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Rafael Nadal’s more than two-decade-long Tennis career came to an end on Tuesday (Nov 19) after Spain’s Davis Cup exit&nbsp;against the Netherlands. With 22 Grand Slam and four Davis Cup titles, the King of Clay officially hanged his racket having announced his intention to retire earlier. After the defeat, Spain’s current top star Carlos Alcaraz opened up on the grand exit, highlighting he will miss the passion of Nadal on the court.

<h2>Alcaraz pays tribute to Nadal</h2>

"I will remember the passion with which Rafa lives for this sport, the passion with which he has experienced every second of this tournament. It's incredible," Alcaraz said.

"I have been fortunate to have him close, train with him, share the locker room in important tournaments, but not as much as I would have liked. I wish I had reached the circuit earlier. I have unforgettable moments with my idol, someone I have admired since I was young; thanks to him, I wanted to become a professional," he added.

Nadal’s exit was confirmed after Botic van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof secured a 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/3) win in doubles with 14-time French Open champion losing 6-4, 6-4 in straight sets earlier in the day.

Nadal’s defeat to Van de Zandschulp put Spain on the back foot as they trailed after the opening contest. This was followed by Carlos Alcaraz’s 7-6 (7/0), 6-3 victory over Tallon Griekspoor in the other singles match taking the tie to deciding men’s doubles where the Dutch came out on top.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-rafael-nadal-bids-farewell-to-illustrious-career-after-spains-davis-cup-exit-against-netherlands-777515">Rafael Nadal bids farewell to illustrious career after Spain's Davis Cup exit against Netherlands</a>

<h2>Nadal’s legacy lives on</h2>

A 22-time Grand Slam champion, the Spaniard was nicknamed King of Clay for his outright dominance at the French Open. The 38-year-old won an astonishing 14 titles in the French capital and only&nbsp;lost four matches. He has won the Australian Open and Wimbledon twice, highlighting his dominance on all surfaces. He won four US Open singles titles while also winning the 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medal to complete a gold slam.

Nadal is also a four-time Davis Cup winner with Spain, having won his last honour in 2019. His last Grand Slam title win at the 2022 Australian Open also saw him become the most successful men’s singles tennis player, only to be overtaken by Novak Djokovic, now residing with 24 Grand Slam titles.

Rafael Nadal’s more than two-decade-long Tennis career came to an end on Tuesday (Nov 19) after Spain’s Davis Cup exit against the Netherlands. With 22 Grand Slam and four Davis Cup titles, the King of Clay officially hanged his racket having announced his intention to retire earlier.

Rafael Nadal’s more than two-decade-long Tennis career came to an end on Tuesday (Nov 19) after Spain’s Davis Cup exit against the Netherlands. With 22 Grand Slam and four Davis Cup titles, the King of Clay officially hanged his racket having announced his intention to retire earlier. After the defeat, Spain’s current top star Carlos Alcaraz opened up on the grand exit, highlighting he will miss the passion of Nadal on the court. Alcaraz pays tribute to Nadal "I will remember the passion with which Rafa lives for this sport, the passion with which he has experienced every second of this tournament. It's incredible," Alcaraz said. "I have been fortunate to have him close, train with him, share the locker room in important tournaments, but not as much as I would have liked. I wish I had reached the circuit earlier. I have unforgettable moments with my idol, someone I have admired since I was young; thanks to him, I wanted to become a professional," he added. Nadal’s exit was confirmed after Botic van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof secured a 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/3) win in doubles with 14-time French Open champion losing 6-4, 6-4 in straight sets earlier in the day. Nadal’s defeat to Van de Zandschulp put Spain on the back foot as they trailed after the opening contest. This was followed by Carlos Alcaraz’s 7-6 (7/0), 6-3 victory over Tallon Griekspoor in the other singles match taking the tie to deciding men’s doubles where the Dutch came out on top. ALSO READ | Rafael Nadal bids farewell to illustrious career after Spain's Davis Cup exit against Netherlands Nadal’s legacy lives on A 22-time Grand Slam champion, the Spaniard was nicknamed King of Clay for his outright dominance at the French Open. The 38-year-old won an astonishing 14 titles in the French capital and only lost four matches. He has won the Australian Open and Wimbledon twice, highlighting his dominance on all surfaces. He won four US Open singles titles while also winning the 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medal to complete a gold slam. Nadal is also a four-time Davis Cup winner with Spain, having won his last honour in 2019. His last Grand Slam title win at the 2022 Australian Open also saw him become the most successful men’s singles tennis player, only to be overtaken by Novak Djokovic, now residing with 24 Grand Slam titles.

Carlos Alcaraz pays tribute to retiring Rafael Nadal, says 'I will remember the passion'

Tennis great Rafael Nadal has bid farewell to an illustrious career after Spain exited at the Davis Cup 2024 on Tuesday (Nov 19) in Malaga. Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam winner therefore dropped curtains on a career that spanned more than two decades having earlier announced his intention to retire at the end of the Davis Cup. The exit was confirmed after Botic van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof secured a 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/3) win in doubles with Nadal having lost 6-4, 6-4 in straight sets earlier in the day.

