ABU DHABI: Rajasthan Royals upset Indian Premier League leader Chennai Super Kings with a seven-wicket victory on Saturday to keep its playoff hopes alive, despite a rapid-fire century by Chennai opener Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Chennai had already secured its place in the playoffs, along with Delhi Capitals which beat Mumbai Indians by four wickets in Sharjah. Rajasthan are in a four-way battle for the final playoff spot with two games to play.
Put into bat, Chennai scored 189-4 thanks to a 60-ball 101 not out from Gaikwad. The opener hit nine fours and five sixes, sharing a rapid 55 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja (32 not out off 15) after the pair came together in the 17th over. Spinner Rahul Tewatia took 3-39.
Gaikwad’s reached his hundred with a hit over the fence off Mustafizur Rahman on the final ball of Chennai’s innings to for his maiden IPL ton. It was the first century of the revived IPL in the United Arab Emirates and fourth of the Covid-hit season that was halted in May due to the pandemic in India.
Gaikwad put on key partnerships including an unbeaten stand of 55 with Ravindra Jadeja, who made 32, to become the tournament’s leading batsman with 508 runs in 12 matches.
“Unbelievable batting by Gaikwad, we’re afraid of a batsman like him. Really a lot of respect to him,” Royals skipper Sanju Samson said of Gaikwad, who was named man of the match.
Rajasthan reached 190-3 with 15 balls to spare after openers Evin Lewis (27 off 12) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (50 off 21) propelled the side to 77-1 after only 5.2 overs. Shivam Dube top-scored with 64 not out off 42 deliveries. Shardul Thakar ended with 2-30.
After 12 games, Chennai and second-placed Delhi both have 18 points, while Rajasthan and Mumbai are on 10 points.
Earlier, in a low-scoring game, Mumbai reached 129-8 off 20 overs after being asked to bat, with Suryakumar Yadav hitting 33 runs off 26. Pacer Avesh Khan impressed with the ball to take 3-15 in his four overs.
In reply, Delhi finished on 132-6 with five deliveries to spare thanks to a 33-ball 33 not out from Shreyas Iyer.
Rajasthan upsets Chennai in Indian Premier League
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Rajasthan upsets Chennai in Indian Premier League
- Put into bat, Chennai scored 189-4 thanks to a 60-ball 101 not out from Gaikwad
- It was the first century of the revived IPL in the UAE and fourth of the Covid-hit season that was halted in May
Liverpool fans, Dalglish pay tribute to Jota in Hong Kong
Liverpool players will wear a “Forever 20” emblem on their shirts during the next EPL season
HONG KONG: Liverpool supporters and their former forward and manager Kenny Dalglish led tributes to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva before a pre-season friendly against AC Milan in Hong Kong on Saturday.
Ahead of kickoff, supporters raised a mosaic depicting “DJ 20” and Dalglish laid a wreath in memory of former Liverpool forward Jota, who died along with his brother in a car accident in Spain this month.
The Liverpool players wore “Diogo J 20” patches on their shirts and black armbands. AC Milan winger Rafael Leao paid tribute to his Portugal teammate by making a “2” and “0” sign with his fingers after scoring an early goal in the Italian team’s 4-2 win.
Liverpool fan Zoe Leung and her family made a placard in Jota’s memory.
“I think Jota’s death is sad and I was really shocked when I watched the news. I made this with my family to show some respect to Jota,” the 24-year-old Leung said.
Liverpool players will wear a “Forever 20” emblem on their shirts during the next Premier League season. Supporters can have “Diogo J. 20” printed on shirts in club stores, with the profits going to LFC Foundation, the club’s official charity.
Liverpool fans vastly outnumbered AC Milan supporters at the 50,000 capacity Kai Tak Stadium, many bringing placards, scarves, flags and banners to cheer on their team.
Liverpool travel to Japan next to take on Yokohama FM in the J League World Challenge on Wednesday. They begin their Premier League title defense at home to Bournemouth on August 15.
Hamilton holds hands up after ‘unacceptable’ qualifying
- Team-mate Charles Leclerc qualified third after Hamilton had exceeded track limits in Q1
- “It was the same today as it was for the rest of the weekend,” said Hamilton
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium: Lewis Hamilton blamed himself and said he would apologize to Ferrari for an “unacceptable” performance on Saturday after he suffered another qualifying flop, his second in two days, at the Belgian Grand Prix.
The 40-year-old seven-time world champion, who was eliminated in first sprint qualifying on Friday when he spun at the chicane, repeated his disappointment as he qualified in a forlorn 16th place for Sunday’s race.
Team-mate Charles Leclerc qualified third after Hamilton had exceeded track limits in Q1 and had his best lap deleted.
“It was the same today as it was for the rest of the weekend,” said Hamilton.
“We made some changes and the car didn’t feel terrible.
“It was tough for us. We had to put on our set of tires just to try to get through Q1 so it’s not great.
“From my side, I made a mistake so I’ve got to look internally and I’ve got to apologize to my team because that is just unacceptable to be out in both Q1s. It’s a very poor performance from myself.
“I will start from where I am and see what I can do to achieve the best I can with what we have. This season has been a tricky one.”
Hamilton has won the Belgian race five times including inheriting victory last year when his then-Mercedes team-mate George Russell was disqualified after winning in an underweight car.
Leclerc was upbeat and surprised to be third on the grid.
