Two protestors on Friday barged into the Sydney Cricket Ground, where the first ODI between India and Australia is being played. The protestors carried placard against Adani Group which read “NO $1B ADANI LOAN”.&nbsp;

The front of the protestors’ T-shirt displayed “StopAdani” while the back read “Stop Coal”. #StopAdani Take Action.”. The protestors during India vs Australia 1st ODI were denouncing India’s Adani Group’s coal project in Australia.

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Stop <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Adani?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Adani</a> protest at the cricket - calling on State Bank of India not to fund Adani's Australian coal mine to the tune of $1 billion (following recent media reporting that this deal is currently underway) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/KBORZ7gXKJ">https://t.co/KBORZ7gXKJ</a>
— Sophie McNeill (@Sophiemcneill) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sophiemcneill/status/1332197383275364353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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One of them intruded into the stadium and ran close to the pitch when Indian pacer Navdeep Saini was gearing up for his run-up to the bowl the sixth over of the Australian inning.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ishant-sharma-out-of-australia-series-as-kohli-blasts-confusing-messages-345736" hreflang="en">Ishant Sharma out of Australia series as Kohli blasts 'confusing' messages</a>

<h2>WATCH VIDEO:&nbsp;‘No $1BN Adani Loan’ - Protesters enter ground holding banner against Adani Group</h2>

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BREAKING: Brave cricket fans and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StopAdani?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StopAdani</a> supporters have disrupted play at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> Cricket match to draw attention to a potential $1B loan of Indian taxpayers’ money for Adani’s climate wrecking coal mine. Tell <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOfficialSBI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheOfficialSBI</a> to stop the loan to billionaire <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Adani?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Adani</a>! <a href="https://t.co/ibf3hpESdY">pic.twitter.com/ibf3hpESdY</a>
— Stop Adani (@stopadani) <a href="https://twitter.com/stopadani/status/1332198282588655621?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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WATCH: Video of two <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StopAdani?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StopAdani</a> supporters taking the grounds to protest <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOfficialSBI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheOfficialSBI</a>'s plans to give <a href="https://twitter.com/AdaniOnline?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AdaniOnline</a> a $1bn (5000 crore) Indian taxpayer loan for Adani's Carmichael coal project <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/NhY3vPN0HM">pic.twitter.com/NhY3vPN0HM</a>
— Stop Adani (@stopadani) <a href="https://twitter.com/stopadani/status/1332207621252603909?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australia-rate-will-pucovski-highly-but-he-may-need-to-bide-his-time-justin-langer-345343" hreflang="en">Australia rate Will Pucovski highly but he may need to bide his time: Justin Langer</a>

The duo was taken out by the security. Surprisingly, the security looked slow and rusty and took time before intervening – raising question marks over the security arrangements for the high-profile series.

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Stop Adani protesters run onto the field and stop play. 
 
Security took about five minutes to realise they were trespassing and weren’t players. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/wLBgdeLlqu">pic.twitter.com/wLBgdeLlqu</a>
— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) <a href="https://twitter.com/LMcKirdy7/status/1332176048989949952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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“We’ve got a couple of pitch invaders protesting about something,” Adam Gilchrist said on Fox Sports. “We’ll wait for security to come and get them and remove them. We don’t see any urgency from security at the moment.” 
Some protestors, going by the name Stop Adani, were spotted outside the Sydney Cricket Ground before the match started.&nbsp;

“Millions of Indian taxpayers who are watching the first game of the Indian cricket tour have a right to know that the State Bank of India is considering handing their taxes to a billionaire’s climate-wrecking coal mine,” a statement from Stop Adani read.

Cricket Australia has allowed entry of supporters in half-capacity for the ODI series with SCG operating at 50 per cent. 
&nbsp;

Two protestors on Friday barged into the Sydney Cricket Ground, where the first ODI between India and Australia is being played. The protestors carried placard against Adani Group which read “NO $1B ADANI LOAN”.

Two protestors on Friday barged into the Sydney Cricket Ground, where the first ODI between India and Australia is being played. The protestors carried placard against Adani Group which read “NO $1B ADANI LOAN”. The front of the protestors’ T-shirt displayed “StopAdani” while the back read “Stop Coal”. #StopAdani Take Action.”. The protestors during India vs Australia 1st ODI were denouncing India’s Adani Group’s coal project in Australia. Stop #Adani protest at the cricket - calling on State Bank of India not to fund Adani's Australian coal mine to the tune of $1 billion (following recent media reporting that this deal is currently underway) #AUSvIND https://t.co/KBORZ7gXKJ — Sophie McNeill (@Sophiemcneill) November 27, 2020 × One of them intruded into the stadium and ran close to the pitch when Indian pacer Navdeep Saini was gearing up for his run-up to the bowl the sixth over of the Australian inning. ALSO READ: Ishant Sharma out of Australia series as Kohli blasts 'confusing' messages WATCH VIDEO: ‘No $1BN Adani Loan’ - Protesters enter ground holding banner against Adani Group BREAKING: Brave cricket fans and #StopAdani supporters have disrupted play at the #AUSvIND Cricket match to draw attention to a potential $1B loan of Indian taxpayers’ money for Adani’s climate wrecking coal mine. Tell @TheOfficialSBI to stop the loan to billionaire #Adani! pic.twitter.com/ibf3hpESdY — Stop Adani (@stopadani) November 27, 2020 × WATCH: Video of two #StopAdani supporters taking the grounds to protest @TheOfficialSBI's plans to give @AdaniOnline a $1bn (5000 crore) Indian taxpayer loan for Adani's Carmichael coal project #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/NhY3vPN0HM — Stop Adani (@stopadani) November 27, 2020 × ALSO READ: Australia rate Will Pucovski highly but he may need to bide his time: Justin Langer The duo was taken out by the security. Surprisingly, the security looked slow and rusty and took time before intervening – raising question marks over the security arrangements for the high-profile series. Stop Adani protesters run onto the field and stop play. Security took about five minutes to realise they were trespassing and weren’t players. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/wLBgdeLlqu — Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) November 27, 2020 × “We’ve got a couple of pitch invaders protesting about something,” Adam Gilchrist said on Fox Sports. “We’ll wait for security to come and get them and remove them. We don’t see any urgency from security at the moment.” Some protestors, going by the name Stop Adani, were spotted outside the Sydney Cricket Ground before the match started. “Millions of Indian taxpayers who are watching the first game of the Indian cricket tour have a right to know that the State Bank of India is considering handing their taxes to a billionaire’s climate-wrecking coal mine,” a statement from Stop Adani read. Cricket Australia has allowed entry of supporters in half-capacity for the ODI series with SCG operating at 50 per cent.

IND vs AUS 1st ODI: ‘No $1BN Adani Loan’ - Protesters enter ground holding banner against Adani Group

Argentina legend Diego Maradona’s coffin arrived at the presidential palace in Buenos Aires for a period of lying in state. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-legend-diego-maradona-60-dies-of-heart-attack-345375">Maradona, aged 60, passed away on Wednesday after suffering a cardiac arrest</a>.&nbsp;

The World Cup-winning Argentine maestro was recovering from brain surgery and died of a heart attack on Wednesday. Maradona was renowned for his majestic left-foot and impeccable control with the ball. He was most loved for his spells with clubs Boca Juniors in his homeland and Napoli in Italy, where he won club’s only two Serie A titles.

“You are eternal in every heart in world football,” the Twitter account of the Argentina national team posted alongside a picture of Maradona holding the World Cup.

Napoli’s Twitter feed said: “Always in our hearts, Ciao Diego.” Boca posted: “Eternal thanks. Eternal Diego.” 
Maradona also played for Barcelona and Sevilla, Argentinos Juniors and Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina before starting on an indifferent managerial career.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/world-cup-winner-napoli-legend-drug-addict-rise-and-fall-of-diego-maradona-345411" hreflang="en">World Cup winner, Napoli legend, drug addict: Rise and fall of Diego Maradona</a>

“Thank you for everything Diego. FC Barcelona expresses its deepest condolences regarding the death of Diego Armando Maradona, a player for our club (1982-84) and an icon of world football,” Barcelona said in a statement.

Maradona’s affair with drugs and alcohol is known to all which gave him the tag of a controversial footballer. His struggle with addiction – cocaine – and his weight was in contrast to many footballing greats. But despite all this, his god-gifted skills with the ball made him being regarded as arguably the greatest of all-time.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/eternal-maradonas-death-plunges-argentina-football-into-mourning-345471" hreflang="en">'Eternal' Maradona's death plunges Argentina, football into mourning</a>

The former Napoli megastar had emergency surgery for a subdural haematoma, a blood clot on the brain. He was admitted to the hospital longer than expected as he was showing withdrawal symptoms for his dependency on alcohol before passing away on Wednesday after a heart attack.

Argentina legend Diego Maradona’s coffin arrived at the presidential palace in Buenos Aires for a period of lying in state. Maradona, aged 60, passed away on Wednesday after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Argentina legend Diego Maradona’s coffin arrived at the presidential palace in Buenos Aires for a period of lying in state. Maradona, aged 60, passed away on Wednesday after suffering a cardiac arrest. The World Cup-winning Argentine maestro was recovering from brain surgery and died of a heart attack on Wednesday. Maradona was renowned for his majestic left-foot and impeccable control with the ball. He was most loved for his spells with clubs Boca Juniors in his homeland and Napoli in Italy, where he won club’s only two Serie A titles. “You are eternal in every heart in world football,” the Twitter account of the Argentina national team posted alongside a picture of Maradona holding the World Cup. Napoli’s Twitter feed said: “Always in our hearts, Ciao Diego.” Boca posted: “Eternal thanks. Eternal Diego.” Maradona also played for Barcelona and Sevilla, Argentinos Juniors and Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina before starting on an indifferent managerial career. IN PICS | World Cup winner, Napoli legend, drug addict: Rise and fall of Diego Maradona “Thank you for everything Diego. FC Barcelona expresses its deepest condolences regarding the death of Diego Armando Maradona, a player for our club (1982-84) and an icon of world football,” Barcelona said in a statement. Maradona’s affair with drugs and alcohol is known to all which gave him the tag of a controversial footballer. His struggle with addiction – cocaine – and his weight was in contrast to many footballing greats. But despite all this, his god-gifted skills with the ball made him being regarded as arguably the greatest of all-time. ALSO READ: 'Eternal' Maradona's death plunges Argentina, football into mourning The former Napoli megastar had emergency surgery for a subdural haematoma, a blood clot on the brain. He was admitted to the hospital longer than expected as he was showing withdrawal symptoms for his dependency on alcohol before passing away on Wednesday after a heart attack.

Diego Maradona's body arrives at presidential palace for period of lying in state

Fans worldwide paid tribute and Argentina was in mourning on Thursday after Diego Maradona, one of the greatest footballers of all time, died aged 60 after years of drug and alcohol problems.

Thousands of mourners, many in tears, and many wearing the World Cup winner's number 10 Argentina jersey, gathered in streets and at stadiums around Buenos Aires in a spontaneous celebration of the player and manager's riotous life.

Tributes poured in from around the world as supporters, players and government leaders from South America to Europe and Asia marked the passing of an undisputed maestro.

The outrageously skilful Maradona, widely remembered for his "Hand of God" goal against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals, died of a heart attack while recovering from surgery to remove a blood clot on his brain, a member of his entourage told AFP.

Family members were summoned to Maradona's home north of Buenos Aires before his death was announced, triggering a wave of grief across the country and worldwide.

Lionel Messi, Argentina's modern-day superstar, led the tributes as he said: "He has left us but he will never leave us because Diego is eternal."

Brazilian legend Pele, 80, constantly compared with Maradona in the debate over football's greatest player, said he hoped they would one day "play together in the sky".

Hundreds of people were already queueing outside the presidential palace in Buenos Aires when Maradona's coffin arrived late on Wednesday to lie in state during a three-day period of national mourning.

Despite major coronavirus problems in Argentina, with more than 1.3 million cases, fans gathered at landmarks including Buenos Aires' Obelisk monument and Argentinos Juniors' Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, where he started his career.

Elsewhere, underlining Maradona's global appeal, Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan and Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar were among those to offer tributes, and one fan held back tears as he spoke to AFP in Beijing.

<h2>- 'Hand of God' -</h2>

Maradona, born in Lanus, just south of Buenos Aires, on October 30, 1960, also played for Boca Juniors, Barcelona and Napoli in a career marked by wild highs and lows.

In probably his most famous moment, he leapt and used his fist to score past England's Peter Shilton in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals, memorably describing the goal as "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God".

Minutes later he weaved through six English defenders from the halfway line to score an unforgettable solo second which was later honoured as FIFA's "Goal of the century".

The two contrasting goals perfectly encapsulated the mixture of brilliant skill and often outlandish behaviour that ran through Maradona's life.

Maradona's career was crowned by his performances at that World Cup, when he captained Argentina to glory.

After dismissing England he&nbsp;scored twice in the semi-final against Belgium, slaloming past four defenders for his second, and set up the 86th-minute winner in the final against West Germany.

It was to prove the highlight for Maradona, who inspired Argentina to the 1990 final only for West Germany to take their revenge. In 1994 -- after an infamous, eye-bulging goal celebration against Greece -- he failed a drugs test and was sent home in disgrace.&nbsp;

Gary Lineker, who was in the beaten England team in 1986, said Maradona was "arguably the greatest of all time", adding: "After a blessed but troubled life, hopefully he'll finally find some comfort in the hands of God. #RipDiego."

Excesses with drugs and alcohol had long taken their toll on Maradona's health. He was admitted to hospital three times in the last 20 years for serious health issues due to his addictions.

<h2>- 'Ciao Diego' -</h2>

Maradona grew up in poverty, but his extraordinary talent was clear from a young age at Argentinos Juniors and Boca.

He moved to Barcelona but was singled out for rough treatment by opposing defenders and soon fell out of love with the Spanish club.

It was in Naples where Maradona would enchant an entire city by leading the then unfashionable Napoli to their only two Italian league titles in 1987 and 1990, befriending a mafia family along the way.

"Always in our hearts. Ciao Diego," Napoli tweeted, while the club's president and Naples' mayor both called for Napoli's Stadio San Paolo to be renamed after Maradona.

In recent years, Maradona, reduced to hobbling by the ravages of his career and lifestyle, had coached in the UAE, Mexico and Argentina without ever hitting the heights of his playing days.

Maradona married his long-time&nbsp;girlfriend Claudia&nbsp;Villafane in 1984. They had two&nbsp;daughters, Dalma&nbsp;and&nbsp;Gianinna,&nbsp;but the relationship was punctuated by Maradona's extra-marital affairs and they divorced in 2004.

He also had a son, Diego Junior, born in Naples in 1986, although he only acknowledged paternity in 2004.

In 2000, FIFA ran an online Player of the Century poll.&nbsp;Maradona gained 54 percent of the vote and Pele was second with 18 percent.&nbsp;FIFA declared&nbsp;them&nbsp;joint winners.

Fans worldwide paid tribute and Argentina was in mourning on Thursday after Diego Maradona, one of the greatest footballers of all time, died aged 60 after years of drug and alcohol problems.

Fans worldwide paid tribute and Argentina was in mourning on Thursday after Diego Maradona, one of the greatest footballers of all time, died aged 60 after years of drug and alcohol problems. Thousands of mourners, many in tears, and many wearing the World Cup winner's number 10 Argentina jersey, gathered in streets and at stadiums around Buenos Aires in a spontaneous celebration of the player and manager's riotous life. Tributes poured in from around the world as supporters, players and government leaders from South America to Europe and Asia marked the passing of an undisputed maestro. The outrageously skilful Maradona, widely remembered for his "Hand of God" goal against England in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals, died of a heart attack while recovering from surgery to remove a blood clot on his brain, a member of his entourage told AFP. Family members were summoned to Maradona's home north of Buenos Aires before his death was announced, triggering a wave of grief across the country and worldwide. Lionel Messi, Argentina's modern-day superstar, led the tributes as he said: "He has left us but he will never leave us because Diego is eternal." Brazilian legend Pele, 80, constantly compared with Maradona in the debate over football's greatest player, said he hoped they would one day "play together in the sky". Hundreds of people were already queueing outside the presidential palace in Buenos Aires when Maradona's coffin arrived late on Wednesday to lie in state during a three-day period of national mourning. Despite major coronavirus problems in Argentina, with more than 1.3 million cases, fans gathered at landmarks including Buenos Aires' Obelisk monument and Argentinos Juniors' Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, where he started his career. Elsewhere, underlining Maradona's global appeal, Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan and Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar were among those to offer tributes, and one fan held back tears as he spoke to AFP in Beijing. - 'Hand of God' - Maradona, born in Lanus, just south of Buenos Aires, on October 30, 1960, also played for Boca Juniors, Barcelona and Napoli in a career marked by wild highs and lows. In probably his most famous moment, he leapt and used his fist to score past England's Peter Shilton in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals, memorably describing the goal as "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God". Minutes later he weaved through six English defenders from the halfway line to score an unforgettable solo second which was later honoured as FIFA's "Goal of the century". The two contrasting goals perfectly encapsulated the mixture of brilliant skill and often outlandish behaviour that ran through Maradona's life. Maradona's career was crowned by his performances at that World Cup, when he captained Argentina to glory. After dismissing England he scored twice in the semi-final against Belgium, slaloming past four defenders for his second, and set up the 86th-minute winner in the final against West Germany. It was to prove the highlight for Maradona, who inspired Argentina to the 1990 final only for West Germany to take their revenge. In 1994 -- after an infamous, eye-bulging goal celebration against Greece -- he failed a drugs test and was sent home in disgrace. Gary Lineker, who was in the beaten England team in 1986, said Maradona was "arguably the greatest of all time", adding: "After a blessed but troubled life, hopefully he'll finally find some comfort in the hands of God. #RipDiego." Excesses with drugs and alcohol had long taken their toll on Maradona's health. He was admitted to hospital three times in the last 20 years for serious health issues due to his addictions. - 'Ciao Diego' - Maradona grew up in poverty, but his extraordinary talent was clear from a young age at Argentinos Juniors and Boca. He moved to Barcelona but was singled out for rough treatment by opposing defenders and soon fell out of love with the Spanish club. It was in Naples where Maradona would enchant an entire city by leading the then unfashionable Napoli to their only two Italian league titles in 1987 and 1990, befriending a mafia family along the way. "Always in our hearts. Ciao Diego," Napoli tweeted, while the club's president and Naples' mayor both called for Napoli's Stadio San Paolo to be renamed after Maradona. In recent years, Maradona, reduced to hobbling by the ravages of his career and lifestyle, had coached in the UAE, Mexico and Argentina without ever hitting the heights of his playing days. Maradona married his long-time girlfriend Claudia Villafane in 1984. They had two daughters, Dalma and Gianinna, but the relationship was punctuated by Maradona's extra-marital affairs and they divorced in 2004. He also had a son, Diego Junior, born in Naples in 1986, although he only acknowledged paternity in 2004. In 2000, FIFA ran an online Player of the Century poll. Maradona gained 54 percent of the vote and Pele was second with 18 percent. FIFA declared them joint winners.

'Eternal' Maradona's death plunges Argentina, football into mourning

Diego Maradona’s demise left a massive void in the world of football. Regarded as one of the greatest to have taken the football pitch, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-legend-diego-maradona-60-dies-of-heart-attack-345375">Maradona, aged 60, breathed his last on Wednesday</a> after suffering a cardiac arrest. Tributes started to pour in as soon as the entire world was left stunned following the death of Maradona.

The former member of Barcelona and current head coach of Indian Super League (ISL) club Bengaluru FC, Carles Cuadrat, in an exclusive interaction with WION’s Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo, paid rich tributes to Diego Armando Maradona as he recalled the Argentine maestro’s two-season with Barcelona – from 1982 to 1984.

“I fondly remember Maradona’s two-season at Barcelona. I was a ball-boy back then and it was a privilege to watch him weave his magic on the field. He used to help everyone with insights on match situations and provided confidence to others to execute their skills on the pitch. He came from a very humble background and realized the difficulties he faced during his younger days, so he never backed out from helping anyone,” Cuadrat told WION on Thursday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/diego-maradona-the-most-human-of-immortals-345619" hreflang="en">Diego Maradona, the Most Human of Immortals</a>

Cuadrat, who is currently in Goa for ISL 2020-21, recalled how Maradona used to help his teammates and was an outspoken voice in the dressing room – for the benefit of the club – while adding that he will remember Maradona as a guy who used to spread happiness from his football.

“I will forever remember some of our chit-chats after matches. He used to give great insights to us, the younger players, and I have heard of many incidents where he has helped players from the dressing room. Sometimes he was against the management, sometimes the rules but he never feared anyone or to say anything which he felt was right,” the Bengaluru FC coach, who was once part of the famed La Masia academy.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/diego-maradona-unabashed-and-outspoken-most-famous-quotes-by-argentine-legend-345634" hreflang="en">Diego Maradona, unabashed and outspoken: Most famous quotes by Argentine legend</a>

“I will remember him as a little guy, who used to weave magic, pure magic, every weekend and the fans were crazy for him. There will be no one like Maradona,” Cuadrat said.

