AB de Villiers remains a big name in world cricket. After his abrupt international retirement, which he announced during IPL 2018 season, the former South African captain remained active in various T20 leagues and talks were on with the Cricket South Africa (CSA) board for him to make an&nbsp;international comeback for last year's T20 World Cup. However, the discussions didn't materialise into ABD's possible comeback at&nbsp;the international level.

De Villiers played the IPL 2021 edition, once again representing the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise. Soon after IPL 14's end, the legendary cricketer called it quits from all forms of the game. De Villiers signed off with 8,765 Test, 9,577 ODI and 5,162 IPL runs, respectively. Thus, he has left many awestruck with his versatality as a batter and continues to be an inspiration for many.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-looked-at-anushka-sharma-in-shock-virat-kohli-recalls-ab-de-villiers-shocking-ipl-retirement-466667">'I looked at Anushka Sharma in shock' - Virat Kohli recalls AB de Villiers' shocking IPL retirement</a>

Recently, KL Rahul spoke about his fanboy moment with de Villiers when he first joined the RCB setup in 2013. In Gaurav Kapoor's Breakfast with Champions' new season, Rahul spilled the beans on his conversations with ABD and how he continues to leave him short of words.

"My kid in a candy store moment came in I think 2012 or 2013 season, which was my first. I walked in and (saw) Virat (Kohli), Chris Gayle, Zaheer Khan and AB, who was my favourite player and still is,” Rahul said. "I always go back and watch videos of him. Now, just before going to South Africa, I watched AB de Villiers hundreds in South Africa, then before going to England it was AB de Villiers in England. He has always been one of my favourite players,” he further revealed.

"I have a very nice, cute relationship with AB. I'm still very like... I don't have words. Nothing comes out. I try and then look like an idiot when trying to make a conversation with him after the games in IPL because there is so much I want to ask him but I don't know. It's a proper fanboy moment with him,” added Rahul.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kl-rahul-recalls-being-sidelined-despite-good-cwc19-run-reveals-how-chris-gayle-lifted-his-spirits-466688">KL Rahul recalls being sidelined despite a good CWC'19 for India, reveals how Chris Gayle lifted his spirits</a>

At present, Rahul is leading the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the ongoing IPL 2022 edition in India. Under him, Lucknow lost their season-opener to another debutant team, Gujarat Titans by five wickets on Monday evening (March 28).

AB de Villiers remains a big name in world cricket. After his abrupt international retirement, which he announced during IPL 2018 season, the former South African captain remained active in various T20 leagues and talks were on with the Cricket South Africa (CSA) board for him to make an international comeback for last year's T20 World Cup.

AB de Villiers remains a big name in world cricket. After his abrupt international retirement, which he announced during IPL 2018 season, the former South African captain remained active in various T20 leagues and talks were on with the Cricket South Africa (CSA) board for him to make an international comeback for last year's T20 World Cup. However, the discussions didn't materialise into ABD's possible comeback at the international level. De Villiers played the IPL 2021 edition, once again representing the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise. Soon after IPL 14's end, the legendary cricketer called it quits from all forms of the game. De Villiers signed off with 8,765 Test, 9,577 ODI and 5,162 IPL runs, respectively. Thus, he has left many awestruck with his versatality as a batter and continues to be an inspiration for many. ALSO READ | 'I looked at Anushka Sharma in shock' - Virat Kohli recalls AB de Villiers' shocking IPL retirement Recently, KL Rahul spoke about his fanboy moment with de Villiers when he first joined the RCB setup in 2013. In Gaurav Kapoor's Breakfast with Champions' new season, Rahul spilled the beans on his conversations with ABD and how he continues to leave him short of words. "My kid in a candy store moment came in I think 2012 or 2013 season, which was my first. I walked in and (saw) Virat (Kohli), Chris Gayle, Zaheer Khan and AB, who was my favourite player and still is,” Rahul said. "I always go back and watch videos of him. Now, just before going to South Africa, I watched AB de Villiers hundreds in South Africa, then before going to England it was AB de Villiers in England. He has always been one of my favourite players,” he further revealed. "I have a very nice, cute relationship with AB. I'm still very like... I don't have words. Nothing comes out. I try and then look like an idiot when trying to make a conversation with him after the games in IPL because there is so much I want to ask him but I don't know. It's a proper fanboy moment with him,” added Rahul. ALSO READ | KL Rahul recalls being sidelined despite a good CWC'19 for India, reveals how Chris Gayle lifted his spirits At present, Rahul is leading the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the ongoing IPL 2022 edition in India. Under him, Lucknow lost their season-opener to another debutant team, Gujarat Titans by five wickets on Monday evening (March 28).

I look like an idiot when trying to make conversation, it's a fanboy moment: KL Rahul on AB de Villiers

Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be up against old rivals Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 6 of the IPL 2022 edition on Wednesday evening (March 30). After losing their season-opener to Punjab Kings (PBKS) -- by five wickets in defence of 206 -- RCB will be desperate to get off the mark in the points table when they face last year's runners-up KKR.

Talking about Virat Kohli, the former RCB captain will also be eager to score a big knock versus the Kolkata outfit. He showed good intent during his unbeaten 29-ball 41 versus Mayank Agarwal's PBKS and, thus, will be looking to carry forward the momentum this time around as well.&nbsp;

Ahead of the RCB-KKR face-off, Kohli is also on the verge of attaining an elite feat. If Kohli scores three more fours versus KKR, he will join Shikhar Dhawan in becoming only the second batter in IPL history to have 550, or more, fours. At present, Dhawan tops the list with 657 fours to his name. On the other hand, David Warner comes third in the list (525 fours).&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/would-be-great-to-see-virat-kohli-babar-azam-open-in-ipl-akhtar-predicts-price-tag-of-pakistan-captain-466900">Would be great to see Virat Kohli, Babar Azam open in IPL: Akhtar predicts price tag of Pakistan captain</a>

Talking about RCB's first game in IPL 2022, they were asked to bat first versus Punjab at the Dr DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday (March 27). Posting 205-2, riding on Faf du Plessis' 88, Kohli's 41 not out and Dinesh Karthik's 14-ball 32*, Bengaluru couldn't defend the big total as Punjab went past the finish line in the last over with five wickets in hand.

Will RCB get their first points of the season in the KKR face-off? Only time will tell...

Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be up against old rivals Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 6 of the IPL 2022 edition on Wednesday evening (March 30).

Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be up against old rivals Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 6 of the IPL 2022 edition on Wednesday evening (March 30). After losing their season-opener to Punjab Kings (PBKS) -- by five wickets in defence of 206 -- RCB will be desperate to get off the mark in the points table when they face last year's runners-up KKR. Talking about Virat Kohli, the former RCB captain will also be eager to score a big knock versus the Kolkata outfit. He showed good intent during his unbeaten 29-ball 41 versus Mayank Agarwal's PBKS and, thus, will be looking to carry forward the momentum this time around as well. Ahead of the RCB-KKR face-off, Kohli is also on the verge of attaining an elite feat. If Kohli scores three more fours versus KKR, he will join Shikhar Dhawan in becoming only the second batter in IPL history to have 550, or more, fours. At present, Dhawan tops the list with 657 fours to his name. On the other hand, David Warner comes third in the list (525 fours). ALSO READ | Would be great to see Virat Kohli, Babar Azam open in IPL: Akhtar predicts price tag of Pakistan captain Talking about RCB's first game in IPL 2022, they were asked to bat first versus Punjab at the Dr DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday (March 27). Posting 205-2, riding on Faf du Plessis' 88, Kohli's 41 not out and Dinesh Karthik's 14-ball 32*, Bengaluru couldn't defend the big total as Punjab went past the finish line in the last over with five wickets in hand. Will RCB get their first points of the season in the KKR face-off? Only time will tell...

IPL 2022: Virat Kohli on the cusp of joining Shikhar Dhawan in elite feat during RCB vs KKR clash

Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper Kane Williamson has been fined after the team maintained a slow over-rate during their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 match against Rajasthan Royals at the MCA Stadium, Pune on Tuesday.

"As it was the team's first offence of the season under the IPL's Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Kane Williamson was fined Rs 12 lakhs," stated an official release.

Coming to the match, it was a clinical performance by Rajasthan Royals as they outplayed Sunrisers Hyderabad in all three departments of the game to register a 61-run win here at the MCA stadium.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-will-rcb-remain-unchanged-after-pbks-loss-predicting-faf-du-plessis-cos-playing-xi-for-kkr-tie-466863">IPL 2022: Will RCB remain unchanged after PBKS loss? Predicting Faf du Plessis &amp; Co.'s playing XI for KKR tie</a>

Rajasthan pacers wreaked havoc on Hyderabad batters with Prasidh Krishna and Trent Boult reducing them to 9 for 3.Sanju Samson led from the front scoring 55 from 27 balls to take his team's total to 210 for 6 in 20 overs.

Samson bagged the 'Player of the Match'&nbsp;award for his blistering knock.

Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper Kane Williamson has been fined after the team maintained a slow over-rate during their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 match against Rajasthan Royals at the MCA Stadium, Pune on Tuesday.

Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper Kane Williamson has been fined after the team maintained a slow over-rate during their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 match against Rajasthan Royals at the MCA Stadium, Pune on Tuesday. "As it was the team's first offence of the season under the IPL's Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Kane Williamson was fined Rs 12 lakhs," stated an official release. Coming to the match, it was a clinical performance by Rajasthan Royals as they outplayed Sunrisers Hyderabad in all three departments of the game to register a 61-run win here at the MCA stadium. ALSO READ: IPL 2022: Will RCB remain unchanged after PBKS loss? Predicting Faf du Plessis & Co.'s playing XI for KKR tie Rajasthan pacers wreaked havoc on Hyderabad batters with Prasidh Krishna and Trent Boult reducing them to 9 for 3.Sanju Samson led from the front scoring 55 from 27 balls to take his team's total to 210 for 6 in 20 overs. Samson bagged the 'Player of the Match' award for his blistering knock.

IPL 2022: SRH skipper Kane Williamson fined Rs 12 lakh for slow over-rate against RR

The first edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) remains the only season where Pakistani players took part in the cash-rich league. Since then, their participation has remained a distant dream due to the political tension between India and Pakistan since 2008.&nbsp;

Nonetheless, it doesn't stop the experts and former cricketers from making predictions about the price tag of the current lot of Pakistan players had they been a part of the IPL in present times. In this regard, the Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar made a bold claim by predicting Pakistan captain Babar Azam's price tag in the IPL.

In a chat with Sportskeeda, Akhtar said, "It would be great to see Babar Azam and Virat Kohli opening the innings together in the IPL one day. What an exciting moment that would be. In the auction, Babar would go for 15-20 crore INR and could be the most expensive Pakistan player."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/aakash-chopra-requested-me-to-not-break-his-ribs-shoaib-akhtar-recalls-his-kkr-days-during-ipl-2008-466728">Aakash Chopra requested me to not break his ribs: Shoaib Akhtar recalls his KKR days during IPL 2008</a>

Along with Babar, Pakistan have quite a few talented cricketers such as Shaheen Afridi, Md Rizwan, Shadab Khan, etc. who can gain big-fat cheques in the IPL. However, this remains a distant dream at present seeing the political relationship between the two neighbouring countries.

At present, the IPL 2022 edition has started on an emphatic note and has given fans plenty to cheer for after the five completed&nbsp;games so far. On the other hand, Babar-led Pakistan are involved in a three-match ODI series versus Australia at home. They lost the series opener, on Tuesday (March 29), by 88 runs.

The first edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) remains the only season where Pakistani players took part in the cash-rich league. Since then, their participation has remained a distant dream due to the political tension between India and Pakistan since 2008.

The first edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) remains the only season where Pakistani players took part in the cash-rich league. Since then, their participation has remained a distant dream due to the political tension between India and Pakistan since 2008. Nonetheless, it doesn't stop the experts and former cricketers from making predictions about the price tag of the current lot of Pakistan players had they been a part of the IPL in present times. In this regard, the Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar made a bold claim by predicting Pakistan captain Babar Azam's price tag in the IPL. In a chat with Sportskeeda, Akhtar said, "It would be great to see Babar Azam and Virat Kohli opening the innings together in the IPL one day. What an exciting moment that would be. In the auction, Babar would go for 15-20 crore INR and could be the most expensive Pakistan player." ALSO READ | Aakash Chopra requested me to not break his ribs: Shoaib Akhtar recalls his KKR days during IPL 2008 Along with Babar, Pakistan have quite a few talented cricketers such as Shaheen Afridi, Md Rizwan, Shadab Khan, etc. who can gain big-fat cheques in the IPL. However, this remains a distant dream at present seeing the political relationship between the two neighbouring countries. At present, the IPL 2022 edition has started on an emphatic note and has given fans plenty to cheer for after the five completed games so far. On the other hand, Babar-led Pakistan are involved in a three-match ODI series versus Australia at home. They lost the series opener, on Tuesday (March 29), by 88 runs.

Would be great to see Virat Kohli, Babar Azam open in IPL: Akhtar predicts price tag of Pakistan captain

A brilliant century from Alyssa Healy and an outstanding cameo from Rachael Haynes helped Australia defeat West Indies in the semi-finals by 158-run in the ongoing ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022 here at the Basin Reserve on Wednesday.

Healy smashed 129 from 107 balls and Haynes scored 85 from 100 deliveries putting on 216 runs for the opening wicket to help Australia amass 305/3 in a rain-curtailed match, which was reduced to 45 overs.

