Cristiano Ronaldo hit the crossbar as Portugal and Spain played out a goalless draw in a compelling friendly in Lisbon on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Ronaldo and Renato Sanchez both struck the woodwork for Portugal, who then should have won it in injury-time only for Joao Felix to miskick at the back post.&nbsp;

Spain were the better team early on at the Jose Alvalade stadium and also went close through Dani Olmo but neither side were able to claim victory ahead of upcoming games in the Nations League.

"I think we were better than Portugal," said Spain coach Luis Enrique. "We dominated the game. For sure they had two shots on the break that hit the bar and one that Kepa saved but we had chances as well."&nbsp;

Both sit top of their Nations League groups, Portugal with maximum points after beating Croatia and Sweden while Spain have four after thrashing Ukraine and drawing with Germany.&nbsp;

Spain go up against Switzerland on Saturday before playing against Ukraine three days later. Portugal face world champions France on Sunday and then play at home to Sweden.&nbsp;

During the first half, it was also announced by the football federations of the two countries they will stage a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup.&nbsp;

They will be competing against Morocco, as well as another joint bid from Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile.&nbsp;

The last time Spain and Portugal met was for the thrilling 3-3 draw at the 2018 World Cup, when Ronaldo scored a hat-trick, including a stunning late equaliser from a free-kick.&nbsp;

This was a far less dramatic contest, with both teams still rebuilding ahead of next year's postponed European Championships.&nbsp;

It was the first time Spain had failed to score since losing to&nbsp;Italy&nbsp;at the 2016 European Championships in France.

Luis Enrique fielded an experimental eleven, which included Chelsea's struggling goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, Manchester City's 19-year-old central defender Eric Garcia and the newly called-up Sergio Canales in midfield.&nbsp;

For Portugal, the 20-year-old Francisco Trincao, who has just joined Barcelona, started in a front three with Ronaldo and Andre Silva.&nbsp;

Spain enjoyed a superb opening quarter of an hour but had nothing to show for it, as Gerard Moreno missed from close range and Olmo volleyed wide.&nbsp;

Portugal went closest in the second half. Ronaldo shifted onto his left foot and thundered a shot against the crossbar. He then turned provider, curving a pass right to Renato, whose effort also crashed against the frame and bounced out.

The best chance though fell to Felix in injury-time, the ball finding him free at the back post, only for the youngster to slide and somehow fail to connect.

Cristiano Ronaldo hit the crossbar as Portugal and Spain played out a goalless draw in a compelling friendly in Lisbon on Wednesday. Ronaldo and Renato Sanchez both struck the woodwork for Portugal, who then should have won it in injury-time only for Joao Felix to miskick at the back post.

Cristiano Ronaldo hit the crossbar as Portugal and Spain played out a goalless draw in a compelling friendly in Lisbon on Wednesday. Ronaldo and Renato Sanchez both struck the woodwork for Portugal, who then should have won it in injury-time only for Joao Felix to miskick at the back post. Spain were the better team early on at the Jose Alvalade stadium and also went close through Dani Olmo but neither side were able to claim victory ahead of upcoming games in the Nations League. "I think we were better than Portugal," said Spain coach Luis Enrique. "We dominated the game. For sure they had two shots on the break that hit the bar and one that Kepa saved but we had chances as well." Both sit top of their Nations League groups, Portugal with maximum points after beating Croatia and Sweden while Spain have four after thrashing Ukraine and drawing with Germany. Spain go up against Switzerland on Saturday before playing against Ukraine three days later. Portugal face world champions France on Sunday and then play at home to Sweden. During the first half, it was also announced by the football federations of the two countries they will stage a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup. They will be competing against Morocco, as well as another joint bid from Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile. The last time Spain and Portugal met was for the thrilling 3-3 draw at the 2018 World Cup, when Ronaldo scored a hat-trick, including a stunning late equaliser from a free-kick. This was a far less dramatic contest, with both teams still rebuilding ahead of next year's postponed European Championships. It was the first time Spain had failed to score since losing to Italy at the 2016 European Championships in France. Luis Enrique fielded an experimental eleven, which included Chelsea's struggling goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, Manchester City's 19-year-old central defender Eric Garcia and the newly called-up Sergio Canales in midfield. For Portugal, the 20-year-old Francisco Trincao, who has just joined Barcelona, started in a front three with Ronaldo and Andre Silva. Spain enjoyed a superb opening quarter of an hour but had nothing to show for it, as Gerard Moreno missed from close range and Olmo volleyed wide. Portugal went closest in the second half. Ronaldo shifted onto his left foot and thundered a shot against the crossbar. He then turned provider, curving a pass right to Renato, whose effort also crashed against the frame and bounced out. The best chance though fell to Felix in injury-time, the ball finding him free at the back post, only for the youngster to slide and somehow fail to connect.

Ronaldo denied as Portugal held by Spain

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/premier-league">Premier League</a> chief executive Richard Masters has pleaded with the government to rethink its stadium supporter ban, calling for football to be treated "fairly".

Matches at the end of last season in the English top-flight and the beginning of the new campaign have been played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus crisis.

Plans to pilot a limited return of fans from October 1 were shelved last month due to tighter lockdown measures following a surge in cases of Covid-19 in Britain.

Masters told The Times newspaper that he welcomed the return of audiences to concert venues but said football stadiums should be included.

"It's good news that (concert) venues can run socially distanced events indoors, it gives them a lifeline," he said. "We are starting to see the return of the paying spectator at a ticketed event and we just believe that football should be allowed to do the same.

"We do understand why caution is needed but what we are asking for is consistency from government so that sport is treated as fairly as other activities."

"We are a highly regulated environment. We have the Sports Grounds Safety Authority in place to ensure that supporters are safe at all times and we're outdoors in a highly stewarded environment. What we really need is clarity for our clubs and supporters and a road map from government."

Masters said Premier League clubs were facing a number of tough challenges including the scrapping of the October return date for fans, expectations to help clubs lower down the pyramid and the frustration of seeing entertainment arenas close to football grounds reopen with no "roadmap" for the return of supporters.

Masters cited the example of the Bundesliga, which has allowed limited number of fans back depending on local virus rates, as one that clubs could potentially follow.

"The government is managing the country around local conditions so we have to be flexible in that respect," he said.

"We have been in regular conversation with our German counterparts and we are aware of how it's working and how it is not working for some clubs where the numbers are higher.

"Like everything, you have to start somewhere and just to do it would be fantastic. Football needs its voice back, we need fans back in the stadiums to provide that missing ingredient.

"Having fans back, even if it is not exclusively across the league, has given German football a massive boost."

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has pleaded with the government to rethink its stadium supporter ban, calling for football to be treated "fairly".

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has pleaded with the government to rethink its stadium supporter ban, calling for football to be treated "fairly". Matches at the end of last season in the English top-flight and the beginning of the new campaign have been played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus crisis. Plans to pilot a limited return of fans from October 1 were shelved last month due to tighter lockdown measures following a surge in cases of Covid-19 in Britain. Masters told The Times newspaper that he welcomed the return of audiences to concert venues but said football stadiums should be included. "It's good news that (concert) venues can run socially distanced events indoors, it gives them a lifeline," he said. "We are starting to see the return of the paying spectator at a ticketed event and we just believe that football should be allowed to do the same. "We do understand why caution is needed but what we are asking for is consistency from government so that sport is treated as fairly as other activities." "We are a highly regulated environment. We have the Sports Grounds Safety Authority in place to ensure that supporters are safe at all times and we're outdoors in a highly stewarded environment. What we really need is clarity for our clubs and supporters and a road map from government." Masters said Premier League clubs were facing a number of tough challenges including the scrapping of the October return date for fans, expectations to help clubs lower down the pyramid and the frustration of seeing entertainment arenas close to football grounds reopen with no "roadmap" for the return of supporters. Masters cited the example of the Bundesliga, which has allowed limited number of fans back depending on local virus rates, as one that clubs could potentially follow. "The government is managing the country around local conditions so we have to be flexible in that respect," he said. "We have been in regular conversation with our German counterparts and we are aware of how it's working and how it is not working for some clubs where the numbers are higher. "Like everything, you have to start somewhere and just to do it would be fantastic. Football needs its voice back, we need fans back in the stadiums to provide that missing ingredient. "Having fans back, even if it is not exclusively across the league, has given German football a massive boost."

Premier League chief pleads for rethink of stadium fan ban

Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday registered a thrilling 10- run win against Chennai Super Kings at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi as Dinesh Karthik-led side complete their third win of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>.

After opting to bat first, Kolkata Knight Riders played a new opening pair in Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi. While Gill was dismissed by Shardul Thakur early on for 11, Nitish Rana followed the young opener after a watchful 9 off 10. Sunil Narine walked in at no. 4, for the second time in his IPL career, and departed after a quick knock of 17 off 9.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-rajasthan-royals-steve-smith-latest-skipper-fined-for-slow-over-rate-333127" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Rajasthan Royals' Smith latest skipper fined for slow over-rate</a>

Eoin Morgan was sent out at no. 5 but struggled during his stay and scored 7 off 10. Andre Russell too fell for 2 off 4. As KKR saw their fiery-looking batting line-up fall apart, skipper Dinesh Karthik was sent packing 12 off 11.

Pat Cummins’ brisk 17 off 9 took KKR only to 167. While KKR batters didn’t looked too comfortable out there, credit Super Kings bowlers for restricting the Knights to a modest score despite a strong start for the batting side.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a>

In reply of 168, Chennai Super Kings started at good pace with Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis finding the gaps early on. Du Plessis was caught by Karthik for 17. Ambati Rayudu played a cautious knock of 30 off 27 before getting caught by Gill at long-on. Sam Curran looked dangerous in his 11-ball 17 but Andre Russell the bowler didn’t even sweat to get the southpaw out.&nbsp;

Dinesh Karthik’s captaincy masterclass to bring in Sunil Narine in the second part of the chase added with Russell’s terrific spell helped KKR seal a thrilling 10-run win. 
&nbsp;

Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday registered a thrilling 10- run win against Chennai Super Kings at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi as Dinesh Karthik-led side complete their third win of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.

Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday registered a thrilling 10- run win against Chennai Super Kings at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi as Dinesh Karthik-led side complete their third win of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. After opting to bat first, Kolkata Knight Riders played a new opening pair in Shubman Gill and Rahul Tripathi. While Gill was dismissed by Shardul Thakur early on for 11, Nitish Rana followed the young opener after a watchful 9 off 10. Sunil Narine walked in at no. 4, for the second time in his IPL career, and departed after a quick knock of 17 off 9. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Rajasthan Royals' Smith latest skipper fined for slow over-rate Eoin Morgan was sent out at no. 5 but struggled during his stay and scored 7 off 10. Andre Russell too fell for 2 off 4. As KKR saw their fiery-looking batting line-up fall apart, skipper Dinesh Karthik was sent packing 12 off 11. Pat Cummins’ brisk 17 off 9 took KKR only to 167. While KKR batters didn’t looked too comfortable out there, credit Super Kings bowlers for restricting the Knights to a modest score despite a strong start for the batting side. ALSO READ: IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament In reply of 168, Chennai Super Kings started at good pace with Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis finding the gaps early on. Du Plessis was caught by Karthik for 17. Ambati Rayudu played a cautious knock of 30 off 27 before getting caught by Gill at long-on. Sam Curran looked dangerous in his 11-ball 17 but Andre Russell the bowler didn’t even sweat to get the southpaw out. Dinesh Karthik’s captaincy masterclass to bring in Sunil Narine in the second part of the chase added with Russell’s terrific spell helped KKR seal a thrilling 10-run win.

IPL 2020: Dinesh Karthik's Kolkata Knight Riders defeat Chennai Super Kings after tactical masterclass

Vini Zabu-KTM cyclist Luka Wackermann was rushed to hospital after the rider collided with a set of barriers that fell into the final kilometer of the course and it was reported that a race helicopter blew the barriers into the road after flying too low.

The rider was left with a series of serious injuries at Giro d’Italia after a helicopter blew barriers into the road on Stage 4. The Italian ProTour team confirmed the injuries to Wackermann that included head and face abrasions, fracture to nasal bones, contusions to the face and spine, and cuts on right knee.&nbsp;

Van Empel tweeted after the incident 'I am okay. Only some small cuts on my fingers. Not really sure what happened but out of nowhere the barriers flew into our group. For now, my thought is with my teammate Luca and hope some good news will arrive soon.'

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I am okay. Only some small cuts on my fingers. Not really sure what happend but out of nowhere the barriers flew into our group. For now my thought are with my teammate Luca and hope some good news will arrive soon🤞<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/giro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#giro</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ZabuBradoKTM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ZabuBradoKTM</a> <a href="https://t.co/blR2o1Ncy7">pic.twitter.com/blR2o1Ncy7</a>
— Etienne van Empel (@etiennevanempel) <a href="https://twitter.com/etiennevanempel/status/1313499246738518023?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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However, the Cyclistes Professionnels Asocies (CPA) took to twitter as they found the incident “unacceptable” and an investigation would take place.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australias-dean-jones-laid-to-rest-after-final-lap-of-mcg-333170" hreflang="en">Australia's Dean Jones laid to rest after final lap of MCG</a>

'Our delegate is investigating what happened today at the #Giro, clearly whoever caused this serious and unacceptable accident will have to take responsibility. Forza @LucaWackermann and @etiennevanempel!'

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Our delegate is investigating what happened today at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Giro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Giro</a>, clearly whoever caused this serious and unacceptable accident will have to take responsibility. Forza <a href="https://twitter.com/LucaWackermann?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LucaWackermann</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/etiennevanempel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@etiennevanempel</a>! <a href="https://t.co/SVB9riYd9p">https://t.co/SVB9riYd9p</a>
— CPA Cycling (@cpacycling) <a href="https://twitter.com/cpacycling/status/1313522419114663936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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'Did anyone catch the crash that happened in our grupetto with 800 metres to go when the helicopter sent the unsecured barriers flying into riders just inches away from me?' wrote the Mitchelton-Scott man. 'One of them on a stretcher to the hospital.'

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Giro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Giro</a> Ferito, ammaccato, incerottato, ma è un sorriso bellissimo 
 
Hurted, bruised, taped, but this is a beautiful smile<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForZab%C3%B9?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForZabù</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForzaLuca?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForzaLuca</a> <a href="https://t.co/LP2SxVd3nR">pic.twitter.com/LP2SxVd3nR</a>
— Vini Zabú - Brado - KTM (@ZabuBradoKTM) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZabuBradoKTM/status/1313569513867182080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Vini Zabu-KTM cyclist Luka Wackermann was rushed to hospital after the rider collided with a set of barriers that fell into the final kilometer of the course and it was reported that a race helicopter blew the barriers into the road after flying too low.

Vini Zabu-KTM cyclist Luka Wackermann was rushed to hospital after the rider collided with a set of barriers that fell into the final kilometer of the course and it was reported that a race helicopter blew the barriers into the road after flying too low. The rider was left with a series of serious injuries at Giro d’Italia after a helicopter blew barriers into the road on Stage 4. The Italian ProTour team confirmed the injuries to Wackermann that included head and face abrasions, fracture to nasal bones, contusions to the face and spine, and cuts on right knee. Van Empel tweeted after the incident 'I am okay. Only some small cuts on my fingers. Not really sure what happened but out of nowhere the barriers flew into our group. For now, my thought is with my teammate Luca and hope some good news will arrive soon.' I am okay. Only some small cuts on my fingers. Not really sure what happend but out of nowhere the barriers flew into our group. For now my thought are with my teammate Luca and hope some good news will arrive soon🤞#giro @ZabuBradoKTM pic.twitter.com/blR2o1Ncy7 — Etienne van Empel (@etiennevanempel) October 6, 2020 × However, the Cyclistes Professionnels Asocies (CPA) took to twitter as they found the incident “unacceptable” and an investigation would take place. ALSO READ: Australia's Dean Jones laid to rest after final lap of MCG 'Our delegate is investigating what happened today at the #Giro, clearly whoever caused this serious and unacceptable accident will have to take responsibility. Forza @LucaWackermann and @etiennevanempel!' Our delegate is investigating what happened today at the #Giro, clearly whoever caused this serious and unacceptable accident will have to take responsibility. Forza @LucaWackermann and @etiennevanempel! https://t.co/SVB9riYd9p — CPA Cycling (@cpacycling) October 6, 2020 × 'Did anyone catch the crash that happened in our grupetto with 800 metres to go when the helicopter sent the unsecured barriers flying into riders just inches away from me?' wrote the Mitchelton-Scott man. 'One of them on a stretcher to the hospital.' #Giro Ferito, ammaccato, incerottato, ma è un sorriso bellissimo Hurted, bruised, taped, but this is a beautiful smile#ForZabù #ForzaLuca pic.twitter.com/LP2SxVd3nR — Vini Zabú - Brado - KTM (@ZabuBradoKTM) October 6, 2020 ×

Low-flying helicopter causes horrific crash at Giro d'Italia, Wackermann suffers multiple injuries

Kolkata Knight Riders will play Chennai Super Kings at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi as the action in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> continues. While KKR lost their previous match to DC, CSK came back to winning ways against KXIP with a thumping win.&nbsp;

CSK have dominated the head-to-head encounters against KKR with 13 wins whereas KKR have just seven wins under their belt in 21 clashes against CSK.&nbsp;

With some world-class names in both the sides, the match is expected to be a cracking contest. Given the slowness of the Abu Dhabi pitch, a score of 170-180 is deemed as a good total bating first.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-kkr-vs-csk-preview-dks-knights-take-on-dhonis-super-kings-333161">IPL 2020, KKR vs CSK Preview: DK's Knights take on Dhoni's Super Kings</a>

<h2>Where will the IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings take place?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings will take place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.&nbsp;

<h2>What time will the IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings begin?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings at 7:30 PM IST on Wednesday (October 7).

