Saudi Arabia on Thursday said that it will host its first Formula One Grand Prix for the first time next year with the Red Sea city of Jeddah set to host a night race.&nbsp;

"Hosting this event is part of the 'Vision 2030' project, with the support of our leadership and especially His Highness the Crown Prince," Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki said, referring to the kingdom's transformation plan.

Saudi Arabia has been locked in for the 2021 season as part of the record 23-race F1 programme as the motorsport seeks to bounce back stronger after a shorter 2020 season that has been hampered due to COVID-19 pandemic.

"We hope to overcome this pandemic and that people will be able to attend, but things aren't clear yet in this regard," Prince Abdulaziz told a press conference.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lewis-hamilton-wins-in-imola-as-mercedes-claim-record-7th-straight-constructors-title-339464" hreflang="en">Lewis Hamilton wins in Imola as Mercedes claim record 7th straight constructors' title</a>

Formula One has been under the spotlight over staging a race in Bahrain and the addition of Saudi Arabia might escalate scrutiny from human rights watchers.

Saudi Arabia, along with rival Qatar, is also competing to host the 2030 Asian Games.&nbsp;

Under de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s “Vision 2030” master plan, Saudi Arabia is aiming to clean up their image of rights abuses and export of hardline technology.

Critics say that in a country where two-thirds of the population is under 30, the sporting drive is aimed at blunting public frustration over economic downturn and soaring youth unemployment.

"Saudi Arabia has worked hard at 'sportswashing' its reputation -- trying to use the glamour of sport as a public relations tool to improve its international image," Amnesty International said earlier this year.

(With inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia on Thursday said that it will host its first Formula One Grand Prix for the first time next year with the Red Sea city of Jeddah set to host a night race.

Saudi Arabia on Thursday said that it will host its first Formula One Grand Prix for the first time next year with the Red Sea city of Jeddah set to host a night race. "Hosting this event is part of the 'Vision 2030' project, with the support of our leadership and especially His Highness the Crown Prince," Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki said, referring to the kingdom's transformation plan. Saudi Arabia has been locked in for the 2021 season as part of the record 23-race F1 programme as the motorsport seeks to bounce back stronger after a shorter 2020 season that has been hampered due to COVID-19 pandemic. "We hope to overcome this pandemic and that people will be able to attend, but things aren't clear yet in this regard," Prince Abdulaziz told a press conference. ALSO READ: Lewis Hamilton wins in Imola as Mercedes claim record 7th straight constructors' title Formula One has been under the spotlight over staging a race in Bahrain and the addition of Saudi Arabia might escalate scrutiny from human rights watchers. Saudi Arabia, along with rival Qatar, is also competing to host the 2030 Asian Games. Under de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s “Vision 2030” master plan, Saudi Arabia is aiming to clean up their image of rights abuses and export of hardline technology. Critics say that in a country where two-thirds of the population is under 30, the sporting drive is aimed at blunting public frustration over economic downturn and soaring youth unemployment. "Saudi Arabia has worked hard at 'sportswashing' its reputation -- trying to use the glamour of sport as a public relations tool to improve its international image," Amnesty International said earlier this year. (With inputs from AFP)

Saudi Arabia set to host F1 GP for first time in 2021

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo was on Thursday named in the Portugal squad to play a friendly against Andorra and Nations League games against France and Croatia. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner had tested positive for COVID-19 on October 13 and went on to miss Portugal’s match against Sweden.

The 35-year-old took 19 days to test negative for the dreaded virus as he returned to the pitch with a brace for Juventus against Spezia in Serie A on Sunday. He also featured in Juventus’ 4-1 win over Ferencvaros in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.

Reigning European champions Portugal take on Andorra on Wednesday before Nations League A3 matches at home against France on November 15 and away match against Croatia three days after.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ole-out-manchester-united-approach-mauricio-pochettino-about-becoming-next-manager-340890" hreflang="en">Ole out? Manchester United approach Mauricio Pochettino about becoming next manager</a>

However, the 37-year-old central defender Pepe is out with a foot injury.&nbsp;

"He's an example for the younger ones at training, with his attitude," Santos said of Pepe, who has just signed a contract extension until 2023 with Porto.

"It's a shame he's not there because normally he's a shoo-in starter."

Wolves winger Pedro Neto and Sporting Braga forward Paulinho also earned maiden call-ups.&nbsp;

Portugal are joint leaders with France of group A3, each on 10 points.

"The goal will be to once again qualify for the Nations League final four and defend the trophy we won last year," said Santos.

A secondary objective was to "also have a look at some players who have the quality to represent this team", the coach added.

<h2>Portugal squad</h2>

Goalkeepers (3): Anthony Lopes (Lyon/FRA), Rui Patricio (Wolverhampton/ENG), Rui Silva (Grenada/ESP)

Defenders (8): Joao Cancelo (Manchester City/ENG), Nelson Semedo (Wolverhampton/ENG), Jose Fonte (Lille/FRA), Ruben Dias (Manchester City/ENG), Ruben Semedo (Olympiakos/GRE), Mario Rui (Napoli/ITA), Raphael Guerreiro (Dortmund/GER), Domingos Duarte (Grenada/ESP)

Midfielders (7): Danilo Pereira (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Ruben Neves (Wolverhampton/ENG), William Carvalho (Real Betis/ESP), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United/ENG), Renato Sanches (Lille/FRA), Joao Moutinho (Wolverhampton/ENG), Sergio Oliveira(Porto)

Forwards (7): Bernardo Silva (Manchester City/ENG), Diogo Jota (Liverpool/ENG), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus/ITA), Francisco Trincao (Barcelona/ESP), Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Pedro Neto (Wolverhampton/ENG), Paulinho (SC Braga)

(With inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp;

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo was on Thursday named in the Portugal squad to play a friendly against Andorra and Nations League games against France and Croatia.

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo was on Thursday named in the Portugal squad to play a friendly against Andorra and Nations League games against France and Croatia. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner had tested positive for COVID-19 on October 13 and went on to miss Portugal’s match against Sweden. The 35-year-old took 19 days to test negative for the dreaded virus as he returned to the pitch with a brace for Juventus against Spezia in Serie A on Sunday. He also featured in Juventus’ 4-1 win over Ferencvaros in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. Reigning European champions Portugal take on Andorra on Wednesday before Nations League A3 matches at home against France on November 15 and away match against Croatia three days after. ALSO READ: Ole out? Manchester United approach Mauricio Pochettino about becoming next manager However, the 37-year-old central defender Pepe is out with a foot injury. "He's an example for the younger ones at training, with his attitude," Santos said of Pepe, who has just signed a contract extension until 2023 with Porto. "It's a shame he's not there because normally he's a shoo-in starter." Wolves winger Pedro Neto and Sporting Braga forward Paulinho also earned maiden call-ups. Portugal are joint leaders with France of group A3, each on 10 points. "The goal will be to once again qualify for the Nations League final four and defend the trophy we won last year," said Santos. A secondary objective was to "also have a look at some players who have the quality to represent this team", the coach added. Portugal squad Goalkeepers (3): Anthony Lopes (Lyon/FRA), Rui Patricio (Wolverhampton/ENG), Rui Silva (Grenada/ESP) Defenders (8): Joao Cancelo (Manchester City/ENG), Nelson Semedo (Wolverhampton/ENG), Jose Fonte (Lille/FRA), Ruben Dias (Manchester City/ENG), Ruben Semedo (Olympiakos/GRE), Mario Rui (Napoli/ITA), Raphael Guerreiro (Dortmund/GER), Domingos Duarte (Grenada/ESP) Midfielders (7): Danilo Pereira (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Ruben Neves (Wolverhampton/ENG), William Carvalho (Real Betis/ESP), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United/ENG), Renato Sanches (Lille/FRA), Joao Moutinho (Wolverhampton/ENG), Sergio Oliveira(Porto) Forwards (7): Bernardo Silva (Manchester City/ENG), Diogo Jota (Liverpool/ENG), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus/ITA), Francisco Trincao (Barcelona/ESP), Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Pedro Neto (Wolverhampton/ENG), Paulinho (SC Braga) (With inputs from AFP)

Cristiano Ronaldo to return for Portugal against France, Croatia

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/premier-league">Premier League</a> club Manchester United have approached Mauricio Pochettino in a bid to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following a series of disappointing results in Premier League and UEFA Champions League.&nbsp;

According to a report by Manchester Evening News, Man United have contacted Pochettino’s representative. In December 2019, it was reported that Pochettino wanted to take the charge at Old Trafford and reportedly, his opinion on the move hasn’t changed.

The report states that Manchester United hierarchy are backing Solskjaer to turn things around while being reluctant to part ways with the former Red Devils forward so early in the campaign. However, things could drastically change if United lose against Everton on Saturday as they could end up being 17th in the Premier League table.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mourinho-defends-kane-over-penalty-criticism-340712" hreflang="en">Mourinho defends Kane over penalty criticism</a>

Manchester United have lost three of their six league games already this season and have not suffered defeats in four of their first seven league matches since 1989-90.&nbsp;

After United’s 2-1 defeat in Istanbul, Solskjaer was asked whether he could be sacked soon as he said: "I decline to comment on such a thing. Of course, it's early on and opinions are out there all the time. You've got to stay strong.

"I'm employed by the club to do a job and I do that to the best of my ability with my staff."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-was-clear-contact-jurgen-klopp-defends-salahs-penalty-against-west-ham-united-340093" hreflang="en">'There was clear contact': Jurgen Klopp defends Salah's penalty against West Ham United</a>

Whereas Pochettino, who made an appearance on Monday Night Football, said he is ready to be involved in the game. "I am always ready to go again and be involved in the game," Pochettino said. "It's not stressing when you are working, it does not stress going into the training round to prepare the match and to compete.

"I hope to go back soon so we can start again to work. I am looking forward to being back in the game. I love this game but it's difficult, we are inside and working on doing things. That's reality." 
&nbsp;

Premier League club Manchester United have approached Mauricio Pochettino in a bid to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following a series of disappointing results in Premier League and UEFA Champions League.

Premier League club Manchester United have approached Mauricio Pochettino in a bid to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following a series of disappointing results in Premier League and UEFA Champions League. According to a report by Manchester Evening News, Man United have contacted Pochettino’s representative. In December 2019, it was reported that Pochettino wanted to take the charge at Old Trafford and reportedly, his opinion on the move hasn’t changed. The report states that Manchester United hierarchy are backing Solskjaer to turn things around while being reluctant to part ways with the former Red Devils forward so early in the campaign. However, things could drastically change if United lose against Everton on Saturday as they could end up being 17th in the Premier League table. ALSO READ: Mourinho defends Kane over penalty criticism Manchester United have lost three of their six league games already this season and have not suffered defeats in four of their first seven league matches since 1989-90. After United’s 2-1 defeat in Istanbul, Solskjaer was asked whether he could be sacked soon as he said: "I decline to comment on such a thing. Of course, it's early on and opinions are out there all the time. You've got to stay strong. "I'm employed by the club to do a job and I do that to the best of my ability with my staff." ALSO READ: 'There was clear contact': Jurgen Klopp defends Salah's penalty against West Ham United Whereas Pochettino, who made an appearance on Monday Night Football, said he is ready to be involved in the game. "I am always ready to go again and be involved in the game," Pochettino said. "It's not stressing when you are working, it does not stress going into the training round to prepare the match and to compete. "I hope to go back soon so we can start again to work. I am looking forward to being back in the game. I love this game but it's difficult, we are inside and working on doing things. That's reality."

Ole out? Manchester United approach Mauricio Pochettino about becoming next manager

Table-toppers Mumbai Indians will take on second-placed Delhi Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium in what will be the Qualifier 1 of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>. While MI finished the IPL 2020 league stage with 18 points to their name, DC bagged 16 points in 14 matches.&nbsp;

Both MI and DC would be desperate to seal their spot in the final of IPL 2020, which will take place on November 10. While MI have won the IPL trophy four times, DC are yet to lift the trophy.&nbsp;

Given the sluggish track in Dubai and dew factor kicking in the second half of the match, captain winning the toss would opt to bowl first and then chase it down when batting gets easier.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-qualifier-1-mi-vs-dc-preview-mumbai-delhi-set-eyes-on-final-340751">IPL 2020 Qualifier 1, MI vs DC Preview: Mumbai, Delhi set eyes on final</a>

It has been a great season for both MI and DC in IPL 2020 and both the teams would look to cap it off with a crucial win.

<h2>Where will the IPL 2020 match between Mumba Indians vs Delhi Capitals take place?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals will take place at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi

<h2>What time will the IPL 2020 match between Mumba Indians vs Delhi Capitals begin?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals begins at 7:30 PM IST on Thursday (November 5).

<h2>How to watch live IPL 2020 match between Mumba Indians vs Delhi Capitals?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals will be aired live on Star Sports channels. Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 3 and Star Sports 3 HD.

<h2>How to watch IPL 2020 match between Mumba Indians vs Delhi Capitals match online?</h2>

The online live streaming of the IPL 2020 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals will be available at Hotstar. 
&nbsp;

Table-toppers Mumbai Indians will take on second-placed Delhi Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium in what will be the Qualifier 1 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.

Table-toppers Mumbai Indians will take on second-placed Delhi Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium in what will be the Qualifier 1 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. While MI finished the IPL 2020 league stage with 18 points to their name, DC bagged 16 points in 14 matches. Both MI and DC would be desperate to seal their spot in the final of IPL 2020, which will take place on November 10. While MI have won the IPL trophy four times, DC are yet to lift the trophy. Given the sluggish track in Dubai and dew factor kicking in the second half of the match, captain winning the toss would opt to bowl first and then chase it down when batting gets easier. ALSO READ: IPL 2020 Qualifier 1, MI vs DC Preview: Mumbai, Delhi set eyes on final It has been a great season for both MI and DC in IPL 2020 and both the teams would look to cap it off with a crucial win. Where will the IPL 2020 match between Mumba Indians vs Delhi Capitals take place? The IPL 2020 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals will take place at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi What time will the IPL 2020 match between Mumba Indians vs Delhi Capitals begin? The IPL 2020 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals begins at 7:30 PM IST on Thursday (November 5). How to watch live IPL 2020 match between Mumba Indians vs Delhi Capitals? The IPL 2020 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals will be aired live on Star Sports channels. Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 3 and Star Sports 3 HD. How to watch IPL 2020 match between Mumba Indians vs Delhi Capitals match online? The online live streaming of the IPL 2020 match between Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals will be available at Hotstar.

MI vs DC Qualifier 1, IPL 2020 Live Streaming: How and where to watch Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals?

Happy Birthday Virat Kohli: GOAT of modern-day cricket

Rafael Nadal said he was proud of a "great achievement" after securing the 1,000th Tour-level victory of his illustrious career on Wednesday, becoming the fourth man to reach that mark with a comeback win over Feliciano Lopez in the Paris Masters second round.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion, back in the French capital less than a month after winning his 13th Roland Garros title, edged out his fellow Spaniard 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.

