CRICKET
Samson, Varma smash SA
Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma on Friday smashed scintillating centuries as India thumped South Africa by 135 runs in Johannesburg to claim the four-match T20 series 3-1 and inflict the heaviest-ever defeat in the format on their hosts. India posted 283-1 before bowling out the hosts for 148 as they dominated all facets of the game. Samson crashed a third T20 ton in five innings as he blasted an unbeaten 109 from 56 deliveries, while Varma made it centuries in consecutive innings with 120 not out from 47 balls, including 10 sixes. The pair put on a T20 record second wicket partnership of 210 from 85 balls. “It is difficult for me to choose which is the best between the knocks, both of them were brilliant,” India captain Suryakumar Yadav said. At the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday, Australia beat Pakistan by 13 runs in the second T20 to win the series with a match to go.
Photo: AFP
SOCCER
Mexico coach struck
Mexico coach Javier Aguirre on Friday sustained a head injury after being hit by an object at the end of their CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final first leg against Honduras. At the end of the game that Mexico lost 2-0 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Aguirre walked up to greet Colombia coach Reinaldo Rueda when he was struck by an object, apparently a beer can, that cut him and caused his head to bleed. “Nothing, it is just soccer, the game was hard fought, and they played better,” Aguirre said at a news conference later. “Regarding the other [the incident], there’s no need to mention it, I’m not one who complains, it is just soccer, nothing happened.” Rueda was more forceful. “I’m sad for what happened at the end of the match, because he is a human being,” he said. “I want to apologize to the Mexican people and to Aguirre. This cannot happen.” In the other quarter-final first-leg on Friday, Canada beat Suriname 1-0.
Photo: AFP
SOCCER
Lyon hit over finances
Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyonnais cannot make any signings in the January transfer window and will be relegated at the end of the season if they are unable to address financial mismanagement, the French National Directorate of Management Control (DNGC) said on Friday. The financial police of the league issued the punishment to John Textor-owned Lyon, who are fifth in the Ligue 1 standings. Textor, who has stakes in other clubs in Brazil, Belgium and England, is the majority stakeholder of Lyon. “You shouldn’t just look at Olympique Lyonnais, but the fact that we are a group that owns several clubs,” Textor told French media.
Photo: Reuters
BASEBALL
Al Ferrara dies at 84
Al Ferrara, an outfielder who won World Series championships in 1963 and 1965 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, died on Friday. He was 84. The team announced his death, but provided no other details. Ferrara made his major-league debut for the Dodgers on July 30, 1963, and remained in the organization through 1968. He batted .256 with 23 home runs in 249 games over five seasons with Los Angeles. He also played for the San Diego Padres and the Cincinnati Reds before retiring after the 1971 season. He is survived by his son, Al III, and two grandchildren.
The qualifying round of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) is to be held at the Taipei Dome between Feb. 21 and 25, Major League Baseball (MLB) announced today. Taiwan’s group also includes Spain, Nicaragua and South Africa, with two of the four teams advancing onto the 2026 WBC. Taiwan, currently ranked second in the world in the World Baseball Softball Confederation rankings, are favorites to come out of the group, the MLB said in an article announcing the matchups. Last year, Taiwan finished in a five-way tie in their group with two wins and two losses, but finished last on tiebreakers after giving
Taiwan suffered its first defeat of the 2024 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier12, losing to defending champion Japan 3-1 at the Taipei Dome last night. Japan’s victory put Taiwan’s score at two wins and one loss in WBSC Premier12 championship Group B play. In the top of the first inning, a sacrifice fly from Japanese batter Shota Morishita allowed Masayuki Kuwahara to score a run on Taiwan’s starter Chen Po-ching (陳柏清). Taiwan’s attempt to catch up in the bottom of the first ended to no avail and an uneventful second inning saw the score
A debate over the soul of soccer is raging in FIFA World Cup holders Argentina, pitting defenders of the social role of the beautiful game against the government of libertarian Argentine President Javier Milei, who wants to turn clubs into for-profit companies. Argentina, which gave the world Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, is home to some of the world’s most devoted soccer fans — a fact attributed by supporters like Gabriel Nicosia to the clubs’ community outreach. Nicosia is a lifelong supporter of San Lorenzo, a more than 100-year-old first division club based in the working-class Buenos Aires neighborhood of Boedo where
SIXTY IN VAIN: In California, De’Aaron Fox contributed a record in points, but it was not enough as his Kings lost 130-126 in overtime to the Timberwolves in the NBA Cup The floor and ball both looked different at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, but not the Cavaliers, who remained unchanged and kept their perfect start to the NBA season unblemished. They improved to 14-0 with a 144-126 win over the Chicago Bulls in their NBA Cup opener, which served as another showcase for a Cavs team clicking like never before. After the final buzzer, Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen celebrated more history by dancing on the court with a giant green frog, who has quickly become an impromptu mascot to an unscripted start. “It’s Cleveland,” Allen said,
RSS