After his last over heroics, Pakistan's newest star received widespread acclaim

On Wednesday in Karachi, Pakistan's T20I debutant Aamir Jamal bowled a stunning final that helped his team secure a close six-run victory over England in the match.

Jamal, a 26-year-old rookie international bowler, was given the responsibility of bowling the final over of the match by Pakistan captain Babar Azam. Despite facing off against England's stand-in captain Moeen Ali, Jamal kept his cool and defended 15 runs.

Jamal's wide yorker was spot on, as Moeen was held to just eight runs off his final six deliveries. Pakistan took a 3-2 lead in the seven-game series.

Jamal's heroics in the last over were crucial to the win, as the hosts' score of 145 was the lowest total ever defended by any side in a T20I in Pakistan.

Moeen was entirely complimentary of the bowling all-rounder who took 1/13 off of two overs and thinks the youngster has a bright future in the sport.

Moeen commented after the game, "It was a very good last over and you can't take anything away from him."

The only thing I could think about was that he would miss the wide yorker like the one I caught (and hit for six on the third delivery of the final over).

He bowled effectively, especially considering the conditions (wet ball, ball potentially out of shape, him making his debut and scared).

On Friday, the sixth and penultimate game of the series will be played in Lahore, with the series finale taking place on Sunday at the exact location.

After facing India at the MCG in Melbourne on October 23, Pakistan will play two more games in Australia before heading to New Zealand for four more warm-up matches before the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

Pakistan is unlikely to use youngsters in England series

The Men in Green won a nail-biting fourth T20 International on the Karachi leg of the historic series between Pakistan and England, bringing the series score to 2-2.

The series' next three games will be played at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, with both nations hoping to win to improve confidence before next month's Twenty20 World Cup in Australia.

Shadab Khan and Naseem Shah are expected to be added to the starting eleven as Babar Azam tries to establish the best lineup for the remainder of the series.

It has been agreed that Pakistan should go all out and with the best available combination for the remaining three matches versus England," a team management official stated in a statement before the fifth game.

To be clear, Naseem Shah only played in the Karachi leg once, while Shadab Khan missed all four games owing to an injury he got in the Asia Cup 2022 final, but both are expected to play in the fifth game.

A team official commented on Shadab's fitness, saying that despite his fitness improvement a week ago, the team decided to rest him more to have him at optimum performance for the upcoming New Zealand and the T20 World Cup.

If the Men in Green win both of their Lahore matches, several young players, including backup wicket-keeper Mohammad Haris, will play in the seventh and final Twenty20 International.

It would have been great to see some new faces like Aamer Jamal and Abrar Ahmed in this series, but I don't think that will happen.

Rauf arouses the animal instincts of Karachians with his lightning speed

He didn't bother with the clever changes and deft touches that are staples of twenty-over bowling nowadays.

Mohammad Hasnain has the raw pace and ability to be a Pakistani fast bowler. Still, somewhere along the highly guarded state secret that is the Pakistan pace-bowling production line, enthusiastic confidence was forgotten in favour of a delicate vulnerability.

Hasnain had been his team's lone bright spot all day, but he eventually buckled under the pressure of defending a total they had no business protecting. Hasnain's self-doubt seemed to grow with each boundary Liam Dawson smashed, the young quick's assurance taking a hammering as Dawson pounded madly away. By the time the over ended, Hasnain, who looked both like the happiest child in the world and like someone on the point of being overwhelmed, was punch-drunk, and Pakistan was on the brink of defeat.

The 22-year-old possesses the most contagious smile in Pakistani cricket, but he didn't even bother to lift his head as he stumbled towards the midwicket boundary. Hasnain had England on the ropes in the powerplay earlier that night, and Karachi was aglow with his brilliance. As early as the 16th over, he was so sure of himself that he threw six consecutive yorkers, four of them to the same hitter who had just ripped him apart. A second man marked his run-up as he stepped onto the boundary rope and kept his gaze firmly on the ground.

Nothing went wrong on the assembly line the day they made Haris Rauf; he may have gotten some of Hasnain's outgoing personality and self-assurance. England seems to have come out of nowhere and is now in a position to steal a game they have no business in. It only took one over for Pakistan to move from joy to despair. However, Rauf speaks for the Lahore Qalandars, so he is familiar with that sentiment.

Babar Azam has buried his head in his hands to express his disbelief. As a native of Lahore, many locals hoped he'd be drafted by the Qalandars of the Pakistan Super League to play in the team's home stadium. Given recent developments, it's hard to imagine that happening anytime soon. But now, he has a small taste of what life will be like outside of Karachi if he decides to make a move.

