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Asia Cup: Intermittent rain likely to spoil Pak-India match on reserve day

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Asia Cup: Intermittent rain likely to spoil Pak-India match on reserve day

 The ground at Colombo’s stadium is covered with thick sheets as downpour began on the reserve day for a crucial Pakistan-India match of Asia Cup. 

The conditions are not favourable for cricket in Colombo as the match between Pakistan and India is likely to be affected by rain today.

Since late night, Colombo is receiving drizzling intermittently and is overcast with strong winds.

Intermittent rain is forecast throughout the day today, with more heavy rain expected during the afternoon hours.

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In the ongoing match in Colombo, Pakistan won the toss and invited India to bat first.

On Sunday rain washed out play which is about to resume today (Monday) as India were 147/2 at the start of the 25th over against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023 Super Fours match in Colombo.

As many as 75 overs were washed out on Sunday due to the heavy downpour.

Cricket rivalry between the India–Pakistan is one of the most strong sports rivalries globally and cricket lovers forever wait for their clash eagerly.

A storm made its way to the Premadasa Stadium with the covers moved immediately, according to ESPNcricinfo. India are 146/2 at the end of the 24th over. India lost two quick wickets at 123 at the end of the 18th over against Pakistan.

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Captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill both struck 50s in the opening stand. Later Shadab Khan sent Sharma back to the pavilion, Shubman Gill was also shown the door by Shaheen Shah Afiridi.

Pakistan earlier won the toss against arch rival India and elected to field first in an important match of Super 4 stage in the Asia Cup 2023.

The high-voltage Asia Cup 2023 match between Pakistan and India is being played at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. Millions of fans from both the countries are waiting for the nail-biting contest eagerly.

There is a significant risk of rain interrupting the second Pakistan vs India fixture in the 2023 Asia Cup, with Colombo having experienced a wet week in the approach to the match, and with the forecast suggesting there is a chance of thunderstorms today.

The city doesn’t usually see this amount of rain in September, and has hosted the ODI cricket successfully at this time of year in the past, though some matches have been rain-reduced.

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) posted a photograph on its X (formerly Twitter) account, showing the skies appeared to be clear.

There is a reserve day for the Pakistan vs India match, though the only Super Four game will have that luxury.

However, the umpires will try to achieve a result on the match day itself. In case there is a delay or an interruption, the hours of play can be extended by 90 minutes.

If the match cannot be completed on Sunday, the teams will attempt to finish it on Monday, continuing from where they left off.

The PCB had been on board with plans to move the Colombo Asia Cup matches to Hambantota – a drier venue at this time of year – but those plans were abandoned at the last minute by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

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The ACC essentially claimed that it was too late to move the matches, as travelling fans would have already made plans to watch the games in Colombo.

The first match between these two teams had been rained out, but that was in Pallekele. On that occasion, India were dismissed for 266 in 48.5 overs. Pakistan could not begin their chase because of the weather.

For today’s fixture, Pakistan team will land in the stadium with three fast-bowlers and three spinners.

The bowling attack of Pakistan consists of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Faheem Ashraf. The spinners include Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmad and Salman Agha.

The Pakistani team had a rigorous training session yesterday for the high-voltage match. Both the teams had played 133 ODIs and Pakistan won 73 while India could win 55 matches.

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In the history of Asia Cup, both the teams played 18 matches and India is ahead here in the tournament. India won nine Asia Cup matches while Pakistan could win six matches and three matches remained without any result.

India has won the Asia Cup title seven times while Pakistan clinched the trophy two times.

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World champion Brecel excited by new ‘golden ball’ format

World champion Brecel excited by new ‘golden ball’ format

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World champion Brecel excited by new 'golden ball' format

World champion Luca Brecel is excited to be among those looking to complete the first ever 167 break after the new golden ball was introduced at Saudi Arabia’s first professional snooker event this week.

The opening season of the Riyadh World Masters of Snooker offers players the chance to win a prize of $500,000 if they can complete a maximum 147 and then pot the golden ball.

The golden ball, worth 20 points, sits on the top cushion during the frame for as long as a player can still complete a maximum and is removed when the chance is gone.

The event, which runs until Wednesday, features players such as Ronnie O’Sullivan, Shaun Murphy, Mark Williams and Ding Junhui.

