Misbah-ul-Haq Fastest hundred in test cricket (100 in 56 balls)

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq equalled Viv Richards' record for the fastest century in Test cricket as his side set Australia an unlikely 603 to win the second Test in Abu Dhabi.

Misbah and Azhar Ali each recorded their second century of the match - following Australian brothers Ian and Greg Chappell, against New Zealand in 1974, as the only pairs of batsmen from the same team to have achieved the feat - in a second innings of 293 for three declared.

Misbah's 11th four, to go with five sixes, saw the 40-year-old reach three figures in 56 balls and emulate Richards' effort against England in the 1986 Antigua Test. 

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Former coach Greg Chappell tried to remove Dravid as captain: Tendulkar

Dropping a bombshell, Sachin Tendulkar has disclosed that the then India coach Greg Chappell had made a "shocking" suggestion to him to take over India's captaincy from Rahul Dravid months before the 2007 World Cup in West Indies. "Together, we could control Indian cricket for years", the Australian told Tendulkar during a visit to his home when he offered to "help me in taking over the reins of the side" from Dravid, the master batsman writes in his autobiography "Playing it My Way" due for release on Thursday. Tendulkar is scathing in his criticism of Chappell who was the national coach from 2005 to 2007, describing him as a "ringmaster who imposed his ideas on the players without showing any signs of being concerned about whether they felt comfortable or not". Elaborating on the coach's bid to replace Dravid, Tendulkar writes, "Just months before the World Cup, Chappell had come to see me at home and, to my dismay, suggested that I should take over the captaincy from Rahul Dravid. "Anjali (Tendulkar's wife), who was sitting with me was equally shocked to hear him say that 'together, we could control Indian cricket for years', and that he would help me in taking over the reins of the side. "I was surprised to hear the coach not showing the slightest amount of respect for the captain, with cricket's biggest tournament just months away", Tendulkar writes. He says that he had rejected Chappell's proposition outright. "He stayed for a couple of hours, trying to convince me before finally leaving".

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after an 'incredible' 2014,Sania Mirza targets number one spot

Hyderabad: Having ended a successful year with victory in the WTA Tour Finals, Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza has set her sights on becoming the doubles world number one next season.

"That's pretty amazing. People expect that much of me and wish so much for me. Like I said, I am getting closer to my goal which is to try and be number one in the world. I got a Slam this year, won the Championships. That's one of my goals.

So, I will try and be number one. Hopefully, that will happen next year," she told

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I may never play for Team India again

Yuvraj Singh says the thought of not being able to play for India again has crossed his mind and added that it will be very depressing if he fails to make a comeback into the Indian cricket team.

After successfully fighting the dreaded disease of cancer, Yuvraj made a brief return to the Indian team when he played Twenty20 matches, but he has been a pale shadow of himself on his comeback trail.

He last played for India in a One-day match in December 2013.

"Definitely, a comeback to the Indian team is a goal....It's always disappointing when you don't make it to the side. But, that said, the last two years have been patchy, up and down. So it's not my call whether I should be picked.

Hopefully things will change, and I will be picked again, otherwise life will be very depressing. I can only try and do my best," the left-handed batsman told 'Wisden India'.

Asked if the thought of not being picked for India again ever crossed his mind, Yuvraj responded in positive.

"Of course, there is a possibility that I may never play for India again. I have considered that. But there is also the possibility that I might play for India again, and as long as I believe that I can come back and I have it in me, I'm going to keep pushing myself," he said.

Star of India's many a victories, Yuvraj said he along with other sidelined and struggling players such as Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir often talk about the good days.

"We always talk about the time we spent playing for India. We all know that those were the most amazing years of our lives. But, life still goes on, even when you?re not in the team. You just have to be positive and keep working hard."

Yuvraj did not do much to stake claim in the national team but he has still not given up.

"I can't really speak about selection. What is the best opportunity that I have? Duleep Trophy, the Ranji one-dayers and whatever other games I can get. As I said, if I can make it to the squad, it will be a great story. It will be awesome to come back and play for India in a World Cup again. If it doesn't happen, life goes on, and it will be hard to accept, but I'll have to accept it," he said.

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Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid dominate Spanish league awards

Spanish champions Atletico Madrid were largely ignored at the Spanish Professional Football League (LFP) Gala Awards for the 2013-14 season on Monday as Real Madrid dominated proceedings, with Cristiano Ronaldo claiming three gongs.

The Portuguese superstar picked up the awards for best player, best forward and best goal in La Liga at the ceremony in Madrid,

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Serena Williams beats Simona Halep to win WTA Finals championship

Serena Williams overcame a shaky start to power past Simona Halep and claim a fifth WTA Finals title in Singapore. Many had suggested that Williams was a fading force after she failed to reach the quarter-finals at the first three grand slams of the year, but she came back to win a third consecutive US Open title and repeated that feat at the Finals with a 6-3, 6-0 win on Sunday.

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Sania-Cara record nervy win, enter WTA Finals

Hyderabad: Sania Mirza capped her highly successful year on the tennis circuit by winning the prestigious WTA Finals in Singapore on Sunday.

The Hyderabadi and her Zimbabwean partner Cara Black made a mockery of their rivals Su-Wei Hseih of Chinese Taipei and Shuai Peng of China to beat them 6-1, 6-0 in a clash that lasted just about an hour.

