International
SA v IND, 2nd Test: Thakur, Vihari help India set 240 as target for South Africa
Crucial cameos from Shardul Thakur (28) and Hanuma Vihari (40 not out) helped India set a target of 240 for South Africa on a challenging day three pitch at the Wanderers.
South Africa has never chased anything over 220 at this venue. After Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara made half-centuries and fell in the first session, Thakur and Vihari did well in taking India’s lead past 200.
If Thakur had bailed India out of trouble with the ball on day two, on day three, he did the same job with the bat. Resuming with a lead of 161 at lunch, Thakur tore into Marco Jansen, hammering boundaries through cover and point.
Thakur continued to deal into boundaries off Jansen, a top-edge on hook went over the keeper for a six while the next two boundaries were lofted and pulled towards the on-side.
Thakur’s lightning quick knock came to an end when he tried to pull Jansen’s short ball but picked out Keshav Maharaj at deep square leg. With some byes and no-balls, India’s lead swelled past 200. Jansen, after taking out Thakur, strangled Mohammed Shami down leg for a duck. Vihari and Jasprit Bumrah took a four and six respectively off Kagiso Rabada but in the next over, Lungi Ngidi took the latter out with a top-edge flying to Jansen at point.
With Mohammed Siraj struggling due to hamstring issue, Vihari farmed the strike and began to go for the kill. He made use of the short ball strategy to upper-cut over slip cordon, slap over mid-wicket with a forehand smash-like shot, hitting over extra cover and pulling over deep square leg. Ngidi ended India’s innings by ratting Siraj’s off-stump, leaving Vihari unconquered at a gritty 40.
Earlier, in an action-packed first session, India dominated the first hour, thanks to Rahane and Pujara cashing on South Africa’s wayward lines and lengths. But the hosts’ bounced back in the second session, taking four wickets while conceding 37 runs, as Rabada picked up crucial scalps of Pujara, Rahane and Rishabh Pant.
Resuming from 85/2 on day two, Pujara continued his impressive run, hitting Jansen for two fours through on-side. On the other hand, Rahane slashed Jansen with a drive through mid-off followed by a upper cut over deep point. South Africa were unable to find a consistent line and length and leaked runs as Rahane continued to smash Rabada for boundaries.
Pujara reached his fifty in 62 balls while two overs later, Rahane brought up his half-century with back-to-back boundaries through point and gully off Duanne Olivier. After the first hour of play fetched India 66 runs in 14 overs, including the partnership between Pujara and Rahane crossing the 100-run mark, South Africa bounced back in the second hour.
Rabada took the first wicket of the day, getting a delivery to kick off from a length and Rahane edged to keeper Kyle Verreynne, breaking the 111-run partnership off 144 balls. In his next over, Rabada trapped Pujara lbw with a big inswinger hitting him flush on the pads. Pujara took the review but couldn’t change the decision.
Rabada then went on to remove Pant for a three-ball duck. After being beaten outside the off-stump, Rabada rattled Pant by being hit on the gloves through a ball which bounced a bit. On the very next ball, Pant stepped out to slog but gave a feather edge behind to Verreynne.
Ravichandran Ashwin hit some boundaries but was caught down the leg side by Verreynne off Ngidi. Thakur got off the mark with a four off his second ball and remained not out along with Vihari at lunch. Post that, the Indian lower-order came into play, adding 82 runs off the last four partnerships as Rabada, Jansen and Ngidi all ended with three wickets each.
Brief scores: India 202 & 266 in 60.1 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 58, Cheteshwar Pujara 53; Kagiso Rabada 3/77, Lungi Ngidi 3/43) set South Africa 229 all out in 79.4 overs (Keegan Petersen 62; Shardul Thakur 7/61) a target of 240.
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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