International
2021: A year where cricket gave moments to cherish for a lifetime
Life, very much like cricket, gives human beings moments which they cherish and remember for a lifetime. After 2020 was heavily dominated by COVID-19 and bio-bubble with some bits of cricketing action, 2021 was a better upgrade in terms of the on-field play, giving followers of the game many edge-of-the-seat thrilling moments.
India began 2021 in a very spectacular fashion, drawing the Sydney Test, thanks to a resilient 256-ball 62-run partnership between Hanuma Vihari and Ravichandran Ashwin while battling a torn hamstring and sore back respectively. On day five, when Ashwin and Vihari hanged around to save India, Australia captain Tim Paine tried to sledge Ashwin with ‘Can’t wait to get you to the Gabba’ dialogue.
In the series decider at Brisbane, Paine’s dialogue backfired gorgeously as Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant helped India win the match and win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1. The Indian team, missing many of its first-choice players, breached the Gabba fortress, making it Australia’s first loss at the venue since 1988.
After this, India unearthed a gem in Axar Patel, who played a big role in the hosts winning the four-match series 3-1 against England. While India did well in the rest of the year in terms of bilateral series, the same success wasn’t seen in ICC events.
In the inaugural World Test Championship final in Southampton, India was troubled by old nemesis Kyle Jamieson in both innings with Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson applying finishing touches to the chase.
For New Zealand, apart from winning the WTC, they maintained a 100 per cent record in ODIs and reached the final of Men’s T20 World Cup. Their left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel achieved a rare feat, of taking all 10 wickets in an innings of Test cricket against India at Mumbai, his place of birth. Players like Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell turned out to play vital roles for the Blackcaps.
Australia, who began the year on a shaky note, ended the year strongly with its first Men’s T20 World Cup and retained the Ashes in a thumping fashion at home. Mitchell Marsh and David Warner scripted stunning stories of doing well when it mattered the most after being written off by numerous people. England oscillated between great and woeful in going from white-ball cricket to red-ball cricket though Joe Root became a Test run machine.
Pakistan had a good time in T20Is in 2021, especially when the Men’s T20 World Cup was on. Beating India by 10 wickets was a great highlight but its dominating run was brought to a halt by Australia in the semifinals. Sri Lanka’s young guns showed promise for the future but what happens next is anyone’s guess.
West Indies began the year with a Test series win, thanks to Kyle Mayers and Nkumrah Bonner’s gigantic partnership in Bangladesh but the defending champions in Men’s T20 World Cup came a cropper.
The associate nations, hit hard by lack of game time due to COVID-19, did fairly well. Oman showed promise, Papua New Guinea could have shown more if they had game time under their belt. Namibia and Scotland were brighter going to Super 12 stage of Men’s T20 World Cup. Ireland and Netherlands flattered to deceive though the former won an ODI against South Africa.
Women’s cricket had the best and rough times in 2021. The introduction of women’s Hundred did a lot of good for the game apart from the Women’s Big Bash League reaching greater heights in terms of viewership in the final. Both competitions had Indian cricketers showing their skills but the South Africans played a decisive hand in the knockouts.
Australia’s 26-match winning streak in ODIs was snapped by India acing their most successful chase in the format, just 48 hours after losing a thrilling match. India, after no-show for almost 14 months, played against South Africa, Australia and England, including a red-ball and pink-ball Test each. The year for women’s cricket ended with a Thailand heart-break in the Women’s Cricket World Cup qualifiers despite being in pole position to enter the ICC Championships’ table.
2022 holds a chance for cricket enthusiasts to have a bag full of memories despite the Omicron variant of COVID-19 threatening to shut the world, again. The Men’s U19 World Cup in the West Indies will unearth more stars of the future. A few weeks later, the Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand will see the best of women cricketers set the world on fire. Then in October and November, Australia will begin its title defence of Men’s T20 World Cup at home.
For India, winning a Test series against South Africa will be high on the 2022 wish list apart from shaping up for the T20 World Cup later in the year. New Zealand will be looking to give Ross Taylor a grand and happy farewell at home. Australia has got two matches left to complete a 5-0 Ashes thrashing of a hapless England, whose white-ball captain Eoin Morgan will be back to drawing strategies for winning the T20 World Cup.
