Sports World Recap, December 4, 2023: East Bengal Hit NorthEast United For Five In Indian Super League; Puneri Paltan Beat Jaipur Pink Panthers In PKL

Hello and welcome to our live blog coverage of today's sports news and events. Plenty transpired through the day in the world of sports. In the Indian Super League, East Bengal ran rampant at home against NorthEast United FC, beating them by five goals to nil courtesy of a brace each from Cleiton Silva and Nandha Kumar. Meanwhile, in the Pro Kabbadi League, Puneri Paltan put on a masterful defensive display to defeat Jaipur Pink Panthers. (Cricket News | Football News | Badminton News | December 3 Highlights) 

10:45pm: Novak Djokovic closes year as #1 in ATP World Rankings 

Having claimed three of the four Grand Slams on offer in 2023, Novak Djokovic will finish the year as the top ranked indiviual in the ATP World Rankings. Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek will end the year as the highest-ranked player in the WTA World Rankings for the second time in a row. 

Here are the full rankings. 

10:00pm: East Bengal 5-0 NorthEast United! 

A five-star performance from East Bengal helped them brush aside NorthEast United in the Indian Super League 2023-24 on Monday. Both Cleiton Silva and Nandha Kumar bagged a brace as the Red and Gold Brigade romped past their opponents to record their latest win. 

9:55pm: Puneri Paltan triumph against Jaipur Pink Panthers in PKL 2023-24!

A masterful defensive display from Puneri Paltan helped them vanquish Jaipur Pink Panthers in the Pro Kabbadi League 2023-24. Puneri Paltan trailed their opponents 24-19 in Raid Points, but came out on top courtesy of a whopping 13 tackle points, with Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh the star performer! 

9:00pm: David de Gea back to the Premier League? 

David de Gea has bee without a club since leaving Manchester United at the end of the previous season. Ousted at his former club by Andre Onana, De Gea, however, could be in line for a return to the Premier League with Newcastle United, who recently lost regular starter Nick Pope to a long-term injury. 

Read all the details of the transfer rumour here. 

7:55pm: Delight for India at the Junior World Boxing Championships

Indian fighters Hardik Panwar, Amisha Keretta and Prachi Tokas signed off with a silver medal each from the Junior World Boxing Championships in Yerevan, Armenia. Read a report of all that transpired here. 

5:30pm: FIH Men's Hockey Junior World Championships 2023 to begin on December 5! 

Kuala Lumpur will host the event from December 5 to 16 with reigning champions Argentina and former hosts India the ones to look out for. Here is how the groups shape up: 

Pool A: Argentina, Australia, Malaysia and Chile;
Pool B: Egypt, France, Germany and South Africa;
Pool C: Canada, India, South Korea and Spain;
Pool D: Belgium, Netherlands, New Zealand and Pakistan

Read all the details, including TV broadcast and live streaming, here. 

3:20pm: EBFC Vs NEUFC ISL Game Tonight
A struggling East Bengal are set to host a relatively upbeat NorthEast United in their seventh game of the Indian Super League 2023-24 season, looking to earn three points and climb up the table. Here is all you need to know about the game.

1:40pm: RSA Name Squads For India Series
South Africa have named their squads for all three formats' matches against India. Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada have been rested for the white-ball leg of the tour. Aiden Markram will captain the ODI side in Bavuma's absence. India will play three T20Is, three 50-over games and five Tests in South Africa. Check out the Proteas' squads here. 

12pm: Bishnoi Equals Ashwin's T20I Record
Ravi Bishnoi picked up nine wickets in five matches against Australia, equalling Ravichandran Ashwin's record of most scalps in a bilateral T20I series. The leg-spinner also became India's first cricketer to bag at least one wicket in 10 consecutive T20 internationals. Read our report here.

10:11am: Liverpool Pip Fulham In EPL Thriller
In what turned out to be a wildly entertaining game of football, Liverpool scored two late goals within a span of a minute to prevail over Fulham 4-3 in the English Premier League 2023-24 season on Sunday night. Liverpool were trailing 2-3 at Anfield, when goals from Wataru Endo and Trent Alexander-Arnold in the 87th and 88th minutes respectively secured a comeback win for them. Check out all four Liverpool goals here.

9am: Punjab's Record Vijay Hazare Win
Domestic heavyweights Punjab thrashed Nagaland by nine wickets in a Vijay Hazare Trophy 2023, Group E match at Mumbai's iconic Brabourne Stadium on Sunday. After dismissing the minnows for a paltry 75 all out in 20.1 overs, the two-time runners-up chased down the target in just 25 legal deliveries. This is the biggest win by balls in India's List A (50-over) cricket history. Read all about it in our report here. 

8:15am: West Indies Beat England In 1st ODI!
The first ODI between West Indies and England turned out to be a high-scoring affair. England posted a total of 325 runs on the board and the hosts chased it down in the 49th over, with four wickets in hand. WI skipper Shai Hope scored a fabulous unbeaten century to guide his team home. 

8am: Recap
India beat Australia in the series finale by claiming the fifth and final T20I by six runs and clinching the series 4-1. In football, Liverpool won a thriller at Anfield with a 4-3 win over Fulham in the English Premier League. Syed Modi India International saw Indian women's pair of Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa lose in the final. The Indian under-15 girls' doubles pair of Jennifer Varghese and Divyanshi Bhowmick won the country's first-ever silver medal at the World Youth TT Championships.