Zimbabwe will embark on their first tour of Sri Lanka in 15 years this month, playing five One-day Internationals and a Test match, Sri Lanka's cricket board said today.
     The tour will start on June 30 with the first ODI at the Galle International Stadium, which will host its first limited-overs match in 17 years.
     The last ODI at Galle was in June 2000, when Sri Lanka beat South Africa by 37 runs.
     The first two ODIs with Zimbabwe will be at Galle and the remaining three 50-over games will be at the refurbished Hambantota Stadium.
     The only Test match will be at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo starting July 14.
     Schedule:
     June 30 - 1st ODI at Galle
     July 2 - 2nd ODI at Galle
     July 6 - 3rd ODI at Hambantota
     July 8 - 4th ODI at Hambantota
     July 10 - 5th ODI at Hambantota
     July 14 - 1st Test at Colombo.

Zimbabwe to tour Sri Lanka after 15 years

PTI Automatic

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has dismissed an appeal by Russian boxer Misha Aloian who was stripped of his 2016 Olympic silver medal for doping.
     CAS says its judging panel found that Olympic rules "affords no discretion and that disqualification of results is a necessary consequence" of a positive test.
     Aloian won silver in men's flyweight at the Rio de Janeiro Games but tested positive for the banned stimulant tuaminoheptane.
     The 29-year-old boxer retains the bronze he took in flyweight at the 2012 London Olympics.
     It is unclear if the International Olympic Committee can reallocate his silver medal because there is no bronze medal bout in Olympic boxing.
     Bronze medals were awarded in Rio to both Yoel Segundo Finol of Venezuela and Jianguan Hu of China.

Russian Olympic boxing medallist loses appeal in doping case

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has pleaded with the Indian government to "soften" its stance on resumption of bilateral cricket ties between the two countries as he feels it can reduce tensions.
     "I really hope that we see resumption of bilateral cricket between the two countries and would request the Indian cricket board and the Indian government to soften their stance," Afridi wrote in a column for the ICC ahead of the Champions Trophy summit clash between India and Pakistan here tomorrow.
     India and Pakistan have not played any bilateral cricket since 2007.
     "Having captained Pakistan in the 2011 World Cup semi- final at Mohali, I know the importance of the game and how it brings the two nations to a standstill while underlining the message of peace and tolerance for each other.
     "Cricket can be an actual source of bringing the two nations together and reducing the tensions," he added.
     Talking about tomorrow's match, Afridi said even though Pakistan had .

Afridi requests India to soften stance on bilateral cricket

Virat Kohli's dazzling drives will face stiff competition from Rupinderpal Singh's powerful dragflicks on a rarest of rare occasion when national teams are pitted against Pakistan in cricket and hockey on the same day in a third country.
     Within 55 miles of each other, Indian cricket team will meet their arch rivals at the Oval in London while hockey team will lock horns with Pakistan at the suburb Milton Keynes.
     It's a rarity when national passion and national sport will be jostling for attention from sporting aficionados within a gap of three and half hours.
     Whether it is seven hours of cricket with its ebbs and flows or the 60 minute of adrenaline pumping stickwork, the contests will not be devoid of excitement.
     The 'desis' as British Indians are referred in this part of the world will be in attendance along with their Pakistani counterparts in what can be termed as a sporting carnival on a Super Sunday.
     While Bollywood brigade, political class are expected .

National Passion vs National Sport: Indo-Pak rivalry in Old

The seventh Monsoon Challenge Mangaluru-Panaji car rally, through the 750-km route along theWestern Ghats, will be flagged off from here on June 24.
	The rally, organised by ace rallyists Ashwin Naik and Musa Sherief has completed six seasons and become one of the most sought after events in Karnataka.
	"This road-trip will be one of a kind as the participants will be taking one of the most scenic routes to reach their destination in Goa," a release here said.
	The monsoon would be based on time, speed anddistance (TSD) maintained and covered by participants alongthe curves of the lower Western Ghats to the plains along theKonkan coast.
	Participants would have to endure the brunt of the heavy showers as well as keep up their TSD to achieve best results.
	The rally would also prove to be a test for participants' vehicles as the roads in the coastal region are not known for the best of surfaces during the monsoons.
	On the first day, the participants will drive through Moodbidri, ...

