Nepal's Paudel eclipses Tendulkar

Dhankar takes Punjab Royals to PWL semis with decisive win Greater Noida, Jan 26 (PTI) Amit Dhankar conjured up a decisive win under pressure against Haryana Hammers' Praveen Rana to steer Punjab Royals to the semifinals of the Pro Wrestling League (PWL), here Saturday. The tie was locked 3-3 when Dhankar and Rana took the mat, their teams' fortunes depending on them and eventually it was the Punjab wrestler who delivered in the men’s 74kg category. Before Amit, Cynthia Vescan, Bajrang Punia and Dato Magarishvili won their respective bouts. Earlier, the new find of PWL-4 in the men’s section Ravi Kumar of Hammers defeated Nitin Rathi of Punjab 9-2 in the men’s 57kg category. The 2018 European championships bronze medallist Cynthia Vescan brought Punjab back by winning the close women’s 76kg bout against Kiran 4-3.

Nepal batsman Rohit Paudel became the youngest male cricketer to score an international fifty on Saturday at the age of 16 years and 146 days, breaking Sachin Tendulkar's previous mark.

He is also the youngest man to score a one-day international half-century while Shahid Afridi, who smashed a 37-ball century in an incredible innings against Sri Lanka, aged 16 and 217 days.

Indian legend Tendulkar scored his maiden Test fifty when 16 years and 213 days old against Pakistan during his debut series in 1989.

Paudel stroked a 58-ball 55 as Nepal, one of cricket's rising forces, thrashed the United Arab Emirates by 145 runs in the second ODI at Dubai.

His fellow teenager, the 18-year-old Sandeep Lamichhane, claimed 4-24 with his leg-spin as Nepal bowled out their hosts for just 97 in an ill-fated chase of 243 to win.

Paudel was, however, a fair way off the record for all internationals, with South African women's player Johmari Logtenburg having scored fifties in both Test and ODI cricket as a 14-year-old.