Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris has weighed his opinion on key Indian batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli ahead of the much-awaited ICC World Test Championship final, scheduled to be played in Southampton from June 18.<o:p></o:p>

Styris has said that opener Rohit Sharma will struggle if New Zealand pacers are able to move the ball around during the WTC final citing the past frailties of ‘Hitman’ against swinging deliveries as he pointed that Rohit’s static feet movement could become troublesome for him.<o:p></o:p>

“It is pitch-dependent. I can’t stress that enough. I think if the ball is moving around then Rohit will have his struggles. We have done demonstrations after demonstrations (in the studio) about how Rohit doesn’t really move his feet a lot early in his innings. If that is the case, then the swinging ball could be a problem for him," said Styris on Star Sports.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-icc-world-test-championship-final-details-of-wtc-prize-money-announced-391411" hreflang="en">Cricket: ICC World Test Championship Final - Details of WTC prize money announced</a><o:p></o:p>

The 45-year-old further said that the likes of Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson/Colin de Grandhomme could be the operator with the new ball with Neil Wagner coming into the scene during middle-overs when Virat Kohli is expected to be on the crease. <o:p></o:p>

“There is no secret to New Zealand’s fast bowling plan if you like and that is Southee, Boult and either Jamieson or de Grandhomme will be the third seamer and they bowled till about the 22nd to 28th over with a new ball. And then Neil Wagner comes into the equation," added Styris.<o:p></o:p>

“So when you talk about Wagner, it is his ability to be aggressive and be a genuine wicket-taking option for somebody like Kohli in those middle-overs till the new ball comes around," said Styris.<o:p></o:p>

The winners of the much-awaited ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final between India and New Zealand will take home a purse of $ 1.6 million along with the ICC Test Championship Mace.<o:p></o:p>

Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris has weighed his opinion on key Indian batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli ahead of the much-awaited ICC World Test Championship final, scheduled to be played in Southampton from June 18.

Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris has weighed his opinion on key Indian batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli ahead of the much-awaited ICC World Test Championship final, scheduled to be played in Southampton from June 18. Styris has said that opener Rohit Sharma will struggle if New Zealand pacers are able to move the ball around during the WTC final citing the past frailties of ‘Hitman’ against swinging deliveries as he pointed that Rohit’s static feet movement could become troublesome for him. “It is pitch-dependent. I can’t stress that enough. I think if the ball is moving around then Rohit will have his struggles. We have done demonstrations after demonstrations (in the studio) about how Rohit doesn’t really move his feet a lot early in his innings. If that is the case, then the swinging ball could be a problem for him," said Styris on Star Sports. ALSO READ: Cricket: ICC World Test Championship Final - Details of WTC prize money announced The 45-year-old further said that the likes of Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson/Colin de Grandhomme could be the operator with the new ball with Neil Wagner coming into the scene during middle-overs when Virat Kohli is expected to be on the crease. “There is no secret to New Zealand’s fast bowling plan if you like and that is Southee, Boult and either Jamieson or de Grandhomme will be the third seamer and they bowled till about the 22nd to 28th over with a new ball. And then Neil Wagner comes into the equation," added Styris. “So when you talk about Wagner, it is his ability to be aggressive and be a genuine wicket-taking option for somebody like Kohli in those middle-overs till the new ball comes around," said Styris. The winners of the much-awaited ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final between India and New Zealand will take home a purse of $ 1.6 million along with the ICC Test Championship Mace.

WTC Final: Rohit to struggle against swing, Wagner could be used to target Kohli, says Styris

Czech Republic footballer Patrik Schick on Monday took the Euro 2020 by storm with an extraordinary goal from the half-line as he gave his team a much-needed second goal against Scotland. Schick found the ball just at the center-line after a Scotland attack was broken down. Having seen the goalkeeper Marshall way out of his goal-line, Schick took a couple of touches to take the ball away from the defender before firing a lofted, curling shot towards the goal as the ball found a way to rattle the net. <o:p></o:p>

Schick not only completed his brace with the outrageous goal but also gave the Czech Republic the much-needed second goal.<o:p></o:p>

The commentators went berserk after Schick found the top corner with the out-of-the-world strike as did the crowd Hampden Park in Glasgow.

Schick's second goal (49.7 yards) is the furthest distance from which a goal has been scored on record at the European Championships since 1980.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-argentina-were-never-too-dependent-on-me-says-lionel-messi-391346" hreflang="en">Football: Argentina were never too dependent on me, says Lionel Messi</a>

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Earlier in the first half, Schick had opened the scoring for the Czech Republic but the second goal will stay with him for a long, long time. The Czech forward celebrated the goal by running towards the crowd, who has been lively throughout the course of the match.<o:p></o:p>

Goalkeeper Marshal tried to stop the ball from hitting the net but the accuracy of the lofted shot made it impossible for the Scottish. <o:p></o:p>

The Euro 2020 has enjoyed a lively start with some goal-fest and the match between the Czech Republic and Scotland didn’t disappoint one bit. <o:p></o:p>

Czech Republic footballer Patrik Schick on Monday took the Euro 2020 by storm with an extraordinary goal from the half-line as he gave his team a much-needed second goal against Scotland.

Czech Republic footballer Patrik Schick on Monday took the Euro 2020 by storm with an extraordinary goal from the half-line as he gave his team a much-needed second goal against Scotland. Schick found the ball just at the center-line after a Scotland attack was broken down. Having seen the goalkeeper Marshall way out of his goal-line, Schick took a couple of touches to take the ball away from the defender before firing a lofted, curling shot towards the goal as the ball found a way to rattle the net. Schick not only completed his brace with the outrageous goal but also gave the Czech Republic the much-needed second goal. The commentators went berserk after Schick found the top corner with the out-of-the-world strike as did the crowd Hampden Park in Glasgow. Schick's second goal (49.7 yards) is the furthest distance from which a goal has been scored on record at the European Championships since 1980. ALSO READ: Football: Argentina were never too dependent on me, says Lionel Messi WHAT A GOAL SCHICK!! 🇨🇿 pic.twitter.com/GEPTSXKY6G — FIFA 21 News (@FUT21News) June 14, 2021 × Earlier in the first half, Schick had opened the scoring for the Czech Republic but the second goal will stay with him for a long, long time. The Czech forward celebrated the goal by running towards the crowd, who has been lively throughout the course of the match. Goalkeeper Marshal tried to stop the ball from hitting the net but the accuracy of the lofted shot made it impossible for the Scottish. The Euro 2020 has enjoyed a lively start with some goal-fest and the match between the Czech Republic and Scotland didn’t disappoint one bit.

Outrageous! Czech Republic's Patrik Schick scores goal of Euro 2020 contender against Scotland - Watch

India Women will kick-start their one-off Test against England Women on June 16 at Bristol with the much-awaited match in the longest format of the game coming for the Mithali Raj-led outfit after a long gap of almost seven years. <o:p></o:p>

India Women’s Test vice-captain Harmapreet Kaur on Monday addressed a range of questions ahead of the Test as she revealed that players have picked the brains of men’s Test deputy Ajinkya Rahane ahead of the game against England.<o:p></o:p>

India are also scheduled to play three ODIs and as many T20Is against England after the one-off Test. <o:p></o:p>

"I have not played much of red-ball cricket, I have played just two Tests. This time we got a chance to speak to Ajinkya Rahane, we picked his brain on how to bat in the longer format, mentally we are prepared. Even in the nets, we try to be in the right frame of mind. When you are happy, you play good cricket. We try to play to our strengths. We had an easy and friendly talk with Rahane, he is very experienced, we had a chance to talk to him and we did exactly that," said Harmanpreet during a virtual press conference on Monday.<o:p></o:p>

India head into the Test without much preparation. Having only spent some time at the nets, the team hasn’t had ideal preparations before the highly anticipated match.<o:p></o:p>

"I know we did not get much time to prepare, we did not get enough time to practice but as players, we need to adapt. Wickets here are different, today and tomorrow, we need to do the needful to prepare ourselves. Well, it is totally different scenario when you play red-ball cricket, it is important to get used to the conditions. We did not get domestic games with the red ball, but in the coming years, we will get more red-ball games," she added.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-icc-world-test-championship-final-details-of-wtc-prize-money-announced-391411" hreflang="en">Cricket: ICC World Test Championship Final - Details of WTC prize money announced</a><o:p></o:p>

Harmanpreet also recalled the last Test match played between India Women and England Women in 2014 wherein the former came victorious with a six-wicket win. While Harmanpreet didn’t get many runs in the match, it was Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Niranjana Nagarajan and Smriti Mandhana, who returned with valuable contributions with bat and ball. <o:p></o:p>

“We have very good memories from our previous Test in England. The last partnership between Shikha Pandey and Mithali Raj was crucial and overall it was one of the memorable experiences,” Harmanpreet said. &nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

When asked about the possible impact of Jhulan Goswami in the Test match, Harmanpreet said: "Well, Jhulan is someone who always takes the lead, she is always special for us. She will always give us breakthroughs whenever we need them. In Tests, you need breakthroughs, and you need someone who can deliver the wickets. I think she will be fantastic in this Test match as well."<o:p></o:p>

India Women will kick-start their one-off Test against England Women on June 16 at Bristol with the much-awaited match in the longest format of the game coming for the Mithali Raj-led outfit after a long gap of almost seven years.

India Women will kick-start their one-off Test against England Women on June 16 at Bristol with the much-awaited match in the longest format of the game coming for the Mithali Raj-led outfit after a long gap of almost seven years. India Women’s Test vice-captain Harmapreet Kaur on Monday addressed a range of questions ahead of the Test as she revealed that players have picked the brains of men’s Test deputy Ajinkya Rahane ahead of the game against England. India are also scheduled to play three ODIs and as many T20Is against England after the one-off Test. "I have not played much of red-ball cricket, I have played just two Tests. This time we got a chance to speak to Ajinkya Rahane, we picked his brain on how to bat in the longer format, mentally we are prepared. Even in the nets, we try to be in the right frame of mind. When you are happy, you play good cricket. We try to play to our strengths. We had an easy and friendly talk with Rahane, he is very experienced, we had a chance to talk to him and we did exactly that," said Harmanpreet during a virtual press conference on Monday. India head into the Test without much preparation. Having only spent some time at the nets, the team hasn’t had ideal preparations before the highly anticipated match. "I know we did not get much time to prepare, we did not get enough time to practice but as players, we need to adapt. Wickets here are different, today and tomorrow, we need to do the needful to prepare ourselves. Well, it is totally different scenario when you play red-ball cricket, it is important to get used to the conditions. We did not get domestic games with the red ball, but in the coming years, we will get more red-ball games," she added. ALSO READ: Cricket: ICC World Test Championship Final - Details of WTC prize money announced Harmanpreet also recalled the last Test match played between India Women and England Women in 2014 wherein the former came victorious with a six-wicket win. While Harmanpreet didn’t get many runs in the match, it was Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Niranjana Nagarajan and Smriti Mandhana, who returned with valuable contributions with bat and ball. “We have very good memories from our previous Test in England. The last partnership between Shikha Pandey and Mithali Raj was crucial and overall it was one of the memorable experiences,” Harmanpreet said. When asked about the possible impact of Jhulan Goswami in the Test match, Harmanpreet said: "Well, Jhulan is someone who always takes the lead, she is always special for us. She will always give us breakthroughs whenever we need them. In Tests, you need breakthroughs, and you need someone who can deliver the wickets. I think she will be fantastic in this Test match as well."

Players picked Ajinkya Rahane's brain about batting in Test cricket: Harmanpreet Kaur ahead of England match

The winners of the much-awaited ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final between India and New Zealand will take home a purse of $ 1.6 million along with the ICC Test Championship Mace, the International Cricket Council announced on Monday.

The losing team will get $ 800,000 for finishing second in the nine-team competition, which was played over a near two-year cycle, adding context to Test cricket and to crown the first official world champions in the longest format of the game.

The prize money for the team finishing third in the ICC World Test Championship Standings&nbsp;is $ 450,000. The team fourth on the table will be awarded $ 350,000, the one that finishes fifth gets $ 200,000 while the remaining four teams will get $ 100,000 each.

The Test Mace, previously given to teams topping the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings will now be given to the WTC winners. In case the final ends in a draw or a tie, the finalists will split the prize money for the first and second places and share possession of the Mace during the time they remain champions.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-india-not-worried-about-new-zealands-advantage-in-wtc-final-says-cheteshwar-pujara-391376" hreflang="en">Cricket: India 'not worried' about New Zealand's advantage in WTC Final, says Cheteshwar Pujara</a>

About the Mace: The Mace, designed by English luxury brand Thomas Lyte, is based around the global nature of Test cricket and the competing nations.

The focal point of the Mace is the cricket ball since it is at the core of the game whether being bowled, hit or fielded. Encircling the ball is the globe, referencing the global reach of Test cricket and one can see the silver-gilt cricket ball through the oceans of the map.

The countries of the world are supported on the longitude lines you see on a globe – this allows for an interesting interplay of light on the different surfaces, especially as the mace is moved and catches that light. The world is surrounded by a central belt carrying the insignia of all 12 competing Test nations, with space to add others in the future.

A silver-gilt laurel band spirals up the shaft of the mace – the shaft itself styled as a stump – a reference to the all-important wicket.

The winners of the much-awaited ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final between India and New Zealand will take home a purse of $ 1.6 million along with the ICC Test Championship Mace, the International Cricket Council announced on Monday.

The winners of the much-awaited ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final between India and New Zealand will take home a purse of $ 1.6 million along with the ICC Test Championship Mace, the International Cricket Council announced on Monday. The losing team will get $ 800,000 for finishing second in the nine-team competition, which was played over a near two-year cycle, adding context to Test cricket and to crown the first official world champions in the longest format of the game. The prize money for the team finishing third in the ICC World Test Championship Standings is $ 450,000. The team fourth on the table will be awarded $ 350,000, the one that finishes fifth gets $ 200,000 while the remaining four teams will get $ 100,000 each. The Test Mace, previously given to teams topping the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings will now be given to the WTC winners. In case the final ends in a draw or a tie, the finalists will split the prize money for the first and second places and share possession of the Mace during the time they remain champions. ALSO READ: Cricket: India 'not worried' about New Zealand's advantage in WTC Final, says Cheteshwar Pujara About the Mace: The Mace, designed by English luxury brand Thomas Lyte, is based around the global nature of Test cricket and the competing nations. The focal point of the Mace is the cricket ball since it is at the core of the game whether being bowled, hit or fielded. Encircling the ball is the globe, referencing the global reach of Test cricket and one can see the silver-gilt cricket ball through the oceans of the map. The countries of the world are supported on the longitude lines you see on a globe – this allows for an interesting interplay of light on the different surfaces, especially as the mace is moved and catches that light. The world is surrounded by a central belt carrying the insignia of all 12 competing Test nations, with space to add others in the future. A silver-gilt laurel band spirals up the shaft of the mace – the shaft itself styled as a stump – a reference to the all-important wicket.

Cricket: ICC World Test Championship Final - Details of WTC prize money announced

Indian players are heading into the ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand with a ‘positive’ mindset, key batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has said.<o:p></o:p>

The final of WTC, set to be played in Southampton from June 18, comes after two years of Test series to find the world’s top two Test teams.<o:p></o:p>

The Blackcaps head into the summit clash with a confidence-boosting 1-0 Test series win against hosts England whereas Virat Kohli and Co continue to gear up for the match by playing an intra-squad friendly match. <o:p></o:p>

"We are not worried about that," Pujara said about New Zealand's recent Test series in England. <o:p></o:p>

"We will try and focus on these 10 to 12 days which we have for our preparation," the batsman said in a video shared on the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) website.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-how-the-pitch-will-play-during-wtc-final-southampton-head-groundsman-reveals-details-391371" hreflang="en">Cricket: How the pitch will play during WTC Final? Southampton head groundsman reveals details</a><o:p></o:p>

"If we utilise these days well I feel that our team will be up for the final."<o:p></o:p>

New Zealand won the second Test in Birmingham after drawing the first Test at Lord’s.<o:p></o:p>

"When it comes to finals we will give our best and we know that our team has the potential to do well and win the Championship," Pujara said. <o:p></o:p>

Pujara, who has the experience of playing County cricket in England, said adjusting to the weather conditions will be crucial to India’s success in the WTC final.<o:p></o:p>

"Playing in different conditions in a single day here is the most challenging part for a batsman because if it rains you go off the field and then suddenly it stops raining and you start again," said Pujara.<o:p></o:p>

"So there are breaks in between and this is where you need to understand and accept the challenge. Mentally you have to be strong; your concentration needs to be up to the mark."<o:p></o:p>

The World Test Championship final will bring the first-ever such cycle to an end and after that, the new cycle will begin with a five-Test series between England and India, starting from August 4.<o:p></o:p>

Indian players are heading into the ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand with a ‘positive’ mindset, key batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has said. The final of WTC, set to be played in Southampton from June 18, comes after two years of Test series to find the world’s top two Test teams.

Indian players are heading into the ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand with a ‘positive’ mindset, key batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has said. The final of WTC, set to be played in Southampton from June 18, comes after two years of Test series to find the world’s top two Test teams. The Blackcaps head into the summit clash with a confidence-boosting 1-0 Test series win against hosts England whereas Virat Kohli and Co continue to gear up for the match by playing an intra-squad friendly match. "We are not worried about that," Pujara said about New Zealand's recent Test series in England. "We will try and focus on these 10 to 12 days which we have for our preparation," the batsman said in a video shared on the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) website. ALSO READ: Cricket: How the pitch will play during WTC Final? Southampton head groundsman reveals details "If we utilise these days well I feel that our team will be up for the final." New Zealand won the second Test in Birmingham after drawing the first Test at Lord’s. "When it comes to finals we will give our best and we know that our team has the potential to do well and win the Championship," Pujara said. Pujara, who has the experience of playing County cricket in England, said adjusting to the weather conditions will be crucial to India’s success in the WTC final. "Playing in different conditions in a single day here is the most challenging part for a batsman because if it rains you go off the field and then suddenly it stops raining and you start again," said Pujara. "So there are breaks in between and this is where you need to understand and accept the challenge. Mentally you have to be strong; your concentration needs to be up to the mark." The World Test Championship final will bring the first-ever such cycle to an end and after that, the new cycle will begin with a five-Test series between England and India, starting from August 4.

