sports
Mominul scores first century on foreign soil
Bangladesh's Test captain Mominul Haque scored his first-ever century on foreign soil against Sri Lanka at the Pallakelle International Stadium in Kandy on Thursday.
He achieved the feat on the second day of the first Test of the two-match Test series. It took him 224 balls to reach the personal landmark.In his eight-year Test career, Mominul hit 10 centuries at home. His polished innings of 127 runs off 304 balls, featuring 11 fours, came to end as he gave a catch to Lahiru Thirimanne at the first slip, off a Dhananjaya de Silva delivery. Bangladesh were 424 for 4 in 139.5 overs.Mominul started his Test career against Sri Lanka in 2013 and scored two half centuries in two consecutive matches.He had also scored four more half centuries abroad. Two against West Indies (2014), and one each against New Zealand (2017) and South Africa (2017). Pairing with another centurion Najmul Hossain Shanto (163), Mominul also made a record partnership in Test in the third wicket stand for Bangladesh, contributing 242 runs.Earlier, Najmul hit his maiden century -- 163 runs off 378 balls with 17 fours and one six -- before going back to the pavillion after giving a return catch to Lahiru Kumara.
BD vs SL: Najmul, Mominul fall as Bangladesh pass 400
After a mammoth partnership of 242 runs, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Momimun Haque fell as Bangladesh passed the 400-run mark in Kandy Test.
At the tea break of day two, the Tigers were batting at 440 for four in 145 overs with Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das were unbeaten for 22 and 12 respectively.
Najmul ended up his maiden ton at 163 while Mominul fell for 127, it was his first ton outside the home backyard. The 242-run partnership between theme is now the highest third-wicket stand for Bangladesh in Tests.
Also read:Bangladesh-Sri Lanka two-match Test Series begins ...
Najmul prodded a return catch to Lahiru Kumara to get dismissed while Mominul tried to drive off Dhananjaya de Silva away from his body with an angled bat but failed to do it properly as he ended up giving a catch to Lahiru Thirimanne at the first slip.
Earlier, on day one, Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first. They lost the opener, Saif Hassan, in the second over of the match. But the visitors recovered from that initial damage well as Tamim Iqbal and Najmul put up a 144-run partnership in the second wicket stand.
This series is a part of the World Test Championship. Bangladesh played five matches of this event but failed to win any of them while Sri Lanka played 10 matches and won one with losing six and drawing the other three.
Also read:Bangladesh to rely more on pacers in Sri Lanka Tests
Bangladesh played a total of 12 matches in Sri Lanka and won one of them in 2017 which was Bangladesh’s last overseas Test win to the date.
Mominul hits maiden overseas test century
Bangladesh Test captain Mominul Haque hit his maiden test ton away from home in the ongoing Test against Sri Lanka in Kandy on Thursday.
At the lunch break of day two, Bangladesh were batting at 378 for two, with Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul were unbeaten for 155 and 107 respectively.
Also Read: Kandy Test: Tamim's quick fifty drives Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka
Mominul needed to face 224 to record his first century in an overseas Test. Right after his ton, Najmul, who was unbeaten for 126 at the end of day one, stretched his first Test ton to 150.
Najmul was dropped at 28 by the wicketkeeper of the hosts on day one.
Bangladesh ended day one at 302 for two. They added 76 runs in the first session of day two and both the overnight batsmen are still impregnable by the hosts’ bowlers.
The third-wicket partnership between Najmul and Mominul reached 226 runs so far, which is now the fourth highest stand by a Bangladeshi pair in away Tests.
Also Read: BD v SL: Najmul hits maiden Test ton as Tigers take control
Mominul played 42 Tests before coming to this game and got stuck 10 centuries. But all of those centuries have been notched up on home soil. Before this game, his best in away Tests was 77, which is now surpassed by the left-handed batsman.
Earlier, on day one, Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first. They lost the opener, Saif Hassan, in the second over of the match. But the visitors recovered from that initial damage well, as Tamim Iqbal and Najmul put up a 144-run partnership in the second wicket stand.
This series is part of the World Test Championship. Bangladesh played five matches of this event but failed to win any of them while Sri Lanka played 10 matches and won one with losing six and drawing the other three.
Bangladesh played a total of 12 matches in Sri Lanka and won one of them in 2017 which was Bangladesh’s last overseas Test win to the date.
