Tuesday, 24 Dec, 2024

Sports

BCB chief Kamal becomes ACC President

DHAKA: Bangladesh Cricket Control Board President AHM Mustafa Kamal MP has been made President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), an official announcement said to the cheers of the youngest test-playing nation.                 Bangladesh’s coronation as chief of the

Nigeria leader bans team after World Cup fiasco

Abuja: Nigerian football was in disarray Wednesday after President Goodluck Jonathan suspended the national team from all international tournaments for two years following the Super Eagles` poor performance at the World Cup in South Africa. Nigeria was knocked out in the group stages

Berdych ends Federer`s reign as Wimbledon champ

LONDON: Roger Federer crashed out of Wimbledon on Wednesday as Czech 12th seed Tomas Berdych clinched a stunning 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory over the defending champion in the quarter-finals. Federer has been almost untouchable at Wimbledon for the last seven years, winning the title six

Williams sisters downed in doubles

LONDON: Defending champions Venus and Serena Williams were knocked out of the women`s doubles quarter-finals at Wimbledon on Wednesday, piling on the misery for Venus. While Serena progressed to the singles semi-finals on Tuesday, five-time Wimbledon champion Venus was knocked out by the

Gerrard and Rooney pull out of `skills` event

LONDON: England internationals Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney avoided a potential public relations disaster after an organiser said the duo had withdrawn from a soccer skills event. The pair were set to compete in a series of challenges against the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Cristiano

Djokovic downs Lu to storm into semis

LONDON: Serbia`s Novak Djokovic stormed through to the Wimbledon semi-finals with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win over Taiwan`s Lu Hsun-Yen on Wednesday. World number three Djokovic played almost faultless tennis to wrap up victory in an hour and 51 minutes on Court One as Lu, the conqueror of

Nigeria leader bans team after World Cup fiasco

ABUJA: Nigeria president Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday banned the country`s football team from international competition for two years following their dismal showing at the World Cup, his office said. "President Goodluck Jonathan has directed that Nigeria withdraws from international

Yellow cloud hangs over Netherlands, Brazil

PORT ELIZABETH: Kaka is one of a cluster of players treading a yellow card tightrope in Friday`s World Cup quarter-final between The Netherlands and Brazil. The Real Madrid playmaker is joined by Luis Fabiano, Juan and Felipe Melo in the group of Brazilians who will miss a potential

Lugano: the model Uruguayan captain

JOHANNESBURG: Diego Lugano may lead a rugged Uruguayan defence, but his male model-like good looks has his female fans swooning in front of the giant video screens set up back home in Montevideo. The 29-year-old may not be the quickest of defenders but he uses his 6ft 1inch (1.86 metres)

Ronaldo a broken man as press blame him

CAPE TOWN: Portuguese captain Cristiano Ronaldo confessed to being a broken man on Wednesday after his side`s crushing 1-0 World Cup defeat to Iberian rivals Spain. The 25-year-old Real Madrid star said he felt a deep sadness at their exit at the hands of the European champions, who

Iran minister rejoices at US, England, France cup defeats

TEHRAN: Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has said the United States, England and France deserved to be eliminated in the World Cup for imposing nuclear sanctions on Tehran, newspapers reported on Wednesday. "In this World Cup you see a meaningful correlation between politics

World Cup goal drought hits superstars

JOHANNESBURG: Superstars have failed to deliver goals at the World Cup with Kaka, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney managing just one between them. And that came softly to Ronaldo three minutes from full-time in Cape Town as Portugal tore hapless North Korea to shreds in

Thai police arrest 1,000 gamblers for World Cup betting

BANGKOK: More than 1,000 punters in the Thai capital have been arrested in a crackdown on illegal gambling during the World Cup, police said Wednesday. Bangkok`s force has arrested 56 bookmakers or their associates and 1,156 gamblers who have made bets totalling 3.4 million baht (105,000

Asian World Cup over, but stature reaffirmed

CAPE TOWN, June 30, 2010 (AFP) - Asia`s World Cup may be over with Japan`s agonising elimination in a penalty shoot-out, but the Asian Football Confederation teams did enough to reaffirm the region`s growing stature. Two out of four made the last 16, compared to just one out of five from

Wimbledon dreams come true for Pironkova

LONDON: Tsvetana Pironkova had never played on a grass court until five years ago but now the Bulgarian giant-killer is just one match away from reaching the Wimbledon final. Pironkova has defied her lowly position in the world rankings to make it to the last four at the All England Club

Football: We won`t underestimate Paraguay, says Del Bosque - Lead

CAPE TOWN: Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque insists his team will not be underestimating Paraguay after beating Portugal 1-0 to set up a quarter-final clash with the South Americans.The European champions had a second-half David Villa strike to thank for their victory on Tuesday and Del

Villa strike puts Spain into quarter-finals

CAPE TOWN: Red-hot David Villa scored his fourth goal of the World Cup to fire European champions Spain past Iberian arch-rivals Portugal 1-0 on Tuesday and into quarter-final clash against Paraguay. The Barcelona striker pounced in the 63rd minute of an absorbing encounter that saw

Serena books semi-final spot at Wimbledon

LONDON: Defending champion Serena Williams moved into the semi-finals at Wimbledon with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Chinese ninth seed Li Na on Tuesday. Williams claimed a last four place at the All England Club for the seventh time in her career and helped heal Williams` family pride after

Third time lucky for Paraguayan veteran Santa Cruz

PRETORIA: Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz saw his third and final World Cup finals extended by at least one match on Tuesday after the South American side edged Japan 5-3 on penalties to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time after the match ended 0-0. The Manchester

Pironkova stuns Venus at Wimbledon

LONDON: Five-time champion Venus Williams suffered a shock 6-2, 6-3 defeat against unseeded Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon on Tuesday. Not since Jelena Jankovic defeated Williams in the third round in 2006 had Venus failed to reach the women`s singles