Elsewhere, Liverpool will lock horns with Luton Town in the English Premier League, later in the night. In cricket, Namibia beat Nepal by two wickets in a low-scoring match 4 of the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two. Also, Afghanistan ended the series on a positive note against Sri Lanka with a three-run win in the third T20I in Dambulla. Meanwhile, Pakistan Super League, Bangladesh Premier League action continues. Follow the highlights and updates of all the action on Wednesday, February 21 here
And we call it a night! Though the sporting action never stops, Feb 22 promises more fun-filled ride and updates as WPL approaches as well as Indian Cricket team trains ahead of the fourth Test in Ranchi. Stay tuned to our blog for more updates. Till then, its good bye from us.
Welcome to our live coverage of today's sports news and events. New Zealand have welcomed Trans-Tasmanian rivals Australia to their shores for three T20Is and two Test matches, starting with the first T20 game in Wellington today. In football, the UEFA Champions League round of 16 action continues with Arsenal in the scheme of things against FC Porto, and Napoli taking on Barcelona. Elsewhere, Liverpool welcome Luton Town for PL action later in the night. In F1, the pre-season testing kicks off with the likes of Ferrari and Red Bull trying out their new machines. Follow the live scores and updates of all the action on Wednesday, February 21 here. (Cricket News | Football News)
In overnight English Premier League action, Manchester City beat Brentford 1-0 at home, i.e. the Etihad Stadium in Manchester. Erling Haaland came to City’s rescue with a 71st-minute goal to clinch the win.
It looked like City would be dropping points in a tight title race for the second time in four days — after a 1-1 draw with Chelsea — only for Haaland to finally get some space behind Brentford’s defence in a counterattack. Julian Alvarez played the ball forward, Haaland collected it and raced past centre back Kristoffer Ajer, who lost his footing, Associated Press reports. One on one with Mark Flekken, Haaland took his shot early and placed a low finish to the Dutch goalkeeper’s right for his league-leading 17th goal of the campaign.
In the late night UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash, Luuk de Jong converted a penalty to cancel out a goal by his former teammate Donyell Malen as PSV Eindhoven and Borussia Dortmund drew 1-1 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. Malen scored against his old club in the 24th minute with a shot that appeared to deflect off the outstretched leg of defender Sergino Dest. Meanwhile, in Milan, Marko Arnautovic came off the bench to help Inter Milan to a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid.
Two-time major winner Carlos Alcaraz retired hurt from the Rio Open after two games due to a right ankle injury. The retirement at 1-1 meant Brazil's Thiago Monteiro advanced to the second round. He will face his compatriot Felipe Meligeni Alves for a place in the quarterfinals, Associated Press reports. Alcaraz twisted his ankle in the first game after only two points. He received medical attention, broke Monteiro's serve, but after the Brazilian pulled level he shook his rival's hand and left the court walking as his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero looked concerned.
New Zealand have won the toss and elected to bat first in Wellington, which is the venue for the first of three T20Is the Kiwis will play against Australia. Batting all-rounder Josh Clarkson makes his debut, and speedster Lockie Ferguson makes his return from injury.
The trio of Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula and Ayhika Mukherjee continues to conquer at the World Table Tennis Team Championships 2024 in Busan, South Korea. The Indian women's team has secured a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Italy in the round of 32, and will face Chinese Taipei at 1:30 PM IST for the pre-quarterfinals.
Indian para athlete Suyash Jadhav has secured a quota spot in the men's 50m butterfly S7 category for the 2024 Paris Paralympics. His timing of 32.22 seconds at the Asian Para Games not only met the 'A' qualifying mark, but also confirmed his spot for the mega quadrennial event.
It went right down to the wire, and the visitors emerged victors in incredible fashion in the end. Chasing New Zealand's target of 216, Australia needed four runs off the last ball of the match to win it. Tim David was on strike against Tim Southee, and he pummelled the full delivery into the leg side for a boundary to pull his team through. The Aussies take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, courtesy this win in Wellington.
Former India cricketer Lalchand Rajput has been appointed head coach of the United Arab Emirates men's team for three years, replacing Pakistan's Mudassar Nazar, PTI reports. Rajput's first assignment with the side will be the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series against Scotland and Canada, being hosted in the UAE from February 28. It will be followed by a three-match T20I series against Scotland at home next month.
The Indian football team withstood a late charge by Estonia to pick up a hard-fought 4-3 win in the Turkish Women's Cup, the side's first victory against an European nation, PTI reports. Striker Manisha Kalyan scored a brace and the Chaoba Devi-coached side created a piece of history as the Indian senior women's team had never before triumphed over a team from the UEFA confederation in an official outing.
Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel will leave the club at the end of the season after a run of three straight losses raised the prospect of the club's first season without a trophy in 12 years.
Afghanistan have won the toss and have opted to bat. Sri Lanka are already 2-0 up in the three-match T20I series.
Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Kusal Perera, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Wanindu Hasaranga(c), Dasun Shanaka, Akila Dananjaya, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana
Afghanistan (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran(c), Mohammad Ishaq, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Noor Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Wafadar Momand.
"My record (most sixes in an innings) wasn't broken, it's been equalled by Yashasvi Jaiswal. People talk a lot that it was Zimbabwe, but it wasn't that easy. I remember we were around 170/6 when I went to bat," Akram told A Sports.
Afghanistan have posted a massive 209 for the loss of five wickets in the third and final T20I against Sri Lanka. Here's the live streaming and all the details regarding the match right here.
Despite Kamindu Mendis heroics, Afghanistan got there in the end and have beaten Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I. The hosts take the series 2-1.
Bollywood hearthrob Shah Rukh Khan will be peforming at the opening ceremony of the WPL