Rauf has simplified the issue to its most straightforward equation. There is a batter and a bowler; if the bowler can match the batter's speed, the batter's stumps will be knocked over.

Rauf's look could mean that he is at ease with the seemingly complex task he has been given or that he has no idea what he is doing. Rauf's emotional ambivalence is evident most clearly when he is put in a difficult situation. Early in his career, he was thought to have "bottled it" when things didn't go his way, and he was accused of lacking situational awareness. He'd been given a hospital pass and ordered to pull off a legendary theft.

When Dawson hits what appears to be a slower, shorter ball over midwicket for four, reducing the required rate to five of ten, that door appears to be firmly shut. Commentator Mark Butcher says of Dawson, "always the bridesmaid, never the bride," maybe convinced that he, too, had finally made it to centre stage. Pakistan may be playing in their 200th Twenty20 International. However, it appears they comprehend this format less than any other side on days like today.

Having watched the ball hit the ground, Rauf charges in and repeats his previous delivery. However, this time he has done away with the crafty variations and deft sleights of hand that are essential to twenty-over bowling nowadays. He sprinted like he could have while playing gully cricket in Rawalpindi's alleys or during his tryout for the Lahore Qalandars' Pace Development Programme, propelling him into the limelight. Rauf's strengths and preferences lay in this style of cricket. He was Pakistani, and Pakistanis were known for their fast bowling.

Dawson is caught off guard by the fast pace and little width of the delivery, and he pulls weakly into the inside, where Mohammad Haris catch it in the middle of the park. It's a tiny window of opportunity for Pakistan, but Rauf has apparently escaped the constraints of the situation and is now acting as if from some other dimension. As he waits menacingly at the bottom of his run-up as rookie Olly Stone stands guard, he appears unconcerned with the context in which he finds himself. Stone isn't exceptionally skilled in this area, but Rauf is.

Rauf has simplified the issue to its most straightforward equation. In cricket, there is a batsman and a bowler; if the ball is thrown at a high enough speed, the bowler will outpace the batter and knock over the batter's batting stumps. In the imagination of a bowler, this is the first dismissal they can imagine and the one that gives them the most primal thrill. Rauf's current state of mind has awakened the animal nature of every Karachiite.

It moves quickly, quite quickly. Stone hardly has time to finish his backlift before the ball whizzes past the outside edge and crashes into off stump. Haris walks confidently to his captain at short cover, knowing that the ball will rebound away to deep third. The following delivery is on his mind, along with the unfortunate Reece Topley.

The Dawson boundary seems like ages ago, and England is still five runs away. This is moot in the heady present as Rauf seeks a hat trick, the only acceptable conclusion to the match in his and Karachi's eyes. Topley's ankles take a direct hit as the ball is thrown down at 156 kilometres per hour. Even though it's falling, he has no control over Rauf's review.

The Hawk-Eye reveals that it went missing and was pitched outside leg, leaving Adil Rashid with only one ball to utilise as protection from the blow. England is four runs down, but a bat to a ball blasted down at 155 kph looks impossible.

They are doomed to fail in their goal. They opted to go for a single with two balls remaining, but Pakistan ended up eliminating them from the game. The arrival of Rauf has thrown them off balance.

As a clump forms in the circle's centre, Hasnain charges in from the perimeter. This time, the person's head is up, and their gleaming, contagious grin is fully displayed. Rauf could perform no Houdini trick without his initial burst of speed. In any case, he has no problem with Rauf stealing the show. To which Haris Rauf responds by basking in the glory.

Federer retires from tennis in tears after losing the Laver Cup

Despite not receiving a happy finale to his tennis career, Roger Federer calls it a "wonderful voyage."

Switzerland's During an interview following his final match doubles match with Rafael Nadal of Spain for Team Europe versus Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe of the United States for Team World in the 2022 Laver Cup at the O2 Arena in London early on September 24, 2022, Roger Federer sheds a tear. — AFP

LONDON: Roger Federer said of his tennis career, "It's been a beautiful ride," despite not having the fairytale conclusion he had hoped for after losing in the Laver Cup doubles with Rafael Nadal early on Saturday morning.

After announcing his retirement last week at 41 due to a knee ailment, the 20-time Grand Slam winner last played in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in 2021.

Although he had been sidelined for a long time due to injury, the Swiss showed flashes of his old smooth self in the match against Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock of Team World at London's O2 venue.

