Fifteen-year-old Honda rider Mohamed Mikail on Friday became the first Indian to join the 2020 Asia Talent Cup grid.
Mikail, who is based in Chennai, was among the five young riders from India to participate in the selection for 2020 season Asia Talent Cup at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia.
These included 13-year-old Sarthak Shrikant Chavan from Pune, 14 year-old Kavin Samaar Quintal, 15-year-old Geoffrey and 16-year-old Varoon S from Chennai.

Honda rider Mikail picked for Asia Talent Cup

PTI Automatic

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday exuded confidence that both the Indian men's and women's hockey teams will qualify for next year's Tokyo Games, thereby helping the eight-time Olympic champions to revive its lost glory in the sport.
"I have come here to cheer and encourage both the men's and women's hockey teams in their bid to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. Hopefully, India will revive its lost glory in hockey," Rijiju told reporters here on the sidelines of the opening day of two-leg Olympic Qualifiers here.
Rijiju, who watched the first-leg of Indian men's and women's teams Olympic Qualifiers against USA and Russia at the Kalinga Stadium here, said the government is committed to extend all possible support to the athletes in their endeavours to earn Olympic glory for the country.
He said the government is taking all necessary steps to ensure India's best-ever performance in next year's Tokyo Olympics.
"Predicting number of medals is difficult but we will give our best shot ..

Hopefully Indian hockey will revive its lost glory: Sports Minister

India captain Rohit Sharma on Friday assured BCCI boss Sourav Ganguly that his team is ready to play Sunday's T20 International against Bangladesh despite growing concerns about severe air pollution in the National Capital Region.
While the Bangladeshi players wore anti-pollution masks during the fielding session in the morning, there was no such concerns for the Indian team as it practised in the afternoon.
"The BCCI president called the team to check on its well being. Sourav Ganguly had a discussion with stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma on how the team is coping up with the situation. Indian captain has confirmed that the team was fine and had a full outdoor training session without any issue," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
Meanwhile, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has advised the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) to "wash trees inside the Feroz Shah Kotla premises" and "track polluting items within its 2 km radius" ahead of the game.
This 

Rohit speaks to BCCI president Ganguly, says team ready to play first T20

Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri got off to a flying start with a five-under 66 in the first round of the PGA TOUR's inaugural Bermuda Championship here.
Lahiri, who has had a modest start to the new season, is now lying tied-seventh while his senior colleague Arjun Atwal (69) was T-23rd and Daniel Chopra (74) was way behind in 102nd place.
Lahiri had seven birdies and two bogeys including three birdies in five holes between 13th and 17th holes. It was a sign of yet another fine start, but he now needs to carry on with it.
At the top, Scottie Scheffler closed with a bogey for a 9-under 62 and a one-stroke lead. Scheffler played his opening nine at hilly Port Royal Golf Club in 6-under 29.
He had an eagle on the par-5 17th and added birdies on Nos. 2, 4, 6 and 7. In position to birdie in for a 59, he parred the par-3 eighth and dropped the stroke on the par-4 ninth.
Scheffler is the 2019 Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. He hit 10 of 14 fairways, 15 of 18 greens in 

Lahiri off to flying start in Bermuda Championships

The High Court here on Friday stayed the proposed appointment of the new ombudsman of the Rajasthan Cricket Association during it general body meeting on Monday.
It also allowed the District Cricket Association (DCA) of Nagaur to take part in the meeting.
The DCA (Nagaur) had approached the High Court, challenging the appointment of Justice Prashant Agarwal (retd) in the November 4 meeting.
"The RCA had been in the process of changing the ombudsman from Gyan Sudha Mishra to retired judge Prashant Agarwal. This was challenged by the DCA (Nagaur) and the court allowed the petition, staying this appointment," said a counsel for the petitioner, Manoj Bhandari.
Another counsel for the petitioner said the agenda for the meeting was to appoint Justice Agarwal as the ombudsman but he started issuing notices for hearing before that.
Challenging the notices, the petitioner stated that how could the ombudsman start issuing the notices before he was formally appointed.
"The court restrained him ..

Rajasthan HC stays appointment of new RCA ombudsman

India captain Rohit Sharma, who was hit on his left abdomen during a net session, has been declared "fit and available" for the first T20 International against Bangladesh on Sunday.
Rohit, who will lead India in the three-match series in Virat Kohli's absence, received the blow early into the net session while taking throwdowns.
After a few throwdowns, one sharp delivery hit Rohit on the inside region of jios left thigh.
He immediately left the nets and it was visible that he wasn't happy with the pace at which the throwdown delivery was hurled at him.
"Rohit Sharma was hit on the left side of his abdomen while batting in the nets today. The BCCI medical team has confirmed that he is fit and available for the first T20 after assessment of his injury," the BCCI media manager issued a statement on behalf of the team.
The Indian team has a designated a left-arm throwdown expert in Sri Lanka's Nuwan to counter left-arm seamers in the opposition, Mustafizur Rahaman in this particular ...