<h2>Nadal bids farewell</h2>

Having graced the game for over two decades, the 38-year-old was in the twilight of his career and needed Spain to temporarily extend his career with the Netherlands in the running in the quarterfinal. However, his defeat to Van de Zandschulp put Spain on the back foot in the first singles match. This was followed by Carlos Alcaraz’s 7-6 (7/0), 6-3 victory over Tallon Griekspoor in the other singles match taking the tie to deciding men’s doubles where the Dutch came out on top.&nbsp;

Nadal appeared emotional during the Spanish national anthem, and over 10,000 fans filled the arena with chants of "Rafa, Rafa," when it ended.

"I was having an emotional day, nerves before what could be my last singles match as a professional," said Nadal.

"The emotions of hearing the national anthem for the last time as a professional were very special."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/japan-move-closer-to-fifa-world-cup-2026-qualification-with-crushing-win-over-china-777504">Japan move closer to FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification with crushing win over China</a>

<h2>Nadal’s legacy lives on</h2>

A 22-time Grand Slam champion, the Spaniard was nicknamed King of Clay for his outright dominance at the French Open. The 38-year-old won an astonishing 14 titles in the French capital and only&nbsp;lost four matches. He has won the Australian Open and Wimbledon twice, highlighting his dominance on all surfaces. He won four US Open singles titles while also winning the 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medal to complete a gold slam.

Nadal is also a four-time Davis Cup winner with Spain, having won his last honour in 2019. His last Grand Slam title win at the 2022 Australian Open also saw him become the most successful men’s singles tennis player, only to be overtaken by Novak Djokovic, now residing with 24 Grand Slam titles.

Tennis great Rafael Nadal has bid farewell to an illustrious career after Spain exited at the Davis Cup 2024 on Tuesday (Nov 19) in Malaga. Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam winner therefore dropped curtains on a career that spanned more than two decades having earlier announced his intention to retire at the end of the Davis Cup.

Tennis great Rafael Nadal has bid farewell to an illustrious career after Spain exited at the Davis Cup 2024 on Tuesday (Nov 19) in Malaga. Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam winner therefore dropped curtains on a career that spanned more than two decades having earlier announced his intention to retire at the end of the Davis Cup. The exit was confirmed after Botic van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof secured a 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/3) win in doubles with Nadal having lost 6-4, 6-4 in straight sets earlier in the day. Nadal bids farewell Having graced the game for over two decades, the 38-year-old was in the twilight of his career and needed Spain to temporarily extend his career with the Netherlands in the running in the quarterfinal. However, his defeat to Van de Zandschulp put Spain on the back foot in the first singles match. This was followed by Carlos Alcaraz’s 7-6 (7/0), 6-3 victory over Tallon Griekspoor in the other singles match taking the tie to deciding men’s doubles where the Dutch came out on top. Nadal appeared emotional during the Spanish national anthem, and over 10,000 fans filled the arena with chants of "Rafa, Rafa," when it ended. "I was having an emotional day, nerves before what could be my last singles match as a professional," said Nadal. "The emotions of hearing the national anthem for the last time as a professional were very special." ALSO READ | Japan move closer to FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification with crushing win over China Nadal’s legacy lives on A 22-time Grand Slam champion, the Spaniard was nicknamed King of Clay for his outright dominance at the French Open. The 38-year-old won an astonishing 14 titles in the French capital and only lost four matches. He has won the Australian Open and Wimbledon twice, highlighting his dominance on all surfaces. He won four US Open singles titles while also winning the 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medal to complete a gold slam. Nadal is also a four-time Davis Cup winner with Spain, having won his last honour in 2019. His last Grand Slam title win at the 2022 Australian Open also saw him become the most successful men’s singles tennis player, only to be overtaken by Novak Djokovic, now residing with 24 Grand Slam titles.

Rafael Nadal bids farewell to illustrious career after Spain's Davis Cup exit

A magnificent volley from Lautaro Martinez was enough to give world champions Argentina a 1-0 win over Peru while ten-man Ecuador upset Colombia with a 1-0 victory in South American World Cup qualifying on Tuesday.

Argentina remain on top of the CONMEBOL standings with their qualification for the 2026 tournament surely just a matter of time.

It was far from a vintage performance from Lionel Scaloni's team, the winners of the last two Copa America tournaments, but a moment of magic from Inter Milan's Martinez proved decisive.

Julian Alvarez went closest to breaking through in the first half when he struck the post after good work from Martinez.

Argentina were dominating possession without creating many openings but with frustration starting to creep in among the crowd at the 'Bombonera' stadium in Buenos Aires, Martinez delivered.

Lionel Messi floated in a cross from the left and Martinez leapt into the air, leaning back as he cracked a thundering left-volley past Pedro Gallese.