Cricket: India 'not worried' about New Zealand's advantage in WTC Final, says Cheteshwar Pujara

In a heartfelt gesture, Novak Djokovic gave his French Open winning racquet to a young boy watching courtside for “giving the right tactics”. The boy was seen jumping and screaming in joy as the Serbian ace handed over his racquet to him after winning his 19th Grand Slam title. <o:p></o:p>

The world number one became the first man in 52 years to win all the four majors twice as he came from two sets down to defeat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-7 (6/8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.<o:p></o:p>

After the gruelling four-hour and 11-minute final, the 34-year-old Djokovic gave his racquet to the youngster who was then captured on camera jumping in shock at the gesture.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-novak-djokovic-a-man-synonymous-to-the-quote-never-say-die-attitude-391306" hreflang="en">Tennis: Novak Djokovic a man synonymous to the quote 'never-say-die attitude'</a>

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I haven’t smiled this wide in a while! 
Djokovic gifted his racquet to this young boy who kept encouraging him throughout the game ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/lQdCuJn2Jr">pic.twitter.com/lQdCuJn2Jr</a>
— Nandita / Everyday Superfoods (@saffrontrail) <a href="https://twitter.com/saffrontrail/status/1404321762024718336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"He was in my ear the entire match basically, especially when I was two sets to love down. He was encouraging me. He was actually giving me tactics, as well," said Djokovic.<o:p></o:p>

"He was like, 'Hold your serve, get an easy first ball, then dictate, go to his backhand.' He was coaching me literally.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/french-open-will-remember-last-48-hours-for-rest-of-my-life-novak-djokovic-savours-historic-win-391290" hreflang="en">French Open: Will remember last 48 hours for rest of my life - Novak Djokovic savours historic win</a><o:p></o:p>

"I found that very cute, very nice. So I felt like to give the racquet to the best person was him after the match. That was kind of my gratitude for him sticking with me and supporting me."<o:p></o:p>

Djokovic will now eye a Golden Grand Slam with Wimbledon approaching. Djokovic not only defeated Tsitsipas in the final of Roland Garros but also beat Rafael Nadal in a tiring semi-final clash two days before the summit clash.<o:p></o:p>

In a heartfelt gesture, Novak Djokovic gave his French Open winning racquet to a young boy watching courtside for “giving the right tactics”. The boy was seen jumping and screaming in joy as the Serbian ace handed over his racquet to him after winning his 19th Grand Slam title.

In a heartfelt gesture, Novak Djokovic gave his French Open winning racquet to a young boy watching courtside for “giving the right tactics”. The boy was seen jumping and screaming in joy as the Serbian ace handed over his racquet to him after winning his 19th Grand Slam title. The world number one became the first man in 52 years to win all the four majors twice as he came from two sets down to defeat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-7 (6/8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. After the gruelling four-hour and 11-minute final, the 34-year-old Djokovic gave his racquet to the youngster who was then captured on camera jumping in shock at the gesture. ALSO READ: Tennis: Novak Djokovic a man synonymous to the quote 'never-say-die attitude' I haven’t smiled this wide in a while! Djokovic gifted his racquet to this young boy who kept encouraging him throughout the game ❤️ pic.twitter.com/lQdCuJn2Jr — Nandita / Everyday Superfoods (@saffrontrail) June 14, 2021 × "He was in my ear the entire match basically, especially when I was two sets to love down. He was encouraging me. He was actually giving me tactics, as well," said Djokovic. "He was like, 'Hold your serve, get an easy first ball, then dictate, go to his backhand.' He was coaching me literally. ALSO READ: French Open: Will remember last 48 hours for rest of my life - Novak Djokovic savours historic win "I found that very cute, very nice. So I felt like to give the racquet to the best person was him after the match. That was kind of my gratitude for him sticking with me and supporting me." Djokovic will now eye a Golden Grand Slam with Wimbledon approaching. Djokovic not only defeated Tsitsipas in the final of Roland Garros but also beat Rafael Nadal in a tiring semi-final clash two days before the summit clash.

Tennis: Watch - Young fan jumps in joy as Djokovic gives French Open-winning racquet to boy 'with right tactics'

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced the winners of the ICC Player of the Month Awards for May 2021 which recognise and celebrate the best performances from both male and female cricketers across all forms of international cricket throughout the year.<o:p></o:p>

All-rounder Kathryn Bryce from Scotland was deservingly voted the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for May 2021. She is the first player from Scotland, male, or female, to make it to the top 10 of the batting or bowling lists in the ICC Player Rankings released recently. Kathryn played four T20Is against Ireland where she scored 96 runs and took 5 wickets with an economy rate of 4.76 in the month of May.<o:p></o:p>

Commenting on Kathryn’s performance in May, Ramiz Raja representing the ICC Voting Academy said: “Kathryn’s all-round game came through in a series that her team lost. She batted with flair and bowled well too and deserved to be the player of the month for May.”

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-cook-fears-england-batsmen-cant-handle-test-cricket-after-new-zealand-loss-391219" hreflang="en">Cricket: Cook fears England batsmen 'can't handle Test cricket' after New Zealand loss</a><o:p></o:p>

From the Bangladesh camp, Mushfiqur Rahim was deservingly named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for May 2021. Mushfiqur played one Test and three ODIs against Sri Lanka in the month of May where he helped Bangladesh win their first ODI series against Sri Lanka by scoring 125 in the second ODI.<o:p></o:p>

Commenting on Rahim’s performance in May, VVS Laxman representing the ICC Voting Academy added: “Even after 15 years at the highest level, Mushfiqur has not lost his appetite for run-making. He was at his imperious best in the one-day series at home against Sri Lanka, a picture of consistency with the highlight being 125 in the second match which helped his side secure a winning 2-0 lead in the three-match series. What made his feat even more notable was that it was Bangladesh’s first-ever ODI series triumph against the 1996 World Cup champions. To shore up the middle order and don the wicket-keeping gloves speaks volumes of his fitness and skills.”<o:p></o:p>

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced the winners of the ICC Player of the Month Awards for May 2021 which recognise and celebrate the best performances from both male and female cricketers across all forms of international cricket throughout the year.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced the winners of the ICC Player of the Month Awards for May 2021 which recognise and celebrate the best performances from both male and female cricketers across all forms of international cricket throughout the year. All-rounder Kathryn Bryce from Scotland was deservingly voted the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for May 2021. She is the first player from Scotland, male, or female, to make it to the top 10 of the batting or bowling lists in the ICC Player Rankings released recently. Kathryn played four T20Is against Ireland where she scored 96 runs and took 5 wickets with an economy rate of 4.76 in the month of May. Commenting on Kathryn’s performance in May, Ramiz Raja representing the ICC Voting Academy said: “Kathryn’s all-round game came through in a series that her team lost. She batted with flair and bowled well too and deserved to be the player of the month for May.” ALSO READ: Cricket: Cook fears England batsmen 'can't handle Test cricket' after New Zealand loss From the Bangladesh camp, Mushfiqur Rahim was deservingly named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for May 2021. Mushfiqur played one Test and three ODIs against Sri Lanka in the month of May where he helped Bangladesh win their first ODI series against Sri Lanka by scoring 125 in the second ODI. Commenting on Rahim’s performance in May, VVS Laxman representing the ICC Voting Academy added: “Even after 15 years at the highest level, Mushfiqur has not lost his appetite for run-making. He was at his imperious best in the one-day series at home against Sri Lanka, a picture of consistency with the highlight being 125 in the second match which helped his side secure a winning 2-0 lead in the three-match series. What made his feat even more notable was that it was Bangladesh’s first-ever ODI series triumph against the 1996 World Cup champions. To shore up the middle order and don the wicket-keeping gloves speaks volumes of his fitness and skills.”

Cricket: Kathryn Bryce, Mushfiqur Rahim voted ICC players of the month for May 2021

Novak Djokovic on Sunday won his 19th Grand Slam title while becoming the first man in 52 years to win all four majors twice as he turned the tables from two sets down to defeat Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Roland Garros final.<o:p></o:p>

The world number one won the summit clash 6-7 (6/8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 over the 22-year-old Greek who was playing in his first Slam final.<o:p></o:p>

Djokovic, now 34, is just one Grand Slam away from equaling the all-time record of 20 majors, jointly held by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, whom he defeated in the four-hour-long and gruelling semi-final.<o:p></o:p>

Tsitsipas recovered from a breakdown to clinch the opening set in a thrilling tiebreak before quickly sealing the second set.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/french-open-barbora-krejcikova-wins-her-second-french-open-title-in-less-than-24-hours-391183" hreflang="en">French Open: Barbora Krejcikova wins her second French Open title in less than 24 hours</a>

However, Djokovic found his rhythm at the right time and started to stamp his authority in the third set. As the clock ticked past, Tsitsipas requested the trainer to massage his lower back. The move backfired as Djokovic ramped through the fourth set, almost unchallenged.<o:p></o:p>

The Serbian ace decisively broke for a 2-1 lead in the decider as the 34-year-old secured the win in four hours and 11 minutes, making him the first man since tennis turned professional in 1968 to win all four Grand Slam titles at least twice.<o:p></o:p>

In total, Djokovic played around 20 hours of tennis in the Roland Garros as he continues to leave fans in awe.

<o:p></o:p>

Djokovic now has 84 career titles in total while Sunday's win pushed him to the brink of $150 million in prize money.

"It was an electric atmosphere," said Djokovic after the four-hour 11-minute final.

"It's a dream. It's difficult to win the title against a great player. It was a difficult three days physically and mentally."

Roland Garros, Men’s Final, Score: Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x5) 6-7 (6/8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-

Novak Djokovic on Sunday won his 19th Grand Slam title while becoming the first man in 52 years to win all four majors twice as he turned the tables from two sets down to defeat Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Roland Garros final.

Novak Djokovic on Sunday won his 19th Grand Slam title while becoming the first man in 52 years to win all four majors twice as he turned the tables from two sets down to defeat Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Roland Garros final. The world number one won the summit clash 6-7 (6/8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 over the 22-year-old Greek who was playing in his first Slam final. Djokovic, now 34, is just one Grand Slam away from equaling the all-time record of 20 majors, jointly held by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, whom he defeated in the four-hour-long and gruelling semi-final. Tsitsipas recovered from a breakdown to clinch the opening set in a thrilling tiebreak before quickly sealing the second set. ALSO READ: French Open: Barbora Krejcikova wins her second French Open title in less than 24 hours However, Djokovic found his rhythm at the right time and started to stamp his authority in the third set. As the clock ticked past, Tsitsipas requested the trainer to massage his lower back. The move backfired as Djokovic ramped through the fourth set, almost unchallenged. The Serbian ace decisively broke for a 2-1 lead in the decider as the 34-year-old secured the win in four hours and 11 minutes, making him the first man since tennis turned professional in 1968 to win all four Grand Slam titles at least twice. In total, Djokovic played around 20 hours of tennis in the Roland Garros as he continues to leave fans in awe. Djokovic now has 84 career titles in total while Sunday's win pushed him to the brink of $150 million in prize money. "It was an electric atmosphere," said Djokovic after the four-hour 11-minute final. "It's a dream. It's difficult to win the title against a great player. It was a difficult three days physically and mentally." Roland Garros, Men’s Final, Score: Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x5) 6-7 (6/8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-

Tennis: Novak Djokovic scripts history with 19th Grand Slam in thrilling French Open final

Denmark's team doctor said Sunday there was still "no explanation" for why midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed during his country's&nbsp;opening Euro 2020 game against Finland, but confirmed he had suffered a cardiac arrest.

"He was gone, and we did cardiac resuscitation," team doctor Morten Boesen told a press conference.

"How close were we? I don't know. We got him back after one defib (defibrillation), so that's quite fast," Boesen added.

However, the physician also said they had yet to discover that cause of the 29-year-old's heart attack.

"There's no explanation so far," Boesen said, adding that all tests done so far on the player, who is still in hospital, have come back fine.

"That is also one of the reasons that he is still in the hospital," the physician added.

The Inter Milan star suddenly collapsed in the 43rd minute of Denmark's Group B game against Finland on Saturday, laying motionless as medical personnel administered CPR.

He laid on the field for about 15 minutes before being carried off the pitch and rushed to hospital.

The game was temporarily suspended awaiting updates on Eriksen's health, but resumed later in the evening after reports filtered through that the player was in a stable condition and awake. It ended in a 1-0 win for debutants Finland.

Players in the Danish team were given the option to continue the game or postpone it, but on Sunday head coach Kasper Hjulmand said he regretted the decision.

"I honestly don't think that we should have been on the pitch again," Hjulmand told reporters.

Hjulmand added that Eriksen had told him he wished for the team to carry on playing in the tournament.

"Christian wishes that we should continue playing, so we will do that. We want to play for Christian," Hjulmand said.

Denmark's team doctor said Sunday there was still "no explanation" for why midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed during his country's opening Euro 2020 game against Finland, but confirmed he had suffered a cardiac arrest.

Denmark's team doctor said Sunday there was still "no explanation" for why midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed during his country's opening Euro 2020 game against Finland, but confirmed he had suffered a cardiac arrest. "He was gone, and we did cardiac resuscitation," team doctor Morten Boesen told a press conference. "How close were we? I don't know. We got him back after one defib (defibrillation), so that's quite fast," Boesen added. However, the physician also said they had yet to discover that cause of the 29-year-old's heart attack. "There's no explanation so far," Boesen said, adding that all tests done so far on the player, who is still in hospital, have come back fine. "That is also one of the reasons that he is still in the hospital," the physician added. The Inter Milan star suddenly collapsed in the 43rd minute of Denmark's Group B game against Finland on Saturday, laying motionless as medical personnel administered CPR. He laid on the field for about 15 minutes before being carried off the pitch and rushed to hospital. The game was temporarily suspended awaiting updates on Eriksen's health, but resumed later in the evening after reports filtered through that the player was in a stable condition and awake. It ended in a 1-0 win for debutants Finland. Players in the Danish team were given the option to continue the game or postpone it, but on Sunday head coach Kasper Hjulmand said he regretted the decision. "I honestly don't think that we should have been on the pitch again," Hjulmand told reporters. Hjulmand added that Eriksen had told him he wished for the team to carry on playing in the tournament. "Christian wishes that we should continue playing, so we will do that. We want to play for Christian," Hjulmand said.

Football: 'He was gone...' - Denmark team doctor confirms Christian Eriksen suffered 'cardiac arrest'

England great Alastair Cook delivered a stinging rebuke to the current team's batsmen by saying they "can't handle" the pressure of Test cricket as they suffered a humiliating series loss to New Zealand at Edgbaston on Sunday.&nbsp;

New Zealand won a two-match contest 1-0, taking just 11 overs and 52 minutes' playing time on the fourth day to complete a convincing eight-wicket win in the second Test after being set a meagre target of 38.

Tailender Olly Stone was out to the very first ball of Sunday's fourth day but by then the damage had long since been done, with England resuming on their overnight 122-9.

That actually represented a recovery after they had subsided to 76-7 in their second innings inside 27 overs on Saturday.

Although Joe Root, Cook's successor as England captain, boasts an impressive Test average of 48.68, the next best in his side belongs to opener Rory Burns, with 33.23 -- a worrying sign ahead of their bid to regain the Ashes in Australia later this year.

Meanwhile, the form of batsmen Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope remains a concern, not least to Essex opener Cook, who retired from Test duty in 2018 as England's leading scorer with 12,472 runs at 45.35 including 33 hundreds. &nbsp;

"From what I've seen of this batting line-up, when the pressure comes on, the intensity of Test cricket, the scrutiny of it, they can't handle it," said Cook while commentating for BBC Radio's Test Match Special on Sunday.&nbsp;

"They have quirky techniques, but they've scored a lot of runs in county cricket and at times scored Test runs.&nbsp;

"When the pressure comes they are not handling the mental pressure that you need to do," he added.&nbsp;

"It is a massive area of concern for me."

<h2>- 'Outplayed' -</h2>

Sunday's defeat, which followed a draw at Lord's, meant England had lost a home Test series for the first time since a 1-0 reverse against Sri Lanka in 2014. &nbsp;&nbsp;

But Root, ahead of a five-match series at home to India -- who face New Zealand in next week's inaugural World Test Championship final at Southampton -- warned against wholesale changes.

"It would be the wrong time to start panicking and rip up all the hard work we have done for such a long period of time," he said.

"Historically we've done that going into major tournaments and going into major series and it's made things even worse."

He added:&nbsp;"We've been outplayed in all three departments and particularly the batting."

England entered this match amid the off-field furore caused by the suspension of Ollie Robinson for historic racist and sexist Twitter posts.

Root, however, insisted: "I don't think that dripped into the way we played and it would be a bit of an excuse, to be honest."

England, already without the injured Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, rested Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali from this series after their return from the Indian Premier League.

Rest and rotation, initially a response to the pressures of 'bubble' life amid the coronavirus pandemic, has been a feature of England selection for more than a year.

England coach Chris Silverwood, now in sole charge of picking the side after the abolition of Ed Smith's post as national selector, has repeatedly defended the policy.

But England, beaten 3-1 in India earlier this year, appear to be nowhere near good enough to avoid selecting their best-available team.

"That's out of my hands, to a degree," said Root. "In terms of having our best XI, I'd like to think that if we are all fit and ready that will be the case for the five Test matches against India."

England great Alastair Cook delivered a stinging rebuke to the current team's batsmen by saying they "can't handle" the pressure of Test cricket as they suffered a humiliating series loss to New Zealand at Edgbaston on Sunday.

England great Alastair Cook delivered a stinging rebuke to the current team's batsmen by saying they "can't handle" the pressure of Test cricket as they suffered a humiliating series loss to New Zealand at Edgbaston on Sunday. New Zealand won a two-match contest 1-0, taking just 11 overs and 52 minutes' playing time on the fourth day to complete a convincing eight-wicket win in the second Test after being set a meagre target of 38. Tailender Olly Stone was out to the very first ball of Sunday's fourth day but by then the damage had long since been done, with England resuming on their overnight 122-9. That actually represented a recovery after they had subsided to 76-7 in their second innings inside 27 overs on Saturday. Although Joe Root, Cook's successor as England captain, boasts an impressive Test average of 48.68, the next best in his side belongs to opener Rory Burns, with 33.23 -- a worrying sign ahead of their bid to regain the Ashes in Australia later this year. Meanwhile, the form of batsmen Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope remains a concern, not least to Essex opener Cook, who retired from Test duty in 2018 as England's leading scorer with 12,472 runs at 45.35 including 33 hundreds. "From what I've seen of this batting line-up, when the pressure comes on, the intensity of Test cricket, the scrutiny of it, they can't handle it," said Cook while commentating for BBC Radio's Test Match Special on Sunday. "They have quirky techniques, but they've scored a lot of runs in county cricket and at times scored Test runs. "When the pressure comes they are not handling the mental pressure that you need to do," he added. "It is a massive area of concern for me." - 'Outplayed' - Sunday's defeat, which followed a draw at Lord's, meant England had lost a home Test series for the first time since a 1-0 reverse against Sri Lanka in 2014. But Root, ahead of a five-match series at home to India -- who face New Zealand in next week's inaugural World Test Championship final at Southampton -- warned against wholesale changes. "It would be the wrong time to start panicking and rip up all the hard work we have done for such a long period of time," he said. "Historically we've done that going into major tournaments and going into major series and it's made things even worse." He added: "We've been outplayed in all three departments and particularly the batting." England entered this match amid the off-field furore caused by the suspension of Ollie Robinson for historic racist and sexist Twitter posts. Root, however, insisted: "I don't think that dripped into the way we played and it would be a bit of an excuse, to be honest." England, already without the injured Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, rested Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali from this series after their return from the Indian Premier League. Rest and rotation, initially a response to the pressures of 'bubble' life amid the coronavirus pandemic, has been a feature of England selection for more than a year. England coach Chris Silverwood, now in sole charge of picking the side after the abolition of Ed Smith's post as national selector, has repeatedly defended the policy. But England, beaten 3-1 in India earlier this year, appear to be nowhere near good enough to avoid selecting their best-available team. "That's out of my hands, to a degree," said Root. "In terms of having our best XI, I'd like to think that if we are all fit and ready that will be the case for the five Test matches against India."