Chasing 306, skipper Stafanie Taylor (48) played a lone hand for West Indies, while Deandra Dottin and Hayley Matthews scored 34 runs each at the top of the order.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-planning-to-bring-parity-in-prize-money-for-mens-and-womens-events-says-ceo-geoff-allardice-466759">ICC planning to bring parity in prize money for men's and women's events, says CEO Geoff Allardice</a>

But they received little support from others as Australia cruised home.

Experienced spinner Jess Jonassen bowled well to claim two wickets and five others picked up one scalp each, while Beth Mooney took the catch of the tournament to go with her unbeaten 43 with the bat.

Earlier, Healy and Haynes put on 216 runs for the opening wicket at an excellent clip as Australia amassed a huge score after being sent into bat first.

It was a scintillating partnership from Healy and Haynes, as the duo dined out on some poor West Indies bowling to put on the third-highest opening stand in Australia's WODI history.

Shamilia Connell finally got the breakthrough when she had Healy caught in the deep in the 33rd over.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/womens-odi-rankings-laura-wolvaardt-become-no1-batter-after-world-cup-heroics-mithali-raj-rises-to-6th-466680">Women's ODI Rankings: Laura Wolvaardt become No.1 batter after World Cup heroics, Mithali Raj rises to 6th</a>

West Indies seamer Chinelle Henry also picked up Ash Gardner, promoted up the order to number three, in the same over to help reduce Australia to 236/3.

But Beth Mooney 43* and Meg Lanning 26* took the score past 300 and left West Indies with a mountain that was too difficult to climb as Australia moved through to the title decider with ease.

Brief score: Australia 305/3 (Alyssa Healy 129, Rachael Haynes 85; Chinelle Henry 2/51) vs West Indies 148/10 (Stafanie Taylor 48, Hayley Matthews 34; Jess Jonassen 2/14).

A brilliant century from Alyssa Healy and an outstanding cameo from Rachael Haynes helped Australia defeat West Indies in the semi-finals by 158-run in the ongoing ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022 here at the Basin Reserve on Wednesday.

A brilliant century from Alyssa Healy and an outstanding cameo from Rachael Haynes helped Australia defeat West Indies in the semi-finals by 158-run in the ongoing ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022 here at the Basin Reserve on Wednesday. Healy smashed 129 from 107 balls and Haynes scored 85 from 100 deliveries putting on 216 runs for the opening wicket to help Australia amass 305/3 in a rain-curtailed match, which was reduced to 45 overs. Chasing 306, skipper Stafanie Taylor (48) played a lone hand for West Indies, while Deandra Dottin and Hayley Matthews scored 34 runs each at the top of the order. ALSO READ: ICC planning to bring parity in prize money for men's and women's events, says CEO Geoff Allardice But they received little support from others as Australia cruised home. Experienced spinner Jess Jonassen bowled well to claim two wickets and five others picked up one scalp each, while Beth Mooney took the catch of the tournament to go with her unbeaten 43 with the bat. Earlier, Healy and Haynes put on 216 runs for the opening wicket at an excellent clip as Australia amassed a huge score after being sent into bat first. It was a scintillating partnership from Healy and Haynes, as the duo dined out on some poor West Indies bowling to put on the third-highest opening stand in Australia's WODI history. Shamilia Connell finally got the breakthrough when she had Healy caught in the deep in the 33rd over. ALSO READ: Women's ODI Rankings: Laura Wolvaardt become No.1 batter after World Cup heroics, Mithali Raj rises to 6th West Indies seamer Chinelle Henry also picked up Ash Gardner, promoted up the order to number three, in the same over to help reduce Australia to 236/3. But Beth Mooney 43* and Meg Lanning 26* took the score past 300 and left West Indies with a mountain that was too difficult to climb as Australia moved through to the title decider with ease. Brief score: Australia 305/3 (Alyssa Healy 129, Rachael Haynes 85; Chinelle Henry 2/51) vs West Indies 148/10 (Stafanie Taylor 48, Hayley Matthews 34; Jess Jonassen 2/14).

Women's World Cup: Healy, Haynes star as dominant Australia thrash West Indies by 157 runs to enter final

Another day, another World Cup heartbreak for India. On Sunday (March 27), India were up against South Africa in their last league stage encounter in the Women's World Cup, in New Zealand, to book the fourth semi-finals spot.&nbsp;

It was a good start to the must-win game&nbsp;for Mithali Raj's troops. India won the toss and opted to bat first at the picturesque Hagley Oval, Christchurch. The coin toss' decision turned out to be correct for the Indian eves as they rode on an impressive 91-run opening stand between Shafali Verma-Smriti Mandhana. Fifties from Mandhana, Shafali and Mithali propelled India to 274/7 in 50 overs. While Proteas had already qualified and were sure to end at the second spot, they also needed a win to return&nbsp;to winning ways before the knockouts. Nonetheless, it was a herculean task. They had to face 30 overs of spin&nbsp;to complete the second-best run-chase in World Cup history.&nbsp;

India inflicted a run-out early in South Africa's run-chase. Further, they overcame a 125-run second-wicket stand between in-form Laura Wolvaardt-Lara Goodall, pulled off a comeback with regular fall of wickets only to stutter in the concluding stage of the match. A last-ball defeat, with a no-ball twist on the penultimate delivery, sealed India's fortunes in what was a bittersweet campaign.

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🚨 MUST WATCH 🚨 
 
Drama 🔁 Agony 🔁 Ecstasy 
 
An all-access, behind-the-scenes look at an epic India-South Africa finale 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC22</a> <a href="https://t.co/U4yMELBbfH">pic.twitter.com/U4yMELBbfH</a>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-are-proud-of-you-virat-kohli-reacts-after-mithali-raj-led-india-bow-out-of-womens-world-cup-466260">We are proud of you: Virat Kohli reacts after Mithali Raj-led India bow out of Women's World Cup</a>

Was it always coming?&nbsp;

Prior to the World Cup, India toured England and Australia last year. In addition, they arrived in New Zealand much before and&nbsp;played a T20I and five ODIs versus the host nation in February. Having been accustomed to conditions for quite long, they slowly gained some mileage in the CWC'2022 edition. However, they&nbsp;never came to their very best against Australia, England, and New Zealand; paying a heavy price ultimately. The three losses to big teams made their progress tougher. No settled XI, lack of exposure as a batting unit, inability to play big shots at will, and the missing venom in the pace battery, with too much reliance on Jhulan Goswami, marked their inevitable downfall.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mithali-raj-reacts-to-retirement-rumours-after-womens-wc-2022-elimination-466067">Mithali Raj reacts to retirement rumours after Women's WC 2022 elimination</a>

It has still only been a day since India's heartbreaking exit. Probably, criticism can wait for a bit longer. The manner of the defeat, which was of the barest of margins, will surely dent the young girls. Nonetheless, these young guns such as Sneh Rana, Shafali, Meghna Singh, Pooja Vastrakar, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia, etc. can keep their heads high. As former India women's coach WV Raman rightly pointed out in his tweet, 'the glory is not in falling, but rising every time you fall'.