<h2>How to watch live IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings begin?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings 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 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings match online?</h2>

The online live streaming of the IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings will be available at Hotstar. You can also latest updates of the IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings match at WION. 
&nbsp;

Kolkata Knight Riders will play Chennai Super Kings at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi as the action in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 continues. While KKR lost their previous match to DC, CSK came back to winning ways against KXIP with a thumping win.

Kolkata Knight Riders will play Chennai Super Kings at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi as the action in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 continues. While KKR lost their previous match to DC, CSK came back to winning ways against KXIP with a thumping win. CSK have dominated the head-to-head encounters against KKR with 13 wins whereas KKR have just seven wins under their belt in 21 clashes against CSK. With some world-class names in both the sides, the match is expected to be a cracking contest. Given the slowness of the Abu Dhabi pitch, a score of 170-180 is deemed as a good total bating first. ALSO READ: IPL 2020, KKR vs CSK Preview: DK's Knights take on Dhoni's Super Kings Where will the IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings take place? The IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings will take place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. What time will the IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings begin? The IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings at 7:30 PM IST on Wednesday (October 7). How to watch live IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings begin? The IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings 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 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings match online? The online live streaming of the IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings will be available at Hotstar. You can also latest updates of the IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings match at WION.

KKR vs CSK, IPL 2020 Live Streaming: How to watch Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings online?

Former Australian cricketer Dean Jones was given a tribute at a small, private funeral over the weekend including a lap of the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground as videos went viral on social media platforms on Wednesday.

One of the icons of one-day cricket, Jones, 59, passed away last month after suffering a cardiac arrest at a hotel in Mumbai India, where was working as pundit for host broadcaster.

A hearse carrying Jones’ handmade Indian coffin, which was adorned with the Australian flag and floral ‘324’ – his Australian Test cap number – drove a lap around the empty MCG with Elton John’s ‘Rockey Man’ playing over loudspeakers.

Jones’ wife Jane, daughters Isabella and Phoebe along with his siblings were part of a small group at the ceremony.&nbsp; 
The state of Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital, has limited funeral services to 10 people amid COVID-19 restrictions.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/gone-too-soon-cricket-fraternity-pays-tribute-after-demise-of-legendary-dean-jones-329933">Gone too soon: Cricket fraternity pays tribute after demise of legendary Dean Jones</a>

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One last lap of the <a href="https://twitter.com/MCG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MCG</a> for Deano, farewelled by ten of his closest family members over the weekend. Forever in our hearts! ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/R2skRt2CkB">pic.twitter.com/R2skRt2CkB</a>
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) <a href="https://twitter.com/CricketAus/status/1313722649332215808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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A hearse carrying Jones' handmade Indian coffin was adorned with the Australian flag and a floral 324 arrangement showcasing Deano's Australian Test cap number ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/MaZGaERs6Y">pic.twitter.com/MaZGaERs6Y</a>
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) <a href="https://twitter.com/CricketAus/status/1313725101670453253?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

“We have been deeply moved by the outpouring of love for Dean over the last week and can’t thank everyone enough for their support and for sharing their memories with us,” Jane Jones said in comments published by Australian media.&nbsp;

“It has been an awful time to navigate as a family, but I could not have thought of a more fitting place to say goodbye to my husband.”

Jones, known lovingly as ‘Professor Deano’ by the cricket community, played 52 Tests and 164 ODIs, and will forever be regarded as the one to have changed the way ODI cricket is played. He was one of the successful members of Alan Border’s Australian side. 
&nbsp;

Former Australian cricketer Dean Jones was given a tribute at a small, private funeral over the weekend including a lap of the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground as videos went viral on social media platforms on Wednesday.

Former Australian cricketer Dean Jones was given a tribute at a small, private funeral over the weekend including a lap of the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground as videos went viral on social media platforms on Wednesday. One of the icons of one-day cricket, Jones, 59, passed away last month after suffering a cardiac arrest at a hotel in Mumbai India, where was working as pundit for host broadcaster. A hearse carrying Jones’ handmade Indian coffin, which was adorned with the Australian flag and floral ‘324’ – his Australian Test cap number – drove a lap around the empty MCG with Elton John’s ‘Rockey Man’ playing over loudspeakers. Jones’ wife Jane, daughters Isabella and Phoebe along with his siblings were part of a small group at the ceremony. The state of Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital, has limited funeral services to 10 people amid COVID-19 restrictions. ALSO READ: Gone too soon: Cricket fraternity pays tribute after demise of legendary Dean Jones One last lap of the @MCG for Deano, farewelled by ten of his closest family members over the weekend. Forever in our hearts! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/R2skRt2CkB — Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) October 7, 2020 × A hearse carrying Jones' handmade Indian coffin was adorned with the Australian flag and a floral 324 arrangement showcasing Deano's Australian Test cap number ❤️ pic.twitter.com/MaZGaERs6Y — Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) October 7, 2020 × “We have been deeply moved by the outpouring of love for Dean over the last week and can’t thank everyone enough for their support and for sharing their memories with us,” Jane Jones said in comments published by Australian media. “It has been an awful time to navigate as a family, but I could not have thought of a more fitting place to say goodbye to my husband.” Jones, known lovingly as ‘Professor Deano’ by the cricket community, played 52 Tests and 164 ODIs, and will forever be regarded as the one to have changed the way ODI cricket is played. He was one of the successful members of Alan Border’s Australian side.

Australia's Dean Jones laid to rest after final lap of MCG

Kolkata Knight Riders are set to take on Chennai Super Kings at the Sheikh Abu Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>. While KKR head into the match after a nail-biting defeat to Delhi Capitals, Chennai Super Kings would be riding high on confidence following their 10-wicket triumph against Kings XI Punjab.&nbsp;

KKR are still in the top four after winning two matches out of their four encounters played so far, whereas CSK are sitting fifth with three defeats and two victories from their five matches.&nbsp;

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Both teams have match-winning players but it would be interesting to see what combination they put out and all eyes will be on their batting line-up after much scrutiny from pundits and fans in the last couple of weeks. Nonetheless, it is going to be battle between youth and sheer experience given the average age of both the squads.

<h2>KKR vs CSK, Head-to-head stats:</h2>

Talking about the head-to-head stats from KKR vs CSK matches, the Kolkata outfit have just seven wins from 21 face-offs with the MS Dhoni-led Chennai bagging 13 wins from their matches.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a>

In last five matches, KKR have won two clashes whereas CSK have a slight advantage with three wins under their belt. This will be for the first time that both CSK and KKR are locking horns in the UAE.

<h2>KKR vs CSK Squads:</h2>

Kolkata Knight Riders Squad: Shubman Gill, Sunil Narine, Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Eoin Morgan, Pat Cummins, Rahul Tripathi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sandeep Warrier, Siddhesh Lad, Nikhil Naik, Chris Green, Prasidh Krishna, Lockie Ferguson, Rinku Singh, Tom Banton, Manimaran Siddharth

Chennai Super Kings Squad: Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w/c), Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Sam Curran, Shardul Thakur, Piyush Chawla, Deepak Chahar, Murali Vijay, Lungi Ngidi, Imran Tahir, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Santner, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, N Jagadeesan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KM Asif, Monu Kumar, Karn Sharma

Kolkata Knight Riders are set to take on Chennai Super Kings at the Sheikh Abu Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. While KKR head into the match after a nail-biting defeat to Delhi Capitals, Chennai Super Kings would be riding high on confidence following their 10-wicket triumph against Kings XI Punjab.

Kolkata Knight Riders are set to take on Chennai Super Kings at the Sheikh Abu Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. While KKR head into the match after a nail-biting defeat to Delhi Capitals, Chennai Super Kings would be riding high on confidence following their 10-wicket triumph against Kings XI Punjab. KKR are still in the top four after winning two matches out of their four encounters played so far, whereas CSK are sitting fifth with three defeats and two victories from their five matches. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Rajasthan Royals' Smith latest skipper fined for slow over-rate Both teams have match-winning players but it would be interesting to see what combination they put out and all eyes will be on their batting line-up after much scrutiny from pundits and fans in the last couple of weeks. Nonetheless, it is going to be battle between youth and sheer experience given the average age of both the squads. KKR vs CSK, Head-to-head stats: Talking about the head-to-head stats from KKR vs CSK matches, the Kolkata outfit have just seven wins from 21 face-offs with the MS Dhoni-led Chennai bagging 13 wins from their matches. IN PICS | IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament In last five matches, KKR have won two clashes whereas CSK have a slight advantage with three wins under their belt. This will be for the first time that both CSK and KKR are locking horns in the UAE. KKR vs CSK Squads: Kolkata Knight Riders Squad: Shubman Gill, Sunil Narine, Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Eoin Morgan, Pat Cummins, Rahul Tripathi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sandeep Warrier, Siddhesh Lad, Nikhil Naik, Chris Green, Prasidh Krishna, Lockie Ferguson, Rinku Singh, Tom Banton, Manimaran Siddharth Chennai Super Kings Squad: Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w/c), Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Sam Curran, Shardul Thakur, Piyush Chawla, Deepak Chahar, Murali Vijay, Lungi Ngidi, Imran Tahir, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Santner, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, N Jagadeesan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KM Asif, Monu Kumar, Karn Sharma

IPL 2020, KKR vs CSK Preview: DK's Knights take on Dhoni's Super Kings

Mohamed Salah have time and time again scored or assisted for Liverpool on the pitch in a bid to help the Reds win trophies since joining the club in 2017. While Salah’s quality on the football field is known to all, he recently did something which will make every football fan proud.&nbsp;

Following Liverpool 3-1 win against Arsenal on September 28, Salah was spotted at a petrol station near Anfield, where David Graig – a man who has been sleeping rough for nearly six years, was being taunted and harassed by a group of people. Salah bravely stepped in to save the homeless man from being harassed by the group of men, as revealed in a CCTV footage.

The Egyptian forward told the abusers that they could one day become homeless before withdrawing £100 to give to Craig.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/james-davis-put-lakers-on-brink-as-miami-downed-333116" hreflang="en">James, Davis put Lakers on brink as Miami downed</a>

“Mo had seen a couple of the lads hassling me," Craig told the Sun and added, “they were calling me names, asking why I was begging and telling me to get a job.

<img alt="Mo Salah" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="40eb080a-55f1-42ff-902f-31b335052912" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/EjtiNi4WAAAxA6-.jpeg" />

"Mo was every bit as wonderful as he is for Liverpool on the pitch. He heard what a group of lads were saying to me, then turned to them and said, 'That could be you in a few years.'

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-rajasthan-royals-steve-smith-latest-skipper-fined-for-slow-over-rate-333127" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Rajasthan Royals' Steve Smith latest skipper fined for slow over-rate</a>

"I only knew I wasn't hallucinating when Mo incredibly handed me £100. What a complete legend. He saw what was happening and said something to them and then he went to the cash machine.

"Mo is a real-life hero in my eyes and I want to thank him."

Mohamed Salah have time and time again scored or assisted for Liverpool on the pitch in a bid to help the Reds win trophies since joining the club in 2017. While Salah’s quality on the football field is known to all, he recently did something which will make every football fan proud.

Mohamed Salah have time and time again scored or assisted for Liverpool on the pitch in a bid to help the Reds win trophies since joining the club in 2017. While Salah’s quality on the football field is known to all, he recently did something which will make every football fan proud. Following Liverpool 3-1 win against Arsenal on September 28, Salah was spotted at a petrol station near Anfield, where David Graig – a man who has been sleeping rough for nearly six years, was being taunted and harassed by a group of people. Salah bravely stepped in to save the homeless man from being harassed by the group of men, as revealed in a CCTV footage. The Egyptian forward told the abusers that they could one day become homeless before withdrawing £100 to give to Craig. ALSO READ: James, Davis put Lakers on brink as Miami downed “Mo had seen a couple of the lads hassling me," Craig told the Sun and added, “they were calling me names, asking why I was begging and telling me to get a job. "Mo was every bit as wonderful as he is for Liverpool on the pitch. He heard what a group of lads were saying to me, then turned to them and said, 'That could be you in a few years.' ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Rajasthan Royals' Steve Smith latest skipper fined for slow over-rate "I only knew I wasn't hallucinating when Mo incredibly handed me £100. What a complete legend. He saw what was happening and said something to them and then he went to the cash machine. "Mo is a real-life hero in my eyes and I want to thank him."

Liverpool's Mo Salah steps in to confront group harassing homeless man

Rajasthan Royals captain Steve Smith has become the third <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> captain to be fined for slow-over rate following their defeat to Mumbai Indians on Tuesday. Mumbai Indians defeated Rajasthan Royals by 57 runs with the latter being bowled out for 136 despite Jos Buttler’s cracking 70-run knock.

Smith was fined $1,600 for slow over-rate under IPL code of conduct after Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli and Delhi Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer was fined the same amount.

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The defeat to Mumbai Indians was the third in a row for the Rajasthan Royals with the Steve Smith-led outfit desperate to get back to winning ways.

Meanwhile, Stokes has arrived in Dubai from New Zealand, where he was with his ailing father, and now is undergoing a six-day quarantine and will now be able to play before Saturday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shane-watsons-tweet-goes-viral-after-perfect-match-against-kxip-332648" hreflang="en">Shane Watson's tweet goes viral after 'perfect match' against KXIP</a>

“I think losing wickets early doesn't help, we haven't been able to get off to a good start in the last three games. Outside of Jos and Archer at the end, we have a bit of work to do on our batting. He (Stokes) is not out till the 10th I think. He is not too far away, hopefully we can get a few wins before he's back and then gain momentum. I don't think we need to panic too much, it is just about implementing our plans and playing some good cricket for longer. We haven't been able to do that in the last three games and we have to turn it around quickly. Hopefully get a bit of momentum,” said Steve Smith after the match. 
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Rajasthan Royals captain Steve Smith has become the third Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 captain to be fined for slow-over rate following their defeat to Mumbai Indians on Tuesday.

Rajasthan Royals captain Steve Smith has become the third Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 captain to be fined for slow-over rate following their defeat to Mumbai Indians on Tuesday. Mumbai Indians defeated Rajasthan Royals by 57 runs with the latter being bowled out for 136 despite Jos Buttler’s cracking 70-run knock. Smith was fined $1,600 for slow over-rate under IPL code of conduct after Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli and Delhi Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer was fined the same amount. ALSO READ: Sunrisers Hyderabad name replacement bowler after Bhuvneshwar's injury The defeat to Mumbai Indians was the third in a row for the Rajasthan Royals with the Steve Smith-led outfit desperate to get back to winning ways. Meanwhile, Stokes has arrived in Dubai from New Zealand, where he was with his ailing father, and now is undergoing a six-day quarantine and will now be able to play before Saturday. ALSO READ: Shane Watson's tweet goes viral after 'perfect match' against KXIP “I think losing wickets early doesn't help, we haven't been able to get off to a good start in the last three games. Outside of Jos and Archer at the end, we have a bit of work to do on our batting. He (Stokes) is not out till the 10th I think. He is not too far away, hopefully we can get a few wins before he's back and then gain momentum. I don't think we need to panic too much, it is just about implementing our plans and playing some good cricket for longer. We haven't been able to do that in the last three games and we have to turn it around quickly. Hopefully get a bit of momentum,” said Steve Smith after the match.

