Firstpost Spodcast Episode 154: Fulham sack Claudio Ranieri, India-Australia ODI venues set to be shifted and more

Welcome to Episode 154 of Firstpost Spodcast. We begin with cricket news Following the escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan, the fourth and fifth ODIs between India and Australia could be shifted to safer venues. The fourth ODI was scheduled for 10 March in Mohali while the fifth ODI was to be played on 13 March in Delhi. The Mohali stadium in Chandigarh is next door to an Indian Air Force base and is located directly in its flight path. Bengaluru and Kolkata have been identified as possible alternatives and association officials of both centres have been asked to get their facilities ready. The England women’s cricket team won the third ODI in Mumbai to grab a consolation win for the three-match series. England chased down India’s total of 205/8 after some early hiccups. They were struggling at 49/5 before all-rounder Danni Wyatt, who scored 56 off 82 balls, stitched two crucial partnerships with skipper Heather Knight and Georgia Elwiss. Knight scored 47 off 63 balls while Elwiss finished 33 not out from 53 balls to take England to victory. Earlier, English medium-pacer Katherine Brunt grabbed a five-wicket haul to restrict India to 205/8. India won the first two ODIs to clinch the series. The two teams now travel to Guwahati for a three-match T20I series. Premier League update now. Fulham fired Claudio Ranieri on Thursday even as owner Shad Khan said the manager is not entirely responsible for failing to lift the London club out of the Premier League relegation zone. Khan agreed that a “change was in the best interest of everyone” after Wednesday’s 2-0 loss to Southampton left Fulham 10 points from safety in next-to-last place. Since being hired in November, Ranieri has only collected 12 points from 16 matches. Ranieri said, “I am obviously disappointed with the recent results and that we could not build on the good start we made following my appointment.” Former Fulham midfielder Scott Parker was put in charge of the team until the end of the season, with his first game on Sunday at home to sixth-place Chelsea. Refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi has urged Formula One fans to boycott this year’s Bahrain Grand Prix to protest human rights abuses, claiming he still feels threatened by authorities from his homeland. The 25-year-old defender returned to Melbourne earlier this month after being detained during his honeymoon in Bangkok, and threatened with extradition to Bahrain. Al-Araibi claimed authoritarian states were using sports events to raise their profile, “but when athletes and individuals call attention to this practice they are imprisoned and forcibly silenced.” He further wrote, “Formula One needs to be told that human rights abuses cannot be tolerated. I urge you to boycott this year’s Bahrain Grand Prix if Najah does not walk free before the Bahrain Grand Prix in March.”