Page 1638 - Sports
Pant smashes maiden IPL hundred to take Delhi to 187/5
Rishabh Pant smashed his maiden hundred in the Indian Premier League, helping Delhi Daredevils overcome a poor start to reach an imposing 187 for five against Sunrisers Hyderabad here tonight. Pant (128 not out off 63 balls) was unstoppable in his unbeaten knock as toyed with arguably the best bowling attack in the competition, single-handedly giving a fighting chance to a struggling Delhi side. His special knock comprising 15 fours and seven sixes also more than made up for his involvement in run-outs of captain Shreyas Iyer (3 off 7) and a set Hasrshal Patel (24 off 17). Delhi decided to put scoreboard pressure on the opposition by deciding to bat but things did not go according to plan in the powerplay. Shakib Al Hasan struck off consecutive balls in the fourth over to remove in-form opener Prithvi Shaw (9) and Englishman Jason Roy (11), leaving Delhi at 21 for two. Shaw mistimed a pull off a short ball and Shikhar Dhawan latched on to it at cover. Shakib sent back Roy the very ...
IPL: Pant powers Delhi to challenging total
Rishabh Pant once again stepped up to the occasion with his maiden century to rescue Delhi Daredevils from a dismal start and help them post a challenging 187/5 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in an Indian Premier League (IPL) clash at the Ferozshah Kotla here on Thursday.
Edmund's dream run continues in Madrid Open at Goffin's expense
British tennis player Kyle Edmund's dream run at the Madrid Open continued on Thursday as he reached his first quarter-final at an ATP Master 1000 tournament by upsetting eighth seed David Goffin 6-3, 6-3.
We won't be complacent: Fleming
Chennai Super Kings need just one win from their remaining four matches to book a play-offs berth but head coach Stephen Fleming today said that his side will not be complacent when they take on Rajasthan Royals in their IPL match here tomorrow. "The teams (like Rajasthan Royals) which are in a situation where they have to win each game can be dangerous. We would be playing with full intensity. We know we are a couple of games ahead but we don't want to be in a situation where we need to scrape through in last games. We will not be complacent," Fleming said at pre-match press conference. CSK are currently at second spot with 14 points from 10 matches. Fleming said there were not much areas of concern for his team but it's a question of getting better each game and finding the right balance. Asked about the pitch at Sawai Mansingh Stadium which has been slow and low, Fleming said, "In the last couple of matches, this wicket had slow, low and variable pace. We have an-all round talent ..
Ronaldo, Carvajal continue recovery work before CL final
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo and defender Dani Carvajal on Thursday continued their respective recovery processes in preparation for the UEFA Champions League final against Liverpool on May 26 in Kiev.
D/N Test the future, India will do well if they play, feels Ganguly
Stating that Day-Night Test is the future, former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Thursday said India have enough quality to tackle the pink ball, also hinting that sooner or later Virat Kohli and Co. will have to play under lights over five days.
Belgium Ambassador calls on Manipur CM
The Ambassador of Belgium to India, Jan Luykx, called on Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh here today and discussed possibilities of co-operation in trade and investment, an official release said. The investments could be made in the sectors of food processing, agriculture and tourism. The chief minister proposed to Luykx to extend Belgium's support in developing a football academy in the state to hone the skills and ability of young and aspiring footballers, the release said. Singh also proposed to the Ambassador about sports exchange programme with Belgium especially in the field of football.
Kohli might play India A game vs Lions, if required
India captain Virat Kohli is keeping all options open with regards to his preparation for the England tour and could well be seen playing India A's four-day 'Test' against England Lions at Worcester, if situation demands. While there was some confusion with the dates of India's two T20 games against Ireland (June 27 and 29) clashing with Kohli's last County game for Surrey against Yorkshire at Scarborough (June 25 to 28), it is learnt that the skipper wants to keep all options open. While there are reports that Kohli might complete his County commitments and then take a five-hour journey from Scarborough to Dublin to play the second T20I, there is a possibility that he might skip the Yorkshire game and play both the games against Ireland. "The situation is pretty fluid right now. There is an arrangement with Surrey which allows Virat to honour his national commitment. So if he gets sufficient match time in the first two games, we might see him skipping the Yorkshire match and play ...