Maradona will be buried outside Buenos Aires on Thursday (Friday in India), his spokesman has confirmed. Maradona’s coffin arrived at the presidential palace in Buenos Aires for a period of lying in state on Wednesday. 
&nbsp;

Diego Maradona’s demise left a massive void in the world of football. Regarded as one of the greatest to have taken the football pitch, Maradona, aged 60, breathed his last on Wednesday after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Diego Maradona’s demise left a massive void in the world of football. Regarded as one of the greatest to have taken the football pitch, Maradona, aged 60, breathed his last on Wednesday after suffering a cardiac arrest. Tributes started to pour in as soon as the entire world was left stunned following the death of Maradona. The former member of Barcelona and current head coach of Indian Super League (ISL) club Bengaluru FC, Carles Cuadrat, in an exclusive interaction with WION’s Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo, paid rich tributes to Diego Armando Maradona as he recalled the Argentine maestro’s two-season with Barcelona – from 1982 to 1984. “I fondly remember Maradona’s two-season at Barcelona. I was a ball-boy back then and it was a privilege to watch him weave his magic on the field. He used to help everyone with insights on match situations and provided confidence to others to execute their skills on the pitch. He came from a very humble background and realized the difficulties he faced during his younger days, so he never backed out from helping anyone,” Cuadrat told WION on Thursday. ALSO READ: Diego Maradona, the Most Human of Immortals Cuadrat, who is currently in Goa for ISL 2020-21, recalled how Maradona used to help his teammates and was an outspoken voice in the dressing room – for the benefit of the club – while adding that he will remember Maradona as a guy who used to spread happiness from his football. “I will forever remember some of our chit-chats after matches. He used to give great insights to us, the younger players, and I have heard of many incidents where he has helped players from the dressing room. Sometimes he was against the management, sometimes the rules but he never feared anyone or to say anything which he felt was right,” the Bengaluru FC coach, who was once part of the famed La Masia academy. IN PICS | Diego Maradona, unabashed and outspoken: Most famous quotes by Argentine legend “I will remember him as a little guy, who used to weave magic, pure magic, every weekend and the fans were crazy for him. There will be no one like Maradona,” Cuadrat said. Maradona will be buried outside Buenos Aires on Thursday (Friday in India), his spokesman has confirmed. Maradona’s coffin arrived at the presidential palace in Buenos Aires for a period of lying in state on Wednesday.

There will be no one like Diego Maradona: Bengaluru FC coach Carles Cuadrat to WION

People laid flowers and lit candles below the mural of Diego Maradona outside the stadium here that bears his name. A man cried inconsolably.

At the Obelisk in central Buenos Aires, another man waved a banner depicting Maradona that read, “God Is Argentine.”

There was a sense of incredulity in Argentina on Wednesday as word spread that the soccer star had died that morning at his home in Tigre, north of Buenos Aires. The government decreed three days of mourning.

Often called one of the game’s best players, Maradona was revered by his fellow Argentines — not just for his prowess on the field but also for his rise from poverty to global stardom. He stayed a national hero even as his personal life, which included long spates of drug and alcohol abuse, made him tabloid fodder around the world.

As people gathered across the country to honor the man often simply referred to “El Diego,” some chose the Buenos Aires stadium where he got his start in 1976, as a young player in the Argentinos Juniors club, and which was later renamed for him.

“The first time I saw him I couldn’t believe it,” said Hugo Daniel Santiuste, 66, who said he saw Maradona’s second-ever match at the stadium. “I had never seen anything like it.”

But even Argentines born too late to see him play in person were mourning.

“I feel like a member of my family just died,” said Joaquín López Castan, 19. “My entire life I wanted to play soccer like Maradona.”

Maradona underwent brain surgery earlier this month, and he had had numerous medical problems in the past. But his death, which a spokesman said was from a heart attack, still came as a shock to many.

“He was Maradona; he always managed to pull through,” said João Dejtiar, 19.

Several places around Buenos Aires became outdoor mourning spaces for fans, including the morgue where officials brought his body; his humble onetime home in Villa Fiorito, the impoverished area where he grew up; and La Bombonera stadium, where he once played as a member of the Boca Juniors club.

Hundreds also gathered in downtown Buenos Aires as the government planned what was expected to be a massive wake at the presidential palace Thursday.

At 10 p.m., people applauded from their balconies in honor of Maradona, who wore the traditional No. 10 jersey of a playmaker.

As Wednesday turned into Thursday, people seemed in no hurry to get home. Hundreds chanted and sang songs for Maradona outside the presidential palace as some started to line up for the wake.

“Of course, Maradona was the greatest soccer player this country has ever seen, but that doesn’t tell the full story. There is something that makes him much more than that,” said Alejandro Wall, a sports journalist. “Diego is the great narrator of Argentina."

Maradona is invariably remembered for leading Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup. In the infamous quarterfinal against England, he scored one of the most beautiful goals in the game’s history, as well as an illegal hand goal. (“It was scored a little bit with the head of Diego and a little with the hand of God,” he later said of that goal.)

The English were furious, but in Argentina — still suffering the humiliation of its 1982 defeat by Britain in the short war over the Falkland Islands, which Argentina calls Malvinas and claims as its own — Maradona was lauded.

“A narrative is created that the goal wasn’t illegal because in reality it was God doing justice after the defeat in the 1982 war,” said Lívia Gonçalves Magalhães, a historian at Federal Fluminense University in Brazil who studies the intersection of soccer and politics in South America.

“It was the happiest moment of my life,” said Juan José Azcurra, 67, his tears giving way to a smile as he recalled the goal. “I will never forget it.”

That World Cup was doubly sweet because “no one had faith in the team and in the end everything they did was marvelous,” said Veronica Moreira, an anthropologist who studies sport at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council, an Argentine government agency.

Argentina’s victory in the final against West Germany cemented Maradona’s position as the leader who took the underdog team to victory.

Beating the odds was a constant theme in Maradona’s life story. His rise from poverty was one reason that many Argentines continued to identify with him even as he became a world celebrity.

“He never stopped being part of the people,” said Gastón Tescusinsky, 44, who has a tattoo of Maradona on his arm. “He was always the kid from Fiorito.”

Maradona wore his leftist politics on his sleeve, and Magalhães noted that he would publicly criticize the leaders of FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, “without worrying about repercussions.”

“Maradona was a contradictory character who garnered a lot of empathy,” said Rodrigo Daskal, a professor who is a researcher at the Sports Study Center at San Martín National University. “Maradona was always authentic and never tried to dress up any part of his life.”

Maradona’s candor about his struggles with alcohol and drugs was appreciated by many of his fans, especially those who had experience with addiction.

“My old man had problems with drugs, who am I to judge Maradona?” said Pablo Neyret, 42, whose eyes welled up with tears.

Songs were written in Maradona’s honor, and some of his phrases entered Argentines’ everyday lexicon. One was “they cut off my legs,” which he said after being kicked out the 1994 World Cup for doping.

Victoria Fassa, 43, called Maradona “a rebel who was passionate above all else and said what he thought without caring about the consequences.”

She added, “He was 100% Argentine.”

People laid flowers and lit candles below the mural of Diego Maradona outside the stadium here that bears his name. A man cried inconsolably. At the Obelisk in central Buenos Aires, another man waved a banner depicting Maradona that read, “God Is Argentine.

People laid flowers and lit candles below the mural of Diego Maradona outside the stadium here that bears his name. A man cried inconsolably. At the Obelisk in central Buenos Aires, another man waved a banner depicting Maradona that read, “God Is Argentine.” There was a sense of incredulity in Argentina on Wednesday as word spread that the soccer star had died that morning at his home in Tigre, north of Buenos Aires. The government decreed three days of mourning. Often called one of the game’s best players, Maradona was revered by his fellow Argentines — not just for his prowess on the field but also for his rise from poverty to global stardom. He stayed a national hero even as his personal life, which included long spates of drug and alcohol abuse, made him tabloid fodder around the world. As people gathered across the country to honor the man often simply referred to “El Diego,” some chose the Buenos Aires stadium where he got his start in 1976, as a young player in the Argentinos Juniors club, and which was later renamed for him. “The first time I saw him I couldn’t believe it,” said Hugo Daniel Santiuste, 66, who said he saw Maradona’s second-ever match at the stadium. “I had never seen anything like it.” But even Argentines born too late to see him play in person were mourning. “I feel like a member of my family just died,” said Joaquín López Castan, 19. “My entire life I wanted to play soccer like Maradona.” Maradona underwent brain surgery earlier this month, and he had had numerous medical problems in the past. But his death, which a spokesman said was from a heart attack, still came as a shock to many. “He was Maradona; he always managed to pull through,” said João Dejtiar, 19. Several places around Buenos Aires became outdoor mourning spaces for fans, including the morgue where officials brought his body; his humble onetime home in Villa Fiorito, the impoverished area where he grew up; and La Bombonera stadium, where he once played as a member of the Boca Juniors club. Hundreds also gathered in downtown Buenos Aires as the government planned what was expected to be a massive wake at the presidential palace Thursday. At 10 p.m., people applauded from their balconies in honor of Maradona, who wore the traditional No. 10 jersey of a playmaker. As Wednesday turned into Thursday, people seemed in no hurry to get home. Hundreds chanted and sang songs for Maradona outside the presidential palace as some started to line up for the wake. “Of course, Maradona was the greatest soccer player this country has ever seen, but that doesn’t tell the full story. There is something that makes him much more than that,” said Alejandro Wall, a sports journalist. “Diego is the great narrator of Argentina." Maradona is invariably remembered for leading Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup. In the infamous quarterfinal against England, he scored one of the most beautiful goals in the game’s history, as well as an illegal hand goal. (“It was scored a little bit with the head of Diego and a little with the hand of God,” he later said of that goal.) The English were furious, but in Argentina — still suffering the humiliation of its 1982 defeat by Britain in the short war over the Falkland Islands, which Argentina calls Malvinas and claims as its own — Maradona was lauded. “A narrative is created that the goal wasn’t illegal because in reality it was God doing justice after the defeat in the 1982 war,” said Lívia Gonçalves Magalhães, a historian at Federal Fluminense University in Brazil who studies the intersection of soccer and politics in South America. “It was the happiest moment of my life,” said Juan José Azcurra, 67, his tears giving way to a smile as he recalled the goal. “I will never forget it.” That World Cup was doubly sweet because “no one had faith in the team and in the end everything they did was marvelous,” said Veronica Moreira, an anthropologist who studies sport at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council, an Argentine government agency. Argentina’s victory in the final against West Germany cemented Maradona’s position as the leader who took the underdog team to victory. Beating the odds was a constant theme in Maradona’s life story. His rise from poverty was one reason that many Argentines continued to identify with him even as he became a world celebrity. “He never stopped being part of the people,” said Gastón Tescusinsky, 44, who has a tattoo of Maradona on his arm. “He was always the kid from Fiorito.” Maradona wore his leftist politics on his sleeve, and Magalhães noted that he would publicly criticize the leaders of FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, “without worrying about repercussions.” “Maradona was a contradictory character who garnered a lot of empathy,” said Rodrigo Daskal, a professor who is a researcher at the Sports Study Center at San Martín National University. “Maradona was always authentic and never tried to dress up any part of his life.” Maradona’s candor about his struggles with alcohol and drugs was appreciated by many of his fans, especially those who had experience with addiction. “My old man had problems with drugs, who am I to judge Maradona?” said Pablo Neyret, 42, whose eyes welled up with tears. Songs were written in Maradona’s honor, and some of his phrases entered Argentines’ everyday lexicon. One was “they cut off my legs,” which he said after being kicked out the 1994 World Cup for doping. Victoria Fassa, 43, called Maradona “a rebel who was passionate above all else and said what he thought without caring about the consequences.” She added, “He was 100% Argentine.”

In Argentina, Maradona’s Death Sets Off a Vivid Display of Public Grief

The day that Diego Maradona said goodbye, as his voice cracked and the place that had always been home heaved and sobbed, his mind drifted to the mistakes that he had made, the price that he had paid.

In his valedictory moment, he did not seek absolution. All he asked, instead, was that the sport that he had loved and that had adored him in return, the one that he had mastered, the one he had illuminated, the one he lifted into an art, was not tarnished by all that he had done.

The last line of his speech that day — the final time he graced La Bombonera, home of Boca Juniors, the club that held him closest to its heart — became an Argentine aphorism: “La pelota no se mancha,” he told the adoring crowd. The ball does not show the dirt.

It is certainly possible that Diego Armando Maradona, who died Wednesday at age 60, was the finest soccer player ever to draw breath, though that is a subject of hot and unyielding debate. Less contentious is the idea that no other player has ever inspired such fierce devotion.

There is something approaching a cult in his name in Naples, the overlooked and demeaned port city that he transformed into the center of the soccer universe for a few, glorious years at the peak of his career. The city’s mayor on Wednesday suggested the stadium that houses his former club, Napoli, should be renamed for him. That privilege currently falls to St. Paul.

In Argentina, Maradona’s homeland — which declared three days of national mourning once his death was announced — there has long been a church in his honor. For many, Maradona was a quasi-religious experience.

He was no straightforward icon. He struggled with drug addiction for decades. He was thrown out of a World Cup in disgrace after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Health troubles plagued him, testament to a life of excess. He did not acknowledge his son, Diego, for years. In his later life, he became estranged from his ex-wife, Claudia Villafañe, and from his two daughters, Giannina and Dalma. There were allegations of domestic abuse toward one former girlfriend. There were guns and associations with organized crime.

Maradona never shied away from acknowledging that he had made mistakes, even as he failed to stop making them. The tendency — understandable, sincere, unavoidable — as soccer reeled from the news of his death, as the eulogies flowed from Lionel Messi (“eternal”) and from Cristiano Ronaldo “a genius”) and from Pelé (“a legend”), was to avoid his flaws and his weaknesses, to strike his demons from memory out of respect, out of affection.

And yet without mention of those troubles, Maradona’s story is not cleansed. It is contorted. Those struggles did not improve him as a player. Instead, they would prevent him from achieving all that he might have done and, eventually, shorten his career.

But if the flaws diminished what Maradona was, they burnished what he represented to those who watched him, those who adored him. That such beauty could emerge from such tumult made him mean something more; it gave him a resonance that stretched beyond even his outsize ability. His darkness sharpened the contours of his light.

Thirty-two years before Maradona was born, the great Argentine writer Borocotó — editor of El Gráfico, the prestigious, trailblazing sports magazine — suggested the country should erect a statue to the so-called&nbsp;pibe: the dusty-faced street kid with the “trickster eyes,” “a mane of hair rebelling against the comb” and the “sparkling gaze” who represented not only Argentina’s soccer culture, but also its self-image as a nation.

Maradona was the platonic ideal of a&nbsp;pibe, all virtuoso skill and impetuous cunning. He captured the spirit Borocotó made immortal more than any player — more than anyone could have thought possible — not just when he was a teenager, fresh from the&nbsp;potrero, but throughout his career.

All of those iconic images of Maradona are monuments to the spirit of the&nbsp;pibe: leaping high above Peter Shilton, the England goalkeeper, the goal that he would joke — with the “Picaresque laugh” that met Borocotó’s description — was scored by the Hand of God; dancing, a couple of minutes later, through the entire England team to score “the goal of the century,” the strike that would prompt the commentator Victor Hugo Morales to declare him a “comet from the sky”; facing up to the entire Belgian team, the ball at his feet, a picture of fear on the opponents’ faces.

No matter how high he flew, Maradona never strayed from his roots; he was a&nbsp;pibe&nbsp;when he first emerged, he was a&nbsp;pibe&nbsp;when he almost single-handedly dragged Argentina to the World Cup in 1986, and back to the final four years later. He was a&nbsp;pibe&nbsp;when Barcelona made him the most expensive player on the planet and when he took Napoli to not one, but two Serie A titles. He was a&nbsp;pibe&nbsp;even as he conquered the world.

That was his glory, and it was also his downfall. How, after all, could a boy who had never grown up expect to cope with the world he found himself in, with the expectation and the demands, with the idolization and the temptation? The light shone so brightly that the darkness in its wake could only grow.

Maradona himself never made excuses for his missteps, though that is not the same as atoning for them. As he told the filmmaker Emir Kusturica in 2008, he held himself responsible for all that he had done, good and bad. But he knew, too, that at some point a line had to be drawn between Maradona the person and Maradona the player.

His legacy as the former is a complex one: a brilliant, troubled individual, one who suffered pain but inflicted it, too, a boy and then a man who crumbled and cracked under the pressure of a situation he did not have the tools to survive.

But his meaning as the latter is more straightforward. Maradona encapsulated an ideal, he infatuated a nation, he turned a mere game into an art form. The&nbsp;pibe&nbsp;is a quintessentially Argentine complex but it is one that generates global understanding: the impish, improvised brilliance of the innocent.

Maradona himself always saw soccer as his salvation, his deliverance. In 2005, in a brief phase as a television personality, he was asked what he might like to offer up as an epitaph. “Thanks to soccer,” he said. “It is the sport that gives me the greatest joy, the greatest freedom. It is like touching the sky with your hands. Thanks to the ball.”

His flaws and his demons will not be forgotten, not even with time. His memory will always be a complex one. But no matter how deep the darkness, it should not be allowed to obscure the light that he brought. “La pelota no se mancha.” The ball does not show the dirt.

The day that Diego Maradona said goodbye, as his voice cracked and the place that had always been home heaved and sobbed, his mind drifted to the mistakes that he had made, the price that he had paid.

The day that Diego Maradona said goodbye, as his voice cracked and the place that had always been home heaved and sobbed, his mind drifted to the mistakes that he had made, the price that he had paid. In his valedictory moment, he did not seek absolution. All he asked, instead, was that the sport that he had loved and that had adored him in return, the one that he had mastered, the one he had illuminated, the one he lifted into an art, was not tarnished by all that he had done. The last line of his speech that day — the final time he graced La Bombonera, home of Boca Juniors, the club that held him closest to its heart — became an Argentine aphorism: “La pelota no se mancha,” he told the adoring crowd. The ball does not show the dirt. It is certainly possible that Diego Armando Maradona, who died Wednesday at age 60, was the finest soccer player ever to draw breath, though that is a subject of hot and unyielding debate. Less contentious is the idea that no other player has ever inspired such fierce devotion. There is something approaching a cult in his name in Naples, the overlooked and demeaned port city that he transformed into the center of the soccer universe for a few, glorious years at the peak of his career. The city’s mayor on Wednesday suggested the stadium that houses his former club, Napoli, should be renamed for him. That privilege currently falls to St. Paul. In Argentina, Maradona’s homeland — which declared three days of national mourning once his death was announced — there has long been a church in his honor. For many, Maradona was a quasi-religious experience. He was no straightforward icon. He struggled with drug addiction for decades. He was thrown out of a World Cup in disgrace after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Health troubles plagued him, testament to a life of excess. He did not acknowledge his son, Diego, for years. In his later life, he became estranged from his ex-wife, Claudia Villafañe, and from his two daughters, Giannina and Dalma. There were allegations of domestic abuse toward one former girlfriend. There were guns and associations with organized crime. Maradona never shied away from acknowledging that he had made mistakes, even as he failed to stop making them. The tendency — understandable, sincere, unavoidable — as soccer reeled from the news of his death, as the eulogies flowed from Lionel Messi (“eternal”) and from Cristiano Ronaldo “a genius”) and from Pelé (“a legend”), was to avoid his flaws and his weaknesses, to strike his demons from memory out of respect, out of affection. And yet without mention of those troubles, Maradona’s story is not cleansed. It is contorted. Those struggles did not improve him as a player. Instead, they would prevent him from achieving all that he might have done and, eventually, shorten his career. But if the flaws diminished what Maradona was, they burnished what he represented to those who watched him, those who adored him. That such beauty could emerge from such tumult made him mean something more; it gave him a resonance that stretched beyond even his outsize ability. His darkness sharpened the contours of his light. Thirty-two years before Maradona was born, the great Argentine writer Borocotó — editor of El Gráfico, the prestigious, trailblazing sports magazine — suggested the country should erect a statue to the so-called pibe: the dusty-faced street kid with the “trickster eyes,” “a mane of hair rebelling against the comb” and the “sparkling gaze” who represented not only Argentina’s soccer culture, but also its self-image as a nation. Maradona was the platonic ideal of a pibe, all virtuoso skill and impetuous cunning. He captured the spirit Borocotó made immortal more than any player — more than anyone could have thought possible — not just when he was a teenager, fresh from the potrero, but throughout his career. All of those iconic images of Maradona are monuments to the spirit of the pibe: leaping high above Peter Shilton, the England goalkeeper, the goal that he would joke — with the “Picaresque laugh” that met Borocotó’s description — was scored by the Hand of God; dancing, a couple of minutes later, through the entire England team to score “the goal of the century,” the strike that would prompt the commentator Victor Hugo Morales to declare him a “comet from the sky”; facing up to the entire Belgian team, the ball at his feet, a picture of fear on the opponents’ faces. No matter how high he flew, Maradona never strayed from his roots; he was a pibe when he first emerged, he was a pibe when he almost single-handedly dragged Argentina to the World Cup in 1986, and back to the final four years later. He was a pibe when Barcelona made him the most expensive player on the planet and when he took Napoli to not one, but two Serie A titles. He was a pibe even as he conquered the world. That was his glory, and it was also his downfall. How, after all, could a boy who had never grown up expect to cope with the world he found himself in, with the expectation and the demands, with the idolization and the temptation? The light shone so brightly that the darkness in its wake could only grow. Maradona himself never made excuses for his missteps, though that is not the same as atoning for them. As he told the filmmaker Emir Kusturica in 2008, he held himself responsible for all that he had done, good and bad. But he knew, too, that at some point a line had to be drawn between Maradona the person and Maradona the player. His legacy as the former is a complex one: a brilliant, troubled individual, one who suffered pain but inflicted it, too, a boy and then a man who crumbled and cracked under the pressure of a situation he did not have the tools to survive. But his meaning as the latter is more straightforward. Maradona encapsulated an ideal, he infatuated a nation, he turned a mere game into an art form. The pibe is a quintessentially Argentine complex but it is one that generates global understanding: the impish, improvised brilliance of the innocent. Maradona himself always saw soccer as his salvation, his deliverance. In 2005, in a brief phase as a television personality, he was asked what he might like to offer up as an epitaph. “Thanks to soccer,” he said. “It is the sport that gives me the greatest joy, the greatest freedom. It is like touching the sky with your hands. Thanks to the ball.” His flaws and his demons will not be forgotten, not even with time. His memory will always be a complex one. But no matter how deep the darkness, it should not be allowed to obscure the light that he brought. “La pelota no se mancha.” The ball does not show the dirt.

Diego Maradona, the Most Human of Immortals

Ahead of the first ODI against Australia in Sydney, Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday said that there has been confusion and lack of clarity on the status of Rohit Sharma’s hamstring injury while adding he has no idea why Rohit didn’t travel with the squad to Australia.

Answering a virtual press conference ahead of the ODI series versus Australia, Kohli said Rohit was said to be unavailable before the selection committee met earlier in November.

