‘The mission is complete’: Robert Lewandowski confirms Barcelona exit at the end of season

New Delhi, March 16 (IANS) The Cayman Islands have progressed to the next stage of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2028 qualifying after a dominant display in the Americas Sub-Regional Qualifier held on home soil.

In the inaugural T20 World Cup qualifier hosted on the islands, the hosts transformed Jimmy Powell Oval in George Town into an impenetrable fortress, winning all six of their matches to finish four points clear of the nearest challengers, Argentina.

The Caymans’ bowling attack proved nearly unassailable, restricting Argentina, Mexico, and Suriname to under 100 runs in five of their opening matches. Their batting was equally ruthless, losing only two wickets across three consecutive successful chases at the start of the tournament. A 10-wicket opening victory over Argentina set the tone, followed by nine-wicket wins against Mexico and Suriname.

A commanding 93-run triumph over Mexico, marking four wins from four, positioned the Cayman Islands strongly at the top of the table. A second nine-wicket victory over Suriname cemented their near-unassailable lead, with net run rate providing a decisive edge over Argentina.

The campaign concluded with another victory over Argentina, as the hosts chased down 115 in just 17 overs. Jermaine Baker topped the Cayman batting charts with 248 runs, second only to young Argentinian standout Pedro Baron, who amassed 275 runs. In the bowling department, Cayman seamer Romario Edwards claimed 11 wickets, a tally matched only by Suriname off-spinner Xaviee Smith.

With this performance, the Cayman Islands join the USA and Canada in advancing to the next round of qualifying. Both North American teams earned direct entry into the second stage by virtue of their participation in the 2026 T20 World Cup.

The second sub-regional qualifier will feature Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Brazil, and Panama, with Bermuda slated to host the tournament in June.

The Americas Sub-Regional Qualifier B began on March 8, with all 12 matches played between the four competing teams — Cayman Islands, Argentina, Mexico, and Suriname. This qualifier forms part of the extended pathway to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2028, which will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

–IANS

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Wuhan (China), Nov 17 (IANS) East Bengal FC saw off Bam Khatoon FC 3-1 in their AFC Women’s Champions League 2025-26 Group B opener on Monday. The Red and Golds hit the ground running and took the lead as early as the fourth minute after two blocked attempts by Fazila Ikwaput saw the ball falling kindly to Shilky Hemam, who struck a low shot into the bottom right corner from just above the box.

The early strike set the tone for the remainder of the half as the Indian side dictated the tempo, limiting the IR Iran side Bam Khatoon to long-range efforts, with Sara Didar and Fatemeh Geraeli both trying their luck.

East Bengal doubled their advantage in the 32nd minute following a slick build-up which involved Amnah Nababi threading a perfectly-timed through ball to Ikwaput, who showed good ball control before slotting past Raha Yazdani.

Bam Khatoon almost conceded again three minutes later when Soumya Guguloth set up Resty Nanziri nicely inside the six-yard box, but the Ugandan midfielder skied her effort.

The Iranian outfit barely troubled Elangbam Panthoi Chanu at the other end, Geraeli testing the keeper from distance with a tame effort in the 39th minute.

The continuous waves of attacks finally yielded a goal for Bam Khatoon after Jyoti Chouhan’s handball led to Mona Hamoudi tucking home from the spot in first-half stoppage time.

BAM Khatoon emerged after the break with renewed intent, with Fatemeh Pasandideh testing Panthoi from outside the area before Geraeli saw her free-kick attempt at the hour mark sail over the bar.

East Bengal turned up the intensity in the closing stages with Ikwaput striking the post in the 79th minute from inside the box, while Yazdani kept out the Ugandan’s effort in the 84th minute with a low save.

Any hope of a BAM Khatoon fightback was extinguished three minutes later after Nanziri launched a spectacular effort from distance, which bent over Yazdani before settling into the back of the net to seal the win.

–IANS

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Pune, Jan 14 (IANS) The Indian cycling team touched down in Pune on Wednesday for the Pune Grand Tour 2026, India’s first-ever UCI 2.2 category multi-stage Continental Road Cycling Race for Men, marking a landmark moment for the sport in the country.

Scheduled from January 19 to 23, the five-stage race will span 437 kilometres, featuring 171 elite riders from 29 teams representing 35 countries across five continents. Organised by the Pune District Administration and supported by the Government of Maharashtra under the aegis of the Cycling Federation of India (CFI), the race will cut across 9 talukas and 150 villages, firmly placing Pune and India on the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) global calendar.

As anticipation builds for the landmark event, the Indian national cycling contingent has arrived in Pune, signalling the final phase of preparations for the country’s biggest-ever international road cycling competition.

The Cycling Federation of India (CFI) has confirmed that India will field two squads in the event: the Indian National Team and the Indian Development Team – reflecting a strategic push to broaden the competitive pool while providing both seasoned and emerging riders an opportunity to compete at an elite international level on home soil.

The Indian National Team features Naveen John (Karnataka), Sahil Kumar (Haryana), Dinesh Kumar (Rourkela), Harshveer Singh Sekhon (Punjab), Vishwajeet Singh (Punjab), and Surya Thathu (Maharashtra), forming India’s elite national line-up for the historic race. The Indian Development Team includes Sachin Desai, Niraj Kumar, Vivaan Sapru, Manav Sarda, Chirag Sehgal, and Akshar Tyagi, representing the next generation of Indian road cycling talent.

The final selection for the two Indian teams followed a stringent evaluation process, beginning with the National Road Cycling Championship-cum-selection trials held in Sambalpur, Odisha, from December 2 to 6, 2025, ensuring riders were tested on terrain aligned with the Grand Tour stages.

Naveen John, hailing from Bangalore, Karnataka, will lead the Indian National team challenge and is the only Indian to have ridden professionally for a UCI Continental team (State of Matter/MAAP – based in Australia).

Speaking on the arrival in Pune, he said, “The opportunity to race in the Pune Grand Tour on Indian roads, in front of home fans, is a proud moment for all of us. Competing in a UCI 2.2 stage race in India is a big step forward for the sport, and we’re excited to test ourselves against international competition while representing the country.”

Highlighting the significance of fielding two teams, CFI Secretary General Maninder Pal Singh said, “The Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 is a defining moment for Indian cycling. Fielding two national squads allows us to broaden our talent base while providing both established and emerging riders invaluable exposure at an elite international level.”

With Team India now in Pune and final preparations underway, the inaugural Pune Grand Tour is set to become one of the most significant cycling events ever hosted in the country, reinforcing India’s growing stature on the global professional road cycling stage.

–IANS

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