Cricket: Cook fears England batsmen 'can't handle Test cricket' after New Zealand loss

Raheem Sterling said he knew he would break his duck for England in major tournaments when given the chance at Wembley after netting the winner in a 1-0 victory over Croatia on Sunday.

Sterling grew up in the shadow of Wembley and justified Gareth Southgate's decision to keep faith with him by scoring the only goal just before the hour.

"I always said if I played at Wembley in a major tournament, I'm scoring. I had to score in my back garden and delighted to do that," he told the BBC.

Sterling's strike ensured England won their opening game at a European Championship for the first time in 10 attempts and ended his run of not scoring in 12 appearances across three previous tournaments.

The 26-year-old's place had been under threat from Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford after a disappointing end of the season with Manchester City, but he has now scored 11 times in his last 15 international appearances.

"I'm so pleased for Raheem, he's had this hex in the tournaments. I felt he was dangerous all day. Right from the start he looked a threat," said England manager Southgate.

"His goalscoring record suggests we should have faith with him. He was motivated for it but we are going to need everybody, we are going to need that depth, those attacking players, we'll need those guys through the tournament."

Sterling was sidelined for the majority of Manchester City's run to their first Champions League final by the emergence of his club and international teammate Phil Foden.

The pair started together as England gained revenge for their 2018 World Cup semi-final defeat to Croatia, and both did enough to suggest they should retain their place against Scotland on Friday.

"There are a lot of different reasons why I haven't scored with my club, but that's irrelevant now, I'm here with my country now," added Sterling.

"It's been a long season for me, but I couldn't wait to get here."

After finally ending the wait to win an opening game at the Euro, Southgate is keen to keep the momentum going.

"This is a tough group with different sorts of challenges," he added. "We're pleased about today, you want a good start because it takes some of the tension out of the preparation of the next game, but we still need some points to qualify."

Raheem Sterling said he knew he would break his duck for England in major tournaments when given the chance at Wembley after netting the winner in a 1-0 victory over Croatia on Sunday.

Raheem Sterling said he knew he would break his duck for England in major tournaments when given the chance at Wembley after netting the winner in a 1-0 victory over Croatia on Sunday. Sterling grew up in the shadow of Wembley and justified Gareth Southgate's decision to keep faith with him by scoring the only goal just before the hour. "I always said if I played at Wembley in a major tournament, I'm scoring. I had to score in my back garden and delighted to do that," he told the BBC. Sterling's strike ensured England won their opening game at a European Championship for the first time in 10 attempts and ended his run of not scoring in 12 appearances across three previous tournaments. The 26-year-old's place had been under threat from Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford after a disappointing end of the season with Manchester City, but he has now scored 11 times in his last 15 international appearances. "I'm so pleased for Raheem, he's had this hex in the tournaments. I felt he was dangerous all day. Right from the start he looked a threat," said England manager Southgate. "His goalscoring record suggests we should have faith with him. He was motivated for it but we are going to need everybody, we are going to need that depth, those attacking players, we'll need those guys through the tournament." Sterling was sidelined for the majority of Manchester City's run to their first Champions League final by the emergence of his club and international teammate Phil Foden. The pair started together as England gained revenge for their 2018 World Cup semi-final defeat to Croatia, and both did enough to suggest they should retain their place against Scotland on Friday. "There are a lot of different reasons why I haven't scored with my club, but that's irrelevant now, I'm here with my country now," added Sterling. "It's been a long season for me, but I couldn't wait to get here." After finally ending the wait to win an opening game at the Euro, Southgate is keen to keep the momentum going. "This is a tough group with different sorts of challenges," he added. "We're pleased about today, you want a good start because it takes some of the tension out of the preparation of the next game, but we still need some points to qualify."

Football: Sterling breaks major tournament hex in Wembley 'back garden'

England on Sunday started their Euro 2020 campaign with a 1-0 win over Croatia with Raheem Sterling scoring the winner for the Gareth Southgate-managed side. <o:p></o:p>

Southgate sprung a few surprises in his line-up as he named Kieron Tripper as the left-back while starting with the front three of Sterling, Harry Kane and Phil Foden. Mason Mount, Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips made up the midfield three whereas John Stones, Tyrone Mings and Kyle Walker completed the defense.<o:p></o:p>

England started the match by dominating possession as the English players passed the ball around. With Kane heavily marked, Foden and Sterling started to run behind Croatia’s defense. However, the break came after Phillips found Sterling sprinting into the box diagonally. The Manchester City winger slotted the ball home to give England their first goal of Euro 2020.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-portugal-lose-key-player-to-covid-19-in-euro-2020-replacement-announced-391162" hreflang="en">Football: Portugal lose key player to COVID-19 in Euro 2020, replacement announced</a><o:p></o:p>

"It feels good. I've always said, if I played at Wembley at a major tournament, I'm scoring... Honestly, there's a lot of different reasons why I haven't scored a lot for Man City, but that's irrelevant now. I'm just happy to score for England,” said Sterling after the 1-0 win over Croatia.<o:p></o:p>

Croatia started to attack the ball a bit more after trailing in the match but the lack of quality going forward haunted him throughout the course of the match. <o:p></o:p>

Harry Kane and John Stones were taken off in the second half. While Kane was taken off as a precautionary measure after he collided with the goal-post, Stones suffered tight leg muscle. <o:p></o:p>

England will look to take the winning momentum into the next set of game in their group. England next face Scotland on June 19 at Wembley.<o:p></o:p>

England on Sunday started their Euro 2020 campaign with a 1-0 win over Croatia with Raheem Sterling scoring the winner for the Gareth Southgate-managed side. Southgate sprung a few surprises in his line-up as he named Kieron Tripper as the left-back while starting with the front three of Sterling, Harry Kane and Phil Foden.

England on Sunday started their Euro 2020 campaign with a 1-0 win over Croatia with Raheem Sterling scoring the winner for the Gareth Southgate-managed side. Southgate sprung a few surprises in his line-up as he named Kieron Tripper as the left-back while starting with the front three of Sterling, Harry Kane and Phil Foden. Mason Mount, Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips made up the midfield three whereas John Stones, Tyrone Mings and Kyle Walker completed the defense. England started the match by dominating possession as the English players passed the ball around. With Kane heavily marked, Foden and Sterling started to run behind Croatia’s defense. However, the break came after Phillips found Sterling sprinting into the box diagonally. The Manchester City winger slotted the ball home to give England their first goal of Euro 2020. ALSO READ: Football: Portugal lose key player to COVID-19 in Euro 2020, replacement announced "It feels good. I've always said, if I played at Wembley at a major tournament, I'm scoring... Honestly, there's a lot of different reasons why I haven't scored a lot for Man City, but that's irrelevant now. I'm just happy to score for England,” said Sterling after the 1-0 win over Croatia. Croatia started to attack the ball a bit more after trailing in the match but the lack of quality going forward haunted him throughout the course of the match. Harry Kane and John Stones were taken off in the second half. While Kane was taken off as a precautionary measure after he collided with the goal-post, Stones suffered tight leg muscle. England will look to take the winning momentum into the next set of game in their group. England next face Scotland on June 19 at Wembley.

Football: Raheem Sterling nets winner as England defeat Croatia 1-0

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday announced a special edition intake of 10 cricket icons into the ICC Hall of Fame to celebrate the prestigious history of Test cricket, and to coincide with the first-ever ICC World Test Championship Final. The 10 legends of the game to be inducted have all made a significant contribution to the history of Test cricket, and join an illustrious list of ICC Hall of Famers, taking the total number to 103 as a result of this intake.

The special inductions of the ICC Hall of Fame from the following five eras join the ranks of the world’s greatest players:

<h2>EARLY CRICKET ERA - Players whose greatest contributions to the game were prior to 1918</h2>

<ul>
	<li>Aubrey Faulkner of South Africa played 25 Tests, scored 1,754 runs at 40.79, took 82 wickets at 26.58, and was one of the pioneers of the “googly” at the time. Faulkner was the only man to head both the MRF Tyres ICC Batting and Bowling rankings in Test cricket. He was one of the greatest all-rounders and later one of the best coaches. He was a part of the famous ‘googly quartet’ that so characterised South African cricket in the first decade of the 20th century and he peaked with the bat in the 1910-11 series in Australia when he made 732 runs in the five Tests.</li>
	<li>Monty Noble of Australia played 42 Tests, scored 1,997 runs at 30.25, took 121 wickets at 25.00, and was one of the greatest Australian all-rounders. He is still the fastest from that country to achieve the 1,000 run / 100 wicket Test double. He played 42 Tests, captaining his side in 15 of them, and he was a trailblazing captain, abandoning mammoth bowling spells to keep bowlers fresh. A true all-rounder, Noble was a banker and a qualified dentist outside of being a prolific cricketer of that time.</li>
</ul>

<h2>INTER-WAR ERA - Players whose greatest contributions to the game were from 1918-1945</h2>

<ul>
	<li>Sir Learie Constantine of West Indies played 18 Tests, scored 635 runs at 19.24, took 58 wickets at 30.10, and can be considered the first great West Indian all-rounder, playing with a flair and freedom that was decades ahead of his time. He was a champion not only amongst players but for his people too in their political and legal fight against racial discrimination. He was also the first black member of the House of Lords.</li>
	<li>Stan McCabe of Australia played 39 Tests, scored 2,748 runs at 48.21, took 36 wickets at 42.86, and was a right-handed batsman of the highest class, he played three memorable innings and defied the “Bodyline tactics” that were predominant at the time within the England camp with 187 not out at Sydney. He further struck an unbeaten 189 at Johannesburg in 1935 and then 232 in less than four hours at Nottingham in the 1938 Ashes Test. He was touted as one of the greatest batsmen of the game by his captain Sir Don Bradman.</li>
</ul>

<h2>POST-WAR ERA - Players whose greatest contributions to the game were from 1946-1970</h2>

<ul>
	<li>Ted Dexter of England played 62 Tests, scored 4,502 runs at 47.89, took 66 wickets at 34.93, and was a superb batsman who combined a firm defence with the ability to destroy any bowling attack off both the front and back foot. His innings of 70 in the 1963 Lord’s Test lives long in the memory of all who saw it. He was an effective partnership breaker with his medium-fast seam bowling and later in life served as England’s Chairman of Selectors and played an influential role in developing what is today’s MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings.</li>
	<li>Vinoo Mankad of India played 44 Tests, scored 2,109 runs at 31.47, took 162 wickets at 32.32, and was an opening batsman and slow left arm orthodox bowler, known as one of India’s greatest-ever all-rounders. His most famous feat was against England at Lord's in 1952 when he scored 72 and 184 and bowled 97 overs in the match. He is one of only three cricketers to have batted in every position during his Test career. In later life, he also coached another legendary cricketer and fellow ICC Hall of Fame member from his country, Sunil Gavaskar in Mumbai, India.</li>
</ul>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
"A terrific cricketer. A stylish batsman." 
 
Next to be inducted into the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ICCHallOfFame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ICCHallOfFame</a> 2021 is England's Ted Dexter 👏 <a href="https://t.co/YxuupcKWzR">pic.twitter.com/YxuupcKWzR</a>
— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1404059191774355463?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<h2>ODI ERA - Players whose greatest contributions to the game were from 1971-1995</h2>

<ul>
	<li>Desmond Haynes of the West Indies played 116 Tests, scored 7,487 runs at 42.29 and was one half of the most prolific opening batting partnership in Test history alongside Gordon Greenidge. He was capable of some destructive innings and combined impeccable timing with power in his stroke making and has played four ICC World Cups in that era.</li>
	<li>Bob Willis of England played 90 Tests taking 325 wickets at 25.20 and spearheaded the English bowling attack during some of their most memorable moments during this period. Standing two metres tall, he could make the ball bounce awkwardly on most pitches and possessed an excellent yorker and bouncer, both of which he used to great effect over the course of his career. His greatest triumph was the famous eight for 43 that beat Australia at Headingley in 1981 and after retirement became a popular, and often polarising member of the Sky TV commentary box.</li>
</ul>

<h2>MODERN CRICKET ERA - Players whose greatest contributions to the game were between 1996-2015</h2>

<ul>
	<li>Andy Flower of Zimbabwe played 63 Tests, scoring 4,794 runs at 51.54, took 151 catches with nine stumpings as a left-handed wicket-keeper batsmen. First Zimbabwe player to be inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame. His grit, determination and will to succeed meant at one point he was ranked number 1 batsman in the world. Andy carried his country's batting for long periods, setting the record for the highest Test score by a wicketkeeper with an innings of 232 not out against India at Nagpur in 2000. Later, he became a hugely successful coach, leading England to the number 1 spot in the&nbsp;ICC Test Rankings for Men.</li>
	<li>Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka played 134 Tests, scored 12,400 runs at 57.40, took 182 catches and 20 stumpings, and was grace personified at the crease. Sangakkara ended his career as the most prolific run-scorer his country had ever known, with double-hundreds flowing from his bat with consummate ease. In 2014 he struck 319 and 105 in the same Test match against Bangladesh and in 2017 fell just 16 runs short of striking six successive centuries in first-class cricket.</li>
</ul>

The 10 icons inducted as part of this special edition were voted for by the ICC Hall of Fame Voting Academy, comprising living Hall of Fame members, a FICA representative, prominent cricket journalists and senior ICC figures.

Commenting on getting inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame, Ted Dexter (England) said: “Well I wasn’t completely aware of the ICC Hall of Fame until I found out I was going to be inducted, so after looking at some of the names in it and knowing that cricket deserves to have a Hall of Fame, I was really chuffed to hear the news. The names in the ICC Hall of Fame include some super players, some of whom I played with, against, and some of whom I had a lot to do with when I was working in English cricket.

“My fondest memory as a player is probably the New Year’s Ashes Test 1962/63 against the might of Benaud’s Australia. We needed almost 240 to win the match on the final day and boy did I feel good when we got over the line! That is something I will never forget.

“After my playing career, not in my wildest dreams did I think I would end up being a top administrator of the game. I thought I would get on with life after playing and build my PR business. Suddenly along came the opportunity to become Chairman of Selectors, and at the time we were expected to beat most of the emerging Test nations. I was aware that time had moved on so unless we thought differently and planned ahead, we were going to be left behind.

“There are many moments in my life in cricket of which I am very proud; as a player, an administrator and in establishing what is today’s rankings system. I also take great pride in having simplified the means of producing on-screen captions and scorecards when I was working as a television commentator, something which you take for granted when watching cricket today. My work in cricket is all very gratifying and I am really proud of everything I have achieved. Being recognized by the ICC for what I have achieved is very satisfying and knowing that I’ve been chosen by my peers and so many great names makes me blush, and I’m thrilled along with my family by this honour.”

Speaking on his induction, Desmond Haynes said: “I have played Cricket with some of the greats of the game from the West Indies who are also inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame. That team from 1978 till about the 1990s was a fantastic team. As a young boy growing up in Barbados, I never dreamt that I would be one day inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame. I have really come a long way and I am very happy for this honour. The journey was not smooth, I started playing cricket in a little area of St. James in Barbados where I was loved by everyone in the community, who also helped me stay out of trouble. This is also for my grandmother, my mum and my wife, all of whom supported me in my journey.”

Speaking on Vinoo Mankad’s induction, fellow ICC Hall of Fame member, Sunil Gavaskar said: “Vinoo Mankad’s legacy has been to tell the aspiring Indian cricketer to believe in oneself. He was a great proponent of self-belief. He was the one who kept saying to me that you need to keep scoring runs and keep at it. When you get a 100, let that be the knock on the selector’s door. If it is unheard, then score that double hundred and let that knock be even louder. You can have the best technique, but if you do not have the temperament to support it you will not succeed, you have to keep hanging in there and have that self-belief. That was the greatest lesson I learnt from him.”

Commenting on Bob Willis’s induction into the ICC Hall of Fame, his wife Lauren Clark said: “We are incredibly honoured as a family that Bob is getting inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame and it is sad that he is not here to accept it himself. He deserves to be here; he played 90 Tests for England and took 325 Test wickets and he worked really hard for those wickets, and we are really honoured and proud of him.”

Commenting on receiving the ICC Hall of Fame posthumously, granddaughter of Monty Noble, Elizabeth Noble said: “It is a great honour for us as a family to have my grandfather, inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame. We are delighted and truly humbled that his contributions to cricket have been recognized and celebrated in such a way.”

Reacting to the honour on her father being inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame posthumously, daughter of Stan McCabe, Christine Hancock said: “I was thrilled when I heard about his induction, and very proud of this honour. He was a good father and we spent a lot of good times together. He was very generous and humble in the family home. He would tell me about his innings at Trent Bridge in 1938 and that while he was batting, Don Bradman told the whole team to go out onto the balcony to watch my father’s innings, telling them they’ll never see anything like it ever again! Although I didn’t see him play a lot myself, I always heard stories about him as this fluid, swashbuckling sort of player. He didn’t talk much about his cricket career at home. He would always rather be known as the father of Geoff and Chris McCabe than as a cricketer.”

