NEW DELHI: Tens of thousands of jubilant fans poured onto Mumbai’s Marine Drive to cheer India’s new world cricket champions when they returned home on Thursday.
India beat South Africa in a tight finish in the Twenty20 World Cup final last weekend in Barbados for their first world cricket title in 13 years.
Skipper Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya held the coveted trophy in an open bus convoy to Wankhede stadium, where they were to participate in celebrations organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
Fans danced, waved the India flag, and flashed smartphone lights after waiting for hours to glimpse Sharma, Virat Kohli and the other cricket stars.
The victorious squad landed in New Delhi early Thursday on a charter flight from Barbados. They met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence and later left for Mumbai.
Hundreds of supporters were gathered at New Delhi International Airport, many of them chanting “India, India” as the players came out and boarded a bus.
There were hundreds more waiting at the hotel to continue the celebrations, which started on Saturday as soon as the final was won. Some of the players danced to drum beats when they reached their hotel.
The team’s return from the Caribbean was delayed because of a shutdown in Barbados forced by Hurricane Beryl.
“It’s a lifetime experience,” cricket official Arun Dhumal said.
The T20 triumph was India’s first World Cup title since 2011, when it won the 50-over version.
The BCCI has announced a cash bonus of 1.25 billion rupees ($15 million) for the winning squad.
Soon after winning the title, Sharma, Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirement from T20 internationals.
India cricketers feted in victory parade in Mumbai after winning Twenty20 World Cup
https://arab.news/8hxgw
India cricketers feted in victory parade in Mumbai after winning Twenty20 World Cup
- India defeated South Africa in a tight finish last weekend in Barbados for their first world cricket title in 13 years
- Fans danced, waved India flag, and flashed phone lights after waiting for hours to glimpse Sharma, Kohli and others
Unity key to stopping Mbappe at Euros, says Cucurella
- Joint record three-time winners Spain face France in Munich on Tuesday
DONAUESCHINGEN: Spain defender Marc Cucurella believes the key to stopping France striker Kylian Mbappe in their Euro 2024 semifinal clash is a unified approach.
Joint record three-time winners Spain face France in Munich on Tuesday after ousting hosts Germany in extra-time.
Explosive new Real Madrid signing Mbappe has struggled at the Euros after breaking his nose in France’s first match, scoring once from the penalty spot, but remains Les Bleus’ main attacking threat.
“I think football is a collective sport, and it’s true that if it was one-on-one it would be tricky, but it’s up to us in the end,” Cucurella told a news conference Sunday.
“Apart from being good with the ball, we are a very hard-working team, we give everything for each other, and I think that’s the key.
“We have to be united, to know what to do in each moment, and above all we need to minimize their counterattacks which are perhaps their strongest weapons.”
Cucurella has been one of the most impressive players in Spain’s side this summer, a surprise to some after an inconsistent season with Chelsea.
The left-back had only appeared once for his country before this year, but improving performances at Stamford Bridge in the final months of the season and Valencia defender Jose Gaya’s injury helped him claim a starting spot.
With defender Dani Carvajal suspended against France after a red card in extra time in the 2-1 win over Germany, the 25-year-old could be used at right-back, where he operated for Chelsea on occasion.
“I’ll try to give my best, to contribute my grain of sand,” said Cucurella.
“I feel more comfortable on the left but in the end I have to try to do the best I can and help the team.
“What’s important is that we win, and it doesn’t matter who plays, if on Sunday we are in the final.”
The defender was involved in a controversial moment against Germany where the ball struck his hand in the area but the hosts were not awarded a penalty.
“If the referees said it wasn’t a penalty, then I will respect that,” said Cucurella.
“In the end these are things that happen, they are decisions ... (Germany’s Toni) Kroos could have been booked before and then sent off.
“Football is a game of errors and accuracies; in the end we were more accurate than them, we scored one goal more and we got through.”
Kroos hacked down Barcelona’s Pedri in the early stages and the midfielder was substituted and will miss the rest of the tournament with a knee ligament sprain.
