Month: August 2023

After a successful outing in West Indies, barring the T20Is, and Ireland, Team India is ready for their next assignment, which is the Asia Cup 2023. The team will get their campaign underway against arch-rivals Pakistan, which is scheduled to be played in Kandy on Tuesday.
India lock horns with Pakistan on September 2 in Kandy
India have picked a 17-member squad for the continental tournament with senior pros Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returning to the side. The tournament also marks the return of Shreyas Iyer after a long injury layoff but KL Rahul is still unfit and won’t be available for the first two matches.
In the bowling front the management will be happy to see Jasprit Bumrah’s progress, who will be leading the seam department with Mohhamad Shami. Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna, who made a comeback after injuries, were exceptional in Ireland and the duo are also part of India’s Asia Cup plans.
Despite assembling a formidable unit, former Pakistan opener Salman Butt feels Babar Azam and Co. will have the edge heading into the much anticipated clash in Kandy. He tried justifying his claim by comparing both sides.
“If we look at India’s fast bowling, fitness is a concern. Players have been unfit for a long time, we don’t know if they are fragile, will they go full throttle. Apart from Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, they have youngsters, who have played plenty of cricket but they don’t have that much of experience.
India have won matches only when Rohit Sharma has played well or Virat Kohli has done something spectacular. When the onus is on others they have mostly struggled.
Pakistan have Babar, Rizwan, Fakhar, Shadab, Shaheen, Haris Rauf. And in my opinion Pakistan have a much larger core group. India too have match-winners like Jadeja, Shami, Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli. But their batting is brittle, if Pakistan pick the two big wickets then the others will have a lot to prove. They have not helped India win matches against Pakistan or in their own, the ex-Pakistan cricketer said in a video shared on his YouTube channel.
Pakistan have an added advantage
Comparing the seam attacks, Butt also mentioned Pakistan have an added advantage.
We have bowlers who can bowl at 90mph, only one or two can touch 90mph, others don’t have that much pace. This is an added advantage. We have both type of spinners, fast bowling all-rounder, and he too touches 140kph, he said.
Pressure on India
Butt also feels that it will be the Indian team who will be under pressure considering the amount of expectations from them.
There are plenty of expectations from India, hence the pressure is more. And since India have not played against Pakistan for a long time for whatever reasons, their players no matter how much IPL they’ve played, they don’t have the experience of playing in such high-voltage clash. Chahe subah, dopahar, sham IPL khel le (no matter how much you play in the IPL) it does not bring the same pressure, which is during India-Pakistan series, he said.

The Champions League pots have been predicted ahead of the draw on Thursday.
The final six teams in the Champions League group stage will be decided by the outcome of this weeks qualification play-offs.
On Tuesday Young Boys take on Maccabi Haifa (with the scores locked at 0-0 after the first leg), Galatasaray face Molde (3-2) and Panathinaikos go up against Braga (1-2).
Meanwhile, on Wednesday AEK Athens go up against Royal Antwerp (0-1), Copenhagen take on Raków Czstochowa (1-0) and PSV face Rangers (2-2).
Once the ties are completed the Champions League proper begins with a group stage of 32 teams, divided into eight groups of four. No group may contain more than one club from each nation.
The groups will be drawn from four seeding pots and each group will have one team from each pot.
And Twitter (X) account UEFA Rankings has crunched the numbers and worked out the respective Champions League pots should the results of each tie remain the same, and assuming that Young Boys edge past Maccabi Haifa and Rangers beat PSV.
Of course, Pot 1 has been locked in for months, given it consists of the Champions League holders, the Europa League winners and the champions of UEFA’s six highest-ranked nations who have not earned a place by winning either of the aforementioned tournaments.
Moreover, the other three pots are based on coefficient rankings, which are determined based on the results of all European clubs in UEFA club competitions.
Indeed, as per UEFA Rankings, the respective pots will look like this.
Pot 1 will include Champions League winner Manchester City, Europa League winners Sevilla, La Liga champions Barcelona, Serie A champions Napoli, Bundesliga winners Bayern Munich, French title-holders Paris Saint-Germain, Portuguese champions Benfica and Erdevisie winners Feyenoord.
Pot 2 will include Real Madrid, Manchester United, Inter, Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, RB Leipzig, Porto and Arsenal.
Pot 3 will feature Shakhtar Donetsk, RB Salzburg, Rangers, AC Milan, Braga, Lazio, Red Star Belgrade and Copenhagen.
Finally, Pot 4 will include Young Boys, Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, Celtic, Newcastle United, Union Berlin, Royal Antwerp and Lens.
However, if PSV beat Rangers this week they will be in Pot 3. Moreover, AEK Athens and Maccabi Haifa will be in Pot 4 if they eliminate Royal Antwerp and Young Boys.
Furthermore, Real Sociedad would go up to Pot 3 if both Braga and Young Boys are eliminated.