IPL 2020: Rajasthan Royals' Steve Smith latest skipper fined for slow over-rate

Rafael Nadal reached his 13th Roland Garros semi-final early Wednesday with a straight sets win over Italian teenager Jannik Sinner but claimed it was "dangerous" to finish at 01:30 in the morning when the temperature had plummeted to 12 degrees (53F).

Nadal, the 12-time champion, defeated 19-year-old Sinner 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 6-1 to clinch a 98th victory in his 100th match at the French Open.

He will next face Diego Schwartzman, the diminutive Argentine over whom he holds a 9-1 career advantage, as he moves closer to equalling Roger Federer's all-time record of 20 majors.

However, Nadal, more accustomed to the bright sunshine of Mallorca than the autumn chill of a French Open pushed back four months due to the coronavirus pandemic, was unhappy with organisers who scheduled five matches on the main Court Philippe Chatrier.

"I know footballers play under these conditions, but they are all the time moving," said Nadal after the latest ever finishing match at the tournament.

"We stop, we come back, we stop on the changeovers. I think this is a little bit dangerous for the body with these very heavy conditions."

Nadal and Sinner only got on court at 10:30pm after Schwartzman and Thiem had taken five hours to decide their quarter-final.

They also had to wait for another women's last-eight tie to be completed after two others had kicked off the programme.

The sparse and shivering crowd that greeted them wore thick coats, scarves and hats.

"I don't know why they put five matches on Chatrier. It's a risk," added 34-year-old Nadal who finished his news conference at 02:10.

Nadal will be playing in a 34th semi-final at the majors.

&nbsp;

<h2>- 'I was over limit' -</h2>

He takes a 9-1 lead over Schwartzman into that match although the Argentine won their most recent clash in Rome on the eve of Roland Garros.

World number 75 Sinner, bidding to become the first man to make the semi-finals on debut since Nadal in 2005, was left to rue missed chances.

He led with breaks in both of the first two sets, even finding himself just two points away from taking the opener.

Nadal admitted he had been in a contest unlike his first four matches where he dropped just 23 games.

"It was very tough during the first two sets and especially at the end of the first.

"He was hitting the ball very hard and with the cold, the balls had less lift."

Sinner has been tipped to make the world top 10 next season, but said he is not looking too far ahead.

"I'm a person who looks not in the future and not in the past, always in the present," said the Italian who had seen off two seeded players to make the last-eight -- 11th seed David Goffin and sixth-seeded Alexander Zverev, the US Open runner-up.

Argentine 12th seed&nbsp;Schwartzman defeated US Open champion and third seed Thiem in a five-hour epic to reach his first ever Grand Slam semi-final.

The 28-year-old Schwartzman triumphed 7-6 (7/1), 5-7, 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (7/5), 6-2.

It was one marathon too many for Thiem, the runner-up in Paris for the last two years, who had needed five sets and three and a half hours to down world number 239 Hugo Gaston in the fourth round.

The 5ft 7in (1.70m) Schwartzman's success came on the same day that compatriot Nadia Podoroska, the world 131, reached the last-four of the women's singles.

"Dominic is one of the great players. He is my best friend and I have a lot of respect for him," said Schwartzman.

"So this win is very important for me. In the second and third sets, I was going a little crazy and I was screaming at myself because I had so many chances.

"But, come on, I deserved to win tonight," added Schwartzman.

Thiem had been attempting to reach a fifth successive semi-final in Paris.

However, despite crunching 65 winners to his opponent's 47, he committed 81 unforced errors in a match which featured 19 breaks of serve and at five hours and eight minutes was the second longest of the tournament.

"I was over the limit today," said Thiem.

"At the net I just told him that he deserves it. I think he's for the first time top 10 with that win.&nbsp;

"That's also great achievement."

Rafael Nadal reached his 13th Roland Garros semi-final early Wednesday with a straight sets win over Italian teenager Jannik Sinner but claimed it was "dangerous" to finish at 01:30 in the morning when the temperature had plummeted to 12 degrees (53F).

Rafael Nadal reached his 13th Roland Garros semi-final early Wednesday with a straight sets win over Italian teenager Jannik Sinner but claimed it was "dangerous" to finish at 01:30 in the morning when the temperature had plummeted to 12 degrees (53F). Nadal, the 12-time champion, defeated 19-year-old Sinner 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 6-1 to clinch a 98th victory in his 100th match at the French Open. He will next face Diego Schwartzman, the diminutive Argentine over whom he holds a 9-1 career advantage, as he moves closer to equalling Roger Federer's all-time record of 20 majors. However, Nadal, more accustomed to the bright sunshine of Mallorca than the autumn chill of a French Open pushed back four months due to the coronavirus pandemic, was unhappy with organisers who scheduled five matches on the main Court Philippe Chatrier. "I know footballers play under these conditions, but they are all the time moving," said Nadal after the latest ever finishing match at the tournament. "We stop, we come back, we stop on the changeovers. I think this is a little bit dangerous for the body with these very heavy conditions." Nadal and Sinner only got on court at 10:30pm after Schwartzman and Thiem had taken five hours to decide their quarter-final. They also had to wait for another women's last-eight tie to be completed after two others had kicked off the programme. The sparse and shivering crowd that greeted them wore thick coats, scarves and hats. "I don't know why they put five matches on Chatrier. It's a risk," added 34-year-old Nadal who finished his news conference at 02:10. Nadal will be playing in a 34th semi-final at the majors. - 'I was over limit' - He takes a 9-1 lead over Schwartzman into that match although the Argentine won their most recent clash in Rome on the eve of Roland Garros. World number 75 Sinner, bidding to become the first man to make the semi-finals on debut since Nadal in 2005, was left to rue missed chances. He led with breaks in both of the first two sets, even finding himself just two points away from taking the opener. Nadal admitted he had been in a contest unlike his first four matches where he dropped just 23 games. "It was very tough during the first two sets and especially at the end of the first. "He was hitting the ball very hard and with the cold, the balls had less lift." Sinner has been tipped to make the world top 10 next season, but said he is not looking too far ahead. "I'm a person who looks not in the future and not in the past, always in the present," said the Italian who had seen off two seeded players to make the last-eight -- 11th seed David Goffin and sixth-seeded Alexander Zverev, the US Open runner-up. Argentine 12th seed Schwartzman defeated US Open champion and third seed Thiem in a five-hour epic to reach his first ever Grand Slam semi-final. The 28-year-old Schwartzman triumphed 7-6 (7/1), 5-7, 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (7/5), 6-2. It was one marathon too many for Thiem, the runner-up in Paris for the last two years, who had needed five sets and three and a half hours to down world number 239 Hugo Gaston in the fourth round. The 5ft 7in (1.70m) Schwartzman's success came on the same day that compatriot Nadia Podoroska, the world 131, reached the last-four of the women's singles. "Dominic is one of the great players. He is my best friend and I have a lot of respect for him," said Schwartzman. "So this win is very important for me. In the second and third sets, I was going a little crazy and I was screaming at myself because I had so many chances. "But, come on, I deserved to win tonight," added Schwartzman. Thiem had been attempting to reach a fifth successive semi-final in Paris. However, despite crunching 65 winners to his opponent's 47, he committed 81 unforced errors in a match which featured 19 breaks of serve and at five hours and eight minutes was the second longest of the tournament. "I was over the limit today," said Thiem. "At the net I just told him that he deserves it. I think he's for the first time top 10 with that win. "That's also great achievement."

Nadal into 13th Roland Garros semi-final, hits out at 'dangerous' night life

Novak Djokovic targets a 10th Roland Garros semi-final on Wednesday as he faces Pablo Carreno Busta, the man who was on the other side of the net when the world number one was sensationally defaulted at the US Open.

Victory will give the top seed and the 2016 champion a last-four clash against either Stefanos Tsitsipas or Andrey Rublev who are in the quarter-finals in Paris for the first time.

<h2>Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) v Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP x17)</h2>

Head-to-head: Djokovic leads 3-1

-- World number one Djokovic has moved effortlessly into a 14th quarter-final in Paris and 47th overall in the majors as he targets a second French Open and 18th Grand Slam.

He has dropped just 25 games through four rounds and now sits three wins away from becoming the first man in half a century -- and only the third in history -- to win all four Slams twice.

The 33-year-old's only heart-stopping moment came in his last 16 win over Karen Khachanov when a ball ricocheted off the frame of his racquet and accidentally smashed into the face of a line judge.

"My gosh, it was a very awkward deja vu," said the Serb who last month was disqualified from the US Open for an angry swipe of a ball which hit a female line judge squarely in the throat.

That was Djokovic's only 'defeat' against 35 wins this year.

Carreno Busta, the world number 18, has lost both his meetings to Djokovic on clay, in Monte Carlo in 2014 and 2017.

The 29-year-old made the quarter-finals at the US Open and was also in the last eight in Paris in 2017.

However, that experience ended in heartbreak with an abdominal injury forcing him to quit against Rafael Nadal after just 52 minutes.

Carreno Busta, who needed treatment on a stomach problem in last 16 win over Daniel Altmaier on Monday, says that Djokovic's legacy should not be permanently scarred by the incident in New York.

"I think Novak is a great player, a great person. Sometimes we cannot control our emotions. A mistake," said the Spaniard.

Path to the quarter-finals (x indicates seeded player):

Djokovic

1st rd: bt Mikael Ymer (SWE) 6-0, 6-2, 6-3

2nd rd: bt Ricardas Berankis (LTU) 6-1, 6-2, 6-2

3rd rd: bt Daniel Galan (COL) 6-0, 6-3, 6-2

4th rd: bt Karen Khachanov (RUS x15) 6-4, 6-3, 6-3

&nbsp;

Carreno Busta

1st rd: bt John Millman (AUS) 6-3, 6-2, 7-5

2nd rd: bt Guido Pella (ARG) 6-3, 6-2, 6-1

3rd rd: bt Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x10) 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4

4th rd: bt Daniel Altmaier (GER) 6-2, 7-5, 6-2

&nbsp;

<h2>Andrey Rublev (RUS x13) v Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x5)</h2>

Head-to-head: Rublev leads 2-1

-- Less than two weeks after Rublev defeated Tsitsipas in the Hamburg claycourt final, the pair meet again in their debut appearances in the last eight in Paris.

Rublev, the 22-year-old with a mop of unruly red hair, has been a picture of flashy shot-making and defiance in Paris as he reached a third career Slam quarter-final to follow similar runs in New York in 2017 and last month.

In four matches at the tournament, his opponents have served for sets on eight occasions but Rublev has been equal to the task every time.

The Russian has five career titles, three of which have come in this truncated season. Only Djokovic with four can boast a better record.

World number six Tsitsipas, also 22, is equally flamboyant.&nbsp;

He is the first Greek to get this far in Paris and will be playing in the quarter-finals of a major for just the second time following his breakout run at the 2019 Australian Open where he made the semi-finals, defeating Roger Federer on the way.

"Andrey is a tough cookie," said Tsitsipas.

&nbsp;

Path to the quarter-finals (x indicates seeded player):

Rublev

1st rd: bt Sam Querrey (USA) 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-4, 6-3

2nd rd: bt Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) 7-5, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1

3rd rd: bt Kevin Anderson (RSA) 6-3, 6-2, 6-3

4th rd: bt Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3)

&nbsp;

Tsitsipas

1st rd: bt Jaume Munar (ESP) 4-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4

2nd rd: bt Pablo Cuevas (URU) 6-1, 6-4, 6-2

3rd rd: bt Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 6-1, 6-2, 3-1 - retired

4th rd: bt Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x18) 6-3, 7-6 (11/9), 6-2

Novak Djokovic targets a 10th Roland Garros semi-final on Wednesday as he faces Pablo Carreno Busta, the man who was on the other side of the net when the world number one was sensationally defaulted at the US Open.

Novak Djokovic targets a 10th Roland Garros semi-final on Wednesday as he faces Pablo Carreno Busta, the man who was on the other side of the net when the world number one was sensationally defaulted at the US Open. Victory will give the top seed and the 2016 champion a last-four clash against either Stefanos Tsitsipas or Andrey Rublev who are in the quarter-finals in Paris for the first time. Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) v Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP x17) Head-to-head: Djokovic leads 3-1 -- World number one Djokovic has moved effortlessly into a 14th quarter-final in Paris and 47th overall in the majors as he targets a second French Open and 18th Grand Slam. He has dropped just 25 games through four rounds and now sits three wins away from becoming the first man in half a century -- and only the third in history -- to win all four Slams twice. The 33-year-old's only heart-stopping moment came in his last 16 win over Karen Khachanov when a ball ricocheted off the frame of his racquet and accidentally smashed into the face of a line judge. "My gosh, it was a very awkward deja vu," said the Serb who last month was disqualified from the US Open for an angry swipe of a ball which hit a female line judge squarely in the throat. That was Djokovic's only 'defeat' against 35 wins this year. Carreno Busta, the world number 18, has lost both his meetings to Djokovic on clay, in Monte Carlo in 2014 and 2017. The 29-year-old made the quarter-finals at the US Open and was also in the last eight in Paris in 2017. However, that experience ended in heartbreak with an abdominal injury forcing him to quit against Rafael Nadal after just 52 minutes. Carreno Busta, who needed treatment on a stomach problem in last 16 win over Daniel Altmaier on Monday, says that Djokovic's legacy should not be permanently scarred by the incident in New York. "I think Novak is a great player, a great person. Sometimes we cannot control our emotions. A mistake," said the Spaniard. Path to the quarter-finals (x indicates seeded player): Djokovic 1st rd: bt Mikael Ymer (SWE) 6-0, 6-2, 6-3 2nd rd: bt Ricardas Berankis (LTU) 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 3rd rd: bt Daniel Galan (COL) 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 4th rd: bt Karen Khachanov (RUS x15) 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 Carreno Busta 1st rd: bt John Millman (AUS) 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 2nd rd: bt Guido Pella (ARG) 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 3rd rd: bt Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x10) 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 4th rd: bt Daniel Altmaier (GER) 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 Andrey Rublev (RUS x13) v Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x5) Head-to-head: Rublev leads 2-1 -- Less than two weeks after Rublev defeated Tsitsipas in the Hamburg claycourt final, the pair meet again in their debut appearances in the last eight in Paris. Rublev, the 22-year-old with a mop of unruly red hair, has been a picture of flashy shot-making and defiance in Paris as he reached a third career Slam quarter-final to follow similar runs in New York in 2017 and last month. In four matches at the tournament, his opponents have served for sets on eight occasions but Rublev has been equal to the task every time. The Russian has five career titles, three of which have come in this truncated season. Only Djokovic with four can boast a better record. World number six Tsitsipas, also 22, is equally flamboyant. He is the first Greek to get this far in Paris and will be playing in the quarter-finals of a major for just the second time following his breakout run at the 2019 Australian Open where he made the semi-finals, defeating Roger Federer on the way. "Andrey is a tough cookie," said Tsitsipas. Path to the quarter-finals (x indicates seeded player): Rublev 1st rd: bt Sam Querrey (USA) 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 2nd rd: bt Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) 7-5, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 3rd rd: bt Kevin Anderson (RSA) 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 4th rd: bt Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) Tsitsipas 1st rd: bt Jaume Munar (ESP) 4-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 2nd rd: bt Pablo Cuevas (URU) 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 3rd rd: bt Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 6-1, 6-2, 3-1 - retired 4th rd: bt Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x18) 6-3, 7-6 (11/9), 6-2

Djokovic eyes 10th Roland Garros semi-final

LeBron James scored 28 points as the Los Angeles Lakers moved to within one win of a 17th NBA championship on Tuesday with a 102-96 victory over the Miami Heat.

Humbled by Miami in game three on Sunday, James and the Lakers came roaring back in a hard-fought defensive battle that was finely balanced until Los Angeles pulled away in the closing minutes.

The win leaves the Lakers 3-1 up in the best-of-seven series, meaning they can clinch the championship with victory in game five in Orlando on Friday.

"It felt like both teams were desperate, understanding the situation they had put themselves in," James said afterwards.

"Trying to get every extra possession, execute offensively, not to make mistakes defensively, that's what it was all about."

James started slowly but clicked in the second half to lead the scoring while providing eight assists and hauling down 12 rebounds.

