Afghanistan today cried foul over the loss of Rahemi Alla Dada in the final of the men's 69kg boxing competition, alleging that the referees "favoured" home favourite Mandeep Jangra.
     Jangra won the gold to help India make a clean sweep of in men's section at the ongoing 12th South Asian Games here.
     "They (judges) want the host country to win all the medals. You ask Bhutan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka or any other contingent, who will here about who won the bout. You will get your answer," Afghanistan Amateur Boxing Federation president Abdulla Sattari told PTI after the final bout.
     "I even told the Indian head coach (G S Sandhu) why have a final event? We're ready to co-operate and hand the gold to you," the fuming Afghan boxing official added.
     The Afghans, however, have decided not to protest the decision.
     "There's no point lodging a protest. They are the hosts. The same will happen when we host in our country," Sattari said.
     As far as Jangra's bout was ...

Afghans cry four over Jangra win, allege favouritism

PTI Automatic

The BCCI's Working Committee is scheduled to meet here on February 19 ahead of the Special General Meeting that has been convened on the same day to deliberate on the sweeping reforms recommended by the Supreme Court-appointed Justice (retired) R M Lodha Committee.
     "It's a regular meeting of the Working Committee, which is scheduled at 11:00 AM, to be followed by the SGM," informed sources in the BCCI today.
     The SGM has been convened to figure out a way forward after being told sternly by the country's apex court to "fall in line" with the far-reaching consequences of the report.
     Two other items on the special agenda of the SGM are "discussion on financial structure of the Member Boards of ICC (International Cricket Council) and the report of the Affiliation Committee of its visit to Chhattisgarh".
     The far-reaching effects of the implementation of the Lodha panel's recommendations, calling for wide-ranging reforms in the BCCI's structure, and the subsequent ...

BCCI Working Committee to meet prior to SGM

China, Korea and Thailand emerged victorious after beating their respective opponents in the Badminton Asia Team Championship at the Gachibowli indoor stadium here today.
     While China beat Singapore 3-2, Korea trounced Philippines 5-0 in the men's category, and Thai women thrashed Sri Lanka 5-0.
     The Chinese shuttlers defeated their Singapore counterparts in two singles matches and a doubles match to clinch the contest 3-2. Singapore won a doubles and a singles match in the tie.
     Each tie comprises three singles and two doubles.
     China's Houwei Tian, ranked world number eight in singles, posted an easy 21-11 21-12 victory over his Singapore rival Zi Liang Derek Wong, ranked 49 before China's Bin Qiao, ranked 56 in BWF world rankings, defeated a lower-ranked Zin Rei Ryan NG in another singles match.
     It was a clean sweep for Korea against Philippines. 21-ranked Dong Keun Lee set the stage for his team's victory with a comprehensive 21-8 21-6 win over a lower-ranked .

China, Korea, Thailand emerge victorious

Left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat wreaked havoc with the ball as Saurashtra dished out a dominant performance to thrash Assam by 10 wickets and sail into the final of the Ranji Trophy cricket tournament, here today.
     Such was Saurashtra's dominance that they wrapped up the five-day match inside three days with Assam batsmen falling flat in front of the opposition bowling unit led by Unadkat, who returned with impressive match figures of 11 for 112 runs.
     Unadkat, who picked up six wickets in Assam's first innings, followed it up with yet another stellar show scalping five more victims in the second essay by giving away just 45 runs.
     Resuming at the overnight score of 254 for five Saurashtra added 99 more runs before being bowled out for 353 in their first innings in reply to Assam's 234.
     Centurion Cheteshwar Pujara (126) managed to add just 10 runs to his overnight score while Chirag Jani made 43 and Deepak Punia was unbeaten on 42.
     For Assam, pace duo of Krishna ...

Saurashtra thrash Assam by 10 wickets, enter Ranji final

The West Indian batting legend Sir Vivian Richards is open to the idea of coaching Pakistan national cricket team though he feels that the current coach Waqar Younis is doing a "great job".
     Richards, who has become a much sought after figure in the ongoing Pakistan Super League, where he is mentoring Quetta Gladiators team, said said he would not decline any coaching offers from Pakistan Cricket Board.
     "Waqar Younis at present is doing a great job with the Pakistan team but if given an opportunity to take up a coaching assignment with Pakistan cricket I would definitely give it a shot as I believe I have a lot to offer to the game," the 63-year old said.
     Considered one of the all-time greatest batsmen in world, Richards said it is sad that international teams are not touring Pakistan.
     "Pakistan is an important member of the world cricket community and it is sad to see no international cricket being played in Pakistan and I just hope things improve soon."
     ...

