#2018 stage 1 playoffs

[overwatch-1eague]

2018 (Inaugural Season)

Stage 1 Playoffs

Final: London Spitfire vs New York Excelsior

[footballworldcuptickets]

FIFA World Cup 2026 Australia Qualifies, Palestine’s Dream Ends in Heartbreak

The craze for FIFA World Cup 2026 keeps escalating as countries from all over the world fight to get a spot in the most popular football tournament on the planet. This edition of the Football World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada and will make history as it will have its enhanced format with 48 teams for the first time in history.

With qualification matches coming to an intense climax, Australia booked their spot in the tournament, and Palestine just missed in a dramatic and heart-wrenching match. Australia’s qualification is an addition to their budding legacy in world football, and Palestine’s campaign was defined by determination and grit in failing to qualify. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, will have to endure the long journey through the playoffs in order to try and qualify.

With 11 nations already qualified, the road to FIFA 2026 is now becoming a thriller with moments to cherish. Australia became the latest team to be qualified for their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 following a hair-raising 2-1 victory over Saudi Arabia in a do-or-die Group C match. The Socceroos went away from home understanding that only victory would seal their qualification categorically.

Australia Clinch FIFA 2026 Spot as Saudi Arabia Face Playoff Battle

With Japan already through from the group, the Australians’ win guaranteed the sixth and last direct Asian succeeding berth at the tournament. The Australians were slow to start, when Saudi Arabia opened the scoring after 19 minutes with a well-worked goal from Al Booed. But Australia soon settled into the game. In the 42nd minute, Duke beat some men and played a quick pass to Metcalfe, who slid in the equalizer.

Only three minutes into the second half, Duke became a scorer as he gave a determining finish that left the Socceroo’s 2-1 up. Australian keeper Mathew Ryan received an heroic intervention when he kept out Al Dasani with a late penalty to Saudi Arabia. The save was especially historic, as it was achieved in Ryan’s 100th national team match.

With this victory, Australia was on their way to a seventh Football World Cup and sixth consecutive, following prior appearances in 1974, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022.Saudi Arabia’s quest for the FIFA World Cup 2026 takes the next stop to the playoffs. Discouraged but optimistic, the Saudis eagerly forestall qualifying for what would be their sixth World Cup appearance. Their tournament record includes entries in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, and 2022.

Australia Through to Football World Cup 2026 as Palestine Fall Short

Having skilled players and football-mad culture, they are still rightful contenders to qualify through the upcoming stages of playoffs. While Australia famous qualification, it was an unsatisfactory day for Palestine in a reminiscent and late-drama willing. Against Oman in Jordan due to discontent in the region, Palestine required to win to surpass their rivals within the table and make it to the playoff round.

With Palestine possessing nine and Oman possessing ten, things were extremely tense. Palestine seemed to be strolling to win when Khartoum scored in the 49th minute off a corner kick. With the advantage having been established and Oman later down to 10 men after a red card was issued to Al Sadi in the 79th minute, the game seemed to be under the control of Palestine. But in the 97th minute — the last few seconds of injury time — Oman were given a penalty.

Al Sabha capitalized and drew the score to 1-1, putting Palestine’s playoff hopes in shatters. Palestine’s quest to Football World Cup 2026 crashed in smithereens, but their performance over the qualifiers was enough to earn them international admiration. Their hard work, industriousness, and improvement on the field are indications of a rising football nation with enormous potential.

Asian Playoffs Heat Up as FIFA World Cup 2026 Lineup Expands

That dramatic equalizer made Oman join Iraq, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia in Asian playoffs. The six teams now advance to the final round of Asian qualification with aspirations to make it to one of the two remaining direct FIFA 2026 berths. The Asian playoffs structure will split the six teams into two groups.

The two teams will have one-legged ties in neutral venues in October 2025. The binary group bests of the two sides will become straight qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The remaining two runners-up will then have a final playoff tie. The victor in this game will earn a spot in the intercontinental playoff, where there is a last available position in Asia. It offers a stable but difficult route, by focus on weight recital and depth of rivalry in ball in Asia.

With the Australian qualification, the list of confirmed teams for the FIFA World Cup 2026 stands at 11 countries. Below are the countries: Joint States (Host), Mexico (Host), Canada (Host), Argentina, Japan, Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Jordan, New Zealand, and Australia. The diverse list of countries is a combination of long-time world champions, up-and-coming football countries, and newcomers.

Football World Cup a Global Celebration of Football and Unity

Under the spotlight of international scrutiny, each goal, each save, and each result resounds with significance far in excess of the field. For nations like Australia, their regular visits to the World Cup enhance their robust football infrastructure. For nations like Palestine, their close call serves to illustrate that the beauty of the game lies in its unpredictability and emotional resonance. Up ahead, the last battles for qualification will make captions as nations pursue to meet final tests.

At the same time, veteran teams will start gearing up for the group stage, analyzing their potential opponents, and planning pre-tournament friendlies. FIFA World Cup 2026 is not simply about games — it’s a stage for heroes, a meeting ground for dreams, and an carnival of nations that come together because of football.

Experience the passion, drama, and glory of the Football World Cup 2026 live! With gettickets365, it’s easier than ever to buy FIFA World Cup Tickets, including premium access to FIFA World Cup Final Tickets and Football World Cup Final Tickets. Don’t wait, secure your World Cup Tickets now and cheer for your team on the biggest stage in football.

[icenews]

Top 5 Most Successful Teams in IPL History – Stats & Achievements

Since its inception in 2008, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has grown into the most glamorous and fiercely competitive cricket league in the world. Over the years, several franchises have etched their names in history with consistent performances, championship titles, and unforgettable moments. While every team has had its highs and lows, a few have clearly stood out for their dominance and success. Here’s a look at the top 5 most successful teams in IPL history based on their stats, consistency, and achievements.

1. Mumbai Indians (MI)

No conversation about IPL dominance is complete without the Mumbai Indians. The franchise, owned by India’s biggest conglomerate, has built an empire of success in the league. With five IPL titles to their name (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020), MI is the most successful team in terms of championships.

What sets them apart is their knack for peaking at the right time. While they often start seasons slowly, their ability to deliver under pressure in the latter stages is unmatched. Led for many years by the calm and tactical Rohit Sharma, the team has boasted match-winners like Lasith Malinga, Kieron Pollard, Jasprit Bumrah, and Hardik Pandya. MI’s core has always combined international firepower with domestic reliability, a formula that has brought them sustained glory.

2. Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

The only team that can rival MI’s legacy is the Chennai Super Kings. With five titles as well (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023), CSK is a symbol of consistency in the IPL. What makes their story even more remarkable is their ability to bounce back after setbacks. Whether it was a two-year suspension or being written off due to an aging squad, CSK has silenced critics time and again.

Under the legendary leadership of MS Dhoni, CSK has made the playoffs in nearly every season they’ve played. Their success has come from building a strong team culture, backing experienced players, and delivering when it matters. Players like Suresh Raina, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ruturaj Gaikwad have been crucial to their journey.

3. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

With two IPL trophies (2012 and 2014), the Kolkata Knight Riders have had their share of glory. Led by Gautam Gambhir during their successful years, KKR transformed from a struggling side to a formidable unit. Their 2012 and 2014 wins were defined by all-round performances and strong bowling attacks.

Though they haven’t won a title in recent years, KKR has remained a competitive team, often reaching the playoffs and staying in contention. Their ability to scout emerging talent—be it Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, or Venkatesh Iyer—has kept them relevant in the ever-evolving IPL landscape.