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“Yeah, it’s exciting the golden ball. Obviously it’s a big prize and well, it’s going to be very difficult. It’s a nice challenge and I’d love to have a go at it. Even if I don’t make it I would just like to have a try,” Brecel told Reuters on Tuesday.

“The 147 in itself is really difficult but now you need to be perfect on the black as well to go to the golden ball which is even more difficult.” Former world champion Judd Trump is also enjoying the challenge.

“It’s something cool. I think it’s always good to kind of push new ideas and I think the challenge of making a different break, a 167 here, would be very special,” Trump said.

“I think the 167 is just that little bit harder now and with that comes a bigger prize. So, I think that 167 is very special for the first time.”

Following the announcement last month of the creation of a Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters which will become the ‘fourth major’, Brecel said it was good to see the sport expanding into new countries.

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“(It’s) very good for us and for snooker. It’s nice to be able to come to these countries and hopefully maybe Qatar and Dubai will follow and in the future maybe go up to the U.S. as well and make snooker really, really big in all the countries in the world,” he said.

With a 10-year deal agreed, the tournament’s first edition will take place in Riyadh from Aug. 31 to Sept. 7. It will be a ranking event open to all tour players, plus six local wild cards. 

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Scaled-back opening ceremony for Paris Olympics to offer 326,000 tickets

Scaled-back opening ceremony for Paris Olympics to offer 326,000 tickets

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Scaled-back opening ceremony for Paris Olympics to offer 326,000 tickets

A total of 326,000 tickets are set to be sold or given away for the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on the River Seine, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said Tuesday, giving the exact number for the first time. Security fears have seen the size of the waterborne parade dramatically reduced.

“We will have 104,000 spectators on the lower bank who have paid for a ticket,” Darmanin told a hearing in the Sénat. “Then you have 222,000 people on the higher banks (with free tickets).”

Darmanin estimated that another 200,000 people would watch the event along the river from buildings that overlook the Seine, with an additional 50,000 in fan-zones in the capital.

Resistance from French security services and worries about potential terror attacks saw the number of spectators downgraded from as many as two million people.

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However the event is still set to break records in terms of its size, with all previous opening ceremonies taking place in an athletics’ stadium.

The open-air ceremony on boats is in keeping with promises to make the Paris Olympics “iconic”, with the local organising committee keen to break from past traditions in the way it stages the world’s biggest sporting event.

A total of 180 boats are set to sail around six kilometres down the Seine, of which 94 will contain athletes, the top security official for the Paris region, Marc Guillaume, told the same hearing.

Darmanin added: “No country has informed us that they do not want to take part … They have confidence in our organisation.”

Special security

The executive in charge of planning and risk management at the Paris organising committee told AFP last week that special security measures would be considered for high-risk delegations such as those from the US or Israel.

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“Every delegation has its own unique circumstances, and we’ll look at solutions that are adapted to the risk,” Lambis Konstantinidis said.

The Olympics have been targeted with attacks in the past, notably Munich in 1972 and Atlanta in 1996.

France was placed on its highest alert for terror attacks in October after a suspected Islamist burst into a school in northern France and stabbed a teacher to death.

The country has been consistently targeted by Islamic extremists over the last decade, particularly from the Islamic State group, while Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza is seen as exacerbating domestic tensions.

Around a million people are set to be screened in advance by French security forces for possible security risks, including the athletes, journalists, private security guards and people who live close to key infrastructure. 

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Sinisterra signs long-term deal with Bournemouth

Sinisterra signs long-term deal with Bournemouth

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Sinisterra signs long-term deal with Bournemouth

Luis Sinisterra has made his move to AFC Bournemouth from Leeds United permanent, signing a long-term deal with the Premier League team on Friday.

Bournemouth reportedly agreed to a £20 million fee with Championship (second-tier) side Leeds.

The 24-year-old Colombian had been impressive since joining Bournemouth in September on a loan spell from Leeds United, with three goals and three assists in his 17 appearances.

“I’m really happy to make this move. I’m excited to play for Bournemouth for the long term,” Sinisterra said. “I feel really comfortable here and the fans are really nice. When I meet them in the streets, they show the love.”

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Andoni Iraola’s team are 12th in the table on 27 points, but are winless in their last four games. They play Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday. 

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