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PCB terminates Haris Rauf’s central contract for refusal to play in Australia Test tour

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday terminated the central contract of fast bowler Haris Rauf in a disciplinary action for pulling out of the recent Test series in Australia.

Published Date – 15 February 2024, 10:40 PM


PCB terminates Haris Rauf’s central contract for refusal to play in Australia Test tour

Picture: X

Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday terminated the central contract of fast bowler Haris Rauf in a disciplinary action for pulling out of the recent Test series in Australia.

The PCB also announced that Haris will not be granted No Objection Certificate (NOC) to play in any foreign league up to June 30, 2024.

“Fast bowler Haris Rauf has been penalised by Pakistan Cricket Board, following a probe into his refusal to join Pakistan’s Test squad for the tour of Australia 2023-24,” the PCB said in a statement.

“After a thorough hearing process conducted by a PCB committee and taking into consideration the views of all stakeholders involved in the matter, Haris’ central contract has been terminated from December 1, 2023 and no NOC (No objection certificate) to play any foreign league will be granted up to June 30, 2024.”

The PCB said its management provided Haris a chance for a personal hearing in compliance with the principles of natural justice on January 30 and his response was found unsatisfactory.

“Refusal to be part of Pakistan’s Test squad in the absence of any medical report or justifiable reason is a material violation of the central contract,” the Board said. Players with central contracts in category B like Haris get paid a monthly salary of around 4.6 million, besides match fees, allowances and other eligible bonuses.

Pakistan’s three-match Test tour of Australia happened between December 18, 2023 and January 7, 2024. Pakistan lost all the three Tests.

Chief selector Wahab Riaz had told a press conference before the tour to Australia in December last that Haris, after initially making himself available for the Tests, had pulled out, citing work management and fitness issues.

At the same time the national team was engaged in the three Tests against Australia, Haris appeared in the Big Bash League. The PCB, however, did allow his selection in the T20 squad for the subsequent series in New Zealand.

 

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Jadeja apologises for Sarfaraz’s run out

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A consistent performer on the domestic circuit, Sarfaraz had to wait years for his maiden India call-up, which came ahead of the Vizag Test.

Published Date – 15 February 2024, 10:06 PM


Jadeja apologises for Sarfaraz’s run out


Rajkot: India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja on Thursday apologised to Sarfaraz Khan for a “wrong call” that led to the debutant batter getting run out on day one of third Test against England. Sarfaraz (62 off 66) was going all guns blazing before Jadeja misjudged a call for a quick single, leading to a run out at the non-striker’s end.

Jadeja went on to score an unbeaten 110 off 212 balls as India reached 326 for five at stumps. “Feeling bad for @sarfarazkhan97. It was my wrong call, well played,” Jadeja posted on his Instagram handle.

A consistent performer on the domestic circuit, Sarfaraz had to wait years for his maiden India call-up, which came ahead of the Vizag Test.

India’s most successful Test bowler, Anil Kumble, presented the Test cap to Sarfaraz in an emotional ceremony witnessed by the latter’s family.

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Shashank’s brace hands Skykings FC 3-0 win in C-Division Football League

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In the one-sided game, Shashank opened the scoring in the 54th minute and added the second in the 62nd minute as Skykings FC smashed CCOB Sub-Junior FC 3-0 in Telangana Football Association’s C-Division Football League.

Published Date – 15 February 2024, 08:53 PM


Shashank’s brace hands Skykings FC 3-0 win in C-Division Football League

In the one-sided game, Shashank opened the scoring in the 54th minute and added the second in the 62nd minute as Skykings FC smashed CCOB Sub-Junior FC 3-0 in Telangana Football Association’s C-Division Football League.

Hyderabad: Shashank scored twice as Skykings FC smashed CCOB Sub-Junior FC 3-0 in the Telangana Football Association’s C-Division Football League in Reeds Football Ground Bowenpally on Thursday.

In the one-sided game, Shashank opened the scoring in the 54th minute and added the second in the 62nd minute. Dhruv added his team’s third goal seven minutes later to seal the match in Sky Kings’ favour.

In the other game at Gymkhana ground, the game between Young Dynamos and Reeds FC ended 1-1. Trailing 1-0 Reed FC’s Vaibhav did the rescue act to score the equaliser in the 90th minute to deny Dynamos the win.