The two former world number ones, playing alongside longtime friend and adversary Nadal, won the first set to the ecstatic cheers of a vibrant, hostile audience, but the Americans came back to win in three sets, 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 11-9.

As a result, after the first day of the Ryder Cup-style competition, Team Europe and Team World were tied at 2-2.

"Isn't it true that we'll make it through this? Right?" Federer stated in a choked-up farewell on the court after the match.

"I don't feel any sadness; rather, I feel joy. Having arrived, I took pleasure in fastening my shoes for the final time. It was like the very last time. Really, I couldn't be more pleased with how the match turned out. Amazing, truly."

A heartfelt "Thank You."

Throughout their nearly two-decade-long rivalry, Federer and Nadal, now 36 and from Spain respectively, have won a combined 42 Grand Slam singles titles, ushering in a golden age for the men's game.

The match began late on Friday and was a fitting send-off for Federer, who started his professional career over 25 years ago.

The crowd went wild when the Swiss tremendous and Nadal walked out onto the black court in blue shirts, white shorts, and matching white headbands.

Amid chants of "Let's go, Roger, let's go!" at 3-3, both doubles teams served very well to start the match.

After ten games, Federer and Nadal finally had their first break point, and they took full advantage by winning the opening set when Sock missed a backhand.

The Americans won relatively quickly when the second set went to a tie-break, bringing the score to a stalemate.

In the early hours of September 24, 2022, at the O2 Arena in London, Roger Federer of Switzerland does a lap of honor after playing his final match, doubles match for Team Europe with Rafael Nadal of Spain against Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe of the United States on behalf of Team World in the 2022 Laver Cup. — AFP

In a nail-biting tie-break match, Tiafoe and Sock eventually prevailed after Federer failed to serve for the victory at 9-8.

The Swiss teammate hugged and congratulated Nadal, and the player waved to the fans.

Federer thanked everyone, including his parents, wife Mirka, and their four children, for the opportunity to play on the same team as Rafael Nadal.

He says, "It does feel like a celebration to me." "This is precisely how I anticipated feeling at the conclusion, so thank you. A fantastic trip; I wish I could do it again."

Nadal, who was similarly overcome with emotion, admitted that he had struggled to deal with the event's significance.

The Spaniard reflected on their time together, saying, "For me, it has been a big honour to be a part of this amazing moment in the history of our sport and at the same time a lot of years sharing a lot of things together."

Having Roger leave the tour is like having a big part of my life and departing with him.

Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, two of the men's "Big Four," are also on Team Europe.

The 'vacuum' left by Federer.

Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer has decided not to play any singles matches this weekend, and Italian player Matteo Berrettini will fill in for him as an alternate.

Europe, who have won the last four Laver Cups, are up 2-0 following the first day of play in London, with victories from Casper Ruud of Norway and Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece.

Tsitsipas beat Diego Schwartzman of Argentina 6-2, 6-1, despite an on-court protest by a man who set his arm on fire to protest the usage of private aircraft.

Even though Federer was the main attraction, everyone watched Murray's grueling 5-7, 6-3, 10-7 loss to Alex de Minaur in the evening session.

Roger Federer (R) and Rafael Nadal (L), representing Team Europe, exchange signals during the 2022 Laver Cup men's doubles match in London's O2 Arena on September 23, 2022. Reuters

The Swiss player retired 19 years after winning Wimbledon in 2003.

He leaves the game with a men's record of eight Wimbledon wins, 103 titles, and more than $130 million in prize money, all winning with grace and accuracy to his truly unparalleled playing.

Even though Nadal (22) and Djokovic (21) have won more Grand Slams than Federer, Team World captain John McEnroe remarked that Federer's retirement will create "a hole that will never be replaced."

 

Moeen Ali admits England may make 'few adjustments for the next T20I.

England may be trying to rework their offensive and get back on track, so Olly Stone and Tom Helm might make their national team debut.

The English team is trying to manage their roster through seven games in 13 days, so they plan to make "a handful of changes" for Friday night's third Twenty20 International against Pakistan in Karachi.

After Richard Gleeson departed the field in the first T20I with "some minor pain," they were forced to replace him with Liam Dawson for Thursday's ten-wicket loss. However, they are likely to make more lineup changes for the series' third game.

In the second T20I, England used three left-arm seamers and three spinners, but they may attempt to switch up their attack with the addition of Olly Stone and Tom Helm. Luke Wood's second international debut was far more challenging than his first, while David Willey has struggled in this series, giving up 85 runs in 7.3 wicketless overs.