Manchester United have reportedly made an official bid to sign Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella on an initial loan deal.
The Red Devils are desperately searching for reinforcements in that area of the field following injuries to first-choice Luke Shaw and his deputy Tyrell Malacia.
Shaw’s muscular problem is expected to keep the England international sidelined for several weeks, while Malacia is yet to make an appearance in the current campaign.
With Ipswich Town signing Brandon Williams on loan, Erik ten Hag has been left with Alvaro Fernandez as his only recognised left-back, while Diogo Dalot deputised on that side in the weekend’s win over Nottingham Forest.
Lisandro Martinez is also capable of playing out wide, but the Argentina international has formed an effective central pairing with Raphael Varane and is not expected to return to full-back duties in the near future.
© Reuters
As a result, Man United are prioritising a left-back signing before Friday’s deadline, and according to The Athletic, the Red Devils have stepped up their efforts to sign Chelsea outcast Cucurella.
The former Barcelona man was a star performer for Brighton & Hove Albion in the 2021-22 campaign, and the Blues paid £56.2m to bring him to Stamford Bridge last summer.
However, Cucurella’s first season in West London was a forgettable one, as he registered just two assists from 33 appearances and started just 21 Premier League games as the Blues finished 12th in the standings.
The 25-year-old was deployed in a variety of positions for Chelsea, playing as a left-back, left midfielder and centre-back in a three-man defence, but his performances drew criticism.
With Ben Chilwell returning to full fitness, Cucurella is yet to play a single minute for Mauricio Pochettino’s side this season, and he is now facing added competition from Ian Maatsen following the youngster’s impressive pre-season campaign.
© Reuters
Cucurella is still under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2028, but the report adds that Chelsea have responded to Man United’s approach and are now locked in negotiations with the Red Devils.
Ten Hag’s side are believed to be hoping to sign Cucurella on a season-long loan initially, and the Man United boss views him as the perfect fit for his system.
While the Spaniard is reportedly Man United’s number one target, the Red Devils have been linked with a plethora of left-backs, including Tottenham Hotspur’s Sergio Reguilon and Brentford’s Rico Henry.
Ex-Chelsea man and current Barcelona defender Marcos Alonso was also thought to be a candidate, but the Spaniard has allegedly turned down the chance to sign a two-year deal at Old Trafford.
Man United – who have already signed Andre Onana, Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount this summer – are next in action away to fellow top-four chasers Arsenal on Sunday.
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YuppTV secures broadcasting rights for the Asia Cup 2023.
YuppTV, an Over-the-Top (OTT) South Asian content provider, today announced that it has secured broadcasting rights from Disney Star, the global rights holder, for the highly anticipated 16th edition of the Asia Cup 2023. The cricket tournament will be played in the One Day International (50-overs) format between August 30 and September 17, 2023.
For the first time, the Asia Cup will be hosted by more than one country, the matches being held across Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Competing for the title, the tournament features six nations including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Nepal, with a total of 13 matches to be played across Multan, Lahore, Pallekele and Colombo.
YuppTV has bagged the telecast rights for the Asia Cup 2023 for 70+ countries, in regions such as, Continental Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Malaysia and Southeast Asia (Except Singapore).
Commenting on securing the digital telecast rights for the Asia Cup 2023, Uday Reddy, Founder & CEO, YuppTV said, We are thrilled and delighted to announce that YuppTV is all set to bring the digital telecast of the 16th edition of the Asia Cup to viewers across the globe, this year. Poised to be an action-packed spectacle, the Asia Cup 2023 is one of the biggest sporting events of the year, and billions of supporters and fans will gear up as the titans of the world of cricketing vie for supremacy and go head-to-head to become the ultimate champions of Asia.
Harry Griffith, Head of Acquisitions & Syndication, Sports, Disney Star, commented, We are delighted to continue our long-term association with YuppTV, we are committed to delivering the widest possible reach for Asia Cup 2023. Fans from over 70 countries can now follow all the action on YuppTV.
Organized by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), this years Asia Cup will feature 13 matches with final taking place in Colombo on September 17, 2023. The much awaited and most anticipated match between India and Pakistan, one of the greatest cricketing rivalries, is set to take place on September 2, 2023.
About YuppTV
YuppTV is one of the worlds largest internet-based TV and On-demand service provider for South Asian content, offering more than 250+ TV channels, 5000+ movies and 100+ TV shows in 14 languages.
Visit https://www.yupptv.com/cricket
for more information.
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After a dreary draw against Getafe, Barcelona recovered their footing in La Liga and secured two hard-fought wins against Cadiz and Villarreal.
While the back-to-back victories could be attributed to various reasons, one of the biggest driving factors behind those wins was the inclusion of Lamine Yamal.
The Moroccan made his first two starts in the Spanish top flight but played with a sense of maturity that belied his years.
Now, according to Alex Pintanel, Barcelona share a unanimous consensus that Yamal is one of the biggest talents at the club, so much so that comparisons are being drawn with the legendary Lionel Messi.
As per the report, Barcelona are freaking out with the talent displayed by Yamal and believe they do not remember anyone like him since Messi, who needs no introduction to his widely acclaimed talents and trophy cabinet.
While it is still early days, Yamal has been one of the Blaugranas most threatening offensive players, owing to his wide range of skills.
The teenage sensation has dazzled with his dribbling and creativity, and while he is yet to stamp his name on the scoreboard, Yamal has come awfully close on multiple occasions, with him rattling the woodwork twice in the most recent encounter against Villarreal.
Due to the instant impact, he has had at Barcelona, Yamal is reportedly all set to be called up to Luis de la Fuentes squad for the upcoming games against Georgia and Cyprus.
This comes on the back of his decision to represent the Spanish international team over Morocco.
One of the finest young talents in the game currently, Yamal will be signing a new contract with Barcelona this Friday which will see him commit his future to the club for three more years.

