Month: August 2023

Pakistan vs Nepal Live Score: Nepal have got a big breakthrough as Mohammad Rizwan gets run out for 44. Currently, Agha Salman and Babar Azam are standing unbeaten at the crease as they aim to take 3-down Pakistan towards a good score. On the other hand, Nepal bowlers are desperately eyeing some more wickets, in order to get an upper hand in the game. Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and opted to bat against Nepal in the Asia Cup opener in Multan. Pakistan head into the tournament after a 3-0 series sweep against Afghanistan in Sri Lanka, which is also set to host the Asia Cup matches due to India’s reluctance to travel to Pakistan. (Live Scorecard)

Australian coach Andrew McDonald has conceded there is concern over Glenn Maxwells latest injury with three Australian T20 debutants in South Africa potentially auditioning for spots in the World Cup squad.
New Aussie captain Mitch Marsh said it was exciting to see left-arm quick Spencer Johnson, all-rounder Aaron Hardie and batter Matt Short get their first taste of international cricket in the absence of a raft of incumbents.
That includes Maxwell, who was forced to leave the tour with an ankle injury as he continues to deal with the lingering effects of the horror broken leg he suffered last November.
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McDonald said he remained hopeful Maxwell, as well as Pat Cummins (wrist), Steve Smith (wrist) and Mitch Starc (groin), would be available for the ODI World Cup in India in November but conceded the injury situation made the squad far from settled.
The information on all of them is they will be right for the World Cup, which is positive, but you never know obviously when youre coming off injury. If there was a recurrence, then that could shift our thinking a little bit, he said.
Glenn Maxwell missed most of last summer after breaking his leg. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
Is this an audition potentially for spaces that may open up in South Africa? Theres no doubt about that. We feel as though weve got some exciting talent coming through. You look at Aaron Hardie in that all-rounder space, getting his opportunity.
Spencer Johnson as well, a left-arm fast bowler. Weve got some new players coming through and we feel as though its the right time for that as well to blend that youth with experience.
McDonald said Maxwells issue was concerning for the all-rounder.
And the reason why its concerning is its happened a couple of times, he told SEN.
If you remember back to the three-match series against India, he played in the first one and pulled up a bit lame from that and then coming into camp for this one has had another small setback.
Theres no doubt on the back of what was a horrendous injury that he suffered theres always going to be a balance between the load that he can take on and unfortunately, hes had a small setback here, but were confident that hell be right for the World Cup.
Marsh will lead the new-look team in the three-match T20 series that begins on Thursday morning and said it was an opportunity for new players to get the feeling of winning games for Australia.
Mitch Marsh will lead a new-look Australian team. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo ImagesSource: Getty Images
They have all earned their opportunities and we are all really excited, he said.
We have no expectations. Ive got a lot of confidence they are all going to be able to perform at international level.
Whether or not that makes us underdogs, I dont know.

