Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni highly praised the mentality of the team, which managed to secure another victory after falling behind, allowing them to advance past England to the World Cup final.
Scaloni noted that the team felt the approach of victory when England retreated into defense after scoring the first goal in the semi-final in Atlanta. Argentina managed to achieve a deserved 2-1 victory.
He emphasized that the team plays its best when facing difficulties. Scaloni spoke about the difficult and tense match, noting: 'There was blood in the water, and we went forward. That is the feeling I experienced.'
Despite the team taking many shots that missed the goal—hitting the crossbar and the post—Scaloni expressed satisfaction that the team fought until the very end, calling it a critically important moment.
This was Argentina's second playoff victory where the team managed to come back into the game despite a late deficit. Previously, Scaloni called their impressive exit from the Round of 16 against Egypt 'epic.'
When asked how he would describe this victory, Scaloni replied: 'Epic, squared?' He also stressed that the success was the result of collective effort and brotherhood within the team, not just individual skill.
The Argentine coach now has the opportunity to lead the South Americans to four consecutive major titles following victories in the Copa America, both before and after the 2022 World Cup win. Scaloni noted that his players are fearless and do not feel the weight of responsibility, playing as if they were only seven or eight years old, without worrying about the upcoming semi-finals or final.
Former Indian spinner Anil Kumble expressed the opinion that Joe Root's significance for the England team is comparable to the influence exerted by Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma on Indian cricket.
The legendary leg-spinner made these remarks after an experienced batsman played a brilliant but unfinished innings of 99 runs, which helped the hosts take the series lead at 1-1 following a victory in the second ODI match. This match concluded with a convincing four-match win.
Joe Root provided stability in the chase for 234 runs, playing a composed 99 not out off 133 deliveries, leading the team to triumph at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff. This frontline veteran was just one run away from a deserved century when bowler Gus Atkinson hit the winning boundary with 35 balls remaining.
Commenting on Root's crucial innings, Kumble highlighted Root's traditional approach to ODIs and his unique ability to handle immense pressure. Kumble told Jio Hotstar: 'Joe Root is to England what Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are to India. Root is the only batsman in this English team who still plays with old-school ODI mindset.'
He added that other batsmen started attacking from the beginning, whereas Root took his time, stabilized the innings, and brought calm to the chase.
Kumble contrasted Root's measured approach with the style of England captain Harry Brook, noting that the difficult pitch conditions demanded patience rather than pure aggression. He stated: 'The difference between Harry Brook and Joe Root was obvious. Brook tried to play in a T20 style in conditions that did not allow it, while Root demonstrated a masterclass in ODI cricket.'
The former Indian coach also compared Root's playing philosophy to modern greats Kohli and Rohit, acknowledging all three for their ability to score consistently without taking unnecessary risks. Kumble concluded: 'What makes Root, Kohli, and Rohit so successful is that their scoring looks effortless. They don't plan ahead; they react to the ball. They play low-risk, high-reward cricket. When you have that class, grace, and mindset, it makes life easier for the whole team.'
Meanwhile, Royal Challengers coach Andy Flower declined to participate in the race for the head coach position of the England national team after Brendan McCullum's departure, stating that he was satisfied with his current coaching role in the IPL franchise RCB and the The Hundred London Spirit team.
Ruqaya Ismail, recently included in the South African national fencing team, shared that she had to overcome internal doubts to deserve a place on the team that will travel to the World Fencing Championships in Lagos, Nigeria, next month.
This journey of the young woman, which began with participation in a school support program and culminated in South Africa's appearance at the World Fencing Championships, demonstrates her determination, as well as the support she received from her family and coaches in battling self-doubt.
As a first-year psychology student, her lightning reflexes helped her make the South African team for the upcoming tournament. When she steps onto the strip—the official metal mat where athletes compete—doubts recede, giving way to split-second decisions, which she compares to playing chess in her mind.
Among the fencers from Cape Town, she is considered one of the sharpest. The young athlete first picked up a foil after members of the Blues Fencing club, based in Gardens, visited her school as part of the club's support program several years ago.