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A disappointing finish for the <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCIWomen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BCCIWomen</a> in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC22</a>. But remember girls, the glory is not in falling, but rising every time you fall..<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ICCWomensWorldCup2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ICCWomensWorldCup2022</a>
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Despite the loss, what are the positives? Well, to force the BCCI to 'propose' Women's IPL is probably the biggest takeaway for the Indian eves. Moreover, the Mitahlis, Jhulans, Mandhanas, Harmanpreet, etc. have set the base for women's cricket. As a result, India's nucleus is still strong and, thus, they have impressed in all ICC events since the last ODI World Cup, even though they remain trophy-less. With back-to-back heartbreaks in close finishes, India need to work on their temperament. Nonetheless, nothing is lost. It might seem to be the case. But there should be no hesitance in falling as the rise is never too far away.

In the virtual post-match conference, Mithali looked at the brighter side and said, "There will be generations of players coming and going, the team definitely will have to get going after every World Cup, there is always a change in the team, in the dressing room. There'll be fresh faces in, there will be some experienced players in - so I think every team has to go through this process of rebuilding a team after the World Cup, especially after the one day World Cup, so that they prepare for the coming World Cups in another four years. And I guess we are no different, probably the Indian team also will probably go through the same transformation."

As clichéd as it may sound, these are tough times. But there will be light at the end of this tunnel. Very soon, we shall find the&nbsp;missing pieces of the puzzle. Just as Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble's&nbsp;World Cup dreams were fulfilled by a young brigade, the same is&nbsp;likely to&nbsp;be the case for the senior women's team in the coming years...

Another day, another World Cup heartbreak for India. On Sunday (March 27), India were up against South Africa in their last league stage encounter in the Women's World Cup, in New Zealand, to book the fourth semi-finals spot.

Another day, another World Cup heartbreak for India. On Sunday (March 27), India were up against South Africa in their last league stage encounter in the Women's World Cup, in New Zealand, to book the fourth semi-finals spot. It was a good start to the must-win game for Mithali Raj's troops. India won the toss and opted to bat first at the picturesque Hagley Oval, Christchurch. The coin toss' decision turned out to be correct for the Indian eves as they rode on an impressive 91-run opening stand between Shafali Verma-Smriti Mandhana. Fifties from Mandhana, Shafali and Mithali propelled India to 274/7 in 50 overs. While Proteas had already qualified and were sure to end at the second spot, they also needed a win to return to winning ways before the knockouts. Nonetheless, it was a herculean task. They had to face 30 overs of spin to complete the second-best run-chase in World Cup history. India inflicted a run-out early in South Africa's run-chase. Further, they overcame a 125-run second-wicket stand between in-form Laura Wolvaardt-Lara Goodall, pulled off a comeback with regular fall of wickets only to stutter in the concluding stage of the match. A last-ball defeat, with a no-ball twist on the penultimate delivery, sealed India's fortunes in what was a bittersweet campaign. 🚨 MUST WATCH 🚨 Drama 🔁 Agony 🔁 Ecstasy An all-access, behind-the-scenes look at an epic India-South Africa finale 🔥#CWC22 pic.twitter.com/U4yMELBbfH — ICC (@ICC) March 28, 2022 × ALSO READ | We are proud of you: Virat Kohli reacts after Mithali Raj-led India bow out of Women's World Cup Was it always coming? Prior to the World Cup, India toured England and Australia last year. In addition, they arrived in New Zealand much before and played a T20I and five ODIs versus the host nation in February. Having been accustomed to conditions for quite long, they slowly gained some mileage in the CWC'2022 edition. However, they never came to their very best against Australia, England, and New Zealand; paying a heavy price ultimately. The three losses to big teams made their progress tougher. No settled XI, lack of exposure as a batting unit, inability to play big shots at will, and the missing venom in the pace battery, with too much reliance on Jhulan Goswami, marked their inevitable downfall. ALSO READ | Mithali Raj reacts to retirement rumours after Women's WC 2022 elimination It has still only been a day since India's heartbreaking exit. Probably, criticism can wait for a bit longer. The manner of the defeat, which was of the barest of margins, will surely dent the young girls. Nonetheless, these young guns such as Sneh Rana, Shafali, Meghna Singh, Pooja Vastrakar, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia, etc. can keep their heads high. As former India women's coach WV Raman rightly pointed out in his tweet, 'the glory is not in falling, but rising every time you fall'. A disappointing finish for the @BCCIWomen in the #CWC22. But remember girls, the glory is not in falling, but rising every time you fall..#ICCWomensWorldCup2022 — Woorkeri Raman (@wvraman) March 27, 2022 × Despite the loss, what are the positives? Well, to force the BCCI to 'propose' Women's IPL is probably the biggest takeaway for the Indian eves. Moreover, the Mitahlis, Jhulans, Mandhanas, Harmanpreet, etc. have set the base for women's cricket. As a result, India's nucleus is still strong and, thus, they have impressed in all ICC events since the last ODI World Cup, even though they remain trophy-less. With back-to-back heartbreaks in close finishes, India need to work on their temperament. Nonetheless, nothing is lost. It might seem to be the case. But there should be no hesitance in falling as the rise is never too far away. In the virtual post-match conference, Mithali looked at the brighter side and said, "There will be generations of players coming and going, the team definitely will have to get going after every World Cup, there is always a change in the team, in the dressing room. There'll be fresh faces in, there will be some experienced players in - so I think every team has to go through this process of rebuilding a team after the World Cup, especially after the one day World Cup, so that they prepare for the coming World Cups in another four years. And I guess we are no different, probably the Indian team also will probably go through the same transformation." As clichéd as it may sound, these are tough times. But there will be light at the end of this tunnel. Very soon, we shall find the missing pieces of the puzzle. Just as Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble's World Cup dreams were fulfilled by a young brigade, the same is likely to be the case for the senior women's team in the coming years...

We fall, we rise: Over to the younger lot as Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami's World Cup dream remains unfulfilled

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be up against the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 6 of the IPL 2022 edition on Wednesday evening (March 30). After losing their season-opener to Punjab Kings (PBKS), the RCB camp will be eager to turn the tables and get off the mark in the points table.

Talking about RCB's first game, they were asked to bat first at the Dr DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai versus the Punjab franchise. Despite a measured start, RCB exploded in the last ten overs courtesy fireworks from Faf du Plessis (88), Virat Kohli (41*) and Dinesh Karthik's majestic 14-ball 32 not out. While their batters had a ball in the last ten overs, RCB bowlers conceded plenty in the death overs to concede the game to PBKS, in defence of 205/2.