"There will be a handful of changes tomorrow, with guys coming back," England captain Moeen Ali said. "We haven't decided who just yet, but we need to think of creative solutions to obtain wickets. The most critical factor in a game is not how many runs you score but how many doors you take.

"To my mind, we bowled quite competently. Today, Dawson was outstanding and delivered four excellent overs. But I felt like we could have accomplished much more. Not a single person delivered a true bouncer, and we missed some opportunities to go better. In any case, we may take the necessary lessons from that."

Moeen said that Will Jacks, one of two fit hitters sidelined in the first two games along with his Oval Invincibles teammate Jordan Cox, will have to wait his turn before being included in England's bowling attack adjustments.

Moeen promised that everyone would get a shot at it eventually. "You shouldn't just give out games because of their popularity. They have to prove themselves worthy of being there. Alex Hales has entered the competition, Phil Salt is batting leadoff, and Jos Buttler has yet to join. Someone of the caliber of Will Jacks will have to wait.

"Everybody in England knows he's a fantastic player, so I have no doubt you'll get to watch him play at some point during this tour. We have a lot of people returning from injuries, so we're going to switch things up a bit over the course of these next five games."

Chris Woakes and Mark Wood, who have both bowled with solid pace in training and pre-match warm-ups, are not anticipated to participate until the Lahore leg of the tour. At the same time, Reece Topley may also come into contention as England tries to ease him back from an ankle niggle.

First MotoGP race in Japan since COVID promises to heat the championship race.

Enea Bastianini, Francesco Bagnaia, and Aleix Espargaro at Aragon

Tochigi, MOTEGI....... After world champion Fabio Quartararo's crash in Aragon, which opened up the championship race with five races, the exciting MotoGP season proceeds to Japan this weekend.

Frenchman's advantage is still at 10 points, but it has been cut in half by Francesco Bagnaia of Italy and Aleix Espargaro of Spain.

Before last weekend's race in Aragon, Spain, when Yamaha's Quartararo made a stunning and painful first-lap withdrawal after clipping the Honda of six-time world champion Marc Marquez, Ducati rider Bagnaia had ratcheted up the pressure by winning four consecutive races.

While Enea Bastianini's last-lap pass prevented Bagnaia from winning for the sixth time in a row, the Italian's second-place finish was enough to put pressure on the shaky Quartararo and give him the upper hand in the future.

The 25-year-old Bagnaia, seeking his first MotoGP world championship, said, "I gave my all, and I would want to have another fight in Japan."

The Italian added that he would have been satisfied with second place and the 20 points it would have earned him rather than risking it all to try and win the race and gain 25 points.

Motegi will host the first MotoGP race in Japan since the epidemic, and only 17 points separate the top three riders.

Despite being 48 points behind Quartararo, Bastianini is still in the championship hunt.

However, Bagnaia is uncomfortable with discussions of titles.

Our relationship has deepened, and we can talk more openly about the championship now that we're closer, but he didn't want to. "For the remainder of the tournament, I'd like to spend more weekends in Japan.

I know how much potential we have, but it's been three years since we last visited there, so I expect the beginning to be complicated.

While Aprilia Racing's Pol Espargaro is excited to contend for the MotoGP world title, teammate Francesco Bagnaia is more reserved.

After finishing third in Aragon, 33-year-old stated, "The championship is getting really hot." He was trailing Ducati's Bastianini and Bagnaia.

Bagnaia is "today riding better than us," in his opinion, and hence the guy to defeat.

Neither Fabio nor I will have it easy, as he has the most fantastic bike and is racing at an extremely high level, according to Espargaro. "However, anything can happen in MotoGP.

Now we're headed to weird circuits distant from Europe, where the weather and surface conditions will inevitably affect tire grip.

The next stop on tour is in Japan on Sunday; then it's off to Thailand, Australia, and Malaysia before the season finale in Valencia, Spain.

Despite being "sore" from his collision and friction burns from sliding across the Aragon track, Quartararo must resume his world title defense at Motegi.

Photos of the 23-year-old show him with multiple huge bandages covering his chest, yet he appears to be in good spirits despite the ordeal.

He told the press, "Japan is a track I enjoy." "Despite the high rate of acceleration, I think Japan could be a fantastic track for us due to the high rate of braking. That's where we really shine."

 British High Commissioner Christian Turner on the Pak vs. Eng series: "I couldn't be happier."

The envoy wears a hybrid England–Pakistan jersey to show his allegiance to both teams.