Although she considers herself a homebody who prefers books, series, and rare picnics, she completely transforms her calm lifestyle into the fast-paced and demanding world of fencing. She notes that while the bout on the strip is one-on-one, one must constantly be aware of their actions and capabilities. This requires simultaneously analyzing the opponent's movement, distance, and actions, creating complex but highly educational situations.
She steadily climbed the national rankings through discipline, consistency, and numerous hours of training, allowing her to wear the 'green and gold' colors for the first time. However, behind the mask and polished footwork lies a battle rarely seen by spectators. For Ismail, the most difficult task has always been not so much maintaining distance from the opponent as fighting her own distrust.
She admits that she had to do the most work on her mindset, as anxiety sometimes becomes her biggest adversary. She emphasizes that her progress was shaped not only by hours on the strip but also by the people around her: her mother and her first coach, Alex Colling, who believed in her when she doubted herself.
The coach noted that her selection is part of an impressive year for the Gardens club, whose fencers have already participated in the South African Junior, World Junior, and South African Senior Championships. Furthermore, even more athletes plan to represent South Africa at the Senior World Championships in Hong Kong, the World Fencing Championships in Nigeria, and the Veterans World Championship in Georgia later this year.
He stressed that the results speak to the professionalism of the high-performing program at the Blues club, the high level of coaching staff, who have international training and certification, as well as the commitment and talent of the fencers. Nevertheless, selection is only half the battle. Like many sports enthusiasts, Ismail and her clubmates work hard to cover the costs of representing the country, including airfare, accommodation, competition fees, and specialized equipment.
She believes that some defeats can leave a deeper mark than victories, especially when they show what you are capable of. She learned such a lesson at her first provincial championship as a final-year student during Ramadan, where she fought a national team fencer while fasting and battling nerves. Despite intense fear and feelings of weakness due to the inability to eat or drink, she tried to concentrate and fence with all her might. Although she lost the match, she felt a great sense of pride, unaware that she had reached the semi-finals, and it was her first medal—a bronze one.
Ismail's rise is part of the overall success story of the Blues Fencing club, where head coach Patrick Colling speaks of the growing number of fencers achieving recognition on the international stage. He added that behind every international selection are sacrifices that rarely make it into reports: athletes and their families often have to make difficult financial and life decisions to stay in the game.
Colling mentioned that some choose homeschooling to free up more time for training, and young adults forgo material comforts to fund their sport. One of the main obstacles is limited funding, which also narrows opportunities for gaining international experience necessary for preparing for major championships. Ismail agreed with the coach, noting the clear distinction between the efforts she can control and the support she can only hope for. She stated: 'Training is on me. As for fundraising, I can ask for help, but I cannot decide if the funding will come. That is from God and wonderful people. Training depends on me—I have to choose whether to put in the effort.'
Manikum Munien, aged 94 and residing in Verulam, was featured in the book 'Unsung Heroes'—Volume Four. He is one of 51 individuals recognized in this recently published book for his invaluable contributions to the fields of education, sports, and community development over many decades.
Munien, the fifth of nine children, was born on November 26, 1931, on Groenberg farm in Inanda. His father arrived from Chennai, India, in South Africa at the age of 17 as a hired worker. He worked at a tea factory on the Inanda tea plantation, roasting leaves.
During this period, his father entered into a marriage agreement with Muniamah Chinapen, Munien's mother, who was from Pietermaritzburg. After completing the labor contract, they rented 10 acres of land on Groenberg farm, where they grew vegetables, maize, and pineapples. The mother sold vegetables at the Verulam market, and maize at the Durban market.
Munien recalls a happy childhood on the farm when he and his brothers watered the plants every morning before school. They also cared for two donkeys. He also experienced a locust infestation in 1940, when the children helped ward off insects from the harvest using empty cans.
At the age of six, Munien began attending a missionary school run by a woman named Mrs. O'Ward. The school was located in a two-room building on Groenberg farm. Later, the school moved to a bungalow, where classes from first to sixth grade began to be taught.