Read Also:- 4 Players Won IPL In Their Debut Season As Captain

4. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)

Sunrisers Hyderabad may have just one title (2016), but they’ve been one of the most consistent sides post-2013. Their strength has always been their bowling attack, often considered one of the best in the league. With names like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan, and T. Natarajan leading their bowling charge, SRH has often defended modest totals with grit.

Their 2016 title win, under David Warner’s aggressive leadership, was a masterclass in balance and determination. They’ve also reached the playoffs several times, showing they’re not just a one-season wonder.

5. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)

RCB is a team that has long divided opinions. Despite not winning an IPL title yet, they’ve finished runners-up three times (2009, 2011, 2016) and made the playoffs on multiple occasions. Their popularity and loyal fanbase are unmatched, and their star-studded lineups over the years—including Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Chris Gayle—have lit up the league.

RCB’s journey has been more about moments than trophies, but their impact on the IPL narrative remains significant. With recent improvements in team balance, their long-awaited title might not be far away.

These five teams have shaped the IPL’s identity, each bringing their own style, legacy, and fan culture to the league. Whether it’s CSK’s calm consistency or MI’s ruthless dominance, these franchises have left an indelible mark on the tournament’s rich history.

Read Also:- Glenn Maxwell Career Stats And Overview

[icnewss]

Top 10 Best Debut Seasons by a Player in IPL

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is known for producing superstars, but few things are as exciting as watching a player light up the tournament in their very first season. Over the years, some cricketers have made an instant impact, announcing their arrival on the grand stage with unforgettable performances.

Today, we dive into the Top 10 Best Debut Seasons by a Player in IPL history — showcasing the players who didn’t just debut, but dominated!

1. Shaun Marsh – 2008

No list of the Top 10 Best Debut Seasons by a Player in IPL would be complete without Shaun Marsh. In the inaugural 2008 season, Marsh was a revelation for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings).

Matches: 11

Runs: 616

Average: 68.44

Strike Rate: 139.68

He won the Orange Cap for scoring the most runs, a remarkable feat for a debutant! His smooth stroke play and consistency set the tone for overseas players in the IPL.

2. Sohail Tanvir – 2008

The first season also witnessed Sohail Tanvir wreaking havoc with the ball for Rajasthan Royals. His left-arm awkwardness proved deadly.

Matches: 11

Wickets: 22

Economy Rate: 6.46

Tanvir’s 6/14 against Chennai Super Kings remained the best IPL bowling figures for years. No wonder his name features in the Top 10 Best Debut Seasons by a Player in IPL.

3. Shane Watson – 2008

Another Rajasthan Royals star, Shane Watson, had an all-round dream season in 2008.

Matches: 15

Runs: 472

Wickets: 17

Watson's all-round performance was crucial in RR’s fairytale title win. He even bagged the "Player of the Tournament" award, making his debut one of the finest ever.

4. Ben Stokes – 2017

English all-rounder Ben Stokes stormed into the IPL in 2017, playing for Rising Pune Supergiant.

Matches: 12

Runs: 316

Wickets: 12

He scored a match-winning century and picked crucial wickets throughout the season. Stokes’ impact earned him the "Most Valuable Player" award, solidifying his place among the Top 10 Best Debut Seasons by a Player in IPL.

5. Shubman Gill – 2018

Shubman Gill showed the world his class during his debut season for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2018.

Matches: 13

Runs: 203

Average: 33.83

Though Gill played a few games in the middle order, he showcased maturity beyond his years. His calmness and technique hinted that a superstar was in the making.

Also Read:- 3 Reasons DC Lost To RCB IPL 2025

6. Kagiso Rabada – 2017

Although Rabada played only a handful of matches for Delhi Capitals in his debut year, his fiery pace made an immediate impact.

Matches: 6

Wickets: 6

Best Figures: 2/20

In later seasons, Rabada went on to become one of the IPL’s most feared fast bowlers, but his debut already showed why he was special.

7. Devdutt Padikkal – 2020

When RCB needed a fresh face at the top, Devdutt Padikkal rose to the occasion in IPL 2020.

Matches: 15

Runs: 473

Average: 31.53

Winning the Emerging Player Award, Padikkal’s stylish stroke play and big innings helped RCB to the playoffs. His debut was certainly among the Top 10 Best Debut Seasons by a Player in IPL.

8. Mayank Markande – 2018

A young unknown spinner, Mayank Markande, made headlines when he dismissed MS Dhoni in his very first game for Mumbai Indians in 2018.

Matches: 14

Wickets: 15

Economy Rate: 8.36

Markande’s clever variations and fearless bowling made him a vital cog for MI that season.

9. Anrich Nortje – 2020

Delhi Capitals struck gold with Anrich Nortje during IPL 2020.

Matches: 16

Wickets: 22

Economy Rate: 8.39

Nortje’s raw pace, often clocking above 150 kph, gave Delhi’s attack a cutting edge. His breathtaking speeds and critical wickets made his debut season unforgettable, rightly placing him among the Top 10 Best Debut Seasons by a Player in IPL.

10. Varun Chakravarthy – 2020

After a quiet first season earlier, Varun Chakravarthy exploded onto the scene in IPL 2020 with Kolkata Knight Riders.

Matches: 13

Wickets: 17

Best Figures: 5/20

He became KKR’s mystery spinner, bamboozling batsmen with his clever variations. His 5-wicket haul against Delhi Capitals was one of the highlights of the tournament.

Final Thoughts

Over the years, many players have made dream debuts, but these names truly stand out when discussing the Top 10 Best Debut Seasons by a Player in IPL. Whether it's a foreign import making an instant mark like Shaun Marsh, a fiery bowler like Anrich Nortje, or a young Indian prodigy like Devdutt Padikkal, each debut season added unforgettable moments to the IPL’s rich history.

These players proved that sometimes, you don’t need years to become a fan favorite — a few matches are enough when you have talent and courage!

As the IPL keeps discovering new gems every season, fans can only wait to see which debutant will next create history!

Also Read:- RR vs GT Dream11 Prediction IPL 2025

[icecricnews247]

Top 10 Best Debut Seasons by a Player in IPL

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is known for producing superstars, but few things are as exciting as watching a player light up the tournament in their very first season. Over the years, some cricketers have made an instant impact, announcing their arrival on the grand stage with unforgettable performances.

Today, we dive into the Top 10 Best Debut Seasons by a Player in IPL history — showcasing the players who didn’t just debut, but dominated!

1. Shaun Marsh – 2008

No list of the Top 10 Best Debut Seasons by a Player in IPL would be complete without Shaun Marsh. In the inaugural 2008 season, Marsh was a revelation for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings).

Matches: 11

Runs: 616

Average: 68.44

Strike Rate: 139.68

He won the Orange Cap for scoring the most runs, a remarkable feat for a debutant! His smooth stroke play and consistency set the tone for overseas players in the IPL.

2. Sohail Tanvir – 2008

The first season also witnessed Sohail Tanvir wreaking havoc with the ball for Rajasthan Royals. His left-arm awkwardness proved deadly.

Matches: 11

Wickets: 22

Economy Rate: 6.46

Tanvir’s 6/14 against Chennai Super Kings remained the best IPL bowling figures for years. No wonder his name features in the Top 10 Best Debut Seasons by a Player in IPL.

3. Shane Watson – 2008

Another Rajasthan Royals star, Shane Watson, had an all-round dream season in 2008.

Matches: 15

Runs: 472

Wickets: 17

Watson's all-round performance was crucial in RR’s fairytale title win. He even bagged the "Player of the Tournament" award, making his debut one of the finest ever.

4. Ben Stokes – 2017

English all-rounder Ben Stokes stormed into the IPL in 2017, playing for Rising Pune Supergiant.

