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Mukesh Choudhary, Simarjeet Singh’s bowling heartening, says CSK coach Fleming

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4 years ago

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With the IPL 2022 season done and dusted for Chennai Super Kings, albeit prematurely, the team has hit the ‘experimentation mode’ and their chief coach Stephen Fleming is quite satisfied with the way the young bowlers are shaping up for the upcoming seasons.

On Thursday, defending a meagre 97 against Mumbai Indians — another team that has failed to live up to its billing this season — CSK gave the new ball to Mukesh Choudhary and Simarjeet Singh. Mukesh, the 25-year-old left-arm pacer from Bhilwara, Rajasthan, made an immediate impact with the new ball, taking three wickets for 23 runs in his four overs, while Simarjeet, the 24-year-old pacer from Delhi, took the wicket of Rohit Sharma and bowled a tidy four overs.

Fleming said he saw this as a positive sign for the franchise going forward.

“There are some really positive signs. I thought the new ball bowling from Simarjeet and Mukesh was outstanding. They have been developing, Mukesh all the way through the season, and for him to feel confident enough to bowl a spell like that and Simarjeet in four games and they have made some good gain. So, that is a positive with Deepak Chahar to come back into the side. They are some good options with the new ball.”

Pace bowler Chahar has not been able to play a single match for CSK this season because of the injury he sustained at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru while rehabilitating.

“I thought it was really impressive. They really gave us an opportunity and both of them bowled well. Mukesh in particular had the ball really swinging well and Simarjeet has got some deceptive pace, so we are really positive about that pairing going forward. It is just disappointing that we did not have more runs to play with, but out of the ashes came those two. So, it was a good way to look at it,” Fleming said.

“We are not far away, but we have got a couple of holes that seem to pop up at the wrong time. We are not as good as we need to be, we know that. We try to find some positive pieces when we move forward. Now that we are out of the competition, we have got an opportunity with two games to give some other guys an opportunity and hope we find something there as well.”

The head coach added that he was surprised by the way the pitch behaved.

“I think it took us by surprise, it looked very good at the start. And, we were never able to get any partnerships. We just seemed to nick everything down the leg side with no DRS, we didn’t get any momentum to post a score. We did get some assistance in the second innings with the ball, so I would say the expectations were of a high-scoring game and as it turned out, a score of 140 or 150 might have been competitive. So, we were a little surprised by the assistance that was on offer.

“Yes, we have got some work to do. We are really positive about the next two games to see if some guys will take the opportunity, which they will get and we just have to finish in the same way. Keep looking for the positives for the next season. We are still learning about our squad like most teams are, and hopefully we can learn over the next couple of games, and what I can say is there’s not much margin between having a great season and a not so great season. We’ve been through enough of these seasons to know that. We’re not going to tune too much over, but we do need to improve in some areas.”

Fleming said Super Kings were unlucky as there was no DRS in the initial stages of the match, but said it was a part of the game.

“It was a little bit unlucky that it happened at that time, yeah we are a little bit disappointed but it is a part of the game. A chain of events that were not in our favour but we should be better than that. It certainly was not a great start.”

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2026 FIFA WC: Too old? Too slow? Ronaldo answers with ‘two goals and a record’

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3 hours ago

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June 24, 2026

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New Delhi, June 24: Just days ago, Cristiano Ronaldo was the target of relentless criticism as he failed to score in Portugal’s opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The Portugal captain endured a frustrating, goalless opener against DR Congo, prompting social media to erupt with jokes, memes, and questions about whether the 41-year-old still had what it takes to perform on football’s biggest stage.

For many, age had finally caught up with the legendary forward.

However, Ronaldo had other ideas.

Against Uzbekistan at Houston Stadium on Tuesday, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner delivered the perfect response, scoring twice in the first half and rewriting the history books in the process. It also propelled Portugal to a thumping 5-0 win against Uzbekistan.

The message was clear early in the match.

Just six minutes into the contest, Joao Cancelo surged down the right flank and drilled a low cross into the penalty area. Ronaldo was exactly where great goal scorers are expected to be. The Portuguese icon calmly swept home from close range to give his side the lead and send a warning to his critics.

But he wasn’t finished.

In the 39th minute, Ronaldo struck again, doubling both Portugal’s advantage and his personal tally for the night. The celebrations carried an extra edge, as if the veteran striker was determined to remind the football world that class does not fade with age.

The first goal was far more than just another World Cup strike.

It made Ronaldo the first footballer in history to score in six different FIFA World Cups — Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, Qatar 2022, and now USA-Mexico-Canada 2026.

It also made Ronaldo, at 41 years & 138 days, the second-oldest goalscorer in the history of the World Cup behind Roger Milla of Cameroon, who scored a goal in 1994 at the age of 42 years & 39 days.

Twenty years after making his World Cup debut as a 21-year-old, Ronaldo continues to achieve feats no player before him has managed.

His latest milestone came barely 24 hours after Lionel Messi became the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history, ensuring that football’s two greatest stars of the modern era continue to raise the bar even in the twilight of their careers.

The contrast with Portugal’s opening match could not have been sharper. The player who was mocked, doubted, and written off after one quiet performance suddenly looked unstoppable. Every sprint, every touch, and every finish seemed fuelled by the criticism that followed him into Houston.

As the goals went in, social media’s mood changed dramatically. The jokes disappeared. The criticism faded. In its place came admiration.

“Ronaldo, take a bow,” read countless posts from fans and pundits alike.

For one unforgettable evening, the Portuguese superstar reminded everyone why he remains one of football’s greatest-ever competitors.

The critics questioned him after one match.

Ronaldo answered with two goals, a historic record, and yet another chapter in an extraordinary legacy.

Result:

Portugal v Uzbekistan

C. Ronaldo 6′, 39′

N. Mendes 17′

A. Nematov 60′ (OG)

R. Leão 87′.

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I’m not spending time thinking about my age: Messi

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1 day ago

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June 23, 2026

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Arlington, June 23: After becoming the FIFA World Cup’s all-time scorer two days shy of his 39th birthday, Lionel Messi said he is not thinking about his age; his only focus is to remain fit.

The Argentina captain netted against Austria to surpass Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 strikes at the global tournament with a first-half strike in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria in Dallas. He added another goal in stoppage time to take his career tally in the tournament to 18 goals.

“I’m not spending time thinking about my age. I’m simply focused on being well,” Messi told reporters. “I feel physically good, and maybe that’s why I’m playing better.”

Monday’s result moved Argentina to the top of Group J with six points, three points clear of second-placed Austria. With the reigning champion’s progress to the round of 32 already assured, Messi said he was unsure if he would play in Argentina’s final group match against Jordan on Saturday.

“The manager (Lionel Scaloni) will decide whether I play or not, or how much I play,” the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner said. “I feel good and happy to be part of this group, which always competes no matter who the opponent is and never relaxes.”

Messi admitted that his missed penalty in the ninth minute of Monday’s match had affected the team “a little”. We missed two or three clear chances,” he said.

“We were controlling the game, but the ball just wouldn’t go in. Then we managed to recover, playing very intense, very fast football. The team competes, and competes very well. We can play better or worse, but there’s no doubt we’ll compete in every match the same way, no matter who the opponent is,” he added.

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

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1 week 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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