Liverpool's last dance with Real Madrid ended in painful defeat, with Mohamed Salah's shoulder dislocated by Sergio Ramos dragging him to the ground and goalkeeper Loris Karius left apologising to his fans.

Yet Karius's two errors, which handed Madrid a 14th European triumph in the 2018 Champions League final, were also the start of a journey for Liverpool.&nbsp;

Karius was ruthlessly cast aside and Alisson Becker signed for a then world record fee for a goalkeeper.&nbsp;

A year later Liverpool were the ones hoisting the Champions League trophy after beating Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid, before an even heavier burden was lifted when they were crowned English champions for the first time in 30 years.

But those highs have been followed by a fall from grace as Liverpool prepare to face Real again in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final in Madrid on Tuesday.

Fortress Anfield has turned into a visitors' dream with fans absent because of the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

After nearly four years without a home league defeat, Liverpool have lost six in a row for the first time in the club's history.&nbsp;

Jurgen Klopp's men are in a scrap just to make it into next season's Champions League via a top-four finish in the Premier League.&nbsp;

Injuries have taken their toll. Captain Jordan Henderson and centre-backs Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip will all miss both legs of the Real tie and are unlikely to play again this season.&nbsp;

The signings of Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota last summer were designed to build from a position of strength, but both have also missed a large part of the campaign through injury.&nbsp;

However, there could yet be a happy ending to a difficult season. Saturday's comprehensive 3-0 win at Arsenal was Liverpool's most complete performance of 2021.&nbsp;

Jota is back fit and firing, scoring six times in his last four games for club and country. Thiago is also starting to find his rhythm, helped by the return of Fabinho to midfield after months of deputising as a makeshift centre-back.

&nbsp;

<h2>- Ramos reunion denied -</h2>

&nbsp;

Real Madrid might have taken more comfort from Liverpool's problems were they not confronting their own period of introspection.

Since winning a third consecutive Champions League three years ago, the team has stalled, a failure to update and refresh seeing them tumble down the European pecking order.&nbsp;

When Madrid and Liverpool were matched last month with Chelsea and Porto in the semi-finals, many thought Chelsea had a kind draw for the quarters, and the semis too.

Madrid have been unfortunate to see their one statement signing since 2018, Eden Hazard, succumb to injury. Hazard could have been the successor to Cristiano Ronaldo and the catalyst for renewal but instead he has become an irrelevance.

If Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane was too loyal to an ageing core, the club were also prevented from forcing change, the coronavirus pandemic slashing revenues and making significant signings impossible.

The rise of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Braut Haaland means Madrid could still make up for lost time in the transfer market this summer.

For now, Zidane will turn again to his tried and trusted for the first leg at Valdebebas, with Luka Modric, Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema all three years older than the last time they played Liverpool, and arguably even more important.&nbsp;

Ramos will be denied a reunion with Salah because of a calf injury.

Madrid will also be buoyed by an upturn in form, the kind of late surge that has seen them deliver when it matters in the Champions League in many years gone by.

But Liverpool are showing signs of a resurgence too, their victory over Arsenal their third in a row and most convincing performance this year.

Crucially, both will believe winning this quarter-final puts them in sight of another European success, that from there they could defy recent trajectories by beating even the loftiest opponents in the competition.

In 2018, Real Madrid and Liverpool knew victory would secure them the trophy. This time they will hope it sparks a resurgence.

Liverpool's last dance with Real Madrid ended in painful defeat, with Mohamed Salah's shoulder dislocated by Sergio Ramos dragging him to the ground and goalkeeper Loris Karius left apologising to his fans.

Liverpool's last dance with Real Madrid ended in painful defeat, with Mohamed Salah's shoulder dislocated by Sergio Ramos dragging him to the ground and goalkeeper Loris Karius left apologising to his fans. Yet Karius's two errors, which handed Madrid a 14th European triumph in the 2018 Champions League final, were also the start of a journey for Liverpool. Karius was ruthlessly cast aside and Alisson Becker signed for a then world record fee for a goalkeeper. A year later Liverpool were the ones hoisting the Champions League trophy after beating Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid, before an even heavier burden was lifted when they were crowned English champions for the first time in 30 years. But those highs have been followed by a fall from grace as Liverpool prepare to face Real again in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final in Madrid on Tuesday. Fortress Anfield has turned into a visitors' dream with fans absent because of the coronavirus pandemic. After nearly four years without a home league defeat, Liverpool have lost six in a row for the first time in the club's history. Jurgen Klopp's men are in a scrap just to make it into next season's Champions League via a top-four finish in the Premier League. Injuries have taken their toll. Captain Jordan Henderson and centre-backs Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip will all miss both legs of the Real tie and are unlikely to play again this season. The signings of Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota last summer were designed to build from a position of strength, but both have also missed a large part of the campaign through injury. However, there could yet be a happy ending to a difficult season. Saturday's comprehensive 3-0 win at Arsenal was Liverpool's most complete performance of 2021. Jota is back fit and firing, scoring six times in his last four games for club and country. Thiago is also starting to find his rhythm, helped by the return of Fabinho to midfield after months of deputising as a makeshift centre-back. - Ramos reunion denied - Real Madrid might have taken more comfort from Liverpool's problems were they not confronting their own period of introspection. Since winning a third consecutive Champions League three years ago, the team has stalled, a failure to update and refresh seeing them tumble down the European pecking order. When Madrid and Liverpool were matched last month with Chelsea and Porto in the semi-finals, many thought Chelsea had a kind draw for the quarters, and the semis too. Madrid have been unfortunate to see their one statement signing since 2018, Eden Hazard, succumb to injury. Hazard could have been the successor to Cristiano Ronaldo and the catalyst for renewal but instead he has become an irrelevance. If Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane was too loyal to an ageing core, the club were also prevented from forcing change, the coronavirus pandemic slashing revenues and making significant signings impossible. The rise of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Braut Haaland means Madrid could still make up for lost time in the transfer market this summer. For now, Zidane will turn again to his tried and trusted for the first leg at Valdebebas, with Luka Modric, Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema all three years older than the last time they played Liverpool, and arguably even more important. Ramos will be denied a reunion with Salah because of a calf injury. Madrid will also be buoyed by an upturn in form, the kind of late surge that has seen them deliver when it matters in the Champions League in many years gone by. But Liverpool are showing signs of a resurgence too, their victory over Arsenal their third in a row and most convincing performance this year. Crucially, both will believe winning this quarter-final puts them in sight of another European success, that from there they could defy recent trajectories by beating even the loftiest opponents in the competition. In 2018, Real Madrid and Liverpool knew victory would secure them the trophy. This time they will hope it sparks a resurgence.

Fallen giants seek revival as Real Madrid, Liverpool battle again

Pakistan opening batsman Fakhar Zaman's astonishing innings of 193 could not prevent South Africa winning the second one-day international by 17 runs in Johannesburg on Sunday.

Pakistan seemed to have no chance when they slumped to 205 for seven in the 38th over in reply to South Africa's 341 for six at the Wanderers Stadium. But Fakhar's assault took them to 324 for nine.

With only his team's bowlers to keep him company, the left-handed Fakhar, who was on 97 when Faheem Ashraf was the seventh man out, went on all-out attack.&nbsp;

In all, he hit 18 fours and ten sixes in a 155-ball innings before being run out in the last over by a direct hit from long-off as he was trying for a second run.

With wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock seemingly gesturing for Aiden Markram to throw to the bowler's end, Fakhar slowed down and was surprised when the ball hit the stumps at the batsman's end when he was a metre or more short, ending his bold counter-attack.

"It was one of the best innings I have seen in my life," said Pakistan captain Babar Azam.

"It was an incredible innings, probably the best I have come across," said South African captain Temba Bavuma. "Everything he tried came off."

Fakhar, who made a ODI double century against Zimbabwe in 2018, was named man of the match.

"I tried my level best," he said.&nbsp;"That's my game.

"The wicket was really good, the boundaries were very short and the run rate was going up. I was just hitting the ball."

Fakhar admitted he was taken by surprise by his dismissal. "I was looking at Haris Rauf because I thought the run-out would be at his end. It was my own fault," he said at the post-match press conference.

&nbsp;

<h2>- Productive partnerships -</h2>

&nbsp;

South Africa's win levelled the three-match series.&nbsp;

The hosts will be without five of their Indian Premier League-contracted players for the deciding match in Centurion on Wednesday.

De Kock, Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller hit half-centuries after South Africa were sent in.

The South African innings was in dramatic contrast to their effort in the first match at Centurion, when they lost four wickets inside the first 15 overs, with Pakistan going on to win by three wickets off the last ball.

Early moisture in the pitch again made batting tricky but South Africa put together a succession of productive partnerships.

De Kock (80) and Aiden Markram (39) put on 55 for the first wicket before Bavuma (92) and De Kock added 114 for the second wicket.

It set a platform for Van der Dussen to hit a blistering 60 off 37 balls as he and Bavuma put on 101 for the third wicket.

Given the freedom to play his shots from the start, in contrast to his century in Centurion when he had to rebuild the innings, Van der Dussen hit six fours and four sixes.

Miller slammed an unbeaten 50 off 27 balls.

Babar, who made a century in the first match, again looked in sublime form as he cruised to 31 off 33 balls after the early loss of Imam-ul-Haq.

But he was undone by the pace of Anrich Nortje, mistiming a pull shot off Nortje's fourth ball.

Nortje followed up with two more quick wickets as Pakistan slipped to 85 for four.

Shadab Khan, Asif Ali and Faheem Ashraf offered brief support but the match looked to be well beyond Pakistan's reach when Faheem was seventh out, with 137 runs still needed.