Expect 2022 to be a bigger bag full of unforgettable moments after 2021 gave a lot.
International
₹136 Crore Per Year To Luxury Suite At Training Ground: All About Kylian Mbappe’s Bumper Deal At Real Madrid
In a move that has captivated football enthusiasts worldwide, Kylian Mbappe has officially transferred from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid as of Tuesday.
This long-anticipated switch concludes months of speculation and excitement among fans.
Real Madrid’s Exciting Acquisition
Real Madrid announced on Monday that they had secured a deal with the French superstar for the next five seasons, merging one of football’s brightest talents with its most illustrious club.
This deal follows years of interest from Madrid, eager to bring in the player seen as the heir to Lionel Messi’s throne in the sport.
Financial Details of Mbappe’s Move
The 25-year-old Parisian will reportedly earn 15 million Euros net per season at Real Madrid, translating to over ₹136 crores annually. This figure breaks down to an impressive ₹2.6 crore per week.
While this is a significant reduction from the €75 million net per year he received at PSG, the shortfall will be offset by a massive signing bonus. The bonus, around €150 million, will be disbursed over the course of his contract.
Perks and Anticipated Debuts
Aside from his substantial salary, Mbappe will enjoy a private luxury suite at Real Madrid’s training facility and will sport the iconic No.9 jersey, previously worn by legendary striker Karim Benzema.
His anticipated debut for Real Madrid will occur during the preseason, with their first friendly against AC Milan at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 31.
His competitive debut is expected in the UEFA Super Cup, where Real Madrid will take on Europa League winners Atalanta in Warsaw, Poland, on August 14.
Mbappe’s Stellar PSG Legacy
Mbappe joined PSG from Monaco in 2017 for €180 million and has since become the club’s all-time leading scorer.
Throughout his seven-year tenure in Paris, he consistently demonstrated his scoring prowess, netting at least 30 goals in six of those seasons. His move to Real Madrid marks the next chapter in an already illustrious career, as he aims to further his legacy at one of the world’s most storied football clubs.
International
ENG vs ESP, Euro 2024 Final: Spain Become The 1st Four-Time Champions Of Europe After Beating England 2-1 In Berlin
Match Result:
Spain triumphed over England with a 2-1 victory in the Euro 2024 final, held in Berlin, becoming the first team to win the championship four times.
The match saw a tense first half ending goalless, but Spain took the lead shortly after the break. Williams Jr. netted the opener in the 47th minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse by England.
England fought back, with Palmer leveling the score in the 73rd minute, igniting hopes for the Three Lions. However, Spain maintained their pressure, and in the 86th minute, Oyarzabal clinched the winner with a decisive strike.
This historic win cements Spain’s status as Europe’s most successful team, while England’s wait for a major international trophy continues. The final was a showcase of high-quality football and strategic mastery, ultimately seeing Spain emerge as deserved champions.
This historic win cements Spain’s status as Europe’s most successful team, while England’s wait for a major international trophy continues. The final was a showcase of high-quality football and strategic mastery, ultimately seeing Spain emerge as deserved champions.
Preview of Euro 2024 Cup final:
A strong Spanish outfit will meet a pesky England side in the final of Euro 2024 final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. Spain battled France and defeated them by 2-1 in the semi-final, while England overcame the Netherlands by the same margin.
However, it wasn’t without a contentious penalty call that went in England’s favour. Despite not starting the contest as favourites, England’s ability to hang in there could work against Spain, who are seeking a 4th Euro title. By contrast, England are yet to lift the trophy.
A crucial stat which is in favour of England is the head to head battle, which the former lead by 13-10 against Spain in 27 outings.
International
Violent Clash Erupts Between Rival Supporters During Argentina vs Brazil 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers has been marred in controversy as the match between Brazil and Argentina saw violent clashes between rival supporters before the start of it. The high-profile fixture had to be delayed by 30 minutes as the Marcana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro witnessed ugly scenes, with disturbing visuals emerging on social media.
With the Brazilian and Argentinian players lining up for national anthems, the camera turned towards the stands as a section of rival fans exchanged blows. The local police officials could be seen beating up a section of Argentinian fans with batons and it did not go well with the tourists. By pointing at the violent scenes, Messi and co. decided to walk off the pitch.
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