Chokers to champions

Remember the South African men's cricket team in the 1999 World Cup semifinals against Australia? Remember golfer and 5-time Major champion Rory McIlroy's painful 2011 Masters campaign? Or the current women's World No. 1 tennis player Aryna Sabalenka's tryst with double faults at big moments? Or 2-time Olympic medal-winning shuttler PV Sindhu's struggles with crossing the final hurdle for years?

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News18

41 minutes ago

• News18

On This Day In 1983: India Beat England To Reach Historic World Cup Final

Last Updated: On This Day In 1983: India raced to their maiden World Cup final appearance by defeating England in a memorable semifinal played in Manchester, chasing down the target of 213. On This Day In 1983: India continued their inspiring run at the 1983 Prudential World Cup with a memorable semifinal victory over England in Manchester on this day. Kapil Dev's courageous brigade overcame heavy odds staked against them and surpassed Bob Willis' experienced English side considered massive favourites to qualify for the final. Proving the pundits wrong, Kapil's men got the tri-colour flying high at Old Trafford with a brilliant allround performance. After a magnificent turnaround in their campaign with wins over Zimbabwe and Australia that propelled them to the knock-outs stage, the Indians carried confidence and momentum to the semifinal versus the hosts. But they were hardly given a chance to stand the English juggernaut that had the wealth of experience and understanding of the 60-over game in the early years of domestic and international limited-overs cricket. The Englishmen were further boosted by the toss as the coin fell in their favour and Willis decided to bat first. But Kapil's Devils turned the tables on them with a spirited bowling performance. Allrounder Roger Binny (2/42) continued his magnificent form with the new ball, dismissing both of England's set openers Graeme Fowler (33) and Chris Tavaré (32). On a day where the ball swung and seamed, India's battery of medium pacers didn't allow England's middle-order to settle down. The steady Mohinder Amarnath once again came in handy with the ball, taking 2 wickets while conceding just 27 runs off his 12 overs. Kapil then ran through the English tail in his 3 for 35 and helped dismiss the hosts for 213. In the chase, maestro Sunil Gavaskar missed out on an opportunity to regain form as his departure for 25 off 41 broke a useful opening stand of 46 shared with the attacking Krishnamachari Srikkanth, who was out soon for 19. India needed their middle-order to come to the fore and two senior pros Amarnath and Yashpal Sharma did not disappoint. They stitched an exceptional third-wicket stand of 92 runs to bring India's noses ahead before Amarnath was out for 46. The solid-looking Sharma was then joined by the aggressive Sandeep Patil. Batting in contrasting fashions, the duo didn't allow the England bowling unit to create inroads until the match was sealed. Patil went hell for leather, taking confidence from the assurance provided by the calming Sharma at the other end. The Mumbaikar hammered an unbeaten 51 off 32 balls while Sharma produced an important 61 before his wicket. Skipper Kapil walked out and gave the strike back to Patil, witnessing the winning moment where Patil smashed Willis (1/42) to the deep mid-wicket region. The Old Trafford crowd rushed to the ground while Kapil and Patil somehow evaded them in the most jubilant scenes that marked one of the greatest days in Indian cricket history. First Published: June 22, 2025, 07:20 IST

India.com

2 hours ago

• India.com

'I can't believe...': Here is what Veteran cricketer with 8000 runs, 11 centuries, and 45 fifties, said after retirement, his name is.....

'I can't believe...': Here is what Veteran cricketer with 8000 runs, 11 centuries, and 45 fifties, said after retirement, his name is..... New Delhi: Veteran Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews put an end to his fantastic Test cricket career after the first match of the two-match series between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh ended in a draw on June 21 in Galle. This Test match was the last of his career. Angelo Mathews retires from Test cricket On his decision, Angelo Mathews said the affection and support he received after announcing his retirement from Test cricket was a great experience for him. 'Since I announced my retirement, I can't believe the love I have received. Ever so grateful to all those who supported me. It wasn't an easy journey – lots of ups and downs. It's time for the younger players to take the baton and take SL cricket forward. To win against England in England and whitewashing Australia in Sri Lanka. I am thankful to all the teammates, coaches and the fans,' Angelo Mathews said after the match. Mathews received guard of honor in his last Test match In his last Test, Angelo Mathews scored 39 off 69 balls in the first innings. Angelo Mathews scored 39 of 69 in the first inning of his last Test match. However in the second and final he was bowled out for only 8 runs in 45 balls. As he was returning back to the pavilion for the final time as a player after getting dismissed in second inning, the players from Bangladesh gave him the guard of honor which was an emotional moment, especially after the 2023 World Cup run out saga. 15 years of Test career Mathews' Test career began in 2009 against Pakistan at the same Galle International Stadium. He was an important part of Sri Lankan cricket for 15 years, where he played the role of a dependable batsman and useful bowler. According to statistics, Angelo Mathews ranks among Sri Lanka's most successful Test batsmen, only behind Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene in terms of runs. He amassed 8,214 runs in 119 Test matches, while Sangakkara scored 12,400 and Jayawardene 11,814. In addition to his batting, Mathews also contributed with the ball, taking 33 Test wickets. At Galle International Stadium, he scored 2,206 runs in 33 matches — the second-highest tally at this venue. Notably, in 2013, he became the youngest player to captain Sri Lanka's Test team when he was appointed to the role for the first time.

Hindustan Times

4 hours ago

• Hindustan Times

Olympic balloon rises again in Paris

A giant balloon that became a popular landmark over the skies of Paris during the 2024 Olympics rose again Saturday evening, as Parisians celebrated an annual street music festival. HT Image As locals danced to live music in and around the Tuileries garden in central Paris, the balloon made its return on a hot summer evening. Organisers are hoping it will once again attract crowds of tourists. During the Games, the Olympic cauldron was tethered to the balloon, flying above the Tuileries garden at sunset every day. Thousands flocked to see the seven-metre wide ring of electric fire. Last summer's version "had been thought up to last for the length of the Olympic and Paralympic Games," said Mathieu Lehanneur, the designer of the cauldron. After President Emmanuel Macron "decided to bring it back, all of the technical aspects needed to be reviewed", he told AFP on Thursday. Lehanneur said he was "very moved" that the Olympic balloon was making a comeback. "The worst thing would have been for this memory to become a sitting relic that couldn't fly anymore," he said. The balloon's return on Saturday kicks off a daily appearance each evening until September 14 a summer staple every year until the 2028 Los Angeles Games. "For its revival, we needed to make sure it changed as little as possible and that everything that did change was not visible," said Lehanneur. With a decarbonated fire patented by French energy giant EDF, the upgraded balloon follows "the same technical principles" as its previous version, said director of innovation at EDF Julien Villeret. The improved attraction "will last ten times longer" and be able to function for "300 days instead of 30", according to Villeret. The creators of the balloon also reinforced the light-and-mist system that "makes the flames dance", he said. Under the cauldron, a machine room hides cables, a compressor and a hydro-electric winch. That system will "hold back the helium balloon when it rises and pull it down during descent", said Jerome Giacomoni, president of the Aerophile group that constructed the balloon. "Filled with 6,200 cubic meters of helium that is lighter than air," the Olympic balloon "will be able to lift around three tonnes" of cauldron, cables and attached parts, he said. The Tuileries garden is where French inventor Jacques Charles took flight in his first gas balloon on December 1, 1783. He followed in the footsteps of the famed Montgolfier brothers, who had just nine days earlier elsewhere in Paris managed to launch a similar balloon into the sky with humans onboard. The website is to display the times when the modern-day balloon will rise and indicate any potential cancellations due to weather. burs-jj/acb This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.