The batting will once again be spearheaded by captain Faf, Virat, DK whereas the likes of Sherfane Rutherford, David Willey, Wanindu Hasarange, etc. will aim to contribute with some lusty blows. RCB's main worry will be their bowlers. Having the advantage of playing at the same venue, they will be expected to come up with better plans and use the dimensions of the ground wisely.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rcb-vs-kkr-ipl-2022-prediction-who-will-win-royal-challengers-bangalore-vs-kolkata-knight-riders-match-466843">RCB vs KKR, IPL 2022 prediction: Who will win Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders match?</a>

Predicting RCB's XI for KKR clash: While the manner of defeat against PBKS would have hurt RCB, given they should've defended the tall score, the Bengaluru-based franchise shouldn't worry much as it is just the start of the season. Thus, they should ideally refrain from making wholesome changes. Finn Allen's power-hitting and all-round services can come in handy but it won't be fair to make&nbsp;Sherfane or one among Willey-Hasarange warm the bench&nbsp;after just one game. The rest of the&nbsp;line-up should also be persisted before Glenn Maxwell-Josh Hazlewood become available.

Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, David Willey, Harshal Patel, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be up against the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 6 of the IPL 2022 edition on Wednesday evening (March 30).

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be up against the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match 6 of the IPL 2022 edition on Wednesday evening (March 30). After losing their season-opener to Punjab Kings (PBKS), the RCB camp will be eager to turn the tables and get off the mark in the points table. Talking about RCB's first game, they were asked to bat first at the Dr DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai versus the Punjab franchise. Despite a measured start, RCB exploded in the last ten overs courtesy fireworks from Faf du Plessis (88), Virat Kohli (41*) and Dinesh Karthik's majestic 14-ball 32 not out. While their batters had a ball in the last ten overs, RCB bowlers conceded plenty in the death overs to concede the game to PBKS, in defence of 205/2. The batting will once again be spearheaded by captain Faf, Virat, DK whereas the likes of Sherfane Rutherford, David Willey, Wanindu Hasarange, etc. will aim to contribute with some lusty blows. RCB's main worry will be their bowlers. Having the advantage of playing at the same venue, they will be expected to come up with better plans and use the dimensions of the ground wisely. ALSO READ | RCB vs KKR, IPL 2022 prediction: Who will win Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders match? Predicting RCB's XI for KKR clash: While the manner of defeat against PBKS would have hurt RCB, given they should've defended the tall score, the Bengaluru-based franchise shouldn't worry much as it is just the start of the season. Thus, they should ideally refrain from making wholesome changes. Finn Allen's power-hitting and all-round services can come in handy but it won't be fair to make Sherfane or one among Willey-Hasarange warm the bench after just one game. The rest of the line-up should also be persisted before Glenn Maxwell-Josh Hazlewood become available. Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, David Willey, Harshal Patel, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj

IPL 2022: Will RCB remain unchanged after PBKS loss? Predicting Faf du Plessis & Co.'s playing XI for KKR tie

Match 6 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition will see the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) square off with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Dr DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Wednesday evening (March 30).&nbsp;

This will be the second game for both the franchises in the 15th season. While the new edition has just began, KKR will be confident with their spirited start as they romped past the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by six wickets in the season-opener at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Everything clicked for the KKR unit, with early strikes from the pacers to spinners choking the CSK batters before their batters led them to an easy win.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-rr-captain-sanju-samson-gives-cheeky-reply-to-danny-marrisons-title-drought-question-post-srh-win-466833">IPL 2022: RR captain Sanju Samson gives cheeky reply to Danny Marrison's title-drought question post SRH win</a>

If one has to be critical and point out a few flaws, KKR bowlers did go for a few in the last few overs as CSK managed to post 131 for 5. At one stage, it seemed they would be restricted to anything below 120. On the other hand, KKR closed the run-chase in the penultimate over. Nonetheless, it was a big win and the newly-formed KKR franchise made a statement in their first encounter.&nbsp;

On the other hand, similar problems persist&nbsp;with the RCB franchise. The three-time runners-up rode on fine knocks from skipper Faf du Plessis (88), Virat Kohli's 29-ball 41* and Dinesh Karthik's 14-ball 32 not out to post 205-2 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first in their season-opener versus the Punjab Kings (PBKS). Nonetheless, their death-bowling didn't stand up as RCB conceded the game in the final over, losing by five wickets.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/updated-ipl-2022-points-table-after-rjasthan-royals-vs-sunrisers-hyderabad-clash-466775">Updated IPL 2022 points table after Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad clash</a>

Match prediction for KKR vs RCB clash:&nbsp;The venue is expected to remain good&nbsp;for batters. Expect some big hits from the likes of Faf, Kohli, Andre Russell, Shreyas Iyer, Karthik, Venkatesh Iyer, etc. Both teams will fancy bowling first. If RCB lose the toss and are made to bowl second, their death-bowling will once again be challenged. On the other hand, KKR have variety in their bowling department, which gives them a certain edge for the encounter.

Match 6 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition will see the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) square off with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Dr DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Wednesday evening (March 30).

Match 6 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition will see the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) square off with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Dr DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Wednesday evening (March 30). This will be the second game for both the franchises in the 15th season. While the new edition has just began, KKR will be confident with their spirited start as they romped past the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by six wickets in the season-opener at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Everything clicked for the KKR unit, with early strikes from the pacers to spinners choking the CSK batters before their batters led them to an easy win. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: RR captain Sanju Samson gives cheeky reply to Danny Marrison's title-drought question post SRH win If one has to be critical and point out a few flaws, KKR bowlers did go for a few in the last few overs as CSK managed to post 131 for 5. At one stage, it seemed they would be restricted to anything below 120. On the other hand, KKR closed the run-chase in the penultimate over. Nonetheless, it was a big win and the newly-formed KKR franchise made a statement in their first encounter. On the other hand, similar problems persist with the RCB franchise. The three-time runners-up rode on fine knocks from skipper Faf du Plessis (88), Virat Kohli's 29-ball 41* and Dinesh Karthik's 14-ball 32 not out to post 205-2 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first in their season-opener versus the Punjab Kings (PBKS). Nonetheless, their death-bowling didn't stand up as RCB conceded the game in the final over, losing by five wickets. ALSO READ | Updated IPL 2022 points table after Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad clash Match prediction for KKR vs RCB clash: The venue is expected to remain good for batters. Expect some big hits from the likes of Faf, Kohli, Andre Russell, Shreyas Iyer, Karthik, Venkatesh Iyer, etc. Both teams will fancy bowling first. If RCB lose the toss and are made to bowl second, their death-bowling will once again be challenged. On the other hand, KKR have variety in their bowling department, which gives them a certain edge for the encounter.

RCB vs KKR, IPL 2022 prediction: Who will win Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders match?

Match 4 of the IPL 2022 edition saw two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) face each other at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Monday evening (March 28). As both were eager to start off with a bang, it was a riveting contest which went down to the last over before Hardik Pandya's Gujarat emerged on top with a five-wicket win.