Matches: 12

Runs: 316

Wickets: 12

He scored a match-winning century and picked crucial wickets throughout the season. Stokes’ impact earned him the "Most Valuable Player" award, solidifying his place among the Top 10 Best Debut Seasons by a Player in IPL.

5. Shubman Gill – 2018

Shubman Gill showed the world his class during his debut season for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2018.

Matches: 13

Runs: 203

Average: 33.83

Though Gill played a few games in the middle order, he showcased maturity beyond his years. His calmness and technique hinted that a superstar was in the making.

Also Read:- 3 Reasons DC Lost To RCB IPL 2025

6. Kagiso Rabada – 2017

Although Rabada played only a handful of matches for Delhi Capitals in his debut year, his fiery pace made an immediate impact.

Matches: 6

Wickets: 6

Best Figures: 2/20

In later seasons, Rabada went on to become one of the IPL’s most feared fast bowlers, but his debut already showed why he was special.

7. Devdutt Padikkal – 2020

When RCB needed a fresh face at the top, Devdutt Padikkal rose to the occasion in IPL 2020.

Matches: 15

Runs: 473

Average: 31.53

Winning the Emerging Player Award, Padikkal’s stylish stroke play and big innings helped RCB to the playoffs. His debut was certainly among the Top 10 Best Debut Seasons by a Player in IPL.

8. Mayank Markande – 2018

A young unknown spinner, Mayank Markande, made headlines when he dismissed MS Dhoni in his very first game for Mumbai Indians in 2018.

Matches: 14

Wickets: 15

Economy Rate: 8.36

Markande’s clever variations and fearless bowling made him a vital cog for MI that season.

9. Anrich Nortje – 2020

Delhi Capitals struck gold with Anrich Nortje during IPL 2020.

Matches: 16

Wickets: 22

Economy Rate: 8.39

Nortje’s raw pace, often clocking above 150 kph, gave Delhi’s attack a cutting edge. His breathtaking speeds and critical wickets made his debut season unforgettable, rightly placing him among the Top 10 Best Debut Seasons by a Player in IPL.

10. Varun Chakravarthy – 2020

After a quiet first season earlier, Varun Chakravarthy exploded onto the scene in IPL 2020 with Kolkata Knight Riders.

Matches: 13

Wickets: 17

Best Figures: 5/20

He became KKR’s mystery spinner, bamboozling batsmen with his clever variations. His 5-wicket haul against Delhi Capitals was one of the highlights of the tournament.

Final Thoughts

Over the years, many players have made dream debuts, but these names truly stand out when discussing the Top 10 Best Debut Seasons by a Player in IPL. Whether it's a foreign import making an instant mark like Shaun Marsh, a fiery bowler like Anrich Nortje, or a young Indian prodigy like Devdutt Padikkal, each debut season added unforgettable moments to the IPL’s rich history.

These players proved that sometimes, you don’t need years to become a fan favorite — a few matches are enough when you have talent and courage!

As the IPL keeps discovering new gems every season, fans can only wait to see which debutant will next create history!

Also Read:- RR vs GT Dream11 Prediction IPL 2025

[abhithewriter]

HOW THE ENGLAND FOOTBALL TEAM WENT FROM CHOCKERS TO CHALLENGERS IN 5 YEARS

A few years back, the English football team was considered a joke by many of the fans and the pundits. This occurred due to the disastrous performance of the team, not just in Internal fixtures, but in the major tournaments as well. The standard and the quality of English football had been deteriorating since the start of the century. Since 2000, there have been several low points in English football, with each being lower than the last one like not qualifying for the Euros in 2008, early elimination in the 2010 world cup and the 2014 world cup, just to name a few. In the latter, they scored just two goals, secured a solitary point in 3 games, and got knocked out in the group stages. But the moment when England hit rock bottom was in the 2016 Euro tournament.

When it came to the qualifiers of the 2016 Euro’s, there was optimism among the fans. This was due to their performance in the Qualifiers where they topped their group by winning all 10 games, scoring 28 goals,  and only conceding 3. Another reason why the qualifiers was a big plus for England was because of the introduction of fresh faces such as Danny Drinkwater, Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy and the performances of John Stones, Danny Rose and Keiran Trippier in defense which resulted in England conceding only 3 goals in 10 games in the qualification stages.

But their performance in Euro 2016 of one of their worst in their entire tournament history. The finished second in a group consisting of Wales, Russia, and Slovakia, three teams who England should have beaten comfortably on paper. Instead, they drew to Russia, just got past Wales and drew 0-0 to Slovakia. There was optimism about England reaching the quarter finals as they had to face Iceland in the round of 16. But their tournament got worse as they lost 2-1 and crashed out of the Euro’s. The backlash from this tournament was heavy as several players such Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane were criticized for their poor performance and Roy Hodgson had resigned after a 4-year reign.

There were several theories formed by fans and pundits as to the reason for the poor performance of England in major tournaments. The problems were made clear from their Euro 2016 debacle. Many people felt that the team selection was wrong and people who were in the team did not deserve their place in the squad. Players such as Danny Drinkwater was left out of the Euro squad after a good performance in the league leading to a title win for Leicester city. The inclusion of Jack Wilshere had not gone down well amongst the fans either as he spent 8 months of the 2015/16 on the sidelines with an injury and had played only 141 minutes in the entire season. England had appointed Sam Allardyce as the new England manager, but he was sacked after one game after he was charged with corruption.

England appointed Gareth Southgate as their caretaker manager, following the sacking of Sam Allardyce and was made the permanent manager on 15th November 2016. This did not make England fans optimistic. The reason was because he had previously managed Middlesbrough who got relegated and he was the coach of the England under 21 team who had not been performing well under him.

Under him, they had performed well in the World cup 2018 qualifiers finishing toppers of their group with 8 wins and 2 draws out of 10 games and conceding only 3 goals. The pundits and fans were not excited about their chances in the world cup.

In the tournament, they won all 2 out 3 group games, losing to Belgium 1-0. They won in the round of 16 against Columbia in the penalty shootout and won the quarter finals against Sweden. When it came to the semifinals, England got the lead in the 5th minute through Kieran Trippier but eventually lost 2-1 to Croatia who went on to lose in the finals to France. England finished the campaign in 4th place after they lost their 3rd place playoff game against Belgium 2-0. Despite losing in the semifinal, players like Harry Kane, Kieran Trippier and Jordan Pickford drew a lot of praise for their performance in the tournament with Harry Kane winning the golden boot.

Following this their next stage of preparation was for the 2020 Euro. In the qualifiers, they had a strong performance, topping the group with 7 wins out of 8, conceding only six goals but scoring 37 goals. Fans and pundits lauded Gareth Southgate for giving chances to players who did not just play for a top six club. Players like Declan Rice, Kalvin Phillips and Jack Grealish, Dominic Calvert Lewin and Conor Coady were given their chance to shine in the qualifiers. Southgate also gave chances to youngsters such as Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho were given chances in the tournament.

Going into the tournament they had an squad with an average age of a little over 25. They had a mix of experience and talented youngsters. They topped their group in Euro, won in the round of 16 against Germany, brushed aside Ukraine 4-0 in the Quarter finals, won 2-1 against Denmark in extra time through a Harry Kane goal in the 104th minute. In the final against Italy, they went ahead inside two minutes through Luke Shaw but eventually conceded from a corner which was scored by Leonardo Bonucci. The game eventually went into penalties. Pickford had made two saves in the shootout, but Italy cliched the final after misses from Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka.

