LAUDERHILL: Netherlands handed a 20-run upset defeat to Sri Lanka in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up fixture at Central Broward Regional Park Stadium here on Tuesday. Put into bat first, the Netherlands registered a commendable total of 181/5 in the allotted 20 overs. Meanwhile, former champions Sri Lanka only managed 161 in response and thus succumbed to a shock loss heading into the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
The Golden Ball Trophy is to be auctioned in Paris at the world-famous Aguttes Auction House on the 6th of June. The unique item encapsulates all of the memories of that dramatic match and Diego’s finest moment – winning the World Cup for Argentina. Speaking on the auction of the trophy Terry Butcher commented:“I would pay 7 million to buy Maradona’s Golden Ball just to destroy it. But joking apart, I would like to say that Maradona is THE best player I’ve ever played against and certainly a contender for the greatest player ever; he really didn’t need to cheat.”“Steve Hodge my England midfield colleague swapped shirts with Maradona after the infamous World Cup Quarter-Final. It sold for over 7 million pounds at auction, that gives an idea of what the Golden Ball will raise.”“As you know, I’m strongly opposed to how VAR has been implemented in football, but it would have changed the headlines from ‘Hand of God’ to ‘Caught Red Handed’!” Butcher and Maradona featured together in the most memorable World Cup match in history, England v Argentina at Mexico ‘86. Maradona scoring his ‘hand of god’ goal and the ‘Goal of the Century’ when he dribbled past the England team including a last-ditch tackle by England captain Butcher. Maradona was presented with the Adidas Golden Ball trophy to recognize him as best player of the 1986 World Cup. Ossie Ardiles commented:“Seeing Diego’s Golden Ball Award again, brings back so many memories of my dear friend Diego.“This Golden Ball is the symbol of something spectacular and unique. It marks the pinnacle of the World’s greatest player, the greatest World Cup goal. And the greatest individual performance of any World Cup.”“It is very emotional for me to be here at Hampden Park at the scene of Diego’s first-ever goal for Argentina as an 18-year-old boy. We could see then he was going to be something special.”“Diego of course, in time, would become for me the greatest player of all time.”“In 1986 with the goal against England starting at the halfway line defined him. The pace, the power, the belief and the incredible, unmatched in history, control of the ball.”“Not only did he have the ‘hand of god’ but he is the god of football. ““For me he is the greatest ever player in the world’s favourite sport.”
Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Rizwan helped Pakistan bounce back to level series 1-1 against Ireland. Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl first against the hosts Ireland in the second T2OI at Dublin cricket stadium. Pakistani batters showed courageous innings and won the match from the hosts Ireland. The series is leveled by 1:1 match win for each team.
Dublin, After being upset in the T20 series opener, Pakistan will be desperately looking to bounce back against Ireland in the second match here on Sunday with next month’s World Cup on the radar. Talking at the post-match ceremony late on Friday, Babar said lack of execution in fielding and bowling proved costly for his team adding they were also some runs short. “We didn’t start well in the first six overs, the pitch was a bit two-paced and had some bounce. Later we recovered well and posted 182 but I think 190 was a par score [here],” Babar, who top-scored for Pakistan in the game with a 43-ball 57, said. Opener Saim Ayub (45 off 29) and middle-order batter Iftikhar Ahmed (37 not out off 15) were the other prominent scorers for Pakistan. Pace spearhead Mohammad Amir, who could not play the series opener after arriving in Ireland late due to visa issues, is duly expected to find a place in Pakistan’s playing XI in the second match.
Islamabad Pakistan secured a resounding victory against Afghanistan with a straight-set win in their first game of the Central Asian Volleyball Association (CAVA) Nation’s Volleyball League atthe Liaquat Gymnasium in Islamabad. The match unfolded with Pakistan dominating each set, clinching them with scores of 25-19, 25-21, and 25-16, respectively. Earlier, in a tightly contested battle, Kyrgyzstan faced off against Sri Lanka, ultimately emerging victorious with a narrow 3-2 win. The sets were fiercely contested, with Sri Lanka taking the first set 27-25, only to see Kyrgyzstan bounce back strongly, claiming the next two sets with scores of 17-25 and 19-25. However, Sri Lanka rallied and managed to level the match by winning the fourth set 25-20. In the deciding set, Kyrgyzstan held their nerve, edging past Sri Lanka with a scoreline of 10-15. In another thrilling encounter, Turkmenistan went head-to-head with Iran in a closely fought battle that went down to the wire. Despite putting up a valiant effort, Turkmenistan narrowly lost out to Iran, who emerged victorious with a 3-2 scoreline. The sets were evenly contested, with Turkmenistan claiming the first two sets 25-23 and 25-21. However, Iran fought back strongly, winning the next two sets 16-25 and 23-25. In the decisive fifth set, both teams displayed remarkable resilience, but it was Iran who ultimately prevailed with a score of 17-19, clinching the match.
