Celtic shock Barcelona to stoke Champions League ambitions

November 8, 2012

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Glasgow, November 8: Celtic sent shockwaves around Europe as they produced a stunning 2-1 Group G win over Barcelona at Parkhead on Wednesday to end the Catalan giants' 100 per cent record in this season's competition.

Just as they had done in the Nou Camp two weeks ago Celtic took the lead against the run of play when Victor Wanyama headed them ahead in the 21st minute.

Barcelona, who have made a record breaking start to their domestic campaign and hadn't previously lost in the group stages for over three years, dominated possession but lacked a cutting edge in front of goal with Lionel Messi hitting the crossbar and Alexis Sanchez heading against the post in the first half.

Fraser Forster produced heroics in the Celtic goal to deny Barcelona with the keeper superbly stopping further efforts from Alexis and Messi after the break.

Celtic's chances were few and far between but they increased their lead in the 83rd minute when teenager Tony Watt, on as a substitute, scored a breakaway goal just 11 minutes into his Champions League debut.

Messi gave Barca hope in stoppage time when he pulled one back but the Hoops held on for a famous win the day after the club celebrated its 125th birthday.

Neil Lennon's side, who gained revenge for their stoppage time 2-1 defeat in the Nou Camp, now sit second in Group G on seven points just two behind the Catalan giants and could qualify with a game to spare if they get a score draw or better against Benfica in two weeks time.

With several first team players already missing Celtic had been dealt another blow before kick-off when skipper Scott Brown was ruled out with a virus and Gary Hooper failed to recover from injury.

Barcelona had their own injury problems to deal with in defence but Gerard Pique found a place on the bench for the first time since September.

The Catalan giants had dominated possession at the Nou Camp and started in a similar fashion in Glasgow.

However, after earning their first corner of the match Charlie Mulgrew fizzed his delivery to the back post where Wanyama rose above Marc Bartra to thump a header past Victor Valdes.

Following that it was all one-traffic towards the Celtic goal with Messi coming within inches of equalising when he collected a pass from Andres Iniesta in the box before cracking a half-volley off the bar.

Alexis then sent an angled header into the turf and cannoning off the base of the post after getting on the end of a Dani Alves cross in another let-off for Celtic.

The Hoops continued to frustrate Spain's league leaders after the break.

Forster was keeping Celtic in the match and he showed his worth moments later when he got down smartly to stop a drilled strike from Alexis and then made a second save with his legs to deny the Chilean forward.

There were more heroics from Forster in the 70th minute when he produced a superb one-handed save to stop Messi's strike from 10 yards.

Unbelievably, Celtic then increased their lead in the 83rd minute. Forster saved a Messi free-kick and his long kick out was then missed by Xavi to allow substitute Watt to get behind Javier Mascherano and drill a shot beyond Valdes.

Messi pulled one back in stoppage time after Forster had done well to keep out sub Cesc Fabregas' shot as the Argentine reacted quickest to lift the ball into the net from five yards.

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News Network
January 12,2020

Mumbai, Jan 12: India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will receive the prestigious Polly Umrigar Award for his exploits in international cricket in the 2018-19 season, the BCCI announced on Sunday.

The world's leading pacer will be honoured during the BCCI Annual Awards here on Sunday.

The world's No. 1 ODI bowler made his Test debut during India's tour of South Africa in January 2018 and has not looked back since. He picked up a five-wicket haul in South Africa, England, Australia and the West Indies becoming the first and only Asian bowler to achieve the feat.

He played a stellar role in the historic 2-1 Test series win in Australia, India's first Down Under and which helped them retain the Border Gavaskar Trophy. While Bumrah nets the biggest prize in the men's category, Poonam Yadav will claim the top prize in women's section and will be awarded the best international cricketer.

The award will be another feather in the leg-spinner's cap who recently received the Arjuna Award. Former India captains Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Anjum Chopra will be presented with the Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award and the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for women respectively.

