Angry Algeria coach says Ramazan is matter for players

June 30, 2014

Angry AlgeriaPorto Alegre, Jun 30: Algeria coach Vahid Halilhodzic on Sunday turned on reporters repeatedly asking whether his players are observing Ramazan on the eve of their World Cup clash with Germany.

Germany take on the Algerians in Porto Alegre on Monday in their last 16 clash, but repeated questions about the Muslim month of fasting drew the coach's wrath.

“Stop asking me about Ramazan or I will get up and leave,” fumed the Bosnia-born Halilhodzic as Ramazan started on Saturday.

“When you ask the question, you lack respect and I'd like you to focus on the football and nothing else.

“This is not the first time I coach a team with Muslims, I'm a Muslim myself.

“I have always allowed the players to make their own decision.“

The 61-year-old is riled by criticism from the Algerian press who alleged he had advised his players not to follow Ramazan.

“Unfortunately, I have read some newspapers, and one in particular, who continue to tarnish my image and question my honour and integrity,” he fumed.

“They have called for hatred and aggression against Vahid and his entourage, that's disgusting!“

The clash at Porto Alegre's Beira-Rio Stadium has drawn plenty of questions about the 'Shame of Gijon' which remains a sore point in Algeria, three decades later.

Despite beating West Germany 2-1 in their group games, Algeria was eliminated from the 1982 World Cup after the Germans played out a mutually beneficial 1-0 win over Austria in Gijon.

“No one has forgotten what happened in 1982, the players will be motivated to get their revenge, but the Germans will also be doing everything to get to the quarter-finals,” said Halilhodzic.

A 1-1 draw against Russia in the group stages put Algeria in the knock-out phase and Halilhodzic said his side are dreaming of a place in Friday's quarter-final against either France or Nigeria in Rio de Janeiro.

“We had a lot to lose against Russia, but we have nothing to lose against the Germans,” said Halilhodzic.

“We are living through good times and we want them to continue, we want to go to Rio to at least visit the Copacabana -- that would be nice.

“The Germans are really impressive, they finish very well and are very fit.

“I have talked to the players and tried to get the underdogs feeling out of them.

“We'll prepare for this as if it is the most important match in our careers.

“We will give it our utmost, but we will try and leave this wonderful tournament as well as possible.”

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Agencies
August 1,2020

Colombo, Aug 1: Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has expressed his interest in playing the inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL), scheduled to start from August 28.

Pathan is among 70 foreign players to have shown interest in playing the LPL, ESPNcricinfo reported.

It is believed that Pathan has taken permission from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to take part in the competition. 

BCCI doesn't allow active players to participate in other T20 leagues but Pathan announced his retirement in January this year.

Former swashbuckling all-rounder Yuvraj Singh also played in a foreign league last year. He played for Maratha Arabians in the T10 League in Abu Dhabi.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Pathan will now be put in a player draft unless one of the five franchises choose him to be a marquee player. The details of the draft, and the franchise owners, are yet to be finalised and announced. 

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is also waiting on some government clearances even as it decides on franchise owners. The five franchises will represent Colombo, Kandy, Galle, Dambulla and Jaffna.

On Monday, SLC Executive Committee granted approval for the tournament.

"The 23 match League will be played on the four international venues of R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, Rangiri Dambulu International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium and Suriyawewa Mahinda Rajapakse International Cricket Stadium. Five teams named after the cities of Colombo, Kandy, Galle, Dambulla and Jaffna will participate in the League," SLC said in a statement on Monday.

Sri Lanka has controlled the spread of COVID-19 better than many other cricket-playing nations.

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Agencies
May 9,2020

Tokyo, May 9: As the world continues to grapple with coronavirus pandemic, the organisers of Tokyo Game Show have cancelled 2020 showpiece event.

TGS 2020 was slated to be played from September 24 to September 27 at the Makuhari Messe convention center. However, there now talks going on for holding an online event instead.

According to the Verge, this is the first time that TGS has ever been cancelled since it started in 1996.

TGS 2020 gained more attention because of its status as the last major trade show before the launch of the upcoming next-gen consoles, the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.

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News Network
February 12,2020

Mount Maunganui, Feb 12: India captain Virat Kohli on Tuesday berated his bowlers for their mediocre performance as he tried to explain the team's first ODI series whitewash in over three decades, saying that the visitors lacked composure all through.

The five-wicket defeat here meant that India lost the series 0-3 to an injury-plagued New Zealand that had been deflated by a 0-5 whitewash of its own in the T20 format just last week. It was India's first whitewash in 31 years in an ODI series in which all matches have been played.

"The games were not as bad as the scoreline suggests. It boils down to those chances that we didn't grab. I don't think it was not enough to win games in international cricket," Kohli said in the post-match presentation.

"With the ball, we were not able to make breakthroughs, we were not at all good on the field. We haven't played so badly but when you don't grab those chances, you don't deserve to win," he added.

"Batsmen coming back from tough situations was a positive sign for us, but the way we fielded and bowled, the composure wasn't enough to win games," he asserted.

The ineffectiveness of Indian bowlers can be gauged from the fact that the team's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah finished the series without a wicket and the attack couldn't dismiss the complete rival line-up even once.

Kohli lauded New Zealand for bouncing back after the T20 hammering.

"New Zealand played with lot more intensity. We didn't deserve to win because we did not show enough composure," he said.

The batting mainstay is looking forward to the Test series, which begins on February 21, to make amends for the disappointment.

"I think because of the Test Championship, every match has that more importance. We have a really balanced Test team and we feel we can win the series here, but we need to step on to the park with the right kind of mindset," he said.

His opposite number Kane Williamson, who missed the first two games due to injury, was lavish in his praise for the home team's grit.

"An outstanding performance, very clinical. India put us under pressure, but the way the guys fought back with the ball and kept them to a par total. The cricket in the second half was outstanding to see," he said referring to the side's effortless chase of a 297-run target.

"We know how good they (India) are at all formats but for us the clarity about the roles the guys had was the most important thing. Outstanding effort against a brilliant India side," he added.

Player of the Match Henry Nicholls, who scored 80 on Tuesday, said his team benefitted from good batting starts during the series.

"To come back and win 3-0 after the T20Is is nice. The way (Martin) Guptill played today allowed us to get ahead. We got a 100-run stand, but we were fortunate enough to get good starts this series," he said.

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