Sports

India close on victory after Campbell and Hope lift Windies

Published

2 weeks ago

October 13, 2025

India closed in on a comprehensive victory, and a 2-0 series sweep, in the final test against West Indies on Monday, but it was far from a cakewalk as the touring side offered spirited resistance thanks to hundreds by John Campbell and Shai Hope.

Chasing 121 for victory, India were 63-1 at stumps, and West Indies will draw solace from being able to force a final-day finish after being made to follow on.

B Sai Sudharsan (30) and KL Rahul (25) were in the middle for India, who need 58 more runs to seal the win.

“They took their chances, and once the field was spread out, they were really sensible with their game,” India’s spin-bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar told reporters.

“The conversation among us was to be really patient and bowl as many good deliveries as possible no matter what.”

Beaten inside three days in the series opener in Ahmedabad, West Indies were made to follow on in Delhi after being bowled out for 248, replying to India’s 518-5 declared.

They produced a much-improved batting display in the second innings, posting 390 before being bowled out in Monday’s final session.

Campbell and Hope share

Leading the fightback were Campbell (115) and Hope (103), who combined in a 177-run partnership for the third wicket to avoid a second successive innings defeat.

Campbell survived an anxious moment before reaching his maiden test hundred after being given out lbw to Ravindra Jadeja.

The batter reviewed the decision, which was overturned after replays confirmed he had edged the ball before it hit his pad.

Campbell struck the left-arm spinner for a six to bring up his hundred in style.

Jadeja returned to trap Campbell lbw, ending the opener’s patient knock, which included three sixes and 12 fours.

Hope’s composed knock ended when he chopped a Mohammed Siraj delivery onto his stumps.

Spinner Kuldeep Yadav produced a three-wicket burst to rattle West Indies, dismissing Roston Chase (40) and Khary Pierre in the same over.

There was still some sting left in the West Indies tail.

Justin Greaves, who made 50 not out, and Jayden Seales (32) frustrated India with a 79-run partnership for the final wicket.

India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah claimed three lower-order wickets on a pitch which offered little assistance to the seamers.

India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal looked in a hurry to wrap up victory and hit Seales for two fours in the first over.

The left-hander stepped out against spinner Jomel Warrican in the next over, only to hole out in the deep and depart for eight.

“I can’t really put it into words right now,” Campbell told said of his first test hundred. “Maybe tomorrow I’ll be able to describe it.

“As a batsman, once you get a start here, it becomes easier. I think I still went for my shots, it was just about being more selective.”

Source link

Sports

Babar Azam picked as Fakhar Zaman’s replacement for South Africa T20Is, says Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson

Published

48 minutes ago

October 26, 2025

hussainbinnoman3@gmail.com

After staying out of favour in the Twenty20 International format for Pakistan’s last five assignments, former skipper Babar Azam was picked for the upcoming three-match series against South Africa only after Fakhar Zaman’s decided to skip it, white-ball head coach Mike Hesson said on Sunday.

Since Hesson took over the role in June, Babar hasn’t featured for Pakistan in T20Is with the national side playing series against Bangladesh, the West Indies and a tri-nation series followed by the Asia Cup during that period.

Hesson had cited the right-hander’s low strike-rate as the reason for his absence. But Babar’s selection for the series, which starts in Rawalpindi on Tuesday raised suggested a change of mind for the coach before the New Zealander clarified it.

“I certainly endorse his selection,” Hesson said of Babar while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Pakistan’s training session at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. “We’ve sent him (Fakhar) back to first-class cricket after a conversation with him.

“He wanted to focus on improving his technique for one-day cricket, so we gave him a bit of a break from T20s. That’s created an opportunity for another top-order player.”

Hesson confirmed that Babar will take the number three spot instead of the batter’s preferred opening position, where he flourished for Pakistan for a substantial period before eventually falling in form and then out of favour.

The coach, however, has expectations from Babar to make a strong comeback and suggested he saw him in Pakistan’s plans for the T20 World Cup, which is set to be held in February-March next year in India and Sri Lanka.

“It’s a great chance to have Babar back,” said the coach. “He’s likely to bat at number three, a role I’m confident he’ll perform well in.

“It also gives our squad some flexibility ahead of the [T20] World Cup.”

‘Haris needs to work’

Babar’s unexpected return also coincided with the axing of wicket-keeper-batter Mohammad Haris from the Pakistan squad even after he received ample backing from the team management across Hesson’s tenure so far.

The 24-year-old proved his mettle with a century against Bangladesh back in June but gradually lost form amid frequent change of batting positions.

Hesson believed Haris needed to go back to the drawing board to fix his issues.

“Haris has had a number of opportunities recently, and he’d be the first to admit he hasn’t made the most of them,” he said. “But he’s still young and developing, so I wouldn’t say his career is over.

“He needs to work on his decision-making with the bat. Even in domestic T20s, he averages around 17, similar to international cricket, so that’s an area for improvement.”

Haris has been replaced by Usman Khan — who last year gave up on a career in the United Arab Emirates to play for Pakistan before being eventually dropped. He emerged out of nowhere and Hesson said he sees the right-hander, who keeps wickets as well, as a good player of spin.

“We see our wicket-keeper batting more through the middle rather than at the top, especially with spin being such a big factor in Sri Lanka during the World Cup. That’s why Usman has been given this opportunity.”

Source link

Sports

FIFA announces new ASEAN Cup for Southeast Asia

Published

3 hours ago

October 26, 2025

hussainbinnoman3@gmail.com

A new tournament, the FIFA ASEAN Cup, will be launched as part of an agreement between FIFA and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), aimed at boosting the development of football across the region.

The announcement was made during the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, where FIFA President Gianni Infantino and ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding.

The tournament will bring together national teams from all ASEAN member states in a format inspired by the Arab Cup, which was first organised by FIFA in 2021.

View this post on Instagram

“This will be a great addition to the regional football calendar,” Infantino said.

“Through the FIFA ASEAN Cup, we are uniting countries together, and this competition will be a huge success as it will help boost national team football in the ASEAN region and support the development of our sport across all of Southeast Asia.”

World football’s governing body will work with regional stakeholders including the Asian Football Confederation, the ASEAN Football Federation, and the relevant FIFA member associations to finalise the tournament’s format.

Source link