But that was without reckoning on Fakhar.

Pakistan opening batsman Fakhar Zaman's astonishing innings of 193 could not prevent South Africa winning the second one-day international by 17 runs in Johannesburg on Sunday.

Pakistan opening batsman Fakhar Zaman's astonishing innings of 193 could not prevent South Africa winning the second one-day international by 17 runs in Johannesburg on Sunday. Pakistan seemed to have no chance when they slumped to 205 for seven in the 38th over in reply to South Africa's 341 for six at the Wanderers Stadium. But Fakhar's assault took them to 324 for nine. With only his team's bowlers to keep him company, the left-handed Fakhar, who was on 97 when Faheem Ashraf was the seventh man out, went on all-out attack. In all, he hit 18 fours and ten sixes in a 155-ball innings before being run out in the last over by a direct hit from long-off as he was trying for a second run. With wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock seemingly gesturing for Aiden Markram to throw to the bowler's end, Fakhar slowed down and was surprised when the ball hit the stumps at the batsman's end when he was a metre or more short, ending his bold counter-attack. "It was one of the best innings I have seen in my life," said Pakistan captain Babar Azam. "It was an incredible innings, probably the best I have come across," said South African captain Temba Bavuma. "Everything he tried came off." Fakhar, who made a ODI double century against Zimbabwe in 2018, was named man of the match. "I tried my level best," he said. "That's my game. "The wicket was really good, the boundaries were very short and the run rate was going up. I was just hitting the ball." Fakhar admitted he was taken by surprise by his dismissal. "I was looking at Haris Rauf because I thought the run-out would be at his end. It was my own fault," he said at the post-match press conference. - Productive partnerships - South Africa's win levelled the three-match series. The hosts will be without five of their Indian Premier League-contracted players for the deciding match in Centurion on Wednesday. De Kock, Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller hit half-centuries after South Africa were sent in. The South African innings was in dramatic contrast to their effort in the first match at Centurion, when they lost four wickets inside the first 15 overs, with Pakistan going on to win by three wickets off the last ball. Early moisture in the pitch again made batting tricky but South Africa put together a succession of productive partnerships. De Kock (80) and Aiden Markram (39) put on 55 for the first wicket before Bavuma (92) and De Kock added 114 for the second wicket. It set a platform for Van der Dussen to hit a blistering 60 off 37 balls as he and Bavuma put on 101 for the third wicket. Given the freedom to play his shots from the start, in contrast to his century in Centurion when he had to rebuild the innings, Van der Dussen hit six fours and four sixes. Miller slammed an unbeaten 50 off 27 balls. Babar, who made a century in the first match, again looked in sublime form as he cruised to 31 off 33 balls after the early loss of Imam-ul-Haq. But he was undone by the pace of Anrich Nortje, mistiming a pull shot off Nortje's fourth ball. Nortje followed up with two more quick wickets as Pakistan slipped to 85 for four. Shadab Khan, Asif Ali and Faheem Ashraf offered brief support but the match looked to be well beyond Pakistan's reach when Faheem was seventh out, with 137 runs still needed. But that was without reckoning on Fakhar.

Fakhar's 193 in vain as South Africa beat Pakistan by 17 runs

Fabio Quartararo of Yamaha won the Doha MotoGP on Sunday with French compatriot Johann Zarco of Ducati-Pramac finishing second.

Spanish rookie Jorge Martin, the teammate of Zarco, was third after starting the race on pole position.

It was the first time two French riders had been on the podium in the sport's elite class since 1954 when Pierre Monneret won and Jacques Collot was third on home soil in Reims.

Quartararo joked modestly that he "will enjoy the moment with a nice McDonald's tonight" following his win.

"It is easy to say I've not won a lot of races -- but wow!" he added.

"I came from eighth, the pace and track were totally different from the fourth practice and warm-up.

"I always dreamed to win in Qatar, unfortunately I was not the first (this season)."

Zarco's second-place finish was enough to put him on top of the world championship after two rounds.

He has 40 points with Quartararo in second, just four points behind.

<h2>- 'Happy for both of them' -</h2>

"I was pretty happy that Jorge (Martin) took the pace, after half a race he had the pace -- but I was still able to stay behind him," Zarco said.

"He was so clean in the style. It was this situation in four laps to the end, Fabio came in the right place to overtake Jorge.

"I tried to overtake Fabio but I could not pass him.

"I'm so happy for both of them -- victory of a French rider and podium for a teammate."

Spain's Alex Rins, on a Suzuki, and Yamaha's Maverick Vinales, the winner of the season-opening Qatar MotoGP on the same Losail track last week, filled out the top five.

Vinales had an eventful race after a poor start and his frustration was visible after the chequered flag fell.

Valentino Rossi, the seven-time MotoGP world champion, was 16th on the Yamaha-SRT, after starting in 21st place, the Italian's worst ever qualifying performance.

Italy's Francesco Bagnaia, on a Ducati, defending world champion Joan Mir of Spain on a Suzuki, South Africa's Brad Binder, of KTM, Australia's Jack Miller, on a Ducati, and Spanish Aprilia rider Aleix Espargaro completed the top 10.

Miller had a second ninth-place finish in as many weeks despite a strong showing in free practice, with a bump with Mir dominating his race.

The two exchanged words heatedly for the duration of the subsequent straight.

Martin was visibly delighted with the result, describing it as "a difficult race -- I am a rookie!".

"I think I did a really mature race. The passing was so difficult, if it was another rider (than Zarco) I would have taken him back for sure.

"I'm happy with third position, my first podium finish."

Britain's Sam Lowes won his second Moto2 race in Qatar in as many weeks.

Completing 20 laps in 39 minutes 52.702 seconds, Kalex-rider Lowes pipped Australia's Remy Gardner by 0.190 seconds.

Spain's Raul Fernandez finished third, 3.371 seconds off the pace.

"The wind was there so it was easy to stay behind but when I got to the front it was hard to pull away because of the wind," Lowes said.

Spanish teenager Pedro Acosta defied the odds to win the Moto3 race after starting in the pit lane following a penalty.

It was the 16-year-old KTM rider's first world championship victory, having finished second in the season-opening Qatar Grand Prix last week.

He beat Darryn Binder into second place and leads the South African by nine points in the early riders' standings.

Fabio Quartararo of Yamaha won the Doha MotoGP on Sunday with French compatriot Johann Zarco of Ducati-Pramac finishing second. Spanish rookie Jorge Martin, the teammate of Zarco, was third after starting the race on pole position.

Fabio Quartararo of Yamaha won the Doha MotoGP on Sunday with French compatriot Johann Zarco of Ducati-Pramac finishing second. Spanish rookie Jorge Martin, the teammate of Zarco, was third after starting the race on pole position. It was the first time two French riders had been on the podium in the sport's elite class since 1954 when Pierre Monneret won and Jacques Collot was third on home soil in Reims. Quartararo joked modestly that he "will enjoy the moment with a nice McDonald's tonight" following his win. "It is easy to say I've not won a lot of races -- but wow!" he added. "I came from eighth, the pace and track were totally different from the fourth practice and warm-up. "I always dreamed to win in Qatar, unfortunately I was not the first (this season)." Zarco's second-place finish was enough to put him on top of the world championship after two rounds. He has 40 points with Quartararo in second, just four points behind. - 'Happy for both of them' - "I was pretty happy that Jorge (Martin) took the pace, after half a race he had the pace -- but I was still able to stay behind him," Zarco said. "He was so clean in the style. It was this situation in four laps to the end, Fabio came in the right place to overtake Jorge. "I tried to overtake Fabio but I could not pass him. "I'm so happy for both of them -- victory of a French rider and podium for a teammate." Spain's Alex Rins, on a Suzuki, and Yamaha's Maverick Vinales, the winner of the season-opening Qatar MotoGP on the same Losail track last week, filled out the top five. Vinales had an eventful race after a poor start and his frustration was visible after the chequered flag fell. Valentino Rossi, the seven-time MotoGP world champion, was 16th on the Yamaha-SRT, after starting in 21st place, the Italian's worst ever qualifying performance. Italy's Francesco Bagnaia, on a Ducati, defending world champion Joan Mir of Spain on a Suzuki, South Africa's Brad Binder, of KTM, Australia's Jack Miller, on a Ducati, and Spanish Aprilia rider Aleix Espargaro completed the top 10. Miller had a second ninth-place finish in as many weeks despite a strong showing in free practice, with a bump with Mir dominating his race. The two exchanged words heatedly for the duration of the subsequent straight. Martin was visibly delighted with the result, describing it as "a difficult race -- I am a rookie!". "I think I did a really mature race. The passing was so difficult, if it was another rider (than Zarco) I would have taken him back for sure. "I'm happy with third position, my first podium finish." Britain's Sam Lowes won his second Moto2 race in Qatar in as many weeks. Completing 20 laps in 39 minutes 52.702 seconds, Kalex-rider Lowes pipped Australia's Remy Gardner by 0.190 seconds. Spain's Raul Fernandez finished third, 3.371 seconds off the pace. "The wind was there so it was easy to stay behind but when I got to the front it was hard to pull away because of the wind," Lowes said. Spanish teenager Pedro Acosta defied the odds to win the Moto3 race after starting in the pit lane following a penalty. It was the 16-year-old KTM rider's first world championship victory, having finished second in the season-opening Qatar Grand Prix last week. He beat Darryn Binder into second place and leads the South African by nine points in the early riders' standings.

Off for a Big Mac: Quartararo wins Doha MotoGP, Zarco makes French double

Valencia's players walked off during their La Liga game with Cadiz on Sunday in protest against racist abuse, with coach Javi Gracia later claiming they were told they would be punished if they refused to resume the match.