Richards keen to coach Pakistan

Amid mounting speculation on Pakistan's participation in next month's World Twenty20 in India, the country's Cricket Board today said it is not under any pressure from the ICC to send its team and a final decision remains solely dependent on government clearance.
     Pakistan Cricket Board is awaiting government go ahead to travel for the mega-event starting march 8.
     "Until now no such thing has come from the ICC nor was any such thing discussed at the recent ICC meeting where we raised our concerns clearly about security for the Pakistani players in India," a top PCB official told PTI today.
     The PCB's statement came in response to media reports that ICC had warned Pakistan of legal consequences should they withdraw from the tournament.
     The official admitted that if government does not give its permission to play in India for security reasons, there was nothing the PCB could do.
     "Look we have got no instructions or directions from our government as yet about ...

No pressure from ICC for WT20 participation: PCB

Uttar Pradesh Wizards would be going all out for a win to ensure a berth in the semifinals when they take on Dabang Mumbai, who are lying at the bottom of the table, in the Hockey India League game tomorrow.
     The two teams would face off in their last round robin clash at the MHAL-Mahindra Stadium here after suffering losses in their previous away games against defending champions and league toppers Ranchi Rays.
     While UP were trounced 0-6, Mumbai were edged 0-1 by Ranchi which helped the title holders to become the first team to reach the semifinals in this year's edition.
     UP have got one more day to recover from their exertions as compared to Mumbai, who played yesterday and lost.
     The visitors, thus, are expected to be in better shape than the home team players.
     How much energy will Mumbai possess, after finishing their match last evening and travelling to their home venue, will be a major factor in determining the outcome. Mumbai need to win tomorrow's game ..

UP seek win over Mumbai to enter semis

Former India cricketer Hrishikesh Kanitkar has been named assistant coach of the new Indian Premier League franchise -- Rising Pune Supergiants -- for the upcoming season to be held from April 9 to May 29.
     Kanitkar, who played two Tests in 1999/2000 and 34 ODIs, is remembered for his heroics in the final match of the Independence Cup against Pakistan in 1998.
     The gutsy left hander hit a boundary off Saqlain Mushtaq, when India required three runs to win from two balls, in fading light to enable them post a memorable victory over the arch-rivals in Dhaka, chasing a 300-plus target.
     With 8,059 runs in 105 matches, Kanitkar is in the top five highest run-getters in Ranji Trophy.
     In July 2015, Kanitkar announced his retirement from international cricket.
     The Rising Pune Supergiants, to be led by India's limited-overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, have already named Stephen Fleming as the head coach.

Kanitkar named assistant coach of Rising Pune Supergiants

Making another attempt at sorting the administrative mess in Indian boxing, representatives of 18 state units held a meeting with the AIBA ad-hoc committee and the coordination panel to discuss formation of a new federation.
     The meeting was also attended by four government units and the draft of a new constitution was circulated to get the observations.
     "The observations would be put forwarded to the International Federation (AIBA) within seven days for ratification. We're trying our best to secure Indian boxers participation in Rio Olympics (in August this year)," chairman of the Sports Ministry-constituted coordination committee Asit Banerjee told PTI.
     The next meeting of these stakeholders would be held within three weeks in Kolkata to take the discussions forward.
     He further said they are organising two tournaments -- All India Youth Championship from February 19-23 in Bhimavaram and Junior and Youth Championship in New Delhi in March.
     Banerjee further ...

Indian boxing mess: State units hold meeting with ad-hoc panel

The rise of Paris Saint-Germain into a European football powerhouse has coincided with a spurt of off-the-field activities initiated by the top French club as part of its Corporate Social Responsibilty (CSR), including helping cancer patients.
     18-year-old old Adrien suffers from cancer. Last week, the doctors informed that he has stopped eating and communicating.
     The situation went from bad to worse when Adrien had an unlikely guest in his hospital room. It was Paris Saint Germain and Argentine star Javier Pastore sitting by his bedside. He spent time with Adrien who was on the cusp of his 18th birthday.
     "The doctors then informed us that it was first time in days that Adrien had smile on his face. His situation is really bad but he is fighting. Pastore's visit was our way of showing we care," PSG Foundation director Christine Le Gal said, speaking of the club's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives that has made a difference to lives of more than 165,000 ...

