Sports World, January 3, 2024: ICC Names T20I Cricketer Of The Year Nominees; Rafael Nadal Gears Up For Brisbane Round Of 16 Match - As It Happened

In cricket, India took on South Africa in the second Test of the former's tour of the latter; South Africa had a 1-0 lead in the two-game series. Elsewhere, Australia faced Pakistan in the same format, having already won the series. David Warner began batting in his final Test game for the Aussies, preparing to bring down curtains on what has been a splendid career. Suryakumar Yadav was named among the four nominees for ICC Men's T20I Cricket of the Year. Meanwhile, build-up towards the month's other big events continued, with the likes of the AFC Asian Cup, the Africa Cup of Nations, and the Australian Open on the horizon. Here's a quick recap of sporting events and updates from January 3, 2024. (IND Vs RSA Scorecard | AUS Vs PAK Scorecard)

10:00pm: McIlroy Open To Play LIV Golf

"I would love LIV to turn into the IPL of golf," said Rory McIlroy, currently ranked the second-best player in the world. "They take two months of calendar. You go and do this team stuff and a bit different and is a different format.

"If they were to do something like that I would say 'yeah that sounds like fun' because you are working within the ecosystem."

McIlroy had previously staunchly opposed the Saudi Arabia-backed project.

9:00pm: The Dakar Rally Beckons 

Starting January 5, motorsports enthusiasts and professionals will partake in one of the planet's most gruelling off-road races, the Dakar Rally 2024, with Saudi Arabia hosting the event for the fifth time in its history. The race will be run over a fortnight and will include 12 stages with 60 per cent of new tracks. 

Learn more details here. 

7:30pm: Lungi Ngidi's Fantastic Over 

W, 0, W, 0, W, 0 - A stunning over from Lungi Ngidi has turned the India vs South Africa test on its head. India, looking comfortable on the pitch, have lost five wickets in ten minutes! 

6:40pm: India's Suryakumar Yadav Leads ICC T20 COTY Nominees 

Suryakumar is one of four individuals on ICC's T20I Cricketer of the Year Nominees. Zimbabwean all-rounder Sikander Raza, Alpesh Ramjani from Uganda, and New Zealand batter Mark Chapman are the other names on the list. 

5:30pm: India And Australia To Resume Rivalry In Women's T20Is

Following a one-off Test match and three One Day Internationals, India and Australia will contest three T20 Internationals in Navi Mumbai, starting January 5, 2024. India beat Australia in the Test match while Australia thrashed India 3-0 in the ODI leg, meaning that the winner of the T20I bouts will be the de-facto winner of the series overall. 

Read all the details concerning the first T20I between the two here. 

4:25pm: Slogans Raised Before Start Of IND Vs RSA Match

Members of a politically-aligned group raised slogans outside the Newlands Cricket Stadium before the start of the second Test between India and South Africa on Wednesday and demanded the sacking of national U-19 skipper David Teeger for his recent comments.

3:30pm: Siraj Wreaks Havoc In Cape Town

Mohammed Siraj has come up with another devastating spell of fast bowling to leave the Proteas batting in tatters. The 29-year-old from Hyderabad has scalped six wickets in an uninterrupted nine-over spell to help bowl South Africa out for a lowly 55. Read all about it in our report here, and follow the match at our live blog here.

2pm: Twist In Wrestling Controversy

The impasse in Indian wrestling shows no signs of abating. Things have now taken a fresh turn, as hundreds of junior wrestlers got together to protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Reason: the loss of one vital year of their careers, for which they heaped blame on Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat.

12:45pm: AUS Vs PAK - Stumps 

Australia captain Pat Cummins has come up with another superb performance, bagging a fifer to follow his 10-wicket match haul in the Boxing Day Test. Cummins' consistent bowling helped dismiss Pakistan for 313, who were 5-96 at one stage before wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan rescued them yet again. In fact, Rizwan has made a habit of doing that. Here's a stat that proves that:-

Rizwan in Test Cricket in SENA:

Pak - 5/94 - scored 95 vs Aus in Aus
Pak - 5/120 - scored 72 vs Eng in Eng
Pak - 5/75 - scored 53 vs Eng in Eng
Pak - 5/52 - scored 71 vs NZ in NZ
Pak - 4/74 - scored 60 vs NZ in NZ
Pak - 4/83 - scored 61 vs NZ in NZ
Pak - 4/47 - scored 88 vs AUS in AUS

11:15am: ICC To Reveal Nominees For 2023 Awards This Week

The International Cricket Council will start revealing nominees for their 2023 cricketer awards. Shortlists for nine of the 13 categories will be revealed between 3 and 5 January 2024 on ICC official channels, with each shortlist featuring four names.

Dates

3 January sees the shortlists for ICC Emerging Men’s and Women’s Cricketers of the Year revealed along with the Men’s and Women’s T20I Cricketers of the Year.

4 January sees nominees announced for the Men’s and Women’s ODI Cricketers of the Year.

5 January will see the final set of shortlists revealed; the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year, the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year and the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year.

10:10am: 'Miracle Worker' Milutinovic Meets IND Football Team

The Indian football team began 2024 with a pleasant surprise on New Year's Day, when they were visited by a behemoth of the footballing world. Former coach Bora Milutinovic from Serbia may be well past his glory days, but what glorious days they have been. To coach five teams like Mexico (1986), Costa Rica (1990), United States of America (1994), Nigeria (1998), and China (2002) to five consecutive FIFA World Cups is no mean feat, and the man has done and seen it all. Born in Yugoslavia, during the latter stages of World War II, Milutinovic commands massive respect from the footballing community in the Balkans, and was immediately greeted by India head coach Igor Stimac, along with fitness coach Luka Radman and goalkeeping coach Frano Srdarev.

9:55am: Argentina To Play Football Match In Kerala - Report

Kerala's sports Minister, V. Abdurahiman, has reportedly confirmed Argentina's acceptance of the state's invitation to play a football match there. In response to the invitation, Argentina has apparently proposed a visit in July, prompting Kerala to suggest a face-to-face meeting.

9:05am: EPL - Brighton Hold West Ham

In the last English Premier League 2023-24 game before a 10-day break for the FA Cup, West Ham missed the chance to close in on the top four as Brighton were denied victory at the London Stadium by Alphonse Areola in a 0-0 draw on Tuesday. Despite being ravaged by defensive absences due to injury and suspension, the Seagulls held out for their first Premier League clean sheet of the season and deserved all three points on their second-half performance.

8:10am: AUS Vs PAK Update

Australia have played yet another clinical session of Test cricket in this 3-match series. They snuffed out four Pakistan wickets before lunch, after being asked to bowl by the visitors. Mitchell Marsh has now dismissed the well-set Shan Masood for 35, and Pakistan are five down with less than 100 on the board in David Warner's farewell Test at his home - the Sydney Cricket Ground.