The fixture was stopped in the 37th minute after Valencia said their player Mouctar Diakhaby was the victim of a racial insult.&nbsp;

Diakhaby had been involved in a heated exchange with Cadiz's Juan Cala before indicating to the referee David Medie Jimenez that he was leaving the field.&nbsp;

The Frenchman's team-mates followed him off and Cadiz also went down the tunnel soon after.

Around 15 minutes later, the Valencia team returned and a further five minutes afterwards, the game restarted, this time without Diakhaby.

Diakhaby was replaced by Hugo Guillamon and watched the second half sitting in the stands.

"In the changing rooms we were told if we didn't return, we would be sanctioned," said Gracia, who would not specify who had made the threat.

"In that moment, we spoke with Diakha, about how he was, and he told us that he wouldn't play but he understood perfectly we had to continue playing to avoid a possible sanction, so we returned."

Valencia defender Jose Gaya also told Spanish television after the game: "He (Diakhaby) told us he was insulted in a racist way. We went back out to play because they told us they could penalise us with three points and something more. He asked us to go back, he's gutted, it was a very ugly insult."

Valencia had earlier indicated it was Diakhaby's decision that the team return to the pitch.&nbsp;

<h2>- 'I believe in my player' -</h2>

The club wrote on social media shortly after the game resumed: "The team have held a meeting and decided to continue the game, in order to fight for the honour of the club, but denounce racism of any kind.&nbsp;

"We offer our complete backing to @Diakhaby_5. The player, who had received a racial insult, requested that his teammates return to the pitch. We support you Mouctar."&nbsp;

Cadiz coach Alvaro Cervera said Cala insisted he had not racially insulted Diakhaby.&nbsp;

"We returned to the changing room, we talked," Cervera said.&nbsp;

"Cala said that at no time did he insult the player. I believe in my player."

La Liga would not comment on the incident after the match.

An official complaint from Valencia or mention of the incident in the referee's report could lead to further investigation and sanctions against Cadiz.

President of the Valencian regional government Ximo Puig wrote on Twitter: "Equality and rejection of racism. That is the most important match. A hug to Diakhaby. This is his house, his land."

The exchange occurred after a tussle between Diakhaby and Cala in Valencia's penalty area.

As Cala ran back to his own half, the pair continued to argue, with Diakhaby suddenly sprinting towards Cala, who was standing close to the halfway line.

Several players rushed over to separate them, with Gabriel Paulista among those shouting at the referee.&nbsp;

Diakhaby was visibly distressed and his reaction earned him a yellow card.&nbsp;

After being escorted away, Diakhaby spoke individually with the referee before walking off, together with Gabriel.&nbsp;

The Cadiz players waited a few minutes longer before also leaving the pitch.

The referee was not close to the argument between Diakhaby and Cala, and Gracia said "there was no record from the referee that this had happened".

Cala was then also substituted at half-time, having earlier scored the opening goal for Cadiz, with Kevin Gameiro equalising for Valencia.&nbsp;

Cala's replacement Marcos Lopez scored a late winner to secure a 2-1 victory for Cadiz.

Last month, Athletic Bilbao's Inaki Williams gave evidence in court as part of an investigation into Espanyol fans racially insulting him during a match in January last year.

In December 2019, a second tier game between Rayo Vallecano and Albacete was suspended after Albacete refused to come out for the second half following chants from Rayo fans calling their striker Roman Zozulya a Nazi.

Valencia's players walked off during their La Liga game with Cadiz on Sunday in protest against racist abuse, with coach Javi Gracia later claiming they were told they would be punished if they refused to resume the match.

Valencia's players walked off during their La Liga game with Cadiz on Sunday in protest against racist abuse, with coach Javi Gracia later claiming they were told they would be punished if they refused to resume the match. The fixture was stopped in the 37th minute after Valencia said their player Mouctar Diakhaby was the victim of a racial insult. Diakhaby had been involved in a heated exchange with Cadiz's Juan Cala before indicating to the referee David Medie Jimenez that he was leaving the field. The Frenchman's team-mates followed him off and Cadiz also went down the tunnel soon after. Around 15 minutes later, the Valencia team returned and a further five minutes afterwards, the game restarted, this time without Diakhaby. Diakhaby was replaced by Hugo Guillamon and watched the second half sitting in the stands. "In the changing rooms we were told if we didn't return, we would be sanctioned," said Gracia, who would not specify who had made the threat. "In that moment, we spoke with Diakha, about how he was, and he told us that he wouldn't play but he understood perfectly we had to continue playing to avoid a possible sanction, so we returned." Valencia defender Jose Gaya also told Spanish television after the game: "He (Diakhaby) told us he was insulted in a racist way. We went back out to play because they told us they could penalise us with three points and something more. He asked us to go back, he's gutted, it was a very ugly insult." Valencia had earlier indicated it was Diakhaby's decision that the team return to the pitch. - 'I believe in my player' - The club wrote on social media shortly after the game resumed: "The team have held a meeting and decided to continue the game, in order to fight for the honour of the club, but denounce racism of any kind. "We offer our complete backing to @Diakhaby_5. The player, who had received a racial insult, requested that his teammates return to the pitch. We support you Mouctar." Cadiz coach Alvaro Cervera said Cala insisted he had not racially insulted Diakhaby. "We returned to the changing room, we talked," Cervera said. "Cala said that at no time did he insult the player. I believe in my player." La Liga would not comment on the incident after the match. An official complaint from Valencia or mention of the incident in the referee's report could lead to further investigation and sanctions against Cadiz. President of the Valencian regional government Ximo Puig wrote on Twitter: "Equality and rejection of racism. That is the most important match. A hug to Diakhaby. This is his house, his land." The exchange occurred after a tussle between Diakhaby and Cala in Valencia's penalty area. As Cala ran back to his own half, the pair continued to argue, with Diakhaby suddenly sprinting towards Cala, who was standing close to the halfway line. Several players rushed over to separate them, with Gabriel Paulista among those shouting at the referee. Diakhaby was visibly distressed and his reaction earned him a yellow card. After being escorted away, Diakhaby spoke individually with the referee before walking off, together with Gabriel. The Cadiz players waited a few minutes longer before also leaving the pitch. The referee was not close to the argument between Diakhaby and Cala, and Gracia said "there was no record from the referee that this had happened". Cala was then also substituted at half-time, having earlier scored the opening goal for Cadiz, with Kevin Gameiro equalising for Valencia. Cala's replacement Marcos Lopez scored a late winner to secure a 2-1 victory for Cadiz. Last month, Athletic Bilbao's Inaki Williams gave evidence in court as part of an investigation into Espanyol fans racially insulting him during a match in January last year. In December 2019, a second tier game between Rayo Vallecano and Albacete was suspended after Albacete refused to come out for the second half following chants from Rayo fans calling their striker Roman Zozulya a Nazi.

Valencia 'threatened with punishment' for walking off in racism protest

Manchester United came from behind to beat Brighton 2-1 on Sunday to cut Manchester City's lead at the top of the Premier League to 14 points, while Tottenham's top-four challenge suffered a setback as Joe Willock's late strike rescued a 2-2 draw for lowly Newcastle.

Not for the first time this season, United needed a second-half fightback after a dismal first 45 minutes to take all three points thanks to goals from Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood.

Danny Welbeck deservedly opened the scoring for the Seagulls against his old club before Lewis Dunk hit the crossbar for the visitors.

However, Brighton also repeated the story of their season as they failed to make the most of their dominance before the break.

Rashford slotted home an equaliser on 62 minutes from Bruno Fernandes's pass to reward United's marked improvement.

Fernandes was involved again for the winner as his cross was volleyed back across goal by Paul Pogba and into the path of Greenwood to head home just his second league goal of the season.

United's chances of chasing down City look forlorn with the runaway league leaders needing just 11 points from their remaining seven games to seal a third title in four years.

But victory opened up an 11-point cushion for the Red Devils over fifth-placed Tottenham and Liverpool in their quest to qualify for next season's Champions League.

"It's a long way up (to City), but we want to consolidate second place," said Solskjaer.

<h2>- 'Same coach, different players' -</h2>

Spurs were left to rue letting another lead slip away at St. James' Park.

Jose Mourinho's side were just five minutes away from moving into fourth place thanks to Harry Kane's first-half double.

Joelinton had put Newcastle ahead and Steve Bruce's men were rewarded for a much-improved performance when on-loan Arsenal midfielder Willock smashed in off the underside of the bar five minutes from time.

Tottenham edge ahead of Liverpool on goal difference but are still two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with eight games left.

"I'm frustrated. We needed to win the match. We created some instability with so many individual defensive mistakes that we made," Mourinho said.

Asked why Tottenham have struggled to hold onto leads when his teams have been so solid defensively in the past, Mourinho replied: "Same coach, different players.

"The Premier League is hard and is high-level football, and when in some actions you don't show that you belong to that high level of football, it's difficult."

Willock's goal could prove invaluable for fourth-bottom Newcastle as they moved three points clear of Fulham, who were beaten 3-1 at Aston Villa.

Fulham looked set to move out of the drop zone when Aleksandar Mitrovic pounced on a loose pass by Tyrone Mings to score his first league goal since September.

Villa had looked devoid of ideas without talisman Jack Grealish due to injury.

But Dean Smith's men suddenly sparked into life to score three times in the final 12 minutes.

Egyptian winger Trezeguet came off the bench to score twice in three minutes to turn the game around.

Ollie Watkins then tapped home from Bertrand Traore's cross to round off the scoring.