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Ramos pulls out of Spain squad

The Real Madrid defender will miss his country's Euro 2016 qualifying matches with Slovakia and Luxembourg and has been replaced by Barcelona's Marc Bartra

Sergio ramos has been withdrawn from the Spain squad for the upcoming Euro 2016 qualifying matches with Slovakia and Luxembourg due to a calf injury.

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## I Was Wronged, Hope Korea Hosts Better World Championship:Sarita ##

NEW DELHI: She has offered unconditional apology for an emotionally-charged protest at the Asian Games but Indian boxer L Sarita Devi hoped that her outburst would ensure better judging at next month's World Championship in Korea -- the country where she felt "wronged".

Speaking to PTI after returning from Incheon, Korea with a controversial bronze medal, which she refused to accept at the presentation ceremony, Sarita said the episode has left her "mentally drained".

"I hope the judging is better in the World Championship (scheduled from November 13 to 25 in Jeju Islands). Korea is hosting it and I am hoping that my protest will make some difference to the standard of judging. I hope nobody feels wronged like I did. No boxer should go through this, we work so hard," she said.

Sarita lost a contentious semifinal in the Asian Games to Korean Jina Park despite dominating the bout. The Indian later cried bitterly at the podium and refused to wear the medal that was presented to her.

She instead gave it to Park as a mark of protest during the ceremony.

Sarita later offered an "unconditional apology" to AIBA for her actions. "I apologised because I did not want any other Indian boxer to suffer. I fight for my country and by apologising I have tried to ensure that no other Indian gets affected. I feel I was wronged," she said.

"We suffered a lot due to the federation's termination earlier, I didn't want anything new to affect our boxers."

Recalling her emotional moments at the podium, Sarita said she was not in control. 

"I could not control myself on the podium. I offered her (Park) the medal because that's what she deserved. I deserved better. “

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ngel di Maria completes Manchester United transfer as Argentina star joins from Real Madrid for British record fee of £59.7m

• 
  
  
• ⬛️Angel di Maria has joined Manchester United from Real Madrid 
• ⬜️Argentina winger is latest signing for new boss Louis van Gaal , joining on a five-year deal
• ⬛️Transfer deal is a British record fee of £59.7million but is worth around £70m with add-ons
• ⬜️Di Maria said: 'United is the only club that I would have left Real Madrid for' 
• ⬛️Di Maria will earn £200,000-per-week in wages, United's second highest earner behind Wayne Rooney 
• ⬜️Add-ons include a bonus for Real Madrid if Di Maria wins the Ballon d'Or 
• Di Maria joins fellow new boys Marcos Rojo, Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw
• United superstore ran out of letter 'R' as fans rush to buy Di Maria shirts 

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LIONEL MESSI BACK TO THE TOP OF AP SOCCER POLL

AP Global Football 10 rankings:

1. Lionel Messi, 110 points.

2. Arjen Robben, 80.

3. Stevan Jovetic, 73.

4. Diego Costa, 58.

5. Erik Lamela, 45.

6. Cristiano Ronaldo, 40.

7. Stefan Kiessling, 39.

8. Nacer Chadli, 38.

9. Munir El Haddadi, 35.

10. Karim Bellarabi, 34.

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Neymar out of World Cup

The 22-year-old fractured a vertebra in his back when he was kneed in a challenge by Juan Zuniga.

Neymar was in tears when he carried off on a stretcher, before being taken to hospital in Fortaleza.

Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said: "Neymar was going to be hunted. For three matches that has been happening."

Team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar told Brazil's SportTV: "Unfortunately, he's not going to be able to play. He is very, very sad."

"It's not serious in the sense that it doesn't need surgery, but he'll need to immobilise it to recover."

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"Messi does not need World Cup for greatness"-Maradona

“Messi doesn’t need to win the World Cup to be the best player in the world,” Maradona said,“It would be great for Argentina, the fans and for him, but winning a World Cup or not won’t take away any of his achievements up to now to be among the greatest.”

Maradona thinks the Brazil World Cup is the perfect stage for Messi to get his revenge.

“I approached him and told him he’d have many World Cups to get revenge.

“I said it with all my heart. While the rest were thinking about our return home he was there, head bowed, crying.”

As for this year’s tournament, Maradona went on: “There’s Spain, Germany and there’s Brazil with a tremendous defence.

“You think of Brazil’s defence and six or seven names come to mind, you think of their attack and there’s only Neymar.

“For Messi, it will be a test of character, to bring out all that crying he has in his heart. Brazil can be his great revenge.”

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AISHWARYA RAI VOTED 4TH MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN THE WORLD

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has made it to the fourth position in a recent poll of the world's most beautiful women. Conducted by Hollywood Buzz, the survey saw participation from more than four million people, who selected the most intelligent, desirable and successful women of 2013-14. Aishwarya was only beaten by Monica Belluci, Kate Upton and Angelina Jolie.

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Michael Schumacher 'fighting for his life'

Paris: seven times formula one champion Michael Schumacher is 'fighting of his life' after a ski accident in the french alps,BBC reported early Tuesday.
the driver remains in a critical condition in hospital in Grenoble hospital in France with head injuries suffered Sunday morning at the resort of Merible.'we cannot tell you what the outcome will be yet' the doctor treating him told a news conference Monday morning.
Schumacher is the most successful formula one driver of all time with record 91 victories among his achievement won his titles with Benetton and Ferrari.

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