Less than six weeks Bayern Munich won last season's delayed final behind closed doors, the draw for the group stage of the next Champions League takes place on Thursday with the threat of the coronavirus pandemic again hanging over the competition.

Bayern were crowned European champions for the sixth time after beating Paris Saint-Germain at an empty Estadio da Luz in Lisbon in August.

The surreal occasion represented a triumph of sorts for UEFA. European football's governing body succeeded in playing its flagship competition to a conclusion despite the long shutdown caused by the health crisis, but the final rounds were not the same as with packed stadiums.

"A game like this without supporters is not the football that we know," lamented Bayern coach Hansi Flick. "Perhaps they can be back again in the future."

Thursday's draw is part of a ceremony which will also see the best men's and women's player of last season crowned.

UEFA had to ditch plans to stage the event in Athens and instead moved it to its own headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where the draw will go ahead without guests.

It is further evidence that, after the battle to get last season finished, things are not about to return to normal in Europe yet, and virus cases are exploding again.

But this time the football, it seems, will go on.&nbsp;

Both Bayern and PSG will be in the first pot of seeds along with Liverpool, Real Madrid, Juventus, Porto, Zenit Saint-Petersburg and Sevilla, the Europa League winners.

There is the prospect of plenty of enticing match-ups, with Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and both Manchester clubs all in the second pot, and Inter Milan, Atalanta, RB Leipzig and Marseille among the lower seeds.

But the excitement of the draw will be quickly tempered.

First, there is the realisation that almost all the leading clubs will make it through to the last 16 anyway, as they always do, removing much of the jeopardy from the early games.

<h2>- Pitfalls ahead -</h2>

As the pandemic continues to cast a shadow, it seems hard to imagine the final going ahead as scheduled in Istanbul next May in a full stadium.

UEFA experimented with the return of fans when around 15,500 attended last week's Super Cup between Bayern and Sevilla in Budapest.

"Health is the number one priority but we want to bring hope," said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin. He added: "Fans and players are the essential part of football."

But with rules on large gatherings varying considerably from country to country, UEFA must decide how to approach the issue of crowds attending games in the Champions League and Europa League, the draw for which is on Friday.

UEFA's current stance is that games will be behind closed doors "until further notice".

It has adapted its rules. In the face of travel restrictions, it will allow matches on neutral territory. If a club suffers a Covid-19 outbreak, a game can go ahead as long as each team has at least 13 fit players including one goalkeeper.

The group stage starts on October 20, more than a month later than usual, and all six rounds of games will be packed into eight weeks.

However, in the event of more delays, UEFA has set January 28 as the deadline to complete the group stage.

Pitfalls lie ahead, but the draw offers a brief return to something like normality.

Less than six weeks Bayern Munich won last season's delayed final behind closed doors, the draw for the group stage of the next Champions League takes place on Thursday with the threat of the coronavirus pandemic again hanging over the competition.

Less than six weeks Bayern Munich won last season's delayed final behind closed doors, the draw for the group stage of the next Champions League takes place on Thursday with the threat of the coronavirus pandemic again hanging over the competition. Bayern were crowned European champions for the sixth time after beating Paris Saint-Germain at an empty Estadio da Luz in Lisbon in August. The surreal occasion represented a triumph of sorts for UEFA. European football's governing body succeeded in playing its flagship competition to a conclusion despite the long shutdown caused by the health crisis, but the final rounds were not the same as with packed stadiums. "A game like this without supporters is not the football that we know," lamented Bayern coach Hansi Flick. "Perhaps they can be back again in the future." Thursday's draw is part of a ceremony which will also see the best men's and women's player of last season crowned. UEFA had to ditch plans to stage the event in Athens and instead moved it to its own headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where the draw will go ahead without guests. It is further evidence that, after the battle to get last season finished, things are not about to return to normal in Europe yet, and virus cases are exploding again. But this time the football, it seems, will go on. Both Bayern and PSG will be in the first pot of seeds along with Liverpool, Real Madrid, Juventus, Porto, Zenit Saint-Petersburg and Sevilla, the Europa League winners. There is the prospect of plenty of enticing match-ups, with Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and both Manchester clubs all in the second pot, and Inter Milan, Atalanta, RB Leipzig and Marseille among the lower seeds. But the excitement of the draw will be quickly tempered. First, there is the realisation that almost all the leading clubs will make it through to the last 16 anyway, as they always do, removing much of the jeopardy from the early games. - Pitfalls ahead - As the pandemic continues to cast a shadow, it seems hard to imagine the final going ahead as scheduled in Istanbul next May in a full stadium. UEFA experimented with the return of fans when around 15,500 attended last week's Super Cup between Bayern and Sevilla in Budapest. "Health is the number one priority but we want to bring hope," said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin. He added: "Fans and players are the essential part of football." But with rules on large gatherings varying considerably from country to country, UEFA must decide how to approach the issue of crowds attending games in the Champions League and Europa League, the draw for which is on Friday. UEFA's current stance is that games will be behind closed doors "until further notice". It has adapted its rules. In the face of travel restrictions, it will allow matches on neutral territory. If a club suffers a Covid-19 outbreak, a game can go ahead as long as each team has at least 13 fit players including one goalkeeper. The group stage starts on October 20, more than a month later than usual, and all six rounds of games will be packed into eight weeks. However, in the event of more delays, UEFA has set January 28 as the deadline to complete the group stage. Pitfalls lie ahead, but the draw offers a brief return to something like normality.

Bayern and rivals await Champions League draw as pandemic riddle remains

Indian Super League (ISL) on Sunday announced East Bengal Football Club as the 11th team of India’s top-flight league following a successful bid by the Kolkata-based club. The Founder and Chairperson of Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) confirmed the expansion of ISL as East Bengal became the 11th club to join the ISL, which is set to be held in Goa, behind closed doors this season.&nbsp;

The other 10 teams in Indian Super League are: Mumbai City FC, Odisha FC, NorthEast United, Hyderabad FC, Bengaluru FC, Chennaiyin FC, FC Goa, Kerala Blasters, Jamshedpur FC and ATK Mohun Bagan. ATKMB joined ISL following the merger between ATK and Mohun Bagan.

ISL 2020-21 will be held behind closed doors in Goa within bio-secure environment and in front of empty stands with the three venues being: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim and Tilak Maidan Stadium in Vasco.&nbsp;

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OFFICIAL 📝 
 
Mrs. Nita Ambani, Founder &amp; Chairperson, FSDL, confirms the expansion of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HeroISL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HeroISL</a> for the 2020-21 season! 
 
Read 👇<a href="https://t.co/Lxyn16ByFf">https://t.co/Lxyn16ByFf</a>
— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndSuperLeague/status/1310094653539057664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The entry of East Bengal in ISL confirms the continuation of 130-year-rivalry between Mohun Bagan (now ATK Mohun Bagan) as ‘Kolkata Derby’ will be played in ISL for the first-time ever.

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Welcome East Bengal to the <a href="https://twitter.com/IndSuperLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndSuperLeague</a>. The only legacy club in the league and the only club with 100 Year old history. ISL is Red and Gold now. Here is a video from us on this occasion. Take a look <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JoyEastBengal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JoyEastBengal</a> ❤💛 <a href="https://t.co/wFNOMZNsFt">pic.twitter.com/wFNOMZNsFt</a>
— EAST BENGAL the REAL POWER (EBRP) (@EBRPFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/EBRPFC/status/1310095938124275713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Confirming East Bengal’s inclusion in ISL, Nita Ambani said: “It is such a happy and proud moment for ISL as we welcome East Bengal FC and their millions of fans into the League. The inclusion of both legacy clubs, i.e. East Bengal and Mohun Bagan (now ATK Mohun Bagan) opens limitless possibilities for Indian football, especially for talent development in the state.

“West Bengal has made an immense contribution to the growth of the beautiful game in India. ISL’s growing footprint in the state and across India, is yet another step towards our mission of building a competitive and robust football ecosystem in the country,” added Mrs. Ambani.

&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Indian Super League (ISL) on Sunday announced East Bengal Football Club as the 11th team of India’s top-flight league following a successful bid by the Kolkata-based club.

Indian Super League (ISL) on Sunday announced East Bengal Football Club as the 11th team of India’s top-flight league following a successful bid by the Kolkata-based club. The Founder and Chairperson of Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) confirmed the expansion of ISL as East Bengal became the 11th club to join the ISL, which is set to be held in Goa, behind closed doors this season. The other 10 teams in Indian Super League are: Mumbai City FC, Odisha FC, NorthEast United, Hyderabad FC, Bengaluru FC, Chennaiyin FC, FC Goa, Kerala Blasters, Jamshedpur FC and ATK Mohun Bagan. ATKMB joined ISL following the merger between ATK and Mohun Bagan. ISL 2020-21 will be held behind closed doors in Goa within bio-secure environment and in front of empty stands with the three venues being: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim and Tilak Maidan Stadium in Vasco. OFFICIAL 📝 Mrs. Nita Ambani, Founder & Chairperson, FSDL, confirms the expansion of #HeroISL for the 2020-21 season! Read 👇https://t.co/Lxyn16ByFf — Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) September 27, 2020 × The entry of East Bengal in ISL confirms the continuation of 130-year-rivalry between Mohun Bagan (now ATK Mohun Bagan) as ‘Kolkata Derby’ will be played in ISL for the first-time ever. Welcome East Bengal to the @IndSuperLeague. The only legacy club in the league and the only club with 100 Year old history. ISL is Red and Gold now. Here is a video from us on this occasion. Take a look #JoyEastBengal ❤💛 pic.twitter.com/wFNOMZNsFt — EAST BENGAL the REAL POWER (EBRP) (@EBRPFC) September 27, 2020 × Confirming East Bengal’s inclusion in ISL, Nita Ambani said: “It is such a happy and proud moment for ISL as we welcome East Bengal FC and their millions of fans into the League. The inclusion of both legacy clubs, i.e. East Bengal and Mohun Bagan (now ATK Mohun Bagan) opens limitless possibilities for Indian football, especially for talent development in the state. “West Bengal has made an immense contribution to the growth of the beautiful game in India. ISL’s growing footprint in the state and across India, is yet another step towards our mission of building a competitive and robust football ecosystem in the country,” added Mrs. Ambani.

East Bengal enter Indian Super League

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone believes Luis Suarez can lift the club to new heights and said his new signing will be in the squad to face Granada on Sunday.&nbsp;

Suarez has joined Atletico after being pushed out by Barcelona, who allowed the 33-year-old to leave for free, with only an extra 5 million euros due in variables.&nbsp;

"His arrival is an opportunity for us to keep growing as a club and to have new energy as a team," said Simeone.&nbsp;

"We spoke before he went to Barcelona at a time when the possibility came up that he might join us. The last six years he's had have been incredibly successful.&nbsp;

"His teammates want to make him settle in as quickly as possible so his goals and game can help us win."&nbsp;

Simeone said Suarez trained with his new side on Friday and is in line to make his debut against Granada at the Wanda Metropolitano this weekend.

"Yesterday he had a long day, he finished training very well with the team," said Simeone.&nbsp;

"He seems to be so motivated and excited and of course he will be in the squad, available for the team. Tomorrow we will see if he starts or comes on in the second half."&nbsp;

Suarez has said he was drawn to the possibility of competing at the highest level with Atletico and proving he is still among the best strikers in the world.&nbsp;

"I'm going to be honest, he was convinced from the first moment&nbsp;that this was the place for him to keep being a force, to keep showing he is still a great striker and to be able to keep sustaining the years he had at Barcelona," said Simeone.

"I found in him what we need in this club, a dream and a desire to be here. When people come here with that kind of motivation, things always go well for them."&nbsp;

<h2>- Morata replacement -</h2>

Suarez's arrival means Atletico have secured an instant replacement for Alvaro Morata, who moved to Juventus on loan.&nbsp;

Suarez scored 21 goals last season for Barcelona while Morata hit 16 for Atletico.&nbsp;

"We all know what Luis brings. He is a focal point, he's great with his back to goal, his movement inside the box creates chances," said Simeone.&nbsp;

"When we knew Alvaro might leave we decided the best way to continue would be to look for someone who scored even more goals last season.&nbsp;

"It wasn't easy to think of a replacement for Alvaro but when the possibility of Suarez came up, the numbers spoke for themselves."&nbsp;

Simeone will be in the dug-out on Sunday, having recovered following his positive test for coronavirus.&nbsp;

"We had the support of the doctors, who also tried to make sure I wasn't too far from what the team was doing despite my absence, which I also think might perhaps even be beneficial," said Simeone.&nbsp;

"After so many years of working every day with the players, having 15 days away perhaps could have been good too.&nbsp;

"Then when they say you have tested negative, you feel joy, enthusiasm, emotion, and incredibly appreciative of that excitement you always feel for the start of the season."&nbsp;

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone believes Luis Suarez can lift the club to new heights and said his new signing will be in the squad to face Granada on Sunday.

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone believes Luis Suarez can lift the club to new heights and said his new signing will be in the squad to face Granada on Sunday. Suarez has joined Atletico after being pushed out by Barcelona, who allowed the 33-year-old to leave for free, with only an extra 5 million euros due in variables. "His arrival is an opportunity for us to keep growing as a club and to have new energy as a team," said Simeone. "We spoke before he went to Barcelona at a time when the possibility came up that he might join us. The last six years he's had have been incredibly successful. "His teammates want to make him settle in as quickly as possible so his goals and game can help us win." Simeone said Suarez trained with his new side on Friday and is in line to make his debut against Granada at the Wanda Metropolitano this weekend. "Yesterday he had a long day, he finished training very well with the team," said Simeone. "He seems to be so motivated and excited and of course he will be in the squad, available for the team. Tomorrow we will see if he starts or comes on in the second half." Suarez has said he was drawn to the possibility of competing at the highest level with Atletico and proving he is still among the best strikers in the world. "I'm going to be honest, he was convinced from the first moment that this was the place for him to keep being a force, to keep showing he is still a great striker and to be able to keep sustaining the years he had at Barcelona," said Simeone. "I found in him what we need in this club, a dream and a desire to be here. When people come here with that kind of motivation, things always go well for them." - Morata replacement - Suarez's arrival means Atletico have secured an instant replacement for Alvaro Morata, who moved to Juventus on loan. Suarez scored 21 goals last season for Barcelona while Morata hit 16 for Atletico. "We all know what Luis brings. He is a focal point, he's great with his back to goal, his movement inside the box creates chances," said Simeone. "When we knew Alvaro might leave we decided the best way to continue would be to look for someone who scored even more goals last season. "It wasn't easy to think of a replacement for Alvaro but when the possibility of Suarez came up, the numbers spoke for themselves." Simeone will be in the dug-out on Sunday, having recovered following his positive test for coronavirus. "We had the support of the doctors, who also tried to make sure I wasn't too far from what the team was doing despite my absence, which I also think might perhaps even be beneficial," said Simeone. "After so many years of working every day with the players, having 15 days away perhaps could have been good too. "Then when they say you have tested negative, you feel joy, enthusiasm, emotion, and incredibly appreciative of that excitement you always feel for the start of the season."

Suarez can take Atletico to a different level, says Simeone

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson lambasted the interpretation of the handball rule after his side became the latest victim of a soft penalty award in a 2-1 defeat by Everton on Saturday.

Carlo Ancelotti's men extended their perfect start to go top of the Premier League as Richarlison's controversial spot-kick split the sides after Cheikhou Kouyate cancelled out Dominic Calvert-Lewin's fifth goal of the campaign.

Eagles defender Joel Ward was penalised for handball after the video assistant referee advised Kevin Friend to consult the pitchside monitor.

"I have to make bold statements, which I make no apologies for. I have despair about a rule that I believe is ruining the game of football," said Hodgson.

The former England manager was equally scathing of the easy awarding of penalties for handball when his side were the beneficiaries for their second goal in a 3-1 win at Manchester United last weekend.

"I predict what will happen is players will start flicking the ball on to a hand and screaming handball," added Hodgson. "A really good game destroyed by a decision."

Everton held on in the second half to make it three successive league victories and five wins in a row in all competitions, suggesting they could be contenders for a top-four finish.

"It is good to see the spirit in the team in this moment. We have started the season well," said Ancelotti.

"We have to look only for the momentum, that is good in this moment. In a busy time with another game on Wednesday, we have to keep the motivation, ambition and we are doing really well. The danger is behind us all the time when we do not behave properly."

The visitors went ahead with their first serious attack in the 10th minute.

Colombian playmaker James Rodriguez unfurled a sublime pass into Seamus Coleman and the captain cut back for Calvert-Lewin to net with conviction.

Palace hit back in the 26th minute when Kouyate got between Michael Keane and Richarlison to head his second goal for the club.

The Eagles richly deserved it and yet they were almost immediately pegged back when VAR had to look at a handball incident involving Ward on the half-hour mark.

Richarlison's cross had hit the Palace full-back on the shirt sleeve and it was not deemed a spot-kick, but it was only a brief let-off for Hodgson's men.

In the 40th minute, James's superb pass was headed by Lucas Digne onto Ward's hand in the penalty area.

Friend pointed to the spot after using the pitchside monitor and Richarlison fired into the corner to put Everton back in front.

Calvert-Lewin should have grabbed his sixth goal of the season and put the game to bed in the 51st minute, but his effort from James's corner sailed wide.