Rohit survives injury scare, available for 1st T20 Int'l vs Bangladesh

Batting during twilight and spotting a not-so pronounced seam of pink ball when wrist spinners put in the revolutions are some of the technical concerns for Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo ahead of his team's first-ever day-night Test against India at the Eden Gardens from November 22.
Domingo was the South Africa coach when they played Australia in a Day-Night Test in 2016 and is aware of some practical difficulties that his current team might face.
"It's a difficult ball to see when you are batting particularly in the phase between sunset and dark (twilight). Guys struggle against wrist spinners because it is difficult to see the seam as it is not pronounced like red ball with white seam (stiches)," Domingo said when asked about the challenges.
Cheteshwar Pujara too said pink ball could pose some problems during the twilight period.
"In the twilight period, I feel that maybe, sighting the ball could be a little challenging. (But) the more you play, you get used to it. It's always ..

Negotiating pink ball during twilight most challenging in day-night Test: Bangla coach Domingo

Indian women's hockey team took giant leap towards Olympic qualification with a near-flawless performance to hammer USA 5-1 in the first-leg of the two-match FIH Qualifier here on Friday.
It was expected to be a tricky tie for the hosts but the women punched above their weight to simply demolish USA's challenge in front of a partisan crowd at the Kalinga Stadium.
Dragflicker Gurjit Kaur (42nd and 51st) struck brace while Lilima Minz (28th), Sharmila Devi (40th) and Navneet Kaur (46th) were the other scorers.
USA's consolation goal came from a penalty stroke converted by Erin Matson in the 54th minute.
Ranked ninth in the world, India now need to defend their four-goal advantage in Saturday's second and final-leg to seal their Tokyo 2020 ticket.
The Indians exerted early pressure on the Americans but failed to create any clear cut opportunities.
USA got their act together with passage of time and had a clear sight of goal in the seventh minute but Alyssa Parker shot wide from top right 

Olympic Qualifiers: Rampaging Indian women thrash USA 5-1 in first leg

Former India captain and CoA member Diana Edulji on Friday took offence to the "foolish" comment made by Farokh Engineer targetting her, saying the 81-year-old's poor cricket knowledge surprised her.
Speaking to a newspaper, Engineer, who played 46 Tests and five ODIs for India, had ridiculed the credentials of India's five-member selection panel led by MSK Prasad.
He had also called Committee of Administrators' 33-month tenure at the BCCI a "waste of time", saying the three-member panel had no idea about the game though Edulji had played "little cricket".
"He is an old friend. For someone whom I have known for years, I am surprised that his knowledge of cricket is so poor. I wish he had thought a bit before making such a foolish statement. I don't want to say further because I respect his cricket and he should respect the cricket that I have played," Edulji, who played 20 Tests and 34 ODIs.
"Whether it is women's cricket or men's cricket, one should not discriminate between the two," 

Diana Edulji hits out at 'friend' Farokh Engineer, says surprised by his poor cricket knowledge

The Indian Cricketers Associations (ICA) has now filled vacancies for male and female representatives in all state associations save Manipur and Sikkim.
A senior ICA official confirmed the development to PTI on Friday, the first day of their two-day meeting held at the BCCI here.
ICA is India's first ever players' association formed as per recommendation of the Supreme Court-appointed Justice RM Lodha panel.
"Now only two members are left -- Sikkim and Manipur and rest all is taken care of," an iCA functionary said requesting anonymity.
On October 16, when the ICA had met for the first time, they had filled about 24 vacancies and needed to fill another 14.
For example, in the Mumbai Cricket Association, Kiran Powar and Samantha Lobatto will be the male and female representatives respectively to the apex body.
The ICA had prepared a tentative budget of Rs 10-15 crore but the official expects things to move on only after the BCCI conducts its apex council meeting.
But the official said .

All ICA state units save Sikkim, Manipur have filled vacancies: Official

Former Australia batsman Dean Jones has a simple theory on countering the 'dew factor' in day-night Tests: change the pink ball if it gets wet.
Experts have already predicted that dew will play a big role in the first-ever day-night Test in India, to be held in Kolkata from November 22.
"It (the Day-Night Test) is a great initiative. The dew factor is a concern, there is no doubt about that. If the ball is wet, just change it," Jones told PTI over phone from Australia.
"The laws of the game have changed. For example in (Sir Don) Bradman's time, if the team made 200 runs, they got a second new ball. We are playing a night game, if the ball gets wet, just change the ball, it is as simple as that as far as I am concerned," said Jones, a 'Select Dugout' expert on Star Sports.
Cricket under lights has been seen as the future of Test cricket, which is struggling to attract big crowds in the T20 era.
Jones said day-night Tests have gone on to become a huge hit in Australia where the first ...