England finished the tournament as runners up, but there was a lot of appreciation from the fans and the pundits for the performance of the manager and team players, especially the youngsters. They were a laughing stock in the 2016 Euro and nearly won the 2020 Euro.

There has been steady progress that has been taking place in English football and Gareth Southgate deserves a lot of the credit for much tough decisions and giving chances to player to shine. The Euros are taking place in Germany this year and Gareth Southgate has a chance to take the England team one step further and guide them to the title before leaving his job as England Coach. England go into this tournament with a little bit of negativity, considering their performances against the big teams in the last 2 years, but this tournament is a chance for them to but these negative talks to rest.

[rinimy]

Kabaddi Betting Sites India ᐉ Bet on Kabaddi Online [2024] 

Dec:

Patna Pirates is a professional kabaddi team based in Patna, Bihar, that plays in the Pro Kabaddi League. The team is led by Sachin Tanwar and coached by Narender Redu. Their home ground is the Patliputra Sports Complex.

Patna Pirates (PTP) is a professional kabaddi team based in Patna, Bihar, that plays in the Pro Kabaddi League. The team is led by Sachin Tanwar and coached by Narender Redu. Their home ground is the Patliputra Sports Complex.[1] The Pirates are the most successful team in PKL history with a record of winning 3 out of 8 titles and winning all of them in successive. They are also one time runners up in season 8 of pkl which started after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Pirates won their first title by defeating defending champions U Mumba in 2016 (January), after reaching the semi-finals in the previous two seasons (2014 and 2015). In the following 2016 (June) season, Patna Pirates defeated the Jaipur Pink Panthers, thus becoming the first team in PKL history to successfully defend their title and later completed a hat-trick of titles by defeating Gujarat Fortune Giants in the final of the 2017 tournament. The 2018-19 season was a contrasting season for the usually successful Patna Pirates, as the 3-time defending champions crashed out in the group stages, thus failing to make the playoffs for the first time ever. Patna is also the first team to play 100 Pro Kabaddi matches.

[the-owl-nest]

HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOO

[tapejob]

uhh why was china getting kicked out of the olympics

long story short: no but actually yes

currently, china's men's hockey team is the ranked 32rd worldwide, aka the lowest ranked team to qualify for the men's olympics in... a while

+ there's only uhh 12 teams in the men's tournament

now how they qualified at all was because after winning the olympic bid, china was granted automatic berths in both men's and women's hockey tournaments by the iihf

(in theory this is fine: iihf did this for south korea in 2018 + promising move to grow the game in china while also forcing china to buff its hockey programs in general + give china a chance to actually make headway in a major winter sport, which we've been historically abysmal at)

in practice this is very not fine

in preliminary qualifiers for the 2018 olympics, team china came dead last in group L, winning 0 games with a grand -21 goal differential against serbia, spain, and iceland (currently ranked #29, #31, and #35 respectively). it was so brutal i gaslighted myself into totally forgetting about it until i came across it again today

and btw china hasn't played an international game since 2019 bc of COVID

anyway remember back in april when they announced the olympic groupings:

what's that? what's that in the front? we have canada (#1), US (#6), germany (#7) and china (#32). okay.

also, in case you've forgotten (you haven't). daddy bettman is letting the nhl loose on the olympics this year, with crosby and mcdavid definitely out to tear up in team canada and who knows who else in the rest of the group. china gets net zero benefit from this whole ordeal: we have one (1) nhl player currently living his best life in cornell. he spent last year becoming a business analyst.

this isn't even like a regular year. the nhl talent pool alone right now? absolutely off the shits. scmp aptly puts it as "the planet’s most talent-rich ice hockey tournament in eight years"

bringing back this quote from a former coach because i think it sums up quintessential team china hockey:

you have got to help me

so basically no development internationally, abysmal roster at best with little changes at the senior level compared to the last olympics where we got completely rimmed blind

anyway

because the iihf is desperately trying not to rapidly descend into clown representation, we leave china with two options:

get china to recruit some boys from north america/europe with chinese heritage + naturalize them in time for the olympics so we have a decent roster

get kicked out

option 1 sounds pretty good, tbh, except for the fact that the iihf has a rule that players have to play in their new country for at least 2 years before switching nationalities. bit too late for that but this is okay because apparently we are so catastrophically bad that the iihf is willing to bend the eligibility rules to avoid a murder on international ice

option 1 would also sound pretty good because we've actually been recruiting a lot of our heritage boys via Kunlun Red Stars. not a bad choice, since it gives them runtime in the KHL

we are ignoring the fact that they haven't qualified for playoffs since their founding, and had the worst season in their history in 20-21

IT WOULD BE PRETTY GOOD except for the fact that apparently the KRS had a "falling out" with the chinese ice hockey association. now all our potential recruits (read: literally all ethnically chinese players) are unusable until the general administration of sports gets its shit together

you fucked up a perfectly good team is what they did. look at it. it's god anxiety.

"there are reports that players from the Soviet bloc are being considered, perhaps those from Central Asia, who look at least a little “Chinese”" stop stop stop stop stop oh my fucking god

there's also an emergency option which is to beg a ton of white guys to join. this is how we got our coach. we hired a canadian coach for team china hockey. who are we

we're on the trajectory to get pretty historically bodied which is something that the iihf would love to prevent and the US would love to enable. also read this hot take i found that made me start crying

"avoid rubbing it in" you have GOT TO HELP ME

anyway, there was a source from iihf that said there's nothing expected to change with china's participation, but luc tardif said there would be an official decision by end of october as to whether china gets the chopping block out of their very own tournament or face global demolition on the world stage

pray for me besties i am unwell

also bonus for some incredible headlines we got out of this:

[losangelesvalorant]

old/historic matches to watch while owl is cancelled

here’s a list (with links to the vods!) of a bunch of important/my favorite matches i made for lucy and i to watch while everything is shut down, check a few of em out if ur also bored and pining for owl. not a comprehensive list, just the ones i remember being cool and also a few random ones thrown in for context and nostalgia. bolded are must watch matches, bolded and italicized are REALLY must watch matches. ive also spoiler marked concurrent matches. feel free to add on as well!

2016

[EnVyUs vs. Rogue semifinal at atlantic showdown]

[FaZe clan vs. Cloud9 final during august monthly melee]

Apex Season 1

[reunited vs. runaway]

[rogue vs envyus]

[kongdoo panthera vs. LW Blue]

[Kongdoo uncia vs. NRG]

[Conbox vs. lunatic-hai] 

world cup 2016

[Australia vs. South Korea]

[russia vs france]

[US vs South Korea]

[misfits vs fanatics grand final at dreamhack]

Intel Extreme Masters

Afreeca Freecs Blue vs. Lunatic Hai - semifinal

[Set 1] 

[Set 2 ]

[Set 3] 

[Set 4] 

LW red vs [SPOILER] - final

[set 1]

[set 2]

[set 3]

[set 4]

[immortals vs c9 during monthly melee december]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2017

Apex season 2

[BK Stars vs envyus]

[LW Blue vs. misfits]

[lunatic hai vs runaway]

[and bonus clip which isnt in the vod]

[Afreeca freecs blue vs. c9]

[Kongdoo Panthera vs LW Blue - quarterfinal]

[Runaway vs. [SPOILER] - semifinal]

[meta athena vs lunatic hai - semifinal]

[[SPOILER] vs [SPOILER] - GRAND FINAL] please watch this match its so good

[immortals vs LG Evil - carbon series grand final]

Rivalcade

[Selfless vs. BK Stars]

[Splyce vs. envision eSports]

apex season 3

[Lunatic hai vs. mighty AOD]

[runaway vs Afreeca freecs blue]

[Conbox spirit vs. flash lux]