India can win day-night Test: Ganguly
The BCCI may have ruled out playing a day-night Test when the Indian team tours Australia later this year, but former captain Sourav Ganguly today termed the pink-ball contest as the future of cricket which the country will have to embrace some day. "Day/Night Test is the way forward. Every country has to play Day-Night Test. India has reservations but that's a long term future for Test cricket," Ganguly said at a promotional event here. India is one of the only two current Test-playing nations to have avoided playing pink-ball cricket at the International level, with Bangladesh being the other. But Ganguly said the Indian team has the potential to win a day/night Test. "They (Indian side) are a good side, they will win D/N Test matches also. It's just a different ball, I don't think there's any other difference. And they have such class players, they can win," he said at an awareness campaign with health drink 'Complan'. Ganguly also backed Indian captain Virat Kohli's decision to ...
IPL: Struggling Delhi opt to bat against Hyderabad
Delhi Daredevils skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to bat against Sunrisers Hyderabad in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Ferozshah Kotla here on Thursday.
Indian seam attack one of the best I have faced, says De Kock
Explosive South African batsman Quinton de Kock today avowed that the Indian pace attack was one of the best in the world and it would severely test the England batsmen in the own backyard. India will embark on England tour in July to play a three-match Twenty20 series, three-match ODI series and five-match Test series. I think it's going to be a good contest. The Indian seam attack is one of the best that I have ever faced. They are really good. The likes of Bhuvi (Bhuvanehwar Kumar), (Jasprit) Bumrah, Hardik (Pandya), (Mohammad) Shami (and) Ishant (Sharma), all these guys were very consistent and opposing teams are going to struggle against them. They have one of the hardest bowling attacks that one can face, especially as openers, de Kock said. The South African keeper-batsman spoke after he launched Spintechs Spin Mat' that would help the batters improve their skills on pitches that help spinners. De Kock also praised the Indian batsmen, who toured South Africa, saying they ...
Australian Open: Praneeth, Sameer, Manu-Sumeeth, Shlok-Arjun in quarters
B. Sai Praneeth and Sameer Verma joined the Indian pairs of Manu Attri-B. Sumeeth Reddy and Ramachandran Shlok-Arjun M.R. to enter the quarter-finals of the Australian Open badminton tournament after registering victories in their respective games here on Thursday.
UAE coach suspended over spot fixing offer
United Arab Emirates based coach Irfan Ansari was suspended following allegations from Pakistan's captain Sarfraz Ahmed that he was approached to participate in a spot fixing scheme, Crickcet's administrative body said today. The International Cricket Council (ICC) said Ansari was charged with three counts of breaching the body's anti-corruption code. "Ansari has been provisionally suspended with immediate effect and has been charged for directly soliciting, inducing, enticing or encouraging a participant to breach the code and for failure or refusal to cooperate with the anti-corruption unit's investigation," said an ICC release. Ansari, who is originally from Pakistan, has coached a number of small professional clubs in the UAE for years. The ICC said the suspension comes after Ansari failed to provide requested information to group's anti-corruption wing on two separate occasions. The charges centre on Sarfraz's admission to the Pakistan Cricket Board and the ICC that Ansari had ...
Guardiola, Pochettino 'happy' Ferguson is out of intensive care
Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino said they were delighted that former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is out of intensive care following surgery on a brain haemorrhage. United announced on Wednesday that Ferguson no longer needed intensive care following his emergency operation at the weekend and would continue rehabilitation as an inpatent. "His family have been overwhelmed by the level of support and good wishes but continue to request privacy as this will be vital during this next stage of recovery," said a statement from the club. Before the club issued their update about the 76-year-old's condition, current boss Jose Mourinho spoke positively about his hopes for Ferguson's recovery. Gestures of support continue for the Scot, who retired in 2013 after guiding United to 13 Premier League titles as well as five FA Cups and the Champions League twice. United are reportedly considering a gesture of support for Ferguson at their final Premier League match of the season, at
Guardiola eyes 100 points for record-breaking City
Pep Guardiola is targeting 100 points to cap an "almost perfect season" after champions Manchester City set a hat-trick of Premier League records and home fans said farewell to veteran midfielder Yaya Toure. City's 3-1 win against Brighton on Wednesday took them to 97 points and 105 goals for the season as they registered their 31st win of the campaign -- all three are new records. On his final home appearance as a City player, Toure, who is leaving the club at the end of the season after eight years, captained the side. His name was chanted throughout the contest, there was a huge cheer when he was substituted late on and the crowd also showed their appreciation for the 34-year-old Ivorian during a post-match presentation on the pitch involving his brother and former City team-mate Kolo Toure. City boss Guardiola said: "97 points, a lot of goals, a lot of wins -- that's a consequence of the season we have done. It's good. "Now it's one more game (away against Southampton on Sunday). .
