Category: Sports

International Sports

Ukraine Beats Russia In Australian Open And Gets Its Flag Banned As Well

HT News

Taking cognizance of a complaint by the Ukraine ambassador to Australia, Tennis Australia banned the flags of Russia and Belarus at the ongoing Australian Open. Russian and Belarus players were already playing under a neutral flag but the audiences were allowed to bring the flags. But now there is a total ban on Russian and Belarus flags.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Tennis Australia bans Russian and Belarus flags onsite at the tournament
• Earlier fans were allowed to bring the flags but couldn’t display
• On Monday, a Russian flag was sighted by the Ukrainian ambassador to Australia

What Action Did The Ukrainian Ambassador Demand On Sighting A Russian Flag In The Australian Open?

Ukraine Beats Russia In Australian Open And Gets Its Flag Banned

Russian and Belarus tennis players competed under a neutral flag but fans were allowed to bring them with the condition that the flags won’t be used for disruption. But on Monday, Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, Vasyl Myroshnychenko called on Tennis Australia and demanded strict action against Russia and Belarus after seeing the red, white, and blue stripes of Russia at an ongoing match between Ukraine’s Kateryna Baindl and Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova on day one.

He demanded Tennis Australia enforce its ‘neutral flat policy’ with immediate effect. Last week he urged Tennis Australia to ban Russia and Belarus entirely. Belarus is – the latter for supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While Tennis Australia didn’t bar Russia and Belarus from the tournament, it barred their flags onsite.

Why Tennis Australia Didn’t Bar Russia And Belarus From The Tournament?

Last year Wimbledon barred Russian and Belarusian players but it stripped the tournament of its ranking points by tennis’s governing bodies.

What Happened

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Sports

The Combined ATP-WTA Event Will See Novak Djokovic Playing Daniil Medvedev On Saturday

HT News

Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev both entered the semifinal round of the combined ATP-WTA event. They will play the semifinal match on Saturday. While Medvedev was the runner-up last year in the Australian Open, Djokovic missed the tournament for not being vaccinated against COVID-19.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Novak Djokovic beat Denis Shapovalov 6-3 6-4 at the Adelaide International on Friday
• Medvedev defeated fellow Russian Karen Khachanov 6-3 6-3 on Friday
• Djokovic has defeated Medvedev in Australia in 2021

How Is Novak Djokovic Preparing For The Semifinal?

The 21-time Grand Slam winner missed the Australian Open last year because he wasn’t vaccinated for COVID-19. He praised his Canadian opponent saying that early Denis was a better player. Denis was dictating, said Djokovic after improving to 8-0 against Denis. He also said that he had to improve his serve and groove on the court.

Novak Djokovic Preparing For The Semifinal

After winning the Friday match, the 35-year-old Serb Djokovic said that he didn’t think there would be too many short points on Saturday unless they both serve well. He further said that one had to be ready to go the distance physically, mentally, and game-wise while playing Medvedev.

How Is Daniil Medvedev Preparing For The Semifinal?

Medvedev finished runner-up to Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open last year and lost the final to Djokovic in 2021. the 2021 US Open champion Medvedev has lost the Australian finals twice.

He said about the Friday match that he played well last year and he was playing well in the present tournament. He further said that one had to be at his best for seven matches to win a slam or be in the final.… Read the rest

Top Celebrities Cricket Sports

Urvashi Rautela Makes Another Cryptic Post About Cricketer Rishabh Pant

HT News

Urvashi Rautela posted a picture of Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital soon after cricketer Rishabh Pant was airlifted from Dehradun to Mumbai for treatment. The 25-year-old cricketer has suffered severe injuries to his ligaments in the knee and ankle in a car accident last month.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Urvashi Rautela’s latest Insta post has been linked to cricketer Rishabh Pant due to its timing
• Rishabh Pant has been airlifted to Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital for ligament treatment
• Urvashi Rautela and Rishabh Pant have been in the news for their relationship

How Was The Relationship Between Urvashi Rautela And Rishabh Pant?

Rumors about the cricketer being in a relationship with the actress started emerging in 2018 when they were spotted together at events, restaurants, and parties. But in 2019, the cricketers dismissed all the rumors about his relationship with Urvashi Rautela by posting a picture of Isha Negi on Instagram and announcing his relationship with her.

Urvashi Rautela posted a picture of Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai

But the relationship didn’t end there as Urvashi Rautela kept making cryptic posts about the cricketer on Instagram. A few months ago, a sort of Insta war started between the two when Urvashi wrote “Chhotu bhaiya” along with hashtags #RPChotuBhaiyya and #DontTakeAdvantageOfASilentGirl that had the internet abuzz on her Insta account in reply to Rishabh Pant’s post saying “some people lie in interviews just for some meager popularity”. The post has been deleted by the cricketer.

After Rishabh Pant met the accident, Urvashi Rautela posted a photo on Instagram with the caption ‘Praying’ along with a white heart emoji, a white dove emoji, and a series of stars.

