Sport
Marcus Stoinis, Kyle Mayers star as Lucknow smash Punjab in IPL
Marcus Stoinis and Kyle Mayers smashed 11 boundaries apiece to bring Lucknow Super Giants the second-highest team total in Indian Premier League history during Friday’s 56-run demolition of Punjab Kings.
Lucknow finished on 257-5 after being sent in to bat with Mayers giving the visitors a racing start, putting on 41 runs from 21 balls with skipper KL Rahul.Kagiso Rabada sent back the openers, with Mayers caught at mid-on for 54, but Stoinis kept up the charge with a statement knock that delivered 72 from 40, AFP reported.
“This wicket was so much better to bat on than the one at home,” said the Australian afterwards. “We were even joking about it in the middle.”
Stoinis took 22 runs off the last nine balls he faced to finish in the 19th over with six fours and five sixes.
Wrist spinner Rahul Chahar was the only Punjab bowler who managed to slow down the batting charge, conceding 29 runs in his wicketless four overs.
Punjab rode 23-year-old Atharav Taide’s 66 off 36 balls to finish at 201 runs in a brave but improbable chase.
Stoinis put an early dent in the fightback by dismissing returning captain Shikhar Dhawan (1), who was caught in the deep after miscalculating with an uppercut in the first over.
The Australian’s night came to a premature end after he was hit on the hand while bowling and retired hurt, grimacing in pain, though he was unfazed after the match.
“My finger is alright. We will get scans done,” he said.
Taide was out in the 13th over becoming leg spinner Ravi Bishnoi’s first wicket of the evening. He also trapped Liam Livingstone lbw for 23 effectively ending Punjab’s already scant hopes.
Sikander Raza was the only other Punjab batsman to cross the 30-run mark with the hosts all out on the second-last ball.
Lucknow’s score was six shy of the tournament record by Royal Challengers Bangalore, who scored 263-5 in a 2013 match against the now-defunct Pune Warriors.
The game also recorded the second-highest boundary count — 45 fours and 22 sixes — in IPL history, second only to the 69 between Chennai and Rajasthan Royals in 2010.
The groups and match-ups for the FIFA World Cup 2026, set to be the biggest sporting event in history, were unveiled on Friday during a high-profile Final Draw ceremony held in the United States capital, Washington DC.
In front of nearly 2,000 international guests and millions of viewers worldwide, FIFA revealed the 12 groups of four teams for the expanded 23rd edition of the tournament. The draw marks a major milestone as excitement continues to build across the three host nations — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — and the 16 host cities preparing for the event.
FIFA announced that the full schedule, including match venues and kick-off times for the tournament’s 104 games, will be released during a live global broadcast on Saturday, 6 December.
With nearly two million tickets already sold, FIFA says anticipation for the 2026 World Cup is rapidly rising.
There are 48 teams in next year’s World Cup — an expansion from the 32 teams of previous tournaments.
In the 25th match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Abu Muslim Farah secured a dominant 6-0 victory over Jawanan Perozi.
On Friday, in the 26th match, Istiqlal Kabul defeated Sarsabz Yashlar 3-1.
Tomorrow, in the 27th match, Arman FC will take on Sorkh Poshan Khafi at 10:00 AM, followed by the 28th match, where Sarafan Herat will face Ettifaq Khanzadah at 1:30 PM.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, giving football fans across the country the chance to experience the excitement and intensity of the Afghanistan Champions League throughout the season.
In the 23rd match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Arman FC put on a dominant and electrifying display, overpowering Aino Mina 6–0.
In Thursday’s 24th fixture, Khurasan Faryab took on Ettifaq Khanzadah and secured a solid 2–0 victory.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s games, Jawanan Perozi will face Abu Muslim Farah at 10:00 a.m. in the 25th match, while Istiqlal Kabul meets Sarsabz Yashlar at 1:30 p.m. in the 26th encounter.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, giving fans across the country the opportunity to follow the excitement and energy of the Afghanistan Champions League throughout the season.
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