US drawn against Sweden, Thailand and Chile in group
PARIS: FRANCE, THE HOSTS AND ANOTHER ONE OF THE FAVOURITES TO WIN THE TOURNAMENT, WILL PLAY SOUTH KOREA ON JUNE 7 IN PARIS TO OPEN THE WORLD CUP.
No matter what transpired at the draw for the 2019 Women’s World Cup on Saturday night, one thing was never going to change: the US women’s national team would be widely regarded as the favourites to win, with all the hopes and expectation and pressure that comes with that.
But now, at least, the Americans know the opponents standing in their way in the first round when the tournament kicks off next June in France: Sweden, Thailand and Chile.
The United States will enter the tournament as the defending champions, after beating Japan to win the previous edition of the tournament in Canada. The United States also won in 1991, the first edition of the quadrennial competition, and in 1999, when the event was played on home soil. On Saturday night at La Seine Musicale, 24 teams were drawn into six groups.
France, the host and another one of the favourites to win the tournament, will play South Korea on June 7 in Paris to open the World Cup. Norway and Nigeria were the other two teams placed into Group A.
Germany, another favorite alongside the United States and France to win the World Cup, will meet China, Spain and South Africa in Group B. England drew neighbours Scotland, as well as Argentina and 2011 champions Japan. Australia and Brazil feature in Group C, and Canada drew the European champions, the Netherlands, in Group E.
The Americans will get their toughest test, Sweden, the world’s ninth-ranked team, in their final group game, but could be through to the knockouts by then. They will open against Thailand in Reims on June 11 and then face the World Cup newcomers Chile on June 16 in Paris. Their game against Sweden on June 20 in Le Havre will be a rematch of the teams’ meeting in the 2016 Olympic quarters.
The Swedes, then led by former US coach Pia Sundhage, won that day, a humbling defeat for the Americans and the first time they had failed to medal in the World Cup or the Olympics.
The semi-finals and final, which will take place on July 7, will be played in Lyon. Seven other cities — Grenoble, Le Havre, Montpellier, Nice, Reims, Rennes and Valenciennes — will help host the tournament’s 52 total games. The 2019 champions will win $4 million in prize money, double the share from 2015. The prize money for the 2018 men’s World Cup champion, France, was $38 million.
Gambhir said he is willing to help young players in Delhi cricket. “The boys need a lot of good things in DDCA (Delhi District and Cricket Association) and hopefully I am able to put that word across the executive committee and get those things done. My job is to get the best out of the boys,” he said.
He responded in the negative when asked if he will enter cricket administration at some point. “I am too straightforward a person to be in administration, I don’t think people will accept me anywhere,” said Gambhir, who distributed all his bats to his team-mates, leaving his “kit bag empty”.
TAMIL NADU WIN
Tamil Nadu registered their first win of the season, beating Kerala by 151 runs on Sunday
CHENNAI: