Sports News June 19 Highlights: India-W Beat South Africa-W In 2nd ODI; Germany Beat Hungary 2-0 In Euro 2024

Welcome to the coverage of all the sporting action from June 19, Wednesday. The ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup witnessed South Africa sealing victory against the co-hosts USA. On the other hand, India Women defeated South Africa women by 4 runs in the 2nd ODI match. In tennis, Serbian star Novak Djokovic will play the Paris Olympics, the Serbian Olympic Committee confirmed. In football, the Germany celebrated a 2-0 win over Hungary to stay alive in the tournament, while Croatia and Albania ended in a 2-2 draw. Check out the highlights from the sports world from Wednesday, June 19, 2024 right here

In a fresh blow to the NZ Cricket, Kane Williamson has rejected a fresh contract offer and moreover, has stepped down as their white-ball captain.

The world's number one batter Suryakumar Yadav has had to change his game due to the nature of the wickets in the T20 World Cup but he is expecting the surfaces in the Caribbean to be a lot better for stroke play.

"If have you been number one for two years, you should be able to bat in different conditions and change the game as per the needs of the team. That displays good batsmanship and that is what I try," said Suryakumar during a media interaction on Tuesday.

"It's difficult to generate that force when there's no pace on the wicket and when someone has read your game nicely. So, at that time, you have to be very smart how you want to extend your innings. (PTI)

Francisco Conceicao was instrumental in Portugal's vital win over Czechia as he scored a stoppage time winner to guide them to a 2-1 win in the 2024 European Championship in Leipzig in Germany.

Read more about him, right here -

A nine-year-old Argentine motorbike rider named Lorenzo Somaschini has passed away after sustaining injuries after being involved a crash during a practice session at a junior competition in Brazil.

"Everyone on the SuperBike Brazil team is appalled by this event and expresses our sincere sorrow to all of Lorenzo's family and friends," the organisers said in a statement.

Kylian Mbappé was due to have tests on his broken nose on Wednesday as France tried to assess what part he could play in the European Championship.

The World Cup winner sustained the injury during his team's 1-0 win against Austria on Monday and will have to wear a face mask if he plays on at the tournament.

“There will be more tests tomorrow to see how things are developing. Obviously it was a big collision," France coach Didier Deschamps said Tuesday. "The medical staff have done what they needed to reduce it as much as possible. This morning he was a bit better, so we will see that and we will follow it closely each day.” (AP)

Willie Mays, the electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, has died. He was 93.

Mays’ family and the San Francisco Giants jointly announced Tuesday night he had died earlier in the afternoon in the Bay Area.

“My father has passed away peacefully and among loved ones,” son Michael Mays said in a statement released by the club. “I want to thank you all from the bottom of my broken heart for the unwavering love you have shown him over the years. You have been his life’s blood.” (AP)

Bangladesh seamer Tanzim Hasan Sakib has been fined 15 percent of his match fee for "inappropriate physical contact" during a verbal altercation with Nepal skipper Rohit Paudel in their final group D match of the T20 World Cup.

The incident took place in the third over of the Nepal chase on Sunday when Tanzim, after bowling a delivery, walked towards Paudel "in an aggressive manner and made inappropriate physical contact." (PTI)

World-renowned football club FC Barcelona has decided to shut down all its academies in India, 14 years after starting operations with an aim to train the country's kids in their famed 'La Masia (youth academy)' style.

FC Barcelona did not provide any official reason for the closure. All its academies in the Indian cities of Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Pune will cease to exist from July 1.

"FC Barcelona have informed the families involved in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune will cease to operate as Barca Academies from 1 July 2024," the club said in a statement which it uploaded on its website.

"Barcelona's presence in India began back in 2010 and since then thousands of youngsters have learned to play football in the Barca style and with the Club's values.

"Furthermore, India was the venue for two Barca Academy APAC tournament in 2019 and 2020 and the academies have been an ever present in the 11 editions of the Barca Academy World Cup held in Barcelona during Easter Week," the club added. (PTI)

Indian women's cricket team have lost one wicket of Shafali Verma as Smriti Mandhana and Dayalan Hemalatha continue to build up the Indian innings on a slow surface.