Australian skipper Paine denies Warner rift
Australian skipper Tim Paine today denied David Warner was a divisive figure widely disliked within the team, insisting he would be welcomed back after his ban for a cheating scandal. Disgraced former vice-captain Warner is serving a year-long suspension for his part in the plan to use sandpaper to tamper with the ball during the third Test in South Africa in March. He was considered the mastermind of the scandal that rocked the sport and also saw former captain Steve Smith and batsman Cameron Bancroft suspended. Respected News Corp cricket writer Robert Craddock this week questioned whether Warner could fit back into a team under the leadership of new coach Justin Langer given "half the players can't stand him". But Paine said the comments were "off the mark" and "really unfair". "I certainly like Craddock's writing and when he's on TV I'm a fan of his," Paine told reporters in Hobart in his first press conference since officially being made one-day and Test skipper. "But I thought ..
Lehmann to coach young Aussie talent
Former national coach Darren Lehmann, who quit in the wake of a ball-tampering scandal, will take on a new role working with young talent under Australia's National Performance Program (NPS), officials said today. Lehmann, 48, was contracted as national coach until after the 2019 Ashes series in England, but opted to go early in the wake of the tainted tour of South Africa earlier this year. This was despite being cleared of any role in the ball-tampering affair that saw Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft suspended from the game for up to 12 months. NPS head coach Troy Cooley said Lehmann would work with himself, former Test bowler Ryan Harris and opener Chris Rogers to oversee the development of players over the upcoming winter months. While his role will focus largely on the NPS, it will also encompass other pathways programmes within the Cricket Australia set-up, he said. "I had a good chat with 'Boof' (Lehmann) and he was really keen to continue his coaching," Cooley
Barcelona win again while Madrid suffer another defeat in La Liga
FC Barcelona continued their incredible unbeaten run in the La Liga with a 5-1 home win over Villarreal, who themselves needed a win to assure a place in next season's Europa League, while Sevilla defeated Real Madrid 3-2 to climb to the seventh spot.
Uvena Fernandes to officiate in FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
Uvena Fernandes has been selected to officiate as an assistant referee in the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup to be held in France from August 5-24. The new feather in Uvena's cap comes after she had earlier become the first Indian woman assistant referee to officiate in a FIFA World Cup during the 2016 U-17 Women's World Cup in Jordan. She officiated in four matches and the summit clash between Japan and DPR Korea in the Women's FIFA U-17 World Cup for which she was awarded with an AFC Referees Special Award in 2016. "It is like another dream coming true and I cannot believe that I will be officiating in my second FIFA World Cup in less than two years," she said in an AIFF release. "It is not only a boost for me, it's a boost for women's football and women's refereeing in general and it shows that Indian referees can also make it to the big stage on a regular basis," she added. AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das said, "Development of Indian referees stays on our priority list. It's nice ..
Weightlifting federation happy at new inclusions in TOPS
Weightlifting Federation of India today said inclusion of three more lifters in Sports Ministry's Target Olympic Podium Scheme is very encouraging for the athletes ahead of Asian Games and other international events. The government handed extensions to Sanjita Chanu and Pardeep Singh who were originally in the TOP Scheme only till the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Sanjita defended here 53kg category gold at Gold Coast last month while Singh won silver in the men's 105 kg category. Another young prospect Rakhi Halder was included in the Scheme after she created a national record in the 63 kg at the Senior National Championships in Mangalore. She had lifted 128 kg in clean and jerk to break the 19-year-old record which was in the name of 2000 Olympic bronze medallist Karnam Malleswari. "We are happy at the inclusion of the three weightlifters in the TOP Scheme. The weightlifters performed really well in the CWG. Otherwise also the sport is on the rise. In this context, the ministry's ...