Argentina's eighth win from 12 games leaves them on 25 points at the top of the table. Second-placed Uruguay were playing later at Brazil.

In Barranquilla, a gritty victory from 10-man Ecuador moved Sebastian Beccacece's young side into third place in the 10-team qualifying group.

Veteran striker Enner Valencia stunned the home crowd with an outstanding solo effort in the seventh minute, the former West Ham United forward breaking away from three Colombian defenders and powering into the box before slotting home.

Colombia forward Jhon Cordoba then missed a golden opportunity to level the score, stumbling off balance and missing from point blank range after being set up by James Rodriguez.

Cordoba was central to the 34th minute incident that left Ecuador short-handed for the rest of the game.

The gangly striker raced clear and rounded Ecuador keeper Hernan Galindez before going down as Piero Hincapie closed in on him.

The referee ruled that Hincapie had tripped the forward and despite lengthy appeals and a VAR review the decision stood.

Galindez was then alert to keep out the resulting free-kick from Rodriguez and the keeper then had a busy end to the half as Colombia peppered his goal.

Liverpool winger Luis Diaz headed a Daniel Munoz cross against the post and Galindez did well to smother Cordoba at close range.

Colombia grew increasingly frustrated as Ecuador's defence held firm in the second half with Galindez parrying to keep out substitute Jhon Duran and the unfortunate Cordoba blasted the loose ball high and wide from a tight angle.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-rafael-nadal-bids-farewell-to-illustrious-career-after-spains-davis-cup-exit-against-netherlands-777515">Rafael Nadal bids farewell to illustrious career after Spain's Davis Cup exit against Netherlands</a>

<h2>Paraguay draw, Chile win</h2>

Elsewhere Tuesday, Paraguay earned a 2-2 draw at Bolivia with the home side going ahead in the 15th minute with a confident strike from Ervin Vaca.

Newcastle United forward Miguel Almiron levelled for Paraguay in the 71st minute with a clinical finish after a smart passing move across the box.

Bolivia restored their lead nine minutes later with a Miguel Terceros penalty after Gustavo Gomez brought down Lucas Chavez in the box.

Both benches got involved in protests and Bolivian sub Adalid Terrazas and Paraguay's Diego Gomez, who had been substituted, were both shown red cards.

Paraguay grabbed a point in stoppage time in some style with a magnificent solo effort from Julio Enciso who dribbled from deep before unleashing a thundering drive from 20 yards out.

Ninth-placed Chile have a lot of work to do if they are to make one of the six automatic qualifcation spots but they did their cause no harm with a 4-2 thrashing of Venzeula.

Venezuela took &nbsp;the lead thanks to a thunderbolt from the edge of the box from Jefferson Savarino but seven minutes later Eduardo Vargas levelled.

Ruben Ramirez restored the lead for the 'Vinotinto' but an own goal from Tomas Rincon made it 2-2 and Lucas Capeda's 38th minute goal sent Chile in with a 3-2 lead at the break.

Capeda finished off a swift counter attack in the 47th minute to give Chile their second win of the campaign.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

A magnificent volley from Lautaro Martinez was enough to give world champions Argentina a 1-0 win over Peru while ten-man Ecuador upset Colombia with a 1-0 victory in South American World Cup qualifying on Tuesday.