Anthony Davis meanwhile finished with 22 points, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope chipped in with a vital 15 point contribution.

Caldwell-Pope's tally included a three-pointer and a layup in the closing stages that put the Lakers seven points ahead with two minutes remaining.

Davis then drained only his second three-pointer of the night with 39.5 seconds left on the clock to give the Lakers a 100-91 lead and effectively seal the contest.

Butler, the 40-point hero of Miami's win on Sunday, was restricted to 22 points, frustrated throughout by a commanding defensive display from Davis.

"He challenges me every night, I challenge him every night," James said of Davis.&nbsp;

"We have to do things to help our team win, defensively, and offensively, and he did that tonight -- he was spectacular."

&nbsp;

<h2>- 'Moments of truth' -</h2>

&nbsp;

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said the game had been decided in key moments in the closing stages.

"There was some moments of truth there at the end, and probably the bottom line is they won those moments of truth," Spoelstra said.

"It came down to making plays. They just made more plays and more shots to seal it."

An attritional contest saw defenses on top throughout, with Miami containing the threat of James and Davis for long periods.

James in particular struggled to generate his usual rhythm throughout the first half, giving up five turnovers and scoring just eight points.

The Lakers looked to have built a head of steam towards the end of the first quarter, edging into a 27-22 lead after a Kyle Kuzma three-pointer and a driving layup from Alex Caruso.

But Miami responded swiftly at the start of the second quarter, transforming a five-point deficit into a 33-29 lead after Jae Crowder's three-pointer.

Butler, meanwhile had started smoothly, going five-from-five in the first quarter to move into double figures.

Despite Miami's defensive efforts, the Lakers were still able to carve open a series of good looks, only for off-target shooting to let them down.

Nevertheless the Lakers had inched into a two-point lead at half-time at 49-47.

In the third quarter, James' shooting from distance improved, his first three-pointer of the night coming with a 29-foot effort to put the Lakers ahead at 55-54.

A Danny Green bucket was followed by a driving layup from James and the Lakers had suddenly moved into a 59-54 lead.

James made another long-range three shortly afterward to put the Lakers 62-57 up with 6:44 left in the third.

Davis's first three-pointer of the game from 28 feet put the Lakers seven points clear with two minutes left in the third.

The Los Angeles big man closed the quarter with four free throws to leave the Lakers five points clear heading into the fourth.

The Lakers maintained that advantage for much of the fourth quarter.

Tyler Herro's three-point jump shot cut the Lakers lead to one point at 76-75, but three free throws from Markieff Morris followed by a superb fadeaway from James stretched the Los Angeles cushion to six points midway through the fourth.

Butler raised Miami's hopes after tying it at 83-83, but the Lakers pulled away with Caldwell-Pope's three-pointer transition followed by a layup to make it 95-88 with two minutes left on the clock.

Rajon Rondo's layup was then followed by a Davis crucial three-pointer with 39.5 seconds left which sealed the win.&nbsp;

LeBron James scored 28 points as the Los Angeles Lakers moved to within one win of a 17th NBA championship on Tuesday with a 102-96 victory over the Miami Heat. Humbled by Miami in game three on Sunday, James and the Lakers came roaring back in a hard-fought defensive battle that was finely balanced until Los Angeles pulled away in the closing minutes.

LeBron James scored 28 points as the Los Angeles Lakers moved to within one win of a 17th NBA championship on Tuesday with a 102-96 victory over the Miami Heat. Humbled by Miami in game three on Sunday, James and the Lakers came roaring back in a hard-fought defensive battle that was finely balanced until Los Angeles pulled away in the closing minutes. The win leaves the Lakers 3-1 up in the best-of-seven series, meaning they can clinch the championship with victory in game five in Orlando on Friday. "It felt like both teams were desperate, understanding the situation they had put themselves in," James said afterwards. "Trying to get every extra possession, execute offensively, not to make mistakes defensively, that's what it was all about." James started slowly but clicked in the second half to lead the scoring while providing eight assists and hauling down 12 rebounds. Anthony Davis meanwhile finished with 22 points, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope chipped in with a vital 15 point contribution. Caldwell-Pope's tally included a three-pointer and a layup in the closing stages that put the Lakers seven points ahead with two minutes remaining. Davis then drained only his second three-pointer of the night with 39.5 seconds left on the clock to give the Lakers a 100-91 lead and effectively seal the contest. Butler, the 40-point hero of Miami's win on Sunday, was restricted to 22 points, frustrated throughout by a commanding defensive display from Davis. "He challenges me every night, I challenge him every night," James said of Davis. "We have to do things to help our team win, defensively, and offensively, and he did that tonight -- he was spectacular." - 'Moments of truth' - Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said the game had been decided in key moments in the closing stages. "There was some moments of truth there at the end, and probably the bottom line is they won those moments of truth," Spoelstra said. "It came down to making plays. They just made more plays and more shots to seal it." An attritional contest saw defenses on top throughout, with Miami containing the threat of James and Davis for long periods. James in particular struggled to generate his usual rhythm throughout the first half, giving up five turnovers and scoring just eight points. The Lakers looked to have built a head of steam towards the end of the first quarter, edging into a 27-22 lead after a Kyle Kuzma three-pointer and a driving layup from Alex Caruso. But Miami responded swiftly at the start of the second quarter, transforming a five-point deficit into a 33-29 lead after Jae Crowder's three-pointer. Butler, meanwhile had started smoothly, going five-from-five in the first quarter to move into double figures. Despite Miami's defensive efforts, the Lakers were still able to carve open a series of good looks, only for off-target shooting to let them down. Nevertheless the Lakers had inched into a two-point lead at half-time at 49-47. In the third quarter, James' shooting from distance improved, his first three-pointer of the night coming with a 29-foot effort to put the Lakers ahead at 55-54. A Danny Green bucket was followed by a driving layup from James and the Lakers had suddenly moved into a 59-54 lead. James made another long-range three shortly afterward to put the Lakers 62-57 up with 6:44 left in the third. Davis's first three-pointer of the game from 28 feet put the Lakers seven points clear with two minutes left in the third. The Los Angeles big man closed the quarter with four free throws to leave the Lakers five points clear heading into the fourth. The Lakers maintained that advantage for much of the fourth quarter. Tyler Herro's three-point jump shot cut the Lakers lead to one point at 76-75, but three free throws from Markieff Morris followed by a superb fadeaway from James stretched the Los Angeles cushion to six points midway through the fourth. Butler raised Miami's hopes after tying it at 83-83, but the Lakers pulled away with Caldwell-Pope's three-pointer transition followed by a layup to make it 95-88 with two minutes left on the clock. Rajon Rondo's layup was then followed by a Davis crucial three-pointer with 39.5 seconds left which sealed the win.

James, Davis put Lakers on brink as Miami downed

Former women's number one Saina Nehwal has pulled out of next week's Denmark Open, the first tournament since the world tour was suspended in March as a result of the coronavirus.

Compatriot PV Sindhu, the world number seven, announced her withdrawal from the event last month saying she did not want to risk international travel.

The Super 750 event in Odense starting October 13 will be the first on the BWF World Tour since the All England Championships seven months ago.

Nehwal told Indian media it didn't make sense to travel to Europe for just one tournament, and she would instead wait until the new year to resume tournament play.

Nehwal's husband Parupalli Kashyap, currently ranked 24 in the world, has also pulled out of the tournament.

"There is no injury issue," told Indian media.

"I decided that I will start the season from January only with the Asian tour."

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has postponed the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals and three events in Asia to 2021, and cancelled the Denmark Masters.

Former women's number one Saina Nehwal has pulled out of next week's Denmark Open, the first tournament since the world tour was suspended in March as a result of the coronavirus.

Former women's number one Saina Nehwal has pulled out of next week's Denmark Open, the first tournament since the world tour was suspended in March as a result of the coronavirus. Compatriot PV Sindhu, the world number seven, announced her withdrawal from the event last month saying she did not want to risk international travel. The Super 750 event in Odense starting October 13 will be the first on the BWF World Tour since the All England Championships seven months ago. Nehwal told Indian media it didn't make sense to travel to Europe for just one tournament, and she would instead wait until the new year to resume tournament play. Nehwal's husband Parupalli Kashyap, currently ranked 24 in the world, has also pulled out of the tournament. "There is no injury issue," told Indian media. "I decided that I will start the season from January only with the Asian tour." The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has postponed the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals and three events in Asia to 2021, and cancelled the Denmark Masters.

India's Nehwal pulls out of Denmark Open

Delhi Capitals on Saturday defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by a whopping margin of 18 runs at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah. With the thumping win, DC return back to winning ways and now have three wins off their four matches so far in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>.&nbsp;

Riding on a breathtaking 88-run knock off 38 deliveries from captain Shreyas Iyer, DC posted a whopping 228-4 in 20 overs. Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan gave DC a superb start as they stitched a quickfire 56-run opening stand. While Shaw scored 66 off 42, Dhawan managed 26 off 16. Along with Iyer, Rishabh Pant played a blistering knock of 38 runs off 17 runs to help DC post a mammoth 228 on the scoreboard.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-out-or-not-out-fans-question-samsons-dismissal-and-chahals-catch-in-rr-vs-rcb-match-332296" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Out or not-out? Fans question Samson's dismissal and Chahal's catch</a>

Chasing 229, KKR were off to a disastrous start as they lost opener Sunil Narine (3) cheaply. Even in-form opener Shubman Gill couldn’t covert his start to a good score as he departed for 28 off 22 deliveries. While Nitish Rana played a handy knock with his half-century (58 off 35), Andre Russell failed to get going as he departed for 8-ball 13. Skipper Dinesh Karthik largely struggled in his stay with an 8-ball 5.

Eoin Morgan and Rahul Tripathi lighted up the Sharjah Stadium with some huge sixes but it was too little too late for Kolkata Knight Riders as they fell short by 18 runs to lose their second match in four outings so far in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-ben-stokes-to-arrive-in-uae-tonight-confirms-rajasthan-royals-332221" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Ben Stokes to arrive in UAE tonight, confirms Rajasthan Royals</a>

KKR will next face Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi whereas DC will next play Royal Challengers Bangalore in Dubai on Monday. 
&nbsp;

Delhi Capitals on Saturday defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by a whopping margin of 18 runs at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah. With the thumping win, DC return back to winning ways and now have three wins off their four matches so far in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.

Delhi Capitals on Saturday defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by a whopping margin of 18 runs at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah. With the thumping win, DC return back to winning ways and now have three wins off their four matches so far in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. Riding on a breathtaking 88-run knock off 38 deliveries from captain Shreyas Iyer, DC posted a whopping 228-4 in 20 overs. Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan gave DC a superb start as they stitched a quickfire 56-run opening stand. While Shaw scored 66 off 42, Dhawan managed 26 off 16. Along with Iyer, Rishabh Pant played a blistering knock of 38 runs off 17 runs to help DC post a mammoth 228 on the scoreboard. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Out or not-out? Fans question Samson's dismissal and Chahal's catch Chasing 229, KKR were off to a disastrous start as they lost opener Sunil Narine (3) cheaply. Even in-form opener Shubman Gill couldn’t covert his start to a good score as he departed for 28 off 22 deliveries. While Nitish Rana played a handy knock with his half-century (58 off 35), Andre Russell failed to get going as he departed for 8-ball 13. Skipper Dinesh Karthik largely struggled in his stay with an 8-ball 5. Eoin Morgan and Rahul Tripathi lighted up the Sharjah Stadium with some huge sixes but it was too little too late for Kolkata Knight Riders as they fell short by 18 runs to lose their second match in four outings so far in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Ben Stokes to arrive in UAE tonight, confirms Rajasthan Royals KKR will next face Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi whereas DC will next play Royal Challengers Bangalore in Dubai on Monday.

IPL 2020: Iyer, Nortje star as Delhi Capitals overcome Kolkata Knight Riders challenge

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman says Lionel Messi has been the ideal captain and an example to the rest of the team for the way he has applied himself since deciding to stay at the club this season.

Messi gave an outstanding performance in Barca’s 3-0 win over Celta Vigo on Thursday after playing the whole second half with 10 men, crushing any fears that the Argentine might lack commitment after the club refused to let him leave.

“From day one Leo has trained and played well and has given the maximum for the club, for his team and for his team mates and I have had no complaints about him on any day,” Koeman said ahead of Barca’s La Liga game at home to Sevilla on Sunday.

“He proved himself once again the other day against Celta, he pulled his weight as a captain, he helped the team play the ball out from the back because it’s so important to keep the ball when you have one less player.

“There’s no debate, for me he has always been the best player in the world, I thought that before from the outside and I think it even more now I’m working with him. He’s fully committed, he’s an example to everyone as a captain should be.”

Koeman also praised the form of Philippe Coutinho, who has thrived since returning from a loan spell at Bayern Munich, having flopped in his first two seasons with the Catalans after a club record move from Liverpool in 2018.

“Coutinho is a very good player, he has learned a lot in England and with Bayern and my job as a coach is to get the best out of each player and find their best role,” he said.

“A coach can help but it all starts with the quality of a player and Coutinho is a great footballer.”

The Dutchman also said Barca want to sign a striker and a centre back before the transfer window shuts, confirming their interest in Manchester City defender Eric Garcia.

“We would like to sign this player, we have four centre backs and we are short there. We know it’s difficult financially but I hope we can get it done,” Koeman said.

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman says Lionel Messi has been the ideal captain and an example to the rest of the team for the way he has applied himself since deciding to stay at the club this season.

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman says Lionel Messi has been the ideal captain and an example to the rest of the team for the way he has applied himself since deciding to stay at the club this season. Messi gave an outstanding performance in Barca’s 3-0 win over Celta Vigo on Thursday after playing the whole second half with 10 men, crushing any fears that the Argentine might lack commitment after the club refused to let him leave. “From day one Leo has trained and played well and has given the maximum for the club, for his team and for his team mates and I have had no complaints about him on any day,” Koeman said ahead of Barca’s La Liga game at home to Sevilla on Sunday. “He proved himself once again the other day against Celta, he pulled his weight as a captain, he helped the team play the ball out from the back because it’s so important to keep the ball when you have one less player. “There’s no debate, for me he has always been the best player in the world, I thought that before from the outside and I think it even more now I’m working with him. He’s fully committed, he’s an example to everyone as a captain should be.” Koeman also praised the form of Philippe Coutinho, who has thrived since returning from a loan spell at Bayern Munich, having flopped in his first two seasons with the Catalans after a club record move from Liverpool in 2018. “Coutinho is a very good player, he has learned a lot in England and with Bayern and my job as a coach is to get the best out of each player and find their best role,” he said. “A coach can help but it all starts with the quality of a player and Coutinho is a great footballer.” The Dutchman also said Barca want to sign a striker and a centre back before the transfer window shuts, confirming their interest in Manchester City defender Eric Garcia. “We would like to sign this player, we have four centre backs and we are short there. We know it’s difficult financially but I hope we can get it done,” Koeman said.

Messi has given maximum since ending transfer saga, says Barca coach Koeman

A cricketer, participating in the ongoing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> in the UAE, has “reported a corrupt approach” with the BCCI’s anti-corruption unit (ACU) being on a high-alert following the incident.&nbsp;

The 13th edition of IPL is being held in UAE behind closed doors, in a bio-secure environment, which has reduced the probability of bookies or person with dubious credentials approaching a player directly. However, the threat looms large given the online network of corruptors.&nbsp;

BCCI ACU chief Ajit Singh confirmed the development to PTI as he said that his team is tracking the concerned person and it will take some time before he is nabbed.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-csks-fleming-loses-cool-when-asked-about-kedar-jadhav-and-ms-dhonis-batting-position-332263" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Fleming loses cool when asked about Kedar and Dhoni's batting role</a>

"Yes (a player has reported approach)," Singh, the former DGP of Rajasthan Police confirmed the news."We are

tracking him. It will take some time," he said when asked if the alleged corruptor or "person of Interest" has been nabbed.

As per the anti-corruption protocol, the name of the player concerned or franchise has not been revealed due to confidentiality purposes.

Meanwhile, ACU has concentrated more on the possible of online corrupt approaches while educating everyone, especially the young players, who are mostly on social media platforms.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-out-or-not-out-fans-question-samsons-dismissal-and-chahals-catch-in-rr-vs-rcb-match-332296" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Out or not-out? Fans question Samson's dismissal and Chahal's catch</a>

A senior BCCI official told PTI that all the players have attended multiple anti-corruption classes.

