KARACHI: The 2019 cricket World Cup’s penchant for throwing up surprises will continue to the final where one team will win the trophy for the very first time. Defending champions Australia lost a semifinal for the first time in their country’s history in eight matches as hosts England entered the final for the first time since 1992 with a comprehensive victory.
England’s openers, Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow, launched a ferocious assault on a small target to overwhelm their arch-rivals early on in the chase. After following the tournament-specific tactic of starting cautiously, they tore into the Australian attack soon afterward, with Roy in particular playing a vicious innings. It followed a similarly aggressive and successful start for their bowlers in the morning after Australia had won the toss and chose to bat. Both Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer delivered sublime spells as Australia were reduced to 14/3. But if in that moment it felt like the match was wrapped up, history seemed to suggest otherwise.
Australia are no strangers to early collapses in semifinals. They had poor starts in the semifinals in each of 1996 (15/4 vs West Indies), 1999 (68/4 vs South Africa) and 2003 (51/3 vs Sri Lanka) and each time had recovered to post what was a winning total. Indeed, the 223 they reached here was the third highest score they had ever made in a semifinal, built largely off Steve Smith’s typically resilient and unorthodox 85.
Smith’s innings, and the way it ensured his team almost batted out their quota of overs as well as posted a defendable total in a high-pressure game, was the umpteenth example of what cricket writer John Arlott once described as Australianism: “Where the impossible is within the realm of what the human body can do, there are Australians who believe they can do it, and who have succeeded often enough to make us wonder if anything is impossible to them.” This has been a trait inherent to Australian cricket throughout its history, which is why it has spent over a hundred years almost always being the best or one of the best teams in the sport.
But perhaps more gallingly, despite having won five trophies and played in seven finals of the eleven World Cups so far, Australia as a society doesn’t even really care for these wins. In India, both the 1983 and 2011 victories led to transformative changes in cricket’s place and popularity in society. In Pakistan and Sri Lanka, their sole wins led to several players joining politics, with Pakistan’s then captain Imran Khan currently ruling the country. For the West Indies, the two wins were part of an era where they were the best side in history and used their wins to make a political statement about racism.
In contrast, as Australian journalist Geoff Lemon explained, Australian fans were barely likely to even care. “If this team wins it, people back home would say ‘oh yeah? Won the World Cup? That’s good…’ and then forget about it in a week. It doesn’t really penetrate the public consciousness… Because you go, ‘oh yeah, winning the world cup, the thing we do all the time.’”
Just for this reason alone, the sport was crying out for a change in narrative. But Australia’s Australianism had kept rescuing them throughout this tournament. They were in huge trouble against Afghanistan, West Indies and Pakistan and yet they won all three matches. They had spent the past few years in woeful form; yet they only lost two games in the group stages, a time when many teams’ fortunes felt up in the air. Up until lunch in this match, you were loath to count them out. But then, Roy and Bairstow came out to bat, and in a little over an hour, Australia were exposed as a severely limited side, the one that had been blown away 5-0 by England in an ODI series not so long back.
England carried plenty of their own World Cup traumas coming into this match. Having invented the ODI format, the side was ahead of many in having specialized players or tactics for the format in the early World Cups, reaching three finals in the first five editions. But since then, England had seemed to desire the role of being the butt of all jokes at the end of each World Cup. With a strange aversion to the format and defiantly outdated approaches, they were embarrassed many times over the past three decades, having not won a single knockout match since reaching the 1992 final.
Since the last World Cup, England finally broke with tradition and actively sought this trophy, radically reforming their side. It helped that they could use the country’s colonial past and high living standard to ‘shop’ for players, with several in the current side having been born elsewhere and getting citizenship to play for England. For example, their captain, Eoin Morgan, was considered the best player Ireland had ever produced. But even with this new look, England had seen its knockout round horrors. In the 2016 World T20 final, the West Indies needed an impossible-sounding 19 off the final over or England would have won. Carlos Braithwaite chose that moment to write his name in history. A year later, the 2017 Champions Trophy, played in England, was expected to be this talented group’s first title. Instead, they were imperiously outplayed by Pakistan in the semifinal, who went on to take the trophy instead.
