Maguire grabs Pelican C’ship lead; four-way tie in Houston
DUBAI: The photo of Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan receiving treatment in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a Dubai hospital has gone viral, melting the millions of hearts of cricket fans and former cricketers alike.
Cricketers and fans have hailed Rizwan as a “warrior” ater officials revealed he was in hospital with a severe chest infection before taking the field to score a brave half-century against Australia.
The Pakistani bater top-scored with 67 in Thursday’s T20 World Cup semi-final against Australia in Dubai despite spending two days in a hospital due to a chest infection, the team doctor confirmed.
Pakistan’s cricket team doctor Najeeb Soomro said Rizwan was admited to the ICU in a local hospital in Dubai on Tuesday, but was declared fit on the morning of the semi-final.
“He spent two nights in the ICU, made an incredible recovery and was deemed fit before the match,” Soomro said ater Pakistan lost by five wickets, with Mathew Wade smashing three successive sixes against Shaheen Afridi in the penultimate over.
“We can see his great determination and tenacity that shows his spirit of performing for the country and we can see how he responded today.”
Soomro had added: “The decision regarding his health was made by the whole team management. This was regarding the morale of the whole team and therefore we kept it within the team.”
Taking to Twiter, legendary fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar lauded the cricketer for his commitment and dedication to the country.
“Can you imagine this guy played for his country today and gave his best? He was in the hospital last two days,” he said. “Massive respect Mohammad Rizwan.” “This is unreal. No wonder Mathew Hayden called him a warrior. Huge respect for Mohammad Rizwan who spent two nights before the #T20worldcup semi-final in ICU – then top-scored with 67!” tweeted Cricket Australia.
Former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman on Friday paid tributes to Rizwan’s commitment to the team at the ICC T20 World Cup, saying that the opener was a great example of “courage and determination,” ater the 29-year-old batled serious health issues to slam a half-century in a losing cause on Thursday. Laxman posted an image of Rizwan in the ICU with numerous sensors, drips and monitoring gadgets all over his body as he lay comatose two days before the semi-final clash.
Sharing a video of the team doctor talking about Rizwan’s illness, the Punjab chief minister’s focal person for digital media, Azhar Mashwani, simply wrote: “Love you.”
Ater the match, Rizwan tweeted, “Diya jalaye rakhna hai (have to keep the lamp burning).”
Captain Babar Azam, who made 39 to lead the tournament’s bating chart with 303 runs, praised his opening partner’s “exceptional” atitude.
MIAMI: Ireland’s Leona Maguire fired a bogeyfree eight-under par 62 to set a course record and seize the lead ater Thursday’s first round of the LPGA Pelican Championship.
The 26-year-old European Solheim Cup standout, seeking her first LPGA title, grabbed a two-stroke lead over fourth-ranked South Korean playing partner Kim Sei-young ater 18 holes at Pelican Club in Belleair, Florida.
Sharing third on 65 were Japan’s Nasa Hataoka and Americans Nelly Korda, Lexi Thompson, Christina Kim, Danielle Kang, Jennifer Kupcho and Lauren Coughlin.
Maguire, a former world amateur number one, fired the best final-round score in any major tournament, men’s or women’s, with a 61 in July at the Evian Championship.
In September, she set a rookie record with 4.5 points to help Europe win the Solheim Cup over the United States.
On Thursday, Maguire opened with a birdie and added another at the par-3 third hole, then closed the front nine with birdies at the par-5 seventh and par-3 ninth. She followed with birdies at the par-3 12th, par-5 14th and par-3 15th and added another at the par-4 18th.
World number 46 Maguire, twice an LPGA runner-up this season, had coach Shane O’grady with her at an event for the first time in two years, the hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Her Solheim showing brought a lit that has carried over into this week.
Maguire was celebrated with a parade in her one-stoplight town of 5,000 when she got back home to Ireland.
FOUR SHARE LEAD: Marc Leishman, Russell Henley, Talor Gooch and Luke List shared the lead on Thursday in the suspended first round of the Houston Open, with List still on the course when darkness stopped play.
Rain delayed the start for 2 1/2 hours, with 0.9 inches falling at Memorial Park. None of the aternoon starters completed play.
Leishman, Henley and Gooch each finished at 5-under 65, while List had three holes let when play was called for the day. Leishman closed with a bogey on the par-4 18th. List holed out from 180 yards for eagle on the par-4 14th.
Lee Westwood also had a 70 in his first event since the Ryder Cup. He’s outside the top 100 in the Race to Dubai and will not be eligible for the season-ending event on the European Tour.