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Shaheen, Babar and Rizwan outclass Ireland as Pakistan seal series win
An imperiously accurate bowling spell from Shaheen Shah Afridi and quick half-centuries from Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam took Pakistan to a six-wicket win over Ireland to complete a 2-1 T20I series victory in Dublin on Tuesday.
Ireland, inspired by a 41-ball 73 from stand-in captain Lorcan Tucker, put up a competitive 178. But Babar and Rizwan made light work of what was, in truth, a below-par total, and another tame bowling performance and sloppy fielding effort from Ireland meant the result was beyond doubt long before the winning runs were struck.
After Babar won the toss and asked Ireland to bat as in the second game, Shaheen and Mohammad Amir bowled a tidy first three overs in stark contrast to the manner in which the two were taken apart two days earlier. Shaheen got his first wicket in that period, but Hasan Ali conceded 16 in his first over as Andy Balbernie and Tucker began to make up for lost time. Off 49 eventful deliveries as Pakistan’s bowling plans fell apart slightly, Ireland’s second-wicket partnership plundered 85, seemingly setting themselves up for a score around 200.
But, spearheaded by a spell from Shaheen during which he nailed his yorkers almost at will, Ireland collapsed. His four overs allowed a miserly 14 runs and yielded three wickets while his team-mates chipped in around him. Tucker holed out against a typically tidy Imad Wasim and the men who followed never came close to carrying on from where he left off. Ireland managed just 49 in the last seven as Pakistan’s quality shone through, and ceded momentum.
The most significant setback for Pakistan was the continuation of Saim Ayub’s lean run, the opener top-edging one to short third early on. But in the sort of middling chase they thrive on, Rizwan and Babar took full advantage, Babar bedding himself in while Rizwan lit the powerplay up. The two swapped roles once the fielding restrictions lifted, and Babar benefitted from George Dockrell putting him down on 19. As on Sunday, Ireland fell away after that, with Babar capitalising on uninspiring bowling to steamroll his way to a 42-ball 75. Ireland managed a late cluster of wickets as Pakistan galloped towards the finishing line, but the inevitable end came with a full three overs to spare.
After he was punished for an errant showing in the second game, Shaheen struck back with the fire of a thousand suns. The first over was ordinary as Balbirnie picked him off for two boundaries, but Shaheen ended up landing just about every one of his remaining 18 deliveries on a sixpence, conceding just six more runs and taking three wickets.
Most impressive was his ability to nail the yorker on command, initially utilising inswing to shatter Ross Adair’s stumps. His final two overs were an exhibition of pace and accuracy as Ireland’s momentum ground to a halt, and Shaheen signed off the series with a performance that could be the start of his return to vintage, world-beating rhythm.
The confusion around who should bat in Pakistan’s top four – and in what order – was summed up by a slightly surreal 14th over of Pakistan’s chase. Babar, the man so often accused of showing parsimony with his batting intent, was briefly in with a shot of hitting six sixes in an over from a hapless Ben White.
Three gentle, looping deliveries were dispatched with aplomb, and when Babar missed a flat fourth one, he made up by smashing the next down the ground for another six. The 25 in that over took his strike rate zooming up, making up for another somewhat slow start in an innings where, had Dockrell held on to a simple chance, Babar would have been on his way for a 16-ball 19. Instead, he struck as many sixes as the rest of his team-mates combined.
Paul Stirling rested after a poor first couple of games, was replaced as captain by wicketkeeper Tucker. Tucker had topped Ireland’s batting card with a half-century in the second game, and, in the decider, punished a rusty Hasan right from the outset. Once he was off, Pakistan never quite found a way to stem the scoring from that end.
Even Balbirnie, who was going at a run a ball at that point, found an extra gear, ensuring Pakistan were always under pressure as long as that partnership lasted.
Tucker also ensured the immediate post-powerplay slowdown against spin never quite materialised, highlighted by his takedown of Saim Ayub in the tenth over. He took advantage of Pakistan’s curious decision not to bowl Imad in the first ten as well.
He signed off with three successive fours in Hasan’s third over, hitting him out of the attack and potentially sealing his fate ahead of Pakistan’s squad announcement for the T20 World Cup. That Ireland’s gears ground to a half immediately after Tucker fell perhaps illustrated the difference in class between him and the batters he was surrounded by.
Brief scores:
Pakistan 181 for 4 in 17 overs (Babar Azam 75, Mohammad Rizwan 56; Mark Adair 3-28, Craig Young 1-49) beat Ireland 178 for 7 in 20 overs (Lorcan Tucker 73, Andy Balbirnie 35, Harry Tector 30*; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-14, Mohammad Amir 1-32, Abbas Afridi 2-43, Imad Wasim 1-23) by six wickets
(Cricinfo)
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Death toll in violent clashes at Negombo Prison rise to 25
It has been reported quoting police sources that the death toll from the renewed unrest at the Negombo Prison which this morning, has risen from nineteen to twenty five (25).
A clash initially broke out between two groups of inmates (a group of remand prisoners and a group of convicted inmates serving sentences) at the Negombo Prison at around 1.00 p.m. on Sunday (05).
Two inmates died in yesterday’s clash, while around 40 others sustained injuries and are receiving treatment at hospital.
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Bellingham inspires 10-man England to beat Mexico 3-2 in last-16 thriller
Jude Bellingham’s double inflicted a rare defeat on Mexico at their Estadio Azteca as 10-man England won a ne4ve racking World Cup claasic 3-2 to reach the quarterfinals.
Harry Kane also scored from the penalty spot as the Three Lions overcame Jarell Quansah’s red card, high altitude, and a fervent home support on Sunday to keep their quest for a first major tournament win in 60 years alive.
England have relied on Bellingham and Kane throughout the tournament, and the duo has carried them into a last-eight showdown with Erling Haaland’s Norway.
Bellingham struck twice in 98 seconds in the first half to condemn Mexico to just a third defeat in 90 matches at the Azteca.
Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez reduced the Mexican arrears, but they fell short of a place in the quarterfinals.
Victory also helped to erase some of England’s nightmarish memories at the Azteca in the quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup, when Diego Maradona scored a double for Argentina, including the infamous “Hand of God” goal.
Sunday’s match was delayed by an hour after a thunderstorm and heavy rain lashed the Mexican capital for hours before the planned 6pm (00:00 GMT) kickoff time.
Despite the sodden conditions, more than 80,000 fans crammed into the stadium to create a deafening noise.
England coach Thomas Tuchel was wary of a fast start from Mexico as his side adjusted to the altitude of 2,240 metres (7,350 feet) above sea level.
Mexico had flown out of the traps when they won a World Cup knockout game for the first time in 40 years against Ecuador 2-0 on Tuesday.
This time, England managed to keep Javier Aguirre’s side at bay, but they did need a crucial intervention from Jordan Pickford to deny Jimenez opening the scoring with a diving header that was headed for the bottom corner.
Tuchel made three changes to the side that needed a heroic performance from Kane to prevent an embarrassing early exit to DR Congo.
Quansah was forced to deputise at right-back with Reece James not fit to start for a third consecutive game, opening up Tuchel to criticism over his decision not to select more specialist cover in the position.
Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka also started out wide, and both made telling contributions.
Saka’s cross picked out Bellingham to power in a header for the first goal Mexico conceded in five World Cup games.
The hosts failed to compose themselves, as within two minutes, the Real Madrid midfielder had doubled England’s lead.
Kane’s ball across fell perfectly for Bellingham to power in his fourth goal of the tournament.
Yet what should have been a comfortable lead was nearly wiped out by half-time.
Quinones blasted in his fourth goal of the tournament to spark the Mexico rally after England failed to clear a free kick.
Jimenez drilled wide and saw another header saved by Pickford before Bellingham made a last-ditch intervention to deny Cesar Montes a certain equaliser.
Nico O’Reilly nearly restored England’s two-goal cushion as his deflected shot cannoned off the post.
Quansah was shown a straight red card on 54 minutes after a VAR review for a mistimed lunge on Jesus Gallardo.