When the team began complaining of pitches and getting prickly about their approach in this tournament following shock defeats to Pakistan and Sri Lanka as well as to Australia, many felt that England’s old demons were returning. But to their credit, England held onto their belief in themselves as they won a bunch of must-win games under pressure. It said so much about their team that they were able to absolutely pulverize Australia here, breaking down many World Cup myths and traditions in the process.
Many would now consider England to be the favorites for Sunday’s final against New Zealand, though as this tournament has consistently shown, no side is without flaws. After four years of global ODI cricket being mostly played out on the flattest of pitches and the easiest of conditions, this World Cup has kept throwing enough spanners in the works to keep everyone guessing. The final would likely be no different.
England enter first World Cup final in 27 years after thrashing mighty Australia
England enter first World Cup final in 27 years after thrashing mighty Australia
- Defending champions Australia lost a semifinal for the first time in their country’s history
- Many now consider England to be the favorites for Sunday’s final against New Zealand
Holders Barcelona, PSG win through to Women’s Champions League semis
BARCELONA: Barcelona eased to a 3-1 win over Brann on Thursday to set up a repeat of last season’s Women’s Champions League semifinal against Chelsea, progressing 5-2 on aggregate, while Paris Saint-Germain also clinched a place in the last four of Europe’s elite club competition.
Reigning Ballon d’Or Aitana Bonmati, Fridolina Rolfo and Patri Guijarro struck for the defending European champions in the quarter-final second leg, with Barca targeting a third triumph in four seasons.
Stubborn Norwegian surprise package Brann held their own in a 2-1 first-leg defeat and battled hard at the Johan Cruyff Stadium, but Jonatan Giraldez’s side patiently unpicked them.
Tomine Svendheim’s second-half goal gave a strong traveling contingent reward for their noisy support, but Guijarro, who scored twice in last season’s final, killed off any chance of an unlikely comeback.
Barcelona, who beat Chelsea 4-0 in the 2021 final, have now reached the semis for six consecutive seasons.
“I think like last year it will be a very equal tie,” Barca coach Giraldez told reporters.
“(Chelsea) have invested a lot and have a high quality squad.
“For sure we will see a great semifinal, they are in great form — but so are we.”
Bonmati broke the deadlock brilliantly after 24 minutes, wriggling free on the edge of the box and bending home beyond the reach of Brann goalkeeper Aurora Mikalsen.
Barcelona grabbed their second on the night when Caroline Graham Hansen glided inside effortlessly and her blocked cross sat up nicely for Rolfo to tap home in the 56th minute.
The Swedish winger, who scored the winner for Barcelona in last season’s thrilling final against Wolfsburg, has returned from her knee injury with three goals in seven games despite playing at left-back.
Brann then pulled a goal back when Svendheim stole in behind Lucy Bronze and slid a low effort into the far corner after a long drive forward by Signe Gaupset.
Rolfo struck the post for Barca and Guijarro then sealed the win with a tap-in after the vibrant Graham Hansen picked the locks again and put the ball across the face of goal.
“We came here and we pushed them,” said Brann coach Martin Ho.
“We didn’t want to come here and lay low for the whole game, we wanted to make it a challenge.”
In Paris, the home side built on a 2-1 quarter-final first-leg win away to Hacken by beating the Swedish side 3-0 at the Parc des Princes to progress 5-1 on aggregate and set up a semifinal against domestic rivals Lyon.
Impressive Malawi striker Tabitha Chawinga, the top scorer in the French league this season, gave PSG the lead on the night just before the half-hour mark, firing a shot in off the far post on her left foot after collecting a pass from Marie-Antoinette Katoto.
They doubled their lead on 70 minutes as a long-range strike by Korbin Albert sailed into the top corner.
Albert, a 20-year-old midfielder, is a rising star in the US but is at the center of a brewing storm over controversial social media posts which have drawn a strong response from American great Megan Rapinoe.
PSG’s third goal arrived soon after that as Katoto headed in from a Sakina Karchaoui cross for her fifth goal in this season’s Champions League.