As rain poured down in south London, Palace pressed for an equaliser, with Wilfried Zaha and Ebere Eze having shots blocked.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson lambasted the interpretation of the handball rule after his side became the latest victim of a soft penalty award in a 2-1 defeat by Everton on Saturday.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson lambasted the interpretation of the handball rule after his side became the latest victim of a soft penalty award in a 2-1 defeat by Everton on Saturday. Carlo Ancelotti's men extended their perfect start to go top of the Premier League as Richarlison's controversial spot-kick split the sides after Cheikhou Kouyate cancelled out Dominic Calvert-Lewin's fifth goal of the campaign. Eagles defender Joel Ward was penalised for handball after the video assistant referee advised Kevin Friend to consult the pitchside monitor. "I have to make bold statements, which I make no apologies for. I have despair about a rule that I believe is ruining the game of football," said Hodgson. The former England manager was equally scathing of the easy awarding of penalties for handball when his side were the beneficiaries for their second goal in a 3-1 win at Manchester United last weekend. "I predict what will happen is players will start flicking the ball on to a hand and screaming handball," added Hodgson. "A really good game destroyed by a decision." Everton held on in the second half to make it three successive league victories and five wins in a row in all competitions, suggesting they could be contenders for a top-four finish. "It is good to see the spirit in the team in this moment. We have started the season well," said Ancelotti. "We have to look only for the momentum, that is good in this moment. In a busy time with another game on Wednesday, we have to keep the motivation, ambition and we are doing really well. The danger is behind us all the time when we do not behave properly." The visitors went ahead with their first serious attack in the 10th minute. Colombian playmaker James Rodriguez unfurled a sublime pass into Seamus Coleman and the captain cut back for Calvert-Lewin to net with conviction. Palace hit back in the 26th minute when Kouyate got between Michael Keane and Richarlison to head his second goal for the club. The Eagles richly deserved it and yet they were almost immediately pegged back when VAR had to look at a handball incident involving Ward on the half-hour mark. Richarlison's cross had hit the Palace full-back on the shirt sleeve and it was not deemed a spot-kick, but it was only a brief let-off for Hodgson's men. In the 40th minute, James's superb pass was headed by Lucas Digne onto Ward's hand in the penalty area. Friend pointed to the spot after using the pitchside monitor and Richarlison fired into the corner to put Everton back in front. Calvert-Lewin should have grabbed his sixth goal of the season and put the game to bed in the 51st minute, but his effort from James's corner sailed wide. As rain poured down in south London, Palace pressed for an equaliser, with Wilfried Zaha and Ebere Eze having shots blocked.

Hodgson claims rule changes 'ruining' football as Everton get helping hand

Sergio Ramos scored a late penalty as Real Madrid came from behind to scrape a 3-2 win against 10-man Real Betis, their first La Liga victory of the season.&nbsp;

Betis were ahead at half-time after two goals in two minutes from Aissa Mandi and William Carvalho overturned Fede Valverde's opener for the reigning champions.

But Betis defender Emerson, who is on loan from Barcelona, endured a nightmare start to the second half by scoring an own-goal and then being sent off for knocking over Luka Jovic after the striker had been sent clear.

VAR again intervened in Madrid's favour in the 82nd minute as Marc Bartra was adjudged to have cleared with his arm, leaving Ramos to chip in the winning penalty.

Betis were fuming at referee Ricard de Burgos at full-time and while the red card seemed fair, they were unlucky to concede the penalty, with Bartra seemingly nudged into the ball by Madrid's Borja Mayoral.&nbsp;

Madrid, though, breathed a sigh of relief, their opening win secured having kicked off the season with a goalless draw away at Real Sociedad last weekend.

"I'm not getting into the referees," said Zidane. "We suffered of course but in the end we got the three points."

Ramos converting from the spot felt familiar after his three penalties during Madrid's run to the title last term but this was an uncharacteristically sloppy defensive display from Zinedine Zidane's side.

It was the first time they had conceded twice in the first half of a league match since Zidane returned as coach 18 months ago and it would have cost them had their opponents been less generous.

Defeat for Betis ends what had been a perfect start under new coach Manuel Pellegrini, after two wins out of two against Alaves and Real Valladolid.

"From Madrid's first goal to the end of the first half we were much superior," said Mandi. "But we weren't able to get a clean sheet in the second half."

Victory for Madrid puts early pressure on Barcelona, who begin with Lionel Messi back in the fold at home to Villarreal on Sunday. Atletico Madrid also play their first game on Sunday at home to Granada.

Eden Hazard was still absent in Seville, not even included on the bench as Zidane continues to insist the Belgian regain full fitness before returning to action.

Jovic was given a rare start up front but the Serb missed a good chance before going off in the second half and it would not be a surprise if he departed before the end of the transfer window.

Benzema made Madrid's opener, refusing to give in down the right, where he wriggled into space and crossed for Valverde to fire in at the near post.

Ramos should have made it two but lashed wide from eight yards out and then Betis found their rhythm, exerting more and more pressure as the half wore on.

They equalised when Mandi climbed above Casemiro to head in a cross from the excellent Sergio Canales, who then initiated a second two minutes later, spreading left to Nabil Fekir, who laid off for Carvalho to power through and drive home.

But Madrid were level three minutes after the restart as Emerson poked Carvajal's cross into his own net and then the Betis defender was sent off, ajudged to have bundled into the back of Jovic, who had been put through by Benzema.

Ramos bent the free-kick wide, Benzema feathered past the post and substitute Borja scuffed a finish, only for De Burgos to review and decide the stumbling Bartra had diverted the ball away with his arm. Ramos made no mistake.

Valencia's poor start to the season under new coach Javi Gracia continued as they were held earlier to a 1-1 draw by newly-promoted Huesca. Real Sociedad eased past Elche 3-0 while it finished goalless between Alaves and Getafe.

Sergio Ramos scored a late penalty as Real Madrid came from behind to scrape a 3-2 win against 10-man Real Betis, their first La Liga victory of the season. Betis were ahead at half-time after two goals in two minutes from Aissa Mandi and William Carvalho overturned Fede Valverde's opener for the reigning champions.

Sergio Ramos scored a late penalty as Real Madrid came from behind to scrape a 3-2 win against 10-man Real Betis, their first La Liga victory of the season. Betis were ahead at half-time after two goals in two minutes from Aissa Mandi and William Carvalho overturned Fede Valverde's opener for the reigning champions. But Betis defender Emerson, who is on loan from Barcelona, endured a nightmare start to the second half by scoring an own-goal and then being sent off for knocking over Luka Jovic after the striker had been sent clear. VAR again intervened in Madrid's favour in the 82nd minute as Marc Bartra was adjudged to have cleared with his arm, leaving Ramos to chip in the winning penalty. Betis were fuming at referee Ricard de Burgos at full-time and while the red card seemed fair, they were unlucky to concede the penalty, with Bartra seemingly nudged into the ball by Madrid's Borja Mayoral. Madrid, though, breathed a sigh of relief, their opening win secured having kicked off the season with a goalless draw away at Real Sociedad last weekend. "I'm not getting into the referees," said Zidane. "We suffered of course but in the end we got the three points." Ramos converting from the spot felt familiar after his three penalties during Madrid's run to the title last term but this was an uncharacteristically sloppy defensive display from Zinedine Zidane's side. It was the first time they had conceded twice in the first half of a league match since Zidane returned as coach 18 months ago and it would have cost them had their opponents been less generous. Defeat for Betis ends what had been a perfect start under new coach Manuel Pellegrini, after two wins out of two against Alaves and Real Valladolid. "From Madrid's first goal to the end of the first half we were much superior," said Mandi. "But we weren't able to get a clean sheet in the second half." Victory for Madrid puts early pressure on Barcelona, who begin with Lionel Messi back in the fold at home to Villarreal on Sunday. Atletico Madrid also play their first game on Sunday at home to Granada. Eden Hazard was still absent in Seville, not even included on the bench as Zidane continues to insist the Belgian regain full fitness before returning to action. Jovic was given a rare start up front but the Serb missed a good chance before going off in the second half and it would not be a surprise if he departed before the end of the transfer window. Benzema made Madrid's opener, refusing to give in down the right, where he wriggled into space and crossed for Valverde to fire in at the near post. Ramos should have made it two but lashed wide from eight yards out and then Betis found their rhythm, exerting more and more pressure as the half wore on. They equalised when Mandi climbed above Casemiro to head in a cross from the excellent Sergio Canales, who then initiated a second two minutes later, spreading left to Nabil Fekir, who laid off for Carvalho to power through and drive home. But Madrid were level three minutes after the restart as Emerson poked Carvajal's cross into his own net and then the Betis defender was sent off, ajudged to have bundled into the back of Jovic, who had been put through by Benzema. Ramos bent the free-kick wide, Benzema feathered past the post and substitute Borja scuffed a finish, only for De Burgos to review and decide the stumbling Bartra had diverted the ball away with his arm. Ramos made no mistake. Valencia's poor start to the season under new coach Javi Gracia continued as they were held earlier to a 1-1 draw by newly-promoted Huesca. Real Sociedad eased past Elche 3-0 while it finished goalless between Alaves and Getafe.

Ramos penalty snatches win for Real Madrid over Betis

Hardik Pandya is yet to bowl for Mumbai Indians in the ongoing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> and MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene during their match against Kolkata Knight Riders had said that the flamboyant all-rounder is not yet ready to bowl given his recent track record with injuries. Now, Mumbai Indians’ bowling coach Zaheer Khan has given an update on when fans can expect to see Hardik take the bowling duties in IPL 2020.&nbsp;

Hardik was out for a few months owing to a back injury and is slowly getting into the groove when it comes to top-level cricket. He has not yet been given the ball in MI’s first two matches against CSK and KKR. Giving an update on Hardik, Zaheer said that Hardik is expected to bowl sometime in IPL 2020 but added that everyone has to listen to his body.&nbsp;

The former Indian pacer further said that they in regular consultation with the physios about Hardik’s fitness.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australias-alyssa-healy-overtakes-ms-dhoni-for-most-dismissals-by-a-wicketkeeper-in-t20i-330665" hreflang="en">Australia's Alyssa Healy overtakes MS Dhoni for most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in T20I</a>

“We are all expecting him (Hardik) to bowl and he is someone who really changes that balance of any side when he is bowling and he understands that,” Zaheer said in Mumbai Indians’ pre-match conference.

“But we have to listen to his body and that is something the conversation which we have been having in consultation with the physios.

“We are looking forward for him to bowl, he is very keen and really wanting to bowl, we just have to wait and be patient and listen to his body. At the end of the day for any bowler injuries play a huge role,” he further said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-rr-vs-kxip-preview-can-smith-co-continue-their-winning-run-330659" hreflang="en">IPL 2020, RR vs KXIP Preview: Can Smith &amp; Co. continue their winning run?</a>

Hardik has scored 18 and 14 in the last two matches against KKR and CSK respectively and Zaheer said that Mumbai Indians are happy to have Hardik Pandya as a batsman.

“We are happy that he is there as a batter and with full fitness contributing and that is the exciting part and hopefully you will see bowl soon,” Zaheer added.

MI take on RCB on Monday at the Dubai International Stadium. 
&nbsp;

Hardik Pandya is yet to bowl for Mumbai Indians in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 and MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene during their match against Kolkata Knight Riders had said that the flamboyant all-rounder is not yet ready to bowl given his recent track record with injuries.

Hardik Pandya is yet to bowl for Mumbai Indians in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 and MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene during their match against Kolkata Knight Riders had said that the flamboyant all-rounder is not yet ready to bowl given his recent track record with injuries. Now, Mumbai Indians’ bowling coach Zaheer Khan has given an update on when fans can expect to see Hardik take the bowling duties in IPL 2020. Hardik was out for a few months owing to a back injury and is slowly getting into the groove when it comes to top-level cricket. He has not yet been given the ball in MI’s first two matches against CSK and KKR. Giving an update on Hardik, Zaheer said that Hardik is expected to bowl sometime in IPL 2020 but added that everyone has to listen to his body. The former Indian pacer further said that they in regular consultation with the physios about Hardik’s fitness. ALSO READ: Australia's Alyssa Healy overtakes MS Dhoni for most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in T20I “We are all expecting him (Hardik) to bowl and he is someone who really changes that balance of any side when he is bowling and he understands that,” Zaheer said in Mumbai Indians’ pre-match conference. “But we have to listen to his body and that is something the conversation which we have been having in consultation with the physios. “We are looking forward for him to bowl, he is very keen and really wanting to bowl, we just have to wait and be patient and listen to his body. At the end of the day for any bowler injuries play a huge role,” he further said. ALSO READ: IPL 2020, RR vs KXIP Preview: Can Smith & Co. continue their winning run? Hardik has scored 18 and 14 in the last two matches against KKR and CSK respectively and Zaheer said that Mumbai Indians are happy to have Hardik Pandya as a batsman. “We are happy that he is there as a batter and with full fitness contributing and that is the exciting part and hopefully you will see bowl soon,” Zaheer added. MI take on RCB on Monday at the Dubai International Stadium.

Will Hardik Pandya bowl for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2020? Zaheer Khan provides an update

Rajasthan Royals will face Kings XI Punjab at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah on Sunday in what promises to be a high-octane encounter in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>. Both RR and KXIP are coming on the back of thumping wins over CSK and RCB respectively and will look to continue their winning run in the tournament.

While KXIP have played two matches – winning one and losing the other – RR have won their only match against CSK. However, with both the teams displaying some sensational cricket in their last match, the anticipation surrounding the encounter is massive.

Given the shorter boundaries in Sharjah, fans are hoping for another high-scoring encounter and a score of around 200 is expected from the team batting first.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-rr-vs-kxip-preview-can-smith-co-continue-their-winning-run-330659">IPL 2020, RR vs KXIP Preview: Can Smith &amp; Co. continue their winning run?</a>

<h2>Where will the IPL 2020 match between Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab take place?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab will take place at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

<h2>What time will the IPL 2020 match between Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab begin?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab begins at 7:30 PM IST on Sunday (September 27).

<h2>How to watch live IPL 2020 match between Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab begin?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab 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 Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab match online?</h2>

The online live streaming of the IPL 2020 match between Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab will be available at Hotstar. You can also latest updates of the IPL 2020 match between Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab match at WION.

Rajasthan Royals will face Kings XI Punjab at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah on Sunday in what promises to be a high-octane encounter in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.

Rajasthan Royals will face Kings XI Punjab at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah on Sunday in what promises to be a high-octane encounter in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. Both RR and KXIP are coming on the back of thumping wins over CSK and RCB respectively and will look to continue their winning run in the tournament. While KXIP have played two matches – winning one and losing the other – RR have won their only match against CSK. However, with both the teams displaying some sensational cricket in their last match, the anticipation surrounding the encounter is massive. Given the shorter boundaries in Sharjah, fans are hoping for another high-scoring encounter and a score of around 200 is expected from the team batting first. ALSO READ: IPL 2020, RR vs KXIP Preview: Can Smith & Co. continue their winning run? Where will the IPL 2020 match between Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab take place? The IPL 2020 match between Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab will take place at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. What time will the IPL 2020 match between Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab begin? The IPL 2020 match between Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab begins at 7:30 PM IST on Sunday (September 27). How to watch live IPL 2020 match between Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab begin? The IPL 2020 match between Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab 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 Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab match online? The online live streaming of the IPL 2020 match between Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab will be available at Hotstar. You can also latest updates of the IPL 2020 match between Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab match at WION.

RR vs KXIP, IPL 2020 Live Streaming: When and where to watch Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab?

Rajasthan Royals are set to play Kings XI Punjab at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday as the high-octane action continues in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>. Both RR and KXIP have the winning momentum and would be looking to continue the run on Sunday.

Sanju Samson and KL Rahul were the stars for RR and KXIP respectively in their previous wins in IPL 2020 as both played some fabulous cricketing strokes. While Samson smashed 74 off 32 laced by nine sixes and boundary against CSK, Rahul hammered an unbeaten 132 off 69 balls powered 14 boundaries and seven sixes.&nbsp;

Interestingly, Sharjah recorded 33 sixes in the last match between KXIP and CSK and another high-scoring encounter is expected when RR and KXIP take the field on Sunday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-shubman-gill-breaks-twin-records-after-match-winning-knock-vs-sunrisers-hyderabad-330629" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Shubman Gill breaks twin records after match-winning knock vs Sunrisers Hyderabad</a>

RR would be a bit wary about their bowling line-up that leaked 200 runs against CSK and a change or two could be made given that ace England batsman Jos Buttler is also available for selection. Either of David Miller or Tom Curran could make way for Butter as RR look to bolster their playing XI.

