The 2024 European Championship has reached its final stages, with only four teams remaining in contention - Spain, France, England, and the Netherlands. Spain are considered the favorites heading into the semifinals, despite missing key midfielder Pedri due to an injury. Meanwhile, France has struggled to find their footing in the tournament, with star player Kylian Mbappe struggling with a broken nose. France is aiming to win their first European crown since 2000, while Spain is looking to repeat their 2008 victory. Don't miss the exciting semifinal clash between these two European giants in the quest for European glory.
Despite rain reducing play to just 30.2 overs over the first two sessions, Australia's seamers were able to create trouble for India's batters due to their higher release points compared to the Indian quicks. India's shot selection also contributed to their downfall, with three wickets falling to loose drives. Meanwhile, Australia added 40 runs to their overnight score before India took the last three wickets, with Jasprit Bumrah achieving a feat only achieved by Kapil Dev for India - taking 50 Test wickets in Australia. At Tea, India are tottering at 48 for 4, trailing Australia by 397 runs.
After Virat Kohli's dismissal on yet another offside-off delivery, the question of who India's batting coach is has been brought up by former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar. The Indian batters, still struggling since the nightmare of Adelaide, faced the heat of Mitchell Starc's fierce pace attack yet again in the ongoing Test series in Australia. Starc's impressive scalps included Indian youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, making it clear that Australia's bowling strategy has been well-researched and executed.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson showed his dominance on the third day of the third Test against England, scoring his 33rd Test century and seventh in Hamilton. Despite the rain disruption and a brief stumble with his partner Rachin Ravindra, Williamson's unbeaten 123 runs took New Zealand's lead to a commanding 478 runs at tea. Meanwhile, England's captain Ben Stokes also left the field early with a hamstring injury adding to their woes in the match. This makes Williamson's achievement even more impressive as he continues to excel in his most productive venue, Seddon Park.
La Liga leader Barcelona suffered a shocking 1-0 loss at home against Leganes, with defender Sergio Gonzalez's early header proving to be the winning goal. This was Barcelona's second consecutive loss in the league, highlighting their recent struggles in domestic competition. Despite a strong performance in the Champions League, the club has faced several setbacks in the league in the past month, winning only one game out of their last six.
Sharing a celebratory moment, Chelsea's Marc Cucurella and Nicolas Jackson contributed a goal apiece to secure the team's fifth consecutive win in the Premier League, moving the team within two points of league leader Liverpool. Despite Brentford's strong defense, Chelsea dominated the game with 15 shots on goal in the first half, ultimately sealing the win with a goal from Cucurella, his first in the Premier League for Chelsea.
New Zealand captain and star batsman Kane Williamson was dismissed in a peculiar fashion during the ongoing third Test against England at Seddon Park in Hamilton. As he tried to save his wicket from a delivery bowled by pacer Matthew Potts, the ball ended up hitting the stumps after deflecting off his pads. This led to a heartbreaking reaction from Williamson, which is now making rounds on social media. Despite his dismissal, the Kiwis are in a decent position at 315 for 9 at the end of day one, thanks to a solid opening stand and a brilliant knock by all-rounder Mitchell Santner.
During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Indian Test batter Cheteshwar Pujara shared how he used sledging to exploit the weaknesses of Australian opener David Warner. Pujara's tactics, particularly reminding Warner of his struggles against Ravichandran Ashwin, disrupted the former's concentration and helped grab his wicket. Pujara's revelation sheds light on the psychological aspect of the game and how it can be used to gain an advantage in a high-stakes series.
In an unfortunate turn of events, Indian batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal's warm-up shot during the third Test match against Australia led to his dismissal on just the second ball of the innings. Jaiswal flicked a delivery straight into the Australian team huddle, resulting in a catch by Mitchell Marsh on the field. This unexpected incident has raised questions about the pressure of a high-stakes game and mental preparation for players.
After a delayed start due to rain, Jasprit Bumrah's impressive bowling performance, including dismissing Mitchell Starc, and Alex Carey's quick half-century helped India gain control of the third day of the third Test match against Australia at the Gabba. Carey showed his prowess with the bat, smashing a 108m six, and putting on a solid partnership with Nathan Lyon before India wrapped up Australia's innings in 117.1 overs. Australian batsman Steve Smith praised Indian seamer Akash Deep's bowling, saying it was the first time he faced him.
Despite another rain delay, Australia's bowlers have struck early in the third Test against India, leaving the visitors at 3-22 at lunch on Day 3. Mitchell Starc's superb performance, along with a brilliant diving catch by Mitch Marsh, has put pressure on India's star batsmen, forcing them to continue their struggles in the first innings. With rain still in the forecast, Australia will look to bowl India out for a low score and secure a series lead.