<h2>- Saints alive -</h2>

Earlier on Sunday, Southampton took a huge step towards survival by coming from 2-0 down to beat Burnley 3-2.

Chris Wood's penalty and Matej Vydra's strike gave the visitors a dream start inside 28 minutes.

But Ralph Hasenhuttl's side&nbsp;hit back impressively as Stuart Armstrong and Danny Ings scored before half-time.

Nathan Redmond bagged the 66th-minute winner when he volleyed home from Theo Walcott's cross.

"These points were important," Hasenhuttl said. "When you see five goals it's always good for TV, but not so good for the hearts of the managers."

After only their second league win in 13 games, FA Cup semi-finalists Southampton are three points above Burnley, who sit seven points ahead of Fulham.

Manchester United came from behind to beat Brighton 2-1 on Sunday to cut Manchester City's lead at the top of the Premier League to 14 points, while Tottenham's top-four challenge suffered a setback as Joe Willock's late strike rescued a 2-2 draw for lowly Newcastle.

Manchester United came from behind to beat Brighton 2-1 on Sunday to cut Manchester City's lead at the top of the Premier League to 14 points, while Tottenham's top-four challenge suffered a setback as Joe Willock's late strike rescued a 2-2 draw for lowly Newcastle. Not for the first time this season, United needed a second-half fightback after a dismal first 45 minutes to take all three points thanks to goals from Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood. Danny Welbeck deservedly opened the scoring for the Seagulls against his old club before Lewis Dunk hit the crossbar for the visitors. However, Brighton also repeated the story of their season as they failed to make the most of their dominance before the break. Rashford slotted home an equaliser on 62 minutes from Bruno Fernandes's pass to reward United's marked improvement. Fernandes was involved again for the winner as his cross was volleyed back across goal by Paul Pogba and into the path of Greenwood to head home just his second league goal of the season. United's chances of chasing down City look forlorn with the runaway league leaders needing just 11 points from their remaining seven games to seal a third title in four years. But victory opened up an 11-point cushion for the Red Devils over fifth-placed Tottenham and Liverpool in their quest to qualify for next season's Champions League. "It's a long way up (to City), but we want to consolidate second place," said Solskjaer. - 'Same coach, different players' - Spurs were left to rue letting another lead slip away at St. James' Park. Jose Mourinho's side were just five minutes away from moving into fourth place thanks to Harry Kane's first-half double. Joelinton had put Newcastle ahead and Steve Bruce's men were rewarded for a much-improved performance when on-loan Arsenal midfielder Willock smashed in off the underside of the bar five minutes from time. Tottenham edge ahead of Liverpool on goal difference but are still two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with eight games left. "I'm frustrated. We needed to win the match. We created some instability with so many individual defensive mistakes that we made," Mourinho said. Asked why Tottenham have struggled to hold onto leads when his teams have been so solid defensively in the past, Mourinho replied: "Same coach, different players. "The Premier League is hard and is high-level football, and when in some actions you don't show that you belong to that high level of football, it's difficult." Willock's goal could prove invaluable for fourth-bottom Newcastle as they moved three points clear of Fulham, who were beaten 3-1 at Aston Villa. Fulham looked set to move out of the drop zone when Aleksandar Mitrovic pounced on a loose pass by Tyrone Mings to score his first league goal since September. Villa had looked devoid of ideas without talisman Jack Grealish due to injury. But Dean Smith's men suddenly sparked into life to score three times in the final 12 minutes. Egyptian winger Trezeguet came off the bench to score twice in three minutes to turn the game around. Ollie Watkins then tapped home from Bertrand Traore's cross to round off the scoring. - Saints alive - Earlier on Sunday, Southampton took a huge step towards survival by coming from 2-0 down to beat Burnley 3-2. Chris Wood's penalty and Matej Vydra's strike gave the visitors a dream start inside 28 minutes. But Ralph Hasenhuttl's side hit back impressively as Stuart Armstrong and Danny Ings scored before half-time. Nathan Redmond bagged the 66th-minute winner when he volleyed home from Theo Walcott's cross. "These points were important," Hasenhuttl said. "When you see five goals it's always good for TV, but not so good for the hearts of the managers." After only their second league win in 13 games, FA Cup semi-finalists Southampton are three points above Burnley, who sit seven points ahead of Fulham.

Man Utd bounce back to beat Brighton, Spurs held by Newcastle

Pep Guardiola praised "exceptional" Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland as he admitted Manchester City could spend the kind of money required to sign a player of his calibre.

City are one of several top clubs linked with a blockbuster move for Haaland in the close-season.

The 20-year-old Norwegian is the talk of Europe after scoring 33 goals in 32 games this season, while becoming the youngest player to reach 20 career goals in the Champions League.

Already well aware of Haaland's quality, City boss Guardiola has a chance to take a closer look when Dortmund visit the Etihad Stadium for the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday.

"He's exceptional for his age. The numbers speak for themselves," Guardiola told reporters on Monday.

"He can score right, left, counter attacks, in the box, headers. He's a fantastic striker, everyone knows it.&nbsp;

"He's only 20. To score that many goals at this age, it's not easy to find a player like that.

"A blind guy can realise he's a good striker, it's not necessary to be a manager."

The runaway Premier League leaders will need a new forward next season after announcing their record goalscorer Sergio Aguero is set to leave at the end of this term.

Guardiola recently suggested the financial fallout from the coronavirus pandemic would make it difficult for his team to meet Dortmund's reported £130 million ($180 million) asking price for Haaland.

But Guardiola dropped a hint that a bid for Haaland would not be impossible as he suggested City would eventually break their transfer record -- currently the £62 million they spent on Benfica defender Ruben Dias last year.

"So far, the club has decided not to spend close to £100 million for a player," Guardiola said.

"Maybe in the future it will happen when the club decides it is necessary to improve the team for the next five to 10 years. The organisation has so far decided not to and that is why we haven't. Maybe in the future.

"Spending a lot of money on one player doesn't give you an advantage to win. Football is a team game, everyone makes a contribution. Competitions are not won by one player, it is every player."

<h2>- Painful memories -</h2>

Although Dortmund are struggling in the Bundesliga, Haaland's presence means they could pose a significant threat to City's quadruple bid.

With a third Premier League title in four years a formality for City -- who are in the League Cup final and FA Cup semi-finals -- it is the Champions League that will be their focus in the final weeks of the campaign.

City have never won Europe's elite club competition and Guardiola last tasted Champions League glory when he was Barcelona boss in 2011.

Criticised for failing to win the Champions League without Barca star Lionel Messi, Guardiola has seen City eliminated at the quarter-final stage of the tournament for the last three years.

The Spaniard admitted last season's shock last eight defeat against Lyon in Lisbon was especially tough to take.

"Of course, it remained in my head for weeks and it was painful, I cannot deny," Guardiola said.

"It was the last game of the season, we wanted to go through and we accept we didn't do it well, didn't deserve to go through.

"Going out to Lyon, it was different. We went out, said goodbye and went on our holidays. It was a disappointment but we are here again, with a chance."

The ghosts of those bitter European defeats were on Guardiola's mind as he claimed their fine Premier League form would not be a factor against Dortmund.

"Why should we win the other competitions just because we are leading the Premier League?" he said.

"The only concern is to try to win the game. Win this game and after comes Leeds, and after we go to Dortmund to win that game."

Pep Guardiola praised "exceptional" Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland as he admitted Manchester City could spend the kind of money required to sign a player of his calibre.

Pep Guardiola praised "exceptional" Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland as he admitted Manchester City could spend the kind of money required to sign a player of his calibre. City are one of several top clubs linked with a blockbuster move for Haaland in the close-season. The 20-year-old Norwegian is the talk of Europe after scoring 33 goals in 32 games this season, while becoming the youngest player to reach 20 career goals in the Champions League. Already well aware of Haaland's quality, City boss Guardiola has a chance to take a closer look when Dortmund visit the Etihad Stadium for the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday. "He's exceptional for his age. The numbers speak for themselves," Guardiola told reporters on Monday. "He can score right, left, counter attacks, in the box, headers. He's a fantastic striker, everyone knows it. "He's only 20. To score that many goals at this age, it's not easy to find a player like that. "A blind guy can realise he's a good striker, it's not necessary to be a manager." The runaway Premier League leaders will need a new forward next season after announcing their record goalscorer Sergio Aguero is set to leave at the end of this term. Guardiola recently suggested the financial fallout from the coronavirus pandemic would make it difficult for his team to meet Dortmund's reported £130 million ($180 million) asking price for Haaland. But Guardiola dropped a hint that a bid for Haaland would not be impossible as he suggested City would eventually break their transfer record -- currently the £62 million they spent on Benfica defender Ruben Dias last year. "So far, the club has decided not to spend close to £100 million for a player," Guardiola said. "Maybe in the future it will happen when the club decides it is necessary to improve the team for the next five to 10 years. The organisation has so far decided not to and that is why we haven't. Maybe in the future. "Spending a lot of money on one player doesn't give you an advantage to win. Football is a team game, everyone makes a contribution. Competitions are not won by one player, it is every player." - Painful memories - Although Dortmund are struggling in the Bundesliga, Haaland's presence means they could pose a significant threat to City's quadruple bid. With a third Premier League title in four years a formality for City -- who are in the League Cup final and FA Cup semi-finals -- it is the Champions League that will be their focus in the final weeks of the campaign. City have never won Europe's elite club competition and Guardiola last tasted Champions League glory when he was Barcelona boss in 2011. Criticised for failing to win the Champions League without Barca star Lionel Messi, Guardiola has seen City eliminated at the quarter-final stage of the tournament for the last three years. The Spaniard admitted last season's shock last eight defeat against Lyon in Lisbon was especially tough to take. "Of course, it remained in my head for weeks and it was painful, I cannot deny," Guardiola said. "It was the last game of the season, we wanted to go through and we accept we didn't do it well, didn't deserve to go through. "Going out to Lyon, it was different. We went out, said goodbye and went on our holidays. It was a disappointment but we are here again, with a chance." The ghosts of those bitter European defeats were on Guardiola's mind as he claimed their fine Premier League form would not be a factor against Dortmund. "Why should we win the other competitions just because we are leading the Premier League?" he said. "The only concern is to try to win the game. Win this game and after comes Leeds, and after we go to Dortmund to win that game."