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday announced a special edition intake of 10 cricket icons into the ICC Hall of Fame to celebrate the prestigious history of Test cricket, and to coincide with the first-ever ICC World Test Championship Final.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday announced a special edition intake of 10 cricket icons into the ICC Hall of Fame to celebrate the prestigious history of Test cricket, and to coincide with the first-ever ICC World Test Championship Final. The 10 legends of the game to be inducted have all made a significant contribution to the history of Test cricket, and join an illustrious list of ICC Hall of Famers, taking the total number to 103 as a result of this intake. The special inductions of the ICC Hall of Fame from the following five eras join the ranks of the world’s greatest players: EARLY CRICKET ERA - Players whose greatest contributions to the game were prior to 1918 Aubrey Faulkner of South Africa played 25 Tests, scored 1,754 runs at 40.79, took 82 wickets at 26.58, and was one of the pioneers of the “googly” at the time. Faulkner was the only man to head both the MRF Tyres ICC Batting and Bowling rankings in Test cricket. He was one of the greatest all-rounders and later one of the best coaches. He was a part of the famous ‘googly quartet’ that so characterised South African cricket in the first decade of the 20th century and he peaked with the bat in the 1910-11 series in Australia when he made 732 runs in the five Tests. Monty Noble of Australia played 42 Tests, scored 1,997 runs at 30.25, took 121 wickets at 25.00, and was one of the greatest Australian all-rounders. He is still the fastest from that country to achieve the 1,000 run / 100 wicket Test double. He played 42 Tests, captaining his side in 15 of them, and he was a trailblazing captain, abandoning mammoth bowling spells to keep bowlers fresh. A true all-rounder, Noble was a banker and a qualified dentist outside of being a prolific cricketer of that time. INTER-WAR ERA - Players whose greatest contributions to the game were from 1918-1945 Sir Learie Constantine of West Indies played 18 Tests, scored 635 runs at 19.24, took 58 wickets at 30.10, and can be considered the first great West Indian all-rounder, playing with a flair and freedom that was decades ahead of his time. He was a champion not only amongst players but for his people too in their political and legal fight against racial discrimination. He was also the first black member of the House of Lords. Stan McCabe of Australia played 39 Tests, scored 2,748 runs at 48.21, took 36 wickets at 42.86, and was a right-handed batsman of the highest class, he played three memorable innings and defied the “Bodyline tactics” that were predominant at the time within the England camp with 187 not out at Sydney. He further struck an unbeaten 189 at Johannesburg in 1935 and then 232 in less than four hours at Nottingham in the 1938 Ashes Test. He was touted as one of the greatest batsmen of the game by his captain Sir Don Bradman. POST-WAR ERA - Players whose greatest contributions to the game were from 1946-1970 Ted Dexter of England played 62 Tests, scored 4,502 runs at 47.89, took 66 wickets at 34.93, and was a superb batsman who combined a firm defence with the ability to destroy any bowling attack off both the front and back foot. His innings of 70 in the 1963 Lord’s Test lives long in the memory of all who saw it. He was an effective partnership breaker with his medium-fast seam bowling and later in life served as England’s Chairman of Selectors and played an influential role in developing what is today’s MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings. Vinoo Mankad of India played 44 Tests, scored 2,109 runs at 31.47, took 162 wickets at 32.32, and was an opening batsman and slow left arm orthodox bowler, known as one of India’s greatest-ever all-rounders. His most famous feat was against England at Lord's in 1952 when he scored 72 and 184 and bowled 97 overs in the match. He is one of only three cricketers to have batted in every position during his Test career. In later life, he also coached another legendary cricketer and fellow ICC Hall of Fame member from his country, Sunil Gavaskar in Mumbai, India. "A terrific cricketer. A stylish batsman." Next to be inducted into the #ICCHallOfFame 2021 is England's Ted Dexter 👏 pic.twitter.com/YxuupcKWzR — ICC (@ICC) June 13, 2021 × ALSO READ: Cricket: New Zealand seal first away Test series win against England since 1999 ODI ERA - Players whose greatest contributions to the game were from 1971-1995 Desmond Haynes of the West Indies played 116 Tests, scored 7,487 runs at 42.29 and was one half of the most prolific opening batting partnership in Test history alongside Gordon Greenidge. He was capable of some destructive innings and combined impeccable timing with power in his stroke making and has played four ICC World Cups in that era. Bob Willis of England played 90 Tests taking 325 wickets at 25.20 and spearheaded the English bowling attack during some of their most memorable moments during this period. Standing two metres tall, he could make the ball bounce awkwardly on most pitches and possessed an excellent yorker and bouncer, both of which he used to great effect over the course of his career. His greatest triumph was the famous eight for 43 that beat Australia at Headingley in 1981 and after retirement became a popular, and often polarising member of the Sky TV commentary box. MODERN CRICKET ERA - Players whose greatest contributions to the game were between 1996-2015 Andy Flower of Zimbabwe played 63 Tests, scoring 4,794 runs at 51.54, took 151 catches with nine stumpings as a left-handed wicket-keeper batsmen. First Zimbabwe player to be inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame. His grit, determination and will to succeed meant at one point he was ranked number 1 batsman in the world. Andy carried his country's batting for long periods, setting the record for the highest Test score by a wicketkeeper with an innings of 232 not out against India at Nagpur in 2000. Later, he became a hugely successful coach, leading England to the number 1 spot in the ICC Test Rankings for Men. Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka played 134 Tests, scored 12,400 runs at 57.40, took 182 catches and 20 stumpings, and was grace personified at the crease. Sangakkara ended his career as the most prolific run-scorer his country had ever known, with double-hundreds flowing from his bat with consummate ease. In 2014 he struck 319 and 105 in the same Test match against Bangladesh and in 2017 fell just 16 runs short of striking six successive centuries in first-class cricket. The 10 icons inducted as part of this special edition were voted for by the ICC Hall of Fame Voting Academy, comprising living Hall of Fame members, a FICA representative, prominent cricket journalists and senior ICC figures. Commenting on getting inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame, Ted Dexter (England) said: “Well I wasn’t completely aware of the ICC Hall of Fame until I found out I was going to be inducted, so after looking at some of the names in it and knowing that cricket deserves to have a Hall of Fame, I was really chuffed to hear the news. The names in the ICC Hall of Fame include some super players, some of whom I played with, against, and some of whom I had a lot to do with when I was working in English cricket. “My fondest memory as a player is probably the New Year’s Ashes Test 1962/63 against the might of Benaud’s Australia. We needed almost 240 to win the match on the final day and boy did I feel good when we got over the line! That is something I will never forget. “After my playing career, not in my wildest dreams did I think I would end up being a top administrator of the game. I thought I would get on with life after playing and build my PR business. Suddenly along came the opportunity to become Chairman of Selectors, and at the time we were expected to beat most of the emerging Test nations. I was aware that time had moved on so unless we thought differently and planned ahead, we were going to be left behind. “There are many moments in my life in cricket of which I am very proud; as a player, an administrator and in establishing what is today’s rankings system. I also take great pride in having simplified the means of producing on-screen captions and scorecards when I was working as a television commentator, something which you take for granted when watching cricket today. My work in cricket is all very gratifying and I am really proud of everything I have achieved. Being recognized by the ICC for what I have achieved is very satisfying and knowing that I’ve been chosen by my peers and so many great names makes me blush, and I’m thrilled along with my family by this honour.” Speaking on his induction, Desmond Haynes said: “I have played Cricket with some of the greats of the game from the West Indies who are also inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame. That team from 1978 till about the 1990s was a fantastic team. As a young boy growing up in Barbados, I never dreamt that I would be one day inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame. I have really come a long way and I am very happy for this honour. The journey was not smooth, I started playing cricket in a little area of St. James in Barbados where I was loved by everyone in the community, who also helped me stay out of trouble. This is also for my grandmother, my mum and my wife, all of whom supported me in my journey.” Speaking on Vinoo Mankad’s induction, fellow ICC Hall of Fame member, Sunil Gavaskar said: “Vinoo Mankad’s legacy has been to tell the aspiring Indian cricketer to believe in oneself. He was a great proponent of self-belief. He was the one who kept saying to me that you need to keep scoring runs and keep at it. When you get a 100, let that be the knock on the selector’s door. If it is unheard, then score that double hundred and let that knock be even louder. You can have the best technique, but if you do not have the temperament to support it you will not succeed, you have to keep hanging in there and have that self-belief. That was the greatest lesson I learnt from him.” Commenting on Bob Willis’s induction into the ICC Hall of Fame, his wife Lauren Clark said: “We are incredibly honoured as a family that Bob is getting inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame and it is sad that he is not here to accept it himself. He deserves to be here; he played 90 Tests for England and took 325 Test wickets and he worked really hard for those wickets, and we are really honoured and proud of him.” Commenting on receiving the ICC Hall of Fame posthumously, granddaughter of Monty Noble, Elizabeth Noble said: “It is a great honour for us as a family to have my grandfather, inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame. We are delighted and truly humbled that his contributions to cricket have been recognized and celebrated in such a way.” Reacting to the honour on her father being inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame posthumously, daughter of Stan McCabe, Christine Hancock said: “I was thrilled when I heard about his induction, and very proud of this honour. He was a good father and we spent a lot of good times together. He was very generous and humble in the family home. He would tell me about his innings at Trent Bridge in 1938 and that while he was batting, Don Bradman told the whole team to go out onto the balcony to watch my father’s innings, telling them they’ll never see anything like it ever again! Although I didn’t see him play a lot myself, I always heard stories about him as this fluid, swashbuckling sort of player. He didn’t talk much about his cricket career at home. He would always rather be known as the father of Geoff and Chris McCabe than as a cricketer.”

Cricket: ICC announces Hall of Fame special inductions to mark inaugural World Test Championship Final

New Zealand on Sunday hammered England by eight wickets in the second Test to seal the two-match series 1-0 at the Edgbaston. Taking the field with a target of 38 to win, New Zealand batsmen finished the job quickly to register the memorable win on English soil. <o:p></o:p>

Tom Latham, leading the New Zealand team in place of injured Kane Williamson, smashed the winning boundary to win the match after a drawn Test at Lord’s last week.<o:p></o:p>

This is New Zealand’s third win in 18 Test series in England and first after their historic wins in 1986 and 1999. Whereas, this was England’s first home series defeat since 2014, wherein they lost against Sri Lanka.<o:p></o:p>

New Zealand will gain plenty of confidence heading into the World Test Championship final against India, scheduled to start from June 18 in Southampton.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-shubman-gill-shares-stories-about-his-on-field-visits-with-rohit-sharma-and-mayank-agarwal-391165" hreflang="en">Cricket: Shubman Gill shares stories about his on-field visits with Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal</a><o:p></o:p>

"It's great to get an extra day of rest before India but we'll celebrate as well -- we've not won here since 1999 so it's important to celebrate those achievements," said Latham at the presentation ceremony.<o:p></o:p>

"It hasn't been our best week, has it?" England captain Joe Root told BBC Radio after his side came into this match missing Ollie Robinson, with the Sussex seamer suspended after a promising on-field Test debut at Lord's for historic racist and sexist Twitter posts.<o:p></o:p>

"I think we've massively underperformed. Credit to New Zealand, they have outperformed us throughout the game."<o:p></o:p>

Having wrapped up the England innings early on the day, New Zealand lost two wickets in their chase but the target was too small for the visitors to be bothered about.<o:p></o:p>

Stuart Broad dismissed Black Caps player of the series Devon Conway for three before Olly Stone dismissed Will Young.<o:p></o:p>

However, England reached their target in just 10.5 overs to wrap up the match and series.<o:p></o:p>

Henry was named player of the match following overall figures of 6-114.<o:p></o:p>

"It's pretty easy to get motivated to play for your country," said fast bowler Henry. "We've had a strong squad for a while and every time you get the opportunity you want to do your best."<o:p></o:p>

New Zealand on Sunday hammered England by eight wickets in the second Test to seal the two-match series 1-0 at the Edgbaston. Taking the field with a target of 38 to win, New Zealand batsmen finished the job quickly to register the memorable win on English soil.

New Zealand on Sunday hammered England by eight wickets in the second Test to seal the two-match series 1-0 at the Edgbaston. Taking the field with a target of 38 to win, New Zealand batsmen finished the job quickly to register the memorable win on English soil. Tom Latham, leading the New Zealand team in place of injured Kane Williamson, smashed the winning boundary to win the match after a drawn Test at Lord’s last week. This is New Zealand’s third win in 18 Test series in England and first after their historic wins in 1986 and 1999. Whereas, this was England’s first home series defeat since 2014, wherein they lost against Sri Lanka. New Zealand will gain plenty of confidence heading into the World Test Championship final against India, scheduled to start from June 18 in Southampton. ALSO READ: Cricket: Shubman Gill shares stories about his on-field visits with Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal "It's great to get an extra day of rest before India but we'll celebrate as well -- we've not won here since 1999 so it's important to celebrate those achievements," said Latham at the presentation ceremony. "It hasn't been our best week, has it?" England captain Joe Root told BBC Radio after his side came into this match missing Ollie Robinson, with the Sussex seamer suspended after a promising on-field Test debut at Lord's for historic racist and sexist Twitter posts. "I think we've massively underperformed. Credit to New Zealand, they have outperformed us throughout the game." Having wrapped up the England innings early on the day, New Zealand lost two wickets in their chase but the target was too small for the visitors to be bothered about. Stuart Broad dismissed Black Caps player of the series Devon Conway for three before Olly Stone dismissed Will Young. However, England reached their target in just 10.5 overs to wrap up the match and series. Henry was named player of the match following overall figures of 6-114. "It's pretty easy to get motivated to play for your country," said fast bowler Henry. "We've had a strong squad for a while and every time you get the opportunity you want to do your best."

Cricket: New Zealand seal first away Test series win against England since 1999

Portugal defender Joao Cancelo has been ruled out of Euro 2020 after testing positive for COVID-19. The development comes as a huge blow to the defending champions as Cancelo looked at top of his form prior to the tournament and is regarded as one of the key players of Portugal. <o:p></o:p>

Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot, who is on loan to AC Milan, has been named the replacement for the Manchester City right-back in the Portugal squad as they gear up to open their Group F campaign against Hungary in Budapest on Tuesday.<o:p></o:p>

Portugal take on Germany in Munich four days later with world champions France scheduled to play them in Budapest on June 23. <o:p></o:p>

Cancelo is now self-isolating after Saturday's test result.<o:p></o:p>

"According to the Covid-19 protocol established by UEFA before Euro 2020 matches every player in the squad underwent RT-PCR tests on Saturday. The results, with the exception of Joao Cancelo, were negative," the Portuguese federation announced.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-teemu-pukki-says-denmark-game-among-most-difficult-of-career-after-eriksen-scare-391149" hreflang="en">Football: Teemu Pukki says Denmark game among most difficult of career after Eriksen scare</a><o:p></o:p>

Cancelo is one of the Euro 2020 players to have contracted the COVID-19.<o:p></o:p>

Not only Portugal but even Russia have been dealt a hammer blow in the build-up to the delayed Euro 2020 after winger Andrei Mostovoy tested positive for the virus and was ruled out on Friday. They went on to suffer a 3-0 defeat to Belgium.<o:p></o:p>

Spain’s Sergio Busquets is also self-isolating while being ruled out of their opening game against Sweden on Monday in Seville after testing positive last weekend. <o:p></o:p>

Sweden forward Dejan Kulusevski of Juventus and midfielder Mattias Svanberg also tested positive, with six reserve players called up on stand-by.<o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from agencies)<o:p></o:p>

Portugal defender Joao Cancelo has been ruled out of Euro 2020 after testing positive for COVID-19. The development comes as a huge blow to the defending champions as Cancelo looked at top of his form prior to the tournament and is regarded as one of the key players of Portugal.

Portugal defender Joao Cancelo has been ruled out of Euro 2020 after testing positive for COVID-19. The development comes as a huge blow to the defending champions as Cancelo looked at top of his form prior to the tournament and is regarded as one of the key players of Portugal. Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot, who is on loan to AC Milan, has been named the replacement for the Manchester City right-back in the Portugal squad as they gear up to open their Group F campaign against Hungary in Budapest on Tuesday. Portugal take on Germany in Munich four days later with world champions France scheduled to play them in Budapest on June 23. Cancelo is now self-isolating after Saturday's test result. "According to the Covid-19 protocol established by UEFA before Euro 2020 matches every player in the squad underwent RT-PCR tests on Saturday. The results, with the exception of Joao Cancelo, were negative," the Portuguese federation announced. ALSO READ: Football: Teemu Pukki says Denmark game among most difficult of career after Eriksen scare Cancelo is one of the Euro 2020 players to have contracted the COVID-19. Not only Portugal but even Russia have been dealt a hammer blow in the build-up to the delayed Euro 2020 after winger Andrei Mostovoy tested positive for the virus and was ruled out on Friday. They went on to suffer a 3-0 defeat to Belgium. Spain’s Sergio Busquets is also self-isolating while being ruled out of their opening game against Sweden on Monday in Seville after testing positive last weekend. Sweden forward Dejan Kulusevski of Juventus and midfielder Mattias Svanberg also tested positive, with six reserve players called up on stand-by. (With inputs from agencies)

Football: Portugal lose key player to COVID-19 in Euro 2020, replacement announced

Danish footballer Christian Eriksen is “stable” and has been in touch with his Denmark team-mates following a horrific collapse on the pitch during the Euro 2020 match against Finland on Sunday.<o:p></o:p>

Terrifying scenes unfolded in the Euro 2020 when Eriksen collapsed on the pitch after a ball was thrown in towards him. The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder was involved in an attack for his team in Copenhagen and he was jogging to receive a throw-in from his team-mate but fell face-first to the turf. <o:p></o:p>

The Danish FA has issued a condition update on Eriksen on Sunday, saying: "This morning we have spoken to Christian Eriksen, who has sent his greetings to his team-mates. His condition is stable, and he continues to be hospitalised for further examination.<o:p></o:p>

"The team and staff of the national team has received crisis assistance and will continue to be there for each other after yesterday's incident.<o:p></o:p>

"We would like to thank everyone for the heartfelt greetings to Christian Eriksen from fans, players, the Royal Families from both Denmark and England, international associations, clubs etc.<o:p></o:p>

"We encourage everyone to send their greetings to the Danish FA, where we will make sure they are all passed on to Christian and his family."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-christian-eriksen-was-fighting-his-own-battle-yet-he-was-rarely-alone-391134" hreflang="en">Football: Christian Eriksen was fighting his own battle, yet he was rarely alone</a>

<o:p></o:p>

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Update regarding Christian Eriksen. <a href="https://t.co/YuKD9hS9LV">pic.twitter.com/YuKD9hS9LV</a>
— DBU - En Del Af Noget Større (@DBUfodbold) <a href="https://twitter.com/DBUfodbold/status/1403996840287215616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Players, on the pitch, and the referee quickly called for medical attention when Eriksen collapsed. They performed CPR on the player on the pitch as players shielded the Dane from the cameras.<o:p></o:p>

Denmark's team doctor was quoted in the Danish press as saying: "We felt the pulse, but pretty quickly the picture changed."<o:p></o:p>

However, Eriksen responded to the treatment and was awake when stretchered off the pitch. He was rushed to the hospital for further examinations. While the match was suspended for 90 minutes, it restarted as Denmark conceded a goal to lose the game 1-0. <o:p></o:p>

Giussepe Marotta, CEO of Eriksen's club Inter Milan, said: "We’re optimistic about Christian conditions, Denmark staff told us that the situation is under control."<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

Danish footballer Christian Eriksen is “stable” and has been in touch with his Denmark team-mates following a horrific collapse on the pitch during the Euro 2020 match against Finland on Sunday.