"The best part is that the player who was approached immediately sensed that something was fishy. He had suspicion and he immediately shared his concerns with the ACU. Every player, even those who have come from the U-19s are well aware about each and every anti-corruption protocols," the BCCI official, privy to the development, told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

The BCCI has joined hands with UK-based firm Sportradar to prevent betting and other corrupt approaches during IPL 2020. 
&nbsp;

A cricketer, participating in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 in the UAE, has “reported a corrupt approach” with the BCCI’s anti-corruption unit (ACU) being on a high-alert following the incident.

A cricketer, participating in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 in the UAE, has “reported a corrupt approach” with the BCCI’s anti-corruption unit (ACU) being on a high-alert following the incident. The 13th edition of IPL is being held in UAE behind closed doors, in a bio-secure environment, which has reduced the probability of bookies or person with dubious credentials approaching a player directly. However, the threat looms large given the online network of corruptors. BCCI ACU chief Ajit Singh confirmed the development to PTI as he said that his team is tracking the concerned person and it will take some time before he is nabbed. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Fleming loses cool when asked about Kedar and Dhoni's batting role "Yes (a player has reported approach)," Singh, the former DGP of Rajasthan Police confirmed the news."We are tracking him. It will take some time," he said when asked if the alleged corruptor or "person of Interest" has been nabbed. As per the anti-corruption protocol, the name of the player concerned or franchise has not been revealed due to confidentiality purposes. Meanwhile, ACU has concentrated more on the possible of online corrupt approaches while educating everyone, especially the young players, who are mostly on social media platforms. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Out or not-out? Fans question Samson's dismissal and Chahal's catch A senior BCCI official told PTI that all the players have attended multiple anti-corruption classes. "The best part is that the player who was approached immediately sensed that something was fishy. He had suspicion and he immediately shared his concerns with the ACU. Every player, even those who have come from the U-19s are well aware about each and every anti-corruption protocols," the BCCI official, privy to the development, told PTI on the condition of anonymity. The BCCI has joined hands with UK-based firm Sportradar to prevent betting and other corrupt approaches during IPL 2020.

IPL player reports corrupt approach, ACU begins investigation

Young opener Devdutt Padikkal was the star for Royal Challengers Bangalore once again as he guided the team to another convincing win over Rajasthan Royals at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Padikkal smashed 63 runs off 45 deliveries laced by six boundaries and a six while stitching a match-winning partnership of 99 runs with Virat Kohli to help RCB clinch the match by eight wickets.

Padikkal, who was also the highest run-scorer in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019-20, completed his third half-century in four innings in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> as he said that he wants to continue to play on the merit of the ball while adding watching the ball closely has been crucial to his good form.

When asked about batting alongside Kohli, Padikkal was of high praise for the Indian captain as he said he has watched him play since his childhood days and playing with him is an unreal feeling. The southpaw added that Kohli kept pushing him when he was getting tired in the scorching heat and humidity.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-kohli-and-chahal-star-as-royal-challengers-beat-rajasthan-royals-by-8-wickets-332304">IPL 2020: Kohli and Chahal star as RCB beat RR by 8 wickets</a>

“It's a different feeling (batting alongside Virat Kohli), I have watched him so much since I have been small. So, to bat with him is an unreal feeling and I'm enjoying it thoroughly. He just kept pushing me. I was getting tired a little bit, I was cramping up, he just kept pushing me to finish the innings. He kept telling me that I have to play till the end and see the team through. That's how he bats and that's what he was trying to convey to me as well,” said Padikkal in the post-match presentation.

“I am just playing on the merit of the ball, I am watching the ball as closely as I can and trying to make the decision. It was really hot, especially after fielding for 20 overs to come out and bat, it was pretty hard. It's important that we keep playing the way we are playing and keep getting the wins under the belt. Not anymore (when asked if he was pinching himself), maybe the first innings, now it's part of the job and I just want to keep doing well for the side and keep winning games for the team,” he added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-ben-stokes-to-arrive-in-uae-tonight-confirms-rajasthan-royals-332221" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Ben Stokes to arrive in UAE tonight, confirms Rajasthan Royals</a>

RCB now have three wins off four matches and are sitting atop the IPL 2020 points table as things stand.

Young opener Devdutt Padikkal was the star for Royal Challengers Bangalore once again as he guided the team to another convincing win over Rajasthan Royals at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Young opener Devdutt Padikkal was the star for Royal Challengers Bangalore once again as he guided the team to another convincing win over Rajasthan Royals at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Padikkal smashed 63 runs off 45 deliveries laced by six boundaries and a six while stitching a match-winning partnership of 99 runs with Virat Kohli to help RCB clinch the match by eight wickets. Padikkal, who was also the highest run-scorer in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019-20, completed his third half-century in four innings in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 as he said that he wants to continue to play on the merit of the ball while adding watching the ball closely has been crucial to his good form. When asked about batting alongside Kohli, Padikkal was of high praise for the Indian captain as he said he has watched him play since his childhood days and playing with him is an unreal feeling. The southpaw added that Kohli kept pushing him when he was getting tired in the scorching heat and humidity. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Kohli and Chahal star as RCB beat RR by 8 wickets “It's a different feeling (batting alongside Virat Kohli), I have watched him so much since I have been small. So, to bat with him is an unreal feeling and I'm enjoying it thoroughly. He just kept pushing me. I was getting tired a little bit, I was cramping up, he just kept pushing me to finish the innings. He kept telling me that I have to play till the end and see the team through. That's how he bats and that's what he was trying to convey to me as well,” said Padikkal in the post-match presentation. “I am just playing on the merit of the ball, I am watching the ball as closely as I can and trying to make the decision. It was really hot, especially after fielding for 20 overs to come out and bat, it was pretty hard. It's important that we keep playing the way we are playing and keep getting the wins under the belt. Not anymore (when asked if he was pinching himself), maybe the first innings, now it's part of the job and I just want to keep doing well for the side and keep winning games for the team,” he added. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Ben Stokes to arrive in UAE tonight, confirms Rajasthan Royals RCB now have three wins off four matches and are sitting atop the IPL 2020 points table as things stand.

Batting with Virat Kohli is unreal feeling: Devdutt Padikkal ecstatic after RCB's win vs RR

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming lost his cool, during the post-match press conference after the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, when the former New Zealand skipper was asked why Kedar Jadhav was sent to bat at no. 4 ahead of MS Dhoni.

Kedar came out to bat at no. 4 in a pressure chase but failed to deliver with the bat again as he scored a 10-ball three piling more pressure on the batting unit. Kedar was sent out to bat after early dismissals of Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu. However, the Indian batsman failed to make a mark again as Chennai Super Kings suffered their three defeats in a row in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-ben-stokes-to-arrive-in-uae-tonight-confirms-rajasthan-royals-332221" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Ben Stokes to arrive in UAE tonight, confirms Rajasthan Royals</a>

In the post-match press conference, a reporter asked why Kedar was sent out to bat ahead of Dhoni that too in a pressure chase. However, Fleming lost his cool after hearing the question as the CSK head coach said Dhoni is primarily a middle-to-backend player while adding Kedar has been playing in the floater role. &nbsp;

Reporter: What was the thought process behind sending Kedar Jadhav ahead of MS Dhoni?

Fleming: Really? I said really, it's a question? Well, he's (Kedar Jadhav) our number four, Dhoni primarily is a middle-to-backend player. Kedar Jadhav is our No.4, he plays dual roles where if we get off to a good start, he might move down and let Dhoni up but when your losing early wickets then your No.4 batsman goes in so... You can't keep, no I'll stop there.

CSK have now lost three of their four matches so far in IPL 2020 and will have to get back to winning ways if they want to qualify to the playoffs.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming lost his cool, during the post-match press conference after the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, when the former New Zealand skipper was asked why Kedar Jadhav was sent to bat at no.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming lost his cool, during the post-match press conference after the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, when the former New Zealand skipper was asked why Kedar Jadhav was sent to bat at no. 4 ahead of MS Dhoni. Kedar came out to bat at no. 4 in a pressure chase but failed to deliver with the bat again as he scored a 10-ball three piling more pressure on the batting unit. Kedar was sent out to bat after early dismissals of Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu. However, the Indian batsman failed to make a mark again as Chennai Super Kings suffered their three defeats in a row in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Ben Stokes to arrive in UAE tonight, confirms Rajasthan Royals In the post-match press conference, a reporter asked why Kedar was sent out to bat ahead of Dhoni that too in a pressure chase. However, Fleming lost his cool after hearing the question as the CSK head coach said Dhoni is primarily a middle-to-backend player while adding Kedar has been playing in the floater role. Reporter: What was the thought process behind sending Kedar Jadhav ahead of MS Dhoni? Fleming: Really? I said really, it's a question? Well, he's (Kedar Jadhav) our number four, Dhoni primarily is a middle-to-backend player. Kedar Jadhav is our No.4, he plays dual roles where if we get off to a good start, he might move down and let Dhoni up but when your losing early wickets then your No.4 batsman goes in so... You can't keep, no I'll stop there. CSK have now lost three of their four matches so far in IPL 2020 and will have to get back to winning ways if they want to qualify to the playoffs.

IPL 2020: CSK's Fleming loses cool when asked about Kedar Jadhav and MS Dhoni's batting position

With the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> continuing in the UAE, Rajasthan Royals took on Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. While RR opted to bat first given the hot and humid conditions in the afternoon match, the Steve Smith-led outfit weren’t off to the best of start as they lost the skipper and star batsman Sanju Samson early.&nbsp;

Yuzvendra Chahal pulled off a stunner to dismiss Samson as the Indian spinner took a terrific caught and bowled to send the in-form RR batsman packing back to the hut. While there have been arguments on Chahal’s catch on social media platform Twitter, the third umpire felt there was no conclusive evidence to change the decision of the on-field umpire.&nbsp;

While Samson played it straight back to Chahal, the ball appeared to have touched the ground. However, it seemed like there was a finger underneath the ball and with not many camera angles available, third umpire went with the on-field call and dismissed Samson.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dc-vs-kkr-ipl-2020-preview-iyer-dk-face-off-in-battle-of-sixes-in-sharjah-332281" hreflang="en">DC vs KKR, IPL 2020 Preview: Iyer-DK face off in battle of sixes in Sharjah</a>

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<h2>Here's how fans reacted</h2>

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Was chahal's index finger under the ball?
— #RecoverMorris (@153_Centurion) <a href="https://twitter.com/153_Centurion/status/1312338806805209088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Chahals middle finger was between ball and ground so it's completely out !<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chahal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#chahal</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/samson?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#samson</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/buttler?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#buttler</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/smith?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#smith</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RR</a> <a href="https://t.co/9cvi9IzOZc">pic.twitter.com/9cvi9IzOZc</a>
— RCB (@Indian7373) <a href="https://twitter.com/Indian7373/status/1312341138578104322?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Yuzvendra Chahal grabs one off his first ball. 
 
Gets the benefit of the soft signal being "out"; it was a close call, and if the umpire had deemed it a bump ball, Samson would've survived. 
 
Bollywood-level drama.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2020</a> <a href="https://t.co/VyokMianwe">pic.twitter.com/VyokMianwe</a>
— Nick Hancock, PhD (@NickoHancock) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickoHancock/status/1312338263982501889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Chahal catch:- 
50-50 chances for batsmen n bowler...as Finger is underneath the ball... 
Soft signal is out so, 
3rd umpire's word is out...<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SarkaruVaariPaata?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SarkaruVaariPaata</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/urstrulyMahesh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@urstrulyMahesh</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MaheshBabu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MaheshBabu</a>
— urschakri (@_massmb_fan) <a href="https://twitter.com/_massmb_fan/status/1312379468464500736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

However, following Samson’s departure, Robin Uthappa and Mahipal Lomror stitched a good partnership and were followed by handy knock by Rahul Tewatia down the order.&nbsp;

Whereas Chahal was handed over the Purple Cap after the RCB bowler picked three wickets to sit atop the wicket-takers list in IPL 2020.

RCB need 155 runs to win the match against Rajasthan Royals with Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal batting at the time when this report was written. 
&nbsp;

With the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 continuing in the UAE, Rajasthan Royals took on Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. While RR opted to bat first given the hot and humid conditions in the afternoon match, the Steve Smith-led outfit weren’t off to the best of start as they lost the skipper and star batsman Sanju Samson early.

With the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 continuing in the UAE, Rajasthan Royals took on Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. While RR opted to bat first given the hot and humid conditions in the afternoon match, the Steve Smith-led outfit weren’t off to the best of start as they lost the skipper and star batsman Sanju Samson early. Yuzvendra Chahal pulled off a stunner to dismiss Samson as the Indian spinner took a terrific caught and bowled to send the in-form RR batsman packing back to the hut. While there have been arguments on Chahal’s catch on social media platform Twitter, the third umpire felt there was no conclusive evidence to change the decision of the on-field umpire. While Samson played it straight back to Chahal, the ball appeared to have touched the ground. However, it seemed like there was a finger underneath the ball and with not many camera angles available, third umpire went with the on-field call and dismissed Samson. ALSO READ: DC vs KKR, IPL 2020 Preview: Iyer-DK face off in battle of sixes in Sharjah × Here's how fans reacted Was chahal's index finger under the ball? — #RecoverMorris (@153_Centurion) October 3, 2020 × Chahals middle finger was between ball and ground so it's completely out !#chahal #samson #buttler #smith #RR pic.twitter.com/9cvi9IzOZc — RCB (@Indian7373) October 3, 2020 × Yuzvendra Chahal grabs one off his first ball. Gets the benefit of the soft signal being "out"; it was a close call, and if the umpire had deemed it a bump ball, Samson would've survived. Bollywood-level drama.#IPL2020 pic.twitter.com/VyokMianwe — Nick Hancock, PhD (@NickoHancock) October 3, 2020 × Chahal catch:- 50-50 chances for batsmen n bowler...as Finger is underneath the ball... Soft signal is out so, 3rd umpire's word is out...#SarkaruVaariPaata @urstrulyMahesh #MaheshBabu — urschakri (@_massmb_fan) October 3, 2020 × However, following Samson’s departure, Robin Uthappa and Mahipal Lomror stitched a good partnership and were followed by handy knock by Rahul Tewatia down the order. Whereas Chahal was handed over the Purple Cap after the RCB bowler picked three wickets to sit atop the wicket-takers list in IPL 2020. RCB need 155 runs to win the match against Rajasthan Royals with Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal batting at the time when this report was written.

IPL 2020: Out or not-out? Fans question Samson's dismissal and Chahal's catch in RR vs RCB match

Delhi Capitals will take on Kolkata Knight Riders in Sharjah Cricket Stadium as the cricketing action in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> continues. Both DC and KKR are exciting sides on paper and have shown good form in the tournament so far.&nbsp;

While KKR are heading into the match on the back of back-to-back wins, DC lost their previous encounter against SRH. However, plenty of runs are expected when DC and KKR take to the field in Sharjah with smaller boundaries coming into the play.&nbsp;

Talking about the head-to-head statistics, DC and KKR have played 24 matches with KKR emerging victorious in 13 matches whereas Delhi have won the other 11 games.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-dc-vs-kkr-live-streaming-how-to-watch-delhi-capitals-vs-kolkata-knight-riders-332272" hreflang="en">IPL 2020, DC vs KKR Live Streaming: How to watch Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders?</a>

Interestingly, the Sharjah Cricket Stadium has witnessed the highest run-rate so far in the death overs with the numbers standing at a whopping 13.74 runs an over in IPL 2020.&nbsp;

With plenty of sixes awaited, all eyes will be on the likes of Shreyas Iyer, Shimron Hetmyer, Rishabh Pant, Andre Russell, Eoin Morgan and Dinesh Karthik among others.&nbsp;

Even the youngsters in both the squad have lived upto the hype so far with the likes of Prithvi Shaw, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi among others shining in the early phase of IPL 2020.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-csks-fleming-loses-cool-when-asked-about-kedar-jadhav-and-ms-dhonis-batting-position-332263" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Fleming loses cool when asked about Kedar and Dhoni's batting role</a>

<h2>DC vs KKR - Squads:</h2>

Kolkata Knight Riders Squad: Shubman Gill, Sunil Narine, Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Eoin Morgan, Pat Cummins, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Sandeep Warrier, Rahul Tripathi, Siddhesh Lad, Nikhil Naik, Chris Green, Prasidh Krishna, Lockie Ferguson, Rinku Singh, Ali Khan, Tom Banton, Manimaran Siddharth

Delhi Capitals Squad: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harshal Patel, Mohit Sharma, Alex Carey, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Lamichhane, Keemo Paul, Tushar Deshpande, Daniel Sams, Lalit Yadav 
&nbsp;

Delhi Capitals will take on Kolkata Knight Riders in Sharjah Cricket Stadium as the cricketing action in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 continues. Both DC and KKR are exciting sides on paper and have shown good form in the tournament so far.