The result means there is guaranteed to be a French side in the final in Bilbao in May, with PSG and Lyon meeting in the semifinals next month.
They also clashed in the last four two years ago, when Lyon went on to win the trophy for a record-extending eighth time.
Lyon, who beat Benfica in the quarter-finals, are currently seven points ahead of PSG at the top of the French league.
Al-Ahli crowned champions of inaugural Saudi Women’s Cup
- They defeated Al-Shabab 3-2 in a thrilling final at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on Thursday night
RIYADH: Al-Ahli were crowned champions of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) Women’s Cup for the 2023-2024 season beating rivals Al-Shabab 3-2 at the Kingdom Arena on Thursday night.
Al-Ahli forward, Ibtissam Jraidi, was the player of the match, scoring a brace in the first and second half of the game.
During the second-half, Al-Ahli continued to lead with teammate Naomie Kabakaba scoring in the 53rd minute.
Al-Shabab made amends in the 68th minute with a penalty from forward player Oriana Altuve, followed by a free kick that assisted Chaima Abdulaziz to score in the 88th minute.
Moroccan star Jraidi raised the cup for Al-Ahli during the post-match ceremony.
The 2023-2024 season is the SAFF Women’s Cup inaugural season, making Al-Ahli the first-ever champions.
The football league system was launched in November by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, in a mission to increase the competitiveness of Saudi women’s football, amid the rapid development of women’s football worldwide.
UEFA will listen if Euro 2024 coaches want larger 26-player squads to lessen risks from injury
- Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman said this week the number of injuries in modern soccer meant it was absurd to return to the traditional squad size of 23
- “A workshop with the participating teams will be held on April 8 and on that occasion UEFA will listen to the views of the coaches,” the European soccer body said
NYON: European Championship organizer UEFA said on Thursday it will listen to national team coaches if they want bigger squads of 26 players instead of 23 for the tournament in Germany.
Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman said this week the number of injuries in modern soccer meant it was absurd to return to the traditional squad size of 23.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, increased 26-man squads were allowed by UEFA at Euro 2020, a delayed edition played in 2021, and at FIFA’s 2022 World Cup.
If players were isolated for health reasons, their replacements were already in camp and complying with the mandatory protocols.
UEFA decided last year on 23-player squads for Euro 2024.
It will host coaches and officials from the 24 teams in two weeks in Duesseldorf, Germany.
“A workshop with the participating teams will be held on April 8 and on that occasion UEFA will listen to the views of the coaches,” the European soccer body said. “Any idea in this respect will then be considered and assessed.”
Koeman wants his national federation to ask UEFA for an increase and noted this week “you have to deal more with injuries these days.”
“It is about the load carrying ability of the players,” Koeman said on Tuesday after his team’s 2-1 loss to Germany, suggesting host team coach Julian Nagelsmann agreed.
England coach Gareth Southgate said there had been a “little bit of talk among some of the coaches” to ask for 26.
Southgate said he did not plan to pressure UEFA for an increase, though acknowledged the extra numbers would lessen the risk of selecting preferred players who carried injuries.
“We’ve been able to give people time,” said Southgate, who is taking England to his fourth major tournament as the coach, “but with 23 that’s definitely more difficult.”
It is unclear how many of the 24 coaches want a larger squad that would include more players likely not getting game time on the field.
Euro 2024 is from June 14-July 14 in 10 German cities.
‘Very special’ Parag powers Rajasthan Royals to IPL win over Delhi Capitals
- Parag, who reached his 50 off 34 balls, cracked 25 runs with three fours and two sixes off the final over
JAIPUR: Riyan Parag’s unbeaten 45-ball 84 propelled Rajasthan Royals to 185-5 and sealed a 12-run win over the Delhi Capitals in IPL on Thursday.
Rishabh Pant-led Delhi won the toss and chose to field first and maintained a stranglehold over the game until the second half of the Royals’ innings.
Rajasthan lost both their explosive openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (five) and Jos Buttler (11) early and even batting mainstay, captain Sanju Samson, failed to convert his start and fell for 15.
With the team reeling at 36-3 in the eighth over, Rajasthan promoted India’s spin-bowling all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin, who built a crucial 54-run partnership with Parag.
