Page 1498 - Sports
GCX, BMC UK to facilitate FIFA World Cup 2018 broadcast
Global Cloud Xchange (GCX), a subsidiary of Reliance Communications (RCOM), and Broadcast Media Communications (BMC UK) have teamed up for the 'live' broadcast of the FIFA World Cup 2018 which kicked off in Russia on June 14, a company statement said here on Friday.
India overwhelm Afghanistan by an innings and 262 runs
India bowled out Afghanistan for 103 in the second innings to win the one-off Test by an innings and 262 runs on the second day here on Friday.
Indian squad departs for Asian Fencing C'ship
The 24-member senior fencing team was on Friday given a warm send-off to participate in the Asian Fencing Championship, which is slated to be held at Bangkok, Thailand from June 17 to June 22.The squad, which is headed by Bashir Ahmed Khan, Secretary General of Fencing Authority of India (FAI), will be accompanied by six coaches.The teams had undergone intense training at Western SAI Training Centre, Aurangabad from May 19 to June 15 for preparation of above Asian Championship.Rajiv Mehta, President FAI, conveyed his sincere thanks to SAI and Rahul Bhatnagar, IAS Secretary Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS), Government of India, Sports Authority of India (SAI) for all the support and valuing fencing as potential sport which can bring laurels to India in Olympics in future as it has 36 medals to fight for in Olympics.He added that India have a good roadmap and proper planning, and are moving on right track.Mehta also expressed his happiness over preparation and ...
Zaheer meets South Australia Minister
Indian cricket great Zaheer Khan has met South Australia's State Minister for Investment, Trade and Tourism, David Ridgway here, it was announced on Friday.
Modest start for Aditi Ashok in Michigan LPGA event
Indian golfer Aditi Ashok had a modest start with one-over 73 at the Meijer LPGA Classic here. Aditi was placed T-43 but as much as nine shots behind the leader, So Yeon Ryu and Kelly Shon, who 64 each. Aditi, who was T-45th at Shoprite LPGA Classic after two Top-10s before that, had three bogeys against two birdies. So Yeon Ryu, the No. 6 ranked player in the world, provided the early fireworks with an eight-under, 64 to grab the early lead on Thursday. Towards the end of the first wave, Kelly Shon closed with an eagle on eight and a birdie on nine to match Ryu with a 64. Shon played her inward nine in 29 with five birdies and an eagle. She made seven birdies on the day. Lizette Salasshot a 6-under, 66, while South African Lee-Anne Pace carded a 5-under, 67, as did Caroline Masson. Morgan Pressel turned in a 4-under, 68. Defending champion Brooke Henderson opened with a 3-under, 69.
Shubhankar endures tough day at US Open, lies T-37
Facing demanding and gusty conditions, Shubhankar Sharma carded a gritty four-over 74 in the opening round of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills to lie tied 37th here. The 21-year-old Sharma, who came through the qualifiers in Columbus, had two birdies against six bogeys -- three of them on back nine between the 11th and 17th. It was pretty tough out there, with some very high scores. I have been here since Friday and played the course a few times, but it was totally different from what it was on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, said Sharma, whose two birdies came on fifth and ninth. Meanwhile, World No. 1 Dustin Johnson shot one-under 69 to be among the four joint leaders. Only four players were under par for the first day and only Jason Dufner (70) shot even par to be T-5th. Many of the big names had a nightmarish day and that included Tiger Woods (78), but Rory McIlroy (80) was the worst among former champions. Jason Day (79), Jordan Spieth (78), Jon Rahm (78), Phil Mickelson (77) and ..
Indian squad leaves for Asian Fencing Championship
A 24-member fencing team including 12 men and as many women today left for Bangkok to take part in the Asian Fencing Championship, slated to be held from June 17-22. Six coaches also accompanied the squad along with Fencing Association Of India Secretary General, Bashir Khan The teams had undergone intense training at Western Sports Authority India Training Centre in Aurangabad from May 19- June 15 for the preparation of the Asian Championship and the Asian Games, a statement said. Teams: Foil Men: Velautham Vinoth Kumar, Thokchom Bicky, Arjun Punjab State, Rai Rakesh. Foil Women: Awati Radhika Prakash, Sagolsem Bindu Devi, Wanglembam Thoibi Devi, Jasmine. Epee Men: Kumar Sunil, Nongthombam Santosh Singh, Coppara Jayaprakash Guruprakash, Udaivir Singh. Epee Women: Devi Thoudam Kabita, Arora Ena, Jas Seerat Singh, Dutta Jyotika Sabre Men: Karan Singh, Kumaresan Padma Gisho Nidhi, Irengbam Surendro Singh, Johal Varinder Singh. Sabre Women: Thingujam Daina Devi, Shukla Komalpreet, ...
