formula E, said: “This is crazy. I’m happy, I’m emotional, I’m angry, I’m everything. I’m just glad that I’m getting to ride this wave right now — I know it doesn’t last forever. I’ve been on it before, I’ve been out of it before, so I’m just going to try and keep doing things right. I’m going to enjoy this moment. A lot of people in this world live by the motto of never giving up but I think we’re going to a completely new degree of that if I’m honest!”
Robin Frijns, No. 4, Envision Racing, said: “Today was a good way to bounce back, definitely. We had a tough one, and I have to say the team did a mega job. We prepared well for this race, and we delivered, so I’m really happy with P2. Unfortunately, we just missed out on the win — it was closer than yesterday, but having a double podium, I’ll take it. This season has been a struggle, I wanted to bounce back, I knew I could do it and I knew the team could do it, so here I am.”
Mitch Evans, No. 9, Jaguar TCS Racing, said: “It’s nice after what happened yesterday, I’m finding it hard to get over it, I think it was still a ludicrous decision. It was hard to take so it’s nice to come back and get something today. We didn’t optimize qualifying on my side and the starting position wasn’t optimal for the second race, but it was a really hard-fought race. To get myself to the front I again had to do my attack quite late just because of the way the race was playing out, and I had to consume a lot of energy to make those overtakes with the high targets. I was a sitting duck at the end, but it gave me track position so good points. Obviously I would have loved to win, but after the Safety Car things really sped up, and third was the best we could do.
“Obviously it’s unfortunate what happened to Nyck [de Vries] but I came into this weekend just wanting to do my thing and see what happened. We’ll go into London close to Pascal [Wehrlein] and it’s going to be tight between us. Antonio [Felix da Costa] must be close as well, he’s won every race — at least it feels like it — in the past half a season. It’s going to be a big fight between us and Porsche, for sure.”
2024 Hankook Portland E-Prix attended by local stars
Sung Kang, the renowned actor and car enthusiast best known for his role in the ‘Fast and Furious’ series, returned to the Portland International Raceway for Round 14 of the double-header weekend.
Kang was thrilled to reunite with driver Lucas di Grassi at the ABT Garage, rekindling their camaraderie from the 2024 Tokyo E-Prix. Adding to the excitement, Kang also reconnected with his friend and influencer Emilia Hartford, who brought her vibrant energy to Portland just as she did to Tokyo earlier in the season.
Meanwhile, the presence of three-time W Series champion and Andretti Global INDY NXT driver Jamie Chadwick was notable, as she supported fellow Andretti Global drivers and served as a driver analyst for the broadcast team.
Chadwick delivered an electrifying performance, driving the GEN3 Formula E car for the first time and reaching speeds of over 150 km/h. She also took racing legend and Andretti Global team owner Michael Andretti on a hot lap in a Porsche Taycan.
Additionally, Portland Thorns football players Morgan Weaver and Olivia Moultrie enjoyed meet-and-greets with drivers and tours of the Andretti garage. Earlier in the week, Portland Timbers footballers James Pantemis and Evander da Silva Ferreira toured the paddock, sat in the GEN3 car, and met with drivers Sacha Fenestraz and Sergio Sette Camara from the Nissan Formula E Team and ERT Formula E Team respectively.
Team Abu Dhabi’s Al-Qemzi finishes 6th in powerboating season opener in Italy
BRINDISI, Italy: Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al-Qemzi started the defense of his UIM F2 World Championship with sixth position at the Grand Prix of Italy in Brindisi on Sunday evening.
The opening round of the series was interrupted by three yellow flag stoppages, and the disjointed nature of the racing did nothing for Al-Qemzi’s chances of climbing through the field after a disappointing qualifying session. Al-Qemzi’s Emirati teammate Mansoor Al-Mansoori was forced to retire with technical issues after eight laps.
Victory fell to Briton Matt Palfreyman, who made a spectacular return to the sport following several years away from the driving seat. Lithuanian Edgaras Riabko and Portuguese veteran Duarte Benavente rounded off the podium places after Italian Tullio Abbate was later disqualified from second place for a racing infringement.