A magnificent volley from Lautaro Martinez was enough to give world champions Argentina a 1-0 win over Peru while ten-man Ecuador upset Colombia with a 1-0 victory in South American World Cup qualifying on Tuesday. Argentina remain on top of the CONMEBOL standings with their qualification for the 2026 tournament surely just a matter of time. It was far from a vintage performance from Lionel Scaloni's team, the winners of the last two Copa America tournaments, but a moment of magic from Inter Milan's Martinez proved decisive. Julian Alvarez went closest to breaking through in the first half when he struck the post after good work from Martinez. Argentina were dominating possession without creating many openings but with frustration starting to creep in among the crowd at the 'Bombonera' stadium in Buenos Aires, Martinez delivered. Lionel Messi floated in a cross from the left and Martinez leapt into the air, leaning back as he cracked a thundering left-volley past Pedro Gallese. Argentina's eighth win from 12 games leaves them on 25 points at the top of the table. Second-placed Uruguay were playing later at Brazil. In Barranquilla, a gritty victory from 10-man Ecuador moved Sebastian Beccacece's young side into third place in the 10-team qualifying group. Veteran striker Enner Valencia stunned the home crowd with an outstanding solo effort in the seventh minute, the former West Ham United forward breaking away from three Colombian defenders and powering into the box before slotting home. Colombia forward Jhon Cordoba then missed a golden opportunity to level the score, stumbling off balance and missing from point blank range after being set up by James Rodriguez. Cordoba was central to the 34th minute incident that left Ecuador short-handed for the rest of the game. The gangly striker raced clear and rounded Ecuador keeper Hernan Galindez before going down as Piero Hincapie closed in on him. The referee ruled that Hincapie had tripped the forward and despite lengthy appeals and a VAR review the decision stood. Galindez was then alert to keep out the resulting free-kick from Rodriguez and the keeper then had a busy end to the half as Colombia peppered his goal. Liverpool winger Luis Diaz headed a Daniel Munoz cross against the post and Galindez did well to smother Cordoba at close range. Colombia grew increasingly frustrated as Ecuador's defence held firm in the second half with Galindez parrying to keep out substitute Jhon Duran and the unfortunate Cordoba blasted the loose ball high and wide from a tight angle. ALSO READ | Rafael Nadal bids farewell to illustrious career after Spain's Davis Cup exit against Netherlands Paraguay draw, Chile win Elsewhere Tuesday, Paraguay earned a 2-2 draw at Bolivia with the home side going ahead in the 15th minute with a confident strike from Ervin Vaca. Newcastle United forward Miguel Almiron levelled for Paraguay in the 71st minute with a clinical finish after a smart passing move across the box. Bolivia restored their lead nine minutes later with a Miguel Terceros penalty after Gustavo Gomez brought down Lucas Chavez in the box. Both benches got involved in protests and Bolivian sub Adalid Terrazas and Paraguay's Diego Gomez, who had been substituted, were both shown red cards. Paraguay grabbed a point in stoppage time in some style with a magnificent solo effort from Julio Enciso who dribbled from deep before unleashing a thundering drive from 20 yards out. Ninth-placed Chile have a lot of work to do if they are to make one of the six automatic qualifcation spots but they did their cause no harm with a 4-2 thrashing of Venzeula. Venezuela took the lead thanks to a thunderbolt from the edge of the box from Jefferson Savarino but seven minutes later Eduardo Vargas levelled. Ruben Ramirez restored the lead for the 'Vinotinto' but an own goal from Tomas Rincon made it 2-2 and Lucas Capeda's 38th minute goal sent Chile in with a 3-2 lead at the break. Capeda finished off a swift counter attack in the 47th minute to give Chile their second win of the campaign. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Argentina beat Peru in South American FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers; Ecuador upset Colombia

Germany rounded off their Nations League group stage campaign with a 1-1 draw in Hungary after a Dominik Szoboszlai penalty in the 99th minute rescued a point for the hosts, while Netherlands were held to the same scoreline by Bosnia and Hercegovina.

There was little to play for in Group A3 going into the final day. The Germans had already wrapped up top spot. The Dutch were secure in second and Hungary sat four points ahead of the already-relegated Bosnia.

"With a win, we would've gone into the break with a nicer feeling but we can still be very satisfied about what we achieved in 2024 and can kick things off again in March," said German midfielder Robert Andrich.

In Group B4, a 4-1 victory for Wales against Iceland ensured automatic promotion to the top division at the expense of Turkey, who went down 3-1 in Montenegro.

Czech Republic booked top spot in Group B1 with a 2-1 win over Georgia. Ukraine leapfrogged the Georgians into second place by downing Albania.

In Budapest, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann rang the changes with his team having confirmed top spot last week with a 7-0 thumping of Bosnia.

Felix Nmecha broke a goalless stalemate when he prodded home from inside the six-yard box with 14 minutes remaining.

Germany seemed set to close out their fifth win in six outings until the seventh minute of injury time.

VAR decided that Robin Koch had committed a handball in the box and Hungarian captain Szoboszlai stepped up two minutes later to dink home from 12 yards.

"It's been a real rollercoaster of a year, but I believe that with this match we can go into 2025 in good spirits," said Szoboszlai.

Netherlands finished five points behind their historic rivals as they were held to a draw in Zenica.

Brian Brobbey headed in the opener for Ronald Koeman's side midway through the first period but despite dominating the rest of the half the Dutch&nbsp;were unable to double their lead.

The Oranje were made to pay in the 67th minute when Hamburg-born Bosnian attacker Ermedin Demirovic adjusted his body magnificently to nod a rebound over goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

"I'm not satisfied with a point. I think we had to win," said Koeman.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/japan-move-closer-to-fifa-world-cup-2026-qualification-with-crushing-win-over-china-777504">Japan move closer to FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification with crushing win over China</a>

<h2>Really happy</h2>

Wales bounced back from an early Andri Gudjohnsen goal in Cardiff to put four past Iceland and jump to first place in their group.

"It's something we set out to do," Wales' Liam Cullen told Sgorio.

"We knew we couldn't control what was going on in the Turkey game, but we really wanted to put our stamp on this game and win convincingly, so really happy that we've done that."

Cullen scored a double to put the hosts in front by half-time, before Brennan Johnson and Harry Wilson put the seal on the match inside the final half-hour.

Wales needed victory to have any chance of obtaining automatic promotion to League A, but they needed Montenegro's upset of Turkey to claim that spot with a one-point buffer.&nbsp;

Nikola Krstovic's hat-trick in Niksic condemned Turkey to the play-off spot as Montenegro picked up their first points of the campaign after five consecutive defeats.

Two 2-1 wins flipped Group B1 on its head after three points had separated the four teams going into the final matchday.

Ukraine were fourth before their trip to Tirana but two goals in the first 10 minutes from Oleksandr Zinchenko and Roman Yaremchuk gave them the perfect start.

Zinchenko celebrated his opener by holding up a shirt printed "1000", marking one thousand days since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

A Nedim Bajrami penalty gave Albania hope in the last quarter of an hour but the Ukrainians held on to claim second spot.

The Czechs had sat top of the group on eight points and consolidated top spot when first-half strikes by Pavel Sulc and Adam Hlozek were enough to give them a 2-1 home win over Georgia.

In League C, Sweden showcased their striking prowess with a 6-0 thumping of Azerbaijan as they emphatically topped their group.

Much-heralded 26-year-old striker Viktor Gyokeres netted four goals in the rout, with Dejan Kulusevski grabbing a brace.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Germany rounded off their Nations League group stage campaign with a 1-1 draw in Hungary after a Dominik Szoboszlai penalty in the 99th minute rescued a point for the hosts, while Netherlands were held to the same scoreline by Bosnia and Hercegovina.

Germany rounded off their Nations League group stage campaign with a 1-1 draw in Hungary after a Dominik Szoboszlai penalty in the 99th minute rescued a point for the hosts, while Netherlands were held to the same scoreline by Bosnia and Hercegovina. There was little to play for in Group A3 going into the final day. The Germans had already wrapped up top spot. The Dutch were secure in second and Hungary sat four points ahead of the already-relegated Bosnia. "With a win, we would've gone into the break with a nicer feeling but we can still be very satisfied about what we achieved in 2024 and can kick things off again in March," said German midfielder Robert Andrich. In Group B4, a 4-1 victory for Wales against Iceland ensured automatic promotion to the top division at the expense of Turkey, who went down 3-1 in Montenegro. Czech Republic booked top spot in Group B1 with a 2-1 win over Georgia. Ukraine leapfrogged the Georgians into second place by downing Albania. In Budapest, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann rang the changes with his team having confirmed top spot last week with a 7-0 thumping of Bosnia. Felix Nmecha broke a goalless stalemate when he prodded home from inside the six-yard box with 14 minutes remaining. Germany seemed set to close out their fifth win in six outings until the seventh minute of injury time. VAR decided that Robin Koch had committed a handball in the box and Hungarian captain Szoboszlai stepped up two minutes later to dink home from 12 yards. "It's been a real rollercoaster of a year, but I believe that with this match we can go into 2025 in good spirits," said Szoboszlai. Netherlands finished five points behind their historic rivals as they were held to a draw in Zenica. Brian Brobbey headed in the opener for Ronald Koeman's side midway through the first period but despite dominating the rest of the half the Dutch were unable to double their lead. The Oranje were made to pay in the 67th minute when Hamburg-born Bosnian attacker Ermedin Demirovic adjusted his body magnificently to nod a rebound over goalkeeper Mark Flekken. "I'm not satisfied with a point. I think we had to win," said Koeman. ALSO READ | Japan move closer to FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification with crushing win over China Really happy Wales bounced back from an early Andri Gudjohnsen goal in Cardiff to put four past Iceland and jump to first place in their group. "It's something we set out to do," Wales' Liam Cullen told Sgorio. "We knew we couldn't control what was going on in the Turkey game, but we really wanted to put our stamp on this game and win convincingly, so really happy that we've done that." Cullen scored a double to put the hosts in front by half-time, before Brennan Johnson and Harry Wilson put the seal on the match inside the final half-hour. Wales needed victory to have any chance of obtaining automatic promotion to League A, but they needed Montenegro's upset of Turkey to claim that spot with a one-point buffer. Nikola Krstovic's hat-trick in Niksic condemned Turkey to the play-off spot as Montenegro picked up their first points of the campaign after five consecutive defeats. Two 2-1 wins flipped Group B1 on its head after three points had separated the four teams going into the final matchday. Ukraine were fourth before their trip to Tirana but two goals in the first 10 minutes from Oleksandr Zinchenko and Roman Yaremchuk gave them the perfect start. Zinchenko celebrated his opener by holding up a shirt printed "1000", marking one thousand days since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. A Nedim Bajrami penalty gave Albania hope in the last quarter of an hour but the Ukrainians held on to claim second spot. The Czechs had sat top of the group on eight points and consolidated top spot when first-half strikes by Pavel Sulc and Adam Hlozek were enough to give them a 2-1 home win over Georgia. In League C, Sweden showcased their striking prowess with a 6-0 thumping of Azerbaijan as they emphatically topped their group. Much-heralded 26-year-old striker Viktor Gyokeres netted four goals in the rout, with Dejan Kulusevski grabbing a brace. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Nations League: Germany, Netherlands conclude group stage with draws; Wales win group B4

Star India batter Virat Kohli shared a cryptic post on his X handle on Wednesday (Nov. 20) that left fans in shock ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. Currently, Virat is in Australia for the BGT&nbsp;as India look to keep their World Test Championship (WTC) hopes alive. Virat will be one of the important players in the Indian team for the BGT, with key players like Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill set to miss the Perth Test starting on Friday.

