Sports World Today: Sumit Nagal Enters Australian Open 2024 Main Draw; New Zealand Beat Pakistan In 1st T20I - As It Happened

Sumit Nagal beat Alex Molcan in his third and final Australian Open 2024 men's singles qualifying match to advance to the main draw, where the likes of Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz await. Later, the New Zealand national cricket team beat Pakistan in New Zealand in the first of their five T20Is. Meanwhile, the build-up to January and the rest of the year's other big-ticket events continued, with just days left to go before the beginning of the Africa Cup of Nations, the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers, the U-19 Cricket World Cup, and more. Follow all the action from the world of sports here. Here are the highlights from the sports world on January 12, 2024. (Cricket News | Football News)

10:15pm: India vs Australia Head-to-Head 

India and Australia have faced each other merely eight times on the football pitch - a far cry from their frequent bouts on the cricket field. In those eight meetings, India have won twice, including a thumping 7-1 win the Blue Tigers recorded in 1956. Australia have won five, while one game ended in a draw, albeit a thrilling 4-4 one. 

India and Australia play each other tomorrow, January 13, 2024, in the AFC Asian Cup 2023, 12 years after their last meeting. 

9:00pm: Warner Enters In Style, Sledges Smith

David Warner may have retired from some formats of the game, but the veteran is still as lively as ever. As much was proved when the Australian opener entered the BBL Sydney Derby by helicopter and then sledged his compatriot Steve Smith into giving away his wicket cheaply. 

Watch here. 

7:45pm: AFC Asian Cup 2023 - Games To Watch Out For 

India's opening bout with Australia, a clash of regional titans, and potential 'banana skins' for Japan and IR Iran? The AFC Asian Cup 2023 begins today, January 12, with Qatar taking on Lebanon, and will feature 24 teams fighting for 16 knockout spots over the next few weeks.

Find out which games are worth keeping an eye on from the list here. 

6:00pm: Satwik-Chirag Thorough To Malaysia Open Semis 

The Indian pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty is through to the Malaysia Open 2024 semifinals after an encouraging victory over China's He Jiting and Ren Xiangyu. The number two seed in the draw, Satwik-Chirag won the match in straight games, 21-11, 21-8, and will play either Kang Min-hyuk and Seo Seung-jae (South Korea) or Aaron Chia Teng Fong and Soh Wooi Yik (Malaysia) next. 

5:20pm: Hanuma Vihari Steps Down As Andhra Skipper

India player Hanuma Vihari will not be leading Andhra in the ongoing Ranji Trophy after having stepped down from captaincy on Thursday. On Friday, during Andhra's Group B match against Mumbai, Ricky Bhui was leading the side. According to media reports, Vihari's decision was personal and he wanted to focus on his batting, a PTI report notes.

4pm: Dominic Solanke Is PL Player Of The Month

Dominic Solanke has been voted December 2023's EA Sports Player of the Month, becoming the first-ever Bournemouth player to win the award. Solanke wins the prize for the first time in his career after scoring a Premier League-high six goals in December to move just two behind Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah in the race to be this season's top scorer.

3:10pm: NZ Win Big

New Zealand have won the first T20I against Pakistan by 46 runs. The Kiwis restricted Shaheen Shah Afridi's team to 180 in response to their mammoth 226. Babar Azam (57 off 35 balls) was the only batter from the Men In Green outfit to mount a fight.

2pm: Warner's Chopper Landing At SCG

After his farewell Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, David Warner has now flown in straight from his brother's wedding in a helicopter at the same venue to play for his Big Bash League team Sydney Thunder. You can watch the video of the remarkable stadium entry below.

 1:30pm: NZ Notch Up Record Total

New Zealand have racked up a record-breaking total of 226/8 in the first T20I against Pakistan in Auckland. This is the highest-ever T20I total scored by a side against Pakistan. The previous highest was 221, amassed by England in Karachi in 2022.

12:28pm: Akhil, Aishwary With 1-2 Finish 

Indian shooters Akhil Sheoran and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar have claimed gold and silver respectively in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions event of the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Jakarta, continuing the country’s dominant show in the continental event. Sheoran shot 460.2 to emerge victorious in the eight-men final, while Tokyo Olympian Tomar finished second on the podium with a score of 459.0, reports PTI.

11:31am: Nagal Wins!

And he's done it. Sumit Nagal has confirmed his fourth Grand Slam main draw appearance - and his first since 2021. The 26-year-old has dominated Slovakia's Alex Molcan to emerge victorious 6-4, 6-4 in his final Australian Open 2024 qualifying-round match at Melbourne Park. Read our match report here.

10:14am: Sumit Nagal In Action

India's top-ranked men's singles tennis player Sumit Nagal is currently in action at the Australian Open 2024's final qualifying round. He is level at 4-4 in the first set against Slovakia's Alex Molcan. If Nagal wins the match, he will be through to the main draw - a feat he has achieved just three times before.  

9:54am: Zagreb Open Wrestling Update

Young Indian wrestler Vicky Chahar will fight for bronze medal in the men's 97kg category but it was curtains for Sumit in the 125kg at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series tournament in Zagreb on Thursday, January 11, 2023. The 20-year-old Vicky lost to Iran's Amirali Hamid Azarpira 0-10 in the semifinal bout and is set to take on USA's Isaac Whitman Trumble for a bronze later, reports PTI.

9:07am: Italian Cup - Juventus Enter SFs

Expelled from European competition by UEFA this season, Juventus are still in contention for two of Italy’s domestic titles. Arkadiusz Milik scored a hat-trick as the Bianconeri beat visiting Frosinone 4-0 to advance into a match-up with Lazio in the Italian Cup semifinals, reports Associated Press. In Serie A, Juventus trail leaders Inter Milan by two points at the season’s midpoint. The Turin club was removed from the third-tier Europa Conference League by UEFA for this season for a false accounting case.

8:20am: Spanish Super Cup Update

The “clasico” will decide the Spanish Super Cup winner for the second straight season. Barcelona have defeated Osasuna 2-0 to set up a rematch of last year’s final against Real Madrid in Saudi Arabia. Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal scored a goal each for the Catalan club, which last season won the title for its first trophy with coach Xavi Hernandez and without Lionel Messi, reports Associated Press.