"I am proud about a lot of things, but I faced some challenges in my career in terms of body injuries," said Nadal.

"But I always had the passion to keep going and the humility to keep going when things are going in a way you don't expect.

"It's a great achievement for me."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/zverev-again-says-domestic-assault-allegations-not-true-340717" hreflang="en">Zverev again says domestic assault allegations 'not true'</a>

Nadal, whose first match win on the ATP Tour came in April 2002 when he was just 15, is fourth on the all-time list, with Jimmy Connors leading the way on 1,274 victories, 32 more than second-placed Roger Federer.

"One negative thing about getting to 1,000 -- is that you're very old as it means you have to have had a very long career," added Nadal.

"But I'm very happy."

Ivan Lendl also passed the 1,000-win barrier.

Nadal was given a special presentation to celebrate his achievement after the match in a near-empty Bercy Arena, with the event being played behind closed doors after France entered its second coronavirus lockdown last week.

The 34-year-old Nadal, bidding for a first Paris Masters title, will face Jordan Thompson in the third round after the Australian beat Croatia's Borna Coric 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Taking the trophy in Paris this week would see Nadal equal Novak Djokovic's record of 36 Masters titles.

He struggled to find his rhythm for much of the match as 39-year-old Lopez served excellently, saving the first six break points he faced, but Nadal stepped it up in the second-set tie-break.

The top seed grabbed the crucial break in the first game of the decider and then eased to victory after saving two break points himself in the next game.

"It was a very tough match," said Nadal. "I started in the worst way possible with a break. Against him, that's difficult because you're under pressure for the whole match."

The world number two is playing the tournament for the eighth time in his career, but he pulled out midway through his last two appearances due to injury.

His best run at Bercy was when he lost in the 2007 final to Argentinian David Nalbandian.

Rafael Nadal said he was proud of a "great achievement" after securing the 1,000th Tour-level victory of his illustrious career on Wednesday, becoming the fourth man to reach that mark with a comeback win over Feliciano Lopez in the Paris Masters second round.

Rafael Nadal said he was proud of a "great achievement" after securing the 1,000th Tour-level victory of his illustrious career on Wednesday, becoming the fourth man to reach that mark with a comeback win over Feliciano Lopez in the Paris Masters second round. The 20-time Grand Slam champion, back in the French capital less than a month after winning his 13th Roland Garros title, edged out his fellow Spaniard 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4. "I am proud about a lot of things, but I faced some challenges in my career in terms of body injuries," said Nadal. "But I always had the passion to keep going and the humility to keep going when things are going in a way you don't expect. "It's a great achievement for me." ALSO READ: Zverev again says domestic assault allegations 'not true' Nadal, whose first match win on the ATP Tour came in April 2002 when he was just 15, is fourth on the all-time list, with Jimmy Connors leading the way on 1,274 victories, 32 more than second-placed Roger Federer. "One negative thing about getting to 1,000 -- is that you're very old as it means you have to have had a very long career," added Nadal. "But I'm very happy." Ivan Lendl also passed the 1,000-win barrier. Nadal was given a special presentation to celebrate his achievement after the match in a near-empty Bercy Arena, with the event being played behind closed doors after France entered its second coronavirus lockdown last week. The 34-year-old Nadal, bidding for a first Paris Masters title, will face Jordan Thompson in the third round after the Australian beat Croatia's Borna Coric 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. Taking the trophy in Paris this week would see Nadal equal Novak Djokovic's record of 36 Masters titles. He struggled to find his rhythm for much of the match as 39-year-old Lopez served excellently, saving the first six break points he faced, but Nadal stepped it up in the second-set tie-break. The top seed grabbed the crucial break in the first game of the decider and then eased to victory after saving two break points himself in the next game. "It was a very tough match," said Nadal. "I started in the worst way possible with a break. Against him, that's difficult because you're under pressure for the whole match." The world number two is playing the tournament for the eighth time in his career, but he pulled out midway through his last two appearances due to injury. His best run at Bercy was when he lost in the 2007 final to Argentinian David Nalbandian.

Rafael Nadal joins elite list after completing 1000 career wins

Mumbai Indians are all set to take on Delhi Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday as the playoff phase of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> commences. While MI finished atop the IPL 2020 standings with 18 points, DC came second with 16 points to their name.&nbsp;

The match promises to be a cracking contest given the fact that both MI and DC boast some of the biggest names in world cricket. While MI head into the match on the back of a 10-wicket defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad, DC will be looking to continue their winning run after defeating Royal Challengers Bangalore in their previous encounter.

MI rested the likes of Hardik Pandya, Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah in their previous match and the troika is all set to make their return in the playing XI. Rohit Sharma is also expected to start for the Mumbai Indians.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-final-four-mumbai-again-or-can-kohli-cause-an-upset-340719">IPL final four: Mumbai again, or can Kohli cause an upset?</a>

For DC, it would be interesting to see whether they continue with Ajinkya Rahane at number 3 after he smashed a match-winning half-century against RCB. In that case, Shimron Hetmyer is likely to warm the bench.&nbsp;

<h2>MI vs DC, Head-to-head stats:</h2>

Talking about head-to-head stats between MI and DC, Mumbai Indians have won 14 of the 26 matches played between the two sides while DC have been victorious in 12 occasions. However, MI have mostly succeeded while batting first while it is the opposite for DC.

Given the sluggish track and dew factor coming into play in Dubai, the team winning the toss is likely to field first.&nbsp;

<h2>MI vs DC, IPL 2020 Qualifier 1: Squads</h2>

Delhi Capitals Squad: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Marcus Stoinis, Daniel Sams, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Harshal Patel, Shimron Hetmyer, Mohit Sharma, Alex Carey, Avesh Khan, Praveen Dubey, Sandeep Lamichhane, Keemo Paul, Tushar Deshpande, Lalit Yadav

Mumbai Indians Squad: Rohit Sharma(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, James Pattinson, Rahul Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Dhawal Kulkarni, Saurabh Tiwary, Aditya Tare, Mitchell McClenaghan, Chris Lynn, Jayant Yadav, Anmolpreet Singh, Anukul Roy, Mohsin Khan, Sherfane Rutherford, Digvijay Deshmukh, Prince Balwant Rai, Nathan Coulter-Nile 
&nbsp;

Mumbai Indians are all set to take on Delhi Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday as the playoff phase of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 commences.

Mumbai Indians are all set to take on Delhi Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday as the playoff phase of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 commences. While MI finished atop the IPL 2020 standings with 18 points, DC came second with 16 points to their name. The match promises to be a cracking contest given the fact that both MI and DC boast some of the biggest names in world cricket. While MI head into the match on the back of a 10-wicket defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad, DC will be looking to continue their winning run after defeating Royal Challengers Bangalore in their previous encounter. MI rested the likes of Hardik Pandya, Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah in their previous match and the troika is all set to make their return in the playing XI. Rohit Sharma is also expected to start for the Mumbai Indians. ALSO READ: IPL final four: Mumbai again, or can Kohli cause an upset? For DC, it would be interesting to see whether they continue with Ajinkya Rahane at number 3 after he smashed a match-winning half-century against RCB. In that case, Shimron Hetmyer is likely to warm the bench. MI vs DC, Head-to-head stats: Talking about head-to-head stats between MI and DC, Mumbai Indians have won 14 of the 26 matches played between the two sides while DC have been victorious in 12 occasions. However, MI have mostly succeeded while batting first while it is the opposite for DC. Given the sluggish track and dew factor coming into play in Dubai, the team winning the toss is likely to field first. MI vs DC, IPL 2020 Qualifier 1: Squads Delhi Capitals Squad: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Marcus Stoinis, Daniel Sams, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Harshal Patel, Shimron Hetmyer, Mohit Sharma, Alex Carey, Avesh Khan, Praveen Dubey, Sandeep Lamichhane, Keemo Paul, Tushar Deshpande, Lalit Yadav Mumbai Indians Squad: Rohit Sharma(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, James Pattinson, Rahul Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Dhawal Kulkarni, Saurabh Tiwary, Aditya Tare, Mitchell McClenaghan, Chris Lynn, Jayant Yadav, Anmolpreet Singh, Anukul Roy, Mohsin Khan, Sherfane Rutherford, Digvijay Deshmukh, Prince Balwant Rai, Nathan Coulter-Nile

IPL 2020 Qualifier 1, MI vs DC Preview: Mumbai, Delhi set eyes on final

Diogo Jota’s superb hat-trick lit up Liverpool’s 5-0 Champions League thrashing of Atalanta on Tuesday and served further notice to the club’s famed frontline that the Portuguese striker does not intend to play solely a supporting role.

Liverpool face Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday and it now seems almost unthinkable that Jota’s name will not be in the starting lineup.

That may have seemed unlikely at the start of the season when Liverpool signed the 23-year-old from Wolverhampton Wanderers to provide competition to Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, who had developed into one of the most feared attacking trios in football.

With Firmino’s form under the spotlight after an underwhelming start to the campaign, Jota slotted in alongside Salah and Mane against Atalanta and put on a clinical display of finishing before being replaced by Firmino in the 65th minute.

“I’m playing in the best team of my career so far, that’s for sure. I don’t know if it was my best moment, but obviously scoring goals is my way of playing football, so I’m really happy with it,” Jota told BT Sport.

Eyebrows were raised when Liverpool splashed a reported 41 million pounds ($54 million) to secure the signature of Jota, who scored 16 goals - nine of them in the Europa League - for Wolves last season.

He has already begun paying back that fee in earnest with seven goals in 10 games, and he tormented the Atalanta defence together with Mane and Salah.

“Obviously (they are) two world-class players, we all know their quality makes it easy for me to do my job because they are outstanding players,” he explained.

Jota is swiftly developing a taste for European competition having scored three hat-tricks in the Champions League and Europa League combined since the start of last season - the only player to have done so more than once.

With a trip to Manchester City to come on Sunday, the Portuguese picked the perfect moment to stake his claim to a starting spot.

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp hailed Jota’s recent form but said Firmino’s influence on the team’s success should not be forgotten.

“Good performances never give me headaches ... The world is sometimes a really bad place that in the moment when somebody is shining, we speak immediately about another player who played for us, it feels like, 500 games in a row,” Klopp said.

“We would not be in the Champions League if Firmino would not be with us. And immediately I have to explain why he is not in the team.

“It’s important we have more than 11 players and tonight Diogo used his shape in an incredible way and played a super, super game. But that says nothing about Bobby and has nothing to do with causing me headaches.”

Diogo Jota’s superb hat-trick lit up Liverpool’s 5-0 Champions League thrashing of Atalanta on Tuesday and served further notice to the club’s famed frontline that the Portuguese striker does not intend to play solely a supporting role.

Diogo Jota’s superb hat-trick lit up Liverpool’s 5-0 Champions League thrashing of Atalanta on Tuesday and served further notice to the club’s famed frontline that the Portuguese striker does not intend to play solely a supporting role. Liverpool face Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday and it now seems almost unthinkable that Jota’s name will not be in the starting lineup. That may have seemed unlikely at the start of the season when Liverpool signed the 23-year-old from Wolverhampton Wanderers to provide competition to Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, who had developed into one of the most feared attacking trios in football. With Firmino’s form under the spotlight after an underwhelming start to the campaign, Jota slotted in alongside Salah and Mane against Atalanta and put on a clinical display of finishing before being replaced by Firmino in the 65th minute. “I’m playing in the best team of my career so far, that’s for sure. I don’t know if it was my best moment, but obviously scoring goals is my way of playing football, so I’m really happy with it,” Jota told BT Sport. Eyebrows were raised when Liverpool splashed a reported 41 million pounds ($54 million) to secure the signature of Jota, who scored 16 goals - nine of them in the Europa League - for Wolves last season. He has already begun paying back that fee in earnest with seven goals in 10 games, and he tormented the Atalanta defence together with Mane and Salah. “Obviously (they are) two world-class players, we all know their quality makes it easy for me to do my job because they are outstanding players,” he explained. Jota is swiftly developing a taste for European competition having scored three hat-tricks in the Champions League and Europa League combined since the start of last season - the only player to have done so more than once. With a trip to Manchester City to come on Sunday, the Portuguese picked the perfect moment to stake his claim to a starting spot. Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp hailed Jota’s recent form but said Firmino’s influence on the team’s success should not be forgotten. “Good performances never give me headaches ... The world is sometimes a really bad place that in the moment when somebody is shining, we speak immediately about another player who played for us, it feels like, 500 games in a row,” Klopp said. “We would not be in the Champions League if Firmino would not be with us. And immediately I have to explain why he is not in the team. “It’s important we have more than 11 players and tonight Diogo used his shape in an incredible way and played a super, super game. But that says nothing about Bobby and has nothing to do with causing me headaches.”

Jota shows pedigree with terrific treble in Italy

Ferran Torres, Gabriel Jesus and Joao Cancelo were on target as Manchester City made it three wins out of three in Champions League Group C with a 3-0 win over Olympiakos at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

The result leaves City three points clear of Porto at the top of the group, and a single point in the return fixture on Nov. 25 would secure progress for City to the knockout stage.

Torres put City ahead in the 12th minute, playing a smart one-two with Kevin De Bruyne before confidently slotting home for his third goal in as many games in the competition.

Raheem Sterling had the ball in the net in the 32nd minute, but his effort was ruled out for offside, as City dominated play. But the Greek side grew into the game after the break.

The visitors should have drawn level in the 55th minute when a sloppy pass from Phil Foden fell to Mathieu Valbuena, but the 36-year-old French winger miscued his shot.

While Olympiakos rarely threatened, City needed another goal to ease their nerves and it came from substitute Gabriel Jesus in the 81st minute, the Brazilian hammering a shot in from close range at the near post after being slipped in by De Bruyne.

Defender Joao Cancelo made sure of the points in the 90th minute, which leaves City in a commanding position at the top of the group, with a well-placed shot from outside of the area.

City now face Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, and Guardiola used all five subs in the second half, perhaps with half an eye on that clash with the league champions.

“In the first half we played really well. In the second half we struggled for some moments but when we scored the second one it was over,” said Guardiola.

“We have five days to recover for Liverpool and then the international break. The forecast in the next three days says it will be sunny in Manchester. It’s rare. We’re going to recover and have a day off. After that on Friday and Saturday we’ll prepare for the Liverpool game. But the players need a break,” he added.

Olympiakos coach Pedro Martins was upset with the way his team had played in the early stages of the game.

“I am very disappointed with our game in the first half. We looked frightened, didn’t go after the ball, we respected our rivals too much – we only committed one foul.

“But in the second half we played like Olympiakos. We were better, got more possession and found ourselves.”

