Page 146 - Sports
We want to inculcate habit of winning ahead of Tokyo Games, says Japan coach
Assured of participation in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as host country, Japan want to test themselves against top teams of the world and inculcate the habit of winning before the quadrennial extravaganza, said coach Siegfried Aikman. Japan will take on World No.5 India in the second semifinal of the FIH Series Finals here Friday, a tournament offering two spots for the FIH Olympic Qualifiers, to be held in October-November this year. Aikman said apart from winning against a top team, his other goal from this tournament is to earn ranking points. "Losing doesn't exist in my nature. We came here to win and we want to test ourselves in winning. It will be a big challenge and our aim is to prepare ourselves to win matches like these," he said on the eve of the match against India. "If we want to win at the Olympics, we will have to beat the top 10 teams, and the only top 10 team in Asia is India. We are here for world-ranking points," Aikman said. Terming India as the favourites, the Japan ..
Not decided whether I will retire yet: Casillas
Former Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas on Thursday said he had not yet decided whether he would retire from the sport after suffering a heart attack amid rumours in several Portuguese newspapers that he would hang up his gloves before the start of the next season.
Rain Cricket World Cup!
"fyi the Cricket World Cup matches are being hosted in England and Wales and not in India. The plan was to ensure that there are no rains around venues during the tournament. Looks like you have got it all wrong. It is raining at the wrong places," excerpts from the ICC letter to the Rain Gods that it never wrote.
Warner gives away MoM Award to young Australian fan, wins hearts
In a heartwarming gesture, David Warner gave away his Man-of-the-Match award to a young Australian fan after their win over Pakistan in the World Cup here. Warner scored his first international hundred after serving out his ball-tampering ban and guided Australia to a 41-run win over Pakistan on Wednesday. On his way back from the stadium, Warner posed with fans and on meeting a young boy in Australia jersey, the opener gifted his Man-of-the-Match award to the young fan. "It's really awesome, it feels cool to have that (MoM Award). We were just waving the flag. He just came over and gave it to us," the young fan said. "We were way outnumbered by Pakistan fans, then it went quiet, then it got noisy again when Pakistan made some runs, and then (Mitchell) Starc came on in the end," said the boy's father. The dangerous opener has made a successful comeback alongside Steve Smith after serving a one-year ban for ball-tampering. Warner revealed that his innings, which laid the foundation for
Premier League 2019-20 to start from August 9
The Premier League fixtures for the upcoming 2019-20 season, set to begin on August 9, were announced on Thursday.The opening match will be played between Liverpool and Norwich City. Liverpool finished at the second position in the 2018-19 season with 97 points.The defending champions Manchester City will begin their campaign on August 10 against West Ham.The fixtures for the upcoming season are as follows:August 9Liverpool v Norwich CityAugust 10West Ham v Man CityAFC Bournemouth v Sheffield UnitedBurnley v SouthamptonCrystal Palace v EvertonLeicester City v WolvesWatford v BrightonSpurs v Aston VillaAugust 11Newcastle United v ArsenalMan Utd v ChelseaAugust 17Arsenal v BurnleyAston Villa v AFC BournemouthBrighton v West HamChelsea v Leicester CityEverton v WatfordMan City v SpursNorwich City v Newcastle UnitedSheffield United v Crystal PalaceSouthampton v LiverpoolWolves v Man UtdAugust 24AFC Bournemouth v Man CityAston Villa v EvertonBrighton v SouthamptonLiverpool v ArsenalMan Utd
Millie Saroha in sight of maiden win on WPG Tour
Yet to win a title on the Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour, Millie Saroha put herself in the pole position with a three-under 69 that gave her a one-shot advantage, going into the final round, here. At the end of the second day of the eighth leg of the Tour, the 23-year-old Delhi golfer, who has never played in the lead group on the final day, was now two-under 142, one shot ahead of Tvesa Malik.. Saroha carded two birdies in the last three holes to rush past Malik at the Prestige Golfshire golf course. Saroha, who had a fine amateur career, before she went off to Texas for college golf, where she played in Division 1, has never won on the Hero WPG Tour despite holding the lead on several occasions after the first round. In fact she has never had the lead after 36 holes, so this will be her first time in the lead and she could break through for her maiden win. After a bogey free front nine of one-under 35 she bogeyed 10th for her only mistake of the day. She made up on the very next hole ...
