Page 149 - Sports
Japan beat Poland 6-2, to face India in semifinals of FIH Series Finals
Favourites India will face Japan in the semi-finals of the FIH Series Finals hockey tournament after the Asian Games champion thrashed Poland 6-2 in a cross-over match here Wednesday. World No. 18 Japan completely dominated the match and scored through Shota Yamada (20th minute), Hirotaka Zendana (23rd), Kenta Tanaka (34th), Koji Yamasaki (36th, 60th) and Kenji Kitazato (47th) to emerge winners. Mikolaj Gumny (7th) and Mateusz Hulboj (26th) were the goal scorers for Poland. In the other cross-over match of the day, world No. 16 South Africa edged past Russia 2-1 to qualify for the semi-finals. While South Africa scored via Nqobile Ntuli (40th) and Ryan Julius (53rd) to came out triumphant, Georgii Arusiia (47th) was the goal scorer for Russia. While India will square off against Japan in the semifinals on Friday, South Africa will take on USA in the last-four round. Russia and Poland will play against each other for the fifth-sixth place classification game on Friday morning.
Indian men's archery team bags Olympic berths
Indian men's archery team secured the Olympic quota for the 2020 Tokyo Games by storming into the quarterfinals of the World Championships with a 5-3 win over Canada here Wednesday. This was for the first time after 2012 London Olympics that Indian men could secure a team quota. They had failed to qualify for Rio Games three years back and had an individual entry in Atanu Das, who had lost in the pre-quarterfinals. "We finally made it. We are gelling well as a team and looking forward to Tokyo now. This is the moment to keep going for 2020," two-time Olympian Rai, a member of the London Olympics, said. "I'm sure the opponents were feeling exactly the same pressure. So the key was to keep calm and it worked well for us," the 35-year-old Army archer said. Up against a team who secured a bye into the last-16 after finishing sixth in the ranking round, the Indian trio started off with three perfect shots including one X to take the first set with a one-point (56-55) lead. They held on to .
Replacement or cover? Selectors and team management differed on Pant's status
The selection committee and the team management were not on the same page over Rishabh Pant joining India's World Cup squad as "cover" for the injured Shikhar Dhawan, it has been learnt. It has emerged that the team management was never keen on any replacement, including Pant, instead hoping for Shikhar Dhawan to get fit for the business end of the tournament. Chances of Dhawan attaining match fitness, however, look grim at the moment. The team management is looking up to the cases where athletes have recovered quicker than expected. On the eve of the match against New Zealand, assistant coach Sanjay Bangar said that Dhawan is so "precious" that skipper Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri are willing to wait even if the opener is fit for the last league game against Sri Lanka on July 6. The three selectors chairman MSK Prasad, Devang Gandhi and Sarandeep Singh -- are currently in England and "wanted to announce a replacement straightaway". "... But the team management seemed ...
Coach Shastri and team to get 45-day extension after WC
The Indian coaching staff, including chief coach Ravi Shastri, will be handed a 45-day extension after the ongoing World Cup even though their contract ends with the showpiece event.
Shikhar Dhawan is a big loss to India: Roaa Taylor ahead of clash
Batsman Shikhar Dhawan's absence will be a big loss to the Indian side, New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor said on Wednesday."Shikhar is a big loss to India. The present team plays very well at the ICC tournaments and he has a very good record over here. Rohit Sharma and Dhawan complement each other very well because of right and left hand combination," Taylor said during a press conference here on Wednesday ahead of his team's match against India on Thursday.Dhawan sustained an injury in the back of his left hand in the region between the index finger and thumb when he played a match-winning knock of 117 runs during India's second match in the World Cup against Australia on June 9.Zealand have won all their three matches and are all set to compete with India, who have also won both of their matches. Therefore, it will an interesting clash as one of the team will taste their first defeat in the World Cup 2019.Taylor is happy with this team's performance in the premier tournament so far ..
India U-19 footballers set to take on Tajikistan
The India Under-19 national football team will play Tajikistan in the 11-12th position play-off of the Granatkin Memorial Tournament at the Turbostroitel Stadium, in St Petersburg, Russia, on Thursday.
Kapil Dev unveils fantasy sports platform Apne11
India's World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev on Wednesday launched Apne11, a daily fantasy sports platform that aims at offering its users a holistic experience in the most expedient manner.
