Why have top teams exited the FIFA World Cup 2018?

What’s happening in Russia?

They’re calling Kazan the graveyard of the greats. It is where Germany lost to South Korea to crash out in the first round of a World Cup for the first time since 1938. Days later, Argentina fell to France in the round-of-16 at the same venue. On Friday it was Brazil’s turn, leaving us with a semi-final line-up few would have predicted at the start of the tournament. This is the first time in the history of the World Cup that neither Germany, Brazil or Argentina has made the last four. Consider Spain’s defeat to Russia in the round-of-16, and this has truly been a tournament of shocks.

What led to their ouster?

There is no common answer, no overarching theme. Each side had its own problems. Germany simply played badly, dull and ponderous in possession and lacking a focal point in attack. Some of the senior players that manager Joachim Low — perhaps wrongly — put his faith in were off colour. Midfielder Sami Khedira, defender Jerome Boateng and forward Thomas Muller disappointed. Low, it seemed, simply did not know what his best XI was. Spain was the better side over 120 minutes against Russia, but went out on penalties. The attack lacked penetration — Isco the only stand-out performer — and the defence wobbled, but the dismissal of manager Julen Lopetegui two days before the opening game did not help.

Argentina’s exit hardly came as a surprise; a poor team that had just about managed to qualify for the World Cup was no match for a hugely talented French unit. Lionel Messi’s individual brilliance has for long masked the team’s failures; this was a step too far.

Brazil’s defeat to Belgium in the quarter-final was perhaps a surprise, but it was not in the least an upset; Eden Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku are among the world’s best in their positions. Brazil’s defensive display, after having conceded only one goal before the game, was unexpected, though.

Are the coaches to blame?
Low seemed out of ideas when ‘Plan A’ did not work. Germany had failed to win five straight friendly matches before it laboured past Saudi Arabia days ahead of the World Cup, but he presumed — wrongly, carelessly — that everything would be all right in Russia. Fernando Hierro took charge of Spain in a crisis and was executing someone else’s plans. He cannot be faulted. A clueless Jorge Sampaoli had, according to reports in the Argentine media, been nudged aside by senior players who took matters into their own hands after the loss to Croatia. Tite had improved Brazil a great deal, especially at the back, but he will now face pressure to step down.

What about administrators?
The Spanish federation (RFEF) might have handled the Lopetegui episode better. That Real Madrid chose to name him as its next boss days before the World Cup was not ideal, but in the end, Spain was robbed of the services of a man who had revived the side. The Argentine FA, long seen as corrupt, is guilty of mismanagement. In the fortnight before the World Cup, Argentina had friendlies against Nicaragua and Israel cancelled; that they were scheduled in the first place is a bit of a scandal. The team eventually played only one international friendly in the two months leading up to the World Cup — against Haiti, ranked a lowly 104. There are concerns in Argentina over what is perceived to be a steady evaporation of the talent pool.

The current squad is old and still reliant on players who were part of the nation’s U-20 World Cup triumphs over a decade ago.

What next?
The DFB has confirmed that Low will stay on as Germany’s head coach. There is no need to panic, for Germany’s depth in talent is immense. Spain will bounce back, as will Brazil. Argentina, though, might take a while.

After three consecutive ducks against India, Ben Stokes hits ton

Before the Rajkot Test, Ben Stokes had recorded three consecutive ducks in his first three outings vs India in Tests in 2014.

Statistical highlights after the end of the second day’s play in the opening cricket Test between India and England in Rajkot on Thursday.

# England (537) have recorded their third highest total vs India in Tests in India – the top two being 652 for seven wickets declared at Chennai in January 1985 and 559 for eight wickets declared at Kanpur in February 1964.

# Moeen Ali has recorded his fourth century in Tests – his first against India – his first three were two vs Sri Lanka and one vs Pakistan. His outstanding 117 vs India is his first century in 21 innings (12 Tests) away from home.

Moeen’s previous highest score in Tests away from home was 68 vs Bangladesh at Chittagong in October 2016.