[meta athena vs. bk stars]

[lunatic hai vs lw blue]

[[SPOILER] vs [SPOILER] - GRAND FINAL] imo the best match of pro ovw ever played

contenders season 0 EU

Laser kittenz vs eunited

[set 1]

[set 2]

[set 3]

[set 4]

contenders season 0 NA

couldnt find vods of any of their matches but if u can find any watch fnrgfe, kungarna, and lg evil’s matches

Contenders season 1 EU

Misfits vs. c9 - semifinal

[part 1]

[part 2]

contenders season 1 NA

faze vs envision - semifinal

[part 1]

[part 2]

world cup 2017

[UK vs taiwan - couldnt find the full match, only highlights]

[south korea vs austria] the only real must watch map of this is volskaya but please watch it its SO fucking funny

[south korea vs canada - final]

apex season 4

im gonna be real i only watched the final of this season so i cant rec specific matches but ive heard it was pretty good

[[SPOILER] vs. [SPOILER] - GRAND FINAL] the second best match of ovw ever played

[Lunatic Hai vs. Miraculous Youngster - OGN SuperCup] couldnt find an english vod but this match was SO good

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2018

i was super tapped out for like all of 2018 so im probably forgetting a ton of good matches, pls add the ones i missed!

OWL stage 1

[sf shock vs valiant]

[dynasty vs fuel]

[nyxl vs outlaws]

[mayhem vs spitfire]

[dragons vs fusion]

[nyxl vs dynasty]

[outlaws vs spitfire - semifinal]

[nyxl vs [SPOILER] - final]

OWL stage 2

[valiant vs mayhem]

[outlaws vs gladiators]

[shock vs outlaws]

[fusion vs valiant]

[nyxl vs fuel]

[dynasty vs dragons]

[fusion vs spitfire - semifinal]

[nyxl vs [SPOILER] - final]

contenders korea 2018 - season 2

Runaway vs. Kongdoo Panthera - final

[part 1]

[part 2]

OWL stage 3

[shock vs gladiators]

[uprising vs nyxl]

[dragons vs fusion]

[fuel vs mayhem]

[spitfire vs dynasty]

[uprising vs spitfire]

[uprising vs nyxl - final]

OWL stage 4

[nyxl vs valiant]

[uprising vs fusion]

[fuel vs spitfire]

[nyxl vs shock]

[valiant vs gladiators - semifinal]

[fuel vs nyxl - semifinal]

[[SPOILER] vs [SPOILER] - final]

OWL Playoffs

the playoffs format in s1 was super fucking confusing i dont understand how it worked honestly. [heres where u can find all the vods] just watch all of the matches tbh

[OWL All-Stars Weekend - link to all the vods]

world cup 2018

[UK vs. USA - quarterfinal]

[South Korea vs China - final]

[[SPOILER] vs. canada - bronze medal match]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2019

OWL stage 1

[fusion vs spitfire]

[spitfire vs justice]

[defiant vs reign]

[spark vs gladiators]

[dragons vs uprising]

[valiant vs outlaws]

[hunters vs titans]

[mayhem vs justice]

[dynasty vs nyxl - quarterfinals]

[shock vs titans - final]

contenders NA 2019 - season 1

[FUni vs mayhem academy]

OWL stage 2

[reign vs nyxl I]

[reign vs nyxl II]

[hunters vs spitfire]

[outlaws vs fuel]

[dragons vs shock]

[valiant vs dynasty]

[justice vs uprising]

[dragons vs shock - quarterfinal(?)]

[titans vs [SPOILER] - final]

[OWL all-stars weekend vods]

OWL stage 3

[outlaws vs nyxl]

[outlaws vs shock]

[hunters vs shock]

[valiant vs titans]

[fusion vs dragons]

[dragons vs nyxl - quarterfinal]

[titans vs [SPOILER] - semifinal]

[shock vs [SPOILER] - final]

OWL stage 4

[mayhem vs spitfire]

[justice vs titans]

[nyxl vs hunters]

[nyxl vs titans]

[charge vs fuel but like only for the unkoe pause]

overwatch contenders EU 2019 - season 2

Clockwork vendetta vs HSL - semifinal

[part 1]

[part 2]

OWL playoffs

[fusion vs dragons]

[spitfire vs [SPOILER]]

[charge vs dynasty]

[shock vs reign]

[spark vs [SPOILER] - loser’s bracket]

[winners’ bracket final]

[losers’ bracket final]

[GRAND FINAL]

the gauntlet

[talon vs element mystic]

[runaway vs element mystic] the match is somewhere in the middle of the vod

[ATL academy vs. [SPOILER]] again somewhere in the middle of the vod

world cup 2019

[france vs south korea group stages] the vod is dead but theres at least highlights

[france vs china - semifinal]

[usa vs south korea - semifinal]

[overwatch-1eague]

2018 (Inaugural Season)

Stage 1 Playoffs

Semifinal: London Spitfire vs Houston Outlaws

[worldcup2021]

T20 World cup live streaming

The 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup is scheduled to be the seventh ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament, with matches taking place in the United Arab Emirates and Oman There was due to be a preceding 2020 T20 World Cup held in Australia from 18 October to 15 November 2020,but in July 2020, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that this tournament had been postponed, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In August 2020, the ICC confirmed that India would host the 2021 tournament as planned, with Australia being named as the host for the succeeding 2022 tournament. However, in June 2021, the ICC announced that the tournament had been moved to the United Arab Emirates due to growing concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic situation in India, and a possible third wave of the pandemic in the country. The tournament is scheduled to begin on 17 October 2021, with the tournament's final scheduled to be played on 14 November 2021. The preliminary rounds of the tournament are set to be shared between the UAE and Oman.

In August 2021, concerns and doubts were raised over the participation of Afghanistan cricket team in the T20 World cup live streaming ever since Afghanistan was brought under the control of the Taliban. Afghanistan cricket team's media manager Hikmat Hassan confirmed that Afghanistan would play in the T20 World Cup despite the political turmoil in the country.In April 2020, the ICC confirmed that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was still planned to go ahead as scheduled.However, the following month a senior ICC official said that it would be "too big a risk" to host the tournament in 2020, The ICC also stated that reports of postponing the tournament were inaccurate, with multiple contingency plans being looked at. A decision on the tournament was originally deferred until the ICC's meeting on 10 June 2020,[23] with a further announcement scheduled to be made in July 2020.[24] In June 2020, Earl Eddings, the chairman of Cricket Australia, said that it was "unlikely" and "unrealistic" that the tournament would take place in Australia as scheduled. Eddings also suggested that Australia could host the event in October 2021, and India stage the tournament a year later in 2022. The ICC also considered moving the tournament to be played around the next Women's ODI World Cup, which was originally scheduled to take place in New Zealand for February 2021.