The former Real Madrid star wished Pedri a speedy recovery in an open letter to Germany fans after his retirement from football, and the Spaniard replied on Sunday.
“I came to Germany for Euro 2024 and here I will stay, until the end, because don’t doubt it, the dream continues,” wrote Pedri on social media platform X.
“Thanks Toni Kroos, for your message, this is football and these things happen. Your career and your achievements will always remain.”
Abhishek century guides India to T20 victory against Zimbabwe
- Zimbabwe, who won the first match by 13 runs on Saturday, were bowled out for 134 runs
- Abhishek Sharma, playing second international match, thrashed eight sixes and seven fours
HARARE: Abhishek Sharma slammed a 46-ball century as India bounced back with a 100-run win over Zimbabwe in the second Twenty20 international at the Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
Sharma, playing in his second international match, made 100 in an Indian total of 234 for two.
Zimbabwe, who won the first match by 13 runs on Saturday, were bowled out for 134.
The left-handed Sharma, who was out for a duck on debut on Saturday, thrashed eight sixes and seven fours.
“It was a good performance after the defeat yesterday,” said Sharma when he was named man of the match.
“Thanks to the coaches and captain to keep confidence.”
After opening his score with a six against off-spinner Brian Bennett, who dismissed him on Saturday, Sharma charged to his half-century with a six off medium-pacer Dion Myers.
He then raised his hundred with three successive sixes off left-arm spin bowler Wellington Masakadza before being dismissed next ball, caught at backward point.
Sharma was dropped on the long-off boundary off Luke Jongwe when he had 27.
“After the drop I thought it was my day,” he said. “I always believe in my ability. If it’s in my arc and even if it’s the first ball I will go after it.”
Ruturaj Gaikwad (77 not out) and Rinku Singh (48 not out) continued to take the attack to the Zimbabwe bowlers, who conceded 160 runs in the last 10 overs.
India made more runs in their innings than the combined total of both teams in a low-scoring encounter on the same pitch on Saturday when Zimbabwe made 115 for nine and India were bowled out for 102.
Despite an aggressive 26 off nine balls by Bennett, Zimbabwe’s hopes were virtually extinguished when they crashed to 46 for four after four overs, with seamers Mukesh Kumar and Avesh Khan taking two wickets each.
India captain Shubman Gill said his young team had responded well to Saturday’s defeat.
“Yesterday it was more about not being able to handle the pressure. It is a young side and many of them are new to international cricket. It was good to have pressure in the first game. We knew what to expect in this game.”
Three sportswomen given Saudi citizenship as part of royal order
- The decree aims to grant Saudi citizenship to people whose distinguished expertise serves the nation in various fields
RIYADH: A number of athletes have recently been granted Saudi citizenship after a royal order issued on Thursday.
The decree aims to grant Saudi citizenship to people whose distinguished expertise serves the nation in various fields, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
It is also in line with Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to create an environment that attracts, invests in, and retains exceptional creative minds, SPA added.
The athletes given Saudi citizenship included three women: American footballer Maryam Al-Tamimi, French tennis player Maysan Hussein, and Muay Thai fighter Tasneem Al-Qassab.
Al-Tamimi was picked by head coach Monica Staab for the women’s national team. She is registered with the Saudi Football Federation and was influential in securing her former side — the Sharqiya Flames — first place in the Eastern Province League in 2021. She has since signed for Al-Ittihad in a deal that runs until 2025.
French teenage tennis player Hussein, who is 15 years old, was also given citizenship. She has won several girls’ championships in Saudi Arabia.
She finished 41st in the Asian Tennis Federation’s U14 competition and won the Mahdia Open Tennis Championship in Tunisia in the U16 category.
She was also runner-up in the women’s singles at the 2023 Saudi Games.
Syrian Muay Thai fighter Al-Qassab, also a teenager, was among those granted citizenship. She won the 2021 Saudi Women’s Championship, held in Riyadh, and came third in the Virtual World Championship, held in the same year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, during which she represented Saudi Arabia.