"Before the selection meeting, we got a mail that he is unavailable, that he has picked up an injury during the IPL. It said that the pros and cons of the injury were explained to him and he understood and he was unavailable," Kohli said.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australia-vs-india-odi-series-preview-schedule-head-to-head-stats-and-more-345560" hreflang="en">Australia vs India, ODI series: Preview, schedule, head-to-head stats and more</a>

Rohit was nursing a hamstring injury and is currently at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for rehabilitation.

Reportedly, Rohit is still three weeks away from full match fitness but a 14-day hard quarantine – without training – would rule him out of the four-match Test series, starting December 17 in Adelaide.

Kohli said that he thought Rohit be on the flight to Australia after he played the last three matches of Indian Premier League 2020 but added that the Indian team had no information on why he wasn’t travelling with the Indian contingent.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/on-rohit-and-ishant-sharma-bcci-president-sourav-ganguly-to-negotiate-quarantine-rules-with-ca-345518" hreflang="en">On Rohit and Ishant Sharma, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly to negotiate quarantine rules with CA</a>

He admitted that there has been a lack of clarity when it comes to the ongoing Rohit Sharma-injury saga.

"After that, he played in the IPL and we all thought he would be on that flight to Australia and we had no information on why he is not travelling with us. There has been no information, there has been lack of clarity," Kohli said. "We have been playing the waiting game," he added. 
&nbsp;

Ahead of the first ODI against Australia in Sydney, Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday said that there has been confusion and lack of clarity on the status of Rohit Sharma’s hamstring injury while adding he has no idea why Rohit didn’t travel with the squad to Australia.

Ahead of the first ODI against Australia in Sydney, Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday said that there has been confusion and lack of clarity on the status of Rohit Sharma’s hamstring injury while adding he has no idea why Rohit didn’t travel with the squad to Australia. Answering a virtual press conference ahead of the ODI series versus Australia, Kohli said Rohit was said to be unavailable before the selection committee met earlier in November. "Before the selection meeting, we got a mail that he is unavailable, that he has picked up an injury during the IPL. It said that the pros and cons of the injury were explained to him and he understood and he was unavailable," Kohli said. ALSO READ: Australia vs India, ODI series: Preview, schedule, head-to-head stats and more Rohit was nursing a hamstring injury and is currently at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for rehabilitation. Reportedly, Rohit is still three weeks away from full match fitness but a 14-day hard quarantine – without training – would rule him out of the four-match Test series, starting December 17 in Adelaide. Kohli said that he thought Rohit be on the flight to Australia after he played the last three matches of Indian Premier League 2020 but added that the Indian team had no information on why he wasn’t travelling with the Indian contingent. ALSO READ: On Rohit and Ishant Sharma, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly to negotiate quarantine rules with CA He admitted that there has been a lack of clarity when it comes to the ongoing Rohit Sharma-injury saga. "After that, he played in the IPL and we all thought he would be on that flight to Australia and we had no information on why he is not travelling with us. There has been no information, there has been lack of clarity," Kohli said. "We have been playing the waiting game," he added.

Lack of clarity on Rohit Sharma's injury status, says Virat Kohli ahead of Australia series

Argentina football legend Diego Maradona will be buried outside Buenos Aires on Thursday (Friday in India), his spokesman has confirmed. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-legend-diego-maradona-60-dies-of-heart-attack-345375">Maradona, aged 60, passed away</a> on Wednesday after suffering a cardiac arrest. Maradona’s coffin arrived at the presidential palace in Buenos Aires for a period of lying in state on Wednesday.

Maradona will be laid to rest in the Jardin de Paz cemetery, where his parents were also buried, Sebastian Sanchi told AFP.

On Thursday, hundreds of people began filing in to see the coffin of Diego Maradona in Buenos Aires’ Casa Rosada after he passed away on Wednesday at the age of 60. People passed in front of the coffin that was draped with the Argentine flag and his number 10 jersey.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/diego-maradona-five-of-his-greatest-goals-345386" hreflang="en">Diego Maradona - Five of his greatest goals</a>

Maradona's family and closest friends came at dawn before the start of the public wake. Tens of thousands of people spent the night in a vigil in the Plaza de Mayo, singing songs in tribute to Maradona, who led Argentina to the World Cup in 1986.

<img alt="Maradona" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="40393dc5-d79d-4ab1-a1cf-ec4b77246461" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_8VX2XF.jpg" />

Scores of people, with scarves and Maradona’s shirt, gathered outside Napoli’s stadium and chanted “Diego, Diego, Diego!” &nbsp;Napoli's blue and white have been hung on the fence, transforming it into a makeshift shrine to the city's adopted "king"

“You are eternal in every heart in world football,” the Twitter account of the Argentina national team posted alongside a picture of Maradona holding the World Cup.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ciao-diego-argentina-and-napoli-fans-mourn-maradonas-death-345538" hreflang="en">'Ciao Diego': Argentina and Napoli fans mourn Maradona's death</a>

The World Cup-winning Argentine maestro was recovering from brain surgery and died of a heart attack on Wednesday. Maradona was renowned for his majestic left-foot and impeccable control with the ball.&nbsp;

The former Napoli megastar had emergency surgery for a subdural haematoma, a blood clot on the brain. He was admitted to the hospital longer than expected as he was showing withdrawal symptoms for his dependency on alcohol before passing away on Wednesday after a heart attack, leaving behind rich legacy which only a few can match.

Argentina football legend Diego Maradona will be buried outside Buenos Aires on Thursday (Friday in India), his spokesman has confirmed. Maradona, aged 60, passed away on Wednesday after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Argentina football legend Diego Maradona will be buried outside Buenos Aires on Thursday (Friday in India), his spokesman has confirmed. Maradona, aged 60, passed away on Wednesday after suffering a cardiac arrest. Maradona’s coffin arrived at the presidential palace in Buenos Aires for a period of lying in state on Wednesday. Maradona will be laid to rest in the Jardin de Paz cemetery, where his parents were also buried, Sebastian Sanchi told AFP. On Thursday, hundreds of people began filing in to see the coffin of Diego Maradona in Buenos Aires’ Casa Rosada after he passed away on Wednesday at the age of 60. People passed in front of the coffin that was draped with the Argentine flag and his number 10 jersey. ALSO READ: Diego Maradona - Five of his greatest goals Maradona's family and closest friends came at dawn before the start of the public wake. Tens of thousands of people spent the night in a vigil in the Plaza de Mayo, singing songs in tribute to Maradona, who led Argentina to the World Cup in 1986. Scores of people, with scarves and Maradona’s shirt, gathered outside Napoli’s stadium and chanted “Diego, Diego, Diego!” Napoli's blue and white have been hung on the fence, transforming it into a makeshift shrine to the city's adopted "king" “You are eternal in every heart in world football,” the Twitter account of the Argentina national team posted alongside a picture of Maradona holding the World Cup. IN PICS | 'Ciao Diego': Argentina and Napoli fans mourn Maradona's death The World Cup-winning Argentine maestro was recovering from brain surgery and died of a heart attack on Wednesday. Maradona was renowned for his majestic left-foot and impeccable control with the ball. The former Napoli megastar had emergency surgery for a subdural haematoma, a blood clot on the brain. He was admitted to the hospital longer than expected as he was showing withdrawal symptoms for his dependency on alcohol before passing away on Wednesday after a heart attack, leaving behind rich legacy which only a few can match.

Diego Maradona to be buried in Jardin de Paz cemetery on Thursday

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/premier-league">Premier League</a> clubs in Liverpool and London have been allowed to welcome some supporters back into their stadiums after the UK government announced different tiers for areas of the country after the second lockdown ends.

Greater Manchester has been classified as ‘very high’ risk area and will remain in Tier 3 – the only tier which doesn’t allow fans to attend matches when the new rules come into effect on December 2.

Premier League clubs such as Manchester City, Manchester United, Leicester City, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Wolves and Aston Villa will be unable to host fans back in the stadium. However, Merseyside has been dropped to Tier 2 which means defending champions Liverpool and Everton can have 2,000 supports back in their stadiums while maintaining strict COVID-19 safety measures.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/guardiola-klopp-welcome-virus-fan-return-plan-345147" hreflang="en">Guardiola, Klopp welcome virus fan-return plan</a>

The new regulations will see fans inside the Anfield for the first time since March when Liverpool took on Wolves in Premier League 2019-20 season on December 5. Meanwhile, London has been put in the Tier-2 areas, in ‘High’ risk category.

As many as 2,000 rugby union fans will be able to attend matches at Autumn Nations Cup at Twickenham, which will witness England play.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Thursday confirmed that a further review of the tier ratings will be held on December 16.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/world-cup-winner-napoli-legend-drug-addict-rise-and-fall-of-diego-maradona-345411">World Cup winner, Napoli legend, drug addict: Rise and fall of Diego Maradona</a>

Under tier 2 regulations, maximum of 2,000 fans are allowed to attend elite sporting events. Tier 1 rules permit a maximum of 4,000 fans to attend matches but clubs in tier 3 areas must keep their games behind-closed-doors.

Earlier this week, the Everton said: " Everton has welcomed confirmation from the UK Government that fans will be allowed to return to Premier League grounds after 2 December."

A Liverpool statement read, in part: "Liverpool Football Club welcomes the government's announcement regarding the proposed return of fans into sports stadia. We have greatly missed our supporters at Anfield and we look forward to welcoming them back when it is safe to do so."

Premier League clubs in Liverpool and London have been allowed to welcome some supporters back into their stadiums after the UK government announced different tiers for areas of the country after the second lockdown ends.

Premier League clubs in Liverpool and London have been allowed to welcome some supporters back into their stadiums after the UK government announced different tiers for areas of the country after the second lockdown ends. Greater Manchester has been classified as ‘very high’ risk area and will remain in Tier 3 – the only tier which doesn’t allow fans to attend matches when the new rules come into effect on December 2. Premier League clubs such as Manchester City, Manchester United, Leicester City, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Wolves and Aston Villa will be unable to host fans back in the stadium. However, Merseyside has been dropped to Tier 2 which means defending champions Liverpool and Everton can have 2,000 supports back in their stadiums while maintaining strict COVID-19 safety measures. ALSO READ: Guardiola, Klopp welcome virus fan-return plan The new regulations will see fans inside the Anfield for the first time since March when Liverpool took on Wolves in Premier League 2019-20 season on December 5. Meanwhile, London has been put in the Tier-2 areas, in ‘High’ risk category. As many as 2,000 rugby union fans will be able to attend matches at Autumn Nations Cup at Twickenham, which will witness England play. Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Thursday confirmed that a further review of the tier ratings will be held on December 16. IN PICS | World Cup winner, Napoli legend, drug addict: Rise and fall of Diego Maradona Under tier 2 regulations, maximum of 2,000 fans are allowed to attend elite sporting events. Tier 1 rules permit a maximum of 4,000 fans to attend matches but clubs in tier 3 areas must keep their games behind-closed-doors. Earlier this week, the Everton said: " Everton has welcomed confirmation from the UK Government that fans will be allowed to return to Premier League grounds after 2 December." A Liverpool statement read, in part: "Liverpool Football Club welcomes the government's announcement regarding the proposed return of fans into sports stadia. We have greatly missed our supporters at Anfield and we look forward to welcoming them back when it is safe to do so."

UK COVID-19 tiers: Liverpool, London to welcome supporters back in the stadiums

India is set to kickstart their Australian tour with the three-match ODI series commencing on Friday in Sydney. While India are on their first assignment since the COVID-19 lockdown and restart, Australia have faced England in an ODI series just before the Indian Premier League.&nbsp;

The Indian squad has been in isolation, which ends on Thursday, since their arrival a fortnight ago but was allowed to train within a bio-secure bubble. Whereas the likes of Aaron Finch, David Warner, Steve Smith and Pat Cummins also underwent the mandatory 14-day quarantine after playing in IPL 2020.

Australia defeated England in the white-ball series in September but it would be interesting to see how the Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue approach the series. India haven’t played a series since New Zealand tour in February, where they were whitewashed in the ODIs.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/on-rohit-and-ishant-sharma-bcci-president-sourav-ganguly-to-negotiate-quarantine-rules-with-ca-345518" hreflang="en">On Rohit and Ishant Sharma, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly to negotiate quarantine rules with CA</a>

"I think it's important to start well in the white-ball series," said KL Rahul, who has been elevated to vice-captain.

"We are playing for the country after a while and we are all excited to play some hard cricket, some aggressive cricket." 
While a well-fought series is expected, Australian coach Justin Langer said it will be played in the right spirit.&nbsp;

"There's plenty of room for banter, having fun and having that competitive instinct but there's no room for abuse," he insisted.

While Australia have a single limited-overs squad, India have sent separate squads for ODIs and T20Is with star opener Rohit Sharma missing from the limited-overs series. There are question marks on whether Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah will play all the six matches of the ODIs and T20Is.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/australia-vs-india-full-schedule-dates-venues-and-all-you-need-to-know-338518">Australia vs India: Full schedule, dates, venues and all you need to know</a>

Notably, grounds will operate at 50 per cent capacity due to coronavirus restrictions as cricket opens it arms to welcome fans back in the stands again. &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

<h2>India vs Australia: ODI head-to-head stats</h2>

Matches: 140 
Australia wins: 78 
India wins: 52 
No result: 10

<h2>India vs Australia: Last three ODI series</h2>

2019-20 India beat Australia 2-1 
2018-19 Australia beat India 3-2 
2018-19 India beat Australia 2-1

India Squad: Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Mayank Agarwal, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur

Australia Squad: Aaron Finch, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Daniel Sams, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

<h2>India vs Australia, Schedule: One-day international series:</h2>

<ul>
	<li>November 27 – 1st ODI (Sydney, day-night)</li>
	<li>November 29 – 2nd ODI (Sydney, day-night)&nbsp;</li>
	<li>December 2 – 3rd ODI (Canberra, day-night)&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

India is set to kickstart their Australian tour with the three-match ODI series commencing on Friday in Sydney. While India are on their first assignment since the COVID-19 lockdown and restart, Australia have faced England in an ODI series just before the Indian Premier League.

India is set to kickstart their Australian tour with the three-match ODI series commencing on Friday in Sydney. While India are on their first assignment since the COVID-19 lockdown and restart, Australia have faced England in an ODI series just before the Indian Premier League. The Indian squad has been in isolation, which ends on Thursday, since their arrival a fortnight ago but was allowed to train within a bio-secure bubble. Whereas the likes of Aaron Finch, David Warner, Steve Smith and Pat Cummins also underwent the mandatory 14-day quarantine after playing in IPL 2020. Australia defeated England in the white-ball series in September but it would be interesting to see how the Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue approach the series. India haven’t played a series since New Zealand tour in February, where they were whitewashed in the ODIs. ALSO READ: On Rohit and Ishant Sharma, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly to negotiate quarantine rules with CA "I think it's important to start well in the white-ball series," said KL Rahul, who has been elevated to vice-captain. "We are playing for the country after a while and we are all excited to play some hard cricket, some aggressive cricket." While a well-fought series is expected, Australian coach Justin Langer said it will be played in the right spirit. "There's plenty of room for banter, having fun and having that competitive instinct but there's no room for abuse," he insisted. While Australia have a single limited-overs squad, India have sent separate squads for ODIs and T20Is with star opener Rohit Sharma missing from the limited-overs series. There are question marks on whether Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah will play all the six matches of the ODIs and T20Is. ALSO READ: Australia vs India: Full schedule, dates, venues and all you need to know Notably, grounds will operate at 50 per cent capacity due to coronavirus restrictions as cricket opens it arms to welcome fans back in the stands again. India vs Australia: ODI head-to-head stats Matches: 140 Australia wins: 78 India wins: 52 No result: 10 India vs Australia: Last three ODI series 2019-20 India beat Australia 2-1 2018-19 Australia beat India 3-2 2018-19 India beat Australia 2-1 India Squad: Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Mayank Agarwal, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur Australia Squad: Aaron Finch, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Daniel Sams, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa India vs Australia, Schedule: One-day international series: November 27 – 1st ODI (Sydney, day-night) November 29 – 2nd ODI (Sydney, day-night) December 2 – 3rd ODI (Canberra, day-night)

Australia vs India, ODI series: Preview, schedule, head-to-head stats and more

Former Tunisian football referee Ali Bin Nasser, who officiated in the 1986 FIFA World Cup quarter-final in which Diego Maradona scored his famous brace against England, lauded the Argentine as a “genius” after his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-legend-diego-maradona-60-dies-of-heart-attack-345375">demise at the age of 60 on Wednesday</a>.

Bin Nasser conceded that he doubted the validity of Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal but termed his second goal from the game as “masterpiece”.

In the 51st minute of the last-eight encounter in Mexico, Maradona outjumped England goalkeeper Peter Shilton and used his hand to slide the ball into the net to give Argentina a 1-0 lead.&nbsp;

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/world-cup-winner-napoli-legend-drug-addict-rise-and-fall-of-diego-maradona-345411" hreflang="en">World Cup winner, Napoli legend, drug addict: Rise and fall of Diego Maradona</a>

"I didn't see the hand, but I had a doubt," Bin Nasser, the first Tunisian to referee a World Cup quarter-final, told AFP.

"You can see the pictures -- I stepped back to take the advice of my assistant, Bulgarian (Bogdan) Dochev, and when he said it was good, I gave the goal."

The 76-year-old reckoned he was the go-to-man for FIFA in crunch matches while adding the football governing body rated him highly for his performance in the controversial match.&nbsp;

"I had already refereed a match between the USSR and China in 1985, I was the man of difficult missions for FIFA," Bin Nasser said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/diego-maradonas-body-arrives-at-presidential-palace-for-period-of-lying-in-state-345475" hreflang="en">Diego Maradona's body arrives at presidential palace for period of lying in state</a>

"FIFA gave me a 9.4 on this game, I did what I had to do, but there was confusion -- Dochev later indicated that he had seen two arms, and he didn't know if it was Shilton's or Maradona's."

Argentina went on to defeat England in the semi-finals of the World Cup they would go on to win when Maradona put them two goals ahead with the latter strike voted ‘Goal of the Century’.

The then-Napoli megastar dribbled past six England players before rattling the empty net.&nbsp;

"I was ready to whistle for a dangerous foul on Maradona," remembered Bin Nasser of a goal which proved to be the winner after Gary Lineker pulled one back for England.

"I thought after 50 yards of effort they were going to bring him down.

TRENDING |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rip-maradona-relive-the-iconic-hand-of-god-moment-from-1986-world-cup-watch-video-345382" hreflang="en">RIP Maradona: Relive the iconic 'Hand of God' moment from 1986 World Cup - watch video</a>

"I was proud to participate in that masterpiece."

Maradona, 29 years later, visited Bin Nasser while shooting an advertisement in Tunisia and gave him a T-shirt bearing the words "To my eternal friend Ali".

"We had a good time, I told him that that day, it was not Argentina who won, but him, Maradona.

"He was a genius, a football legend. As a referee, I did not allow myself to close my eyes even for a second when following him, because he was capable of anything." 
&nbsp;

Former Tunisian football referee Ali Bin Nasser, who officiated in the 1986 FIFA World Cup quarter-final in which Diego Maradona scored his famous brace against England, lauded the Argentine as a “genius” after his demise at the age of 60 on Wednesday.

Former Tunisian football referee Ali Bin Nasser, who officiated in the 1986 FIFA World Cup quarter-final in which Diego Maradona scored his famous brace against England, lauded the Argentine as a “genius” after his demise at the age of 60 on Wednesday. Bin Nasser conceded that he doubted the validity of Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal but termed his second goal from the game as “masterpiece”. In the 51st minute of the last-eight encounter in Mexico, Maradona outjumped England goalkeeper Peter Shilton and used his hand to slide the ball into the net to give Argentina a 1-0 lead. IN PICS | World Cup winner, Napoli legend, drug addict: Rise and fall of Diego Maradona "I didn't see the hand, but I had a doubt," Bin Nasser, the first Tunisian to referee a World Cup quarter-final, told AFP. "You can see the pictures -- I stepped back to take the advice of my assistant, Bulgarian (Bogdan) Dochev, and when he said it was good, I gave the goal." The 76-year-old reckoned he was the go-to-man for FIFA in crunch matches while adding the football governing body rated him highly for his performance in the controversial match. "I had already refereed a match between the USSR and China in 1985, I was the man of difficult missions for FIFA," Bin Nasser said. ALSO READ: Diego Maradona's body arrives at presidential palace for period of lying in state "FIFA gave me a 9.4 on this game, I did what I had to do, but there was confusion -- Dochev later indicated that he had seen two arms, and he didn't know if it was Shilton's or Maradona's." Argentina went on to defeat England in the semi-finals of the World Cup they would go on to win when Maradona put them two goals ahead with the latter strike voted ‘Goal of the Century’. The then-Napoli megastar dribbled past six England players before rattling the empty net. "I was ready to whistle for a dangerous foul on Maradona," remembered Bin Nasser of a goal which proved to be the winner after Gary Lineker pulled one back for England. "I thought after 50 yards of effort they were going to bring him down. TRENDING | RIP Maradona: Relive the iconic 'Hand of God' moment from 1986 World Cup - watch video "I was proud to participate in that masterpiece." Maradona, 29 years later, visited Bin Nasser while shooting an advertisement in Tunisia and gave him a T-shirt bearing the words "To my eternal friend Ali". "We had a good time, I told him that that day, it was not Argentina who won, but him, Maradona. "He was a genius, a football legend. As a referee, I did not allow myself to close my eyes even for a second when following him, because he was capable of anything."

'Genius': Referee who missed 'Hand of God' lavishes praise on Diego Maradona

The fate of Indian opener Rohit Sharma and pacer Ishant Sharma lies on the hand of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly as he is set to negotiate quarantine terms in Cricket Australia. The Indian duo of Rohit and Ishant need quarantine relaxation if they are to be part of the four-match Test series against Australia, starting December 17.