Sharath, Manika picked by Chennai, Kolkata in UTT Player Draft
Indias Achanta Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra were the top choices in the Rs 2 crore Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) 2019, with Chennai Lions and RP-SG Mavericks Kolkata grabbing them in the Player Draft here on Thursday.
Pakistan bowled too short or too full to me: David Warner
Australian opener David Warner after playing a knock of 107 runs against Pakistan on Wednesday said that Pakistan's bowlers bowled either too short or too full which allowed him to score runs freely."They were a tad too short or a tad too full. And it allowed us to sort of free our arms a little bit," International Cricket Council (ICC) quoted Warner as saying.The 32-year-old along with the then captain Steve Smith were found guilty in a ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town last year. After his comeback, he has scored 148 runs in three matches of the ongoing ICC Men's World Cup before the 107 runs knock against Pakistan."The hundred obviously was a long time coming. Against Afghanistan, I felt like I had no rhythm. In the next game against West Indies, obviously, got one that sort of kicked off a wicket, but I was a bit lazy. In the last game against India, they bowled really straight to me. But to come out here and play the way that I know I can play was awesome," he added.Warner ...
Google CEO Pichai backs Kohli & boys to win World Cup
Sundar Pichai, Googles Indian-American CEO, feels India and England will lock horns in the final of the ongoing World Cup and said he is 'rooting' for Virat Kohli and Co. to lift the trophy. US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo said that the World Cup has the potential to change the world.
Fans put rain on top of points table after washouts rule roost
With rain playing spoilsport in three of the World Cup 2019 games already, fans have started taking potshots at the tournament with one topping it all by putting rain in pole position on the points table.
Badminton legend Lee Chong Wei announces retirement
Malaysian shuttler and three-times Olympic silver medalist Lee Chong Wei announced his retirement from badminton citing health reasons on Thursday, ending 19 years of professional career since his debut in 2000.
Larwood and Clough: Somewhere present in the spirit of sporty Nottingham
He was a fast bowler, who instilled mortal fear in batsmen after his 'Bodyline' attack on 'The Don'. The other was a cocky football manager, who in a seven-year span turned a team of laggards into continental club champions. England fast bowler Harold Larwood and Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough, separated by more than four decades, practitioners of different trade, are two iconic figures. They define the legacy of sport in Robin Hood's land -- aggressive, in your face and true to their art. A three-minute walk separates two stadiums Trent Bridge, where Larwood and his Bodyline partner Bill Voce would terrorise batsmen, and the Forest Stadium on the South Bank of the river Trent where Clough sat on the dug-out creating the best underdog story of English football in the 1970's. Just like 78 wickets in 21 Tests can't define what Larwood did for cricket and fast bowlers in general, the two European Cup titles aren't a fair assessment of Clough, whom many believe was the best ...
UTT: Chennai Lions pick Kamal; Kolkata go for Manika Batra
CWG gold medallist Manika Batra will compete for RP-SG Mavericks Kolkata while star paddler Sharath Kamal was grabbed by new-entrants Chennai Lions for the third season of the Ultimate Table Tennis League, set to begin from July 25 in New Delhi. Mavericks Kolkata also picked star Indian player Sanil Shetty and teen sensation Manush Shah, who is ranked 11th in Under-18 boys' category. The Dabang Delhi TTC decided to retain 25-year-old Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and hence the franchise did not get a chance to pick a player in the first round of the draft. Each of the franchise had to pick six players. Among the notable foreign picks was Hong Kong's Doo Hoi Kem, who will play for U Mumba, another new entrants in the league along with Puneri Paltan, who picked seasoned Harmeet Desai. German player Petrissa Solja will play for Chennai Lions along with Portuguese player Tiago Apolonia. UTT chairperson Vita Dani said apart from national federations including the Table Tennis Federation of India, .
