Watch: What is the Republican National Convention?

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As United States of America prepares for its presidential election later this year, the 4-day Republican National Convention began at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee Wisconsin on July 15.

The convention is an event in which delegates of the United States Republican Party will select the party’s nominees for President and Vice-President in the country’s presidential election.

Former India U-19 World Cup winning captain Unmukt Chand has opened up on his absence from USA’s squad for the recently-concluded T20 World Cup. Chand took retirement from Indian cricket in 2021 before shifting base to the USA for better cricketing opportunities. After playing in the inaugural edition of the Major League Cricket (MLC), as well as other franchise tournaments, Chand became eligible to play for the USA. He had also expressed his wish of playing against India in the T20 World Cup, only to be left out of the squad.

Chand revealed that he was shocked after being left out of T20 World Cup squad, added that he had a feeling of being “sucked inside”.

“That wasn’t an ideal situation to be in. Because personally for me, this was what I had dreamed for the last three years. Obviously, it was a big shock. And it took me time to sort of come to terms with it. It’s never easy as a player, having lost all those things back home in India, to having this one goal, which had kept me going for the last three years not happening. So it is difficult. I won’t say which just happened. But it was difficult. I was not my best self for some time,” Chand told Cricbuzz.

Chand also spoke about his inner demons and said that it took a lot of ups and downs to overcome that feeling.

“That was a very internal battle and it’s a sucker basically. It keeps sucking you inside and inside. That feeling would linger on for a day and then go away and then come back again. The reality would hit me in different phases. Once you keep going through that automatically you keep getting better. There comes a time when you’re like it didn’t happen, that’s it. I’m not even thinking about it,” he added.

Chand, 31, has a point to prove, and started off the second season of Major League Cricket (MLC) – USA’s franchise T20 league – with a swashbuckling half-century.

Interestingly, Chand’s present MLC franchise is Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR), who are owned by the Knight Riders group. Many might remember that Chand’s downfall started when he was famously clean bowled by Kolkata Knight Riders pacer Brett Lee in the opening ball of IPL 2013. He made 68 off 45 balls, hitting six 4s and three 6s.

The curtains on arguably the most exhilarating of all T20 World Cups were drawn with India’s magnificent triumph over South Africa in a pulsating final which aptly summed up the entire tournament that twisted this way and that till the very end. While India strengthened their position as one of the true behemoths of the modern game with their embarrassment of riches in terms of talent, and an unerring determination to win, the others too, with their extremely high standard of cricket, contributed handsomely in making it an unforgettable tournament.

Here are some significant moments from the past few weeks to reminisce about:

1) USA shock Pakistan

First-timers USA, co-hosting the showpiece with the West Indies, caused a flutter when they stunned former champions Pakistan in a Super Over in Dallas in the very first week of the tournament.

A boundary off the final ball of USA’s run-chase had sent the match to a Super Over, and it was the co-hosts of the tournament who came out on top at the Grand Prairie Stadium, pulling off one of the all-time great upsets.

2) India prevail over arch-rivals Pakistan on tricky pitch

On a tricky New York pitch that offered plenty of assistance to fast bowlers, India were asked to bat first by Pakistan skipper Babar Azam and were bowled out for 119 in 19 overs after a collapse.

In reply, Pakistan were cruising at one stage but as they are wont to, Babar’s team pressed the panic button in the face of some incredible death bowling from Jasprit Bumrah, losing the match by six runs to stand on the brink of a group-stage elimination following back-to-back reverses.

India captain Rohit Sharma deserves some credit for the win as he kept a couple of Bumrah overs for the back end, which proved to be decisive.

3) India-US group game

The tacky pitch at New York’s Nassau County International Cricket Stadium continued to be the subject of debate as India locked horns with USA, who were bowled out for 110 after Arshdeep Singh (4/9) registered his best bowling figures in T20I cricket.

In the chase, India wobbled a bit, losing big guns Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant with just 39 runs on the board.

But they overcame the anxious moments and completed the chase thanks to Suryakumar Yadav’s calculated half-century.

4) Afghanistan enter semifinals for the first time

Afghanistan qualified for the semi-finals of a World Cup for the first time by beating Bangladesh by eight runs in a tense low-scoring showdown in St Vincent. But the highlight of their inspiring campaign was the stunning win over heavyweights Australia in their penultimate Super Eights game.

If not for Rashid Khan’s, Australia could well have proved to be a thorn in the flesh for others.

5) Rohit goes ballistic against Australia

Leading from the front, India captain Rohit Sharma produced one of the most brutal assault on the Australian bowlers during a 41-ball 92, which left the rivals deflated as the Men in Blue stormed into the semifinals with a convincing victory.

That hammering left Mitchell Marsh’s men dependent on the result of the Afghanistan-Bangladesh match to progress, which did not go their way.