PSG: Touching hearts through CSR initiatives

Indina boxing mess: State units

Indian shooters made yet another clean sweep on the final day to sign off with a staggering 25 out of 26 gold medals on offer in the 12th South Asian Games here today.
     Rio Olympics bound Gurpreet Singh shot down the gold in men's individual 25m rapid fire pistol with a total of 28 hits on target, while Sweta Singh grabbed another yellow metal in women's individual 10m air pistol event with a total score of 194.4 even though she was shooting with her spare gun at the Kahilipara Shooting Range here.
     Sweta said her gun got problems in the trigger and she had to shoot with her spare gun today.
     Another Olympics quota holder Heena Sidhu had to be content with the silver in the women's 10m air pistol event with a total score of 192.5, while 18-year-old Chandigarh shooter Yashaswini Singh Deswal took the bronze.
     India also took a gold each in both the team events to sweep aide any competition from other countries in the discipline.
     India gave away just one gold -- to .

Gurpreet, Sweta win gold as India signs of with record haul

Following is the race results
of 30th day of Hyderabad Winter Races held here today.
     First Race:The Amarnath Gupta Memorial Cup (cat.II) distance about 1800 metres
Vijay Vaishnavee (M/s.Vijay racing and farms Pvt.Rep.By Mr. Vijay Kumar Gupta and Mr. Susheel Kumar Gupta and Mr.Ahmed Alam Khan and Mr. Mohd.Alam Khan) 58 Ajit Singh First Alameda 59.5 SurajNarredu Second
Winjoy 60 A.S.Pawar Third
Graceland 50 Md.Ismail Fourth
Carolina Moon not run
rest five ran
Won by : 1/4 l, 2-1/2 l, 3-3/4 l
Time   :One minute 53.28 minutes
Tote paid by:Rs 8 for win, Rs 5 and Rs 7 for places Winner trained by:Deshmukh
Favourite : Vijay Vaishnavee (winner)
forecast  :Rs 13
Quinella  :Rs 6
SHP       :Rs 13
Tanala    :Rs 17 each paid on 3165 tickets.

 Following is the race results

Uttar Pradesh Wizards would be going all out for a win and seal a spot in the semifinals when they take on Dabang Mumbai, already out of reckoning for a knock-out place, in the Hockey India League game tomorrow.
     The two teams would face off in their last round robin clash at the MHAL-Mahindra Stadium here after suffering losses in their previous away games against defending champions and league toppers Ranchi Rays.
     While UP were trounced 6-0, Mumbai were edged 1-0 by Ranchi which helped the title holders to become the first team to reach the semis in this year's edition.
    	UP, who have 23 points with tomorrow's game in hand, had one day more than Mumbai, who played yesterday and lost, to recover from their exertions on the field of play and off the field by travelling to this metropolis.
	The visitors, thus, seem to hold a slight edge over the hosts who will be playing for pride, having blown away their chance to reach the last four for the third year running.
	How much ..

UP seek win over Mumbai to seal semi final spot

Pakistan players Wahab Riaz and
Ahmed Shehzad have been fined heavily and  given a warning by
the Cricket Board for a heated on-field altercation during a PSL match in the UAE.
	The incident happened in the fifth over of the match between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi when the two Pakistani players pushed each other and exchanged harsh words.
While Shehzad was fined 30 per cent of his match fee, Riaz was penalised 40 per cent of his game earnings by match referee Roshan Mahanama.
	"The players have been asked to behave as such incidents hampers the image of Pakistan cricket as millions are watching the PSL around the globe," a PCB official said.
	"Physical contact is a serious offence and we don't take it lightly, this time the players have just been cautioned privately since they were fined by the match referee," the official added.
     While Wahab has been named in the Pakistan squad for the Asia Cup and World T20 the national selectors have sidelined Shehzad for not showing 

Riaz, Shehzad cautioned by PCB for spat in PSL match

Hoping to carry his great run of form to the Asia Cup and World T20, India opener Shikhar Dhawan today said keeping things simple and "doing the basics right" has worked in his favour.
     Dhawan was involved in a candid chat with his opening partner Rohit Sharma following India's comprehensive nine- wicket win over Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam last night, which gave the home side the three-match Twenty20 series 2-1.
     "First of all I am very fortunate that my teammate is saying that my form is very important for my team. And yeah, I am just keeping it quite simple, making sure that I am doing the basics right, just timing the ball rather than look to hit the ball," Dhawan told his interviewer, Sharma on this instance, in a viedo posted on 'bcci.Tv'.
     The Delhi boy added: "Of course, in this format we have to hit big ones too. I make sure that I play less dot balls so pressure doesn't build on me that much."
     The 30-year-old Dhawan smashed his way to a maiden half-century in 

