Rising Pune Supergiants won the toss and elected to bat against Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League here today.
     Teams:
     Kolkata Knight Riders: Robin Uthappa, Gautam Gambhir (captain), Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Suryakumar Yadav, Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla, Sunil Narine, Ankit Rajpoot, Morne Morkel.
     Rising Pune Supergiants: Ajinkya Rahane, Saurabh Tiwary, Usman Khawaja, George Bailey, MS Dhoni (captain), Thisara Perera, Irfan Pathan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Adam Zampa, M Ashwin, Ashok Dinda.

Supergiants opt to bat against KKR

PTI Automatic

AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli today orchestrated a mayhem by scoring magnificent centuries as Royal Challengers Bangalore inflicted a crushing 144-run defeat on league leaders Gujarat Lions, recording the biggest ever victory in the history of Indian Premier League here.
     Batting first, RCB plundered a massive 248 for 3 courtesy De Villiers's 129 not out and an equally attractive 108 by Kohli with records falling like ninepins at the Chinnaswamy Stadium during the afternoon session.
     Having been deflated in the first session itself, Gujarat Lions capitulated to a meagre 104 all out in 18.4 overs with Chris Jordan picking up 4/11 in 3 overs and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal getting 3/19 in 4 overs.
     With 10 points from 11 games and a positive net run-rate of +0.627, RCB will fancy their chances of sneaking in as the third or fourth team into the play-offs by winning all their remaining three games.
     While this is the second highest team score in the history of IPL ...

De Villiers, Kohli hammer Lions as RCB win by record 144 runs

It proved a day of mixed luck for India in the semifinals of the Asian Team Squash Championship as the women waltz past against top seeds Hong Kong while the men went down fighting to Pakistan here today.
     The happy tidings came early in the day for the women with Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal showing why they are a force to reckon with in world squash. Both won and that helped India shock Hong Kong and storm into the final.
     They next face Malaysia, to whom they had lost in the group stage. "It will be a revenge match. The girls are gearing up for this challenge," said national coach Cyrus Poncha.
      After Sachika Ingale failed to keep her slate clean, losing to Liu Tsz Ling without much resistance, it was left to Joshna not only to shore up India's stock but inspire her colleague Dipika to touch her best. Joshna did not put a foot wrong in taming the Hong Kong number one Annie Au, who at rank 10 was three rungs above the Indian. Aggression was Joshna's ploy from ...

Indian women stun top seeds HK to reach Asian Squash final

Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Gujarat Lions by a record 144 runs in their Indian Premier League match here today.
     Sent into bat, RCB amassed 248 for three in the stipulated 20 overs, and then bowled out Lions for 104 in 18.4 overs.
     Brief scores:
     RCB 248/3 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 109, AB de Villiers 129 not out)
     Gujarat Lions: 104 all out in 18.4 overs (Aaron Finch 37; Chris Jordan 4/11, Yuzvendra Chahal 3/19, Sachin Baby 2 /4).

RCB beat Gujarat Lions by record 144 runs

India's Feroze Singh Garewal was lying tied 12th while rookie Samarth Dwivedi was placed tied 37th with one more round to go in the PGM Bukit Jawi Championship on the ADT Tour here today.
     Garewal has shot rounds of 68, 70 and 73, while Dwivedi, who played for India at the Asian Games, has had rounds of 73, 72 and 71.
     Malaysian ace Danny Chia stayed on track for a successful title defense when he fired a seven-under-par 65 to grab the third round lead.
     Chia, a three-time winner on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), birdied three of his closing four holes to lead on 13-under-par 203 at the Bukit Jawi Golf Resorts.
     Overnight leader Gavin Green (70) of Malaysia, who is searching for a third ADT title this year which will automatically afford him with playing rights on the 2016 Asian Tour Schedule, was a further shot back in second place alongside Johannes Veerman (66) of the United States.

Garewal 12th, Dwivedi 37th in ADT event in Malaysia  

Indian golfer Jyoti Randhawa carded a one-under 71 in the third round to rise up to tied 14th in the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open here to day.
     Randhawa, who teed up in Japan three weeks ago for his first event since mid-December, added a one-under 71 to his rounds of 73-75 to get a total of three-over 219.
     Meanwhile, Rashid Khan continued to ride his own rollercoaster as he bounced back from a crippling second round of nine-over 81 to record two-under 70 on the third day to share the 14th spot with Randhawa.
     Siddikur Rahman, who for the last year or so has been playing with an injured back even as he tried to find ways to get better, found himself leading an European Tour event for the first time as he played very steady golf in the face of very windy conditions.
     He had four birdies against just one bogey, while his playing partners, Andrew Dodt, who had a three-shot lead at the start, gave away six shots between 13th and 16th and Korean Wang Jeunghun dropped ...

