Sandeep Lamichhane becomes first Nepal player to get IPL contract

The 17-year-old, the only Nepal player in the IPL auction, was sold at his base price of Rs 20 lakh.

ENGALURU: Sandeep Lamichhane today became the first cricketer from Nepal to land a deal an IPL contract when he was picked by Delhi Daredevils in the ongoing players auction here. The 17-year-old, the only Nepal player in the IPL auction, was sold at his base price of Rs 20 lakh. 

The leg-spinner rose to prominence with a successful outing at the 2016 U-19 World Cup where he guided Nepal to a creditable eighth place. He hogged the limelight by becoming the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 14 scalps in six innings at an average of 17 and an economy of 4.67. 

Sandeep had scalped five wickets in two warm-up games and was also part of Nepal's first match against New Zealand, which they won by 32 runs. 

However, his moment of glory awaited him in the next match against Ireland when Sandeep took a hat-trick, becoming only the fifth bowler in history to achieve the feat in the under-19 World Cup. His five-wicket haul helped Nepal notch up an eight- wicket win over Ireland and enter the knockout stages for the second time in their seventh World Cup appearance. 

Sandeep's performance caught the attention of former Australian captain Michael Clarke, who picked the teenager to play alongside him for Kowloon Cantoons in the Hong Kong T20 Blitz. Later Clarke also invited the leg-spinner to play for his team Western Suburbs in the NSW Premier Cricket season in Australia. 

Born in Syangja, Sandeep had spent two-three years in India as a child when his father was working in the Indian railways. 

Nepal Teen Sandeep Lamichhane Shines Against Virat Kohli and Co on IPL Debut

Teenage cricket sensation Sandeep Lamichhane said there was more talent waiting to be discovered in Nepal after an impressive Indian Premier League debut.

Lamichhane, aged 17 and the first Nepalese player to land an IPL contract, took one wicket for 25 from his four overs opening the attack with his leg-spin for Delhi Daredevils against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Lamichhane said after Saturday's match that his journey had just begun.

"I think these kind of leagues can help you grow your game. You have to stay busy with cricket all the time," Lamichhane told reporters.

"Just as I have got chance in IPL there are many a talent in Nepal. I am playing for Nevis Patriots (in the Caribbean Premier League) this year. The journey has started and there are lots of opportunities for players in Nepal," he said.

Lamichhane made history in the January auction for the cash-rich Twenty20 league when he was brought by Daredevils for $318,000, but has remained benched since the IPL began on April 7.

It was a proud moment for Lamichhane when Daredevils coach and former Australia captain Ricky Ponting handed him his cap and he did not disappoint.

"The most important thing is how you are learning all the time. It's been good, this one-and-a-half months," Lamichhane said.

"I learnt a lot of things. We have got an exceptional coach (Ricky Ponting) and good captain and all the players are really good."

His effort failed to lift Delhi to a win at their home Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium and their ninth loss in 12 matches meant they were eliminated from the play-off race, bottom of the eight-team table.

The Nepalese teenager trained at Michael Clarke's cricket academy in Sydney after he was spotted by the former Australia captain at the Hong Kong T20 Blitz in 2016.

Lamichhane, who trapped Bangalore opener Parthiv Patel leg before for his first IPL wicket, said Clarke was closely following his cricketing career.

"We were so close during the IPL season. We spoke to each other and he was saying that you have done so well today," he said on Saturday.

"Still I am a bit upset because the most important thing is a team win and if your team is not winning you must be upset."

He also had a message for his fans back home.

"It all depends on how much you are working hard for all these moments. Most important thing is to be honest with yourself, stay focused, be positive everything will be yours one day..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YTpXmqIrKo&t=24sNepal Teen Sandeep Lamichhane Shines Against Virat Kohli and Co on IPL Debut

Real Madrid told how much they will have to pay for Neymar - but the PSG star could be eyeing a Barcelona return

Real Madrid told how much ??????

Real Madrid and Barcelona are both monitoring Neymar’s situation

Neymar, it appears, remains firmly on Real Madrid’s radar and are said to not be put off by the €400m it will cost to make PSG cave in – but they have company.

Reports in Spain have surfaced that the Brazilian – constantly linked with the back-to-back European champions since his plane landed in Paris – could still move to the Bernabéu, despite the denials.

Spanish newspaper AS has revealed that Neymar’s father has informed Real Madrid that Los Blancos can sign the wantaway Brazilian for €400million – a sum only Madrid and a select few others would even consider.

Talks between the two parties are said to have already taken place in Paris.

This morning, however, it is also claimed that fed up Neymar “offered himself” back to Barcelona before injury ended his season.

