CRICKET
Khan stars for Pakistan
Shadab Khan produced an outstanding debut performance on Sunday as Pakistan completed a comfortable six-wicket victory over the West Indies in the first Twenty20 international at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Put in on a bright, breezy afternoon, the world champions were restricted to 111-8, with the tourists knocking off the runs with almost three overs to spare to extend their Twenty20 winning streak over their rivals to four. Brought on as the fifth bowler when the West Indies batted in what looked like ideal conditions, 18-year-old Khan’s mesmerizing mixture of leg-breaks and googlies earned him figures of 3-7, the most economical ever in the history of Twenty20 internationals by a debutant in a complete four-over spell.
CRICKET
Williamson hands NZ lead
A masterful Kane Williamson century propelled New Zealand ahead of South Africa by stumps on the third day of the series-deciding final Test in Hamilton, New Zealand, yesterday. It was the 17th century by Williamson, equaling Martin Crowe’s New Zealand record, and it featured in a commanding 190-run stand with Jeet Raval for the second wicket. Raval’s dismissal late in the day for 88 triggered a revival for South Africa as New Zealand slipped from 273-1 to 321-4 at stumps in reply to South Africa’s 314. Williamson was unbeaten on 148 with Mitchell Santner on 13.
SOCCER
Netherlands sack Blind
Danny Blind was sacked as Netherlands coach on Sunday after a 2-0 defeat to Bulgaria left the team’s chances of reaching the FIFA World Cup finals hanging by the slenderest of threads. Blind, 55, had been in charge since July 2015, succeeding Guus Hiddink, but Saturday’s loss in Sofia left the Netherlands in fourth place in Group A, six points behind leaders France. Blind said he was saddened by the decision. “We were on the right track in Bulgaria, but it’s a pity that it ends like this,” he said. Blind’s assistant, Fred Grim, is to take charge of the team for today’s friendly against Italy in Amsterdam.
GOLF
Johnson wins in Texas
Dustin Johnson of the US became the first player to win all four World Golf Championships events when he claimed the Dell Match Play in Texas on Sunday. World No. 1 and top seed Johnson beat Spanish 21st seed Jon Rahm 1-up in the 18-hole final at Austin Country Club. “Today was a really tough day. I’m proud of the way I played, the way I stayed in there, even though he [Rahm] made some birdies on the back nine,” Johnson told NBC television.
GOLF
Lee equals Carlsbad record
South Korea’s Lee Mi-rim fired seven birdies in a seven-under 65 on Sunday to post a record-equaling triumph at the LPGA Kia Classic in Carlsbad, California. Lee’s 20-under 278 matched the tournament record set by Cristie Kerr in 2015 — when the American powered past Lee for a two-shot victory. Lee finished six strokes ahead of compatriot Ryu So-yeon, who carded a 66, and Austin Ernst of the US, who posted a 67. Taiwan’s Chien Pei-yun (68) finished tied for 11th place on nine-under, while Kaohsiung-born Candie Kung (70) was tied for 59th place on even-par.
An “outstanding” 17-year-old Chinese badminton player died of cardiac arrest after collapsing on court during a tournament in Indonesia, officials said yesterday. Zhang Zhijie was playing a match late Sunday against Japan’s Kazuma Kawano at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The score was 11-11 in the first game when Zhang fell to the floor between points. The teenager received treatment at the venue and was rushed to hospital in an ambulance, but passed away later that night after repeated efforts to resuscitate him failed. “Medical conclusions ... indicated that the victim experienced sudden cardiac arrest,” Broto Happy, spokesman for
Taiwan will have two pairs vying for the women’s doubles at the Olympic Games’ tennis event in Paris as Chan Hao-ching (詹皓晴) and her older sister Latisha Chan (詹詠然) officially clinched their third straight Olympic berth, the Chinese Taipei Tennis Association said Thursday. According to the association, the International Tennis Federation confirmed Wednesday evening the Chan sisters’ qualification for the event, meaning they will join the duo of Hsieh Su-wei (謝淑薇) and Tsao Chia-yi (曹家宜) to compete in the quadrennial sports jamboree. There are 16 entries in each doubles event. Hsieh, ranked No. 2 in the world on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA)
Taiwan’s men’s national basketball team is set to upgrade its depth in the paint after signing Brandon Gilbeck of the P.League+’s Formosa Dreamers to a naturalized player’s contract. The 27-year-old big man from the US landed in Taoyuan early on Monday, where he was welcomed by Chinese Taipei Basketball Association deputy secretary-general Chang Cheng-chung. The two signed the deal, which still has to be approved by the Sports Administration and the Ministry of the Interior. Chang said he is confident that “the proceedings would go smoothly.” If approved, Gilbeck would become the third naturalized basketball player in Taiwan, following the New Taipei Kings’ Quincy
ONE GAME LEFT: ‘We 100 percent believe that this is the team,’ Kagiso Rabada said when asked if this team could end South Africa’s long World Cup drought A long, tortuous World Cup title drought is closer than ever to ending for South Africa after a nine-wicket win over first-time semi-finalist Afghanistan at the global T20 World Cup cricket tournament on Wednesday. Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada set the foundations for the lopsided victory with destructive opening bursts of pace bowling to have Afghanistan reeling at 20-4 in the fourth over, and eventually all out for a paltry 56. The South Africans lost just one wicket in pursuit of its first semi-final win at a global men’s limited-overs tournament, with Reeza Hendricks hitting a six and a four on consecutive