Controversial fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar marked his return to international cricket by taking two wickets to help Pakistan to a 35-run win over Canada in a four-nation Twenty 20 tournament on Friday.
Shoaib, who last played for the national team against India last December before a spectacular fallout with the Pakistan Cricket Board, struck in his first over when he removed Abdool Samad and Mohammad Iqbal.
The 33-year-old finished with 2-11, although he suffered the indignity of being pulled for six by Rizwan Cheema.
Pakistan opener Salman Butt was man of the match for his 74 off 56 balls as the Asian giants made a modest 137-7, before Canada were restricted to 102-9. Cheema and Manoj David added 52 for the third wicket to give Canada hope, but once David was removed by Umar Gul the home side lost their next six wickets for just 37 runs.
Sri Lanka’s latest spin sensation Ajantha Mendis took three wickets and was named man of the match as his side clinched a five-wicket win over Zimbabwe.
Mendis finished with 3-15 from three overs after ripping the heart out of the Zimbabwe middle order, including dismissing Prosper Utseya with his “carrom ball,” which turns away from the right-handers. Tatenda Taibu, the former captain, finished on 45 to push Zimbabwe to 106-8 off 17 overs in match shortened by the damp outfield.
Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Udawatte put on 36 in four overs, before Udawatte was caught behind. Thilina Kandamby and skipper Mahela Jayawardene were both run out as Zimbabwe reduced Sri Lanka to 77-5, before Chamara Kapugedera and Farveez Maharoof saw them home.
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
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