Ferran Torres, Gabriel Jesus and Joao Cancelo were on target as Manchester City made it three wins out of three in Champions League Group C with a 3-0 win over Olympiakos at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

Ferran Torres, Gabriel Jesus and Joao Cancelo were on target as Manchester City made it three wins out of three in Champions League Group C with a 3-0 win over Olympiakos at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday. The result leaves City three points clear of Porto at the top of the group, and a single point in the return fixture on Nov. 25 would secure progress for City to the knockout stage. Torres put City ahead in the 12th minute, playing a smart one-two with Kevin De Bruyne before confidently slotting home for his third goal in as many games in the competition. Raheem Sterling had the ball in the net in the 32nd minute, but his effort was ruled out for offside, as City dominated play. But the Greek side grew into the game after the break. The visitors should have drawn level in the 55th minute when a sloppy pass from Phil Foden fell to Mathieu Valbuena, but the 36-year-old French winger miscued his shot. While Olympiakos rarely threatened, City needed another goal to ease their nerves and it came from substitute Gabriel Jesus in the 81st minute, the Brazilian hammering a shot in from close range at the near post after being slipped in by De Bruyne. Defender Joao Cancelo made sure of the points in the 90th minute, which leaves City in a commanding position at the top of the group, with a well-placed shot from outside of the area. City now face Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, and Guardiola used all five subs in the second half, perhaps with half an eye on that clash with the league champions. “In the first half we played really well. In the second half we struggled for some moments but when we scored the second one it was over,” said Guardiola. “We have five days to recover for Liverpool and then the international break. The forecast in the next three days says it will be sunny in Manchester. It’s rare. We’re going to recover and have a day off. After that on Friday and Saturday we’ll prepare for the Liverpool game. But the players need a break,” he added. Olympiakos coach Pedro Martins was upset with the way his team had played in the early stages of the game. “I am very disappointed with our game in the first half. We looked frightened, didn’t go after the ball, we respected our rivals too much – we only committed one foul. “But in the second half we played like Olympiakos. We were better, got more possession and found ourselves.”

City in charge of Group C after 3-0 win over Olympiakos

Real Madrid boosted their chances of reaching the Champions League knockout stages after a late winner by substitute Rodrygo gave them a 3-2 home victory over Inter Milan in an absorbing Group B clash on Tuesday.

The result left Real, winners of a record 13 titles in Europe’s premier club competition, level on four points with Shakhtar Donetsk, one point behind leaders Borussia Moenchengladbach and two ahead of bottom placed Inter.

Real had thrown away a two-goal lead and were flirting with a defeat which would have piled more pressure on manager Zinedine Zidane before their Brazilian duo of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo combined to save the day.

Chances had gone begging at either end before Karim Benzema gave the home side a 25th-minute lead, rounding goalkeeper Samir Handanovic and slotting home after intercepting a dreadful back pass by Real’s former wing-back Achraf Hakimi.

The hosts seemed to be cruising after 33 minutes when Sergio Ramos headed their second -- his 100th goal for the club in all competitions -- but Lautaro Martinez pulled one back for Inter two minutes later thanks to a sublime assist by Nicolo Barella.

Real were rattled when Ivan Perisic equalised midway through the second half, threading a shot into the far corner from close range after Martinez headed the ball into the Croatian’s stride.

Inter then missed a pair of gilt-edged chances as Martinez shaved the outside of the post with a shot from the edge of the area and Perisic fired wide, with Real’s defence in tatters.

The Italians were punished for their misses, however, as Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, brought into the fray together by Zidane shortly before Inter’s equaliser, carved out the winner from a lightning fast break.

Vinicius Junior raced clear of his marker down the left flank and squared the ball back to Rodrygo, who beat Handanovic with an unstoppable shot into the top corner from 10 metres.

Inter are now under pressure halfway through the group stage to turn their fortunes around and will hope to have striker Romelu Lukaku back for the reverse fixture on Nov. 25 after the Belgium striker missed the match with a thigh injury.

Real Madrid boosted their chances of reaching the Champions League knockout stages after a late winner by substitute Rodrygo gave them a 3-2 home victory over Inter Milan in an absorbing Group B clash on Tuesday.

Real Madrid boosted their chances of reaching the Champions League knockout stages after a late winner by substitute Rodrygo gave them a 3-2 home victory over Inter Milan in an absorbing Group B clash on Tuesday. The result left Real, winners of a record 13 titles in Europe’s premier club competition, level on four points with Shakhtar Donetsk, one point behind leaders Borussia Moenchengladbach and two ahead of bottom placed Inter. Real had thrown away a two-goal lead and were flirting with a defeat which would have piled more pressure on manager Zinedine Zidane before their Brazilian duo of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo combined to save the day. Chances had gone begging at either end before Karim Benzema gave the home side a 25th-minute lead, rounding goalkeeper Samir Handanovic and slotting home after intercepting a dreadful back pass by Real’s former wing-back Achraf Hakimi. The hosts seemed to be cruising after 33 minutes when Sergio Ramos headed their second -- his 100th goal for the club in all competitions -- but Lautaro Martinez pulled one back for Inter two minutes later thanks to a sublime assist by Nicolo Barella. Real were rattled when Ivan Perisic equalised midway through the second half, threading a shot into the far corner from close range after Martinez headed the ball into the Croatian’s stride. Inter then missed a pair of gilt-edged chances as Martinez shaved the outside of the post with a shot from the edge of the area and Perisic fired wide, with Real’s defence in tatters. The Italians were punished for their misses, however, as Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, brought into the fray together by Zidane shortly before Inter’s equaliser, carved out the winner from a lightning fast break. Vinicius Junior raced clear of his marker down the left flank and squared the ball back to Rodrygo, who beat Handanovic with an unstoppable shot into the top corner from 10 metres. Inter are now under pressure halfway through the group stage to turn their fortunes around and will hope to have striker Romelu Lukaku back for the reverse fixture on Nov. 25 after the Belgium striker missed the match with a thigh injury.

Real Madrid rekindle last-16 hopes with 3-2 win over Inter

Sunrisers Hyderabad clinched the final playoff spot in the Indian Premier League after securing an emphatic 10-wicket victory over defending champions Mumbai Indians on Tuesday.

Captain David Warner finished unbeaten on 85 and Wriddhiman Saha 58 not out as they chased down Mumbai’s target of 150 with 17 balls to spare in Sharjah.

Needing a win to stay the competition, Hyderabad moved up to third on net run rate and will face fourth-placed Royal Challengers Bangalore in Friday’s eliminator in Abu Dhabi.

“There is great resilience in the side,” said Australian opener Warner, who led Sunrisers to the IPL title in 2016.

“We looked back to 2016 when we had to win every game to win the title. When you have your backs against the wall, you have nothing to lose.”

Hyderabad’s win also eliminated two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders, who finished fifth in the league on net run rate.

Table-toppers Mumbai made Hyderabad’s job easier on the night by resting seam pair Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah ahead of their playoff against Delhi Capitals on Thursday.

The winner of Thursday’s encounter will move straight into the final, while the losing team will meet the winner of Friday’s eliminator in a playoff to decide the second finalist.

The Twenty20 tournament is being held without spectators in the United Arab Emirates this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the final scheduled for Nov. 10 in Dubai.

Sunrisers Hyderabad clinched the final playoff spot in the Indian Premier League after securing an emphatic 10-wicket victory over defending champions Mumbai Indians on Tuesday.

Sunrisers Hyderabad clinched the final playoff spot in the Indian Premier League after securing an emphatic 10-wicket victory over defending champions Mumbai Indians on Tuesday. Captain David Warner finished unbeaten on 85 and Wriddhiman Saha 58 not out as they chased down Mumbai’s target of 150 with 17 balls to spare in Sharjah. Needing a win to stay the competition, Hyderabad moved up to third on net run rate and will face fourth-placed Royal Challengers Bangalore in Friday’s eliminator in Abu Dhabi. “There is great resilience in the side,” said Australian opener Warner, who led Sunrisers to the IPL title in 2016. “We looked back to 2016 when we had to win every game to win the title. When you have your backs against the wall, you have nothing to lose.” Hyderabad’s win also eliminated two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders, who finished fifth in the league on net run rate. Table-toppers Mumbai made Hyderabad’s job easier on the night by resting seam pair Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah ahead of their playoff against Delhi Capitals on Thursday. The winner of Thursday’s encounter will move straight into the final, while the losing team will meet the winner of Friday’s eliminator in a playoff to decide the second finalist. The Twenty20 tournament is being held without spectators in the United Arab Emirates this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the final scheduled for Nov. 10 in Dubai.

Hyderabad secure final IPL playoff spot after thrashing Mumbai

Confusion lingered over Rohit Sharma’s hamstring injury after the opener, considered unfit for India’s upcoming tour of Australia, turned up for an Indian Premier League (IPL) match in Sharjah on Tuesday.

India will leave for Australia later this month to play six short-form internationals followed by a four-test series and Rohit has been omitted because of the injury which kept him out of Mumbai’s previous four matches.

The Mumbai Indians captain took many by surprise when he returned for their inconsequential match against Sunrisers Hyderabad despite his team having already secured a playoff place.

When asked at the toss if he was fine, Rohit said “Yeah, looks like that.”

Rohit made only four and, after their 10-wicket loss, was

asked again if his hamstring was fine.

“Yeah, absolutely,” the 33-year-old said. “I was happy to be back, it’s been a while. I was going through some tough times but, again, good to be back.

“I’m looking forward to play a few more games here and then see what happens. Always nice to be on the ground doing what I love to do so very happy about it.”

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His view echoed that of India coach Ravi Shastri who last week said Rohit risked aggravating injury.

The BCCI’s handling of the issue has baffled the fans.

“There should be a separate CBI enquiry on Rohit Sharma injury,” tweeted an amused fan, referring to Central Bureau of Investigation, India’s federal investigating agency.

Confusion lingered over Rohit Sharma’s hamstring injury after the opener, considered unfit for India’s upcoming tour of Australia, turned up for an Indian Premier League (IPL) match in Sharjah on Tuesday.

Confusion lingered over Rohit Sharma’s hamstring injury after the opener, considered unfit for India’s upcoming tour of Australia, turned up for an Indian Premier League (IPL) match in Sharjah on Tuesday. India will leave for Australia later this month to play six short-form internationals followed by a four-test series and Rohit has been omitted because of the injury which kept him out of Mumbai’s previous four matches. The Mumbai Indians captain took many by surprise when he returned for their inconsequential match against Sunrisers Hyderabad despite his team having already secured a playoff place. When asked at the toss if he was fine, Rohit said “Yeah, looks like that.” Rohit made only four and, after their 10-wicket loss, was asked again if his hamstring was fine. “Yeah, absolutely,” the 33-year-old said. “I was happy to be back, it’s been a while. I was going through some tough times but, again, good to be back. “I’m looking forward to play a few more games here and then see what happens. Always nice to be on the ground doing what I love to do so very happy about it.” Hours before the match, Indian cricket board (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly said in an interview that Rohit had a hamstring tear and should take it easy. His view echoed that of India coach Ravi Shastri who last week said Rohit risked aggravating injury. The BCCI’s handling of the issue has baffled the fans. “There should be a separate CBI enquiry on Rohit Sharma injury,” tweeted an amused fan, referring to Central Bureau of Investigation, India’s federal investigating agency.

Unfit for Australia, fit for IPL: Rohit injury intrigues many

Everyone who has had the pleasure of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's company have their own little treasure trove of stories and the latest to join that ever-growing list is Chennai Super Kings' emerging star Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Gaikwad was the only silver lining in an otherwise disastrous CSK campaign as he finished with three back-to-back half-centuries, albeit in inconsequential games. Gaikwad recollected how he was moved by former India captain's warmth during their first meeting in 2016 during his first-class debut.

"October 2016, I met him for the first time fractured my finger during my debut Ranji game, He was the mentor of Jharkhand. And he himself came and asked me about how I am," Gaikwad wrote on Instagram.

Cut to 2020, the 23-year-old had a string of low scores in his initial IPL matches but once again it was the skipper, who came up to him and gave him some advice which will stay with him for lifetime.

"October 2020..3 low scores, he himself came up and talked about life!! Fortunate to be able to share the dressing room with him. And more than a dream to share the 22 yards with him and Finishing things off," Gaikwad added.

Everyone who has had the pleasure of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's company have their own little treasure trove of stories and the latest to join that ever-growing list is Chennai Super Kings' emerging star Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Everyone who has had the pleasure of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's company have their own little treasure trove of stories and the latest to join that ever-growing list is Chennai Super Kings' emerging star Ruturaj Gaikwad. Gaikwad was the only silver lining in an otherwise disastrous CSK campaign as he finished with three back-to-back half-centuries, albeit in inconsequential games. Gaikwad recollected how he was moved by former India captain's warmth during their first meeting in 2016 during his first-class debut. "October 2016, I met him for the first time fractured my finger during my debut Ranji game, He was the mentor of Jharkhand. And he himself came and asked me about how I am," Gaikwad wrote on Instagram. Cut to 2020, the 23-year-old had a string of low scores in his initial IPL matches but once again it was the skipper, who came up to him and gave him some advice which will stay with him for lifetime. "October 2020..3 low scores, he himself came up and talked about life!! Fortunate to be able to share the dressing room with him. And more than a dream to share the 22 yards with him and Finishing things off," Gaikwad added.

IPL 2020: 'More than a dream' - CSK's Ruturaj Gaikwad posts heartfelt tribute for MS Dhoni

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) successfully secured a place in the playoffs of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> courtesy a better net run-rate than Kolkata Knight Riders. While RCB finished fourth in the league stage of IPL 2020, they will be heading into the knockouts on the back of four consecutive defeats.&nbsp;

RCB will now lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator on Friday and ahead of the do-or-die match, RCB skipper Virat Kohli promised the fans that that his team will look to have more fun in the knockouts than they did in the league matches.&nbsp;

RCB took to social media platforms to share a video where captain Kohli, head coach Simon Katich among others were seen delivering pep-talk ahead of the playoffs.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-playoffs-qualifier-1-eliminator-schedule-dates-venues-and-more-340451" hreflang="en">IPL 2020 Playoffs: Qualifier 1, Eliminator - Schedule, dates, venues and more</a>

"I want all of us to be in a positive mindset. I promise you we will have more fun in this next week than we had in two and a half months,” said Kohli in the video shared by RCB.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Bold Diaries: Pre-Playoffs Team Chat 
 
Coaches and senior players discuss the playoffs opportunity and urge the squad to be hungry and ready for the challenge.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2020</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreChallengers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreChallengers</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dream11IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dream11IPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/yq7MMJ6y79">pic.twitter.com/yq7MMJ6y79</a>
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/1323829825342197760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Whereas Katich congratulated the players for grabbing the playoffs spot but added that they have to look for the opportunities and grab them on Friday against SRH.