# Thanks to his century at Rajkot, Moeen’s overseas average in Tests is 26.38 – his tally being 475 in 21 innings.

# Ten England batsmen, including Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes, have registered hundreds vs India in India in their maiden Test.

Ravindra Jadeja (3/86) has produced his best bowling performance vs England in Tests in India – his second best vs England next only to the 3 for 52 at Southampton in July 2014.

# Jadeja enjoys an outstanding bowling average in Tests in India – his tally being 67 wickets (ave 18.02) in 13 Tests.

# Stuart Broad, for the first time in Tests, has batted as number eleven batsman. Just three other batsmen have batted at this position in their respective 100th Test – Makhaya Ntini, Glenn McGrath and James Anderson.

# Ravichandran Ashwin (46-3-167-2) has conceded 160 runs or more for the third time in a Test innings – his worst being 194 runs vs Australia at Adelaide in January 2012.

# Ben Stokes has produced an outstanding knock of 128 – his first hundred vs India and his fourth in Tests – one each against New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and India – all four centuries as number six batsman.

# Before the Rajkot Test, he had recorded three consecutive ducks in his first three outings vs India in Tests in 2014 – 0 at Nottingham and a PAIR – 0 & 0 at Lord’s.
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# Jonny Bairstow has amassed 1164 runs at an average of 64.66 in 13 Tests (21 innings), including three centuries and five fifties, extending his record for most runs by a wicketkeeper in a calendar year in Tests.

# Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower and Bairstow are the only wicketkeepers to have accomplished the feat of recording 1000 runs in a calendar year in Tests. Flower had scored 1045 (ave 80.38) in 16 Test innings in 2000.

# Root, Moeen Ali and Stokes have provided the tenth instance when three players from a visiting side have recorded centuries in the same Test innings in India.

# The last instance for England batsmen scoring three hundreds in the same Test innings was vs Sri Lanka at Cardiff in May 2011 – Cook (133), Trott (203) and Bell (103 not out).

India vs England, 1st Test: Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara lead hosts’ charge

India end the third day's play at 319/4, they are still behind by 218 runs. Vijay and Pujara played two very good innings and barring the last two overs, it was India's day as they dominated the visitors.

BPL 2016 to begin on clean slate

After a unanimous decision to replay all the abandoned matches, all seven franchises will begin on a clean slate when the fourth edition of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) restarts from Tuesday (November 8).

The first four matches of BPL 2016 were washed out because of non-seasonal showers, caused by a depression in the Bay of Bengal, forcing the BPL Governing Council (GC) to reschedule the tournament. The GC was awaiting the franchises' approval to replay the matches that were abandoned on Friday (November 4) and Saturday (November 5), which they have now received.

During the emergency meeting on Saturday, called by the GC to deliberate on the changes to the schedule, Comilla Victorians and Rajshahi Kings, the teams that featured in the tournament opener on Friday, were undecided on replaying their match. However, a green signal from all the franchises has meant that all the matches will be replayed, with minor tweaks to the schedule.

According to ESPNCricinfo Comilla will face off against Rajshahi on November 30 while Rangpur Riders and Khulna Titans, the other teams whose match was washed out on the opening day, will play on November 10. Chittagong Vikings vs Barisal Bulls and Comilla Victorians vs Dhaka Dynamites were the two games washed out on November 5 and those matches will now take place on November 30.

The Barisal Bulls vs Khulna Titans match and Rangpur Riders vs Rajshahi Kings were the two matches that were to be played on November 8. The Bulls vs Titans game has been rescheduled to November 20 and will be played in Chittagong while Rangpur and Rajshahi will take on each other on November 28 in Dhaka.

Comilla, the defending champions, will play the first match against Chittagong on the rescheduled opening day, while Bulls will take on Dynamites in the second match of the day.

BCCI requests ECB to bear expenses on India tour

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has requested the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to bear the expenses of their team's 'travel, hotel accommodation and other arrangements' on the upcoming five-Test tour, due to start in Rajkot on Friday (November 9).