Speaking to ANI, sources said that Ganguly will try and find a solution to the issue related to Rohit and Ishant after discussion with Cricket Australia. Both Rohit and Ishant are undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru with an eye on the four-match Test series.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/my-hero-no-more-indian-sporting-icons-pay-tribute-to-diego-maradona-345502" hreflang="en">'My hero no more': Indian sporting icons pay tribute to Diego Maradona</a>

"The BCCI president will be speaking to his counterpart at Cricket Australia and a decision will be reached after their meeting. The current quarantine guidelines might make it impossible for the two to reach Australia and be a part of the Test series as, under existing rules, they will need to completely isolate themselves and cannot train in the quarantine period. "&nbsp;

The rest of the Indian cricketers were allowed to train during the quarantine period because they moved from one bubble - in Dubai - to the other - in Sydney. So, relaxation will be needed if the two are to be a part of the Test series," the source explained.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nz-vs-pak-six-pakistan-cricketers-test-positive-for-covid-19-345489" hreflang="en">NZ vs PAK: Six Pakistan cricketers test positive for Covid-19</a>

There is a belief that the former Indian captain can find a solution as he has done so many times on the field. While NCA head Rahul Dravid had earlier said that Ishant would be fit in time for Test series, there are question marks whether he would be able last the entire series. Whereas, Rohit reportedly needs a couple of days to be 100 per cent fit.

Notably, the BCCI had added Rohit to the Test squad at the eleventh hour and decided to rest him from the limited-overs series against Australia. "The BCCI Medical Team has been monitoring Rohit Sharma's fitness and has briefed All-India Senior Selection Committee on the same. In consultation with Sharma, it has been decided to rest him for the ODIs and T20Is in Australia to regain full fitness and he has been included in Ind in India's Test squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy," the BCCI said in a release on November 9.&nbsp;

The Test series is set to commence from December 17 in Adelaide in what will be the day-night Test between India and Australia. 
&nbsp;

The fate of Indian opener Rohit Sharma and pacer Ishant Sharma lies on the hand of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly as he is set to negotiate quarantine terms in Cricket Australia.

The fate of Indian opener Rohit Sharma and pacer Ishant Sharma lies on the hand of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly as he is set to negotiate quarantine terms in Cricket Australia. The Indian duo of Rohit and Ishant need quarantine relaxation if they are to be part of the four-match Test series against Australia, starting December 17. Speaking to ANI, sources said that Ganguly will try and find a solution to the issue related to Rohit and Ishant after discussion with Cricket Australia. Both Rohit and Ishant are undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru with an eye on the four-match Test series. ALSO READ: 'My hero no more': Indian sporting icons pay tribute to Diego Maradona "The BCCI president will be speaking to his counterpart at Cricket Australia and a decision will be reached after their meeting. The current quarantine guidelines might make it impossible for the two to reach Australia and be a part of the Test series as, under existing rules, they will need to completely isolate themselves and cannot train in the quarantine period. " The rest of the Indian cricketers were allowed to train during the quarantine period because they moved from one bubble - in Dubai - to the other - in Sydney. So, relaxation will be needed if the two are to be a part of the Test series," the source explained. ALSO READ: NZ vs PAK: Six Pakistan cricketers test positive for Covid-19 There is a belief that the former Indian captain can find a solution as he has done so many times on the field. While NCA head Rahul Dravid had earlier said that Ishant would be fit in time for Test series, there are question marks whether he would be able last the entire series. Whereas, Rohit reportedly needs a couple of days to be 100 per cent fit. Notably, the BCCI had added Rohit to the Test squad at the eleventh hour and decided to rest him from the limited-overs series against Australia. "The BCCI Medical Team has been monitoring Rohit Sharma's fitness and has briefed All-India Senior Selection Committee on the same. In consultation with Sharma, it has been decided to rest him for the ODIs and T20Is in Australia to regain full fitness and he has been included in Ind in India's Test squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy," the BCCI said in a release on November 9. The Test series is set to commence from December 17 in Adelaide in what will be the day-night Test between India and Australia.

On Rohit and Ishant Sharma, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly to negotiate quarantine rules with CA

Robert Lewandowski set Bayern Munich on the way to a 3-1 Champions League win over Salzburg on Wednesday as the holders joined Manchester City in qualifying for the last 16 with two group games to spare, while Liverpool went down to defeat and Marseille are now the owners of an unwanted record.

On a night when clubs marked news of the death of Diego Maradona by holding a minute's silence in memory of the Argentine before all Champions League games, Bayern eased to a record-extending 15th straight win in the competition.

Lewandowski scored the opener&nbsp;just before half-time at an empty Allianz Arena, his 14th goal of the season and also his 71st altogether in the Champions League, leaving him level with Real Madrid great Raul in third place on the all-time list behind Cristiano Ronaldo (131) and Lionel Messi (118).

Kingsley Coman scored Bayern's second and then crossed for Leroy Sane to head in their third, before Mergim Berisha pulled a goal back for the Austrian champions.

Marc Roca was sent off for Bayern, but they have a maximum 12 points and are guaranteed to advance as Group A winners, while Atletico Madrid sit second but continue to toil in Europe this season after being held 0-0 at home by Lokomotiv Moscow.

Pep Guardiola's City earlier secured progress as Phil Foden swept in from a Raheem Sterling back-heel to secure a 1-0 win away to Olympiakos in Greece, their fourth win out of four in Group C.

City had 21 attempts on goal and their bluntness in attack is a source of concern, even if their European progress provides a tonic to their mediocre Premier League form.

"It will come, we would love to do more, but one day it will come and will break everything," said Guardiola, whose side now just need a point from their final two matches to top the group.

<h2>- Unlucky 13 for Marseille -</h2>

Second-place Porto are on the brink of joining them in qualifying after a 2-0 win at Marseille, which was the French side's 13th consecutive defeat in the competition stretching over three campaigns going back to 2011-12.

The Nigerian Zaidu Sanusi gave Porto the lead six minutes before half-time and Sergio Oliveira scored a second-half penalty after on-loan Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic had been sent off for the Portuguese side.

Marseille, who had defender Leonardo Balerdi sent off, cannot now qualify for the last 16.

"We have hit rock-bottom," said Marseille coach Andre Villas-Boas.

Six-time European champions Liverpool are not yet sure of progressing to the next round after going down 2-0 to Atalanta at Anfield.

Three weeks after beating the same side 5-0 in Italy, Liverpool struggled with a weakened starting line-up, and Josip Ilicic put Atalanta in front on the hour mark before German international Robin Gosens got the second goal.

"A deserved defeat in a difficult game," was how Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp summed up the game.

Liverpool are top of Group D on nine points, two points clear of Atalanta and Ajax, who were 3-1 winners at home to Midtjylland.

Second-half goals by Ryan Gravenberch, Noussair Mazraoui and David Neres boosted Ajax's hopes, with Awer Mabil getting a consolation from the penalty spot for the Danes who had captain Erik Sviatchenko sent off late on and are yet to register a point. Ajax go to Liverpool next week.

<h2>- Hazard on target for Real -</h2>

Meanwhile, Inter Milan are on the brink of being eliminated in the group stage after Arturo Vidal was sent off as they went down 2-0 at home to Real Madrid.

Eden Hazard gave the visitors an early lead from the penalty spot at San Siro for his first Champions League goal in a Real shirt, and Vidal was sent off before the break after seeing two yellow cards for dissent in quick succession.

A Rodrygo shot went in off Achraf Hakimi in the second half to make it 2-0, and Real are now on course to qualify from Group B after losing 3-2 at home to Shakhtar Donetsk in their first game.

Shakhtar lost 4-0 to Borussia Moenchengladbach, with Lars Stindl scoring a penalty and Nico Elvedi, Breel Embolo and Oscar Wendt also on target to keep the Germans on top of the group.

Barcelona, Juventus, Chelsea and Sevilla punched their tickets to the knockout phase on Tuesday.

Robert Lewandowski set Bayern Munich on the way to a 3-1 Champions League win over Salzburg on Wednesday as the holders joined Manchester City in qualifying for the last 16 with two group games to spare, while Liverpool went down to defeat and Marseille are now the owners of an unwanted record.

Robert Lewandowski set Bayern Munich on the way to a 3-1 Champions League win over Salzburg on Wednesday as the holders joined Manchester City in qualifying for the last 16 with two group games to spare, while Liverpool went down to defeat and Marseille are now the owners of an unwanted record. On a night when clubs marked news of the death of Diego Maradona by holding a minute's silence in memory of the Argentine before all Champions League games, Bayern eased to a record-extending 15th straight win in the competition. Lewandowski scored the opener just before half-time at an empty Allianz Arena, his 14th goal of the season and also his 71st altogether in the Champions League, leaving him level with Real Madrid great Raul in third place on the all-time list behind Cristiano Ronaldo (131) and Lionel Messi (118). Kingsley Coman scored Bayern's second and then crossed for Leroy Sane to head in their third, before Mergim Berisha pulled a goal back for the Austrian champions. Marc Roca was sent off for Bayern, but they have a maximum 12 points and are guaranteed to advance as Group A winners, while Atletico Madrid sit second but continue to toil in Europe this season after being held 0-0 at home by Lokomotiv Moscow. Pep Guardiola's City earlier secured progress as Phil Foden swept in from a Raheem Sterling back-heel to secure a 1-0 win away to Olympiakos in Greece, their fourth win out of four in Group C. City had 21 attempts on goal and their bluntness in attack is a source of concern, even if their European progress provides a tonic to their mediocre Premier League form. "It will come, we would love to do more, but one day it will come and will break everything," said Guardiola, whose side now just need a point from their final two matches to top the group. - Unlucky 13 for Marseille - Second-place Porto are on the brink of joining them in qualifying after a 2-0 win at Marseille, which was the French side's 13th consecutive defeat in the competition stretching over three campaigns going back to 2011-12. The Nigerian Zaidu Sanusi gave Porto the lead six minutes before half-time and Sergio Oliveira scored a second-half penalty after on-loan Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic had been sent off for the Portuguese side. Marseille, who had defender Leonardo Balerdi sent off, cannot now qualify for the last 16. "We have hit rock-bottom," said Marseille coach Andre Villas-Boas. Six-time European champions Liverpool are not yet sure of progressing to the next round after going down 2-0 to Atalanta at Anfield. Three weeks after beating the same side 5-0 in Italy, Liverpool struggled with a weakened starting line-up, and Josip Ilicic put Atalanta in front on the hour mark before German international Robin Gosens got the second goal. "A deserved defeat in a difficult game," was how Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp summed up the game. Liverpool are top of Group D on nine points, two points clear of Atalanta and Ajax, who were 3-1 winners at home to Midtjylland. Second-half goals by Ryan Gravenberch, Noussair Mazraoui and David Neres boosted Ajax's hopes, with Awer Mabil getting a consolation from the penalty spot for the Danes who had captain Erik Sviatchenko sent off late on and are yet to register a point. Ajax go to Liverpool next week. - Hazard on target for Real - Meanwhile, Inter Milan are on the brink of being eliminated in the group stage after Arturo Vidal was sent off as they went down 2-0 at home to Real Madrid. Eden Hazard gave the visitors an early lead from the penalty spot at San Siro for his first Champions League goal in a Real shirt, and Vidal was sent off before the break after seeing two yellow cards for dissent in quick succession. A Rodrygo shot went in off Achraf Hakimi in the second half to make it 2-0, and Real are now on course to qualify from Group B after losing 3-2 at home to Shakhtar Donetsk in their first game. Shakhtar lost 4-0 to Borussia Moenchengladbach, with Lars Stindl scoring a penalty and Nico Elvedi, Breel Embolo and Oscar Wendt also on target to keep the Germans on top of the group. Barcelona, Juventus, Chelsea and Sevilla punched their tickets to the knockout phase on Tuesday.

Holders Bayern, Man City through to Champions League last 16 as Liverpool beaten

Argentina football legend Diego Maradona said his hero, late Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro - whom he considered a “second father” and whose face he had tattooed on his leg - once urged him to go into politics.

Maradona, who died on Wednesday aged 60, never fulfilled those aspirations but he did play a role in championing leftist leaders across Latin America - such as Castro, Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and Bolivia’s Evo Morales - and in helping to lend them broader international appeal.

“Everything Fidel does, everything Chavez does for me is the best (that can be done),” Maradona said on Chavez’s weekly television show in 2007.

“I hate everything that comes from the United States. I hate it with all my strength.”

The son of a factory worker raised in a shantytown on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Maradona first met Castro in 1987, a year after helping Argentina win the World Cup and four years before the fall of the Soviet Union that would usher in a new era of economic hardship in communist Cuba.

An unlikely friendship between the often outlandish footballer and the well-read revolutionary deepened at the start of the century when Maradona spent four years in Havana to shake an addiction to drugs.

“Coming from such humble beginnings, Castro was his idol,” said Alfredo Tedeschi, an Argentine TV producer now based in Belgium who became close friends with Maradona during a stint working for Reuters in Havana.

“It was like he fell in love (with Castro), and then came Chavez, Morales and the rest,” said Tedeschi, who would often invite the footballer over for traditional Argentine steak barbecue dinners.

Tedeschi recalls the time Maradona knocked on his door and proposed a spontaneous visit to Castro. The Cuban leader received them within minutes of their arrival and cleared his busy agenda to spend three hours with them, including to play football in his office.

“They would always talk about politics - Diego was really interested in politics,” said Tedeschi, adding that Castro would also pay spontaneous visits to his Havana home.

In 2005, Maradona interviewed Castro on his Argentine TV show, asking how George W. Bush had been re-elected president of the United States, to which Castro responded: “Fraud. The terrorist mafia of Miami!”

As such, Maradona was also a propaganda tool for Latin America’s leftist leaders, said Tedeschi.

“Diego was the kind of guy where anything he said would have a repercussion,” said Tedeschi. “And for Fidel, that kind of propaganda was welcome.”

In a twist of fate, Maradona died on the same date, Nov. 25, as his idol did four years ago - upon which occasion he said he “wept uncontrollably.”

“These two dates are intertwined on Nov. 25, and will be throughout history: two greats, one of football and the other of the Cuban revolution,” said pensioner Luis Perez, 64, in Havana.

Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said on Twitter that Maradona’s “friendship with Cuba and especially with Fidel made him part of this people.”

Morales and Chavez’ successor, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, also poured out condolences on Twitter. Maradona had voiced support for Maduro in the face of U.S. sanctions on his government.

“With grief in my heart, I learned of the death of my brother, Diego Armando Maradona, a person who felt and fought for the poor, the best football player in the world,” wrote Morales, an avid soccer fan.

The former Bolivian president recruited Maradona to play against him in a charity match in La Paz in 2008 to show his backing for Bolivia’s campaign against a FIFA ban on matches at high altitude. The ban was later overturned.

Argentina football legend Diego Maradona said his hero, late Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro - whom he considered a “second father” and whose face he had tattooed on his leg - once urged him to go into politics.

Argentina football legend Diego Maradona said his hero, late Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro - whom he considered a “second father” and whose face he had tattooed on his leg - once urged him to go into politics. Maradona, who died on Wednesday aged 60, never fulfilled those aspirations but he did play a role in championing leftist leaders across Latin America - such as Castro, Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and Bolivia’s Evo Morales - and in helping to lend them broader international appeal. “Everything Fidel does, everything Chavez does for me is the best (that can be done),” Maradona said on Chavez’s weekly television show in 2007. “I hate everything that comes from the United States. I hate it with all my strength.” The son of a factory worker raised in a shantytown on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Maradona first met Castro in 1987, a year after helping Argentina win the World Cup and four years before the fall of the Soviet Union that would usher in a new era of economic hardship in communist Cuba. An unlikely friendship between the often outlandish footballer and the well-read revolutionary deepened at the start of the century when Maradona spent four years in Havana to shake an addiction to drugs. “Coming from such humble beginnings, Castro was his idol,” said Alfredo Tedeschi, an Argentine TV producer now based in Belgium who became close friends with Maradona during a stint working for Reuters in Havana. “It was like he fell in love (with Castro), and then came Chavez, Morales and the rest,” said Tedeschi, who would often invite the footballer over for traditional Argentine steak barbecue dinners. Tedeschi recalls the time Maradona knocked on his door and proposed a spontaneous visit to Castro. The Cuban leader received them within minutes of their arrival and cleared his busy agenda to spend three hours with them, including to play football in his office. “They would always talk about politics - Diego was really interested in politics,” said Tedeschi, adding that Castro would also pay spontaneous visits to his Havana home. In 2005, Maradona interviewed Castro on his Argentine TV show, asking how George W. Bush had been re-elected president of the United States, to which Castro responded: “Fraud. The terrorist mafia of Miami!” As such, Maradona was also a propaganda tool for Latin America’s leftist leaders, said Tedeschi. “Diego was the kind of guy where anything he said would have a repercussion,” said Tedeschi. “And for Fidel, that kind of propaganda was welcome.” In a twist of fate, Maradona died on the same date, Nov. 25, as his idol did four years ago - upon which occasion he said he “wept uncontrollably.” “These two dates are intertwined on Nov. 25, and will be throughout history: two greats, one of football and the other of the Cuban revolution,” said pensioner Luis Perez, 64, in Havana. Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said on Twitter that Maradona’s “friendship with Cuba and especially with Fidel made him part of this people.” Morales and Chavez’ successor, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, also poured out condolences on Twitter. Maradona had voiced support for Maduro in the face of U.S. sanctions on his government. “With grief in my heart, I learned of the death of my brother, Diego Armando Maradona, a person who felt and fought for the poor, the best football player in the world,” wrote Morales, an avid soccer fan. The former Bolivian president recruited Maradona to play against him in a charity match in La Paz in 2008 to show his backing for Bolivia’s campaign against a FIFA ban on matches at high altitude. The ban was later overturned.

Maradona, football legend, was a champion of Latin America's left

Six players from the Pakistan cricket team tested positive for COVID-19. The positive reports from the Pakistan camp have thrown the preparations for the five-match series into jeopardy while causing scare in a country that has managed to control the coronavirus.

The Pakistan squad’s "exemption to train while in managed isolation has been put on hold until investigations have been completed", the governing body said, adding that the six positive players would be moved into strict quarantine.&nbsp;

New Zealand’s ministry of health said that 53 team members passed a symptom check before leaving Lahore and were tested in Christchurch upon their arrival on November 24.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rip-diego-maradona-footballing-world-pays-tribute-to-former-argentine-345378" hreflang="en">'RIP Diego Maradona': Footballing world pays tribute to former Argentine</a>

While six players have now come back positive, two of the cases are believed to be "historical".&nbsp;

New Zealand Health said the participating players will now "be tested a minimum of four times while in managed isolation" and the entire squad would be confined to their rooms.&nbsp;

New Zealand Health also revealed that "several team members have been seen on CCTV at the facility breaching managed isolation rules, despite clear, consistent and detailed communication of expected behaviours".&nbsp;

"The team as a whole has been issued with a final warning," it said.&nbsp;

"It is a privilege to come to New Zealand to play sport, but in return, teams must stick to the rules that are designed to keep Covid-19 out of our communities and keep our staff safe," said top health official Ashley Bloomfield.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-both-teams-to-likely-to-pay-tribute-to-phil-hughes-on-his-6th-death-anniversary-345365" hreflang="en">IND vs AUS: Both teams to likely to pay tribute to Phil Hughes on his 6th death anniversary</a>

New Zealand has registered just 1,684 cases since the pandemic began.

Even before Pakistan embarked on a journey to Kiwi soil, Pakistan’s tour was hit by ill-health after opener Fakhar Zaman was ruled out at the 11th hour with persistent fever.&nbsp;

The 30-year-old left-hander tested negative along with the rest of the squad.&nbsp;

The tour, with three Twenty20 internationals and two Tests, is scheduled to begin on December 18 in Auckland.

(With AFP inputs) 
&nbsp;

Six players from the Pakistan cricket team tested positive for COVID-19. The positive reports from the Pakistan camp have thrown the preparations for the five-match series into jeopardy while causing scare in a country that has managed to control the coronavirus.

Six players from the Pakistan cricket team tested positive for COVID-19. The positive reports from the Pakistan camp have thrown the preparations for the five-match series into jeopardy while causing scare in a country that has managed to control the coronavirus. The Pakistan squad’s "exemption to train while in managed isolation has been put on hold until investigations have been completed", the governing body said, adding that the six positive players would be moved into strict quarantine. New Zealand’s ministry of health said that 53 team members passed a symptom check before leaving Lahore and were tested in Christchurch upon their arrival on November 24. ALSO READ: 'RIP Diego Maradona': Footballing world pays tribute to former Argentine While six players have now come back positive, two of the cases are believed to be "historical". New Zealand Health said the participating players will now "be tested a minimum of four times while in managed isolation" and the entire squad would be confined to their rooms. New Zealand Health also revealed that "several team members have been seen on CCTV at the facility breaching managed isolation rules, despite clear, consistent and detailed communication of expected behaviours". "The team as a whole has been issued with a final warning," it said. "It is a privilege to come to New Zealand to play sport, but in return, teams must stick to the rules that are designed to keep Covid-19 out of our communities and keep our staff safe," said top health official Ashley Bloomfield. ALSO READ: IND vs AUS: Both teams to likely to pay tribute to Phil Hughes on his 6th death anniversary New Zealand has registered just 1,684 cases since the pandemic began. Even before Pakistan embarked on a journey to Kiwi soil, Pakistan’s tour was hit by ill-health after opener Fakhar Zaman was ruled out at the 11th hour with persistent fever. The 30-year-old left-hander tested negative along with the rest of the squad. The tour, with three Twenty20 internationals and two Tests, is scheduled to begin on December 18 in Auckland. (With AFP inputs)

NZ vs PAK: Six Pakistan cricketers test positive for Covid-19

India will host England for four Tests in early 2021 in what could become the key clashes in deciding who reaches the world Test championship final.

Sourav Ganguly, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, announced the series, planned for February-March, late Tuesday, but warned the coronavirus pandemic could still cause problems.

Australia lead the nine-nation inaugural world Test championship league with India second and England third. The top two will go into the final next year at Lord's.

India host England shortly after their four-Test series in Australia and both showdowns will be key in deciding the final. England had originally been scheduled to play five Tests in India.