Christian Turner, the British High Commissioner in Pakistan, is sporting a jersey showing his support for the England and Pakistan teams in the current Twenty20 International series. — Twitter/@CTurnerFCDO

Karachi: Christian Turner, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, has been in Pakistan since before the England team's tour and has said he has been waiting for it.

On the eve of the 1ST Twenty20 International between Pakistan and England at the National Stadium Karachi, Turner said in an exclusive interview with Geo. tv that he believed cricket would bring people together after the recent hardships experienced by both countries.

Seventeen years together, and I haven't been happier. On the eve of the inaugural Twenty20 International between Pakistan and England at the National Stadium Karachi, Turner stated cricket would bring people together after recent struggles.

I'm happy after 17 years together. After three years of effort, we have been waiting. It's been three years since I first came to Pakistan, and I've never stopped saying that I can't wait to get them back. Many people made it happen. The PCB and ECB deserve appreciation for their work. "I couldn't be happier for both countries today," he said regarding this series.

.Both countries have had terrible weeks. All proceeds from tonight's game will go toward Pakistan flood relief. That's big. Also, the United Kingdom lost its monarch with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. The ambassador continued, "So I truly hope tonight's game gives everyone a great lift."

According to the British High Commissioner, the England team's choice to give Pakistan flood relief conveys a message of unity and proves that cricket brings people together across borders.

Cricket helps us bond. "We're genuinely united now, which is difficult between Pakistan and the UK," he remarked.

Turner was dismayed that England canceled Pakistan's tour last year.

He said it was his responsibility to assemble the tour's organizers.

Ramiz Raja and his Pakistan board team have done an excellent job of laying the groundwork for this. The English version of the board includes two more games. Seven Twenty20 Internationals have been played so far. He added, "The next ten days are going to be quite busy with the World Cup and then coming back for the test."

The diplomat has high hopes for the cricket matches between Pakistan and England in the series.

Either Pakistan or England might win the series by several games. Not until the very last game is played. This competition promises to be exciting. There is a lot of talent on both sides. Both sides have suffered a few wounds. The pitches are solid, in my opinion. I can't wait until the spinners go on tonight to see what happens," he stated.

When asked which team he backs, Tuner pointed to his shirt, which bore the flags of both England and Pakistan.

"That's a very interesting query. Please allow me to demonstrate. Yes, of course. For the unlikely event that Pakistan actually does well, I also have a few England shirts on hand. I work as a diplomat. I'm safe in either case," he said.

 Why Pakistan and England are playing the most extended T20I series in history: seven games in thirteen days.

This prolonged meeting was caused by Covid-19 and the postponed tour from 2017.

The first of seven (count 'em) matches spread across the next 13 days will begin on Tuesday night at Karachi's National Stadium, marking the beginning of England's long-awaited T20 international series in Pakistan.

It will be the most extended T20 international series ever played between full-member countries and the most extended bilateral T20 series ever played. The only other full-member T20I series of more than five games was between India and South Africa's women in October 2019, when a sixth T20I was added after rain washed out the second and third. In November 2019, Malawi hosted Mozambique for seven men's and seven women's T20Is.

This series was initially scheduled to consist of five ODIs before the World Cup in India in February-March 2023; however, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 T20 World Cup has been pushed back to October-November 2022, and the 50-over World Cup has been made back to October-November 2023.

Even though the men's squad was only scheduled to play two T20Is in Lahore during a four-day layover en route to the T20 World Cup last year, the ECB abruptly canceled the tour out of concern for the players' mental and physical well-being.

When PCB chair Ramiz Raja suggested Pakistan had been "used and binned" by cricket's "Western Bloc," ECB chief executive Tom Harrison and deputy chair Martin Darlow flew to Lahore in November 2021 to explain the circumstances of their withdrawal.

Both nations will rotate their squads to keep their top players fresh for the T20 World Cup next month, which was agreed upon by the boards during the trip. This series will now consist of four Twenty20 Internationals.

Jos Buttler, who will not be eligible to play again until the Lahore leg of the trip, stated, "Seven games will be a test." Some of them are consecutive, so we'll need to manage our roster carefully. We need to take care of a few bowlers. We have to put them out there and get them in fighting shape, but we can't afford to take any unnecessary chances.

As England's coach, Matthew Mott, said: "Initially, I thought seven games over here would be a lot, but I think it will play into our favor. In this series, we can play several games for the returning players and watch how different players perform under pressure.

In addition to the seven scheduled games, the two sides will play an official ICC warm-up match at the Gabba on October 17.

 Naseem makes me think of myself: Shaun Tait.