In the early 1940s, the first school in Inanda, the government Indian school Moonsamy, was built, and Munien studied there from first to sixth grade. A special moment for him was the visit of the British royal family in 1947, when the fifth-grade class went to the famous Kerry fountain to see the parade.
He continued his studies at the Tongat Indian boys' school, where he obtained his matriculation certificate after completing grades seven through twelve. During his studies, Munien actively participated in sports, serving as captain of the football and athletics teams, and playing cricket. He also excelled academically, particularly in English, and enjoyed reading and writing poetry.
Due to financial constraints, he could not continue his education and decided to find work. He decided to walk from the farm to Durban and ended up at the Greenwood Park police station, where he expressed a desire to become a policeman. However, his parents rejected this idea. Soon, a friend informed him about a teaching vacancy at a private school in Gandhi settlement in Inanda.
Despite lacking qualifications, he tried and succeeded. The school was managed by Mahatma Gandhi's son, Manilal, and his daughter-in-law, Sushila. Munien taught all subjects, even working a shift in a printing press for the publication of 'Indian Opinion' to earn extra income.
In 1953, he started working at the newly opened Kasturba Gandhi Primary School in Inanda, becoming one of the first five employees. He enjoyed teaching, especially geography, and brought lessons to life by telling children about the Great Lakes of North America.
In 1955, he began teaching in the second grade at New Glasgow Primary School. Difficulties with daily travel from the farm to the school were resolved through an acquaintance with the school director in Verulam, who contacted the Department of Education and arranged for him a place at St. Xavier's Primary School in Oxford, Verulam. He worked at this school for 30 years, holding positions as a teacher and sports coach, organizing football camps, and chairing the Natal Primary Schools Athletics Association.
Later, in 1988, he became an art and library specialist at Woodview Primary School, and in 1990, he was promoted to Head of Senior Phase at Palmview Primary School in Phoenix, where he also taught mathematics. Munien retired in 1991.
Throughout his life, he remained active in sports. He played for various teams, including the Redcliff Football Club, which won five trophies in one season. In the late 1950s, he founded and led the Palm Rangers Football Club in Inanda.
Furthermore, he played cricket in Inanda and Verulam as a batsman and wicketkeeper, and was selected as one of three Indians for the Natal shadow rugby team for non-Europeans. After retirement, he joined the Falcons Athletic Club and participated in three ultra-marathons and marathons. He also ran a 20-kilometer charity race in India to raise awareness about tuberculosis, taking first place in the over-70 category.
In the 1950s, he became a volunteer at the Regional Committee of the Friends of the Sick Association (Fosa) in Verulam and gradually rose to become its chairman. In the community, he was known as 'Mr. Fosa'. He visited various educational institutions, businesses, and organizations to place donation boxes or give lectures on tuberculosis.
He also participated in the work of the then Natal Blind and Deaf Society—the Verulam Regional Committee, the Verulam Children's Welfare Society, and the Verulam Day Care and Elderly Care Centre. He was the first chairman, and his late wife was the first qualified nurse at the elderly care centre.
As a follower of Hare Krishna, Munien actively participated in the 'Food for Life' project for over 40 years, an initiative of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, traveling by boat across India to distribute food.
Manikum married Satibaa in December 1962; she passed away in 2019. They have three children: Rajendran Munien, 59, a teacher; Dayabaran Munien, 58, a retired director; and Parijata Munien, 53, who manages the Gita Nagari eco-farm in Pennsylvania. He has two daughters-in-law, Shalini Munien and Jacqui Munien, and a son-in-law, Dhruva Chunillal. They have two grandchildren: Tasmai, 31, and Leesian, 29.
Munien and his wife loved to travel and visited countries in Africa and around the world. He continues to travel, and South India remains one of his favorite places.
Currently, he enjoys the sun, socializing, time with family, and inspiring others through his social media posts. He shares personal experiences and motivational messages on his online pages, and has learned to edit videos and add music, hoping to inspire and enrich the lives of others.