For KXIP, the bowling department has excelled with Mohammad Shami and Sheldon Cottrell making a lethal new-ball pair. Young spinner Ravi Bishnoi continues to impress and learn under Anil Kumble.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-expecting-tough-match-against-kings-xi-punjab-says-jos-buttler-330463" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Expecting tough match against Kings XI Punjab, says Jos Buttler</a>

Given that the Sharjah Cricket Stadium has the shortest boundary and a score of around 200-210 is expected again.&nbsp;

<h2 class="MsoNormal">KXIP vs RR Squads:</h2>

Kings XI Punjab Squad: Mayank Agarwal, Lokesh Rahul(w/c), Nicholas Pooran, Glenn Maxwell, Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan, James Neesham, Murugan Ashwin, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Shami, Sheldon Cottrell, Chris Gayle, Mandeep Singh, Chris Jordan, Krishnappa Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, Hardus Viljoen, Jagadeesha Suchith, Ishan Porel, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Tajinder Singh, Darshan Nalkande, Arshdeep Singh, Simran Singh, Harpreet Brar

Rajasthan Royals Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Steven Smith(c), Sanju Samson(w), Robin Uthappa, Rahul Tewatia, Riyan Parag, Tom Curran, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Jaydev Unadkat, David Miller, Varun Aaron, Aniruddha Joshi, Manan Vohra, Ankit Rajpoot, Andrew Tye, Shashank Singh, Mahipal Lomror, Oshane Thomas, Mayank Markande, Anuj Rawat, Kartik Tyagi, Akash Singh&nbsp; 
<o:p></o:p>

Rajasthan Royals are set to play Kings XI Punjab at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday as the high-octane action continues in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.

Rajasthan Royals are set to play Kings XI Punjab at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday as the high-octane action continues in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. Both RR and KXIP have the winning momentum and would be looking to continue the run on Sunday. Sanju Samson and KL Rahul were the stars for RR and KXIP respectively in their previous wins in IPL 2020 as both played some fabulous cricketing strokes. While Samson smashed 74 off 32 laced by nine sixes and boundary against CSK, Rahul hammered an unbeaten 132 off 69 balls powered 14 boundaries and seven sixes. Interestingly, Sharjah recorded 33 sixes in the last match between KXIP and CSK and another high-scoring encounter is expected when RR and KXIP take the field on Sunday. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Shubman Gill breaks twin records after match-winning knock vs Sunrisers Hyderabad RR would be a bit wary about their bowling line-up that leaked 200 runs against CSK and a change or two could be made given that ace England batsman Jos Buttler is also available for selection. Either of David Miller or Tom Curran could make way for Butter as RR look to bolster their playing XI. For KXIP, the bowling department has excelled with Mohammad Shami and Sheldon Cottrell making a lethal new-ball pair. Young spinner Ravi Bishnoi continues to impress and learn under Anil Kumble. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Expecting tough match against Kings XI Punjab, says Jos Buttler Given that the Sharjah Cricket Stadium has the shortest boundary and a score of around 200-210 is expected again. KXIP vs RR Squads: Kings XI Punjab Squad: Mayank Agarwal, Lokesh Rahul(w/c), Nicholas Pooran, Glenn Maxwell, Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan, James Neesham, Murugan Ashwin, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Shami, Sheldon Cottrell, Chris Gayle, Mandeep Singh, Chris Jordan, Krishnappa Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, Hardus Viljoen, Jagadeesha Suchith, Ishan Porel, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Tajinder Singh, Darshan Nalkande, Arshdeep Singh, Simran Singh, Harpreet Brar Rajasthan Royals Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Steven Smith(c), Sanju Samson(w), Robin Uthappa, Rahul Tewatia, Riyan Parag, Tom Curran, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Jaydev Unadkat, David Miller, Varun Aaron, Aniruddha Joshi, Manan Vohra, Ankit Rajpoot, Andrew Tye, Shashank Singh, Mahipal Lomror, Oshane Thomas, Mayank Markande, Anuj Rawat, Kartik Tyagi, Akash Singh

IPL 2020, RR vs KXIP Preview: Can Smith & Co. continue their winning run?

Pat Cummins was heavily trolled following Kolkata Knight Riders’ first match of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> against Mumbai Indians where the ace Australian pacer conceded 49 runs in just three overs after being bought by KKR for a hefty INR 15.5 crore.

However, Cummins was back to his best against Sunrisers Hyderabad as he gave away just 19 runs in his four-over quota while picking up the big wicket of Jonny Bairtsow.&nbsp;

Former Australian pacer Brett Lee heaped praise on Cummins as he said the KKR pacer is worth double the price tag he was bought for whiiile adding he can be economical and take wickets in crunch situations for KKR.

The Dinesh Karthik-led KKR chased down the 143-run target with 2 overs and seven wickets in hand as they clinched their first win of IPL 2020.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-shubman-gill-breaks-twin-records-after-match-winning-knock-vs-sunrisers-hyderabad-330629" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Shubman Gill breaks twin records after match-winning knock vs Sunrisers Hyderabad</a>

"He is worth double. He is worth it. Pat Cummins is a confidence player like most fast bowlers. Obviously, he got a little bit of tap in the 1st game. He proved he can be economical and take wickets when needed," Brett Lee told Star Sports.

"It's the beautiful line and length, with that wonderful seam position gets a bit of nibble. He is a class act."

Whereas former New Zealand all-rounder Scotty Styris said that handing over the new ball to Cummins changed the game for KKR and the Aussie speedster, who struggled with his line and lengths against MI.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/thats-not-acceptable-in-t20-cricket-warner-unhappy-with-srh-performance-against-kkr-in-ipl-2020-330620" hreflang="en">'That's not acceptable in T20 cricket...' - Warner unhappy with SRH performance against KKR in IPL 2020</a>

"He is a class player. You knew he was always going to come back and come back well. Slight change of role, they had operated as a third seamer (against MI) in the back half of the powerplay. Not tonight, they gave the new ball and got it to nibble around.

"They acknowledged that the skills of the Sunrisers batting, their strength is the top order. So KKR brought their best bowlers on to try and break the opening stand and put pressure on the middle order. The middle order got under pressure and they failed," Styris said.

KKR will next face Rajasthan Royals at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday as action in IPL 2020 continues. 
&nbsp;

Pat Cummins was heavily trolled following Kolkata Knight Riders’ first match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 against Mumbai Indians where the ace Australian pacer conceded 49 runs in just three overs after being bought by KKR for a hefty INR 15.

Pat Cummins was heavily trolled following Kolkata Knight Riders’ first match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 against Mumbai Indians where the ace Australian pacer conceded 49 runs in just three overs after being bought by KKR for a hefty INR 15.5 crore. However, Cummins was back to his best against Sunrisers Hyderabad as he gave away just 19 runs in his four-over quota while picking up the big wicket of Jonny Bairtsow. Former Australian pacer Brett Lee heaped praise on Cummins as he said the KKR pacer is worth double the price tag he was bought for whiiile adding he can be economical and take wickets in crunch situations for KKR. The Dinesh Karthik-led KKR chased down the 143-run target with 2 overs and seven wickets in hand as they clinched their first win of IPL 2020. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Shubman Gill breaks twin records after match-winning knock vs Sunrisers Hyderabad "He is worth double. He is worth it. Pat Cummins is a confidence player like most fast bowlers. Obviously, he got a little bit of tap in the 1st game. He proved he can be economical and take wickets when needed," Brett Lee told Star Sports. "It's the beautiful line and length, with that wonderful seam position gets a bit of nibble. He is a class act." Whereas former New Zealand all-rounder Scotty Styris said that handing over the new ball to Cummins changed the game for KKR and the Aussie speedster, who struggled with his line and lengths against MI. ALSO READ: 'That's not acceptable in T20 cricket...' - Warner unhappy with SRH performance against KKR in IPL 2020 "He is a class player. You knew he was always going to come back and come back well. Slight change of role, they had operated as a third seamer (against MI) in the back half of the powerplay. Not tonight, they gave the new ball and got it to nibble around. "They acknowledged that the skills of the Sunrisers batting, their strength is the top order. So KKR brought their best bowlers on to try and break the opening stand and put pressure on the middle order. The middle order got under pressure and they failed," Styris said. KKR will next face Rajasthan Royals at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday as action in IPL 2020 continues.

Pat Cummins is worth double his IPL 2020 price tag: Brett Lee left impressed by KKR pacer

Shubman Gill was the star for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their thumping win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Abu Dhabi as the action in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> continued in the UAE. Gill scored 70 unbeaten off 62 deliveries to help KKR seal their first win in IPL 2020 as the Dinesh Karthik-led outfit chased 143-run target comfortably. Gill, with his unbeaten knock, broke a plethora of records as the youngster continued to impress with the bat.&nbsp;

Gill recorded a timing rating of 195, according to Cricviz Data – the highest-ever in IPL. Gill surpassed the likes of Hashim Amla (171), Rishabh Pant (163) and Kane Williamson (150) among others as the youngster comfortably paced his innings as per the situation of the game.&nbsp;

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Shubman Gill's Timing Rating ticks up to 195. This graph provides context as to how good that is relative to other elite timers in the IPL. His rating is 14% higher than Amla's. The Rating is based on the quality of contact given the shot played by the batsman. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2020</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvSRH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvSRH</a> <a href="https://t.co/3SH8QGO7zD">pic.twitter.com/3SH8QGO7zD</a>
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricvizanalyst/status/1309908742138458112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Moreover, Gill’s 70 unbeaten is the fourth-highest score in T20 cricket with no false shots. AB de Villiers’ blistering 100 not-out off 50 balls for Rangpur in 2018 remains top of the list. However, Gill’s innings where he faced 62 deliveries, became the longest innings in T20 history to not include a false shot as the youngster didn’t edge or miss even a single delivery.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-kkr-register-first-win-in-tournament-after-beating-srh-by-7-wickets-330543">IPL 2020: KKR register first win in tournament after beating SRH by 7 wickets</a>

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The record Gill does take home however, is the longest innings in T20 history (where shot type data is available) to not include a false shot. He faced 62 balls and didn't edge or miss a single one. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvSRH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvSRH</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2020</a>
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricvizanalyst/status/1309910603016871938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Gill looked comfortable against the pacers while dominating the likes of Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi with ease. The highly-rated youngster was happy ticking Rashid and Nabi to long off and long on as the SRH bowlers failed to mount any pressure on KKR despite the early dismissal of opener Sunil Narine.

<h2>WATCH: Shubman Gill's unbeaten vs SRH</h2>

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&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/thats-not-acceptable-in-t20-cricket-warner-unhappy-with-srh-performance-against-kkr-in-ipl-2020-330620" hreflang="en">'That's not acceptable in T20 cricket..' - Warner unhappy with SRH performance</a>

England limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan, who stitched an important partnership with Gill to take KKR over the winning line was all praise for the youngster as the southpaw said he is “beautiful to watch and deserves all the success.

“I didn’t have to tell him a great deal to be honest, he’s beautiful to watch on the eye, good bat swing, very languid style, magnificent to watch, he’s a good kid, very hungry to learn and I would love to bat with him once again. I think he deserves all the success,” Morgan said about Gill after the match.

 
&nbsp;

Shubman Gill was the star for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their thumping win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Abu Dhabi as the action in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 continued in the UAE.

Shubman Gill was the star for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their thumping win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Abu Dhabi as the action in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 continued in the UAE. Gill scored 70 unbeaten off 62 deliveries to help KKR seal their first win in IPL 2020 as the Dinesh Karthik-led outfit chased 143-run target comfortably. Gill, with his unbeaten knock, broke a plethora of records as the youngster continued to impress with the bat. Gill recorded a timing rating of 195, according to Cricviz Data – the highest-ever in IPL. Gill surpassed the likes of Hashim Amla (171), Rishabh Pant (163) and Kane Williamson (150) among others as the youngster comfortably paced his innings as per the situation of the game. Shubman Gill's Timing Rating ticks up to 195. This graph provides context as to how good that is relative to other elite timers in the IPL. His rating is 14% higher than Amla's. The Rating is based on the quality of contact given the shot played by the batsman. #IPL2020 #KKRvSRH pic.twitter.com/3SH8QGO7zD — The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) September 26, 2020 × Moreover, Gill’s 70 unbeaten is the fourth-highest score in T20 cricket with no false shots. AB de Villiers’ blistering 100 not-out off 50 balls for Rangpur in 2018 remains top of the list. However, Gill’s innings where he faced 62 deliveries, became the longest innings in T20 history to not include a false shot as the youngster didn’t edge or miss even a single delivery. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: KKR register first win in tournament after beating SRH by 7 wickets The record Gill does take home however, is the longest innings in T20 history (where shot type data is available) to not include a false shot. He faced 62 balls and didn't edge or miss a single one. #KKRvSRH #IPL2020 — The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) September 26, 2020 × Gill looked comfortable against the pacers while dominating the likes of Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi with ease. The highly-rated youngster was happy ticking Rashid and Nabi to long off and long on as the SRH bowlers failed to mount any pressure on KKR despite the early dismissal of opener Sunil Narine. WATCH: Shubman Gill's unbeaten vs SRH × ALSO READ: 'That's not acceptable in T20 cricket..' - Warner unhappy with SRH performance England limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan, who stitched an important partnership with Gill to take KKR over the winning line was all praise for the youngster as the southpaw said he is “beautiful to watch and deserves all the success. “I didn’t have to tell him a great deal to be honest, he’s beautiful to watch on the eye, good bat swing, very languid style, magnificent to watch, he’s a good kid, very hungry to learn and I would love to bat with him once again. I think he deserves all the success,” Morgan said about Gill after the match.

IPL 2020: Shubman Gill breaks twin records after match-winning knock vs Sunrisers Hyderabad

Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner was critical of the ‘dot balls’ played by his team’s batsman during the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 </a>against Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Warner said that SRH batsmen played too many dot balls during the middle overs while adding it was “unacceptable” in T20 cricket.&nbsp;

SRH opted to bat first after winning the toss and posted a modest total of 142/4 in 20 overs. Warner scored 36 while Manish Pandey registered a half-century. However, given the wickets left in hand, SRH were around 20-30 runs short.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-kkr-register-first-win-in-tournament-after-beating-srh-by-7-wickets-330543">IPL 2020: KKR register first win in tournament after beating SRH by 7 wickets</a>

“We need to push as hard as we can. You can see from our running between the wickets, we do that. But we got to improve our boundary percentage. I think I saw 35 dot balls, which is not acceptable in T20 cricket on a wicket that was actually nice to bat on. We just mis-executed in the middle,” Warner said in the post-match press conference.&nbsp;

However, Warner backed his decision to bat first against KKR as he said SRH’s main strength lies in their bowling department.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-warner-to-bhuvi-srh-players-sweat-it-out-before-clash-with-kkr-330455" hreflang="en">From Warner to Bhuvi: SRH players sweat it out</a>

“I think I got my decision right. For us, our strength is death bowling. I thought it was actually a difficult wicket to accelerate on. The Kolkata boys showed us that if you can keep wickets at the end, that’s what wins you games. I don’t regret what I did at the beginning of the game and I stick by my decision,” Warner told host broadcaster Star Sports in the post-match presentation.

SRH now have lost both of their matches in IPL 2020 and will be looking to get back to winning ways when they take on Delhi Capitals on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner was critical of the ‘dot balls’ played by his team’s batsman during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 against Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner was critical of the ‘dot balls’ played by his team’s batsman during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 against Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Warner said that SRH batsmen played too many dot balls during the middle overs while adding it was “unacceptable” in T20 cricket. SRH opted to bat first after winning the toss and posted a modest total of 142/4 in 20 overs. Warner scored 36 while Manish Pandey registered a half-century. However, given the wickets left in hand, SRH were around 20-30 runs short. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: KKR register first win in tournament after beating SRH by 7 wickets “We need to push as hard as we can. You can see from our running between the wickets, we do that. But we got to improve our boundary percentage. I think I saw 35 dot balls, which is not acceptable in T20 cricket on a wicket that was actually nice to bat on. We just mis-executed in the middle,” Warner said in the post-match press conference. However, Warner backed his decision to bat first against KKR as he said SRH’s main strength lies in their bowling department. IN PICS | From Warner to Bhuvi: SRH players sweat it out “I think I got my decision right. For us, our strength is death bowling. I thought it was actually a difficult wicket to accelerate on. The Kolkata boys showed us that if you can keep wickets at the end, that’s what wins you games. I don’t regret what I did at the beginning of the game and I stick by my decision,” Warner told host broadcaster Star Sports in the post-match presentation. SRH now have lost both of their matches in IPL 2020 and will be looking to get back to winning ways when they take on Delhi Capitals on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi.

'That's not acceptable in T20 cricket...' - Warner unhappy with SRH performance against KKR in IPL 2020

Novak Djokovic will renew his love-hate relationship with Roland Garros in the knowledge that it is himself rather than seemingly unsettled 12-time champion Rafael Nadal who could pose the greatest threat to winning a second Paris title and 18th Grand Slam crown.

The only man to beat Djokovic in 2020 is Djokovic after the Serb's hair-trigger temper prompted a sensational disqualification from the US Open.

The 33-year-old arrives in the French capital with a 31-1 record this year after his New York brain-fade was followed by a record 36th Masters title in Rome.

Djokovic's 2016 triumph at Roland Garros allowed him to become only the third man after Don Budge and Rod Laver to hold all four Grand Slams at the same time.

Not even Nadal, the holder of 19 majors, or Roger Federer, with a record 20 Slams, can match that staggering achievement.

Federer will miss the French Open as he rehabs his injured knee while Nadal has played just three matches since February, a ring-rustiness evident in his quarter-final exit in Rome.

However, Djokovic refused to get carried away by his chances at Roland Garros ahead of Sunday's start in a wet and chilly Paris.