New head coach Gillespie vows consistency in Pakistan Test side
- Gillespie will start two-year tenure with two-match series against Bangladesh next month followed by three against England in October
- Pakistan will also tour South Africa for two Tests in December before hosting the West Indies in as many Tests in January next year
KARACHI: Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie Sunday vowed to make Pakistan a consistent side after taking charge as red-ball coach with a hectic six-month schedule in focus.
The 49-year-old will start his two-year tenure with a two-match series against Bangladesh next month followed by three against England in October — both at home.
Pakistan will also tour South Africa for two Tests in December before hosting the West Indies in as many Tests in January next year.
Gillespie, who arrived early Sunday, said Pakistan are a “talented” side but need consistency.
“How can they be more consistent is one thing that I am hoping I can find some solutions for,” Gillespie told a news conference.
He hoped Pakistan can improve on their fifth position in the current World Test Championship cycle, competed by nine teams since 2019.
“Ultimately we want to win games of Test cricket,” said Gillespie.
“There are skillful cricketers here, how can we play as a team and perform well against good quality international oppositions and that’s going to be the key for us.”
Hailing from one of Australia’s best Test sides in 1990s and 2000s, Gillespie played 71 Tests, 91 one-day internationals and a solitary T20I in a successful career.
He coached Yorkshire to win the English County Championship in 2014 and 2015.
Gillespie was hired to improve Pakistan’s Test side that lost 1-0 to Australia in 2022 before suffering their first-ever 3-0 home white-wash at the hands of England the same year.
Pakistan were routed 3-0 in Australia last year — their sixth series white-wash in Australia since 1999 — which Gillespie believed was not one-sided.
“As an observer from outside, I think there were some moments in games where Pakistan were on top but could not finish well,” Gillespie reflected.
Pakistan squandered good positions in the second Test in Melbourne and the third in Sydney through crucial dropped catches, leaving them tagged as a poor fielding side.
He said Pakistan needed to be smart to counter what he termed England’s “very aggressive” style of playing Tests, dubbed as “Bazball” after their coach Brendon McCullum’s nickname.
“England will be a challenge, no doubt about that. But I think we are certainly up to it,” said. “We are going to play very smart.”
Smarting from a first round exit in both the ODI World Cup last year in India and Twenty20 in USA and the West Indies last month where South African Gary Kirsten was head coach, Pakistan will begin their Test series against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi from August 21-25.
The second Test is in Karachi from August 30 to September 3.
They face England in three Tests starting in Multan (October 7-11), Karachi (Oct 15-19) and Rawalpindi (October 24-28).
Team Falcons soar to victory, claim Call of Duty crown at Esports World Cup
- Their triumph marked the inaugural win of the tournament, setting a high bar for the competition
- The Esports World Cup, running from July 3-Aug. 25, features 22 tournaments across 21 game titles
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s Team Falcons soared to victory in a historic moment for the nation’s esports scene, claiming the Call of Duty: Warzone championship at the Esports World Cup held in Boulevard Riyadh City.
The local favorites, comprising Shifty, Soka and Biffle, clinched the grand final with a commanding performance, securing a prize of $200,000. Their triumph marked the inaugural win of the tournament, setting a high bar for the competition.
The SEF Arena witnessed intense battles among 10 top-tier teams, culminating in Team Falcons’ decisive victory. Reflecting on their victory, Soka expressed gratitude to the passionate Saudi fans whose unwavering support fueled their success. The electrifying atmosphere and vocal encouragement from the crowd played a pivotal role, boosting the team’s morale throughout the competition.
Biffle echoed these sentiments, highlighting the energy of the home crowd that propelled them to greatness. The team’s dominance was evident from the early stages, having swept through the group stages with flawless victories.
Their success was a culmination of rigorous preparation and strong team chemistry, as acknowledged by Shifty. He stressed their commitment to excellence and the unparalleled bond among the trio, attributing their confidence and resilience to the fervent support of Saudi fans.
The Esports World Cup, running from July 3-Aug. 25, features 22 tournaments across 21 game titles. As the first week concludes with thrilling matchups in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, League of Legends and Dota 2, Team Falcons’ triumph stands as a testament to Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in the global esports arena.
