Page 1611 - Sports
Test discard Moeen says IPL stint will make him better ODI player
Axed from the England squad for the Tests against Pakistan, all-rounder Moeen Ali says his IPL stint will make him a better one-day player and improve his game. "I have really worked on my game and I feel going further in the future for RCB and for England, hopefully it will help me become a better one-day player. Hopefully, it is going to improve my game," he told reporters here. Ali has been instrumental in keeping Royal Challengers Bangalore's chances of qualifying for playoffs intact. He picked up two wickets and in the company of AB de Villiers then, smashed a match-winning half century against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The English player hammered a 34-ball 65, which was studded with two boundaries and six sixes, to guide RCB to 218 for 6. He credited RCB support staff, including Gary Kirsten and Trent Woodhill, for his improved batting. "Yeah Gary and Trent Woodhill. I have worked the most with them on my batting. I am trying to hit the ball and be consistent in hitting boundaries. ..
Pacquiao says Matthysse bout to be 'basis' for retirement call
Philippine boxing legend Manny Pacquiao says the outcome of his July bout against Argentine Lucas Matthysse will likely determine whether he will hang up his gloves after a storied career. After a one-year hiatus from the ring, the 39-year-old has started training two weeks earlier than usual to bring himself up to peak fighting condition. "I am not saying it will be the last, but it will be the basis for (me) to think about (whether) to continue or not," Pacquiao told AFP after training in Manila on Thursday. "So I am trying my best and doing our best in the training in this fight to show if I can still do it or not," he added. Pacquiao has won world titles across an unprecedented eight different weight classes, but critics -- including Matthysse, who is four years his junior -- question his ability to box at the top of his game due to his age. The fighter, who won 38 of his first 47 professional fights by knockout, has not knocked out an opponent in nearly nine years. The two will ..
Payet left out of France World Cup squad, Mendy included
Marseille star Dimitri Payet was left out of France's World Cup squad announced by coach Didier Deschamps, completing a miserable 24 hours for the playmaker. The former West Ham United player was forced off with a hamstring injury in the first half of Marseille's Europa League final defeat against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, and that fitness doubt persuaded Deschamps to leave him out of the squad of 23. "Dimitri Payet was a serious candidate for a place in the squad. He played the first half-hour (against Atletico), but he aggravated his injury, and the recovery time needed for that type of injury is three weeks," Deschamps said after revealing his squad live on television station TF1's evening news programme. "But as it is a muscle injury, there is a risk of a relapse." Payet was one of France's stars at Euro 2016, when they reached the final as hosts before losing to Portugal. But he has also fallen victim to the number of attacking options available to Deschamps, who did call up .
Eder and Nani miss out on Portugal World Cup squad
Forwards Eder and Nani were surprise absentees from Portugal's World Cup squad with national team coach Fernando Santos opting instead for the youth of Andre Silva and Goncalo Guedes to play alongside superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. Also missing from the 23-man squad was Andre Gomes who, like Eder and Nani, played at the 2016 European championships won by the Portuguese. Injured Porto midfielder Danilo Pereira was also missing from the line-up. At 33, five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo and 34-year-old Ricardo Quaresma are the only players over 30 in the Portuguese attack. Eder scored the extra-time winning goal in the Euro 2016 final against France but he was desperately out of form for Lokomotiv Moscow this season, scoring just four goals as his club side claimed the Russian Premier League title. Nani, 31 and his country's third most-capped player behind Ronaldo and Luis Figo with 112 appearances, has played just 24 matches all season with Lazio. "From a human perspective, it's very ..
Wozniacki battles into Rome quarter-finals
World number two Caroline Wozniacki needed three sets to battle past Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova to reach the final eight of the Italian Open. Second seed Wozniacki won through 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 against 20th-ranked Sevastova to reach her first quarter-finals in Rome since 2011. She next meets Estonia's Anett Kontaveit who defeated Venus Williams for the second time in a week after Madrid. Kontaveit, 22, won 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) against the 37-year-old American who was seeded eighth in a tournament she won nearly two decades ago in 1999.