Al-Qemzi and Al-Mansoori lined up in ninth and 10th positions on the pontoon for the start of the 38-lap race with Abbate holding pole from his nephew Giacomo Sacchi and Palfreyman.
Al-Qemzi moved up to eighth on the run out to the first turn buoy, but Al-Mansoori slipped to 12th as Palfreyman moved into an early lead from Sacchi and Abbate. The leading group then held station through several laps as Palfreyman began to edge away from his closest two Italian pursuers and Al-Mansoori slipped behind Peter Zak and into 13th before withdrawing from the race after eight laps with technical issues.
Al-Qemzi was entrenched in eighth behind David Del Pin and was not able to pass on the narrow course where waves rebounding off the harbor walls made conditions even more difficult. The race was yellow-flagged on lap 12 after an accident and resumed seven laps later with Al-Qemzi retaining eighth position.
Palfreyman retained his slender advantage over Sacchi and Abbate at the front of the field until the race was yellow-flagged for a second time three laps later. The top three held station at the restart in increasingly choppy conditions, but Al-Qemzi slipped a place to ninth only for racing to be halted for a third time when Sacchi flipped his boat out of second place, Abbate and Duarte Benavente climbed into the podium positions and Al-Qemzi regained eighth.
Only four laps remained after a third restart, and Palfreyman held on to snatch the win from Abbate and Riabko with Al-Qemzi starting his F2 campaign with points for sixth after moving up a place on the last couple of laps and then benefitting from Abbate’s later disqualification.
Seventeen of the 18 drivers took part in the morning’s warm-up session with Al-Qemzi and Al-Mansoori running for 19 and 12 laps, respectively. Riabko topped the timed with a lap of 42.585 seconds.
Action in the UIM F2 World Championship resumes with the Grand Prix of Norway in Tonsberg Aug. 2-4.
Saudi Arabia celebrates World Olympic Day 2024
RIYADH: Several Saudi Arabia sports bodies celebrated World Olympic Day with a special event on Sunday.
The participants included the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the Saudi Olympic Academy, and other sports federations at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Olympic Complex, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The event was attended by Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed, the vice president of the SOPC, and Ludovic Pouille, France’s ambassador to the Kingdom.
The event was held to mark the 1894 founding of the International Olympic Committee, which is celebrated every year on June 23 by 206 Olympic committees around the world.
Prince Fahd presented awards to several Olympic and Paralympic athletes who participated in the accompanying dialogue session.
Pouille wished the Kingdom’s athletes well for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games that will be held from July 26 to Aug. 11.
Rohit hails India World Cup win as ‘dream come true for a billion’
- World Cup win ended over a decade of heartache for India who last won tournament in 2007
- India’s cricket board announced reward of $15 million for squad for winning World Cup 2024
NEW DELHI: World Cup-winning skipper Rohit Sharma said his team’s victory was a “dream come true” for India, as he awaited his return home to a hero’s welcome.
The T20 triumph ended more than a decade of heartache after India’s previous World Cup win came in the 50-over version in 2011.
“The team and I are very proud to be able to bring the cup home and are truly touched by how much happiness it has brought everyone back home,” Rohit said in a post on social media on Monday.
He also posted a picture of himself lying flat on his back with his eyes closed, wearing his blue team kit.
“This picture epitomises how I’m feeling right now,” he said.
“Right now I’m basking in a dream come true for a billion of us.”
India won a thrilling final by seven runs in Barbados on Saturday to clinch their first global tournament since the 2013 Champions Trophy.
It was not clear when the Indian team would arrive home, with Indian media on Monday reporting they were stuck in Barbados, delayed by Hurricane Beryl.
Jay Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, announced around 25 people in the team, coaching and support staff would share nearly $15 million in prize money, a reward for their “talent, determination, and sportsmanship.”
The bonus is in addition to a record prize pool of $11.25 million for the tournament, of which India will receive $2.45 million.
The cricket-obsessed country erupted in midnight celebrations as India won, with fans in blue India shirts taking to the streets across cities including the capital New Delhi.