"It's Nadal," insisted the world number one when pushed on who is the favourite. "You just can't put anybody in front of him."

Djokovic is right to be cautious after experiencing numerous low points on the red clay of Paris.

In the 2012 final against Nadal, having won eight games in a row, he was up a break and pushing to level the match at two sets apiece when rain brought an overnight suspension.

Play resumed the following day but Djokovic's momentum was lost and a double-fault on championship point completed his misery.

Twelve months later, Djokovic was poised for a semi-final win over Nadal with just a routine putaway required to help give him a 5-3 final set lead and a chance to serve for the match.

However, he chose a smash rather than a soothing touch. He tumbled into the net, losing the point and Nadal pounced to eventually take the tie after four hours and 37 minutes.

In 2018, he lost a quarter-final to world number 72 Marco Cecchinato while last year he was beaten in the semi-finals by Dominic Thiem.

That match took two days to complete, featured numerous rain stoppages and winds so strong that a courtside umbrella was sent flying across court.

<h2>- 'Ball is dangerous' -</h2>

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Djokovic will start his tournament against Sweden's Mikael Ymer, the world number 80.

Nadal, who skipped the defence of his US Open title due to fears over coronavirus, eyes a 13th French Open.

Since his title-winning debut in 2005, the Spaniard has only lost twice at Roland Garros in 95 matches - to Robin Soderling in 2009 and Djokovic in 2015.

The 34-year-old may appear to be under-cooked after his last-eight exit in Rome to Diego Schwartzman.

However, the last time he suffered such an early departure from the Italian capital was in 2017 -- just weeks later he was lifting a 10th French Open without dropping a set.

Nadal cut an unsettled figure at a pre-tournament press conference on Friday where he admitted the cold and damp conditions forced him to face his "most difficult ever Roland Garros".

He is also unhappy about using a new brand of ball.

"For the health of the players, the ball is super heavy and becomes dangerous for the elbow and for the shoulders," he said.

Nadal begins his campaign against Egor Gerasimov, the 83rd-ranked Belarusian.

The unusual sight of Roland Garros being played in the autumn also means radically different conditions to those expected in its normal time slot of May and June.

&nbsp;

<h2>- Murray v Wawrinka first round -</h2>

That could suit newly-crowned US Open winner Thiem who has lost the last two finals to Nadal in Paris.

The world number three Austrian has 17 career titles with 10 of those on clay.

Four of his five wins over Nadal have come on clay with three of four victories against Djokovic carved out on the sport's most testing surface.

This year, Thiem will be in the same half of the draw as Nadal and starts against Marin Cilic, the 2014 US Open winner and a former world number three.

World number five Daniil Medvedev has yet to win a match at the tournament in three visits while sixth-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas made the last 16 in 2019, losing a five-set marathon to 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka.

Wawrinka faces fellow three-time major winner Andy Murray in the first round on Sunday in a rematch of their 2017 semi-final epic, a tie which Murray described as the clash which "ended his hip".

Novak Djokovic will renew his love-hate relationship with Roland Garros in the knowledge that it is himself rather than seemingly unsettled 12-time champion Rafael Nadal who could pose the greatest threat to winning a second Paris title and 18th Grand Slam crown.

Novak Djokovic will renew his love-hate relationship with Roland Garros in the knowledge that it is himself rather than seemingly unsettled 12-time champion Rafael Nadal who could pose the greatest threat to winning a second Paris title and 18th Grand Slam crown. The only man to beat Djokovic in 2020 is Djokovic after the Serb's hair-trigger temper prompted a sensational disqualification from the US Open. The 33-year-old arrives in the French capital with a 31-1 record this year after his New York brain-fade was followed by a record 36th Masters title in Rome. Djokovic's 2016 triumph at Roland Garros allowed him to become only the third man after Don Budge and Rod Laver to hold all four Grand Slams at the same time. Not even Nadal, the holder of 19 majors, or Roger Federer, with a record 20 Slams, can match that staggering achievement. Federer will miss the French Open as he rehabs his injured knee while Nadal has played just three matches since February, a ring-rustiness evident in his quarter-final exit in Rome. However, Djokovic refused to get carried away by his chances at Roland Garros ahead of Sunday's start in a wet and chilly Paris. "It's Nadal," insisted the world number one when pushed on who is the favourite. "You just can't put anybody in front of him." Djokovic is right to be cautious after experiencing numerous low points on the red clay of Paris. In the 2012 final against Nadal, having won eight games in a row, he was up a break and pushing to level the match at two sets apiece when rain brought an overnight suspension. Play resumed the following day but Djokovic's momentum was lost and a double-fault on championship point completed his misery. Twelve months later, Djokovic was poised for a semi-final win over Nadal with just a routine putaway required to help give him a 5-3 final set lead and a chance to serve for the match. However, he chose a smash rather than a soothing touch. He tumbled into the net, losing the point and Nadal pounced to eventually take the tie after four hours and 37 minutes. In 2018, he lost a quarter-final to world number 72 Marco Cecchinato while last year he was beaten in the semi-finals by Dominic Thiem. That match took two days to complete, featured numerous rain stoppages and winds so strong that a courtside umbrella was sent flying across court. - 'Ball is dangerous' - Djokovic will start his tournament against Sweden's Mikael Ymer, the world number 80. Nadal, who skipped the defence of his US Open title due to fears over coronavirus, eyes a 13th French Open. Since his title-winning debut in 2005, the Spaniard has only lost twice at Roland Garros in 95 matches - to Robin Soderling in 2009 and Djokovic in 2015. The 34-year-old may appear to be under-cooked after his last-eight exit in Rome to Diego Schwartzman. However, the last time he suffered such an early departure from the Italian capital was in 2017 -- just weeks later he was lifting a 10th French Open without dropping a set. Nadal cut an unsettled figure at a pre-tournament press conference on Friday where he admitted the cold and damp conditions forced him to face his "most difficult ever Roland Garros". He is also unhappy about using a new brand of ball. "For the health of the players, the ball is super heavy and becomes dangerous for the elbow and for the shoulders," he said. Nadal begins his campaign against Egor Gerasimov, the 83rd-ranked Belarusian. The unusual sight of Roland Garros being played in the autumn also means radically different conditions to those expected in its normal time slot of May and June. - Murray v Wawrinka first round - That could suit newly-crowned US Open winner Thiem who has lost the last two finals to Nadal in Paris. The world number three Austrian has 17 career titles with 10 of those on clay. Four of his five wins over Nadal have come on clay with three of four victories against Djokovic carved out on the sport's most testing surface. This year, Thiem will be in the same half of the draw as Nadal and starts against Marin Cilic, the 2014 US Open winner and a former world number three. World number five Daniil Medvedev has yet to win a match at the tournament in three visits while sixth-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas made the last 16 in 2019, losing a five-set marathon to 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka. Wawrinka faces fellow three-time major winner Andy Murray in the first round on Sunday in a rematch of their 2017 semi-final epic, a tie which Murray described as the clash which "ended his hip".

Djokovic braced for unhappy Nadal and Roland Garros demons

The Asian leg of the 2020 badminton world tour scheduled for November has been moved until next year in Bangkok, officials said, in the latest disruption to the sport due to the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

The sport has seen international matches called off throughout the year as authorities around the world restrict movement and public gatherings in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus.

The Badminton World Federation said three tournaments under the tour were now scheduled to be played back-to-back in mid-January, with the finals at the end of the month.&nbsp;

It said the Asian leg of the games originally planned for November were no longer "viable" and decided the Asian leg of the tour should be played in Thailand.&nbsp;

"The January dates provide BWF with the best possible opportunity to resume and complete the HSBC BWF World Tour for 2020 as part of our return to international badminton," it said in a statement late Friday.&nbsp;

Two of the tour's Super 1000 tournaments will begin on January 12 and 19, with the finals to be played on the 27th and ending on the 31st.

The news comes as the sport's bosses around Asia elected not to take part in the Thomas and Uber Cup matches set for October, with the event in Denmark called off last week.&nbsp;

The Cup has been postponed three times this year and will not take place until 2021.&nbsp;

Next month's Denmark Open is the only top-level event confirmed on this year's calendar.&nbsp;

The Asian leg of the 2020 badminton world tour scheduled for November has been moved until next year in Bangkok, officials said, in the latest disruption to the sport due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Asian leg of the 2020 badminton world tour scheduled for November has been moved until next year in Bangkok, officials said, in the latest disruption to the sport due to the coronavirus pandemic. The sport has seen international matches called off throughout the year as authorities around the world restrict movement and public gatherings in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus. The Badminton World Federation said three tournaments under the tour were now scheduled to be played back-to-back in mid-January, with the finals at the end of the month. It said the Asian leg of the games originally planned for November were no longer "viable" and decided the Asian leg of the tour should be played in Thailand. "The January dates provide BWF with the best possible opportunity to resume and complete the HSBC BWF World Tour for 2020 as part of our return to international badminton," it said in a statement late Friday. Two of the tour's Super 1000 tournaments will begin on January 12 and 19, with the finals to be played on the 27th and ending on the 31st. The news comes as the sport's bosses around Asia elected not to take part in the Thomas and Uber Cup matches set for October, with the event in Denmark called off last week. The Cup has been postponed three times this year and will not take place until 2021. Next month's Denmark Open is the only top-level event confirmed on this year's calendar.

Badminton world tour postponed to 2021

With Chennai Super Kings (CSK) losing two matches on the trot in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> in the UAE, plenty of questions have been raised on the form of players including skipper MS Dhoni. Former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja reckons the new generation with remember ‘this MS Dhoni’ which would be sad.&nbsp;

Dhoni, who has led CSK to three IPL trophies, has been criticized for dropping himself low in the batting line-up with experts and fans urging the former Indian skipper to bat higher.&nbsp;

Speaking to Gaurav Kapoor on Cricbuzz, Jadeja expressed his opinion on Dhoni’s batting position as he said 'no battle is won while fighting from the back'.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-csk-fans-see-suresh-raina-in-ipl-2020-csk-ceo-gives-an-update-330410" hreflang="en">Will CSK fans see Suresh Raina in IPL 2020? CSK CEO gives an update</a>

“I would again same the same thing. I am not happy with MS Dhoni's batting position. No war is won while fighting from behind. There's a saying in the Army that a war concludes when the General steps out,” Jadeja said.

CSK have been hit by the absence of Ambati Rayudu, who was out injured in Super Kings’s last two matches, whereas Suresh Raina had opted out of IPL 2020 due to ‘personal reasons’. However, Jadeja has said that Dhoni needs to take up responsibility and guide his team in difficult times.

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 cricket, I believe that the one who fights from the front has a better chance of winning the battle. If you have soldiers who can win the battle for you and you can only work towards strategising the war, that's a different scenario. But doesn't look like the case here,” he further said.

“Dhoni has retired from Indian cricket team duty but is still leading CSK. Those kids who have started watching cricket now, would remember the Dhoni they are seeing on the screens, contrary to the great cricketer they were being told about before which is the sad part,” Jadeja asserted.

CSK will now have a week-long break and will return back to the field against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Dubai next week. They will face Kings XI Punjab after SRH.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

With Chennai Super Kings (CSK) losing two matches on the trot in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 in the UAE, plenty of questions have been raised on the form of players including skipper MS Dhoni.

With Chennai Super Kings (CSK) losing two matches on the trot in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 in the UAE, plenty of questions have been raised on the form of players including skipper MS Dhoni. Former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja reckons the new generation with remember ‘this MS Dhoni’ which would be sad. Dhoni, who has led CSK to three IPL trophies, has been criticized for dropping himself low in the batting line-up with experts and fans urging the former Indian skipper to bat higher. Speaking to Gaurav Kapoor on Cricbuzz, Jadeja expressed his opinion on Dhoni’s batting position as he said 'no battle is won while fighting from the back'. ALSO READ: Will CSK fans see Suresh Raina in IPL 2020? CSK CEO gives an update “I would again same the same thing. I am not happy with MS Dhoni's batting position. No war is won while fighting from behind. There's a saying in the Army that a war concludes when the General steps out,” Jadeja said. CSK have been hit by the absence of Ambati Rayudu, who was out injured in Super Kings’s last two matches, whereas Suresh Raina had opted out of IPL 2020 due to ‘personal reasons’. However, Jadeja has said that Dhoni needs to take up responsibility and guide his team in difficult times. ALSO READ: IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament “In cricket, I believe that the one who fights from the front has a better chance of winning the battle. If you have soldiers who can win the battle for you and you can only work towards strategising the war, that's a different scenario. But doesn't look like the case here,” he further said. “Dhoni has retired from Indian cricket team duty but is still leading CSK. Those kids who have started watching cricket now, would remember the Dhoni they are seeing on the screens, contrary to the great cricketer they were being told about before which is the sad part,” Jadeja asserted. CSK will now have a week-long break and will return back to the field against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Dubai next week. They will face Kings XI Punjab after SRH.

IPL 2020: Ajay Jadeja feels new generation remembering 'this MS Dhoni' will be sad

Legendary Australian batsman Dean Jones passed away on Thursday in Mumbai. Dean was in India and was working as a commentator/analyst for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> with host broadcasters Star Sports. India has now handed over the body of the legendary Aussie to the Australian consulate in Mumbai after a call from Dean’s wife Jane Jones from Melbourne. The dead body was handed to the Australian consulate on Friday at 4pm IST.

Now the officials of the Australian High Commission in New Delhi, Cricket Australia in Melbourne, the Australian consulate in Mumbai and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) are working on flying Dean’s body to Australia as soon as possible. Star Sports has also chipped in with efforts of making the entire process easy.&nbsp;

As per reports, charter flight service firm called International SOS, has been contracted to do the job. Star Sports official have said they are doing everything to ensure that Dean’s body reaches to the family as soon as possible.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-expresses-sadness-at-the-passing-of-dean-jones-329989" hreflang="en">ICC expresses sadness at the passing of Dean Jones</a>&nbsp;

“We are using the best repatriation service available and working closely with the Australian High Commission, Deano deserves the best for his contribution to the game and its broadcast,” said the Star Sports source, as quoted by Bangalore Mirror.

The Mumbai police on Thursday. ”A post mortem was carried on the body of Australian cricketer Dean Jones at Sir JJ Hospital in Byculla. On Friday after we received an email and a phone call from his wife Jane, we informed the Australian consulate about it. They look his body from morgue around 4 PM and (it) will be flown to Australia soon,” said Mrityanjay Hiremath, senior Police Inspector of Marine Drive police station.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/gone-too-soon-cricket-fraternity-pays-tribute-after-demise-of-legendary-dean-jones-329933" hreflang="en">Gone too soon: Cricket fraternity pays tribute after demise of legendary Dean Jones</a>

Dean had represented Australia in 52 Test matches and 164 ODIs in his career and retired from international cricket in 1997. 
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Legendary Australian batsman Dean Jones passed away on Thursday in Mumbai. Dean was in India and was working as a commentator/analyst for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 with host broadcasters Star Sports.

Legendary Australian batsman Dean Jones passed away on Thursday in Mumbai. Dean was in India and was working as a commentator/analyst for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 with host broadcasters Star Sports. India has now handed over the body of the legendary Aussie to the Australian consulate in Mumbai after a call from Dean’s wife Jane Jones from Melbourne. The dead body was handed to the Australian consulate on Friday at 4pm IST. Now the officials of the Australian High Commission in New Delhi, Cricket Australia in Melbourne, the Australian consulate in Mumbai and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) are working on flying Dean’s body to Australia as soon as possible. Star Sports has also chipped in with efforts of making the entire process easy. As per reports, charter flight service firm called International SOS, has been contracted to do the job. Star Sports official have said they are doing everything to ensure that Dean’s body reaches to the family as soon as possible. ALSO READ: ICC expresses sadness at the passing of Dean Jones “We are using the best repatriation service available and working closely with the Australian High Commission, Deano deserves the best for his contribution to the game and its broadcast,” said the Star Sports source, as quoted by Bangalore Mirror. The Mumbai police on Thursday. ”A post mortem was carried on the body of Australian cricketer Dean Jones at Sir JJ Hospital in Byculla. On Friday after we received an email and a phone call from his wife Jane, we informed the Australian consulate about it. They look his body from morgue around 4 PM and (it) will be flown to Australia soon,” said Mrityanjay Hiremath, senior Police Inspector of Marine Drive police station. ALSO READ: Gone too soon: Cricket fraternity pays tribute after demise of legendary Dean Jones Dean had represented Australia in 52 Test matches and 164 ODIs in his career and retired from international cricket in 1997.

Aussie legend Dean Jones' body handed over to Australian consulate

Rajasthan Royal’s Jos Buttler is gearing up to return to the playing XI after completing his quarantine phase since arriving in the UAE for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>. Buttler will be available for RR’s next match against Kings XI Punjab and the England international said he is expecting a tough match against the KL Rahul-led outfit.&nbsp;

RR had defeated CSK by 16 runs in their opening clash in IPL 2020 and would be gunning to carry their winning run. Ahead of RR’s clash against KXIP, Buttler said that he is looking forward to take the field for the Rajasthan Royals while adding it was great to be back in the training after completing his quarantine.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-might-have-a-new-winner-predicts-former-india-coach-gary-kirsten-330458" hreflang="en">'IPL might have a new winner', predicts former India coach Gary Kirsten</a>

"Great to get a win on the board, the team played fantastically well in the first game. It was an outstanding batting performance and a fantastic bowling performance in tough bowling conditions. I am really excited to play my first game, it was great to be back in training with the boys, there's a great vibe around the team so I'm really looking forward to taking the field. The atmosphere and energy around the squad is fantastic, obviously lots of confidence after that first game," Buttler said in an official release issued by the Royals.

