Top-seeds Yash Fadte and Sanya  Vats won the boys and girls under-19 titles respectively in  style, posting easy wins in the finals of the HCL Sub-junior  and Junior National Squash Championship here on Tuesday.
While the promising Fadte eased past Sankalp Anand  (Delhi) 11-2, 11-8, 11-4, Vats outplayed Amira Singh 11-5,  11-8, 11-6.
Host Tamil Nadu finished with two titles as Darshil  Parasrampuria and Arihant KS won in the boys under-11 and  under-13 sections respectively.
Tiana Parasrampuria (girls under-15), Yuvraj Wadhwani  (boys under-15) and the talented Neel Joshi (boys under-17)  from the START Academy near Mumbai, run by former PSA player  and five-time national champion Ritwik Bhattacharya, emerged  victorious.
Ace table tennis player G Sathiyan Gnanasekaran gave  away the prizes in the presence of Rajat Chandolia, Head of  Brand Strategy and Sports Initiatives, HCL Corporation and  Cyrus Poncha, Secretary-General, Squash Rackets Federation of  India.
Results: (All Finals): 

Yash Fadte, Sanya Vats win u-19 titles

PTI Automatic

The Diamond League international athletics series will expand to 15 meetings next season with an additional event in China, organisers have announced.
The IAAF said in a statement that 15 meetings will be staged between April 17 and September 11, one more than this year with an additional date in China at a venue yet to be decided.
The Stockholm Diamond League meeting is retained despite a plan announced earlier this year to exclude it for 2020 in a bid to streamline the series while widening its appeal.
A decision to replace the traditional two-meeting final of the league by one final meeting in Zurich is maintained.
The second event in China, scheduled for May 10 in addition to the Shanghai meeting a week later, follows the announcement of a new sponsorship deal with China's Wanda Sports Group, the statement said.
The IAAF also decided to cut the broadcast time of individual meetings from two hours to 90 minutes.
"The Diamond League is our shop window and we want to attract new fans 

Diamond League gets second China meet

The International Judo Federation (IJF) said Tuesday it had banned Iran from competition indefinitely over the country's refusal to face Israeli competitors.
The federation issued a provisional ban last month while investigating a report that Iran had ordered a judoka to lose deliberately at the world championships to avoid facing an Israeli competitor in the subsequent round.
"Following the events, which occurred during the last World Judo Championships Tokyo 2019, the final suspension of the Iran Judo Federation from all competitions... has been pronounced," the IJF said in a statement.
Iranian fighter Saeid Mollaei, defending his title at the Tokyo World Championships in August, had said he was ordered to throw his semi-final rather than risk facing an Israeli in the final of the -81kg class.
The Iranian, 27, lost the semi-final and then went on to lose his third-place fight.  Mollaei said he had been instructed to withdraw from the competition by the presidents of the Iran Judo ...

Judo federation bans Iran over refusal to face Israelis

Para-athlete Anandan Gunasekaran scooped two gold medals in the disabled men's 100m and 400m IT1 events to open India's medal account at the 7th CISM World Military Games here on Tuesday.
Gunasekaran clocked 12.00 seconds to win the 100m event, India's first medal in the ongoing Games. Peru's Casas Jose was second with a timing of 12.65 while of Fajardo Pardo Teodicelo of Colombia took the bronze with 12.72 seconds.
Later, the 32-year-old Indian clinched his second gold by clocking 53.35 seconds in the disabled men's 400m IT1 event. Colombia's Teodicelo (58.95) and Ranchin Mickael (1:00.31) took the silver and bronze respectively.
The IT1 event is competed among ambulant athletes who have single or double below the knee amputation or substantial foot to knee damage.
The IT4 event is competed among wheelchair participants who have spinal cord injuries or similar impairment but with full trunk function.
Gunasekaran is a 2018 National Para Athletics champion in 200m and 400m. He had also 

Gunasekaran opens India's account with 2 gold medals at World Military Games

India's Subhankar Dey notched up an upset win over Tommy Sugiarto of Indonesia to advance to the men's singles second round in the French Open badminton tournament here on Tuesday.
The world number 42 Indian rallied to beat his world number 17 opponent 15-21  21-14 21-17 in a one hour 18 minutes first round match in the BWF Super 750 tournament.
This was Subhankar's second win over the Indonesian, a former world number 3, this year as the Indian had won 14-21 22-20 21-11 in the India Open in March. Shubhankar had lost to Sugiarto in the New Zealand Open last year.