How the European Super League could have ruled Messi and Ronaldo out of the FIFA World Cup 2022?
Is it possible to imagine a World Cup without Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo?However, such concerns were raised when an announcement came on Sunday (April 18th) that a new competition branded the "European Super League" will be launched with the best clubs from across Europe. The competition was initially planned to feature 15 topclubs as permanent members.UEFA responded immediately, warning that the teams would be excluded and their players would be banned from participating in international competitions.This article discusses, how the European Super League could have ruled Messi and Ronaldo out of the FIFA World Cup 2022?
What is the European Super League?
The European Super League is a brand new competition for so-called elite clubs which will feature 20 teams. There will be 15 founding clubs and the names of 12 clubs have been released so far. They are Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham from Premier League; Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid from La Liga; and Inter, Juventus, AC Milan from Serie A.
Read: How European football is badly affected by the pandemic covid-19?
Three more clubs are expected to join as founding members. Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund are believed to have been contacted, but none of them have shown a desire to join.
Five more teams will be picked for the competition each season based on their domestic season performance.
Tournament format
The clubs will be split into two groups and the matches will be played on a home and away basis, as usual. The top three teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals. For the final two spots, the fourth and fifth teams in each group will play a two-leg play-off match. Then the rest of the way is like the Champions League.
Expected tournament schedule
The season's calendar can be complicated since Super League teams still tend to compete in the domestic league. It'll be a packed schedule and being occupied in such a tournament means bidding farewell to the Champions League. The Super League authority has confirmed that the matches will take place in mid-week. The final will be one match and it will be held by the end of May.
When is the Super League set to begin?
FC Barcelona said in an official statement that they want to begin the league as soon as possible. However, the clubs announced in a joint statement that the competition will begin in August.
How much money will the clubs earn?
European Super League teams will get a huge financial benefit. The founding clubs will receive 3.5 billion euros for infrastructure improvements and debt relief. The prize money for teams in the Super League will be significantly higher than the prize money for teams in the Champions League.
Read: Football Transfers 2021: The hot favorites to replace Sergio Aguero at Man City
UEFA's response on super league
UEFA, the Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A all responded quickly to the Super League's announcement. In an official statement, UEFA said that they are all working together to avoid this unethical project, and they believe the super league is formed to protect the clubs' self-interest.
UEFA also stated that football is a merit-based sport and that they will never support such a decision. As a result, super league clubs will be banned from competing in any domestic, continental, or worldwide competition. Players from the teams will also be unable to represent their country in any international matches.
After the announcement of UEFA, there are fears that superstar footballers like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will not be seen in FIFA World Cup 2022.
Both Messi and Ronaldo have yet to win the World Cup. So they want to make one last attempt to win the World Cup in Qatar. But if UEFA's announcement is true, then apart from these two best footballers of all time, almost half of the world's best footballers will be absent in the World Cup 2022. Because nearly all of the world's biggest stars play for Europe's top clubs.
Read: Potential Young Players Who Could Rule World Football Next Decade
Protest and confirmation of all English clubs withdrawal
Supporters from a number of Premier League clubs have protested the club owners' arbitrary decision. Fans of Liverpool and Chelsea were prominent among them. Within 48 hours of the widespread criticism, all Premier League clubs reversed their positions and announced their withdrawal from the Super League.
Following the announcement by all Premier League teams, the Super League's other six clubs would no longer remain in their previous stands. So, the European Super League's dissolution may be announced at any moment. However, UEFA and FIFA must place more emphasis on protecting everyone's interests.
Read: Summer Window 2021: Five Potential Big Football Transfers
Bottom Line
Coronavirus has placed all of Europe's big clubs into a huge economic crisis. As a result, they're attempting to cover the financial loss by introducing new initiatives. However, there is no valid reason to support a proposal that undermines the very essence of football. The demands of the clubs are not completely unreasonable. In this case, UEFA needed to be more vigilant. If the Super League tournament is not held as expected, big names like Messi and Ronaldo will be able to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2022. This will be great news for millions of football fans around the world.