A month before the official postponement, Australian federal tourism minister Simon Birmingham announced that the Australian government expected that the country's borders would be closed to international travel until 2021.[26] The ICC also confirmed that either Australia or India, the hosts for the tournaments originally scheduled to take place in 2020 and 2021 respectively, would host this tournament.[27][28] In August 2020, the ICC confirmed that India are expected to host the 2021 tournament, with Australia expected to the 2022 tournament.[29] In the same month, the ICC confirmed that Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates were being considered as back-up venues for the tournament.[30] In April 2021, the ICC's CEO Geoff Allardice confirmed that back-up plans were still in place if India were unable to host the tournament due to the pandemic.[31] Later the same month, Dhiraj Malhotra of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that the UAE would be used as a contingency,[32] if the pandemic in India continued to get worse.[33] The BCCI were also in talks with Oman as a potential co-host of the tournament.[34] On 1 June 2021, the ICC gave the BCCI the deadline of 28 June 2021 to make its decision on where the tournament would be played.[35] Regardless of the actual location of the tournament, the ICC also confirmed that the BCCI would remain as the hosts of the competition.[36] Later, the ICC confirmed that the tournament had been moved to the UAE and Oman.[6] It was the first time for both the UAE and Oman to be hosting a global ICC event, and also the first occasion that a cricket World Cup was being held entirely outside of the elite Test-playing nations.[37]As of 31 December 2018, the top nine ranked ICC Full Members, alongside hosts India, qualified directly for the 2021 tournament.[38][39] Of those ten teams, the top eight ranked sides qualified for the Super 12s stage of the tournament.[38] Sri Lanka and Bangladesh did not qualify for the Super 12s, instead being placed in the group stage of the competition.[38] They were joined by the six teams who had qualified for the tournament via the 2019 ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier.[38] Of the teams in the ICC Men's T20I Team Rankings, the United Arab Emirates and Nepal could only qualify through regional competitions.[9] The top four teams from the group stage will then advance to the Super 12s.[38]

Papua New Guinea were the first team to secure their position via the Qualifier, after they won Group A of the tournament, finishing above the Netherlands on net run rate.[40] It was the first time that Papua New Guinea had qualified for a World Cup in any format.[41] Ireland became the second team to qualify via this route after they won Group B, also on net run rate.[42]

In the first match in the playoffs, the Netherlands qualified for the T20 World Cup when they beat the United Arab Emirates by eight wickets, after the UAE only scored 80 runs in their innings.[43] The second qualifier match saw Namibia advance to their first T20 World Cup after beating Oman by 54 runs.[44] Scotland beat tournament hosts the United Arab Emirates in the third qualifier by 90 runs to secure their place in the T20 World Cup.[45] Oman become the final team to qualify for the T20 World Cup, when they beat Hong Kong by 12 runs in the last playoff match.[46]Squads Main article: 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup squads Prior to the tournament, each team selected a squad of fifteen players. Each team was also able to select up to seven additional players, if needed, with regards to COVID-19.[47] On 10 August 2021, New Zealand were the first team to announce their squad for the tournament.[48]

Schedule With a total of 42 matches, the T20 World Cup will be composed of two rounds. Round 1 will include twelve matches between eight teams (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland, Namibia, Oman and Papua New Guinea) from which four teams will progress to the Super 12s.[49] The Super 12s, scheduled to start from 24 October 2021, will consist of 30 matches between the four teams from Round 1 and the top eight ranked T20I teams. Those teams will be split into two groups of six each. This will be followed by the two semi-finals and then the final.[5] On 16 July 2021, the ICC confirmed the groups for the tournament,[50] which were decided on the rankings of the teams as of 20 March 2021.[51] On 17 August 2021, the ICC confirmed the final fixtures for the tournament including the first round and super 12 matches.[52]

Venues On 17 April 2021, the BCCI proposed the name of the cities which are scheduled to be hosting the matches.[53] Bangalore, Chennai, Dharamshala, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, and New Delhi were the venues along with Ahmedabad, hosting the final of the event.[54] On 18 April 2021, it was announced that Pakistan would play two of their group matches in Delhi, while Mumbai and Kolkata would host the semi-finals.[55] On 28 June 2021, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly confirmed that due to the COVID-19 situation in the country the board has officially communicated to the ICC about their decision to move the event from India to the UAE.[56] Some of the preliminary round matches of the event are also set to be held in Oman.[57][58] On 29 June 2021, the ICC confirmed that the T20 World Cup would be played in the UAE and Oman.[59] The tournament will take place in four venues: the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, and the Oman Cricket Academy Ground.[60] During July 2021, the Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi was awaiting accreditation by the ICC to also be used as one of the venues for the tournament.[61]

[footballworldcuptickets]

Australia’s FIFA World Cup Legacy and Their Mission for 2026 Glory

Australia’s men’s national football team, famously known as the Socceroos, has developed a reputation for resilience and passion on the world’s biggest stage. Having qualified for six FIFA World Cup tournaments — 1974, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022 — their journey reflects not only persistence but remarkable progress. From early struggles to continental shifts and major tournament upsets, the Socceroos have forged a unique path through international football.

Their inaugural World Cup appearance came in 1974, where the squad, composed entirely of amateurs, managed a goalless draw against Chile but failed to score across the group stage. It wasn’t until 2006 that Australia would return to the global tournament — this time making a lasting impact by reaching the Round of 16 before falling to eventual champions Italy in a controversial finish.

The 2006 Breakthrough and Continental Leap

After years of qualifying heartbreaks, Australia dramatically broke the curse in 2005. Facing Uruguay in a two-legged playoff, the Socceroos lost the away leg 1–0 but equalized on aggregate through Mark Bresciano in Sydney. With the tie unresolved in extra time, a penalty shootout followed. Mark Schwarzer’s heroics and John Aloisi’s iconic winning penalty secured Australia’s first World Cup qualification in 32 years.

The 2006 tournament was a landmark for Australian football. Drawn against Japan, Brazil, and Croatia, the team displayed resilience and attacking flair. A thrilling comeback saw them beat Japan 3–1 with three late goals — including two from Tim Cahill, Australia’s first-ever World Cup scorer

World Cup Evolution: 2010 and 2014 Campaigns

In South Africa 2010, Australia was drawn alongside Germany, Ghana, and Serbia. The Socceroos’ opening match ended in a crushing 4–0 defeat to Germany, denting their goal difference. Despite a spirited 1–1 draw against Ghana and a 2–1 victory over Serbia, they were eliminated on goal difference, missing out on a second consecutive Round of 16 appearance.

Brazil 2014 presented an even tougher challenge with Spain, the Netherlands, and Chile as group opponents. Australia suffered three losses despite scoring in each match, including a sensational volley from Cahill against the Dutch.

In the years following, Australia focused on regional competitions. They hosted and won the 2015 AFC Asian Cup under coach Ange Postecoglou, showcasing an attacking brand of football. That triumph granted them a spot at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, further embedding their status within the Asian football landscape.

2018 FIFA World Cup: A Transitional Phase for the Socceroos

Australia’s road to the 2018 FIFA World Cup was filled with uncertainty and change. After navigating a grueling qualification campaign through the Asian route, head coach Ange Postecoglou stepped down unexpectedly, leaving Dutch veteran Bert van Marwijk to guide the squad into Russia

In their opening match against France, the Socceroos held their ground and managed to level the score through a Mile Jedinak penalty before an unlucky deflection handed France a 2–1 win. A 1–1 draw with Denmark followed, where Jedinak again scored from the spot, showing Australia’s resilience under pressure.

Although they failed to advance beyond the group stage, Australia’s performances reflected structure and spirit. Van Marwijk’s brief tenure ended after the tournament, and Graham Arnold was reappointed to lead the team long-term. The 2018 campaign highlighted the need for a rebuild, particularly in creativity and finishing, and initiated the transition to a younger generation.

2022 FIFA World Cup: Qatar Heroics and National Pride

Football fans around the world are counting down to the FIFA World Cup 2026. At gettickets365, we bring you exclusive access to Buy FIFA 2026 Tickets, from opening games to the epic World Cup Final. Buy World Cup Tickets now and be part of the world’s most electrifying football event live in the stadiums!

Drawn into Group D with reigning champions France, Denmark, and Tunisia, Australia began with a 4–1 defeat to France despite Craig Goodwin’s early opener. In a must-win match against Denmark, Mathew Leckie scored a sensational solo goal to send Australia into the Round of 16 for only the second time in history.