England will play four Tests, three one-day internationals and five T20s, Ganguly said, although he said the BCCI would "have to keep assessing the situation" because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"A lot of people are talking about the second Covid wave," he said. "We're already hearing of cases being on the rise again in Mumbai and Delhi, so we have to be careful and make sure everything is in order."

Ganguly revealed that he has undergone 22 Covid-19 Tests in the past four-and-a-half months because of his travel schedule. All had been negative, he said.

The coronavirus has claimed more than 100,000 lives in India, which is the second worst hit nation after the United States.

England's original limited-overs tour to India in September-October and the Twenty20 World Cup in October-November were both casualties of the pandemic.

India will host England for four Tests in early 2021 in what could become the key clashes in deciding who reaches the world Test championship final. Sourav Ganguly, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, announced the series, planned for February-March, late Tuesday, but warned the coronavirus pandemic could still cause problems.

India will host England for four Tests in early 2021 in what could become the key clashes in deciding who reaches the world Test championship final. Sourav Ganguly, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, announced the series, planned for February-March, late Tuesday, but warned the coronavirus pandemic could still cause problems. Australia lead the nine-nation inaugural world Test championship league with India second and England third. The top two will go into the final next year at Lord's. India host England shortly after their four-Test series in Australia and both showdowns will be key in deciding the final. England had originally been scheduled to play five Tests in India. England will play four Tests, three one-day internationals and five T20s, Ganguly said, although he said the BCCI would "have to keep assessing the situation" because of the coronavirus pandemic. "A lot of people are talking about the second Covid wave," he said. "We're already hearing of cases being on the rise again in Mumbai and Delhi, so we have to be careful and make sure everything is in order." Ganguly revealed that he has undergone 22 Covid-19 Tests in the past four-and-a-half months because of his travel schedule. All had been negative, he said. The coronavirus has claimed more than 100,000 lives in India, which is the second worst hit nation after the United States. England's original limited-overs tour to India in September-October and the Twenty20 World Cup in October-November were both casualties of the pandemic.

England to play four Tests in India: Ganguly

Erling Braut Haaland broke yet another Champions League record on Tuesday as he fired Borussia Dortmund a step closer to the knockout stages with two goals in a 3-0 win over Club Brugge.

Haaland's 18th-minute opener against Brugge saw him reach 15 Champions League goals in fewer games than any other player in the competition's history.

The 20-year-old Norwegian hit the milestone in just 12 appearances, smashing the previous record of 19 games held by Ruud van Nistelrooy and Roberto Soldado.

"Erling is a fantastic player. He works hard on and off the pitch and he deserves everything that's coming his way," said team-mate Jadon Sancho, who provided the assist for Haaland's opener.

"I'm just happy that I can get my assists more easily because he's so clinical," Sancho told broadcaster DAZN.

Haaland added another in the second half to take his tally to 16, as he and Dortmund annihilated Brugge to defend top spot in Group F and move within touching distance of qualification for the second round.

With two games to go, Lucien Favre's side are now five points clear of third place and a point ahead of second-placed Lazio, who beat Zenit Saint Petersburg 3-1 on Tuesday.

Dortmund were predictably dominant in the first half, and it took Haaland just 70 seconds to send a shot fizzing past the Brugge post.

The Norwegian found the net on 18 minutes, placing a low shot past Simon Mignolet after Sancho set him up with an elegant through ball.

Sancho, who has faced criticism this season and was dropped to the bench for Dortmund's league win at Hertha Berlin last weekend, was in excellent form upon his return to the starting XI.&nbsp;

The 20-year-old Englishman doubled Dortmund's lead on the stroke of half-time, curling a free-kick into the top corner after compatriot Jude Bellingham was fouled on the edge of the box.

"I've been practising my free-kicks recently, so I'm happy it came off today," said Sancho.

"I'm just happy I'm playing and that I have coaches who believe in me. It's been a hard situation for me recently, but it's all about how I come back," he added.&nbsp;

Haaland put the game beyond reach on the hour mark, gratefully pouncing on an inadvertent assist from Brugge midfielder Ruud Vormer and sweeping the ball in from close range.

Erling Braut Haaland broke yet another Champions League record on Tuesday as he fired Borussia Dortmund a step closer to the knockout stages with two goals in a 3-0 win over Club Brugge.

Erling Braut Haaland broke yet another Champions League record on Tuesday as he fired Borussia Dortmund a step closer to the knockout stages with two goals in a 3-0 win over Club Brugge. Haaland's 18th-minute opener against Brugge saw him reach 15 Champions League goals in fewer games than any other player in the competition's history. The 20-year-old Norwegian hit the milestone in just 12 appearances, smashing the previous record of 19 games held by Ruud van Nistelrooy and Roberto Soldado. "Erling is a fantastic player. He works hard on and off the pitch and he deserves everything that's coming his way," said team-mate Jadon Sancho, who provided the assist for Haaland's opener. "I'm just happy that I can get my assists more easily because he's so clinical," Sancho told broadcaster DAZN. Haaland added another in the second half to take his tally to 16, as he and Dortmund annihilated Brugge to defend top spot in Group F and move within touching distance of qualification for the second round. With two games to go, Lucien Favre's side are now five points clear of third place and a point ahead of second-placed Lazio, who beat Zenit Saint Petersburg 3-1 on Tuesday. Dortmund were predictably dominant in the first half, and it took Haaland just 70 seconds to send a shot fizzing past the Brugge post. The Norwegian found the net on 18 minutes, placing a low shot past Simon Mignolet after Sancho set him up with an elegant through ball. Sancho, who has faced criticism this season and was dropped to the bench for Dortmund's league win at Hertha Berlin last weekend, was in excellent form upon his return to the starting XI. The 20-year-old Englishman doubled Dortmund's lead on the stroke of half-time, curling a free-kick into the top corner after compatriot Jude Bellingham was fouled on the edge of the box. "I've been practising my free-kicks recently, so I'm happy it came off today," said Sancho. "I'm just happy I'm playing and that I have coaches who believe in me. It's been a hard situation for me recently, but it's all about how I come back," he added. Haaland put the game beyond reach on the hour mark, gratefully pouncing on an inadvertent assist from Brugge midfielder Ruud Vormer and sweeping the ball in from close range.

Haaland continues record exploits as Dortmund beat Brugge

Juventus, Chelsea and Sevilla all claimed last-gasp wins as they qualified for the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, while Martin Braithwaite grabbed a double in Barcelona's 4-0 victory at Dynamo Kiev as they also secured a place in the knockout rounds.

They are the first teams to make it out of the group stage, doing so with two games to spare, on a night which saw Erling Braut Haaland, Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes all get among the goals.

There was no Lionel Messi for Barcelona, with the Argentine rested for the trip to Ukraine, but Ronald Koeman's side got the job done to make it four wins from four in Group G.

All the goals came in the second half, with Sergino Dest opening the scoring before Danish striker Braithwaite added another and then converted a penalty to make it 3-0.

On as a substitute, Antoine Griezmann wrapped up the win on the night young centre-back Oscar Mingueza, Brazilian midfielder Matheus Fernandes and teenage American winger Konrad de la Fuente were all blooded in the first team.

"We've achieved our objective," said Koeman. "We looked hungry and scored four goals. Important players were able to rest and the youngsters deserved their minutes."&nbsp;

<h2>- Morata, Giroud strike late -</h2>

Juventus joined Barcelona in qualifying from Group G but the Italian champions needed a stoppage-time header by substitute Alvaro Morata to beat Ferencvaros 2-1 in Turin and seal their progress.

Albanian international Myrto Uzuni put the Hungarians ahead but Ronaldo drilled in the equaliser before half-time, meaning he has scored in 15 consecutive Champions League seasons.

Chelsea are through from Group E after edging Rennes 2-1 in France, with Olivier Giroud coming off the bench to head in an injury-time winner. Serhou Guirassy had cancelled out Callum Hudson-Odoi's breakaway opener.

Last season's Europa League winners Sevilla will not get to defend their trophy as they advanced to the last 16 of Europe's elite club competition and did so with a 2-1 win over Krasnodar in Russia, in a rare game played before a sizeable crowd.

Ivan Rakitic's drilled strike put the Spaniards in front only for the Brazilian Wanderson to equalise, but Munir El Haddadi won it for Sevilla five minutes into added time.

Sevilla and Chelsea are level on 10 points but Frank Lampard's side go to Spain next week, when the winner will secure top spot.

Manchester United are in pole position in Group H after a first-half Fernandes brace set them on their way to a 4-1 victory over Istanbul Basaksehir that made up for a 2-1 defeat in Turkey last time out.

The opener by Fernandes was a thunderous strike from outside the box, while the second was a tap-in after a horrible error by Mert Gunok in the away goal.

Marcus Rashford added a penalty, but there was a fightback from the away side, with Deniz Turuc's free-kick crossing the line before David de Gea could claw it away.

Edin Visca crashed a shot off the bar, but Daniel James made sure of the victory on the counter-attack.

"It's a Champions League night at Old Trafford, you'd expect them to enjoy themselves," United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said of his team. "We scored some very nice goals, I'm pleased."

<h2>- Haaland's frightening record -</h2>

Solskjaer's side are three points clear of both Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig, after an early Neymar penalty gave the French side a 1-0 win over their German visitors.

PSG go to Old Trafford next week.

Borussia Dortmund need just one more point to qualify from Group F following a 3-0 win over Club Brugge as the prolific Haaland netted twice either side of a Jadon Sancho free-kick in Germany.

Haaland has 16 goals for the season, and has now scored 16 Champions League goals in just 12 appearances -- Messi had two goals and Ronaldo none after the same number of appearances.

"Erling is a fantastic player. He works hard on and off the pitch and he deserves everything that's coming his way," said Sancho.

In the group's other game Ciro Immobile was on target twice, including from a penalty, as Lazio beat Zenit Saint-Petersburg 3-1 in Rome, a result which eliminated the Russians. Marco Parolo also netted for Lazio, with Artem Dzyuba scoring for Zenit.

Juventus, Chelsea and Sevilla all claimed last-gasp wins as they qualified for the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, while Martin Braithwaite grabbed a double in Barcelona's 4-0 victory at Dynamo Kiev as they also secured a place in the knockout rounds.

Juventus, Chelsea and Sevilla all claimed last-gasp wins as they qualified for the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, while Martin Braithwaite grabbed a double in Barcelona's 4-0 victory at Dynamo Kiev as they also secured a place in the knockout rounds. They are the first teams to make it out of the group stage, doing so with two games to spare, on a night which saw Erling Braut Haaland, Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes all get among the goals. There was no Lionel Messi for Barcelona, with the Argentine rested for the trip to Ukraine, but Ronald Koeman's side got the job done to make it four wins from four in Group G. All the goals came in the second half, with Sergino Dest opening the scoring before Danish striker Braithwaite added another and then converted a penalty to make it 3-0. On as a substitute, Antoine Griezmann wrapped up the win on the night young centre-back Oscar Mingueza, Brazilian midfielder Matheus Fernandes and teenage American winger Konrad de la Fuente were all blooded in the first team. "We've achieved our objective," said Koeman. "We looked hungry and scored four goals. Important players were able to rest and the youngsters deserved their minutes." - Morata, Giroud strike late - Juventus joined Barcelona in qualifying from Group G but the Italian champions needed a stoppage-time header by substitute Alvaro Morata to beat Ferencvaros 2-1 in Turin and seal their progress. Albanian international Myrto Uzuni put the Hungarians ahead but Ronaldo drilled in the equaliser before half-time, meaning he has scored in 15 consecutive Champions League seasons. Chelsea are through from Group E after edging Rennes 2-1 in France, with Olivier Giroud coming off the bench to head in an injury-time winner. Serhou Guirassy had cancelled out Callum Hudson-Odoi's breakaway opener. Last season's Europa League winners Sevilla will not get to defend their trophy as they advanced to the last 16 of Europe's elite club competition and did so with a 2-1 win over Krasnodar in Russia, in a rare game played before a sizeable crowd. Ivan Rakitic's drilled strike put the Spaniards in front only for the Brazilian Wanderson to equalise, but Munir El Haddadi won it for Sevilla five minutes into added time. Sevilla and Chelsea are level on 10 points but Frank Lampard's side go to Spain next week, when the winner will secure top spot. Manchester United are in pole position in Group H after a first-half Fernandes brace set them on their way to a 4-1 victory over Istanbul Basaksehir that made up for a 2-1 defeat in Turkey last time out. The opener by Fernandes was a thunderous strike from outside the box, while the second was a tap-in after a horrible error by Mert Gunok in the away goal. Marcus Rashford added a penalty, but there was a fightback from the away side, with Deniz Turuc's free-kick crossing the line before David de Gea could claw it away. Edin Visca crashed a shot off the bar, but Daniel James made sure of the victory on the counter-attack. "It's a Champions League night at Old Trafford, you'd expect them to enjoy themselves," United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said of his team. "We scored some very nice goals, I'm pleased." - Haaland's frightening record - Solskjaer's side are three points clear of both Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig, after an early Neymar penalty gave the French side a 1-0 win over their German visitors. PSG go to Old Trafford next week. Borussia Dortmund need just one more point to qualify from Group F following a 3-0 win over Club Brugge as the prolific Haaland netted twice either side of a Jadon Sancho free-kick in Germany. Haaland has 16 goals for the season, and has now scored 16 Champions League goals in just 12 appearances -- Messi had two goals and Ronaldo none after the same number of appearances. "Erling is a fantastic player. He works hard on and off the pitch and he deserves everything that's coming his way," said Sancho. In the group's other game Ciro Immobile was on target twice, including from a penalty, as Lazio beat Zenit Saint-Petersburg 3-1 in Rome, a result which eliminated the Russians. Marco Parolo also netted for Lazio, with Artem Dzyuba scoring for Zenit.

Barcelona, Juventus join Chelsea and Sevilla in Champions League last 16

The Australian Open will likely be delayed by one to two weeks, officials said Wednesday, as talks continue over staging the tournament in Melbourne, which has only recently emerged from months of coronavirus lockdown.

A delay for a week or two to the first Grand Slam of the year, scheduled to begin on January 18, was now "most likely", said Martin Pakula, the Sports Minister of the Victoria State government.

"I still think it's much more likely that it will be a shorter rather than longer delay,"&nbsp;Pakula said.

The "very complex negotiations" were still under way but he remained confident it would go ahead in the early part of 2021.

For eight months, Australia has virtually closed off from the rest of the world, with a blanket ban on non-residents entering the country and citizens strongly advised against all foreign travel.

Australian Open chief Craig Tiley&nbsp;had originally wanted &nbsp;players to start arriving in Australia from mid-December so they could undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine before playing traditional warm-up events.

But the plan was thrown into doubt by Victoria state Premier Dan Andrews, who reportedly will not allow players to arrive before January, which would make it all but impossible to hold the high-profile ATP Cup and other tournaments the start of the Open.

Still under discussion is whether players will be able to train or compete during quarantine.

It comes as Grand Slam winner Andy Murray called for all players to be vaccinated against Covid-19 when it becomes available.&nbsp;

"I would hope that all the players would be willing to do that for the good of the sport -- providing everything has proved to be safe, clinical trials and everything have been done and there are not any significant side-effects," Murray said.

Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Nadal said it was an unprecedented situation and urged patience from players.

"That is difficult for everyone," he said at the ATP Finals in London last week.

"We need to be flexible to understand the situation and to find a way to play as many tournaments as possible next year."

The Australian Open will likely be delayed by one to two weeks, officials said Wednesday, as talks continue over staging the tournament in Melbourne, which has only recently emerged from months of coronavirus lockdown.

The Australian Open will likely be delayed by one to two weeks, officials said Wednesday, as talks continue over staging the tournament in Melbourne, which has only recently emerged from months of coronavirus lockdown. A delay for a week or two to the first Grand Slam of the year, scheduled to begin on January 18, was now "most likely", said Martin Pakula, the Sports Minister of the Victoria State government. "I still think it's much more likely that it will be a shorter rather than longer delay," Pakula said. The "very complex negotiations" were still under way but he remained confident it would go ahead in the early part of 2021. For eight months, Australia has virtually closed off from the rest of the world, with a blanket ban on non-residents entering the country and citizens strongly advised against all foreign travel. Australian Open chief Craig Tiley had originally wanted players to start arriving in Australia from mid-December so they could undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine before playing traditional warm-up events. But the plan was thrown into doubt by Victoria state Premier Dan Andrews, who reportedly will not allow players to arrive before January, which would make it all but impossible to hold the high-profile ATP Cup and other tournaments the start of the Open. Still under discussion is whether players will be able to train or compete during quarantine. It comes as Grand Slam winner Andy Murray called for all players to be vaccinated against Covid-19 when it becomes available. "I would hope that all the players would be willing to do that for the good of the sport -- providing everything has proved to be safe, clinical trials and everything have been done and there are not any significant side-effects," Murray said. Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Nadal said it was an unprecedented situation and urged patience from players. "That is difficult for everyone," he said at the ATP Finals in London last week. "We need to be flexible to understand the situation and to find a way to play as many tournaments as possible next year."

Australian Open 'likely' to be delayed by two weeks

Former Reuters Cuba correspondent Andrew Cawthorne recalls taking the field with Diego Maradona, who died on Wednesday, in this Reuters story from 2004.

As I stepped up to take the penalty in Cuba’s national soccer stadium, a bloated but grinning Diego Maradona wiped and placed the ball, whispered words of advice and clasped his hands in prayer.

Inevitably, I scuffed the ball into the goalkeeper’s arms. “You struck it well, you’ll do better,” Maradona lied.

The foreign press lost 6-0 to a Maradona friends’ XI on that rainy evening in Havana in June, 2000 - a defeat that fulfilled a boyhood fantasy of playing alongside one of the world’s greatest footballers.

Maradona was in Cuba to receive free medical treatment for his drug and alcohol problems. His manager Guillermo Coppola had quietly asked us to avoid tackling the then grossly overweight Argentine so as not to humiliate him.

But the humiliation was all ours as Maradona, despite his awful state, used his innate vision and skill to score two long-range goals past our chain-smoking goalkeeper.

That was one of several games I played with Maradona. He had arrived in Cuba earlier in the year after nearly dying in Uruguay and used the kick-arounds to build up fitness.

The Cuban Football Federation laid on their national Pedro Marrero stadium — complete with post-match masseurs — that night in the great man’s honour. At other times, we just played on pitches in a field and behind a hotel.

Every time he scored, Maradona’s goal celebrations were the same I remembered from his glory days, beating England en route to winning the World Cup in Mexico in 1986 or helping transform Napoli’s fortunes in Italy.

Fists clenched, arms raised, head tilted back, eyes to the heavens, Maradona would whoop in delight before falling to the ground or running wildly across the pitch to celebrate.

“What a wonderful feeling to score a goal. I love this game. This is my life,” he roared in ecstasy during one five-a-side.

I had Reuters colleague Alfredo Tedeschi to thank for my friendship with Maradona in Cuba.

‘DO THEY HATE ME IN ENGLAND?’

A TV cameraman and fellow Argentine, Tedeschi infuriated Maradona so much with his paparazzi-style tactics that the footballer punched through his car window in anger within a few days of coming to Cuba to get out of the limelight.

Tedeschi was also a larger-than-life character and the pair made up within days with a bearhug and a barbecued steak.

After that Maradona began visiting his house nearly every day, enjoying Tedeschi’s fine wines and thick steaks to the surprise of those of us who thought he was on a strict diet.

Watching his beloved Boca Juniors or the Argentine national team live via a special satellite link Tedeschi had organised just for him, Maradona would scream like a madman at the referee and celebrate goals by diving fully clothed into Tedeschi’s swimming pool.

One night, over cigars and wine after dinner, I posed him the question I had been longing to ask: “So how did it feel to score those two goals against England in 1986?”

I feared he would be bored to answer it yet again but to my delight, Maradona — aware of the uncritical adulation from myself and Tedeschi’s two boys sitting with us — launched into an hour-long reminiscence.

He laughed at the famous “Hand of God” goal, before asking with real concern “Do they hate me in England?”.

Then he talked us through every swerve and swivel of his famous waltz through England’s team for arguably the best goal in the history of the World Cup.

Maradona’s pipe-dream was to manage a big club. “Manchester United or Real Madrid would do”, he said half-seriously, his ego and desperation to stay in the game blinding him to how badly his reputation had been shattered by his drug problem.

During one game on Tedeschi’s television, Maradona rushed up to the set at halftime when a publicity spot showed him as a teenager. “That’s me, look at me!” he shouted like a kid.

His delight was unbounded when, following a discreet mobile telephone call from Coppola to a Buenos Aires TV contact, the camera swung round to show his daughter standing in the crowd.

In Havana, Maradona met his own hero, Cuban President Fidel Castro, several times. Once, behind closed doors at Havana’s Revolution Palace, he taught the septuagenarian, baseball-loving revolutionary how to dribble a soccer ball.

Maradona showed off to Cuba’s “Maximum Leader” a tattoo of Castro that the Argentine had on his left shin, and another longer-standing tattoo of Argentine revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara on his right shoulder.

“I’m not communist, but I’m ‘Fidelista’ to my death,” Maradona told us later.

Former Reuters Cuba correspondent Andrew Cawthorne recalls taking the field with Diego Maradona, who died on Wednesday, in this Reuters story from 2004. As I stepped up to take the penalty in Cuba’s national soccer stadium, a bloated but grinning Diego Maradona wiped and placed the ball, whispered words of advice and clasped his hands in prayer.