Islamabad: Shaun Tait, Pakistan's bowling coach, hailed 19-year-old pacer Naseem Shah, saying he reminded him of himself when he was younger but less educated.

For all his talent as a cricketer, Naseem Shah sometimes makes me think of myself when I was his age. He has an independent streak in him. However, I did not have his level of intelligence at his age. When questioned about Naseem's performance against India in the first match of the T20 Asia Cup, Shaun Tait stated, "I believe you've all seen his natural ability and skill with the new ball, which is outstanding." This was said during a press conference here on Saturday.

The ex-Australian pacer had similar things about Pakistan's speed battery: "Pakistan fast bowlers have their inherent abilities. They prefer to keep things basic, yet they are incredibly talented and creative. That's why it's so easy for them to do; it's a habit.

The bowling coach sees recent improvements by Haris Rauf as a positive indicator for the squad and thinks he checks all the right boxes. He just talked with Haris about maintaining a steady tempo, which he believes pleased his coach. The only consistency has been discussed so far. How to keep things steady is what we focus on. Since Haris already has speed and aggression, we usually focus on the importance of maintaining a steady demeanour. We focused on his death bowling, and he progressed in the T20 Asia Cup, as you mentioned.

While he was uncertain about Shaheen Shah's condition, he was hopeful that he would recover. The truth is that I don't know very lot about Shaheen. The bowling coach, who was sick yesterday and had to miss practice, reported that his player was doing fine.

In response to a query on the upcoming Pakistan-England series, Tait stated that he expects the pitches used in the upcoming seven-match series, which begins on September 20th, to be the type that is "quite excellent for wickets."

"PROUD TO LEAD," SAYS MOEEN ALI

T20 ENGLAND VS T20 PAKISTAN

Sunday, England's all-rounder Moeen Ali said it was an honour to lead his team against Pakistan, where his family has deep ties.

Moeen Ali, a native of Birmingham, has captained England in T20s previously, but he recognises that this tour is unique. When asked about leading England in such a monumental series, Ali said, "Obviously, with my roots coming from here and to lead England in such a major series, a historic series is a massive and proud occasion." Everyone I love and respect, including my parents, extended family, friends, and town's people, are very proud of me. Taking the helm and representing England on the field is a tremendous honour.

Ali spent a portion of his childhood in Mirpur in Azad Kashmir, where his paternal grandpa came from. There is concern that Buttler, injured at last month's The Hundred tournament, would miss the entirety of the Pakistan series. I don't know (whether or when Buttler will play), he's being cautious, but he might get in a couple of games towards the trip's conclusion.

The World Cup is our priority, so we are not taking any chances with his health. When asked about the absences of Liam Livingstone, Chris Jordan, and Ben Stokes, Ali said England's young side should not be underestimated since they are a very excellent white-ball side.

 Saul "Canelo" Alvarez Wins Final Fight of Trilogy Against Gennady Golovkin.

With scores of 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113, the judges all sided with Alvarez to keep his titles. The 40-year-old Golovkin, the current undisputed middleweight champion, was no match for Alvarez, who won his second consecutive fight against him.

On Saturday night in Las Vegas, Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez defeated Gennady Golovkin for a third time to retain his undisputed super middleweight world title, ending their acrimonious rivalry.

The 40-year-old Golovkin, the current undisputed middleweight champion, had a hard time keeping up with Alvarez's high level of activity and work rate, and Alvarez easily won their rematch.

Both of their previous middleweight title fights took place in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena in 2017 and 2018, with the first bout ending in a controversial draw and Alvarez winning the second fight through a split decision.

Neither of those thrilling fights was replicated here, as Alvarez dominated with superior hand speed and maintained control of the center of the ring for most of the bout.

Following his second career loss in his previous fight against WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol in May, the 32-year-triumph old's was a triumphant return to form.

Golovkin was outclassed for the opening two-thirds of the fight, but he finally came alive in the ninth round, stunning the champion with a left hook and significantly upping his output.

With scores of 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113, Alvarez retained his championships and cast serious doubt on Golovkin's future in boxing.

 Sri Lanka is keeping its Asia Cup team intact for the World T20.

Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Kumara will lead the team for Sri Lanka's T20 World Cup. The side had previously surprised everyone by winning the Asia Cup.

Matheesha Pathirana and Asitha Fernando, who both made their debuts in the Dubai competition last month, were cut from the initial 15-man roster to make place for the more seasoned pair.

Both Chameera and Kumara are coming back from injuries. Thus their participation is contingent on their health.