Facing Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the knockout round, the Socceroos pushed the eventual champions all the way. A 2–1 loss ended their campaign, but the performance, including a late flurry that nearly forced extra time, won admiration worldwide

From Amateurs to Contenders Building the Socceroos’ Legacy

Australia’s World Cup journey has transitioned from a story of near misses to one of increasing consistency. Since joining the AFC, the Socceroos have developed a more sustainable competitive edge, testing themselves regularly against top-tier Asian sides. Players like Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, and Mark Schwarzer have all left lasting legacies.

As Australia looks to the future, it carries the experiences of heartbreak, redemption, and continental success as pillars for progress. The once-inexperienced outsiders now stand as a reliable force in world football, one capable of springing surprises at the highest level.

Looking Ahead Australia’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Ambitions

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup expanding to 48 teams, the qualification path is broader but more competitive. The Socceroos, under new head coach Tony Popovic since September 2024, are in a transitional phase. Popovic, a seasoned A-League coach and former international, has been tasked with revitalizing the squad following a slow start to the qualifiers under Graham Arnold.

Australia began their third-round campaign with just one point from two matches, prompting Arnold’s resignation. Now, Popovic is focusing on recalibrating tactics, rotating youth prospects, and rebuilding confidence in the side. The next generation — including players like Garang Kuol, Jordy Bos, and Nestory Irankunda — is seen as key to a renewed era of Socceroos football.

Friendlies and regional tournaments will serve as testing grounds as Australia aims to secure one of Asia’s allotted World Cup berths. With their strong World Cup pedigree, fierce fan backing, and growing player pool, the Socceroos remain a team to watch on the road to North America 2026.

Experience the passion, drama, and glory of the Football World Cup 2026 live! With gettickets365, it’s easier than ever to buy FIFA World Cup Tickets, including premium access to FIFA World Cup Final Tickets and Football World Cup Final Tickets. Don’t wait, secure your World Cup Tickets now and cheer for your team on the biggest stage in football.

[shubh2689]

Playing at home venue is really an advantage or not?

Introduction:

As an ardent cricket lover and someone who has just started developing an interest Data Analytics domain, I wanted to start of with a dataset which is related to a field in which I have a lot of interest.

Dataset which I have chosen is related to Indian Premier League (IPL), which is a professional T20 cricket league organized by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). This league involves 8 teams which are based out of different Indian cities. It is a franchise based annual sporting event, which provides a platform to young and talented players. Players are selected in various teams based on auction. Apart from Indian cricketers (uncapped as well), it also involves players from various countries. As this tournament is being played in different cities, there is a huge fan following with a lot of media interest and business involvement.

Acknowledgements:

Data source: https://cricsheet.org/

This data set contains a file i.e. IPL Matches 2008-2020.xlsx which contains various details related to the matches such as location, contesting teams, umpires, results, etc for all the IPL matches from 2008 to 2020.

Codebook:

Topic of Interest/Research Question:

As the teams are based out of 8 different Indian cities hence each city is being represented by a team. Currently, with eight teams, each team plays each other twice in a home-and-away round-robin format in the league phase. At the conclusion of the league stage, the top four teams will qualify for the playoffs.

Each team plays 7 games at their home ground and other 7 at grounds in other cities. Hence, I wanted to analyze that whether playing at home venue is really an advantage or not. To analyze this, data related to venues, teams and outcome of the game has been filtered from the original dataset to analyze if the teams playing in their home conditions are more likely to win the contest or not. Filtered data is present in 'Home Advantage' sheet as part of the Codebook.

Topic associated with original research question:

Apart from analyzing if home advantage is really a thing in IPL or not, I was also interested to know whether result of a match is dependent on the outcome of the toss apart from home advantage. Additional data has been added to previously filtered data to study the association of outcome of toss to home advantage. Basically, winning the toss at your home venue is an added advantage or not? Filtered data is present in 'Toss Factor' sheet as part of the Codebook.

Literature Review/Related Work:

Searched a bit on internet regarding the availability of any previous research on the same topic and found out that some work has already been done, as mentioned below, which is related to the research question which I have chosen.

1) On the Effect of Home Team Advantage and Winning the Toss in the Outcome of T20 International Cricket Matches

Information related to 150 T20 international cricket matches, played during 17-Feb-2005 to 28-Feb-2010, was collected from the website www.cricinfo.org in March 2010. This dataset was taken into consideration for research.

Literature Source:

Published in Assam University Journal of Science and Technology, Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 88-93(2010)

2) Data visualization and toss related analysis of IPL teams and batsmen performances

Data has been collected from www.iplt20.com and www.cricsheet.org. Data consists of the ball by ball details for a total of 696 matches from 2008-2018.

Literature Source:

International Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering (IJECE)

Vol. 9, No. 5, October 2019, pp. 4423~4432

ISSN: 2088-8708, DOI: 10.11591/ijece.v9i5.pp4423-4432

Hypothesis:

After going through the research which has been done on related topics and whatever understanding I have gathered from years of following the sport, I feel that winning the toss at your home ground is actually an advantage.

It has already been established as part of earlier researches that home advantage actually exists in various sports and cricket is no different. This is due to the support that home team receives from the home crowd. It actually offers a psychological advantage to the home team. Several players have accepted this fact. Also, there have been numerous instances where we have seen that reaction from crowd can trigger a reaction from the opposition team/players which have affected their game and eventually cost them either the match or have resulted in a disciplinary action against them.

Apart from the support which is received from home crowd, team playing at home ground are also aware of the weather and other features of the ground that may affect the outcome of the match. For example, pitches used for cricket matches are prepared by the curators in such a way so that it is aligned to the strengths of the home team. For example, in Indian subcontinent mostly the pitches which are prepared supports spinners as there are quality spin bowlers in Asian teams like India, Pakistan etc. On the other side, pitches prepared in Australia or South Africa are prepared in such a way which provides a lot of bounce and have a green top which aids their bowlers.

Coming to the toss factor, I feel winning the toss at your home ground further strengthens your position. To explain this further, we can take the scenario of day-night matches where first innings of the game is played in daylight and the second one is continued under the floodlights. In day-night matches, 'dew' factor comes into play and playing conditions becomes a bit difficult. It becomes really tough for the bowlers to grip the ball but becomes easier for the batsman as the ball comes on to the bat pretty well. Winning a toss in such conditions is really crucial, and as the home team is already aware of such weather conditions they can choose to bat first after winning the toss which might strengthen their hold on the game. But, some researches do not support this theory contrary to widespread opinion. According to these, winning the coin toss at the outset of a match provides no competitive advantage.

I will try to analyze if home advantage is really a thing in IPL and also if winning the toss at your home venue is an added advantage or not.

[photolover82]

The Masked Singer Season 4 Episode 4: Group B Playoff Time! A Reveal That Had Me Shook AF... Commentary and Guesses

Hi fellow Masked Singer lovers! Welcome (once again) to Ana's Masked Singer recap, where I, Ana, recap every single episode of the Masked Singer. If you are new, welcome! So what I do is pretty much start with the eliminated contestant, give my thoughts (this one's juicy based on the title, I promise you that), and then go into my guesses of the remaining contestants/my thoughts on their performances. Alright, so explination out of the way, let's get started

(Warning: The below info contains spoilers for the episode, read at your own risk... don't comment that I spoiled it for you because this girl warned you.)

Alright, so first and foremost, let’s talk about the shocker of the night, the eliminated contestant who was...