Read: Lionel Messi: The Argentine Football Star’s Most Unbreakable Records
BD v SL: Najmul eyes to bat longer in Kandy Test
Bangladesh top-order batsman Najmul Hossain Shanto said they are looking forward to batting longer to ensure a commanding position for the Tigers in the Kandy Test against Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh won the toss on Wednesday and opted to bat first in the first Test of the two-match series. They accumulated 302 runs for two wickets at the end of the day thanks to the maiden ton by Najmul (126*).
“It’s too early to think about the result of this game,” Najmul told a virtual press conference after day’s play. “It’s just day one. The longer we can bat, the more control we’ll have in this game. We’re looking forward to batting for a long time.”
Najmul came to the national set-up playing at all stages of the development group of Bangladesh cricket. But he disappointed with the bat in six Tests that he played so far. Najmul, however, played well at the domestic circuit.
“I had nothing to prove,” Najmul added. “I’ve worked so hard over the last four-five months. So I believed that I score at any moment. I was relaxed at the wicket. I just wanted to stay calm and keep enjoying my batting which eventually resulted in a good way.”
Also read: BD v SL: Najmul hits maiden Test ton as Tigers take control
Bangladesh lost the right-handed opener, Saif Hassan, off the last ball of the second over of the match which forced Najmul to come to bat early in the morning. He took it as an opportunity and batted through almost the entire day.
The 22-year-old batsman has credited Tamim Iqbal for his success. He said: “It was tough to bat in the first session as there was some movement. Tamim told me to stay calm and play carefully. He also said the wicket is good to bat. Tamim batted well which helped me to take some time and get adapted.”
Najmul partnered with Tamim in the second wicket to post 144 runs, and he accompanied Mominul Haque in the third wicket to add 150 runs on the board – the highest third-wicket partnership for Bangladesh in away Tests.
“I didn’t think much about how many balls I faced or how many runs I scored. We were focused to make big partnerships. We took one step at a time which helped to come up with the big partnerships. Now the next session is very important for us. If we can play well in the first session, it’ll help us to understand how many runs we need to in the first innings and after that, we may think about winning this game,” Najmul added.
BD v SL: Najmul hits maiden Test ton as Tigers take control
Najmul Hossain Shanto registered his maiden Test century on Wednesday as Bangladesh took control of Kandy Test against Sri Lanka.
At the end of the first day’s play, Tigers had amassed 302 for two wickets. Najmul and Mominul Haque were unbeaten for 126 and 64 respectively. Najmul hit 14 fours and one six while Mominul scored six fours.
Bangladesh captain Mominul won the toss and opted to bat first. The decision proved to be right despite losing Saif Hassan in the second over of the innings.
After Saif’s dismissal, Najmul came and batted with great discipline through almost the entire day. He partnered with Tamim in the second wicket to post a partnership of 144 runs.
Najmul accompanied Mominul in the third wicket stand, which was impregnable at the end of the day, to add 150 runs. It is now the highest third-wicket partnership for Bangladesh in away Tests. They still have a good chance to make it even bigger.
European Super League: Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli says project cannot proceed
Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli says the European Super League (ESL) project cannot proceed as Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid joined the six Premier League clubs in withdrawing,reports BBC.
Agnelli was one of the chief architects of the breakaway plans, which involved 12 clubs from England, Spain and Italy.
Also Read:Super League collapses after the 6 English clubs withdraw
But with eight of the 12 teams pulling out, he accepts it cannot now go ahead.
"To be frank and honest no, evidently that is not the case," said Agnelli, on whether the ESL could still happen.
"I remain convinced of the beauty of that project, of the value that it would have developed to the pyramid, of the creation of the best competition in the world, but evidently no. I don't think that project is now still up and running."
Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan announced their withdrawal on Wednesday morning.
Also Read: Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan drop out of Super League
The Juventus chairman was described as a "snake and a liar" by Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin on Monday after the announcement of the breakaway plans on Sunday evening.
Agnelli resigned his position as chairman of the European Clubs' Association on Sunday and refused to take calls from Ceferin.
The six Premier League clubs involved all withdrew within hours of each other on Tuesday following a furious backlash against the plans.
Manchester City were the first club to pull out after Chelsea had signalled their intent to do so by preparing documentation to withdraw.
The other four sides - Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham - then followed suit late on Tuesday evening.
In announcing their withdrawal on Wednesday, Atletico Madrid said "harmony is essential" between the club and the fans, and added that the first-team squad and coach Diego Simeone had backed their decision because "sporting merits must prevail over any other criteria".
