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Delhi Capitals win an IPL classic in Delhi after Super Over drama

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Mitchell Starc nailed his yorkers and set up a Super Over [Cricinfo]

Nine runs needed, six wickets in hand — it should’ve been a routine finish for Rajasthan Royals (RR) against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025,  But Mitchell Starc flipped the script, delivering five pinpoint yorkers in a sensational final over. Dhruv Jurel couldn’t find two runs off the last ball, and Starc dragged the game into a dramatic Super Over.

RR imploded in the Super Over, lasting just five balls and losing both Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal to run outs. DC chased down the 12-run target in just four deliveries.

With DC needing 5 off 3, Tristan Stubbs pulled Sandeep Sharma for six to seal DC’s fifth win in six games that takes them to the top of the points table. Stubbs had earlier contributed a vital unbeaten 18-ball 34 in regulation time to help DC score 42 off the last three overs.

The 200-run mark had been breached on each of the last eight T20s by the side batting first at Arun Jaitley Stadium. DC didn’t look like getting anywhere close, until Stubbs joined hands with Axar Patel, who also injected momentum with his takedown of Wanindu Hasaranga to make 34 off 14.

RR also didn’t finish well. Sandeep, who had figures of 3-0-14-0, bowled four wides and a no-ball in what proved to be a 11-ball over that ended with Maheesh Theekshana dropping a sitter off the last ball, the over costing 19.

RR also reprieved Stubbs on 12 when Riyan Parag put down a regulation chance at long-on. And he hurt them with some important runs at the death – all contributing to RR chasing a bigger total than they would have.

While Stubbs’ runs were crucial, a gun throw running around from wide long-on to restrict the penultimate delivery to a single in regulation time – with RR needing 3 off 2 – was invaluable.

It could’ve so easily turned pear-shaped for Stubbs, before that blockbuster finish. Nitish Rana was reprieved on 20 when Stubbs palmed the ball over the long-on boundary to deny Axar a wicket.

Rana’s wicket would’ve been the perfect double-strike for DC, who only five balls earlier dismissed Jaiswal when Kuldeep Yadav lulled him in flight and had him drag one to long-on.

Rana kicked on to make 31 more off 12 deliveries to take pressure off RR going into the last three overs from a slightly precarious 73 off 36, with the ball gripping. It needed a gun in-swinging yorker from Starc in his third over to dismiss Rana, with RR needing 28 off 14. Shimron Hetmyer and Dhruv Jurel then needed 9 off the final over, but couldn’t manage a single boundary as Starc nailed his yorkers.

Before the gun finish, Starc had a nightmarish start when Jaiswal hit him for a sequence of 4, 6, 4 in his first over. Jaiswal chewed into Starc’s full-length deliveries, clearing the front leg and moving them with brute force over the infield towards the short leg-side fence. When he bowled short and into the body, Jaiswal got inside the line and pulled him imperiously over deep backward square.

Jaiswal’s early impetus also seemed to have an effect on Sanju Samson, who found his hitting range until a suspected side issue forced him to retire hurt with RR 61 without loss in 5.3 overs. The two balls leading into him retiring out were picked for a four and a six. But it was only when he reached out to cut Vipraj Nigam, that he pulled up and went off straightaway.

DC lost Jake Fraser-McGurk and Karun Nair early. Fraser-McGurk holed out to mid-off, and Nair, fresh off an IPL high score in his comeback game, was run out for a three-ball duck after being roughed up by two Jofra Archer short balls. Before that, Abhishek Porel picked 23 off the second over, by Tushar Deshpande, to get going.

Rahul was cautious to begin with, the slowness of the surface making it tough for stroke making. At one stage, he was on 17 off 18 but couldn’t quite push on – eventually falling for a 32-ball 38 when he pulled Archer to deep midwicket.

Porel, too, struggled to bring out the big hits after his turbocharge, eventually falling for 49. Fortunately for DC, Axar injected momentum that Stubbs carried forward to give them a total to bowl at, which they defended in the end courtesy Starc’s mastery.

Brief scores:
Delhi Capitals 188 for 5 in 20 overs (Abhishek Porel 49, KL Rahul 38, Tristan Stubbs 34*, Axar Patel 34, Ashutosh Sharma 15; Jofra Archer 2-32, Maheesh Theekshan 1-30, Wanidu Hasaranga 1-38) tied with Rajasthan Royals 188 for 4 in 20 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 51, Nitish Rana 51, Dhruv Jurel 26, Shimron Hetmeyer 15*; Mitchell Starc 1-36,  Sanju Samson 31,  Axar 1-23, Kuldeep Yadav 1-33) DC won Super Over

[Cricinfo]



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Ronaldo apologizes for Portugal walkout; says Jesus broke promise

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Cristiano Ronaldo is Portugal's leading scorer (Aljazeera)

Cristiano Ronaldo has accused Portugal ‌coach Jorge Jesus of twice breaking his word, saying a failed agreement to publicly ⁠explain his omission ⁠against Norway drove him out of the camp, but insisting he remained available after any punishment.