On standby for the competition beginning on October 16 in Australia are Ashen Bandara and Praveen Jayawickrama.

Political upheaval prevented Sri Lanka from hosting the Asia Cup.

They lost their opening game but beat Pakistan by 23 runs on Sunday to win.

Dasun Shanaka (captain), Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan.

 Graham Potter is experiencing new problems with Chelsea because of the Thiago Silva issue.

As Thiago Silva continues to see playing time for Chelsea, former Brighton manager Graham Potter will face a new defensive conundrum.

While Graham Potter lucked out in his first game as Chelsea manager by having an almost entirely functional squad against RB Salzburg, there were omens of the elevated management challenges he will face.

Mateo Kovacic's return to fitness bolstered the midfield, and N'Golo Kante's absence from the outfield was the only notable absence. It allowed Potter to put into action the widely shared early ideas for his Chelsea plan, but it only took one scary incident to bring him back to reality.

While Potter's decision to switch things up in the middle and with Raheem Sterling proved effective, the fact that Thiago Silva made a costly error was a negative aspect of the game. The genuine concern is not that he made a mistake (such plays are rare enough that they might have been stopped even after his terrible sliding tackle), but rather what it could signal for the future.

Silva and his management will get more complicated if, as former player Scott Minto indicates, the error was due to tired legs.

In a talkSPORT interview, Minto stated, "the point of it all... We've spoken in glowing terms about Thiago Silva before. Why are you plunging in headfirst? He rarely takes risks like that. Perhaps I'm just too sleepy to figure it out. He hurls himself in when he didn't have to."

Even though it's highly unusual for a player of Silva's caliber to make a mistake, Potter may have to rethink how often he plays Silva, who will turn 38 the week after next.

Due to Thomas Tuchel's strategic decision-making, he played 32 times in the league last season. Still, Potter has never dealt with an aging player as crucial as Silva or the international repercussions of losing him.

Since he started 14 of Brazil's 20 games last year and was on the roster for all but one, Tite does not need to change his starting lineup for the upcoming winter World Cup. This may have given Chelsea hope that they wouldn't need him for the remaining two pre-tournament-friendly matches.

Unfortunately, Tite included the 107-cap Silva in his team for the forthcoming games against Ghana and Tunisia.

Neymar, Fabinho, Richarlison, and Allison are all part of a group that includes some experimentation but also lacks three Arsenal stars missing in action (Gabriel Jesus appears to have been rested). There is a chance that Silva's presence would be too much for Chelsea to handle, with his advanced age and prowess at pregame preparation.

With any luck, Silva will be acceptable to play for the Blues again on October 1 against Crystal Palace. With Cesar Azpilicueta and Kalidou Koulibaly also over 30 and requiring game management, Potter has a massive task on his hands to keep a group of players fit for more matches in a situation he has yet to encounter at this level, and this won't diminish the number of air miles that will be in his legs.

 Venus Williams pressured Serena to return to tennis, she says.

The renowned tennis player would not rule out returning to the courts shortly.

Earlier on Wednesday, Serena Williams explored the prospect of her return to professional tennis, just days after announcing the end of her long career in the WTA.

Williams's sad retirement announcement at the U.S. Open last year capped a career in which she won 23 Grand Slam trophies, second only to Margaret Court's 24.

Will Serena Williams return to professional tennis?

Serena Williams, however, has started to open the idea of a return to the courts and correctly invoked Tom Brady to explain why this option might become a reality.

You never know," Williams remarked. I was telling someone how "I think Tom Brady launched a fantastic trend,"

Serena Williams and Tom Brady have had successful careers spanning over two decades, and the two have expressed affection and respect for one another. However, according to Williams, the lady who has had an even longer career is the one who is truly to blame for trying to make her regret it.

Serena Williams was under intense pressure from Venus Williams to

Serena Williams added, "She (Venus Williams) is not done yet." "I'm just being honest.... She's playing me, and I'm not playing along."

Serena is optimistic that her love of tennis will continue after she puts up her racquet. The Williams sisters lost in the U.S. Open doubles first round.

Serena Williams has stated, "Tennis has given me so much, and I feel like there's no way that I don't want to be engaged in tennis anyway in the future." "I'm not sure what that engagement will be just yet, but I do know that I adore sports, the game, and everything associated with them. Because it has brought so much joy into my life, I feel compelled to continue participating in some capacity."

 Cricket and netball victories provide joy to Sri Lanka's crisis-stricken nation.