Delhi Capitals will take on Kolkata Knight Riders in Sharjah Cricket Stadium as the cricketing action in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 continues. Both DC and KKR are exciting sides on paper and have shown good form in the tournament so far. While KKR are heading into the match on the back of back-to-back wins, DC lost their previous encounter against SRH. However, plenty of runs are expected when DC and KKR take to the field in Sharjah with smaller boundaries coming into the play. Talking about the head-to-head statistics, DC and KKR have played 24 matches with KKR emerging victorious in 13 matches whereas Delhi have won the other 11 games. ALSO READ: IPL 2020, DC vs KKR Live Streaming: How to watch Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders? Interestingly, the Sharjah Cricket Stadium has witnessed the highest run-rate so far in the death overs with the numbers standing at a whopping 13.74 runs an over in IPL 2020. With plenty of sixes awaited, all eyes will be on the likes of Shreyas Iyer, Shimron Hetmyer, Rishabh Pant, Andre Russell, Eoin Morgan and Dinesh Karthik among others. Even the youngsters in both the squad have lived upto the hype so far with the likes of Prithvi Shaw, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi among others shining in the early phase of IPL 2020. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Fleming loses cool when asked about Kedar and Dhoni's batting role DC vs KKR - Squads: Kolkata Knight Riders Squad: Shubman Gill, Sunil Narine, Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Eoin Morgan, Pat Cummins, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Sandeep Warrier, Rahul Tripathi, Siddhesh Lad, Nikhil Naik, Chris Green, Prasidh Krishna, Lockie Ferguson, Rinku Singh, Ali Khan, Tom Banton, Manimaran Siddharth Delhi Capitals Squad: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harshal Patel, Mohit Sharma, Alex Carey, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Lamichhane, Keemo Paul, Tushar Deshpande, Daniel Sams, Lalit Yadav

DC vs KKR, IPL 2020 Preview: Iyer-DK face off in battle of sixes in Sharjah

Anthony Davis and LeBron James powered Los Angeles to a 124-114 victory over the Miami Heat on Friday that put the Lakers two wins away from their first NBA title since 2010.

The injury depleted Heat hung on as best they could, but 33 points from James and 32 from Davis were just too much.

Davis, playing in his first NBA Finals, overpowered a Heat defense sorely missing injured Bam Adebayo. He added 14 rebounds as the Lakers took a two games to none lead in the best-of-seven NBA Finals in the league's quarantine bubble in Orlando, Florida.

"He's a big-time player," James, playing in his 10th championship series, said of Davis, whose 14 rebounds included eight offensive boards. "He understands the position we're in."

Davis made 14 of his first 15 shots from the field, finishing with 15 baskets in 20 attempts.

For the second straight game James approached a triple-double, adding nine assists and nine rebounds.

Rajon Rondo added 16 points off the bench and Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 11 points apiece for the Lakers.

Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 25 points and Kelly Olynyk added 24 off the bench as the Heat had to make do not only without Adebayo but with star guard Goran Dragic, who was sidelined by a left foot injury.

Even without them, James said, Miami remained a dangerous team, adding that the Lakers need to clamp down harder defensively.

"Myself, coach and AD were not happy with our defensive presence tonight," James said. "We can do a lot better.

"Myself and AD, we're not satisfied with just the win. We want to be great.

"They have five guys on the floor that's a threat, as they showed tonight," James added of Miami. "So we have to continue to stay on our P's and Q's and cross our T's and dot our I's through the course of a game."

Stung by the Heat's quick start in game one, the Lakers came out of the blocks hot.

Chasing a record-equalling 17th NBA title but their first in a decade, the Lakers dominated inside, outscoring the Heat 18-6 in the paint in the first quarter to emerge from the opening period six points up.

Danny Green's three-pointer pushed the Lakers lead to 13 three minutes into the second quarter.

The Heat got the deficit down to four three times, but Rondo, a former NBA champion with the Boston Celtics, came up big off the Lakers' bench, delivering impressive alley-oup passes first to James and then to Davis, whose dunk and free throw made it 64-49 with 1:48 remaining in the first half.

Rondo himself drove for a layup in the final minute of the half that stretched the Lakers' lead to 17 points, and they took a 68-54 advantage into the break.

The Lakers connected on 55.5% of their shots from the field in the opening half. They were less successful from three-point range but not from lack of trying, connecting on nine of their whopping 27 first-half attempts from beyond the arc.

They finished with 16 three-pointers on an astonishing 47 attempts.

Davis poured it on in the third quarter, piling up 15 points on an array of shots -- jumpers, a step-back three and a driving floater just the beginning.

<h2>- Moments of truth -</h2>

Although the Lakers stretched the lead to 18 points multiple times, the Heat wouldn't go away.

They out-scored Los Angeles 39-35 in the period -- but in the end they just didn't have sufficient stopping power and they couldn't get the deficit below nine points in the final quarter.

"We need a little bit more from everybody, whatever that is," Olynyk said.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra acknowledged that the Heat face a tough challenge against the bigger, physical Lakers.

"In those moments of truth when we had opportunities to get the game closer it usually seemed to end up in an offensive rebound or something near the basket," Spoelstra said.

"But this is the deal. If you want something badly enough you'll figure out how to overcome it.

"They have great size and Anthony Davis is an elite player. We're trying to get something accomplished and you just have to go to another level," added Spoelstra, whose team will try to do just that in game three on Sunday.

Anthony Davis and LeBron James powered Los Angeles to a 124-114 victory over the Miami Heat on Friday that put the Lakers two wins away from their first NBA title since 2010.

Anthony Davis and LeBron James powered Los Angeles to a 124-114 victory over the Miami Heat on Friday that put the Lakers two wins away from their first NBA title since 2010. The injury depleted Heat hung on as best they could, but 33 points from James and 32 from Davis were just too much. Davis, playing in his first NBA Finals, overpowered a Heat defense sorely missing injured Bam Adebayo. He added 14 rebounds as the Lakers took a two games to none lead in the best-of-seven NBA Finals in the league's quarantine bubble in Orlando, Florida. "He's a big-time player," James, playing in his 10th championship series, said of Davis, whose 14 rebounds included eight offensive boards. "He understands the position we're in." Davis made 14 of his first 15 shots from the field, finishing with 15 baskets in 20 attempts. For the second straight game James approached a triple-double, adding nine assists and nine rebounds. Rajon Rondo added 16 points off the bench and Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 11 points apiece for the Lakers. Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 25 points and Kelly Olynyk added 24 off the bench as the Heat had to make do not only without Adebayo but with star guard Goran Dragic, who was sidelined by a left foot injury. Even without them, James said, Miami remained a dangerous team, adding that the Lakers need to clamp down harder defensively. "Myself, coach and AD were not happy with our defensive presence tonight," James said. "We can do a lot better. "Myself and AD, we're not satisfied with just the win. We want to be great. "They have five guys on the floor that's a threat, as they showed tonight," James added of Miami. "So we have to continue to stay on our P's and Q's and cross our T's and dot our I's through the course of a game." Stung by the Heat's quick start in game one, the Lakers came out of the blocks hot. Chasing a record-equalling 17th NBA title but their first in a decade, the Lakers dominated inside, outscoring the Heat 18-6 in the paint in the first quarter to emerge from the opening period six points up. Danny Green's three-pointer pushed the Lakers lead to 13 three minutes into the second quarter. The Heat got the deficit down to four three times, but Rondo, a former NBA champion with the Boston Celtics, came up big off the Lakers' bench, delivering impressive alley-oup passes first to James and then to Davis, whose dunk and free throw made it 64-49 with 1:48 remaining in the first half. Rondo himself drove for a layup in the final minute of the half that stretched the Lakers' lead to 17 points, and they took a 68-54 advantage into the break. The Lakers connected on 55.5% of their shots from the field in the opening half. They were less successful from three-point range but not from lack of trying, connecting on nine of their whopping 27 first-half attempts from beyond the arc. They finished with 16 three-pointers on an astonishing 47 attempts. Davis poured it on in the third quarter, piling up 15 points on an array of shots -- jumpers, a step-back three and a driving floater just the beginning. - Moments of truth - Although the Lakers stretched the lead to 18 points multiple times, the Heat wouldn't go away. They out-scored Los Angeles 39-35 in the period -- but in the end they just didn't have sufficient stopping power and they couldn't get the deficit below nine points in the final quarter. "We need a little bit more from everybody, whatever that is," Olynyk said. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra acknowledged that the Heat face a tough challenge against the bigger, physical Lakers. "In those moments of truth when we had opportunities to get the game closer it usually seemed to end up in an offensive rebound or something near the basket," Spoelstra said. "But this is the deal. If you want something badly enough you'll figure out how to overcome it. "They have great size and Anthony Davis is an elite player. We're trying to get something accomplished and you just have to go to another level," added Spoelstra, whose team will try to do just that in game three on Sunday.

James, Davis, propel Lakers to second straight win over Heat

Fireworks await as Delhi Capitals are set to face Kolkata Knight Riders at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the second match of Saturday as the action in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> continues. KKR are heading into the match on the back of two back-to-back wins whereas DC lost their previous encounter against SRH.&nbsp;

Given the shorter boundaries and flat track in Sharjah, plenty of runs, sixes and boundaries are expected from the match. All eyes will be on the big hitters Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Shimron Hetmyer, Eoin Morgan, Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik with fans expecting raining sixes on Saturday.

Sharjah have hosted two high-scoring encounters already with Rajasthan Royals successfully chasing a record 234 in their match against Kings XI Punjab.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-csks-fleming-loses-cool-when-asked-about-kedar-jadhav-and-ms-dhonis-batting-position-332263" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: CSK's Fleming loses cool when asked about Kedar Jadhav and MS Dhoni's batting position</a>

Team batting first will definitely target a score to the north of 200.

<h2>Where will the IPL 2020 match between Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders take place?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders will take place at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

<h2>What time will the IPL 2020 match between Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders begin?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders at 7:30 PM IST on Saturday (October 3).

<h2>How to watch live IPL 2020 match between Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders begin?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders 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 Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders match online?</h2>

The online live streaming of the IPL 2020 match between Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders will be available at Hotstar. You can also latest updates of the IPL 2020 match between Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders match at WION. 
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Fireworks await as Delhi Capitals are set to face Kolkata Knight Riders at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the second match of Saturday as the action in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 continues.

Fireworks await as Delhi Capitals are set to face Kolkata Knight Riders at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the second match of Saturday as the action in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 continues. KKR are heading into the match on the back of two back-to-back wins whereas DC lost their previous encounter against SRH. Given the shorter boundaries and flat track in Sharjah, plenty of runs, sixes and boundaries are expected from the match. All eyes will be on the big hitters Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Shimron Hetmyer, Eoin Morgan, Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik with fans expecting raining sixes on Saturday. Sharjah have hosted two high-scoring encounters already with Rajasthan Royals successfully chasing a record 234 in their match against Kings XI Punjab. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: CSK's Fleming loses cool when asked about Kedar Jadhav and MS Dhoni's batting position Team batting first will definitely target a score to the north of 200. Where will the IPL 2020 match between Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders take place? The IPL 2020 match between Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders will take place at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. What time will the IPL 2020 match between Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders begin? The IPL 2020 match between Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders at 7:30 PM IST on Saturday (October 3). How to watch live IPL 2020 match between Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders begin? The IPL 2020 match between Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders 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 Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders match online? The online live streaming of the IPL 2020 match between Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders will be available at Hotstar. You can also latest updates of the IPL 2020 match between Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders match at WION.

IPL 2020, DC vs KKR Live Streaming: How to watch Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders?

Rajasthan Royals captain Steve Smith welcomed Ben Stokes to the RR squad with the ace England all-rounder set to arrive in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) tonight for the ongoing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>. RR has been without Stokes so far in the tournament as the all-rounder decided to miss the first few games of IPL 2020 to stay with his ailing father in New Zealand.&nbsp;

After the toss in the match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals, Smith was asked about the return of Stokes as the RR captain lauded him as a “quality player” who would bolster the squad.&nbsp;

Notably, Stokes had left from England mid-way during the home series against Pakistan to be with his family in New Zealand. Now, Stokes will have to serve the mandatory six-day quarantine period before entering the Rajasthan Royals bubble and the squad. Stokes has been practicing in Christchurch as suggested by his Instagram activities.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-csks-fleming-loses-cool-when-asked-about-kedar-jadhav-and-ms-dhonis-batting-position-332263" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Fleming loses cool when asked about Kedar and Dhoni's batting role</a>

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Stoked. 😁✈️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HallaBol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HallaBol</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoyalsFamily?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoyalsFamily</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/benstokes38?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@benstokes38</a> <a href="https://t.co/pcAvyIcaaF">pic.twitter.com/pcAvyIcaaF</a>
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) <a href="https://twitter.com/rajasthanroyals/status/1312298331297599488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"Yeah it's nice. He is a quality player. Our thoughts are being with him, he is gone through a pretty tough time. He certainly adds to our squad when he gets here," Smith said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-ben-stokes-to-arrive-in-uae-tonight-confirms-rajasthan-royals-332221" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Ben Stokes to arrive in UAE tonight, confirms Rajasthan Royals</a>

Meanwhile, Smith won the toss and opted to bat first given the hot and humid conditions in Abu Dhabi.&nbsp;

"We'll bat first. It's a day game, pretty warm out here, so we want to bat first and set a target," Smith said.

Even RCB captain Virat Kohli wanted to bat first but praised the youngsters in his team for stepping up in every situation so far in the tournament.&nbsp;

"It's good to see the youngsters doing the job for us, that's what we have focused on. Dube contributing, Chahal's always a banker and AB does what he is good at doing," Kohli said.&nbsp; 
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Rajasthan Royals captain Steve Smith welcomed Ben Stokes to the RR squad with the ace England all-rounder set to arrive in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) tonight for the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.

Rajasthan Royals captain Steve Smith welcomed Ben Stokes to the RR squad with the ace England all-rounder set to arrive in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) tonight for the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. RR has been without Stokes so far in the tournament as the all-rounder decided to miss the first few games of IPL 2020 to stay with his ailing father in New Zealand. After the toss in the match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals, Smith was asked about the return of Stokes as the RR captain lauded him as a “quality player” who would bolster the squad. Notably, Stokes had left from England mid-way during the home series against Pakistan to be with his family in New Zealand. Now, Stokes will have to serve the mandatory six-day quarantine period before entering the Rajasthan Royals bubble and the squad. Stokes has been practicing in Christchurch as suggested by his Instagram activities. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Fleming loses cool when asked about Kedar and Dhoni's batting role Stoked. 😁✈️#HallaBol | #RoyalsFamily | @benstokes38 pic.twitter.com/pcAvyIcaaF — Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) October 3, 2020 × "Yeah it's nice. He is a quality player. Our thoughts are being with him, he is gone through a pretty tough time. He certainly adds to our squad when he gets here," Smith said. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Ben Stokes to arrive in UAE tonight, confirms Rajasthan Royals Meanwhile, Smith won the toss and opted to bat first given the hot and humid conditions in Abu Dhabi. "We'll bat first. It's a day game, pretty warm out here, so we want to bat first and set a target," Smith said. Even RCB captain Virat Kohli wanted to bat first but praised the youngsters in his team for stepping up in every situation so far in the tournament. "It's good to see the youngsters doing the job for us, that's what we have focused on. Dube contributing, Chahal's always a banker and AB does what he is good at doing," Kohli said.

Quality player, been through tough time: Steve Smith excited for Ben Stokes' return to IPL

Rafael Nadal charged into the French Open last 16 on Friday and took another confident stride towards equalling Roger Federer's record of 20 major titles while a crop of rising youngsters offered tantalising glimpses of their potential.

The 12-time Roland Garros champion dispatched Italian world number 74 Stefano Travaglia 6-1, 6-4, 6-0 in just 95 minutes, notching his 96th victory at the tournament.

"I think today I played the best match this year at Roland Garros," said Nadal.