Rashid, Randhawa gun for Top-10 at Mauritius Open

Rio Olympics-bound athlete Sudha Singh today shattered the national record in women's 3000m steeplechase event to finish eighth in the second leg of the prestigious Diamond League Meet here.
     Sudha, who had qualified for Rio Games during the Federation Cup National Athletics Championships in New Delhi last month, clocked 9 minute 26.55 seconds to better the earlier national record of 9:27.09 held by her training-mate and another Olympics-bound athlete Lalita Babar.
     Reigning Asian champion Babar also took part in the race today and stood 13th with a disappointing timing of 9:43.30 among 14 women who finished the race at this Chinese city.
     Babar, who had finished a creditable eighth at the World Athletics Championships last year, had created the earlier national record while winning the gold in the Federation Cup in which Sudha had finished second to book a Rio Games berth.
     2015 World Championships gold-medallist Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi of Kenya won the race in a ...

Sudha smashes 3000m steeplechase national record

World record-holding long jumper Mike Powell today unveiled the logo of the Anju Bobby Sports Foundation at a function here.
     The Foundation aims to nurture talent at the teenage level and encourage athletes, particularly in track and field.
     It also plans to help talented youth from under-privileged sections of the society to pursue sports as a career and to empower women through sports.
     The first batch of athletes will start training at the Sports Authority of India campus here from June 1.
     The initial focus would be on horizontal jumps where Anju and her husband and coach Bobby George, a Dronacharya awardee, would be directly involved in the coaching.
     Anju, who won the only World Championship medal in athletics, a bronze, for India in long jump in 2003, was guided in the run-up to the World Championships in Paris by Powell in the USA.
     The Foundation is a non-profitable charitable trust with Anju as its chairperson and Bobby as its managing trustee.

Powell unveils logo of Anju Bobby Sports Foundation

The Jamia Milia Islamia today named its new sports complex after late Indian cricket captain Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and unveiled a pavilion named after former opener Virender Sehwag, who was an alumnus of the university.
     Pataudi's wife and yesteryears actress Sharmila Tagore unveiled a plaque naming the Sports Complex after her late husband, popularly known as Tiger Pataudi, at a function attended by Sehwag, Jamia Vice Chancellor Professor Talat Ahmad and senior faculty members, officials and students of the university.
     The complex was earlier known as Bhopal Ground as the land on which it is located was donated to the university by Pataudi's mother Sajida Sultan, the Begum of Bhopal.
     Speaking on the occasion, Sharmila said, "I have no doubt Tiger would have said 'put the sports first and foremost at the centre of every decision you take'."
     Prof. Talat Ahmad talked about the contribution made by Pataudi to cricket and said he was one of the most successful ...

Jamia names its sports complex after Tiger Pataudi

AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli jointly orchestrated a mayhem by scoring magnificent centuries against a hapless Gujarat Lions attack as Royal Challengers Bangalore plundered a massive 248 for three with records falling like ninepins at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, here today.
     While this is the second highest team score in the history of IPL behind RCB's 263 for five against Pune Warriors, the Kohli-De Villiers combine eclipsed its own partnership record by pummeling the Lions to add a staggering 229 runs in just 16 overs.
     The previous best was 215 against Mumbai Indians during the last edition.
     In fact, Kohli also became the first player in the history of IPL to score two centuries against the same opponents in one edition of the league.
     De Villiers smashed a scintillating unbeaten 129 off 52 balls with 10 fours and 12 maximums while Kohli, en route his third hundred in a single edition of IPL, hit a brilliant 109 off 55 balls with the help of five fours and eight ...

