Daily Sports Headlines December 3, 2022

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FIFA World Cup 2022: Round of 16 fixtures confirmed after 28-year-long streak ends in frenetic group stage

Asian and African sides produced stunning results in Qatar one of the most thrilling group stages at a World Cup came to an end on December 2. The Round of 16 fixtures were confirmed after some big names crashed out early. For the first time since 1994, no team won all three group games. 4-time champions Germany were shown the door even as they did not enter the tournament as favourites.It was the second successive time Germany exited the World Cup in the group stage. Semi-finalists in Russia in 2018, Belgium were ousted as their golden generation flopped at the biggest stage in Qatar.
The build-up to FIFA World Cup 2022 was all about Qatar and the controversies surrounding the Arab country hosting the showpiece event. However, once the focus shifted to football, it was a non-stop thrill ride. The group stage of the FIFA World Cup was a topsy-turvy ride over 47 matches and it ended with a bang on Friday, December 2.


Switzerland Beat Serbia, Join Brazil In Round Of 16 From Group G

Switzerland beat Serbia 3-2 in an incident-packed match on Friday to set up a last-16 meeting with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal. Remo Freuler, Breel Emblo and Xherdan Shaqiri scored for Switzerland while Dusan Vlahovic and Aleksandar Mitrovic scored for Serbia. The Swiss finished second in Group G behind Brazil, whose much-changed side lost 1-0 against Cameroon but the South Americans still go through to play South Korea.


Cristiano Ronaldo ‘insulted’ by South Korea player during substitution – Portugal coach

Cristiano Ronaldo was “insulted” by South Korea player Cho Gue-sung as he left the pitch, according to Fernando Santos, as the Portugal coach sought to defend the striker’s frustrated reaction to being substituted. Ronaldo appeared to have a verbal exchange with Cho as he walked towards the benches and then put his finger to his mouth.
The 37-year-old looked unhappy at the decision to bring him off in the 65th minute but after the 2-1 defeat which sent South Korea into the last 16, Santos insisted it was his interaction with Cho that had made the former Manchester United forward “angry”.
“The player from Korea was insulting him telling him to go away, so that is the reason why he was angry, everyone saw that,” said Santos.


Brazil lose first World Cup group league game this century, qualify as group toppers

Brazil lost a World Cup group stage match for the first time this century. After Norway beat them on June 23, 1998, that has not happened. Vincent Aboubakar’s brilliant header in the 90+3 minute for Cameroon was also the first time Brazil lost to an African team. On a booking, Aboubakar’s shirt-off celebration meant a red card but Cameron hung on.


Australia vs West Indies, 1st Test Day 4 updates

Marnus Labuschagne and David Warner look to maintain Australia’s dominance over West Indies in the first Test in Perth. On Friday, Pat Cummins bagged his 200th wicket in the format as the hosts bowled out a resolute West Indies and then piled on more runs to stretch their lead to a commanding 344. The visitors were dismissed for 283 in their first innings after the hosts declared at 598 for 4 on the back of double centuries from Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith.


IPL to introduce tactical substitutions from 2023 season

Tactical substitutions will make an appearance in IPL 2023, with the BCCI set to introduce the concept that it trialled for the first time during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy domestic T20s in October-November.
From IPL 2023 Season a tactical/strategic concept will be introduced to add a new dimension to IPL, wherein one substitute player per team will be able to take a more active part in an IPL match,” the IPL said in a note sent to franchises on Thursday. “The regulations pertaining to the same will be issued shortly.”


South Africa eyes IPL success with SA20

After two unsuccessful attempts, Cricket South Africa (CSA) is again seeking to replicate the success of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with SA20, said Graeme Smith, former South African cricketer and commissioner of the new T20 league. CSA hired Sunder Raman, the former chief operating officer of IPL, to help establish SA20. Raman has a 12.5% share in the league.
Smith, who is in India to sign a 10-year broadcast deal worth $100 million with Reliance-backed Viacom18 for the new T20 league, said CSA needed a product to help build and strengthen South African cricket commercially and from a cricketing perspective.


