Weekly Digest (August 16-22): ICC releases T20 World Cup schedule, Federer and Nadal pull out of US Open

In the Premier League, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur register wins, while in wrestling, Ravinder, Bipasha, Sanju Devi and Bhateri win medals for India at the world junior championships. Here's a look at the major headlines in sport in the past week.

India will play Pakistan in the ICC T20 World Cup on October 24. It will be the first T20I between India and Pakistan since the ICC World T20 in 2016. - K. R. DEEPAK

This past week, the ICC released the schedule for the T20 World Cup, which begins on October 17. The Super 12 stage, or the tournament proper, begins on October 23. In the Premier League, Jack Grealish scored a goal in Manchester City's 5-0 win against Norwich City, and Harry Kane made his first appearance of the season for Tottenham during its 1-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

In tennis, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have pulled out of the US Open.

Here's a look at the major headlines from the world of sport in the past week (August 16 - August 22).

CRICKET

India will begin its T20 World Cup campaign against Pakistan in Dubai on October 24. According to the fixture released by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Virat Kohli-led side will play New Zealand and Afghanistan on October 31 and November 3 respectively. ( REPORT )

Rajasthan Royals' English recruit Jos Buttler won't be available for the second leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021), which begins in the UAE on September 19.  ( REPORT )

Former India international Gargi Banerjee has been appointed the manager of India’s women’s cricket team for its tour of Australia. ( REPORT )

Eighteen Sri Lanka cricketers have signed new national team contracts until the end of the year, ending a player-board dispute, the country's cricket board said on Friday. ( REPORT )

Test skipper Paine said the senior players had cleared the air with head coach Justin Langer and that he was not to be blamed for the team's recent setbacks in the West Indies and Bangladesh. ( REPORT )

Saurashtra won the last Ranji Trophy title in the 2019-20 season.

 

The Ranji Trophy will be held between January 5 and March 20, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed the State associations. ( REPORT )

Australia has named a 15-man squad for the Twenty20 World Cup, recalling paceman Pat Cummins and leading batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner for the global tournament in the United Arab Emirates and Oman. ( REPORT )

Former India captain Rahul Dravid has reapplied for the position of Head of Cricket at the National Cricket Academy. ( REPORT )

FOOTBALL

British record signing Jack Grealish marked his home debut for Manchester City with a goal as the Premier League champion demolished promoted Norwich City 5-0 on Saturday. ( REPORT )

Manchester City's Jack Grealish celebrates scoring his first home goal with Gabriel Jesus, who provided the assist for the same.

 

Harry Kane made his first appearance of the season for Tottenham in its 1-0 win at Wolverhampton, which was secured by Dele Alli’s ninth-minute penalty on Sunday. ( REPORT )

Indian defender Sandesh Jhingan joined Croatian top division side HNK Sibenik on Wednesday to join a list of elite Indian footballers who have signed a professional contract with a top-tier European club. ( REPORT )

For Sandesh Jhingan, the transfer to HNK Sibenik is about pursuing the European dream and throwing himself out of his comfort zone.

 

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said Cristiano Ronaldo has told him that he will stay at the club this season, something the new boss believes guarantees goals for the Serie A giant. ( REPORT )

ATK Mohun Bagan came from behind to beat Maziya S&RC 3-1 in its AFC Cup Group D tie on Saturday. This is ATK Mohun Bagan's second win after its opening day win over Bengaluru FC . The Blues, who drew with Bashundhara Kings on Saturday, have been knocked out of the competition. ( REPORT )

The Euro 2020 final between England and Italy in July was a "superspreader" event due to the level of COVID-19 infection found in or around London's Wembley Stadium on the day, according to official data published on Friday. ( REPORT )

Karim Benzema has signed a contract extension with Real Madrid through 2023, the Spanish club said Friday. ( REPORT )

Benzema's new contract comes amid speculation that Madrid wants to sign Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain.

 

Spanish forward Pedro has become the first player in 36 years to directly cross the Rome divide by signing for Lazio after leaving rival AS Roma, with a two-year deal announced on Thursday. ( REPORT )

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has returned to the club's Carrington training ground to continue his recovery from a recent shoulder operation, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said. ( REPORT )

Chelsea forward Kai Havertz aims to raise funds for victims of Germany's devastating floods by auctioning 100 pairs of specially-designed football boots. ( REPORT )

TENNIS

Roger Federer will miss the upcoming US Open and be sidelined for many months because he needs more knee surgery, an operation that the Swiss great said on Sunday will give him a "glimmer of hope" to resume his glittering career. ( READ )

Rafael Nadal called an end to his 2021 season on Friday. Nadal had withdrawn from the Cincinnati hardcourt event earlier this month with a nagging foot issue. ( READ )

Federer said doctors told him that in order to feel better for the medium- to long-term, he would need surgery on the knee that he injured again during the grass court season.(File photo)

 

An error-prone Naomi Osaka   was stunned 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 by Jil Teichmann in the third round of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati on Thursday. ( REPORT )

Alexander Zverev   came from two breaks down in the third set to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4) on Saturday to book a final clash with Andrey Rublev in the WTA and ATP Cincinnati Masters. ( REPORT )

World number one Ashleigh Barty reached her sixth final of the season on Saturday as the Australian defeated Angelique Kerber 6-2, 7-5 at the ATP and WTA Cincinnati Masters. ( REPORT)

Two-time champion Venus Williams   will be back at the US Open   after being given a wild card Wednesday into the Grand Slam tournament. ( READ)

Austria's Dominic Thiem will not defend his U.S. Open title after having to pull out of the hardcourt major with a wrist injury, he said on Wednesday. ( REPORT )

WRESTLING

Ravinder took the men's freestyle 61kg silver medal, while Bipasha reached the women's 76kg final to assure India of another medal in the World junior wrestling championships on August 18.  (REPORT)

Bipasha got India another silver medal after losing to Kylie Renee Welker of the USA in the women's 76kg gold medal match on August 19.  (REPORT)

India collected two more silver medals after Sanju Devi and Bhateri lost their respective final matches at the World junior wrestling championships on August 20.  (REPORT)

Ravi Malik and Narinder Cheema remained in medal contention of Greco Roman competitions at the World junior wrestling championships in Ufa, Russia, on August 21.  (REPORT)

BOXING

Bishwamitra Chongtham (51kg) sailed into the semifinals along with three of his compatriots, assuring themselves of at least a bronze medal at the ASBC Youth and Junior Boxing Championships in Dubai. ( REPORT )

Yordenis Ugas beat Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision on Saturday night, putting on an impressive technical performance and retaining his WBA welterweight title. ( REPORT )

TABLE TENNIS

Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Manika Batra struck big in their first mixed doubles assignment as the pair won the title at the World Table Tennis Contender Budapest, with an 11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 11-6 win over Nandor Ecseki and Dora Madarasz of Hungary on Friday. ( REPORT )

G. Sathiyan and Manika Batra couldn’t have asked for a better start to their preparations for the next Olympic cycle.

 

MOTORSPORT

Spanish Moto GP rider Maverick Vinales will race for Aprilia next season after falling out with Yamaha, the Italian team announced on Monday. ( READ )

MotoGP announced on Thursday the cancellation of the Malaysian Grand Prix for the second year in a row, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and its replacement by another race at Italy's Misano circuit on October 24. ( REPORT )

This year's Japanese Grand Prix was cancelled following discussions between the government and race promoters, Formula One organizers said Wednesday. ( REPORT )

Formula E champion Mercedes will withdraw from the all-electric series at the end of the Gen2 era in 2022 to concentrate on Formula One, the car maker said on Wednesday. ( READ )