'I came to Paris for a bigger challenge' says Neymar

Agencies
August 5, 2017

Paris, Aug 5: Brazilian superstar Neymar said he came to Paris Saint-Germain from Spanish giants Barcelona for a "bigger challenge" in his first public comments since arriving in the French capital today.

The 25-year-old, who signed the biggest transfer deal in world history to join PSG from Barcelona for 222 million euros ($264m), said it had been a tough call.

"It was one of the toughest decisions of my life," he told a press conference at PSG's Parc des Princes headquarters. "I wanted a new challenge. I wanted something bigger. To do my best. And to do even better."

Neymar's wages will reportedly triple to 30 million euros a year after tax at PSG but the Brazil captain said he was fired up by ambition for more success, not by money. And PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said Neymar shared the club's hunger for titles and trophies rather than financial rewards.

"He did not come here for the money. If he was motivated by money he could have got more somewhere else," he said. Neymar has signed a five-year deal with the fee -- which corresponded to the player's buyout clause at Barcelona -- more than double the previous world record transfer.

Manchester United held the previous record when they bought Paul Pogba from Juventus last year for 105 million euros.

Neymar won the Champions League in 2015 with Barcelona and collected two Spanish league titles and three Copas del Rey in his four seasons at the Camp Nou. He has scored 52 goals in 77 appearances for his country.

I chose PSG against my father's advice - Neymar

Neymar admitted that he chose to leave Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain against the advice of his father today, just before arriving in the French capital.

"A sportsman needs challenges. And for the second time in my life, I am going against the advice of my Dad," the Brazilian wrote in a long post in Spanish on his Instagram account on Thursday night.

"Dad, I understand and respect your opinion, but my decision is taken, I ask that you support me as you always have done," he added.

Neymar signed a five-year deal with PSG, in which he is expected to earn 30 million euros net per year, yesterday. He earlier severed his ties with Barcelona after paying the colossal sum of 222 million euros to buyout his contract.

That means the transfer is a new world record deal, more than double the previous record of 105 million euros paid by Manchester United to Juventus for Paul Pogba last year.

Neymar added that his family "has suffered a lot with problems that have occurred in this period of my career and deserve peace. It is a difficult decision, but one taken with the maturity of my 25 years."

The player's assurances could be seen as a way of hitting back at critics furious at his departure from Barcelona. Catalan sports daily Sport yesterday described the player's entourage as "toxic", blaming them for Neymar's departure.

Sport wrote of "the fatal intersection of two diabolical factors: the money of Qatar (which owns PSG via QSI, their sovereign wealth fund) and the monetary and sporting ambition of the Neymars." Neymar's father is extremely close to his son, supervising his career and the negotiation of his contracts.

He has become a celebrity in his own right, even appearing in an advert alongside his son, who had insisted upon arriving at Barcelona that his shirt should carry the name "Neymar Jr". Father and son are set to go on trial in Spain following an investigation into the player's transfer to Barcelona from Brazilian side Santos in 2013.

"I have accepted the offer from PSG to try to help the club win the titles the fans want. They presented to me an audacious career plan and I think I am ready for it," added Neymar on Instagram.

Of his four years at the Camp Nou, he added: "I have won everything a sportsman can win. I have experienced unforgettable moments."

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News Network
January 10,2020

Srinagar, Jan 10: Real Kashmir FC made a strong comeback in the second half to play out a 1-1 draw against former champions Punjab FC in their home I-League match here on Friday.

The 'Snow Leopards' equalised in the 62nd minute through Gnohere Krizo in front of a partisan crowd of 8,500 spectators after Makan Chothe had given Punjab FC the lead in the 21st minute at the TRC ground.

After Thursday's draw, Punjab FC is placed third on the table with 10 points from seven games. Real Kashmir FC remained at eighth with six points from five matches. This was Real Kashmir's third home match on the trot.

The match was a story of two halves as the first belonged to the visitors who enjoyed a 62 per cent possession of the ball, whereas the second belonged to the home side.

Both the teams were looking to gain an early advantage and Punjab FC took the lead after 21 minutes.

Confusion inside the Real Kashmir box because of a long ball from Punjab opened up an opportunity for Chothe and he made no mistake as he smashed the ball at the back of the net.

As the fans cheered on, Real Kashmir created a flurry of chances, but none of the home side players could find the back of the net. Punjab was able to hold on to their slender lead heading into the tunnel.

The second half resumed with Real Kashmir pressing high up the field and pressurising Punjab.

In the 56th minute, Real Kashmir playmaker Kallum Higginbotham cut through two defenders on the left side of the box and the ball fell to Mason Robertson, whose shot was too weak to trouble the Punjab goalkeeper.

Soon after, it was Danish Farooq who tried a curler from a distance but his shot did not have enough bend to trouble the Punjab goalkeeper. The home team's effort finally paid off in the 62nd minute.