If the ball gets wet, just change it: Dean Jones on 'dew factor' in day-night Tests

Scoreboard in the third and final Twenty20 international between Australia and Sri Lanka in Melbourne on Friday.
Sri Lanka
K. Mendis c McDermott b Richardson 13
N. Dickwella c McDermott b Starc
0
K. Perera c Turner b Cummins
57
A. Fernando c McDermott b Cummins  20
O. Fernando  c Carey b Richardson
6
B. Rajapaksa not out
17
S. Jayasuriya b Starc
12
L. Malinga not out
8
Extras (lb8, w1)
9
Total (six wickets, 20 overs)
142
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-33, 3-76, 4-99, 5-110, 6-132
Bowling: Starc 4-0-32-2, Richardson 4-0-25-2, Cummins 4-0-23-2, Zampa 4-0-30-0, Agar 4-0-24-0
Australia
A. Finch c Jayasuriya b Kumara
37
D. Warner not out
57
S. Smith c Sandakan b Pradeep
13
B. McDermott lbw Malinga
5
A. Turner not out
22
Extras (lb5, w6)
11
Total (three wickets, 17.4 overs) 145
Fall of wickets: 1-69 (Finch), 2-85 (Smith), 3-99 (McDermott) Bowling: Malinga 4-0-22-1, Kumara 4-0-49-1, Pradeep 3.4-0-20-1, Jayasuriya 2-0-24-0, Sandakan 4-0-25-0.

Australia v Sri Lanka T20 scoreboard

Australia cruised past Sri Lanka to clean-sweep their three-match Twenty20 series Friday, with an in-form David Warner grinding out a third successive half-century in the seven wicket win.
The home team have been dominant throughout, winning by 134 runs in Adelaide and by nine wickets with seven overs to spare in Brisbane ahead of the clash in Melbourne.
Sri Lanka's batting had been insipid until now, but they finally posted a competitive score of 142 for six, with Kusal Perera hitting 57.
However their bowlers, led by Lasith Malinga, have been no match for a quality Australian batting line-up, spearheaded by Warner who has now scored 217 in three innings without losing his wicket.
"It was pretty clinical once we got into a routine," said Australia captain Aaron Finch.
"The way the bowlers set it up for us over the last two games, it was outstanding.
"Every game is a different challenge and a different surface, so it's important to bring in your best, in terms of preparation and ...

Warner leads Australia to T20 clean-sweep over Sri Lanka

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with its German counterpart, DFB, here on Friday.
The signing of the agreement coincided with German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to India.
Kushal Das, General Secretary AIFF and Friedrich Curtius, General Secretary DFB, signed the document to formalise the relationship between the two football governing bodies.
"The MoU covers a wide range of areas pertaining to Indian football such as coach education (including grassroots), talent scouting and promotion, deployment of professional referees to India, exchange between national teams and visit of DFB all-star team (if feasible), joint marketing initiatives and sports administration via discussions on their competition management solutions," said the AIFF in a statement.
"Football cooperation among states is also one of the agendas in respective Government's discussion," it added.
Das expressed delight at joining hands with DFB.
"It is a great honour 

AIFF signs MOU with German Football Association

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson's bowling action was given the all-clear Friday after he was reported during the first Test against Sri Lanka in August.
The right-handed batsman and occasional off-spinner came under scrutiny in Galle during a Test that Sri Lanka won by six wickets.
He subsequently underwent a bowling assessment in England last month, where his action met the elbow extension angle permitted under ICC rules.
"The International Cricket Council today confirmed that the bowling action of New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has been found to be legal, and he can continue bowling in international cricket," the ICC said in a statement.
Williamson is not playing in the ongoing home Twenty20 series against England after a recurring hip injury flared up.
England won the opening game on Friday by seven wickets.

NZ skipper Williamson's bowling action given all clear

Kusal Perera hit 57 as Sri Lanka finally found some form Friday in the third and final Twenty20, setting Australia 143 to clean-sweep the series.
The home team have been dominant in the opening two games, winning by 134 runs in Adelaide and by nine wickets with seven overs to spare in Brisbane, completely outplaying the visitors.
Sri Lanka's batting had been insipid until now -- their top score before Friday in two games was 27 -- and they made four changes as Aaron Finch won the toss and put them into bat.
It didn't start well with Niroshan Dickwella, elevated to opener after Danushka Gunathilaka was dropped, out first ball in the opening over, ballooning a Mitchell Starc delivery to Ben McDermott.
Perera and Kusal Mendis began showing some aggression, slapping a handful of boundaries, before Kane Richardson tempted Mendis into another big shot and he was caught at deep square for 13.
But Perera dug in and along with Avishka Fernando pushed the score to 65 for two at the halfway ...