“Well done on a fantastic achievement of reaching the playoffs. It obviously requires a lot of hard work, so well done on that. The finish hasn’t been as planned but what’s done is done," said Katich.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-no-one-wants-to-face-mumbai-indians-says-shane-bond-ahead-of-mi-vs-dc-qualifier-1-340557">IPL 2020: No one wants to face Mumbai Indians, says Shane Bond</a>

“We can now look for the opportunity which comes up on Friday and grab that opportunity. The things that stand for me is that certain guys played according to their role in our last game. One obviously was Shahbaz [Ahmed]; he picked his first wicket in the IPL,” he added.

RCB are one of the three active teams to have never won the Indian Premier League despite being part of the tournament since 2008. The Kohli-led outfit will now have to win two matches on the bounce if they want to qualify to the final. 
&nbsp;

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) successfully secured a place in the playoffs of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 courtesy a better net run-rate than Kolkata Knight Riders.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) successfully secured a place in the playoffs of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 courtesy a better net run-rate than Kolkata Knight Riders. While RCB finished fourth in the league stage of IPL 2020, they will be heading into the knockouts on the back of four consecutive defeats. RCB will now lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator on Friday and ahead of the do-or-die match, RCB skipper Virat Kohli promised the fans that that his team will look to have more fun in the knockouts than they did in the league matches. RCB took to social media platforms to share a video where captain Kohli, head coach Simon Katich among others were seen delivering pep-talk ahead of the playoffs. ALSO READ: IPL 2020 Playoffs: Qualifier 1, Eliminator - Schedule, dates, venues and more "I want all of us to be in a positive mindset. I promise you we will have more fun in this next week than we had in two and a half months,” said Kohli in the video shared by RCB. Bold Diaries: Pre-Playoffs Team Chat Coaches and senior players discuss the playoffs opportunity and urge the squad to be hungry and ready for the challenge.#PlayBold #IPL2020 #WeAreChallengers #Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/yq7MMJ6y79 — Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) November 4, 2020 × Whereas Katich congratulated the players for grabbing the playoffs spot but added that they have to look for the opportunities and grab them on Friday against SRH. “Well done on a fantastic achievement of reaching the playoffs. It obviously requires a lot of hard work, so well done on that. The finish hasn’t been as planned but what’s done is done," said Katich. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: No one wants to face Mumbai Indians, says Shane Bond “We can now look for the opportunity which comes up on Friday and grab that opportunity. The things that stand for me is that certain guys played according to their role in our last game. One obviously was Shahbaz [Ahmed]; he picked his first wicket in the IPL,” he added. RCB are one of the three active teams to have never won the Indian Premier League despite being part of the tournament since 2008. The Kohli-led outfit will now have to win two matches on the bounce if they want to qualify to the final.

IPL 2020: Will have more fun in playoffs than we had in last 2 months, says RCB's Virat Kohli

Defending champions Mumbai Indians ended the group stage action in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL)</a>&nbsp;2020 with a top-spot finish with 18 points to their name as they became the first team to qualify to the playoffs of IPL 2020 playoffs.

With Mumbai Indians finishing first and Delhi Capitals finishing second, two teams will lock horns in the Qualifier 1 of IPL 2020 on Thursday. Ahead of their first qualifier, Mumbai Indians bowling coach Shane Bond said no side wants to face MI in knockout games due to the match-winning players they have at their helm.

The likes of Quinton de Kock, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav are in sensational form with the bat and have notched up over 400 runs in the ongoing IPL 2020. Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah have led the Mumbai Indians’ bowling attack impressively and are in race for the Purple Cap.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-playoffs-qualifier-1-eliminator-schedule-dates-venues-and-more-340451">IPL 2020 Playoffs: Qualifier 1, Eliminator - Schedule, dates, venues and more</a>

“Our bowling line up is also as good as anyone in the tournament and I think we are the team that no one really wants to play because they know we play well and we can do some damage. We have won tight games and that makes a huge difference," Mumbai Indians bowling coach Shane Bond said in a virtual press conference.

After resting some key players in their last league game against SRH, MI suffered a crushing 10-wicket defeat. However, Bond is not worried about the outcome of the match against SRH, which was a dead rubber for the Mumbai outfit.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/unfit-for-australia-fit-for-ipl-rohit-injury-intrigues-many-340418" hreflang="en">Unfit for Australia, fit for IPL: Rohit injury intrigues many</a>

“Obviously, we did not play well against SRH but it was one of those days where we knew we have qualified so the game did not have any impact on our tournament. I think everybody is excited about what awaits us against the Delhi Capitals and we are looking forward to it," he added.

“I think both of our boys enjoyed the rest and we now have our bowling squad and everybody has played a game so it puts us in a really good position," Bond said. 
&nbsp;

Defending champions Mumbai Indians ended the group stage action in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 with a top-spot finish with 18 points to their name as they became the first team to qualify to the playoffs of IPL 2020 playoffs.

Defending champions Mumbai Indians ended the group stage action in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 with a top-spot finish with 18 points to their name as they became the first team to qualify to the playoffs of IPL 2020 playoffs. With Mumbai Indians finishing first and Delhi Capitals finishing second, two teams will lock horns in the Qualifier 1 of IPL 2020 on Thursday. Ahead of their first qualifier, Mumbai Indians bowling coach Shane Bond said no side wants to face MI in knockout games due to the match-winning players they have at their helm. The likes of Quinton de Kock, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav are in sensational form with the bat and have notched up over 400 runs in the ongoing IPL 2020. Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah have led the Mumbai Indians’ bowling attack impressively and are in race for the Purple Cap. ALSO READ: IPL 2020 Playoffs: Qualifier 1, Eliminator - Schedule, dates, venues and more “Our bowling line up is also as good as anyone in the tournament and I think we are the team that no one really wants to play because they know we play well and we can do some damage. We have won tight games and that makes a huge difference," Mumbai Indians bowling coach Shane Bond said in a virtual press conference. After resting some key players in their last league game against SRH, MI suffered a crushing 10-wicket defeat. However, Bond is not worried about the outcome of the match against SRH, which was a dead rubber for the Mumbai outfit. ALSO READ: Unfit for Australia, fit for IPL: Rohit injury intrigues many “Obviously, we did not play well against SRH but it was one of those days where we knew we have qualified so the game did not have any impact on our tournament. I think everybody is excited about what awaits us against the Delhi Capitals and we are looking forward to it," he added. “I think both of our boys enjoyed the rest and we now have our bowling squad and everybody has played a game so it puts us in a really good position," Bond said.

IPL 2020: No one wants to face Mumbai Indians, says Shane Bond ahead of MI vs DC Qualifier 1

Argentine football legend Diego Maradona has commenced his recovery process after ‘successful’ surgery to treat a subdural hematoma, a blood clot on the brain. Maradona, who was admitted to hospital a day earlier, was operated to address the clot, which is often caused by a head injury can put pressure on the brain.

“The operation proceeded normally and without complications and was successful,” a source close to the World Cup-winner told Reuters, adding that the diagnosis was a chronic subdural hematoma. The person did not give details on the potential recovery period.

However, the operation was risky due to Maradona’s delicate general health and lasted about two hours. It was carried out by a team led by Leopoldo Luque, Maradona’s neurosurgeon and personal physician.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/real-madrid-rekindle-last-16-hopes-with-3-2-win-over-inter-340424" hreflang="en">Real Madrid rekindle last-16 hopes with 3-2 win over Inter</a>

Earlier, Luque had said that the procedure was a “routine surgery” and Maradona had been “lucid” and agreed with the procedure after understanding the plan.

Maradona was admitted to the Ipensa clinic in La Plata, Argentina, on Monday for anaemia and dehydration before being shifted to Olivos Clinic in Buenos Aires.

Fans gathered around Olivos Clinic and celebrated when reports of the successful operation started to emerge as they chanted: “Diego, Diego!”

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/city-in-charge-of-group-c-after-3-0-win-over-olympiakos-340425" hreflang="en">City in charge of Group C after 3-0 win over Olympiakos</a>

Maradona is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986. He is currently the coach of local club Gimnasia y Esgrima. Maradona’s last public appearance as on his 60th birthday, last Friday, ahead of his side’s league game against Patronato.&nbsp;

“What we want the most is for Diego to get out of all this. He can be, he is the greatest, the greatest in the world,” said Diego Bermudez, 41, a Maradona fan waiting outside the hospital.

Another fan, Oscar Medina, said: “Diego is fighting inside with medics. Hopefully, God blesses the medics, to move on from this. His people are out here on the street, hearts beating.”

Argentine football legend Diego Maradona has commenced his recovery process after ‘successful’ surgery to treat a subdural hematoma, a blood clot on the brain. Maradona, who was admitted to hospital a day earlier, was operated to address the clot, which is often caused by a head injury can put pressure on the brain.

Argentine football legend Diego Maradona has commenced his recovery process after ‘successful’ surgery to treat a subdural hematoma, a blood clot on the brain. Maradona, who was admitted to hospital a day earlier, was operated to address the clot, which is often caused by a head injury can put pressure on the brain. “The operation proceeded normally and without complications and was successful,” a source close to the World Cup-winner told Reuters, adding that the diagnosis was a chronic subdural hematoma. The person did not give details on the potential recovery period. However, the operation was risky due to Maradona’s delicate general health and lasted about two hours. It was carried out by a team led by Leopoldo Luque, Maradona’s neurosurgeon and personal physician. ALSO READ: Real Madrid rekindle last-16 hopes with 3-2 win over Inter Earlier, Luque had said that the procedure was a “routine surgery” and Maradona had been “lucid” and agreed with the procedure after understanding the plan. Maradona was admitted to the Ipensa clinic in La Plata, Argentina, on Monday for anaemia and dehydration before being shifted to Olivos Clinic in Buenos Aires. Fans gathered around Olivos Clinic and celebrated when reports of the successful operation started to emerge as they chanted: “Diego, Diego!” ALSO READ: City in charge of Group C after 3-0 win over Olympiakos Maradona is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986. He is currently the coach of local club Gimnasia y Esgrima. Maradona’s last public appearance as on his 60th birthday, last Friday, ahead of his side’s league game against Patronato. “What we want the most is for Diego to get out of all this. He can be, he is the greatest, the greatest in the world,” said Diego Bermudez, 41, a Maradona fan waiting outside the hospital. Another fan, Oscar Medina, said: “Diego is fighting inside with medics. Hopefully, God blesses the medics, to move on from this. His people are out here on the street, hearts beating.”

Diego Maradona in recovery after 'successful' brain surgery

With counting continuing in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">US elections 2020</a> today, the face-off between current President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has turned into a humdinger. With both Trump and Biden being bullish and confident about their chances of winning the US elections 2020, everyone is keeping a close eye on the counting process and numbers.&nbsp;

While the US elections 2020 has turned into a close call between Trump and Biden, social media users found a light-hearted moment on Wednesday as an old tweet of England pacer Jofra Archer surfaced on the micro-blogging platform.

Archer, who is known for his fierce spells with the ball on the cricket field, has become a household name on social media platform Twitter for his prophetic tweets and his old tweets always resurface on social media whenever something major happens in the world of sports.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-result-live-update-donald-trump-joe-biden-votes-tally-president-predictions-begins-vote-count-how-to-follow-the-2020-us-election-results-from-india-Trump-wins-Kentucky-joe-Biden-Vermont-340293" hreflang="en">LIVE: US election day ends; but vote count continues</a>

But drifting away from the sporting world, one such tweet of Archer from October 4, 2014, went viral on Wednesday as the process of counting votes of US elections 2020 continued in The United States of America.&nbsp;

Archer in the mentioned tweet had just written: “Joe!” as fans linked it with the ongoing US elections 2020 counting process. &nbsp;Notably, Biden is leading the exit polls with over 200 electoral votes while believing he is “on track” to win the US elections 2020.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-us-election-set-for-tight-finish-heres-a-comparison-of-what-happened-in-2016-in-key-states-340442" hreflang="en">US election 2020: A comparison of 2016 vs 2020 in key states</a>

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Joe!
— Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher) <a href="https://twitter.com/JofraArcher/status/518244164929351680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Here's how Twitterati reacted:</h2>

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Ok now this is getting interesting
— Vishisht Mishra (@DarkLord124k) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarkLord124k/status/1323916241875070976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Jofra God
— Gautam💜 #KKR (@sanskari_bkchod) <a href="https://twitter.com/sanskari_bkchod/status/1323911619361976322?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> ✔️
— Hareesh tarakian (@Hareesh_NTR_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hareesh_NTR_/status/1323924582475079680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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It’s over I guess for Trump 😐 <a href="https://t.co/S6xWa2CvxZ">https://t.co/S6xWa2CvxZ</a>
— Sricharan NCh (@sricharannch) <a href="https://twitter.com/sricharannch/status/1323943743225884672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Jofra predicted this in 2014??? <a href="https://t.co/QDcT1SCHVf">https://t.co/QDcT1SCHVf</a>
— Hasnain S.M. (@hasnain_civil) <a href="https://twitter.com/hasnain_civil/status/1323942430345895936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The soothsayer has announced. Stop the counting. Declare Joe Biden the winner. <a href="https://t.co/kD2ri8KZhi">https://t.co/kD2ri8KZhi</a>
— SS (@shubh_ind) <a href="https://twitter.com/shubh_ind/status/1323939561584558082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Goodbye Trump <a href="https://t.co/DTlVYXu2ET">https://t.co/DTlVYXu2ET</a>
— . (@karthik_jammy) <a href="https://twitter.com/karthik_jammy/status/1323936688536649730?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Jofradamus predicted this back in 2014...hope this ones right! <a href="https://t.co/62lsJxPMHt">https://t.co/62lsJxPMHt</a>
— AmerCric (@Amermalik12) <a href="https://twitter.com/Amermalik12/status/1323928753844768769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

"I believe we are on track to win the elections," he said, adding, "I'm optimistic about this outcome."

"We are feeling good about where we are," the Democratic presidential hopeful said.

"We knew because of unprecedented early mail-in votes, we will know till every vote, every ballot is counted."

"We are feeling confident about Arizona, Minnesota and we are still in the game in Georgia, although we didn't expect it," Biden stated, adding, "we are feeling confident about Wisconsin."&nbsp;

"We are going to win in Pennsylvania."

"We will know the results by tomorrow morning," he said.

According to reports, Joe Biden is leading with 238 to Trump's 213 votes.

Note: The context of Jofra Archer's mentioned tweet is unclear.

With counting continuing in the US elections 2020 today, the face-off between current President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has turned into a humdinger.