Olympic quota already booked, Indian men's recurve team reaches World Archery C'ships final
The Olympic quota already booked, the Indian's men's recurve team reached the final of the World Archery Championships for the first time since 2005 after it shocked a formidable Netherlands here Thursday. The Indian team will be seeking its maiden title as it faces China in the summit clash on Sunday. China ousted top seed Korea 6-2 in the other semifinal Thursday. A day after securing the 2020 Tokyo Olympics three-man quota by making the quarterfinals, the India trio of Tarundeep Rai, Atanu Das and Pravin Jadhav held their nerves to come from behind and win 29-28 in the shoot-off for an overall score of 5-4. This is the second time ever when the men's recurve team reached the World Championships final. At Madrid 2005, the Indian team comprising Rai, Jayanta Talukdar and Gautam Singh had lost to Korea 232-244 in the summit clash. India also remained in the medal contention in the women's compound team event as it faces Turkey in the bronze medal playoff Saturday. Having thrashed ...
Pakistan fan trolled on social media after loss to Oz
A Pakistan fan was trolled on social media after the team failed to beat Australia, even after getting the chance to be on the driver's seat, in their World Cup clash on Wednesday.
WC breaks 1st week's viewership records on Star Sports
The opening week in the ongoing World Cup has once again recorded a massive 269 million viewership, the Star network said.
Man City begin title defence at West Ham, Man Utd open at home to Chelsea
Champions Manchester City begin the defence of their Premier League title away at West Ham, while Manchester United will host Chelsea in a blockbuster meeting to start the campaign after next season's fixtures were revealed on Thursday. City will be confident of a fruitful start after scoring four times in each of their last three visits to the London Stadium, but face a tougher clash when Champions League finalists Tottenham Hotspur visit the Etihad on the second weekend of the season. Runners-up and Champions League winners Liverpool begin with a home game to newly-promoted Norwich. Last season's top two meet at Anfield on November 9 with the return at the Etihad scheduled for April 4, subject to TV confirmation. Chelsea will begin life without the influential Eden Hazard at Old Trafford with United in need of a fast start after a dismal end to last season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. On their return to the top-flight Aston Villa host Spurs, whilst Sheffield United are away at ...
Want WC trophy in my hand on July 14: Pandya
Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has expressed his desire of winning the ongoing World Cup in England and Wales and lifting the coveted trophy at the iconic Lord's Stadium in London on July 14.
Lee Chong Wei, badminton's beloved nearly man
Quiet and unassuming, Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei rose to become a modern badminton great, beloved by his fans despite his tantalising failures to bring home the biggest trophies of all. The sinewy Lee, blessed with lightning reflexes, retired on Thursday after a 19-year career with a plot like a soap opera, including a doping ban and a frightening brush with cancer. Lee's decision to walk away at the age of 36 robs badminton of one of its biggest draws and ends his rivalry with China's Lin Dan, his nemesis in four world and Olympic finals. Lee, who spent 348 weeks as world number one and once held the record for the fastest smash, retired after failing to regain full fitness following his successful treatment for nose cancer last year. The softly spoken player was long expected to land Malaysia's first Olympic gold but he repeatedly stuttered in the final, losing the 2008, 2012 and 2016 deciders to Lin and fellow Chinese Chen Long. He had an almost identical record at the world ...
Important to bowl dot balls, says Cummins
Emphasising on the importance of dot balls in limited overs cricket, Australia pacer Pat Cummins is delighted that the hard work he has put in to become accurate is starting to pay off. Cummins is increasingly looking like the workhorse of this Australian team, plugging away with the wickets while others hog the headlines. The 26-year-old looked in great rhythm against Pakistan, taking 3 for 33 to derail their chase. The right-arm pacer has bowled the most number of dot balls in the ongoing World Cup and the two bowlers that follow him are also from Australia -- Mitchell Starc and Nathan Coulter-Nile. "That's the big improvement in my game in the last couple of years, the ability to hold a length and make it difficult to get runs," Cummins said after Australia's 41-run against Pakistan on Wednesday. "If you give away easy singles then 300 becomes quite an achievable score. Cutting out the singles is huge, it means if you give away a boundary it might not be that big over of ten or ...