Give Messi time to decide Argentina future: Saviola

Agencies
September 28, 2018

Kolkata, Sept 28: Former Argentina forward Javier Saviola said Lionel Messi should not be hauled up for their World Cup exit and given ample time to decide on his international career.

"We all know Argentina didn't perform as expected in the last World Cup. But I think we should just let Messi be. Just let him relax. He will need time to decide whether he wants to play with Argentina," said Saviola on Thursday.

"Hopefully, he will come back but if it is otherwise, it will be his personal choice," said the 2004 Olympic champion, who shared a World Cup campaign with Messi in 2006.

Messi had decided to retire from international duty following a defeat against Chile in the 2016 Copa America final, leaving the world shocked. After being coaxed back into the Argentina set-up, Messi carried the national team on his shoulders to qualify for the World Cup this year.

But Argentina were knocked out of the World Cup after losing 3-4 to eventual champions France in a last 16 match.

Saviola, who is here as part of Barcelona Legends' team which will play an exhibition match against Mohun Bagan on Friday, hoped Argentina will play like a 'real team' the next time they take the ground.

"Argentina have a lot of talented players who play for the best clubs in the world but to do well at a major competition you need to be a real team," Saviola said.

"I hope the next time we play a tournament we will be a team and not a collection of individuals. Only then, will we be in a position we deserve."

The 36-year-old, who shared the Barcelona changing room with Messi from 2001-07, will team up with the likes of Brazlians Edmilson and Juliano Belletti, both World Cup winners in 2002, Portuguese star Simao Sabrosa and Finland's Jari Littmanen in the match at the Saltlake Stadium Friday.

They will be coached by Albert 'Chapi' Ferrer, who played under Johan Cruyff at Barcelona and won the Champions League in 1992.

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News Network
February 2,2020

Mount Maunganui, Feb 2: India registered a rare 5-0 whitewash against New Zealand after notching up a seven-run win in the fifth and final T20 International at Bay Oval here on Sunday.

Electing to bat, India posted 163 for three, riding on Rohit Sharma's 60 off 41 balls and a 33-ball 45 from K L Rahul.

The visitors then restricted the hosts to 156 for nine with Jasprit Bumrah claiming three wickets for 12 runs.

Chasing the target, the Black Caps were tottering at 17 for three in 3.2 overs.

Tim Seifert (50) and Ross Taylor (53) then added 99 runs for the fourth wicket as New Zealand recovered to 116.

Seifert clobbered a 30-ball 50 studded with five fours and three sixes, while Ross Taylor hit two sixes and five fours in his 47-ball 53-run innings.

However, once Seifert was dismissed in the 13th over, the hosts suffered a collapse, losing five wickets, including Taylor, for 25 runs to loss the plot in the end.

Brief Score:

India: 163 for 3 in 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 60; S Kuggeleijn 2/25)    

New Zealand: 156 for 9 in 20 overs (Ross Taylor 53, Tim Seifert 50; Jasprit Bumrah 3/12).

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News Network
January 2,2020

New Delhi, Jan 2: On the first day of the New Year 2020, Hardik Pandya announced his engagement with Serbian actor Natasa Stankovic.

The cricketer took to Instagram to share a photo with the actor and captioned the post: "Mai tera, Tu meri jaane, saara Hindustan. 01.01.2020 #engaged".

The 26-year-old shared three pictures and a short clip on the social media platform. In one photo, Stankovic can be seen flaunting her ring.

The couple got engaged in Dubai and were seen taking a ferry ride along with close friends.

On work front, Stankovic was last seen in a song from Bollywood movie The Body starring Emraan Hashmi and Rishi Kapoor. She had also made it to the finals of the TV show Nach Baliye with her ex-boyfriend Aly Goni.

Stankovic first became a household name after appearing as a contestant on famous reality show 'Bigg Boss 8'.

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News Network
May 14,2020

May 14: Veteran South Africa batsman Faf du Plessis has proposed a two-week isolation period for players before and after the T20 World Cup as a way to stage the event as per schedule later this year.

Like other sports, cricketing action too has come to a complete halt due to the coronavirus pandemic. The fate of the T20 World Cup to be held in Australia in October-November is shrouded in uncertainty.

Talking to Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal, du Plessis said travel was going to be an issue despite Australia being less affected by the deadly contagion.

"I am not sure... reading that travelling is going to be an issue for lot of countries and they are talking about December or January. Even if Australia is not affected like other countries, to get people from Bangladesh, South Africa or India where there is more danger, obviously it's a health risk to them," du Plessis said.

"But you can go in before the tournament (for) two weeks isolation and then play the tournament and afterwards two weeks isolation," said the former captain.

Several countries across the globe, including South Africa, Australia and India, have travel restrictions in place and the veteran Proteas batsman joked travelling by boat is not an option.

"But I don't know when South Africa will open their travel ban because we can't go there like old days on boats," du Plessis said.

In March, South Africa's ODI series against India was called off after the first match in view of the pandemic.

The coronavirus outbreak, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has infected more than 44 lakh people worldwide while causing close to 3 lakh deaths.

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