With counting continuing in the US elections 2020 today, the face-off between current President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has turned into a humdinger. With both Trump and Biden being bullish and confident about their chances of winning the US elections 2020, everyone is keeping a close eye on the counting process and numbers. While the US elections 2020 has turned into a close call between Trump and Biden, social media users found a light-hearted moment on Wednesday as an old tweet of England pacer Jofra Archer surfaced on the micro-blogging platform. Archer, who is known for his fierce spells with the ball on the cricket field, has become a household name on social media platform Twitter for his prophetic tweets and his old tweets always resurface on social media whenever something major happens in the world of sports. ALSO READ: LIVE: US election day ends; but vote count continues But drifting away from the sporting world, one such tweet of Archer from October 4, 2014, went viral on Wednesday as the process of counting votes of US elections 2020 continued in The United States of America. Archer in the mentioned tweet had just written: “Joe!” as fans linked it with the ongoing US elections 2020 counting process. Notably, Biden is leading the exit polls with over 200 electoral votes while believing he is “on track” to win the US elections 2020. ALSO READ: US election 2020: A comparison of 2016 vs 2020 in key states Joe! — Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher) October 4, 2014 × Here's how Twitterati reacted: Ok now this is getting interesting — Vishisht Mishra (@DarkLord124k) November 4, 2020 × Jofra God — Gautam💜 #KKR (@sanskari_bkchod) November 4, 2020 × @JoeBiden ✔️ — Hareesh tarakian (@Hareesh_NTR_) November 4, 2020 × It’s over I guess for Trump 😐 https://t.co/S6xWa2CvxZ — Sricharan NCh (@sricharannch) November 4, 2020 × Jofra predicted this in 2014??? https://t.co/QDcT1SCHVf — Hasnain S.M. (@hasnain_civil) November 4, 2020 × The soothsayer has announced. Stop the counting. Declare Joe Biden the winner. https://t.co/kD2ri8KZhi — SS (@shubh_ind) November 4, 2020 × Goodbye Trump https://t.co/DTlVYXu2ET — . (@karthik_jammy) November 4, 2020 × Jofradamus predicted this back in 2014...hope this ones right! https://t.co/62lsJxPMHt — AmerCric (@Amermalik12) November 4, 2020 × "I believe we are on track to win the elections," he said, adding, "I'm optimistic about this outcome." "We are feeling good about where we are," the Democratic presidential hopeful said. "We knew because of unprecedented early mail-in votes, we will know till every vote, every ballot is counted." "We are feeling confident about Arizona, Minnesota and we are still in the game in Georgia, although we didn't expect it," Biden stated, adding, "we are feeling confident about Wisconsin." "We are going to win in Pennsylvania." "We will know the results by tomorrow morning," he said. According to reports, Joe Biden is leading with 238 to Trump's 213 votes. Note: The context of Jofra Archer's mentioned tweet is unclear.

Did Jofra Archer predict a win for Joe Biden over Donald Trump? Old tweet goes viral

Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi has achieved a career-best 16th position in the&nbsp;ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings&nbsp;after a notable performance in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League series against Zimbabwe that they won 2-1.

Shaheen, who shot into international prominence in the ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2018 in New Zealand, has gained eight places to move into the top 20 for the first time in his career with a match-winning haul of 5/49 in the opening ODI of the series.

Wahab Riaz, also a left-arm fast bowler like Shaheen, is another one to gain in the latest rankings update. He has moved up six places to 60th position, grabbing five wickets in two matches, including a haul of 4/41 in the second match of the series.

In the batting rankings, all-rounder Imad Wasim has gained three spots to reach 49th position even as captain Babar Azam has bridged the gap a little with the Indian pair of captain Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Babar’s 221 runs, which include a knock of 125 in the third match, see him gain eight points though he remains in the third position.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/embarrassing-shoaib-akhtar-hits-out-at-pakistan-after-super-over-defeat-against-zimbabwe-340463" hreflang="en">'Embarrassing...' - Shoaib Akhtar hits out at Pakistan after Super Over defeat against Zimbabwe</a>

For Zimbabwe, Brendan Taylor and Sean Williams have advanced among batters after slamming fine centuries in the series. Taylor has progressed nine slots to 42nd position after scoring 204 runs including a knock of 112 in the first match. Williams has advanced 12 places to 46th position with 197 runs including an unbeaten 118 in the final match. Among bowlers, Sikandar Raza has moved up to 66th place and Donald Tiripano to 90th.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s Super Over win in the final ODI has helped them gain 10 points while Pakistan got 20 points, remaining ahead of Australia on net run rate. England lead with 30 points after playing two series of the Super League, introduced to bring context to ODI cricket and to decide the seven direct qualifiers for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 along with hosts India.

Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi has achieved a career-best 16th position in the ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings after a notable performance in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League series against Zimbabwe that they won 2-1.

Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi has achieved a career-best 16th position in the ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings after a notable performance in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League series against Zimbabwe that they won 2-1. Shaheen, who shot into international prominence in the ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2018 in New Zealand, has gained eight places to move into the top 20 for the first time in his career with a match-winning haul of 5/49 in the opening ODI of the series. Wahab Riaz, also a left-arm fast bowler like Shaheen, is another one to gain in the latest rankings update. He has moved up six places to 60th position, grabbing five wickets in two matches, including a haul of 4/41 in the second match of the series. In the batting rankings, all-rounder Imad Wasim has gained three spots to reach 49th position even as captain Babar Azam has bridged the gap a little with the Indian pair of captain Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Babar’s 221 runs, which include a knock of 125 in the third match, see him gain eight points though he remains in the third position. ALSO READ: 'Embarrassing...' - Shoaib Akhtar hits out at Pakistan after Super Over defeat against Zimbabwe For Zimbabwe, Brendan Taylor and Sean Williams have advanced among batters after slamming fine centuries in the series. Taylor has progressed nine slots to 42nd position after scoring 204 runs including a knock of 112 in the first match. Williams has advanced 12 places to 46th position with 197 runs including an unbeaten 118 in the final match. Among bowlers, Sikandar Raza has moved up to 66th place and Donald Tiripano to 90th. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s Super Over win in the final ODI has helped them gain 10 points while Pakistan got 20 points, remaining ahead of Australia on net run rate. England lead with 30 points after playing two series of the Super League, introduced to bring context to ODI cricket and to decide the seven direct qualifiers for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 along with hosts India.

ICC Rankings: Babar Azam moves closer to Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma; Shaheen Afridi attains career-best in ODIs

With the Women’s T20 Challenge kick-starting on Wednesday, Supernovas and Velocity will lock horns at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Supernovas, the winners of last two editions of the tournament, have some big names in their squad with the likes of Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Chamari Athapaththu, Poonam Yadav among others expected to light up the four-match tournament.&nbsp;

Whereas Velocity have exciting names in Shafali Varma, Mithali Raj, Danielle Wyatt, Veda Krishnamurthy, Sune Luus, Jahanara Alam among others and are touted as one of the teams to watch out for in the tournament.

Supernovas are being looked as big favourites to win the competition given their splendid record in the past. However, things can quickly change as both the teams have some world-class names and exciting youth talent in their ranks. The likes of Ayushi Soni have already received big praise from Harmanpreet in the build-up to the tournament opener and all eyes will be on the youngster if she takes to the field on Wednesday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-playoffs-qualifier-1-eliminator-schedule-dates-venues-and-more-340451" hreflang="en">IPL 2020 Playoffs: Qualifier 1, Eliminator - Schedule, dates, venues and more</a>

With a great blend of domestic talents and experienced overseas players, the Women’s T20 Challenge comes as a breather in the world of women’s cricket. Even though the Women’s Big Bash League is up and running in Australia, the Women’s T20 Challenge will allow the Indian talents to make a name for themselves again.

<h2>Supernovas vs Velocity, Women's T20 Challenge: Squads</h2>

Supernovas Squad: Priya Punia, Chamari Athapaththu, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Shashikala Siriwardene, Taniya Bhatia(w), Anuja Patil, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Poonam Yadav, Shakera Selman, Pooja Vastrakar, Ayabonga Khaka, Muskan Malik, Ayushi soni

Velocity Squad: Shafali Verma, Danielle Wyatt, Mithali Raj(c), Veda Krishnamurthy, Sushma Verma(w), Sune Luus, Shikha Pandey, Leigh Kasperek, Jahanara Alam, Manali Dakshini, Ekta Bisht, Devika Vaidya, Sushree Dibyadarshini, Meghna Singh, Anagha Murali

With the Women’s T20 Challenge kick-starting on Wednesday, Supernovas and Velocity will lock horns at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Supernovas, the winners of last two editions of the tournament, have some big names in their squad with the likes of Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Chamari Athapaththu, Poonam Yadav among others expected to light up the four-match tournament.

With the Women’s T20 Challenge kick-starting on Wednesday, Supernovas and Velocity will lock horns at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Supernovas, the winners of last two editions of the tournament, have some big names in their squad with the likes of Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Chamari Athapaththu, Poonam Yadav among others expected to light up the four-match tournament. Whereas Velocity have exciting names in Shafali Varma, Mithali Raj, Danielle Wyatt, Veda Krishnamurthy, Sune Luus, Jahanara Alam among others and are touted as one of the teams to watch out for in the tournament. Supernovas are being looked as big favourites to win the competition given their splendid record in the past. However, things can quickly change as both the teams have some world-class names and exciting youth talent in their ranks. The likes of Ayushi Soni have already received big praise from Harmanpreet in the build-up to the tournament opener and all eyes will be on the youngster if she takes to the field on Wednesday. ALSO READ: IPL 2020 Playoffs: Qualifier 1, Eliminator - Schedule, dates, venues and more With a great blend of domestic talents and experienced overseas players, the Women’s T20 Challenge comes as a breather in the world of women’s cricket. Even though the Women’s Big Bash League is up and running in Australia, the Women’s T20 Challenge will allow the Indian talents to make a name for themselves again. Supernovas vs Velocity, Women's T20 Challenge: Squads Supernovas Squad: Priya Punia, Chamari Athapaththu, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Shashikala Siriwardene, Taniya Bhatia(w), Anuja Patil, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Poonam Yadav, Shakera Selman, Pooja Vastrakar, Ayabonga Khaka, Muskan Malik, Ayushi soni Velocity Squad: Shafali Verma, Danielle Wyatt, Mithali Raj(c), Veda Krishnamurthy, Sushma Verma(w), Sune Luus, Shikha Pandey, Leigh Kasperek, Jahanara Alam, Manali Dakshini, Ekta Bisht, Devika Vaidya, Sushree Dibyadarshini, Meghna Singh, Anagha Murali

WT20 Challenge, Supernovas vs Velocity Preview: Feisty contest expected in Sharjah

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has lashed out at Pakistan cricket team after their shock defeat to Zimbabwe in Super Over in Rawalpindi as the three-match ODI series ended 2-1 in favour of the hosts. Terming the defeat as “embarrassing”, Akhtar said that Pakistan cricket will have to be progressive if they want to avoid becoming history while adding the Babar Azam-led outfit was not “expressive”.

After a tied-game, Blessing Muzarabani conceded just two runs off his four deliveries as he scalped two wickets to end Pakistan’s innings in the Super Over. Zimbabwe took just three deliveries to complete the task and end the ODI series on a winning note.

"Embarrassing. Losing to Zimbabwe is an issue. You lose some, you win some however you have to be progressive. We weren’t expressive. Change your mentality before you become history," Akhtar tweeted.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-playoffs-qualifier-1-eliminator-schedule-dates-venues-and-more-340451" hreflang="en">IPL 2020 Playoffs: Qualifier 1, Eliminator - Schedule, dates, venues and more</a>

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Embarrassing. Losing to Zimbabwe is an issue. You lose some, you win some however you have to be progressive. We weren’t expressive. Change your mentality before you become history ..
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) <a href="https://twitter.com/shoaib100mph/status/1323658362744176645?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Zimbabwe, riding on a scintillating ton from Sean Williams, posted 278-6 in 50 overs with the likes of Brendan Taylor among other batters contributing well with the willow. For Pakistan, Mohammad Hasnain picked up five wickets in what was an impressive outing for the youngster.

Chasing 279, Pakistan were 88-5 before Babar Azam stitched crucial partnership with Khushdil Shah before adding another 100-run stand with Wahab Riaz.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/unfit-for-australia-fit-for-ipl-rohit-injury-intrigues-many-340418" hreflang="en">Unfit for Australia, fit for IPL: Rohit injury intrigues many</a>

However, with two boundaries in the 50th over, Mohammad Musa finished up tying the match and took it to a Super Over.

Scores in brief:

Zimbabwe 278 for six in 50 overs (Sean Williams 118 not out, Brendan Taylor 56, Sikandar Raza 45; Mohammad Hasnain 5-26)

Pakistan 278 for 9 in 50 overs (Babar Azam 125, Wahab Riaz 52, Khushdil Shah 33; Blessing Muzarabani 5-49, Richard Ngarava 2-62)

Result: Match tied, Zimbabwe win in Super Over

Man-of-the-match Blessing Muzarabani

Man-of-the-series Babar Azam 
&nbsp;

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has lashed out at Pakistan cricket team after their shock defeat to Zimbabwe in Super Over in Rawalpindi as the three-match ODI series ended 2-1 in favour of the hosts.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has lashed out at Pakistan cricket team after their shock defeat to Zimbabwe in Super Over in Rawalpindi as the three-match ODI series ended 2-1 in favour of the hosts. Terming the defeat as “embarrassing”, Akhtar said that Pakistan cricket will have to be progressive if they want to avoid becoming history while adding the Babar Azam-led outfit was not “expressive”. After a tied-game, Blessing Muzarabani conceded just two runs off his four deliveries as he scalped two wickets to end Pakistan’s innings in the Super Over. Zimbabwe took just three deliveries to complete the task and end the ODI series on a winning note. "Embarrassing. Losing to Zimbabwe is an issue. You lose some, you win some however you have to be progressive. We weren’t expressive. Change your mentality before you become history," Akhtar tweeted. ALSO READ: IPL 2020 Playoffs: Qualifier 1, Eliminator - Schedule, dates, venues and more Embarrassing. Losing to Zimbabwe is an issue. You lose some, you win some however you have to be progressive. We weren’t expressive. Change your mentality before you become history .. — Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) November 3, 2020 × Zimbabwe, riding on a scintillating ton from Sean Williams, posted 278-6 in 50 overs with the likes of Brendan Taylor among other batters contributing well with the willow. For Pakistan, Mohammad Hasnain picked up five wickets in what was an impressive outing for the youngster. Chasing 279, Pakistan were 88-5 before Babar Azam stitched crucial partnership with Khushdil Shah before adding another 100-run stand with Wahab Riaz. ALSO READ: Unfit for Australia, fit for IPL: Rohit injury intrigues many However, with two boundaries in the 50th over, Mohammad Musa finished up tying the match and took it to a Super Over. Scores in brief: Zimbabwe 278 for six in 50 overs (Sean Williams 118 not out, Brendan Taylor 56, Sikandar Raza 45; Mohammad Hasnain 5-26) Pakistan 278 for 9 in 50 overs (Babar Azam 125, Wahab Riaz 52, Khushdil Shah 33; Blessing Muzarabani 5-49, Richard Ngarava 2-62) Result: Match tied, Zimbabwe win in Super Over Man-of-the-match Blessing Muzarabani Man-of-the-series Babar Azam

'Embarrassing...' - Shoaib Akhtar hits out at Pakistan after Super Over defeat against Zimbabwe

Barcelona made it four La Liga games without a win on Saturday after failing to beat 10-man Alaves, a 1-1 draw leaving Ronald Koeman's side sitting 12th in the table.