Nadal next faces 213th-ranked American qualifier Sebastian Korda, the son of 1998 Australian Open champion and 1992 French Open runner-up Petr Korda, for a quarter-final spot.

"He's my biggest idol. He's one of the reasons I play tennis," Korda said of the Spaniard.

"Growing up, I named my cat Rafa after him. That says a lot about how much I love the guy."

The 20-year-old Korda beat Pedro Martinez in straight sets to become the first man outside the top 200 to make the last 16 in Paris since France's Arnaud di Pasquale in 2002.&nbsp;

Hugo Gaston, also 20, quickly became the second such lowly-ranked man in the fourth round when the world number 239 shocked 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 in a rain-interrupted tie.

Gaston goes on to play US Open winner and Austrian third seed Dominic Thiem, the runner-up to Nadal in Paris the past two years.

"It's amazing for me, it's a dream. But I try to stay focused," said Gaston, the lone Frenchman remaining in the draw. "I'm feeling tired with the adrenaline rush but I still have some gas."

"I'm not going to put pressure on myself and will try to play relaxed like I did today," he added.

At 19, Italian teenager Jannik Sinner is the youngest player to reach the fourth round at Roland Garros since Novak Djokovic in 2006.

Last year's Next Gen champion made the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time by beating Federico Coria 6-3, 7-5, 7-5.

He will meet the US Open runner-up Alexander Zverev after the German sixth seed ended the run of qualifier and 2018 semi-finalist Marco Cecchinato in three sets.

"I'm just trying to improve day after day," said the 75th-ranked Sinner, who is yet to drop a set in Paris.

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<h2>- Halep gets revenge -</h2>

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Top seed and title favourite Simona Halep, the 2018 champion, avenged last year's Roland Garros loss to Amanda Anisimova by thrashing the American teenager 6-0, 6-1 in only 54 minutes.

The reigning Wimbledon champion made only seven unforced errors as she stretched her career-best winning run to 17 matches.

"I think I played a really good match. I was very aggressive and I knew from last year I had to change something and I did that today," said Halep. "I took the game in my hands."

Halep meets another 19-year-old opponent, Poland's Iga Swiatek, for a place in the quarter-finals. She dropped just one game when the pair met here in the last 16 a year ago.

Halep's status as the women's frontrunner was reinforced following the withdrawal of Serena Williams, on top of the absence of world number one and defending champion Ashleigh Barty, as well as US Open winner Naomi Osaka.

"I don't feel the pressure. Of course I expect from myself to play good tennis but that doesn't mean I have to win every match," said Halep.

"I just want to try to take my chance every time I step on the court, and I'm not thinking about title. It's very far (off)."&nbsp;

Thiem made surprisingly short work of Norwegian 28th seed Casper Ruud, who has won more tour-level matches on clay than anyone else this season.

"In general I was super happy with my performance. I think was one of the best ones this year," said Thiem following an impressive 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 victory.

Two-time quarter-finalist Elina Svitolina ensured she will stick around for the second week with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova, the 27th seed.

Svitolina will next play home hope Caroline Garcia, who upset 16th seed Elise Mertens 1-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Italy's Lorenzo Sonego edged a 36-point tiebreak against Taylor Fritz to complete a 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 7-6 (19/17) victory.

Fifth seed Kiki Bertens eased aside Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 6-2, moving swiftly on from her stormy win over Sara Errani in the previous round.

Rafael Nadal charged into the French Open last 16 on Friday and took another confident stride towards equalling Roger Federer's record of 20 major titles while a crop of rising youngsters offered tantalising glimpses of their potential.

Rafael Nadal charged into the French Open last 16 on Friday and took another confident stride towards equalling Roger Federer's record of 20 major titles while a crop of rising youngsters offered tantalising glimpses of their potential. The 12-time Roland Garros champion dispatched Italian world number 74 Stefano Travaglia 6-1, 6-4, 6-0 in just 95 minutes, notching his 96th victory at the tournament. "I think today I played the best match this year at Roland Garros," said Nadal. Nadal next faces 213th-ranked American qualifier Sebastian Korda, the son of 1998 Australian Open champion and 1992 French Open runner-up Petr Korda, for a quarter-final spot. "He's my biggest idol. He's one of the reasons I play tennis," Korda said of the Spaniard. "Growing up, I named my cat Rafa after him. That says a lot about how much I love the guy." The 20-year-old Korda beat Pedro Martinez in straight sets to become the first man outside the top 200 to make the last 16 in Paris since France's Arnaud di Pasquale in 2002. Hugo Gaston, also 20, quickly became the second such lowly-ranked man in the fourth round when the world number 239 shocked 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 in a rain-interrupted tie. Gaston goes on to play US Open winner and Austrian third seed Dominic Thiem, the runner-up to Nadal in Paris the past two years. "It's amazing for me, it's a dream. But I try to stay focused," said Gaston, the lone Frenchman remaining in the draw. "I'm feeling tired with the adrenaline rush but I still have some gas." "I'm not going to put pressure on myself and will try to play relaxed like I did today," he added. At 19, Italian teenager Jannik Sinner is the youngest player to reach the fourth round at Roland Garros since Novak Djokovic in 2006. Last year's Next Gen champion made the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time by beating Federico Coria 6-3, 7-5, 7-5. He will meet the US Open runner-up Alexander Zverev after the German sixth seed ended the run of qualifier and 2018 semi-finalist Marco Cecchinato in three sets. "I'm just trying to improve day after day," said the 75th-ranked Sinner, who is yet to drop a set in Paris. - Halep gets revenge - Top seed and title favourite Simona Halep, the 2018 champion, avenged last year's Roland Garros loss to Amanda Anisimova by thrashing the American teenager 6-0, 6-1 in only 54 minutes. The reigning Wimbledon champion made only seven unforced errors as she stretched her career-best winning run to 17 matches. "I think I played a really good match. I was very aggressive and I knew from last year I had to change something and I did that today," said Halep. "I took the game in my hands." Halep meets another 19-year-old opponent, Poland's Iga Swiatek, for a place in the quarter-finals. She dropped just one game when the pair met here in the last 16 a year ago. Halep's status as the women's frontrunner was reinforced following the withdrawal of Serena Williams, on top of the absence of world number one and defending champion Ashleigh Barty, as well as US Open winner Naomi Osaka. "I don't feel the pressure. Of course I expect from myself to play good tennis but that doesn't mean I have to win every match," said Halep. "I just want to try to take my chance every time I step on the court, and I'm not thinking about title. It's very far (off)." Thiem made surprisingly short work of Norwegian 28th seed Casper Ruud, who has won more tour-level matches on clay than anyone else this season. "In general I was super happy with my performance. I think was one of the best ones this year," said Thiem following an impressive 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 victory. Two-time quarter-finalist Elina Svitolina ensured she will stick around for the second week with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova, the 27th seed. Svitolina will next play home hope Caroline Garcia, who upset 16th seed Elise Mertens 1-6, 6-4, 7-5. Italy's Lorenzo Sonego edged a 36-point tiebreak against Taylor Fritz to complete a 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 7-6 (19/17) victory. Fifth seed Kiki Bertens eased aside Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 6-2, moving swiftly on from her stormy win over Sara Errani in the previous round.

Nadal eases into French Open last 16 as new kids emerge

Liverpool's in-form Senegalese forward Sadio Mane has tested positive for Covid-19 and is self-isolating, the club said Friday.

"Sadio Mane has tested positive for Covid-19 and is currently self-isolating according to the necessary guidelines," Liverpool said in a statement.

"The forward, who started and scored in Monday's 3-1 victory over Arsenal, has displayed minor symptoms of the virus but feels in good health overall.

"However, like with Thiago Alcantara, Liverpool Football Club are - and will continue to - follow all protocols relating to Covid-19 and Mane will self-isolate for the required period of time."

Thiago missed the Arsenal game after his own positive test and he and Mane will both be absent for Sunday's Premier League trip to Aston Villa.

Manager Jurgen Klopp will hope to have both players available when the Reds return to action after the international break in October 17's Merseyside derby at Everton.

Mane, 28, has been in fine form this season, scoring both goals in Liverpool's win over Chelsea before also netting against the Gunners.

His enforced isolation will also affect his international commitments after Mane was named in Senegal's squad for their upcoming friendlies against Morocco and Mauritania.

Liverpool's in-form Senegalese forward Sadio Mane has tested positive for Covid-19 and is self-isolating, the club said Friday. "Sadio Mane has tested positive for Covid-19 and is currently self-isolating according to the necessary guidelines," Liverpool said in a statement.

Liverpool's in-form Senegalese forward Sadio Mane has tested positive for Covid-19 and is self-isolating, the club said Friday. "Sadio Mane has tested positive for Covid-19 and is currently self-isolating according to the necessary guidelines," Liverpool said in a statement. "The forward, who started and scored in Monday's 3-1 victory over Arsenal, has displayed minor symptoms of the virus but feels in good health overall. "However, like with Thiago Alcantara, Liverpool Football Club are - and will continue to - follow all protocols relating to Covid-19 and Mane will self-isolate for the required period of time." Thiago missed the Arsenal game after his own positive test and he and Mane will both be absent for Sunday's Premier League trip to Aston Villa. Manager Jurgen Klopp will hope to have both players available when the Reds return to action after the international break in October 17's Merseyside derby at Everton. Mane, 28, has been in fine form this season, scoring both goals in Liverpool's win over Chelsea before also netting against the Gunners. His enforced isolation will also affect his international commitments after Mane was named in Senegal's squad for their upcoming friendlies against Morocco and Mauritania.

Liverpool's Sadio Mane tests positive for Covid-19

Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday defeated Chennai Super Kings by seven runs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi as the action continued in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. Courtesy a fine half-century by young Priyam Garg, SRH posted 164 runs on the board in 20 overs but Chennai Super Kings fell short by seven to suffer their third defeat in four matches in IPL 2020.

This was CSK’s third defeat on the trot with the three-time IPL champions failing to find form, either with the bat or ball. CSK started strongly with the ball as they got rid of Jonny Bairstow for a three-ball duck. However, a mini-partnership from Manish Pandey and David Warner helped them get into rhythm.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-surpasses-suresh-raina-to-achieve-monumental-record-in-ipl-332060" hreflang="en">MS Dhoni surpasses Suresh Raina to achieve monumental record in IPL</a>

Kane Williamson (9) fell for cheap after a mix-up with Garg in the middle but the latter took the responsibility to smash a cracking 23-ball 50. Even Abhishek Sharma chipped in with a terrific 24-ball 31 to help SRH get to a competitive 164/5 in 20 overs.&nbsp;

Chasing 165, CSK were off to a disastrous start as they lost Shane Watson for 1 before a flurry of wickets fell. Ambati Rayudu, who was coming after a hamstring niggle, could manage just eight runs while Kedar Jadhav, batting at number four, scored just three.&nbsp;

MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja stitched a good partnership but it was too little too late and perhaps slow for the three-time IPL winners as they suffered their third consecutive defeat in IPL 2020.

CSK and SRH will again be in action on Sunday as they face KXIP and MI respectively. 
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Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday defeated Chennai Super Kings by seven runs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi as the action continued in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.

Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday defeated Chennai Super Kings by seven runs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi as the action continued in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. Courtesy a fine half-century by young Priyam Garg, SRH posted 164 runs on the board in 20 overs but Chennai Super Kings fell short by seven to suffer their third defeat in four matches in IPL 2020. This was CSK’s third defeat on the trot with the three-time IPL champions failing to find form, either with the bat or ball. CSK started strongly with the ball as they got rid of Jonny Bairstow for a three-ball duck. However, a mini-partnership from Manish Pandey and David Warner helped them get into rhythm. ALSO READ: MS Dhoni surpasses Suresh Raina to achieve monumental record in IPL Kane Williamson (9) fell for cheap after a mix-up with Garg in the middle but the latter took the responsibility to smash a cracking 23-ball 50. Even Abhishek Sharma chipped in with a terrific 24-ball 31 to help SRH get to a competitive 164/5 in 20 overs. Chasing 165, CSK were off to a disastrous start as they lost Shane Watson for 1 before a flurry of wickets fell. Ambati Rayudu, who was coming after a hamstring niggle, could manage just eight runs while Kedar Jadhav, batting at number four, scored just three. MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja stitched a good partnership but it was too little too late and perhaps slow for the three-time IPL winners as they suffered their third consecutive defeat in IPL 2020. CSK and SRH will again be in action on Sunday as they face KXIP and MI respectively.

IPL 2020: Sunrisers Hyderabad defeat Chennai Super Kings in a thriller

Footballing world witnessed one of the most fascinating penalty shootouts as AC Milan and Rio Ave took as many as 24 spot kicks during the Europa League qualifying clash at the Estádio do Rio Ave on Friday.

While the match ended 2-2 after the end of extra-time after AC Milan were awarded a last-minute penalty and the Italian giants equalised the scoring courtesy a thumping penalty kick from Hakan Calhanoghlu.&nbsp;

The match ended up in penalty shootout as players approached and kept on scoring one by one. The first penalty miss came from AC Milan’s Colombo but Rio Ave’s Monte missed his spot kick to continue the shootout.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/uefa-player-of-the-year-2020-how-many-points-did-lewandowski-messi-ronaldo-acquire-331982" hreflang="en">UEFA Player of the Year 2020: How many points did Lewandowski, Messi, Ronaldo acquire?</a>

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Who said you could go to bed before watching this ⤵️ 
 
Qualcuno pensava di andare a dormire senza rivedersi la serie 🅘🅝🅕🅘🅝🅘🅣🅐 dei calci di rigore? ⤵️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RioAveMilan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RioAveMilan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UEL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UEL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SempreMilan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SempreMilan</a> <a href="https://t.co/TDJABBrFzV">pic.twitter.com/TDJABBrFzV</a>
— AC Milan (@acmilan) <a href="https://twitter.com/acmilan/status/1311806862426279938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Even the goalkeepers got the chance to take a spot kick but both Donnarumma and Kieszek missed their respective shot as the penalty shootout continued before Aderlan of Rio Ave missed the spot kick in the sudden death as AC Milan advanced to the Europa League 2020-21 season.

However, this was not the longest-ever shootout with the record still being with Namibian Cup in 2005 where a staggering 48 penalty kicks were taken before KK Palace defeated Civics 17-16.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/scandal-hit-firm-in-singapore-says-still-bidding-for-newcastle-reports-331983" hreflang="en">Scandal-hit firm in Singapore says still bidding for Newcastle: Reports</a>

In the Europa League 2020-21 draw, AC Milan were handed a tricky group where they will face the likes of Celtic FC, AC Sparta Praha and LOSC Lille.

Penalties: &nbsp;Bennacer (M) goal, Geraldes (R) goal, Kjær (M) goal, Santos (R) goal, Hernández (M) goal, Jambor (R) goal, Díaz (M) goal, Piazon (R) goal, Çalhanoğlu (M) goal, Filipe Augusto (R) goal, Calabria (M) goal, Gelson (R) goal, Tonali (M) goal, Gabrielzinho (R) goal, Colombo (M) miss, Monte (R) post, Leão (M) goal, Pinto (R) goal, Donnarumma (M) miss, Kieszek (R) miss, Bennacer (M) saved, Geraldes (R) post, Kjær (M) goal, Santos (R) saved. 
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Footballing world witnessed one of the most fascinating penalty shootouts as AC Milan and Rio Ave took as many as 24 spot kicks during the Europa League qualifying clash at the Estádio do Rio Ave on Friday.

