Cairns, Aug 15 (IANS) On Saturday night, Australia will find themselves in rare territory when they face South Africa in a T20I series decider at a sold out Cazaly’s Stadium. While the Proteas were in a similar position just three weeks ago in the T20I tri-series in Zimbabwe, Australia have not played a series deciding match since September 2022, with several series in that period decided before the final game or disrupted by rain. The clash will also mark first men’s T20I at the venue, thus…

Brighton, Aug 15 (IANS) Brighton and Hove Albion head coach Fabian Hurzeler expressed confidence that talented midfielder Carlos Baleba will not be leaving the club despite interest. Baleba has been at the centre of a lot of transfer speculation in the last couple of weeks, but Hurzeler has no doubt about where the Cameroonian will be playing his football this coming campaign.”Very, very, very confident (that he will not leave). I didn’t see any change in him. He only changed his hair, so I thin…

London, Aug 15 (IANS) Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank showed his support for forward Mathys Tel after he was subjected to racial abuse following their penalty shootout defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup.Tel, 20, was one of two players who failed to hit the back of the net as Tottenham succumbed to defeat.”I think it’s terrible what happened to Mathys. We’re doing everything to support him in this situation. He’s a strong person. He will have support from family an…

London, Aug 15 (IANS) Premier Australia batter Steve Smith has warned that England’s batters face a stern test in this year’s Ashes, with challenging conditions in the country and a seasoned Aussie bowling attack set to pose tough questions to them. The five-Test Ashes series starts in Perth on November 21 and England, with their ultra-attacking Bazball approach, have been primed to do well in Australia. England’s recent Test assignment saw them settle for a 2-2 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy s…

New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) Ahead of Newcastle United’s opening Premier League game against Aston Villa at Villa Park, head coach Eddie Howe has claimed Alexander Isak understands that he would have done as well had it not been for the club where he became a superstar. Newcastle reportedly turned down a bid in the region of 110 million Pounds from defending champions Liverpool but Isak remains determined to leave the club.”There has been no change. All my focus is on Aston Villa tomorrow. Isak’s …

Cairns, Aug 15 (IANS) Australia’s fast-bowling all-rounder Aaron Hardie said he is determined to make the most of any opportunity coming his way to break into a playing eleven while admitting that it is ‘hard to crack into’. Hardie, 26, has been named in every Australian limited-overs squad in 2025, including bilateral series in Sri Lanka and the Caribbean, the Champions Trophy and as a late call-up for the ongoing T20I series against South Africa.But Hardie has featured in just four of Au…

Mumbai, Aug 15 (IANS) As India marks its 79th Independence Day, Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) players pay tribute to the heroes who have served the nation by celebrating the sport that reflects the country’s heritage, values, and resilience. The league proudly highlights the inspiring stories of the 16 players and four coaches who represent the Services, balancing their commitment to the nation both on the field and at the borders.On this momentous occasion, Bharat, an all-rounder representing Telu…

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 15 (IANS) As the draw for the AFC Champions League Two 2025-26 was unveiled at AFC House on Friday, FC Goa have found themselves in the same group as Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr. FC Goa, winners of the Kalinga Super Cup 2025, are placed in Group D with Al Nassr Club (Saudi Arabia), Al Zawra’a SC (Iraq) and FC Istiklol (Tajikistan).The Gaurs sealed their spot in the AFC Champions League Two 2025-26 Group Stage after staving off a late fightback from Al Seeb Club of Oman to walk…

Dhaka, Aug 15 (IANS) Bangladesh assistant head coach Mohammad Salahuddin believes openers Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Parvez Hossain Emon are poised to make a significant impact, having already proven their mettle on the global stage at the youth level. The duo, who have been teammates since their Under-19 days, played a vital role in Bangladesh’s landmark ICC U-19 World Cup triumph – the nation’s only major international title to date.As Bangladesh prepare for a three-match T20I series against t…

Brisbane, Aug 15 (IANS) Yastika Bhatia, Radha Yadav and Tanuja Kanwer struck half-centuries each as India ‘A’ clinched the 50-over series against Australia ‘A’ with a narrow two-wicket win in the second game held at Ian Healy Oval on Friday. Electing to bat first, Alyssa Healy top-scored with 91 off 87 balls to guide Australia ‘A’ to 265/9 in their 50 overs, with the rest of the batting line-up not putting in standout performances.For India ‘A’, off-spin bowling all-rounder Minnu…