The World around U

  Franklin Edmundo Rijkaard, born on September 30, 1962, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, is a Dutch former football player and manager, widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive midfielders in football history. Rijkaard had an illustrious career, excelling at both the club and international levels, and later became a highly successful coach. His combination of technical skills, tactical intelligence, and leadership made him a standout figure in football. Style of Play Frank Rijkaard was a versatile player, known for his ability to operate as both a defensive midfielder and a central defender. He was celebrated for his strength, athleticism, and intelligence on the field. Rijkaard’s greatest attributes were his ability to anticipate opponents' movements, his calmness under pressure, and his excellent passing ability. His defensive awareness and ability to break up opposition attacks were key elements of his game, but he also had the technical skills to contribute offensivel...

  Martina Hingis, born on September 30, 1980, in Košice, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia), is one of the most talented and versatile tennis players in the history of the sport. Known for her extraordinary court sense, tactical intelligence, and finesse, Hingis dominated women’s tennis in the late 1990s and early 2000s, becoming the youngest-ever Grand Slam champion and World No. 1 in the Open Era. Her ability to excel in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles solidified her legacy as one of the greatest all-around players in tennis history. Style of Play Hingis was known for her strategic and intelligent play rather than raw power. Her style relied on exceptional court coverage, anticipation, and shot placement. She had an uncanny ability to read her opponents’ moves, often outwitting them with precise groundstrokes, sharp volleys, and expert angles. Her backhand was particularly effective, and her serve, while not the most powerful, was incredibly accurate. Hingis had an all-court game,...

    The 2026/27 UEFA Nations League continued on September 28 with eight matches across Leagues A, B and C. The headline results came from Italy’s emphatic 4-1 victory over Türkiye and France’s late 1-0 win away to Belgium, while Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden and Montenegro also recorded important victories.  France snatch dramatic win in Belgium: France maintained their perfect start in Group A1 with a 1-0 victory over Belgium in Brussels. The match appeared destined to end goalless before substitute Michael Olise produced a decisive moment two minutes from time, scoring a superb individual goal. France had previously defeated Türkiye 1-0 in their opening match, giving them six points from two games. Belgium, who had beaten Italy in their first match, suffered their first defeat of the campaign.  Italy bounce back in spectacular fashion: Italy produced the most convincing performance of the day by defeating Türkiye 4-1 in Bursa. After their opening 0-2 defeat again...

     The 10th day of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games was marked by heavy rain and disruptions, but the leading Asian sporting nations continued to strengthen their positions. China remained comfortably ahead of the field, while Japan consolidated second place and South Korea, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Thailand continued their strong medal-winning campaigns. India enjoyed one of its most productive days of the Games, collecting eight medals, although the country had to wait for Day 11 for its next gold medal. China: China continued to dominate the medal standings, with athletics providing another series of victories. Shi Yuhao won the men's long jump gold, while China also captured the men's 4x100m relay title. The Chinese contingent entered the latter stages of the Games with an enormous advantage at the top of the table, supported by its strength across athletics, shooting, swimming, diving, gymnastics and weightlifting. By the end of Day 10, China had 132 gold medals and ...

  Lancelot Richard Gibbs, born on September 29, 1934, in Georgetown, British Guiana (now Guyana), is one of the greatest off-spin bowlers in the history of cricket. Known for his accuracy, control, and ability to extract sharp turn, Gibbs was a key figure in West Indies cricket during the 1950s, 60s, and early 70s. He was the second bowler in Test cricket history to take 300 wickets, and the first spinner to achieve this milestone. Style of Play Lance Gibbs was a classical right-arm off-spin bowler, renowned for his impeccable line and length. What set him apart was his ability to consistently maintain pressure on batsmen through nagging accuracy, forcing them into mistakes. Despite not turning the ball excessively, he relied on subtle variations in flight, bounce, and drift to outfox opponents. Gibbs was famous for his stingy economy rate—batsmen found it difficult to score off him, which allowed him to build pressure and take wickets. Unlike many modern spinners who focus ...

    The second round of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League continued on Sunday, September 27, with eight matches across Leagues A, B and D. The major highlights came from Greece’s historic victory over Germany, Portugal’s away win against Norway and the Netherlands’ hard-fought success in Serbia.  Netherlands edge Serbia in Belgrade: The Netherlands secured a valuable 2-1 victory over Serbia in Group A2. Mexx Meerdink gave the Dutch the lead from the penalty spot in the 30th minute, while Serbia levelled shortly after half-time through substitute Luka Jović. Meerdink then struck again in the 69th minute to give the Netherlands all three points. The result kept the Dutch unbeaten after their opening 1-1 draw with Germany.  Greece stun Germany: One of the biggest results of the night came in Augsburg, where Greece defeated Germany 1-0. Dimitris Kourbelis scored in the 74th minute with a deflected effort after Greece had sustained pressure on the German defence. It was Gre...