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<h2>Virat Kohli shares cryptic social media post</h2>

“Looking back, we’ve always been a bit different. We never fitted...,” read the first lines of the text.

With less than 48 hours to go for the start of the first BGT Test in Perth on Friday, the former India skipper shared a post that confused fans. While some related it to his married life with Anushka Sharma, others were left guessing. However, the post’s final paragraph revealed the exact reason for the post, which promoted the brand Wrogn.

Recently, Aditya Birla Group invested in the Virat-backed brand with a whopping investment of INR 750 million. The 36-year-old is well known for his fashion looks, with a huge fan following across the world.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-rafael-nadal-bids-farewell-to-illustrious-career-after-spains-davis-cup-exit-against-netherlands-777515">Rafael Nadal bids farewell to illustrious career after Spain's Davis Cup exit against Netherlands</a>

<h2>Virat ready for BGT</h2>

After a disappointing New Zealand Test, Virat will look to get back in form as India chase a place in the WTC final. Sitting second at the time of writing, India will need to win 4-0 Down Under if they reach the WTC final for the third successive time. India have won their last two BGTs Down Under. Virat played in only one BGT match in the last Australia tour before heading home for paternity leave.

<h2>Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India-Australia series) Schedule</h2>

1st Test: 22nd November to 26th November, Perth

2nd Test: 6th December to 10th December, Adelaide

3rd Test: 14th December to 18th December, Brisbane

4th Test: 26th December to 30th December, Melbourne

5th Test: 3rd January to 7th January, Sydney

Star India batter Virat Kohli shared a cryptic post on his X handle on Wednesday (Nov. 20) that left fans in shock ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.

Star India batter Virat Kohli shared a cryptic post on his X handle on Wednesday (Nov. 20) that left fans in shock ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. Currently, Virat is in Australia for the BGT as India look to keep their World Test Championship (WTC) hopes alive. Virat will be one of the important players in the Indian team for the BGT, with key players like Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill set to miss the Perth Test starting on Friday. pic.twitter.com/plfbRKxUiP — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) November 20, 2024 × Virat Kohli shares cryptic social media post “Looking back, we’ve always been a bit different. We never fitted...,” read the first lines of the text. With less than 48 hours to go for the start of the first BGT Test in Perth on Friday, the former India skipper shared a post that confused fans. While some related it to his married life with Anushka Sharma, others were left guessing. However, the post’s final paragraph revealed the exact reason for the post, which promoted the brand Wrogn. Recently, Aditya Birla Group invested in the Virat-backed brand with a whopping investment of INR 750 million. The 36-year-old is well known for his fashion looks, with a huge fan following across the world. ALSO READ | Rafael Nadal bids farewell to illustrious career after Spain's Davis Cup exit against Netherlands Virat ready for BGT After a disappointing New Zealand Test, Virat will look to get back in form as India chase a place in the WTC final. Sitting second at the time of writing, India will need to win 4-0 Down Under if they reach the WTC final for the third successive time. India have won their last two BGTs Down Under. Virat played in only one BGT match in the last Australia tour before heading home for paternity leave. Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India-Australia series) Schedule 1st Test: 22nd November to 26th November, Perth 2nd Test: 6th December to 10th December, Adelaide 3rd Test: 14th December to 18th December, Brisbane 4th Test: 26th December to 30th December, Melbourne 5th Test: 3rd January to 7th January, Sydney

Virat Kohli leaves fans in shock with cryptic social media post ahead of BGT opener

India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel has provided a key update on Shubman Gill’s availability for the Perth Test as he faces&nbsp;race against time to be fit for the opening contest of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Gill, having injured his left thumb during a warm-up match against the WACA simulation side on Saturday (Nov 16), is still in frame for the opener. According to Morkel, a call will be taken on Gill’s availability on the morning of Day 1 as Indian fans will have their fingers crossed.

<h2>Morkel provides key update</h2>

"Shubman is improving every day. Obviously picked up a nasty blow in that warm-up game. With him, it's going to be a day-to-day sort of process. Fingers crossed for that improvement, I think we will wait to make a call on the morning of the Test match," Morkel told the press in Perth on Wednesday.

India will face a huge crisis in the batting order in case Gill is not available, as the World Test Championship (WTC) runners-up are already without skipper Rohit Sharma, who is on paternity leave. According to the former South Africa pacer, Gill is recovering well and is still in the frame for a place in the Playing XI for the Perth Test which starts on Friday (Nov. 22).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-rafael-nadal-bids-farewell-to-illustrious-career-after-spains-davis-cup-exit-against-netherlands-777515">Rafael Nadal bids farewell to illustrious career after Spain's Davis Cup exit against Netherlands</a>

India are likely to hand a debut to Nitish Kumar Reddy for the Perth Test if Gill fails to recover. KL Rahul is expected to open with Yashasvi Jaiswal, while Virat Kohli will bat at number three.

