Sports

WELLINGTON: New Zealand said on Saturday it could have probably hosted the women’s Cricket World Cup next year but supported the decision of the International Cricket Council (ICC) to postpone the event for a year. Cricket Australia have also downplayed any suggestions they were annoyed at having the hosting rights of this year’s postponed men’s Twenty20 World Cup pushed back …

NEW DELHI: Five Indian hockey players, including captain Manpreet Singh, have tested positive for Covid-19 at the team’s training base in Bengaluru and the number of infected players could rise, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has said. Manpreet, Surender Kumar, Jaskaran Singh, Varun Kumar and Krishan B. Pathak had initially tested negative on their return to the training base …

TURIN: Serie A club Juventus have sacked title-winning coach Maurizio Sarri after one season in charge, following the team’s elimination from the Champions League in the round of 16 on Friday, the Turin club said in a statement. The 61-year-old was dismissed despite leading Juventus to the Serie A title two weeks ago, their ninth in a row. On Friday …

Chris Woakes hit an unbeaten 84 as England came from behind to beat Pakistan in the first Test at Old Trafford on Saturday. England were struggling in pursuit of a victory target of 277 after collapsing to 117-5 on the fourth day. But Woakes, who had helped drag England back into the match with 2-11 in just five overs late …

England’s dramatic three-wicket win over Pakistan in the first Test at Old Trafford was a brilliant advertisement for the red-ball game. Pakistan, despite not having played international cricket for several months because of the coronavirus, dominated the majority of the match and were still favourites when they reduced England to 117-5, chasing a target of 277, on Saturday’s fourth day in Manchester. …

DUBAI: Australia will host this year’s postponed Twenty20 World Cup in 2022 with India retaining their tournament next year, the sport’s governing International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Friday. The ICC also confirmed the women’s 50-over World Cup that was scheduled to be held in New Zealand in February-March next year has been postponed to 2022 following the impact of …

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a bonus for its ground staff who worked tirelessly during the fifth edition of Pakistan Super League which was held entirely in the country for the first-ever time this year. The PSL-V, which was organised from Feb 20 to March 17 had to be halted due to Covid-19 at the semi-final stage …

MANCHESTER: Ben Stokes took two late wickets to help drag England back into the first Test against Pakistan at Old Trafford on Friday. Pakistan, on top for most of this match, were 137-8 in their second innings at stumps on the third day — a lead of 244 runs. Stokes, who didn’t bowl in the third Test against the West …

MANCHESTER: Yasir Shah took three wickets after lunch as Pakistan dismissed England for 219 to tighten their control of the first Test on the third day at Old Trafford on Friday. The wily leg-spinner ripped through England’s middle and lower order with a burst of three wickets for four runs in 27 balls on his way to figures of 4-66 …

Babar Azam struck a fluent unbeaten half-century as Pakistan closed a rain-shorted first day of the first Test against England on 139 for two at a gloomy and wet Old Trafford on Wednesday. Babar (69 not out) showed all his skill and class to weather an early storm from the England bowlers, and wrestle away the initiative along with the more sedate …