6) Afghanistan’s 56 all out against South Africa

Up against South Africa’s high-quality pace bowling in the semifinal, Afghanistan were skittled for 56 as the giant-slayers’ run in the tournament ended on a rather forgettable note.

7) Kuldeep-Axar duo bamboozle England

After Rohit Sharma once again led by example and Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya’s vital runs with the bat, the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel bamboozled the English batters with their extraordinary bowling, paving the way for India’s crushing win over the defending champions and their entry into the the third ICC tournament final in last 12 months.

7) Kohli finally among runs

Coming into the final after a poor run of scores and questions being asked about his place in the XI, Virat Kohli regained his touch when it mattered the most — the big final against a quality attack — and lifted his team from a precarious position, standing tall amid the rubble.

His 59-ball 76 laid the foundation for a total that proved to be just enough for the Indian bowlers to defend and snatch the trophy from within South Africa’s grasp at Kensington Oval.

8) Surya’s blinder of a catch

Kohli might have struck form in the big game but had it not been for Suryakumar’s catch for the ages, India wouldn’t have become champions of the world for the second time in the shortest format.

Needing 16 runs from the final over, the dangerous David Miller hit a wide full toss from Hardik Pandya but Suryakumar steadied himself on the ropes, caught the ball, released it just as he went over the boundary ropes and then came back in to complete an astonishing catch that will be talked about like Kapil Dev’s from the 1983 campaign or Jonty Rhodes’ blinder in 1996.

9) Kohli and Rohit’s T20I retirement

Barely an hour after the epic triumph, captain Rohit Sharma joined his longtime teammate Virat Kohli in announcing his retirement from international T20 matches, the most fitting end to two glorious careers that ran parallel to each other for the last 15 years.

It is not for nothing that reams of pages, waxing lyrical, were dedicated to the two all-time greats of the game amid the euphoria over India’s title triumph.

SYDNEY:

Julian Assange is en route to a courtroom on the Pacific island of Saipan where he is expected to plead guilty on Wednesday to a single criminal charge in a plea deal that will see him walk free and return home to Australia after a 14-year legal odyssey.

WHERE IS SAIPAN?

Saipan is the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI), a US commonwealth in the western Pacific which begins roughly 70 kilometers (44 miles) north of Guam and stretches across 14 islands.

Like territories such as Guam or Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands are part of the U.S. without the full status of a state. Residents are U.S. citizens but cannot vote in presidential elections. Crucially, some, like Saipan, also host U.S. district courts.

Assange will appear in court at 9 a.m. local time on Wednesday (2300 GMT Tuesday)

WHY IS ASSANGE HEADING THERE?

U.S. prosecutors said Assange wanted to go to a court close to his home in Australia but not in the continental United States.

Saipan has the advantage of being relatively close to Assange’s home in Australia, roughly 3,000 km (1800 miles) south. Hawaii is more than twice as far away.

“He has to front up to charges that have been brought under U.S. law,” said Emily Crawford, a professor at the University of Sydney’s law school.

“It had to be U.S. territory but it had to be the U.S. territory closest to Australia that wasn’t a U.S. state like Hawaii.”

SAIPAN AND THE UNITED STATES

After time as a colony of Spain, Germany and then Japan, the United States took control of the island in World War Two after the Battle of Saipan in 1944.

After decades under U.S. control, residents in 1975 voted to join the United States as a territory.

The Northern Mariana Islands elected a delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in 2008, but the delegate has no vote in Congress.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

U.S. prosecutors said Assange has agreed to plead guilty to a single criminal count of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified U.S. national defense documents. He will be sentenced to 62 months of time that he has already served. If the judge approves his plea, Assange is expected to return to Australia after the hearing, U.S. prosecutors said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

USA’s win over Pakistan in the T20 World Cup was deemed as the shock of the tournament.© AFP

USA vs England, T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 Live Streaming: England will be squaring off against USA in their last Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup 2024 on Sunday in Barbados. This match is a must-win one for both the teams, especially England as they have a stronger chance of making it to the semi-finals. The Jos Buttler-led side will be coming to this clash after facing a shocking seven-run defeat against South Africa in a thrilling encounter. On the other hand, USA got thrashed by West Indies by 9 wickets. England have registered one victory in the Super 8s while USA lost have lost both their opening games. 

When will the USA vs England, T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 match be played?

The USA vs England, T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 match will be played on Sunday, June 23 (IST).

Where will the USA vs England, T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 match be played?

The USA vs England, T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 match will be played at the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados 

What time will the USA vs England, T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 match start?

The USA vs England, T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 match will start at 8:00 PM IST. The toss will take place at 7:30 AM IST.

Which TV channels will telecast the USA vs England, T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 match?

