Nepalinews

India captain Virat Kohli has praised new spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal and is tempted to play them together in India’s one-day series opener against New Zealand in Mumbai on Sunday. Left-arm wrist spinner Yadav and right-arm leg break bowler Chahal have established themselves as India’s first-choice attacking combination, keeping veterans Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja out for the third consecutive limited-overs series.Yadav and Chahal combined to pick up 13 wickets in India’s recent 4-1 ODI series victory over Australia. “We need to find our best bowling combination before we reach the World Cup (in 2019) stage,” Kohli told reporters on Saturday. “We always had in mind to bring wrist spinners into play. We honestly did not think of playing the two together but they are so good together, it is tempting to play them in every game. “Ashwin and Jadeja have played limited-overs cricket for last six-seven years regularly. These youngsters have stepped up

Substitute Michy Batshuayi scored two second-half goals to help snatch a 4-2 victory for stuttering champions Chelsea against a lively Watford side in the Premier League on Saturday. In a sometimes frenzied end-to-end game Chelsea, who had lost their last two league matches, went ahead when Pedro whipped in a ferocious curling shot high off the post from 25 metres following a disputed corner. Watford equalised seconds before halftime through Abdoulaye Doucoure and in a rampant spell of attacking football went ahead four minutes after the break when Roberto Pereyra tapped home a Richarlison cross. But Michy Batshuayi headed home 20 minutes from time to spare Chelsea’s blushes and added his second in the dying moments following an 87th-minute goal from defender Cesar Azpilicueta.

MOSCOW:  Maria Sharapova was swept away in the first round of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow on Tuesday by Magdalena Rybarikova, while sixth-seeded Daria Gavrilova beat Kristyna Pliskova to make it to the round of 16. Slovakian Rybarikova spoiled Sharapova’s first appearance at the Kremlin Cup in a decade, winning 7-6(3) 6-4 in just under two hours to set up a second-round meeting with France’s Alize Cornet.ter on Tuesday Australia’s Gavrilova beat Pliskova in three sets and will face Belarusian qualifier Vera Lapko in the second round. Seventh-seeded Julia Goerges, of Germany, currently 27th in the WTA rankings, beat Russian qualifier Polina Monova in straight sets and will face Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva in the second round. Twenty-year-old Russian Daria Kasatkina also upset compatriot Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, seeded fifth, beating her 7-6, 6-1. Kasatkina, who served up four aces in Tuesday’s match, will face Katerina Siniakova, of the Czech Republic, in the second round.

MADRID :  Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris made a string of impressive saves in the second half to earn his side a 1-1 away draw with Champions League holders  Real  Madrid  on Tuesday which kept the two sides locked on seven points at the top of Group H. Tottenham scored for the first time in their history against the 12-times European champions when Serge Aurier aimed a cross towards Harry Kane and defender Raphael Varane accidentally backheeled the ball into his own net in the 28th minute. The erratic Aurier let his side down moments before the break, however, clattering into Toni Kroos in the area. Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot in the 43rd minute after sending Lloris the wrong way. It was his fifth Champions League goal of the season and he joined Spurs’ Harry Kane at the top of the competition’s scoring charts. Madrid  were more dominant in both halves but were denied a third consecutive Champions League win by the heroics of visiting captain Lloris, w

PARIS:  Monaco slumped to a 2-1 home Champions League defeat against Besiktas on Tuesday that left last year’s semi-finalists bottom of Group G and facing a battle to reach the knockout rounds. Cenk Tosun scored twice for the visitors, netting either side of the interval, after Radamel Falcao had opened the scoring for the Ligue 1 club.The result put Turkish side Besiktas on a perfect nine points from three games and left Monaco propping up the table with a solitary point. RB Leipzig are second on four points after a 3-2 win over Porto, who are a point further back in third. Monaco, who have now failed to keep a clean sheet in their previous 11 Champions League games went ahead on 30 minutes when Colombia striker Falcao cleverly slid the ball past Besiktas keeper Fabri from inside the area. Besiktas, however, reacted swiftly and levelled four minutes later when Tosun headed home from Ricardo Quaresma’s cross. Nine minutes into the second half, Ryan Babel perfectly set up

MADRID:  Gareth Bale may have scored more decisive goals for Real Madrid than Luka Modric since the pair swapped Tottenham for the Spanish capital, but the Croatian midfielder has proved far more popular to Real fans than his team mate. Modric will be the only former Spurs player available to the European champions when they host Mauricio Pochettino’s side on Wednesday in the Champions League as Bale is still recovering from a calf injury, the 18th fitness setback he has faced in less than five seasons in Spain.                                                                               Bale, who was signed by Real in August 2013 for a then world record fee of 100 million euros ($118.2 million), had a dream debut season in Madrid, striking decisive goals in the King’s Cup final against Barcelona and the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid. He has added a further nine trophies since then and overtaken Gary Lineker as the top scoring British player in La Liga, but