Luis Rioja put Alaves in front at Mendizorrotza after an error from Barca's back-up goalkeeper Neto, with Antoine Griezmann equalising in the second half, a minute after Jota Peleteiro had been sent off.

But with almost half an hour left and an extra man, Barcelona were still unable to find a winner, instead settling for a draw to go with recent defeats by Getafe and Real Madrid, and another draw against Sevilla.

It means Madrid, who had earlier won 4-1 at home to Huesca, now sit eight points clear of their Catalan rivals, having played a game more, while Atletico are six ahead after they beat Osasuna 3-1. Atletico will go top if they win their game in hand.

Even at this early stage in the title race, the gap is significant and Koeman will know the scrutiny on his position as coach will increase, particularly after the resignation of Josep Maria Bartomeu as president on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Bartomeu appointed Koeman coach in August and eight points from the first six league games is not the sort of form that will impress the next president and board, who should be voted in before the end of January.

"I'm very disappointed," said Koeman. "Once again we haven't played well enough to get a result. The first goal was a gift and then we created a lot of chances but didn't take them."

Koeman's decision to substitute Ansu Fati with 12 minutes left was particularly surprising given Fati had been arguably Barcelona's most dangerous player, perhaps even more threatening than Lionel Messi, who endured a frustrating night.

Messi has still not scored in open play this season and while he was at the heart of almost every Barca attack, his touch and finishing was again not as crisp as usual. He was booked in the first half for dissent.

Fati and Griezmann both missed early chances while a Messi free-kick would have gone in had Florian Lejeune not been perfectly placed on the line.

Frenkie de Jong was unlucky not to have had a penalty when nudged out of a free header by Ximo Navarro before a Barca mistake gifted Alaves the opening goal.

Gerard Pique underestimated how close Neto was to him and the defender's firmly hit backpass caught the goalkeeper by surprise. Neto failed to adjust his feet and Rioja capitalised, robbing him of the ball and tapping into an open net.

Koeman made three changes at half-time, with Pedri, Francisco Trincao and Miralem Pjanic all coming on.

But Barca found it difficult to break down the Alaves defence until Peleteiro gave them an opening. He booted Pique in the face to earn a second yellow card in the 62nd minute and in the 63rd, Griezmann equalised, an exquisite, lifted finish pulling Barcelona level.

It was almost 2-1 a minute later but Messi's finish was well saved while Griezmann had a second ruled out for offside. Fati fired at goal before going off and Pique's finish was cleared off the line. Alaves held on.

<h2>- Hazard ends goal drought -</h2>

Eden Hazard earlier scored his first goal for Real Madrid in over a year and his team appear to have turned a corner after their comfortable win over Huesca.&nbsp;

Hazard has had a terrible time with injuries since joining Madrid for 100 million euros from Chelsea in 2019 but the Belgian will hope his stunning strike from distance at the Alfredo di Stefano can kick-start his career in Spain.&nbsp;

"We know the quality that Eden has," Zidane said. "He scored a good goal and we needed it in the first half, because after his first goal the game was different." &nbsp;

Karim Benzema and Fede Valverde made the win secure before Huesca scored through David Ferreiro, only for Benzema to add his second and Madrid's fourth in injury-time.&nbsp;

It caps an encouraging week for &nbsp;Zidane's side, which began with the Clasico win at Camp Nou and finishes with them top of the table, two points ahead of Real Sociedad.

Barcelona made it four La Liga games without a win on Saturday after failing to beat 10-man Alaves, a 1-1 draw leaving Ronald Koeman's side sitting 12th in the table.

Barcelona made it four La Liga games without a win on Saturday after failing to beat 10-man Alaves, a 1-1 draw leaving Ronald Koeman's side sitting 12th in the table. Luis Rioja put Alaves in front at Mendizorrotza after an error from Barca's back-up goalkeeper Neto, with Antoine Griezmann equalising in the second half, a minute after Jota Peleteiro had been sent off. But with almost half an hour left and an extra man, Barcelona were still unable to find a winner, instead settling for a draw to go with recent defeats by Getafe and Real Madrid, and another draw against Sevilla. It means Madrid, who had earlier won 4-1 at home to Huesca, now sit eight points clear of their Catalan rivals, having played a game more, while Atletico are six ahead after they beat Osasuna 3-1. Atletico will go top if they win their game in hand. Even at this early stage in the title race, the gap is significant and Koeman will know the scrutiny on his position as coach will increase, particularly after the resignation of Josep Maria Bartomeu as president on Tuesday. Bartomeu appointed Koeman coach in August and eight points from the first six league games is not the sort of form that will impress the next president and board, who should be voted in before the end of January. "I'm very disappointed," said Koeman. "Once again we haven't played well enough to get a result. The first goal was a gift and then we created a lot of chances but didn't take them." Koeman's decision to substitute Ansu Fati with 12 minutes left was particularly surprising given Fati had been arguably Barcelona's most dangerous player, perhaps even more threatening than Lionel Messi, who endured a frustrating night. Messi has still not scored in open play this season and while he was at the heart of almost every Barca attack, his touch and finishing was again not as crisp as usual. He was booked in the first half for dissent. Fati and Griezmann both missed early chances while a Messi free-kick would have gone in had Florian Lejeune not been perfectly placed on the line. Frenkie de Jong was unlucky not to have had a penalty when nudged out of a free header by Ximo Navarro before a Barca mistake gifted Alaves the opening goal. Gerard Pique underestimated how close Neto was to him and the defender's firmly hit backpass caught the goalkeeper by surprise. Neto failed to adjust his feet and Rioja capitalised, robbing him of the ball and tapping into an open net. Koeman made three changes at half-time, with Pedri, Francisco Trincao and Miralem Pjanic all coming on. But Barca found it difficult to break down the Alaves defence until Peleteiro gave them an opening. He booted Pique in the face to earn a second yellow card in the 62nd minute and in the 63rd, Griezmann equalised, an exquisite, lifted finish pulling Barcelona level. It was almost 2-1 a minute later but Messi's finish was well saved while Griezmann had a second ruled out for offside. Fati fired at goal before going off and Pique's finish was cleared off the line. Alaves held on. - Hazard ends goal drought - Eden Hazard earlier scored his first goal for Real Madrid in over a year and his team appear to have turned a corner after their comfortable win over Huesca. Hazard has had a terrible time with injuries since joining Madrid for 100 million euros from Chelsea in 2019 but the Belgian will hope his stunning strike from distance at the Alfredo di Stefano can kick-start his career in Spain. "We know the quality that Eden has," Zidane said. "He scored a good goal and we needed it in the first half, because after his first goal the game was different." Karim Benzema and Fede Valverde made the win secure before Huesca scored through David Ferreiro, only for Benzema to add his second and Madrid's fourth in injury-time. It caps an encouraging week for Zidane's side, which began with the Clasico win at Camp Nou and finishes with them top of the table, two points ahead of Real Sociedad.

Barcelona held by 10-man Alaves to extend winless streak in La Liga

Kylian Mbappe scored from the penalty spot as Paris Saint-Germain eased to their seventh straight Ligue 1 win on Saturday, beating Nantes 3-0 away to move provisionally three points clear at the top of the table.

All the goals came in the second half at the Stade de la Beaujoire, with Ander Herrera opening the scoring two minutes after the restart and Mbappe converting a 65th-minute spot-kick before Pablo Sarabia secured the points late on.

PSG have now taken maximum points since starting the season with back-to-back defeats and the reigning champions are three clear of Lille and Rennes at the summit.

Lille, who are unbeaten, can rejoin the club from the capital at the top if they beat Lyon on Sunday. Rennes beat Brest 2-1 on Saturday.

"I am very happy. We made lots of changes because we felt it was necessary. We don't expect things to be perfect and spectacular all the time," said Paris coach Thomas Tuchel.

He made six changes to his line-up following the 2-0 midweek win at Istanbul Basaksehir in the Champions League, with Neymar one of those missing after suffering an adductor injury that is expected to keep him out until the upcoming international break.

However Nantes, whose game at Lens last weekend was called off following a coronavirus outbreak in their opponents' squad, were missing an entire back four here, including three to Covid-19.

Sarabia hit the post early on for the visitors in this game, played behind closed doors after France returned to a full national lockdown in an attempt to stem a surge in coronavirus cases.

Nigerian winger Moses Simon then missed an open goal for Nantes, somehow failing to turn in Randal Kolo Muani's assist.

<h2>- 'No injury' for Kean, Mbappe -</h2>

Kolo Muani then curled a shot agonisingly wide after a Herrera slip had let Nantes in, before PSG took off Moise Kean -- scorer of four goals in the previous two games -- at the break.

The league leaders got the breakthrough at the start of the second half when Mbappe picked out the former Manchester United midfielder Herrera to fire home.

Mbappe, who moved from the left wing to a more central role in the second half, then benefited from a very soft penalty award when he went down under pressure from Jean-Charles Castelletto.

The World Cup winner stroked home the penalty for his seventh league goal of the season, all of which have come in the last six matches.

He was then withdrawn and headed straight down the tunnel clutching his right hamstring, but Tuchel said it was nothing to worry about ahead of Wednesday's key Champions League clash with RB Leipzig in Germany.

"It is just fatigue. It's not an injury," said Tuchel. "The same for Kean. He had just taken a few knocks."&nbsp;

Just before Mbappe went off, Nantes won a penalty of their own when Colin Dagba fouled Marcus Coco in the box, but Abdoul Kader Bamba's effort from 12 yards was saved by Keylor Navas.

&nbsp;

<h2>- Rennes back on track before Chelsea -</h2>

&nbsp;

PSG have conceded just one goal in their seven-game winning run, while Sarabia chipped in after pouncing on Imran Louza's back-pass to make it 23 goals scored in that time.

Earlier Rennes got back on track by coming from behind to beat Brest as they prepare to go to Chelsea in the Champions League in midweek.

Defensive duo Damien Da Silva and Nayef Aguerd got the goals for Rennes after Franck Honorat had given the visitors the lead at Roazhon Park in a Brittany derby.

A third-place finish in the last, curtailed French season allowed Rennes to qualify for the Champions League for the first time, but they have taken just one point from their first two group games, a 1-1 draw with Russians Krasnodar being followed by a 1-0 loss away to Sevilla in midweek.

They face Chelsea in London on Wednesday, a game which will be missed by teenage France midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, who is injured and also played no part against Brest.

Kylian Mbappe scored from the penalty spot as Paris Saint-Germain eased to their seventh straight Ligue 1 win on Saturday, beating Nantes 3-0 away to move provisionally three points clear at the top of the table.

Kylian Mbappe scored from the penalty spot as Paris Saint-Germain eased to their seventh straight Ligue 1 win on Saturday, beating Nantes 3-0 away to move provisionally three points clear at the top of the table. All the goals came in the second half at the Stade de la Beaujoire, with Ander Herrera opening the scoring two minutes after the restart and Mbappe converting a 65th-minute spot-kick before Pablo Sarabia secured the points late on. PSG have now taken maximum points since starting the season with back-to-back defeats and the reigning champions are three clear of Lille and Rennes at the summit. Lille, who are unbeaten, can rejoin the club from the capital at the top if they beat Lyon on Sunday. Rennes beat Brest 2-1 on Saturday. "I am very happy. We made lots of changes because we felt it was necessary. We don't expect things to be perfect and spectacular all the time," said Paris coach Thomas Tuchel. He made six changes to his line-up following the 2-0 midweek win at Istanbul Basaksehir in the Champions League, with Neymar one of those missing after suffering an adductor injury that is expected to keep him out until the upcoming international break. However Nantes, whose game at Lens last weekend was called off following a coronavirus outbreak in their opponents' squad, were missing an entire back four here, including three to Covid-19. Sarabia hit the post early on for the visitors in this game, played behind closed doors after France returned to a full national lockdown in an attempt to stem a surge in coronavirus cases. Nigerian winger Moses Simon then missed an open goal for Nantes, somehow failing to turn in Randal Kolo Muani's assist. - 'No injury' for Kean, Mbappe - Kolo Muani then curled a shot agonisingly wide after a Herrera slip had let Nantes in, before PSG took off Moise Kean -- scorer of four goals in the previous two games -- at the break. The league leaders got the breakthrough at the start of the second half when Mbappe picked out the former Manchester United midfielder Herrera to fire home. Mbappe, who moved from the left wing to a more central role in the second half, then benefited from a very soft penalty award when he went down under pressure from Jean-Charles Castelletto. The World Cup winner stroked home the penalty for his seventh league goal of the season, all of which have come in the last six matches. He was then withdrawn and headed straight down the tunnel clutching his right hamstring, but Tuchel said it was nothing to worry about ahead of Wednesday's key Champions League clash with RB Leipzig in Germany. "It is just fatigue. It's not an injury," said Tuchel. "The same for Kean. He had just taken a few knocks." Just before Mbappe went off, Nantes won a penalty of their own when Colin Dagba fouled Marcus Coco in the box, but Abdoul Kader Bamba's effort from 12 yards was saved by Keylor Navas. - Rennes back on track before Chelsea - PSG have conceded just one goal in their seven-game winning run, while Sarabia chipped in after pouncing on Imran Louza's back-pass to make it 23 goals scored in that time. Earlier Rennes got back on track by coming from behind to beat Brest as they prepare to go to Chelsea in the Champions League in midweek. Defensive duo Damien Da Silva and Nayef Aguerd got the goals for Rennes after Franck Honorat had given the visitors the lead at Roazhon Park in a Brittany derby. A third-place finish in the last, curtailed French season allowed Rennes to qualify for the Champions League for the first time, but they have taken just one point from their first two group games, a 1-1 draw with Russians Krasnodar being followed by a 1-0 loss away to Sevilla in midweek. They face Chelsea in London on Wednesday, a game which will be missed by teenage France midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, who is injured and also played no part against Brest.

Mbappe on target as PSG win without injured Neymar

Will Pucovski and Marcus Harris smashed double centuries to fire a message to Australia coach Justin Langer in setting a new record Sunday for the biggest partnership in Sheffield Shield history.

The pair shared in a massive 486-run opening stand for Victoria against South Australia, surpassing the previous mark of 464 set by Steve and Mark Waugh for New South Wales in 1990.

Harris, who has not played a Test since being dropped following the 2019 Ashes against England, finally fell for 239, caught behind off the bowling of Wes Agar.