Asia Cup 2023: The 16th edition of Asia Cup is all set to start on August 30 and will end on September 17. It will be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The Asian cricket tournament traces its origin all the way back to 1984 in the ODI format. The current edition will be played in an ODI (50-over) format. 
A total of six teams will be participating. The teams have been divided into two groups. All teams are gearing up for the Asian tournament. 
The first match will be played on August 30 between Pakistan and Nepal at the Multan Cricket Stadium. 
Here is all that you should know about Asia Cup 2023:
Asia Cup 2023: Match Format
The tournament will kick off on 30 August with two groups of three teams playing against each other in round-robin style. The top 2 teams from each group will qualify for the Super Four stage and play a round-robin series again. The top two teams from the Super Four will play in the final against each other on September 17 in Colombo. 
Group AIndiaPakistanNepal
Group BAfghanistanBangladeshSri Lanka
The cricket tournament will be co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The matches will be played across four venues in Multan and Lahore in Pakistan and Kandy and Colombo in Sri Lanka.
Multan Cricket Stadium, MultanGaddafi Stadium, LahorePallekele International Cricket Stadium, KandyR. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
The group stage of the tournament will be played from August 30 to September 5. Three of these games will be played in Pakistan and the rest in Sri Lanka. 
The Super Four stage will be played from September 6 to September 15, with five matches scheduled to be played in Sri Lanka and one in Pakistan. The final match of Asia Cup 2023 will be held on September 17 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Asia Cup 2023: Full Squads
Afghanistan squad: 
Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Rashid Khan, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Abdul Rahman, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Suliman Safi, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Bangladesh squad: 
Shakib Al Hasan (c), Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Naim Sheikh, Shamim Hossain, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Tanzim Hasan Sakib
India squad: 
Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Sanju Samson (travelling reserve)
Nepal squad:
 Rohit Paudel (c), Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Bhim Sharki, Kushal Malla, Aarif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Pratish GC, Mousom Dhakal, Sundeep Jora, Kishore Mahato, Arjun Saud
Pakistan squad: 
Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir (travelling reserve)
Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanaka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Janith Perera, Kusal Mendis (vc), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Matheesha Pathirana, Kasun Rajitha, Dushan Hemantha, Binura Fernando, Pramod Madushan.

Where to watch the Asia Cup 2023 live in India
The broadcasting rights for  Asia Cup 2023 are purchased by Star Sports for television. 
The match shall be available on following channels: 
Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 Hindi HD, Star Sports 1 Tamil SD + HD, Star Sports 1 Telugu SD+HD, Star Sports 1 Kannada
Where to livestream Asia Cup 2023 for free
To livestream the match, visit the Disney+Hotstar platform. 
Here is the list of live streaming and broadcasting details in other countries: Pakistan: PTV Sports and Ten Sports Bangladesh: Gazi TVUnited Kingdom: TNT Sports appAustralia: Fox Sports and FOXTel appSouth Africa: SuperSport
With inputs from agencies
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