Submit your Article

Captain Aiden Markram led with a half-century as South Africa kicked off their Twenty20 World Cup campaign with a comfortable 57-run win over Canada on Monday, aided by Lungi Ngidi's four-wicket haul in a Group D clash in Ahmedabad, Reuters reported. 

Canada's decision to bowl first backfired as last edition's finalists South Africa stormed to 213-4, despite Ansh Patel's three-wicket haul. In response, Canada could only get to 156-8, despite Navneet Dhaliwal's fighting knock of 64.

Markram (59 off 32 balls) started to fire early, putting together a 70-run partnership with Quinton de Kock within seven overs. The skipper completed his half-century in 28 balls, before falling to Patel (3-31), according to Reuters. 

Pakistan are poised to fulfil their T20 World Cup fixture against India on Sunday, having previously been instructed by their government to boycott the game in a move that could have cost the sport millions, The Guardian reported. 

The crisis was triggered by Bangladesh withdrawing from the tournament last month – their place handed to Scotland – when a request to play their matches outside India on security grounds was rejected by the International Cricket Council.

In an act of solidarity the Pakistan government, led by the prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, then stated Pakistan would forfeit the game against India in Colombo – a potentially damaging move given the fixture’s centrality to the ICC’s £2.2bn ($3bn) broadcast deal, according to The Guardian. 

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank said his side are desperate to win matches, after a seven-game run without a Premier League victory has left them six points above the relegation zone in contrast to their form in Europe, Reuters reported. 

Spurs have won three straight Champions League games to directly progress to the round of 16 and this month held visitors Manchester City to a draw in the Premier League.

But Saturday's 2-0 loss at Manchester United dealt another blow to their English top-flight campaign, according to Reuters. 

Four-times champions Al-Hilal dropped their first points of the league phase of the Asian Champions League Elite on Monday as Simone Inzaghi's much-changed line-up were held to a 0-0 draw by Shabab Al-Ahli of the United Arab Emirates, Reuters reported. 

With qualification for the last 16 already confirmed after victories in their first six matches, Inzaghi made a host of changes to his team for the meeting in Dubai and the Saudi Pro League outfit struggled as a result.

The point gained, however, keeps Al-Hilal in pole position in the standings with one round remaining, five points ahead of compatriots Al-Ahli in second, according to Reuters.