Sports World: Lionel Messi To Miss Argentina Friendlies Due To Injury - As It Happened

Welcome to the highlights of the sports world news and events for 19 March 2024. Pakistan Super League 2024 Final saw a thrilling match as Islamabad United beat Multan Sultans on the last ball to clinch the title. Afghanistan also bagged the T20I series 2-1 after beating Ireland by 57 runs in the third T20I in Sharjah. England Women won the first T20I match against New Zealand Women by 27 runs at Dunedin in the University Oval. Catch the highlights of the world sports for 19 March 2024, here. (Cricket News | Football News)

ICYMI - Islamabad United defeated Multan Sultans by two wickets in a nail-biter to clinch the Pakistan Super League 2024. With eight needed of the final over, Hunain Shah and Imad Wasim got their team over the line by hitting a last-ball four and clinching their third PSL title.

Former Australia batter Michael Hussey has compared Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni to Benjamin Button. “He’s preparing really well. His knee seems good at this stage. And he’s batting extremely well at the moment. I must admit he’s like Benjamin Button! He keeps getting better,” said Hussey. Chennai Super Kings kickstart their IPL 2024 campaign with a blockbuster tie against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Mar 22 at Chepauk.

Professional boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr on Monday said he is eager to participate in an exhibition fight in India this year and the possibility of an opponent from the host nation cannot be ruled out. The 47-year-old former boxing champion boasts of a perfect 50-0 record in the professional circuit, which includes 27 knockouts.

"It's possible. I look forward to having an exhibition over here in 2024. We are looking for a solid name as a solid opponent," Mayweather told PTI over phone from Mumbai.

"I'm pretty sure that I'll find the right opponent. It's all about taking things to the next level, with all the amazing people here anything is possible," he added. (PTI)

Four players from Argentina top-flight club Vélez Sarsfield were arrested on Monday in connection with a rape case. Goalkeeper Sebastián Sosa, defender Braian Cufré, midfielder José Ignacio Florentín and striker Abiel Osorio were arrested. That followed a request from case prosecutor María Eugenia Posse in San Miguel de Tucumán, 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) north of the capital Buenos Aires. Vélez, a historic club with 10 national titles and the 1994 Copa Libertadores trophy, said it suspended the contracts of all four footballers after they were arrested. (AP)

Konstantin Koltsov, the Belarusian former pro ice hockey player and boyfriend of tennis player Aryna Sabalenka, has died at the age of 42, Russian club Salavat Yulaev said in a statement on Tuesday.

The opening Test of the five-match series during India's tour of Australia set to kick off later this year will be hosted by Perth. The other venues decided for the much-anticipated series are Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney according to reports.

Australia's men's cricket team postponed Afghanistan's tour for the three-match T20 International home series scheduled in August 2024, over the "worsening" conditions for women and girls in that country. Since the Taliban rule over the nation, girls have been restricted from attending high schools, women barred from universities and females are not allowed to work as Afghan aid staff.

The Argentina Football Association confirmed that Lionel Messi is not participating in the upcoming friendlies in the United States as the star footballer has not yet recovered from the hamstring injury sustained during Inter Miami's 3-1 win over Nashville in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

The Bangladesh fast bowler, Mustafizur Rahman, who is one of the numero uno of the IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings has been injured ahead of the 2024 season. He went off the field on a stretcher due to severe pain in his leg during the third ODI of Bangladesh against Sri Lanka today.

The former Indian cricketer, Navjot Singh Sidhu is set to return to the commentary box of the upcoming Indian Premier League season after a decade, spending years in the unforgiving world of politics.

Ellyse Perry, the star performer of Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Women's Premier League 2024, explained that staying calm and composed during the 'big moments' and peaking at the right time helped the team win their maiden title. She ended the tournament as the top scorer with 347 runs, setting the record for the best bowling figures by taking 6 wickets, the most in the history of the league.

Before the start of the Indian Premier League season, the SunRisers Hyderabad have encountered a setback. Wanindu Hasaranga, the star all-rounder, will be absent for the first three IPL matches due to his name in the Sri Lanka squad for a two-Test series against Bangladesh, which begins on March 22.

Smriti Mandhana, the skipper of the Royal Challengers Bangalore women's team downplayed the comparisons between their male counterparts following her team's victory in the Women's Premier League 2024. RCB men's team featuring Virat Kohli has not yet claimed any title in 16 years.

"The title is one thing, but what he (Kohli) has achieved for India is remarkable. So, I don't think that comparison is right in terms of where my career is and what he has already achieved," said Mandhana.

Indian wrestlers, Vinesh Phogat, and Sakshi Malik via social media urged India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "do something" to expel the "oppressors" like Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh from Indian sports. This emerged in the wake of IOA handing back wrestling administration to Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexually harassing women.

The star batter of Mumbai Indians, Suryakumar Yadav will miss the opener match against Gujarat Titans on March 24 as he is yet to get the fitness certificate from the National Cricket Academy (NCA).

The Indian Premier League is implementing a new technology called the Smart Replay System in the upcoming season to enhance the speed and accuracy of decision-making. In this system, the TV umpire will receive direct context from two operators of the Hawk-Eye system who will be present in the same room as him. They will assist in analyzing images captured by eight hi-speed cameras placed strategically across the venue.

India's Lakshya Sen earned a five-place jump to reach the world number 13 in the latest BWF ranking after ending the All England Open Badminton Championships as a semifinalist.

The great batter, Virat Kohli dreams of adding another silverware to the trophy cabinet of Royal Challengers Bengaluru after the women's team brought the maiden title in the franchise.

"It was absolutely amazing. When they won it (WPL), we were watching. Hopefully, we can double it up with the trophies and that will be something truly special," said Kohli during the RCB Unbox event.

India's Sathish Kumar Karunakar continuing his victorious run advanced in the Swiss Open after winning the first two matches in men's singles. He won the first match against Uriel Francisco Canjura Artiga of Salvador 21-18 21-12 and then beaten Korea's Jeon Hyeok Ji in the qualification.

Rishabh Pant will captain Delhi Capitals in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League. The wicketkeeper-batter is making a return to professional cricket after 14 months and has been a part of the Delhi Capitals pre-season preparatory camp in Vizag.

Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal failed to make the main draw of the Miami Open on debut after losing his final qualifying round match to Hong Kong's Coleman Wong here on Tuesday, according to PTI reports. Nagal lost 6-3 1-6 5-7 to the 19-year-old, squandering the advantage he secured by winning the first set.

Wong, who like Nagal is playing his first Miami Open, defeated France's Hugo Gaston 6-2 3-6 6-2 in his first qualifying round.

All-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga could be available for the initial few games for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League after he was suspended from the upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh by the ICC, despite coming out of retirement on Tuesday, according to PTI reports.

Former Barcelona player Arda Turan has been found guilty of tax fraud in Spain and sentenced to a one-year prison sentence that was suspended, a Spanish court said on Tuesday, according to AP reports.

The court said the former Turkey midfielder committed two counts of tax fraud in 2015 and 2016. He was fined 630,000 euros (USD 684,000).

Rajasthan Kings came out victorious in the first-ever 90-ball format Legends Cricket Trophy 2024, securing a clinical 20-run win over New York Superstar Strikers on Tuesday, March 19 at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Sri Lanka.

The day ended with the results in the Legends Cricket Trophy 2024 Final where Rajasthan Kings beat New York Superstar Strikers by 20 runs to clinch the inaugural title. DC appointed Rishabh Pant as captain for the upcoming IPL season. That's all from our side for today. Take good care of your health. Goodnight!