It was a topsy-turvy contest from the word go. Courtesy Mohammed Shami's early strikes, KL Rahul-led Lucknow were on the back foot with their big guns back in the pavillion (such as&nbsp;Rahul, Evin Lewis and Quinton de Kock) before Deepak Hooda-Ayush Badoni's fifties and Krunal Pandya's 13-ball 21* as the team posted 158-6. In reply, Gujarat rode on Matthew Wade-Hardik's knocks but were behind in the run-chase ahead of the final overs before David Miller's 30 (21) and Rahul Tewatia's match-winning 24-ball 40* propelled Gujarat to their maiden win.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rahul-tewatia-mohammed-shami-steer-gujarat-titans-to-five-wicket-win-on-ipl-debut-466498">Rahul Tewatia, Mohammed Shami steer Gujarat Titans to five-wicket win on IPL debut</a>

During the game, there was a heartfelt moment between Lucknow teammates Krunal and Deepak. For the unversed, both&nbsp;Hooda and Krunal were involved in a huge controversy during last&nbsp;year's Syed Mushtaq Ali Tournament, where they were a part of Team&nbsp;Baroda. Back then,&nbsp;Hooda&nbsp;had accused his state captain Krunal of bullying him and, later, went on to&nbsp;part ways and&nbsp;quit the team. Nonetheless, it seems everything is now in the past and the duo have let bygones be bygones.

During Gujarat's chase, Hooda caught opener Shubman Gill, off Dushmantha Chameera, as the right-hander fell for a 3-ball duck. Thus, an excited Krunal came running towards Hooda and the two hugged it out in the middle:

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Krunal Pandya hugging Deepak hooda <a href="https://t.co/umWJhY0Etu">https://t.co/umWJhY0Etu</a> <a href="https://t.co/InTfczI3jn">pic.twitter.com/InTfczI3jn</a>
— Uneeb🇮🇳 (@khan_68578) <a href="https://twitter.com/khan_68578/status/1508477819709501452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-points-table-gujarat-titans-grab-fourth-spot-with-victory-over-lucknow-super-giants-466492">IPL 2022 points table: Gujarat Titans grab fourth spot with victory over Lucknow Super Giants</a>

Earlier, Krunal had even given a pat on Hooda's back after the former replaced him in the middle following the right-hander's&nbsp;dismissal during Lucknow's innings. Both of them had a good game (Krunal and Hooda also claimed a wicket each) but couldn't take their team to a winning start.

Post Lucknow's close defeat, captain&nbsp;Rahul said at the post-match presentation, "It was a phenomenal game. What a way to start the campaign. Starting off like that with the bat was not ideal but the way we recovered was phenomenal. It gives us so much confidence when the batters in the middle and lower order can do the job. We know with the Wankhede the ball can do a bit at the start and if we can get through that it will be ideal. We couldn't have started the campaign in any better way."&nbsp;

Match 4 of the IPL 2022 edition saw two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) face each other at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Monday evening (March 28).

Match 4 of the IPL 2022 edition saw two debutant teams in the form of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) face each other at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Monday evening (March 28). As both were eager to start off with a bang, it was a riveting contest which went down to the last over before Hardik Pandya's Gujarat emerged on top with a five-wicket win. It was a topsy-turvy contest from the word go. Courtesy Mohammed Shami's early strikes, KL Rahul-led Lucknow were on the back foot with their big guns back in the pavillion (such as Rahul, Evin Lewis and Quinton de Kock) before Deepak Hooda-Ayush Badoni's fifties and Krunal Pandya's 13-ball 21* as the team posted 158-6. In reply, Gujarat rode on Matthew Wade-Hardik's knocks but were behind in the run-chase ahead of the final overs before David Miller's 30 (21) and Rahul Tewatia's match-winning 24-ball 40* propelled Gujarat to their maiden win. ALSO READ | Rahul Tewatia, Mohammed Shami steer Gujarat Titans to five-wicket win on IPL debut During the game, there was a heartfelt moment between Lucknow teammates Krunal and Deepak. For the unversed, both Hooda and Krunal were involved in a huge controversy during last year's Syed Mushtaq Ali Tournament, where they were a part of Team Baroda. Back then, Hooda had accused his state captain Krunal of bullying him and, later, went on to part ways and quit the team. Nonetheless, it seems everything is now in the past and the duo have let bygones be bygones. During Gujarat's chase, Hooda caught opener Shubman Gill, off Dushmantha Chameera, as the right-hander fell for a 3-ball duck. Thus, an excited Krunal came running towards Hooda and the two hugged it out in the middle: Krunal Pandya hugging Deepak hooda https://t.co/umWJhY0Etu pic.twitter.com/InTfczI3jn — Uneeb🇮🇳 (@khan_68578) March 28, 2022 × ALSO READ | IPL 2022 points table: Gujarat Titans grab fourth spot with victory over Lucknow Super Giants Earlier, Krunal had even given a pat on Hooda's back after the former replaced him in the middle following the right-hander's dismissal during Lucknow's innings. Both of them had a good game (Krunal and Hooda also claimed a wicket each) but couldn't take their team to a winning start. Post Lucknow's close defeat, captain Rahul said at the post-match presentation, "It was a phenomenal game. What a way to start the campaign. Starting off like that with the bat was not ideal but the way we recovered was phenomenal. It gives us so much confidence when the batters in the middle and lower order can do the job. We know with the Wankhede the ball can do a bit at the start and if we can get through that it will be ideal. We couldn't have started the campaign in any better way."

IPL 2022: Krunal, Hooda hug it out during Lucknow Super Giants' face-off vs Gujarat Titans - WATCH

Shoaib Akhtar remains a big name in world cricket. The Rawalpindi Express was known for his ferocious pace and ended his stellar international career with 444 wickets overall, apart from battling several injuries and controversies.

Akhtar was among the Pakistani players who took part in the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008. Akhtar was part of the Sourav Ganguly-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise but hardly played a lot of games. The former pacer ended the season with only three games, accounting for a total of five scalps. He, however, contributed with&nbsp;a Player-of-the-Match performance in KKR's thrilling win over Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata (where he returned with 4 for 11 in Kolkata's defence of 134). It was also his maiden outing for the franchise.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/old-vintage-virat-kohli-aakash-chopra-praises-former-rcb-skipper-for-his-unbeaten-41-vs-pbks-466370">Old vintage Virat Kohli: Aakash Chopra praises former RCB skipper for his unbeaten 41 vs PBKS</a>

During his maiden IPL game, Akhtar went all-out in celebrating one of his&nbsp;scalps and recalled how he took former KKR opener, Aakash Chopra, by surprise.&nbsp;

"I remember in that (KKR vs DD) game I was charged up after taking a wicket and had grabbed Aakash Chopra by the collar to pull him closer. He then requested that I be careful not to break his ribs while doing that. After that, I also jumped on Salman Butt while celebrating."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-looked-at-anushka-sharma-in-shock-virat-kohli-recalls-ab-de-villiers-shocking-ipl-retirement-466667">'I looked at Anushka Sharma in shock' - Virat Kohli recalls AB de Villiers' shocking IPL retirement</a>

Since the IPL 2008 edition, no Pakistani player has featured in the tournament in the following seasons. At present, Akhtar remains vocal on various aspects of the gentlemen's game whereas KKR have got off to a winning start in IPL 2022, beating defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with ease in the season-opener on March 26.