The world’s most expensive player has seemingly not settled in the French capital following his astonishing £198m move in August 2017.

Injuries and the club’s failure to produce in the Champions League could turn his time at the Stade De France into purely a pitstop.

Not going to plan: PSG wanted Neymar to propel them to Champions League glory – but they’re out and he is injured

Though it transpires there could be a tug-of-war between the LaLiga giants with former club Barcelona said to be considering their options.

Respected Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo suggest Neymar wants a stunning return to Camp Nou with the La Liga leaders.

They say he “allegedly asked important people” at his former club how a summer return to Barca could be arranged, despite leaving under a cloud and year-and-a-half ago.

LaLiga: Zidane hints at resting Ronaldo for Real Madrid's trip to Leganes

Cristiano Ronaldo has been in typically prolific form, but he may be rested when Real Madrid face Leganes

Zinedine Zidane has hinted that in-form Cristiano Ronaldo may be rested when Real Madrid visit Leganes in LaLiga on Wednesday.The Portugal star has found his shooting boots in Spain's top flight, having endured a difficult first half of the campaign.Ronaldo has netted eight times in his past five league outings, while he was also on target twice in the 3-1 Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain.His latest goal came as Madrid came out on top 5-3 in a LaLiga classic away to Real Betis on Sunday.

But, despite Madrid still being a point adrift of third-place Valencia prior to playing a game in hand they have held since the Club World Cup, head coach Zidane is pondering whether to give his talisman a breather."I don't know how many years in a row [Ronaldo] has played 60 or 70 games, but he doesn't stop," Zidane told a pre-match news conference. "There comes a moment when it is necessary for him, for the team, for everything, for him to not play. He is better this way. 

"Of course we talk about it, for the good of everyone."

Zidane also praised the efforts of Gareth Bale, who has again been linked with a return to the Premier League this week, amid a difficult run that has seen him fail to score in his past five appearances.

"Gareth is the way he is, he tries to do his best and that is all," he added.

"There is a lot of talk about him one way or another, but the important thing is to realise that the team is very important. I ask them to give their all and he tries to do that."

Speaking before the Betis contest, Zidane spoke of how managing a club the size of Madrid is "tiring", with some taking that as a suggestion that he will depart the Santiago Bernabeu at the end of the season.

But Zidane says he is not ready to step aside yet.

"Sometimes when answering [questions about the future], there are doubts, but until I get tired of this job, I will continue," he said. "I'm fine here, I'm going to continue to fight. But I will say that I take it day by day. With a long contract or not, it is day by day, that is what helps me be strong. "I'm going to fight to stay here forever. If I am to continue, before the end of the season I will tell you. Just before."

Barcelona Legend Xavi Predicts 2 Players Who Will Compete for the Ballon d'Or Post Messi & Ronaldo

Barcelona Legend Xavi Predicts 2 Players Who Will Compete for the Ballon d'Or Post Messi & Ronaldo

There are not many players in recent footballing history that can be spoken about in the same breath as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. However, former Barcelona and Spanish international midfielder Xavi came closer than most.  The legendary midfielder, who was voted into third place in the Ballon d'Or three times, has given his verdict on who he believes will be crowned the world's best in the years to come. In a decade where the world's best player is a competition only a few have been able to come close to gatecrashing Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's monopoly, most of those nominated have not been able to sustain a consistent challenge to those two shimmering stars of the game. Nevertheless, ...

Nevertheless, Xavi was closest to the Barça and Real stars on three consecutive occasions. Impressive at the best of times, but even more so in this era when the 'best of the rest' is all you can genuinely hope to achieve due to the calibre of Ronaldo and Messi.

When asked about future winners of the Ballon d'Or, Xavi gave his predictions when speaking to RMC Sport. 

Unsurprisingly, the 38-year-old World Cup winner picked his former Nou Camp team mate Neymar as one of his choices.

"I have huge respect for him, he's a fantastic footballer. When Messi and Cristiano lower their level, he will be the next Ballon d'Or winner," he said.

"When Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo retire, the debate about the best in the world will be between Neymar and Mbappe."

This news will not come as a complete surprise to many supporters and it is not exactly the most controversial of predictions, but the way both these young players are performing during this campaign can not be overlooked. They are both pushing their case as being recognised as the world's best in the years to come.

SEE MORE..........

Why Virat Kohli is crrying this day and then went on to establish his cricket calibre

December 19, 2006 is a date that will always bring tears to Virat Kohli’s eyes. However, it was the day that also provided a young Kohli with his coming of age moment. It was the day when a boy became a man and the rest is history.

It was the third day of a Ranji Trophy super league game between hosts Delhi and Karnataka. Virat Kohli, only 18 then, was unbeaten on 40 overnight and had a big job to do as his side still needed 192 runs to avoid the follow-on. However, early in the morning, Kohli’s life turned upside down when he received the shocking news of his father’s death.

For Virat Kohli, his father Prem was everything from being a friend to a guide. His loss, as expected, had numbed him. Yet, the youngster was back on the ground after being part of his father’s cremation ceremony in the morning. Wearing a blank look, he batted with a steel in his eyes. He didn’t speak even a single word to anyone in the middle, but his bat did the talking. He eventually got out for 90, but by then he had ensured safety for his side.

The day was not about runs, though. It gave the first glimpse of Kohli’s steely determination that would become a hallmark of Kohli’s cricketing career in years to come.

The story of how Virat Kohli overcame the loss of his father and returned to cricket ground to bat is well chronicled in cricket writer Vijay Lokapally’s book on the Indian captain, Driven.

Since that day, Kohli has not looked back as in his only eight-year long international career, he has scored more than 15000 runs with the help of 52 centuries. The way he is going at present, he seems to be the only batsman capable of emulating Sachin Tendulkar’s feat of 100 international tons.

The story of how Virat Kohli overcame the loss of his father and returned to cricket ground to bat is well chronicled in cricket writer Vijay Lokapally’s book on the Indian captain, Driven.

Ronaldo and Zidane hoping for Ballon d'Or winner

Ronaldo and Zidane hoping for Ballon d'Or winner to retire at Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo plans to retire at Real Madrid but knows the decision remains up to the club, though Zinedine Zidane will be in his corner after expressing hope for a contract renewal.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner capped an outstanding year with the only goal in the Club World Cup final on Saturday, securing Madrid's fifth title of 2017 through a 1-0 triumph over Gremio.

Ronaldo then confirmed his intention to spend the rest of his career with the European and world champions, despite suggesting earlier in the season that he would not extend his existing deal beyond 2021.

"If possible, I would like to [retire at Madrid]," he said. "But it does not depend on me, because I'm not the boss of the club. We'll see."

Asked about Ronaldo's future, Zidane added: "For us, it is fundamental that Cristiano stays all his life.

"He is in his club, in his house and what he has done, no one else is going to do it. So I hope he continues like this until his retirement."

World champs Ronaldo goal gives Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo eager to secure new contract after CWC 

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Cristiano Ronaldo scored from a free-kick to help Real Madrid claim its third Club World Cup title after beating Brazilian team Gremio 1-0 Saturday.

The Ballon d’Or winner fired his right-footed shot between two players in Gremio’s defensive wall, leaving goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe no hope of reaching the ball before it bounced inside the post in the 53rd minute.

Madrid defended the title it won last season as it collected its fifth trophy of 2017, along with the Champions League, Spanish league, European Super Cup and Spanish Super Cup.

Ronaldo celebrated the goal by rushing to Madrid’s dugout where he was embraced by his teammates. The goal increased Ronaldo’s record to seven goals in the competition. He also scored in Madrid’s 2-1 comeback win over Al Jazira in the semifinals.

“What am I going to say? The numbers speak for themselves. I am very happy. The team played fantastically well and it has won another title,” Ronaldo said. “We played a very good game and deserved the victory.”

RONALDO (CR7) : I’M THE BEST PLAYER IN HISTORY

 RONALDO (CR7) :  I’M THE BEST PLAYER

 IN HISTORY 

Real Madrid star (Cr.7) has branded himself the greatest player in the history of the game

I RESPECT MY WORK.

After drawing level with Lionel Misse , in terms of 

Ballons..d'Or won, the Portuguese says that he's  "never seen anyone better than" himself.

“I’m the best player in 

history, in the

good moments and the bad ones,” he told

France

Football, the

magazine that organizes the 

award

“I respect everyone’s

preferences, but I’ve never seen anyone better than me. I have always thought that. No footballer can do the things I can. There’s no player more complete than me. I play well with both feet, I’m quick, powerful, good with the head, I score goals, I make assists. There are guys who prefer Naymar or Mess i. But I tell you: there’s no-one more complete than me.

I respect what i did.

“I knew that if I won the Champions League I would have taken a step closer to a fifth Ballon d’Or. We won and I was the top scorer in the competition again. And what’s more, I scored twice in the final. That was the key,” he said.

“I don’t know if I can win a sixth next year. There are so many competitions to play in the next year with Real, then the World Cup with Portugal. 

“That World Cup will be crucial in the running of the Ballon d’Or. Imagine Real win the Champions league again and I’m the top scorer but have a mediocre World Cup. Or the other way around