"The training has been very energetic, guys are lively and enjoying each other's company. So yeah good atmosphere around, expecting a really tough match against Kings XI. Obviously a fantastic team, KL Rahul was in exceptional form the other night against RCB, so he will be a key wicket as always and I think we'll see another potentially high-scoring game at Sharjah with small boundaries and the dew factor coming in. Can't wait to get back out there," he added.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-warner-to-bhuvi-srh-players-sweat-it-out-before-clash-with-kkr-330455" hreflang="en">From Warner to Bhuvi: SRH players sweat it out before clash with KKR</a>

Samson smoked 74 off 32 to help RR post 216/7 against CSK whereas Steve Smith hammered 69 runs. With the ball Rahul Tewatia bagged three wickets.

On the other hand, KXIP are coming on the back of a stunning win over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and the match promises to be a great contest between two in-form sides.

Rajasthan Royal’s Jos Buttler is gearing up to return to the playing XI after completing his quarantine phase since arriving in the UAE for Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.

Rajasthan Royal’s Jos Buttler is gearing up to return to the playing XI after completing his quarantine phase since arriving in the UAE for Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. Buttler will be available for RR’s next match against Kings XI Punjab and the England international said he is expecting a tough match against the KL Rahul-led outfit. RR had defeated CSK by 16 runs in their opening clash in IPL 2020 and would be gunning to carry their winning run. Ahead of RR’s clash against KXIP, Buttler said that he is looking forward to take the field for the Rajasthan Royals while adding it was great to be back in the training after completing his quarantine. ALSO READ: 'IPL might have a new winner', predicts former India coach Gary Kirsten "Great to get a win on the board, the team played fantastically well in the first game. It was an outstanding batting performance and a fantastic bowling performance in tough bowling conditions. I am really excited to play my first game, it was great to be back in training with the boys, there's a great vibe around the team so I'm really looking forward to taking the field. The atmosphere and energy around the squad is fantastic, obviously lots of confidence after that first game," Buttler said in an official release issued by the Royals. "The training has been very energetic, guys are lively and enjoying each other's company. So yeah good atmosphere around, expecting a really tough match against Kings XI. Obviously a fantastic team, KL Rahul was in exceptional form the other night against RCB, so he will be a key wicket as always and I think we'll see another potentially high-scoring game at Sharjah with small boundaries and the dew factor coming in. Can't wait to get back out there," he added. IN PICS | From Warner to Bhuvi: SRH players sweat it out before clash with KKR Samson smoked 74 off 32 to help RR post 216/7 against CSK whereas Steve Smith hammered 69 runs. With the ball Rahul Tewatia bagged three wickets. On the other hand, KXIP are coming on the back of a stunning win over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and the match promises to be a great contest between two in-form sides.

IPL 2020: Expecting tough match against Kings XI Punjab, says Jos Buttler

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are set to lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday as the action continues in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. Both KKR and SRH suffered crushing defeats in their season opener in IPL 2020 but will be looking to win their first game in the 13th edition of the lucrative T20 tournament.&nbsp;

KKR have a slight advantage over SRH when it comes to head-to-head clashes with KKR winning 10 out of 17 while the remaining seven have been won by Hyderabad.&nbsp;

The boundaries in Abu Dhabi are longer and a score of around 170-180 is being seen as a highly competitive score.&nbsp;

<h2>Where will the IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad take place?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad will take place at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

<h2>What time will the IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad begin?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad begins at 7:30 PM IST on Saturday (September 26).

<h2>How to watch live IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad begin?</h2>

The IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad 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 Sunrisers Hyderabad match online?</h2>

The online live streaming of the IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad will be available at Hotstar. You can also latest updates of the IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad match at WION. 
&nbsp;

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are set to lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday as the action continues in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are set to lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday as the action continues in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. Both KKR and SRH suffered crushing defeats in their season opener in IPL 2020 but will be looking to win their first game in the 13th edition of the lucrative T20 tournament. KKR have a slight advantage over SRH when it comes to head-to-head clashes with KKR winning 10 out of 17 while the remaining seven have been won by Hyderabad. The boundaries in Abu Dhabi are longer and a score of around 170-180 is being seen as a highly competitive score. Where will the IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad take place? The IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad will take place at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. What time will the IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad begin? The IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad begins at 7:30 PM IST on Saturday (September 26). How to watch live IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad begin? The IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad 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 Sunrisers Hyderabad match online? The online live streaming of the IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad will be available at Hotstar. You can also latest updates of the IPL 2020 match between Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad match at WION.

KKR vs SRH, IPL 2020 Live Streaming: When and where to watch Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad?

Kolkata Knight Riders are all set to face Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Both KKR and SRH lost their season opener and will be looking for redemption when they face each other in Abu Dhabi in a bid to mark their first win of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">IPL 2020</a>.

KKR and SRH had a batting order collapses in their last match against Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore respectively. While KKR’s batting line-up crumbled under pressure while chasing a big total, SRH batting order wasn’t up for the challenge possessed by RCB with the batting unit collapsing like a pack of cards following the departures of Jonny Bairstow and Manish Pandey.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-csk-fans-see-suresh-raina-in-ipl-2020-csk-ceo-gives-an-update-330410" hreflang="en">Will CSK fans see Suresh Raina in IPL 2020? CSK CEO gives an update</a>

<h2>KKR vs SRH: Head-to-head stats</h2>

Talking about the head-to-head encounters between KKR and SRH, the Kolkata outfit have won 10 out of their 17 encounters with SRH winning the remaining seven. KKR bowlers have to be wary of David Warner as he holds the most runs scored in the matches between KKR and SRH (533). For KKR it was Robin Uthappa with most runs against SRH but he has now moved to Rajasthan Royals.&nbsp;

Bhuvneshwar Kumar holds the most wickets in matches between KKR and SRH (19) with Umesh Yadav picking the second-most wickets at 11. However, Umesh is now with RCB.

The longer boundaries in Abu Dhabi has come as a headache for many and with the dew factor coming into the play, a score of 170-180 will be a good total to put on board for the team batting first.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sunil-gavaskar-issues-clarification-after-commentary-controversy-involving-kohli-anushka-330397" hreflang="en">Sunil Gavaskar issues clarification after commentary controversy involving Kohli-Anushka</a>

The highest score for SRH in matches against KKR stands at 209 whereas KKR have top-scored 183 against SRH. The lowest score remains 128 from SRH and 101 for KKR.

In the last five encounters, KKR have won twice while losing thrice against SRH and the Dinesh Karthik-led outfit would be gunning to prove their talent when they take to the field on Saturday.&nbsp;

<h2>KKR vs SRH - Squads:</h2>

Sunrisers Hyderabad Squad: David Warner(c), Jonny Bairstow(w), Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Priyam Garg, Vijay Shankar, Abhishek Sharma, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, T Natarajan, Wriddhiman Saha, Shreevats Goswami, Siddarth Kaul, Mohammad Nabi, Shahbaz Nadeem, Jason Holder, Bavanaka Sandeep, Billy Stanlake, Fabian Allen, Virat Singh, Basil Thampi, K Khaleel Ahmed, Sanjay Yadav, Abdul Samad

Kolkata Knight Riders Squad: Shubman Gill, Sunil Narine, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan, Andre Russell, Nikhil Naik, Pat Cummins, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav, Sandeep Warrier, Rahul Tripathi, Siddhesh Lad, Chris Green, Prasidh Krishna, Lockie Ferguson, Rinku Singh, Ali Khan, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Tom Banton, Varun Chakravarthy, Manimaran Siddharth

Kolkata Knight Riders are all set to face Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Both KKR and SRH lost their season opener and will be looking for redemption when they face each other in Abu Dhabi in a bid to mark their first win of IPL 2020.

Kolkata Knight Riders are all set to face Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Both KKR and SRH lost their season opener and will be looking for redemption when they face each other in Abu Dhabi in a bid to mark their first win of IPL 2020. KKR and SRH had a batting order collapses in their last match against Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore respectively. While KKR’s batting line-up crumbled under pressure while chasing a big total, SRH batting order wasn’t up for the challenge possessed by RCB with the batting unit collapsing like a pack of cards following the departures of Jonny Bairstow and Manish Pandey. ALSO READ: Will CSK fans see Suresh Raina in IPL 2020? CSK CEO gives an update KKR vs SRH: Head-to-head stats Talking about the head-to-head encounters between KKR and SRH, the Kolkata outfit have won 10 out of their 17 encounters with SRH winning the remaining seven. KKR bowlers have to be wary of David Warner as he holds the most runs scored in the matches between KKR and SRH (533). For KKR it was Robin Uthappa with most runs against SRH but he has now moved to Rajasthan Royals. Bhuvneshwar Kumar holds the most wickets in matches between KKR and SRH (19) with Umesh Yadav picking the second-most wickets at 11. However, Umesh is now with RCB. The longer boundaries in Abu Dhabi has come as a headache for many and with the dew factor coming into the play, a score of 170-180 will be a good total to put on board for the team batting first. ALSO READ: Sunil Gavaskar issues clarification after commentary controversy involving Kohli-Anushka The highest score for SRH in matches against KKR stands at 209 whereas KKR have top-scored 183 against SRH. The lowest score remains 128 from SRH and 101 for KKR. In the last five encounters, KKR have won twice while losing thrice against SRH and the Dinesh Karthik-led outfit would be gunning to prove their talent when they take to the field on Saturday. KKR vs SRH - Squads: Sunrisers Hyderabad Squad: David Warner(c), Jonny Bairstow(w), Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Priyam Garg, Vijay Shankar, Abhishek Sharma, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, T Natarajan, Wriddhiman Saha, Shreevats Goswami, Siddarth Kaul, Mohammad Nabi, Shahbaz Nadeem, Jason Holder, Bavanaka Sandeep, Billy Stanlake, Fabian Allen, Virat Singh, Basil Thampi, K Khaleel Ahmed, Sanjay Yadav, Abdul Samad Kolkata Knight Riders Squad: Shubman Gill, Sunil Narine, Dinesh Karthik(w/c), Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan, Andre Russell, Nikhil Naik, Pat Cummins, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav, Sandeep Warrier, Rahul Tripathi, Siddhesh Lad, Chris Green, Prasidh Krishna, Lockie Ferguson, Rinku Singh, Ali Khan, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Tom Banton, Varun Chakravarthy, Manimaran Siddharth

IPL 2020, KKR vs SRH Preview: Karthik and Warner eyeing first win for their team

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have had a torrid start to their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>&nbsp;losing two out of their three matches in the campaign. While plenty of questions have been raised on the form of top-order batsmen, fans have called for the return of Suresh Raina, who opted out of IPL 2020 due to ‘personal reasons’.&nbsp;

CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan has ruled out the possibility of Raina’s return in the CSK camp for IPL 2020 as he said they need to respect his decision of pulling out of IPL 2020 and the CSK management is not thinking about it.

"See, we cannot look at Raina because he made himself unavailable and we respect his decision and his space. We are not thinking about it,” CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan told ANI.

CSK started strong with a win against Mumbai Indians in the opener but have since lost two matches on the bounce – against RCB and DC – which have raised major concerns surrounding the form and rhythm of the players.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-are-lacking-a-bit-of-steam-ms-dhoni-unhappy-with-form-of-csk-openers-in-ipl-2020-330393" hreflang="en">We are lacking a bit of steam: MS Dhoni unhappy with form of CSK openers in IPL 2020</a>

However, the CSK CEO is confident that despite worries from CSK fans, the players and the franchise will bring back the smiles to the faces of the supporters.&nbsp;

"We have been blessed with some of the best fans in the cricketing world and I can assure them that we will bounce back strongly. It is a game and you have your good days and bad days. But the boys know what they need to do and the smiles will be back," he asserted.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sunil-gavaskar-issues-clarification-after-commentary-controversy-involving-kohli-anushka-330397" hreflang="en">Sunil Gavaskar issues clarification after commentary controversy involving Kohli-Anushka</a>

The loss of Ambati Rayudu due to hamstring injury came as a massive blow to CSK, who lost both their matches in the absence of the right-handed batsmen. The CSK boss has confirmed that Rayudu will be back in their next game against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

"Like I told you last day (before the Delhi Capitals game), he would miss one game at worst. He is fit and ready for the next game," he said.

 
The Super Kings will be next face SunRisers Hyderabad on October 2 in Dubai. 
&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have had a torrid start to their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 losing two out of their three matches in the campaign. While plenty of questions have been raised on the form of top-order batsmen, fans have called for the return of Suresh Raina, who opted out of IPL 2020 due to ‘personal reasons’.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have had a torrid start to their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 losing two out of their three matches in the campaign. While plenty of questions have been raised on the form of top-order batsmen, fans have called for the return of Suresh Raina, who opted out of IPL 2020 due to ‘personal reasons’. CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan has ruled out the possibility of Raina’s return in the CSK camp for IPL 2020 as he said they need to respect his decision of pulling out of IPL 2020 and the CSK management is not thinking about it. "See, we cannot look at Raina because he made himself unavailable and we respect his decision and his space. We are not thinking about it,” CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan told ANI. CSK started strong with a win against Mumbai Indians in the opener but have since lost two matches on the bounce – against RCB and DC – which have raised major concerns surrounding the form and rhythm of the players. ALSO READ: We are lacking a bit of steam: MS Dhoni unhappy with form of CSK openers in IPL 2020 However, the CSK CEO is confident that despite worries from CSK fans, the players and the franchise will bring back the smiles to the faces of the supporters. "We have been blessed with some of the best fans in the cricketing world and I can assure them that we will bounce back strongly. It is a game and you have your good days and bad days. But the boys know what they need to do and the smiles will be back," he asserted. ALSO READ: Sunil Gavaskar issues clarification after commentary controversy involving Kohli-Anushka The loss of Ambati Rayudu due to hamstring injury came as a massive blow to CSK, who lost both their matches in the absence of the right-handed batsmen. The CSK boss has confirmed that Rayudu will be back in their next game against Sunrisers Hyderabad. "Like I told you last day (before the Delhi Capitals game), he would miss one game at worst. He is fit and ready for the next game," he said. The Super Kings will be next face SunRisers Hyderabad on October 2 in Dubai.

Will CSK fans see Suresh Raina in IPL 2020? CSK CEO gives an update

A <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-sunil-gavaskar-creates-controversy-with-remark-on-virat-kohli-anushka-sends-strong-message-330161">massive controversy was created after former India captain Sunil Gavaskar</a>, while doing his commentary duties in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">IPL 2020</a>, brought up the incident where Virat Kohli was seen taking throw downs from his wife and Bollywood superstar Anushka Sharma. While Gavaskar’s comments was wrongly translated in the first place on Twitter which led to the massive stir following which Anushka issued a scathing statement.&nbsp;

Now, Gavaskar has issued a clarification on the incident while urging everyone to go through the original clip again. The former Indian opener said that he never made any sexist comment and just mentioned Kohli didn’t get any real practice during lockdown apart from facing Anushka’s bowling.&nbsp;

Gavaskar during commentary in CSK vs DC match stated, "I did not make any sexist comment. I said Virat Kohli didn't get time to practice during lockdown. We all saw how Virat Kohli was practicing on his terrace and Anushka was bowling to him. I just said Virat only got chance to practice on Anushka's bowling."&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-are-lacking-a-bit-of-steam-ms-dhoni-unhappy-with-form-of-csk-openers-in-ipl-2020-330393" hreflang="en">We are lacking a bit of steam: MS Dhoni unhappy with form of CSK openers in IPL 2020</a>

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Many celebrities and influencers jumped in following Anushka’s statement as almost everyone supported the latter. This is not the first time Anushka has put out a statement as her name continues to be dragged after poor performances by Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore.&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>

Following the incident, Gavaskar was heavily trolled on social media. While many slammed Gavaskar for his comments on Kohli and Anushka, some supported him as they said the translated version of Gavaskar’s commentary was taken out of context.&nbsp; 
Meanwhile, Kohli is yet to react on the issue.&nbsp;

A massive controversy was created after former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, while doing his commentary duties in IPL 2020, brought up the incident where Virat Kohli was seen taking throw downs from his wife and Bollywood superstar Anushka Sharma.