'Monsoon Challenge 2017' rally to be flagged off on June 24 

Giant-killer H S Prannoy played his heart out but eventually ran out of steam against Japanese Kazumasa Sakai to go down narrowly in the semifinals of the Indonesia Super Series Premier badminton tournament here today.
     The World No. 25, who had shocked Olympic silver- medallist Lee Chong Wei and gold-medallist Chen Long in the last two days, got to the match point five times but he could not convert to eventually go down 21-17, 26-28, 18-21 in a 77 -minute men's singles match.
     Prannoy, who had lost to the same opponent during the 2013 edition, mostly matched Sakai stroke for stroke but failed to complete the rallies. The Japanese, a bundle of energy, showed better control over the shuttle to emerge victorious.
     In the first game, Prannoy and Sakai were locked 2-2 early on but the Indian soon moved ahead to first make it 4-2 before entering the break with a healthy 11-6 lead.
     He moved to a 19-15 lead and soon grabbed the game point. Prannoy hit wide and then sent the 

Prannoy's fight ends in agony in Indonesia Open

India's remarkable consistency will be up against Pakistan's legendary volatility when the fierce rivals clash in what is expected to be an exciting finale to the ICC Champions Trophy, here tomorrow.
     The often tense political relations between the neighbouring nations add colour to the bitter yet intense rivalry, which has nowadays been confined only to global events due to the Indian government's refusal to allow bilateral contests.
     Defending champions India had got the better of the rivals in the league stage of the ongoing tournament. And captain Virat Kohli has already declared that nothing extra is needed to get the same result despite the turnaround by Sarfraz Ahmed's men since then.
     It is nonetheless a battle of attrition, where one needs to hold the nerve till the very end.
     The last ball six hit by Javed Miandad off Chetan Sharma haunted a generation of Indian fans till Sachin Tendulkar returned the favour during that epic knock at the Centurion.
     In ...

Final Frontier: Consistent India take on confident Pakistan

The 28th edition of the Gulf Monsoon Scooter Rally will be held on July 2 along the backwoods of neighbouring Navi Mumbai.
	So far 25 riders have confirmed their participation for the rally, organised by Sportscraft and sponsored by Gulf Oil Lubricants India Limited, it was announced at a media conference here last night.
	Among the confirmed participants are last year's winner Syed Asaf Ali of Bhopal and runner up Shamim Khan of Nashik.
	Shrikant Karani of Sportscraft said the flag off will take place from K Star hotel in Navi Mumbai.
	Terming the rally as iconic, he said there has been pressure to include motorcycles  but they have maintained it as a scooter rally.
	This year a family - Shailesh Gala, his son Nikunj and daughter Priya are participating in the event.
	The first rally was held in 1988.
	Karani also said the rally is open to all Indian made scooters- two stroke,  four stroke and gearless. The different classes for competition are - above 80cc upto 110cc - two stroke, ..

28th Gulf Monsoon Scooter Rally in Navi Mumbai on July 2

Former World Cup winning captain, Imran Khan said Pakistan have got a golden opportunity in the Champions Trophy final to avenge its humiliating defeat to India in their first match of the tournament.
     "I think we have got a great chance to restore our pride in the final because of the way we lost the first match to India," he said on "Samaa" television channel.
     "It was humiliating how badly we lost that match and we can turn things around now," he added.
     Imran regarded as Pakistan's best captain after he led them to the 1992 World Cup title said Pakistan needed to learn from the mistakes it made against India in that match.
     Imran also advised Pakistan captain, Sarfraz Ahmed to avoid putting India into bat first if he won the toss in the final.
     "India have a very good batting line-up and if they put up a big total it will bring pressure on us. The strategy of fielding first against other teams has worked well for Sarfraz against other teams as the spinners ...

Golden opportunity for Pakistan to avenge loss to India: Imran

Russia faces a stress test of its readiness to host the 2018 World Cup as the Confederations Cup kicks off today amid concerns over hooliganism and security.
     World Cup holders Germany and the FIFA confederations champions compete in the eight-team tournament which will put Russia's ability to handle thousands of visiting and home fans under the spotlight.
     Security will be a concern over the two weeks in stadiums which have been dogged by construction delays and structural problems.
     Next year's World Cup will take place in 12 stadiums spread across 11 cities, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan and Sochi, the host cities for the Confederations Cup.
     President Vladimir Putin will attend Saturday's Group A opener in Saint Petersburg's Krestovsky Stadium between Russia and Oceania champions New Zealand.
     The Krestovsky Stadium has been mired in scandal, taking over a decade to build at an estimated cost of $800 million, amid allegations of corruption.
     A new 

Russia set for World Cup stress test in Confed Cup

Former world champion Viswanathan Anand played out a draw with Current world champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway and finished tied seventh after the end of the ninth and final round of Altibox Norway chess tournament here.
     It was some recover for Anand who started off with two losses in the first four games and then came back with four draws and a solitary victory over Fabiano Caruana of United States earlier in the tournament.
     Levon Aronian of Armenia deservedly won the tournament after settling for a draw with Wesley So of United States in his final round.
     The Armenian ended with a very impressive six points out of a possible nine and ended a full point ahead of Hikaru Nakamura of United States and Vladimir Kramnik of Russia.
     Caruana, Wesley and Anish Giri of Holland finished tied fourth on 4.5 points a piece while Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France, Anand and Carlsen tied for seventh with four points in all. Russian Sergey Karjakin who had won his last two Norway ...

