Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 6 November 12:30 pm

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

# We start with cricket: The Proteas men are under pressure to rescue the one-day series against Pakistan. The two teams play in the second encounter in Faisalabad today. The hosts won the first match on Tuesday after also clinching the T20 series after the drawn Test series, and victory in the remaining two ODIs is paramount for the visitors to salvage the tour. Relative inexperienced squads were selected for the white-ball series because a number of regulars are rested for the upcoming Test series in India. Pakistan is batting first today.

Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been added to India’s Test squad for their two-match series against South Africa, starting in Kolkata next Friday. The 28-year-old, who missed the West Indies series last month due to a foot fracture, has been handed the vice-captaincy. Akash Deep is also back after recovering from a back injury. Fast bowler Mohammed Shami, who was not included in the squads for the tours of Australia and England earlier this year due to fitness concerns, has been left out again. 

# On to rugby: Former Springbok player and coach Nick Mallett believes young flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu isn’t arrogant, just confident. He says he realises he has a swagger, but points out that comes with youth and talent, and he is using that to his advantage and that of the national team. Mallett also says the Boks are gladly accepting the timely boost of a new superstar, although some people feel he borders on arrogance. He thinks confidence in sport is a massive advantage, and that Feinber-Mngomezulu has a winning attitude.

Meanwhile, SA Rugby Women’s Player of the Year, Nadine Roos, is amongst a group of 18 players invited to a Springbok Women’s Sevens training camp in Pretoria. Other notable invitees include Zintle Mpupha, Byrhandrè Dolf, and Ayanda Malinga. The camp is part of preparations for the Africa Women’s Sevens championship in Kenya next weekend. South Africa will face Zambia, Ghana and Egypt in Pool A, where a top-two finish will be needed to continue their quest to the 2026 World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series.

# And finally, tennis: American Amanda Anisimova is through to the semifinals of the WTA Finals in Riyadh for the first time. In a winner-takes-all match, the 24-year-old defeated Iga Swiatek in three sets, knocking the Polish world number two out of the tournament. Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina completed a clean sweep of the Serena Williams Group with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova, a late replacement for the unwell American Madison Keys. Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka takes on American Coco Gauff today, with both players in contention for a semifinal place.

Stay tuned for more news………….