De Villiers, Kohli lead carnage, RCB pile mammoth 248/3

The scoreboard of the Indian
Premier League match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Lions in the Indian Premier League here today.
 Chris Gayle	b Kulkarni	6
 Virat Kohli	c Bravo b Kumar	109
 AB de Villiers	not out	129
 Shane Watson	c Karthik b Kumar	0
 Extras	(B 1, LB 1, W 1, NB 1)	4
 Total	(3 wickets; 20 overs)	248
 Fall of wickets 1-19, 2-248, 3-248
 Bowling: P Kumar	4-1-45-2, Dhawal Kulkarni 3-0-33-1, S Kaushik	3-0-50-0,	 P Tambe	2-0-25-0,	D Bravo	3-0-46-0,	 R Jadeja	4-0-34-0,	 D Smith	1-0-13-0.

 The scoreboard of the Indian

Royal Challengers Bangalore amassed 248 for three in their Indian Premier League match against Gujarat Lions here today.
     Brief scores: RCB 248/3 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 109, AB de Villiers 129 not out).

RCB race to 248/3 against Lions

Aditi Ashok made a smart upwards move on the third day of the USD 600,000 Buick Championships on Ladies European Tour as she returned a second successive one-over 73 here today.
     At four-over 220 for 54 holes, Aditi, whose personal best on LET is T-8 as an amateur at Hero Indian Open in 2012, was tied 31st.
     Starting from the 10th, Aditi got off on the wrong foot with a bogey on 11th, but back-to-back birdies on the two par-4s on 14th and 15th steadied her on a cloudy and blustery day at the Shanghai Qizhong Garden Golf Club.
     A bogey on Par-5 17th saw her turn in even par, and a birdie on second put her in red figures again. Then came a troubled stretch where she dropped bogeys on third, fifth and seventh. However, a birdie on closing ninth gave her something to look forward to tomorrow.
     Defending champion Shanshan Feng and overnight co-leader Na Yeon Choi stayed tied for the lead. Choi, the 2012 US women's champion, led for most of the day before making bogey on 18 .

Aditi moves to T-31 at Buick Champs in Shanghai

India will lock horns with Malaysia, while USA take on Tanzania in the opening day's matches of the AIFF Youth Cup, which kicks off here tomorrow.
     The tournament is in preparation for the U-17 World Cup which will be held in India and Goa is going to be one of the venues.
     Head coach of the Indian U-17 World Cup squad, Nicolai Adam said this tournament will act as a yardstick for the development of youth teams.
     The five-nation tournament which includes hosts India, USA, Korea Republic, Malaysia and Tanzania, is the first-of-its -kind competition organised by the All India Football Federation in order to provide exposure to the young players of the country.
     These youngsters are expected to feature in the AFC U-16 in September, also to be hosted by Goa, followed by the World Cup in 2017.
     Speaking at the official pre-tournament press conference the coach said: "Our main goal is to prepare for the FIFA U-17 World Cup and the AFC U-16 Championship which commences ...

India take on Malaysia, USA face Tanzania in AIFF Youth Cup

ISL football franchise F C Goa has recently completed the first edition of its summer initiative 'FC Goa Social', club officials said today.
     The month-long-programme is aimed at developing interest in football among the participants.
    	"The program was designed for participants who are between six and fourteen years and was held at Father Agnel Central School in Pilar, Goa," a club spokesperson said in a statement released here.
     FC Goa's Technical Director Katz Naidoo and Development Director Gavin Araujo developed the program with the key focus being placed on self-expression, creativity and enjoying the game. 36 participants were trained on alternate days, the spokesman said.
     "The focus was on small sided games which enabled the participants to get more attention and direction from coaches. Practise matches with teams from FC Goa's 17 centres were also held during the duration of the programme so that participants could understand their drawbacks and improve on ...

FC Goa complete month-long summer initiative

His name may be doing the rounds for one of the top two posts in BCCI but Maharashtra Cricket Association president Ajay Shirke today said that he does not believe in "standing in a queue" to get a post in the world's richest cricket board.
     "Let me clarify to you at the beginning that I have never put myself in contention for any top job within the BCCI nor do I have any goals of getting any posts. My name may be doing the rounds as you say, and it might look to many that I am myself pushing my name in the media, which I have never done," the straight-talking Shirke told PTI over phone from London.
     The Maharashtra CA top boss, who has also been a former treasurer of the board, said that he is still not aware about the date of the Special General Meeting scheduled to be held in Mumbai on May 22.
     "Since I am in London, I am not aware about the SGM date. If the notice has come from BCCI, it will be at the MCA office only," said Shirke.
     However, he said that it would ..