Since the island nation is experiencing power outages and shortages of food, fuel, and medicine, the spectacle provided a welcome diversion for many Sri Lankans.

Sri Lanka's Twenty20 cricket team arrives in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sept. 13, 2022. (Eranga Jayawardena/AP)

In recent months, Sri Lanka's capital city, Colombo, has seen record numbers as anger over the country's economic collapse sparked protests that ultimately toppled a political dynasty.

On Tuesday, crowds gathered once again in Colombo, but this time they were celebrating two separate sporting victories rather than protesting corruption.

On Sunday, Sri Lanka's men's cricket team defeated Pakistan in the final of the Asia Cup, the shortest version of the game, to win the tournament for the first time in eight years. Almost no one foresaw such a result from a match moved from Sri Lanka to the UAE owing to political and economic upheaval.

2022 anti-government protest in Colombo, Sri Lanka. On Sept. 13, 2022, crowds returned to Colombo to celebrate twin sporting victories. (NYT/Atul Loke)

On Sunday in Singapore, Sri Lanka's women's netball team won the Asia Cup. Netball, like cricket, was brought to South Asia by British colonials.

The victorious teams waved from open-top buses as they were surrounded by adoring fans during a procession at the Colombo international airport early on Tuesday morning. As the island nation struggles with power outages and shortages of food, fuel, and medication, the spectacle provided a welcome diversion for many Sri Lankans.

As cricket writer and author of "Upon a Sleepless Isle: Travels in Sri Lanka by Bus, Cycle, and Trishaw," Andrew Fidel Fernando put it: "There's a tremendous crisis ripping through homes all over the nation at the moment, and political divides have intensified as well."

He wrote, "In that light, it's hard to overestimate the importance of sporting accomplishment." Many people experience a sense of pride in their nation for a short period, bringing people together for a little while of happiness.

Jeffrey Vandersay kisses the Asia Cup 2022 trophy while riding on an open bus in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sept. 13, 2022. (Eranga Jayawardena/AP)

Months of protests against an entrenched political class that bankrupted Sri Lanka led to the country's president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, resigning in July and fleeing the country on a military plane. We're closer to normalcy, but essentials are still scarce.

Sri Lanka and the IMF agreed last month on a $3 billion rescue package. The IMF's executive board must also approve. A few days later, the deposed president Rajapaksa returned home, demonstrating that his family still holds significant sway in the country's politics.

In a country where cricket has been respected for decades, the current success of the men's team without a marquee player is surprising.

In particular, the team beat the number one rated team in the world, Australia, at home in a five-day test match in July. Some protesters surrounded the stadium in the southern city of Galle on the second day of that five-day match, while others stormed Rajapaksa's home in Colombo. Days later, he would resign, run away to the Maldives, and send his resignation by email from Singapore.

After their victory over Australia, some fans started to believe that the men's squad, who many in the country feel to be politically affiliated with their cause, actually had a shot at winning this month's T20 Asian championship. Yet, that optimism was met with formidable headwinds in the shape of sports analytics that favoured more challenging opponents, especially India and Pakistan.

Martha De Silva, the 29-year-old head of sales and marketing of a Sri Lankan company that owns luxury homes and is an avid cricket fan, said, "We were the extreme underdogs going in." Everyone had given up on us.

Sri Lanka lost their tournament's opening match to Afghanistan, a lower-ranked cricket side.

A thought crossed my mind: "If Afghanistan is treating us this badly, what are India and Pakistan going to do to us?" On Monday, cricket analyst Mark Machado said this in a podcast on Sri Lankan cricket. If we lose to Bangladesh, it's possible that we won't even get to play them.

Fernando's "energetic, virtually without exception" fielding helped the side beat Bangladesh and upset India and Pakistan.

Sri Lanka's women's netball team has continuously been rated in the top three of their region. Thus their win at the Asia Cup was not a surprise, according to Estelle Vasudevan of ThePapare.com.

Even yet, Vasudevan emphasized the significance of that win given the team's limited financial resources to support its players in the face of power outages and fuel shortages. She also noted that many more people in Sri Lanka noticed it because it occurred around the same time as the men's cricket victory.

Hiruni Kasturiarachchi, a 28-year-old lawyer and former member of Sri Lanka's under-19 national netball team, expressed hope that the women's Asia Cup would draw attention to a sport that most Sri Lankans were generally "not so keen on," adding that significant victories of any kind, in any sport, were welcome at this juncture in the country's history.

She explained that the gloomy mood was widespread due to the current predicament. Sports victories are indeed often a bright spot in otherwise dreary situations.