Sports

DUBAI: Australia all-rounder Marcus Stoinis says that his team’s confidence ahead of the ICC World Cup has boosted significantly after their recent ODI victories against India and Pakistan, and also due to the return of frontline players Steve Smith and David Warner. “I think everyone is really confident. To win eight One-day International games in a row away from home …

WINDHOEK (Namibia): The United States on Wednesday sealed One-day International (ODI) status for the first time with a third straight victory at the World Cricket League Division Two event in Namibia. The Americans, whose only previous experience of ODI cricket was at the 2004 Champions Trophy, thrashed Hong Kong by 84 runs to wrap up a top-four place in the …

MUMBAI: India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni will not hesitate to take time off before World Cup if his niggling back problem worsens during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), the veteran wicket-keeper/batsman has said. Chennai Super Kings skipper Dhoni missed last week’s defeat by Sunrisers Hyder­abad due to a back spasm and the 37-year-old is unwilling to risk a serious injury …

Sadaf Khadem, who on Saturday became the first Iranian woman to contest an official boxing bout, has cancelled her return to Tehran after an arrest warrant was issued for her there, her representative said on Wednesday. An arrest warrant was also issued against Mahyar Monshipour, the Iranian-born former boxing world champion who set up the bout in western France and …

Manchester United have condemned racist abuse of their defender Ashley Young on social media in the aftermath of their Champions League elimination at Barcelona. Young was targeted on Twitter following United’s 3-0 quarter-final second-leg defeat on Tuesday. The foul abuse of Young brought swift condemnation from United, who said in a statement: “Manchester United utterly condemns racist social media comments …

Five out of seven members of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) board of governors (BoG) on Wednesday presented a resolution declaring the appointment of Wasim Khan as managing director as “null and void” — a development that PCB Chairperson Ehsan Mani deemed “hugely” disappointing. “Appointment of managing director [Wasim Khan] along with the creation of the unconstitutional post of MD PCB is …

Sri Lanka on Wednesday axed Lasith Malinga as captain for the upcoming World Cup, and announced Test skipper Dimuth Karunaratne was being brought in to lead the side. Chairman of selectors Asantha de Mel said they wanted “somebody who can get the team together” at the event in England and Wales. Sri Lanka play their first game against New Zealand …

More than two minutes into stoppage time, Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling slid across the field and puffed his chest to the crowd, roaring in elation. Tottenham players collapsed to the turf, some flat on their backs, forlorn and heartbroken. From the brink of Champions League elimination, Manchester City was celebrating its passage to the semifinals. Not for long. As …

HYDERABAD (India): All-rounder Vijay Shankar is making the most of his presence in a Sunrisers Hyde­rabad camp which also contains a couple of World Cup winners after being selected in India’s 15-member squad for the showpiece tournament in England and Wales. The Tamil Nadu all-rounder was picked on Monday as India’s number four batsman whose seam bowling expertise could also …

MONTE CARLO: Canadian Denis Shapovalov endured a birthday to forget as he suffered a 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 defeat to unseeded German Jan-Lennard Struff in the opening round of Monte Carlo Masters on Monday. Shapovalov, who turned 20, was coming off a spectacular run to the Miami Open semi-finals but struggled to rediscover his service rhythm as he finished with 10 …