LIVERPOOL:  A cautious Manchester United frustrated hosts Liverpool as a lacklustre North-West Premier League derby ended 0-0 on Saturday with neither side able to find the creative touch. The draw leaves United alone at the top of the table on 20 points although Manchester City, who are now a point behind, can regain first place when they host Stoke City later on Saturday.Those hoping for a classic blood-and-thunder clash of the two most successful clubs in English football were probably being overly optimistic but few would have predicted such an uninspiring 90 minutes at Anfield. United manager Jose Mourinho’s team selection suggested that, as last season, he would adopt a cautious approach to taking on Juergen Klopp’s side. Instead of Spanish craftsman Juan Mata on the right, the more defensively diligent Ashley Young started in the role and Marcus Rashford, carrying a slight knock from England duty, was left on the bench. With United’s Romelu Lukaku left alone – and is

LONDON:  Liverpool must put in a solid all-round performance by augmenting dominant possession with some clinical finishing to beat Manchester United at Anfield, midfielder Emre Can said ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash. Going into the high-profile encounter, Juergen Klopp’s side sit seventh in the table following three wins from seven league games, while United trail leaders Manchester City on goal difference after recording six wins and a draw.A leaky defence and a failure to convert their goal-scoring opportunities have hindered the Merseyside club but Can believes Liverpool can rise to the occasion and regain some momentum with a win in their first home game since mid-September. “It will be a very, very tough game because Manchester United have done very well this season so far. But we know we are strong too and we are really looking forward to the game,” Can told Liverpool’s official website. (www.liverpoolfc.com) “We have to be hard in the tackles, we have to tr

LONDON:  Liverpool and Manchester United’s globe-trotting squads must shake off the effects of international duty for one of English football’s most eagerly-anticipated clashes on Saturday. According to Sky Sports their players clocked up 139,000 miles taking part in World Cup qualifiers since the last Premier League action, but all roads lead to Anfield as the English top flight resumes after a two-week hiatus with a potential cracker.The stoppage was badly-timed for United who won their last three Premier League games with nine goals scored and none conceded, albeit against sides in the lower half of the table. Jose Mourinho’s side, joint leaders on 19 points from seven games with Manchester City, will hope to continue that momentum in what will be their biggest test of the season to date. Liverpool’s form has been less impressive and Juergen Klopp’s side, beset by defensive problems, are seven points off the searing pace being set by the two Manchester rivals. They are a

LISBON:  A year after winning the European Championship, Portugal has set its sights on another trophy after sealing its place at the 2018 World Cup with a 2-0 victory over Switzerland on Tuesday. Cristiano Ronaldo’s team got the win it needed in the showdown against the Swiss at a packed Stadium of Light.Both teams finished with 27 points, but Euro 2016 winner Portugal had a better goal difference. “Just like we did at the Euros, we are going to try to win the World Cup as well,” Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva said. Switzerland, which had led Group B since the first round, will have to go through a playoff to try to make it to the tournament in Russia. The Swiss arrived with a three-point lead over Portugal and needed at least a draw to earn the automatic World Cup berth. “It was a game between two very good teams, it’s not a surprise that we ended with the same number of points,” Portugal midfielder Joao Mario said. “Fortunately, we were able to end up with the vict

SYDNEY:  Tim Cahill scored twice, including the extra-time winner, as Australia kept their World Cup hopes alive with a 2-1 victory over Syria in the second leg of the Asian playoff on Tuesday. The 3-2 aggregate victory sent the Socceroos into an intercontinental playoff in November against the fourth-placed team in North and Central America and Caribbean (CONCACAF) qualifying with a World Cup spot on the line.Cahill scored Australia’s opener with a trademark header in the 13th minute but it was not until 96 minutes later that he kept his country on course for a fourth successive appearance at the World Cup finals with his 50th international goal. Syria made the perfect start when Omar Al Somah scored in the sixth minute to cancel out Australia’s away-goal advantage from the 1-1 first-leg draw but the war-torn nation’s dreams of securing a maiden World Cup appearance were dashed.

KATHMANDU:  Nepal crushed to 3-0 humiliating defeat against Tajikistan courtesy of three penalties in the AFC Asian Cup 2019 Qualifiers played at the Hisor Central Stadium in Dushanbe on Tuesday. Nepal had to defeat the hosts to keep their chances alive of progressing into the next round, however, their faint hope evaporated after porous defense conceded three penalties.With today’s result, Tajikistan have climbed to the second spot and increased their chances of making into the next round, while Nepal remain at the bottom of the table.

KAISERSLAUTERN:  Germany crushed Azerbaijan 5-1 on Sunday with talented Leon Goretzka scoring twice, to complete a record-equalling World Cup qualifying campaign with ten wins out of ten matches. Germany, who had already secured qualification for next year’s finals in Russia, needed an hour to hit their stride despite an early lead through the 22-year-old Goretzka, already a target for several top European clubs. They made sure of the three points and a maximum 30 in Group C with a strong second-half performance, scoring four more goals after an unexpected Azeri equaliser. The Germans equalled Spain’s record from the 2008-9 qualifying campaign for the 2010 World Cup with their 10th victory but they could boast an even better goal difference than the Spaniards. Joachim Loew’s world champions dominated their group to such an extent that they scored 43 goals — on average, more than four per game — while conceding just four. In contrast, Vicente del Bosque’s Spanish charg