Guardiola hails 'exceptional' Haaland amid bid talk

Zinedine Zidane believes Real Madrid are being underrated ahead of the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Madrid have endured a patchy season but remain alive in the Champions League and La Liga, with the gap to Atletico Madrid down to three points with nine games left.&nbsp;

And if they can overcome Liverpool, they will have a semi-final to come against either Chelsea or Porto and be within sight of a 14th European triumph.

"I think my team has been underestimated," said Zidane in a press conference on Monday.&nbsp;"I trust my team a lot and I know what it can give. But we can't change what people think. We can only work day by day and while there is still a chance, we never give up.&nbsp;

"We are going to fight for everything. We have had difficult moments this season and now we are better but it doesn't mean anything tomorrow."&nbsp;

Zidane raised the possibility of Eden Hazard being involved in the first leg in Madrid on Tuesday, even though the Belgian has missed the last three weeks with a pelvic injury. Hazard trained at Valdebebas on Monday morning.&nbsp;

"We have talked a lot about this, Hazard has to be calm. The important thing is that he has recovered," said Zidane. "If the player is well, I want him with the team. We are going to do things little by little and we'll see what happens."&nbsp;

Madrid will be without their captain Sergio Ramos, who injured his calf on international duty last month with Spain.&nbsp;

Ramos played a key role as Real Madrid beat Liverpool in the Champions League final in 2018, after his challenge forced Mohamed Salah to be substituted in the first half. &nbsp;

"I know Sergio, he is a teammate, a friend," said Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez. "It's a shame, nobody likes to be injured in moments as important as this and even more so when you know Sergio, who is the captain.&nbsp;

"I'm sure that not just Salah but everyone from Liverpool will want to take revenge and win the game, just like us."&nbsp;

Liverpool bounced back from their defeat in Kiev by winning the Champions League and Premier League over the next two seasons but, like Madrid, they have wavered since, falling behind Bayern Munich and Manchester City.&nbsp;

"We don't think about the past," said Zidane. "It's a big game for them and it's a different game from the final in Kiev. We're preparing for a different game."&nbsp;

"We are at a club where every day, every minute we live with pressure," added Nacho. "We know how to handle it, we try to use it in the best possible way, which is to lift a trophy at the end of the season."&nbsp;

Zinedine Zidane believes Real Madrid are being underrated ahead of the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool on Tuesday. Madrid have endured a patchy season but remain alive in the Champions League and La Liga, with the gap to Atletico Madrid down to three points with nine games left.

Zinedine Zidane believes Real Madrid are being underrated ahead of the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool on Tuesday. Madrid have endured a patchy season but remain alive in the Champions League and La Liga, with the gap to Atletico Madrid down to three points with nine games left. And if they can overcome Liverpool, they will have a semi-final to come against either Chelsea or Porto and be within sight of a 14th European triumph. "I think my team has been underestimated," said Zidane in a press conference on Monday. "I trust my team a lot and I know what it can give. But we can't change what people think. We can only work day by day and while there is still a chance, we never give up. "We are going to fight for everything. We have had difficult moments this season and now we are better but it doesn't mean anything tomorrow." Zidane raised the possibility of Eden Hazard being involved in the first leg in Madrid on Tuesday, even though the Belgian has missed the last three weeks with a pelvic injury. Hazard trained at Valdebebas on Monday morning. "We have talked a lot about this, Hazard has to be calm. The important thing is that he has recovered," said Zidane. "If the player is well, I want him with the team. We are going to do things little by little and we'll see what happens." Madrid will be without their captain Sergio Ramos, who injured his calf on international duty last month with Spain. Ramos played a key role as Real Madrid beat Liverpool in the Champions League final in 2018, after his challenge forced Mohamed Salah to be substituted in the first half. "I know Sergio, he is a teammate, a friend," said Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez. "It's a shame, nobody likes to be injured in moments as important as this and even more so when you know Sergio, who is the captain. "I'm sure that not just Salah but everyone from Liverpool will want to take revenge and win the game, just like us." Liverpool bounced back from their defeat in Kiev by winning the Champions League and Premier League over the next two seasons but, like Madrid, they have wavered since, falling behind Bayern Munich and Manchester City. "We don't think about the past," said Zidane. "It's a big game for them and it's a different game from the final in Kiev. We're preparing for a different game." "We are at a club where every day, every minute we live with pressure," added Nacho. "We know how to handle it, we try to use it in the best possible way, which is to lift a trophy at the end of the season."

Zidane: Nobody should write off Real Madrid

The Maharashtra government on Monday paved the way for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 to take place in the COVID-19-struck Mumbai while allowing teams to practice after 8pm and travel back to their respective hotels during the night curfew that has been imposed to curb the spread of the dreaded virus. <o:p></o:p>

Due to a record surge of COVID-19 cases in Mumbai and Maharashtra, the state government on Sunday announced night curfew&nbsp;from 8pm to 7am on weekdays under their ‘Break the Chain’ initiative. The guidelines are to be implemented from this evening.<o:p></o:p>

However, the state government has exempted IPL teams from their latest announcement while allowing them to practice beyond 8 pm, provided there is "strict adherence to bio-bubble". The IPL 2021 starts in Chennai on April 9.<o:p></o:p>

"Considering the match-timings, teams practicing at the CCI and MCA are scheduled to practice in 2 sessions -- from 4pm to 6.30pm and 7.30pm to 10pm," wrote Srirang Gholap, Under Secretary of the Disaster Management, Relief and Rehabilitation department, in a letter issued to the BCCI.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-super-league-6-bio-secure-bubble-was-compromised-on-several-occasions-pcb-375525" hreflang="en">Pakistan Super League 6 bio-secure bubble was compromised on several occasions: PCB</a>

Mumbai is due to host 10 IPL 2021 matches at the Wankhede Stadium and nine of them are to start at 7:30 pm. The first game at the Wankhede is due on April 10 between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals.<o:p></o:p>

Mumbai recorded more than 11,000 COVID-19 cases on Sunday.<o:p></o:p>

"...permission has been requested for teams and the IPL staff (to) be allowed to practice inside the grounds after 8pm and they may be allowed free movement from the ground to their respective hotels after the said time.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/im-not-batting-today-ricky-ponting-opens-up-on-prithvi-shaws-refusal-to-train-during-ipl-2020-375517" hreflang="en">'I'm not batting today': Ricky Ponting opens up on Prithvi Shaw's refusal to train during IPL 2020</a>

"Accordingly, permission is being hereby accorded for the said request subject to scrupulous adherence to the bio-bubble," stated the letter, according to PTI.<o:p></o:p>

In a related development and a major relief to the Mumbai Cricket Association, it is learnt that most of the Wankhede's 10 ground-staff members, who had earlier tested positive for the virus, have now tested negative.<o:p></o:p>

(From PTI inputs)<o:p></o:p>

The Maharashtra government on Monday paved the way for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 to take place in the COVID-19-struck Mumbai while allowing teams to practice after 8pm and travel back to their respective hotels during the night curfew that has been imposed to curb the spread of the dreaded virus.

The Maharashtra government on Monday paved the way for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 to take place in the COVID-19-struck Mumbai while allowing teams to practice after 8pm and travel back to their respective hotels during the night curfew that has been imposed to curb the spread of the dreaded virus. Due to a record surge of COVID-19 cases in Mumbai and Maharashtra, the state government on Sunday announced night curfew from 8pm to 7am on weekdays under their ‘Break the Chain’ initiative. The guidelines are to be implemented from this evening. However, the state government has exempted IPL teams from their latest announcement while allowing them to practice beyond 8 pm, provided there is "strict adherence to bio-bubble". The IPL 2021 starts in Chennai on April 9. "Considering the match-timings, teams practicing at the CCI and MCA are scheduled to practice in 2 sessions -- from 4pm to 6.30pm and 7.30pm to 10pm," wrote Srirang Gholap, Under Secretary of the Disaster Management, Relief and Rehabilitation department, in a letter issued to the BCCI. ALSO READ: Pakistan Super League 6 bio-secure bubble was compromised on several occasions: PCB Mumbai is due to host 10 IPL 2021 matches at the Wankhede Stadium and nine of them are to start at 7:30 pm. The first game at the Wankhede is due on April 10 between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals. Mumbai recorded more than 11,000 COVID-19 cases on Sunday. "...permission has been requested for teams and the IPL staff (to) be allowed to practice inside the grounds after 8pm and they may be allowed free movement from the ground to their respective hotels after the said time. ALSO READ: 'I'm not batting today': Ricky Ponting opens up on Prithvi Shaw's refusal to train during IPL 2020 "Accordingly, permission is being hereby accorded for the said request subject to scrupulous adherence to the bio-bubble," stated the letter, according to PTI. In a related development and a major relief to the Mumbai Cricket Association, it is learnt that most of the Wankhede's 10 ground-staff members, who had earlier tested positive for the virus, have now tested negative. (From PTI inputs)

