Sports

DUBAI: The business end of the Twenty20 World Cup risks becoming a party without a host with timid India staring at an early exit from the tournament they were expected to dominate. England captain Eoin Morgan was merely voicing the popular perception last week when he described his team and Australia as the “joint second-favourites” in the tournament behind Virat …

ABU DHABI: All-rounder Dwaine Pretorius says the secret to South Africa’s success at the ongoing ICC Twenty20 World Cup has been the team effort that means they are not reliant on a few individuals ahead of their vital Group 1 clash against Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. South Africa have been dependent on big-name players getting them over the …

ABU DHABI: Veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik said on Monday Pakistan’s morale was “high” from last month’s win over India ahead of this week’s Twenty20 World Cup match against Namibia in Abu Dhabi. Pakistan have raced to three wins in as many games starting with a resounding ten-wicket opening fixture victory over arch-rivals India followed by New Zealand and Afghanistan. They need another win to qualify …

India captain Virat Kohli admitted his team was “not brave enough” after an eight-wicket rout by New Zealand left their Twenty20 World Cup hopes hanging by a thread on Sunday. Fast bowler Trent Boult and leg-spinner Ish Sodhi shared five wickets to restrict India to 110 for seven after being invited to bat first in the Super 12 clash in Dubai. Skipper …

Virat Kohli’s India started the Twenty20 World Cup as favourites but their semi-final hopes are hanging by a thread after two losses, the latest an eight-wicket defeat to New Zealand. AFP Sport looks at where it is all going wrong for India, who suffered a 10-wicket humiliation to arch-rivals Pakistan in their first match. Batting flop India’s famed batting line-up limped to a …

Jos Buttler hit the first century of the Twenty20 World Cup as England effectively booked their semi-final spot with a 26-run victory over Sri Lanka on Monday. Buttler’s unbeaten 101 — his maiden century in 86 T20 internationals — steered England to 163 for four after being invited to bat first in Sharjah. England bowlers led by Adil Rashid then …

ROME: Turning 40 hasn’t stopped Zlatan Ibrahimovic from being Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The ageless Sweden great, whose 40th birthday was on Oct 3, scored one goal and also drew a penalty that led to AC Milan’s second goal in a 2-1 win at Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma in Serie A on Sunday. Before he was substituted near the hour mark, Ibrahimovic …

The nationalization of Texas politics has created a challenge for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who’s had to fend off criticism of his border security approach and endure former President Donald Trump’s insistence on election audits. Moderates and Democrats charge that Abbott has gone too far right with his conservative agenda. They decry his plan to finish Trump’s border wall, deplore the state’s new …

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments Monday about the state’s new near-total-ban on abortion that experts expect will focus on the unique enforcement mechanism outlined in Senate Bill 8, rather than the constitutionality of abortion. Texans and others nationwide monitoring court challenges of the new law have a lot of questions: Is Roe v. Wade at …

DUBAI: Skipper Aaron Finch said Australia will take two days off “to recharge the batteries” after suffering a brutal eight-wicket defeat to England in the Twenty20 World Cup on Saturday. Eoin Morgan’s England handed Australia their first loss — out of three — of the Super 12 stage after bowling them out for 125 in Dubai. England opener Jos Buttler smashed an …