India Women Register Series-Levelling T20I Win Over South Africa

Pacer Pooja Vastrakar ran riot with a career-best bowling show of 4/13 before Smriti Mandhana shone with the bat with an unbeaten half century, as India thrashed South Africa by 10 wickets in the third and final women's T20 International to level the series 1-1 in Chennai on Tuesday. Left-arm spinner Radha Yadav also chipped in with a fine performance of 3/6 from her three over to help India shoot South Africa out for a mere 84 in 17.1 overs after opting to bowl. India easily chased down the small target of 85 with 55 balls to spare and without losing any wicket with opening batters Mandhana and Shafali Verma remaining not out on 54 and 27 respectively.

Mandhana hit the winning runs -- a six off Nadine de Klerk -- as India reached 88 for no loss in 10.5 overs. This was India's biggest victory over South Africa in this format, both in terms of wickets (10) and balls to spare (55).

Mandhana, who was at her magnificent best towards the end of the run chase, hit a six in the 10th over and followed it up with two fours and a maximum in the next to end the contest quickly. This was her 24th T20I half century.

The Indian opening duo played smart cricket, managing 40 for no loss at the end of the powerplay, with the visitors using five different bowlers in this phase but without any success Mandhana and Verma later went for the big shots to end the contest quickly.

In all, Mandhana struck eight fours and two sixes from the 40 balls she faced while Verma scored three fours from 25 balls.

South Africa had won the first match by 12 runs before the second T20I was washed out on Saturday.

Earlier, only three South African batters managed to score in double-digit figures, with Tazmin Brits (20 off 23 balls) being their top scorer.

Openers Laura Wolvaardt (9 off 9 balls) and Brits could only manage 19 runs for the first wicket.

As Shreyanka Patil dismissed Wolvaardt in the fourth over, the pair of Brits and Marizanne Kapp (10 off 8 balls) added 11 runs for the second wicket.

Interestingly, the Indians used four different bowlers in the opening four overs.

Kapp fell in the fifth over, as she became Vastrakar's 50th wicket in the format. Next to go for South Africa was Brits with Deepti Sharma grabbing her prized wicket in the eighth over, as the scoreboard read 45 for three.

The same over saw Chloe Tryon being dropped by Deepti, as the slew of poor fielding from the hosts continued in the third straight contest.

Yet, the visitors struggled to get a proper partnership going, having dominated with the bat in the previous two outings.

They lost their next two wickets at the score of 61 in the 11th over, thanks to Vastrakar exploiting the wicket.

Halfway through the innings, it was evident that the track did not have much for the batters, with spongy bounce and mild turn.

Also, the rain in the city in the past couple of days had made the wicket moist, leading to Vastrakar getting mild swings through her medium pace, which indeed troubled the South Africans.

Things simply went worse for South Africa thereon as they lost the remaining five wickets for just 23 runs.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV Sports-Latest https://ift.tt/ONrLXsv

France Learns a New Word: Ungovernable

By Roger Cohen from NYT World https://ift.tt/msqIpQ6

On Competition With Pant, Samson, Ishan Kishan's Honest Response

Looking to force his way into the Indian team again, Ishan Kishan has begun his comeback journey after going through a tumultuous period or 6 months that saw him lose his place in the team in all three formats, as well as his central contract. Ishan, who hasn't played for India since December last year, opened up about competition within the Indian team, especially considering the form the likes of Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson have shown of late, earning the selectors' nod for T20 World Cup 2024. Samson, Jitesh Sharma and Dhruv Jurel were preferred over Ishan for the Zimbabwe series too.

In a chat with the Indian Express, Ishan said to be elated to see Pant make his comeback to the national side, and that too in some style. As far as 'competition' is concerned, Kishan is ready to challenge others and hope to make a comeback in the team in all three formats.

"It was heartening to see Rishabh back in action. As far as competition goes, you love challenges and when you compete with all the quality cricketers, it enhances your game. And then when you make it you feel like you have earned it. I know it's not going to be easy. But I feel competition gives you that feeling of satisfaction. I enjoy it. I don't take any stress about it," he told the paper.

On his ambitions for the national team, Ishan said that he sees himself in all three formats, as was the case before hi decided to take a break.

"I see myself playing in all three formats. I have done well in T20Is, ODIs and Tests as well. I want to be part of all three formats," he said.

"Keep myself fit and prepare for upcoming tournaments. I am not thinking too much about the future. I want to stay in the present. At this point in time, I am only focussed on how to become a better and different player from what I was six months ago. I will work on a few innovative shots and on my wicket-keeping. These are the important things, rather than thinking about what happened in the past and what will happen in the future. I am waiting for the domestic season to kick off. I want to do well for Jharkhand and then let's see," he added.

from NDTV Sports-Latest https://ift.tt/qsFr0vt

Paris Diamond League: Sable Breaks His Own National Steeplechase Record

Avinash Sable showed that he's peaking at the right time before the Paris Olympics as he broke his own 3000m steeplechase national record while finishing sixth at the prestigious Diamond League meet, clocking 8 minute and 9.91 seconds in Paris on Sunday. The 29-year-old Sable bettered his earlier mark of 8:11.20, which he had clocked in 2022, by around one and a half seconds. Abrham Sime of Ethiopia finished first with a personal time of 8:02.36 after a photo finish with Amos Serem (8:02.36) of Kenya.