“I’m very happy today and it’s strange to say that because it’s still three-tenths and it’s only third place, but I did not expect it,’ he said.
“I think we thought we were quite a lot more behind (the McLarens). We knew we had something more in the car and obviously we had the upgrade this weekend, but we still struggled yesterday.
“I had a really good lap and I’m happy with the car. It takes time to maximize the upgrades that we put on the car.2
Hamilton’s success last year was the last of his record 105 wins from 368 race starts in arguably the most successful career of all time, but since leaving Mercedes for Ferrari this year he has struggled and has yet to claim his first podium for the Italian team.
Motor rally accident kills three spectators in France
- The three killed were two brothers, aged 70 and 60, and a 44-year-old man, said prosecutors
- Several people who witnessed the accident near the town of Ambert in central France were in shock
SAINT-JUST, France: Three spectators died in central France on Saturday after a car driven by a 22-year-old woman racer veered off the road during an auto rally, authorities said.
The driver of the modified Peugeot 208 that hit the spectators and her 51-year-old woman co-driver were taken to hospital but without life-threatening injuries, prosecutors said.
Two men died at the scene and prosecutors later announced that a third man, airlifted to hospital, succumbed to his injuries.
The three killed were two brothers, aged 70 and 60, and a 44-year-old man, according to the public prosecutor’s office, which opened an investigation.
Several people who witnessed the accident near the town of Ambert in central France were in shock, a local official told AFP.
In total, a dozen people were taken to a psychological support unit set up in the nearby village of Saint-Just.
The accident occurred around 11 am (0900 GMT) on Saturday.
“This is a tragedy for the world of racing,” said Joel Mathurin, the local prefect, or top government official for the area.
Regional prosecutor Laure Moisset said the accident was “very violent.”
In a short statement, the rally organizers said that the race was halted at 10:49 am. All spectators were asked to leave the scene and the event’s award ceremony was canceled.
Dozens of firefighters and police were dispatched to the scene.
The investigation was “in its early stages,” the prosecutor said.
The Peugeot 208 car was to be examined.
The road where the accident took place, almost a straight line according to authorities, has been closed.
Prosecutors said they would have to determine whether the spectators were in an authorized area during the rally.
“I prefer to remain cautious,” Moisset told reporters. “It is still a little too early to be precise,” she added.
Organized since 1965, the motor rally attracted 167 teams for its 32nd edition.
In the rally held last year, a race marshal died.
Verstappen assures Red Bull he will always deliver
- “They will always get my very best, whoever is in charge. They know that,” Verstappen said
- Verstappen said it was too early to talk about further changes to be made at Red Bull
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium: Max Verstappen said Red Bull could always count on him, as the four-times Formula One champion gave new team boss Laurent Mekies a winning start in a Saturday sprint at the Belgian Grand Prix.
The race was the first since Christian Horner, who led Red Bull into Formula One in 2005, was dismissed by the team’s owners.
Verstappen seized the lead on the opening lap from second at the start and kept McLaren’s Oscar Piastri behind him to secure his and the team’s first win of any sort since Imola in May.
While worth only eight points, the victory was a significant statement after the recent restructure at the Milton Keynes factory.
“The team can always count on me. They will always get my very best, whoever is in charge. They know that. I’m never holding back or anything,” Verstappen told reporters.
“I’m always trying to give them the best possible result, and that’s also what they pay me for. For sure, it’s positive. We need, of course, positive energy, and that’s a great start for us.”
Verstappen said it was too early to talk about further changes to be made at Red Bull and Mekies needed to build relationships and see how the team operated.
“Then at one point, you come to conclusions and maybe you want to change something, and this is something that will happen over the coming weeks, months,” he said.
“So, it’s really early days, but so far, he’s very keen and very motivated, and that’s exactly what you want also. I got on very well with him. So, yeah, it’s been a very good start.”
UAE to host Asia Cup cricket
- The neighbors have not met on either side’s soil in a bilateral series since 2012
- The Asia Cup is played under the aegis of the Asian Cricket Council
NEW DELHI: The United Arab Emirates will host this year’s T20 Asia Cup tournament in September, organizers said Saturday, ending the uncertainty over its fate amid spiralling tensions between India and Pakistan.
The neighbors have not met on either side’s soil in a bilateral series since 2012, and only play each other in international tournaments on neutral grounds as part of a compromise deal.
But already-frosty relations took a turn for the worse this year when the two nuclear rivals fought an intense four-day conflict, their worst standoff in decades.
More than 70 people were killed in missile, drone and artillery fire on both sides.
The conflict was triggered by an April 22 attack on civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi accused Pakistan of backing — a charge Islamabad denies.
The Asia Cup is played under the aegis of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), which is currently headed by Pakistan cricket chief Mohsin Naqvi.
“I am delighted to confirm the dates for the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 in UAE,” said Naqvi on X.
“The prestigious tournament will take place from September 9th to 28th.”
The five full members of the ACC — Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka — earned automatic qualification to the tournament.
They are to be joined by Hong Kong, Oman and the United Arab Emirates — the teams that secured their spots by finishing in the top three of the ACC men’s Premier Cup.
The previous edition of the event was in a 50-over format, but this year’s tournament was scheduled as a shorter-format event in preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup in India.
India and Pakistan have fought three full-fledged wars since being carved out of the subcontinent’s partition in 1947 and that rivalry is often reflected on the cricket field.