Footballing world witnessed one of the most fascinating penalty shootouts as AC Milan and Rio Ave took as many as 24 spot kicks during the Europa League qualifying clash at the Estádio do Rio Ave on Friday. While the match ended 2-2 after the end of extra-time after AC Milan were awarded a last-minute penalty and the Italian giants equalised the scoring courtesy a thumping penalty kick from Hakan Calhanoghlu. The match ended up in penalty shootout as players approached and kept on scoring one by one. The first penalty miss came from AC Milan’s Colombo but Rio Ave’s Monte missed his spot kick to continue the shootout. ALSO READ: UEFA Player of the Year 2020: How many points did Lewandowski, Messi, Ronaldo acquire? Who said you could go to bed before watching this ⤵️ Qualcuno pensava di andare a dormire senza rivedersi la serie 🅘🅝🅕🅘🅝🅘🅣🅐 dei calci di rigore? ⤵️#RioAveMilan #UEL #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/TDJABBrFzV — AC Milan (@acmilan) October 1, 2020 × Even the goalkeepers got the chance to take a spot kick but both Donnarumma and Kieszek missed their respective shot as the penalty shootout continued before Aderlan of Rio Ave missed the spot kick in the sudden death as AC Milan advanced to the Europa League 2020-21 season. However, this was not the longest-ever shootout with the record still being with Namibian Cup in 2005 where a staggering 48 penalty kicks were taken before KK Palace defeated Civics 17-16. ALSO READ: Scandal-hit firm in Singapore says still bidding for Newcastle: Reports In the Europa League 2020-21 draw, AC Milan were handed a tricky group where they will face the likes of Celtic FC, AC Sparta Praha and LOSC Lille. Penalties: Bennacer (M) goal, Geraldes (R) goal, Kjær (M) goal, Santos (R) goal, Hernández (M) goal, Jambor (R) goal, Díaz (M) goal, Piazon (R) goal, Çalhanoğlu (M) goal, Filipe Augusto (R) goal, Calabria (M) goal, Gelson (R) goal, Tonali (M) goal, Gabrielzinho (R) goal, Colombo (M) miss, Monte (R) post, Leão (M) goal, Pinto (R) goal, Donnarumma (M) miss, Kieszek (R) miss, Bennacer (M) saved, Geraldes (R) post, Kjær (M) goal, Santos (R) saved.

Watch: 24 penalty kicks! AC Milan and Rio Ave involved in insane Europa League qualifier match

Mahendra Singh Dhoni found himself in the record books on Friday as the Chennai Super Kings skipper became the most capped played in the history of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL)</a> surpassing the likes of Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik.

As soon as Dhoni took the field at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on Friday, the former Indian captain became the player with most starts in IPL history. Dhoni now has 194 caps in total while playing for Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiants.&nbsp;

Earlier, Suresh Raina was the record holder for most appearance in IPL with 193 appearances. However, with the veteran southpaw missing IPL 2020 due to ‘personal reasons’, he was unable to continue the record in the 13th edition of IPL, which is being held in UAE behind closed doors.

Apart from Dhoni (194), Raina (193), Rohit Sharma with 192 caps and Kolkata Knight Riders captain Dinesh Karthik with 185 caps in IPL are next in the list.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a>

<h2>Most matches in IPL</h2>

<ul>
	<li>194 MS Dhoni*</li>
	<li>193 S Raina</li>
	<li>192 Rohit Sharma</li>
	<li>185 D Karthik</li>
</ul>

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MS Dhoni today becomes the most capped player (194) in the history of IPL.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dream11IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dream11IPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/PwpDFcEA2E">pic.twitter.com/PwpDFcEA2E</a>
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Talking about the match between SRH and CSK, David Warner won the toss and opted to bat first with both teams eagerly looking to win the contest.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-csk-are-under-pressure-even-die-hard-fans-have-gone-quiet-opines-sanjay-manjrekar-332050" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: CSK are under pressure, even die-hard fans have gone quiet, opines Sanjay Manjrekar</a>

Dhoni said at the toss: Hopefully the wicket won't slow down much. We got time at a very important juncture and it will also help us reflect what we need to change in batting and bowling. Momentum when it comes to batting is one of the key aspects. The length has been crucial and experience really plays in. Vijay, Ruturaj and Hazlewood make way for Rayudu, Shardul and Bravo.

Warner said: We are gonna have a bat. Looks a nice wicket and we want to put runs on the board. We are a good side at defending and if all goes to plan, hopefully we can defend it.&nbsp;

Mahendra Singh Dhoni found himself in the record books on Friday as the Chennai Super Kings skipper became the most capped played in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL) surpassing the likes of Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni found himself in the record books on Friday as the Chennai Super Kings skipper became the most capped played in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL) surpassing the likes of Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik. As soon as Dhoni took the field at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on Friday, the former Indian captain became the player with most starts in IPL history. Dhoni now has 194 caps in total while playing for Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiants. Earlier, Suresh Raina was the record holder for most appearance in IPL with 193 appearances. However, with the veteran southpaw missing IPL 2020 due to ‘personal reasons’, he was unable to continue the record in the 13th edition of IPL, which is being held in UAE behind closed doors. Apart from Dhoni (194), Raina (193), Rohit Sharma with 192 caps and Kolkata Knight Riders captain Dinesh Karthik with 185 caps in IPL are next in the list. IN PICS | IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament Most matches in IPL 194 MS Dhoni* 193 S Raina 192 Rohit Sharma 185 D Karthik MS Dhoni today becomes the most capped player (194) in the history of IPL.#Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/PwpDFcEA2E — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 2, 2020 × Talking about the match between SRH and CSK, David Warner won the toss and opted to bat first with both teams eagerly looking to win the contest. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: CSK are under pressure, even die-hard fans have gone quiet, opines Sanjay Manjrekar Dhoni said at the toss: Hopefully the wicket won't slow down much. We got time at a very important juncture and it will also help us reflect what we need to change in batting and bowling. Momentum when it comes to batting is one of the key aspects. The length has been crucial and experience really plays in. Vijay, Ruturaj and Hazlewood make way for Rayudu, Shardul and Bravo. Warner said: We are gonna have a bat. Looks a nice wicket and we want to put runs on the board. We are a good side at defending and if all goes to plan, hopefully we can defend it.

MS Dhoni surpasses Suresh Raina to achieve monumental record in IPL

Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar is of the view that Chennai Super Kings has some clinical issues that needs to be sorted out if the three-time <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">IPL</a> winners want to get back to winning ways.&nbsp;

CSK head into the match against SRH being last on the points table following two back-to-back defeats in three matches this season. Manjrekar opined that CSK are under pressure this time and even the die-hard fans seem a bit concerned about their fate in the tournament.

"Chennai Super Kings as a team has rarely been under pressure in the league stage. This time they are. Even their die-hard fans have gone quiet on social media, they seem a little concerned. They look towards MS Dhoni for salvation.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2020-top-5-all-rounders-to-watchout-for-327567" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Top 5 all-rounders to watchout for!</a>

"Chennai's approach has been very unique in the tournament, it's a team that is the opposite of Mumbai, who have virtually every member in their team capable of winning a T20 game on their own. Chennai may not compare with Mumbai as well, in this regard, but as a unit, it is a match-winning one. And for this to happen they need Dhoni at the helm," Manjrekar wrote in his column for Times of India.

Manjrekar also pointed fingers on how Dhoni needs to throw some of the flaws out of the window in their match against SRH on Friday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-sky-is-the-limit-for-mumbai-indians-in-last-four-overs-says-kieron-pollard-332009" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Sky is the limit for Mumbai Indians in last four overs, says Pollard</a>

"Any other captain would not be able to extract what Dhoni does from this team and when Chennai eventually have to look at life beyond Dhoni we may see a completely different structure of the team, unless Dhoni still remains the cricket nerve centre of the franchise, then maybe not.

“But this would be interesting to see this in the coming years. For now, Dhoni has some small, clinical cricketing issues to sort out - on a good pitch he must have an additional bowling option, most teams are now starting to do that. At Chennai they could afford to rely on Jadeja to bowl his 4, in UAE for now at least, it's an unreliable tactic," Manjrekar added. 
&nbsp;

Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar is of the view that Chennai Super Kings has some clinical issues that needs to be sorted out if the three-time IPL winners want to get back to winning ways.

Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar is of the view that Chennai Super Kings has some clinical issues that needs to be sorted out if the three-time IPL winners want to get back to winning ways. CSK head into the match against SRH being last on the points table following two back-to-back defeats in three matches this season. Manjrekar opined that CSK are under pressure this time and even the die-hard fans seem a bit concerned about their fate in the tournament. "Chennai Super Kings as a team has rarely been under pressure in the league stage. This time they are. Even their die-hard fans have gone quiet on social media, they seem a little concerned. They look towards MS Dhoni for salvation. IN PICS | IPL 2020: Top 5 all-rounders to watchout for! "Chennai's approach has been very unique in the tournament, it's a team that is the opposite of Mumbai, who have virtually every member in their team capable of winning a T20 game on their own. Chennai may not compare with Mumbai as well, in this regard, but as a unit, it is a match-winning one. And for this to happen they need Dhoni at the helm," Manjrekar wrote in his column for Times of India. Manjrekar also pointed fingers on how Dhoni needs to throw some of the flaws out of the window in their match against SRH on Friday. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Sky is the limit for Mumbai Indians in last four overs, says Pollard "Any other captain would not be able to extract what Dhoni does from this team and when Chennai eventually have to look at life beyond Dhoni we may see a completely different structure of the team, unless Dhoni still remains the cricket nerve centre of the franchise, then maybe not. “But this would be interesting to see this in the coming years. For now, Dhoni has some small, clinical cricketing issues to sort out - on a good pitch he must have an additional bowling option, most teams are now starting to do that. At Chennai they could afford to rely on Jadeja to bowl his 4, in UAE for now at least, it's an unreliable tactic," Manjrekar added.

IPL 2020: CSK are under pressure, even die-hard fans have gone quiet, opines Sanjay Manjrekar

Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya were the heroes for Mumbai Indians in their win against Kings XI Punjab in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> on Thursday. After Rohit Sharma laid the platform with a 45-ball 70, Pollard and Hardik whacked KXIP bowlers all over the park to help MI reach 191 runs in 20 overs.

In the final over, MI bagged 25 runs off Krishnappa Gowtham with the last three bals landing in the stands of the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Reviewing the performance with the willow, Pollard said that with him and Pandya brothers in the middle-order, the sky is the limit for the four-time IPL winners when it comes to the last four overs.&nbsp;

"We know sky is the limit in the last four overs," said Mumbai Indians all-rounder Kieron Pollard after adding 67 runs in 23 balls with Hardik Pandya.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-csk-vs-srh-preview-stats-and-probable-xi-331924">IPL 2020, CSK vs SRH: Preview, stats, and probable XI</a>

Pollard, who was adjudged the Man of the Match, said: "It's about what's there in front of you. Look at the bowlers and see how many you want to get, 15 off the over and then you try to go hard.

"Today Hardik had to come and swing and he showed his prowess. We know sky is the limit in the last four overs." 
Whereas Kings XI Punjab skipper KL Rahul admitted to lacking a sixth bowling option as he termed the crushing 47-run defeat as “disappointing”.&nbsp;

"I won't say it is frustrating, but obviously, it is disappointing," Rahul said at the post-match presentation.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-robin-uthappa-seen-applying-saliva-on-ball-match-vs-kkr-331697" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Robin Uthappa seen applying saliva on ball match vs KKR</a>

"Looking back, we could have been three wins out of four. This game, we made some mistakes. Important we come back stronger. Wicket looked good with the new ball. Don't know if it slowed up after that.

"Another bowling option would be nice -- an all-rounder option who can bat and bowl well. We will be sitting with the coaches to decide if we want to play an extra bowler."

Mumbai Indians now have two wins off four matches whereas Kings XI Punjab have won just one from their three games in IPL 2020. 
&nbsp;

Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya were the heroes for Mumbai Indians in their win against Kings XI Punjab in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 on Thursday. After Rohit Sharma laid the platform with a 45-ball 70, Pollard and Hardik whacked KXIP bowlers all over the park to help MI reach 191 runs in 20 overs.

Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya were the heroes for Mumbai Indians in their win against Kings XI Punjab in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 on Thursday. After Rohit Sharma laid the platform with a 45-ball 70, Pollard and Hardik whacked KXIP bowlers all over the park to help MI reach 191 runs in 20 overs. In the final over, MI bagged 25 runs off Krishnappa Gowtham with the last three bals landing in the stands of the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Reviewing the performance with the willow, Pollard said that with him and Pandya brothers in the middle-order, the sky is the limit for the four-time IPL winners when it comes to the last four overs. "We know sky is the limit in the last four overs," said Mumbai Indians all-rounder Kieron Pollard after adding 67 runs in 23 balls with Hardik Pandya. ALSO READ: IPL 2020, CSK vs SRH: Preview, stats, and probable XI Pollard, who was adjudged the Man of the Match, said: "It's about what's there in front of you. Look at the bowlers and see how many you want to get, 15 off the over and then you try to go hard. "Today Hardik had to come and swing and he showed his prowess. We know sky is the limit in the last four overs." Whereas Kings XI Punjab skipper KL Rahul admitted to lacking a sixth bowling option as he termed the crushing 47-run defeat as “disappointing”. "I won't say it is frustrating, but obviously, it is disappointing," Rahul said at the post-match presentation. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Robin Uthappa seen applying saliva on ball match vs KKR "Looking back, we could have been three wins out of four. This game, we made some mistakes. Important we come back stronger. Wicket looked good with the new ball. Don't know if it slowed up after that. "Another bowling option would be nice -- an all-rounder option who can bat and bowl well. We will be sitting with the coaches to decide if we want to play an extra bowler." Mumbai Indians now have two wins off four matches whereas Kings XI Punjab have won just one from their three games in IPL 2020.

IPL 2020: Sky is the limit for Mumbai Indians in last four overs, says Kieron Pollard

World number Novak Djokovic is on the verge of breaking Roger Federer’s record at Roland Garros when the Serbian ace takes on Colobian Daniel Elahi Galan during the third round match on Saturday. Djokovic equaled Federer’s record as he advanced to the third round of the French Open 2020 after defeating Ricardas Berankis on Thursday, also equaling Federer’s record of 70 wins at Roland Garros.

Both Federer and Djokovic now have 70 wins on the Parisian clay and the Serb will be gunning to go past the Swiss maestro on Saturday. In other Grand slams, Djokovic has won 75 (Australian Open), 72 (Wimbledon) and 75 matches (US Open) whereas Federer records 102, 101 and 89 wins respectively for the same.

If Djokovic defeats Elahi Galan on Saturday, then he will become the second player to have most wins at Roland Garros after Rafael Nadal, who tops the list.&nbsp;

After winning a record-equaling match at Roland Garros, Novak Djokovic said to reporters, “Grand Slams are obviously the biggest tournaments in our sport.” &nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fernando-verdasco-wants-to-sue-roland-garros-after-being-forced-to-quit-french-open-2020-331453" hreflang="en">Fernando Verdasco wants to sue Roland Garros after being forced to quit French Open 2020</a>

Speaking about his achievements in Grand Slam events, Serb said, “Historically, they count the most. So, of course, winning that many matches in each slam are a great achievement, and of course, it makes me proud, makes me happy.”

The Serb has 17 Grand Slam titles after qualifying 26 times for the finals. Djokovic continuing his statement said: “Over the two weeks, it takes a lot of energy and effort to invest in winning a Grand Slam. It’s kind of a confirmation for me that I have been able to play my best tennis throughout my career in the biggest tournaments.”

World number Novak Djokovic is on the verge of breaking Roger Federer’s record at Roland Garros when the Serbian ace takes on Colobian Daniel Elahi Galan during the third round match on Saturday.

World number Novak Djokovic is on the verge of breaking Roger Federer’s record at Roland Garros when the Serbian ace takes on Colobian Daniel Elahi Galan during the third round match on Saturday. Djokovic equaled Federer’s record as he advanced to the third round of the French Open 2020 after defeating Ricardas Berankis on Thursday, also equaling Federer’s record of 70 wins at Roland Garros. Both Federer and Djokovic now have 70 wins on the Parisian clay and the Serb will be gunning to go past the Swiss maestro on Saturday. In other Grand slams, Djokovic has won 75 (Australian Open), 72 (Wimbledon) and 75 matches (US Open) whereas Federer records 102, 101 and 89 wins respectively for the same. If Djokovic defeats Elahi Galan on Saturday, then he will become the second player to have most wins at Roland Garros after Rafael Nadal, who tops the list. After winning a record-equaling match at Roland Garros, Novak Djokovic said to reporters, “Grand Slams are obviously the biggest tournaments in our sport.” ALSO READ: Fernando Verdasco wants to sue Roland Garros after being forced to quit French Open 2020 Speaking about his achievements in Grand Slam events, Serb said, “Historically, they count the most. So, of course, winning that many matches in each slam are a great achievement, and of course, it makes me proud, makes me happy.” The Serb has 17 Grand Slam titles after qualifying 26 times for the finals. Djokovic continuing his statement said: “Over the two weeks, it takes a lot of energy and effort to invest in winning a Grand Slam. It’s kind of a confirmation for me that I have been able to play my best tennis throughout my career in the biggest tournaments.”

Roland Garros: Novak Djokovic on verge of surpassing Roger Federer's record

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