A miscalculated header by Danilo Augusto fell at the feet of Gnohere Krizo, who was one-on-one with the keeper. He made no mistake in striking the ball into the opponent's goal to score the equaliser.

Real Kashmir was in their groove now, and Kallum came in from the right with a beautiful low cross across the face of the goal but Mason could not get a touch as the chance went begging.

The duo of Kallum and Mason were proving difficult for Punjab to deal with. In the 82nd minute, a beautiful long ball by Kallum found the head of a towering Mason, but the effort went just over the crossbar.

Within a few moments, Punjab again had another nervous moment as Chesterpoul Lyngdoh's cross from the right side hit the arm of Thoiba Singh but the referee turned down an appeal for penalty.

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News Network
April 2,2020

New Delhi, Apr 2: It was on April 2, 2011, when the Men in Blue went on to win their second 50-over World Cup title.

India won its first World Cup in 1983 and then had to wait for 28 years to again lift the title.
Going into the 2011 tournament, India went in as the clear favourites as the competition was to be played in the sub-continent.

Under MS Dhoni's leadership, India lost just one match in the competition against South Africa.
India had defeated arch-rivals Pakistan in the semi-final to set up a summit clash with Sri Lanka.

In the finals, Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first. Mahela Jayawardene top-scored for Sri Lanka as he struck a century to take the team's score to 274/6.

India in their chase got off to a bad start as the side lost Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag with just 31 runs on the board.

But Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni stepped up and stitched a match-winning 109-run partnership.

Gambhir perished after playing a knock of 97 runs, but in the end, Dhoni and Yuvraj took the team over the line by six wickets.

The winning six struck by Dhoni is still viewed as one of the most exciting moments in India's sporting history. 

As the winning six was hit, Ravi Shastri was doing commentary then, and he famously remarked, "Dhoni, finishes it off in style, India lifts the World Cup after 28 years".
As soon as the match-winning shot was hit, Tendulkar erupted with joy and had tears to see his dream finally being fulfilled.

Earlier this year, former Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar's famous lap around the Wankhede Stadium after the 2011 World Cup win, titled 'Carried On the Shoulders Of A Nation', was voted the greatest Laureus Sporting Moment of the last twenty years.

The lap after the World Cup is still edged into everyone's hearts.

Playing in his last mega 50-over tournament, it was the last chance for Tendulkar to lift the coveted trophy.

Before the 2011 World Cup, Tendulkar had played five tournaments (1992,1996,1999,2003 and 2007), and he fell short every time.

The closest he came to winning the trophy was in 2003 as India made the finals under the leadership of Sourav Ganguly.

But the Men in Blue fell short in the finals against Australia.

Then in 2007, the biggest setback was in store for the legend has India bowed out of the tournament in the group stages.

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News Network
March 5,2020

Mar 5: India reached a maiden women's Twenty20 World Cup final Thursday after their last four clash against England was washed out, sparking calls for the International Cricket Council to include reserve days in future events.

Harmanpreet Kaur's unbeaten side were due to face the 2009 champions at the Sydney Cricket Ground, but the rain began pouring early in the day with barely any let-up.

With a minimum 10 overs per side needed for a result and no break in the weather, the umpires called it off without a ball being bowled.

Normally, five overs per side are needed to constitute a Twenty20 match, but the rules are different for ICC tournaments.

Four-time champions Australia are scheduled to take on South Africa later in the second semi-final, with that match also under threat.

With no reserve day, the highest-ranked teams from the two groups move into the final if play is not possible

That would pit India against South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, where organisers are hoping to attract 90,000 plus fans, denying Australia a chance to defend their crown.

A reserve day is allowed for the final and the lack of one for the semis has been criticised by some players, with England captain Heather Knight among those calling for change.

"If both semi-finals are lost it would be a sad time for the tournament," she told reporters ahead of the match. "It's obviously going to be a shame if it does happen and I'm sure there will be a lot of pressure on the ICC to change that."

Cricket Australia chief Kevin Roberts said he sought clarification from the ICC about adding a reserve day with the Sydney weather looking ominous, but the request was denied.

"We've asked the question and it's not part of the playing conditions and we respect that," he told Melbourne's SEN radio.

"It gives you cause to reflect and think about how you might improve things in the future, but going into a tournament with a given set of playing conditions and rules, I don't think it's time to tinker with the rules."

It is not the way India would have wanted to make the final, but they are deserving of being there having gone through the group phase as the only unbeaten team.

After opening their campaign by upsetting Australia, they beat Bangladesh, New Zealand and then Sri Lanka.

While the entire team played well, teenage batting prodigy Shafali Verma excelled, which saw her elevated to the top of the ICC T20 batting rankings this week aged just 16.

She is only the second Indian after Mithali Raj to reach number one, pushing New Zealand veteran Suzie Bates down to second.

Ranked four in the world, India had made three semi-finals before this year and lost every time, including against England at the last World Cup.

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