World Sports: Vinesh Phogat Makes Cut For Asian Olympic Qualifiers - As It Happened

Welcome to the highlights of our coverage of the sports news and events on Monday, March 11, 2024. Australia successfully chased down the 279-run target set by New Zealand in the second Test match of the series at Hagley Oval, Christchurch thanks to Alex Carey and Pat Cummins' innings. Back in India, Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy 2024 final saw Ajinkya Rahane and Musheer Khan's half-centuries as Mumbai took their lead to 260 runs at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. In WPL 2024, the Gujarat Giants managed their second win of the season despite a brilliant fightback from UP Warriorz's Deepti Sharma. Catch the highlights of world sports here. (Cricket News | Football News)

Real Madrid thumped relegation-threatened Celta Vigo 4-0 to go seven points clear in the La Liga standings of second-placed Girona. In France, PSG drew their Ligue 1 game against Reims 2-2 with star forward Kylian Mbappe starting from the bench.

With the back against the wall, the reigning World Test Champions Australia have defeated New Zealand in the second Test by three wickets and sealed the series 2-0. Alex Carey remained unbeaten on 98 with Mitchell Marsh scoring 80 and Pat Cummins unbeaten on 32.

NZ - 162 & 372

AUS - 256 & 281/7 (Australia win by three runs)

Tim Southee: Was a great Test. The partnership between Marsh and Carey broke the back of our team. There was a bit of excitement towards the end, but wasn't to be. This can happen when you're playing the number 1 side in the world. Dropped catches are a part of the game. Lots of postives from this series. Henry has grown from strength to strength, especially for a guy who has been in and out of the side early on. Couple of other blokes as well have performed well throughout the series.

Pat Cummins: Pretty tense, everyone was nervous the last couple of hours. Amazing win. Anyway possible to win, I had no idea he (Carey) was on 98. The toss helped, it was funny how quickly the match moved on Day 1. First innings leads are always key for this reason. We've been on the other side of Tests plenty of time, I just told the boys to keep the scoreboard moving, stay busy and put the pressure on the opposition. We've got an experienced side, the story of this series has been guys standing up in crunch moments. Love playing Test matches, best format of cricket and it pays off on days like this.

Vidarbha have lost a wicket early in the morning session in the form of Atharva Taide off Dhawal Kulkarni's bowling. Important breakthrough for Mumbai.

Lionel Messi wore street clothes and watched from a sideline box as Montreal took advantage of several Inter Miami defensive miscues to hand his team its first loss of the season — a 3-2 defeat at home. Messi did not play on Sunday after previously being listed as questionable with a shin injury. The injury happened in a 2-2 draw at Nashville in the CONCACAF Champions Cup last week. Messi went to contest a pass from Nashville's Lukas Macnaughton, who appeared to step on the 36-year-old's calf and cause his left ankle to twist. Trainers tended to Messi as he writhed in pain on the pitch in the 77th minute, but he remained in the match. (AP)

Cricket World Cup winner with Team India, Yusuf Pathan, will be contesting the Lok Sabha elections from West Bengal's Behrampore constituency, and will fight against Indian National Congress (INC) candidate Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who won the seat back in 2019.

Read more about it here.

Vidarbha have been bowled out for 105 in their first innings in the Ranji Trophy final against Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium. The home team have been handed a handy lead of 119 runs in their second innings.

Mumbai - 224 All Out

Vidarbha -105 All Out (45.3 overs)

Hockey India went with the tried and tested as it named a 28 core probables for the senior men's national camp to be held from March 12 to 30 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. The upcoming camp is significant as the Indian team will aim to fine-tune its preparations ahead of this year's Paris 2024 Olympics. The team returns to the camp after a successful outing in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023-24, where it is currently placed third after claiming 15 points from eight matches across Bhubaneswar and Rourkela legs. The league will resume on May 22 in Antwerp, Belgium, before moving to London on June 1 and then the Netherlands for the final leg. (PTI)

Keen to ensure that she remains in reckoning for the Paris Games, star wrestler Vinesh Phogat did not let selection trials start in the women's 50kg and 53kg categories and demanded a written assurance from the authorities that a final trial will be held in the 53kg weight class before the Olympics. Vinesh, who had accused former WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment and led a prolonged protest against the BJP MP, turned up at the SAI centre to compete in the 50kg trials. (PTI)

Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen took another step toward the club's first ever Bundesliga title with a 2-0 win over 10-man Wolfsburg. Goals from Nathan Tella and Florian Wirtz on Sunday earned Leverkusen its 21st league win and stretched its German record unbeaten run to 36 games across all competitions this season. Leverkusen hasn't lost since a defeat to Bochum on the final day last season. Wirtz sealed the win in the 86th minute to keep Leverkusen 10 points clear of 11-time defending champion Bayern Munich with nine rounds remaining. (AP)

India's premier pacer Mohammed Shami, who is recuperating from an ankle surgery, is expected to make his comeback with the home Test series against Bangladesh later this year, BCCI secretary Jay Shah told PTI. Shami last played for India in the ODI World Cup where he was their standout performer. India will host Bangladesh for two Tests and three T20 Internationals in September.