Disney+ Hotstar believes that the viewership during a cricket match can be 50 million. If this happens, it will be 56 percent more than the viewership of IPL on Mukesh Ambani’s JioCinema platform.Walt Disney has taken the gamble of showing free cricket matches in India. Disney+ Hotstar is streaming Asia Cup 2023 and ODI Cricket World Cup for free on mobile this time. By doing this, the company wants to be profitable again, as well as want to connect with the old users who had left it.
According to Reuters, Disney+ Hotstar had the highest number of users last year but after March 2022, the users left, causing a loss of $41.5 million to the company. Users fell by a quarter between October and July last year, putting pressure on the company to return to profitability.
Disney+ Hotstar felt that perhaps Indians would continue to subscribe to their premium content. But, this did not happen. Indians stopped subscriptions when cricket was not shown. In such a situation, Disney+ Hotstar now has only one option left, which is to stream free cricket live.
Disney+ Hotstar believes that the viewership during a cricket match can be 50 million. If this happens, it will be 56 percent more than the viewership of IPL on Mukesh Ambani’s JioCinema platform.
When Disney bought Indian streaming service Hotstar, it paid $71 billion for some of 21st Century Fox’s global assets in 2019. Also, it bought the streaming rights of the Indian Premier League (IPL). After this, in the year 2020, Disney+ Hotstar was made a paid subscription. The company believed that it would get 100 million users in the coming year.
But this could not happen. Meanwhile, last year Mukesh Ambani kept the IPL rights with him for $2.9 billion. After this, broadcast the cricket match for free on Jio Cinema. This reduced the number of Disney subscribers by 21 million in July.
Under the new strategy, Disney has only one option to form a joint venture or sell the Indian business. Disney has bought cricket rights for the years 2024 and 2027 by paying $3 billion. While TV broadcast rights are with Zee, which was bought for $ 1.5 billion. The company expects that it will get an advertisement of Rs 2 crore from this. But by doing this, it will take a long time for the company to extract profits.
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Images from Day 2 of the 2023 US Open at Flushing Meadows in New York on Tuesday.
Alcaraz advances as injured Koepfer retires
IMAGE: Carlos Alcaraz in action during his first round match against Germany’s Dominik Koepfer on Day 2 of the 2023 US Open on Tuesday. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the second round of the US Open on Tuesday after his opponent, German Dominik Koepfer, retired with an injury during their primetime match in the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The 20-year-old top seed from Spain was leading 6-2, 3-2 when Koepfer retired, having rolled his ankle at a grimace-inducing angle minutes into the match. Alcaraz will play Lloyd Harris of South Africa in the second round.
“He’s a great player, he has big shots so I have to be really focused on the match,” said Alcaraz. “Obviously (it) is going to be a tough one.”
Alcaraz drew a packed crowd to the iconic American stadium but the affair quickly unraveled as underdog Koepfer stopped short along the baseline in the first game, twisting his left ankle and losing much hope of putting up a fight.
He took a medical timeout to have his ankle taped and returned to the court with the score at deuce but was clearly not at full strength and Alcaraz easily converted a break point with a well-placed drop shot.
The German showed grit as he fended off a break point in the third game of the first set but was overheard telling his team that his ankle was in terrible shape, as his camp questioned whether he should continue.
IMAGE: Dominik Koepfer stopped short along the baseline in the first game, twisting his left ankle and losing much hope of putting up a fight. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
Koepfer buried his head in his towel after Alcaraz forced him into a forehand error to convert on a break point chance in the seventh game.
Wimbledon champion Alcaraz was in fine form, sending over 19 winners with few mistakes across the match, and broke Koepfer to love in the third game of the second set after the German whacked a backhand shot out of bounds.
Koepfer fended off a pair of break point chances in the fifth game before solemnly walking to the net to resign.
“Obviously I have to give credit to him,” Alcaraz said in on-court remarks after the match. “First step on the court, I felt great… the same energy that I felt last year.”
Alcaraz will lose his world number one spot when the tournament wraps after rival Novak Djokovic demolished Frenchman Alexandre Muller in his opening match on Monday, a result that meant the Serb will replace him at the top of the rankings.
Venus Williams suffers early exit
IMAGE: Venus Williams lost in the first round against Belgium’s Greet Minnen . Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
Two-time US Open champion Venus Williams suffered her most lopsided loss in 24 appearances at the Grand Slam tournament with a 6-1, 6-1 defeat at the hands of qualifier Greet Minnen in the first round on Tuesday.
The German smacked 24 winners and saved all six break points she faced to dispatch the veteran American, who she reveres.
“In 1997, Venus already played a final here and I was just born, so for me it was incredible to play a legend like her,” the 26-year-old Minnen said in an on-court interview.
“I have huge respect for her.”
Former world number one Williams’ best chance of climbing back into the contest came when she had a break point opportunity in the opening game of the second set but she failed to convert.
The hard-hitting Minnen would break the next game at love and cruise to victory in the match that lasted just 75 minutes.
“First I have to give credit to my opponent,” Williams told reporters.
“There wasn’t a shot she couldn’t make. Even when I hit really amazing shots, she just hit a winner or a dropshot, so I don’t think I played badly. I think it was just one of those days where it’s just unlucky.”
IMAGE: Greet Minnen celebrates winning her first round match. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
Seven-time Grand Slam winner Williams, whose younger sister Serena retired after last year’s US Open with 23 major titles to her name, said she was prepared to come to Flushing Meadows without her sibling playing.
“I was very much aware that Serena wouldn’t be playing the tournament, so I think I was okay. I’ve had a chance to get used to that idea even before she retired,” she said.
“I kind of knew that was coming.”
Asked when she might hang up her racket, Williams was non-committal.
“I wouldn’t tell you,” she said with a smile.
“I don’t know. I don’t know why you’re asking.”
Murray and Norrie advance in straight sets
IMAGE: Andy Murray, working his way back from hip surgeries, was forced to labour more than Norrie, needing four match points and three hours to beat Frenchman Corentin Moutet. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
Andy Murray and Cameron Norrie sailed into the second round of the US Open with straight-sets wins on Tuesday as hopes for British success at the tournament got off to a promising start.
Former champion Murray, working his way back from hip surgeries, was forced to labour more than Norrie, needing four match points and three hours to beat Frenchman Corentin Moutet 6-2, 7-5, 6-3, sealing victory with a lovely backhand winner.
“I’m at my highest ranking since I had the metal hip so I’m happy with that,” said Murray, the former world number one now ranked 37th and unseeded at the major he won in 2012.
“It’s not been an easy journey – obviously I would like to be ranked higher,” he added after notching his 200th match win at a Grand Slam tournament.
Murray, 36, comfortably captured the opening set against his 24-year-old opponent before falling an early break behind in the second.
Moutet had set points at 5-4 but failed to convert and Murray broke with a blistering backhand winner, leading the emotional Frenchman to demolish his racket.
Murray had set point two games later and did well to put a well-placed serve back into play and Moutet responded by badly missing an overhead to fall two sets behind.
On serve at 2-2 in the third, Moutet fell while chasing down a ball hit into the corner, the lefty landing hard on his left wrist and staying down for an extended period.
He would continue and dig deep to fend off break points and hold for 3-3.
But fan-favourite Murray would not be denied, converting his 10th break point chance of the set with a deft drop shot for 5-3 en route to victory.
“It was amazing – brilliant atmosphere,” Murray said to his many fans packed into the Grandstand court.
“He’s one of the most skillful players on the tour. He always causes a little bit of chaos out there.”
Earlier in the day, 16th seed Norrie cruised past Alexander Shevchenko 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in 91 minutes as he looks to turn around a disappointing second half of his season.
Norrie fell in the second round of Wimbledon and suffered first round exits at three US Open warm-up events but played nearly flawless tennis to dispatch the Russian.
“I always feel good coming to New York and I think I was really hungry to get a win. You know, I hadn’t had too many in the last few weeks,” Norrie told reporters.
“It was a good win, but on to the next one.”
Britain’s Dan Evans and Jack Draper are also in action on Tuesday.
Pegula charges into second round
IMAGE: Jessica Pegula powered into the second round with an easy victory against Italy’s Camila Giorgi. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters
American Jessica Pegula took her place in the US charge into the second round as she fired off eight aces to swat aside Italy’s Camila Giorgi 6-2, 6-2.
The third seed has taken a backseat to compatriot Coco Gauff in the headlines, as local fans hope to see an American hoist the trophy for the first time since 2017, but said she has no problem ceding the spotlight.
“Coco can take it, that pressure, not me,” said Pegula, who will play Romanian Patricia Maria Tig next. “It’s nice that there is a lot of us that are doing well and that have chances to go deep here.”
Medvedev routs Balazs
IMAGE: Daniil Medvedev fired off 41 winners during his first round win against Hungarian Attila Balazs. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters
With Alcaraz and Djokovic hogging the spotlight, Daniil Medvedev had been the forgotten man but the third seeded Russian remains a threat to claim his second US Open title in three years.
He got everyone’s attention when he dispatched Hungarian Attila Balazs 6-1, 6-1, 6-0 in a speedy affair to kick off the action on Arthur Ashe Stadium, firing off 41 winners to set up a second round meeting with Australian Christopher O’Connell.
Sabalenka wobbles before seeing off Zanevska
An error-prone Aryna Sabalenka overcame her early struggles on serve to overpower unseeded Belgian Maryna Zanevska 6-3, 6-2 on Tuesday and move into the second round of the US Open.
Twice New York semi-finalist Sabalenka, who is bidding to win her second Grand Slam title and leapfrog Iga Swiatek into top spot in the world rankings, was nowhere near her best but showed composure when it mattered most in a tricky contest.
The Australian Open champion made a shaky start with five double faults to drop serve twice, but Ukrainian-born Zanevska was unable to capitalise on both occasions to let her second-seeded opponent off the hook.
“First of all I want to thank you guys for staying because if I would be you, after the third double fault I’d leave the stadium. Thank you for being patient,” Sabalenka, who made 23 unforced errors, told the crowd later.
“It was a tough start, it was so humid. I couldn’t hold my racket. I’m glad I was able to get through this situation and get this win. She played an unbelievable match and she fought till the end. I’m just super happy with the win.”
Garcia ousted in first round by Chinese qualifier
Caroline Garcia’s hopes of making another deep run at the US Open came to a quick end as the French seventh seed suffered a shock 6-4, 6-1 first round loss to Chinese qualifier Yafan Wang on Tuesday.
Garcia, a semi-finalist at Flushing Meadows last year who went on to claim the biggest title of her career two months later at the WTA Finals, was undone by 34 unforced errors against world number 114 Wang.
With the loss, Garcia will fall from the top 10 of the rankings to outside the top 20.
Wang, a former world number 47 who missed seven months of action in 2022 and was ranked 696th in March, has a 57-10 across all levels this year, including titles in five ITF events and the WTA 125 tournament in Stanford two weeks ago.

NewsThe opener, who has been Bangladesh’s leading run-scorer in ODIs since January 2022, is down with viral fever

India skipper Rohit Sharma has had an illustrious career and will be remembered as one of the best of this generation. However, the next three months will be the most crucial for his career in terms of how he will be remembered and his contribution to Indian cricket both as a batsman and leader.Rohit became India captain in challenging circumstances when a tug of war was going on between Virat Kohli and the selectors. There was a lot of backlash from fans and a degree of surprise in cricketing circles on how Kohlis captaincy situation was handled. The stature of Kohli in Indian cricket meant that whoever took the reins next would automatically be under more scrutiny than any captain before him.One of the major criticisms of Kohlis captaincy was his inability to win ICC trophies. When Rohit became full-time skipper, he had won five IPLs and was expected to deliver similar results in ICC events for India. It was never a move that looked like it was taken with a long-term vision, instead in search of instant success.Thus far in the two opportunities he has had in ICC events, it has been more or less the same tale of crumbling in pressure situations and losing big games, a malaise since 2013. Rohit did have mitigating circumstances with the injury to Jasprit Bumrah in both events which weakened the bowling significantly. However, with the ace pacer back in the mix now, the margin for error is zero for the India skipper.
Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma bats during a training session ahead of Asia Cup 2023, in Bengaluru. (PTI)Getting to terms with captaincy
It was not more than a year ago that Rohit took charge of India in the 2022 Asia Cup as full-time captain. Though he had won the trophy in 2018, he was not the regular skipper then. In 2022, the pressure on his shoulders was visible. His on-field persona during some of the games raised a few questions about his temperament and handling of youngsters in the side.
However, Rohit got better at the job the longer he did it. There was a stark difference in his body language in the T20 World Cup later in 2022 in Australia where he seemed a lot calmer and jovial. He was a lot more astute tactically too. He also started to become more ruthless and made calls based on his gut feeling.
He also seems to be a lot more relaxed now than he was when he took over. When he said Hopefully, Sharma and Kohli can roll their arm over in the World Cup, in the press conference during the squad announcement for the Asia Cup, it lightened the mood in the room. There seems to be a charismatic aura that he has developed over time and he looks more comfortable in the hot seat.
Installing attacking mindset
England not only raised the bar in ODI cricket when they won the World Cup in 2019 but also set the template for the modern white-ball game.
For a long time, India continued to play the traditional way. Since Rohit has taken over, he has been talking about playing an attacking brand of cricket throughout the innings. He has not only talked the talk but is also walking the walk. He has looked to attack the bowlers in the first 10 overs of the innings. In ODIs this year, he is striking at 111.41 at an average of 81.33 in the Powerplays.
Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma bats during a training session ahead of Asia Cup 2023. (PTI)There seems to be a clear identity to the way the team wants to bat. It was heart-warming to hear Rohit backing this approach and players who adhere to that philosophy after the ODI series defeat to Australia earlier this year.
We have always talked about fearless cricket. If someone feels they can take the bowlers on, we have given them complete freedom to do that, Rohit said.
While doing that, there is a big possibility that they might not be able to achieve what they want to achieve, which is fair, and fine by us. You will learn from that.
We will not judge based on a couple of poor shots. All these guys have lots of potential, they can play these shots whenever they want and we want to keep encouraging them to go out there and do it often, he had added.
Rohit seems to enjoy the added responsibility too. In 27 games as skipper, he has made 1,175 runs at an average of 55.95 with one double ton. With batting not being the strength of this side, Rohits runs will be crucial in both the Asia Cup and World Cup.
Rohits legacy
MS Dhoni and Kohli have attained cult status among this generation of Indian players. Though Rohit has his own identity and records, he has never been seen at par with either of them.
Rohit was identified as the next big superstar and the one destined to achieve great heights when he was young. He made his international debut before Kohli but it was not until he became the opener of the limitedovers side in 2013, six years after his debut, that he started doing justice to his talent. He missed the 2011 World Cup because of his inconsistency and poor fitness. Despite having all the talent in the world, he has failed to reach greater heights than what he has already achieved.
Though winning the Asia Cup will be important for the morale boost it will provide, the performance in the World Cup will be the yardstick on which Rohit will be judged. If he can lift the trophy in Ahmedabad on November 19, it would make his standing unquestionable among the greats of Indian cricket.