Danish footballer Christian Eriksen is “stable” and has been in touch with his Denmark team-mates following a horrific collapse on the pitch during the Euro 2020 match against Finland on Sunday. Terrifying scenes unfolded in the Euro 2020 when Eriksen collapsed on the pitch after a ball was thrown in towards him. The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder was involved in an attack for his team in Copenhagen and he was jogging to receive a throw-in from his team-mate but fell face-first to the turf. The Danish FA has issued a condition update on Eriksen on Sunday, saying: "This morning we have spoken to Christian Eriksen, who has sent his greetings to his team-mates. His condition is stable, and he continues to be hospitalised for further examination. "The team and staff of the national team has received crisis assistance and will continue to be there for each other after yesterday's incident. "We would like to thank everyone for the heartfelt greetings to Christian Eriksen from fans, players, the Royal Families from both Denmark and England, international associations, clubs etc. "We encourage everyone to send their greetings to the Danish FA, where we will make sure they are all passed on to Christian and his family." ALSO READ: Football: Christian Eriksen was fighting his own battle, yet he was rarely alone Update regarding Christian Eriksen. pic.twitter.com/YuKD9hS9LV — DBU - En Del Af Noget Større (@DBUfodbold) June 13, 2021 × Players, on the pitch, and the referee quickly called for medical attention when Eriksen collapsed. They performed CPR on the player on the pitch as players shielded the Dane from the cameras. Denmark's team doctor was quoted in the Danish press as saying: "We felt the pulse, but pretty quickly the picture changed." However, Eriksen responded to the treatment and was awake when stretchered off the pitch. He was rushed to the hospital for further examinations. While the match was suspended for 90 minutes, it restarted as Denmark conceded a goal to lose the game 1-0. Giussepe Marotta, CEO of Eriksen's club Inter Milan, said: "We’re optimistic about Christian conditions, Denmark staff told us that the situation is under control."

Football: Christian Eriksen collapse - Danish FA provide update as the midfielder continues to be 'stable'

Novak Djokovic will eye a 52-year-old record when he takes on Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final of Roland Garros on Sunday. <o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Djokovic is on the verge of becoming the first man in 52 years to win all four Grand Slam titles twice if he manages to defeat Tsitsipas on Sunday.<o:p></o:p>

A win for the Serbian ace will take him alongside Rod Laver and Roy Emerson to have conquered the four Grand Slams more than once. Even the herculean duo of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have failed to do touch the landmark.<o:p></o:p>

The milestone is so rare that it hasn’t been achieved since 1969 when Laver completed his second calendar Grand Slam.<o:p></o:p>

Furthermore, Djokovic is also on the cusp of moving just one behind the record of 20 Grand Slam titles held by Nadal and Federer. <o:p></o:p>

Djokovic, who played an epic semi-final clash against Nadal, is, however, not worried about physical or emotional fatigue from the match. He had defeated 13-time champion Nadal in what was a match for ages. <o:p></o:p>

"It's not the first time that I play an epic semi-final in a Grand Slam and then I have to come back in less than 48 hours and play finals," said the 34-year-old.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/french-open-unseeded-barbora-krejcikova-wins-maiden-grand-slam-singles-title-in-paris-391114" hreflang="en">French Open: Unseeded Barbora Krejcikova wins maiden Grand Slam singles title in Paris</a><o:p></o:p>

"My recovery abilities have been pretty good throughout my career."<o:p></o:p>

The 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 triumph gave Djokovic the honour of being the only man to have beaten Nadal in Paris more than once, having first achieved it in the 2015 quarter-finals.<o:p></o:p>

Ahead of the match, Djokovic lavished high praise on Tsitsipas as he said he is more than just a tennis player. <o:p></o:p>

"He is a hard worker, dedicated, nice guy," said Djokovic.<o:p></o:p>

"He's very smart and wise. I love the fact that he is more than just a tennis player and he's always looking to learn from experience and to understand something new about himself.<o:p></o:p>

"That's the trait of a champion."<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

Novak Djokovic will eye a 52-year-old record when he takes on Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final of Roland Garros on Sunday. Djokovic is on the verge of becoming the first man in 52 years to win all four Grand Slam titles twice if he manages to defeat Tsitsipas on Sunday.

Novak Djokovic will eye a 52-year-old record when he takes on Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final of Roland Garros on Sunday. Djokovic is on the verge of becoming the first man in 52 years to win all four Grand Slam titles twice if he manages to defeat Tsitsipas on Sunday. A win for the Serbian ace will take him alongside Rod Laver and Roy Emerson to have conquered the four Grand Slams more than once. Even the herculean duo of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have failed to do touch the landmark. The milestone is so rare that it hasn’t been achieved since 1969 when Laver completed his second calendar Grand Slam. Furthermore, Djokovic is also on the cusp of moving just one behind the record of 20 Grand Slam titles held by Nadal and Federer. Djokovic, who played an epic semi-final clash against Nadal, is, however, not worried about physical or emotional fatigue from the match. He had defeated 13-time champion Nadal in what was a match for ages. "It's not the first time that I play an epic semi-final in a Grand Slam and then I have to come back in less than 48 hours and play finals," said the 34-year-old. ALSO READ: French Open: Unseeded Barbora Krejcikova wins maiden Grand Slam singles title in Paris "My recovery abilities have been pretty good throughout my career." The 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 triumph gave Djokovic the honour of being the only man to have beaten Nadal in Paris more than once, having first achieved it in the 2015 quarter-finals. Ahead of the match, Djokovic lavished high praise on Tsitsipas as he said he is more than just a tennis player. "He is a hard worker, dedicated, nice guy," said Djokovic. "He's very smart and wise. I love the fact that he is more than just a tennis player and he's always looking to learn from experience and to understand something new about himself. "That's the trait of a champion."

Tennis: Novak Djokovic eyes elite 52-year-old landmark at French Open final

​Ace Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been handed a three-match suspension for “showing aggressive behavior towards the umpire” during a Dhaka Premier Division T20 Cricket League.<o:p></o:p>

Shakib, the top-ranked all-rounder in ICC ODI rankings, kicked the stumps after an LBW decision was turned down by the umpire during a match between Abahani Limited and Mohammedan Sporting Club on Friday.<o:p></o:p>

Shakib later pulled out all three stumps and threw them aside after the umpire stopped the game due to rain.<o:p></o:p>

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) found Shakib guilty of two counts of misconduct and banned him for three matches in the tournament while fining him 500,000 taka (US$5,900).<o:p></o:p>

"Shakib was found guilty of conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game after showing aggressive behaviour towards the umpire," the BCB said in a statement Saturday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-england-were-not-good-enough-against-new-zealand-chris-silverwood-391124" hreflang="en">Cricket: England were 'not good enough' against New Zealand: Chris Silverwood</a><o:p></o:p>

The 34-year-old also brought cricket into disrepute by using offensive language and dangerous conduct with the umpires. <o:p></o:p>

Shakib wrote on Facebook that he was "extremely sorry for losing my temper".<o:p></o:p>

"An experienced player like me should not have reacted that way but sometimes against all odds it happens unfortunately."<o:p></o:p>

However, the fans were unhappy with Shakib’s usage of the word “hopefully” as the Bangladesh all-rounder said, he won’t repeat the same mistake in future.<o:p></o:p>

There was massive outrage on social media as fans lashed out at Shakib for his reckless behaviour during the Dhaka T20 League match. <o:p></o:p>

Ace Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been handed a three-match suspension for “showing aggressive behavior towards the umpire” during a Dhaka Premier Division T20 Cricket League.

Ace Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been handed a three-match suspension for “showing aggressive behavior towards the umpire” during a Dhaka Premier Division T20 Cricket League. Shakib, the top-ranked all-rounder in ICC ODI rankings, kicked the stumps after an LBW decision was turned down by the umpire during a match between Abahani Limited and Mohammedan Sporting Club on Friday. Shakib later pulled out all three stumps and threw them aside after the umpire stopped the game due to rain. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) found Shakib guilty of two counts of misconduct and banned him for three matches in the tournament while fining him 500,000 taka (US$5,900). "Shakib was found guilty of conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game after showing aggressive behaviour towards the umpire," the BCB said in a statement Saturday. ALSO READ: Cricket: England were 'not good enough' against New Zealand: Chris Silverwood The 34-year-old also brought cricket into disrepute by using offensive language and dangerous conduct with the umpires. Shakib wrote on Facebook that he was "extremely sorry for losing my temper". "An experienced player like me should not have reacted that way but sometimes against all odds it happens unfortunately." However, the fans were unhappy with Shakib’s usage of the word “hopefully” as the Bangladesh all-rounder said, he won’t repeat the same mistake in future. There was massive outrage on social media as fans lashed out at Shakib for his reckless behaviour during the Dhaka T20 League match.

Cricket: Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan suspended for three matches over umpire outburst

England Men’s Head Coach Chris Silverwood has named a 16-player squad for T20I series against Sri Lanka starting at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff on June 23.

England T20I&nbsp;Squad

<ul>
	<li data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) Captain</li>
	<li data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">Moeen Ali (Worcestershire)</li>
	<li data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire)</li>
	<li data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">Sam Billings (Kent)</li>
	<li data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">Jos Buttler (Lancashire)</li>
	<li data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">Sam Curran (Surrey)</li>
	<li data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">Tom Curran (Surrey)</li>
	<li data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">Liam Dawson (Hampshire)</li>
	<li data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">Chris Jordan (Sussex)</li>
	<li data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">Liam Livingstone (Lancashire)</li>
	<li data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">Dawid Malan (Yorkshire)</li>
	<li data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)</li>
	<li data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">Jason Roy (Surrey)</li>
	<li data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">David Willey (Yorkshire)</li>
	<li data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)</li>
	<li data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">Mark Wood (Durham)</li>
</ul>

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-im-preparing-to-play-and-perform-at-my-best-wes-agar-gears-up-for-his-debut-391002" hreflang="en">Cricket: I'm preparing to play and perform at my best: Wes Agar gears up for his debut</a>

Warwickshire all-rounder Chris Woakes returns to the squad for the first time since 2015. His last international cap in this format came in November 2015 against Pakistan.

Yorkshire seamer David Willey last played at this level in May 2019 and will be looking to add to his 28 caps.

Hampshire spinner Liam Dawson, who last played a T20I for England in February 2018 in New Zealand, is one of three specialist spinners named.

Durham all-rounder Ben Stokes (fractured finger), Sussex seamer Jofra Archer (right elbow) and Surrey’s Reece Topley (side strain) were not considered for selection due to ongoing injuries.

England Men’s Head Coach, Chris Silverwood, said: “With the T20 World Cup only a few months away, this summer is about perfecting our team and continue to progress on the field. We want to approach every series with an influx of players aiming to win every match and giving us the best preparation as we get closer to the tournament.

“With several high-profile players missing through injury, it allows me to look at some of our experienced players who have not featured at this level for some time. The likes of Chris Woakes and David Willey are very experienced cricketers, and to have them both in the mix is exciting and shows the depth of squad we have available.

“I want our team to play an attacking form of the game. I hope we can continue to excite the England fans with our approach.”

The England T20I squad will report to its Cardiff base on Saturday 19 June.

<h2 data-ogsc="rgb(85, 85, 85)">England vs Sri Lanka, T20I Series: Full Schedule</h2>

1st T20I: England v Sri Lanka, Wednesday 23 June 2021, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (6.30pm BST)

2nd T20I: England v Sri Lanka, Thursday 24 June 2021, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (6.30pm BST)

3rd T20I: England v Sri Lanka, Saturday 26 June 2021, Ageas Bowl, Southampton (2.30pm BST)

England Men’s Head Coach Chris Silverwood has named a 16-player squad for T20I series against Sri Lanka starting at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff on June 23. England T20I Squad Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) Captain Moeen Ali (Worcestershire) Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire) Sam Billings (Kent) Jos Buttler (Lancashire) Sam Curran (Surrey) Tom Curran (Surrey) Liam Dawson (Hampshire) Chris Jordan (Sussex) Liam Livingstone (Lancashire) Dawid Malan (Yorkshire) Adil Rashid (Yorkshire) Jason Roy (Surrey) David Willey (Yorkshire) Chris Woakes (Warwickshire) Mark Wood (Durham) ALSO READ: Cricket: I'm preparing to play and perform at my best: Wes Agar gears up for his debut Warwickshire all-rounder Chris Woakes returns to the squad for the first time since 2015.

England Men’s Head Coach Chris Silverwood has named a 16-player squad for T20I series against Sri Lanka starting at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff on June 23. England T20I Squad Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) Captain Moeen Ali (Worcestershire) Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire) Sam Billings (Kent) Jos Buttler (Lancashire) Sam Curran (Surrey) Tom Curran (Surrey) Liam Dawson (Hampshire) Chris Jordan (Sussex) Liam Livingstone (Lancashire) Dawid Malan (Yorkshire) Adil Rashid (Yorkshire) Jason Roy (Surrey) David Willey (Yorkshire) Chris Woakes (Warwickshire) Mark Wood (Durham) ALSO READ: Cricket: I'm preparing to play and perform at my best: Wes Agar gears up for his debut Warwickshire all-rounder Chris Woakes returns to the squad for the first time since 2015. His last international cap in this format came in November 2015 against Pakistan. Yorkshire seamer David Willey last played at this level in May 2019 and will be looking to add to his 28 caps. Hampshire spinner Liam Dawson, who last played a T20I for England in February 2018 in New Zealand, is one of three specialist spinners named. Durham all-rounder Ben Stokes (fractured finger), Sussex seamer Jofra Archer (right elbow) and Surrey’s Reece Topley (side strain) were not considered for selection due to ongoing injuries. England Men’s Head Coach, Chris Silverwood, said: “With the T20 World Cup only a few months away, this summer is about perfecting our team and continue to progress on the field. We want to approach every series with an influx of players aiming to win every match and giving us the best preparation as we get closer to the tournament. “With several high-profile players missing through injury, it allows me to look at some of our experienced players who have not featured at this level for some time. The likes of Chris Woakes and David Willey are very experienced cricketers, and to have them both in the mix is exciting and shows the depth of squad we have available. “I want our team to play an attacking form of the game. I hope we can continue to excite the England fans with our approach.” The England T20I squad will report to its Cardiff base on Saturday 19 June. England vs Sri Lanka, T20I Series: Full Schedule 1st T20I: England v Sri Lanka, Wednesday 23 June 2021, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (6.30pm BST) 2nd T20I: England v Sri Lanka, Thursday 24 June 2021, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (6.30pm BST) 3rd T20I: England v Sri Lanka, Saturday 26 June 2021, Ageas Bowl, Southampton (2.30pm BST)

Cricket: England announce 16-member squad for T20I series versus Sri Lanka

The All-India Senior Selection Committee selected the Indian squad for the three-match ODI series and the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka scheduled in July. All matches will be played at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, Colombo. <o:p></o:p>

Veteran left-handed batsman Shikhar Dhawan will lead the Indian side with Bhuvneshwar Kumar as his deputy. <o:p></o:p>

In what will be an audition for some in the build-up to the upcoming T20 World Cup, the likes of Kuldeep Yadav, Prithvi Shaw, Manish Pandey among others would look to impress the selectors and the members, management of the senior team, who are in England for the World Test Championship final and five-Test series against England. <o:p></o:p>

The call-up becomes special for Devdutt Padikkar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Nitish Rana, Varun Chakravarthy and Chetan Sakariya – who earn their maiden call-up to the Indian team. Additionally, the squad will be assisted by five net bowlers.

ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-from-smriti-mandhana-to-shafali-verma-the-hundred-confirms-signings-of-indian-superstars-390635" hreflang="en">Cricket: From Smriti Mandhana to Shafali Verma - The Hundred confirms signings of Indian superstars</a>

<o:p></o:p>

India’s squad: Shikhar Dhawan (Captain), Prithvi Shaw, Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Suryakumar Yadav, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Rana, Ishan Kishan (Wicket-keeper), Sanju Samson (Wicket-keeper), Yuzvendra Chahal, Rahul Chahar, K Gowtham, Krunal Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Vice-captain), Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini, Chetan Sakariya<o:p></o:p>

Net Bowlers: Ishan Porel, Sandeep Warrier, Arshdeep Singh, Sai Kishore, Simarjeet Singh <o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">India’s tour of Sri Lanka, 2021 – ODI series: Schedule<o:p></o:p></h2>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">13th July - 1st ODI<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">16th July - 2nd ODI<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">18th July - 3rd ODI<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">21st July - 1st T20I<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">23rd July - 2nd T20I<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">25th July - 3rd T20I<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

The All-India Senior Selection Committee selected the Indian squad for the three-match ODI series and the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka scheduled in July.

The All-India Senior Selection Committee selected the Indian squad for the three-match ODI series and the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka scheduled in July. All matches will be played at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, Colombo. Veteran left-handed batsman Shikhar Dhawan will lead the Indian side with Bhuvneshwar Kumar as his deputy. In what will be an audition for some in the build-up to the upcoming T20 World Cup, the likes of Kuldeep Yadav, Prithvi Shaw, Manish Pandey among others would look to impress the selectors and the members, management of the senior team, who are in England for the World Test Championship final and five-Test series against England. The call-up becomes special for Devdutt Padikkar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Nitish Rana, Varun Chakravarthy and Chetan Sakariya – who earn their maiden call-up to the Indian team. Additionally, the squad will be assisted by five net bowlers. ALSO READ: Cricket: From Smriti Mandhana to Shafali Verma - The Hundred confirms signings of Indian superstars India’s squad: Shikhar Dhawan (Captain), Prithvi Shaw, Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Suryakumar Yadav, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Rana, Ishan Kishan (Wicket-keeper), Sanju Samson (Wicket-keeper), Yuzvendra Chahal, Rahul Chahar, K Gowtham, Krunal Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Vice-captain), Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini, Chetan Sakariya Net Bowlers: Ishan Porel, Sandeep Warrier, Arshdeep Singh, Sai Kishore, Simarjeet Singh India’s tour of Sri Lanka, 2021 – ODI series: Schedule 13th July - 1st ODI 16th July - 2nd ODI 18th July - 3rd ODI 21st July - 1st T20I 23rd July - 2nd T20I 25th July - 3rd T20I

Cricket: SL vs IND - Shikhar Dhawan named captain, five earn maiden call-ups for limited-overs tour

Maria Sakkari, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Barbora Krejcikova or Tamara Zidansek will continue the recent trend of new Grand Slam champions at this year's French Open after another tournament littered with surprises.

For just the second time in the Open era, there are four first-time major semi-finalists in the women's singles, after the 1978 Australian Open.

Sakkari is the highest-ranked player left in the field at 18 in the world, 67 places above Zidansek, the first woman representing Slovenia to make the last four of a Slam.

<h2>Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x31) v&nbsp;Tamara Zidansek (SLO)</h2>

Head-to-head: First meeting

-- Despite the return to its traditional May-June slot, the French Open women's event has been just as unpredictable as the one-off 2020 autumn edition, if not more so.

Pavlyuchenkova, a former junior world number one, needed 52 attempts to reach the semi-finals of a Grand Slam.

At 29, she is the oldest player remaining, having claimed the scalp of third seed and Madrid champion Aryna Sabalenka before eliminating two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka.

The Russian had lost six previous major quarter-finals, a sequence dating back to 2011 when she blew a healthy lead against eventual finalist Francesca Schiavone in Paris.

"It's really incredible I'm still playing tennis 10 years later," said Pavlyuchenkova, who took down Elena Rybakina, the conqueror of Serena Williams, in the last round.&nbsp;

For a country of just two million, Slovenia has a knack of producing elite sportsmen and women, a list to which the 23-year-old Zidansek is hoping to her add herself.

The world number 85 had fallen at the first hurdle in two prior visits to Roland Garros, entering the tournament with a dismal Grand Slam main draw record of 3-8.

A three-time junior snowboard champion, Zidansek shunned the cold for the relative warmth of the tennis tour and served notice with a first round takedown of 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu.

Paths to the semi-final (x indicates seeded player):

Pavlyuchenkova

1st rd:&nbsp;bt Christina McHale (USA) 6-4, 6-0

2nd rd:&nbsp;bt Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) 6-2, 6-3

3rd rd:&nbsp;bt Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x3) 6-4, 2-6, 6-0

4th rd: bt Victoria Azarenka (BLR x15) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2

QF: bt Elena Rybakina (KAZ x21) 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 9-7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Zidansek

1st rd:&nbsp;bt Bianca Andreescu (CAN x6) 6-7 (1/7), 7-6 (7/2), 9-7

2nd rd:&nbsp;bt Madison Brengle (USA) 6-4, 6-1

3rd rd:&nbsp;bt Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 0-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2

4th rd: bt Sorana Cirstea (ROM) 7-6 (7/4), 6-1

QF:&nbsp;bt Paula Badosa (ESP x33) 7-5, 4-6, 8-6

<h2>Maria Sakkari (GRE x17) v Barbora Krejcikova (CZE)</h2>

Head-to-head: Krejcikova leads 1-0

-- Sick of tennis after an early exit in Rome, a quick island getaway quickly restored Sakkari's passion for a sport in which Krejcikova has worked hard to shed what she viewed a derisive tag of doubles specialist.

For a nation where football and basketball typically rule, Greece will have two players in the semi-finals after Stefanos Tsitsipas made it to the men's last four.

"I think the draw has changed so much so it doesn't really matter who was the highest ranked in this tournament. We're four very good players. I don't think the ranking matters," said Sakkari, who&nbsp;beat 2020 runner-up Sofia Kenin before shocking reigning champion Iga Swiatek.

Sakkari, whose mother Angeliki reached the third round at the French Open in 1985 and 1987, could break into the top 10 if she lifts the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen this weekend.

Krejcikova, a 2018 Roland Garros doubles champion, is two wins from adding the singles title to her collection.

Mentored by the late Jana Novotna, the 33rd-ranked Krejcikova had never won a Grand Slam singles match before last year's Australian Open.&nbsp;

"I never really wanted to be a doubles specialist. Everybody, they just put a label on me like, 'Yeah, you play doubles, you are a doubles specialist,'" said Krejcikova, also into the last four in doubles with partner Katerina Siniakova.

She has defeated fifth seed Elina Svitolina and 2018 runner-up Sloane Stephens, overcoming crippling anxiety ahead of her match with the American that led to the Czech locking herself in the physiotherapist's office.

Paths to the semi-final (x indicates seeded player):

Sakkari

1st rd:&nbsp;bt Katarina Zavatska (UKR) 6-4, 6-1

2nd rd:&nbsp;bt Jasmine Paolini (ITA) 6-2, 6-3

3rd rd:&nbsp;bt Elise Mertens (BEL x14) 7-5, 6-7 (2/7), 6-2

4th rd:&nbsp;bt Sofia Kenin (USA x4) 6-1, 6-3

QF:&nbsp;bt Iga Swiatek (POL x8) 6-4, 6-4

Krejcikova

1st rd:&nbsp;bt Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2

2nd rd:&nbsp;bt Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS x32) 6-2, 6-3

3rd rd:&nbsp;bt Elina Svitolina (UKR x5) 6-3, 6-2

4th rd:&nbsp;bt Sloane Stephens (USA) 6-2, 6-0

QF:&nbsp;bt Coco Gauff (USA x24) 7-6 (8/6), 6-3

Maria Sakkari, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Barbora Krejcikova or Tamara Zidansek will continue the recent trend of new Grand Slam champions at this year's French Open after another tournament littered with surprises.

Maria Sakkari, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Barbora Krejcikova or Tamara Zidansek will continue the recent trend of new Grand Slam champions at this year's French Open after another tournament littered with surprises. For just the second time in the Open era, there are four first-time major semi-finalists in the women's singles, after the 1978 Australian Open. Sakkari is the highest-ranked player left in the field at 18 in the world, 67 places above Zidansek, the first woman representing Slovenia to make the last four of a Slam. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x31) v Tamara Zidansek (SLO) Head-to-head: First meeting -- Despite the return to its traditional May-June slot, the French Open women's event has been just as unpredictable as the one-off 2020 autumn edition, if not more so. Pavlyuchenkova, a former junior world number one, needed 52 attempts to reach the semi-finals of a Grand Slam. At 29, she is the oldest player remaining, having claimed the scalp of third seed and Madrid champion Aryna Sabalenka before eliminating two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka. The Russian had lost six previous major quarter-finals, a sequence dating back to 2011 when she blew a healthy lead against eventual finalist Francesca Schiavone in Paris. "It's really incredible I'm still playing tennis 10 years later," said Pavlyuchenkova, who took down Elena Rybakina, the conqueror of Serena Williams, in the last round. For a country of just two million, Slovenia has a knack of producing elite sportsmen and women, a list to which the 23-year-old Zidansek is hoping to her add herself. The world number 85 had fallen at the first hurdle in two prior visits to Roland Garros, entering the tournament with a dismal Grand Slam main draw record of 3-8. A three-time junior snowboard champion, Zidansek shunned the cold for the relative warmth of the tennis tour and served notice with a first round takedown of 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu. Paths to the semi-final (x indicates seeded player): Pavlyuchenkova 1st rd: bt Christina McHale (USA) 6-4, 6-0 2nd rd: bt Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) 6-2, 6-3 3rd rd: bt Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x3) 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 4th rd: bt Victoria Azarenka (BLR x15) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 QF: bt Elena Rybakina (KAZ x21) 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 9-7 Zidansek 1st rd: bt Bianca Andreescu (CAN x6) 6-7 (1/7), 7-6 (7/2), 9-7 2nd rd: bt Madison Brengle (USA) 6-4, 6-1 3rd rd: bt Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 0-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 4th rd: bt Sorana Cirstea (ROM) 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 QF: bt Paula Badosa (ESP x33) 7-5, 4-6, 8-6 Maria Sakkari (GRE x17) v Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) Head-to-head: Krejcikova leads 1-0 -- Sick of tennis after an early exit in Rome, a quick island getaway quickly restored Sakkari's passion for a sport in which Krejcikova has worked hard to shed what she viewed a derisive tag of doubles specialist. For a nation where football and basketball typically rule, Greece will have two players in the semi-finals after Stefanos Tsitsipas made it to the men's last four. "I think the draw has changed so much so it doesn't really matter who was the highest ranked in this tournament. We're four very good players. I don't think the ranking matters," said Sakkari, who beat 2020 runner-up Sofia Kenin before shocking reigning champion Iga Swiatek. Sakkari, whose mother Angeliki reached the third round at the French Open in 1985 and 1987, could break into the top 10 if she lifts the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen this weekend. Krejcikova, a 2018 Roland Garros doubles champion, is two wins from adding the singles title to her collection. Mentored by the late Jana Novotna, the 33rd-ranked Krejcikova had never won a Grand Slam singles match before last year's Australian Open. "I never really wanted to be a doubles specialist. Everybody, they just put a label on me like, 'Yeah, you play doubles, you are a doubles specialist,'" said Krejcikova, also into the last four in doubles with partner Katerina Siniakova. She has defeated fifth seed Elina Svitolina and 2018 runner-up Sloane Stephens, overcoming crippling anxiety ahead of her match with the American that led to the Czech locking herself in the physiotherapist's office. Paths to the semi-final (x indicates seeded player): Sakkari 1st rd: bt Katarina Zavatska (UKR) 6-4, 6-1 2nd rd: bt Jasmine Paolini (ITA) 6-2, 6-3 3rd rd: bt Elise Mertens (BEL x14) 7-5, 6-7 (2/7), 6-2 4th rd: bt Sofia Kenin (USA x4) 6-1, 6-3 QF: bt Iga Swiatek (POL x8) 6-4, 6-4 Krejcikova 1st rd: bt Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 2nd rd: bt Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS x32) 6-2, 6-3 3rd rd: bt Elina Svitolina (UKR x5) 6-3, 6-2 4th rd: bt Sloane Stephens (USA) 6-2, 6-0 QF: bt Coco Gauff (USA x24) 7-6 (8/6), 6-3

Tennis: Perfect strangers as first-time quartet contest French Open semi-finals

England pacer Ollie Robinson will miss the first two matches of the T20 Blast for Sussex as he takes a ‘short break’ from cricket following the controversy over his historic tweets deemed sexist and racist. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has suspended Robinson, pending investigation, from international cricket but he remains eligible to play for Sussex.<o:p></o:p>

Robinson will miss Sussex’s matches against Gloucestershire and Hampshire on Friday and Saturday respectively.<o:p></o:p>

Sussex, in a statement, said that Ollie has decided to spend time with his young family after a difficult week.<o:p></o:p>

"After a difficult week, Ollie has decided to take a short break from the game to spend time with his young family," read a Sussex statement.<o:p></o:p>

"We remain in close contact with Ollie from a welfare perspective and will issue further updates on his availability at the relevant times."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-james-anderson-surpasses-alastair-cook-to-become-most-capped-england-test-player-390574" hreflang="en">Cricket: James Anderson surpasses Alastair Cook to become most capped England Test player</a><o:p></o:p>

"When he is ready to return, Ollie will be welcomed back to the club, where discussions with the remainder of the squad over the last week have made clear that he retains the support of all his Sussex team-mates," said Sussex.<o:p></o:p>

"Ollie has more to learn in this area. We all do. We all have a responsibility to improve and to make cricket a game for everybody."<o:p></o:p>

Robinson’s tweets from 2012-13 when he was aged 18 and 19 resurfaced on Day 1 of England’s drawn first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s as he took to the field for his international debut.<o:p></o:p>

He later apologised, saying he was "ashamed" and "embarrassed".

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-india-pakistan-series-was-followed-much-more-than-ashes-inzamam-ul-haq-390610" hreflang="en">Cricket- 'India-Pakistan series was followed much more than Ashes': Inzamam-Ul-Haq</a>

<o:p></o:p>

Sussex had said: "Ollie's tweets were completely unacceptable, and their content is totally at odds with our stated ambition to inspire people from every background in our county to say, 'I feel part of Sussex Cricket'.<o:p></o:p>

"Ollie is a very different man from the one that wrote those tweets and has clearly learned much in the intervening years.<o:p></o:p>

"As a result of his actions, Ollie has had the opportunity to represent his country suspended, is at the centre of intense public and media scrutiny and faces the possibility of further disciplinary action from the ECB.<o:p></o:p>

"Sussex Cricket will not be adding to these significant penalties.<o:p></o:p>

"The club will turn its attention to supporting Ollie in his commitment to continue to educate himself in the area of equality, diversity and inclusion."<o:p></o:p>

England pacer Ollie Robinson will miss the first two matches of the T20 Blast for Sussex as he takes a ‘short break’ from cricket following the controversy over his historic tweets deemed sexist and racist.

England pacer Ollie Robinson will miss the first two matches of the T20 Blast for Sussex as he takes a ‘short break’ from cricket following the controversy over his historic tweets deemed sexist and racist. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has suspended Robinson, pending investigation, from international cricket but he remains eligible to play for Sussex. Robinson will miss Sussex’s matches against Gloucestershire and Hampshire on Friday and Saturday respectively. Sussex, in a statement, said that Ollie has decided to spend time with his young family after a difficult week. "After a difficult week, Ollie has decided to take a short break from the game to spend time with his young family," read a Sussex statement. "We remain in close contact with Ollie from a welfare perspective and will issue further updates on his availability at the relevant times." ALSO READ: Cricket: James Anderson surpasses Alastair Cook to become most capped England Test player "When he is ready to return, Ollie will be welcomed back to the club, where discussions with the remainder of the squad over the last week have made clear that he retains the support of all his Sussex team-mates," said Sussex. "Ollie has more to learn in this area. We all do. We all have a responsibility to improve and to make cricket a game for everybody." Robinson’s tweets from 2012-13 when he was aged 18 and 19 resurfaced on Day 1 of England’s drawn first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s as he took to the field for his international debut. He later apologised, saying he was "ashamed" and "embarrassed". ALSO READ: Cricket- 'India-Pakistan series was followed much more than Ashes': Inzamam-Ul-Haq Sussex had said: "Ollie's tweets were completely unacceptable, and their content is totally at odds with our stated ambition to inspire people from every background in our county to say, 'I feel part of Sussex Cricket'. "Ollie is a very different man from the one that wrote those tweets and has clearly learned much in the intervening years. "As a result of his actions, Ollie has had the opportunity to represent his country suspended, is at the centre of intense public and media scrutiny and faces the possibility of further disciplinary action from the ECB. "Sussex Cricket will not be adding to these significant penalties. "The club will turn its attention to supporting Ollie in his commitment to continue to educate himself in the area of equality, diversity and inclusion."

Ollie Robinson takes 'short break' from cricket after controversy over historic tweets

West Indies and South Africa are set to start the two-match Test series in St Lucia on Thursday. In the series opener, West Indies won the toss and opted to bat first in what promises to be a cracker of a match at the Darren Sammy Stadium in Gros Islet.&nbsp;

The two-Test series would be followed by a five-match T20I series in the build up to the T20 World Cup, later this year. Both South Africa and West Indies head into the match with a number of changes to their respective playing XIs.

The match will be the first assignment for Dean Elgar as South Africa’s full-time Test captain. After disappointing results in their last outing, both West Indies and South Africa would be itching to get the record straight and start the series with a win.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-james-anderson-surpasses-alastair-cook-to-become-most-capped-england-test-player-390574" hreflang="en">Cricket: James Anderson surpasses Alastair Cook to become most capped England Test player</a>

<h2>Here's all you need to know about the West Indies vs South Africa 1st Test :</h2>

<h2>When and what time will West Indies vs South Africa 1st Test begin?</h2>

West Indies vs South Africa 1st Test &nbsp;will begin at 7:30 pm IST on Thursday (10th June)

<h2>Which channel will telecast West Indies vs South Africa 1st Test in India?</h2>

West Indies vs South Africa 1st Test match will not be telecasted in India

<h2>How to watch the live streaming of the West Indies vs South Africa 1st Test in India?</h2>

West Indies vs South Africa 1st Test can be streamed on the FanCode App and Website.&nbsp;

<h2>West Indies vs South Africa, 1st Test: Playing XIs</h2>

West Indies (Playing XI): Kraigg Brathwaite(c), Shai Hope, Nkrumah Bonner, Kyle Mayers, Jermaine Blackwood, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva(w), Jason Holder, Rahkeem Cornwall, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales

South Africa (Playing XI): Dean Elgar(c), Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Quinton de Kock(w), Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje 
&nbsp;

West Indies and South Africa are set to start the two-match Test series in St Lucia on Thursday. In the series opener, West Indies won the toss and opted to bat first in what promises to be a cracker of a match at the Darren Sammy Stadium in Gros Islet.

West Indies and South Africa are set to start the two-match Test series in St Lucia on Thursday. In the series opener, West Indies won the toss and opted to bat first in what promises to be a cracker of a match at the Darren Sammy Stadium in Gros Islet. The two-Test series would be followed by a five-match T20I series in the build up to the T20 World Cup, later this year. Both South Africa and West Indies head into the match with a number of changes to their respective playing XIs. The match will be the first assignment for Dean Elgar as South Africa’s full-time Test captain. After disappointing results in their last outing, both West Indies and South Africa would be itching to get the record straight and start the series with a win. ALSO READ: Cricket: James Anderson surpasses Alastair Cook to become most capped England Test player Here's all you need to know about the West Indies vs South Africa 1st Test : When and what time will West Indies vs South Africa 1st Test begin? West Indies vs South Africa 1st Test will begin at 7:30 pm IST on Thursday (10th June) Which channel will telecast West Indies vs South Africa 1st Test in India? West Indies vs South Africa 1st Test match will not be telecasted in India How to watch the live streaming of the West Indies vs South Africa 1st Test in India? West Indies vs South Africa 1st Test can be streamed on the FanCode App and Website. West Indies vs South Africa, 1st Test: Playing XIs West Indies (Playing XI): Kraigg Brathwaite(c), Shai Hope, Nkrumah Bonner, Kyle Mayers, Jermaine Blackwood, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva(w), Jason Holder, Rahkeem Cornwall, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales South Africa (Playing XI): Dean Elgar(c), Aiden Markram, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Quinton de Kock(w), Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje

West Indies vs South Africa, 1st Test, Live Streaming: When and where to watch WI vs SA in India?

Teams across The Hundred Women’s Competition on Thursday confirmed a number of new overseas signings. The new 100-ball competition, which starts with a standalone women’s fixture at the Kia Oval on July 21, will now feature five Indian superstars: Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma.

Verma – the No.1 ranked T20 batter in the world – comes in as a replacement for Sophie Devine at Birmingham Phoenix. With the logistical difficulties thrown up by COVID-19,&nbsp;Devine has opted out of the competition in order to be in the best position to prepare for international cricket, particularly with the ICC Women's World Cup due to be held in her native New Zealand in February.

Kaur will play for Manchester Originals, and therefore star in the competition opener. Mandhana is set to form a devastating opening partnership with Danni Wyatt at Southern Brave, Deepti Sharma will join England captain Heather Knight at London Spirit and Jemimah Rodrigues will be in the purple of Northern Superchargers.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-icc-announces-special-hall-of-fame-inductions-ahead-of-wtc-final-390532" hreflang="en">Cricket: ICC announces special Hall of Fame inductions ahead of WTC Final</a>

Beth Barrett-Wild, Head of The Hundred Women’s Competition, said: “It’s so good to finally be able to confirm the involvement of some of the superstars from the India team.

“They’re a hugely exciting group of players and they’ll bring a lot to the competition.

“I can’t wait for July 21, I can’t wait for the whole competition, and I can’t wait for fans to see these world-class players doing what they do best.”

Manchester Originals batter Harmanpreet Kaur said: “It’s very exciting that I’m going to get to play in the first-ever game of The Hundred.

“It will be special to make history, especially with a women’s match at such a big ground. We’ve played in front of some large crowds in India and it’s always a great experience for the players.”

Teams across The Hundred Women’s Competition on Thursday confirmed a number of new overseas signings. The new 100-ball competition, which starts with a standalone women’s fixture at the Kia Oval on July 21, will now feature five Indian superstars: Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma.

Teams across The Hundred Women’s Competition on Thursday confirmed a number of new overseas signings. The new 100-ball competition, which starts with a standalone women’s fixture at the Kia Oval on July 21, will now feature five Indian superstars: Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma. Verma – the No.1 ranked T20 batter in the world – comes in as a replacement for Sophie Devine at Birmingham Phoenix. With the logistical difficulties thrown up by COVID-19, Devine has opted out of the competition in order to be in the best position to prepare for international cricket, particularly with the ICC Women's World Cup due to be held in her native New Zealand in February. Kaur will play for Manchester Originals, and therefore star in the competition opener. Mandhana is set to form a devastating opening partnership with Danni Wyatt at Southern Brave, Deepti Sharma will join England captain Heather Knight at London Spirit and Jemimah Rodrigues will be in the purple of Northern Superchargers. ALSO READ: Cricket: ICC announces special Hall of Fame inductions ahead of WTC Final Beth Barrett-Wild, Head of The Hundred Women’s Competition, said: “It’s so good to finally be able to confirm the involvement of some of the superstars from the India team. “They’re a hugely exciting group of players and they’ll bring a lot to the competition. “I can’t wait for July 21, I can’t wait for the whole competition, and I can’t wait for fans to see these world-class players doing what they do best.” Manchester Originals batter Harmanpreet Kaur said: “It’s very exciting that I’m going to get to play in the first-ever game of The Hundred. “It will be special to make history, especially with a women’s match at such a big ground. We’ve played in front of some large crowds in India and it’s always a great experience for the players.”

Cricket: From Smriti Mandhana to Shafali Verma - The Hundred confirms signings of Indian superstars

India's Olympic contingent will be fully vaccinated by early July ahead of their journey to Tokyo for the Games, the country's top sports official Narinder Batra told AFP.

India will send nearly 200 athletes, coaches and support staff to the Tokyo Games scheduled to run from July 23 to August 8 after last year's event was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"We had requested that all the national sports federations get their athletes vaccinated even though the IOC (International Olympic Committee) says it is not mandatory," the Indian Olympic Association president said.

"But we want our athletes to be safe and they should also be safe for others."

Batra said half of the contingent was partially vaccinated and the other half had received both doses.

"So by the first week of July the entire contingent -- athletes plus officials -- should be double vaccinated," he added.

Batra's comments come two days after his association dropped&nbsp;Chinese kit sponsor Li Ning following a public backlash when the uniforms were unveiled last week.

Tensions between India and China worsened after a deadly border encounter in June 2020. The clash sparked calls in India for a boycott of Chinese products and companies.

"We went by the public opinion that was formed on social media after that (kit unveiling)," Batra added.

"If we could find a sponsor before the end of June when things will need to close, then we will have one. Otherwise it remains unbranded."

China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Wednesday called on India to "avoid politicising issues".

<h2>- High hopes for hockey -</h2>

While the pandemic had made it harder for athletes to prepare for Tokyo, Batra said competitors from all nations faced the same challenges, making it a "level-playing field for all".

He stuck to his prediction that India would take home at least 10 medals from the Summer Games.

"Our athletes have been going on in their bio-bubbles or wherever they are training overseas. So there's no effect on our medal prospects and how we feel -- that is, double digits."

Four years ago, the team came home from Rio with just two medals, with badminton champion P.V. Sindhu clinching silver and wrestler Sakshi Malik winning bronze.

Batra, who was re-elected president of the International Hockey Federation last month, did not nominate the sports he thought would win gold, silver or bronze.

But he expressed high hopes for the men's and women's field hockey teams.

The men's team -- the most successful in Olympic history --&nbsp;has won eight Olympic golds, but have not finished in the final four since 1980.

The women's team has not won a medal since the sport became an Olympic event in 1980.

"I expect the men's team to definitely win a medal and I call the women's team a dark horse as they can be world beaters on any day," he said.

India's Olympic contingent will be fully vaccinated by early July ahead of their journey to Tokyo for the Games, the country's top sports official Narinder Batra told AFP.

India's Olympic contingent will be fully vaccinated by early July ahead of their journey to Tokyo for the Games, the country's top sports official Narinder Batra told AFP. India will send nearly 200 athletes, coaches and support staff to the Tokyo Games scheduled to run from July 23 to August 8 after last year's event was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. "We had requested that all the national sports federations get their athletes vaccinated even though the IOC (International Olympic Committee) says it is not mandatory," the Indian Olympic Association president said. "But we want our athletes to be safe and they should also be safe for others." Batra said half of the contingent was partially vaccinated and the other half had received both doses. "So by the first week of July the entire contingent -- athletes plus officials -- should be double vaccinated," he added. Batra's comments come two days after his association dropped Chinese kit sponsor Li Ning following a public backlash when the uniforms were unveiled last week. Tensions between India and China worsened after a deadly border encounter in June 2020. The clash sparked calls in India for a boycott of Chinese products and companies. "We went by the public opinion that was formed on social media after that (kit unveiling)," Batra added. "If we could find a sponsor before the end of June when things will need to close, then we will have one. Otherwise it remains unbranded." China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Wednesday called on India to "avoid politicising issues". - High hopes for hockey - While the pandemic had made it harder for athletes to prepare for Tokyo, Batra said competitors from all nations faced the same challenges, making it a "level-playing field for all". He stuck to his prediction that India would take home at least 10 medals from the Summer Games. "Our athletes have been going on in their bio-bubbles or wherever they are training overseas. So there's no effect on our medal prospects and how we feel -- that is, double digits." Four years ago, the team came home from Rio with just two medals, with badminton champion P.V. Sindhu clinching silver and wrestler Sakshi Malik winning bronze. Batra, who was re-elected president of the International Hockey Federation last month, did not nominate the sports he thought would win gold, silver or bronze. But he expressed high hopes for the men's and women's field hockey teams. The men's team -- the most successful in Olympic history -- has won eight Olympic golds, but have not finished in the final four since 1980. The women's team has not won a medal since the sport became an Olympic event in 1980. "I expect the men's team to definitely win a medal and I call the women's team a dark horse as they can be world beaters on any day," he said.

India's Olympic team to be fully vaccinated: sports chief

The much-awaited Euro 2020 is set to kick-start on Saturday after getting postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. <o:p></o:p>

The top 24 European nations are participating in UEFA Euro 2020 with an eye on the coveted trophy. The teams have been divided into six groups with each consisting of four teams. The top two teams from all groups and four third-placed teams will head into the knockouts – Round of 16.<o:p></o:p>

The likes of France, England, Italy, Belgium head into the tournament as the biggest favourites to lift the coveted trophy but would be wary of the threat other teams pose.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/footballs-coming-home-england-aim-to-emulate-spirit-of-euro-96-390525" hreflang="en">'Football's Coming Home': England aim to emulate spirit of Euro 96</a>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Complete Schedule of Euro 2020 matches (All timings in IST):<o:p></o:p></h2>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">GROUP STAGE:<o:p></o:p></h2>

June 12, Saturday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group A: Turkey vs Italy (12:30 am, Rome)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group A: Wales vs Switzerland (6:30 pm, Baku)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group B: Denmark vs Finland (9:30 pm, Copenhagen)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

June 13, Sunday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group B: Belgium vs Russia (12:30 am, St Petersburg)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group D: England vs Croatia (6:30 pm, London)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group C: Austria vs North Macedonia (9:30 pm, Bucharest)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

June 14, Monday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group C: Netherlands vs Ukraine (12:30 am, Amsterdam)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group D: Scotland vs Czech Republic (6:30 pm, Glasgow)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group E: Poland vs Slovakia (9:30 pm, St Petersburg)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

June 15, Tuesday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group E: Spain vs Sweden (12:30 am, Seville) <o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group F: Hungary vs Portugal (9:30 pm, Budapest)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

June 16, Wednesday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group F: France vs Germany (12:30 am, Munich)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group B: Finland vs Russia (6:30 pm, St Petersburg)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group A: Turkey vs Wales (9:30 pm, Baku)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

June 17, Thursday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group A: Italy vs Switzerland (12:30 am, Rome)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group C: Ukraine vs North Macedonia (6:30 pm, Bucharest)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group B: Denmark vs Belgium (9:30 pm, Copenhagen)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

June 18, Friday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group C: Netherlands vs Austria (12:30 am, Amsterdam)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group E: Sweden vs Slovakia (6:30 pm, St Petersburg)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group D: Croatia vs Czech Republic (9:30 pm, Glasgow)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

June 19, Saturday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group D: England vs Scotland (12:30 am, London)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group F: Hungary vs France (6:30 am, Budapest)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group F: Portugal vs Germany (9:30 am, Munich)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

June 20, Sunday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group E: Spain vs Poland (12:30 am, Seville)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group A: Italy vs Wales (9:30 pm, Rome)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group A: Switzerland vs Turkey (9:30 pm, Baku)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

June 21, Monday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group C: North Macedonia vs Netherlands (9:30 pm, Amsterdam)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group C: Ukraine vs Austria (9:30 pm, Bucharest)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

June 22, Tuesday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group B: Russia vs Denmark (12:30 am, Copenhagen)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group B: Finland vs Belgium (12:30 am, St Petersburg)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

June 23, Wednesday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group D: Czech Republic vs England (12:30 am, London)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group D: Croatia vs Scotland (12:30 am, Glasgow)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group E: Slovakia vs Spain (9:30 pm, Seville)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group E: Sweden vs Poland (9:30 pm, St Petersburg)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

June 24, Thursday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group F: Germany vs Hungary (12:30 am, Munich)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Group F: Portugal v France (12:30 am, Budapest)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">ROUND OF 16:<o:p></o:p></h2>

June 26, Saturday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">2A vs 2B (9:30 pm, Amsterdam)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

June 27, Sunday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">1A vs 2C (12:30 am, London)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">1C vs 3D/E/F (9:30 pm, Budapest)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

June 28, Monday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">1B vs 3A/D/E/F (12:30 am, Seville)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">2D vs 2E (21:30 pm, Copenhagen)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

June 29, Tuesday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">1F vs 3A/B/C (12:30 am, Bucharest)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">1D vs 2F (21:30 pm, London)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

June 30, Wednesday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">1E vs 3A/B/C/D (12:30 am, Glasgow)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">QUARTERFINALS:<o:p></o:p></h2>

July 2, Friday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">QF1: Winner 6 vs Winner 5 (9:30 pm, St Petersburg)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

July 3, Saturday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">QF2: Winner 4 vs Winner 2 (12:30 am, Munich)<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">QF3: Winner 3 vs Winner 1 (21:30 pm, Baku)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

July 4, Sunday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">QF4: Winner 8 vs Winner 7 (12:30 am, Rome) <o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">SEMIFINALS:<o:p></o:p></h2>

July 7, Wednesday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">SF1: Winner QF2 vs Winner QF1 (12:30 am, London)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

July 8, Thursday<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">SF2: Winner QF4 vs Winner QF3 (12:30 am, London)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">FINAL<o:p></o:p></h2>

July 12, Monday (IST)<o:p></o:p>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 (12:30 am, London)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

The much-awaited Euro 2020 is set to kick-start on Saturday after getting postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The top 24 European nations are participating in UEFA Euro 2020 with an eye on the coveted trophy.

The much-awaited Euro 2020 is set to kick-start on Saturday after getting postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The top 24 European nations are participating in UEFA Euro 2020 with an eye on the coveted trophy. The teams have been divided into six groups with each consisting of four teams. The top two teams from all groups and four third-placed teams will head into the knockouts – Round of 16. The likes of France, England, Italy, Belgium head into the tournament as the biggest favourites to lift the coveted trophy but would be wary of the threat other teams pose. ALSO READ: 'Football's Coming Home': England aim to emulate spirit of Euro 96 Complete Schedule of Euro 2020 matches (All timings in IST): GROUP STAGE: June 12, Saturday Group A: Turkey vs Italy (12:30 am, Rome) Group A: Wales vs Switzerland (6:30 pm, Baku) Group B: Denmark vs Finland (9:30 pm, Copenhagen) June 13, Sunday Group B: Belgium vs Russia (12:30 am, St Petersburg) Group D: England vs Croatia (6:30 pm, London) Group C: Austria vs North Macedonia (9:30 pm, Bucharest) June 14, Monday Group C: Netherlands vs Ukraine (12:30 am, Amsterdam) Group D: Scotland vs Czech Republic (6:30 pm, Glasgow) Group E: Poland vs Slovakia (9:30 pm, St Petersburg) June 15, Tuesday Group E: Spain vs Sweden (12:30 am, Seville) Group F: Hungary vs Portugal (9:30 pm, Budapest) June 16, Wednesday Group F: France vs Germany (12:30 am, Munich) Group B: Finland vs Russia (6:30 pm, St Petersburg) Group A: Turkey vs Wales (9:30 pm, Baku) June 17, Thursday Group A: Italy vs Switzerland (12:30 am, Rome) Group C: Ukraine vs North Macedonia (6:30 pm, Bucharest) Group B: Denmark vs Belgium (9:30 pm, Copenhagen) June 18, Friday Group C: Netherlands vs Austria (12:30 am, Amsterdam) Group E: Sweden vs Slovakia (6:30 pm, St Petersburg) Group D: Croatia vs Czech Republic (9:30 pm, Glasgow) June 19, Saturday Group D: England vs Scotland (12:30 am, London) Group F: Hungary vs France (6:30 am, Budapest) Group F: Portugal vs Germany (9:30 am, Munich) June 20, Sunday Group E: Spain vs Poland (12:30 am, Seville) Group A: Italy vs Wales (9:30 pm, Rome) Group A: Switzerland vs Turkey (9:30 pm, Baku) June 21, Monday Group C: North Macedonia vs Netherlands (9:30 pm, Amsterdam) Group C: Ukraine vs Austria (9:30 pm, Bucharest) June 22, Tuesday Group B: Russia vs Denmark (12:30 am, Copenhagen) Group B: Finland vs Belgium (12:30 am, St Petersburg) June 23, Wednesday Group D: Czech Republic vs England (12:30 am, London) Group D: Croatia vs Scotland (12:30 am, Glasgow) Group E: Slovakia vs Spain (9:30 pm, Seville) Group E: Sweden vs Poland (9:30 pm, St Petersburg) June 24, Thursday Group F: Germany vs Hungary (12:30 am, Munich) Group F: Portugal v France (12:30 am, Budapest) ROUND OF 16: June 26, Saturday 2A vs 2B (9:30 pm, Amsterdam) June 27, Sunday 1A vs 2C (12:30 am, London) 1C vs 3D/E/F (9:30 pm, Budapest) June 28, Monday 1B vs 3A/D/E/F (12:30 am, Seville) 2D vs 2E (21:30 pm, Copenhagen) June 29, Tuesday 1F vs 3A/B/C (12:30 am, Bucharest) 1D vs 2F (21:30 pm, London) June 30, Wednesday 1E vs 3A/B/C/D (12:30 am, Glasgow) QUARTERFINALS: July 2, Friday QF1: Winner 6 vs Winner 5 (9:30 pm, St Petersburg) July 3, Saturday QF2: Winner 4 vs Winner 2 (12:30 am, Munich) QF3: Winner 3 vs Winner 1 (21:30 pm, Baku) July 4, Sunday QF4: Winner 8 vs Winner 7 (12:30 am, Rome) SEMIFINALS: July 7, Wednesday SF1: Winner QF2 vs Winner QF1 (12:30 am, London) July 8, Thursday SF2: Winner QF4 vs Winner QF3 (12:30 am, London) FINAL July 12, Monday (IST) Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 (12:30 am, London)

Euro 2020, Schedule: Full fixtures, date, timings, venue - Everything you need to know

New Zealand wicket-keeper BJ Watling has been ruled out of the second Test against England, at the Edgbaston, starting Thursday, due to a sore back. Tom Blundell has replaced Watling in New Zealand playing XI for the second Test against England and will take up the wicket-keeping duties and bat at number six. <o:p></o:p>

The back injury has troubled Watling in the past. While the sore back has improved in the last 24 hours, the condition hasn’t improved to declare Watling fully fit for the second Test against England. Moreover, New Zealand are also scheduled to play the ICC World Test Championship final against India, starting June 18, and hence decided to take the precautionary step. <o:p></o:p>

Notably, Watling is set to retire from international cricket after the WTC final against India. <o:p></o:p>

Earlier, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson was ruled out of the second Test against England due to left elbow injury. It is the same elbow that has troubled Williamson in the past. Will Young was named as Williamson’s replacement in the playing XI.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-was-expecting-to-captain-india-in-2007-t20-world-cup-yuvraj-singh-390559" hreflang="en">Cricket- 'Was expecting to captain India in 2007 T20 World Cup': Yuvraj Singh</a><o:p></o:p>

Additionally, it would be interesting to see whether New Zealand rest their key pacers ahead of the much-awaited WTC final against India. <o:p></o:p>

The first Test between New Zealand and England, at Lord’s, ended up in a draw and both the teams would be desperate to get a positive result in the second Test and win the two-Test series before shifting their focus to India.<o:p></o:p>

While the Black Caps play India in the WTC final in Southampton, England are scheduled to play five Test matches against India, starting August 4. <o:p></o:p>

New Zealand wicket-keeper BJ Watling has been ruled out of the second Test against England, at the Edgbaston, starting Thursday, due to a sore back. Tom Blundell has replaced Watling in New Zealand playing XI for the second Test against England and will take up the wicket-keeping duties and bat at number six.