Sri Lanka set Australia 143 to win third T20

Cheteshwar Pujara can't wait for India's first ever Day/Night Test despite all the talk of it being a challenge as he is confident that the country's formidable batting line-up will have no trouble adapting to the pink ball.
The prolific batsman topped the run charts (453) with two daddy hundreds, including a 256 not out for India Blue in the Duleep Trophy more than three years back when pink ball was experimented with for the first time by the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI technical committee.
Now, after taking over as the BCCI president, Ganguly has convinced the Bangladesh Cricket Board and both the countries will play their maiden pink ball Test at Eden Gardens from November 22-26. Former players, including the great Sachin Tendulkar, have spoken about the multiple challenges like dew while playing in the evening.
"It's going to be exciting...What we played was a first-class match, this is going to be a Test match. I'm sure all the players are excited about it," the Indian Test No.3 ...

Adapting to pink ball only challenge in Day/Night Test: Pujara

Getting the core of players right without too much tinkering will be India's priority going into the 2020 T20 World Cup, batting coach Vikram Rathour said here on Friday.
India will start their three-match T20 campaign against Bangladesh here on Sunday with an aim to test young players like Shivam Dube and Sanju Samson.
Rathour said that experiments can happen but he is not in favour of frequent chop and change.
"You can't be changing too much as well. I agree. But a big tournament is coming so we need to know the core of our team and we need to maintain that core," Rathour said during the media conference.
"And in between, try out new players who are coming through. If they work out good for our combination, it will work for our team," said Rathour.
The former India opener said that winning matches while batting first is one area the team needs to improve on.
"In the last series, we deliberately batted first in one game which we lost. That's one are we need to work on. We need to bat 

We need to identify core of players for T20 WC without much tinkering: Rathour

India's top singles players, including Prajnesh Gunneswaran, Sumit Nagal and Ramkumar Ramanathan will compete at the KPIT-MSLTA Challenger, which will be held in Pune from November 11.
The announcement was made by Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) Secretary Sunder Iyer and KPIT's CEO and Managing Director Kishor Patil.
Prajnesh, ranked 92, had ended a runner-up at the last edition.
Nagal, who has jumped to career-best rank of 129, had grabbed the headlines after taking a set off iconic Roger Federer in the first round of the US Open.
The tournament is the longest running ATP Challenger in India and now into its sixth year.
"With the new 48-player draw format, the cut-off this year is 550, which makes it very strong Challenger at this level," said Iyer, who informed that of the 48 players, 41 players will be get direct entry, two players will come through qualifiers and five players will get entry through wild cards.
The qualifying round will have only two matches and ..

Top Indian players in fray at KPIT-MSLTA Challenger

India captain Rohit Sharma was hit on his left thigh while taking throwdowns here on Friday, forcing him to leave the net session ahead of Sunday's T20 International against Bangladesh.
Rohit, who will lead India in the three-match series in Virat Kohli's absence, received the blow early into the net session. After a few throwdowns, one sharp delivery hit Rohit on his left thigh.
He immediately left the nets and it was visible that he wasn't happy with the pace at which the throwdown delivery was hurled at him.
The Indian team has a designated a left-arm throwdown expert in Sri Lanka's Nuwan to counter left-arm seamers in the opposition, Mustafizur Rahaman in this particular series.
Usually, the batsmen take throwdowns in order to get some rhythm before facing bowlers in the nets.
Since the practice pitches at most Indian grounds are not of great quality, players want to be cautious during the net sessions.
It was learnt that Rohit was taking treatment for the blow and didn't take ...

Rohit receives blow on left thigh ahead of first T20

Openers Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal smashed spectacular hundreds before Jalaj Saxena took a career-best seven-wicket haul, steering India C into the final of the Deodhar Trophy with a massive 232-run win over India A, here on Friday.
India C skipper Gill (143 off 142) and Test opener Agarwal (120 off 111) shared a 226-run stand before a special knock from Suryakumar Yadav (72 not out off 29) propelled the team to 366 for three in 50 overs.
India A were never in the chase and off-spinner Saxena (7/41) ran through their batting line-up with a memorable spell. It was India A's second successive defeat in as many days, knocking them out of the tournament.
India C and India B, who beat India A on Thursday, will play the final here on Monday. Before the title clash, they meet each other in the final league game on Saturday.
India C effectively batted India A out of the game with Agarwal and Gill piling up the runs. Gill, who was part of the India Test squad for the home series against ..

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