Latest from the World of Sports

By Ankur Upadhyay

India beat Zimbabwe by 6 wickets in the first ODI  :

Virat Kohli slammed a brilliant 115 while Ambati Rayudu made an unbeaten 59 to power India to an easy 6-wicket win over host Zimbabwe in the first ODI in Harare Wednesday.India legspinner Amit Mishra took 3-43 to help restrict Zimbabwe to 228-7 in the first one-day international at Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.Mishra's figures slowed the home team after openers Vusi Sibanda and Sikandar Raza began with a 72-run partnership.Raza top-scored for the Zimbabweans with 82 and Elton Chigumbura hit a quick-fire 43 not out from No. 7 after India won the toss and opted to bowl in the first of five ODI games.Mishra broke through to remove Sibanda (34) and eventually Raza, while fellow slow bowler Ravindra Jadeja completed 10 overs for just 33 runs to make sure the batsmen never got away.India gave ODI debuts to batsman Ambati Rayudu and left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat, who removed Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor for his 1-39. Virat Kohli skippered the top-ranked India in the absence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has been rested for the limited-overs tour after the Champions Trophy winners' busy recent schedule.Raza's first half-century in international cricket was steady, not spectacular, as the Pakistan-born right-hander hit six fours and two sixes in a 112-ball innings.But India made regular inroads into Zimbabwe's top and middle order after Sibanda was out, with Hamilton Masakada falling to Mishra for 11 and Sean Williams (15), Taylor (12) and Malcolm Waller (2) also failing to go on. Masakadza was bowled by a superb delivery by Mishra.Chigumbura hit six fours and a six for his 43 off 34 balls but was the only Zimbabwean batsman to score rapidly as India's bowlers kept the run-scoring under control throughout on a pitch that offered significant turn for the spinners.Seamers Vinay Kumar, Mohammed Shami and newcomer Unadkat, along with spinner Suresh Raina, all had one wicket each to back up Mishra's clever slow bowling.
Brief Scores: 
Zimbabwe: 228 for 7 in 50 overs (Sikandar Raza 82, Elton Chigumbara 43 not out, Amit Mishra 3/43).
India: 230 for four in 44.5 overs (Virat Kohli 115, Ambati Rayudu 63 not out; Prosper Utseya 2/34).

Higuain to sign for Napoli :


Higauain has arrived in rome on his way to napoli ahead of his medical.. He will sign for napoli in a 37m deal. After being close to signing first for Juventus and then for Arsenal, Gonzalo Higuaín will, if all loose ends are tied up nicely, be a player for Napoli within just a few hours' time. Things are so far down the line, that the Italian club wants to officially announce the deal this Saturday and unveil the player the following Monday.
'Pipita', after six and a half years plying his trade for Real Madrid, will sign for four years with Napoli, while making the Spanish club €37 million the richer, with €3 million more for additional variables. According to MARCA's sources, the objectives for these variables are quite easy to reach, bringing the deal up to the €40 million mark.


Higuain at Rome airport on his way to Napoli in pics :



Higuain arriving in Rome ahead of his medical. The fans are going absolutely nuts.


We will miss youEl Pipita! You're a Madridista through and through, no matter what jersey you put on.  One of the hardest working guys on the pitch who gave everything he had in the tank for our team. I will cheer him on, may he have much fortune at Napoli!