Page 1385 - Sports
Ahmed Shehzad failed drug test, PCB confirmed
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that right-hand batsman Ahmed Shehzad failed a drug test which was conducted during a domestic tournament in April.Confirming the report on its official Twitter handle, the board subsequently decided to file a charge sheet against the Pakistani opener.Earlier, on June 20, PCB had tweeted that a player has been tested positive for a prohibited substance but the name of the player was not disclosed.The drug test result was delayed because the board wanted to be completely sure as Shehzad is a senior member of the team, the Express Tribune reported.Shehzad, who played his last one day international (ODI) in October 2017 against Sri Lanka, has made 2605 runs with an average of 32.56 in 81 ODIs that he has played so far.
Hedge fund Elliott set to take control of AC Milan: source
American hedge fund Elliott will take control of Italian giants AC Milan this week after the club's Chinese ownership missed a multi-million euro debt repayment, sources close to the matter confirmed to AFP today. The source told AFP that Elliott began the legal process of taking control of the seven-time European Champions on Monday, and that a board meeting will be held before the end of the week in which a new board of directors will be nominated. Next week, Milan will then hold a shareholders meeting in which the club's new structure will be outlined to investors. The Chinese directors currently on the board will be replaced after owner Li Yonghong missed a Friday deadline to repay 32 million euros to Elliott. Elliott lent Li just over 300 million euros at high interest rates to complete the long-winded 740 million-euro purchase of Milan from former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's investment firm Fininvest last year. The deal was originally due to close at the end of ...
DCA, says tournament as per WCF norms
Delhi Chess Association on Tuesday clarified that the entry fee and the participation structure for the recently concluded Commonwealth Chess Championship was as per regulations of the World Chess Federation (WCF).Reacting to a story by ANI titled "Commonwealth Chess C'ship participants scammed by organizers," that raised questions over the recently concluded Commonwealth Chess Championship, AK Verma, Honorary Secretary of Delhi Chess Association and the Organising Secretary of the Commonwealth Chess Championship-2018, said the event was conducted in line with WCF's norms.The ANI report published on July 7 said that none of the players who attended the event could achieve the International Master (IM) or Grandmasters (GM) Norm since the championship did not meet the criteria of having required number of foreign titled players."It is official championship and not an invitational event and fielding the players is under the purview of each country that is part of Commonwealth. So it is ..
Chances brighten for Indian men's handball team to feature in Asian Games
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) may not have named the men's handball team in the country's contingent for the upcoming Asian Games as yet but the case for its inclusion got stronger after the Continental body said that Indian side is ranked seventh among the participating countries. When the IOA released a list of 524 athletes for the Asian Games on July 5, the men's handball was not included in it but surprisingly the Indian team featured in the draw of competition for the Games, conducted by the Asian Handball Federation. The Asian body today sent a letter to the national federation that the country's handball team was ranked seventh among the participants. The IOA had said that it had named the contingent on the basis of the criteria that top six finishers in individual events and top eight finishers in team events were allowed to take part in the August 18 to September 2 Asian Games in Indonesia. "We are pleased to inform that the Indian men's handball team has qualified for
Dele Alli: looking for more against Croatia
England's attacking midfielder Dele Alli admits he has not been at his best so far in the FIFA World Cup in Russia, but that could be bad news for Croatia when England play them in the World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday.
Rangnick to coach Leipzig for one season
RB Leipzig sporting director Ralf Rangnick will coach the German football club's first team for the upcoming season after the surprising departure of former head coach Ralph Hasenhuettl.
Russia hopes for better UK ties after Johnson quits
The Kremlin today said it hoped to see an improvement in ties with the UK after Boris Johnson resigned as Britain's foreign minister in disagreement over the country's Brexit strategy. "We are waiting for things to clear up politically in Britain," President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, suggesting Moscow was not too sad to see the minister go. "Unfortunately his contribution to the development of bilateral ties with Russia was rather modest, to put it mildly," he remarked. "And certainly sooner or later, we will wait for some sort of rational explanations or arguments over the recent situation in Salisbury and the situation that followed," he added, referring to two cases of nerve agent poisonings in southwest England. Johnson had in December travelled to Moscow in an effort to mend ties after years of antagonism in the first official visit by a British foreign minister in five years. But relations hit a new low in March after a former double agent from ...