<h2>Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India-Australia series) Schedule</h2>

1st Test: 22nd November to 26th November, Perth

2nd Test: 6th December to 10th December, Adelaide

3rd Test: 14th December to 18th December, Brisbane

4th Test: 26th December to 30th December, Melbourne

5th Test: 3rd January to 7th January, Sydney

India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel has provided a key update on Shubman Gill’s availability for the Perth Test as he faces race against time to be fit for the opening contest of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel has provided a key update on Shubman Gill’s availability for the Perth Test as he faces race against time to be fit for the opening contest of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Gill, having injured his left thumb during a warm-up match against the WACA simulation side on Saturday (Nov 16), is still in frame for the opener. According to Morkel, a call will be taken on Gill’s availability on the morning of Day 1 as Indian fans will have their fingers crossed. Morkel provides key update "Shubman is improving every day. Obviously picked up a nasty blow in that warm-up game. With him, it's going to be a day-to-day sort of process. Fingers crossed for that improvement, I think we will wait to make a call on the morning of the Test match," Morkel told the press in Perth on Wednesday. India will face a huge crisis in the batting order in case Gill is not available, as the World Test Championship (WTC) runners-up are already without skipper Rohit Sharma, who is on paternity leave. According to the former South Africa pacer, Gill is recovering well and is still in the frame for a place in the Playing XI for the Perth Test which starts on Friday (Nov. 22). ALSO READ | Rafael Nadal bids farewell to illustrious career after Spain's Davis Cup exit against Netherlands India are likely to hand a debut to Nitish Kumar Reddy for the Perth Test if Gill fails to recover. KL Rahul is expected to open with Yashasvi Jaiswal, while Virat Kohli will bat at number three. Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India-Australia series) Schedule 1st Test: 22nd November to 26th November, Perth 2nd Test: 6th December to 10th December, Adelaide 3rd Test: 14th December to 18th December, Brisbane 4th Test: 26th December to 30th December, Melbourne 5th Test: 3rd January to 7th January, Sydney

BGT: Morne Morkel provides key update on Gill's fitness as batter faces race against time for Perth Test

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has urged Nitish Kumar Reddy to step up as he gears up for a potential debut in the Perth Test starting on Friday (Nov 22). The encounter&nbsp;will be the first of the five Border-Gavaskar Trophy contests as India struggle with a series of name absentees. According to Shastri, Nitish will have to imitate Shardul Thakur who was an unsung hero in India’s Test series win Down Under in 2020-21.

<h2>Shastri urges Nitish to step up</h2>

"Nitish Reddy will have to do a job like Shardul Thakur did as the fourth seamer," Shastri told the International Cricket Council. "He can bat a bit, give the bowlers a little bit of respite so that they can bowl in short spellsâ€æand be someone who will have to be good for those eight to 10 overs that he bowls."

In what was Shardul’s first competitive red-ball match on foreign soil, he scored 67 runs in the first innings and backed that with seven wickets in the match in the historic Gabba Test. While Rishabh Pant stole the headlines for taking India home under Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy, Shardul’s efforts with bat and ball were the big difference-maker for the visitors.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-rafael-nadal-bids-farewell-to-illustrious-career-after-spains-davis-cup-exit-against-netherlands-777515">Rafael Nadal bids farewell to illustrious career after Spain's Davis Cup exit against Netherlands</a>

With key names like Rohit Sharma (paternity leave) and Shubman Gill (thumb injury) missing, Nitish is expected to get his debut in the red-ball format. He has already represented India in the T20I series against Bangladesh in October and will look to make an instant impact during the upcoming BGT.

<h2>Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India-Australia series) Schedule</h2>