A member of the 1983 World Cup-winning team, Srikkanth took on the fearsome West Indies fast bowlers and scored an attacking 38, the top individual score in the low-scoring final at the Lord's. He also captained India and post-retirement served as the chief selector and it was during his tenure that the 2011 World Cup squad was picked.

Anjum is one of the finest batswomen and the first Indian to play 100 ODIs. In a career spanning 17 years, Anjum represented India in four 50-over World Cups and two T20 World Cup (played in one).

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said, "The BCCI Awards is our way of recognising the finest on-field performances right from the age group to senior level and also honour our legends.

"It will be a special evening in Mumbai as we will also have the 7th MAK Pataudi lecture and I am delighted to inform that it will be Virender Sehwag, who will address the gathering."

Board secretary Jay Shah said, "The BCCI Awards are an important feature in India's cricketing calendar, a melange of aspiration and inspiration. "We wanted to make Naman bigger and better and have introduced four new categories – highest run-getter and wicket-takers in WODIs and best international debut men and women – from this year. A total of 25 awards will be presented."

Arun Singh Dhumal, the board's treasurer, said, "Right from domestic to international level, Indian Cricket has had a memorable 2018-19 season. We have started the year on the right note with Team India completing a convincing series win against Sri Lanka and they will be in attendance. The U-19 team is in South Africa for the World Cup and all eyes will be on the stars of tomorrow. It will be a special evening and I congratulate the award winners".

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News Network
March 25,2020

New Delhi, Mar 25: Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen appealed to Indian citizens to stay home during the 21-day lockdown, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to contain coronavirus.

"Namaste India! I have heard that your situation is like ours, PM Modi has announced a nation-wide lockdown for 21 days. I request you to follow this instruction. We will fight coronavirus together and come out to this situation. Please stay at your home and stay safe, " he tweeted in Hindi.
At the end of the message, Pietersen gave credit to his "Hindi teacher" Shreevats Goswami, who is an Indian domestic cricketer.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the nationwide total lockdown will be in place for three weeks to combat the coronavirus menace.

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News Network
June 9,2020

Jun 9: Former West Indies skipper Darren Sammy has released a video, alleging racism within the SunRisers Hyderabad camp. Last week, Sammy had lost his cool after learning the meaning of the word "Kalu", which he alleged was directed at him during his Indian Premier League (IPL) stint with the SunRisers Hyderabad. The T20 World Cup-winning Windies skipper had said that he along with Sri Lanka player Thisara Perera were sometimes called that word when they played for SunRisers Hyderabad. However, Sammy did not specify as to who directed these slurs at him, but now the player has released a video, saying he will message all those who called him that word.

"I have played all over the world and I have been loved by many people, I have embraced all dressing rooms where I have played, so I was listening to Hasan Minhaj as to how some of the people in his culture describe black people," Sammy said in a video posted on his Instagram account.

"This does not apply to all people, so after I found out a meaning of a certain word, I had said I was angry on finding out the meaning and it was degrading, instantly I remembered when I played for SunRisers Hyderabad, I was being called exactly the same word which is degrading to us black people," he added.

Sammy said that at the time when he was being called with the word, he didn''t know the meaning, and his team-mates used to laugh every time after calling him by that name.

"I will be messaging those people, you guys know who you are, I must admit at that time when I was being called as that word I thought the word meant strong stallion or whatever it is, I did not know what it meant, every time I was called with that word, there was laughter at that moment, I thought teammates are laughing so it must be something funny," Sammy said.

"Now, I realise it was degrading, I will be texting you guys and I will ask you as to when you called me with that name, did you all mean it in any bad way or form? I have had great memories in all my dressing rooms, so all those who used to you call me with that word, think about it, let's have a conversation, if it was in a bad way then I would be really disappointed," he added.

The former Windies skipper has been a vocal supporter of the protests that are currently going on in the United States over the death of an African-American man named George Floyd.

Sammy had also made an appeal to the ICC and other cricket boards to support the fight against social injustice and racism.

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