Former Reuters Cuba correspondent Andrew Cawthorne recalls taking the field with Diego Maradona, who died on Wednesday, in this Reuters story from 2004. As I stepped up to take the penalty in Cuba’s national soccer stadium, a bloated but grinning Diego Maradona wiped and placed the ball, whispered words of advice and clasped his hands in prayer. Inevitably, I scuffed the ball into the goalkeeper’s arms. “You struck it well, you’ll do better,” Maradona lied. The foreign press lost 6-0 to a Maradona friends’ XI on that rainy evening in Havana in June, 2000 - a defeat that fulfilled a boyhood fantasy of playing alongside one of the world’s greatest footballers. Maradona was in Cuba to receive free medical treatment for his drug and alcohol problems. His manager Guillermo Coppola had quietly asked us to avoid tackling the then grossly overweight Argentine so as not to humiliate him. But the humiliation was all ours as Maradona, despite his awful state, used his innate vision and skill to score two long-range goals past our chain-smoking goalkeeper. That was one of several games I played with Maradona. He had arrived in Cuba earlier in the year after nearly dying in Uruguay and used the kick-arounds to build up fitness. The Cuban Football Federation laid on their national Pedro Marrero stadium — complete with post-match masseurs — that night in the great man’s honour. At other times, we just played on pitches in a field and behind a hotel. Every time he scored, Maradona’s goal celebrations were the same I remembered from his glory days, beating England en route to winning the World Cup in Mexico in 1986 or helping transform Napoli’s fortunes in Italy. Fists clenched, arms raised, head tilted back, eyes to the heavens, Maradona would whoop in delight before falling to the ground or running wildly across the pitch to celebrate. “What a wonderful feeling to score a goal. I love this game. This is my life,” he roared in ecstasy during one five-a-side. I had Reuters colleague Alfredo Tedeschi to thank for my friendship with Maradona in Cuba. ‘DO THEY HATE ME IN ENGLAND?’ A TV cameraman and fellow Argentine, Tedeschi infuriated Maradona so much with his paparazzi-style tactics that the footballer punched through his car window in anger within a few days of coming to Cuba to get out of the limelight. Tedeschi was also a larger-than-life character and the pair made up within days with a bearhug and a barbecued steak. After that Maradona began visiting his house nearly every day, enjoying Tedeschi’s fine wines and thick steaks to the surprise of those of us who thought he was on a strict diet. Watching his beloved Boca Juniors or the Argentine national team live via a special satellite link Tedeschi had organised just for him, Maradona would scream like a madman at the referee and celebrate goals by diving fully clothed into Tedeschi’s swimming pool. One night, over cigars and wine after dinner, I posed him the question I had been longing to ask: “So how did it feel to score those two goals against England in 1986?” I feared he would be bored to answer it yet again but to my delight, Maradona — aware of the uncritical adulation from myself and Tedeschi’s two boys sitting with us — launched into an hour-long reminiscence. He laughed at the famous “Hand of God” goal, before asking with real concern “Do they hate me in England?”. Then he talked us through every swerve and swivel of his famous waltz through England’s team for arguably the best goal in the history of the World Cup. Maradona’s pipe-dream was to manage a big club. “Manchester United or Real Madrid would do”, he said half-seriously, his ego and desperation to stay in the game blinding him to how badly his reputation had been shattered by his drug problem. During one game on Tedeschi’s television, Maradona rushed up to the set at halftime when a publicity spot showed him as a teenager. “That’s me, look at me!” he shouted like a kid. His delight was unbounded when, following a discreet mobile telephone call from Coppola to a Buenos Aires TV contact, the camera swung round to show his daughter standing in the crowd. In Havana, Maradona met his own hero, Cuban President Fidel Castro, several times. Once, behind closed doors at Havana’s Revolution Palace, he taught the septuagenarian, baseball-loving revolutionary how to dribble a soccer ball. Maradona showed off to Cuba’s “Maximum Leader” a tattoo of Castro that the Argentine had on his left shin, and another longer-standing tattoo of Argentine revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara on his right shoulder. “I’m not communist, but I’m ‘Fidelista’ to my death,” Maradona told us later.

My kick-arounds with Maradona in Cuba

Napoli on Wednesday bid farewell to Diego Maradona, who won the hearts of the southern Italian city of Naples by leading them to their only two league titles in 1987 and 1990.

"For always. Ciao Diego," the club wrote with a blue heart emoji shortly after the news broke that the Argentine had died of a heart attack aged 60.

As a sign of mourning, Napoli changed the blue background colour of its club logo on their social media accounts to black.

Maradona spent seven years at the then-unfashionable Napoli between 1984 and 1991, during which he also lifted the 1989 UEFA Cup, Napoli's only European trophy.

Italian sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora, a native of Naples, also paid tribute to Maradona.

"The death of Maradona is terrible news. He was more than a champion, he was a football genius, an absolute champion," Spadafora said.&nbsp;

"In an unrepeatable season he represented the dreams and hopes of the people of my city. Naples is crying tonight."

Napoli on Wednesday bid farewell to Diego Maradona, who won the hearts of the southern Italian city of Naples by leading them to their only two league titles in 1987 and 1990.

Napoli on Wednesday bid farewell to Diego Maradona, who won the hearts of the southern Italian city of Naples by leading them to their only two league titles in 1987 and 1990. "For always. Ciao Diego," the club wrote with a blue heart emoji shortly after the news broke that the Argentine had died of a heart attack aged 60. As a sign of mourning, Napoli changed the blue background colour of its club logo on their social media accounts to black. Maradona spent seven years at the then-unfashionable Napoli between 1984 and 1991, during which he also lifted the 1989 UEFA Cup, Napoli's only European trophy. Italian sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora, a native of Naples, also paid tribute to Maradona. "The death of Maradona is terrible news. He was more than a champion, he was a football genius, an absolute champion," Spadafora said. "In an unrepeatable season he represented the dreams and hopes of the people of my city. Naples is crying tonight."

'Ciao Diego:' Napoli bid farewell to club legend Maradona

Argentine football legend <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-legend-diego-maradona-60-dies-of-heart-attack-345375">Diego Maradona on Wednesday passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest</a> in his house in Argentina. Maradona lived his life to the fullest after achieving trophies and accolades in both club and international football. Maradona’s most iconic moment was arguably his infamous ‘Hand of God’ moment during Argentina versus England match in the 1986 FIFA World Cup at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

According to rules, Maradona should have received a yellow card for clear handball but due to lack of technology, the referees didn’t get a clear view of the play and the goal was awarded to Argentina as they went on to win the match 2-1 with both goals scored by Maradona. His second goal in the match is regarded as the “Goal of the Century”. After the match against England, Maradona conceded that the goal was scored "a little with his head, and a little with the hand of God".

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rip-diego-maradona-footballing-world-pay-tribute-to-former-argentine-345378" hreflang="en">'RIP Diego Maradona': Footballing world pay tribute to former Argentine</a>

With the match between England and Argentina tied at 0-0 at the end of first half, Maradona lit up the stage in the second half. Six minutes into the second half of the match, Maradona passed the ball to his teammate Jorge Valdano as the latter tried to dribble past the English defenders. However, the ball was cleared towards the England goal by defender Steve Hodge.

Maradona pounced on the chance but struggled to get the ball against goalkeeper Peter Shilton. Both Maradona and Shilton jumped but the Argentine used his left arm to get the ball and rattle the net to give Argentina the much-needed lead. While English players complained to the referees, Maradona and his Argentine teammates celebrated in joy as the goal stood.

<h2>WATCH VIDEO: Diego Maradona's iconic 'Hand of God' moment from 1986 FIFA World Cup</h2>

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Rest in peace Hand of God 
RIP Legend Argentine Legend 
Rest in Perfect Peace Maradona. <a href="https://t.co/97VAmT3UyA">pic.twitter.com/97VAmT3UyA</a>
— Skillz ➆ (@plugmanskillz) <a href="https://twitter.com/plugmanskillz/status/1331647914897190912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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On 22 June 1986 Diego Maradona scored one of the greatest World Cup goals during a 2-1 victory by Argentina over England in the Quarter Final. This goal came after his infamous “Hand of God” goal in the same game. <a href="https://t.co/U3F5sb3Hfa">pic.twitter.com/U3F5sb3Hfa</a>
— Prof Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) <a href="https://twitter.com/FXMC1957/status/1331642688731541511?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-legend-diego-maradona-60-dies-of-heart-attack-345375" hreflang="en">Football legend Diego Maradona, 60, dies of heart attack</a>

In 2005, Maradona confessed on a program La Noche del 10, that the goal was actually scored with his hand. 
Albeit, the goal stands as one of the most iconic and controversial moments in world football – one that gave Argentina their only World Cup triumph so far.

Argentine football legend Diego Maradona on Wednesday passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest in his house in Argentina. Maradona lived his life to the fullest after achieving trophies and accolades in both club and international football.

Argentine football legend Diego Maradona on Wednesday passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest in his house in Argentina. Maradona lived his life to the fullest after achieving trophies and accolades in both club and international football. Maradona’s most iconic moment was arguably his infamous ‘Hand of God’ moment during Argentina versus England match in the 1986 FIFA World Cup at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. According to rules, Maradona should have received a yellow card for clear handball but due to lack of technology, the referees didn’t get a clear view of the play and the goal was awarded to Argentina as they went on to win the match 2-1 with both goals scored by Maradona. His second goal in the match is regarded as the “Goal of the Century”. After the match against England, Maradona conceded that the goal was scored "a little with his head, and a little with the hand of God". ALSO READ: 'RIP Diego Maradona': Footballing world pay tribute to former Argentine With the match between England and Argentina tied at 0-0 at the end of first half, Maradona lit up the stage in the second half. Six minutes into the second half of the match, Maradona passed the ball to his teammate Jorge Valdano as the latter tried to dribble past the English defenders. However, the ball was cleared towards the England goal by defender Steve Hodge. Maradona pounced on the chance but struggled to get the ball against goalkeeper Peter Shilton. Both Maradona and Shilton jumped but the Argentine used his left arm to get the ball and rattle the net to give Argentina the much-needed lead. While English players complained to the referees, Maradona and his Argentine teammates celebrated in joy as the goal stood. WATCH VIDEO: Diego Maradona's iconic 'Hand of God' moment from 1986 FIFA World Cup Rest in peace Hand of God RIP Legend Argentine Legend Rest in Perfect Peace Maradona. pic.twitter.com/97VAmT3UyA — Skillz ➆ (@plugmanskillz) November 25, 2020 × On 22 June 1986 Diego Maradona scored one of the greatest World Cup goals during a 2-1 victory by Argentina over England in the Quarter Final. This goal came after his infamous “Hand of God” goal in the same game. pic.twitter.com/U3F5sb3Hfa — Prof Frank McDonough (@FXMC1957) November 25, 2020 × ALSO READ: Football legend Diego Maradona, 60, dies of heart attack In 2005, Maradona confessed on a program La Noche del 10, that the goal was actually scored with his hand. Albeit, the goal stands as one of the most iconic and controversial moments in world football – one that gave Argentina their only World Cup triumph so far.

RIP Maradona: Relive the iconic 'Hand of God' moment from 1986 World Cup - watch video

Few players mastered the spectacular quite like Diego Maradona. From stunning free-kicks to winding dribbles, the Argentine, who has died at the age of 60, scored some of the most famous -- and thrilling -- goals in football history.

Here AFP Sport picks five of the best from arguably the greatest footballer to ever play the game:

<h2>The 'Goal of the Century'</h2>

The solo goal against which all solo goals will be judged. Named the "Goal of the Century" by FIFA in 2002, his high-speed slalom in Mexico in 1986 ended England's World Cup and cemented Maradona's position as the world's best footballer.

The goal trumps others of its type not just because of its impact, the stage, the spectre of the Falklands War and the fact that it came just minutes after his notorious 'Hand of God' goal, but for the efficiency of its execution.

Maradona barely deviates from his path towards goal the moment he spins free in midfield, with a few drops of the shoulder enough to embarrass England for the second time in the space of five minutes.

"Diego assures me that he meant to pass to me several times but there was always some obstacle that forced him to change plans. Just as well," striker Jorge Valdano, who followed Maradona up the field, said later.

"But let's not deceive ourselves, I am convinced that Diego was never going to release that ball. Throughout those 10 seconds and 10 touches, he changed his mind hundreds of times because that's how the mind of genius in action works."

<h2>The 'Divine free-kick' that conquered Naples</h2>

Nicknamed the "divine free-kick" in Italy, Maradona's iconic winning goal for Napoli in the November 1985 home clash with Michel Platini's Juventus -- reigning European champions --&nbsp;was the one that created the Argentine's legend in Naples.

Standing over an indirect free-kick well inside the penalty area, legend has it that Maradona asked midfielder Eraldo Pecci to roll him the ball for a shot despite the closeness of the Juventus wall.

With Napoli players furious at their Juve counterparts for not stepping further back, Maradona simply said: "Don't worry, I'll score anyway".

A quick touch from Pecci was all he needed to flick a stupendous effort over a group of Juve players who were practically on his toes as he hit the ball and past a bamboozled Stefano Tacconi in the Juve goal.

"With this goal," he wrote in 2017, "I conquered the hearts of Neapolitans."

<h2>'El Pibe' volleys Verona&nbsp;</h2>

There were more crucial goals among Maradona's 115 for Napoli, but few matched the sheer nonchalance of his outrageous lob in a 5-0 hammering of reigning Serie A champions Hellas Verona in October 1985.

Collecting a long pass with his back to goal on the left flank, Maradona span round and saw future teammate Giuliano Giuliani positioned just too far to the left, only a few yards off his line.

Quick as a flash, and with the ball still bouncing, Maradona took a step and clipped a looping shot towards goal that gently faded off the left post as Giuliani realised -- too late -- that he was about to be humiliated.

<h2>Bamboozled Belgium beaten</h2>

His world-beating effort against England is rightly the goal everyone remembers, but his second of another double against Belgium in the semi-finals of the same World Cup in 1986 was almost as good.

Picking the ball up on the edge of midfield in the 63rd minute having already put Argentina a goal ahead, he quickly advanced and sent three Belgium defenders packing with one shimmy which allowed him to charge into the penalty area.

Having now isolated flat-footed right back Eric Gerets, he drags ball and defender to the left before cutting his shot back across goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff, who can only sit on his backside as a fierce drive flashes past him and puts Maradona to within touching distance of World Cup glory.

<h2>Derby destruction</h2>

A lifelong Boca Juniors fan, Maradona spent barely a year and a half at his boyhood club before departing for Europe, but&nbsp;he quickly won the hearts of the supporters of the Buenos Aires giants with his prodigious attacking play.

In November 1981 Maradona lit up River Plate's Monumental stadium with the sort of vision that took him to the very top of the game, somehow scoring from a tight angle on the left flank with nothing on and barely any gap in which to squeeze the ball.

The shot both floated and flew past a bewildered River and Argentina stopper Ubaldo Fillol, who in a foreshadowing of Giuliani's desperation for Verona, raced in vain towards his near post but was beaten before he had even moved.

Few players mastered the spectacular quite like Diego Maradona. From stunning free-kicks to winding dribbles, the Argentine, who has died at the age of 60, scored some of the most famous -- and thrilling -- goals in football history.

Few players mastered the spectacular quite like Diego Maradona. From stunning free-kicks to winding dribbles, the Argentine, who has died at the age of 60, scored some of the most famous -- and thrilling -- goals in football history. Here AFP Sport picks five of the best from arguably the greatest footballer to ever play the game: The 'Goal of the Century' The solo goal against which all solo goals will be judged. Named the "Goal of the Century" by FIFA in 2002, his high-speed slalom in Mexico in 1986 ended England's World Cup and cemented Maradona's position as the world's best footballer. The goal trumps others of its type not just because of its impact, the stage, the spectre of the Falklands War and the fact that it came just minutes after his notorious 'Hand of God' goal, but for the efficiency of its execution. Maradona barely deviates from his path towards goal the moment he spins free in midfield, with a few drops of the shoulder enough to embarrass England for the second time in the space of five minutes. "Diego assures me that he meant to pass to me several times but there was always some obstacle that forced him to change plans. Just as well," striker Jorge Valdano, who followed Maradona up the field, said later. "But let's not deceive ourselves, I am convinced that Diego was never going to release that ball. Throughout those 10 seconds and 10 touches, he changed his mind hundreds of times because that's how the mind of genius in action works." The 'Divine free-kick' that conquered Naples Nicknamed the "divine free-kick" in Italy, Maradona's iconic winning goal for Napoli in the November 1985 home clash with Michel Platini's Juventus -- reigning European champions -- was the one that created the Argentine's legend in Naples. Standing over an indirect free-kick well inside the penalty area, legend has it that Maradona asked midfielder Eraldo Pecci to roll him the ball for a shot despite the closeness of the Juventus wall. With Napoli players furious at their Juve counterparts for not stepping further back, Maradona simply said: "Don't worry, I'll score anyway". A quick touch from Pecci was all he needed to flick a stupendous effort over a group of Juve players who were practically on his toes as he hit the ball and past a bamboozled Stefano Tacconi in the Juve goal. "With this goal," he wrote in 2017, "I conquered the hearts of Neapolitans." 'El Pibe' volleys Verona There were more crucial goals among Maradona's 115 for Napoli, but few matched the sheer nonchalance of his outrageous lob in a 5-0 hammering of reigning Serie A champions Hellas Verona in October 1985. Collecting a long pass with his back to goal on the left flank, Maradona span round and saw future teammate Giuliano Giuliani positioned just too far to the left, only a few yards off his line. Quick as a flash, and with the ball still bouncing, Maradona took a step and clipped a looping shot towards goal that gently faded off the left post as Giuliani realised -- too late -- that he was about to be humiliated. Bamboozled Belgium beaten His world-beating effort against England is rightly the goal everyone remembers, but his second of another double against Belgium in the semi-finals of the same World Cup in 1986 was almost as good. Picking the ball up on the edge of midfield in the 63rd minute having already put Argentina a goal ahead, he quickly advanced and sent three Belgium defenders packing with one shimmy which allowed him to charge into the penalty area. Having now isolated flat-footed right back Eric Gerets, he drags ball and defender to the left before cutting his shot back across goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff, who can only sit on his backside as a fierce drive flashes past him and puts Maradona to within touching distance of World Cup glory. Derby destruction A lifelong Boca Juniors fan, Maradona spent barely a year and a half at his boyhood club before departing for Europe, but he quickly won the hearts of the supporters of the Buenos Aires giants with his prodigious attacking play. In November 1981 Maradona lit up River Plate's Monumental stadium with the sort of vision that took him to the very top of the game, somehow scoring from a tight angle on the left flank with nothing on and barely any gap in which to squeeze the ball. The shot both floated and flew past a bewildered River and Argentina stopper Ubaldo Fillol, who in a foreshadowing of Giuliani's desperation for Verona, raced in vain towards his near post but was beaten before he had even moved.

Diego Maradona - Five of his greatest goals

Boxing legend Mike Tyson is set to return to the ring for an exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr on Saturday with the 54-year-old saying that he has learned to protect that "kid always in me".&nbsp;

The former world heavyweight champion is scheduled to fight for the first time in 15 years when he takes on four-division world champion Roy Jones Jr at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

“Iron Mike”, while speaking to boxing promoter Eddie Hearn on his BBC podcast "No Passion, No Point", said he did not want to think about where he would be without boxing. The American, who was jailed in 1992 for rape, also paid a heartfelt tribute to his late trainer for giving him morale guidance.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-announces-nominations-for-puskas-award-watch-all-the-goals-345341" hreflang="en">FIFA announces nominations for Puskas award - Watch all the goals</a>

"That kid is always in me," he said. "Now I know how to treat him, how to protect him. I wasn't protecting him when I was going to jail and all this crazy stuff.

"The best thing that can happen to any young man or woman is to have a diligent role model that cares about them.

"The feelings have to be mutual. Your objective has to be to make them happy -- to be the man they need you to be.

"Just think where I would be without boxing. I don't even want to think about where I would be without this beautiful sport."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/scam-or-immunity-booster-djokovics-presence-boost-bosnian-energy-pyramids-345262" hreflang="en">Scam or immunity booster? Djokovic's presence boost Bosnian 'energy pyramids'</a>

Tyson dominated the heavyweight division from 1986 to 1990 but conceded that becoming youngest-ever world champion, at 20, came too early for him. He battled drugs and lost the fortune he made in the ring apart from his prison term.&nbsp;

"The best time of my life was probably right before I won the title," said Tyson. "When I won the title it got tricky. It wasn't the right time for me.

"I had too many emotional vampires around me."

However, both Tyson and Jones Jr have rejected criticism with many calling the bout, which will be staged over eight two-minute rounds, as “circus act”.

Tyson said he would have no resemblance to the boxer who was beaten by Kevin McBride in his last fight in 2005.

Jones’ last fight came in 2018 with a unanimous decision against Scott Sigmon.&nbsp;

Tyson predicted a full-blooded contest.

"I think Roy can handle getting slapped around a little bit," he said. "It's going to be really hot in that kitchen."

Tyson has dabbled in films since he retired from the ring and says he is in a good place now.

"I'm living responsibly, being present," he said. "That's what it's about for me now."

Boxing legend Mike Tyson is set to return to the ring for an exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr on Saturday with the 54-year-old saying that he has learned to protect that "kid always in me".

Boxing legend Mike Tyson is set to return to the ring for an exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr on Saturday with the 54-year-old saying that he has learned to protect that "kid always in me". The former world heavyweight champion is scheduled to fight for the first time in 15 years when he takes on four-division world champion Roy Jones Jr at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. “Iron Mike”, while speaking to boxing promoter Eddie Hearn on his BBC podcast "No Passion, No Point", said he did not want to think about where he would be without boxing. The American, who was jailed in 1992 for rape, also paid a heartfelt tribute to his late trainer for giving him morale guidance. ALSO READ: FIFA announces nominations for Puskas award - Watch all the goals "That kid is always in me," he said. "Now I know how to treat him, how to protect him. I wasn't protecting him when I was going to jail and all this crazy stuff. "The best thing that can happen to any young man or woman is to have a diligent role model that cares about them. "The feelings have to be mutual. Your objective has to be to make them happy -- to be the man they need you to be. "Just think where I would be without boxing. I don't even want to think about where I would be without this beautiful sport." ALSO READ: Scam or immunity booster? Djokovic's presence boost Bosnian 'energy pyramids' Tyson dominated the heavyweight division from 1986 to 1990 but conceded that becoming youngest-ever world champion, at 20, came too early for him. He battled drugs and lost the fortune he made in the ring apart from his prison term. "The best time of my life was probably right before I won the title," said Tyson. "When I won the title it got tricky. It wasn't the right time for me. "I had too many emotional vampires around me." However, both Tyson and Jones Jr have rejected criticism with many calling the bout, which will be staged over eight two-minute rounds, as “circus act”. Tyson said he would have no resemblance to the boxer who was beaten by Kevin McBride in his last fight in 2005. Jones’ last fight came in 2018 with a unanimous decision against Scott Sigmon. Tyson predicted a full-blooded contest. "I think Roy can handle getting slapped around a little bit," he said. "It's going to be really hot in that kitchen." Tyson has dabbled in films since he retired from the ring and says he is in a good place now. "I'm living responsibly, being present," he said. "That's what it's about for me now."

