India men’s cricket team skipper Rohit Sharma ended his drought of half-centuries in Test cricket with a fifty in the first session of the Rajkot Test. Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal pulled out of the Qatar Open as he is yet to recover fully. Cristiano Ronaldo scored the first goal of 2024 to lead Al-Nassr to a 1-0 win over Al-Fayha.
Let's have a look at the top 10 trending sports news on February 15's sports roundup:
Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel make Test debuts
In the Rajkot Test, Rohit Sharma made four changes to the playing XI. Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel were handed debut caps. Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj returned to replace Axar Patel and Mukesh Kumar.
Rohit ends fifty drought
As India lost three early wickets in the first session after opting to bat first, Rohit ended his half-century drought in red-ball cricket. After eight innings, Rohit scored a half-century against Ben Stokes-led side. His last half-century in Test cricket came in July 2023 against West Indies.
Jay Shah confirms Rohit as captain for T20 World Cup
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah confirmed that Rohit will lead India in the T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies. Shah named all-rounder Hardik Pandya as his deputy for the mega event and backed India to end the drought in ICC tournaments and bring the trophy home.
Nadal pulls out of Qatar Open
Tennis star Rafael Nadal pulled out of Qatar Open as he is not healthy enough to return to the court. Nadal is eyeing his comeback in the Indian Wells tournament.
“I would have loved to play in Doha, where the tournament team, as well as the amazing Qatar fans have always supported me greatly. Unfortunately I am not ready to compete and I won't be able to come to Doha where I really wanted to be and play again after that unforgettable win in 2014,” Nadal wrote on social media.
Ronaldo's first goal of 2024 leads Al-Nassr to victory
Cristiano Ronaldo secured a 1-0 victory for Al-Nassr against Al-Fayha in the Asian Champions League's round of 16 with his first goal of 2024. Ronaldo's 81st-minute strike, assisted by Marcelo Brozovic, extends his remarkable streak of scoring in 23 consecutive calendar years, dating back to 2002.
India clinch double podium finish at 10M ISSF World Cup
India achieved an impressive double podium finish at the 10M ISSF World Cup in Grenada, Spain, with Devanshi Dhama securing gold and Lakshita claiming silver in the women's 10m air pistol junior event. In a closely contested final, Devanshi scored 240.0 points while Lakshita secured 238.0 points, reaffirming India's dominance in the competition. With this victory, India maintains its lead in the medal tally with four gold, three silver, and two bronze medals.
Bedingham’s ton revives Proteas after debutant O’Rourke’s record display
South Africa middle-order batter David Bedingham's 110 off 141 balls helped South Africa post 235 before getting bowled out and set a target of 267 in the second Test. Will O'Rourke took a fifer to break Mark Craig's record for best bowling figures on Test debut for a Kiwi bowler. O’Rourke took nine wickets for 93 runs. In the run chase, New Zealand lost Devon Conway before the end of Day 3's play. They are 40/1 with 227 more runs to win.
MI Emirates reach ILT20 final
Akeal Hosein’s economical spell including two crucial wickets helped Nicholas Pooran-led MI Emirates beat defending champions Gulf Giants in the Qualifier 1 to reach the final. MI Emirates posted 163/7 on the board which turned out to be too much for Gulf Giants. They were bowled out for 118 and lost the match by 45 runs.
PKL 10: Dabang Delhi’s thrilling win, Bengal Warriors out of playoffs contention
Dabang Delhi staged a remarkable comeback from a 13-point deficit to secure a thrilling 45-43 victory over Tamil Thalaivas in a Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 match held on February 14. Ashu Malik shone as the standout performer for the winning team, notching an impressive 18 raid points.
Puneri Paltan dealt a significant blow to the playoff hopes of the Bengal Warriors with a thrilling 29-26 victory at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday, effectively knocking the Bengal Warriors out of the tournament.
Indian women's hockey team falls short against world no.1 Netherlands
In a closely contested FIH Pro League match, the Indian women's hockey team displayed improved defensive prowess against the formidable Netherlands squad but ultimately fell short, losing 0-1 to the world No. 1 side. Despite their efforts, a superb 27th-minute field goal by Albers Felice sealed the victory for the reigning Olympic, world, and Pro League champions. This defeat marks India's fifth loss in six Pro League games, with this being their second defeat to the Dutch squad in the current season.
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