Results: Young Dynamos FC 1 (Shashank 1) drew with Reeds FC 1 (Vaibhav 1); Skykings FC 3 (Shashank 3) bt CCOB Sub-JR FC 0.

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State lifter Sukanya honoured by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy

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Telangana weightlifter Kumari Tejavath Sukanya Bai was honoured by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for her good show in the sport on Thursday.

Updated On – 15 February 2024, 08:44 PM


State lifter Sukanya honoured by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy

Telangana weightlifter Kumari Tejavath Sukanya Bai being honoured by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.

Hyderabad: Telangana weightlifter Kumari Tejavath Sukanya Bai was honoured by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on the occasion of the 285th birth anniversary of Sadhguru Sant Sri Sewalal Maharaj organised at Banjara Bhavan in Hyderabad on Thursday. She has been selected for upcoming World Weightlifting Championship to be held at USA. Thrilled about the felicitation, she thanked her coach VN Rajasekhar and expressed her gratitude for the accolade.

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‘He helped me control my nerves’: Sarfaraz Khan thanks Jadeja for guidance despite run-out on Test debut

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However, miscommunication with star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the middle cut short his lovely debut innings as he was run out by Mark Wood at the non-striker’s end.

Updated On – 15 February 2024, 08:27 PM


‘He helped me control my nerves’: Sarfaraz Khan thanks Jadeja for guidance despite run-out on Test debut


Rajkot: India batter Sarfaraz Khan’s hard work came to fruition when he smashed a stylish 62 of 66 balls while coming in at number six as he put on a sparkling show of batting on Day 1 of the third Test against England and looked on course to hit a big score.

However, miscommunication with star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the middle cut short his lovely debut innings as he was run out by Mark Wood at the non-striker’s end.

Sarfaraz spiced up a solid day for the hosts slamming a spectacular 62 off 66 deliveries before falling prey to a miscommunication. Sarfaraz was asked about the incident during the press conference following the day’s play in Rajkot, and the batter appeared unconcerned.

“There was a little miscommunication. This is part of the game. Sometimes there is a run-out, sometimes there is a run, and sometimes there is not. So all this goes on. He (Jadeja) said that there was a little miscommunication. And I said that it is okay. It happens. There is nothing big in it,” Sarfaraz said during a post-day press conference.

The 26-year-old thanked the all-rounder for assisting him through his debut. Sarfaraz was apprehensive in the first few balls of his innings, even top-edging a slog sweep.

Sarfaraz claimed that Jadeja calmed his anxiety and advised him to play a lengthy innings. “When I was batting with Jadeja, I told him to play while communicating with me. I like to play that way.

He helped me out a lot and supported me. He helped me control my nerves and told me to spend as much time as possible on the crease to understand everything. That is what I did and I scored runs,” he added.

As India chose to bat first, Sarfaraz was ready to go from ball one, as the hosts lost three wickets in the first hour. But Sarfaraz had to wait as Rohit Sharma and Jadeja teamed for a crucial fourth-wicket stand of 204 runs.

“I had been sitting for almost 4 hours padded up. So I was just thinking that I have kept so much patience in life, I’ll keep a little more. Then after that, I went inside, initially, I was a little nervous because it was my first time, but I had practised and put in so much hard work that everything went well,” the 26-year-old said. “I felt a little strange in the first couple of overs.

Because I was coming for the first time. And for so long, it was a dream to play. But later it felt like I had done this thing. When I went into the zone, I didn’t feel so difficult after that,” he added. India finished the opening day 326/5 on board with Jadeja (110) and Kuldeep Yadav (1) standing unbeaten at the crease.

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Ind vs Eng 3rd Test Day 1: Rohit and Jadeja dazzle with centuries

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With India reduced to 33 for three inside the first hour of play, Rohit (131 off 196) and Jadeja (110 batting off 212) as India reached 326 for five at stumps on day one of the third Test against England on Thursday.

Published Date – 15 February 2024, 06:37 PM


Ind vs Eng 3rd Test Day 1: Rohit and Jadeja dazzle with centuries

India’s skipper Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja run between the wickets on Day 1 of the 3rd Test match against England at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, in Rajkot on Thursday. Photo: ANI

Rajkot: Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja made classical Test match hundreds while debutant Sarfaraz Khan announced his arrival on the big stage with a fluent half-century as India reached 326 for five at stumps on day one of the third Test against England here on Thursday.

