Page 171 - Sports
6 players making international debut is major development, says Isac Doru
AIFF Technical Director Isac Doru on Friday said that six players making international debut is a major development despite Indian men's senior national team suffering a 1-3 defeat against Curacao in the King's Cup in Thailand."So many new debutants in a match is a major development in Indian football. We need to bring in new players who bring in new energy in the squad. The coach wants to see a lot of players, myself too," Doru said in an AIFF statement on the sidelines of the tournament.The six players are Sahal Abdul Samad, Rahul Bheke, Brandon Fernandes, Amarjit Singh, Raynier Fernandes and Michael Soosairaj.Doru, who was appointed in his latest role in April this year, added, "We need to create a family spirit in the team -- among the older, younger and newer players. With six newcomers, it's a very important thing and definitely I think there will be more newcomers in the future."The Romanian also spoke about young players and the importance of identifying talent as early as ...
Pakistan, Sri Lanka split points after washout
Not a single delivery could be bowled due to inclement weather as Pakistan and Sri Lanka split points after the first washout of the ongoing World Cup here on Friday.
Bangladesh promise England World Cup trial by spin
Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza has promised England another trial by spin when they meet in the World Cup in Cardiff on Saturday. Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow's dominance at the top of the order has been a hallmark of England's rise to become the top-ranked team in one-day internationals. But the fast starts have been checked with South Africa, in the opening match of the tournament, handing the new ball to leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who dismissed Bairstow for a duck. In England's second match, Pakistan opened their bowling with Shadab Khan and the move paid off, with the leg-spinner dismissing Roy cheaply. The green pitches in Cardiff allowed New Zealand's arsenal of quicks to skittle Sri Lanka last weekend, while Nuwan Pradeep then did the same to Afghanistan. As a result, England appear likely to recall Liam Plunkett, perhaps at the expense of leg-spinner Adil Rashid. But Bangladesh will be sticking to their tried-and-tested formula, relying on the spin of Mehidy Hasan Miraz, ..
Afghanistan's Naib rues Shahzad World Cup injury blow
Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib admits losing Mohammad Shahzad for the rest of the World Cup is a major blow to his side's hopes of upsetting the odds in the tournament. Wicketkeeper-batsman Shahzad was ruled out on Thursday after suffering a recurrence of a nagging knee injury. Minnows Afghanistan have lost their first two matches and could ill afford to lose the popular opener ahead of their clash with New Zealand in Taunton on Saturday. "Obviously it's a big loss for our side," Naib told reporters on Friday. "Shahzad is a great player for Afghanistan. He did a lot. I'm also upset for him -- the last two, three weeks he's been struggling with his knee. "He can't move right. In the last two weeks, I checked with the doctor and physio. I gave the time to him to recover. But unfortunately it's bad luck for Shahzad." Naib believes Shahzad's energetic presence off the pitch will be missed as much as his play on it. "Shahzad is very energetic. Also in the dressing room he's very funny. .
CWC'19: Pak-SL clash called off due to rain
Pakistan and Sri Lanka settled with one point each as their match in the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup was called off on Friday due to relentless rain at the County Ground in Bristol.The rain stopped for a while and the umpires conducted regular inspections, however, the match officials decided to abandon the clash as the outfield still had some wet areas.Pakistan and Sri Lanka both had one victory and one loss going into the match. According to the teams head to head record, Pakistan have seven victories in the history of the 50-over tournament against Sri Lanka.The Sarfaraz Ahmed-led side lost its opening match to West Indies by seven wickets. The team, however, bounced back and changed their fortunes as they registered a narrow 12-run victory over the tournament favourites and host England.The Sri Lankan side, captained by Dimuth Karunaratne, was thrashed by New Zealand by ten wickets in its first match. The team, however, opened its account in the point table as they ...
Adam Zampa reprimanded for using 'audible obscenity'
Australia Leg-spinner Adam Zampa has been reprimanded by the ICC and has received one demerit point for a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct during a World Cup match.During Australia and West Indies' match on Thursday, in the 29th over, Zampa used an "audible obscenity" that was heard by the on-field umpires. This action was a breach of Article 2.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to using audible obscenities in an international match.On-field umpires Marais Erasmus and Chris Gaffaney, third umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge and fourth official S Ravi levelled the charges against the leg-spinner, who admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Jeff Crowe of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees.Zampa returned with figures of 1-58 in a thrilling encounter at the Trent Bridge. Australia won by 15 runs to secure their second victory in as many matches in the World Cup so far. The Aaron Finch-led side will next ...
Bengal junior rugby teams announced
Rajdeep Saha and Rushmita Oraon were named captains of the Bengal boys and girls teams respectively for the upcoming Society Generale Junion National Rugby Sevens Championships to be held at Chandigarh from June 14-16. The Bengal Rugby Union (BRU) picked 12-member boys and girls teams from their month-long training camp at the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club. Bengal girls are reigning champions of the tournament, while Maharashtra won the championship in the last edition. The BRU announced that CC&FC would host the All India Rugby Club tournament this year from September 21-28. Bengal Team: Boys: Rajdeep Saha (Captain), Sk Badal (Vice-Captain), Sani Owran, Gautam Rajbanshi, Golu Pandit, Birju Roy, Gourav Tamang, Gautam Majhi, Sujoy Sen, Sk Ramjan, Subhadip Mayra, Augastine Khariya; Coach: Sanjay Patra, Manager: Bikash Prasaad. Girls: Rushmita Oraon (Captain), Nikita Oraon (Vice Captain), Suchita Oraon, Barsha Oraon, Radhika Oraon, Anisha Oraon, Sultana Oraon, Sonam Shaw, Rinki .
CWC'19: Players to watch out in Kiwi-Afghanistan clash
New Zealand have won two matches while Afghanistan have lost as many matches in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup. The Kiwi side will aim to register its third consecutive win and Afghanistan, on the other hand, would aim to open their account when the teams clash on June 8 at Taunton.New Zealand, known as BlackCaps, are considered dark horse along with the West Indies in the 50-over tournament. Australian legends like Mark Waugh and Brett Lee picked up the Kiwis, the 2015 World Cup runners-up, as the fourth team to enter the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup. The Kiwis heavily rely on their top-order and pace bowlers to pose a threat to their opponents.On the other hand, Afghanistan also cannot be taken lightly because last year they were the ones who overpowered West Indies in the final of World Cup qualifier. Also, the team has quite a strong bowling attack which has the capability to restrict any team to a low total.Martin GuptillGuptill was the architect behind New Zealand's ...
Captain Manpreet's brace hand India 3-1 win over Poland in FIH Series Finals
Skipper Manpreet Singh led from the front with a brace to guide India to a hard-fought 3-1 win over Poland in the ongoing FIH Series Finals hockey tournament, here Friday. After a barren first quarter, Manpreet scored in the 21st and 26th minutes while drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh converted a penalty corner in the 36th minute as India registered its second consecutive win of the tournament. Poland's lone goal was scored by Mateusz Hulboj in the 25th minute. Even though world no. 5 India managed to secure its second win on the trot, it was far from impressive, especially after thrashing world no. 21 Poland 10-0 in the Azlan Shah Cup less than three months ago. The Indians, as usual, were slow to get off the blocks as Poland got the first scoring opportunity in the form of a penalty corner in the very first minute but the opportunity went in vain. The Indians then slowly and steadily got into the groove but the Polish defended in numbers to deny the hosts. India's first shy at the ...
Barty, Vondrousova shrug off sexism row to reach Roland Garros final
Ashleigh Barty and Marketa Vondrousova set-up a Roland Garros final showdown on Friday, shrugging off a sexism row which had seen their semi-finals shifted away from the tournament's showpiece court. Barty, 23, reached her first final at the majors, coming back from a set and 0-3 down to defeat 17-year-old Amanda Anisimova 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-3 in a rollercoaster semi-final. Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova also made sure of her place in a maiden final at the Slams by edging out Britain's Johanna Konta 7-5, 7-6 (7/2). Vondrousova, 19, is the first teenager to reach a major final in 10 years since Caroline Wozniacki at the 2009 US Open and the first at Roland Garros in 12 years. Saturday's final will be the youngest final at a Slam since the 2008 Roland Garros championship match when 20-year-old Ana Ivanovic defeated Dinara Safina, 22. Eighth seed Barty is the first Australian in a French Open final since Samantha Stosur finished runner-up in 2010. "That was amazing, both good and ...