In their statement, Serie A side Inter Milan said they were "committed to giving fans the best football experience", adding: "Our engagement with all stakeholders to improve the football industry will never change."
The 12-team Super League, which also included Spanish sides Barcelona and Real Madrid and Italy's AC Milan and Juventus was announced on Sunday to widespread condemnation.
"Despite the announced departure of the English clubs, forced to take such decisions due to the pressure put on them, we are convinced our proposal is fully aligned with European law and regulations," the ESL said earlier on Wednesday, adding it was "convinced that the current status quo of European football needs to change".
"Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is insisting on the idea of keeping the group together to push for change," says Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.
"Barcelona say they agreed to the ESL, but only if the season ticket holders' assembly approve it, which could be their way out."
Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan drop out of Super League
Atlético Madrid and Inter Milan both decided to drop out of the Super League on Wednesday, leaving the new competition on the verge of extinction before it even started.
Only four clubs were still officially involved — Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus and AC Milan.
The moves by Atlético and Inter came a day after the six Premier League clubs gave up on the controversial breakaway competition.
Also Read:Super League collapses after the 6 English clubs withdraw
Atlético said the decision was made after its board of directors met on Wednesday.
The Spanish club said it “decided to formally communicate the Super League and the rest of the founding clubs its decision not to formalize its participation in the project.”
Atlético said the “circumstances” that allowed it to join the new league on Monday “no longer existed today.”
“For the club, harmony is essential for everyone involved in the (Atlético) family, especially our fans,” it said. “The first team squad and its coach showed satisfaction with the club’s decision, understanding that sporting merits must prevail over any other criteria.”
Inter said the club was committed to delivering the best soccer experience for fans because “innovation and inclusion have been part of our DNA since our foundation.”
“Our commitment with all stakeholders to improve the football industry will never change,” the Italian club said. “Inter believe that football, like any sector of activity, must have an interest in constantly improving its competitions in order to continue to excite fans of all ages all over the world, within a framework of financial sustainability.”
Also Read: UEFA president urges Super League owners to reverse decision
Kandy Test: Tamim’s quick fifty drives Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka
Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal registered a quick fifty in the first session of the first Test of the two-match series against Sri Lanka on Wednesday at Kandy.
Tamim completed his fifty off 53 balls with 10 fours. He scored most of the runs with his trademark flick to the midwicket area. It was Tamim’s 29th fifty in Tests.
Riding on his fifty, Bangladesh posted 106 for one in 27 overs at the lunch of day one. Before the lunch break called, Tamim was batting at 65 while Najmul Hossain Shnato was unbeaten for 37.
Earlier, Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque won the toss and opted to bat first.
Tamim and Saif Hassan started the innings for the Tigers. Tamim smashed two fours off the first over of the match bowled by Suranga Lakmal, but off the last ball of the next over, Saif Hassan fell prey to Vishwa Fernando for a duck.
Saif had hit a hundred in the first round of the National League and a fifty in the second round before the league was halted due to the Covid-19 surge in recent time in Bangladesh. But he failed to carry on the form to international cricket.
Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka: Top five memorable performances in Test Cricket
This series is a part of the World Test Championship. Bangladesh played five matches of this event but failed to win any of them while Sri Lanka played 10 matches and won one of them with losing six and drawing three.
Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka: Recap of the Key Test Records
Bangladesh played a total of 12 matches in Sri Lanka and won one of them in 2017 which was Bangladesh’s last overseas Test win to the date.
Super League collapses after the 6 English clubs withdraw
The Super League collapsed before a ball was kicked in the European breakaway competition after being abandoned by the six English clubs, leaving the Spanish and Italian participants stranded.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham throughout Tuesday evening deserted the proposal to launch a largely-closed midweek competition amid an escalating backlash from their supporters and warnings from the British government that legislation could be introduced to thwart it.
Also Read: UEFA president urges Super League owners to reverse decision
The Super League project was overseen by Real Madrid President Florentino Perez, who also signed up Barcelona and Atlético Madrid in Spain, and Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan from Italy. The rival for the UEFA-run Champions League became unviable without the six clubs from the world’s richest league.
The remaining fledgling Super League organization was defiant, blaming “pressure” being applied for forcing out the English clubs and insisting the proposal complied with the law and could yet be revived in some form.
