Football: Manchester United sack Van Gaal -- reports

May 23, 2016

London, May 23: Louis van Gaal has been sacked as manager of Manchester United , several British media outlets reported Monday, amid speculation he will be replaced by Jose Mourinho.

VanGaalBoth Van Gaal and leading employment lawyer Paul Gilroy were seen entering United's Carrington training ground on Monday.

Gilroy's clients have included David Moyes, whose sacking as United manager paved the way for Van Gaal's appointment.

There has a yet been no official confirmation from United, 20-times English champions, about the position of Van Gaal, who still has a season remaining on his three-year contract.

But James Ducker, the northern football correspondent of Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper, tweeted Monday: "Paul Gilroy QC finalising Van Gaal's severance package now...£5m pay off. Expect an announcement lunchtime."

The BBC said that United would make a statement about Van Gaal at 1:00pm local time (1200 GMT) Monday.

British media have been awash with reports of Van Gaal's demise, after a leak from an unknown source spread as Manchester United lifted the FA Cup on Saturday.

The Dutchman cryptically commented, "It's over" as he left the squad's Cup final hotel on Sunday, but it was not clear whether he was referring to his tenure or United's season.

The BBC said Van Gaal had not been informed whether he was staying for next season, although it said Saturday's 2-1 win over Palace at Wembley was believed to have been his last game in charge of United.

Van Gaal himself was defiant after Saturday's Cup final.

"I show you the cup and I don't discuss it with my friends of the media, who already sacked me for six months," the 64-year-old said.

"Which manager can do that, what I have done?"

Despite winning their first trophy since the great Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013, Van Gaal's United didn't challenge for the Premier League title and failed to qualify for the Champions League.

Fans were also unhappy with the brand of football their team played under Van Gaal.

United scored just 49 league goals this season, their lowest return for 26 years and many supporters felt Van Gaal's approach ran counter to the club's traditional attacking style.

Mourinho saw his second spell as Chelsea manager end with the sack in December, after last season's champions made a miserable start to the their Premier League title defence.

United captain Wayne Rooney accepted this term's performance had not been good enough by the standards expected at Old Trafford.

"He has been under pressure," Rooney said of Van Gaal. "I think we all have.

"That's part of playing for Manchester United and managing Manchester United -- it is a massive club.

"You have to set standards and we fell below them this season.

"But we have to make sure as players we get back to those standards and make sure we are back challenging for the main trophies."

Meanwhile former United midfielder Ray Wilkins said Mourinho was the man to revitalise the club.

"He (Mourinho) is a winner -- there is no two ways about it," Wilkins, also a former Chelsea assistant manager, told talkSPORT radio on Monday.

"When he goes to a club, normally he wins a big trophy within the first couple of years."

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News Network
January 15,2020

Jan 15: Australia openers David Warner and Aaron Finch both struck superb centuries to complement their bowlers’ inspired display as the touring side handed out a 10-wicket thrashing to India in the opening one-day international in Mumbai.

India, world-ranked No 2 in ODIs, suffered a middle-order collapse on their way to being bundled out for 255 in the final over of their innings after Australia captain Finch won the toss and opted to field in the first of the three-match series.

Warner and Finch then smashed the Indian bowlers to all corners of the ground, picking up boundaries seemingly at will to chase down the target with 74 balls to spare at the Wankhede Stadium.

Left-handed Warner successfully used the decision review system twice to overturn the umpire’s decision on his way to his 18th ODI century, hitting three sixes and 17 fours in his unbeaten knock of 128, from 112 balls. Finch completed his 16th century in the format, his unbeaten innings 110 from 114 features two sixes and 13 fours.

Earlier, Australia’s left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who made his ODI debut in India 10 years ago, picked up three wickets to set up Australia’s victory. He struck the first blow with the new ball when he sent back Rohit Sharma for 10.

India managed to recover from that early loss through a second-wicket stand of 121 between opener Shikhar Dhawan, who top-scored for the hosts with 74, and KL Rahul. However left-arm spinner Ashton Agar broke the stand by dismissing Rahul for 47 before Agar caught Dhawan off Pat Cummins in the next over.

The hosts were hoping for a solid innings from captain Virat Kohli, who batted a position lower than his usual No 3 spot to accommodate Rahul, to get them out of trouble. However, he lasted only 14 balls, hitting leg-spinner Adam Zampa for a six before offering a return catch to the bowler on the very next delivery to be out for 16.

Starc then returned to the attack, removing Shreyas Iyer cheaply as India lost four wickets for 30 runs to be reduced to 164 for five. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja then fell just short of a half-century partnership, before the remaining four wickets falling for 42 runs, with Cummins and fast bowler Kane Richardson picking up two wickets apiece for Australia.

To compound India’s woes, wicketkeeper Pant suffered a concussion after being hit on his helmet by a short-pitched delivery from Cummins. The Indian cricket board said Pant, who did not come out to keep wicket and was replaced behind the stumps by Rahul, was under observation. The two sides will meet in Rajkot for the second ODI on Friday.

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Agencies
January 25,2020

Headingley, Jan 25: England have become the first team in the world to score 500,000 runs in Test cricket. They achieved the feat during the ongoing fourth and final Test against South Africa being played at The Wanderers.

On Friday - the opening day of the Test match -- England captain Joe Root's single through the covers took the Three Lions to a landmark 500,000 run-mark in the longest format of the game. They achieved the feat in their 1022nd Test match.

Australia comes second in the list, with 432,706 runs in 830 Tests. India, meanwhile, are third, with 273,518 runs in 540 Tests, followed by West Indies (270,441 runs in 545 Tests).

In the third Test played at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth, England had become the first team to play 500 Test matches on foreign soil. Australia are the second team to play the most away Test with 404 matches they have played so far.

India have played 268 Tests on foreign soil in which they have won 51, lost 113 and 104 have ended in a draw.

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Agencies
January 16,2020

New Delhi, Jan 16: Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday condoled the demise of India's super cricket fan, 87-year-old Charulata Patel.

"#TeamIndia's Superfan Charulata Patel Ji will always remain in our hearts and her passion for the game will keep motivating us. May her soul rest in peace," BCCI tweeted.

Patel had made herself a household name after turning up for India's matches during the 2019 World Cup.

She went on to storm social media after she was seen cheering for the Men in Blue during their World Cup clash against Bangladesh.

After the match, the entire Indian side went to meet Patel and both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were seen meeting the octogenarian fan.

"I am a very religious person and have so much trust in God. So, when I pray, it comes true and I am saying that India is going to get the World Cup, definitely," Patel had told ANI during the World Cup.

The 87-year old had caught everyone's eyes when she was ardently cheering for the Indian team when they were batting.

Patel had also stated that she was there in the stadium when India lifted their first World Cup, back in 1983, under the leadership of former cricket Kapil Dev.

"I have been there. When they won the World Cup, I was so proud, I started dancing. And today also, I told my granddaughter that when India is going to defeat Bangladesh, I am going to dance," she had said.

"I have been watching cricket for decades. When I was in Africa, I used to watch it, then I came to this country in 1975. Here I had work because of which I did not get time to watch but I used to watch it on TV. But nowadays as I am not working, so I have the interest and I am very lucky that I get a chance to watch cricket," she added. 

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