Maharashtra government clears deck for IPL, allows franchises to practice after 8pm at Wankhede Stadium

An independent fact-finding committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that the bio-secure bubble for Pakistan Super League (PSL 6) was compromised on several occasions and the protocols were broken during the course of the tournament.<o:p></o:p>

The two-member committee of COVID-19 experts was established by the PCB to investigate the PSL 6 bio-bubble and what went wrong during the T20 tournament.<o:p></o:p>

The final report by Dr Syed Faisal Mahmood and Dr Salma Muhammad Abbas was submitted to the PCB chairman Ehsan Mani on March 31 with the report stating that the PSL 6 bubble was compromised several times.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/leave-qdk-alone-tabraiz-shamsi-jumps-in-de-kocks-defence-after-controversial-fakhar-zaman-run-out-375500" hreflang="en">'Leave QDK alone': Tabraiz Shamsi jumps in de Kock's defence after controversial Fakhar Zaman run-out</a>

The PCB chief is now expected to go through the report and share the details with other PCB board members before a final call is taken on the matter.<o:p></o:p>

However, media reports from Pakistan has said that the findings of the committee didn’t blame any individual but confirmed that the bio-secure bubble was compromised on several occasions in Karachi.<o:p></o:p>

The report also said that the independent committee made recommendations on how the PCB can ensure a safe bio-secure bubble for PSL 6 when the tournament resumes in June.<o:p></o:p>

The PSL 6 was postponed mid-way by the PCB in March following rising in COVID-19 cases. Some of the foreigners and local players along with officials had tested positive for the dreaded coronavirus.<o:p></o:p>

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/what-does-crickets-law-book-say-on-fakhar-zaman-quinton-de-kock-run-out-incident-375466" hreflang="en">What does cricket’s law book say on Fakhar Zaman-Quinton de Kock run-out incident?</a>

Notably, the report said that the experts had called in PCB officials about breaches during the PSL 6 but the authorities didn’t respond in time.<o:p></o:p>

The PCB has said it would take action against those found to be responsible for breaching the protocols.<o:p></o:p>

Dr Sohail Saleem, head of the PCB's medical and sports sciences department, had resigned after the PSL was postponed on March 4.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

An independent fact-finding committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that the bio-secure bubble for Pakistan Super League (PSL 6) was compromised on several occasions and the protocols were broken during the course of the tournament.

An independent fact-finding committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that the bio-secure bubble for Pakistan Super League (PSL 6) was compromised on several occasions and the protocols were broken during the course of the tournament. The two-member committee of COVID-19 experts was established by the PCB to investigate the PSL 6 bio-bubble and what went wrong during the T20 tournament. The final report by Dr Syed Faisal Mahmood and Dr Salma Muhammad Abbas was submitted to the PCB chairman Ehsan Mani on March 31 with the report stating that the PSL 6 bubble was compromised several times. ALSO READ: 'Leave QDK alone': Tabraiz Shamsi jumps in de Kock's defence after controversial Fakhar Zaman run-out The PCB chief is now expected to go through the report and share the details with other PCB board members before a final call is taken on the matter. However, media reports from Pakistan has said that the findings of the committee didn’t blame any individual but confirmed that the bio-secure bubble was compromised on several occasions in Karachi. The report also said that the independent committee made recommendations on how the PCB can ensure a safe bio-secure bubble for PSL 6 when the tournament resumes in June. The PSL 6 was postponed mid-way by the PCB in March following rising in COVID-19 cases. Some of the foreigners and local players along with officials had tested positive for the dreaded coronavirus. ALSO READ: What does cricket’s law book say on Fakhar Zaman-Quinton de Kock run-out incident? Notably, the report said that the experts had called in PCB officials about breaches during the PSL 6 but the authorities didn’t respond in time. The PCB has said it would take action against those found to be responsible for breaching the protocols. Dr Sohail Saleem, head of the PCB's medical and sports sciences department, had resigned after the PSL was postponed on March 4.

Pakistan Super League 6 bio-secure bubble was compromised on several occasions: PCB

The ruling could not have been more clear.

One of soccer’s six regional bodies had engaged in discriminatory behavior against a female official by hindering her chances of getting a seat on its board and a leadership position with the sport’s global governing body, FIFA.

The official, Mariyam Mohamed, also convinced judges at sports’ top court that an influential Kuwaiti sheikh had actively interfered in elections held by the Asian Football Confederation in 2019 to achieve his desired outcome.

The full ruling, which has not been published, was obtained by The New York Times. In it, a panel at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland concluded that the inaction by Asian soccer officials over several months amounted to a “denial of justice” for Mohamed. Yet two months since the decision was announced, the effect of what appears to be a powerful denunciation of ethics breaches and a disregard for women’s rights has had all the effect of a snowball hitting a tank.

Nothing has happened.

The tainted elections will not be rerun. The men who offered Mohamed inducements to drop out have not been punished. And soccer’s leaders have taken no action.

FIFA said in an email it had no comment, even though it previously insisted it would follow up on the court’s findings with soccer officials in Asia. Asian soccer’s governing body also declined to comment, saying its leaders had nothing to add to a January statement in which they had pledged the organization would review the findings.

For Mohamed, the silence has been maddening.

“It’s just a game for them, justice denial, the same process that I was in,” she said in a phone interview. “They’re waiting for time to pass by, and hoping I get fed up. Now the verdict has come, and it’s just very sad. I don’t know where else to go now.”

Mohamed, who filed her complaints to the Asian federation’s disciplinary department in May 2019, says she initially celebrated the ruling, but came to realize it may amount to a Pyrrhic victory.

She has not been contacted by officials from the AFC, she said. Nor has she heard from ethics investigators from FIFA, even though the organization’s rules state that gender discrimination is “strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion.”

The case and its aftermath have highlighted how power works in global sports. It shows how a tainted Gulf royal linked to other cases of corruption has been able to exert significant control over one of soccer’s largest governing bodies even though he has no official role in its affairs. And it shows how a strategy of delay can be its own kind of injustice.

Mohamed’s case had roots in FIFA’s response to its own problems with discrimination: To address a lack of women on its governing board, the organization since 2013 set aside specific seats for women, starting with one voting member in 2013 and now a minimum of one from each of FIFA’s six regional confederations.

Mohamed, a former soccer player and coach from the Maldives, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, had hoped to win the AFC’s spot in a vote in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in April 2019. It did not take her long to realize that the power brokers of Asian soccer had already decided the election’s outcome.

She filed her first complaints about the election to the Asian confederation’s disciplinary department a month later. Emails show the organization responded to her inquiries by insisting it had begun an investigation, although it appears little was done. The AFC, citing confidentiality, refused to supply any evidence of its investigation to the court.

At a hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport last July, the AFC hardly put up a defense. Its lawyers offered no witnesses to challenge Mohamed’s testimony that a top confederation official and the head of the soccer federation of Qatar had been present in a luxury hotel suite when the Kuwaiti sheikh, Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah, told Mohamed he had decided that his preferred candidate, Mahfuza Akhter Kiron of Bangladesh, would be elected as the AFC’s female representative to the FIFA Council.

Mohamed was told she should drop her candidacy, and do so within 24 hours. She later claimed, in testimony that went unchallenged by the AFC, that Sheikh Ahmad attempted to mollify her by saying he had so much sway in international soccer circles that he could obtain for her “any other position of her choosing at the AFC or FIFA” in exchange for her withdrawal.

By this point, Sheikh Ahmad had no official role in soccer, having resigned his position on the FIFA Council in 2017 after allegations emerged in a U.S. federal court that he had bribed Asian officials. But Mohamed’s decision to take her case to court provided a rare public glimpse into his continuing stature as a power broker in global sports through his role as the president of the Olympic Council of Asia, an organization created by his father in 1982.

At a 2013 International Olympic Committee meeting, for example, Sheikh Ahmad’s support helped Thomas Bach secure the IOC presidency and also deliver the 2020 Olympics to Tokyo. Since he was indicted in a forgery case unrelated to sports in 2018, he has “self-suspended” from two prominent Olympic roles. But his opinion still carries weight.

Before the AFC’s 2019 elections, his legal troubles did not seem to be an issue. A list of his favored candidates was distributed to AFC voters on the eve of the elections and, aware of the talks with Mohamed and of Sheikh Ahmad’s preference for a different candidate, the leaders of several federations pressured Mohamed to drop out, she said. She declined to withdraw, and lost the vote, 31-15. Every candidate on Sheikh Ahmad’s list, however, was elected to seats on the AFC’s executive board or, as in Kiron’s case, as a confederation representative to FIFA.

After reviewing the evidence presented by Mohamed and her lawyers, the CAS panel made clear in the summary of its decision that it agreed with her version of the events. The panel confirmed that the 2019 elections had breached FIFA and AFC rules on gender discrimination. It concluded that Sheikh Ahmad had tried to influence the outcome, and that the AFC had denied Mohamed justice by not making a ruling on her complaint. It did, however, also say that by not bowing out of the elections, Mohamed ensured the sheikh’s efforts to influence the election in her case were not effective.

But the court said it was powerless to order that the flawed elections be annulled, or to punish any of the individuals accused of interfering with them. Any decision on further action was for FIFA, and the AFC, to decide, the court said.

Because of the rules governing the court, the panel’s full findings have been cloaked in secrecy since the verdict was announced on Jan. 25.

“If nothing happens it is a disgrace for FIFA, the AFC, and undermines the authority of CAS indirectly,” said Miguel Maduro, the former FIFA governance head who gave evidence in Mohamed’s case. “This award and what follows tells us at once that CAS has exposed corruption at the highest level of elections in football and at the same time tells us they cannot do anything about it.”

