Sports

SHARJAH: New Zealand may be forced to face India in their crunch Twenty20 clash on Sunday without Martin Guptill after the ‘Black Caps’ opening batter injured his toe in their opening loss to Pakistan. Guptill, New Zealand’s most experienced short format international, took a blow to the big toe from a Haris Rauf delivery just before he was dismissed for …

DUBAI: Spinner Maheesh Theekshana has recovered from injury in time for Thursday’s ICC Twenty20 World Cup clash against Australia, Sri Lanka head coach Mickey Arthur said, hopeful that the youngster can exploit the opposition’s weakness against the turning ball. Theekshana, 21, who missed the win against Bangladesh due to a side strain, made his international debut only last month but …

ABU DHABI: England raced to a second successive victory at the ICC Twenty20 World Cup with a ruthless eight-wicket drubbing of Bangladesh on Wednesday in the two nations’ first ever meeting in the format. Opening batter Jason Roy marked his 50th T20 appearance by smashing 61 off 38 balls as England romped to their victory target of 125 in 14.1 …

SRINAGAR: Police have launched an investigation after several hundred students in India-occupied Kashmir celebrated India’s recent defeat to Pakistan in the cricket World Cup, officials said on Wednesday. Around 300 students in two top Srinagar medical colleges gathered in two hostels watching the match on Sunday and burst into celebrations when Pakistan crushed India in the high-octane contest in Dubai. Videos of …

Three squad members of the national women’s team participating in the pre-West Indies series camp at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre in Karachi have tested positive for Covid-19, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement. According to the PCB, the players tested positive during the routine Covid-19 testing carried out on Wednesday and now they had started …

Pakistan beat New Zealand by the edge of their teeth in their T20 World Cup 2021 clash in Sharjah on Tuesday. Here are our five takeaways from that game: 1- Haris Rauf — a man refined and redefined Haris Rauf celebrates a wicket in the World T20 match against New Zealand on Tuesday. — AP   Every volatile team has …

Following Pakistan’s win over New Zealand on Tuesday night, one would think the post-match analysis would be the primary thing people were talking about but instead, the limelight was on the spat between Shoaib Akhtar and anchor Dr Nauman Niaz. Akhtar, a legendary former fast bowler, quit and walked off a Pakistan Television (PTV) show after being “insulted” by Niaz. The two …

SHARJAH: New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has been ruled out of the ongoing Twenty20 World Cup due to a calf muscle tear, the team said in a statement on Tuesday. New Zealand Cricket said the 30-year-old felt tightness in his right calf after a training session and an MRI scan ahead of their tournament opener against Pakistan on Tuesday …

DUBAI: South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said star team-mate Quinton de Kock’s refusal to take the knee came as a surprise on what turned out to be one of his ‘toughest days’ as skipper. De Kock pulled out of the match after Cricket South Africa ordered its players to lend support to the anti-racism movement in Dubai. But the former …

ABU DHABI: England cannot afford to make mistakes in their Twenty20 World Cup campaign with a potentially tricky clash against Bangladesh in Super 12 stage, wicket-keeper/batter Jos Buttler said on Tuesday ahead of the first T20 meeting between the two sides in Abu Dhabi. England, top of Group I, are looking to build on their victory over defending champions West …