Anand draws with Carlsen; finishes joint seventh

England's Paul Casey featured in a four-way tie at the top of the 117th US Open leaderboard on Friday as the big guns crashed out of contention.
     On another day of low-scoring at the Erin Hills course in Wisconsin, Casey and compatriot Tommy Fleetwood were bunched on seven under alongside Americans Brooks Koepka and Brian Harman after the second round.
     Behind the leading quartet, a logjam grouped eight players within two shots of the lead.
     Jamie Lovemark, Rickie Fowler and J.B. Holmes featured in a three-way tie at six under.
     South Korea's Kim Si-Woo and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama were among five players on five under which also included amateur Cameron Champ.
     Matsuyama, who had struggled in the opening round with a two-over-par 74, produced an electrifying second round seven- under-par 65 to thrust himself firmly into contention.
     American Chez Reavie also scored 65 on a day when Erin Hills failed for the most part to bare its fangs.
     With the past six ..

Four-way tie at US Open as big guns crash out

Haryana's promising batsman Himanshu Rana has been appointed captain of the India Under-19 squad for next month's two four-day matches against England while compatriot Prithvi Shaw of Mumbai will lead in the subsequent five one-day matches.
     The All-India junior selection committee met earlier today to select the teams, a BCCI release stated.
     India U-19 team for two four-day matches: Himanshu Rana (captain), Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, Manjot Kalra, Riyan Parag Das, S. Radhakrishnan, Harvik Desai, Het Patel, Harsh Tyagi, Ashok Sandhu, Rahul Chahar, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi, Darshan Nalkande, Vivekanand Tiwari.
     India U-19 team for five one-day matches: Prithvi Shaw (captain), Shubman Gill, Himanshu Rana, S Radhakrishnan, Salman Khan, Abhishek Sharma, Harvik Desai, Het Patel, Anukul Roy, Shiva Singh, Rahul Chahar, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi, Yash Thakur, Ishan Porel.

Rana, Shaw to lead India U-19 teams against England

Cristiano Ronaldo is in the spotlight again, but this time not for his skills as a player.
     Ronaldo was making the headlines today, two days before Portugal's Confederations Cup debut in Russia, because of a report that said he wants to leave Real Madrid and Spain following allegations that he defrauded the country's tax authorities.
     The Portuguese sports daily A Bola published a front-page story Friday saying that Ronaldo was upset with the accusations made against him and that his decision was "irreversible."
     The newspaper published the report citing an unnamed source close to Ronaldo. The information could not be independently confirmed by The Associated Press.
     Ronaldo's staff did not immediately respond to messages asking for a comment. The player did not talk to reporters in Kazan.
     After the report, international media filled Portugal's training session in Kazan, where Ronaldo trained normally with the rest of the squad. Portugal, the defending European ...

Ronaldo attracting the headlines after report he might leave

South Africa's Marais Erasmus and Richard Kettleborough of England will be the on-field umpires for the Champions Trophy final between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, the ICC announced today.
     Known for their calm demeanour, both officials will be standing in a high-profile match at the Oval on Sunday.
     Erasmus, a 53-year-old former Boland fast-medium bowler, will be standing in his 71st one-day international, having officiated during Pakistan's eight-wicket semi-final win over tournament hosts England in Cardiff on Wednesday.
     Sunday's match will be the 44-year-old Kettleborough's 72nd ODI as an umpire.
     The former Yorkshire and Middlesex batsman was in the middle for yesterday's second semi-final, when title-holders India beat Bangladesh by nine wickets at Edgbaston.
     Australia's Rod Tucker will be the television umpire on Sunday, with Sri Lanka's Kumar Dharmasena the reserve official.

Erasmus, Kettleborough to officiate in India-Pakistan final

Pakistan have a chance to change their history of poor showings against India in ICC tournaments when they take on the arch-rivals in the Champions Trophy 'dream final', bowling coach Azhar Mahmood said today.
     "India have the upper hand in ICC tournaments. But things can change, and this is the time for us to change the tag that we don't perform well at ICC events," Azhar said.
     "History can change, and I hope we can (change it)," he told reporters at the Oval after his team's training session.
     India have won all three of their previous matches against Pakistan in the knockout stages of ICC tournaments but Azhar said there was no reason why his side would not be able to reverse the trend on Sunday.
     He insisted that a Pakistan victory would not be a shocker despite coming into the tournament as underdogs.
     "It wouldn't be a shock if we win. No one gave us a hope when we got here. We were the number eight ranked side, and no one gave us any credit. But someone ...