A massive controversy was created after former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, while doing his commentary duties in IPL 2020, brought up the incident where Virat Kohli was seen taking throw downs from his wife and Bollywood superstar Anushka Sharma. While Gavaskar’s comments was wrongly translated in the first place on Twitter which led to the massive stir following which Anushka issued a scathing statement. Now, Gavaskar has issued a clarification on the incident while urging everyone to go through the original clip again. The former Indian opener said that he never made any sexist comment and just mentioned Kohli didn’t get any real practice during lockdown apart from facing Anushka’s bowling. Gavaskar during commentary in CSK vs DC match stated, "I did not make any sexist comment. I said Virat Kohli didn't get time to practice during lockdown. We all saw how Virat Kohli was practicing on his terrace and Anushka was bowling to him. I just said Virat only got chance to practice on Anushka's bowling." ALSO READ: We are lacking a bit of steam: MS Dhoni unhappy with form of CSK openers in IPL 2020 Rt max pic.twitter.com/xm7CRZpggo — #freepogba (@sacredutd) September 25, 2020 × Many celebrities and influencers jumped in following Anushka’s statement as almost everyone supported the latter. This is not the first time Anushka has put out a statement as her name continues to be dragged after poor performances by Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore. ALSO READ: IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament Following the incident, Gavaskar was heavily trolled on social media. While many slammed Gavaskar for his comments on Kohli and Anushka, some supported him as they said the translated version of Gavaskar’s commentary was taken out of context. Meanwhile, Kohli is yet to react on the issue.

Sunil Gavaskar issues clarification after commentary controversy involving Kohli-Anushka

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have had a horrendous start to their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> as the MS Dhoni-led outfit has now lost two of their three games following their crushing 44-run defeat to Delhi Capitals on Friday. MS Dhoni has raised concerns regarding the form and rhythm of the batsmen and openers as he said failure to gain momentum from the start is hurting CSK in IPL 2020.&nbsp;

The likes of Shane Watson and Murali Vijay have failed to impress at the top with no important partnership right at the top for CSK. The scoring rate of top order batsmen, especially openers, have also raised some eyebrows.&nbsp;

“I feel when it comes to the batting department, we are lacking a bit of steam. There is no momentum right from the start, which hurts. If you are already chasing 160-plus, the run-rate keeps mounting and it puts added pressure on the middle-order batsmen. So we need to figure that out,” said Dhoni.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-shaw-and-rabada-shine-as-dc-beat-csk-by-44-runs-330310" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Shaw and Rabada shine as DC beat CSK by 44 runs</a>

However, CSK will now have a week-long break before their next game against Sunrisers Hyderabad with the three-time IPL winners likely to have Ambati Rayudu back in the playing XI. Dhoni hinted on change in team combination after Rayudu returns to the team as he said his inclusion gives CSK cushion or liberty to try something different.&nbsp;

"We are one batter heavy to start off with but at the same time, if you are looking to get one more seamer or spinner into the side then the batsmen need to take that added pressure. I feel Rayudu will come back in the next game so that gives us some cushion, or liberty of trying something different," he added.

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>

“I feel the coming seven days are the best break we could have. We'll give the guys a bit more match simulation and come back with a clearer picture as to what is the best combination, looking at how everyone is contributing,” opined the 39-year-old. 
&nbsp;

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have had a horrendous start to their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 as the MS Dhoni-led outfit has now lost two of their three games following their crushing 44-run defeat to Delhi Capitals on Friday.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have had a horrendous start to their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 as the MS Dhoni-led outfit has now lost two of their three games following their crushing 44-run defeat to Delhi Capitals on Friday. MS Dhoni has raised concerns regarding the form and rhythm of the batsmen and openers as he said failure to gain momentum from the start is hurting CSK in IPL 2020. The likes of Shane Watson and Murali Vijay have failed to impress at the top with no important partnership right at the top for CSK. The scoring rate of top order batsmen, especially openers, have also raised some eyebrows. “I feel when it comes to the batting department, we are lacking a bit of steam. There is no momentum right from the start, which hurts. If you are already chasing 160-plus, the run-rate keeps mounting and it puts added pressure on the middle-order batsmen. So we need to figure that out,” said Dhoni. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Shaw and Rabada shine as DC beat CSK by 44 runs However, CSK will now have a week-long break before their next game against Sunrisers Hyderabad with the three-time IPL winners likely to have Ambati Rayudu back in the playing XI. Dhoni hinted on change in team combination after Rayudu returns to the team as he said his inclusion gives CSK cushion or liberty to try something different. "We are one batter heavy to start off with but at the same time, if you are looking to get one more seamer or spinner into the side then the batsmen need to take that added pressure. I feel Rayudu will come back in the next game so that gives us some cushion, or liberty of trying something different," he added. ALSO READ: IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament “I feel the coming seven days are the best break we could have. We'll give the guys a bit more match simulation and come back with a clearer picture as to what is the best combination, looking at how everyone is contributing,” opined the 39-year-old.

We are lacking a bit of steam: MS Dhoni unhappy with form of CSK openers in IPL 2020

Royal Challengers Bangalore suffered a crushing 97-run defeat to Kings XI Punjab at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday as Virat Kohli admitted that his mistakes on the field led to the humiliating loss as action continued in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>.

Kohli dropped two sitters of KXIP skipper KL Rahul in the 17th and 18th over after which the latter went on to score a century and piled crucial runs for KXIP to take them to 206/3.

Rahul hammed 26 runs off Dale Steyn in the 19th over and ended the 20th with a four and two sixes as he went on to achieve the highest-ever score by and Indian batsman and captain in IPL history.

<h2>We know exactly where we went wrong: Virat Kohli</h2>

"I think we were good in the middle phase with the ball, they got off to a decent start and we pulled things back nicely," said Kohli on Star Sports after the match. "I have to stand in front and take the brunt of it, not the best day in the office, couple of important chances of KL when he was set and that cost us 35-40 runs at a later stage maybe if we restricted them to 180 we wouldn't have under pressure from ball one to chase. We know exactly where we went wrong and I have to put my hand up and say couple of important chances went down."

Kohli demoted himself to no. 4 to try Josh Philippe at no. 3. However, the move failed as the Aussie scored a duck and Kohli was sent packing for one run.&nbsp;

"He (Philippe) has batted at the top of the order for Western Australia and done well in the BBL as well, early days in the tournament so we thought we will maximise his ability and see how we go from thereon. We thought we will give ourselves a bit of depth in the middle overs," said Kohli. 
&nbsp;

Royal Challengers Bangalore suffered a crushing 97-run defeat to Kings XI Punjab at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday as Virat Kohli admitted that his mistakes on the field led to the humiliating loss as action continued in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.

Royal Challengers Bangalore suffered a crushing 97-run defeat to Kings XI Punjab at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday as Virat Kohli admitted that his mistakes on the field led to the humiliating loss as action continued in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. Kohli dropped two sitters of KXIP skipper KL Rahul in the 17th and 18th over after which the latter went on to score a century and piled crucial runs for KXIP to take them to 206/3. Rahul hammed 26 runs off Dale Steyn in the 19th over and ended the 20th with a four and two sixes as he went on to achieve the highest-ever score by and Indian batsman and captain in IPL history. We know exactly where we went wrong: Virat Kohli "I think we were good in the middle phase with the ball, they got off to a decent start and we pulled things back nicely," said Kohli on Star Sports after the match. "I have to stand in front and take the brunt of it, not the best day in the office, couple of important chances of KL when he was set and that cost us 35-40 runs at a later stage maybe if we restricted them to 180 we wouldn't have under pressure from ball one to chase. We know exactly where we went wrong and I have to put my hand up and say couple of important chances went down." Kohli demoted himself to no. 4 to try Josh Philippe at no. 3. However, the move failed as the Aussie scored a duck and Kohli was sent packing for one run. "He (Philippe) has batted at the top of the order for Western Australia and done well in the BBL as well, early days in the tournament so we thought we will maximise his ability and see how we go from thereon. We thought we will give ourselves a bit of depth in the middle overs," said Kohli.

Have to take the brunt of it: Virat Kohli reacts to RCB's crushing defeat to KXIP in IPL 2020

Nine persons have been arrested from different parts of Kolkata for allegedly betting on an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match, police said on Friday.

Acting on a tip-off, sleuths of the Kolkata Police's detective department conducted raids in Hare Street, Park Street, Jadavpur and Salt Lake areas on Thursday night and arrested nine persons, mostly in their mid-20s, for allegedly betting on the previous day's IPL cricket match, a senior officer said.

Several documents, laptops, mobile phones, tablets and a vehicle have been seized from their possession, he said. 
"The matter is being probed and we are trying to find out whether the accused persons are involved in any inter- state betting racket," the officer said.

The nine accused persons will be produced before a city court during the day, he added.

Nine persons have been arrested from different parts of Kolkata for allegedly betting on an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match, police said on Friday. Acting on a tip-off, sleuths of the Kolkata Police's detective department conducted raids in Hare Street, Park Street, Jadavpur and Salt Lake areas on Thursday night and arrested nine persons, mostly in their mid-20s, for allegedly betting on the previous day's IPL cricket match, a senior officer said.

Nine persons have been arrested from different parts of Kolkata for allegedly betting on an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match, police said on Friday. Acting on a tip-off, sleuths of the Kolkata Police's detective department conducted raids in Hare Street, Park Street, Jadavpur and Salt Lake areas on Thursday night and arrested nine persons, mostly in their mid-20s, for allegedly betting on the previous day's IPL cricket match, a senior officer said. Several documents, laptops, mobile phones, tablets and a vehicle have been seized from their possession, he said. "The matter is being probed and we are trying to find out whether the accused persons are involved in any inter- state betting racket," the officer said. The nine accused persons will be produced before a city court during the day, he added.

9 arrested for IPL betting in Kolkata

Veteran midfielder Javi Martinez admitted it was "a dream" to be able to write more UEFA Super Cup history for Bayern Munich on Thursday as his header in extra time sealed a 2-1 win over Sevilla in Budapest.

Having equalised with a crucial 120th-minute goal seven years ago when Bayern won the 2013 Super Cup on penalties against Chelsea in Prague, Martinez struck on 104 minutes at the Puskas Arena to hand the Champions League winners a fourth title in 2020.

There were a smattering of travelling Bayern and Sevilla fans among the 15,180 crowd in Budapest as both clubs played for the first time in front of spectators since the Covid-19 pandemic first hit Europe in March.

After Lucas Ocampos converted an early penalty for Sevilla, Leon Goretzka equalised for Bayern, who had two second-half goals disallowed before substitute Martinez, 32, struck from a late corner.

Bayern head coach Hansi Flick praised his team for "pulling through with their mentality. In the end, my players went through the pain barrier to win."

Having replaced Goretzka on 99 minutes, it was Martinez - linked to a return to Spain after losing his first-team place - whose header extends Bayern's winning streak to 23 games dating back to February.&nbsp;

"Whenever I wear the Bayern shirt, I always try to give my best and I showed that once again today," Martinez told Sky.

"I always want to help the team by scoring a goal. It's a dream come true.

"I'm really happy to win this trophy for a second time after also scoring in 2013."

After also sweeping the Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League trophies, Bayern can win a fifth title this year when they host Borussia Dortmund in Munich for the German Super Cup on Wednesday.

<h2>- Rakitic regrets -</h2>

Sevilla midfielder Ivan Rakitic said Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer made the difference with two superb late saves to deny Youssef En-Nesyri.

"We saw tonight how important Neuer is for them," said Rakitic.

"We had two great chances to go ahead, but he stopped them.

"Then we gave away a silly corner and they scored. Nevertheless, we can be proud of how we played against the best team in Europe."

Champions League winners Bayern fell behind for the first time this season on 14 minutes when the VAR judged David Alaba had fouled Rakitic in the area and Ocampos converted Sevilla's penalty.

Alaba was booked for the challenge and there were nervous glances in the Germans' ranks, especially when defender Benjamin Pavard and Thomas Mueller both missed chances.

Goretzka got Bayern back on level terms when Mueller and Robert Lewandowski combined in the area for the midfielder to smash home the equaliser with 34 minutes gone. &nbsp;

It stayed 1-1 at the break, but Bayern turned up the heat on the Europa League holders.

Just six minutes after the break, Lewandowski had the ball in the net after being set up by Thomas Mueller, but the VAR spotted the Poland striker was offside.

<h2>- Happy Neuer -</h2>

With an hour gone, Bayern winger Leroy Sane was left frustrated after his shot powered past Sevilla's Moroccan goalkeeper Bono, but the VAR spotted Lewandowski had fouled a Sevilla defender in the build up.

With 90 minutes almost up, Manuel Neuer underlined his status as one of the world's best goalkeepers with a finger-tip save to deny En-Nesyri after Sevilla attacked from the edge of their own penalty area.

Sevilla made a great start to extra-time with Bayern in all sorts of trouble, as Ocampos had a shot blocked while En-Nesyri's shot clipped the post after crashing off Neuer's leg.

However, the scene was set for Martinez, a veteran of the side which won the 2013 Champions League final in London, to add to his chapter in Bayern's folklore.

"I was so happy when the coach brought Javi on, because I know how good he is with his head from set pieces," said Bayern captain Neuer.

"Sevilla are a well-drilled team, it's not easy to play against them, but overall we deserved the win and can be proud of ourselves."

Veteran midfielder Javi Martinez admitted it was "a dream" to be able to write more UEFA Super Cup history for Bayern Munich on Thursday as his header in extra time sealed a 2-1 win over Sevilla in Budapest.

Veteran midfielder Javi Martinez admitted it was "a dream" to be able to write more UEFA Super Cup history for Bayern Munich on Thursday as his header in extra time sealed a 2-1 win over Sevilla in Budapest. Having equalised with a crucial 120th-minute goal seven years ago when Bayern won the 2013 Super Cup on penalties against Chelsea in Prague, Martinez struck on 104 minutes at the Puskas Arena to hand the Champions League winners a fourth title in 2020. There were a smattering of travelling Bayern and Sevilla fans among the 15,180 crowd in Budapest as both clubs played for the first time in front of spectators since the Covid-19 pandemic first hit Europe in March. After Lucas Ocampos converted an early penalty for Sevilla, Leon Goretzka equalised for Bayern, who had two second-half goals disallowed before substitute Martinez, 32, struck from a late corner. Bayern head coach Hansi Flick praised his team for "pulling through with their mentality. In the end, my players went through the pain barrier to win." Having replaced Goretzka on 99 minutes, it was Martinez - linked to a return to Spain after losing his first-team place - whose header extends Bayern's winning streak to 23 games dating back to February. "Whenever I wear the Bayern shirt, I always try to give my best and I showed that once again today," Martinez told Sky. "I always want to help the team by scoring a goal. It's a dream come true. "I'm really happy to win this trophy for a second time after also scoring in 2013." After also sweeping the Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League trophies, Bayern can win a fifth title this year when they host Borussia Dortmund in Munich for the German Super Cup on Wednesday. - Rakitic regrets - Sevilla midfielder Ivan Rakitic said Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer made the difference with two superb late saves to deny Youssef En-Nesyri. "We saw tonight how important Neuer is for them," said Rakitic. "We had two great chances to go ahead, but he stopped them. "Then we gave away a silly corner and they scored. Nevertheless, we can be proud of how we played against the best team in Europe." Champions League winners Bayern fell behind for the first time this season on 14 minutes when the VAR judged David Alaba had fouled Rakitic in the area and Ocampos converted Sevilla's penalty. Alaba was booked for the challenge and there were nervous glances in the Germans' ranks, especially when defender Benjamin Pavard and Thomas Mueller both missed chances. Goretzka got Bayern back on level terms when Mueller and Robert Lewandowski combined in the area for the midfielder to smash home the equaliser with 34 minutes gone. It stayed 1-1 at the break, but Bayern turned up the heat on the Europa League holders. Just six minutes after the break, Lewandowski had the ball in the net after being set up by Thomas Mueller, but the VAR spotted the Poland striker was offside. - Happy Neuer - With an hour gone, Bayern winger Leroy Sane was left frustrated after his shot powered past Sevilla's Moroccan goalkeeper Bono, but the VAR spotted Lewandowski had fouled a Sevilla defender in the build up. With 90 minutes almost up, Manuel Neuer underlined his status as one of the world's best goalkeepers with a finger-tip save to deny En-Nesyri after Sevilla attacked from the edge of their own penalty area. Sevilla made a great start to extra-time with Bayern in all sorts of trouble, as Ocampos had a shot blocked while En-Nesyri's shot clipped the post after crashing off Neuer's leg. However, the scene was set for Martinez, a veteran of the side which won the 2013 Champions League final in London, to add to his chapter in Bayern's folklore. "I was so happy when the coach brought Javi on, because I know how good he is with his head from set pieces," said Bayern captain Neuer. "Sevilla are a well-drilled team, it's not easy to play against them, but overall we deserved the win and can be proud of ourselves."

Martinez hands Bayern 'dream' UEFA Super Cup win in front of 15,000 fans

Manchester United and Chelsea need a swift response to their title credentials being damaged by home defeats last weekend, while one or both of Liverpool and Arsenal's perfect records will come to an end when they face off at Anfield on Monday night.

Crystal Palace and Everton also have the chance to claim top spot when they meet at Selhurst Park on Saturday, while the other side with maximum points from the opening two weekends, Leicester, face a daunting trip to Manchester City.

Gareth Bale will not be fit to feature to Tottenham when they host Newcastle on Sunday, but Harry Kane and Son Heung-min are enough for the Magpies to fear after the England captain set up the South Korean to score four at Southampton.

Chelsea travel to bottom-of-the-table West Brom, who are still seeking their first point back in the top-flight.

AFP Sport looks at some of the main talking points ahead of this weekend's action.

<h2>Mayday for Man Utd?</h2>

Optimism that United could return to challenging for the title after a 14-game unbeaten run to end last season was washed away with that unbeaten record as Palace were good value for their 3-1 win at Old Trafford.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men looked desperately short of match sharpness having had barely two weeks of pre-season training.

