AFP, Atlanta : World champions Argentina opened their bid for back-to-back Copa America titles with a 2-0 win over Canada in front of a crowd of 70,564 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Thursday. Julian Alvarez put Argentina ahead in the 49th minute but a combination of inspired goalkeeping from Canada’s Max Crepeau and Lionel Messi’s surprising lack of precision in front of goal ensured that the underdogs were in the game until Lautaro Martinez settled the contest in the 88th minute....
BSS, Dhaka : An abysmal batting effort led Bangladesh to a 28-run defeat to Australia on DLS method in their first game of the T20 World Cup (WC) ‘Super Eight’ phase on Friday at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. Bangladesh put up 140-7 after being asked to bat first but Australia made it the cake-walk, reaching 100-2 in 11.2 overs following the rain-interruption twice in the match. After a wicketless first spell, Cummins claimed his hat-trick across overs...
AFP, Germany : Livewire winger Nico Williams was irresistible in Spain’s 1-0 win over Italy at Euro 2024, the pick of a selection of exciting young stars who are raising hopes of a return to the glory days for La Roja. The 21-year-old Athletic Bilbao left-winger ran Italy right-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo ragged in Gelsenkirchen as Spain made it two wins from two at the tournament to clinch top spot in Group B and a last-16 berth. The only wonder...
Agency : Bangladesh faced a comprehensive defeat against Australia, losing by 28 runs (DLS) in their first ‘Super Eight’ match of the ongoing T20 World Cup in Antigua. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed his disappointment over the team’s inability to post a competitive total. Bangladesh managed to score 140 for eight, while Australia reached 100 for two in 11.2 overs, securing the win via the DLS method in the rain-affected match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. “Wicket looked good,...
Argentina star Lionel Messi became the most-capped player in Copa America history on Thursday as he reached 35 appearances in the opening match of the tournament against Canada. The 36-year-old had shared the record with Chilean goalkeeper Sergio Livingstone (34 caps) since appearing in the final of the 2021 Copa America in Brazil, where Argentina triumphed. Messi’s appearances have been spread across seven editions of the Copa, starting with the 2007 tournament in Venezuela....
AFP, Bridgetown : Suryakumar Yadav smashed a fine half-century before India’s bowlers slammed the brakes on Afghanistan’s flamboyant shot-makers to romp to a 47-run win in the ‘Super Eight’ phase of the T20 World Cup (WC) on Thursday. Suryakumar’s 53 was his 19th fifty in the format and helped India post a challenging 181-8 in their second round ‘Super Eight’s opener. Experienced fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah then combined with spin trio Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja to strangle...
Agency : England on Thursday struggled to show their credentials to win Euro 2024 in a 1-1 draw with Denmark that left them with work to do to reach the last 16. Victory for England in Frankfurt would have booked their place in the next round as Group C winners. However, an underwhelming performance by Gareth Southgate’s men leaves more questions over their quest to becoming European champions for the first time. In a rematch of the Euro 2020 semi-final...
Agency : Top-seeded Coco Gauff recorded a 7-6 (6), 6-2 win over Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova in the second round at the ecotrans Ladies Open in Berlin on Thursday. Gauff saved three set points in the first set before cruising in the second to finish the match in 80 minutes. She advanced to face eighth-seeded Ons Jabeur of Tunisia, who posted a 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4 victory over Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic. Also winning Thursday were No. 2 seed...
BBC Online : Lexi Thompson carded a 68 to move into a one-shot lead after the first round of the Women’s PGA Championship. The American’s four-under-par round at the Sahalee Country Club, near Seattle, put her a shot ahead of compatriot Nelly Korda and Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit. England’s Charley Hull and Ireland’s Leona Maguire sat two shots off the lead following opening rounds of 70. Thompson, who won her only major to date in 2014, plans to retire from full-time...
BSS, Dhaka : With top order batters showing the glimpse of returning back to form, Bangladesh Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto believes they still stand on a good chance to seal semi-finals of the T20 World Cup (WC). Bangladesh tasted a thumping 28-run defeat to Australia in DLS method to kick-start the ‘Super Eight’ phase but they are confident to bring the momentum back when they take on India in their second game of this phase at the Sir Vivian Richards...
AFP, Atlanta : Argentina Head Coach Lionel Scaloni hit out at the temporary grass surface installed for Thursday’s Copa America opener against Canada saying it was unsuited for a major tournament game. The world champions beat Canada 2-0 to open their title defence but Scaloni was far from happy with the conditions his players had to deal with. The field at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United, is made of artificial...
Agency : The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday announced fixtures for the Bangladesh’s upcoming tour. The Bangladesh team led by Najmul Hossain Shanto will play 2 Test matches and 3 T20I matches during their visit. Chennai will host the first Test starting on 19th September, while Kanpur will host the second Test from 27th September. The three T20Is will be played on October 6,9 and 12 respectively at Dharamshala, Delhi and Hyderabad. Bangladesh last played...