India bag four medals at Asian Archery, finish third
India bagged three silver medals and a bronze to finish joint third with Iran in the Asia Cup World Ranking Tournament Stage 3 here today. The event concluded in two days to avoid the incoming super typhoon Maria, and on the concluding day, recurve men's team added a second silver before Divya Dhayal clinched a third silver in the compound individual category. Women's recurve team defeated its opponents from Japan 6-2 in the evening session to win the bronze playoff. India ended their campaign behind toppers Korea and hosts Chinese Taipei. Korea topped the tally with eight gold, three silver and as many bronze followed by hosts Taipei (2-1-2). Yesterday, in a battle between the two top seeded recurve mixed pairs, Koreans maintained their supremacy to defeat the Indian duo of Shukmani Babrekar and Ridhi for the gold. The recurve men's team of Shukmani Babrekar, Dhiraj Bommadevara and Gora Ho were no match to their Korean counterparts Jaehyeon Bae, Taeyeong Jeong and Kyu-Chan Kim, who ..
FC Barcelona sign Brazilian midfielder Arthur Melo
FC Barcelona have announced the signing of promising Brazilian midfielder Arthur Melo from Gremio for 31 million euros ($36.4 million US dollars) plus nine million euros in variables.
Banks lambasts FA over treatment of 1966 World Cup winners
England's 1966 World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks says he hopes if Gareth Southgate's team lift the trophy, the Football Association will look after the players better than they did his generation. The 80-year-old told the Daily Telegraph newspaper he and his teammates have never felt they received proper recognition after beating West Germany 4-2 at Wembley. England are two wins away from winning the trophy for just the second time in their history despite low expectations going into the tournament in Russia. They play Croatia in the semi-finals in Moscow on Wednesday. "I hope if these guys succeed they feel more appreciated by the FA than we were," said Banks. "They should be. They will have deserved it. "The FA have done nothing for us. I have been very disappointed with the FA and what they could have done for us." Banks was capped 73 times but his top-flight career was ended when he lost sight in his right eye following a car crash in October 1972. His most famous save ...
Pakistan's Shehzad faces ban on failed drug test
Maverick Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad failed a drug test conducted during a domestic tournament in April, the country's cricket authorities confirmed Tuesday, and could face a ban of up to four years. The offence is the latest in a long litany of Pakistani players charged with doping, and is a severe blow to the 26-year-old's stuttering career. The Pakistan Cricket Board will issue a formal charge sheet "later today" it said in a release, confirming reports in recent days that Shehzad had tested positive for a banned substance. Shehzad lost his Test place following Pakistan's tour to the West Indies in mid-2017 and has not played a one day international since last October. He was part of Pakistan's Twenty20 squad for the team's two international matches last month, managing scores of 14 and 24, but missed out on playing for the tri-series Twenty20 in Zimbabwe which ended Sunday. Pakistan's cricketers have a history of failing tests for performance enhancing drugs. Pace bowlers Shoaib
WFI seeks visa for Pakistan wrestlers
Requesting the government to expedite the process of granting visas to the Pakistan squad for the Junior Asian Championships, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Tuesday warned that failure to do so might invite sanctions from the sport's world body.
Henderson, Vardy ready to face Croatia in World Cup semifinal
England's central midfielder Jordan Henderson and striker Jamie Vardy on Tuesday attended the English squad's last training session prior to their crucial semifinal match against Croatia in the FIFA world cup 2018
Eleventh person brought from Thai cave: navy, official sources
An eleventh person was rescued from a Thai cave this evening, a navy source and a provincial official told AFP, as the dramatic bid to free 12 youth footballers and their coach inched towards a successful end. "The eleventh is out," a navy source told AFP, requesting anonymity, but not confirming if the person was a boy or the 25-year-old coach. A provincial Chiang Rai official added "the eleventh was taken to a field hospital.