Maduro added that at the very least, FIFA should have initiated an ethics inquiry after the ruling. To date, it has not.

Such a move, though, would be extremely sensitive for soccer’s global leadership. The FIFA official responsible for overseeing the 2019 election, Eduardo Ache, told the CAS panel that soccer’s guidelines to improve female representation were mere recommendations. The panel said Ache’s evidence suggested he was “prepared to accept any discrimination provided at least one woman was elected to FIFA.”

But pressing for discipline in the case also could be uncomfortable for FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, who relies on the support of national and regional soccer leaders to push his agenda. He recently spent two weeks touring Africa, for example, to ensure that his favored candidate, a South African billionaire with no high-level experience in soccer administration, was elected president of the continent’s regional confederation. And he is unlikely to press for discipline against the leader of Qatar’s soccer federation — reportedly present when Mohamed was offered inducements to step aside — or any other Asian leader a year before Qatar hosts the 2022 World Cup.

The longer the full ruling in Mohamed’s case goes unpublished, though, the more it will give the appearance soccer’s leaders are trying to brush a problematic situation under the carpet, said Johan Lindholm, a professor of law at Umea University in Sweden who has published a book on CAS.

“Whether it’s because of bad PR or there are other things going on, then you would probably want to keep it as secret as possible,” Lindholm said.

The ruling could not have been more clear. One of soccer’s six regional bodies had engaged in discriminatory behavior against a female official by hindering her chances of getting a seat on its board and a leadership position with the sport’s global governing body, FIFA.

The ruling could not have been more clear. One of soccer’s six regional bodies had engaged in discriminatory behavior against a female official by hindering her chances of getting a seat on its board and a leadership position with the sport’s global governing body, FIFA. The official, Mariyam Mohamed, also convinced judges at sports’ top court that an influential Kuwaiti sheikh had actively interfered in elections held by the Asian Football Confederation in 2019 to achieve his desired outcome. The full ruling, which has not been published, was obtained by The New York Times. In it, a panel at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland concluded that the inaction by Asian soccer officials over several months amounted to a “denial of justice” for Mohamed. Yet two months since the decision was announced, the effect of what appears to be a powerful denunciation of ethics breaches and a disregard for women’s rights has had all the effect of a snowball hitting a tank. Nothing has happened. The tainted elections will not be rerun. The men who offered Mohamed inducements to drop out have not been punished. And soccer’s leaders have taken no action. FIFA said in an email it had no comment, even though it previously insisted it would follow up on the court’s findings with soccer officials in Asia. Asian soccer’s governing body also declined to comment, saying its leaders had nothing to add to a January statement in which they had pledged the organization would review the findings. For Mohamed, the silence has been maddening. “It’s just a game for them, justice denial, the same process that I was in,” she said in a phone interview. “They’re waiting for time to pass by, and hoping I get fed up. Now the verdict has come, and it’s just very sad. I don’t know where else to go now.” Mohamed, who filed her complaints to the Asian federation’s disciplinary department in May 2019, says she initially celebrated the ruling, but came to realize it may amount to a Pyrrhic victory. She has not been contacted by officials from the AFC, she said. Nor has she heard from ethics investigators from FIFA, even though the organization’s rules state that gender discrimination is “strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion.” The case and its aftermath have highlighted how power works in global sports. It shows how a tainted Gulf royal linked to other cases of corruption has been able to exert significant control over one of soccer’s largest governing bodies even though he has no official role in its affairs. And it shows how a strategy of delay can be its own kind of injustice. Mohamed’s case had roots in FIFA’s response to its own problems with discrimination: To address a lack of women on its governing board, the organization since 2013 set aside specific seats for women, starting with one voting member in 2013 and now a minimum of one from each of FIFA’s six regional confederations. Mohamed, a former soccer player and coach from the Maldives, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, had hoped to win the AFC’s spot in a vote in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in April 2019. It did not take her long to realize that the power brokers of Asian soccer had already decided the election’s outcome. She filed her first complaints about the election to the Asian confederation’s disciplinary department a month later. Emails show the organization responded to her inquiries by insisting it had begun an investigation, although it appears little was done. The AFC, citing confidentiality, refused to supply any evidence of its investigation to the court. At a hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport last July, the AFC hardly put up a defense. Its lawyers offered no witnesses to challenge Mohamed’s testimony that a top confederation official and the head of the soccer federation of Qatar had been present in a luxury hotel suite when the Kuwaiti sheikh, Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah, told Mohamed he had decided that his preferred candidate, Mahfuza Akhter Kiron of Bangladesh, would be elected as the AFC’s female representative to the FIFA Council. Mohamed was told she should drop her candidacy, and do so within 24 hours. She later claimed, in testimony that went unchallenged by the AFC, that Sheikh Ahmad attempted to mollify her by saying he had so much sway in international soccer circles that he could obtain for her “any other position of her choosing at the AFC or FIFA” in exchange for her withdrawal. By this point, Sheikh Ahmad had no official role in soccer, having resigned his position on the FIFA Council in 2017 after allegations emerged in a U.S. federal court that he had bribed Asian officials. But Mohamed’s decision to take her case to court provided a rare public glimpse into his continuing stature as a power broker in global sports through his role as the president of the Olympic Council of Asia, an organization created by his father in 1982. At a 2013 International Olympic Committee meeting, for example, Sheikh Ahmad’s support helped Thomas Bach secure the IOC presidency and also deliver the 2020 Olympics to Tokyo. Since he was indicted in a forgery case unrelated to sports in 2018, he has “self-suspended” from two prominent Olympic roles. But his opinion still carries weight. Before the AFC’s 2019 elections, his legal troubles did not seem to be an issue. A list of his favored candidates was distributed to AFC voters on the eve of the elections and, aware of the talks with Mohamed and of Sheikh Ahmad’s preference for a different candidate, the leaders of several federations pressured Mohamed to drop out, she said. She declined to withdraw, and lost the vote, 31-15. Every candidate on Sheikh Ahmad’s list, however, was elected to seats on the AFC’s executive board or, as in Kiron’s case, as a confederation representative to FIFA. After reviewing the evidence presented by Mohamed and her lawyers, the CAS panel made clear in the summary of its decision that it agreed with her version of the events. The panel confirmed that the 2019 elections had breached FIFA and AFC rules on gender discrimination. It concluded that Sheikh Ahmad had tried to influence the outcome, and that the AFC had denied Mohamed justice by not making a ruling on her complaint. It did, however, also say that by not bowing out of the elections, Mohamed ensured the sheikh’s efforts to influence the election in her case were not effective. But the court said it was powerless to order that the flawed elections be annulled, or to punish any of the individuals accused of interfering with them. Any decision on further action was for FIFA, and the AFC, to decide, the court said. Because of the rules governing the court, the panel’s full findings have been cloaked in secrecy since the verdict was announced on Jan. 25. “If nothing happens it is a disgrace for FIFA, the AFC, and undermines the authority of CAS indirectly,” said Miguel Maduro, the former FIFA governance head who gave evidence in Mohamed’s case. “This award and what follows tells us at once that CAS has exposed corruption at the highest level of elections in football and at the same time tells us they cannot do anything about it.” Maduro added that at the very least, FIFA should have initiated an ethics inquiry after the ruling. To date, it has not. Such a move, though, would be extremely sensitive for soccer’s global leadership. The FIFA official responsible for overseeing the 2019 election, Eduardo Ache, told the CAS panel that soccer’s guidelines to improve female representation were mere recommendations. The panel said Ache’s evidence suggested he was “prepared to accept any discrimination provided at least one woman was elected to FIFA.” But pressing for discipline in the case also could be uncomfortable for FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, who relies on the support of national and regional soccer leaders to push his agenda. He recently spent two weeks touring Africa, for example, to ensure that his favored candidate, a South African billionaire with no high-level experience in soccer administration, was elected president of the continent’s regional confederation. And he is unlikely to press for discipline against the leader of Qatar’s soccer federation — reportedly present when Mohamed was offered inducements to step aside — or any other Asian leader a year before Qatar hosts the 2022 World Cup. The longer the full ruling in Mohamed’s case goes unpublished, though, the more it will give the appearance soccer’s leaders are trying to brush a problematic situation under the carpet, said Johan Lindholm, a professor of law at Umea University in Sweden who has published a book on CAS. “Whether it’s because of bad PR or there are other things going on, then you would probably want to keep it as secret as possible,” Lindholm said.

A soccer official proved her discrimination case. No one was punished.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly on Sunday provided an update on the schedule of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in India. The IPL 2021 is scheduled to commence on April 9 but with India registering over 1 lakh coronavirus cases, questions were raised whether IPL 2021 would go ahead as per schedule. Ganguly has now cleared the air regarding the doubts.

Ganguly’s comments come after the Maharashtra government announced weekend lockdown to curb the spread of the dreaded COVID-19.&nbsp;

"Everything will go on as per schedule," Ganguly told ANI.&nbsp;

Maharashtra is set to undergo strict weekend lockdown from Friday 8pm to Monday 7 am, said state Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik adding that essential services and basic transportation such as buses, trains and taxis will be allowed. 
Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium is to host 10 IPL 2021 matches from April 10-25 with the first match scheduled to be played on April 10 between Delhi Capitals and three-time winners Chennai Super Kings.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/what-does-crickets-law-book-say-on-fakhar-zaman-quinton-de-kock-run-out-incident-375466" hreflang="en">What does cricket’s law book say on Fakhar Zaman-Quinton de Kock run-out incident?</a>

Four franchises -- Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, and Rajasthan Royals have set up their base in Mumbai as of now. Whereas the fifth Mumbai-based franchise Kolkata Knight Riders will move to Chennai after playing their season opener against SunRisers Hyderabad on April 11.