Source:- https://bit.ly/3X6rsx0

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Cricket Sports

Hardik Pandya Led India XI Has Many Hopes For T20I Series Against Sri Lanka

HT News

Hardik Pandya led India XI is a new team for the three-match series T20I matches against Sri Lanka. But the country has many hopes for this team. It is predicted to be the 2024 T20 World Cup team by many cricket pundits because seniors like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul aren’t part of it. But it is too early to say anything about this team.

Here’s the performance check of each India XI player

Hardik Pandya Led India XI

Arshdeep Singh: The T20 World Cup witnessed the emergence of this left-arm pacer as a reliable bowler who can bowl even under pressure. He is likely to spearhead the bowling attack in the T20I series.

Axar Patel: In Axar Pate, the team gets an all-rounder who can support the bowling attack with his left-arm spin and strengthen the batting side as well.

Deepak Hooda: He is a good spinner to continue the bowling attack when the pacers are allowed to rest for the last over of the attack.

Hardik Pandya: The all-rounder has proved his mettle in the IPL matches. Also, he has matured by playing too much cricket in the last couple of years.

Harshal Patel: He has been one of the most consistent bowlers in the IPL and the team wants to take advantage of his IPL bowling experience.

Ishan Kishan: The left-handed opening batsman caught the attention of the world with his double century in ODIs against Bangladesh last month.

Ruturaj Gaikwad: Ruturaj has done well in domestic T20s and the Sri Lanka series is an opportunity for him to prove his talent in international cricket.

Sanju Samson: There is little doubt … Read the rest

Football Sports

Cristiano Ronaldo Sees An Opportunity To Revival In Al Nassr Club

HT News

Cristiano Ronaldo started fresh with Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia after being expelled first by Manchester United and then by the Portuguese football team. The former Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus player had a tough time this world cup due to his outspoken attitude and diminishing performance.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cristiano Ronaldo signs a big contract with Al Nassr club in Saudi Arabia
• The former Manchester United player will get more than he could make with any other football club
• The contract will end on June 2025

What Is The Value Of the Al Nassr Contract For Cristiano Ronaldo?

The 37-year footballer will earn more than 200m euros for joining the club. He posted a picture of himself holding a blue and yellow shirt with his favored number seven printed on the back after signing the contract with the club. It will take him to June 2025. Those, who don’t know Al Nassr will be surprised to know that the club has won nine Saudi Arabian league titles.

Cristiano Ronaldo said that he couldn’t wait to discover a new football league in a different country after signing the contract. He further said that the vision with which Al Nassr operated was very inspiring, and he was delighted to join his teammates so that together they could help the team achieve greater success.

… Read the rest
Cricket Sports

Rishabh Pant Sustained Head Injuries Due To Car Accident

HT News

Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant met with an accident on his way to Uttrakhand from Delhi. He was driving his Mercedes car at the time of the incident. The car collided with a divider and got fire. Rishabh Pant had to break the windshield to come out of the car.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Rishabh Pant has been shifted to Max hospital in Dehradun after he met an accident
• He dozed off while driving his car from Delhi to Uttrakhand
• Uttrakhand government will bear the cost of his treatment

Where Did Rishabh Pant Meet The Accident?

DGP Ashok Kumar told the media that incident took place at Mohammedpur Jat near Roorkee at around 5:30 am. Rishabh Pant was driving his Mercedes car to Uttrakhand when he dozed off resulting in a collision with the divider. The car caught fire due to the accident and the cricketer had to break the windshield to come out of the car.

Rishabh Pant Meet The Accident

Rishabh Pant was moved to the Roorkee hospital for primary treatment from where he was shifted to Max hospital in Dehradun. He has sustained injuries to his head, knee, and shin. Also, there could be a fracture in his leg.

Uttrakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the entire cost of his treatment will be borne by the state. Also, the air ambulance facility will be provided to the cricketer, if required.

What Is The Cricketing Career Of Rishabh Pant?

Rishabh Pant is a wicket-keeper and has been regular in the Indian cricket team after the retirement of MS Dhoni. His role was crucial in India’s second successive Test series victory in Australia in 2020/21. Also, he played a … Read the rest

Cricket Sports

A Furious Ramiz Raja Said He Wasn’t Allowed To Take His Staff from PCB Office

HT News

The ousted Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja attacked the PCB management for the fiasco. He termed his ouster from the board a vendetta politics just to accommodate Najam Sethi. He further alleged that even he wasn’t allowed to take his stuff from the office.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ramiz Raja had a three-year contract with PCB but had to leave within a year
• Najam Sethi is the new PCB chief appointed by the board
• But Ramiz Raja doesn’t see a cricketing reason for appointing Najam Sethi

What Did Ramiz Raja Say On His Ouster From PCB?

Ramiz Raja was critical of the way he was ousted from PCB. He called it a political move that defied cricketing logic. He alleged bulldozing of the PCB constitution just to accommodate one person who had nothing to do with cricket and had never lifted a bat.