PARIS:  Chelsea midfielder N‘Golo Kante has been ruled out of France’s final World Cup qualifier at home to Belarus on Tuesday due to a muscle injury, national team coach Didier Deschamps has said. France beat Bulgaria 1-0 away on Saturday to move within touching distance of qualifying for next year’s World Cup in Russia, but Kante limped off shortly after half an hour and was replaced by Adrien Rabiot. ”I can’t count on him for the next game. It’s a muscular problem behind the thigh,“ Deschamps said. ”Kante and Rabiot pretty much swapped. It is fixed for Tuesday. “N‘Golo had a crucial part to play, obviously. After N‘Golo’s injury, Adrien Rabiot came on in the same role, maybe not with the same quality as N‘Golo.” Les Bleus top Group A with 20 points, one ahead of Sweden, and will qualify directly for the World Cup if they beat Belarus.

SAN JOSE:  Kendall Waston scored in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time, giving Costa Rica a 1-1 tie against visiting Honduras on Saturday at San Jose and clinching the Ticos’ second straight World Cup berth and fifth overall. The dramatic late goal means the United States likely needs at most a draw at Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday night to qualify for its eighth straight World Cup berth.In a match postponed a day because of a tropical storm, Eddie Hernandez’s header from Romell Quioto’s cross put Honduras ahead in the 66th minute. In the fifth of a minimum six minutes of stoppage time, a long ball from deep in Costa Rica’s end following a throw-in was headed from about 23 yards out by Hernandez. Giancarlo Gonzalez headed the ball toward the right flank. Bryan Ruiz flicked the ball ahead to Rodney Wallace who, marked by Bryan Acosta and Emilio Izaguirre, played it back to Ruiz. Ruiz played the ball from his left foot to his right to fake his way past Acosta, dri

BEIJING:  Rafael Nadal beat Nick Kyrgios of Australia 6-2, 6-1 Sunday in the China Open final to win his sixth ATP title of the year, and Caroline Garcia defeated soon-to-be-No. 1 Simona Halep 6-4, 7-6 (3) in the women’s event. Top-ranked Nadal, who was tied with Roger Federer and Alexander Zverev at five titles this season, picked up his 75th career singles trophy with the win in Beijing. The 15th-ranked Garcia, who lost to Halep the two previous times they played, won her second consecutive WTA title. The Frenchwoman will make her top-10 debut when the new rankings come out on Monday. The 31-year-old Nadal’s six trophies this year include a record 10th title at the French Open and a third at the U.S. Open. The last time the Spaniard won at least six titles in a year was in 2013 when he captured 10 trophies for the season. Kyrgios started Sunday struggling with his serve and never found a confident range throughout the match. His first-serve percentage mostly languishe

Nepal national football team on Friday left for Tajikistan to play their away match of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers slated for October 10 at the Hisor Central Stadium.Nepal, who are in Group F along with the Philippines, Yemen and Tajikistan in the Qualifiers, had faced a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Tajikistan in home match on September 5. Nepal also lost 4-1 to the Philippines in their away match on March 28 before playing a goalless draw against Yemen in home match on June 13. Currently, Nepal are at the bottom of the table with one point from three matches. The Philippines are at the top with seven points, while Yemen are second with five points, followed by Tajikistan (three). National team skipper Biraj Maharjan said the team was travelling to Tajikistan with positive mentality. “We have to improve our game and we still have chances of qualifying if we can produce victories in remaining matches. So, we are hopeful that we can return as victors from Tajikistan,” said Maharja

BUENOS AIRES:  Twice champions and 2014 runners-up Argentina were in serious danger of failing to reach the 2018 World Cup finals after being held to a 0-0 draw by Peru on Thursday. Lionel Messi’s side are on 25 points in sixth place in the 10-team South American group, with only the top four teams qualifying automatically for Russia.The fifth-placed side, currently Peru, qualify for a playoff against Oceania champions New Zealand. Argentina visit Ecuador at high altitude in Quito in the final round of matches on Tuesday while Peru, who are hoping to go to the finals for the first time in 36 years, host Colombia in Lima. Brazil have already qualified for Russia on 38 points, while Uruguay (28) need just a draw from their final game against Bolivia to advance. Chile are third with Colombia fourth, both on 26 points. Argentina have struggled for goals in a poor qualifying campaign in which they have been under three coaches. But it was not for want of trying, with Messi hitti

MADRID:  Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said on Wednesday that he considered quitting the Spanish national team following criticism of his views on the Catalan independence referendum, but decided against it. Pique, who said quitting would play into the hands of his detractors, was jeered in an open training session with Spain on Monday.He had broken down in tears on Sunday following the violent incidents in his home region as police tried to prevent would-be voters from taking part in the banned referendum. The defender, who voted on Sunday, suggested then that he would be open to walking away from international football if coach Julen Lopetegui or his team mates felt uncomfortable with his presence. He said on Wednesday, however, that he was fully committed to the team. “I considered it (quitting the Spain team) but in the end you have to evaluate every option and after thinking about it for a long time that I decided not to as leaving now would be letting the people who