Iraq to travel for Mexico playoff despite coach’s call for postponement
Iraq will travel to Mexico at the end of the week for their World Cup playoff despite calls from coach Graham Arnold to postpone the match as they are facing travel disruption due to the Middle East conflict, the country's FA president Adnan Dirjal said on Saturday, Reuters reported.
Iraq are due to face either Bolivia or Suriname in Monterrey on March 31. Regional airspace has been closed since February 28, when U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the Middle East, grounding several flights.
Dirjal said in a video statement carried by the Iraqi News Agency that the federation had written to world soccer's governing body FIFA to explain “the situation in the region and the difficulties facing the national team”.
ICC reprimands Pakistan's Agha over reaction to controversial run-out
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reprimanded Pakistan batter Salman Agha for his reaction to a controversial run-out in the second One-Day International against ‌Bangladesh in Dhaka on Friday, Reuters reported .
Short of his crease at the non-striker's end, Agha was bending down to pick up the ball to return it to a Bangladesh bowler after his teammate Mohammad Rizwan had driven it towards him.
However, Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz circled around behind Agha to collect the ball and threw down the stumps, sparking a debate about the “sportsman spirit”.
Man City lose ground on Arsenal with draw at West Ham
Manchester City lost ground on Premier League Arsenal on Saturday as they were held to a 1-1 draw at West Ham United, which left them nine points behind the leaders with a game in hand, Reuters reported.
After Arsenal left ‌it late to beat Everton 2-0, Bernardo Silva put City ahead in the 31st minute with a fortunate chip over goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, before Konstantinos Mavropanos headed home Jarrod Bowen's corner four minutes later.
City manager Pep Guardiola had claimed the title race could be over if his side dropped points again and City poured forward with increasing desperation in search of a winner after the break, according to Reuters.
Medvedev ousts Alcaraz to set up Indian Wells final against Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz's bid for a third straight Indian Wells title was brought to a halt on Saturday by Daniil Medvedev, who swept past the world number one 6-3 7-6(3) to set up a final against Jannik Sinner ‌after the Italian brushed aside Alexander Zverev 6-2 6-4, Reuters reported.
Medvedev, who ended Alcaraz's 16-match winning streak to start the season, won six points in a row in the tiebreak before serving an ace to close out the match.
The Russian played smartly to break Alcaraz early and take a 3-1 lead, never relinquishing his advantage to claim the opening set, according to Reuters.