Spain face Euro champ Portugal in FIFA WC opener
Star striker Cristiano Ronaldo will surely be a key man for Portugal when they square off with Spain in the second match of Group B in the ongoing FIFA World Cup at the Sochi's Fisht Stadium here on Friday.Despite Portugal and Spain being old rivals, their opening match in the showpiece event will only be their second-ever meeting on football's greatest stage.Portugal had endured a roller coaster ride in the recent months. The Fernando Santos-led side defeated Switzerland, Egypt and Algeria while they lost 0-3 to Netherlands and settled for draw against Tunisia and Belgium in their last six matches.The Euro 2016 champions, who failed to make beyond group stage at Brazil 2014, will hope to see their players finding form quickly against a dangerous Spain.Though Spain have been in impressive form in the lead-up to the showpiece event, they were hit by the shocking axing of their head coach Julen Lopetegui.Lopetegui, whose sacking came after he was named Real Madrid coach, was replaced by
Kohli, Dhoni undergo Yo-Yo Test ahead of England tour
Swashbuckling Indian skipper Virat Kohli and former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni underwent a Yo-Yo Endurance Test here at the National Cricket Academy on Friday.The duo took the fitness test to determine their availability for the upcoming tour of the United Kingdom, featuring three T20Is, three ODIs and five-match Test series, beginning June 27 at the Old Trafford in Manchester.The test was taken on the sidelines of the second day of the historic one-off Test match between India and Afghanistan at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.Kohli, who is one of the fittest Indian cricketers, is currently undergoing rehabilitation for a neck injury that he sustained during his campaign with the Rajasthan Royals at the 11th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).The injury also saw the Indian skipper pull out of his maiden stint with Surrey in the English County Championship this month.Though the Yo-Yo test is the basic parameter, it will be the status of Kohli's injury that would ...
Sharmila Tied 2nd after first round despite injury in Prague
Sharmila Nicollet overcame a troublesome ankle to card four-under 68 in the first round of the AXA Czech Ladies Challenge on the LET Access Series, the second rung of the Ladies European Tour. Sharmila, who is dividing her time between China LPGA and Ladies European Tour, has also been playing on the LET Series whenever possible. She had six birdies against two bogeys and was Tied-second with Swaziland's Nobuhle Dlamini and France's Emilie Piquot. The Indian is just one shot behind the leader, young amateur Tereza Melecka (67). Another Indian player, Vani Kapoor (69) shot a bogey-free round to share the Tied-fifth spot with six others. Sharmila needed medical treatment few holes into the round as she injured herself while hitting a shot. She managed to complete 18 holes and headed straight to the physiotherapist. The course is really good. I think it suits my game with the wide fairways and the short approaches to the pin. I think the putting is the tough part and if you can figure ...
Nervy Argentina seek Messi magic against Iceland
Lionel Messi's Argentina aim to put a shambolic World Cup build-up behind them and make a statement in their opening match against tournament debutants Iceland today. The two-time champions arrived in Russia dogged by poor form, injuries and controversy. But Messi is a man on a mission as he chases his first World Cup winner's medal and will not tolerate complacency against the minnows at Moscow's Spartak stadium. "Iceland showed they could compete with anyone at the last Euros," he said, referring to their giant-killing run at the 2016 European Championship in France. Messi was devastated by Argentina's loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final, with the agony compounded by back-to-back Copa America defeats to Chile in 2015 and 2016. Despite his achievements with Barcelona, the five-time world player of the year is yet to win a major international tournament and time is running out as his 31st birthday looms. He briefly retired from international football after the 2016 Copa ...
Afghanistan out for 109, trail by 365 runs (Tea Report)
Afghanistan were bowled out for 109 in their first innings and are trailing by 365 runs against India at tea on the second day of the one-off Test here on Friday.
Afghanistan skittled out for 109, India enforce follow-on at tea on Day 2
India predictably exposed the serious limitations in Afghanistan's batting with the visitors being skittled out for a paltry 109 in 27.5 overs at tea on the second day as the historic one-off Test match looked poised for an early finish. With a huge lead of 365 runs, Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane had no hesitation in enforcing follow-on. This was after Hardik Pandya's 71 ensured an impressive first innings total of 474 for the home team. Batting was always going to be Afghanistan's Achilles heel' as the inexperienced line-up simply didn't have the technique or the temperament to face quality swing and seam bowling from Ishant Sharma (2/28 in 5 overs) and Umesh Yadav (1/18 in 6 overs). Every batsman seemed to be on a limited overs mode without any respect for an aspect called patience which is an integral component of Test cricket. The result was an entire innings was over within one session with only Mohamed Nabi (24) crossing the 20-run mark. Once the top-order was blown away, ...