It's time to end India's domination in ICC events: Azhar

Diego Vallejos is wondering what to wear for his friend's wedding. He must look the part among the celebrities coming to town -- for the groom is football superstar Lionel Messi.
     "I am letting my hair grow so that I can get a haircut like a star," the chuckling Vallejos, a waiter by profession, told AFP in Rosario, the northern Argentine city where he and Messi grew up.
     Messi marries his childhood sweetheart Antonella Roccuzzo, 29, on June 30, a week after the player's 30th birthday, in Latin America's celebrity wedding of the decade.
     Vallejos is one of 250 people on the guest list -- others include Barcelona stars such as Gerard Pique and his popstar wife Shakira, according to Argentina media.
     "Most of all I just want to be with Lionel. But I am going to mingle a bit with the other guests" at the bash in the City Center hotel and casino, Vallejos said.
     - Football city -
     =================
     Vallejos spoke to AFP near the primary school which he and the 

Messi's hometown, old friends brace for celeb wedding

Hosts Russia kick off the Confederations Cup against New Zealand in Saint Petersburg tomorrow, targeting victory in their opening match to set the tone for a successful tournament.
     But Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov, appointed after the country's disastrous Euro 2016 campaign, predicts a tricky encounter as he oversees his first competitive match in charge.
     The former Russian international goalkeeper has set his squad the ambitious task of winning the Confed Cup, a tournament that serves as a tune-up for next year's World Cup.
     "We're ready to face a likeable New Zealand team but we expect a difficult match (on Saturday)," he told reporters today.
     Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the opener along with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino at Saint Petersburg's purpose-built World Cup 68,000-seater stadium.
     "For us it's a privilege and honour to represent our country. Our team welcomes Russia's president watching our matches.
     "And we naturally want to ..

Russia, New Zealand primed for Confed Cup opener

Pakistan's pace spearhead Mohammad Amir is likely to be fit for selection for the ICC Champions Trophy title clash against India on Sunday.
     Speaking to the media after Amir took part in an entire training session today, Pakistan bowling coach Azhar Mahmood confirmed that the speedster, who missed the semi-final against England due to a back spasm, was fit but did not categorically say whether he will play at the Oval on Sunday.
     A back spasm had ruled Amir out of the semi-final on June 14, after he failed a fitness test shortly before the toss.
     "Amir bowled today (at the nets). Amir is fit. We have not decided about (playing him)," Mahmood said here today.
     Despite bowling well, Amir went wicketless in the first two group matches, against India and South Africa.
     Against Sri Lanka, he took 2 for 53 and scored a valuable 28 not out in an eighth-wicket partnership, which sealed a semi-final place for Pakistan.
     "When you go to a final, you want your experienced 

Amir likely to play in Champions Trophy final against India

Former leading England pace bowler Steve Harmison has revealed his battle with depression got so bad at the peak of his career he contemplated suicide.
     The 38-year-old -- who played 63 Tests in which he took 226 wickets -- says in his autobiography 'Speed Demons', which is being serialised in the 'Daily Mirror', he had gone in 2004 to see a psychologist about his 'demons'.
     This was at a time when he was considered the world's best bowler -- Australian spin legend Shane Warne has listed him as being one of the top 50 cricketers of all time.
     Harmison -- who is one of a series of England cricketing greats such as opener Marcus Trescothick and all-rounder Andrew Flintoff to have spoken about suffering from depression -- said he suffered from depression on long tours abroad but found it pursued him even in a home series.
     "Fast forward to the great summer of 2004, when I was number one in the rankings for the Test bowlers," says Harmison.
     "It was the same story -- ..

Harmison reveals 'demons' made him think of suicide

McDonald's has ended its longtime Olympic sponsorship dating back to 1976, the International Olympic Committee announced today.
     The US fast food giant has supported the Olympics since the Montreal Games and although the split takes place with immediate effect they will continue to be a sponsor at the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang.
     "The IOC and McDonald's have announced that they have mutually agreed to bring their worldwide partnership to an end," an IOC statement confirmed.
     The burger chain, which is cutting its Olympic ties with three years of its contract still to run, was one of the IOC's heavyweight "TOP" partners along with the likes of Coca Cola, Visa, Bridgestone, Panasonic, Toyota and Omega.
     The IOC, giving the reasons behind the divorce, wrote: "In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, we understand that McDonald's is looking to focus on different business priorities."
     McDonald's global chief marketing officer Silvia Lagnado commented: "As .

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