Nadal eases past Shapovalov, Djokovic back challenging in Rome
Rafael Nadal brushed aside Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov with a 6-4, 6-1 victory at the Italian Open as Novak Djokovic showed he is on the comeback trail by reaching his first quarter-final of 2018. The 31-year-old Nadal will face Italian Fabio Fognini in the last eight as he looks to retake the world number one ranking from Roger Federer by winning an eighth Rome title this week. Nadal has already won his 11th titles in Monte Carlo and Barcelona during the current clay-court season, but has lost in the quarter-finals in each of the last three years in Italy. He was far too strong for Shapovalov yesterday, taking the opening set with a break in the seventh game before racing through the second to gain a measure of revenge for his shock defeat by the 19-year-old in Montreal last year. "I think Rafa played incredible today," said Shapovalov. "He's been playing at a really high level for this whole clay season. So, you know, it's credit to him. He was just simply too good today." ...
Hazard warning for United as troubled Chelsea eye FA Cup salvation
Desperate to end a dismal season on a high note, troubled Chelsea manager Antonio Conte needs Eden Hazard to ride to his rescue in tomorrow's FA Cup final against Manchester United. Conte's side have been rocked by their failure to qualify for next season's Champions League after they stumbled to a disappointing fifth place finish in the Premier League. With Conte reportedly on the verge of leaving following his feud with the club's hierarchy over transfers, there is a sense Chelsea are lurching through one of their regular periods of self-inflicted turmoil. While victory at Wembley this weekend wouldn't erase the problems gripping Chelsea, it does offer a chance to dispel the notion that disharmony between Conte and his players has accelerated their decline. Just 12 months ago, Chelsea swaggered into the FA Cup final as the newly crowned Premier League champions following Conte's dazzling debut season. Yet they left Wembley empty-handed after a lacklustre 2-1 defeat against Arsenal ..
Sharapova defeats Gavrilova to reach Italian Open quarter-finals
Russian three-time champion Maria Sharapova rolled to a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Daria Gavrilova to book a spot in the quarter-finals of the Italian Open, a key French Open tune-up event.
IPL 2018: Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 14 runs
Cricketers AB de Villiers and Moeen Ali both struck half-centuries to drive the Royal Challengers Bangalore to victory by defeating the table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad by 14 runs at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.Asked to bat, the host team Royal Challengers Bangalore made 218 runs for six before surviving a scare from Sunrisers skipper Kane Williamson (81 off 42) and Manish Pandey (62 off 38).Further, Sunrisers slipped to 64 for 2 in eight overs and the asking rate was nearly 13.With Sunrisers needing 20 off the last over, Williamson jumped across off stump and scooped Siraj's first ball straight into the lap of Colin de Grandhomme at the edge of the fine leg boundary.Further, Siraj got away with four runs and a leg bye off the last five balls.RCP's AB De Villers also manipulated the fielders and bowlers expertly along with Moeen Ali in a 107-run stand off 57 ballsParthiv Patel chipped the first ball to the right of short cover, but Deepak Hooda dropped it.Though, Patel ...
RCB live to fight for another day
Royal Challengers Bangalore kept their playoff hopes alive as Sunrisers Hyderabad's skipper Kane Williamson (81 off 42) and Manish Pandey's (62 not-out off 38) blistering knock went in vain in a crucial Indian Premier League (IPL) clash at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Thursday.
De Villiers, Ali keep RCB's play-off hopes alive
AB de Villiers and Moeen Ali struck breezy half-centuries as Royal Challengers Bangalore held their nerves under pressure to eke out a 14-run win over table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad in a must-win match and stay afloat in the Indian Premier League here today. Asked to bat, RCB posted a mammoth 218 for six before surviving a scare from Sunrisers skipper Kane Williamson (81 off 42) and Manish Pandey (62 off 38) to restrict the visitors to 204 for three. De Villiers (69 off 39) and Ali (65 off 34) overcame a bad start to stitch 107 runs off just 57 balls for the third wicket to not only set the platform for RCB's total but also keep their team in contention. Chasing the mammoth total, Sunrisers started on a positive note piling up 47 runs off the first five overs before Shikhar Dhawan hit one straight back to Yuzvendra Chahal off his own bowling in the next over. Alex Hales (37 off 24) was going great guns before De Villiers pulled off a blinder of a one-handed catch at midwicket ...
Chess: Sengupta, Rozum share joint lead after fourth round
Grandmasters Deep Sengupta of Kolkata and Ivan Rozum of Russia shot into joint lead with four points from as many rounds in the Kolkata International Open Chess Tournament at the Newtown School here on Thursday.
RCB beat Sunrisers by 14 runs to stay alive in IPL
Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad by 14 runs in a must-win match to stay alive in the Indian Premier League here today. Brief Scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore: 218 for six in 20 overs (AB de Villiers 69, Moeen Ali 65, Colin de Grandhomme 40; Rashid Khan 3/27). Sunrisers Hyderabad: 204 for three in 20 overs (Kane Williamson 81, Manish Pandey 62 not out; Moeen Ali 1/21).