“Given the current circumstances,” the Super League said in a statement, “we shall reconsider the most appropriate steps to reshape the project, always having in mind our goals of offering fans the best experience possible while enhancing solidarity payments for the entire football community.”
The English clubs heeded the appeals from UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin to remain part of the Champions League, which has a qualification criteria based on a team’s performance in the domestic league.
Also Read: Threats of expulsion as UEFA confronts Super League rebel 12
“I said yesterday that it is admirable to admit a mistake and these clubs made a big mistake,” he said. “But they are back in the fold now and I know they have a lot to offer not just to our competitions but to the whole of the European game.
“The important thing now is that we move on, rebuild the unity that the game enjoyed before this and move forward together.”
As it became clear Chelsea and City were quitting the Super League on Tuesday evening, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and his teammates posted a message advocating staying within the open European competitions.
Liverpool, which is owned by the Boston Red Sox investment group, eventually issued a statement thanking those inside and outside the club for “valuable contributions” before making the decision to stick within existing structures.
Manchester United defender Luke Shaw also went against his club by tweeting his backing of the existing Champions League minutes before his club’s about-turn.
“We have listened carefully to the reaction from our fans, the UK government and other key stakeholders,” said the club owned by the American Glazer family and listed on the New York Stock Exchange. “We remain committed to working with others across the football community to come up with sustainable solutions to the long-term challenges facing the game.”
Just as the Glazers also own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Stan Kroenke has the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams in his portfolio along with Arsenal. It is the closed models of American sports that were believed to be so appealing to the U.S. owners by offering financial certainty.
But they were resisted by fans of English clubs.
“It was never our intention to cause such distress, however, when the invitation to join the Super League came, while knowing there were no guarantees, we did not want to be left behind to ensure we protected Arsenal and its future,” the north London club said. “As a result of listening to you and the wider football community over recent days we are withdrawing from the proposed Super League. We made a mistake, and we apologize for it.
“We know it will take time to restore your faith in what we are trying to achieve here at Arsenal but let us be clear that the decision to be part of the Super League was driven by our desire to protect Arsenal, the club you love, and to support the game you love through greater solidarity and financial stability.”
Tottenham also gave a detailed explanation for why it signed up before backing away.
“We regret the anxiety and upset caused by the ESL proposal,” chairman Daniel Levy said. “We felt it was important that our club participated in the development of a possible new structure that sought to better ensure financial fair play and financial sustainability whilst delivering significantly increased support for the wider football pyramid.
“We believe that we should never stand still and that the sport should constantly review competitions and governance to ensure the game we all love continues to evolve and excite fans around the world.”
Chelsea, which is owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, said it only joined the Super League group last week.
“We have now had time to consider the matter fully and have decided that our continued participation in these plans would not be in the best interests of the club, our supporters or the wider football community,” Chelsea said in a statement hours after its game against Brighton had been delayed by fan protests outside its Stamford Bridge stadium.
The Premier League threatened to sanction the six rebel clubs and Prime Minister Boris Johnson considered introducing laws to stop them forming a new European competition he called a “cartel.”
Divisions within the Super League clubs also grew with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola saying the Super League would damage the integrity and values of sport. Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has also expressed concerns about the actions of his club’s owners.
The Premier League had threatened the six clubs with expulsion if they tried to go it alone in Europe. The other 14 clubs met Tuesday and “unanimously and vigorously” rejected the Super League plans.
Britain’s Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said out-of-touch owners “completely misjudged the strength of feeling from fans, players and the whole country.”
The government is exploring adopting the 50-plus-1 rule from Germany that gives fans the majority of voting rights, nominally to protect clubs from being controlled by private investors.
“Our fan-led review will still happen and I remain convinced of the need for reform,” Dowden said. “We must make sure this never happens again.”
Everton decried the “preposterous arrogance” of Super League clubs. Everton’s nine titles are the fourth most by a team in the history of the English top division, and the club from Merseyside was considered part of the country’s elite in the 1980s and early 1990s.
“The backlash is understandable and deserved — and has to be listened to,” Everton’s board of directors said in a statement. “This preposterous arrogance is not wanted anywhere in football outside of the clubs that have drafted this plan.”
The Italian clubs declined to comment earlier, and the Spanish teams were not commenting late Tuesday.