Subhankar upsets Sugiarto in French Open

Legendary batsman Madhav Apte,  known for his typical Mumbai style 'khadoos' batting, was  remembered at a condolence meeting here on Tuesday.
Former ICC and BCCI chief Sharad Pawar, MCA president  Vijay Patil, legendary batsman Dilip Vengsarkar and former  India player and noted coach Lalchand Rajput were among those  who were present to pay tribute to the former India opener.
Former BCCI office bearer Ravi Savant recollected  memories of Apte. Pawar and Vengsarkar also spoke on the  occasion.
The former India and Mumbai opener died on September  23 after suffering a cardiac arrest at the age of 86.
Apte played seven Tests, in which he scored 542 runs,  with a lone hundred and three half-centuries to his credit.
Former MCA office bearer and cricket coach Vilas  Godbole said Apte was one of the finest openers India had.
"I knew Madhav Apte for 60 years as I started playing  for Dadar Union in 1958. We played many matches against each  other. One thing I can say is that he was a ...

Madhav Apte remembered at condolence meet

Most of their key players of last season retained for this year, FC Goa will begin their Indian Super League campaign against former champions Chennaiyin FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here on Wednesday.
The Gaurs will look to start the new season on a winning note against a club that finished rock-bottom last season. However, after a summer of rebuilding, Chennaiyin will be eager to prove that the last season was just an aberration.
Interestingly, both managers -- Sergio Lobera and John Gregory -- are into their third seasons with FC Goa and Chennaiyin.
Last season runners-up FC Goa have a sense of stability in the team as they have retained most of their key players, international and domestic.
The likes of Ferran Corominas, Hugo Boumous, Ahmed Jahouh and Edu Bedia are all into their third season too with the Gaurs. Mandar Rao Dessai, Seriton Fernandes, Lenny Rodrigues and Jackichand Singh are all familiar with Lobera's methods.
"The preparation before the first match has been ..

Stable FC Goa take on rebuilt Chennaiyin FC

CoA chief Vinod Rai and fellow panel member Diana Edulji will be getting around Rs 3.5 crore each for their 33-month tenure with the BCCI.
The Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) will demit office after the BCCI AGM here on Wednesday, ending a tumultuous 33-month tenure.
Former CAG Rai and former India captain Edulji were always part of the CoA which was appointed in January 2017 while colleagues such as Ramachandra Guha and Vikram Limaye resigned for different reasons later in the year.
All CoA members will be paid Rs 10 lakh per month for the period of 2017, Rs 11 lakh and 12 lakh for 2018 and 2019 respectively.
"The amount was finalised after discussions with Amicus Curiae PS Narsimha," a senior BCCI official told PTI.
While Edulji and Rai are expected to be richer by Rs 3.5 crore each, Vikram Limaye, Ramachandra Guha and Ravi Thodge, who had come on board earlier this year, will be paid on pro-rata basis as per their tenure.

BCCI to pay Edulji, Rai Rs 3.5 crore each

One of India's most decorated captains Sourav Ganguly will be taking over as the 39th president of the BCCI on Wednesday at its AGM, ending a tumultuous 33-month reign of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators.
Ganguly is the unanimous nomination for the post of BCCI president along with Union Home Minister Amit Shah's son Jay as the secretary. Mahim Verma of Uttarakhand is the new vice-president.
Former BCCI president and current MoS finance Anurag Thakur's younger brother Arun Dhumal is the treasurer while Kerala's Jayesh George is the joint secretary.
However Ganguly will have a curtailed tenure of around nine months as he would need to demit office by the end of July, next year as per the provisions of new constitutions, which makes 'Cooling Off' period mandatory after six years in office.
Easily one of the most high profile names to assume office, Ganguly will make use of his experience gained as the secretary and later president of Cricket Association of Bengal .

CoA reign ends as Ganguly set to take over as 39th BCCI president

The final of an Asian club tournament has been moved from Pyongyang to Shanghai, football officials said Tuesday, a week after North and South Korea played out a surreal World Cup qualifier in an empty stadium.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said it had been "compelled" to shift the November 2 AFC Cup match between North Korea's 4.25 SC and Al Ahed from Lebanon to a "neutral venue" due to logistical and other issues.
Its statement did not mention the inter-Korean showdown in Pyongyang but said that commercial partners had warned of challenges in broadcasting the highly anticipated final of Asia's second-tier continental competition.
Last week's match -- a historic encounter between two countries still technically at war -- took place with no live broadcast and no foreign media in attendance, and with FIFA president Gianni Infantino one of just a handful of spectators.
Infantino said he was "disappointed" after attending the match and "surprised" by the absence of fans and lack 

Asian football final moved from N Korea after blacked-out match

Expressing concern over South Africa's 0-3 Test series thrashing at the hands of India, former England captain Michael Vaughan on Tuesday called out ex-Protea wicketkeeper-batsman Mark Boucher to take charge of the team.
India completed a 3-0 series whitewash of South Africa with a comprehensive innings and 202 runs win in the final Test in Ranchi on Tuesday. The Proteas were no match to the hosts as they suffered two innings defeats in the three-match Test series.
Vaughan also called upon the South African Cricket Board to take advice from its former players like captain Graeme Smith and legendary all-rounder Jacques Kallis.
"This South African Test team is a real concern for the game .. The game needs South Africa to be strong .. Time for @markb46 to take over .. also why wouldn't you use @GraemeSmith49 & @jacqueskallis75 in some capacity #INDvsSA," Vaughan tweeted.
South African cricket embraced a football-style setup as part of a radical overhaul in the wake of their World Cup ...

