Connect with us

Sports

Top order, Maxwell help Australia avoid whitewash in India – ARN News Centre

Published

on

Spread the love

[ad_1]

PUNIT PARANJPE/ AFP

Australia avoided a series whitewash in India after their top order fired together and Glenn Maxwell impressed with the ball to secure a 66-run victory in the third and final one-day international in Rajkot.

The home side had clinched the series with wins in Mohali and Indore, and a third successive defeat could potentially have deflated Australia ahead of their World Cup opener against tournament hosts India on October 8.

Pat Cummins and his men did not let that happen, however, and racked up 352-7 with each of their top four batters smashing a half-century.

Playing his first match of the series, Maxwell proved he could be a potent spin option at the World Cup as he claimed 4-40 to help bowl out India for 286 with two balls left in the game.

Electing to bat, Australia’s top order capitalised on a ground with a benign track and short boundary to lay the foundation for a big total.

David Warner smashed his third half-century of the series as he combined in a rollicking 78-run opening stand with Mitchell Marsh (96).

Warner fell for a belligerent 56 but Marsh added 137 runs with Steve Smith to consolidate Australia’s position.

Kuldeep Yadav denied Marsh his hundred and had the opener caught at cover.

At 242-2 in the 32nd over, Australia looked to be cruising to a 400-plus total before the Indian bowlers dragged the hosts back into the contest.

Mohammed Siraj trapped Smith lbw for 74 to trigger a mini-collapse but Australia still registered the highest total at the venue with Marnus Labuschagne contributing 72.

Home captain Rohit Sharma (81), playing his first match of the series, led India’s reply, smashing five sixes en route to a 31-ball fifty.

He and Virat Kohli (56) kept India on course until Maxwell intervened.

The off-spinner, playing his first international match since March, took a stunning return catch to dismiss Rohit and induced a top edge from Kohli to get rid of the former India captain.

Maxwell went on to peg back Shreyas Iyer’s (48) off-stump to effectively seal the match for Australia and Ravindra Jadeja’s breezy 35 was in vain.

[ad_2]

Source link

Sports

Jannik Sinner triumphs over adversity to win first Wimbledon Title

Published

on

Spread the love

Jannik Sinner made history on Sunday by defeating Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to claim his first Wimbledon title, becoming Italy’s first-ever singles champion at the All England Club. The 23-year-old world No. 1 overcame months of personal and professional challenges to lift his fourth Grand Slam trophy and his first since returning from a doping-related ban.

Sinner’s victory marks a remarkable comeback after a turbulent start to the year. Though he won the Australian Open in January, his career was briefly clouded by controversy when he tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid clostebol. Tennis authorities later cleared Sinner of fault, stating the substance entered his system via a massage cream applied by a member of his support team. Despite the ruling, he served a voluntary three-month suspension imposed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), returning to competition in May.

“Very emotional, even if I don’t cry,” Sinner told reporters after his win. “Only me and the people who are close to me know what we have been through on and off the court. It has been everything except easy.”

Sunday’s victory was especially sweet as it came just weeks after Sinner lost a heart-wrenching French Open final to Alcaraz, where he had three match points. The Wimbledon win also snapped a five-match losing streak against the Spaniard.

Sinner credited his team, including Australian coach Darren Cahill, for helping him regain focus and confidence.

“We’ve tried to push every practice session, even if I was struggling at times mentally,” he said. “I feel like when I play the match, I can switch off and just play. That helped me a lot.”

Cahill praised Sinner’s resilience, noting the Italian’s mental strength in overcoming the Roland Garros disappointment.

“You could see from his first match here that he wasn’t carrying any baggage from Paris. That’s not easy to do,” said Cahill. “For him to wipe that away and bring this mentality is 100% credit to him.”

Sinner himself reflected on the lessons learned in Paris, saying the loss made him more determined.

“I always tried to be honest with myself and to accept it,” he said. “If you lose a Grand Slam final that way, it’s much better than when someone just outplays you.”

With his Wimbledon win, Sinner cements his place among tennis’s elite, proving that mental fortitude can be just as crucial as physical talent in the journey to greatness.

Continue Reading

Sports

Italy poised for historic T20 World Cup debut after victory over Scotland

Published

on

Spread the love

For decades, the blue of Italy has been synonymous with soccer. But as the once-mighty Azzurri football team teeters on the brink of missing a third successive FIFA World Cup, it is another, far less storied national side that is offering the country a shot at global glory.

Italy’s cricketers are now within touching distance of a historic first appearance at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, following a 12-run victory over Scotland on Wednesday in the European regional qualifiers.

The win, achieved in Voorburg, propels Italy to the summit of the standings with one crucial fixture remaining. Victory over the Netherlands on Friday would see them qualify automatically for the 2026 tournament. Even a narrow loss may suffice, should Jersey and Scotland fail to produce the kind of crushing wins required to overhaul Italy’s superior net run rate (1.722, compared to Jersey’s 0.430 and Scotland’s -0.150).

At the centre of this unlikely charge is Joe Burns, the former Australian Test opener who has found new purpose, and a new passport, in leading the Italian side. “It’s a very surreal feeling,” said Burns, whose 23 Tests for Australia included Ashes appearances. 

“To come and beat Scotland, who are an exceptional team, is a wonderful reward for the sacrifices made by our players, our staff and the federation.

“This is hopefully the beginning of something special for Italian cricket. The group is very emotional right now, we know what’s at stake.”

With their final fixture scheduled after Scotland and Jersey conclude their clash earlier on Friday, Italy will take the field knowing precisely what is required.

Scotland, long considered Europe’s most capable challengers outside England, were left to rue a stuttering display with both bat and ball. Captain Richie Berrington admitted his side had been outmanoeuvred. “We stayed in the fight but couldn’t quite execute at the end,” he said. 

“Full credit to Italy, they out-skilled us with the ball in those conditions.

All eyes will now turn to Voorburg, where Italy’s date with destiny awaits, and history is within their reach.

Continue Reading

Sports

UFC returns to Abu Dhabi with high-stakes middleweight showdown on July 26

Published

on

Spread the love

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), is set to make a thrilling return to the UAE capital on Saturday, July 26, with a blockbuster middleweight clash headlining the action at Etihad Arena.

Top-ranked contender and fan favourite Robert Whittaker, currently No.5 in the middleweight division, will square off against rising star Reinier de Ridder in what promises to be an electrifying battle.

In a poetic twist, Whittaker returns to Abu Dhabi exactly five years after his victory at the final Fight Island event on July 26, 2020. That win over Darren Till, played out in a silent, pandemic-era arena, became a defining chapter in Whittaker’s storied career. This time, the stage is set for redemption and roar, as he steps back into the Octagon in front of a packed house.

Will the former champion recreate history, or will de Ridder seize his moment on the big stage?

Also on the fight card is a high-intensity light heavyweight bout featuring Türkiye’s Ibo Aslan taking on the USA’s Billy Elekana, a showdown guaranteed to keep fans on the edge of their seats.

Abu Dhabi continues to strengthen its global reputation as a world-class destination for combat sports, and this event is shaping up to be another unmissable chapter in the UFC legacy.

Continue Reading

Popular

© Copyright 2025 HEADLINE. All rights reserved

https://headline.ae/