I have never stood in a queue as an aspirant, says Ajay Shirke

Sporting Clube de Goa will look to capitalise on the home advantage when they face Aizawl FC in the second leg of the Federation Cup football semifinals at Nehru Stadium here tomorrow.
     Both the teams failed to score any goal in the first leg as the semifinals in Aizawl.
     Aizawl FC, who got relegated from the I-League, have been playing well in the Federation Cup and have upset I-League champions Bengaluru FC twice to reach the semi-finals and would be looking for nothing but a win tomorrow.
     Aizawl coach Jahar Das conceded that his side committed a mistake by playing defensive in the first leg at home.
     "Our team failed to capitalize the home advantage. It was our mistake to play defensive game in the first half as we could not get the early result. It was only in the second half that we went offensive and put the pressure against Sporting," he said.
     "In the end, we could not score. We have the advantage as we have not conceded a goal at home. Tomorrow, we will ..

Sporting looking for home advantage against Aizawl FC

Indonesia today welcomed FIFA's decision to end the country's year-long ban from world football over government interference, saying it hoped for more transparency in the sport.
     FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced Friday that Indonesia had been reinstated after Jakarta sent a letter notifying that it had lifted sanctions on national football body, the PSSI.
     Indonesia has been without a national football competition for the better part of a year, after a feud between the PSSI and its sports ministry saw the top-grade tournament suspended.
     "We hope the lifting of the ban will push the nation to improve its national football, especially in regards to revamping its organisational management, increasing transparency, accountability and enhancing a more harmonious relationship with the various stakeholders," Indonesia's sports ministry said in a statement.
     It suggested that FIFA's decision was the result of the "good relationship" that has developed between ...

Indonesia applauds lifting of FIFA ban

Indian boxing star Vijender Singh's maiden title bout, scheduled to be held here, has been postponed by a month to July but the trailblazing pugilist today said he will not take any break from training as it would upset his rhythm.
     Vijender, who beat Poland's Andrzej Soldra via Technical Knockout in Bolton last night to register his sixth successive win, was originally scheduled to fight for the WBO Asia title on June 11 here.
     However, the big event has been pushed back by a month due to logistical reasons.
     "I am really looking forward to the India bout, it is going to be a huge moment for me to step inside the ring in front of my home fans. And that is why I am not going to take any break from training because I want to be at my best. It is technically not good either to take a break as the body has to remain in rhythm," Vijender told PTI in a telephonic chat from Manchester.
     The opponent for that much-anticipated contest is yet to be finalised. Vijender said ...

Vijender's WBO title bout postponed but no break for star

After clinching a historic bronze medal in the last edition, the Indian women's team, led by Saina Nehwal, will eye another good show but it will be an uphill task for the depleted men's team at the Thomas and Uber Cup badminton tournament starting here tomorrow.
     Indian women had reached the quarterfinal for the first time at the 2010 Uber Cup in Kuala Lumpur but it was only in 2014 in New Delhi when they clinched their maiden bronze after going down 2-3 to five-time champions Japan in their maiden semifinals appearance.
     Indian women's team have been clubbed with 2014 runners-up
Japan, Australia and Germany and once again the onus will be on Rio-bound shuttlers Saina and P V Sindhu to earn them wins in the two singles. The choice of the third singles player will be among Ruthvika Shivani Gadde, Tanvi Lad and P C Thulasi.
     In a format comprising of three singles and two doubles, once again it will be 2010 Commonwealth Games champions Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa -- ...

Saina & Co. Eye another medal, uphill task for men in T&U Cup

Table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad will look to quickly bounce back from the disappointing loss against Delhi Daredevils and seal their place in the play-off when they take on a resurgent Kings XI Punjab in an IPL clash here tomorrow.
     Knowing that there is scramble among top teams for the playoff berth and holding on to top position is not an easy task, SRH will have to put the loss against Delhi behind and look to put up an all-round performance tomorrow.
     What has made tomorrow's afternoon game at the I S Bindra PCA stadium here even more important for Hyderabad is the fact that Punjab, which has struggled through the tournament, has suddenly started turning over a leaf under their new captain Murali Vijay, whose appointment was made mid-way.
     The Punjab outfit, which is lying at the seventh place with four wins from 11 outings, pulled off a comprehensive seven-wicket victory against Mumbai Indians at Visakhapatnam last night.
     The victory will surely give the ...

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