Curran, Stokes, Williamson list highest base price at IPL auction

Sam Curran, who was player of the final and the tournament at the 2022 World Cup, is among 21 men who have listed the maximum reserve price of INR 2 crore (approx US$ 246,000) for the 2023 IPL auction.
A maximum of 87 players can be bought at the auction (squad strength of 25 each) of which 30 can be overseas names. The auction is scheduled on December 23 in Kochi.
Not a single Indian player is listed in the 2 crore bracket which includes marquee names like England Test captain Ben Stokes, Australian allrounder Cameron Green, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and Nicholas Pooran who stepped down recently as West Indies white-ball captain.


Dwayne Bravo announces retirement from IPL, takes up new role with Chennai Super Kings

Dwayne Bravo, the leading wicket-taker in IPL history, has called time on his playing career in the league but will remain with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a new role.
In a statement released the franchisee revealed that it has appointed Bravo as the team’s bowling coach ahead of IPL 2023. Bravo, who has played the tournament since its inception in 2008, will replace L Balaji in the role after the latter decide to take a break for one year due to personal commitments.


In World Athletics: Online abuse during World Championships overwhelmingly directed at female athletes

Online abuse during July’s World Championships in Oregon was overwhelmingly directed at female athletes, with two competitors — a man and a woman — accounting for 40 percent of all abuse detected, World Athletics said on Friday.
In a study conducted during the World Athletics Championships in Eugene to identify and address abusive comments sent to athletes via Twitter and Instagram, findings reveal that sexualised and sexist abuse — overwhelmingly targeted at female athletes — made up over 40 percent of all detected posts.



Nominees announced for Women’s World Athlete of the Year 2022

It has been another memorable year for the sport and the nominations reflect some of the standout performances achieved at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, World Athletics Indoor Championships Belgrade 22, one-day meeting circuits and other events around the world. The opening of the voting process for the 2022 World Athletes of the Year ahead of the World Athletics Awards 2022.
World Athletics is pleased to confirm a list of 10 nominees for Women’s World Athlete of the Year. These athletes were selected by an international panel of athletics experts, comprising representatives from all six continental areas of World Athletics.


Athletics icon PT Usha set to become first woman president of IOA

Legendary sprinter P T Usha is set to become the first woman president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in the sports body’s 95-year-long history. Usha will also be the first Olympian and an international medallist to head the national Olympic committee, which goes to polls on December 10.
The 58-year-old multiple Asian Games gold medallist emerged as the lone candidate to file the nomination for IOA president’s post.


Scary moment for myself’ – Ponting returns to commentary after suffering sharp chest pains

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has returned to work to commentate on the Australia-West Indies Test match in Perth just 24 hours after suffering “sharp pains” in his chest that required him to go to hospital.
Ponting spoke openly and honestly on Saturday morning on Channel Seven about the health scare he suffered on Friday. He was thankful for the quick thinking of close friend and former team-mate Justin Langer and Seven’s head of cricket Chris Jones who urged him to seek immediate treatment after feeling pain in his chest during a commentary stint before lunch on Friday.



Felt Humiliated’: Indian chess Grand Master SL Narayanan after being made to stand barefeet for metal detector check in middle of playing hall

Indian GM SL Narayanan says he “felt humiliated” after he was made to stand barefoot in the middle of a playing hall before his match while playing in the Bundesliga chess league on Sunday.
Arbiter apologised after the detector beeped for another player as well, but a disturbed Narayanan lost the subsequent match.

Suryakumar Yadav, Suryakumar Yadav and Suryakumar Yadav.
His Fearlessness, Shot Selection are Like a Chess Grandmaster’: Ex-Australia Pacer Has ‘No Advice’ for Suryakumar Yadav

India’s campaign at the T20 World Cup 2022 was dented by England with a 10-wicket victory in the semi-finals. But they certainly found a match-winner in Suryakumar Yadav who impressed the entire cricket fraternity with his flamboyant game. The Mumbai batter achieved the top position in the ICC T20 batter’s rankings during the tournament, surpassing Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Rizwan and captain Babar Azam. He amassed 239 runs in six innings during the tournament at a strike rate of 189.68.
Brett Lee seems to be in awe of Suryakumar. The Aussie feels that the dynamic right-hand batter will someday be a major factor in winning a World Cup for the Indian team.