Williamson’s century guides New Zealand into tri-series final despite Breetzke’s record

New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, center, and Glenn Phillips, second right, shake hand with South Africa’s players and umpire after winning the tri-series ODI cricket match against South Africa, in Lahore on February 10, 2025. (AP)
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Updated 10 February 2025
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Williamson’s century guides New Zealand into tri-series final despite Breetzke’s record

  • Breetzke scored 150, the highest score by any batter on his ODI debut, to lift South Africa to 304-6 but Williamson’s 133 won the match
  • Pakistan, the third team in the tri-series, will play South Africa on Wednesday in Karachi to decide who meets New Zealand in the final

LAHORE: Star cricketer Kane Williamson hit a brilliant century to take New Zealand into the tri-series final with a thumping six-wicket win on Monday, overshadowing South African opener Matthew Breetzke’s record score on debut.
Breetzke scored 150 — the highest score by any batter in his first one-day international — to lift South Africa to 304-6 but Williamson’s unbeaten 133 proved match winning at Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
The tri-series is a warm-up event before the eight-nation Champions Trophy starting February 19 in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
Pakistan, the third team in the tri-series, will play South Africa on Wednesday in Karachi to decide who meets New Zealand in the final at the same venue on Friday.




New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, center, celebrates with Glenn Phillips after winning the tri-series ODI cricket match against South Africa, in Lahore on February 10, 2025. (AP)

Williamson hit his first ODI century in nearly five years on Monday and was ably supported by opener Devon Conway who missed his century by just three runs.
The pair added a solid 187 runs for the second wicket after Will Young was dismissed for 19, steadily setting New Zealand’s second win in as many games in the tri-series.
“You need partnerships to chase targets and it was an outstanding knock from Conway and that partnership between him and Kane that led us to the win,” said New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner.
Williamson was so assured of finishing the game that the loss of Daryl Mitchell (10) and Tom Latham (nought) did not deter him as he hit the winning boundary to seal the win in 48.4 overs.




South Africa’s Mathew Breetzke, right, celebrates after scoring 150 runs as teammate Wiaan Mulderafter smiles during the tri-series ODI cricket match between New Zealand and South Africa, in Lahore on February 10, 2025. (AP)

Meanwhile a new record for the highest ODI score on debut was clinched by Breetzke, who smacked 11 fours and five sixes, topping the 148 scored by Desmond Haynes for West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 1978.
South Africa’s skipper Temba Bavuma said the record was among “some positives” in the match.
Breetzke hit New Zealand pacer Will O’Rourke for a boundary to reach three figures off 128 balls, becoming the fourth player from his country to hit a century on ODI debut.




South Africa’s Tbraiz Shamsi, center, bowls as England’s umpire Richard Illingworth watches during the tri-series ODI cricket match between New Zealand and South Africa, in Lahore on February 10, 2025. (AP)

South Africa were forced to give four debuts in this match as their top players were either active in a Twenty20 league back home or recovering from injuries.
New Zealand brought in Conway for Rachin Ravindra who got injured in team’s 78-run win over Pakistan in Lahore on Saturday.


Duplantis ‘grinds’ for gold as stellar trio headline electrifying world indoors

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Duplantis ‘grinds’ for gold as stellar trio headline electrifying world indoors

  • It was a truly pulsating competition, echoed in the men’s 3,000m won by a hair’s breadth by Norway’s multi-medalled Jakob Ingebrigtsen, incredibly for his first world indoor title
  • The third of the stellar trio on show was Grant Holloway, the American claiming an unprecedented third successive 60m hurdles victory that extended his indoor win streak to 94 races

NANJING, CHINA: Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis was the headline act as a trio of modern-day track and field greats starred on an electrifying night of action at the world indoor championships in Nanjing on Saturday.

Duplantis was pushed all the way by Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis in a battle royale before bagging a third world indoor pole vault gold with a best of 6.15m.

“We put on a good show for everybody,” said Duplantis. “It’s great to be pushed and I’m happy for Manolo (Karalis). I had to grind for it tonight.

“It’s good for me especially and it’s just great competition. It’s just such a higher level than what pole vault’s ever been, so it’s good. You just have to want it.”

It was a truly pulsating competition, echoed in the men’s 3,000m won by a hair’s breadth by Norway’s multi-medalled Jakob Ingebrigtsen, incredibly for his first world indoor title.

The victory kept alive his tilt at a first world indoor 1,500/3,000m double since Ethiopian legend Haile Gebreselassie achieved the feat in 1999. The 1,500m final is scheduled for 1215 GMT on Sunday.

“My competitors study me, but you have to race many times to be able to respond in all scenarios,” said Ingebrigtsen, who pipped Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi at the line in a dramatic, fast-finishing race.

“I’ve done a lot of racing but I’m not perfect. It’s all about learning. The more you race, the more you learn, so you can make the right decisions at the right point to increase the possibility of winning.