The USA vs England, T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 match will be telecast in India on the Star Sports Network.

Where to follow the live streaming of the USA vs England, T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 match?

The USA vs England, T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 match will be streamed live on Disney plus Hotstar app and website.

(All the details are as per the information provided by the broadcaster)

USA vs ENG T20 World Cup 2024 LIVE Updates: Must-win game for England.© X (Twitter)

The USA will take on England in the Super Eights Match 9 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, 2024. The game is set to take place at the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados on Sunday. The USA comes into this match after losing their Super 8 opener against West Indies by nine wickets. Andries Gous was the standout performer for the USA, amassing 44 fantasy points. On the other hand, former champions, England also faced a setback in their last game, losing to South Africa by seven runs. Harry Brook was the top fantasy performer for England, scoring 90 points.

Head-to-Head

Surprisingly, the USA have never faced England in the T20I format. This is the first time both these teams will play each other and this fixture will be a must-win game for them.

Key Players to Watch

Phil Salt (ENG)

England’s top-order batter, Phil Salt, has carried his IPL 2024 form to the T20 World Cup 2024, smashing 158 runs at an average of 39.5 in the recent five matches.

Steven Ryan Taylor (USA)

USA’s top-order batter, Steven Taylor, has been a vital cog in their batting unit. Taylor has scored 62 runs in the recent five matches for the USA.

Jos Buttler (ENG)

England skipper, Jos Buttler, has been on a flamboyant form with the bat in this tournament. Buttler has smashed 108 runs in the recent five matches at an average of 27.

Harmeet Singh (USA)

Bowling all-rounder, Harmeet Singh, has provided balance to USA’s starting XI. Harmeet has picked up four wickets in the recent five matches and has also scored 48 runs with the bat.

Sam Curran (ENG)

Star all-rounder, Sam Curran, was the player of the tournament in the T20 World Cup 2022. He has scored 10 runs in the recent three matches in the tournament. Bowling left-arm medium fast, Curran can also provide some valuable fantasy points.

Jasdeep Singh (USA)

Right-arm medium pacer, Jasdeep Singh, has been a prominent part of the USA’s pace battery. In the recent four matches in the tournament, Jasdeep has scalped one wicket.

Opener Shai Hope blasted an unbeaten 82 as West Indies came back roaring to crush the United States of America by nine wickets in the T20 World Cup Group 2 Super Eight match in Barbados. After bowling out the USA for a mere 128 in 19.5 overs, the West Indies batters went all guns blazing from the word go to knock off the target in 10.5 overs to make 130/1, recording a comfortable win. The win improved West Indies’ standing in the Group 2 points table. 

The Caribbean side, which had suffered an eight-wicket hammering from England on Wednesday, is now placed second with two points and a Net Run Rate of 1.814.

Johnson Charles fell for a 14-ball 15 with a couple of fours early on but the pair of Hope (82 not out) and Nicholas Pooran did the job for their side, smacking the USA bowlers all around the park here at the Kensington Oval.

Hope made a mincemeat of the USA bowling as the right-handed wicketkeeper-batter clattered eight sixes and four fours to make 82 not out from just 39 balls, with Pooran reaching 27 not out from 13 balls with three sixes and a four.

Hope remained at the forefront of WI’s chase as he forged a 67-run stand for the opening partnership with Charles and then added another 63 runs unbeaten for the second wicket with Pooran, which came off only 23 balls as the Caribbean side ruled the roost.

Earlier after the West Indies put USA in to bat first, Andre Russell (3.5-0-31-3) and Roston Chase (4-0-19-3) made life tough for the opposition batters.

After an early blow in the form of Steven Taylor (2) who was caught at point by chase of Russell, the pair of Andreis Gous and Nitish Kumar (20) forged a strong partnership to revive USA and take them ahead but they both fell after making their respective starts.

Nitish was trapped leg-before by West Indies spinner Gudakesh Motie for 20 off 19 balls with two fours and Gous, who hit three fours and a six in his rapid 29 off 16 balls, was caught at deep midwicket by Hope off Alzarri Joseph in the eighth over and that was when USA’s decline began.

None of the following USA batters could trouble the West Indies as the tournament co-hosts kept chipping away with regular wickets, denying their opponents any momentum with the bat.

USA skipper Aaron Jones (11) was cleaned up by Chase who looked unplayable. Chase grabbed another wicket when he had the veteran Corey Anderson trapped leg-before for seven.

Harmeet Singh, who had provided fireworks with the bat for the USA against South Africa in the last match, fell for a first-ball duck when Chase had him caught by Charles to ensure West Indies remained on top of the proceedings. 

United States vs West Indies, T20 World Cup 2024 LIVE Updates© X (formerly Twitter)