Mike Tyson gears up for Roy Jones Jr bout, says 'kid' is under control

The International Cricket Council has started an investigation in an alleged attempt to fix matches of the Lanka&nbsp;Premier League (LPL) 2020, scheduled to start on Thursday.

According to reports, the complaint alleges a former national cricketer of approaching a Lanka&nbsp;Premier League player and is currently being investigated by the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU).&nbsp;

"The former national player who allegedly made the approach is currently overseas," Lankadeepa newspaper said, adding that he had once been accused, but later cleared, of match-fixing charges by the ICC.

The ICC said it would not discuss any ongoing investigation whereas the Sri Lanka board’s anti-corruption unit also declined to comment.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-awards-of-the-decade-announced-check-voting-rules-nominations-345292" hreflang="en">ICC Awards of The Decade announced - Check voting rules, nominations</a>

The inaugural edition of LPL commences on Thursday, behind closed doors, and is under close scrutiny of the ICC anti-corruption officials, the national board and the sports ministry.&nbsp;

Last week, former Sri Lankan pacer and fast bowling coach Nuwan Zoyza said he would appeal the verdict of ICC-appointed tribunal which found him guilty of three offences relating to match-fixing after a two-year investigation.

In 2018, Sri Lanka introduced a law against corruption in sports after then-sports minister Harin Fernando declared that ICC considers Sri Lanka as the world’s most corrupt cricket nation.

Since then, the Sri Lankan board and ICC have conducted anti-corruption programmes for players and officials while setting up a 24-hour hotline to report any "suspicious or corrupt activity."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-returned-to-india-from-uae-as-father-contracted-covid-19-report-345271" hreflang="en">Rohit Sharma returned to India from UAE as father contracted Covid-19: Report</a>

The LPL 2020 will be Sri Lanka’s first cricket tournament since England pulled out of the two-match Test series in March as the COVID-19 pandemic spread.

The start was delayed three times because of coronavirus restrictions imposed by authorities to contain the virus which has claimed 94 lives and infected nearly 21,000 people.

(With AFP inputs) 
&nbsp;

The International Cricket Council has started an investigation in an alleged attempt to fix matches of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2020, scheduled to start on Thursday.

The International Cricket Council has started an investigation in an alleged attempt to fix matches of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2020, scheduled to start on Thursday. According to reports, the complaint alleges a former national cricketer of approaching a Lanka Premier League player and is currently being investigated by the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU). "The former national player who allegedly made the approach is currently overseas," Lankadeepa newspaper said, adding that he had once been accused, but later cleared, of match-fixing charges by the ICC. The ICC said it would not discuss any ongoing investigation whereas the Sri Lanka board’s anti-corruption unit also declined to comment. ALSO READ: ICC Awards of The Decade announced - Check voting rules, nominations The inaugural edition of LPL commences on Thursday, behind closed doors, and is under close scrutiny of the ICC anti-corruption officials, the national board and the sports ministry. Last week, former Sri Lankan pacer and fast bowling coach Nuwan Zoyza said he would appeal the verdict of ICC-appointed tribunal which found him guilty of three offences relating to match-fixing after a two-year investigation. In 2018, Sri Lanka introduced a law against corruption in sports after then-sports minister Harin Fernando declared that ICC considers Sri Lanka as the world’s most corrupt cricket nation. Since then, the Sri Lankan board and ICC have conducted anti-corruption programmes for players and officials while setting up a 24-hour hotline to report any "suspicious or corrupt activity." ALSO READ: Rohit Sharma returned to India from UAE as father contracted Covid-19: Report The LPL 2020 will be Sri Lanka’s first cricket tournament since England pulled out of the two-match Test series in March as the COVID-19 pandemic spread. The start was delayed three times because of coronavirus restrictions imposed by authorities to contain the virus which has claimed 94 lives and infected nearly 21,000 people. (With AFP inputs)

Lanka Premier League 2020 probed by ICC over alleged match-fixing

Australia head coach Justin Langer on Wednesday hinted that opener Joe Burns is set to continue as David Warner’s partner in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series against India despite calls from former Aussie cricketers and pundits for Will Pucovski to replace him.

Pucovski was named in the Test squad after consecutive double centuries in Sheffield Shield to start the season. Whereas Burns, who has re-established himself as Warner’s opening partner, struggled.

Langer while praising Pucovski said that he might need to bide his time during the Australian summer.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-kl-rahul-opens-up-about-his-batting-position-leadership-role-in-indian-team-345310" hreflang="en">IND vs AUS: KL Rahul opens up about his batting position, leadership role in Indian team</a>

<h2>Will Pucovski ready to play test cricket: Justin Langer</h2>

“We think very, very highly of Will,” Langer told reporters on a conference call on Wednesday.

“When the opportunity comes, he’s ready to play test cricket. The opportunity hopefully will come for him at some point, whether it’s this series or a series to come.”

Langer added that Pucovski could come into the playing XI in the middle order – a similar path taken by former skipper Ricky Ponting.&nbsp;

“For Will, it’s about where the opportunities come,” Langer added. “For the last 30 years it’s been drummed into me if you can bat top three in Shield cricket, you can bat anywhere.

“Someone like Will, who’s opening the batting for Victoria and has batted three, it gives him the flexibility to bat anywhere.”

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-awards-of-the-decade-announced-check-voting-rules-nominations-345292" hreflang="en">ICC Awards of The Decade announced - Check voting rules, nominations</a>

Langer further said that Steve Smith will be back in the team for their limited-overs series against India after missing the ODI series in England due to concussion.&nbsp;

Smith’s return is giving headaches to selectors, who are keen to go with a seam-bowling all-rounder even though Mitchell Marsh’s ankle injury has opened up a spot for a batsman.

“In England, we had Mitch Marsh, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell able to get us at least 10 overs,” Langer said. 
“So we like that combination, the extra all-rounder.

“Obviously Steve will come straight back in and there are some headaches but they’re good headaches.” 
&nbsp;

Australia head coach Justin Langer on Wednesday hinted that opener Joe Burns is set to continue as David Warner’s partner in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series against India despite calls from former Aussie cricketers and pundits for Will Pucovski to replace him.

Australia head coach Justin Langer on Wednesday hinted that opener Joe Burns is set to continue as David Warner’s partner in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series against India despite calls from former Aussie cricketers and pundits for Will Pucovski to replace him. Pucovski was named in the Test squad after consecutive double centuries in Sheffield Shield to start the season. Whereas Burns, who has re-established himself as Warner’s opening partner, struggled. Langer while praising Pucovski said that he might need to bide his time during the Australian summer. ALSO READ: IND vs AUS: KL Rahul opens up about his batting position, leadership role in Indian team Will Pucovski ready to play test cricket: Justin Langer “We think very, very highly of Will,” Langer told reporters on a conference call on Wednesday. “When the opportunity comes, he’s ready to play test cricket. The opportunity hopefully will come for him at some point, whether it’s this series or a series to come.” Langer added that Pucovski could come into the playing XI in the middle order – a similar path taken by former skipper Ricky Ponting. “For Will, it’s about where the opportunities come,” Langer added. “For the last 30 years it’s been drummed into me if you can bat top three in Shield cricket, you can bat anywhere. “Someone like Will, who’s opening the batting for Victoria and has batted three, it gives him the flexibility to bat anywhere.” ALSO READ: ICC Awards of The Decade announced - Check voting rules, nominations Langer further said that Steve Smith will be back in the team for their limited-overs series against India after missing the ODI series in England due to concussion. Smith’s return is giving headaches to selectors, who are keen to go with a seam-bowling all-rounder even though Mitchell Marsh’s ankle injury has opened up a spot for a batsman. “In England, we had Mitch Marsh, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell able to get us at least 10 overs,” Langer said. “So we like that combination, the extra all-rounder. “Obviously Steve will come straight back in and there are some headaches but they’re good headaches.”

Australia rate Will Pucovski highly but he may need to bide his time: Justin Langer

England opener Jason Roy, ahead of the South Africa series, has said that no one is assured of a place in the team given the quality of players in the limited-overs squad while adding there is pressure on everybody to perform.&nbsp;

England is set to take on South Africa in three T20Is and as many ODIs. This will be South Africa’s first international assignment since March.

Ahead of the T20 World Cup in 2021 scheduled to be played in India in October and November, competition for places is fierce in the England squad.

“It’s a beautiful position to be in, to be spoilt for choice,” Roy told reporters on Wednesday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-kl-rahul-opens-up-about-his-batting-position-leadership-role-in-indian-team-345310" hreflang="en">IND vs AUS: KL Rahul opens up about his batting position, leadership role in Indian team</a>

“I would 100 per cent be lying if you said you were not under pressure for your place.

“The amount of talent that is around us. There is not one person, everyone is getting pushed to their limits. No one can rest on their laurels, it’s one of those amazing squads.

“I have got to get myself physically fit, mentally fit and then I’ve got to score some runs. It’s as simple as that.”

South African-born Roy went through a torrid run of form in English summer, managing just 49 runs in six matches – against Ireland and Australia – after lighting up the 50-over World Cup which England won. He is now set to face two in-form bowlers in Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, that too in their home conditions.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-awards-of-the-decade-announced-check-voting-rules-nominations-345292" hreflang="en">ICC Awards of The Decade announced - Check voting rules, nominations</a>

“You just know you need to switch on or you’ll leave with a few broken bones. You’ve got to make sure your training is on point and ready to face a bit of fire,” Roy said.

“It was a tough summer. Injury plus a new environment that is completely alien to me and who I am as a person. Mentally it was very tough.”

England opener Jason Roy, ahead of the South Africa series, has said that no one is assured of a place in the team given the quality of players in the limited-overs squad while adding there is pressure on everybody to perform.

England opener Jason Roy, ahead of the South Africa series, has said that no one is assured of a place in the team given the quality of players in the limited-overs squad while adding there is pressure on everybody to perform. England is set to take on South Africa in three T20Is and as many ODIs. This will be South Africa’s first international assignment since March. Ahead of the T20 World Cup in 2021 scheduled to be played in India in October and November, competition for places is fierce in the England squad. “It’s a beautiful position to be in, to be spoilt for choice,” Roy told reporters on Wednesday. ALSO READ: IND vs AUS: KL Rahul opens up about his batting position, leadership role in Indian team “I would 100 per cent be lying if you said you were not under pressure for your place. “The amount of talent that is around us. There is not one person, everyone is getting pushed to their limits. No one can rest on their laurels, it’s one of those amazing squads. “I have got to get myself physically fit, mentally fit and then I’ve got to score some runs. It’s as simple as that.” South African-born Roy went through a torrid run of form in English summer, managing just 49 runs in six matches – against Ireland and Australia – after lighting up the 50-over World Cup which England won. He is now set to face two in-form bowlers in Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, that too in their home conditions. ALSO READ: ICC Awards of The Decade announced - Check voting rules, nominations “You just know you need to switch on or you’ll leave with a few broken bones. You’ve got to make sure your training is on point and ready to face a bit of fire,” Roy said. “It was a tough summer. Injury plus a new environment that is completely alien to me and who I am as a person. Mentally it was very tough.”

SA vs ENG: Jason Roy concedes fierce battle for places in England's limited-overs squad

The ICC Awards of The Decade will recognise the best players across cricket over the past 10 years, and the for the first time the fans’ voice will be heard in selecting the winners across categories including the Sir Garfield Sobers and Rachael Heyhoe Flint Awards, which celebrate the best overall player from the men’s and women’s game over the past decade. The fan vote will make up 10% of the voting, while votes from an expert panel will make up the remaining 90%.

Fans will provide 100% of the vote for the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade, from a list of the past winners since 2011.

The voting opens at 13:00 hours GST on Wednesday 25th November and closes at 22:30 hours GST on Wednesday 16th December. Fans can register on <a data-auth="NotApplicable" data-ogsc="" href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/awards" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">icc-cricket.com/awards</a>&nbsp;and vote for those shortlisted by an Awards Nominations Committee, based on performances during the period 1st January 2011 to 7th October 2020.

The top prize for voters is a once in a lifetime experience at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 in India, including flights, accommodation, and pitch-side access to a Super 12s match. Other prizes include 45 pairs of match tickets, 15 Oppo Reno 4pro mobile phones and 50 $50 vouchers redeemable at the official T20 World Cup merchandise shop at the tournament.

The nominees for each of the categories have been determined by the Awards Nominations Committee according to on-field performances and overall achievements for at least five years during the period.

Award winners will be announced next month and will culminate in a special ICC Awards of the Decade digital show, to be broadcast on the ICC digital channels and will take into account the fans’ votes as well as those by a global panel of journalists and broadcasters.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-in-hunt-for-icc-player-of-the-decade-award-check-full-nominations-list-345122" hreflang="en">Virat Kohli in hunt for ICC Player of the Decade Award - Check full nominations list</a>

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🚨 The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ICCAwards?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ICCAwards</a> are back 🚨 
 
And this time, we need YOUR help to decide! 
 
Which cricketers have impressed you in the last decade? 🏏 
 
Vote now and you could win! 
 
✈️ Flights 
📱 Phones 
🎟️ Tickets 
🏏 Merchandise 
 
Make your vote count ⬇️
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🔟 years 
🏏 3711 games 
⭐ Countless memories 
 
The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ICCAwards?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ICCAwards</a> are back, this time with an entire DECADE in focus 🤩 
 
We'll be giving away some incredible fan prizes too, so keep your eyes peeled 👀 <a href="https://t.co/7B1UyU6eQa">pic.twitter.com/7B1UyU6eQa</a>
— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1331259439349985281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The complete list of nominees for the ICC Awards of the Decade are as follows:

Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade&nbsp;– The best overall performer in men’s international cricket (Tests, ODIs and T20Is) during the performance period:

<ul>
	<li>R Ashwin (India)</li>
	<li>Virat Kohli (India)</li>
	<li>Joe Root (England)</li>
	<li>Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)</li>
	<li>Steve Smith (Australia)</li>
	<li>AB de Villiers (South Africa)</li>
	<li>Kane Williamson (New Zealand)</li>
</ul>

 
Rachael Heyhoe Flint Award for ICC Female Cricketer of the Decade&nbsp;– The best overall performer in women’s international cricket (Tests, ODIs and T20Is) during the performance period:

<ul>
	<li>Suzie Bates (New Zealand)</li>
	<li>Meg Lanning (Australia)</li>
	<li>Ellyse Perry (Australia)</li>
	<li>Mithali Raj (India)</li>
	<li>Sarah Taylor (England)</li>
	<li>Stafanie Taylor (West Indies)</li>
</ul>

 
ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Decade&nbsp;– The best overall performer in men’s Test cricket during the performance period:

<ul>
	<li>James Anderson (England)</li>
	<li>Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka)</li>
	<li>Virat Kohli (India)</li>
	<li>Joe Root (England)</li>
	<li>Yasir Shah (Pakistan)</li>
	<li>Steve Smith (Australia)</li>
	<li>Kane Williamson (New Zealand)</li>
</ul>

 
ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Decade&nbsp;– The best overall performer in men’s ODI cricket during the performance period:

<ul>
	<li>MS Dhoni (India)</li>
	<li>Virat Kohli (India)</li>
	<li>Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka)</li>
	<li>Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)</li>
	<li>Rohit Sharma (India)</li>
	<li>Mitchell Starc (Australia)</li>
	<li>AB de Villiers (South Africa)</li>
</ul>

 
ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Decade&nbsp;– The best overall performer in women’s ODI cricket during the performance period:

<ul>
	<li>Suzie Bates (New Zealand)</li>
	<li>Jhulan Goswami (India)</li>
	<li>Meg Lanning (Australia)</li>
	<li>Ellyse Perry (Australia)</li>
	<li>Mithali Raj (India)</li>
	<li>Stafanie Taylor (West Indies)</li>
</ul>

 
ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade&nbsp;– The best overall performer in men’s T20I cricket during the performance period:

<ul>
	<li>Aaron Finch (Australia)</li>
	<li>Chris Gayle (West Indies)</li>
	<li>Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)</li>
	<li>Virat Kohli (India)</li>
	<li>Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka)</li>
	<li>Rohit Sharma (India)</li>
	<li>Imran Tahir (South Africa)</li>
</ul>

 
ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade&nbsp;– The best overall performer in women’s T20I cricket during the performance period:

<ul>
	<li>Sophie Devine (New Zealand)</li>
	<li>Deandra Dottin (West Indies)</li>
	<li>Alyssa Healy (Australia)</li>
	<li>Meg Lanning (Australia)</li>
	<li>Ellyse Perry (Australia)</li>
	<li>Anya Shrubsole (England)</li>
</ul>

 
ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Decade&nbsp;– The best overall performer in men’s Associate cricket during the performance period:

<ul>
	<li>Richie Berrington (Scotland)</li>
	<li>Peter Borren (Netherlands)</li>
	<li>Kyle Coetzer (Scotland)</li>
	<li>Paras Khadka (Nepal)</li>
	<li>Calum MacLeod (Scotland)</li>
	<li>Assad Vala (PNG)</li>
</ul>

 
ICC Women’s Associate Cricketer of the Decade&nbsp;– The best overall performer in women’s Associate cricket during the performance period:

<ul>
	<li>Kathryn Bryce (Scotland)</li>
	<li>Sarah Bryce (Scotland)</li>
	<li>Natthakan Chantham (Thailand)</li>
	<li>Sterre Kalis (Netherlands)</li>
	<li>Chanida Sutthiruang (Thailand)</li>
	<li>Sornnorin Tippoch (Thailand)</li>
</ul>

 
ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade&nbsp;– An action, moment, gesture, or decision on the field of play in international cricket during the performance period which best reflects the Spirit of Cricket:

<ul>
	<li>2011 Winner – MS Dhoni (India)</li>
	<li>2012 Winner – Daniel Vettori (New Zealand)</li>
	<li>2013 Winner – Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka)</li>
	<li>2014 Winner – Katherine Brunt (England)</li>
	<li>2015 Winner – Brendon McCullum (New Zealand)</li>
	<li>2016 Winner – Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan)</li>
	<li>2017 Winner – Anya Shrubsole (England)</li>
	<li>2018 Winner – Kane Williamson (New Zealand)</li>
	<li>2019 Winner – Virat Kohli (India)</li>
</ul>

 
To further enhance engagement,&nbsp;Teams of the Decade (TOTD)&nbsp;will be compiled by the Voting Academy of journalists and broadcasters for the following five formats:

<ul>
	<li>ICC Men’s Test TOTD</li>
	<li>ICC Men’s ODI TOTD</li>
	<li>ICC Women’s ODI TOTD</li>
	<li>ICC Men’s T20I TOTD</li>
	<li>ICC Women’s T20I TOTD</li>
</ul>

Members of the Awards Nominations Committee conceded that it was tough shortlisting the candidates for the awards.

Former West Indies player and commentator Ian Bishop: “It is extremely challenging to shortlist any group of excellent players over an extended period. In making these choices we have tried to put context to performances, even as the different formats have evolved in pace and style in a 10-year period.

“Some of your&nbsp;favourite names may have missed out, but not gone without recognition. We hope that this is seen as an opportunity to discuss, celebrate and rejoice in the many great players who have entertained us on the field in the last decade.”

Indian sports journalist Sharda Ugra: “A&nbsp;shortlist of players for an award as monumental as representing ‘a whole decade’ is both a complete delight and an utter nightmare. First, it brings back all the great memories the game gave us in that massive slice of time. That is smiles-on-faces time.

“The job of then pruning this from a vast cast of great characters down to a few names to work with requires much teeth-gritting. Sentimental favourites must be put through the sieve of significance of achievement, performance across ten years, quality of opposition and on we go, slicing and dicing.

“At the end of it, all you can do is be grateful to the game for giving you so much to love.”

The ICC Awards of The Decade will recognise the best players across cricket over the past 10 years, and the for the first time the fans’ voice will be heard in selecting the winners across categories including the Sir Garfield Sobers and Rachael Heyhoe Flint Awards, which celebrate the best overall player from the men’s and women’s game over the past decade.