It left Pucovski in the middle and he remained unbeaten on 255 when captain Peter Handscomb declared at 564 for three.

Their exploits will cause incumbent Test openers Joe Burns and David Warner to sit up and take notice, with Langer's squad for an upcoming four-Test home series against India yet to be announced.

Pucovski, one of Australia's brightest prospects, has been on the cusp of Test selection for the past two summers, but has battled mental health problems.

He was in the national set-up for Tests last summer against Sri Lanka, but after being overlooked for the first and again missing out on selection for the second he was released to return home and deal with his issues.

The 22-year-old said last week he was ready to fight for a Test spot again.

"I just feel like I'm in a really good space now, which is awesome, just in everyday life and with my cricket," he said.&nbsp;

"I don't have much control over whether they pick me or not, but I'm definitely very keen."

Will Pucovski and Marcus Harris smashed double centuries to fire a message to Australia coach Justin Langer in setting a new record Sunday for the biggest partnership in Sheffield Shield history.

Will Pucovski and Marcus Harris smashed double centuries to fire a message to Australia coach Justin Langer in setting a new record Sunday for the biggest partnership in Sheffield Shield history. The pair shared in a massive 486-run opening stand for Victoria against South Australia, surpassing the previous mark of 464 set by Steve and Mark Waugh for New South Wales in 1990. Harris, who has not played a Test since being dropped following the 2019 Ashes against England, finally fell for 239, caught behind off the bowling of Wes Agar. It left Pucovski in the middle and he remained unbeaten on 255 when captain Peter Handscomb declared at 564 for three. Their exploits will cause incumbent Test openers Joe Burns and David Warner to sit up and take notice, with Langer's squad for an upcoming four-Test home series against India yet to be announced. Pucovski, one of Australia's brightest prospects, has been on the cusp of Test selection for the past two summers, but has battled mental health problems. He was in the national set-up for Tests last summer against Sri Lanka, but after being overlooked for the first and again missing out on selection for the second he was released to return home and deal with his issues. The 22-year-old said last week he was ready to fight for a Test spot again. "I just feel like I'm in a really good space now, which is awesome, just in everyday life and with my cricket," he said. "I don't have much control over whether they pick me or not, but I'm definitely very keen."

Pucovski, Harris smash Waughs' record with 486-run opening stand

Pakistan will take on Zimbabwe at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Sunday in what will be the second ODI of the three-match series. While Pakistan won the first ODI to take 1-0 lead in the series, Zimbabwe gave a tough fight to the hosts with Brendan Taylor scoring a memorable century.

Pakistan are favourites heading into the match and are expected to win the clash in what has been a flat track in Rawalpindi.

TRENDING:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-pakistans-bizarre-run-out-against-zimbabwe-goes-viral-339287" hreflang="en">Watch: Pakistan's bizarre run-out against Zimbabwe goes viral</a>

<h2>Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, 2nd ODI Playing XI:</h2>

Pakistan&nbsp;(Playing XI): Imam-ul-Haq, Abid Ali, Babar Azam(c), Haider Ali, Mohammad Rizwan(w), Iftikhar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Imad Wasim, Muhammad Musa, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi

Zimbabwe&nbsp;(Playing XI): Brian Chari, Chamu Chibhabha(c), Craig Ervine, Brendan Taylor(w), Sean Williams, Wesley Madhevere, Sikandar Raza, Tendai Chisoro, Carl Mumba, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani

<h2>Where will the 2nd ODI match between Pakistan vs Zimbabwe take place?</h2>

The 2nd ODI match between Pakistan vs Zimbabwe will take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

<h2>What time will the 2nd ODI match between Pakistan vs Zimbabwe begin?</h2>

The 2nd ODI match between Pakistan vs Zimbabwe begins at 12:30 PM IST on Sunday (November 1).

<h2>How to watch live 2nd ODI match between Pakistan vs Zimbabwe?</h2>

The 2nd ODI between Pakistan and Zimbabwe will not be telecasted live in India.

<h2>How to watch 2nd ODI match between Pakistan vs Zimbabwe match online?</h2>

The online live streaming of the 2nd ODI match between Pakistan vs Zimbabwe will be available Pakistan Cricket’s official YouTube channel.

&nbsp;

Pakistan will take on Zimbabwe at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Sunday in what will be the second ODI of the three-match series. While Pakistan won the first ODI to take 1-0 lead in the series, Zimbabwe gave a tough fight to the hosts with Brendan Taylor scoring a memorable century.

Pakistan will take on Zimbabwe at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Sunday in what will be the second ODI of the three-match series. While Pakistan won the first ODI to take 1-0 lead in the series, Zimbabwe gave a tough fight to the hosts with Brendan Taylor scoring a memorable century. Pakistan are favourites heading into the match and are expected to win the clash in what has been a flat track in Rawalpindi. TRENDING: Watch: Pakistan's bizarre run-out against Zimbabwe goes viral Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, 2nd ODI Playing XI: Pakistan (Playing XI): Imam-ul-Haq, Abid Ali, Babar Azam(c), Haider Ali, Mohammad Rizwan(w), Iftikhar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Imad Wasim, Muhammad Musa, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi Zimbabwe (Playing XI): Brian Chari, Chamu Chibhabha(c), Craig Ervine, Brendan Taylor(w), Sean Williams, Wesley Madhevere, Sikandar Raza, Tendai Chisoro, Carl Mumba, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani Where will the 2nd ODI match between Pakistan vs Zimbabwe take place? The 2nd ODI match between Pakistan vs Zimbabwe will take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. What time will the 2nd ODI match between Pakistan vs Zimbabwe begin? The 2nd ODI match between Pakistan vs Zimbabwe begins at 12:30 PM IST on Sunday (November 1). How to watch live 2nd ODI match between Pakistan vs Zimbabwe? The 2nd ODI between Pakistan and Zimbabwe will not be telecasted live in India. How to watch 2nd ODI match between Pakistan vs Zimbabwe match online? The online live streaming of the 2nd ODI match between Pakistan vs Zimbabwe will be available Pakistan Cricket’s official YouTube channel.

Pakistan vs Zimbabwe 2nd ODI Live Streaming: When and where to watch PAK vs ZIM online?

Manchester United will take on Arsenal at the Old Trafford on Sunday in a crucial Premier League clash. Both teams are currently at the bottom half of the standings.

Manchester United will take on Arsenal at the Old Trafford on Sunday in a crucial Premier League clash. Both teams are currently at the bottom half of the standings. Gunners are on the 11th spot in the Premier League after suffering three losses, whereas Solskjaer's Manchester United are on the 15th position after collecting just seven points off five games. Where and when is the Manchester United vs Arsenal, Premier League match being played? The Manchester United vs Arsenal, Premier League match will be played on November 01, 2020, at Old Trafford. What time does the Manchester United vs Arsenal, Premier League match begin? The Manchester United vs Arsenal match will begin at 10:00 PM IST on Sunday. Where to watch Manchester United vs Arsenal, Premier League live in India? The Manchester United vs Arsenal live telecast will be on Star Sports Select 1 and Star Sports Select HD1 channels in India. How and where to watch online Manchester United vs Arsenal live streaming? The Manchester United vs Arsenal live stream will be available on Hotstar app and hotstar.com website in India for premium users. Defending champions Liverpool are leading the race in the Premier League with 16 points.

Manchester United vs Arsenal, Premier League Live Streaming: How to watch MUN vs ARS online?

Lewis Hamilton on Sunday won the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola to help Mercedes secure a record-breaking seventh constructors’ title. While Hamilton finished at top of the podium, his team-mate and pole-sitter Valterri Bottas finished second with Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo finishing third.&nbsp;

"What an incredible achievement for all of you. I am so proud of everybody and I am so grateful to be a part of it," Hamilton said on the team radio.

"Couldn't have done it without you," came back the reply from the jubilant Mercedes garage.

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HAMILTON WINS!! 🏆 
 
He takes victory #93 at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 
 
Bottas second, with Ricciardo coming home P3!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ImolaGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ImolaGP</a> 🇮🇹 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/mbmydh8EOf">pic.twitter.com/mbmydh8EOf</a>
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Hamilton’s 93rd career pole finish extended his lead over Bottas in the championship table to 85 points with just four races remaining. 
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who is also celebrating his 47th birthday, said the iconic title win and the milestone was “something to be proud of” while suggesting "as long as we stay motivated and energised we can push each other more".

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/thats-what-i-do-netizens-go-crazy-as-barack-obama-shows-off-his-basketball-skills-339456" hreflang="en">'That's what I do': Netizens go crazy as Barack Obama shows off his basketball skills</a>

Formula One takes a break next weekend before resuming the season with Turkish Grand Prix on November 15 where Hamilton could wrap-up a record-equalling seventh drivers’ crown.

However, Bottas could have lost his second place to Max Verstappen, who drove outstandingly well, after making a glaring mistake as he locked his front wheels into Rivazza. Verstappen ended up puncturing his right-read and 10 laps later smashed the suspension that sent him spinning into the gravel as Bottas regained his second-spot.

Verstappen's crash meant the safety car was sent out to clear the damage and it led to an action-packed fight for third place in the closing laps.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Lewis Hamilton on Sunday won the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola to help Mercedes secure a record-breaking seventh constructors’ title. While Hamilton finished at top of the podium, his team-mate and pole-sitter Valterri Bottas finished second with Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo finishing third.

Lewis Hamilton on Sunday won the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola to help Mercedes secure a record-breaking seventh constructors’ title. While Hamilton finished at top of the podium, his team-mate and pole-sitter Valterri Bottas finished second with Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo finishing third. "What an incredible achievement for all of you. I am so proud of everybody and I am so grateful to be a part of it," Hamilton said on the team radio. "Couldn't have done it without you," came back the reply from the jubilant Mercedes garage. HAMILTON WINS!! 🏆 He takes victory #93 at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Bottas second, with Ricciardo coming home P3!#ImolaGP 🇮🇹 #F1 pic.twitter.com/mbmydh8EOf — Formula 1 (@F1) November 1, 2020 × Hamilton’s 93rd career pole finish extended his lead over Bottas in the championship table to 85 points with just four races remaining. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who is also celebrating his 47th birthday, said the iconic title win and the milestone was “something to be proud of” while suggesting "as long as we stay motivated and energised we can push each other more". ALSO READ: 'That's what I do': Netizens go crazy as Barack Obama shows off his basketball skills Formula One takes a break next weekend before resuming the season with Turkish Grand Prix on November 15 where Hamilton could wrap-up a record-equalling seventh drivers’ crown. However, Bottas could have lost his second place to Max Verstappen, who drove outstandingly well, after making a glaring mistake as he locked his front wheels into Rivazza. Verstappen ended up puncturing his right-read and 10 laps later smashed the suspension that sent him spinning into the gravel as Bottas regained his second-spot. Verstappen's crash meant the safety car was sent out to clear the damage and it led to an action-packed fight for third place in the closing laps.

Lewis Hamilton wins in Imola as Mercedes claim record 7th straight constructors' title

Chennai Super Kings on Sunday defeated Kings XI Punjab by nine wickets at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi as they end their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> on a winning note. However, the crushing defeat confirmed that Kings XI Punjab have been knocked out of IPL 2020 in what was a topsy-turvy ride for the KL Rahul-led outfit.

Chennai Super Kings end their IPL 2020 campaign with three back-to-back wins but the match must hurt Kings XI Punjab the most as they would have almost confirmed their place in the playoffs with a win. They end their IPL 2020 campaign with back-to-back defeats.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-preview-do-or-die-fixture-for-kolkata-knight-riders-and-rajasthan-royals-339451" hreflang="en">IPL 2020 Preview: Do-or-die fixture for Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals</a>

Batting first, Kings XI Punjab were off to a shaky start as they lost openers KL Rahul (29) and Mayank Agarwal (26) after a solid first few overs. In-form players in Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran failed to fire in the do-or-die match as they could manage 12 and 2 respectively. Mandeep Singh was dismissed for 12 but Deepak Hooda came good as he hammered his first IPL half-century since 2016 (62 not-out off 30) laced by three boundaries and four sixes to take KXIP to a competitive total of 153/6 in 20 overs.&nbsp;

However, Chennai Super Kings openers started the chase in front foot as openers Faf du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad utilized the powerplay overs to their best. Even though du Plessis was sent packing for 48, Gaikwad completed his third half-century on the bounce while Ambati Rayudu played according to the situation to take Chennai Super Kings home in their final match of IPL 2020.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/irfan-pathan-confirms-participation-in-lanka-premier-league-for-kandy-tuskers-339432" hreflang="en">Irfan Pathan confirms participation in Lanka Premier League for Kandy Tuskers</a>

The win for CSK helps the likes of Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad as they will now be in contention to take up that fourth spot in the table. Even Delhi Capitals’ spot in the playoffs isn’t guaranteed.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings on Sunday defeated Kings XI Punjab by nine wickets at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi as they end their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 on a winning note.

Chennai Super Kings on Sunday defeated Kings XI Punjab by nine wickets at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi as they end their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 on a winning note. However, the crushing defeat confirmed that Kings XI Punjab have been knocked out of IPL 2020 in what was a topsy-turvy ride for the KL Rahul-led outfit. Chennai Super Kings end their IPL 2020 campaign with three back-to-back wins but the match must hurt Kings XI Punjab the most as they would have almost confirmed their place in the playoffs with a win. They end their IPL 2020 campaign with back-to-back defeats. ALSO READ: IPL 2020 Preview: Do-or-die fixture for Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals Batting first, Kings XI Punjab were off to a shaky start as they lost openers KL Rahul (29) and Mayank Agarwal (26) after a solid first few overs. In-form players in Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran failed to fire in the do-or-die match as they could manage 12 and 2 respectively. Mandeep Singh was dismissed for 12 but Deepak Hooda came good as he hammered his first IPL half-century since 2016 (62 not-out off 30) laced by three boundaries and four sixes to take KXIP to a competitive total of 153/6 in 20 overs. However, Chennai Super Kings openers started the chase in front foot as openers Faf du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad utilized the powerplay overs to their best. Even though du Plessis was sent packing for 48, Gaikwad completed his third half-century on the bounce while Ambati Rayudu played according to the situation to take Chennai Super Kings home in their final match of IPL 2020. ALSO READ: Irfan Pathan confirms participation in Lanka Premier League for Kandy Tuskers The win for CSK helps the likes of Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad as they will now be in contention to take up that fourth spot in the table. Even Delhi Capitals’ spot in the playoffs isn’t guaranteed.

Chennai Super Kings end IPL 2020 campaign with 9-wicket win, knock Kings XI Punjab out

Barcelona’s 1-1 draw against Alaves on Saturday has left Ronald Koeman scratching his head as the former Dutch international cursed his side’s profligacy after dropping points for the fourth game in a row in La Liga 2020-21.

