Senior Indian National Women’s football team captain Ashalata Devi expressed her excitement as her side will be going against Brazil for the first time in a tournament to be held in Manaus, Brazil later this month.

“It’s absolutely fantastic. I think this is the first time that any Indian Senior team will be playing against Brazil. If that’s not enough motivation for us to better prepare ourselves, I don’t know what is,” said Ashalata Devi in an official AIFF release. “We understand and appreciate the efforts put in by AIFF behind getting this organised for the team. As a footballer, you want to play against the best of the best, and it doesn’t get much better than Brazil. And Chile are such a powerful opponent too, and even Venezuela,” she added.

Marvelling at the opportunity, winger Sanju Yadav said, “Very few in India have had the opportunity to play against Brazilian teams. I think the U17 Men’s team while preparing for the U-17 World Cup, had got that chance. And now we too are getting the same. The girls are absolutely pumped on hearing this.”

“The fact that we will be playing Brazil, is just an inspiration. The authorities have really pulled out all the stops to arrange these matches for us, and that’s a huge vote of confidence in this team. Now it’s up to us to keep that faith and show the world that we can square up against the best in the world as well,” she further stated.

Indian duo of Varun Thakkar and K.C. Ganapathy clinched the gold medal in the Asian 49er Sailing Championships, which concluded in AI Mussannah Sports City, Oman on Tuesday.

The Tokyo Olympians were 10th overall but the only Asian team to finish in the top 10. This was their 3rd medal at the Asians having finished first in 2018 and second in 2019. “Sailing duo of @VarunThakkar100 & #KCGanapathy clinched [gold] in the Asian 49er Sailing Championships which concluded in AI Mussannah Sports City, Oman on 9th Nov The duo was 10th overall but the only Asian team to finish in top 10. This was their 3rd medal at the Asians,” SAI Media tweeted on Wednesday.

Varun and Ganapathy will net compete at the World Championships that is scheduled from November 16-21 November at the same venue.

In Tokyo Olympics, Indian sailors signed off after finishing qualification in 17th position in the men’s 49er class.

Indian opening batter KL Rahul expressed his disappointment after his side failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

India rounded off the Super 12s stage of the showpiece event with a resounding nine-wicket victory over Namibia in Group 2 on Monday. Both sides had already failed to make the semi-finals before the action got underway in Dubai, but India finished on a high as half-centuries from Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul helped them chase 133 with ease.

“Not the ideal World Cup for us, but we learn and grow. Grateful to all our fans for their love and support.

Thank you to our coaches for helping us grow as cricketers. A big shout-out to @virat.kohli for being a leader who led by example and for everything you have done for us,” wrote Rahul on Koo.

Coming to the game, spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin set the foundation, taking three wickets apiece to help prevent Namibia from setting an imposing total on a good wicket.

India was left to rue what could have been in the UAE after recording their third win, as two defeats in their opening two games against semi-finalists Pakistan and New Zealand cost them a place in the last four.

KOHLI THANKS COACH, STAFF

Indian men’s cricket team captain (ODIs and Test) Virat Kohli on Wednesday thanked the former head coach Ravi Shastri and the support staff for all the memories.

Head coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar’s tenures ended with India crashing out of the ICC T20 World Cup in the Super 12 stage. Shastri will be replaced by former India captain Rahul Dravid when the team returns home from the United Arab Emirates to host New Zealand in a series of three T20Is and two Tests from November 17.

“Thank you for all the memories and the amazing journey we’ve had as a team with you all. Your contribution has been immense and will always be remembered in Indian cricket history. Wish you the best moving forward in life. Until next time,” Virat Kohli tweeted.

Under Shastri, Team India played 43 Tests, out of which the side won 25 and lost 13. Not to forget, Shastri and Co also have a good showing in England on their CV. Team India lead the five-match series 2-1 and the final match of the series will be played next year.

Team India played 76 ODIs and 65 T20Is under Shastri. The Men in Blue managed to win 51 ODIs and 43 T20Is.

The bilateral series is where the Men in Blue dominated, but the ICC title kept on eluding Shastri and Kohli, and it is safe to say that the wheels came off in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup which was the last assignment for Shastri.

On the back of the sensational performances for South Africa, Aiden Markram has made significant gains in the latest ICC Men’s T20I rankings.

Markram’s unbeaten knock of 52 in just 25 balls in South Africa’s victory over Group 1 table-toppers England sees him climb to the number three spot in the latest T20I rankings for batters. Markram’s heroics with the bat has also helped him break into the top 10 all-rounders, rising seven places to No. 7.

South African teammate Rassie van der Dussen too broke into the top 10 rankings for batters, climbing six spots to occupy the 10th spot in the latest update. Van der Dussen scored a Player of the Match-winning knock of 94* against England, helping the Proteas post a daunting total of 189.

With three fifties in India’s last three matches, KL Rahul moved to No.5. After returning low scores against Pakistan and New Zealand, Rahul was brilliant against Afghanistan, Scotland, and Namibia but the knocks came in too late for India as they exited the tournament in the Super 12 stage. Meanwhile Virat Kohli has slipped to No. 8.