*DRUMROLL PLEASE*

The Baby Alien 👽

Performance: You know his performance of It’s Time by Imagine Dragons was actually pretty good, I am kind of sad that he left so soon. I knew it was either him or Whatchamacallit who was going to leave, but my money was on Whatchamacallit so I was kinda bummed to see Baby Alien go. However, it made for a great reveal, like damn I am still shocked and it’s been days (apologies for the delay in this btw, it’s been a busy couple of weeks).

So Baby Alien was revealed to be to my surprise...

Mark Sanchez

Ok so if you don't know who he is, neither did I. The shocking part for me was that he is a freaking NFL QUARTERBACK and I was totally expecting an actor or a comedian under that mask. That Russian accent really got me, oh my God! Having said that, I am really impressed by him since he had to carry a 40 pound thing & learn how to maneuver a puppet. It's super cool to see an athlete really into acting, Broadway, and musie gives me low key Troy Bolton from HSM vibes and I love it!

Here are some clues that you (and me too) probably have missed:

Hot dog, Friends clues, NY clues in general- I mean he was the NY Jet quarterback so there’s that

Parade with the roses- his college team was USC and he played in the Rose Bowl helping them win in 2009

Horseshoe, horse clue- other teams he played for like Denver Broncos or USC Trojans

Alright so yup, now that that’s cleared up (omg still surprised), let’s go into the 4 remaining Group B contestants:

1. The Serpent 🐍

Performance: His performance of The Bones by Maren Morris was amazing and omg I am in between 2 people when I listen to this, but nevertheless he is one of my favorites on the show so we stan.

As for my guess, I still gotta believe that it is Broadway sensation...

Leslie Odom Jr.

Ok so when I said I was stuck between 2 people, I meant him or Chris Jackson (who is also in Hamilton and played George Washington), but I feel pretty strong about Leslie because of the clues:

Rent reference= he began his Broadway career in the show Rent at the age of 17

Crossaint= could be either a reference to a Smash episode he was in called “Coffee and Crossiants, anyone?” or that he was involved in the 2018 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

Childhood (Physical on-stage) Clue: the baby bottle and “Got Clues?” = He did a commercial called Got Hamilton for the Got Milk campaign

2. The Crocodile

Performance: So he sang Toxic by Britney Spears which was an interesting song choice ngl, but I really enjoyed it more than the first one for sure. His falsetto was insane in this song and I really enjoyed it, you can tell he’s a pro singer, and I can recognize that voice anywhere...

I am still gonna go with for my guess as one of the Backstreet Boys...

Nick Carter

The clues really sealed the deal for me to think it’s Nick:

Orange Tree- he grew up in FL

The whole father story with the $100 paycheck= he wrote this in his book

“Toxic” parts of his past= he does have a very toxic relationship with his family (his parents were unhappy and him/his siblings didn’t really get along, i.e. his public feud with his famous brother Aaron Carter)

The 5 on the door= 5 Carter siblings including Nick

3. The Whatchamacallit

Performance: This time he performed “Money Maker” by Ludacris and Pharrell Williams and honestly he got moves but he is the weakest vocal wise, he reminds me of Frog from last season but not as strong of a rapper. For sure, he isn’t a pro rapper, but I do still think he is an athlete

As for my guess, I changed my answer and this time I am gonna go with another athlete...

Lonzo Ball

Ok so I changed my guess due to a YouTube comment telling me to watch his rap battle with T-Pain, and guys if you hear that, they sound very very similar.... but I am also convinced due to the clues:

3 Bees 🐝 = BBB aka the Big Baller Brand, his family’s brand

His mom being in bad shape= she suffered a stroke in 2017 which is right when he was drafted for the Lakers which explains the whole I was at the height of my career until I got the call thing

Childhood clue: book “hairy tales of the whatcha dam by Doodad doohickey” = idk this tbh, there are no books by him or his family maybe it’s because his family and him own a business together and are super close?

4. The Seahorse

Performance: OMG her performance of “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion was the best performance of the night! I was shook, she is amazing! I mean I knew she was amazing, but I didn’t expect that level of amazingness wow she’s so good. Bet anything that a woman is going to win The Masked Singer again this season because the females are the strongest, and the only people leaving so far have been male.

I am certainly positive that she is former American Idol contestant:

Tori Kelly

Ok so the clues are very telling:

9pm clocks and the fail stamp= she lost the 9th season of American Idol during the Hollywood round and Simon ripped her a new one like damn he was super harsh on her I remember that

I posted up in my room= probably a reference to her YouTube covers

Smile with slash= her song unbreakable smile

Well guys, we are done here! Thank you for reading and I’ll see you all next week (hopefully because this week is World Series and if that doesn’t get extended, we will be back next week... if not, in 2 more weeks we’ll be back) when we introduce the remaining 5 masks that I (and hopefully all of you as well) have been waiting for, Group C! Don’t forget to comment if you agree/disagree with my guesses, what your guesses are if they are different from mine, who your favorites are, and if you guessed the Baby Alien (if you did, damn you’re good!). Bye everybody!

[worldcupfollower]

QATAR 2022: QUALIFICATION

GOOD NEWS EVERYONE! Well, some good news anyway. In October 2020, Qualifying for the World Cup Finals, starting in Qatar (unfortunately) on 21 November 2022, is to resume again after a necessary suspension due to Coronavirus: but only in South America.

SOUTH AMERICA:

Qualifying begins 8 October 2020 (there’s a second match day on 13 October) for South America’s 10 teams, competing for 4 guaranteed places at the Finals and one place in an inter-confederation playoff.

This could be Gabriel Jesus’ World Cup. Then again it might not be. You never can tell.

THE OTHER CONFEDERATIONS

AFRICA:

Round 2 will begin in May/June 2021: 40 teams will be reduced to 10. Africa has 5 guaranteed places at the Finals.

Riyad Mahrez helped Algeria win the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. Algeria failed to qualify for Russia 2018, where all 5 African teams were unable to go beyond the Group stage.

ASIA:

Round 2 will continue in 2021: 40 teams are to be cut to 12 for Round 3. Despite a 14-0 win over Cambodia, Iran, one of Asia’s strongest teams, is in serious danger of being eliminated. Asia has 4 guaranteed places at the Finals (in addition to Qatar), and one place in an inter-confederation playoff.

Son Heung-Min and South Korea played a tense 0-0 against neighbours North Korea, in Group H, in October 2019. Later he said: “It’s too bad that we didn’t win, but the match was very aggressive to a degree that I think it’s a huge achievement just to return safely without being injured”. South Korea Football Association vice-president Choi Young-il said that “it was like war” and that he had “never seen such (aggression) in football until now.”

EUROPE:

Qualifying matches are due to start in March 2021: the draw is scheduled for 29 November 2020. The 55 European teams have 13 guaranteed places at the Finals.

Kylian Mbappé of France: a World Champion at 19. What a player.

NORTH & CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN:

In July 2020 CONCACAF came up with a brand new Qualifying process. In Round 1 the 30 lowest ranked teams have been placed into 6 groups: matches begin from 7 October 2020. The 6 group winners play each other in Round 2.

The 3 remaining teams join the 5 highest ranked CONCACAF teams in Round 3, the final round. The top three teams qualify for Qatar 2022: the 4th placed team enter an inter-confederation playoff.

The First Round is due to start in March 2021.

Raul Jimenez of Mexico: that new Qualifying process sounds great, run it by me again. If Mexico qualify, Raul will hope for more game time than he had at the last two Finals: a total of 3 sub appearances. And Mexico will hope to, at last, go beyond the Round of 16, having gone out at this stage at the last 7 Finals.

OCEANIA:

Qualifying begins in March 2021. Oceania’s 11 teams will compete for one place in an inter-confederation playoff.

BE SAFE