But just six minutes later, the 10 men had added to their lead when Gordon was wiped out by Mexico goalkeeper Raul Rangel and Kane emphatically dispatched the penalty.
The England captain’s sixth goal of the tournament puts him just one behind Haaland, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot.
The game took another huge momentum swing when, this time, Kane was penalised for a foul inside his own box and Jimenez slotted home the penalty to set up a frantic final 20 minutes.
England, though, stood tall, defending at times frantically to resist the Mexican wave during 11 minutes of additional time, and have reached a third consecutive FIFA World Cup quarterfinal.
(Aljazeera)
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Haaland scores twice as Norway stun Brazil 2-1 in World Cup 2026 last 16
Erling Haaland scored two late goals to send Norway through to their first World Cup quarterfinal with a stunning 2-1 win over Brazil, which condemned the five-time champions to their earliest exit since 1990.
Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland produced a sensational display on Sunday and saved a first-half penalty from Bruno Guimaraes before Haaland struck twice in the last 11 minutes to stun Brazil at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Neymar pulled a goal back deep into stoppage time with Brazil’s second spot kick of the match.
Haaland’s brace took him level with Lionel Messi on seven goals for the tournament as Norway booked a showdown against either cohosts Mexico or England in Miami on July 11.
For Brazil, who hired Carlo Ancelotti in a bid to end a 24-year World Cup drought, it is the sixth straight tournament they have been knocked out by European opposition.
The last time Brazil failed to reach at least the quarterfinals came 36 years ago, when they lost 1-0 to archrivals Argentina in the last 16.
Gabriel Martinelli was rewarded for scoring the stoppage-time winner against Japan in the previous round, as the Arsenal winger replaced the injured Lucas Paqueta in the lone change to Brazil’s lineup.
Norway were boosted by the return of Julian Ryerson, the Borussia Dortmund defender fit again after missing the past two games with a thigh injury.
Patrick Berg thought he had given Norway the lead inside three minutes, but his effort was ruled out for offside in the build-up.
After a rocky start, Brazil won a penalty when Kristoffer Ajer clattered into Matheus Cunha in the box.
The Brazilians were left furious as referee Ismail Elfath initially waved away their appeals, but VAR intervened, and the decision was overturned.
Guimaraes stepped up, but Nyland guessed correctly, diving low to his left to push away the Newcastle midfielder’s tame penalty.

Nyland again came to Norway’s rescue, getting a crucial touch to Martinelli’s low drive as it flashed across goal, denying Guimaraes a simple tap-in.
When Martin Odegaard lost possession on the edge of his own box, Nyland once more saved Norway as he stuck out a leg to thwart Vinicius Junior.
Haaland had struggled to make a significant impact, but his strength created a glorious opening for Norway before half-time.
The striker caused problems for Gabriel Magalhaes and Marquinhos in the Brazil defence before the ball broke kindly for Odegaard, whose effort was well saved by Alisson.
Norway coach Stale Solbakken brought on Oscar Bobb and Andreas Schjelderup at the break for Antonio Nusa and Alexander Sorloth, but it was the introduction of Endrick that almost changed the game immediately.
Vinicius Junior slipped Endrick through on goal with a delightful outside-of-the-foot pass, only for the teenager to dink wide as Nyland came out to close him down.

Nyland continued to frustrate Brazil, producing a good save to claw away Rayan’s fierce strike before making another outstanding stop to deny Guimaraes, although the offside flag went up.
The arrival of Neymar in the 67th minute drew huge roars from the largely pro-Brazil crowd.
It was Norway who eventually broke the deadlock, though, and it came through an inevitable source.
Schjelderup whipped in a cross from the left and soared above Gabriel to power a header into the corner.
As Brazil desperately chased an equaliser, an incredible fingertip save from a back-pedalling Nyland prevented Ajer from looping the ball into his own net.
Haaland gave Norway breathing space as he hammered low into the corner from the edge of the box in the 90th minute.
It proved vital when Neymar converted a penalty in the 10th minute of stoppage time, preceded by an unseemly spat with Nyland, following an elbow on Casemiro.

(Aljazeera)
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