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Champions Trophy: ‘This man will score another 10-15 tons’, Sidhu hails Kohli’s heroics against Pakistan

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1 year ago

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Dubai, Feb 24: Former cricketer Navjyot Singh Sidhu was full of praises for India’s batting talisman Virat Kohli, who produced yet another ODI classic with an unbeaten century against Pakistan in a high-stakes Champions Trophy encounter on Sunday, and said with his conviction the right-hander can score another 10-15 centuries in his career.

Coming in to bat after India went one down in the powerplay, Kohli knitted an unbeaten 100 off 111 to keep the momentum in his side’s favour, bringing up his 51st ODI ton and surpassing Sachin Tendulkar to become the first player with 50 centuries in the format.

“Character is not made in a crisis, it is exhibited. This is a man (Virat Kohli) with pedigree, with passion. And after this 100, I can say it with conviction that this man is playing for the next 2 or 3 years and he is getting another 10 or 15 hundreds. That, you take it from me. Because, you see, the ultimate litmus test for anyone is how he goes through the adverse times, how he embraces adversity.

“Last six months, there has been so much going on that he chose his moment. When he scored runs against Pakistan, people are not going to forget it for 10 years,” Sidhu said on JioHotstar.

The 36-year-old, who made his debut for India back in 2008 against Sri Lanka, also crossed the 14,000 run-mark to become only the third batter to do so after Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara.

The veteran batter crossed the milestone in his 298th ODI for India, and has 50 hundreds in the format to go with 73 half-centuries.

“I think more than the work I put in, it’s about his hard work and his dedication to the game. Because he is a guy who leaves no stone unturned as far as preparation is concerned. He knew that he had to step up. He brought that intensity to his game and you could see it in his body language. You could see in the way his eyes lit up and that fire was burning there.

“He was hungry for runs. Today was an innings of which we can certainly say what Navjot Singh Sidhu just said- another 3-4 years of international cricket, easily. Because if you can maintain that side of standards in terms of execution of pure skill and intent, you get a master class like this,” Sidhu added.

Kohli is now the quickest men’s batter to reach 8000, 9000, 10000, 11000, 12000, 13000 and 14000 runs in the international 50-over format. He got to 14,000 ODI runs in 63 fewer innings than Tendulkar.

“Look, when you assess Virat Kohli, what is his trademark? If I look at Sachin Tendulkar, it was always the back foot punch that he would give. Look at Gavaskar, the straight drive. When you look at Virat Kohli, it’s the cover drive. And when he gets his head on top of the ball and he’s cover driving beautifully, you know he’s back.

“If you look at the initial part of his innings, if you look at these drives, you know that this is the Virat Kohli of old. And to me, it’s the character that he exhibited when the chips were down.

“These are the people who’ve inspired the kid in the street. For the game to grow, you need role models, who are above everything. Virat Kohli is a once-in-a-generation cricketer, a ‘Kohinoor’. You must understand the value that he brings to international cricket- 99 innings, and an average of 89.6 in successful chases means that he handles pressure without allowing it to affect him. And the tougher it gets, the more he thrives in that situation. That’s the hallmark of a great cricketer,” Sidhu concluded.

India will next play New Zealand in their last group stage fixture on March 2.

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FIFA WC: When and where to watch Portugal vs DR Congo; know all details

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9 hours ago

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June 16, 2026

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Houston, June 16: Portugal will kick off their 2026 World Cup journey against DR Congo on Wednesday, aiming for an ideal start in Group K, which also features Colombia and Uzbekistan. Widely considered favourites to progress, Roberto Martinez’s side will be keen to secure three points early and strengthen their bid to finish top of the group.

The spotlight will once again fall on Cristiano Ronaldo, who enters what is expected to be his sixth and final World Cup. At 41, the Portuguese captain has already lifted the UEFA European Championship and two UEFA Nations League titles, but the World Cup remains the one major honour missing from his glittering career.

For DR Congo, the tournament marks a long-awaited return to football’s biggest stage after more than five decades. Their only previous appearance came in 1974, when the nation competed as Zaire. Having finally ended a 52-year absence from the World Cup, Sebastien Desabre’s side will now look to build on that achievement and prove they can challenge more established opponents in Group K.

How to watch Portugal vs DR Congo live in India:

Live streaming and live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 football matches will be available on the Zee5 platform and app in India. A subscription will be needed.

Live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be available on the Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD TV channels in India.

