Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 25 October

Good day, let’s look at the latest sports news and scores:

# We start off with cricket: The Proteas’ stand-in Test captain, Aiden Markram, hopes yesterday’s seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the first Test in Mirpur broke South Africa’s hoodoo in South Asia. This was the first time in over ten years that the country won a Test on the subcontinent. None of the current players have experienced that before. Markram says it’s special for his young, slightly inexperienced team. Regular captain Temba Bavuma could be fit when the second Test starts in Chattogram on Tuesday.

# Rugby: Springbok flyhalf Handré Pollard is linked to a move to a Japanese club next season to join Bok teammate Cheslin Kolbe. His contract with English club Leicester Tigers expires at the end of this season, and rumours are he may join Suntory Sungoliath at a salary that will at least equal his current annual pay of 13.7-million-rand. The club in the past boasted the services of Bok players such as Fourie du Preez and Schalk Burger, as well as Wallabies Matt Giteau and George Gregan.

# Tennis: Novak Djokovic withdrew from the Paris Masters, a move that could potentially signal the end of his roller-coaster season. The 37-year-old’s season has only yielded an Olympic gold medal in Paris, and for the first time since 2017, he will end the season without a Grand Slam title. Djokovic is still in contention to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin next month. He is currently sixth in the race for the eight-man field for the showpiece, but could be overtaken by several players.

# Boxing: British boxer Tyson Fury is confident of a knockout victory over Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk in their upcoming rematch on 31 December in Saudi Arabia. After losing to Usyk by split decision in May, Fury aims to reclaim the WBC title. Speaking at a news conference, he acknowledged Usyk’s fair win, but promised to be a little more focused:

# And soccer: Japan’s governing body says they want to host the women’s World Cup in 2031 to ignite the game domestically. Japan won the cup in 2011, but has since been left behind while the women’s game flourished in Europe. The team lost to the US in the final four years later, and couldn’t go beyond the quarterfinals since. Japan hosted the men’s World Cup together with South Korea in 2002, leading to a huge interest in the sport in the country.

Stay tuned for more news………….