In the rankings for bowlers, the Australian duo of Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood climbed the charts. Both bowlers have been in great form of late and were instrumental in Australia qualifying for the semi-finals of the World Cup.

The other major movement in the top 10 saw Tim Southee, who has picked up five wickets since the last update, move three places up to No.9 in the bowling rankings.

The Australian domination in the latest update continued with Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh moving up in the all-rounders’ rankings. Maxwell went up three places to become the new No.4 ranked all-rounder while Marsh ascended five spots to No.9. Sri Lankan sensation Wanindu Hasaranga went up one spot to No.3.

Pakistan batting consultant Matthew Hayden on Wednesday said that coaching Pakistan against Australia is a “very unusual” feeling.

Pakistan and Australia will be locking horns against each other in the second semi-final of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Thursday here at the Dubai International Stadium. “It is a very unusual feeling, I was a warrior for Australian cricket for over two decades, so that does give me the benefit of having wonderful insights not only into these players but also into the culture of cricket in Australia,” said Hayden, as per an ICC release.

“I guess from my point of view there is the challenge of the heart, the challenge of the mind in terms of what’s going to happen over the next 24 hours, but I’ll also say very proudly that it’s been wonderful to be a part of Pakistan cricket,” he added.

Pakistan have had lots of stars as they emerged from Group 2 of the Super 12s unbeaten and Hayden believes Fakhar Zaman could be the next to go stratospheric.

Pakistan have had lots of stars as they emerged from Group 2 of the Super 12s unbeaten and Hayden believes Fakhar Zaman could be the next to go stratospheric.

“Fakhar has I think been the standout outfielder for our team, as well. He saves literally five to 10 runs every game, and five to 10 runs within a T20 concept and batting lineup, including your own runs maybe 20s and 30s here and there, which means that overall he’s just been such an important part of the side,” said Hayden.

“Don’t be surprised if you see something incredibly special from him tomorrow, as well, because he is smashing the ball in the nets,” he added.

Daryl Mitchell’s unbeaten 72-run knock aided by James Neesham’s quickfire cameo of 27 runs off just 11 balls helped New Zealand defeat England by five wickets to enter the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup here at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

New Zealand will now face the winner of the second semi-final between Pakistan and Australia in the summit clash on Sunday at the Dubai International Stadium. Chasing, New Zealand got off to the worst start possible as the side lost opening batter Martin Guptill (4) in the very first over bowled by Chris Woakes. The Kiwis were given a body blow in the third over as Woakes sent skipper Kane Williamson (5) back in the hut. After the end of the powerplay, New Zealand’s score read 36/2.

Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell found run-scoring difficult and at the halfway mark, New Zealand’s score read 58/2 with the side needing 109 runs to win from 60 balls. The 82-run stand for the third wicket was finally broken by Liam Livingstone as he had Conway (46) stumped at the hands of Buttler with New Zealand still needing 72 runs to win from 38 balls. Glenn Phillips (2) was the second wicket for Livingstone and England was in firm control with New Zealand at 107/4 in the 16th over.

In the 17th over bowled by Chris Jordon, James Neesham and Mitchell managed to score 23 runs, and the match swayed in favour of the Kiwis, with Williamson and team needing 34 to win from 18 balls. However, another twist came in the game as Adil Rashid sent Neesham (27) back to the pavilion, and New Zealand required 20 to win from 12 balls. In the end, Mitchell guided New Zealand to a five-wicket victory with six balls to spare.

Earlier, Moeen Ali and Dawid Malan played knocks of 51 and 42 respectively as England scored 166/4 against New Zealand. Asked to bat first, England got off to a steady start as openers Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow put on 37 runs inside the five overs. However, the introduction of Adam Milne into the attack paid off straight away as he dismissed Bairstow (13) on the first ball of the sixth over, ending the first-wicket partnership.

While trying to play a reverse sweep, Buttler (29) ended up missing a straight delivery bowled by Ish Sodhi, and he was caught right plumb in front, and as a result, England was reduced to 53/2 in the 9th over. At the halfway mark, England’s score read 67/2 with Dawid Malan and Moeen Ali at the crease.

Malan and Ali kept on scoring runs at a brisk pace and the duo managed to add 43 more runs in the next five overs, taking the score to 110/2 at the 15 overs mark, setting a perfect launchpad for the rest of the batting lineup. The 63-run stand for the third wicket finally came to an end in the 16th over as Tim Southee got the better of Malan (42).

In the final three overs, England managed to add 36 more runs, taking their total past the 160-run mark. Liam Livingstone also played a crucial cameo of 17 runs off just 10 balls helping Eoin Morgan’s side post a competitive total on the board.

Brief Scores: England 166/4 (Moeen Ali 51*, Dawid Malan 42; Adam Milne 1-31) vs New Zealand 167/5 (Daryl Mitchell 72*, Devon Conway 46; Liam Livingstone 2-22).