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Daniel Dubois' IBF heavyweight showdown against Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia on Saturday is off, with the British champion having been taken ill and replaced by Martin Bakole.
Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar criticised star batter Babar Azam for his slow and conservative knock against New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy opener, saying that the batter has "no intention to improve". Babar's sluggish approach in ODIs made headlines as he made a 90-ball 64 against NZ while chasing 321 in the Champions Trophy opener. His strike rate was extremely underwhelming at 71.11, leaving Pakistan 60 runs short of a win and their net run rate slipped to -1.20. Their next match against arch-rivals India on Sunday has become a virtual knockout.
South Africa’s batters will relish the placid wickets at the Champions Trophy venues but need their bowlers to be more disciplined after two chastening defeats in their recent Tri-Series fixtures in Pakistan, according to captain Temba Bavuma.
Former cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar believes Pakistan's next matches will shed more light on whether the "intent" of the defending champions is an issue or an "inherent ability." Pakistan left the fans agitated with their lack of intent and laggard approach while pursuing a daunting 321-run target against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy opener in Karachi. On a dry strip filled with cracks, a 321-run target appeared to be chasable if Pakistan batters stuck to a run-a-ball approach. However, Pakistan batters' unrushed approach slowly took them out of the race.
The first round of matches in Group A of the Champions Trophy 2025 are over. After New Zealand's comprehensive win over Pakistan in Karachi on Wednesday, India overcame a gritty Bangladesh in Dubai on Thursday. Currently, New Zealand lead the table (2 points, NRR +1.200) followed by India (2 points, NRR +0.408). Bangladesh are third in the table from Group A (0 points, NRR -0.408) while Pakistan are fourth (0 points, NRR - 1.200). India's next round of matches are on February 23 (vs Pakistan) and March 2 (vs New Zealand). Apart from the India fixture, Pakistan face Bangladesh on February 27 in Rawalpindi. For New Zealand, apart from the India clash, the other match is against Bangladesh on February 24.
PARIS: If Lille need further motivation in their drive to qualify for the Champions League next season, then they need only look at Nabil Bentaleb’s remarkable return. The Lille midfielder scored four minutes after going on last Sunday in a 2-0 win at Rennes and was mobbed by his teammates. It wasn’t that he scored so soon after going on that made the goal so special, but rather because Bentaleb started training again only this month after suffering a cardiorespiratory arrest in mid-June. The 30-year-old was put into an artificial coma and fitted with a pacemaker-defibrillator days later. Doctors doubted the Algeria international would ever play again let alone resume his career at the top level. “It’s a story worthy of a movie. It brings Nabil even more joy and emotion because he is a boy who is very well liked in the group,” coach Bruno Genesio said. “It’s pretty rare to experience this. It’s a moment that will remain engraved in the history of the club.”
Into the existing global jigsaw of T20 franchise tournaments, in which the pieces do not quite fit together, another piece has been added. The International Cricket Council has sanctioned a league in Europe, to be known as the European T20 Premier League. It is made up of a partnership between the national cricket boards of Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands.
Pakistan have been fined five percent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate during their opening encounter against New Zealand in the tournament opener at the National Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday. The penalty was imposed after Mohammad Rizwan's side was found to be one over short of the required rate despite time allowances being considered. "Pakistan have been fined 5 percent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate against New Zealand in the opening match of the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 on Wednesday," ICC said in a statement.