SportsNews
“Cannot see Sri Lanka getting close to Australia….”: Tim Paine
Melbourne [Australia], February 4 (ANI): Ahead of the second Test against Australia at Galle, former Australian captain Tim Paine said that he does not see Lankan Lions coming any close to the visitors on any surface.
The second Test between Sri Lanka and Australia will take place at Galle from February 6 onwards. With Australia, already having booked a spot in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), leading 1-0, Sri Lanka would like to bow out of their most successful WTC campaign on a high.
Ahead of the match, SEN cited Paine as heaping praises on Australia’s all-round performance in the first Test, which they won by an innings and 242 runs.
“I think Steve Smith said himself in the post-game press conference that the performance was close to flawless,” Paine told SEN.
“That is from Travis Head at the start, Usman Khawaja controlling most of that innings, Steve Smith coming out and playing like the wizard he is in those conditions, and then Josh Inglis on debut to score a Test match 100 is a really special moment for him.”
“Then the bowlers, (Matt) Kuhnemann, (Nathan) Lyon, (Todd) Murphy and (Mitchell) Starc were all spot on the money.”
“When you have got players of that quality – a bit like the women’s team, play as well as they do – there are not too many teams that can go near them.”
“Sri Lanka at the moment, unfortunately, I cannot see them getting close to Australia on any surface,” he concluded.
Sri Lanka squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka (subject to fitness), Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sonal Dinusha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nishan Peiris, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Milan Rathnayake
Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster. (ANI)
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info
).
Super Eagles playmaker, Alex Iwobi, has admitted they are waiting to see if the team would still play at the 2026 World Cup.
The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, is optimistic of a potential lifeline from FIFA, after it submitted a petition against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Iwobi was asked by SuperSport if he would rather lift the AFCON 2025 trophy or qualify for the World Cup?
The 29-year-old, who played at the 2018 of the World Cup, replied: “I mean we’re still waiting, well hopefully we can go to the World Cup, but I feel it’s a tough one.
“It’s a tough one because winning AFCON is like… It’s a great legacy, it’s a great thing to have like in your career, a memorable moment.
“But then at the same time, because I’ve been to the World Cup already, a lot of the players haven’t been. They would like to say ‘I want to go to the World Cup,’ so I can’t be selfish and say win the AFCON and for my teammates to not go to the World Cup. So it’s a tough one. I don’t know. I don’t know.”
Politics
PRESIDENT TINUBU CONDOLES WITH SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE OF THE SUPER EAGLES ON THE PASSING OF HIS MOTHER
President Bola Tinubu sends his condolences
to Super Eagles forward Samuel Chukwueze on the passing of his mother.
The President also extends his sympathies to the family and friends of Mrs Sarah Chukwueze, who passed away on Thursday.
President Tinubu mourns with the Chukwueze family and encourages them to find solace in the memory and legacy of their late matriarch.
“The passing of Mrs Chukwueze, the mother of one of our bright football stars, just a few days after the passing of Super Eagles’ captain Wilfred Ndidi’s father, is deeply saddening.
I mourn with them, and I am with them in prayers during this difficult time,” the President says.
President Tinubu prays that God Almighty will grant the departed eternal rest.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information and Strategy)
Arsenal’s starting XI to face Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday evening has been unveiled.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta opted to start Gabriel Jesus ahead of Viktor Gyokeres to lead the Gunners’ attack against the Red Devils.
This comes after Jesus scored a brace against Inter Milan in the Champions League in midweek.
The Brazilian will be assisted by Bukayo Saka and Leandro on the wings.
In midfield, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard return to join Martin Zubimendi.
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