In a letter addressed to Phil Neal, the England cricket team manager, BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke explained the board's lehttps://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5011533492569144360#editor/target=post;postID=6166962621817346495gal complications and their inability to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) due to lack of directives from the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Committee, Indian Express reported on Friday (November 4).

"Dear Phil, I warmly welcome you for the upcoming cricket series. I am however at great pains to inform you that the BCCI is at present not in a position to execute the MoU between the Indian Cricket Board and the ECB. This is due to restrictions on execution of contracts imposed on the BCCI by a Court order," Shirke wrote.

The Lodha panel clearly stated on Thursday, that BCCI will need to furnish 'relevant details' with respect to implementation of the Lodha reforms for them to be able to make any payments.

"A committee has been appointed that is also to oversee financial transactions of the BCCI," Shirke said. "The BCCI has referred this issue to the committee appointed by the Supreme Court on 28.10.2016 itself and sought urgent permission for execution of the MoU. Thereafter I have also sent the hon'ble committee a request again today. However, the Committee while seeking further details a short while ago earlier today, has not yet granted us this permission," Shirke said, before writing to Neal.

"Certain courtesies such as hotel, travel and various other arrangements have been extended to you on arrival of the team in India. However, till the MoU is executed, the BCCI is not in a position to commit to paying for the same. Please make arrangements to remit such payments. The BCCI will inform you as and when further instructions are received by the BCCI from the Lodha Committee," the letter read.

"I apologise on behalf of the BCCI for inconvenience that is being caused," Shirke added.

India beat Pakistan to win Asian Champions Trophy title

Goals from Rupinder Pal Singh (18th minute), Yousuf Affan (23rd) and Nikkin Thimmaiah (51st) helped India surmount the challenge from Pakistan, who rallied from two goals behind through strikes by Muhammad Aleem Bilal (26th) and Ali Shaan (38th) in the title clash of the fourth edition of tournament.

This was the first time the teams were meeting in the final of a continental tournament since India dethroned Pakistan as the Asian Games champions in Incheon, South Korea in 2014.
India had won the inaugural edition of the Asian Champions Trophy by defeating Pakistan in the final in 2011.

Pakistan reversed the result in the title contest the next year and went on to retain it in 2013 by defeating Japan in the final.

World No. 6 India were the favourites going into the tournament, but were without several seasoned players who had been rested to recuperate from injuries.

India went into the title contest at the Kuantan Hockey Stadium without ace custodian PR Sreejesh, who was rested due to pulled hamstring and Akash Chikte took the position under the bar.

India earned their first penalty corner in the seventh minute, but failed to make it count. Ace flicker Rupinder was on the spot, but Jasjit Singh Kular was allowed to take the shot in a tactical move. Jasjit's shot went wide of the left and posed no threat.

Pakistan had a chance to take the lead in the 12th minute when Muhammad Rizwan Jr picked up a long ball inside the Indian circle and had only the goalkeeper to beat from close range. Goalkeeper Chikte stepped up to tackle him from close and Rizwan Jr shot wide to muff the opportunity.

A cross from the right sailed across the Pakistan goal in the 11th minute without the Indian strikers being able to connect, while at the other end Muhammad Arslan Qadir's shy from a narrow angle was padded away by the Indian goalkeeper as the first quarter came to an end.

India broke the deadlock to score the first goal in the 18th minute on their second penalty corner as Rupinder sent a rasping drag-flick into the left side of the net. This was the 11 penalty corner conversion in the tournament by Rupinder, the highest goal-scorer in the tournament by a big margin.
Three minutes later, Nikkin Thimmaiah releyed a ball from Sardar Singh to Talwinder Singh on the left. Talwinder could not control his reverse drive and the ball went soaring over the cross-bar.

Seasoned Indian midfielder Sardar Singh was again in the picture as India increased the lead in the 23rd minute as he worked up on the right flank and put Ramandeep Singh in possession on top of the circle.

Ramandeep's cross was deflected in by Yousuf Affan into the boards to put India 2-0 up.
Under pressure, Pakistan responded by forcing their first penalty corner, which was converted by Muhammad Aleem Bilal in the 26th minute. Bilal sounded the boards with a low drag-flick that beat the goalkeeper.

