Playing football, nothing could be simpler, right? All you need is a ball, a few players and — a pitch. Around the world and whatever the landscape, football grounds abound — and are as varied and diverse as the people who play on them. In this file photo taken on December 20, 2017 Picture shows a futsal pitch on the ...

DEHRADUN: Spin sensation Rashid Khan bowled an excellent last over to help Afghanistan eke out a thrilling one-run win over Bangladesh and complete a series whitewash in the third Twenty20 international Thursday. Chasing 146 for victory, Bangladesh required nine in the 20th over but Khan held his nerve to restrict Bangladesh to 144-6 in the north Indian city of Dehradun. ...

PARIS: Austrian Dominic Thiem´s rise to the top continued when he ended unheralded Italian Marco Cecchinato´s run to reach the final of the French Open with a 7-5 7-6(10) 6-1 win on Friday. The seventh seed, the first Austrian man to reach a Grand Slam final since Thomas Muster triumphed at Roland Garros in 1995, will take on either Argentine ...

CAIRO: Egypt are hopeful Mohamed Salah will be available for the start of their World Cup campaign in Russia but the team must find a way to avoid depending too much on the striker, coach Hector Cuper has said. Liverpool’s Salah is recovering from the shoulder ligament injury suffered in last month’s Champions League final loss to Real Madrid when ...

Former England wicketkeeper Steve Rhodes took little time to accept his new job as Bangladesh’s head coach. Nizamuddin Chowdhury, the BCB’s chief executive, made initial contact in March, soon after Paul Farbrace had turned down the job in the last stages of their negotiation. Eventually, after his name also featured in Gary Kirsten’s shortlist of head coaches, the BCB, earlier ...

Nazmul Hassan, the BCB president, has once again criticised Bangladesh’s players in the middle of a series. In the wake of their T20I series defeat to Afghanistan, with one match still to play, Hassan has accused them of taking advantage of a “free environment in the dressing room” in the absence of a head coach. “This is very frustrating,” Hassan ...

Defending champions Germany will go as the number one team to the World Cup 2018 in Russia sitting atop the newly released FIFA world ranking on Thursday. Germany appear to be the best squad on paper after their talismanic goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, a key player in their 2014 victory, returned to action after a long absence through injury. Meanwhile, India, ...

India’s star woman cricketer Mithali Raj on Thursday became the first women cricketer to score 2000 runs in Twenty20 Internationals (T20I) in the Women’s Asia Cup T20 match against Sri Lanka. The opener achieved the feat in 75 matches during her knock of 23. The International Cricket Council (ICC) took note of Raj’s milestone and congratulated her on Twitter. “Congratulations ...

World number one Simona Halep has another chance to finally land her first Grand Slam title after beating Garbine Muguruza in the French Open semi-finals. The Romanian, 26, won 6-1 6-4 against the Spanish third seed. She will meet either US Open champion Sloane Stephens or her fellow American Madison Keys in Saturday’s final. Halep has lost three previous Grand ...

NEW DELHI: Allrounder Arjun Tendulkar has been named in India’s U-19 squad for Sri Lanka tour next month. India are slated to tour Sri Lanka in July for two four-day and five one-day matches. Arjun, son of legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, has made the cut for the four-day squad, which will be led by Delhi wicketkeeper-batsman Anuj Rawat. Anuj made ...