"Shami's surgery is done, he is back in India. Shami's return is likely for the home series against Bangladesh. KL Rahul needed an injection, he has started rehab and is at the NCA," said Shah while talking to media. (PTI)

At the end of Day 2, Mumbai have strengthened their hold over the match. The hosts have piled on a lead of 260 runs against Vidarbha, with eight wickets still intact. Young Musheer Khan is at the crease alongside veteran Ajinkya Rahane, both of them having compiled half-centuries.

Brief Scores: Mumbai 224 and 141/2 (Musheer Khan 51 not out, Ajinkya Rahane 58 not out). Vidarbha 105 (Tanush Kotian 3/7, Dhawal Kulkarni 3/15, Shams Mulani 3/32).

Former world champion weightlifter Mirabai Chanu's proposal to train in Paris ahead of the Olympic Games has been cleared by the central government, PTI reports. The Tokyo Olympics silver medallist will acclimatise to the weather and prepare for the quadrennial showpiece during her month-long stint in La Ferte-Milon in Paris, according to a statement by the sports ministry's Mission Olympic Cell. The 29-year-old Chanu, who competes in the 49kg category, will be accompanied by two coaches and a physiotherapist.

India's Rudransh Khandelwal and Nihal Singh bagged silver and bronze medals respectively in the mixed 50m pistol (SH1) category as a gold medal eluded the hosts on day three of the Para Shooting World Cup in New Delhi, PTI reports. Rudransh, Nihal and Tokyo Paralympics silver medallist Singhraj also secured the mixed 50m pistol (SH1) team silver with China claiming the top step on the podium.

Gujarat Giants are batting first in Delhi against UP Warriorz in match 18 of Women's Premier League 2024. At the time of writing, GG have scored 86 runs for the loss of three wickets in 12 overs. Their captain Beth Mooney is at the crease alongside compatriot Ashleigh Gardner.

UP Warriorz must win tonight, if they are to harbour any hopes of qualifying for the playoffs. Check out the exact scenario in our report here.

India won five gold medals at the Nepal International Pickleball Tournament held in Kathmandu with Rohit Patil and Kavya covering themselves in glory in the men's and women's open categories, according to PTI reports.

In the open women's doubles category, the teamwork between Sakshi Baviskar and Kavya earned them the top podium finish.

The ad-hoc committee chairman for wresting, Bhupender Singh Bajwa, categorically stated on Monday that all three members of the IOA-constituted panel agreed to Vinesh Phogat's request to compete in both 50kg and 53kg category at the national trials in Patiala despite the UWW rules stating that a competitor can take part in just one category, according to PTI reports.

Inter Milan forward Marko Arnautovic faces another month on the sidelines because of injury, while teammate Carlos Augusto will also miss Wednesday's match against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League pre-quarterfinal, according to AP reports.

Celebrated Indian woman wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Monday made the cut for Asian Olympic Qualifiers in the 50kg category after being allowed to fight in an unprecedented two weight divisions during the trials where she allegedly skipped a dope test and held up proceedings for almost three hours, according to PTI reports.

FC Goa secured a place in the playoffs despite splitting points with Punjab FC following a 3-3 draw in an Indian Super League match in New Delhi on Monday, according to PTI reports.

Wilmar Jordan, Luka Majcen and Juan Mera scored for the home side while Carl Mchugh, Noah Sadaoui and Carlos Martinez were on target for the Goan outfit.

FC Goa started the match on a positive note with Raynier Fernandes testing the home team goalkeeper Ravi Kumar from long range.

Gujarat Giants scored an eight-run win against UP Warriorz in their Women's Premier League match with Beth Mooney scoring a fine unbeaten half-century and teenager Shabnam Shakil complementing her skipper with her incisive bowling in New Delhi on Monday, according to PTI reports.

Former driver Felipe Massa said he's filed a lawsuit in London against auto racing governing body the FIA, series owner Formula One Management and Bernie Ecclestone to try and claim the 2008 title, according to AP reports.

Massa added on Monday he was also seeking up to $82 million in damages, a document obtained by The Associated Press showed. That amount included prize money he lost and other potential deals he would have obtained as an F1 champion.

FC Goa qualified for Indian Super League playoffs after a 3-3 draw with Punjab FC. Deepti Sharma displayed brilliant fightback in Women's Premier League 2024 match 18 where Gujarat Giants beat UP Warriorz by 8 runs. That's all from our side. We will meet tomorrow. Goodnight!