1st Test: 22nd November to 26th November, Perth

2nd Test: 6th December to 10th December, Adelaide

3rd Test: 14th December to 18th December, Brisbane

4th Test: 26th December to 30th December, Melbourne

5th Test: 3rd January to 7th January, Sydney

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has urged Nitish Kumar Reddy to step up as he gears up for a potential debut in the Perth Test starting on Friday (Nov 22). The encounter will be the first of the five Border-Gavaskar Trophy contests as India struggle with a series of name absentees.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has urged Nitish Kumar Reddy to step up as he gears up for a potential debut in the Perth Test starting on Friday (Nov 22). The encounter will be the first of the five Border-Gavaskar Trophy contests as India struggle with a series of name absentees. According to Shastri, Nitish will have to imitate Shardul Thakur who was an unsung hero in India’s Test series win Down Under in 2020-21. Shastri urges Nitish to step up "Nitish Reddy will have to do a job like Shardul Thakur did as the fourth seamer," Shastri told the International Cricket Council. "He can bat a bit, give the bowlers a little bit of respite so that they can bowl in short spellsâ€æand be someone who will have to be good for those eight to 10 overs that he bowls." In what was Shardul’s first competitive red-ball match on foreign soil, he scored 67 runs in the first innings and backed that with seven wickets in the match in the historic Gabba Test. While Rishabh Pant stole the headlines for taking India home under Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy, Shardul’s efforts with bat and ball were the big difference-maker for the visitors. ALSO READ | Rafael Nadal bids farewell to illustrious career after Spain's Davis Cup exit against Netherlands With key names like Rohit Sharma (paternity leave) and Shubman Gill (thumb injury) missing, Nitish is expected to get his debut in the red-ball format. He has already represented India in the T20I series against Bangladesh in October and will look to make an instant impact during the upcoming BGT. Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India-Australia series) Schedule 1st Test: 22nd November to 26th November, Perth 2nd Test: 6th December to 10th December, Adelaide 3rd Test: 14th December to 18th December, Brisbane 4th Test: 26th December to 30th December, Melbourne 5th Test: 3rd January to 7th January, Sydney

BGT 2024/25: Former coach Ravi Shastri urges Nitish Reddy to step up in potential Perth Test debut

Some of key cricketers are facing jeopardy ahead of this weekend’s Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) mega auction as teams look to shape their squad for the upcoming season. The schedule of the IPL 2025 mega auction will coincide with the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Perth, putting key figures like Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer and Daniel Vettori in a state of prioritising commitments over international cricket. While Ponting and Langer will be on commentary duty for the Perth Test before flying for Jeddah, Vettori will have to skip his coaching duties with Australia for the same.

The trio of Ponting, Langer and Vettori are part of several IPL franchises and will be on the auction table as franchises splash the cash. The former Australia coach, Ponting was appointed as the new head coach of Punjab Kings while Langer will start his second season with Lucknow Super Giants. While Vettori will sit on SunRisers Hyderabad’s auction table.

<h2>Ponting unhappy with scheduling</h2>

"It's the worst possible case scenario for me and 'JL'," Ponting said on Wednesday. "We for the last couple of months felt that it was probably going to be in the gap between the Test matches. It takes all the pressure off the players from both teams, there's a lot of players in both teams in the auction.”

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-rafael-nadal-bids-farewell-to-illustrious-career-after-spains-davis-cup-exit-against-netherlands-777515">Rafael Nadal bids farewell to illustrious career after Spain's Davis Cup exit against Netherlands</a>

With more than 500 players in the auction pool, franchises will have a chunk of variety to invest in players for the IPL 2025. Punjab Kings will attract a huge interest during the auction with a purse of more than INR 1 billion ($10.3mn). Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have the second highest purse remaining with more than INR 800mn.

The IPL 2025 auction will take place on Sunday and Monday, with big deals expected to go through on the opening day of the auction. Players like KL Rahul, Arshdeep Singh and Shreyas Iyer will be in the pool of big Indian names while Jos Buttler and David Warner will be amongst the top attractions from foreign players.

Some of key cricketers are facing jeopardy ahead of this weekend’s Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) mega auction as teams look to shape their squad for the upcoming season.

Some of key cricketers are facing jeopardy ahead of this weekend’s Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) mega auction as teams look to shape their squad for the upcoming season. The schedule of the IPL 2025 mega auction will coincide with the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Perth, putting key figures like Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer and Daniel Vettori in a state of prioritising commitments over international cricket. While Ponting and Langer will be on commentary duty for the Perth Test before flying for Jeddah, Vettori will have to skip his coaching duties with Australia for the same. The trio of Ponting, Langer and Vettori are part of several IPL franchises and will be on the auction table as franchises splash the cash. The former Australia coach, Ponting was appointed as the new head coach of Punjab Kings while Langer will start his second season with Lucknow Super Giants. While Vettori will sit on SunRisers Hyderabad’s auction table. Ponting unhappy with scheduling "It's the worst possible case scenario for me and 'JL'," Ponting said on Wednesday. "We for the last couple of months felt that it was probably going to be in the gap between the Test matches. It takes all the pressure off the players from both teams, there's a lot of players in both teams in the auction.” ALSO READ | Rafael Nadal bids farewell to illustrious career after Spain's Davis Cup exit against Netherlands With more than 500 players in the auction pool, franchises will have a chunk of variety to invest in players for the IPL 2025. Punjab Kings will attract a huge interest during the auction with a purse of more than INR 1 billion ($10.3mn). Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have the second highest purse remaining with more than INR 800mn. The IPL 2025 auction will take place on Sunday and Monday, with big deals expected to go through on the opening day of the auction. Players like KL Rahul, Arshdeep Singh and Shreyas Iyer will be in the pool of big Indian names while Jos Buttler and David Warner will be amongst the top attractions from foreign players.

IPL 2025: Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting unhappy after mega auction schedule clashes with Perth Test

Highest Individual Scores for India in Each of Last 5 BGT

Highest Individual Scores for India in Each of Last 5 BGT ft Steve Smith, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli

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