The International Round-up: David Warner and Nathan Lyon give Australia innings win over Pakistan; England’s Joe Root hits patient 226 against New Zealand; Nepal’s Anjali Chand takes record 6-0 in T20 match; Roger Federer become first living person to be celebrated on a coin; and Fernando Alonso “open” to a possible return to F1 in 2021.
TEST MATCH: Australia wrap up 2-0 series win
Australia wrapped up a 2-0 series win over Pakistan by winning the day-night second Test by an innings and 48 runs. The hosts scored 589-3 declared – with David Warner smashing 335 not out – in their first innings and made Pakistan follow on after they hit 302 in reply.
The tourists resumed on 39-3 on day four and were bowled out for 239 – Shan Massod was the top scorer with 68. Spinner Nathan Lyon was instrumental for Australia as he took 5-69 in Pakistan’s second innings in Adelaide.
It was a second consecutive innings win for the hosts after their victory in Brisbane in the first Test.
TEST MATCH: Root hits 226
Captain Joe Root made a double century on day four of the second Test but England’s hopes of winning the match and drawing the series with New Zealand may be hampered by the weather.
Root’s painstaking 226 from 441 balls and 75 from Ollie Pope helped England to 476 and a first-innings lead of 101. The Black Caps fell to 28-2, but Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor guided them to 96-2, trailing by only five runs.
Heavy rain is forecast to fall in Hamilton for much of the final day.
T20 INTERNATIONAL: Nepal’s Anjali Chand takes record 6-0
Nepal’s Anjali Chand took the best figures in men’s or women’s Twenty20 internationals with 6-0 against the Maldives at the South Asian Games.
Chand’s six wickets for no runs came in 13 balls and included a hat-trick for the 24-year-old debutant.
Maldives were bowled out for 16 in Pokhara and hosts Nepal took just five balls to chase that down for the win. Malaysia women’s Mas Elysa held the previous T20 bowling record after taking 6-3 against China in January.
The men’s record for the best bowling figures in a T20 international is held by India’s Deepak Chahar, who took 6-7 against Bangladesh in November.
TENNIS: Federer to be celebrated on a coin
Switzerland’s 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer will become the first living person to be celebrated on a coin in the country.
The Federal Mint, Swissmint, will release a 20 Swiss francs silver commemorative coin in January. It plans to add a Federer SFr50 gold coin in May.
“Thank you Switzerland and Swissmint for this incredible honour and privilege,” said the 38-year-old world number three.
F1: “I will definitely do Indy”- Alonso
Fernando Alonso says he is committed to a third bid to win the Indianapolis 500 next year – but does not yet know with which team.
The Spaniard is aiming to become the second man to win motorsport’s triple crown, which also comprises Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix.
“I will definitely do Indy. Let’s see how the next weeks unfold,” said the two-time Formula 1 world champion. And the 38-year-old said he was “open” to a possible return to F1 in 2021.