Shoaib Akhtar remains a big name in world cricket. The Rawalpindi Express was known for his ferocious pace and ended his stellar international career with 444 wickets overall, apart from battling several injuries and controversies.

Shoaib Akhtar remains a big name in world cricket. The Rawalpindi Express was known for his ferocious pace and ended his stellar international career with 444 wickets overall, apart from battling several injuries and controversies. Akhtar was among the Pakistani players who took part in the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008. Akhtar was part of the Sourav Ganguly-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise but hardly played a lot of games. The former pacer ended the season with only three games, accounting for a total of five scalps. He, however, contributed with a Player-of-the-Match performance in KKR's thrilling win over Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata (where he returned with 4 for 11 in Kolkata's defence of 134). It was also his maiden outing for the franchise. ALSO READ | Old vintage Virat Kohli: Aakash Chopra praises former RCB skipper for his unbeaten 41 vs PBKS During his maiden IPL game, Akhtar went all-out in celebrating one of his scalps and recalled how he took former KKR opener, Aakash Chopra, by surprise. "I remember in that (KKR vs DD) game I was charged up after taking a wicket and had grabbed Aakash Chopra by the collar to pull him closer. He then requested that I be careful not to break his ribs while doing that. After that, I also jumped on Salman Butt while celebrating." ALSO READ | 'I looked at Anushka Sharma in shock' - Virat Kohli recalls AB de Villiers' shocking IPL retirement Since the IPL 2008 edition, no Pakistani player has featured in the tournament in the following seasons. At present, Akhtar remains vocal on various aspects of the gentlemen's game whereas KKR have got off to a winning start in IPL 2022, beating defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with ease in the season-opener on March 26.

Aakash Chopra requested me to not break his ribs: Shoaib Akhtar recalls his KKR days during IPL 2008

North Macedonia's surprise win away to Italy in their World Cup playoff semi-final last week set up an unexpected clash against Portugal with the country's Prime Minister offering the squad 500,000 euros ($549,300.00) if they reach the 2022 tournament.

The result shocked the soccer world and derailed a possible clash between the last two European champions Italy and Portugal, who both surprisingly missed out on automatically qualifying from the group stage for the World Cup in Qatar.

After the playoff draw the headlines were all about the expected drama of one of the two soccer powers missing out on the finals with so many top players in their squads and how a likely playoff showdown between them would be full of drama.

But North Macedonia did not follow the script and knocked four-time World Cup winners Italy out of contention.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-begins-talks-over-alternative-proposals-to-biennial-world-cup-plan-466692">FIFA begins talks over alternative proposals to biennial World Cup plan</a>

Portugal meanwhile survived late drama in their playoff semi-final as they beat Turkey 3-1 after visiting striker Burak Yilmaz missed a penalty five minutes from the end that could have forced extra time at Porto’s sold-out Dragao stadium.

Italy did not have such luck in Palermo, losing 1-0 after an added time Aleksandar Trajkovski goal silenced the crowd at the Renzo Barbera stadium who watched in disbelief as the opposing bench ran onto the pitch to celebrate victory with the players.

North Macedonia, who featured at Euro 2020 in their first appearance at a major tournament since the break up of Yugoslavia three decades ago, will now face Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in another packed stadium in Porto on Tuesday.

The 50,000 tickets for Tuesday's game at the Dragao stadium were sold out in a few hours amid huge expectations&nbsp;from local fans as Portugal bid for a place at the global tournament.

Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski, who last year went to the Vatican to ask Pope Francis to pray for the team, went onto their plane on Sunday to wish the squad goodbye before they left for Porto and promised to reward them if they reach the finals.

BIGGEST ALLY

Macedonia coach Blagoja Milevski's biggest ally as they prepare to face Portugal will probably be the fact that their opponents have no idea what approach his team will take.

"To be honest, we don't really know what to expect next Tuesday," Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva told a news conference on Sunday, explaining that they were surprised at how differently Macedonia played in their previous matches.

Milevski explained their approach before the Italy clash, telling reporters: “Every game is unique, so anything can happen. I don’t have any specific pattern I like to follow.

“Of course, we are not at the same level as Italy yet but we're not here as a fluke and we expect to put in a great performance. I want my players to go out there and enjoy themselves.”

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/north-macedonia-clash-matter-of-life-and-death-want-hell-breaking-loose-at-stadium-cristiano-ronaldo-466678">North Macedonia clash matter of life and death, want hell breaking loose at stadium: Cristiano Ronaldo</a>

And they did just that as they produced an upset for the ages that surprised the Portuguese as much as Italy.

"I won't lie, we were all expecting it was going to be Italy (in the playoff final)," Portugal midfielder Joao Moutinho told a news conference on Saturday.

Portugal coach Fernando Santos is very much aware of the quality of their opponents, pointing out that North Macedonia won four of their last five World Cup qualifiers on the road.

"They won in Germany and in Italy. To say they are weaker is the wrong way of approaching this game," Santos said on Monday.

"We'll face North Macedonia with the same mentality as we would have against Italy. I know it’s the game of their lives, but it's also ours too. We can't afford missing the World Cup."

North Macedonia's surprise win away to Italy in their World Cup playoff semi-final last week set up an unexpected clash against Portugal with the country's Prime Minister offering the squad 500,000 euros ($549,300.