“I don’t enjoy the 1,500m warm-up, but the racing is a lot of fun, and that’s what I’m going to do tomorrow — have a lot of fun!“

The third of the stellar trio on show was Grant Holloway, the American claiming an unprecedented third successive 60m hurdles victory that extended his indoor win streak to 94 races dating back a remarkable 11 years to when he was 16 years old.

“This one was a little bit different,” said Holloway. “I didn’t have two great rounds and had to rely on my experience to get me through the final. But I knew what I had to do, I knew what I was missing.”

“Epic showdowns on the banks of the Yangtze River” was one of the slogans brandished around Nanjing’s Cube.

And so it proved to be as Duplantis battled Karalis, Ingebrigtsen elbowed it out with Aregawi, and Holloway saw off Wilhem Belocian, the three winners handing out master classes in the art of holding your nerve when the pressure ramps up.

There were five other golds up for grabs in the Chinese city.

Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji produced a savage dip to regain the 60m crown she last won in Belgrade in 2022, clocking 7.04sec to see off Italy’s European champion Zaynab Dosso by two-hundredths of a second.

“Every win is always good for the confidence,” the Swiss racer said.

“It shows me that we’re doing a lot of things right because not every year is the same. You can’t just take one recipe and do it every year.

“You always have to adapt on how you feel, so I’m really happy to see that my coach can feel what I need, and we can do what’s optimal for me.”

Ethiopia’s Freweyni Hailu won the women’s 3,000m in 8:37.21, American Shelby Houlihan — just two months after returning from a four-year doping ban — edging Austrian Jessica Hull for silver by two-hundredths.

There was a Cuban 1-2 in the women’s triple jump, Leyanis Perez Hernandez taking gold with a first-effort 14.93m ahead of Liadagmis Povea and Spain’s Ana Peleteiro-Compaore.

Amber Anning ensured a first British gold in the women’s 400m by edging American Alexis Holmes by three-hundredths for the win in 50.60sec, Norway’s Henriette Jaeger taking bronze.

The US men made up for Holmes’ silver by sweeping the men’s 400m, Christopher Bailey winning in 45.08sec ahead of Brian Faust and Jacory Patterson.


Haaland helps Norway start their World Cup qualifying campaign with 5-0 rout

Updated 22 March 2025
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Haaland helps Norway start their World Cup qualifying campaign with 5-0 rout

  • The Scandinavian side are favored to win Group I, which also includes Estonia and Israel
  • The talented Norway team likewise failed to qualify for the 2024 European Championship

CHISINAU: Erling Haaland helped Norway make a positive start to their World Cup qualifying campaign by scoring in a 5-0 rout at Moldova on Saturday.
Norway’s third and last World Cup appearance was back in 1998, two years before Haaland was born.
Now, Haaland lead a team featuring Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard that bear high expectations of reaching the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The Scandinavian side are favored to win Group I, which also includes Estonia and Israel.
Haaland scored Norway’s second goal against the outmatched Moldova. That took his exceptional career haul to 39 goals in 40 appearances for his country since his 2019 debut.
Dortmund defender Julian Ryerson opened the scoring for Norway five minutes after kickoff in Chisinau. Haaland doubled the lead in the 23rd.
Thelo Aasgaard, who assisted Ryerson for the opener, made it three before Odegaard set up Alexander Sorloth before halftime. Substitute Aron Donnum got on the scoreboard in the second half.
Haaland already knows what it is to win the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup with Manchester City, but he has yet to take his country to a major tournament. Injury ruled Haaland out of several matches during Norway’s unsuccessful qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup.
The talented Norway team likewise failed to qualify for the 2024 European Championship when they disappointed with a third-place group finish behind Spain and Scotland.
Europe to send 16 teams
Europe will have 16 teams in the expanded 48-team field for next year’s World Cup in North America.
They will come from the winners of the 12 qualifying groups plus four from a playoff of the group runners-up.
The group stage of European qualifying runs through November.


Spain coach hails emerging talent ahead of Netherlands clash

Updated 22 March 2025
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Spain coach hails emerging talent ahead of Netherlands clash

  • The defender could be paired with the uncapped Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio on Sunday against the Netherlands
  • “For us, many of the (breakthrough) players are not surprising, we know the quality of the raw material we have in this country,” De la Fuente said