Anthony Joshua is 'finished' says Tyson Fury
Tyson Fury believes former world champion Anthony Joshua is "finished" after the British heavyweight's shock defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr in New York. Joshua lost his IBF, WBA and WBO titles on June 1 in one of the biggest upsets in the history of the division. After the fight, Fury sent a message on Twitter that urged his fellow Briton to "rest up, recover, regroup and come again". But this week he told BBC Sport: "When a man doesn't want to be there once, he will always do it and it's hard to come back from. "It's been done many different times by many different fighters. He did it that night and I don't think he will come back from it. Finished. Ask any top trainer who has been around the sport a lifetime. When he got to the ring I saw he didn't want to be there." Joshua, 29, whose defeat against Ruiz was the first of his career, had previously made Fury an offer to fight. "Everybody thought that man could beat me," said Fury. "In what world could he ever beat me? What were people ...
Tvesa takes lead on a challenging day at 8th leg of Hero WPGT
Tvesa Malik shot an even par 72 in the 8th leg of Hero WPGT on a day when strong winds took a toll on golfers at the Prestige Golfshire golf course here Wednesday. Only Malik, who won the third leg of the Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour, could score an even par card, while all others went over on the opening day here. Malik led Millie Saroha by one shot, while Ridhima Dilawari, one of the two players to have won more than once this season, was third with a round of 74. Khushi Khanijau was lying fourth with 75, and last week's winner Gaurika Bishnoi, who had a rough back nine of four-over 40, was fifth. Astha Madan and amateur Sneha Sharan were tied sixth with 68 each while another amateur Asmitha Sathish shot 79 to be eighth. Gursimar Badwal, Ananya Datar, Neha Tripathi and Siddhi Kapoor were bunched at Tied-10th with 80 each. Tvesa opened with a bogey and she went to two-over with another bogey on fourth. She recovered with birdies on fifth, 10th, 13thand 14th, but also dropped bogeys on .
Murray hopes to make a return to singles tennis
Former world No.1 Andy Murray on Wednesday said he hoped to make a return to men's singles tennis later in the year.
Amir's five-for breaks Australia's back after Warner century
Fast bowler Mohammad Amir (5/30) sizzled with a fifer to help Pakistan bowl out Australia for 307, built around David Warner's critic-silencing century in the ICC World Cup, here Wednesday. Owing to Amir's excellent bowling, Australia's innings ended with an over to spare. Sent into bat after the coin landed in Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed's favour, Australia were off to a steady start with Warner and skipper Aaron Finch helping the team to 50 in 10 overs. Australia seemed headed for a mammoth total as they were 223 for two in the 34th over but Amir's sensational spell changed the complexion of the game. Amir started with a maiden and going with only four mainline bowlers, Australia knew they needed to score big to put Pakistan under pressure. The Aussies broke free against Shaheen, with Finch hitting him over the deep square leg fence for a six and Warner employing the pull shot to get a four. As Australia looked for quick runs, Amir showed his class by bowling another maiden ...
Amir five-for overshadows Warner's ton as Oz finish on 307
Australia opener David Warner scored his first hundred since the Sandpaper Gate fiasco, but Pakistan pacer Mohammed Amir stole the show with a career-best five-wicket haul as Pakistan dismissed Australia for 307 in 49 overs in their World Cup clash on Wednesday.
Want KL to be versatile ODI player like Dravid: Bangar
If KL Rahul could adjust to opening the batting in the absence of Shikhar Dhawan, it will provide much-needed balance to the side, says assistant coach Sanjay Bangar, citing history when Rahul Dravid excelled in a similar role. Rahul Dravid's versatility as a keeper and a floater under Sourav Ganguly's captaincy helped India maintain balance in ODIs which is exactly what Bangar expects from Rahul in the current limited overs set-up. Rahul, who was supposed to fill-up the contentious No 4 slot and did a decent job against South Africa in bowler-friendly conditions, will now open with Rohit Sharma against New Zealand on Thursday. "The advantages of playing in various situations, is that you understand the game a lot better. If you are batting in the middle order and suddenly you go and bat in the top order, then you know how challenging it can be, wherein you need to negotiate two new balls but you also understand that there are all these boundary opportunities," Bangar said when asked .