North Macedonia's surprise win away to Italy in their World Cup playoff semi-final last week set up an unexpected clash against Portugal with the country's Prime Minister offering the squad 500,000 euros ($549,300.00) if they reach the 2022 tournament. The result shocked the soccer world and derailed a possible clash between the last two European champions Italy and Portugal, who both surprisingly missed out on automatically qualifying from the group stage for the World Cup in Qatar. After the playoff draw the headlines were all about the expected drama of one of the two soccer powers missing out on the finals with so many top players in their squads and how a likely playoff showdown between them would be full of drama. But North Macedonia did not follow the script and knocked four-time World Cup winners Italy out of contention. ALSO READ: FIFA begins talks over alternative proposals to biennial World Cup plan Portugal meanwhile survived late drama in their playoff semi-final as they beat Turkey 3-1 after visiting striker Burak Yilmaz missed a penalty five minutes from the end that could have forced extra time at Porto’s sold-out Dragao stadium. Italy did not have such luck in Palermo, losing 1-0 after an added time Aleksandar Trajkovski goal silenced the crowd at the Renzo Barbera stadium who watched in disbelief as the opposing bench ran onto the pitch to celebrate victory with the players. North Macedonia, who featured at Euro 2020 in their first appearance at a major tournament since the break up of Yugoslavia three decades ago, will now face Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in another packed stadium in Porto on Tuesday. The 50,000 tickets for Tuesday's game at the Dragao stadium were sold out in a few hours amid huge expectations from local fans as Portugal bid for a place at the global tournament. Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski, who last year went to the Vatican to ask Pope Francis to pray for the team, went onto their plane on Sunday to wish the squad goodbye before they left for Porto and promised to reward them if they reach the finals. BIGGEST ALLY Macedonia coach Blagoja Milevski's biggest ally as they prepare to face Portugal will probably be the fact that their opponents have no idea what approach his team will take. "To be honest, we don't really know what to expect next Tuesday," Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva told a news conference on Sunday, explaining that they were surprised at how differently Macedonia played in their previous matches. Milevski explained their approach before the Italy clash, telling reporters: “Every game is unique, so anything can happen. I don’t have any specific pattern I like to follow. “Of course, we are not at the same level as Italy yet but we're not here as a fluke and we expect to put in a great performance. I want my players to go out there and enjoy themselves.” ALSO READ: North Macedonia clash matter of life and death, want hell breaking loose at stadium: Cristiano Ronaldo And they did just that as they produced an upset for the ages that surprised the Portuguese as much as Italy. "I won't lie, we were all expecting it was going to be Italy (in the playoff final)," Portugal midfielder Joao Moutinho told a news conference on Saturday. Portugal coach Fernando Santos is very much aware of the quality of their opponents, pointing out that North Macedonia won four of their last five World Cup qualifiers on the road. "They won in Germany and in Italy. To say they are weaker is the wrong way of approaching this game," Santos said on Monday. "We'll face North Macedonia with the same mentality as we would have against Italy. I know it’s the game of their lives, but it's also ours too. We can't afford missing the World Cup."

North Macedonia PM offers 500,000 euros to players if they upset Portugal to reach World Cup finals

KL Rahul has become an all-format player for Team India in current times. While Rahul dons the role of an opener in Tests and T20Is, the right-hander plays in the middle-order for India in the 50-over format. However, he wasn't a regular starter in all forms of the game a few years back.&nbsp;

In the 2019 ODI World Cup, Rahul was part of India's middle-order before Shikhar Dhawan's injury promoted him as an opener along with Rohit Sharma. Rahul returned with 361 runs in his maiden 50-over World Cup, with a century and two fifties. Despite his good run with the willow in the showpiece event, Rahul was part of India's T20I, ODI and Test squads for the following&nbsp;West Indies tour, however, he was dropped from the playing XI in the white-ball series.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-looked-at-anushka-sharma-in-shock-virat-kohli-recalls-ab-de-villiers-shocking-ipl-retirement-466667">'I looked at Anushka Sharma in shock' - Virat Kohli recalls AB de Villiers' shocking IPL retirement</a>

Rahul recently spilled the beans on his sudden omission from India's playing XI. In a chat with Gaurav Kapoor in the new season of Breakfast with Champions, Rahul said, "I remember in 2019, I think we played the World Cup and right after it, we went to the West Indies for a series. I played the World Cup, I did decently well and then we went into the series and I got dropped. I was messaging him, he said 'Come by the pool. I'm having a drink'. It was his 300th game the next day so he was very happy and he had some friends over. So I went. I was by the pool. He came, sat with me, spoke to me that why are you not playing."

Rahul then revealed how Universe Boss Chris Gayle came to his aid and lifted his spirits. "You know, I obviously was frustrated because I played the World Cup and I'm not playing this. Makes no sense. So, I was just talking to him and he's like 'See you can always say that you're not playing because of 100 other reasons but it's in your hands whether you play or not. If 70 is not enough, get 150. If you are getting 150, get 200 if that's not enough. That's how you need to look at things. If a 600-run IPL season is not enough, then get 800. Or like you're getting 50s, 60s in the World Cup, you should have converted that and gotten 100-120s. Then no one has the power to drop you'," he further added.

<section>
ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-kl-rahul-dismissed-for-golden-duck-on-debut-for-lucknow-super-giants-466467">IPL 2022: KL Rahul dismissed for golden duck on debut for Lucknow Super Giants</a>
Rahul is currently involved in the ongoing IPL 2022 edition, where he is leading one of the two debutant teams, i.e. the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Rahul-led LSG lost their season-opener to Gujarat Titans (GT) by 5 wickets at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Monday (March 28).</section>

KL Rahul has become an all-format player for Team India in current times. While Rahul dons the role of an opener in Tests and T20Is, the right-hander plays in the middle-order for India in the 50-over format.

KL Rahul has become an all-format player for Team India in current times. While Rahul dons the role of an opener in Tests and T20Is, the right-hander plays in the middle-order for India in the 50-over format. However, he wasn't a regular starter in all forms of the game a few years back. In the 2019 ODI World Cup, Rahul was part of India's middle-order before Shikhar Dhawan's injury promoted him as an opener along with Rohit Sharma. Rahul returned with 361 runs in his maiden 50-over World Cup, with a century and two fifties. Despite his good run with the willow in the showpiece event, Rahul was part of India's T20I, ODI and Test squads for the following West Indies tour, however, he was dropped from the playing XI in the white-ball series. ALSO READ | 'I looked at Anushka Sharma in shock' - Virat Kohli recalls AB de Villiers' shocking IPL retirement Rahul recently spilled the beans on his sudden omission from India's playing XI. In a chat with Gaurav Kapoor in the new season of Breakfast with Champions, Rahul said, "I remember in 2019, I think we played the World Cup and right after it, we went to the West Indies for a series. I played the World Cup, I did decently well and then we went into the series and I got dropped. I was messaging him, he said 'Come by the pool. I'm having a drink'. It was his 300th game the next day so he was very happy and he had some friends over. So I went. I was by the pool. He came, sat with me, spoke to me that why are you not playing." Rahul then revealed how Universe Boss Chris Gayle came to his aid and lifted his spirits. "You know, I obviously was frustrated because I played the World Cup and I'm not playing this. Makes no sense. So, I was just talking to him and he's like 'See you can always say that you're not playing because of 100 other reasons but it's in your hands whether you play or not. If 70 is not enough, get 150. If you are getting 150, get 200 if that's not enough. That's how you need to look at things. If a 600-run IPL season is not enough, then get 800. Or like you're getting 50s, 60s in the World Cup, you should have converted that and gotten 100-120s. Then no one has the power to drop you'," he further added. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: KL Rahul dismissed for golden duck on debut for Lucknow Super Giants Rahul is currently involved in the ongoing IPL 2022 edition, where he is leading one of the two debutant teams, i.e. the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Rahul-led LSG lost their season-opener to Gujarat Titans (GT) by 5 wickets at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Monday (March 28).

KL Rahul recalls being sidelined despite a good CWC'19 for India, reveals how Chris Gayle lifted his spirits

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