Pak still has to go long way : Afridi
Former Pakistan T20I captain Shahid Afridi has said that the Pakistani team still has a long way to go and they are playing a very good cricket at the moment.The comment came in the backdrop of recently-released International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 team rankings where Pakistan ended on top of the list."I think it's still a long way to go and I think the way our boys are playing is very good," the Express Tribune quoted Afridi, as saying."All the youngsters, they're doing a great job, and InshAllah we're hoping they're going to do well for Pakistan," he added.Reflecting on the T20 format of cricket, the 38-year-old said that one can introduce the format anywhere in the world and it is a great entertainment for those who are not well aware of the nitty and gritty of the game.Reviewing his own playing style, 'boom-boom Afridi' said that he considers himself as a bowler instead of a batsman."I always consider myself as a bowling all-rounder. I think in batting, I'm not that consistent,
Torres to join Japanese club Sagan Tosu
Former Spain forward Fernando Torres on Tuesday announced that he will turn out for Japanese club Sagan Tosu.
Tenth boy rescued from Thai cave: official, navy sources
A tenth boy from the "Wild Boars" football team was rescued from a Thai cave today, three officials told AFP, leaving two more boys and their coach to be freed from the underground complex that has trapped them for over two weeks. "The 10th is at the cave entrance on the way to the field hospital," a navy official told AFP requesting anonymity. A local government official confirmed the rescue while a police source, who also did not want to be named, said "the ninth and tenth were about 20 minutes apart.
Cummins makes 'bold, brave' call, says Kohli won't score 100 in Australia this time
Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins has made a 'brave and bold' prediction: Virat Kohli will not score a hundred when Indian team plays a four-Test series Down Under later this year. "My brave, bold prediction; I'd say I think Virat Kohli is not going to get a hundred and we're going to knock them off over here," Cummins said at a Channel 7 event here today. Kohli averages 62 in the eight Tests he has played in Australia, more than his career average of 53.40. He has five Test centuries to his name while playing in Australia. In the absence of the suspended Steve Smith and David Warner, India have a good chance of winning their maiden series in Australia. Australian fast bowling great Glenn McGrath was present at the function alongside Cummins. McGrath predicted that Australia would blank India 4-0. He also wants to see the home team target Kohli. "I want to see Australians put pressure on Kohli and just see how he handles it. It's going to be a good, hard, tough series. Kohli has got a
England coach backs Root to bounce back post T20I omission
England cricket team coach Paul Farbrace has said that right-hand batsman Joe Root will work harder and bounce back strongly after being dropped for the final match of the three-match T20I series against India at the Bristol County Ground.England had taken the decision to omit Test captain Joe Root to accommodate Ben Stokes, returning after injury, as India went on to win the final T20I by seven wickets to clinch series 2-1.The coach, however, added that shortage of runs would make his chances bleak as far as the selection is concerned because it is the sole criteria by which a batsman is judged."Every player goes through a period where you either find it tough or you're left out the side. We all know that [Joe's] response will be to work harder, try harder and score more runs - that's the nature of him," ESPNcricinfo quoted Farbrace, as saying."Yes, he hasn't got any runs in the last couple of games and, yes, that does make you vulnerable in any side. Runs are your currency - that's .
WFI fears cancellation of Asian Jr Championships without Pakistan participation
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) today said it runs the risk of losing the hosting rights of the upcoming Asian Junior Championships in New Delhi if the Pakistani grapplers are not allowed to compete in the event, beginning July 17. WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, also an MP, informed the media that they are yet to get clearance form the Ministry of Home Affairs to conduct the event due to ambiguity over participation of Pakistani grapplers. "We have not yet got clearance. I have asked for a meeting with the Home Minister this evening. If Pakistani contingent are now allowed to compete and denied visa, the UWW (world body) may ban us and take away the event from India. It's Pakistan's right to compete at the event ," Singh told reporters. The WFI President said they had begun the process of getting various clearances four months ago but a few 'officials' do not understand the 'seriousness' of the issue. "Usually the process begins two months from the event but we began