  The ninth day of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on September 27 produced another busy schedule across athletics, table tennis, baseball, handball, equestrian, diving, squash and several other disciplines. China continued to dominate the overall competition, while Japan, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Thailand remained among the leading medal-winning nations. India also enjoyed a productive day, collecting seven medals, although none of them was gold.  China remained comfortably ahead at the top of the standings and had another highly successful day. In athletics, 18-year-old Yan Ziyi won the women's javelin gold with a remarkable Asian Games record of 70.46 metres, while in table tennis Wang Manyu defeated compatriot Sun Yingsha 4-2 in an all-Chinese women's singles final. China also won the men's doubles title through Huang Youzheng and Lin Shidong, who defeated Japan's Tomokazu Harimoto and Hiroto Shinozuka 4-2. China finished the day with 119 gold, 4...

  Majid Jahangir Khan, born on September 28, 1946, in Ludhiana, British India, was one of Pakistan’s most elegant and accomplished cricketers. Known for his stylish batting and composed demeanor, he was a key player for Pakistan during the 1960s and 1970s. Majid hailed from a cricketing family—his father Jahangir Khan played for India, and his cousin Imran Khan would go on to become one of Pakistan's greatest cricketers. Style of Play Majid Khan was known for his grace, elegance, and classical batting technique. A right-handed batsman, he possessed a wide range of strokes, particularly strong through the covers and on the backfoot. Majid could adjust his game to suit different conditions, capable of playing both solid defensive innings and flamboyant, attacking strokes when needed. His adaptability was one of his defining traits, making him successful against both pace and spin bowling. Although he was known for his patient and technically correct approach, Majid could sh...

  The eighth day of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on September 27 was another action-packed day, with China continuing its extraordinary dominance at the top of the medal standings. Hosts Japan remained firmly in second place, while South Korea, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Thailand continued to occupy the next positions. India enjoyed a seven-medal haul, with athletics producing five podium finishes and squash contributing two historic silver medals.  China continued to set the pace, crossing the remarkable landmark of 200 medals during the day. By the end of Day 8, China had accumulated 119 gold, 48 silver and 38 bronze medals for 205 overall. Chinese athletes remained dominant across a wide range of disciplines, maintaining a huge advantage over the rest of the field. The country's strength across athletics, shooting, swimming, gymnastics and other sports ensured that its lead continued to grow as the Games entered their second week.  Japan maintained second place and con...

    The 2026/27 UEFA Nations League league phase continued on September 25 and 26 with 18 matches across Leagues A, B and C. The two days produced several significant results, including victories for France, Belgium, Ukraine and Northern Ireland on Friday, followed by Spain's thrilling win over England and Switzerland's emphatic success on Saturday. The 2026/27 league phase runs from September through November, with Matchday 1 spread across September 24–26.  September 25: France begin with victory under Zidane France began their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Türkiye in Group A1, giving new head coach Zinédine Zidane a winning start. Kylian Mbappé scored the decisive goal in the 54th minute after being set up by Michael Olise. Mbappé reached 67 international goals with the strike, although he suffered an injury while scoring. Türkiye goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır was sent off late in the match.  Belgium also made an impressive start by defeating Italy 2-0 in Rome. Mika ...

  The seventh day of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on September 26 produced a series of memorable performances across athletics, shooting, squash, canoe sprint, e-sports and other disciplines. China continued to dominate the medal standings, while hosts Japan, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Thailand remained among the leading medal-winning nations. India also enjoyed a highly productive day, highlighted by a historic marathon silver, another shooting silver and a strong showing in kabaddi ( double Gold) and squash.  China continued its remarkable run at the top of the standings. One of the country's major Day 7 victories came in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions, where Han Jiayu won individual gold with an Asian continental record score of 359 points. China also won the women's team event, with Han Jiayu, Zhang Liyuan and their teammate combining for 1,773 points — a Games record. China additionally completed a clean sweep of the three canoe-sprint events it entered...

  Brendon Barrie McCullum (born September 27, 1981) is a former New Zealand cricketer and one of the most explosive and innovative players in the history of the game. Known for his aggressive style of batting, dynamic leadership, and skill behind the stumps, McCullum was instrumental in transforming the way modern cricket is played, particularly in limited-overs formats. His fearless approach, both as a player and a captain, revolutionized New Zealand cricket and left an indelible mark on the sport worldwide. Style of Play McCullum was a dynamic wicket-keeper batsman known for his attacking mindset, particularly at the top of the order. As a batsman, he was one of the most destructive players, famous for his powerful hitting, fearless approach, and innovative stroke play. His ability to adapt his game to different formats made him a key player for New Zealand across all formats. Behind the stumps, McCullum was sharp and agile, excelling in his role as a wicket-keeper with qu...

  Ian Michael Chappell, born on September 26, 1943, in Unley, South Australia, is one of Australia's most influential cricketers. Known for his aggressive captaincy, astute cricketing mind, and batting prowess, Chappell played a pivotal role in shaping Australian cricket during the 1970s. He came from a distinguished cricketing family—his grandfather Vic Richardson and younger brother Greg Chappell also captained Australia. Style of Play Ian Chappell was a right-handed middle-order batsman known for his attacking and fearless style. He played with an aggressive mindset, always looking to dominate bowlers. Chappell’s batting was marked by quick footwork, powerful stroke play, and a natural ability to find gaps. He was also known for his sharp cricketing brain, which made him a successful captain. As a fielder, Chappell was superb, especially in the slips. His safe hands and sharp reflexes made him a reliable catcher, and his overall athleticism on the field was an asset to hi...