RCB bowl out PBKS for 101 in Qualifier 1
Mullanpur, May 29 (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru bowled out Punjab Kings for 101 in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League here on Thursday.
RCB bowlers justified skipper Rajat Patidar's decision to field first by packing off PBKS for a paltry total in just 14.1 overs. Marcus Stoinis was top-scorer with 26.
Young leg-spinner Suyash Sharma (3/17) did the star turn for RCB by picking up three wickets pacers Josh Hazlewood (3/21), Yash Dayal (2/26) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/17) left PBKS reeling at 50 for five in the seventh over.
Brief scores:.
Punjab Kings: 101 all out in 14.1 overs (Suyash Sharma 3/21, Josh Hazlewood 3/21, Yash Dayal 2/26).
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Brazil's Ancelotti raises doubts about whether Neymar will reach the 2026 World Cup
Sao Paulo (AP): Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti raised doubts about whether Neymar will be in his squad for the 2026 World Cup. The Italian has yet to pick the former captain since he took over in May.
“If Neymar deserves to be (in the squad), if he is, well, better than others, he will play in the World Cup and that's it. (But) I don't have debts to anyone,” Ancelotti said at a press conference in Washington on Friday following the draw.
Brazil is in Group C with Morocco, Haiti and Scotland.
“If we speak about Neymar, we have to speak about other players,” Ancelotti added. “We have to think about Brazil with or without Neymar, with or without other players. Our final list we will make after the FIFA fixtures in March.”
The 33-year-old Neymar has never fully recovered from a torn ACL in October 2023 during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay. But he's been key for Santos in its fight to avoid relegation in the Brazilian championship.
On Wednesday, he scored a hat trick for Santos despite a muscular injury. He is expected to play again on Sunday against Cruzeiro.
Ancelotti said Brazil does not have a “referential player” at the moment, a tag for the most valuable player that Neymar has mainly worn since the 2014 home World Cup.
“We have one of the world's best goalkeepers, some of the best defenders, top midfielders and some players up front. I don't want players who want to be the best in the world, I want players who want to win the World Cup,” Ancelotti said.
Asked about his team's group, Ancelotti said Brazil can top it.
“We can win all three matches, our idea is very clear. We need to be competitive during the entire World Cup. Our goal is to play in the final and for that to happen you need to face very strong teams anyway.”
Brazil won the last of its five World Cup trophies in 2002.
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