The ICC Awards of The Decade will recognise the best players across cricket over the past 10 years, and the for the first time the fans’ voice will be heard in selecting the winners across categories including the Sir Garfield Sobers and Rachael Heyhoe Flint Awards, which celebrate the best overall player from the men’s and women’s game over the past decade. The fan vote will make up 10% of the voting, while votes from an expert panel will make up the remaining 90%. Fans will provide 100% of the vote for the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade, from a list of the past winners since 2011. The voting opens at 13:00 hours GST on Wednesday 25th November and closes at 22:30 hours GST on Wednesday 16th December. Fans can register on icc-cricket.com/awards and vote for those shortlisted by an Awards Nominations Committee, based on performances during the period 1st January 2011 to 7th October 2020. The top prize for voters is a once in a lifetime experience at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 in India, including flights, accommodation, and pitch-side access to a Super 12s match. Other prizes include 45 pairs of match tickets, 15 Oppo Reno 4pro mobile phones and 50 $50 vouchers redeemable at the official T20 World Cup merchandise shop at the tournament. The nominees for each of the categories have been determined by the Awards Nominations Committee according to on-field performances and overall achievements for at least five years during the period. Award winners will be announced next month and will culminate in a special ICC Awards of the Decade digital show, to be broadcast on the ICC digital channels and will take into account the fans’ votes as well as those by a global panel of journalists and broadcasters. ALSO READ: Virat Kohli in hunt for ICC Player of the Decade Award - Check full nominations list 🚨 The #ICCAwards are back 🚨 And this time, we need YOUR help to decide! Which cricketers have impressed you in the last decade? 🏏 Vote now and you could win! ✈️ Flights 📱 Phones 🎟️ Tickets 🏏 Merchandise Make your vote count ⬇️ — ICC (@ICC) November 25, 2020 × 🔟 years 🏏 3711 games ⭐ Countless memories The #ICCAwards are back, this time with an entire DECADE in focus 🤩 We'll be giving away some incredible fan prizes too, so keep your eyes peeled 👀 pic.twitter.com/7B1UyU6eQa — ICC (@ICC) November 24, 2020 × The complete list of nominees for the ICC Awards of the Decade are as follows: Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade – The best overall performer in men’s international cricket (Tests, ODIs and T20Is) during the performance period: R Ashwin (India) Virat Kohli (India) Joe Root (England) Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) Steve Smith (Australia) AB de Villiers (South Africa) Kane Williamson (New Zealand) Rachael Heyhoe Flint Award for ICC Female Cricketer of the Decade – The best overall performer in women’s international cricket (Tests, ODIs and T20Is) during the performance period: Suzie Bates (New Zealand) Meg Lanning (Australia) Ellyse Perry (Australia) Mithali Raj (India) Sarah Taylor (England) Stafanie Taylor (West Indies) ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Decade – The best overall performer in men’s Test cricket during the performance period: James Anderson (England) Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka) Virat Kohli (India) Joe Root (England) Yasir Shah (Pakistan) Steve Smith (Australia) Kane Williamson (New Zealand) ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Decade – The best overall performer in men’s ODI cricket during the performance period: MS Dhoni (India) Virat Kohli (India) Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) Rohit Sharma (India) Mitchell Starc (Australia) AB de Villiers (South Africa) ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Decade – The best overall performer in women’s ODI cricket during the performance period: Suzie Bates (New Zealand) Jhulan Goswami (India) Meg Lanning (Australia) Ellyse Perry (Australia) Mithali Raj (India) Stafanie Taylor (West Indies) ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade – The best overall performer in men’s T20I cricket during the performance period: Aaron Finch (Australia) Chris Gayle (West Indies) Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) Virat Kohli (India) Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) Rohit Sharma (India) Imran Tahir (South Africa) ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade – The best overall performer in women’s T20I cricket during the performance period: Sophie Devine (New Zealand) Deandra Dottin (West Indies) Alyssa Healy (Australia) Meg Lanning (Australia) Ellyse Perry (Australia) Anya Shrubsole (England) ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Decade – The best overall performer in men’s Associate cricket during the performance period: Richie Berrington (Scotland) Peter Borren (Netherlands) Kyle Coetzer (Scotland) Paras Khadka (Nepal) Calum MacLeod (Scotland) Assad Vala (PNG) ICC Women’s Associate Cricketer of the Decade – The best overall performer in women’s Associate cricket during the performance period: Kathryn Bryce (Scotland) Sarah Bryce (Scotland) Natthakan Chantham (Thailand) Sterre Kalis (Netherlands) Chanida Sutthiruang (Thailand) Sornnorin Tippoch (Thailand) ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade – An action, moment, gesture, or decision on the field of play in international cricket during the performance period which best reflects the Spirit of Cricket: 2011 Winner – MS Dhoni (India) 2012 Winner – Daniel Vettori (New Zealand) 2013 Winner – Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) 2014 Winner – Katherine Brunt (England) 2015 Winner – Brendon McCullum (New Zealand) 2016 Winner – Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan) 2017 Winner – Anya Shrubsole (England) 2018 Winner – Kane Williamson (New Zealand) 2019 Winner – Virat Kohli (India) To further enhance engagement, Teams of the Decade (TOTD) will be compiled by the Voting Academy of journalists and broadcasters for the following five formats: ICC Men’s Test TOTD ICC Men’s ODI TOTD ICC Women’s ODI TOTD ICC Men’s T20I TOTD ICC Women’s T20I TOTD Members of the Awards Nominations Committee conceded that it was tough shortlisting the candidates for the awards. Former West Indies player and commentator Ian Bishop: “It is extremely challenging to shortlist any group of excellent players over an extended period. In making these choices we have tried to put context to performances, even as the different formats have evolved in pace and style in a 10-year period. “Some of your favourite names may have missed out, but not gone without recognition. We hope that this is seen as an opportunity to discuss, celebrate and rejoice in the many great players who have entertained us on the field in the last decade.” Indian sports journalist Sharda Ugra: “A shortlist of players for an award as monumental as representing ‘a whole decade’ is both a complete delight and an utter nightmare. First, it brings back all the great memories the game gave us in that massive slice of time. That is smiles-on-faces time. “The job of then pruning this from a vast cast of great characters down to a few names to work with requires much teeth-gritting. Sentimental favourites must be put through the sieve of significance of achievement, performance across ten years, quality of opposition and on we go, slicing and dicing. “At the end of it, all you can do is be grateful to the game for giving you so much to love.”

ICC Awards of The Decade announced - Check voting rules, nominations

A lot has been debated surrounding the fitness of Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma. The Indian opener suffered a hamstring tear during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 but went on to play the last three matches. However, he was not named in India’s squad for the Australia tour before getting recalled for the Test series. Now, there are reports that he is likely to miss the entire Test series, let alone the first two Tests against Australia – arguably the most important and heated Test series in international cricket.&nbsp;

Rohit is yet to fully recover from the hamstring injury, with which he played the last three matches of IPL 2020 to help Mumbai Indians lift a record fifth title. Rohit didn’t travel with the Indian squad to Australia and rather came back to India and is now rehabilitating and training in the UAE. However, as per a report in Sports Today, Rohit returned to India to see his father, who had contracted COVID-19.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/england-to-play-four-tests-in-india-ganguly-345245" hreflang="en">England to play four Tests in India: Ganguly</a>

“Rohit came to Mumbai with the Mumbai Indians because his father had Covid. That is the reality which is why he had to go back to Bombay. After that, if he did not want to play the red-ball series, there was no reason for him to travel to the NCA and he could have easily stayed back in Bombay with Ritika and family and enjoyed the fruits of success. So there’s absolutely no reason to say that Rohit did not want to play the red-ball series,” renowned sports journalist Boria Majumdar said in a video.

As per a report in PTI, quarantine rules in Australia would make it highly unlikely for Rohit as well as Ishant Sharma to feature in the Test series Down Under.&nbsp;

"Even if they travel now they will have 'hard quarantine' since they will travel by commercial flight. Hard quarantine means not being able to train during the 14 days like the whole team," the source said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-in-hunt-for-icc-player-of-the-decade-award-check-full-nominations-list-345122" hreflang="en">Virat Kohli in hunt for ICC Player of the Decade Award - Check full nominations list</a>

"So, now if only Cricket Australia can convince the government and allow them to train during quarantine," he added.

Rohit was not named in the ODI and T20I series against Australia to recover from the hamstring injury.

But it would be interesting to see whether Cricket Australia (CA) can manage to convince Australian government to relax the quarantine rule for Rohit and Ishan to help them feature in the second half of the four-match Test series. 
&nbsp;

A lot has been debated surrounding the fitness of Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma. The Indian opener suffered a hamstring tear during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 but went on to play the last three matches.

A lot has been debated surrounding the fitness of Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma. The Indian opener suffered a hamstring tear during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 but went on to play the last three matches. However, he was not named in India’s squad for the Australia tour before getting recalled for the Test series. Now, there are reports that he is likely to miss the entire Test series, let alone the first two Tests against Australia – arguably the most important and heated Test series in international cricket. Rohit is yet to fully recover from the hamstring injury, with which he played the last three matches of IPL 2020 to help Mumbai Indians lift a record fifth title. Rohit didn’t travel with the Indian squad to Australia and rather came back to India and is now rehabilitating and training in the UAE. However, as per a report in Sports Today, Rohit returned to India to see his father, who had contracted COVID-19. ALSO READ: England to play four Tests in India: Ganguly “Rohit came to Mumbai with the Mumbai Indians because his father had Covid. That is the reality which is why he had to go back to Bombay. After that, if he did not want to play the red-ball series, there was no reason for him to travel to the NCA and he could have easily stayed back in Bombay with Ritika and family and enjoyed the fruits of success. So there’s absolutely no reason to say that Rohit did not want to play the red-ball series,” renowned sports journalist Boria Majumdar said in a video. As per a report in PTI, quarantine rules in Australia would make it highly unlikely for Rohit as well as Ishant Sharma to feature in the Test series Down Under. "Even if they travel now they will have 'hard quarantine' since they will travel by commercial flight. Hard quarantine means not being able to train during the 14 days like the whole team," the source said. ALSO READ: Virat Kohli in hunt for ICC Player of the Decade Award - Check full nominations list "So, now if only Cricket Australia can convince the government and allow them to train during quarantine," he added. Rohit was not named in the ODI and T20I series against Australia to recover from the hamstring injury. But it would be interesting to see whether Cricket Australia (CA) can manage to convince Australian government to relax the quarantine rule for Rohit and Ishan to help them feature in the second half of the four-match Test series.

Rohit Sharma returned to India from UAE as father contracted Covid-19: Report

Tree-covered slopes and pointed summit in a mountain sound as an ordinary hillside. But the mountain just around the Bosnian town of Visoko has found visitors, rising yearly, including highly popular stars like Novak Djokovic, the world number one tennis player.&nbsp;

A major chunk of people believes that the hill is an ancient man-made pyramid with magical healing powers. Djokovic, known for his new-age spiritual interests, has completed two trips this year. His verdict? “Paradise on earth”.

The mountain is home to a controversial park, the work of Semir Osmanagic, a 60-year-old self-styled explorer, who discovered the area in 2005 – just outside of Sarajevo.&nbsp;

"I saw this hill covered with fir trees and vegetation, its slopes perfectly oriented towards the cardinal points," Osmanagic, wearing a leather jacket and Indiana Jones-style hat, told AFP on a recent weekend while leading a tour group through the site.&nbsp;

<img alt="Djokovic" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2cf775e0-d95e-46aa-afb1-123e71596aac" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_8VT3XV.jpg" />

"It was obvious to me that it was not a natural hill but the construction" of a "technologically superior civilisation", he said, insisting it is the "largest and oldest pyramid ever built".

However, archaeologists have disputed the theory while terming it as pseudo-science. They said the hill is a geological structure.

In 2006, European archaeologists wrote a letter to the Bosnian authorities as they denounced the “support” given to a "cruel hoax on an unsuspecting public" that "has no place in the world of genuine science".

Despite all this, Osmanagic, previously a US-based businessman, carried out "archaeological excavations" on the hill while bringing hundreds of volunteers from abroad.

<img alt="Djokovic" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cd16487e-bdd2-4a1c-a075-a4a5a38a28a8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_8VT3XT.jpg" />

Osmanagic bought a piece of surrounding land, which he says has a network of tunnels that emit special “energy force” and years later, open the park through his "Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun" foundation.

And now, the park is buzzing with visitors, including high-profile stars. The numbers are just increasing following the last two trips from Djokovic.

In July and October, Djokovic urged “all athletes” to take advantage of the healthy “oxygen” levels after taking a pilgrimage to the park.&nbsp;

"I know there are many doubts and dilemmas about the authenticity (of the place)," he told AFP in October.

But "in order to fully understand what is going on here... you have to come".

<img alt="Djokovic" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7232cde5-3443-48ea-bc76-11691addf2f6" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_8VT3XW.jpg" />

As places are opening up after months of lockdown due to pandemic, weekend crowds are back at the pack.

"The beginning of the season was catastrophic, but since Djokovic has been here, it's been a joy," says Nermin Alihodzic, 47, who sells tourists colourful mini-pyramids and pieces of quartz.

Even though the government stopped backing the park over a decade ago, local authorities have helped finance the reconstruction of nearby facilities to encourage visitors.&nbsp;

A five euro ($5.94) entry fee for the whole park also includes access to the underground tunnel network which Osmanagic claims emit healing electromagnetic waves.&nbsp;

In his tour of the park, Osmanagic takes groups down to the chambers, urging them to hold their hands over a smooth rock and feel the "energy" rising.

Dzenana Halepovic, a 67-year-old visitor from Sarajevo, is a frequent visitor.&nbsp;

In the tunnels "I feel good, I breathe well, I feel light. I simply feel like I'm receiving energy there", she said.

<h2>- Immunity booster –</h2>

Enver Imamovic, a professor emeritus of archaeology, has dismissed the project as a pure scam.&nbsp;

The tunnels are likely "remnants of an ancient gold mine" while wedges of stones on the hillside, which believers consider to be the building blocks of the pyramid, are "nothing more than natural geological formations", he told AFP.&nbsp;

"Everything that is said about the pyramids is absolutely unacceptable".

<img alt="Djokovic" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3ec56a9f-ae8b-467a-9282-3583693271ad" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_8VT3XU.jpg" />

Osmanagic has also promoted the site as a place to “boost immunity” during the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

While he insists no cures are guaranteed, he cites other alleged miracles in which people have been healed of hypertension, diabetes or even cancer after a trip to the tunnels.

In a destitute country with a weak health system whose shortcomings have been exposed by the coronavirus crisis, many are drawn to the hope of alternative medicine.

Emina Kavaz, 53, says she is choosing the "pyramids" overtaking medicine for her asthma.

"I used to come every Saturday to go through the tunnels for between 40 and 60 minutes," she said.

(From AFP inputs) 
&nbsp;

Tree-covered slopes and pointed summit in a mountain sound as an ordinary hillside. But the mountain just around the Bosnian town of Visoko has found visitors, rising yearly, including highly popular stars like Novak Djokovic, the world number one tennis player.

Tree-covered slopes and pointed summit in a mountain sound as an ordinary hillside. But the mountain just around the Bosnian town of Visoko has found visitors, rising yearly, including highly popular stars like Novak Djokovic, the world number one tennis player. A major chunk of people believes that the hill is an ancient man-made pyramid with magical healing powers. Djokovic, known for his new-age spiritual interests, has completed two trips this year. His verdict? “Paradise on earth”. The mountain is home to a controversial park, the work of Semir Osmanagic, a 60-year-old self-styled explorer, who discovered the area in 2005 – just outside of Sarajevo. "I saw this hill covered with fir trees and vegetation, its slopes perfectly oriented towards the cardinal points," Osmanagic, wearing a leather jacket and Indiana Jones-style hat, told AFP on a recent weekend while leading a tour group through the site. "It was obvious to me that it was not a natural hill but the construction" of a "technologically superior civilisation", he said, insisting it is the "largest and oldest pyramid ever built". However, archaeologists have disputed the theory while terming it as pseudo-science. They said the hill is a geological structure. In 2006, European archaeologists wrote a letter to the Bosnian authorities as they denounced the “support” given to a "cruel hoax on an unsuspecting public" that "has no place in the world of genuine science". Despite all this, Osmanagic, previously a US-based businessman, carried out "archaeological excavations" on the hill while bringing hundreds of volunteers from abroad. Osmanagic bought a piece of surrounding land, which he says has a network of tunnels that emit special “energy force” and years later, open the park through his "Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun" foundation. And now, the park is buzzing with visitors, including high-profile stars. The numbers are just increasing following the last two trips from Djokovic. In July and October, Djokovic urged “all athletes” to take advantage of the healthy “oxygen” levels after taking a pilgrimage to the park. "I know there are many doubts and dilemmas about the authenticity (of the place)," he told AFP in October. But "in order to fully understand what is going on here... you have to come". As places are opening up after months of lockdown due to pandemic, weekend crowds are back at the pack. "The beginning of the season was catastrophic, but since Djokovic has been here, it's been a joy," says Nermin Alihodzic, 47, who sells tourists colourful mini-pyramids and pieces of quartz. Even though the government stopped backing the park over a decade ago, local authorities have helped finance the reconstruction of nearby facilities to encourage visitors. A five euro ($5.94) entry fee for the whole park also includes access to the underground tunnel network which Osmanagic claims emit healing electromagnetic waves. In his tour of the park, Osmanagic takes groups down to the chambers, urging them to hold their hands over a smooth rock and feel the "energy" rising. Dzenana Halepovic, a 67-year-old visitor from Sarajevo, is a frequent visitor. In the tunnels "I feel good, I breathe well, I feel light. I simply feel like I'm receiving energy there", she said. - Immunity booster – Enver Imamovic, a professor emeritus of archaeology, has dismissed the project as a pure scam. The tunnels are likely "remnants of an ancient gold mine" while wedges of stones on the hillside, which believers consider to be the building blocks of the pyramid, are "nothing more than natural geological formations", he told AFP. "Everything that is said about the pyramids is absolutely unacceptable". Osmanagic has also promoted the site as a place to “boost immunity” during the COVID-19 pandemic. While he insists no cures are guaranteed, he cites other alleged miracles in which people have been healed of hypertension, diabetes or even cancer after a trip to the tunnels. In a destitute country with a weak health system whose shortcomings have been exposed by the coronavirus crisis, many are drawn to the hope of alternative medicine. Emina Kavaz, 53, says she is choosing the "pyramids" overtaking medicine for her asthma. "I used to come every Saturday to go through the tunnels for between 40 and 60 minutes," she said. (From AFP inputs)

Scam or immunity booster? Djokovic's presence boost Bosnian 'energy pyramids'

Up to 4,000 spectators will be allowed to attend outdoor elite sports events in the lowest-risk tier one areas of England when a month-long national lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 is lifted on Dec. 2, the British government said on Monday.

As part of new COVID-19 restrictions, 2,000 fans or 50% of a stadium’s capacity - whichever is lower - can attend sporting events in tier two areas but none can do so in tier three areas, Britain’s Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said in a statement.

English Premier League matches have continued behind closed doors during the second lockdown announced on Nov. 1. Supporters have not been allowed into sporting venues since the first lockdown was announced in March, barring a few exceptions.

“I can confirm the national restrictions will end on Dec. 2 ... People can leave their home, subject to the rule of six,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement to the House of Commons.

“Wedding services, outdoor sports can resume. Leisure can resume. Sports will be able to resume inside in tier one and two with measures on social distancing.

“Enforcement will be strengthened with new powers to close down premises that pose a risk to public health.”

Members of Parliament are set to cast a vote on plans before they are confirmed and the government will announce on Thursday which areas will go into which tier.

<h2>GRASSROOTS SPORT</h2>

Indoor sport and physical activity will also resume but with some restrictions on activities due to the higher transmission risk of the novel coronavirus.

Gassroots sport will resume from Dec. 2 and gyms and leisure centres will be able to reopen across all tiers.

“This is a big step forward for sport. Bringing grassroots sport back was my number one priority,” Dowden said.

“I’m confident sports will take every step to ensure their fans are safe, and fans will play their part and look out for each other until we can safely get everyone back in.”

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“Our ambition remains to work with Government to increase attendance to more substantial levels. Until this can be done, many fans will be unable to attend games and our clubs will continue to operate matches at a financial loss.” it said.

“Our priority continues to be the agreement of a roadmap, with DCMS (Department for Digital, Culture, Media &amp; Sport) and the Sports Technology and Innovation Group, for pilot events that can help our clubs quickly scale up to larger capacities in line with the Sports Ground Safety Authority’s COVID-secure guidelines and beyond.

“Premier League clubs have a proven track record of achieving high-biosecurity standards and we believe we can play a significant role in the Government’s rapid turnaround testing initiative,” it added.

The Football League (EFL), which organises football in the Championship and lower two divisions, was also encouraged.

“Whilst today’s news is subject to regional restrictions, it is an important step in achieving a return to normal, alongside it being crucial to addressing the significant revenue gap left by a lack of spectators and other revenue streams as a result of the pandemic,” the league said.

Up to 4,000 spectators will be allowed to attend outdoor elite sports events in the lowest-risk tier one areas of England when a month-long national lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 is lifted on Dec.

Up to 4,000 spectators will be allowed to attend outdoor elite sports events in the lowest-risk tier one areas of England when a month-long national lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 is lifted on Dec. 2, the British government said on Monday. As part of new COVID-19 restrictions, 2,000 fans or 50% of a stadium’s capacity - whichever is lower - can attend sporting events in tier two areas but none can do so in tier three areas, Britain’s Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said in a statement. English Premier League matches have continued behind closed doors during the second lockdown announced on Nov. 1. Supporters have not been allowed into sporting venues since the first lockdown was announced in March, barring a few exceptions. “I can confirm the national restrictions will end on Dec. 2 ... People can leave their home, subject to the rule of six,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement to the House of Commons. “Wedding services, outdoor sports can resume. Leisure can resume. Sports will be able to resume inside in tier one and two with measures on social distancing. “Enforcement will be strengthened with new powers to close down premises that pose a risk to public health.” Members of Parliament are set to cast a vote on plans before they are confirmed and the government will announce on Thursday which areas will go into which tier. GRASSROOTS SPORT Indoor sport and physical activity will also resume but with some restrictions on activities due to the higher transmission risk of the novel coronavirus. Gassroots sport will resume from Dec. 2 and gyms and leisure centres will be able to reopen across all tiers. “This is a big step forward for sport. Bringing grassroots sport back was my number one priority,” Dowden said. “I’m confident sports will take every step to ensure their fans are safe, and fans will play their part and look out for each other until we can safely get everyone back in.” The Premier League welcomed the move but said it hoped to quickly move to bigger capacities. “Our ambition remains to work with Government to increase attendance to more substantial levels. Until this can be done, many fans will be unable to attend games and our clubs will continue to operate matches at a financial loss.” it said. “Our priority continues to be the agreement of a roadmap, with DCMS (Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport) and the Sports Technology and Innovation Group, for pilot events that can help our clubs quickly scale up to larger capacities in line with the Sports Ground Safety Authority’s COVID-secure guidelines and beyond. “Premier League clubs have a proven track record of achieving high-biosecurity standards and we believe we can play a significant role in the Government’s rapid turnaround testing initiative,” it added. The Football League (EFL), which organises football in the Championship and lower two divisions, was also encouraged. “Whilst today’s news is subject to regional restrictions, it is an important step in achieving a return to normal, alongside it being crucial to addressing the significant revenue gap left by a lack of spectators and other revenue streams as a result of the pandemic,” the league said.

England to allow 4,000 fans at elite events in lowest-risk areas

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