Mark Boucher should take over as SA coach: Vaughan

COA member Diana Edulji on Tuesday said there were serious differences within the Vinod Rai-led panel like there would be in a democratic organisation but there was nothing personal in any of their public showdowns.
COA, which ran Indian cricket for 33 months, will demit office on Wednesday with former India captain Sourav Ganguly taking over as the BCCI president.
"It was a good experience and a long journey, didn't think that the journey would last so song, but I am happy with the end result that elections and office-bearers are coming back and BCCI will be run by them now," Edulji, a former India captain, told reporters here after the final COA meeting.
Edulji and former CAG Rai often disagreed publicly on key issues, most notably over the appointment of national coaches, both men and women.
Edulji said she had no regrets.
"We have (had) our differences, and we have aired it also openly.. in any organisation that works. I have been always batted on the front foot but nothing ...

It was nothing personal: Edulji on differences with Vinod Rai

South African skipper Faf du Plessis on Tuesday rued loss of their players to county cricket under the Kolpak deal and hoped the situation would favour the Proteas post Brexit.
In the aftermath of the 0-3 series loss to India, Du Plessis pointed out that they were missing out on their best players due to the Kolpak deal.
"It's sad for South African cricket not to have the option of their best players. Simon Harmer has had an unbelievable season. And it would be great for South Africa to be in a position where they could go, 'He's done well overseas. Let's bring him on tour with us'," Du Plessis said of the off-spinner who has done well for the Essex in the past two years.
"You are missing out on all your best players and your talent pool is all of a sudden a lot smaller. So that's something that we've tried to identify to stop. But it's been very difficult to stop."
Harmer is one among the 60-odd players from countries around the world to have taken advantage of the European Union ...

Kolpak deal hurting South African cricket, hope things improve post Brexit: Faf

Skipper Virat Kohli feels that no one but Rohit Sharma alone "deserves credit" for overcoming "anxiety and hesitation" while performing commendably in his new role as an opener, giving India enough time to take 20 South African wickets in the 3-0 Test series sweep.
Rohit turned out to be a revelation as opener with scores of 176 and 127 in the first Test and 212 in the third Test. The team management's stand that he could be a game-changer in the longest format stood vindicated.
"Credit solely goes to the player for the way he overcame his anxiety and hesitation and performed in such a manner that he was adjudged Man-of-the-Series in the first series as an opener. It's been outstanding for him," Kohli was effusive in  praise for his white-ball deputy.
"There is always an anticipation on how would you perform as an opener in Test cricket, as he has been the world's best opener in ODI cricket for a long time. Despite missing close to two sessions because of rain, his pace in the batting 

Credit goes to Rohit for overcoming anxiety and hesitation: Kohli

Humiliated by a ruthless India, the South African team will go back with 'mental scars' as skipper Faf du Plessis rued a lack of vision that impeded phasing out of their great players.
South Africa could not pose a fight against formidable India, losing all the matches by heavy margins.
"A tour like this reveals that there's a lot of mental scars that can happen and then obviously it's difficult to come out of that hole," Du Plessis said after they conceded their heaviest defeat to India in the third Test.
"It's just a relentless, ruthlessness the way they put big totals on the board every time. The effect it has on you mentally as a batting lineup, it takes a lot of energy and it takes a lot of toll and that's why you could see towards the end our batting was mentally weak. You don't want to be mentally weak."
Blaming Cricket South Africa, the visiting skipper further said the tour exposed the lack of planning as they did not think for future after greats like Hashim Amla and AB de ..

India tour caused mental scars: Du Plessis

Host Karnataka will hold the edge when it takes on Chhattisgarh in the semifinals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy here on Wednesday while Tamil Nadu and Gujarat are set for an interesting battle in the other last four clash.
The weather holds the key in both matches as rain is forecast for Wednesday.
Karnataka made short work of Puducherry in the quarterfinal after coming through with seven wins from eight games in the league phase.
Test discard K L Rahul scored a fluent 90 in the win over Puducherry and appeared to have found his touch while the other opener Devdutt Padikkal has been among the runs as has skipper Manish Pandey, who has piled up 505 runs.
The bowlers have done the job with pacer Prasidh Krishna leading the way with 17 wickets while leggie Shreyas Gopal (14 wickets) and fellow leg-spinner Pravin Dube have gone about the job rather well.
Chhattisgarh came through after rain washed out the quarterfinal against the defending champion Mumbai on Monday on the basis of more wins .