Ashwin scored 29 off 19 balls and took the team to 90 before he was dismissed in the 14th over by India teammate Axar Patel.
Parag, who has been criticized in previous IPL seasons for his rash shot selection, kept the scoreboard ticking until after the 17th over.
The 22-year-old put together another key partnership with Indian wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel (20).
Parag, who reached his 50 off 34 balls, cracked 25 runs with three fours and two sixes off the final over bowled by South African paceman Anrich Nortje.
He was ably supported by West Indian Shimron Hetmyer, who hit an unbeaten seven-ball 14 that propelled the team to an impressive 185-5.
Samson praised player of the match Parag.
“Wherever I go, people ask me about him. There is something very special he can give to Indian cricket,” he said.
Patel was the standout bowler for Delhi and finished with 1-21 in his four over spell.
Delhi started their chase well with Australian openers Mitchell Marsh and veteran David Warner.
Marsh was removed after a 12-ball 23 in the fourth over by South African quick Nandre Burger, who also removed Ricky Bhui (0) in the same over.
But that didn’t stop Warner, who took the team to 59-2 at the end of the powerplay.
He was removed in the 12th over after a well compiled 34-ball 49, falling to young India fast bowler Avesh Khan.
Delhi subsequently fell behind the run rate before a late innings counterattack by South African Tristan Stubbs who finished with an unbeaten 23-ball 44.
Avesh bowled a tight last over to seal a 12-run victory.
Leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal finished his three overs with 2-19 while Burger had 2-29.
Losing captain Pant said that he was “definitely disappointed.”
Pant, who hopes to make a comeback to the Indian team after his long injury layoff ahead of the T20 World Cup this summer, made 28 off 26 balls.
“The best thing to do from here is to learn from it,” he added.
Pochettino taken aback by Chilwell’s starts for England after injury
- Chilwell last started for Chelsea on March 2 against Brentford and has played just a few minutes for the London club since then
- Chelsea currently have nine players ruled out of Saturday’s Premier League match with Burnley
LONDON: Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino said Thursday he was surprised Ben Chilwell started two games for England during the international break after the defender only recently returned from a knee injury.
Chilwell last started for Chelsea on March 2 against Brentford and has played just a few minutes for the London club since then, as a late substitute in the FA Cup against Leicester.
Nevertheless, the 27-year-old featured for the whole of England’s 2-2 draw with Belgium at Wembley on Tuesday, three days after spending 67 minutes on the field in a defeat by Brazil.
Chelsea currently have nine players ruled out of Saturday’s Premier League match with Burnley at Stamford Bridge, with several others to be assessed following international duty, including Chilwell — who suffered a blow to his knee against Belgium.
“He didn’t play after Brentford, then he played only a few minutes against Leicester,” said Pochettino. “(Then) he started two games (for England).
“It’s a surprise for us. It’s bad luck because he got a dead leg in the last moment against Belgium. Now we need to assess if he can be available.”
Enzo Fernandez, who played twice for Argentina in the United States during the break, will also have his fitness monitored ahead of this weekend’s match.
Chelsea confirmed earlier this week that Romeo Lavia would be out for the rest of the season.
The 20-year-old midfielder who joined Chelsea from Southampton in pre-season for an initial £53 million (62 million euros), has managed just 32 minutes of first-team action this term following ankle and thigh problems.
“It’s a difficult situation for him,” said Pochettino. “He’s sad. He only played 30 minutes, for a new player at the club.
“When we signed him, he arrived with problems. He couldn’t train with us for the first months. Then when he was ready he suffered a problem in his feet.
“He recovered, he played 30 minutes then got injured in December. Then he didn’t have the possibility to train. It’s really sad news.”
But leading scorer Cole Palmer could face Burnley, with the 21-year-old having not featured in either of England’s recent games.
“I talked with him,” said Pochettino. “He’s a little bit disappointed because he couldn’t play with the national team.
“The first game he had a small problem,” the Argentinian added. “He thought maybe he’d play the second game. Now he’s OK, is training well. The plan is he will be available for Saturday.”
Chelsea are 11th in the table, with Burnley in the relegation zone.