ISLAMABAD: In a dramatic conclusion to the 2024 Azlan Shah Hockey Cup on Saturday, Japan defeated Pakistan in a penalty shootout after a tense 2-2 draw, dashing the Pakistan team’s hopes that had reached the tournament final for the first time since 2011 following a series of stellar performances. Six teams participated in the event, including the tournament Malaysia, Pakistan, South Korea, Japan, New Zealand and Canada. Pakistan won the Azlan Shah Cup title three times in the past and was the second runners-up in the last edition which was also held in Malaysia two years ago. Prior to facing Japan the second time in the tournament, Pakistan played against New Zealand on Friday in a match that ended in a tie.
The symbol of, for many, the world’s greatest footballer Diego Maradona’s greatest achievement to go on auction at the world famous Aguttes International Auction House-Paris- France-6th June 2024. Diego Armando Maradona was named “Player of the 20th Century” by FIFA, along with Pelé, and this trophy symbolizes his greatest achievement and his greatest ever goal. Since the 1982 FIFA World Cup, the Adidas Golden Ball has rewarded the best player of the tournament, and thus constitutes one of the most prestigious individual distinctions in the world of football. Maradona received the Adidas Golden Ball trophy at Lido (Paris, France) on November 13, 1986, as the best player of the World Cup. A unique piece in the history of football, this award given to the most emblematic player of this sport, alongside Pelé, constitutes a first in the art market: no Adidas Golden Ball trophy has been presented at auction, until today. The FIFA Museum (Zurich, Switzerland) preserves the Adidas Golden Ball from 1990. While the Adidas Golden Ball changes design at each World Cup, the 1986 trophy uses the designs of the official Adidas “Azteca” ball used for this World Cup in Mexico. At a recent auction, the shirt worn by Diego Maradona during the 1986 World Cup match against England, was sold for a reported figure in region of $7 million. It was sold by former England player Steve Hodge who exchanged shirts with Maradona after the classic world Cup match with Maradona scoring the ‘Hand of God’ goal and the ‘Goal of the Century.’ The Adidas Golden Ball trophy encompasses and marks all of that history. Trophy Golden ball – Gold copper alloy with black inclusions in the reserves of the iconic “Azteca” designsAlleged order from FIFA in 1986Height: approx. 28cmDiameter: approx. 15.8cmGross weight: approx. 4 kilos The Aguttes auction house will offer at auction a piece of world football history on June 6th, 2024: Diego Maradona’s Adidas Golden Ball trophy (1960 – 2020) awarded to the best player of the Mexico ‘86 World Cup. This is the most important individual distinction awarded to Maradona for a tournament in which he captained Argentina to World Cup victory, scored the ‘Goal of the Century’ and the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in the politically charged quarter-final encounter. Jorge Burruchaga, Argentinian teammate of Diego Maradona and scorer of the winning goal at the 1986 World Cup says, “At that 1986 World Cup, Diego shone like never before or since in his career; it was his monument. We knew we had the best player in the world, there was no doubt about it, we knew it for a fact.” “My favourite recollection of this World Cup is the second goal he scored against England, which remains the most beautiful in history for me because you must consider the state of the pitch, the altitude, the context between the two countries, and what he managed to do… He breezed past six players… It was divine. On that day, he created a lasting legacy for all Argentinian sportsmen and women, not just footballers, showing just how much, you have to fight to be worthy of wearing the Argentine jersey.”
Lahore, This development follows a delay in Amir’s visa, preventing him from travelling with the Pakistan team to Ireland on Tuesday. According to sources, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi promptly intervened to ensure Amir’s clearance for travel to Ireland.
Australia Rising star Hasrat Gill praises Cricket Australia’s latest move to support women in cricket by launching women’s and girls’ action plan for 10 years. During her media talk at MCG, Gill expressed her excitement about the plan, seeing it as a game-changer for female cricketers. “This plan is a big step forward,” she said with a smile. “It’ll give girls more chances to play and succeed in cricket.” Gill, who recently represented Australia’s under-19 team in Sri Lanka, knows firsthand the importance of opportunities in the sport. She’s thrilled that “more girls will now have the chance to follow their cricket dreams’. When asked about her cricket idols, Gill didn’t hesitate to mention Ellyse Perry as her top inspiration. “Perry’s talent and dedication are remarkable,” Gill said, showing her admiration for the cricket legend. And when it comes to men’s cricket, she’s a big fan of Virat Kohli, praising his passion for the game. As Gill continues to shine in cricket, she’s hopeful that Cricket Australia’s Women’s and Girls Action Plan will pave the way for a brighter future for female cricketers everywhere because cricket truly is a sport for everyone.
Islamabad – The five-match T20I series between Pakistan and NewZealand now moves to Lahore from Rawalpindi with Gaddafi Stadium set to host the last two games on April 25 and 27. The series is levelled at 1-1 after the three matches and cricket fans expect a cut-throat competition in the remaining matches. Remember, New Zealand made a stunning comeback in the five-match T20I series courtesy of MarkChapman who led the visitors to victory on Sunday.