Weather holds key in Vijay Hazare Trophy semifinals

India captain Virat Kohli on Tuesday said he hasn't had any conversation with Sourav Ganguly with regards to Mahendra Singh Dhoni's international future and believes that the BCCI's President-elect will get in touch with him when he needs to.
Dhoni, who is on a sabbatical from international cricket, is not expected to play against Bangladesh in the upcoming T20 series.
He dropped in to meet the Indian team members and Kohli jokingly told journalists to come to the change room and say "hello" to the former skipper.
After being nominated as the BCCI's President-elect, Ganguly had said that he would like to speak to the selectors as well as Dhoni to know what they had in mind.
"I congratulated him (Ganguly). It's great that he has become BCCI President. But he's not spoken to me about that (MS) yet. He will get in touch with me when he has to. I am sure I will go and meet him when he tells me to," the Indian skipper said at the post-match press conference.
In fact, Ganguly on Monday said 

BCCI president has not spoken to me on Dhoni yet, will meet him when he calls: Kohli

Australia captain Lleyton Hewitt says he has been willing to overlook Nick Kyrgios's recent outbursts on the ATP Tour to select the talented but wayward star in his team for the revamped Davis Cup finals.
Kyrgios is currently serving six months probation on the ATP tour after a meltdown at the Cincinnati tournament in August and calling the ATP "pretty corrupt" during this year's US Open.
The suspended sentence applies only to the ATP Tour and not the Davis Cup and Hewitt is confident the 24-year-old Kyrgios will be on his best behavior at the 18-team world finals in Madrid from Nov. 18 to 24.
Hewitt said Kyrgios's latest ban had not affected his decision to select the player in a strong Australian team, drawn in a group with Belgium and Colombia.
The Australia team also includes world No. 28 Alex de Minaur, Jordan Thompson, John Millman and doubles specialist John Peers.
"I have been watching that closely," Hewitt said of Kyrgios.
"I feel like on the Davis Cup court he's done ...

Nick Kyrgios named by Australia for Davis Cup finals

A former Bangladesh cricket chief said Tuesday that match fixing was widespread in the country, deepening a crisis sparked by a strike by top players over wages.
Former Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Saber Hossain Chowdhury, a British-educated lawyer, businessman and now member of parliament, said corruption was deep-rooted at the governing body.
"@BCBtigers is only national sporting body in the world that promotes institutionalised #matchfixing, #corruption," he said on his Twitter account, adding: "Unbelievable!!" "Flagged this issue many times myself," he said.
National captain Shakib Al Hasan raised concerns about corruption in domestic cricket on Monday when announcing that most of the country's professional players had started a strike to press for better pay and benefits.
The stoppage threatens a Bangladesh tour of India next month.
"We all know the sorry state of our first, second and third division cricket," Shakib said.
"A lot of the times we know which team will ..

Corruption claim deepens Bangladesh cricket crisis after strike

Star Indian batsman Rohit Sharma feels skipper Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri's belief in his abilities has helped him own the opening position in Tests, also crediting his own perseverance for the magnificent run so far.
Rohit scored 529 runs in his "debut series" as an opener with a maiden double hundred in the final Test against South Africa apart from twin hundreds (176 and 127) in Visakhapatnam. The performance earned him the man of the series award.
"The support of the coach and captain helps. I am thankful for the opportunity to the management for that opening slot," Rohit said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
There was speculation that all was not well between Rohit and Kohli a couple of months back. Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri have already rubbished the conjecture.
Opening the batting irrespective of the format, requires a certain amount of patience and discipline, something he inculcated when he started opening in white ball cricket.
"Yeah, it's something that ..

Coach and captain's support helped me, says Man of the Series Rohit Sharma

A formidable Indian team ticked all the boxes with ease as it completed a 3-0 rout of an out-of-sorts South Africa with an innings and 202 runs victory in the third and final Test here on Tuesday.
With another 120 points in the ongoing World Test Championship, India now sit pretty on top of the table with 240 points as the formalities were completed within the first two overs of the fourth day.
This was Virat Kohli's 11th series win as captain and the first clean sweep over the Proteas who were no match for the hosts. This was India's 11th successive series triumph on home soil.
The scoreline was not only an indicator of India's absolute dominance but also the decline in standard of South African cricket as the visitors couldn't handle the might of India's batting and the fiery pace attack led by Mohammed Shami (13 wickets in the series).
Debutant left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem (2/18 in 6 overs) wrapped it up in the second over of the day as South Africa were all out for 133 in their 

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