India’s 16-year-old Shafali Verma tops ICC women’s rankings
NEW DELHI: The 16-year-old Indian women's cricket sensation, Shafali Verma, shot to the top of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) T20 batting rankings Wednesday after several match winning performances at the T20 World Cup in Australia.
Verma — who has only played 18 internationals since her debut last year — is touted by many experts as a major long-term star for women's cricket in India.
The ICC called her 19-place rise "remarkable" as it released the new rankings.
She is only the second Indian after Mithali Raj to top the women's T20 batting rankings and pushed New Zealand's veteran Suzie Bates down to second on the list.
Verma is the third-highest scorer at the World Cup where India play England in the semi-finals on Friday. She has hit nine sixes in the competition so far — more than anyone else.
Verma will face off in the game against Sophie Ecclestone, England's left-arm spinner who has just taken over as the world's leading T20 bowler. - AFP
Coach Silas quits Sporting after latest defeat
Lisbon: Sporting Portugal's head coach Silas has announced he is quitting after six months in the job following the club's latest defeat.
The Lisbon side were beaten 3-1 by Famalicao on Tuesday, a week after they were dumped out of the Europa Cup, prompting Silas to confirm reports that he is on the way out.
He also confirmed at the post-match press conference that Braga coach Ruben Amorim was the man expected to replace him at the Sporting helm. The new head coach will become the sixth to take charge of the club in the 18 months since Frederico Varanda was named president.
Four points behind third-placed Braga in fourth place, Sporting are a full 20 points adrift of table-topping FC Porto their traditional rivals.
Amorim is tied to Braga by a 10 million euro buyout clause and should the Sporting deal go through, he will become the country's most expensive coach. - APP