Firstpost Spodcast Episode 230: Kane Williamson helps New Zealand clinch thriller against SA, Shikhar Dhawan ruled out and more

Kane Williamson anchored New Zealand to a tense four-wicket victory at Edgbaston on Wednesday after an astonishing stroke of luck when South Africa failed to review an edge from the Kiwi captain. The Black Caps’ skipper was on 76 when he edged a ball from leg-spinner Imran Tahir that Quinton de Kock took behind the stumps but South Africa chose not to review. That decision would prove fatal to their tournament hopes as New Zealand pulled off a last over win. The Proteas, who have one win from six matches, need a miracle to progress to the semi-finals while New Zealand are sitting pretty at the top of the 10-team table. Some bad news for the Indian cricket team on Wednesday. Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan was ruled out of the remainder of the Cricket World Cup due to the hairline fracture on his left thumb sustained during the match against Australia on 9 June. Dhawan suffered the injury after being hit by a Pat Cummins bouncer. Rishabh Pant, who had initially been named as a cover for the left-handed opener, was named as permanent replacement for Dhawan for the rest of the tournament. The BCCI on Wednesday withdrew Jammu & Kashmir pacer Rasikh Salam from the India Under-19 squad and banned him for two years for submitting a faulty birth certificate. Its statement said, “Rasikh Salam has been banned by the BCCI for two years following a discrepancy submission of faulty birth certificate to BCCI.” Luis Enrique stepped down from his role as Spain’s national football team’s manager to attend to ‘serious personal reasons’. The team’s assistant manager Roberto Moreno was announced as his successor. Moreno had been part of Enrique’s managerial setup at Celta Vigo, AS Roma and then FC Barcelona. Brazilian star Neymar will miss three Champions League matches next season, UEFA said on Wednesday, as punishment for insulting a referee following Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) defeat to Manchester United. The world’s most expensive footballer was ruled out of the match against Manchester United with an injury. He watched from the stands as United were awarded a penalty deep into injury time after a protracted VAR decision, which Marcus Rashford converted to knock the French side out in the last 16 of the Champions League. The 27-year-old aimed an Instagram rant laced with expletives at the match officials. He wrote, “It’s a disgrace. They get four guys who don’t understand football to watch a slow-motion replay in front of the TV.”