Pakistan defence had no trouble in warding away India's attempts to send long diagonal balls into the circle and capitalised on a lapse by the Indian defence to draw 2-2 parity in the 38th minute. Ali Shan wasted no time in slapping the ball that had got deflected to him inside the scoring zone.

India had a goal disallowed on review in the 40th minute when the video umpire ruled that Kothajit Singh's shot from outside the circle went into the goal without a touch.

India wrested the lead back in the 51st minute when Sardar again shaped the goal-bearing move by working his way up on the left flank and gave a through pass to Thimmaiah, who beat Pakistan custodian Fareed Ahmed with a diagonal flick that ended inside the right goal-post.

Pakistan forced their second penalty corner in the 53rd minute, but the opportunity went abegging as the push could not be stopped.

In the final two minutes of play, all Indian players fell back into their territory to keep the last-gasp Pakistan attacks at bay.

Rio Olympics 2016: how to watch, live stream, schedule, and what to expect

Friday, August 5, marks the start of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

For months, people questioned whether the games would actually take place. Would the Olympic Park be ready in time? Would the Zika virus prove too dangerous for the athletes and spectators? Would the political turmoil and economic collapse bring the entire event to a standstill?

But now those questions come to an end as athletes, tourists, dignitaries, and journalists from around the world gather in Rio to kick off two weeks of sporting competition, in an Olympic Games expected to draw billions of viewers worldwide.

The 2016 Olympics will run from August 5 until August 21 and will feature 42 sports, 306 total events, 136 medals for women, and 161 medals for men. About 10,500 athletes are expected to compete at the Olympics in Rio, including the first Olympic team composed entirely of refugees.

Here is a guide to the next two weeks:

How to watch:

More than 2,000 hours of Olympic events are scheduled to air over the course of the next two weeks. While not all events will be aired on TV, NBC is slated to stream an additional 4,500 hours of Olympic coverage on its website, with concurrent streams for competitions going on at the same time. However, after a 30-minute grace period, NBC will require users to log on with their TV provider.

Rio 2016 also has an official YouTube page with clips.

The schedule:

Opening ceremony: Friday, August 5, at 7 pm Eastern at the Maracanã Stadium (NBC will stream the show at a one-hour delay on the East Coast, at 8 pm Eastern, and at a four-hour delay on the West Coast, at 8 pm Pacific)

While most of the events will start on or after the opening ceremony, the Olympic games kicked off on August 3 with soccer. The US women’s soccer team won its Olympic opening match against New Zealand. (The US men’s soccer team failed to qualify for the Olympics this year.)

The much-anticipated women’s gymnastics all-around final is scheduled for Thursday, August 11, at 3 pm Eastern.

Closing Ceremony: Sunday, August 21, at 7 pm Eastern at Maracanã Stadium

Here is the full schedule of sporting events.

What to expect:

The 2016 Rio Olympics comes at a difficult time for Brazil. As Vox’s Libby Nelson explained, Brazil is in a much different place than it was when it won the Olympics bid in the late 2000s. Then it had a growing economy and a shrinking unemployment rate. Since that time, the country has entered the worst recession in its history; the president, Dilma Rousseff, is awaiting impeachment trials for campaign finance corruption; and the country’s political foundation is still recovering from a separate, even larger multibillion-dollar corruption scandal involving many top government figures (not to mention the recent spread of Zika plaguing South America).

But even with these obstacles, and many others associated with building an Olympic Park from the ground up, the Rio Olympics also brings some high points: the introduction of the first refugee team, with 10 athletes from conflict zones across the globe competing in judo, swimming, and track and field; the introduction of rugby sevens to the Olympics; a final go at Olympic gold from American swimming favorite Michael Phelps; and a much-anticipated gymnastics matchup between 2012 American Olympic gold medal winner Gabby Douglas and first-time American Olympian Simone Biles.

As the first South American country to host the Olympics, Brazil has a lot at stake. But with all the problems that have plagued the country in the runup to the games, expectations are low. And that might very well play in its favor.