With India reduced to 33 for three inside the first hour of play, Rohit (131 off 196) and Jadeja (110 batting off 212) steered the ship through choppy waters with a 204-run partnership. After the pair was separated, Sarfaraz (62 off 66) scored the joint fastest fifty by an Indian on debut to push India past the 300-run mark.

Jadeja was batting with nightwatchman Kuldeep Yadav (1 batting) at close of play. In batting friendly conditions, the home team will be looking get near the 500-run mark on day two.

For England, fast bowler Mark Wood (3/69) vindicated his selection as England’s second pacer with a two-wicket burst in the morning, accounting for Yashasvi Jaiswal (10) and Shubman Gill (0), while spinner Tom Hartley (1/81) got the better of Rajat Patidar (5) to leave India tottering.

Jaiswal was caught in the slips by Joe Root while Gill looked susceptible against the moving ball. After beating Gill on the inside edge, Wood found an outside edge to send back India’s No 3 for a nine-ball duck.

Patidar was outdone by a ball from Hartley that neither spun sharply nor bounced unevenly but seemed to have slowed off the surface. Patidar was unable to control his shot as the ball simply ballooned towards short cover for a regulation catch.

The pressure on the Indian camp was palpable and the team management opted for a safer route by holding Sarfaraz back and promote Jadeja at No 5 — a spot where he has batted at in only five out of his 70 Tests yet.

What transpired after the first hour calmed all the nerves in the dressing room as senior pros Rohit and Jadeja recorded only the third double-century partnership for India against England in 135 Tests.

With 204 runs for the fourth wicket, Rohit and Jadeja joined the esteemed company of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly (249 vs England at Leeds in August 2002) and Vijay Hazare and Vijay Manjrekar (222 vs England at Leeds in June 1952) for having put on more than 200 against the Englishmen.

It was also the highest partnership between Rohit and Jadeja in an under-transition Indian side as well as their second in triple figures, having put on 100 for the sixth wicket against New Zealand at Kanpur in September 2016.

As if he had saved his best in the series for this day, Rohit was unhurried and completely assured in the middle, producing a knock that was in complete contrast of his recent approach. Rohit brought up his 11th Test ton shortly after play resumed in the final session and looked set for a long haul.

With Wood returning for another barrage of short balls amid a packed leg-side field, Rohit’s timing went awry as he looked to work the ball. A top edge settled into the hands of England captain Ben Stokes, who was ultimately rewarded for his out of the box field settings.

Nevertheless, the Indian captain walked off having done his job of rebuilding the innings. The timing for his maiden Test outing was perfect for Sarfaraz, who unleashed his array of strokes — powerful sweep shots and lofted drives over the in field — to race to a maiden half-century, which came off just 48 balls and included seven fours and a six.

In fact, Jadeja was 15 runs short of his ton when Sarfaraz walked out to bat and when the senior batter reached his triple-figure mark, the youngster was already in his 60s. Jadeja eventually brought up his fourth Test hundred and a second consecutive at his homeground here, but not before Sarfaraz was tragically run out following a mix-up with the southpaw.

 

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Sarfaraz Khan trends as he scores 50 on debut, fans troll Jadeja for mix-up

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His performance not only steadied the innings but also provided the much-needed momentum to the Indian side.

Published Date – 15 February 2024, 06:24 PM


Sarfaraz Khan trends as he scores 50 on debut, fans troll Jadeja for mix-up

Photo: X

Hyderabad: Sarfaraz Khan made an impressive debut in the third Test match against England at Rajkot, scoring a fifty that helped put India back in control. The young batsman showcased his talent with a brilliant innings of 62 runs off just 66 balls, which included nine fours and one six.

However, his debut was cut short when he was unfortunately got run out due to a mix-up with Ravindra Jadeja. Khan’s innings was crucial for India, especially as the team had lost four wickets with only 237 runs on the board.

His performance not only steadied the innings but also provided the much-needed momentum to the Indian side.