The former PCB chairman said that the change had been made in the middle of the season when teams were visiting. They had changed the chief selector to bring Micky Arthur. Saqlain Mushtaq’s tenure was ending anyway in January. Saqlain had played over 50 (49) Tests, he was a legend. That was no way to treat the cricketers said, Ramiz Raja.

Ramiz Raja Say About Najam Sethi

What Did Ramiz Raja Say About Najam Sethi?

He said he was given three years to work but was asked to quit even before 12 months. At 2 am in night, Najam Sethi tweeted that Ramiz Raja was gone during a YouTube interaction with his fans on Monday. He said that change was made to bring a political person and that would build pressure on the board, national team, and captain.

… Read the rest
Cricket Sports

What Test Results And PCT Does India Need To Reach WTC Final?

HT News

The recent 2-0 win over Bangladesh in the run to the World Test Championship qualification has strengthened India’s position in the points table. India stands in the 2nd spot in the points table but much depends on the forthcoming 4-series matches against Australia.

HIGHLIGHTS

• India was knocked out of the WTC final last year by New Zealand
• India needs to win the series against Australia by 4-0 to seal its spot in the WTC final

What Are India’s Chances Of Playing In the WTC Final?

A 4-0 win over Australia will increase India’s PCT to 68.06% and seal its place in the WTC final irrespective of the score of other contenders. Winning the series with 3-0 or 3-1 will lower India’s PCT to 62.50% but it can reach the final without any competition. If India wins the series with 1-0 or 2-0, its PCT will be 60.25% but sufficient to book a spot in the final.

India’s Chances Of Playing In the WTC Final

What Will Happen If India Loses The Series To Australia?

If the series results in a 0-0, 1-1, or 2-2 (draw) score, India’s PCT will reach below the 60% mark where it can enter the final only if Australia beats South Africa by a big margin in the coming series. Also, India’s candidature will depend on the results of the West Indies v/s South Africa and New Zealand v/s Sri Lanka series.

If India loses the series to Australia 0-1, it will enter the final only if South Africa and Sri Lanka lose their series comprehensively. But if India loses its series by 0-2, 0-3, or 0-4 results, it will be out of the race to the WTC final.

… Read the rest
Cricket IPL Sports

5 Rules For 10 IPL Franchises To Fill 87 Vacant Spots For IPL 2023 Season

HT News

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 auction will take place on December 23 ahead of the IPL 2023 season. But this time IPL has formed a 5-point formula that the franchises would need to adhere to.

  1. The franchises have received INR 5 crore extra for IPL 2023 season. The said amount has already been added to their accounts.
  2. The franchises have to spend 75% of their overall budget at any cost.
  3. IPL has done away with Right To Match (RTM) for season 2023.
  4. A franchise could have a minimum of 17 and a maximum of 25 Indian players. The franchises could include a maximum of 8 players in their squads.
  5. Players who remained unsold in the first round could be brought back later.

The franchises are also allowed the X-Factor substitution from IPL 2023. There will be 12 players in each team for IPL. The franchises will have to bid for players keeping these 5 points in their mind.

How Many Players Are Going For Auction For IPL 2023?

Auction For IPL 2023

A total of 407 players are available for auction for the upcoming season 2023. The number of vacant spots across the 10 IPL franchises is 87. Considering the larger number of players available, it can be said that this auction is going to be a game-changer for many players. The franchises are expected to bid for younger players.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) mini-auction for the upcoming IPL 2023 season will take place in Kochi on December 23.

Source:- https://bit.ly/3PS68ZF

… Read the rest
Football Sports

An Overjoyed Messi Dances With The Trophy On A Table

HT News

A video of Lionel Messi dancing with the World Cup trophy on a table inside the dressing room is going viral. Argentina forward led his team to victory in the final match against defending champion France. Also, he won the golden ball award.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Lionel Messi celebrated his World Cup victory by dancing with the trophy
• He made a new world record for most World Cup appearances
• He also became the ‘Player of the Tournament

Why Was Lionel Messi Dancing With The World Cup Trophy?

Argentina won the World Cup in the penalty shootout with 4-2 goals. While the defending champion France played well with Kylian Mbappe scoring a hat-trick for France, the Les Bleus couldn’t defend their goalpost from Messi’s attack. But Kylian Mbappe became the second player ever to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final. Lionel Messi scored two goals for Argentina and even converted a penalty into a goal to lead his team to victory and became the ‘Player of the Tournament’.

What Was Messi’s World Cup Score?

Lionel Messi scored 7 goals in the World Cup just one short of Mbappe. But he made a new world record for most World Cup appearances with his 26th appearance in the FIFA World Cup 2022. Also, he has 13 goals in World Cup history.

Messi was given the Golden Ball award for the second time in World Cup history. The first time he won the award was in 2014 even when Argentina lost to Germany in … Read the rest