Kolkata Knight Riders beat Kings XI Punjab by 11 runs

Brief score:
Kings XI Punjab: 158 for 6 in 20 overs.

Kolkata Knight Riders: 79 for 1 in 9.2 overs (Chris Gayle not out 44, Brendon McCullum 21; Vikramjeet Malik 1/23).

Younis Khan’s brilliant unbeaten century takes Pakistan home

His walk to the pitch is always a jaunty stride. Confident steps, shadow-playing of few shots and then a loud request to the umpire for fine-tuning his stance, have been his signature style.

Younis Khan has always been a picture of confidence and it was perfect that he was at the crease while anchoring Pakistan’s chase against his favourite rivals.

Younis Khan’s unbeaten 123 (117b, 11x4, 1x6) guided Pakistan to an eight-wicket victory over India in a STAR Cricket Asia Cup semifinal league match at the National Stadium here on Wednesday. Younis, who struck 108 to help Pakistan defeat M.S. Dhoni’s men and win the Kitply Cup at Dhaka, continued to be India’s scourge on a day when a victory was imperative for the host to keep its hopes of a berth in the final alive.

Chasing India’s 308 for seven in 50 overs, Pakistan scored 309 for two in 45.3 overs. Pakistan gained two points and now needs to defeat Bangladesh on Friday while hoping that India loses to Sri Lanka on Thursday.

In that context when both Pakistan and India will be level on four points, the home side will qualify on the basis of having more victories in the semifinal league, according to the tournament officials who clarified late in the night.

Spain crowned champion of Europe

The delightfulness of Euro 2008 has been capped by its profound justice. Adroit and artistic Spain have triumphed in a tournament where their squad had the depth of talent to outdo all others.

Those who mused that Luis Aragonés’s side might lack in forwards while the tournament’s top-scorer, David Villa, was injured received their answer.

Liverpool’s Fernando Torres took the only goal with a mixture of anticipation, pace and delicacy of finish.

Germany were as intrepid as is to be expected of a nation in pursuit of a seventh major prize. Nonetheless, Michael Ballack, who had recovered from a calf strain, was the key person in a line-up that had to depend on its doggedness.

Strong-minded as Spain have also been in winning all six of their matches here, technical excellence is the true basis of their domination.

Aragonés carries some notoriety but he has taught Spain to count on their talent. The inability to win a trophy since taking this same competition in Madrid in 1964 has been all the more galling because footballers of lavish gifts have been among those who floundered.

At Euro 2008, by contrast, Spain permitted their opponents to assume the lead in only one game, an inconsequential tie against Greece.

Team not to rest on past exploits, says Dhoni

Mahender Singh Dhoni believes in living in the present, does not carry burdens of the past and is clear about the direction his team is striving for in future.

The India cricket captain, expressing his thoughts on Asia Cup 2008, was clear that his team will be starting from scratch in the seven-nation event hosted by Pakistan.

“Indian teams have always done well in Pakistan, but that is in the past. For this team, the scenario will be different, the conditions will be different. We are working towards playing to potential, play to the best of our abilities. Then the chances of winning games are more.”

The Triangular Series final loss to Pakistan, the captain attributes as part of the game. “Winning and losing is all part of the game,” reasoned the skipper, stressing on the playing to potential factor as the surest way to record more victories than defeats.

The team flies out from Mumbai at a time when the silver jubilee celebrations of the 1983 World Cup winning squad is foremost in people’s mind. The current Indian captain, asserting his own leadership style and developing into a mature batsman as a result of responsibility, referred to Kapil Dev’s historic triumph with pride.

Dhoni (born July 1981) was an infant when India turned the one-day world upside down defeating West Indies at Lords on June 25, 1983.

Gambhir powers to an unbeaten century

Gautam Gambhir is light on his feet and heavy with his contributions. The left-hander is making all the right moves these days.

His compelling footwork, timing and balance were the highlights of an unbeaten hundred in the last league match of the Kitply tri-series cricket tournament at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on Thursday.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men made light of a chase of 223, romping home by seven wickets in the 36th over. They will now meet Pakistan in the final here on Saturday.

Gambhir’s unbeaten 107 (101b, 13x4, 1x6) indicated his growing maturity. He played second fiddle to Virender Sehwag without being negative and launched into strokes after his senior partner’s departure.

It was crucial for the host to be consistent with the shiny, hard ball and force mistakes. Apart from Mashrafe Mortaza, the rest disappointed.

Sehwag began with a flowing cover-drive off Mortaza and then cut loose. He was provided width by Farhad Reza and promptly responded with cuts and pulls. There were also occasions when Sehwag converted the length. A yorker-length ball was eased past the bowler and the ropes.

India scores an emphatic win Paceman Praveen complements Sehwag, Gambhir’s good effort

With his unique wrist action, Praveen Kumar is among those rare pacemen who can swing and seam, often the same delivery.

The canny Praveen cut through the Pakistani top-order on a sluggish wicket to fashion an emphatic win for India in a Kitply tri-series league game at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium here on Tuesday night.

Chasing 331, Pakistan was dismissed for 190 in a no-contest.

The victory also brought to an end Pakistan’s run of 12 ODI wins

The deceptive Praveen of a quick-arm release dismissed Salman Butt, Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf before prising out a threatening Kamran Akmal.

Nadal demolishes Federer

Rafael Nadal equalled Bjorn Borg’s record of four consecutive French Open crowns, overpowering World No.1 Roger Federer 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 in the final in Paris on Sunday. The Spaniard’s win — his third on the trot against Federer in French Open finals — kept his unbeaten record at Roland Garros intact.

By the fourth game, Rafael Nadal had Roger Federer kicking the clay in frustration. By the second set, the normally stoic Federer was screaming at himself.

The drubbing went on from there. Nadal won his fourth consecutive French Open title in a rout Sunday, again spoiling Federer's bid to complete a career Grand Slam.

Dominating the world's No. 1 player with astounding ease, Nadal swept six consecutive games early in the match and swept the final nine games to win 6-1, 6-3, 6-0.

It was Federer's worst loss in his 173 Grand Slam matches, and the shortest Roland Garros men's final in terms of games since 1977.

So thorough was the thumping that during the trophy ceremony, Nadal was moved to apologize.

``Roger, I'm sorry for the final,'' Nadal said.

For the No. 2-ranked Nadal, it was merely another in a series of dominating victories. He lost only 41 games in seven rounds.

``I've hoped I could have done better today than four games,'' Federer said. ``But Rafael was very strong this year.''

The Spaniard became the second man to win four consecutive French Open titles. Bjorn Borg did it in 1978-81.