Before the start of the game, legendary cricketer Anil Kumble presented the Test cap to Sarfaraz Khan, who then proudly showed it to his father after the team meeting. Additionally, Indian captain Rohit Sharma took the time to meet Khan’s father.

Overall, Sarfaraz Khan’s debut performance has undoubtedly left a mark, and fans are eager to see more of his promising talent in the matches to come.

The mix-up between Safaraz and Ravindra Jadeja during the match, resulting in the run-out of Khan, has sparked a flurry of reactions on social media.

Cricket enthusiasts, particularly those impressed by Safaraz’s performance, have taken to various social media platforms to express their disappointment and frustration, directing their ire towards Ravindra Jadeja.

Check out a few funny tweets here:

Sports

Bayern Munich condems racist comments directed at Upamecano on social media after Lazio loss

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Bayern Munich has condemned numerous racist comments racist comments sent to defender Dayot Upamecano on social media following his red card on Wednesday’s 1-0 loss to Lazio in the Champions League first leg round of 16.

Published Date – 15 February 2024, 05:13 PM


Bayern Munich condems racist comments directed at Upamecano on social media after Lazio loss

Picture: X

Munich: Bayern Munich has condemned racist comments sent to defender Dayot Upamecano on social media following his red card in the team’s Champions League loss to Lazio.

Numerous racist comments were left on the French defender’s Instagram account after Wednesday’s 1-0 loss to Lazio in the round of 16. Upamecano was sent off for a challenge on Gustav Isaksen which led to a goal from the penalty spot for Lazio.

“FC Bayern strongly condemn the racist comments being directed towards Dayot Upamecano on social media. Anyone who comments hateful words such as these is no fan of our club. We’re all behind you, Upa!” Bayern posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Bayern chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen raised the issue in a speech at the team hotel after the game, German agency dpa reported.

“What has particularly bothered me are the disgusting comments afterwards on social media. To that, all I can say is that it is abhorrent,” dpa quoted Dreesen as saying. “This type of racist mob, this isn’t our world. This isn’t FC Bayern. It’s something that we will not put up with.”

 

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Iran take on Spain at 2024 Beach Soccer World Cup opener

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Iran are drawn in Group B along with Spain, Tahiti and Argentina. Team Melli will face Argentina on Feb. 17 and meet Tahiti on Feb. 19.

The top two teams of each group advance to the quarterfinals.

Dubai has become a beach soccer hub in recent years. Its marquee tournament, the Intercontinental Cup, has grown into one of the sport’s most prestigious, with UAE 2024 participants Iran and Brazil having won four and three titles apiece.

Sixteen nations take to the sand to decide who’ll be beach soccer’s new world champions.

The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup will be staged in Dubai from Feb. 15 to 25.

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Champions League: Mbappe, Barcola lead PSG to victory over Real Sociedad

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Wednesday night saw a quiet first 45 minutes, with PSG managing four shots in total and Real Sociedad recording five shots.

Published Date – 15 February 2024, 12:30 PM


Champions League: Mbappe, Barcola lead PSG to victory over Real Sociedad


Paris: Kylian Mbappe and Bradley Barcola scored second-half goals to give Paris Saint-Germain a resounding 2-0 win over Real Sociedad in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie.

The first 45 minutes were quiet on Wednesday night, with PSG registering four total shots and Real Sociedad recording five total shots. Neither team broke the scoreless deadlock despite their efforts as they headed into halftime.

PSG’s attack would come to life in the second half. The Parisians had ten total shots in the final 45 minutes, and eventually, the goals came. Mbappe opened the scoring off a corner kick, and the Ligue 1 side wouldn’t stop there.

“We’re happy with the result. We wanted to win at home, that was the objective. Now we have another game to play. Before, we have three in the league. We are happy now, but the job is not done.”

Minutes later, Bradley Barcola added the second goal of the contest, ensuring PSG will head into the second leg at the Anoeta with a 2-0 aggregate lead.

“My goodness, how we had to suffer. I want to congratulate Real Sociedad, who are a great team and competed amazingly. I had a lot of excitement to go up against a fellow Spaniard in Imanol, and they dominated the first half. I cannot even begin to think about the return leg yet,” PSG coach Luis Enrique said.

The pivotal second leg between the two sides is scheduled for March 5.