Dhawan will be assessed for 10-12 days: Sanjay Bangar
K L Rahul will open along with Rohit Sharma for india in the match against New Zealand on Thursday in Trent Bridge in the ICC World Cup cricket even as the team management said it would like to assess Shikhar Dhawan's injury for 10 to 12 days before calling for replacement.The vacant spot may be filled by Vijay Shankar in the match against New Zealand, India batting coach Sanjuay Bangar told the pre-match media conference today."As far as batting order goes, KL Rahul moves up at the top of the order and there are various options that the team management can utilise going into the next game. Obviously, Vijay Shankar is going to be an option and there are a couple of others as well," he said."Around 10 or 12 days, we will be taking a call on the status of Shikhar and till that point, just to make sure that, if and when the replacement is required, then it is always good to have a replacement player coming in and practicing with the team as a standby," Bangar said.Dhawan sustained an ...
Mayor's Chess: Chakraborty emerges champion in category 'B'
West Bengal's Koustav Chakraborty Wednesday emerged as the champion in category B of the 12th Mumbai Mayor's Cup chess tournament being played here. Chakraborty won the title with 8.5 points, out of a possible 10, with significantly higher tie-breaks than Karnataka's Sharan Rao, who finished as the runner-up. On the top table, Chakraborty employed the 'Grand Prix' attack against Andhra Pradesh's Mushini Ajay's Sicilian and the game ended in an uneventful draw in 22 moves. On board 2, Tamil Nadu's Gokulraj K employed the English opening against Karnataka's Sharan Rao. Gokulraj managed to win a pawn early in the game and clinched the issue on his 36th turn. Meanwhile, in the Open category, the game between Belgium's Malakhatko Vadim and Amonatov Farrukh from Tajikistan, which lasted for six hours, ended in a draw. Local lad IM Mohammad Nubairshah Shaikh went down to the experienced Belarusian GM Aleksandrov Aleksej in 33 moves.
India are favourites against Pakistan: Kapil Dev
1983 World Cup winning India captain Kapil Dev has said that he sees Virat Kohli and boys as favourites in their upcoming 2019 World Cup clash against Pakistan. "We have started very well by winning the first two matches comfortably," said Kapil on Wednesday. "Hopefully the team continues playing in this manner and the weather doesn't cause any problems."
CWC '19: Taking wickets up front is key to beating India: Ferguson
New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson has chalked out a strategy to beat India in the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, saying that they need to get early wickets or bowl some dot balls to create pressure and overpower their opponent."They showed us that they're probably a lot more patient in a way. And although we're looking to take wickets, sometimes we got a little bit expensive. I think taking wickets up front is the key to [beating] India but, if not, creating pressure and building dots," ICC quoted Ferguson, as saying.Both India and New Zeland have not lost any of their matches in the tournament as of now and their clash will be interesting as one of them will taste their first defeat in the World Cup.So far, Ferguson has been brilliant in the premier tournament as he has the most number of wickets, 8, in the tournament. But Ferguson was in all praise for the 'world-class' Indian players and is looking forward to playing against them in England."They're world-class players. ...
Amul dedicates cartoon in Yuvraj Singh's honour
After Yuvraj Singh bid adieu to his career, fans from all around the world showered love and support on the former star cricketer.
Norway Chess: Anand meets Caruana in round 7
Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand will have his task cut out when he takes on Fabiano Caruana of United States in the seventh round of Altibox Norway Chess tournament here. As the tournament observed its second rest day, Anand on 5.5 points is in joint fifth spot, needing a great finish to ward off early round blues in the super tournament. It's not normal for Anand to begin any event with two losses but in here decisive result is the order of the day as a tiebreak game under Armageddon rules is played to determine the winner in each round. Starting off with a loss in the tiebreaker against reigning world champion and tournament leader Magnus Carlsen of Norway, Anand lost the next match against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and then from the bottom of the tables he has walked his way to the middle. A previous round loss against Yu Yangyi, in fact, stopped Anand from winning his fourth mini-match on the trot even though the Indian ace enjoyed better prospects. With Carlsen running ...
Don't want to rule out player like Dhawan: Bangar
India's assistant coach Sanjay Bangar said the team management does not want to rule out injured opener Shikhar Dhawan just as yet because he is too "precious".