Wish to carry my run of form to World T20: Dhawan

Concerned about the administrative
logjam in Indian boxing, Olympic bronze-medallist M C Mary Kom today said future seems dark for the country's pugilists, who are losing motivation to train.
     India does not have a national federation after the International Boxing Association (AIBA) terminated Boxing India last year. The sport is being administered by an ad-hoc committee.
     The five-time world champion hoped the administrators would put their house in order before the much-anticipated Rio Olympics in August this year.
     "Yes, they (the boxers) are all demotivated. There's no competition, so it's very frustrating. Whatever effort they're putting is of no use. They're being patient enough but the future is dark for them without any competition. If there's no National Championship, we won't have any new boxers that means no hope for future. Future will be dark," Mary Kom told PTI.
     "For seniors at least this South Asian Games have come up and the qualification (Zonal ...

Administrative mess demotivating boxers: Mary Kom

India's under-19 cricket captain Ishan Kishan has been signed by leading sports
 Management
group IOS Sports and Entertainment for a period of three years.
	An emerging cricketer from Jharkhand, who led the Indian team to the final of the recently-concluded U-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, is the second cricketer after Suresh Raina to have been exclusively signed by the group.
	"I am fortunate to be associated with IOS, my focus now will completely be on performing better and cementing my place in the senior national squad," said Ishan.
	The promising wicketkeeper-batsman has signed a three year commercial deal with IOS for his worldwide representation rights.
     IOS will manage Ishan's endorsements and brand associations, corporate profile, patents and digital rights, images, visibility on social networking sites and merchandise.
	"We are proud to have added Ishan to our portfolio. The promising youngster has the potential to be among the top cricketers of the next generation," said ..

IOS signs India U-19 captain Ishan Kishan for three years

The Indian Boxing Council will collaborate with the World Boxing Association (WBA) to conduct seminars for its technical officials from February 17 to 19 here to equip them for Asian and world level pro-boxing contests.
     The IBC is affiliated to the World Boxing Association, headquartered in Panama City, South America. The WBA, founded in 1921. Is the oldest among the four largest organisations which sanction World Championship bouts.
     The international officials for the upcoming seminar were nominated by the WBA President Gilberto Jesus Mendoza during the body's 94th Convention at Panama City.
     WBA Advisor Stanley Christodoulou, the first man to referee world title fights in all 17 weight categories and the third to oversee 100 world title bouts, will conduct the technical officials seminar.
     Christodoulou served as executive director of the South African Boxing Board of Control, and has twice been named South Africa Boxing's 'Man of the Year'.
     The Medical ...

IBC collaborates with WBA for Technical Officials seminar

The West
Indies cricketers' acrimonious pay dispute with their Board has been resolved with 12 of them signing their contracts for the World Twenty20 in India but batsman Darren Bravo has opted out to "concentrate on the longer formats of the game".
     The West Indies Cricket Board said that star batsman Chris Gayle, skipper Darren Sammy, Sulieman Benn, Jason Holder, Andre Fletcher, Dwayne Bravo, Samuel Badree, Lendl Simmons, Jerome Taylor, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels and Denesh Ramdin have signed their contracts within the deadline that ended yesterday.
     However, Bravo became the third cricketer to pull out from the squad, joining Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard. But none of them have cited the pay dispute as reason for their withdrawal.
     "Following the withdrawal of Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard, selectors have named Ashley Nurse and Carlos Brathwaite respectively, to replace them," the WICB said in a statement.
     "The selectors will name Bravo's replacement ...

Pay dispute resolved, West Indies set for World T20

Scoreboard at completion of the
first Test between New Zealand and Australia in Wellington today:
 New Zealand 1st innings 183
 Australia 1st innings 562
 New Zealand 2nd innings (overnight 178-4)
 T. Latham c Khawaja b Lyon           63
 M. Guptill c Marsh b Lyon            45
 K. Williamson c Nevill b Hazlewood   22
 H. Nicholls b Bird                   59
 B. McCullum lbw Marsh                10
 C. Anderson lbw Marsh                 0
 B. Watling b Lyon                    10
 D. Bracewell lbw Hazlewood           14
 M. Craig not out                     33
 T. Southee c Khawaja b Lyon          48
 T. Boult b Marsh                     12
 Extras: (b2, lb5, nb4)               11
 Total (for 10 wickets, 104.3 overs) 327
 Fall of wickets: 1-81, 2-121, 3-157, 4-178, 5-185, 6-214, 7- 218, 8-242, 9-301.
 Bowling: Hazlewood 29-7-75-2, Bird 19-4-51-1, Siddle 8-0-30- 0, Marsh 17.3-2-73-3, Lyon 31-10-91-4.

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