The EURO 2020 semifinals spots have been sealed with Italy set to take on Spain and England marked for a clash with Denmark at the Wembley Stadium in London.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen won the Austrian GP on Sunday from pole position to take a lead of 32 points from nine races over Lewis Hamilton in the Formula One championship.
Here's a wrap-up of all the major sports news and updates from the week (June 28 to July 4) that passed:
CRICKET
Mithali Raj scored an unbeaten 75 to steer India to a win in the third One-Day International against England in Worcester. En route, she became the highest run-scorer in international cricket. ( REPORT )
Mithali said her new batting record was the purpose of all the trials and tribulations her 22-year career had seen. “Twenty-two years on, the hunger to score runs has not ended, to be there in the middle and win games for India has not ended,” she said. ( REPORT )
After being cancelled last season due to the pandemic, the Ranji Trophy will be played in a three-month window from November 16 to February 19, 2022, the BCCI announced on Saturday. ( REPORT )
The Indian cricket team underwent its first training session on Friday ahead of the limited-overs series against host Sri Lanka from July 13. India had arrived in Sri Lanka on Monday, following which the players quarantined in their room for three days. ( REPORT )
Former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga has slammed his country’s cricket board for agreeing to host a "second string Indian team" in a white-ball series, saying it is nothing short of an "insult." ( REPORT )
The BCCI has given a financial grant of ₹100 crores to the Rajasthan Cricket Association to build India's second-largest stadium in Jaipur. The construction work for the first phase of the stadium is likely to take 24 to 30 months. ( REPORT )
Opening batsman Shubman Gill will be a doubtful starter for India’s Test series in England, which will start in Nottingham on August 4. ( REPORT )
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the latest ICC Test Players Rankings for batsmen. ( REPORT )
England beat Sri Lanka 2-0 in the ODI series with the final one-dayer on Sunday at Bristol being abandoned due to rain. ( READ )
Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock shared a 127-run partnership as South Africa defeated West Indies by 25 runs in the fifth T20 International in Grenada for a 3-2 series win. This was the first T20 series win for captain Temba Bavuma and coach Mark Boucher. ( REPORT )
FOOTBALL
Harry Kane scored twice and England overwhelmed Ukraine 4-0 Saturday to reach the European Championship semifinals. ( REPORT ) The Three Lions will take on Denmark, which beat Czech Republic in the other quarterfinal. ( REPORT )
Goals from Nicolo Barella and Lorenzo Insigne guided Italy to a 2-1 victory over Belgium in the second quarterfinal of EURO 2020. ( REPORT ) With the teams tied 1-1 after extra time, Spain overcame Switzerland 3-1 on penalties to qualify for the semifinals. ( REPORT )
Lionel Messi scored a free kick and served up two assists as Argentina beat Ecuador 3-0 and set itself up for a Copa America semifinal against Colombia. ( REPORT ) Two penalty shootout saves by goalkeeper David Ospina put Colombia in the semifinals. ( REPORT )
Brazil survived losing Gabriel Jesus to a red card early in the second half to defeat Chile 1-0 in a thrilling Copa America tie and advance to the semifinal. ( REPORT )
Germany midfielder Toni Kroos announced his retirement from international football on Friday after the team's round-of-16 exit in the European Championships. ( REPORT )
Borussia Dortmund has reached an agreement for the transfer of England winger Jadon Sancho to Manchester United, the two clubs confirmed. ( REPORT )
Joachim Loew led Germany to the high of its 2014 World Cup triumph, but his 15-year reign as coach ended Tuesday with the low of a rare defeat to England in the last 16 of Euro 2020. ( REPORT )
Netherlands coach Frank de Boer has resigned two days after his side was beaten 2-0 by the Czech Republic and eliminated in the last 16 of the European Championship. ( REPORT )
Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix has undergone surgery on his ankle, the La Liga champion said. ( REPORT )
A Spanish court ordered UEFA to cancel all legal sanctions imposed on Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus for planning the creation of the breakaway European Super League. ( REPORT )
India men's team captain Sunil Chhetri has been recommended for this year's Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the country's highest sporting honour, by the AIFF. National women's team striker Bala Devi, who is currently playing for Rangers in the Scottish Women's Premier League, has been recommended for the coveted Arjuna Award. ( REPORT )
TENNIS
World number one Novak Djokovic and 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer were both named on the list of players for the Tokyo Olympics on Thursday - a boost for a tournament hit by high-profile withdrawals. ( READ)
Roger Federer became the third-oldest man to reach the round of 16 at Wimbledon in the Open Era after beating Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the third round on Saturday. ( REPORT )
Novak Djokovic roared into the fourth round at Wimbledon, after thumping American qualifier Denis Kudla on Friday. ( REPORT )
Roland Garros finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas was blown away by America's Frances Tiafoe in straight sets in his third first-round loss at Wimbledon on Monday. ( REPORT)
Home favourite and two-time champion Andy Murray was defeated in straight sets by Canada's Denis Shapovalov in the third round of the Wimbledon. ( REPORT )
Defending champion Novak Djokovic revealed on Monday that the father of his vanquished Wimbledon opponent Jack Draper once attempted to persuade him to switch allegiance from Serbia to Britain. ( READ)
World number three Simona Halep withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics after the Romanian said she would not recover from a calf injury in time. ( READ)
Serena Williams stopped playing her first-round match at Wimbledon in the first set on Tuesday after she hurt her left leg by slipping during a point, a sudden end to her latest bid for a record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title. ( READ )
India's Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan failed to qualify as a men's doubles team to the Tokyo Games. ( READ )
MOTORSPORT
Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has signed a two-year contract extension keeping him at Mercedes in 2022 and 2023. ( READ )
Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen won the Austrian Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday, clinching a third straight victory and extending his lead over title rival Lewis Hamilton to 32 points after nine races. ( REPORT )
Spanish rider Maverick Vinales will leave Yamaha at the end of the MotoGP season, cutting short his two-year contract, the team said on Monday. ( READ )
Yamaha's world championship leader Fabio Quartararo cruised to his fourth win of the season at the Dutch Grand Prix in Assen on Sunday. ( REPORT )
Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas said on Saturday his Styrian Grand Prix grid penalty was too harsh and suggested it had been fuelled by rival team complaining to officials ( READ )
The all-female W Series, which is supporting Formula One at eight Grands Prix this year, will become a team-based championship from 2022 as a result of strong sponsor interest, organisers said on Thursday. ( READ)
The Turkish Grand Prix is back on this year's Formula One calendar for the second time after the race in Singapore was cancelled. ( READ )
BADMINTON
The India Open Super 500 and Hyderabad Open Super 100 tournaments have been cancelled, with the Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Monday announcing a revamped international calendar to salvage the rest of the season affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. ( REPORT )
World champion and 2016 Olympic Games silver medalist P.V. Sindhu’s request to buy advanced recovery equipment was approved by the Government of India within 24 hours, according to a media release. ( REPORT )
The Badminton Association of India (BAI) has recommended the names of K. Srikanth and Sai Praneeth for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. For the Arjuna Award, BAI has nominated H. S. Prannoy, Pranav Jerry Chopra, and Sameer Verma. ( REPORT )
The Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Tuesday said it has asked its state units to get their players and officials vaccinated for the resumption of the domestic season under strict COVID-19 guidelines. ( REPORT )
BOXING
The International Boxing Association (AIBA) has decided to add three weight categories for men and two for women in its competitions from August this year, saying it will allow a greater pool of boxers to fight in divisions they feel "most strong and comfortable" in. ( REPORT )
Pooja Rani Bohra showed her class by securing a second consecutive gold medal to take the 75kg crown in the Asian boxing championships in Dubai. ( REPORT )
The International Boxing Association's new president is confident his beleaguered organisation will be welcomed back into the Olympic family after the Tokyo Games. ( REPORT )
WRESTLING
Indian wrestler Sumit Malik has been banned for two years by the United World Wrestling (UWW) after his B sample also returned positive for a prohibited stimulant. ( READ )
Indian wrestlers Ravi Dahiya and Deepak Punia have finally got the clearance to travel to Russia and will train alongside Bajrang Punia until the Tokyo Olympics. ( READ )
TABLE TENNIS
The Table Tennis Federation of India has nominated ace paddler Sharath Kamal for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award. ( REPORT )
Former youth national table tennis champion S. Fidel R. Snehit has signed a one-year contract with Polish First League Club UKS Villa Verde Olesno ahead of the upcoming season. ( REPORT )
SHOOTING
London Olympics bronze medallist Gagan Narang says India's 15-member shooting squad for Tokyo has the perfect blend of experience and youth. ( READ )
Asian Games gold medallist Rahi Sarnobat outclassed a strong field to win the 25-metre sports pistol gold at the Shooting World Cup in Osijek, Croatia, on Monday. ( READ )
The Commonwealth archery and shooting championships in Chandigarh have been cancelled due to the "uncertainty" posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. ( READ )
Sanjeev Rajput and Tejaswini Sawant placed fifth in the mixed rifle 3-position event in the shooting World Cup in Osijek, Croatia. ( READ )
HOCKEY
N. Mukesh, who holds the Olympics Games record of scoring the fastest goal in hockey, chose India goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh as the star to watch out for his experience, class and confidence. ( READ )
The Indian men's and women's hockey teams remained unchanged at fourth and 10th spot respectively in the FIH rankings released on Wednesday. ( READ )
ATHLETICS
American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson has tested positive for cannabis, and is unlikely to get the chance to challenge for the Olympic 100 metres title in Tokyo later this month. ( READ )
Star sprinter Hima Das, who sustained a hamstring injury on Saturday while running 100m heats is set to miss the Tokyo Olympics as the women's 4x100m of which she was a part earlier clocked 44.15 seconds, well outside the targeted time of 43.03 seconds. ( READ )
Olympic champion Brianna McNeal lost her appeal on Friday against a five-year ban for breaking anti-doping rules that prevent the American from defending her 100-meter hurdles title at the Tokyo Olympics. ( READ)
India named a 24-member athletics team, headlined by star javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia and high jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu, for the Tokyo Paralympics, which begins on August 24. ( READ )
Top para high-jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu was on Friday named the flag-bearer of the Indian contingent in the Tokyo Paralympics, which begins on August 24. ( READ )
Priya H. Mohan will not be a part of India’s 4x400m mixed relay team at this month’s Tokyo Olympics. ( READ)
Forced out of her favourite race by World Athletics' testosterone rules, two-time 800m Olympic champion Caster Semenya took a late shot at qualifying for Tokyo in the 5,000 meters, an event not affected by the hormone regulations, but came up short. ( READ)
Seema Punia has raised concerns on fellow discus thrower Kamalpreet's feat and has sought a hyperandrogenism test from the federation and the Sports Authority of India. ( READ )
Ace athlete of the Indian Navy, MP Jabir, has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in 400m hurdles after he clocked 49.78 seconds to win gold at the recently concluded Inter-State Athletics Championships in Patiala. ( READ )
Norway's Karsten Warholm broke Kevin Young's 29-year-old 400m hurdles world record when he completed the race in 46.70 seconds in front of his home fans at the Diamond League meeting in Oslo on Thursday. ( REPORT )
Comments
SHARE