SYDNEY: Rival captains Mahendra Singh Dhoni of India and Michael Clarke of Australia may have their hands full trying to keep frayed tempers in check during a potentially explosive World Cup semifinal on Thursday.
The two teams have shared a tumultuous relationship both on and off the field in recent years and another flare-up cannot be ruled out in front of a packed Sydney Cricket Ground.
It was at the same venue in 2008 where the infamous ‘Monkeygate’ incident involving Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds and Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh took place and almost saw a Test series being called off.
Harbhajan was suspended for three matches for allegedly calling Symonds a “monkey,” but the ban was overturned when India threatened to walk out of the tour, claiming the off-spinner was wrongly accused.
The bad blood continued during India’s Test and one-day series in Australia prior to the World Cup when heated on-field exchanges led to several players being penalized.
Three Indian players, Virat Kohli, Ishant Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, and Australian left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc were charged for a breach of the International Cricket Council’s Code of Conduct.
Australian opener David Warner was the worst offender, having been reported both in the Test and one-day series, and was publicly told off by Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland to “stop looking for trouble.”
Warner risks missing the World Cup final should Australia qualify if he is found guilty of a third breach of the Code of Conduct on Thursday.
Australian all-rounder James Faulkner predicted that the sledging will be fast and furious at the SCG.
“There are going to be words said and it’s going to be a really tough contest,” Faulkner told reporters on Monday.
“I think there is always sledging in the game. If there is not, you’ve got problems. It’s the nature of the game. It’s a semifinal. Cut throat. Neither team will be backing down.”
Australian teammate Glenn Maxwell is certain that Warner, who squared up to Rohit Sharma during the Test series telling the batsman “to speak English,” will not get into trouble again.
“He is fine,” the all-rounder said. “He does not say much — any more.”
Allrounder Shane Watson will be another one under the radar of Sri Lankan match referee Ranjan Madugalle, who fined him 15 percent of his match fees for a heated exchange with Pakistan’s Wahab Riaz during tense moments of Friday’s quarter-final in Adelaide.
ICC chief executive David Richardson said before the tournament that match referees would come down hard on misbehavior on the field and repeat offenders will be hit with bans.
But Maxwell is confident the involvement of Australian players in the Indian Premier League will help to keep the lid on — even though that was not seen in the preceding bilateral matches.
The belligerent batsman, who has turned out for Mumbai Indians, Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, said the glitzy Twenty20 tournament helped him get closer to Indian players.
“Personally, I get along with them really well,” he said. “Playing in the IPL, you get to know a lot of them, spend time with them, go to dinners with them and you start to develop real friendships and you stay in touch with them as well.
“It makes it hard when you play against them because you’ve got to still have that fine line of keeping it competitive on the field but they’re also your mates.
“So you’ve got to continue trying to play as if you’re playing your worst enemy every time.”
’Sledging will be fast and furious at the SCG’
’Sledging will be fast and furious at the SCG’
McIlroy soars to the top of the leaderboard at Dubai Invitational
- Scotland’s Connor Syme, Spaniard David Puig were McIlroy’s closest rivals at four under
- There was a minute’s silence held at 1.30 p.m. for the 40 victims of the Crans-Montana fire during New Year celebrations
DUBAI: Rory McIlroy declared his opening round of 66 as a “nice way to start the year” as he held a one-shot lead at the 2026 Dubai Invitational.
The world number two made a rapid start with seven birdies and a bogey after 10 holes to send a daunting message to the rest of the field as he led by three shots at six under par.
His momentum stalled as he carded a dropped shot and seven pars to close his first round of the year in 66 and take the clubhouse lead at five under.
Matt Wallace rolled in four straight birdies around the turn to surge ahead at seven under, but two dropped shots and a double bogey saw him slip down the leaderboard.
Scotland’s Connor Syme and Spaniard David Puig were McIlroy’s closest rivals at four under.
“It was good. I got off to a great start, played a very good first nine,” McIlroy said.
“Then the wind got up a little bit and felt like that front nine, which was our second nine, was the trickier one.
“I made a silly bogey on three and then didn’t capitalize on the par-five after that.
“So, I felt like I left a few out on that side, but I played a really good nine holes of golf. Overall, a nice way to start the year.”
McIlroy, who started at the 10th, was inches from an opening eagle before he climbed to two under at the 11th with a close-range birdie.
He slid a four-foot par putt by at the 12th, but responded immediately with birdies at the 13th and the par-three 14th thanks to a stunning tee-shot.
The Northern Irishman took the outright lead at four under with another gain at the 17th and when finished his front nine with another birdie, he was two shots clear.
McIlroy was in relentless form as he rolled in his seventh birdie of the day, and third in a row, at the first to extend his advantage to three strokes at six under.
However, Oliver Lindell closed in on the early leader courtesy of a stunning birdie blitz from the ninth to the 13th.
McIlroy bogeyed the third to slip back alongside the Finn to share the lead at five under and they were joined by Guerrier, starting on the back nine, who briefly made it a three-way tie after his seventh birdie of the round at the sixth to go with his double bogey at the ninth before fading away.
Matt Wallace opened with a bogey, but bounced back with a birdie at the third and a chip-in eagle at the fourth.
Another gain followed at the sixth before he surged to the summit courtesy of four straight birdies from the eighth to move two ahead at seven under.
The Englishman dropped a shot at the 12th, double bogeyed the 16th and closed with a bogey as his two-shot lead evaporated.
Syme and Puig were one shot behind McIlroy at four under following five birdies and a bogey in their 67s.
Wallace endured a rollercoaster card of an eagle, six birdies, three dropped shots and a double bogey to finish to sit in a tie for fifth at three under, Lindell double bogeyed the last in his 68, while French pair Guerrier and Antoine Rozner and Spaniard Angel Ayora were also at that mark.
There was a minute’s silence held at 1.30 p.m. for the 40 victims of the Crans-Montana fire during New Year celebrations, which included rising Italian talent Emanuele Galeppini, who was about to start his tenure as Junior Captain at Dubai Creek Resort.
Black ribbons were worn by players, caddies and DP World Tour staff as a mark of respect.
