14 h. ago New Zealand smash South Africa to set up Champions Trophy final with India

Lahore: NZ, 362-6, beat South Africa, 312-9, by 50 runsBlack Caps hit record score to book place in Dubai finalNew Zealand will take on India in the final of the Champions Trophy after centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson enabled them to outmuscle South Africa in their Lahore semi-final.The Black Caps piled on the pressure with a new tournament-record score of 362 for six, Ravindra with 108 and Williamson adding 102, and their bowlers finished the job in clinical fashion to seal a comfortable 50-run win. Continue reading...

Sport

19 h. ago New Zealand set South Africa target of 362: ICC Champions Trophy semi

Live updates from 9am UK timeWhy not email Daniel with your thoughtsOne of my favourite writers, Andrew Fidel Fernando of Cricinfo fame, has this to say on X:I hope, today, NZ and South Africa put on a semi final for the ages in Lahore. I hope it is a match the city will revel in. The cricket world is increasingly unkind, held to ransom by the lowest impulses of South Asian geopolitics, and now a near-slavish worship of commerce. Continue reading...

Events

33 h. ago India beat Australia to reach Champions Trophy final against South Africa or New Zealand

Rohit Sharma’s side triumph by four wickets in Dubai as strong form continues

Sport

39 h. ago Virat Kohli steers India past Australia and into Champions Trophy final

Australia 264 all out; India 267-6 in DubaiVeteran’s 84 takes his team to four-wicket victoryMany changes of personnel, one simple change of sequence. The World Cup final in 2023 began with Pat Cummins choosing to give Australia’s bowlers the chance to choke out India’s batting. A year and a half later, in the Champions Trophy, Steve Smith as injury substitute decided that a very different Australian team should bat first. Late-career struggles or no, Virat Kohli remains one-day cricket’s greatest chaser. And while a miniature tournament semi-final in Dubai is not an equal trade for a World Cup decider in a packed house at home, there will be partial catharsis for this Indian side beating Australia in a global tournament knockout.The target was 265, at a ground where scoring in this tournament has been modest, but after an early stutter the pursuit rarely looked a challenge in a win that felt much safer than margins of four wickets or 11 balls. Australia anticipated turn, leaving ou...

Sport

40 h. ago India beat Australia by four wickets: Champions Trophy cricket semi

Over-by-over report: India chasing 265 to win in DubaiSign up for our newsletter, The Spin | And mail Daniel1st over: Australia 2-0 (Head 1, Connolly 0) Shami was millimetres away from the early breakthrough. Just mistimed his attempt at a return catch, palming it round the post as opposed to pouching the leading edge off Head’s bat. Head collected a single from a full blooded drive that was well stopped in the covers. Connolly swiped and missed at one. Apart from the wide up front, it was a tidy start with the ball.Dropped off the first (legal) ball! Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago England set South Africa target of 180 to win: Champions Trophy cricket – live

Champions Trophy updates, 9am GMT start in KarachiHussain’s truth-bomb fights back against AI robotsHow to keep 50-over cricket relevant | And email Tim2nd over: England 18-1 (Duckett 9, Smith 0) England have two players who have held their heads high throughout this troubled tour – Ben Duckett and Joe Root. Duckett, facing Lungi Ngidi, plays two serene clips for four, as if he hadn’t even noticed that he’d lost his opening partner.1st over: England 9-1 (Duckett 0, Smith 0) Marco Jansen’s left-arm angle was a foreign language to poor Salt, who hadn’t even been able to face it in the nets as England left all their lefties at home. He managed a spank over cover for four but played and missed twice, almost gave a catch in the ring with a shovel to leg, and then got that top edge. One of the worst run-a-ball innings you will ever see. Continue reading...

Events