Croatia take on Nigeria in Russia's European bolthole
Former World Cup semi-finalists Croatia take on African powerhouses Nigeria in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad tomorrow in their opening Group D match that may prove a test of the organisers' anti-racism drive. It is 20 years since Croatia surged to the final four at France '98 with a resounding quarter-final win over favourites Germany, and fans will be buoyed by a squad brimming with attacking talent. Nigeria, long one of African football's underachievers, boast several players with English Premier League pedigree, and will hope they can secure only their second win in their last 12 World Cup matches. The stage for Saturday's clash is Kaliningrad, a thickly forested outpost of Russia wedged between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea -- a potentially challenging location for some fans to reach. FIFA's official site showed tickets still available 24 hours before kick-off. Saturday will also prove a crucial test for FIFA's anti-discrimination drive, with tension running high in
India dismiss Afghanistan for 109
Afghanistan were bundled out for 109 in their first innings in replay to India's total of 474 at tea on the second day of the one-off Test at M Chinnaswamy stadium here today. Afghanistan still trail by 365 runs. Early in the day, overnight batsman Hardik Pandhya scored a 94-ball 71 laced with 10 boundaries, while Umesh Yadav hit a 21-ball 26 as India scored 474 in their first innings in 104.5 overs. Brief Score: India 1st innings: 474 allout in 104.5 overs (S Dhawan 107, M Vijay 105, H Pandhya 71; Y Ahmadzai 3/51, Wafadar 2/79). Afghanistan 1st innings: 109 all out in 27.5 overs (Mohammad Nabi 24; R Ashwin 4/27).
Umesh Yadav claims 100th Test wicket, joins elite list of Kapil, Kumble
Umesh Yadav today picked up his 100th Test wickets, becoming the eighth Indian pace bowler to achieve the landmark in the longer format of the game. Umesh picked up Rahmat Shah as his 100th Test wicket after he trapped him plumb in front of the wickets on the second day of the historic India-Afghanistan Test match here at Chinnaswamy stadium. Umesh became the 22nd Indian Test bowler to claim hundred wickets and also eighth Indian pace bowler. The right-arm pacer thus joined the elite list of Kapil Dev, who bagged 434 wickets in 131 tests, and Zahir Khan who grabbed 311 in 92 Tests. Other Indian pacers who have achieved the milestone are Ishant Sharma (236), Javagal Srinath (236), Mohammad Shami (110), Karsan Ghavri (109) and Irfan Pathan (100). All other 14 Indian bowlers who claimed 100 wickets are spinners with Anil Kumble leading the pack with 619 wickets in 132 Tests. Harbhajan Singh and Ravichandran Ashwin had snapped 417 wickets in 103 tests and 312 in 58 matches ...
Kenya urged to set up football academies to nurture talent
Victor Wanyama, a Kenyan footballer who plays in the English Premier League (EPL), has called for setting up football academies to tap football talent in the East African nation.
World's steepest football stadium under construction in Australian city
With an upper tier perilously tilted at a 34 degree angle, a new football stadium in Australia's Western Sydney is continuing to take shape on Friday, as the steepest allowable trajectory in the world, local media reported.
'CWG Table Tennis performance will remain India's best'
With just a few days left to the commencement of the second season of Ultimate Table Tennis, Maharashtra United coach N Ravichandran was optimistic that his team will better their performance from the last season."We are a balanced side with the right blend of youth and experience. I am confident that we will excel with this team we have," said a beaming Ravichandran.In the draft leading to the season, Maharashtra United included Indian men's number one Amalraj Anthony, Indian female youth number one Selena Selvakumar and brought back Portuguese Joao Monteiro for second season.The franchise roped in 2017 season title-winning coach Francisco Santos and N Ravichandran to manage the team.They also picked Sweden's number one Kristian Karlsson as their first draft followed by three-time European champion and Romania number one Elizabeta Samara as their first foreign female player.The Maharashtra-based table tennis team then roped in local girl Madhurika Patkar, who came back from CWG with .
Afghanistan cricketers celebrate Eid-Ul-Fitr
The Afghanistan team today brought the festive fever on the ground of Chinnaswamy stadium as they celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr before the start of the second day's play of the historic one-off Test against India here. The visiting players including Rashid Khan, captain Ashghar Stanikzai and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, first visited a local mosque in the morning and then arrived at the stadium wearing traditional Afghani festive dress. The players then greeted by hugging each other for quite some time before they changed into their whites to prepare themselves for the day's play. "Eid Mubarak ! ACB extends its best wishes on the auspicious occasion of #Eid to Patron in- Chief H.E Ashraf Ghani, National players, Cricket fans, Afghan people and all Muslims around the world," Afghanistan Cricket Board said in their Twitter handle. After losing the toss to Indian skipper Ajinkya Rahane, Afghanistan made a superb comeback in the Test match after they were belted all over the park by centurions Murali Vijay