A month-long off season was also disruptive off the field with captain Harry Maguire being handed a suspended prison term in Greece, which he is appealing, and teenage striker Mason Greenwood being sent home by England for breaching coronavirus protocols when on international duty.

There is also outcry among the United fanbase at a lack of signings in the transfer market, while their rivals still spend freely despite the economic affects of the pandemic.

The Red Devils desperately need three points at Brighton on Saturday to bring some calm, but the Seagulls have shown enough in their opening two games to suggest United face a far tougher test than when they won 3-0 on the south coast in June.

Brighton were the better side for long spells despite losing 3-1 to Chelsea on the opening weekend and bounced back with a comprehensive 3-0 win at Newcastle.

United did manage to get past Championship side Luton in the League Cup on Tuesday despite Solskjaer making 10 changes, but the Norwegian needed to bring on Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Greenwood in the latter stages to kill the tie off with Rashford and Greenwood getting on the scoresheet.

"We need to get competitive games and minutes into the legs of our players because normally we're in a pre-season after such a short training (period)," said Solskjaer.

"It's great for them to get minutes as well but also goals."

<h2>More motivated Everton shine</h2>

Everton's investment in the transfer market is reaping immediate rewards as they have won their opening two league games of the season for the first time in seven years.

Carlo Ancelotti has been able to recruit Champions League-winning quality in James Rodriguez, alongside Brazilian international Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure in midfield.

"The players have come back with more ambition and motivation," said Ancelotti after finishing 12th last season. "The new signings have helped us be more motivated."

Palace will provide an early test of how far Ancelotti's men can go this season as they have picked off Southampton and United at ease on the counter-attack with Wilfried Zaha rediscovering his best form to score three times in two games.

<h2>Third time lucky for Liverpool?</h2>

Arsenal have got the better of Liverpool twice in recent months, but the acid test for Mikel Arteta's side comes at what he described as the "toughest place to go in the world", Anfield, on Monday.

The Gunners rode their luck to beat the Reds after Jurgen Klopp's men had sealed the title last season, but the Community Shield clash between the two a month ago was a far more balanced game, which Arsenal won on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Arsenal have built on their momentum from winning the FA Cup by beating Fulham and West Ham to strengthen the conviction that Arteta can lead them back into the top four this season.

But Liverpool showed in sweeping aside Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge last weekend that they remain the team to beat and have only strengthened with the signing of Thiago Alcantara.

Saturday (all times GMT)

Brighton v Manchester United (1130), Crystal Palace v Everton (1400), West Brom v Chelsea (1630), Burnley v Southampton (1900)

Sunday

Sheffield United v Leeds (1100), Tottenham v Newcastle (1300), Manchester City v Leicester (1530), West Ham v Wolves (1800)

Monday

Fulham v Aston Villa (1745), Liverpool v Arsenal (1900)

Manchester United and Chelsea need a swift response to their title credentials being damaged by home defeats last weekend, while one or both of Liverpool and Arsenal's perfect records will come to an end when they face off at Anfield on Monday night.

Manchester United and Chelsea need a swift response to their title credentials being damaged by home defeats last weekend, while one or both of Liverpool and Arsenal's perfect records will come to an end when they face off at Anfield on Monday night. Crystal Palace and Everton also have the chance to claim top spot when they meet at Selhurst Park on Saturday, while the other side with maximum points from the opening two weekends, Leicester, face a daunting trip to Manchester City. Gareth Bale will not be fit to feature to Tottenham when they host Newcastle on Sunday, but Harry Kane and Son Heung-min are enough for the Magpies to fear after the England captain set up the South Korean to score four at Southampton. Chelsea travel to bottom-of-the-table West Brom, who are still seeking their first point back in the top-flight. AFP Sport looks at some of the main talking points ahead of this weekend's action. Mayday for Man Utd? Optimism that United could return to challenging for the title after a 14-game unbeaten run to end last season was washed away with that unbeaten record as Palace were good value for their 3-1 win at Old Trafford. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men looked desperately short of match sharpness having had barely two weeks of pre-season training. A month-long off season was also disruptive off the field with captain Harry Maguire being handed a suspended prison term in Greece, which he is appealing, and teenage striker Mason Greenwood being sent home by England for breaching coronavirus protocols when on international duty. There is also outcry among the United fanbase at a lack of signings in the transfer market, while their rivals still spend freely despite the economic affects of the pandemic. The Red Devils desperately need three points at Brighton on Saturday to bring some calm, but the Seagulls have shown enough in their opening two games to suggest United face a far tougher test than when they won 3-0 on the south coast in June. Brighton were the better side for long spells despite losing 3-1 to Chelsea on the opening weekend and bounced back with a comprehensive 3-0 win at Newcastle. United did manage to get past Championship side Luton in the League Cup on Tuesday despite Solskjaer making 10 changes, but the Norwegian needed to bring on Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Greenwood in the latter stages to kill the tie off with Rashford and Greenwood getting on the scoresheet. "We need to get competitive games and minutes into the legs of our players because normally we're in a pre-season after such a short training (period)," said Solskjaer. "It's great for them to get minutes as well but also goals." More motivated Everton shine Everton's investment in the transfer market is reaping immediate rewards as they have won their opening two league games of the season for the first time in seven years. Carlo Ancelotti has been able to recruit Champions League-winning quality in James Rodriguez, alongside Brazilian international Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure in midfield. "The players have come back with more ambition and motivation," said Ancelotti after finishing 12th last season. "The new signings have helped us be more motivated." Palace will provide an early test of how far Ancelotti's men can go this season as they have picked off Southampton and United at ease on the counter-attack with Wilfried Zaha rediscovering his best form to score three times in two games. Third time lucky for Liverpool? Arsenal have got the better of Liverpool twice in recent months, but the acid test for Mikel Arteta's side comes at what he described as the "toughest place to go in the world", Anfield, on Monday. The Gunners rode their luck to beat the Reds after Jurgen Klopp's men had sealed the title last season, but the Community Shield clash between the two a month ago was a far more balanced game, which Arsenal won on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Arsenal have built on their momentum from winning the FA Cup by beating Fulham and West Ham to strengthen the conviction that Arteta can lead them back into the top four this season. But Liverpool showed in sweeping aside Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge last weekend that they remain the team to beat and have only strengthened with the signing of Thiago Alcantara. Saturday (all times GMT) Brighton v Manchester United (1130), Crystal Palace v Everton (1400), West Brom v Chelsea (1630), Burnley v Southampton (1900) Sunday Sheffield United v Leeds (1100), Tottenham v Newcastle (1300), Manchester City v Leicester (1530), West Ham v Wolves (1800) Monday Fulham v Aston Villa (1745), Liverpool v Arsenal (1900)

Man Utd aim to bounce back as Arsenal face acid test at Liverpool

The undisputed king of clay, Rafael Nadal is one title away from matching Roger Federer's all-time Grand Slam record, but 15 years on from the Spaniard's first French Open triumph he appears more vulnerable than ever at his beloved Roland Garros.

Nadal owns an astounding 93-2 record in Paris dating back to his debut in 2005, when, still a teenager, he became the first player to win the French Open on his first attempt since Mats Wilander in 1982.&nbsp;

Fast-forward to the present day, and his 19 Grand Slam crowns -- a record 12 of which have come at Roland Garros -- coupled with Federer's absence after knee surgery leave him on the brink of history at a venue where he has won each of the past three years.

Yet a multitude of factors, mostly beyond his control, have conspired against Nadal and offered hope to his chief rivals -- namely Novak Djokovic and recent US Open winner Dominic Thiem.

Boris Becker, a former coach of world number one Djokovic, suggested the rescheduled tournament -- pushed back from its traditional spring billing due to the coronavirus pandemic -- will be tougher than usual for Nadal.

The heavier conditions could suit hardcourt players more and negate some of Nadal's lethal topspin, possibly aiding Thiem who has finished runner-up in Paris twice in succession.&nbsp;

"This year is going to be particularly hard for Rafael Nadal. He's my number one favourite but the difference between him and the other players is less big this year than usual," said Becker, a six-time Grand Slam champion.

"He's not in his regular rhythm. He needs match practice. Normally, he was coming to Roland Garros having often played four big clay tournaments, which he had generally won."

Nadal will head into the French Open without a clay title under his belt for the first time, having lost in straight sets to Diego Schwartzman in the quarter-finals at Rome -- his first tournament in six months.

"It's not a moment for excuses. I've spent a long time without competing, I played two good matches," Nadal, who skipped the US Open citing Covid-19 concerns, said following the defeat. &nbsp;

"It's a completely special and unpredictable year," he added. "I did my job here. I did a couple things well and other things bad. At least I played three matches."

&nbsp;

<h2>- 'Beatable on clay' -</h2>

&nbsp;

Despite the sense this is the most understrength version of Nadal at the French Open in recent times, Djokovic remains adamant the 34-year-old is again the favourite to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires.

"The record that he has there, the history of his results, you just can't put anybody in front of him," said Djokovic, himself vying to add to his lone 2016 triumph at Roland Garros.

"But, you know, definitely Diego showed that Nadal is beatable on clay," added the Serb. &nbsp;

"The conditions that they played on, obviously heavy clay, not much bounce, humid, night sessions, we are going to have that as well in Paris. I'm pretty sure that he does not prefer that to a high bounce. I know he likes the high bounce.

"He likes the hot and warm and fast conditions, where he can use his spin a lot. Even though he's the favourite, I think there are players that can win against him there."

Another championship run for Nadal, not accounting for potential walkovers, would&nbsp;take him to a century of wins at the French Open. Only Federer, Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert have hit triple digits in wins at a single major in the Open era.

Schwartzman agreed that Nadal was still the favourite.

"Rafa is the king. It's his house. He went to Roland Garros many years playing good, sometimes not playing his best and he won. &nbsp;

"I think Rafa is always there, the guy who is going to win." &nbsp;

The undisputed king of clay, Rafael Nadal is one title away from matching Roger Federer's all-time Grand Slam record, but 15 years on from the Spaniard's first French Open triumph he appears more vulnerable than ever at his beloved Roland Garros.

The undisputed king of clay, Rafael Nadal is one title away from matching Roger Federer's all-time Grand Slam record, but 15 years on from the Spaniard's first French Open triumph he appears more vulnerable than ever at his beloved Roland Garros. Nadal owns an astounding 93-2 record in Paris dating back to his debut in 2005, when, still a teenager, he became the first player to win the French Open on his first attempt since Mats Wilander in 1982. Fast-forward to the present day, and his 19 Grand Slam crowns -- a record 12 of which have come at Roland Garros -- coupled with Federer's absence after knee surgery leave him on the brink of history at a venue where he has won each of the past three years. Yet a multitude of factors, mostly beyond his control, have conspired against Nadal and offered hope to his chief rivals -- namely Novak Djokovic and recent US Open winner Dominic Thiem. Boris Becker, a former coach of world number one Djokovic, suggested the rescheduled tournament -- pushed back from its traditional spring billing due to the coronavirus pandemic -- will be tougher than usual for Nadal. The heavier conditions could suit hardcourt players more and negate some of Nadal's lethal topspin, possibly aiding Thiem who has finished runner-up in Paris twice in succession. "This year is going to be particularly hard for Rafael Nadal. He's my number one favourite but the difference between him and the other players is less big this year than usual," said Becker, a six-time Grand Slam champion. "He's not in his regular rhythm. He needs match practice. Normally, he was coming to Roland Garros having often played four big clay tournaments, which he had generally won." Nadal will head into the French Open without a clay title under his belt for the first time, having lost in straight sets to Diego Schwartzman in the quarter-finals at Rome -- his first tournament in six months. "It's not a moment for excuses. I've spent a long time without competing, I played two good matches," Nadal, who skipped the US Open citing Covid-19 concerns, said following the defeat. "It's a completely special and unpredictable year," he added. "I did my job here. I did a couple things well and other things bad. At least I played three matches." - 'Beatable on clay' - Despite the sense this is the most understrength version of Nadal at the French Open in recent times, Djokovic remains adamant the 34-year-old is again the favourite to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires. "The record that he has there, the history of his results, you just can't put anybody in front of him," said Djokovic, himself vying to add to his lone 2016 triumph at Roland Garros. "But, you know, definitely Diego showed that Nadal is beatable on clay," added the Serb. "The conditions that they played on, obviously heavy clay, not much bounce, humid, night sessions, we are going to have that as well in Paris. I'm pretty sure that he does not prefer that to a high bounce. I know he likes the high bounce. "He likes the hot and warm and fast conditions, where he can use his spin a lot. Even though he's the favourite, I think there are players that can win against him there." Another championship run for Nadal, not accounting for potential walkovers, would take him to a century of wins at the French Open. Only Federer, Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert have hit triple digits in wins at a single major in the Open era. Schwartzman agreed that Nadal was still the favourite. "Rafa is the king. It's his house. He went to Roland Garros many years playing good, sometimes not playing his best and he won. "I think Rafa is always there, the guy who is going to win."

Nadal eyes Federer record, 15 years after first Roland Garros title

Cricket Australia postponed plans to host a Test match against Afghanistan and a one-day series against New Zealand Friday, saying the coronavirus pandemic had made arranging the matches too difficult.

The Test, scheduled for Perth in late November, would have been the first played between cricketing superpower Australia and minnows Afghanistan.

The pandemic has already scuppered plans for Australia to host the West Indies, Zimbabwe and the T20 World Cup this year.

A money-spinning tour by India featuring four Tests, three ODIs and three T20s will proceed, with officials conceding the funds it generates will be crucial to CA's future.

The Afghanistan and New Zealand tours were never going to be such a high priority, although CA said it hoped to reschedule them some time before the end of 2023.

"We all worked incredibly hard to make the series happen this summer, but the challenges around international travel and quarantine restrictions ultimately convinced all parties that the series would need to be played at a later date," it said.

Cricket Australia postponed plans to host a Test match against Afghanistan and a one-day series against New Zealand Friday, saying the coronavirus pandemic had made arranging the matches too difficult.

Cricket Australia postponed plans to host a Test match against Afghanistan and a one-day series against New Zealand Friday, saying the coronavirus pandemic had made arranging the matches too difficult. The Test, scheduled for Perth in late November, would have been the first played between cricketing superpower Australia and minnows Afghanistan. The pandemic has already scuppered plans for Australia to host the West Indies, Zimbabwe and the T20 World Cup this year. A money-spinning tour by India featuring four Tests, three ODIs and three T20s will proceed, with officials conceding the funds it generates will be crucial to CA's future. The Afghanistan and New Zealand tours were never going to be such a high priority, although CA said it hoped to reschedule them some time before the end of 2023. "We all worked incredibly hard to make the series happen this summer, but the challenges around international travel and quarantine restrictions ultimately convinced all parties that the series would need to be played at a later date," it said.

Australia postpones Afghanistan Test, New Zealand ODIs

Indian cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar has found himself in a controversy following his comments on Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma during Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>. Bollywood actress and wife of Kohli, Anushka later took to social media Instagram to send a strong message to Gavaskar.

However, Gavaskar’s comments was not taken well by Kohli and Anushka’s fans as they slammed the former Indian captain on social media platform Twitter. While Kohli dropped two easy catches of centurion KL Rahul in the match, he failed to make a mark with his willow and was dismissed off just one run.&nbsp;

Gavaskar during the match allegedly said: “Inhone lockdown me to bas Anushka ki bowling ki practice ki hain". (Virat Kohli has only trained against Anushka’s bowling during the lockdown).&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/have-to-take-the-brunt-of-it-virat-kohli-reacts-to-rcbs-crushing-defeat-to-kxip-in-ipl-2020-330128" hreflang="en">Have to take the brunt of it: Virat Kohli reacts to RCB's crushing defeat to KXIP in IPL 2020</a>

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Here is the video. He did not say anything double meaning at the first place. <a href="https://t.co/TqyI2PJVtd">pic.twitter.com/TqyI2PJVtd</a>
— Cabinet Minister, Ministry of Memes, India (@__memenist) <a href="https://twitter.com/__memenist/status/1309388115107291136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Here's how Anushka Sharma reacted to Sunil Gavaskar's comments:</h2>

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AnushkaSharma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AnushkaSharma</a> sends out a message to veteran cricketer <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SunilGavaskar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SunilGavaskar</a> after his remark on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ViratKohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ViratKohli</a>’s performance during the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL</a> game last night. <a href="https://t.co/NityLDuNRl">pic.twitter.com/NityLDuNRl</a>
— Filmfare (@filmfare) <a href="https://twitter.com/filmfare/status/1309404762329067520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-csk-vs-dc-preview-ms-dhonis-chennai-look-for-momentum-against-iyers-delhi-330144" hreflang="en">IPL 2020, CSK vs DC Preview: MS Dhoni's Chennai look for momentum against Iyer's Delhi</a>

The remark was made keeping the viral video of Kohli playing cricket with Anushka during the lockdown but the interpretation from Twitterati varied from person to person.

The comment was deemed ‘disgusting’ by some fans on social media as many admitted to being shocked by the Gavaskar’s choice of words. However, many have defended Gavaskar by saying that the former Indian batsman was misquoted by social media users.