New Zealand wicket-keeper BJ Watling has been ruled out of the second Test against England, at the Edgbaston, starting Thursday, due to a sore back. Tom Blundell has replaced Watling in New Zealand playing XI for the second Test against England and will take up the wicket-keeping duties and bat at number six. The back injury has troubled Watling in the past. While the sore back has improved in the last 24 hours, the condition hasn’t improved to declare Watling fully fit for the second Test against England. Moreover, New Zealand are also scheduled to play the ICC World Test Championship final against India, starting June 18, and hence decided to take the precautionary step. Notably, Watling is set to retire from international cricket after the WTC final against India. Earlier, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson was ruled out of the second Test against England due to left elbow injury. It is the same elbow that has troubled Williamson in the past. Will Young was named as Williamson’s replacement in the playing XI. ALSO READ: Cricket- 'Was expecting to captain India in 2007 T20 World Cup': Yuvraj Singh Additionally, it would be interesting to see whether New Zealand rest their key pacers ahead of the much-awaited WTC final against India. The first Test between New Zealand and England, at Lord’s, ended up in a draw and both the teams would be desperate to get a positive result in the second Test and win the two-Test series before shifting their focus to India. While the Black Caps play India in the WTC final in Southampton, England are scheduled to play five Test matches against India, starting August 4.

Cricket: BJ Watling ruled out of 2nd Test vs England, Tom Blundell named in playing XI

England pacer James Anderson on Thursday surpassed former England captain Alastair Cook’s iconic landmark of playing most Test matches for England. As soon as Anderson was named in the playing XI for the second Test against New Zealand at Edgbaston, the veteran pacer became the most capped Test player more England in what comes as another feather in his cap.&nbsp;

Before the second Test, both Anderson and Cook had played 161 Test matches for England, most for any English player in the history of the longest format of the game, however, the veteran pacer surpassed Cook to take the record home.&nbsp;

Since his debut in 2002 against Zimbabwe, Anderson has played 161 Test matches. Anderson is currently the sixth-ranked bowler in the ICC Test bowling rankings.&nbsp;

The veteran England pacer averages a staggering 26.46 in Test cricket. He has also represented England in 194 ODI matches for his country while taking another 269 wickets at an average of 29.22. He also became the first pacer in the world to touch the 600-wicket landmark in Test cricket.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-bj-watling-ruled-out-of-2nd-test-vs-england-tom-blundell-named-in-playing-xi-390562" hreflang="en">Cricket: BJ Watling ruled out of 2nd Test vs England, Tom Blundell named in playing XI</a>

<h2>Most Test matches for England:&nbsp;</h2>

<ul>
	<li>James Anderson - 162&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Alastair Cook - 161&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Stuart Broad - 147&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Alec Stewart - 133&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Ian Bell – 118</li>
</ul>

Meanwhile, England have played the troika of Stuart Broad, Anderson and Mark Wood while Olly Stone replaces Ollie Robinson, who has been suspended from international cricket (pending investigation) over his racist and sexist historical tweets.

Whereas, New Zealand have made six changes into the playing XI with the likes of Will Young, Tom Blundell, Daryl Mitchell, Matt Henry, Ajaz Patel and Trent Boult ready to take the field for the Black Caps.

New Zealand (Playing XI): Tom Latham(c), Devon Conway, Will Young, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Tom Blundell(w), Daryl Mitchell, Neil Wagner, Matt Henry, Ajaz Patel, Trent Boult

England (Playing XI): Rory Burns, Dominic Sibley, Zak Crawley, Joe Root(c), Ollie Pope, Daniel Lawrence, James Bracey(w), Olly Stone, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

England pacer James Anderson on Thursday surpassed former England captain Alastair Cook’s iconic landmark of playing most Test matches for England. As soon as Anderson was named in the playing XI for the second Test against New Zealand at Edgbaston, the veteran pacer became the most capped Test player more England in what comes as another feather in his cap.

England pacer James Anderson on Thursday surpassed former England captain Alastair Cook’s iconic landmark of playing most Test matches for England. As soon as Anderson was named in the playing XI for the second Test against New Zealand at Edgbaston, the veteran pacer became the most capped Test player more England in what comes as another feather in his cap. Before the second Test, both Anderson and Cook had played 161 Test matches for England, most for any English player in the history of the longest format of the game, however, the veteran pacer surpassed Cook to take the record home. Since his debut in 2002 against Zimbabwe, Anderson has played 161 Test matches. Anderson is currently the sixth-ranked bowler in the ICC Test bowling rankings. The veteran England pacer averages a staggering 26.46 in Test cricket. He has also represented England in 194 ODI matches for his country while taking another 269 wickets at an average of 29.22. He also became the first pacer in the world to touch the 600-wicket landmark in Test cricket. ALSO READ: Cricket: BJ Watling ruled out of 2nd Test vs England, Tom Blundell named in playing XI Most Test matches for England: James Anderson - 162 Alastair Cook - 161 Stuart Broad - 147 Alec Stewart - 133 Ian Bell – 118 Meanwhile, England have played the troika of Stuart Broad, Anderson and Mark Wood while Olly Stone replaces Ollie Robinson, who has been suspended from international cricket (pending investigation) over his racist and sexist historical tweets. Whereas, New Zealand have made six changes into the playing XI with the likes of Will Young, Tom Blundell, Daryl Mitchell, Matt Henry, Ajaz Patel and Trent Boult ready to take the field for the Black Caps. New Zealand (Playing XI): Tom Latham(c), Devon Conway, Will Young, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Tom Blundell(w), Daryl Mitchell, Neil Wagner, Matt Henry, Ajaz Patel, Trent Boult England (Playing XI): Rory Burns, Dominic Sibley, Zak Crawley, Joe Root(c), Ollie Pope, Daniel Lawrence, James Bracey(w), Olly Stone, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson

Cricket: James Anderson surpasses Alastair Cook to become most capped England Test player

Eoin Morgan and Brendon McCullum could face heat from Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders for their controversial historic tweets mocking Indian accent. KKR CEO Venky Mysore has said that the IPL franchise has ‘zero tolerance’ towards discrimination and hence, Morgan and McCullum could face sanctions for their offensive tweets.<o:p></o:p>

During a conversation on Twitter in 2018, Morgan and Jos Buttler used the word ‘Sir’ to mock Indian fans and the English duo was joined by former New Zealand skipper McCullum. Notably, Morgan is the captain of KKR while McCullum is the head coach.<o:p></o:p>

The conversation resurfaced on social media platform after England debutant Ollie Robinson was suspended, pending investigation, from international cricket for his sexist and racist historic tweets dating back to 2012-13. <o:p></o:p>

“We don’t know enough about it to comment at this time. Let’s wait for the process to be completed to get all the facts before we jump to any conclusions. Just to reiterate, the Knight Riders organisation has ‘zero tolerance’ for any sort of discrimination," KKR CEO Venky Mysore told Cricbuzz.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-icc-announces-special-hall-of-fame-inductions-ahead-of-wtc-final-390532" hreflang="en">Cricket: ICC announces special Hall of Fame inductions ahead of WTC Final</a><o:p></o:p>

Meanwhile, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has emphasised on its strict take agai nst discrimination and said it will discuss how to proceed on such instances of past comments. <o:p></o:p>

“Since we were alerted to offensive tweets last week, a number of historical social media posts by other individuals have been questioned publicly as well," Cricbuzz quoted an ECB spokesperson as saying.<o:p></o:p>

“There is no place for discrimination in our sport, and we are committed to taking relevant and appropriate action where required. Given the concerns which have been raised are clearly now broader than a single case, the ECB will discuss how we deal with issues over historical social media material in a timely and appropriate manner."<o:p></o:p>

“Each case will be considered on an individual basis, looking at all the facts. We will assess cases with the ECB before making further statements," the spokesperson said.<o:p></o:p>

Eoin Morgan and Brendon McCullum could face heat from Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders for their controversial historic tweets mocking Indian accent.

Eoin Morgan and Brendon McCullum could face heat from Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders for their controversial historic tweets mocking Indian accent. KKR CEO Venky Mysore has said that the IPL franchise has ‘zero tolerance’ towards discrimination and hence, Morgan and McCullum could face sanctions for their offensive tweets. During a conversation on Twitter in 2018, Morgan and Jos Buttler used the word ‘Sir’ to mock Indian fans and the English duo was joined by former New Zealand skipper McCullum. Notably, Morgan is the captain of KKR while McCullum is the head coach. The conversation resurfaced on social media platform after England debutant Ollie Robinson was suspended, pending investigation, from international cricket for his sexist and racist historic tweets dating back to 2012-13. “We don’t know enough about it to comment at this time. Let’s wait for the process to be completed to get all the facts before we jump to any conclusions. Just to reiterate, the Knight Riders organisation has ‘zero tolerance’ for any sort of discrimination," KKR CEO Venky Mysore told Cricbuzz. ALSO READ: Cricket: ICC announces special Hall of Fame inductions ahead of WTC Final Meanwhile, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has emphasised on its strict take agai nst discrimination and said it will discuss how to proceed on such instances of past comments. “Since we were alerted to offensive tweets last week, a number of historical social media posts by other individuals have been questioned publicly as well," Cricbuzz quoted an ECB spokesperson as saying. “There is no place for discrimination in our sport, and we are committed to taking relevant and appropriate action where required. Given the concerns which have been raised are clearly now broader than a single case, the ECB will discuss how we deal with issues over historical social media material in a timely and appropriate manner." “Each case will be considered on an individual basis, looking at all the facts. We will assess cases with the ECB before making further statements," the spokesperson said.

Cricket: KKR could take action against skipper Eoin Morgan and coach Brendon McCullum for historic tweets

Ten legends of the game who have made a significant contribution to the history of Test cricket will be inducted to join 93 players who are already in the illustrious list of ICC Hall of Famers making the total now to 103.

The special intake will see two players from each of the following five eras join the ranks of the world’s greatest players.

<ul>
	<li>Early Cricket Era (pre-1918)</li>
	<li>Inter-War Cricket Era (1918 – 1945)</li>
	<li>Post-War Cricket Era (1946 – 1970)</li>
	<li>ODI Era (1971 – 1995)</li>
	<li>Modern Cricket Era (1996 – 2016)</li>
</ul>

The ten icons inducted as part of this special edition have been voted for by the ICC Hall of Fame Voting Academy, comprising of living Hall of Fame members, a FICA representative, prominent cricket journalists and senior ICC figures.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-virat-and-co-break-sweat-at-the-ageas-bowl-after-ending-quarantine-watch-390514" hreflang="en">Cricket: Virat and Co. break sweat at the Ageas Bowl after ending quarantine - WATCH</a>

ICC Acting Chief Executive Geoff Allardice: “It is an honour for us to announce a one-time induction of ten cricketing greats into the ICC Hall of Fame to coincide with the first-ever final of the World Test Championship in Southampton.

“We are celebrating the history of the game and what better way than to honour some of the greats that founded and played the game across different eras. These are all players with a legacy that will continue to inspire future generations for years to come.”&nbsp;

The special edition ICC Hall of Fame show will be hosted by Alan Wilkins streamed live on all ICC digital channels, including Facebook and YouTube on June 13 2021 at 4:30 PM GST / 6:00 PM IST / 1:30 BST, featuring interviews from the inductees and reactions and insights from a specialist panel of guests including Lisa Sthalekar and Lawrence Booth, who will also be joined by two special inductees making their way into this league of legends.

Ten legends of the game who have made a significant contribution to the history of Test cricket will be inducted to join 93 players who are already in the illustrious list of ICC Hall of Famers making the total now to 103.

Ten legends of the game who have made a significant contribution to the history of Test cricket will be inducted to join 93 players who are already in the illustrious list of ICC Hall of Famers making the total now to 103. The special intake will see two players from each of the following five eras join the ranks of the world’s greatest players. Early Cricket Era (pre-1918) Inter-War Cricket Era (1918 – 1945) Post-War Cricket Era (1946 – 1970) ODI Era (1971 – 1995) Modern Cricket Era (1996 – 2016) The ten icons inducted as part of this special edition have been voted for by the ICC Hall of Fame Voting Academy, comprising of living Hall of Fame members, a FICA representative, prominent cricket journalists and senior ICC figures. ALSO READ: Cricket: Virat and Co. break sweat at the Ageas Bowl after ending quarantine - WATCH ICC Acting Chief Executive Geoff Allardice: “It is an honour for us to announce a one-time induction of ten cricketing greats into the ICC Hall of Fame to coincide with the first-ever final of the World Test Championship in Southampton. “We are celebrating the history of the game and what better way than to honour some of the greats that founded and played the game across different eras. These are all players with a legacy that will continue to inspire future generations for years to come.” The special edition ICC Hall of Fame show will be hosted by Alan Wilkins streamed live on all ICC digital channels, including Facebook and YouTube on June 13 2021 at 4:30 PM GST / 6:00 PM IST / 1:30 BST, featuring interviews from the inductees and reactions and insights from a specialist panel of guests including Lisa Sthalekar and Lawrence Booth, who will also be joined by two special inductees making their way into this league of legends.

Cricket: ICC announces special Hall of Fame inductions ahead of WTC Final

Novak Djokovic said facing Rafael Nadal for the 58th time on Friday, with a place in the French Open final on the line, will be "a great battle" against his "biggest ever rival".

Djokovic secured the eagerly-awaited clash when he reached his 40th Grand Slam semi-final with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5 win over Italy's Matteo Berrettini.

It will be his 11th appearance in the last-four in Paris where he was champion in 2016.

Nadal, the 13-time winner, beat Argentina's Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 to make the semi-finals for the 14th time.

He will be playing in his 35th Slam semi.

"I'll probably pick Rafa as the biggest rival I've ever had in my career," said world number one Djokovic.

"The anticipation for the match against him, any match, any surface, any occasion, is always different from any other.

"Let's have a great battle."

Although Djokovic has the edge at 29-28 in their overall rivalry stretching back 15 years, Nadal enjoys a 7-1 record in their French Open meetings and is 19-7 overall on clay.

Djokovic's last win over the Spanish star on a clay court was in Rome five years ago.

Nadal's record in Paris now stands at 105 wins against just two losses.

One of those defeats, however, was at the hands of Djokovic in 2015.

<h2>- 'Release of emotions' -</h2>

With Djokovic's quarter-final extending beyond the national 11pm curfew, play was halted for around 20 minutes at 3-2 in the fourth set so that 5,000 fans could be funnelled out of Court Philippe Chatrier.

Djokovic eventually claimed the match on a third match point in the 12th game but only after he kicked out at an advertising board in frustration at missing the first two.

His scream into the humid night air told of his relief as his bid to win a 19th Grand Slam and be the first man in more than 50 years to claim all four majors twice stayed on course.

"It was a release of all the emotions I had kept inside me," said Djokovic who hit 44 winners and saved all three break points he faced against the Italian.

"After all the fans left and the little break it wasn't easy to find rhythm. It was really a very difficult match for me."

He added: "It was a great battle against a player who serves well and is powerful. Maybe I could have finished on the tie break, but I'm happy to have won."

Nadal also has a landmark in view in Paris.&nbsp;

If he gets to Sunday's final and wins, he would secure a record-setting 21st major, edging ahead of Roger Federer in the all-time race.

Wednesday's night session was the 10th and last at this year's tournament but was the first to allow in fans after the 9pm Covid-19 curfew was pushed back to 11pm.

The previous nine sessions were played in an empty Court Philippe Chatrier, not a good look for streaming giant Amazon who had secured the broadcast rights.

"I thought the atmosphere was Davis Cup like, to be honest," said Djokovic.

"It was a lot of fans involved, every single point cheering, screaming. Just electric atmosphere out there.&nbsp;

"I'm happy that I had that experience of playing in front of the crowd in the night session."

Novak Djokovic said facing Rafael Nadal for the 58th time on Friday, with a place in the French Open final on the line, will be "a great battle" against his "biggest ever rival".

Novak Djokovic said facing Rafael Nadal for the 58th time on Friday, with a place in the French Open final on the line, will be "a great battle" against his "biggest ever rival". Djokovic secured the eagerly-awaited clash when he reached his 40th Grand Slam semi-final with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5 win over Italy's Matteo Berrettini. It will be his 11th appearance in the last-four in Paris where he was champion in 2016. Nadal, the 13-time winner, beat Argentina's Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 to make the semi-finals for the 14th time. He will be playing in his 35th Slam semi. "I'll probably pick Rafa as the biggest rival I've ever had in my career," said world number one Djokovic. "The anticipation for the match against him, any match, any surface, any occasion, is always different from any other. "Let's have a great battle." Although Djokovic has the edge at 29-28 in their overall rivalry stretching back 15 years, Nadal enjoys a 7-1 record in their French Open meetings and is 19-7 overall on clay. Djokovic's last win over the Spanish star on a clay court was in Rome five years ago. Nadal's record in Paris now stands at 105 wins against just two losses. One of those defeats, however, was at the hands of Djokovic in 2015. - 'Release of emotions' - With Djokovic's quarter-final extending beyond the national 11pm curfew, play was halted for around 20 minutes at 3-2 in the fourth set so that 5,000 fans could be funnelled out of Court Philippe Chatrier. Djokovic eventually claimed the match on a third match point in the 12th game but only after he kicked out at an advertising board in frustration at missing the first two. His scream into the humid night air told of his relief as his bid to win a 19th Grand Slam and be the first man in more than 50 years to claim all four majors twice stayed on course. "It was a release of all the emotions I had kept inside me," said Djokovic who hit 44 winners and saved all three break points he faced against the Italian. "After all the fans left and the little break it wasn't easy to find rhythm. It was really a very difficult match for me." He added: "It was a great battle against a player who serves well and is powerful. Maybe I could have finished on the tie break, but I'm happy to have won." Nadal also has a landmark in view in Paris. If he gets to Sunday's final and wins, he would secure a record-setting 21st major, edging ahead of Roger Federer in the all-time race. Wednesday's night session was the 10th and last at this year's tournament but was the first to allow in fans after the 9pm Covid-19 curfew was pushed back to 11pm. The previous nine sessions were played in an empty Court Philippe Chatrier, not a good look for streaming giant Amazon who had secured the broadcast rights. "I thought the atmosphere was Davis Cup like, to be honest," said Djokovic. "It was a lot of fans involved, every single point cheering, screaming. Just electric atmosphere out there. "I'm happy that I had that experience of playing in front of the crowd in the night session."

Tennis: Djokovic ready to face 'biggest rival' Nadal for 58th time

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