VALENCIA: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente hailed his team’s “inexhaustible” supply of talent on Saturday, ahead of the Nations League quarter-final second leg clash against the Netherlands.
Euro 2024 winners Spain fought back in the 2-2 first leg draw to stay unbeaten in their last 22 competitive games, with Bournemouth center-back Dean Huijsen making his debut as a substitute in Rotterdam on Thursday and impressing.
The defender could be paired with the uncapped Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio on Sunday against the Netherlands, after Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsi hurt his ankle in the first leg.
“For us, many of the (breakthrough) players are not surprising, we know the quality of the raw material we have in this country,” De la Fuente told a news conference.
“We can use players who have made history and who are great players today, with exceptional experience... (and) others who are appearing, and who will make us grow, become more competitive and a better team.
“It’s very healthy and good news for everyone because we know that we have an inexhaustible youth system.”
Spain won the Nations League under De la Fuente in 2023 and then propelled by young wingers Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, roared to Euro 2024 victory in Germany.
De la Fuente took off Barcelona teenager Yamal in the first half of the draw with Netherlands and left Asencio out of the squad entirely.
“This is a squad with great players and we manage it like any team,” continued De la Fuente.
“There are 26 of us, we can have 23 players (in the matchday squad), Raul understood it, and is happy to be here with us and having this experience...
“I can make two exceptional starting line-ups, that’s the luck I have, and we have in this country, but not only these 26 players, we have so many more that could be here as well.”
Netherlands fans created a display in the stands for the first leg which depicted Robin van Persie’s spectacular diving header against Spain during a 5-1 with for the Dutch in the 2014 World Cup.
Asked what he would like to see at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium in response, De la Fuente was certain.
“Three nil on the scoreboard,” joked the Spain coach.
“Tomorrow our fans will be fired up, they will put a lot of pressure on and we will feel powered by a supernatural strength.”
The coach thanked Spain fans for the team’s welcome in the east coast city on Friday, as over 20,000 turned up to show their support at an open training session and donated to support renovations following the devastating floods which hit the Valencia region last October.
“I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it... it will be a historic atmosphere,” added De la Fuente.


France midfielder Rabiot has a calf problem and could miss Croatia match

Updated 22 March 2025
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France midfielder Rabiot has a calf problem and could miss Croatia match

  • “Rabiot has a calf problem and will not train this (Saturday) evening,” Deschamps said

PARIS: France midfielder Adrien Rabiot has a minor calf injury and is doubtful to face Croatia in the return leg of the Nations League quarterfinals on Sunday.
Rabiot came off midway through the second half on Thursday in Split, where Les Bleus lost 2-0.
“Rabiot has a calf problem and will not train this (Saturday) evening,” Deschamps said at a pre-match news conference. “It looks complicated for tomorrow.”
France won the Nations League in 2021 but lost to Croatia 1-0 at home the following year.
Before Sunday’s game, France will pay tribute to all-time leading scorer Olivier Giroud, who retired from the national team last year after scoring 57 goals in 137 matches.
Thierry Henry is second with 51 followed by Kylian Mbappé on 48. Mbappé missed chances to score in Split.


Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL opener

Updated 22 March 2025
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Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL opener

  • Bengaluru chased down the defending champions’ 174-8 with 22 balls to spare

KOLKATA: Virat Kohli scored 59 not out off 36 balls as Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets Saturday in the opening game of the Indian Premier League.
The star batsman hit four fours and three sixes as Bengaluru chased down the defending champions’ 174-8 with 22 balls to spare.
Phil Salt scored 56 off 31 balls, adding 95 off 51 balls with Kohli in a whirlwind opening stand that powered Bengaluru’s total of 177-3 in 16.2 overs.
Salt, who played a prominent role for Kolkata in their 2024 triumph, was picked by Bengaluru in this season’s player auctions and made an impression in the very first game.
For Kolkata, skipper Ajinkya Rahane scored 56 off 31 balls, including six fours and four sixes.
Rahane is leading the defending champions after last year’s winning captain Shreyas Iyer was not retained by the franchise and moved to Punjab Kings for this season.
Bengaluru, led by Rajat Patidar for the first time, had won the toss and opted to bowl with the dew-factor in mind.
Put into bat, Kolkata lost Quinton de Kock early when he was caught behind off Josh Hazlewood for four.
A couple of catching chances went begging as the hosts fought back through Rahane and opener Sunil Narine.
Narine hit 44 off 26 balls, with five fours and three sixes, and put on 103 off 55 balls with Rahane. It was the skipper who set the tone by hitting six fours and four sixes in his first outing for Kolkata.
Bengaluru put on the brakes with spin as the duo both fell within four deliveries with the score reading 109-3 in 10.3 overs.
Kolkata then lost their way as big-money all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer was bowled for six, while Rinku Singh scored only 12.
Both were bowled off Krunal Pandya, who picked 3-29 in four overs in his first outing for Bengaluru. Andre Russell was also bowled for four off wrist spinner Suyash Sharma — another former Kolkata player.
Impact sub Angkrish Raghvanshi’s 30 off 22 balls pushed the score past 170, but it proved under par.
In reply, Kohli and Salt set an electric pace as the packed Eden Gardens chanted for the visiting side.
Salt hit nine fours and two sixes to set the tone and brought up 50 off only 25 balls. Kohli also scored at a brisk pace, as RCB was 80-0 in six overs – the highest opening stand in the powerplay in IPL history.
Kohli reached his 56th IPL half-century off 30 balls, and continued in attacking fashion, even as wickets fell at the other end.
There was too much dew for Kolkata’s spinners to have any impact, as Bengaluru pushed aggressively through the chase.
Patidar chipped in with a quickfire cameo – 34 off 16 balls, with five fours and a six – on his captaincy debut.
Sunday will see the first double-header of the season – 2024 runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad first take on Rajasthan Royals at home, followed by the high-profile clash between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians in Chennai.