Alaves goalkeeper Fernando Pachecho was at his best as he almost stopped everything despite Barcelona firing a staggering 25 shots. It was only Antoine Griezmann who could breach the goal line once after Jota was sent off for the hosts.

Barcelona trailed in the first-half after Luis Rioja capitalized on a glaring error by Neto after a mix-up with defender Gerard Pique.&nbsp;

“I’m worried about our performance in attack. We don’t have a problem with our attitude or concentration, we just need to be more efficient in front of goal,” Koeman told reporters.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/barcelona-held-by-10-man-alaves-to-extend-winless-streak-in-la-liga-339388" hreflang="en">Barcelona held by 10-man Alaves to extend winless streak in La Liga</a>

“We also gifted a goal to Alaves, but when you create so many chances you can’t afford to miss them. If you create that many chances and only score once, it’s not good.”

The surprise draw against Alaves came after Barcelona lost 3-1 to Real Madrid in El Clasico and were defeated by Getafe. Currently, they are 12th in the La Liga standings with just eight points in six matches.&nbsp;

“I’m surprised I’m being criticised for the image I gave on the touchline. I think we did everything we could from the dugout and on the pitch,” he said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/seven-years-is-a-long-gap-mourinho-says-fans-cannot-expect-same-from-bale-339275" hreflang="en">'Seven years is a long gap': Mourinho says fans cannot expect same from Bale</a>

“In the last 10 minutes, we played as we needed to play. If you criticise me for how I appear on the touchline, then we might as well give up.”

The Dutchman added: “Of course I’m worried that we’ve only got two points from the last 12. I think overall we played ok, I’d be more worried if we weren’t creating chances.

“But we need to do better in front of goal, with the final pass, the final shot. We cannot afford to squander so many chances, we missed too many.” 
&nbsp;

Barcelona’s 1-1 draw against Alaves on Saturday has left Ronald Koeman scratching his head as the former Dutch international cursed his side’s profligacy after dropping points for the fourth game in a row in La Liga 2020-21.

Barcelona’s 1-1 draw against Alaves on Saturday has left Ronald Koeman scratching his head as the former Dutch international cursed his side’s profligacy after dropping points for the fourth game in a row in La Liga 2020-21. Alaves goalkeeper Fernando Pachecho was at his best as he almost stopped everything despite Barcelona firing a staggering 25 shots. It was only Antoine Griezmann who could breach the goal line once after Jota was sent off for the hosts. Barcelona trailed in the first-half after Luis Rioja capitalized on a glaring error by Neto after a mix-up with defender Gerard Pique. “I’m worried about our performance in attack. We don’t have a problem with our attitude or concentration, we just need to be more efficient in front of goal,” Koeman told reporters. ALSO READ: Barcelona held by 10-man Alaves to extend winless streak in La Liga “We also gifted a goal to Alaves, but when you create so many chances you can’t afford to miss them. If you create that many chances and only score once, it’s not good.” The surprise draw against Alaves came after Barcelona lost 3-1 to Real Madrid in El Clasico and were defeated by Getafe. Currently, they are 12th in the La Liga standings with just eight points in six matches. “I’m surprised I’m being criticised for the image I gave on the touchline. I think we did everything we could from the dugout and on the pitch,” he said. ALSO READ: 'Seven years is a long gap': Mourinho says fans cannot expect same from Bale “In the last 10 minutes, we played as we needed to play. If you criticise me for how I appear on the touchline, then we might as well give up.” The Dutchman added: “Of course I’m worried that we’ve only got two points from the last 12. I think overall we played ok, I’d be more worried if we weren’t creating chances. “But we need to do better in front of goal, with the final pass, the final shot. We cannot afford to squander so many chances, we missed too many.”

La Liga: Wasteful Barcelona leaves Ronald Koeman concerned

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan is all set to play for Kandy Tuskers in the inaugural edition of Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2020, scheduled to start from November 21.&nbsp;

Both Irfan and Kandy Tuskers coach Hashan Tillakaratne have confirmed the development. Irfan, talking about playing for Kandy Tuskers in LPL 2020 said that he is looking to have fun with his game, which was a missing element in the last two years. However, Irfan emphasized that he will take things slowly and work towards the momentum from thereon.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/definitely-not-ms-dhoni-clears-the-air-on-his-future-with-csk-in-ipl-339424" hreflang="en">'Definitely not': MS Dhoni clears the air on his future with CSK in IPL</a>

"I am definitely looking forward to this," Pathan told ESPNCricinfo. "Yes, I had retired from T20 cricket, but I can play around the world and hopefully I will be able to have fun with my game as well, which I didn't have for the last two years. I think I can still play some, but I will start slowly and see how this goes, and then I will take it forward," he added.

Earlier, the likes of Manpreet Gony and Manvinder Bisla were roped in by Colombo Kings – one of the participating teams in the Lanka Premier League. However, Bisla has since opted out of the tournament. The likes of Andre Russell, Faf du Plessis, David Miller and David Malan, among others have also pulled out of the tournament.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-have-no-say-ravi-shastri-reacts-to-rohit-sharmas-omission-from-indian-squad-for-australia-tour-339405" hreflang="en">'I have no say': Ravi Shastri reacts to Rohit Sharma's omission from Indian squad for Australia tour</a>

Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2020 is set to be played from November 21 to December 13 across two venues – Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy and Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota. As many as 23 matches will be played in 15 days.

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan is all set to play for Kandy Tuskers in the inaugural edition of Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2020, scheduled to start from November 21.

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan is all set to play for Kandy Tuskers in the inaugural edition of Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2020, scheduled to start from November 21. Both Irfan and Kandy Tuskers coach Hashan Tillakaratne have confirmed the development. Irfan, talking about playing for Kandy Tuskers in LPL 2020 said that he is looking to have fun with his game, which was a missing element in the last two years. However, Irfan emphasized that he will take things slowly and work towards the momentum from thereon. ALSO READ: 'Definitely not': MS Dhoni clears the air on his future with CSK in IPL "I am definitely looking forward to this," Pathan told ESPNCricinfo. "Yes, I had retired from T20 cricket, but I can play around the world and hopefully I will be able to have fun with my game as well, which I didn't have for the last two years. I think I can still play some, but I will start slowly and see how this goes, and then I will take it forward," he added. Earlier, the likes of Manpreet Gony and Manvinder Bisla were roped in by Colombo Kings – one of the participating teams in the Lanka Premier League. However, Bisla has since opted out of the tournament. The likes of Andre Russell, Faf du Plessis, David Miller and David Malan, among others have also pulled out of the tournament. ALSO READ: 'I have no say': Ravi Shastri reacts to Rohit Sharma's omission from Indian squad for Australia tour Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2020 is set to be played from November 21 to December 13 across two venues – Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy and Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota. As many as 23 matches will be played in 15 days.

Irfan Pathan confirms participation in Lanka Premier League for Kandy Tuskers

Aleem Dar on Sunday shattered the record for most appearance in One-Day Internationals as umpire when he stepped in the field for the second ODI between Pakistan and Zimbabwe between Rawalpindi. It was Dar’s 210th ODI appearance as an umpire as he overtook Rudi Koertzen, who stood in 209 ODIs.<o:p></o:p>

The Pakistani umpire already has the record, under his belt, for most international appearances as an umpire – 387 – and most appearances as an umpire in Test cricket – 132. Dar’s debut match as an umpire came back in 2000 during the match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Gujranwala.<o:p></o:p>

Dar is second in the list for most appearances in T20Is, behind Ahsan Raza.&nbsp;

<o:p>ALSO READ:&nbsp;&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-have-no-say-ravi-shastri-reacts-to-rohit-sharmas-omission-from-indian-squad-for-australia-tour-339405" hreflang="en">'I have no say': Ravi Shastri reacts to Rohit Sharma's omission from Indian squad for Australia tour</a>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Most ODI appearances as an umpire:<o:p></o:p></h2>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Aleem Dar: 210 <o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Rudi Koertzen: 209<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Billy Bowden: 200<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Steve Bucknor: 181<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Daryl Harper, Simon Taufel: 174 <o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Most T20I appearances as an umpire:<o:p></o:p></h2>

<ul>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Ahsan Raza: 47<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Aleem Dar: 46<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Ian Gould: 37<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Shaun George: 36<o:p></o:p></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal">Tucker: 35</li>
</ul>

<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;“It is a matter of great honour for me to be on the top of the list of both Tests and ODIs for umpires. When I had started out in the profession, I had never imagined I would get this far. I can only say that I have enjoyed every moment on the field and learning has been an ongoing process all this while,” Aleem was quoted as saying by ICC.

<o:p>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pucovski-harris-smash-waughs-record-with-486-run-opening-stand-339382" hreflang="en">Pucovski, Harris smash Waughs' record with 486-run opening stand</a>

“We congratulate Aleem on the milestone, and wish him all the best for the upcoming game and series. We are sure many aspiring match officials look up to Aleem, and he will continue to inspire the next generation,” Adrian Griffith, ICC Senior Manager Umpires and Referees, said.<o:p></o:p>

Dar is one of the most respected umpires in the international circuit and continues to serve the gentlemen's game well.<o:p></o:p>

Aleem Dar on Sunday shattered the record for most appearance in One-Day Internationals as umpire when he stepped in the field for the second ODI between Pakistan and Zimbabwe between Rawalpindi.

Aleem Dar on Sunday shattered the record for most appearance in One-Day Internationals as umpire when he stepped in the field for the second ODI between Pakistan and Zimbabwe between Rawalpindi. It was Dar’s 210th ODI appearance as an umpire as he overtook Rudi Koertzen, who stood in 209 ODIs. The Pakistani umpire already has the record, under his belt, for most international appearances as an umpire – 387 – and most appearances as an umpire in Test cricket – 132. Dar’s debut match as an umpire came back in 2000 during the match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Gujranwala. Dar is second in the list for most appearances in T20Is, behind Ahsan Raza. ALSO READ: 'I have no say': Ravi Shastri reacts to Rohit Sharma's omission from Indian squad for Australia tour Most ODI appearances as an umpire: Aleem Dar: 210 Rudi Koertzen: 209 Billy Bowden: 200 Steve Bucknor: 181 Daryl Harper, Simon Taufel: 174 Most T20I appearances as an umpire: Ahsan Raza: 47 Aleem Dar: 46 Ian Gould: 37 Shaun George: 36 Tucker: 35 “It is a matter of great honour for me to be on the top of the list of both Tests and ODIs for umpires. When I had started out in the profession, I had never imagined I would get this far. I can only say that I have enjoyed every moment on the field and learning has been an ongoing process all this while,” Aleem was quoted as saying by ICC. ALSO READ: Pucovski, Harris smash Waughs' record with 486-run opening stand “We congratulate Aleem on the milestone, and wish him all the best for the upcoming game and series. We are sure many aspiring match officials look up to Aleem, and he will continue to inspire the next generation,” Adrian Griffith, ICC Senior Manager Umpires and Referees, said. Dar is one of the most respected umpires in the international circuit and continues to serve the gentlemen's game well.

Aleem Dar breaks record for most ODI appearances as an umpire

Plenty of questions are being raised on Rohit Sharma’s absence from the Indian squad for the upcoming tour of Australia. While Rohit had injured his hamstring while playing for Mumbai Indians in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, he has been seen hitting the nets for his franchise, raising further questions whether Rohit will be available for the Australia tour or not. Reacting to Rohit’s omission from the Indian squad for their tour of Australia, Indian head coach Ravi Shastri said that the call taken by the selection committee upon receiving updates from the medical team.

While Rohit has not been ruled out of IPL 2020 yet, he has missed last four matches for Mumbai Indians with Kieron Pollard taking up the captaincy duties in his absence.&nbsp;

Furthermore, Team India is set to leave for Australia soon after the completion of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, whose final is scheduled on November 10. This will be India’s first international assignment since the restart after COVID-19-enforced break.

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>

"It's being handled by the people in charge of the medical part of it. We don't get involved in that. They have submitted a report to the selectors and they have gone about their business," said Shastri in an exclusive interaction with Times Now.

"I have no say neither I am a part of the selection committee. All I know is the medical report which says he could be in danger of injuring himself again," he added.

Interestingly, Mayank Agarwal has also been missing from Kings XI Punjab since October 20 but was named in all three squads for the Australia series.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/were-excited-kieron-pollard-gives-a-major-update-on-rohit-sharmas-injury-339299" hreflang="en">'We’re excited': Kieron Pollard gives a major update on Rohit Sharma's injury</a>

Meanwhile, Pollard, after MI’s win over Delhi Capitals on Saturday, said that Rohit is recovering well while hoping he will be back with the squad soon.

"Rohit is getting better and hopefully he will be back soon," said Mumbai Indians' stand-in skipper Kieron Pollard after his side's win over Delhi Capitals on Saturday. 
&nbsp;

Plenty of questions are being raised on Rohit Sharma’s absence from the Indian squad for the upcoming tour of Australia. While Rohit had injured his hamstring while playing for Mumbai Indians in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, he has been seen hitting the nets for his franchise, raising further questions whether Rohit will be available for the Australia tour or not.

Plenty of questions are being raised on Rohit Sharma’s absence from the Indian squad for the upcoming tour of Australia. While Rohit had injured his hamstring while playing for Mumbai Indians in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, he has been seen hitting the nets for his franchise, raising further questions whether Rohit will be available for the Australia tour or not. Reacting to Rohit’s omission from the Indian squad for their tour of Australia, Indian head coach Ravi Shastri said that the call taken by the selection committee upon receiving updates from the medical team. While Rohit has not been ruled out of IPL 2020 yet, he has missed last four matches for Mumbai Indians with Kieron Pollard taking up the captaincy duties in his absence. Furthermore, Team India is set to leave for Australia soon after the completion of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, whose final is scheduled on November 10. This will be India’s first international assignment since the restart after COVID-19-enforced break. ALSO READ: Australia vs India: Full schedule, dates, venues and all you need to know "It's being handled by the people in charge of the medical part of it. We don't get involved in that. They have submitted a report to the selectors and they have gone about their business," said Shastri in an exclusive interaction with Times Now. "I have no say neither I am a part of the selection committee. All I know is the medical report which says he could be in danger of injuring himself again," he added. Interestingly, Mayank Agarwal has also been missing from Kings XI Punjab since October 20 but was named in all three squads for the Australia series. ALSO READ: 'We’re excited': Kieron Pollard gives a major update on Rohit Sharma's injury Meanwhile, Pollard, after MI’s win over Delhi Capitals on Saturday, said that Rohit is recovering well while hoping he will be back with the squad soon. "Rohit is getting better and hopefully he will be back soon," said Mumbai Indians' stand-in skipper Kieron Pollard after his side's win over Delhi Capitals on Saturday.

'I have no say': Ravi Shastri reacts to Rohit Sharma's omission from Indian squad for Australia tour

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