In a lengthy statement, the 41-year-old gave his account of the dispute ⁠that prompted his departure  from Copenhagen before Portugal’s Nations League match versus Denmark last week.

Ronaldo said Jesus had agreed a plan under which the forward would miss the Norway and Denmark ⁠matches to manage his fitness. However, on the day of the Norway game, the coach told him he would play for 30 minutes.

“Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from halftime onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on,” Ronaldo said.

“The manager had broken his word to me.”

Portugal’s ‌captain and all-time leading scorer said a subsequent meeting with Jesus, attended by his club side Al Nassr’s sporting director Simao Coutinho, produced an agreement for the coach to clarify events at his next news conference.

According to Ronaldo, an eight-point document was prepared saying he had never demanded playing time, had respected Jesus’s decisions and that the coach asking him to warm up without bringing him on had been a mistake.

Ronaldo said the agreed notes did ⁠not require Jesus to apologise to him but said the coach’s ⁠public remarks bore no resemblance to their private discussion.

“It was the second time he had broken his word to me,” Ronaldo said. “I decided to leave the training camp without waiting for any further broken promises.”

The statement provided Ronaldo’s account⁠, but on Sunday, after Portugal’s win over Norway, Jesus denied he had made any agreement with the player, nevertheless leaving the door open  ⁠for his return.

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) did not immediately respond ⁠to a request for comment about Ronaldo’s statement.

Ronaldo apologised for failing to greet supporters after the Norway match and for leaving his teammates,  accepting that his captaincy made his conduct more serious.

“The consequences of my actions must be assessed ‌and punished by the Portuguese Football Federation,” he said.

Despite the rupture, Ronaldo said he was not limiting his international ambitions to a farewell appearance.

“If I’m physically fit, playing for my club – scoring ‌goals, ‌I hope – after serving whatever suspension is imposed on me, I’ll be available, as I’ve always been until now, to compete and win for our national team,” he added.

(Aljazeera)

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M. M. D. J. Senarathne, appointed Director General of the Department of National Botanical Gardens

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The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Environment to appoint  M. M. D. J. Senarathne, who is the senior most officer in Grade I of Sri Lanka Scientific Service se

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Harmanpreet Kaur steps down as India captain

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Harmanpreet Kaur's last act as India captain was defending their Asian Games gold medal [BCCI]

Harmanpreet Kaur, who led India to their first women’s global title at last year’s ODI World Cup, has stepped down as captain from all three international formats. She announced her decision via an Instagram post on Tuesday morning. Having given up the captaincy and left the team in a “good place”, she has said she’s now “ready to play for the love of the game again”.

Harmanpreet, 37, led India in five Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is. Her last act as captain was leading India to their second successive Asian Games gold medal, in Nisshin last month.

The decision came a day after Harmanpreet, India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and head coach Amol Muzumdar met BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia in Guwahati to discuss the roadmap of the women’s team going forward.

“This is not an easy decision,” Harmanpreet wrote. “It carries years of memories, emotions, sacrifices, and moments that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

“I have given everything I had to this team and to Indian women’s cricket – my blood, my sweat, my time, and many times, a part of my own game and personal ambitions. There were moments when I had to put my individual performance, my own growth, and what I wanted for myself aside, because I believed the team had to come first.

“As a captain, I have had to make difficult decisions. Decisions that were not always understood, not always easy, and sometimes came at a personal cost. But every decision I made was with one intention – to make this TEAM better and to give other players the opportunity to grow, believe in themselves and become the best versions of themselves.”

Murmurs about a possible change in captaincy had been on for a while, especially after India’s second successive group-stage exit from the T20 World Cup in June this year. The selection committee, chaired by Amita Sharma, is understood to have been divided, but Harmanpreet had indicated a desire to lead India at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

“I leave the captaincy today with a heart full of emotions , but also with PEACE,” Harmanpreet said. “Because I genuinely believe My team is in a good place. A team with talent, character, belief and a future that I am incredibly excited to watch and be a part of.

“I feel I have done my duty. I gave this team everything I had. I carried the responsibility with pride, and I will always be grateful for the privilege of leading Indian women’s cricket.

“Now, it is time for me to turn the page. Captaincy may end today, but my love for Indian cricket never will. Thank you to every teammate, coach, support staff, management , BCCI , family members every single fan who stood by me through the highs and lows.”

The noise for Smriti Mandhana to take over has been getting louder in recent months. In the past six months, Mandhana has been vocal about her readiness for the top job, and has given evidence of her credentials by leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru to twin WPL titles (in 2024 and 2026).

Harmanpreet first captained the T20I team in 2012, but it wasn’t until after India’s group-stage exit from their home T20 World Cup in 2016 that she was considered a serious candidate for the role.

In 2018, she led the team to the T20 World Cup semi-finals in the Caribbean after having taken over the role in a full-time capacity from Mithali Raj, and followed it up with a runners-up finish at the T20 World Cup in Australia in 2020.

Harmanpreet’s stepping down as India captain will not, however, change her stance as far as playing the shortest format goes. She is expected to continue leading Mumbai Indians in the upcoming WPL edition as the team chases their third title.

[Cricinfo]

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