SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2019 16 Nadal ousts Federer Today’s matches Rafael Nadal hands Roger Federer worst Slam loss in 11 years to reach 12th French Open final England v Bangladesh er’s first French Open campaign (12:30pm) Nadal beats since 2015, after skipping the • clay-court season for two years Afghanistan vs New Federer 6–3, 6–4, in order to be better prepared Zealand (3:30pm) 6–2 in semi-final for Wimbledon. “I think I surprised myself Rain washes out Spaniard aiming maybe how deep I got in this Pakistan-Sri Lanka to• win 12th French tournament and how well I ac- tually was able to play through- World Cup match Open title out,” he said. AFP | Bristol AFP | Paris Topsy-turvy start A topsy-turvy start saw the he World Cup match efending champion Spaniard race through the first Tbetween Pakistan and Rafael Nadal powered three games before Federer Sri Lanka was abandoned Dpast Roger Federer in broke back as the wind played without a ball being bowled the French Open semi-finals havoc with the players’ serves yesterday after persistent yesterday, to move within one from one end. rain in Bristol. victory of a record-extending But Nadal grabbed a 4-2 ad- The game was scheduled 12th Roland Garros title after vantage in a marathon sixth to begin at 10:30 (0930 GMT) handing his “biggest rival” his game as Federer, looking to but was eventually called worst Grand Slam defeat in 11 Spain’s Rafael Nadal returns the ball to Switzerland’s Roger Federer become the oldest Grand Slam off in the afternoon, with years. finalist since Ken Rosewall at both teams being awarded a The 33-year-old produced a bit more special and unique.” ing a run of five straights losses other than the 11-time cham - the 1974 US Open, dumped a point. It is the first match at masterful performance to get The third seed now has an to the 37-year-old. pion. forehand into the net. the World Cup in England past Federer 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in the stunning 92-2 win-loss record He could also move to within The defeat leaves Federer still The crowd were roaring on and Wales to be abandoned last four on Court Philippe Cha- on the Paris clay, having beaten two of Federer on the all-time waiting for a first victory over Federer as he saved a set point, without a result. trier and set up a final clash with Federer for the sixth time in as Grand Slam title winners’ list Nadal on clay since 10 years ago but gasped in appreciation of a Both teams now have either world number one Novak many French Open meetings de- with an 18th major on Sunday. in Madrid. rasping Nadal backhand winner three points, with one win Djokovic or Austrian fourth seed spite difficult, windy conditions. A tally of just nine games It was 2009 champion Feder- which clinched the opening set. and a loss apiece. Dominic Thiem on Sunday. “This court can be windy, can meant it was Federer’s heaviest Pakistan lost to the West It will be Nadal’s 12th ap - be difficult,” added Nadal. defeat in a Grand Slam match Djokovic, Thiem to resume today after play called off Indies by seven wickets at pearance in the championship “Today was a little bit too since managing only four against Trent Bridge before beat- match, which he has never lost much. So difficult to control Nadal in their famously one-sid- ovak Djokovic’s Roland Austrian fourth seed Thiem ing England by 14 runs at before. the situation and understand ed 2008 Roland Garros final. NGarros semi-final clash led 6-2, 3-6, 3-1 against world the same venue. Sri Lanka “In front (of me was) probably the things that were going on Nadal made only 19 unforced with Dominic Thiem was halt- number one when players left crashed to a 10-wicket de- my biggest rival in my career on court.” errors, crushing 33 winners as ed for the day in the third set Court Philippe Chatrier. The feat against New Zealand with all the story that we shared Nadal also leads his overall Federer struck 25, although that yesterday due to deteriorating game will resume at 1000GMT before pulling off a 34-run together,” said Nadal. “So that head-to-head against Federer amount could easily have been weather conditions. (12:00) today. win against Afghanistan in always makes the match a little 24-15, and 14-2 on clay after end- doubled against any opponent a rain-affected game. England v Bangladesh Afghanistan vs New Zealand Tamim Facts Kane Joe Root Iqbal Mohammad Williamson Facts Nabi » New Zealand have started the Cricket World Cup with back- » England is the World’s number one side and has batted to-back wins, thrashing Sri Lanka by ten wickets and then very well in the cricket world cup 2019 so far overcoming Bangladesh with a two-wicket win last time out. » Bangladesh has played well but it is a side with » Afghanistan have lost two from two so far, bowled out for limitations 207 against Australia in a seven-wicket loss and then 152 in » England’s fast bowling attack is far superior to Bangla- Sri Lanka’s 201 last time out. desh giving it a winning advantage » Afghanistan are still searching for their first World Cup win against a Full Member team - the only side they have beaten in eight previous games so far was Scotland in 2015. England Bangladesh Afghanistan New Zealand 1. After comfortably beating South Africa in their opening 1. Bangladesh could not replicate their heroics from Afghanistan have been unchanged for their two matches New Zealand stuck with the same team that beat Sri Lanka match, England were brought crashing back down to their opening match against South Africa as they so far and will have had no complaints about their bowling to face Bangladesh last time out, after Colin Munro and earth last time out as Pakistan beat them by 14 runs lost narrowly to New Zealand by two wickets, but performance last time out. There may be changes on the Matt Henry had started the tournament ahead of injured at Trent Bridge on Monday and they will be desperate there were plenty of positives in their performance batting front, however, after their two opening defeats. Noor duo Henry Nicholls and Tim Southee. After becoming the to bounce back to winning ways here. to ensure spirits remain high coming into this game. Ali Zadran and Asghar Afghan are waiting in the wings if so. first team to win back-to-back games at this tournament, 2. Despite Joe Root and Jos Buttler both scoring centuries 2. Wicketkeeper/batsman Mushfiqur Rahim did not Promoting Najibullah Zadran up the order is another option. they may be unchanged again. in that game, not enough of the batsmen around them enjoy the best of games after being run out at a key were able to stick around long enough to guide them stage when batting, and then some questionable Probable XI Probable XI to victory and there are plenty of batsmen including wicketkeeping including one failed run out of Black- the two openers, who will be looking to improve their caps’ skipper Kane Williamson proved somewhat Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad(wk), Rahmat Shah, Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson (c), Ross Taylor, form starting here. costly for his team and he will be desperate to Asghar Afghan, Najibullah Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Tom Latham (wk), Jimmy Neesham, Colin de Grandhomme, 3. Jofra Archer endured a difficult match going wicketless bounce back here. Gulbadin Naib(c), Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson for 79 runs from his ten overs, and the selectors may 3. The batting was unable to score at the same rate as Zadran, Hamid Hassan be tempted to bring Liam Plunkett back into the side they did against in the opening match against South at the expense of either Archer or potentially Mark Africa and although most batsmen did manage to PITCH REPORT Wood in what is the only possible change to the team. make a contribution, they will be hoping the openers Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar can just get off to Probable XI a better start and set a greater platform for them to Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan(c), Ben build on. Stokes, Jos Buttler(wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer Probable XI A few blustery afternoon showers can be PITCH REPORT expected on an otherwise sunny day at Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Taunton. Short boundaries will make things England vs Bangladesh ICC World Cup 2019 match is going Rahim (wk), Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah, Mossadek difficult for the bowlers, much like it did in to be played at the Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. The weather Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the last men’s ODI hosted at this venue 20 forecast for Cardiff is not very bad and even though there Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Mustafizur Rahman years ago, when Sourav Ganguly and Rahul are some clouds around, we should be able to get a full Dravid stitched a 318-run partnership against game in without any trouble. Sri Lanka – a World Cup record till 2015. Hon. 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