Key details:

Date and kick-off time: Wednesday, June 17, 10.30 PM IST

Venue: Houston Stadium, Texas, USA

Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim

Squads:

Portugal-

Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa, Jose Sa, Rui Silva

Defenders: Diogo Dalot, Matheus Nunes, Nelson Semedo, João Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, Gonçalo Inácio, Renato Veiga, Rúben Dias, Tomas Araujo

Midfielders: Ruben Neves, Samuel Costa, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva

Forwards: João Félix, Francisco Trincão, Francisco Conceição, Pedro Neto, Rafael Leão, Gonçalo Guedes, Gonçalo Ramos; Cristiano Ronaldo

DR Congo-

Goalkeepers: Timothy Fayulu, Lionel Mpasi, Mike Epolo

Defenders: Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Gedeon Kalulu, Joris Kayembe, Arthur Masuaku, Steve Kapuadi, Rocky Bushiri, Axel Tuanzebe, Chancel Mbemba, Dylan Batubinsika

Midfielders: Noah Sadiki, Samuel Moutoussamy, Edo Kayembe, Nathan Mukau, Charles Pickel, Ngal’ayel Mukau Mbuku, Brian Cipenga, Theo Bongonda, Gael Kakuta

Forwards: Meschack Elia, Fiston Mayele, Cedric Bakambu, Simon Banza, Yoane Wissa

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FIFA WC 2026: ‘Physically fit Haaland primed for massive impact’, says Norway coach Solbakken

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13 hours ago

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June 16, 2026

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Boston, June 16: Head coach Stale Solbakken hailed Erling Haaland as the “world’s best goalscorer” and stated that the physically fit one of the world’s deadliest strikers is primed to make a massive impact as Norway are making their return to the FIFA World Cup after a 28-year absence.

Norway will begin their World Cup campaign against Iraq in a challenging Group I that includes two-time champions France and Senegal on Wednesday in Boston.

Haaland has scored 55 goals in 50 international appearances for the Norway national team, making him the country’s all-time leading goalscorer. He reached 50 Norway goals in 46 appearances. It made him just the sixth footballer and first in 53 years to register the half-century in fewer than 50 international caps.

Haaland, with 17 goals in nine games, finished as international football’s leading marksman for 2025, six clear on his closest challengers. Solbakken believes powerhouse Haaland is without equal when it comes to to putting the ball in the back of the net.

“Hopefully Erling will have a very big impact. I think he’s the world’s best goalscorer. He is physically fit, he was given a little break at the end of the season – (missing) one game for Manchester City and one for us. Hopefully we can give him good service because, if we give him chances, he has a tendency to score,” Solbakken told reporters.

Solbakken also highlighted the importance of Arsenal playmaker Martin Odegaard. “When he is on the pitch he is a very, very important player for us, and he’s our captain. He dictates, in many areas, the tempo of our play,” the coach said.

Norway’s last World Cup appearance came in 1998, when Solbakken was part of the squad. Securing qualification for the 2026 finals carries special meaning for the former midfielder.

“I think that’s for every citizen – to lead this country in a game like that. And especially after 28 years, then obviously that is perhaps the top thing on the list. Hopefully it will be a nice experience. We will firstly get a good performance and then a nice result,” he said.

Asked what his last message to the players would be before the match, Solbakken said motivation would not be an issue, but handling the occasion correctly would be key.

“The match can have better and less good periods, and we have to find back the good feeling if we lose that feeling in the course of the match,” he said.

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FIFA World Cup 2026: Spain boss De la Fuente confident injured trio will be fit for debut

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1 week ago

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June 8, 2026

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Madrid, June 8: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente remains confident that the injured trio of Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Victor Munoz will be fit in time to start his side’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign.

De la Fuente was speaking to the press ahead of his side’s friendly against Peru in the Mexican city of Puebla, which is the final chance to make adjustments ahead of his side’s World Cup opener against Cabo Verde in Atlanta on June 15, reports Xinhua.

De la Fuente left Williams, Munoz, and Yamal at Spain’s base in Chattanooga to continue their return to fitness, but insisted they were “meeting their recovery deadlines.”

“They were scheduled to do more specific work these next few days, and if they continue progressing this way, I think they’ll be available [against Cabo Verde],” he said.

Yamal and Williams have hamstring problems, while Munoz has a calf strain. “Each one had their own process. Lamine’s injury was different, as was its duration. But the most important thing is that, within the expected timeframe, he’s currently fit to be included in the squad,” De la Fuente insisted.

Yamal, Williams, and Munoz all play on the wing, but even if they aren’t fit for the opening game, De la Fuente said he had players in the squad who could provide cover.

“We have other options. There are different styles, and we’ll see how the week goes,” the coach said, adding that the Peru game would see him field a more recognisable team than the one that drew 1-1 with Iraq last Thursday.

“I have a plan for how to start the World Cup if there are no adverse circumstances. Football can always surprise you, but I won’t reveal the lineup,” he concluded.

The Spain national team reached the United States on Saturday to continue with its preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026 finals, with a few questions still to be answered — especially the one hanging in the balance of the fate of the injured trio.

Spain flew in from Santiago de Compostela (northern Spain) to Nashville after Thursday’s 1-1 draw against Iraq, and from Nashville, the squad travelled to Baylor School in Chattanooga, which will be its base for the tournament.

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