Hosts South Africa are all set to take on Australia in the first T20I of a highly anticipated three-match series on Wednesday. The high-stakes encounter is scheduled to electrify fans at the iconic Kingsmead stadium in Durban.
With excitement reaching a fever pitch, both teams are gearing up to kick off the series with a bang. A victory in the opening match would provide a crucial early advantage and set the tone for the subsequent battles. The series is not only a contest for supremacy but also a chance for players to prove their mettle on an international stage.
However, both squads will be missing some of their seasoned campaigners, injecting an element of unpredictability into the series. The absence of these senior players opens the door wide for the young talents to shine and establish their presence at the highest level of the game. This unique opportunity promises to showcase the depth of talent that both countries possess in their cricketing reserves.
As the cricketing world turns its attention to this showdown, fans are eagerly awaiting the fireworks that the T20 format is known for. The short yet explosive nature of the game leaves no room for complacency, ensuring an action-packed spectacle for viewers.
South Africa vs Australia 2023, first T20I:
Date and Time: August 30; 06:00 pm local | 04:00 pm GMT | 09:30 pm ISTVenue: Kingsmead, Durban
Kingsmead Pitch Report:
The Kingsmead pitch has proven to be a good supporter for bowlers, offering them a significant advantage in the T20 format. With an average first innings score of 146 and second innings score of 131, it’s clear that the track provides substantial assistance to the bowling side. Captains winning the toss might be inclined to take advantage of the early moisture and movement that the pitch offers, opting to bowl first and capitalize on the potential for early breakthroughs.
SA vs AUS Dream11 Prediction Picks:

• Wicketkeeper: Matthew Wade
• Batters: Aiden Markram, Tim David, Travis Head, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Bravis
• All-rounders: Mitchell Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen
• Bowlers: Tabraiz Shamsi, Adam Zampa

SA vs AUS Dream11 Prediction Captain and Vice-Captain:
Choice 1: Mitchell Marsh (c), Aiden Markram (vc)Choice 2: Travis Head (c), Dewald Bravis (vc)
SA vs AUS Dream11 Prediction Backups:
Matt Short, Reeza Hendricks, Keshav Maharaj, Marco Johnson
SA vs AUS Dream11 Team for todays match (09:30 am GMT, 3rd ODI):
(Screengrab: Dream11)
Squads:
South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Temba Bavuma, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Gerald Coetzee, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad Williams, Rassie van der Dussen
Australia: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa

Aug 30, 2023, 11:06AM ISTSource: TOI.inGrandmaster Praggnanandha made a triumphant return to Tamil Nadu, marking the culmination of his remarkable journey at the 2023 FIDE World Cup. As he arrived, a grand welcome awaited him, meticulously organized to honor his outstanding accomplishments. The streets were lined with fervent fans who had gathered to show their unwavering support and cheer him on. Praggnanandha himself expressed his delight at the warm and enthusiastic reception he received, acknowledging the grandeur of the moment.With heartfelt gratitude, he extended his thanks to all the people who stood behind him throughout his journey, recognizing the pivotal role their encouragement played in his achievements. On the competitive front, Praggnanandha’s dedication led him to face the formidable world No. 1, Magnus Carlsen, in a challenging game of chess. The encounter added to his already impressive list of feats and solidified his status as a force to be reckoned with in the chess world. In a historic turn of events at the 2023 FIDE World Cup, Praggnanandha’s strategic prowess propelled him to victory against world No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura, showcasing his ability to conquer some of the game’s greatest players. Building on this momentum, he went on to defeat world No. 3 Fabiano Caruana, further establishing his place among the chess elite. Grandmaster Praggnanandha’s return not only marked a homecoming but also celebrated his exceptional achievements on the global stage, inspiring both his local community and the international chess community at large.

Road to ICC ODI World Cup begins with Asia CupTime is running out. The Asia Cup, that starts in Multan on Wednesday with Pakistan taking on Nepal, is probably the last stop for five of the six nations that will also be part of the World Cup to firm up their final 15, if not the playing XI, for the quadrennial showpiece. While other teams have