India at 204/2 in 36.5

Smriti Mandhana leading the charge with the bat, did it again. She smashed a century again (100 off 103 balls and still counting) against South Africa women in the ongoing ODI Series. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur is on the other side of the crease touching the margin of half century (49 off 56 balls).

The former Grand Slam champions Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki, Angelique Kerber and Emma Raducanu have all been awarded wild cards entries for the Wimbledon Tennis Championship kicking off on July 1, 2024.

India posted 325/3 in 50 overs and set the target of 326 runs for South Africa women in the second ODI match. Smriti Mandhana (132) and Harmanpreet Kaur's (103) tons helped the women in blue set the massive target.

Australia's Marcus Stoinis on Wednesday toppled Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi as the number one all-rounder in the latest ICC T20 rankings.

Stoinis snared six wickets and also made valuable contribution with the bat to help Australia cruise to the Super Eights in the ongoing T20 World Cup. (PTI)

Croatia and Albania are all set to face off for the very first time in the UEFA European Championship on Wednesday, June 19 at Volksparkstadion Hamburg at 6:30PM IST. Both sides, wounded by opening-game defeats in Group B, find themselves in a desperate fight for survival. This winner-takes-all clash could mark the end of the Euro dream for the losing team.

Croatia XI: Livakovic, Juranovic, Sutalo, Gvardio, Perisic, Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic, Majer, Petkovic, Kramaric

Subs: Stanisic, Pongracic, Erlic, Labrovic, Mario Pasalic, Budimir, Ivanusec, Sosa, Pjaca, Vida, Ivusic, Marco Pasalic, Sucic, Baturina

Albania XI: Strakosha, Mitaj, Arlind Ajeti, Djimsiti, Hysaj, Laci, Ramadani, Asllani, Bejrami, Manaj, Asani

Subs: Etrit Berisha, Balliu, Gjasula, Broja, Kastrati, Mihaj, Seferi, Medon Berisha, Muci, Ismajli, Daku, Abrashi, Kumbulla, Aliji, Hoxha

South Africa at 120/3 in 25 overs

Chasing the target of 326 runs, South Africa team has lost three wickets -Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, and Sune Luus. Currently, Laura Wolvaardt (47 off 67) and Marizanne Kapp (36 off 42 balls) are leading the charge.

Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden on Wednesday backed Virat Kohli to come good in the Caribbean leg of the T20 World Cup, saying his experience of assessing conditions and different surfaces make him a world-class batter.

"Kohli, in any condition, has been a world-class batter. These venues (Caribbean) where you have to think about the way you construct your innings and think about also the kind of realistic totals that are possible in these different venues," Hayden said on Star Sports Press Room. (PTI)

South Africa women nearly managed to chase down the daunting target of 326 runs but fell just short by 4 runs, resulting in India securing another victory in the ongoing ODI series at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Laura and Marizanne's centuries, scoring 134 and 114 runs respectively, propelled South Africa to a total of 321/6 in 50 overs.

Brief Score:

India: 325 for 3 in 50 overs (Smriti Mandhana 136, Harmanpreet Kaur 103 not out; Nonkululeko Mlaba 2/51).

South Africa: 321 for 6 in 50 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 135 not out, Marizanne Kapp 114; Deepti Sharma 2/56, Pooja Vastrakar 2/54).

Indian compound women's trio of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Aditi Swami and Parneet Kaur entered the World Cup Stage 3 final here on Wednesday to eye a hat-trick of gold medals in the global showpiece.

The world No 1 Indian compound women's team, who had won successive gold medals in Shanghai and Yecheon World Cups in April and May this year, eliminated hosts Turkey 234-227 in a one-sided semi-final to set up a final clash against Estonia. (PTI)

Jamal Musiala scores in 22' to give Germany a 1-0 lead over Hungary. This is the 7th goal for the Germans in the Euro 2024.

With two goals from Jamal Musiala and Ilkay Gundogan, Germany sealed a comfortable 2-0 win over Hungary in Group A. With this the hosts became the first side to qualify for the knockout stage at Euro 2024.

South Africa overcame a spirited challenge from co-hosts United States of America (USA) on Wednesday in the opening match of the T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 stage, winning the game by 18 runs at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua.