Archive August 1, 2025

After the hosts threatened to run away with a match that the tourists needed to win, India resurrected on day two of the series’ final test on Friday, when their seamers restricted England to a 23-run lead.

In a blistering return to Bazball, openers Zac Crawley and Ben Duckett raced to a blistering 92-0 in 12 overs after cleaning up India’s brittle tail in less than 30 minutes.

However, continuing the series’ back-and-forth theme, India responded by relentlessly firing their bowlers in to reshape England, who had already reached 247. In a potentially awkward final 90 minutes, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal scored quickly before India came within 75-2 with 52 runs ahead of the pivotal match, which left the crucial match fascinatingly poised.

India resumed with a score of 204-6, but soon lost to 224 as pace bowler Gus Atkinson took five wickets in his first Test since May.

This summer, the tourists did a far-too-familiar collapse, with Washington Sundar being arrested for 26 and Karun Nair falling lbw for 57. After that, Atkinson bowled Mohammed Siraj and had Prasidh Krishna duck for ducks, resulting in a 5-33 total.

England began to respond in their customary, swashbuckling manner, as demonstrated by Duckett’s extraordinary “reverse hook” for six off Akash Deep.

The fastest opening partnership England has ever created in a Test was a 50 overs partnership, but Duckett was caught behind and reversed for 43 before falling just short of the 100-run mark.

At lunch, England appeared to be in command, but India, like they have all summer, resisted as Crawley (64) and Ollie Pope (22), both departed quickly.

Joe Root maintained his usual calm until Siraj retreated on 29 for a brief brief briefing, with Jacob Bethell following shortly after.

Krishna wrapped up the session with a stellar catch by KL Rahul in the slips for eight, a follow-up with a wicket taken by Atkinson, who finished with 4-62.

Harry Brook was bowled for 53 in a game that ended with a rain delay for England, who were all out for 247. He became Siraj’s fourth victim as a result of a late flurry.

India’s openers quickly overcame that and continued well beyond, with Jaiswal looking particularly entrepreneurial on his way to a quick 51 despite being badly dropped in the deep on 40. Deep was not out four as Rahul left tamely for seven off Josh Tongue, and Sai Sudharsan followed, lbw to Atkinson for 11.

French authorities ordered Paris Saint-Germain star Achraf Hakimi to stand trial for the alleged 2023 rape of a woman, which the Moroccan international denied on Friday.

The prosecutor’s office in Nanterre informed the AFP news agency that they had requested that the prosecutor take the rape case before a criminal court.

The prosecutor’s office told AFP in a statement that “it is now up to the investigating magistrate to make a decision within the parameters of his order.”

Hakimi, 26, scored the opener in PSG’s 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the May final, which was a significant contribution to PSG’s quest for their first Champions League title.

Hakimi, who helped Morocco reach the 2022 World Cup’s historic semifinals in March 2023, was accused of raping a 24-year-old woman.

While his wife and children were away on vacation, Hakimi allegedly paid for his accuser to visit his home in Boulogne-Billancourt on February 25, 2023.

Following the incident, the woman alleges rape and was question by police before going to a police station.

Prosecutors decided to bring charges against the player despite the woman’s refusal to make a formal accusation.

She claimed to have met Hakimi on Instagram in January 2023 when she was reporting to the police at the time.

She claimed that she had taken a taxi from Hakimi to his house the night of the incident. Before raping her, she claimed to have told police that Hakimi had started kissing her and making consensual sexual advances, according to a police source.

She claimed she was able to free herself and text a friend who had arrived to pick her up.

In light of the facts surrounding the case, Hakimi’s attorney, Fanny Colin, who spoke with AFP after the news was made, described the trial request by the prosecution as “uncomprehensible and meaningless”.

“We and Achraf Hakimi continue to be as composed as they were when the proceedings began.

We would obviously pursue all possible appeals, she continued.

The woman’s lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, told AFP, “My client welcomes this news with immense relief.

Hakimi, who was born in Madrid, joined Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga in 2018 after spending some time in the youth system at Real Madrid.

He then made 73 Bundesliga appearances.

He made his first team-related move to Inter Milan in 2020, before moving on to PSG in 2021, where he has established himself as a key player.