Another Kenyan, Abraham Kibiwot, the 2023 World Championships bronze medallist and gold winner at the 2022 Commonwealth Games where Sable had won a silver, was third with a time of 8:06.70. With this performance, Sable returned to his record-breaking ways after he smashed his own national mark two years ago while winning a silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

This was the 10th national record-breaking performance from Sable, who hails from a humble farmer's family at Mandwa village in Beed district of Maharashtra.

He was seemingly struggling this season having run just two 3000m steeplechase races, clocking 8:21.85 at Portland and 8:31.75 in Panchkula (National Inter-State Championships), both in June.

Sable, the reigning Asian Games gold medallist, thus improved by around 12 seconds from his best effort of the season.

He had, however, run at the National Inter-State Championships (June 27-30) just like a practice race.

After winning the gold at Panchkula, Sable had vowed to make amends for the mistakes he committed in the last few years and deliver a memorable show at the Paris Olympics with a different approach.

"I committed mistakes in the last two years. I had gone with good fitness in the two world championships (2022 and 2023) but could not do well at both. I want to make amends, hope that this Olympics will be my best," he had said.

"I am starting my competition season late this time. I am doing something different this time. I will start peaking only this month." In the men's javelin throw, Olympics-bound Kishore Jena continued his struggles as he finished eighth with an effort of 78.10m. He has a personal best of 87.54m and season best of 80.84m while winning a bronze medal at the National Inter-State Championships.

Jena, who had won a silver medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year, has had a forgettable season so far with efforts of 76.31m in Doha Diamond League and 75.49m in the Federation Cup, both in May.

Jena had said at the National Inter-State Championships that he was coping with a minor left ankle pain, which he felt after the Federation Cup (May 15-19) in Bhubaneswar, though the pain has reduced and he was feeling "almost all right now".

Reigning Olympic and world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has opted out of this meet apparently due to an adductor niggle that has been troubling him for the past couple of months.

Julian Weber of Germany won the top position with a throw of 85.91m while former world champion Anderson Peters (85.19m) of Grenada and Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch (85.04m) of Czech Republic were second and third respectively.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV Sports-Latest https://ift.tt/wdLn4UM

Carlos Alcaraz Overcomes Slump To Reach Wimbledon Quarter-Finals

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz overcame a worrying mid-match slump to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Sunday, defeating Ugo Humbert of France in four sets to stay on course for a fourth Grand Slam title. The Spanish world number three came through 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 against his 16th-ranked opponent to book a spot in the last-eight of a major for the ninth time in just 14 appearances. However, it was another uncomfortable afternoon for Alcaraz, who had needed five sets to see off Frances Tiafoe in the third round.

His erratic performance on Sunday saw him drop serve five times and commit an uncharacteristic 33 unforced errors.

The 21-year-old, bidding to become just the sixth man to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back, eased through the first set under the Centre Court roof before crucially saving four break points in the fifth game of the second.

Humbert stormed back, breaking the champion three times in the third set as Alcaraz went spectacularly off the boil.

Alcaraz was twice unable to hold onto breaks in the fourth set and had to fend off three break points in the eighth game to stay level at 4-4.

Left-hander Humbert then lost his bearings to hand over a service break in the 11th game and Alcaraz took full advantage to quickly seal the tie.

Alcaraz will take on either American 12th seed Tommy Paul or 36-year-old compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut, a semi-finalist in 2019.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV Sports-Latest https://ift.tt/bLsP15p

Lewis Hamilton Wins British Grand Prix To End Three-Year Drought

Lewis Hamilton held off Max Verstappen in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday for a first victory since Saudi Arabia in 2021. "I've been waiting for this," shouted Briton Hamilton after crossing the line in his Mercedes to claim a ninth victory at Silverstone, breaking a tie with Michael Schumacher for most wins at one track. Lando Norris of McLaren was third. After his record-extending 104th Formula One victory, the 39-year-old Hamilton wept as he fell into the arms of his father as the home crowd roared.

"Since 2021, every day fighting, training and putting my mind to the task, working as hard as I can," Hamilton, who will be moving to Ferrari after this season, said at the finish line.

"This is my last race for the team here, I love them so much, I'll be forever grateful to everyone at Mercedes and to the incredible fans."

Hamilton's team-mate George Russell, the winner a week earlier in Austria, was forced out with a water leak after starting from pole position.

Red Bull's Verstappen increased his lead over Norris at the top of the drivers' standings despite failing to win for two consecutive races for the first time since Silverstone and Austria in 2022.

Oscar Piastri of McLaren was fourth with Carlos Sainz of Ferrari sixth and Nico Hulkenberg of Haas seventh.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV Sports-Latest https://ift.tt/s9xnoP3

Paris Olympics-Bound Vinesh Phogat Wins Spanish Grand Prix Gold

In a perfect build-up to the Paris Olympics, top Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat clinched the women's 50kg gold medal at the Grand Prix of Spain in Madrid on Saturday. The two-time World Championship bronze medallist defeated Mariia Tiumerekova 10-5 in the final to bag the gold. Mariia is a former Russian wrestler who is now competing as an Individual Neutral Athlete. Vinesh, who received her Schengen visa at the last minute on Wednesday, won three bouts without much difficulty to storm into the final.

The 29-year-old former Asian Games gold medallist first beat Pan American champion Yusneylis Guzman of Cuba 12-4 on points.

She then registered a win by fall against Madison Parks of Canada, a silver medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, in the quarterfinals.

In the semifinals, Vinesh beat another Canadian Katie Dutchak 9-4 on points.

After her training-cum-competition stint in Spain, Vinesh will travel to France for a 20-day training stint in preparation for the Paris Games.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV Sports-Latest https://ift.tt/USCjuLs