The BCCI is also mulling players’ vaccination ahead of the showpiece T20 tournament. The BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla has said that the board will get in touch with the Health Ministry for players' vaccination.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-rajeev-shukla-confident-that-tournament-will-go-ahead-without-any-problem-375327" hreflang="en">IPL 2021: Rajeev Shukla confident that tournament will go ahead 'without any problem'</a>

"In order to cope with this coronavirus rise, I think the only solution is to get vaccinated. BCCI is also thinking on those lines that players should be vaccinated. Nobody knows when coronavirus is going to end and you can't give a deadline that by this time frame, it will not be there so players can play easily. So, I think now will have to think over that. Vaccination should be done for the players also," Shukla told ANI.&nbsp;

IPL 2021 is set to start from April 9 with RCB taking on MI in the season opener in Chennai.

<o:p></o:p>

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly on Sunday provided an update on the schedule of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in India.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly on Sunday provided an update on the schedule of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in India. The IPL 2021 is scheduled to commence on April 9 but with India registering over 1 lakh coronavirus cases, questions were raised whether IPL 2021 would go ahead as per schedule. Ganguly has now cleared the air regarding the doubts. Ganguly’s comments come after the Maharashtra government announced weekend lockdown to curb the spread of the dreaded COVID-19. "Everything will go on as per schedule," Ganguly told ANI. Maharashtra is set to undergo strict weekend lockdown from Friday 8pm to Monday 7 am, said state Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik adding that essential services and basic transportation such as buses, trains and taxis will be allowed. Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium is to host 10 IPL 2021 matches from April 10-25 with the first match scheduled to be played on April 10 between Delhi Capitals and three-time winners Chennai Super Kings. ALSO READ: What does cricket’s law book say on Fakhar Zaman-Quinton de Kock run-out incident? Four franchises -- Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, and Rajasthan Royals have set up their base in Mumbai as of now. Whereas the fifth Mumbai-based franchise Kolkata Knight Riders will move to Chennai after playing their season opener against SunRisers Hyderabad on April 11. The BCCI is also mulling players’ vaccination ahead of the showpiece T20 tournament. The BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla has said that the board will get in touch with the Health Ministry for players' vaccination. ALSO READ: IPL 2021: Rajeev Shukla confident that tournament will go ahead 'without any problem' "In order to cope with this coronavirus rise, I think the only solution is to get vaccinated. BCCI is also thinking on those lines that players should be vaccinated. Nobody knows when coronavirus is going to end and you can't give a deadline that by this time frame, it will not be there so players can play easily. So, I think now will have to think over that. Vaccination should be done for the players also," Shukla told ANI. IPL 2021 is set to start from April 9 with RCB taking on MI in the season opener in Chennai.

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly provides update on IPL 2021 scheduling amid spike in COVID-19 cases

Delhi Capitals coach and former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting on Monday revealed that Prithvi Shaw refused to bat at nets when he was going through a torrid run of form during Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 in the UAE while hoping that the youngster has changed his training approach ahead of IPL 2021, scheduled to start from April 9.

While Shaw averaged just 17.53 in 13 matches during IPL 2020, the youngster has roared back to form during the Indian domestic season in 2021.&nbsp;

Ponting has said that he tried to help Shaw out with his technical frailties with the bat but added that the youngster didn’t want to bat at nets when he was completely out of form during IPL 2020 as he said he couldn’t really work that theory out.

TRENDING:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-thala-ms-dhoni-unleashes-monstrous-sixes-at-csk-nets-ahead-of-ipl-2021-375510" hreflang="en">Watch: 'Thala' MS Dhoni unleashes monstrous sixes at CSK nets ahead of IPL 2021</a>

"I've tried (taking Shaw under his wing) the last two years and I've really enjoyed working with him," Ponting told cricket.com.au before departing for India. "I've had some really interesting chats with him through last year's IPL, just trying to break him down, trying to find out exactly what was the right way to coach him and how I was going to get the best out of him.

"But he had an interesting theory on his batting last year – when he's not scoring runs, he won't bat, and when he is scoring runs, he wants to keep batting all the time.

"He had four or five games where he made under 10 and I'm telling him, 'We have to go to the nets and work out (what's wrong)', and he looked me in the eye and said, 'No, I'm not batting today'.

"I couldn't really work that out.

"He might have changed. I know he's done a lot of work over the last few months, that theory that he had might have changed, and hopefully it has, because if we can get the best out of him, he could be a superstar player."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-president-sourav-ganguly-provides-update-on-ipl-2021-scheduling-amid-spike-in-covid-19-cases-375485" hreflang="en">BCCI president Sourav Ganguly provides update on IPL 2021 scheduling amid spike in COVID-19 cases</a>

With Delhi Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer out of IPL 2021 due to shoulder injury, DC would hope that Shaw fires all cylinders with the willow. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Shaw hammered a staggering 827 runs including four centuries in eight innings. The change in form came after the Test tour of Australia, where he was dropped after the opening Test. Shaw had admitted that he felt "worthless" and suffered the "saddest day of my life" when he got the news of losing his spot.

"I was going pretty hard at him," said the former Australia captain. "I was basically telling him, 'Mate you've got to get in the nets. Whatever you think you're working on, is not working for you'."

"It's my job as a coach to challenge someone's preparation if they're not getting results. So I challenged him and he stuck to his word and he didn't practice much at all towards the back-end of the tournament, and didn't get many runs towards the back-end of the tournament either."

Shaw’s batting technique was scrutinized by many including the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Ponting, who believes Shaw has the ability to become a superstar. Ponting further said that he hasn’t seen many more talented players than Shaw in his entire career.

"Maybe (his training habits) have changed for the better, because (his success) won't just be for the Delhi Capitals, I'm sure you'll see him play a lot of cricket for India as well in the coming years," said Ponting.

"He's diminutive … in the (Sachin) Tendulkar sort of mould but hits the ball incredibly powerfully off front and back foot, and plays spin really well.

"If we can get him to take that form that he's just shown into the IPL, it just makes the balance on our Delhi Capital side so good.

"If (the penny) does drop – I'm not sure I've seen many more talented players than him in my whole time of playing the game."

Delhi Capitals coach and former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting on Monday revealed that Prithvi Shaw refused to bat at nets when he was going through a torrid run of form during Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 in the UAE while hoping that the youngster has changed his training approach ahead of IPL 2021, scheduled to start from April 9.

Delhi Capitals coach and former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting on Monday revealed that Prithvi Shaw refused to bat at nets when he was going through a torrid run of form during Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 in the UAE while hoping that the youngster has changed his training approach ahead of IPL 2021, scheduled to start from April 9. While Shaw averaged just 17.53 in 13 matches during IPL 2020, the youngster has roared back to form during the Indian domestic season in 2021. Ponting has said that he tried to help Shaw out with his technical frailties with the bat but added that the youngster didn’t want to bat at nets when he was completely out of form during IPL 2020 as he said he couldn’t really work that theory out. TRENDING: Watch: 'Thala' MS Dhoni unleashes monstrous sixes at CSK nets ahead of IPL 2021 "I've tried (taking Shaw under his wing) the last two years and I've really enjoyed working with him," Ponting told cricket.com.au before departing for India. "I've had some really interesting chats with him through last year's IPL, just trying to break him down, trying to find out exactly what was the right way to coach him and how I was going to get the best out of him. "But he had an interesting theory on his batting last year – when he's not scoring runs, he won't bat, and when he is scoring runs, he wants to keep batting all the time. "He had four or five games where he made under 10 and I'm telling him, 'We have to go to the nets and work out (what's wrong)', and he looked me in the eye and said, 'No, I'm not batting today'. "I couldn't really work that out. "He might have changed. I know he's done a lot of work over the last few months, that theory that he had might have changed, and hopefully it has, because if we can get the best out of him, he could be a superstar player." ALSO READ: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly provides update on IPL 2021 scheduling amid spike in COVID-19 cases With Delhi Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer out of IPL 2021 due to shoulder injury, DC would hope that Shaw fires all cylinders with the willow. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Shaw hammered a staggering 827 runs including four centuries in eight innings. The change in form came after the Test tour of Australia, where he was dropped after the opening Test. Shaw had admitted that he felt "worthless" and suffered the "saddest day of my life" when he got the news of losing his spot. "I was going pretty hard at him," said the former Australia captain. "I was basically telling him, 'Mate you've got to get in the nets. Whatever you think you're working on, is not working for you'." "It's my job as a coach to challenge someone's preparation if they're not getting results. So I challenged him and he stuck to his word and he didn't practice much at all towards the back-end of the tournament, and didn't get many runs towards the back-end of the tournament either." Shaw’s batting technique was scrutinized by many including the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Ponting, who believes Shaw has the ability to become a superstar. Ponting further said that he hasn’t seen many more talented players than Shaw in his entire career. "Maybe (his training habits) have changed for the better, because (his success) won't just be for the Delhi Capitals, I'm sure you'll see him play a lot of cricket for India as well in the coming years," said Ponting. "He's diminutive … in the (Sachin) Tendulkar sort of mould but hits the ball incredibly powerfully off front and back foot, and plays spin really well. "If we can get him to take that form that he's just shown into the IPL, it just makes the balance on our Delhi Capital side so good. "If (the penny) does drop – I'm not sure I've seen many more talented players than him in my whole time of playing the game."

'I'm not batting today': Ricky Ponting opens up on Prithvi Shaw's refusal to train during IPL 2020

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