Ramesh Desai CCI Nationals from May 19
The MSLTA - Yonex Sunrise 12th Ramesh Desai memorial CCI Nationals Under-16 tennis tournament will be played at the Cricket Club of India tennis courts from May 19 to 26. The boys' singles will be a 64-player draw for both the qualifiers and the main event, while the girls' competition will be a 48-player draw for the qualifiers and the main event, a media release issued here today said. The doubles event for both boys and girls will be a direct 16-pair draw. All the top-ranked players will be vying for the top honours and the 200 AITA ranking points. The first round losers will get 20 AITA ranking points. The qualifying rounds will be played on May 19 and May 20. The main draw will commence from May 21, it said.
Deep, Rozum climb to joint lead
City-based Grandmaster Deep Sengupta and GM Ivan Rozum of Russia climbed to joint lead with four points each from as many rounds in the LIC Kolkata International Open chess tournament here today. Rozum once again showed his fine technique as he was featured in a rook ending where he held a strategic advantage to outplay Indian teenager Erigaisi Arjun in 42 moves from the black side of a Catalan setup. In a battle between two of the acclaimed prodigies of the country, Aravindh Chithambaram lost to young D Gukesh in a typical moment of blindness over the board, allowing Gukesh to join as many as 12 players on 3.5 points closely following the leaders. Top seeded Nigel Short had a short 16 move draw against young N R Vignesh on the top board, just when it looked like the game was leading to sharp play. Strong performances also came from Abhijeet Gupta who defeated Manik Mikulas in the first Grandmaster fight of the event, while IM D V Prasad held R R Laxman to a draw to continue his good .
IPL: De Villiers, Moeen 50s propel RCB to 218/6 vs Sunrisers
Ab de Villiers and Moeen Ali smacked breezy half centuries to help Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) overcome a shaky start and post a mammoth 218/6 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in a must-win Indian Premier League (IPL) tie at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Thursday.
No Day/Night Tests till our players are ready: CoA chief Rai
The Committee of Administrators (CoA) chief Vinod Rai today firmly backed the Indian cricket team's decision of not playing Day/Night pink ball Test against Australia during the upcoming tour Down Under at the end of the year. "What's wrong in us wanting to win all the matches? Any team that steps out on a pitch wants to win. 30 years back they said India play Test matches only to draw but they don't say that anymore," Rai said at historian Boria Majumdar's book launch in Delhi. The former CAG said that India will play day-night Tests only when the players are ready. "Till the time Indian players say that they are ready to play day-night matches there will be no day-night matches that India will play." BCCI CEO Rahul Johri also defended the board's decision. "Who we play, when we play, where we play and how we play is our prerogative. We will back everything for the Indian team to play to win," said Johri. The move by many has been perceived by many as India's win at all costs ...
De Villiers, Ali propels RCB to imposing 218/6 against Sunrisers
AB de Villiers and Moeen Ali smashed quickfire half-centuries to propel Royal Challengers Bangalore to an imposing 218 for six against table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad in a must-win Indian Premier League match here today. Sent into bat, De Villiers (69 off 39) and Ali (65 off 34) overcame a bad start to stitch 107 runs off just 57 balls for the third wicket to set the platform for RCB's total. Afghanistan's leg-spinner Rashid Khan once again shone bright with the ball for Sunrisers with figures of 3/27 from his four over. But Sunrisers were off to a great start as they reduced RCB to 38 for two inside five overs after opting to field. Sandeep Sharma (1/40) struck the first blow with the last ball of the opening over, removing Parthiv Patel caught by Siddharth Kaul at third man boundary. De Villiers then got into the act for RCB, hitting some exquisite boundaries off Shakib Al Hasan and Sandeep before Rashid cleaned up skipper Virat Kohli (12) with a googly in the fifth over. Brought .
Top 10 teams unchanged in latest FIFA rankings
The top 10 national teams remained unchanged from April in the new monthly rating list of football's world governing body FIFA published on Thursday.
Kontaveit stuns Venus again, advances to Italian Open quarters
For the second week in a row, Estonian tennis player Anett Kontaveit on Thursday defeated the United States' Venus Williams 6-2, 7-6 (3) to reach the quarter-finals of the Italian Open, a WTA clay court tournament held in Rome.