<h2>Here's how Twitterati reacted:&nbsp;</h2>

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Comment by Sunil Gavaskar on <a href="https://twitter.com/AnushkaSharma?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AnushkaSharma</a> is extremely disgusting. 
She is pregnant guys. She has nothing to do with all this. Trolling, abusing and circulating mems about her at this time is seriously disgusting. 
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AnushkaSharma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AnushkaSharma</a>
— ishita kothari (@ishitakotharii) <a href="https://twitter.com/ishitakotharii/status/1309414513268072449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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That was absolutely classless and below the belt by Gavaskar!
— Abhishek Bangur (@29ab) <a href="https://twitter.com/29ab/status/1309414474982490113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Gavaskar should stick to english commentary rather than hindi imo.
— Jayesh (@jayeshvk16) <a href="https://twitter.com/jayeshvk16/status/1309414681724030976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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To those who are defending Sunil Gavaskar...Just a simple thing do commentary in Cricket and talk about cricketers and their bad performances, why to drag their family members at all. Hope <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BCCI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SGanguly99?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SGanguly99</a> should take strict action against this. <a href="https://twitter.com/imjadeja?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imjadeja</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> <a href="https://t.co/pDp4sUg3Pc">https://t.co/pDp4sUg3Pc</a>
— Kalpesh Talreja (@kalpesh_talreja) <a href="https://twitter.com/kalpesh_talreja/status/1309414284988805120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Kohli took the defeat on himself as he said those two dropped catches helped KXIP post mammoth 206 runs on board.

"I have to stand in front and take the brunt of it, not the best day in the office, couple of important chances of KL when he was set and that cost us 35-40 runs at a later stage. Maybe if we restricted them to 180 we wouldn't have been under pressure from ball one of the chase. We know exactly where we went wrong and I have to put my hand up and say a couple of important chances went down," said the 31-year-old. 
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Indian cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar has found himself in a controversy following his comments on Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma during Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.

Indian cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar has found himself in a controversy following his comments on Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma during Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. Bollywood actress and wife of Kohli, Anushka later took to social media Instagram to send a strong message to Gavaskar. However, Gavaskar’s comments was not taken well by Kohli and Anushka’s fans as they slammed the former Indian captain on social media platform Twitter. While Kohli dropped two easy catches of centurion KL Rahul in the match, he failed to make a mark with his willow and was dismissed off just one run. Gavaskar during the match allegedly said: “Inhone lockdown me to bas Anushka ki bowling ki practice ki hain". (Virat Kohli has only trained against Anushka’s bowling during the lockdown). ALSO READ: Have to take the brunt of it: Virat Kohli reacts to RCB's crushing defeat to KXIP in IPL 2020 Here is the video. He did not say anything double meaning at the first place. pic.twitter.com/TqyI2PJVtd — Cabinet Minister, Ministry of Memes, India (@__memenist) September 25, 2020 × Here's how Anushka Sharma reacted to Sunil Gavaskar's comments: #AnushkaSharma sends out a message to veteran cricketer #SunilGavaskar after his remark on #ViratKohli’s performance during the #IPL game last night. pic.twitter.com/NityLDuNRl — Filmfare (@filmfare) September 25, 2020 × ALSO READ: IPL 2020, CSK vs DC Preview: MS Dhoni's Chennai look for momentum against Iyer's Delhi The remark was made keeping the viral video of Kohli playing cricket with Anushka during the lockdown but the interpretation from Twitterati varied from person to person. The comment was deemed ‘disgusting’ by some fans on social media as many admitted to being shocked by the Gavaskar’s choice of words. However, many have defended Gavaskar by saying that the former Indian batsman was misquoted by social media users. Here's how Twitterati reacted: Comment by Sunil Gavaskar on @AnushkaSharma is extremely disgusting. She is pregnant guys. She has nothing to do with all this. Trolling, abusing and circulating mems about her at this time is seriously disgusting. #AnushkaSharma — ishita kothari (@ishitakotharii) September 25, 2020 × That was absolutely classless and below the belt by Gavaskar! — Abhishek Bangur (@29ab) September 25, 2020 × Gavaskar should stick to english commentary rather than hindi imo. — Jayesh (@jayeshvk16) September 25, 2020 × To those who are defending Sunil Gavaskar...Just a simple thing do commentary in Cricket and talk about cricketers and their bad performances, why to drag their family members at all. Hope @BCCI @SGanguly99 should take strict action against this. @imjadeja @imVkohli https://t.co/pDp4sUg3Pc — Kalpesh Talreja (@kalpesh_talreja) September 25, 2020 × Meanwhile, Kohli took the defeat on himself as he said those two dropped catches helped KXIP post mammoth 206 runs on board. "I have to stand in front and take the brunt of it, not the best day in the office, couple of important chances of KL when he was set and that cost us 35-40 runs at a later stage. Maybe if we restricted them to 180 we wouldn't have been under pressure from ball one of the chase. We know exactly where we went wrong and I have to put my hand up and say a couple of important chances went down," said the 31-year-old.

IPL 2020: Sunil Gavaskar creates controversy with remark on Virat Kohli; Anushka sends strong message

Tottenham Hostpur manager Jose Mourinho was involved in a fun incident before their UEFA Europa League match against Shkendija after the Portuguese, after being alerted by his keepers, found out that the size of the goalposts were smaller than the actual size allotted by FIFA.

Spurs goalkeepers Hugo Lloris and Joe Hart noticed the dimensions had some errors and told Mourinho, who took the matter up with UEFA’s delegates at the match. Following the match, Mourinho posted photograph of himself on Instagram as he was seen nearly touching the crossbar.

“Before the game was a funny situation because my goalkeepers told me that the goal was small,” said Mourinho after goals from Erik Lamela, Son Heung-min and substitute Harry Kane fired his side to a 3-1 victory.

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🇵🇹 Jose Mourinho: 
 
🥅“Before the game was a funny situation because my keeper told me the goal was small. I went to see, it was small.” 
 
🤣”We got UEFA delegate to come in and it was 5CM too small. We asked for goals of the right dimensions.”<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/THFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#THFC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COYS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COYS</a><a href="https://t.co/ntsZGLaYXV">pic.twitter.com/ntsZGLaYXV</a>
— Last Word On Spurs🎙 (@LastWordOnSpurs) <a href="https://twitter.com/LastWordOnSpurs/status/1309425169988046849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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“I went by myself and of course the goal was small. The goalkeepers, they spend hours and hours and hours in the goal so they know when the goal is not the right dimension.

“I am not a goalkeeper but I know football since I was a kid and I know when I stand there and spread my arms and I know the distance so I felt immediately that something was going wrong.

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🗣️ Mourinho: "sebelum pertandingan ada kejadian lucu karena kiperku mengatakan bahwa gawang terlalu pendek. Lalu aku mengeceknya dan benar ini pendek" 
 
"Kami minta delegasi UEFA untuk datang mengeceknya dan benar itu 5cm lebih pendek. Aku meminta gawang dibetulkan sesuai ukuran" <a href="https://t.co/dsdBj4reUE">pic.twitter.com/dsdBj4reUE</a>
— Siaran Bola Live (@SiaranBolaLive) <a href="https://twitter.com/SiaranBolaLive/status/1309425261155409921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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“We got the UEFA delegate to confirm and yes it was 5cm smaller (too low), and of course we demanded for the goals to be replaced with goals of the right dimension.”

The&nbsp;match was played in Skopje’s Tose Proeski Arena, the capital of North Macedonia as Shkendija’s stadium didn’t fulfill UEFA’s requirements of Europa League.

Spurs, after defeating Shkendija, will now face Maccabi Haifa in the final qualifying round of Europa League next week.

Tottenham Hostpur manager Jose Mourinho was involved in a fun incident before their UEFA Europa League match against Shkendija after the Portuguese, after being alerted by his keepers, found out that the size of the goalposts were smaller than the actual size allotted by FIFA.

Tottenham Hostpur manager Jose Mourinho was involved in a fun incident before their UEFA Europa League match against Shkendija after the Portuguese, after being alerted by his keepers, found out that the size of the goalposts were smaller than the actual size allotted by FIFA. Spurs goalkeepers Hugo Lloris and Joe Hart noticed the dimensions had some errors and told Mourinho, who took the matter up with UEFA’s delegates at the match. Following the match, Mourinho posted photograph of himself on Instagram as he was seen nearly touching the crossbar. “Before the game was a funny situation because my goalkeepers told me that the goal was small,” said Mourinho after goals from Erik Lamela, Son Heung-min and substitute Harry Kane fired his side to a 3-1 victory. 🇵🇹 Jose Mourinho: 🥅“Before the game was a funny situation because my keeper told me the goal was small. I went to see, it was small.” 🤣”We got UEFA delegate to come in and it was 5CM too small. We asked for goals of the right dimensions.”#THFC #COYSpic.twitter.com/ntsZGLaYXV — Last Word On Spurs🎙 (@LastWordOnSpurs) September 25, 2020 × “I went by myself and of course the goal was small. The goalkeepers, they spend hours and hours and hours in the goal so they know when the goal is not the right dimension. “I am not a goalkeeper but I know football since I was a kid and I know when I stand there and spread my arms and I know the distance so I felt immediately that something was going wrong. 🗣️ Mourinho: "sebelum pertandingan ada kejadian lucu karena kiperku mengatakan bahwa gawang terlalu pendek. Lalu aku mengeceknya dan benar ini pendek" "Kami minta delegasi UEFA untuk datang mengeceknya dan benar itu 5cm lebih pendek. Aku meminta gawang dibetulkan sesuai ukuran" pic.twitter.com/dsdBj4reUE — Siaran Bola Live (@SiaranBolaLive) September 25, 2020 × “We got the UEFA delegate to confirm and yes it was 5cm smaller (too low), and of course we demanded for the goals to be replaced with goals of the right dimension.” The match was played in Skopje’s Tose Proeski Arena, the capital of North Macedonia as Shkendija’s stadium didn’t fulfill UEFA’s requirements of Europa League. Spurs, after defeating Shkendija, will now face Maccabi Haifa in the final qualifying round of Europa League next week.

Mourinho, Spurs goalkeepers spot 'small goalposts' before Europa League match

CSK vs DC Preview IPL 2020 - Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are set to lock horns with Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai as the action continues in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL)</a>. While CSK have won one while losing their other encounter, DC started their IPL 2020 campaign with a nail-biting win against Kings XI Punjab in Super Over.

CSK are looking to get back to winning ways following a crushing defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore in their second match after winning their season opener against Mumbai Indians. Whereas DC will look to continue their winning run after registering their first win in their opener against KXIP.

The pitch in Dubai has already hosted a handful of games and spinners are likely to come into the game. The average score in Dubai is around 160-170, however, if the batting team gets going then they would be able to post a score somewhere around 190-200 similar to what KXIP did against RCB.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/have-to-take-the-brunt-of-it-virat-kohli-reacts-to-rcbs-crushing-defeat-to-kxip-in-ipl-2020-330128" hreflang="en">Have to take the brunt of it: Virat Kohli reacts to RCB's crushing defeat to KXIP in IPL 2020</a>

Ravichandran Ashwin is likely to be available for the DC against CSK after the veteran spinner took part in training on Thursday. However, Ambati Rayudu and Dwayne Bravo are set to miss the action again due to their niggles.&nbsp;

<h2>CSK vs DC: Head-to-Head stats</h2>

Talking about head-to-head-stats, Chennai Super Kings have dominated the encounters against Delhi Capitals with the MS Dhoni-led outfit winning 15 of their 21 clashes. Whereas DC have won just six of their games against CSK.

CSK hold the record of most-run scored against DC at 222/5 while MS Dhoni lead the run-scoring charts when it comes to matches between CSK and DC. Dhoni has accumulated as many as 529 runs while Dwayne Bravo is the leading wicket-taker with 15 scalps.

Faf du Plessis is 17 away, and Ravindra Jadeja 62, from 2,000 runs in IPL.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2020-action-in-pictures-as-grand-festival-of-cricket-starts-in-uae-328877" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Action in pictures as 'grand festival' of cricket starts in UAE</a>

<h2>CSK vs DC, IPL 2020 Squads:</h2>

Delhi Capitals Squad: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shimron Hetmyer, Shreyas Iyer(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Mohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Amit Mishra, Harshal Patel, Alex Carey, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Lamichhane, Keemo Paul, Tushar Deshpande, Daniel Sams, Lalit Yadav

Chennai Super Kings Squad: Murali Vijay, Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Sam Curran, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Piyush Chawla, Lungi Ngidi, Karn Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Imran Tahir, Shardul Thakur, Monu Kumar, Mitchell Santner, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, N Jagadeesan, KM Asif

CSK vs DC Preview IPL 2020 - Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are set to lock horns with Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai as the action continues in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

CSK vs DC Preview IPL 2020 - Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are set to lock horns with Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai as the action continues in the Indian Premier League (IPL). While CSK have won one while losing their other encounter, DC started their IPL 2020 campaign with a nail-biting win against Kings XI Punjab in Super Over. CSK are looking to get back to winning ways following a crushing defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore in their second match after winning their season opener against Mumbai Indians. Whereas DC will look to continue their winning run after registering their first win in their opener against KXIP. The pitch in Dubai has already hosted a handful of games and spinners are likely to come into the game. The average score in Dubai is around 160-170, however, if the batting team gets going then they would be able to post a score somewhere around 190-200 similar to what KXIP did against RCB. ALSO READ: Have to take the brunt of it: Virat Kohli reacts to RCB's crushing defeat to KXIP in IPL 2020 Ravichandran Ashwin is likely to be available for the DC against CSK after the veteran spinner took part in training on Thursday. However, Ambati Rayudu and Dwayne Bravo are set to miss the action again due to their niggles. CSK vs DC: Head-to-Head stats Talking about head-to-head-stats, Chennai Super Kings have dominated the encounters against Delhi Capitals with the MS Dhoni-led outfit winning 15 of their 21 clashes. Whereas DC have won just six of their games against CSK. CSK hold the record of most-run scored against DC at 222/5 while MS Dhoni lead the run-scoring charts when it comes to matches between CSK and DC. Dhoni has accumulated as many as 529 runs while Dwayne Bravo is the leading wicket-taker with 15 scalps. Faf du Plessis is 17 away, and Ravindra Jadeja 62, from 2,000 runs in IPL. IN PICS | IPL 2020: Action in pictures as 'grand festival' of cricket starts in UAE CSK vs DC, IPL 2020 Squads: Delhi Capitals Squad: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shimron Hetmyer, Shreyas Iyer(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Mohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Amit Mishra, Harshal Patel, Alex Carey, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Lamichhane, Keemo Paul, Tushar Deshpande, Daniel Sams, Lalit Yadav Chennai Super Kings Squad: Murali Vijay, Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Sam Curran, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Piyush Chawla, Lungi Ngidi, Karn Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Imran Tahir, Shardul Thakur, Monu Kumar, Mitchell Santner, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, N Jagadeesan, KM Asif

IPL 2020, CSK vs DC Preview: MS Dhoni's Chennai look for momentum against Iyer's Delhi

Teenage Manchester City striker Liam Delap said being named in the starting lineup for Thursday’s League Cup clash against Bournemouth caught him off guard but that he would be smiling for weeks after marking his senior debut with a goal.

Delap, the son of former Stoke City defender Rory, scored the opener for Pep Guardiola’s side in the 2-1 win at the Etihad Stadium, running on to Phil Foden’s through ball and firing past Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers.

“It was a bit of a shock to be put in the starting line up but I took it with a pinch of salt and just worked my hardest,” the 17-year-old told BBC.

“I was buzzing to get the call up and to top it with a goal, I can’t ask for much more.”

“I need to keep working hard in training and look to take every opportunity I get. It will take a few weeks to stop smiling.”

With Sergio Aguero still battling a knee injury, Guardiola said Delap would have more opportunities to impress.

“We have just 13 players fit. With the problems we have up front, he will stay with us. We will use him,” Guardiola said. “At 17, Liam is a different striker to what we have in terms of physicality.

“We see in training how good a finisher he is. Now is the time to be calm and keep working. We are delighted with his performance.”

Teenage Manchester City striker Liam Delap said being named in the starting lineup for Thursday’s League Cup clash against Bournemouth caught him off guard but that he would be smiling for weeks after marking his senior debut with a goal.

Teenage Manchester City striker Liam Delap said being named in the starting lineup for Thursday’s League Cup clash against Bournemouth caught him off guard but that he would be smiling for weeks after marking his senior debut with a goal. Delap, the son of former Stoke City defender Rory, scored the opener for Pep Guardiola’s side in the 2-1 win at the Etihad Stadium, running on to Phil Foden’s through ball and firing past Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers. “It was a bit of a shock to be put in the starting line up but I took it with a pinch of salt and just worked my hardest,” the 17-year-old told BBC. “I was buzzing to get the call up and to top it with a goal, I can’t ask for much more.” “I need to keep working hard in training and look to take every opportunity I get. It will take a few weeks to stop smiling.” With Sergio Aguero still battling a knee injury, Guardiola said Delap would have more opportunities to impress. “We have just 13 players fit. With the problems we have up front, he will stay with us. We will use him,” Guardiola said. “At 17, Liam is a different striker to what we have in terms of physicality. “We see in training how good a finisher he is. Now is the time to be calm and keep working. We are delighted with his performance.”

Man City teenager Delap revels in dream debut

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