India may opt for three pacers after Australia's struggle against WI: Ponting
India might employ a three-pace attack against Australia on Sunday after watching the defending champions' top-order struggle against a barrage of bouncers by a hostile West Indies pace battery, feels Ricky Ponting. The West Indies trio of Oshane Thomas, Sheldon Cottrell and Andre Russell terrorised the Australian batsmen with their fiery pace and disconcerting short balls, reducing the five-time champions to 38 for four at one stage during last World Cup match Thursday. Two-time World Cup winning captain Ponting, who is currently the assistant coach, believed the sight of his boys scurrying for cover might tempt the Indian team management to go with three quicks instead of playing two wrist-spinners. "(Jasprit) Bumrah we know is a very good new ball bowler and I'm sure he'll mix it up and bowl some short stuff and some full stuff," Ponting was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. "Bhuvneshwar will probably not worry you too much with his pace or his bouncers. Hardik can maybe rush you
Pakistan, Sri Lanka split points after wash out
Pakistan and Sri Lanka were forced to split the two points after their World Cup match was called off due to heavy rain, which left the field unplayable here Friday. After a couple of inspections, umpires Nigel Llong and Ian Gould decided to call off the game at 3:46pm. The sky was still cloudy when the final inspection was held, keeping in mind a 20-over-a-side game. Both Pakistan and Sri Lanka have won one and lost one match each. Pakistan lost to West Indies by seven wickets in their opening match before beating favourites England by 14 runs. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, lost to New Zealand by 10 wickets and brought their campaign back on track with a 34-run victory against Afghanistan.
Morgan hoping for better fielding effort after Pakistan shocker
Captain Eoin Morgan is hoping for a better fielding effort as England seek to get their World Cup campaign back on track following their shocking loss to Pakistan. Bidding to win their maiden title in the sport's showpiece, the hosts started their campaign with a convincing 104-run victory against South Africa before they stumbled in their second game, losing by 14 runs to Pakistan. They now clash with Bangladesh who shocked South Africa in an earlier match. "We didn't deserve to win the game. But we played some really good cricket, two guys scored a hundred and we nearly chased down 350," Morgan said in his pre-match press conference in the Welsh capital Friday. "We lacked a bit in the field. And that still remains the case. Hopefully we put in a better showing in the field," the skipper added. Morgan searched for positives in the defeat. "But defeat presents a huge opportunity to learn more about your game and improve. Games where we have been defeated heavily have been the ones ...
Nadal crushes Federer to reach 12th French Open final
Rafael Nadal reached the French Open final for the third time in a row, and a record extending 12th overall, with a straight set win over arch-rival Roger Federer, here on Friday.
Bengal junior rugby teams announced
Rajdeep Saha and Rushmita Oraon were named captains of the Bengal boys and girls teams for the upcoming Society Generale Junior National Rugby Sevens Championships at the Panjab University in Chandigarh from June 14-16.
Nadal hands Federer worst Slam loss in 11 years to reach 12th French Open final
Defending champion Rafael Nadal powered past Roger Federer in the French Open semi-finals on Friday, to move within one victory of a record-extending 12th Roland Garros title after handing his oldest rival his worst Grand Slam defeat in 11 years. The 33-year-old produced a masterful performance to get past Federer 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in the last four on Court Philippe Chatrier and set up a final clash with either world number one Novak Djokovic or Austrian fourth seed Dominic Thiem on Sunday. It will be Nadal's 12th appearance in the championship match, which he has never lost before. "It's incredible to play with Roger here," said Nadal. "Congratulations to him -- to be at his level at 37, it's incredible. I say thank you to the Parisian fans, because it's magnificent for me to be in another final. "It's always a pleasure to play with him. It's always a difficult match against him." The third seed now has an stunning 92-2 win-loss record on the Paris clay, having beaten Federer for the ...
Kohli fined Rs 500 for washing car with drinking water
The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has slapped a fine of Rs 500 on Virat Kohli after his domestic help was found washing the India captain's car with drinking water.
Tunbridge Wells: Indian cricket's piece of history that retains old world charm
Quiet, indifferent, devoid of people -- it's like any other small railway station in England on a gloomy working day afternoon. But it starts feeling surreal when you get down from the train and the brick-lined station wall reads 'Tunbridge Wells'. "You want to go to Neville Cricket Ground?," the station officer asks and then gives the direction. It is a 15 minute walk into one of the quaint sleepy towns in the Kent county. The first look of it is like any other English ground, picturesque, lined with big rhododendron trees, small gallery of few hundreds. But this ground is more than that. It is the place where Indian cricket's most defining innings was played by the legendary Kapil Dev, 36 summers back on a damp June morning. An immortal innings of 175 not out against Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup, coming in at 9 for 4. An innings that only 4000-odd people saw and could only retain in their memory bank -- one for posterity. A ground where course of Indian cricket changed forever. A .
Nadal beats Federer, enters French Open finals
Rafael Nadal defeated Roger Federer 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in the semi-finals of the French Open on Friday and as a result of this win, the Spaniard has entered the finals, keeping the hopes alive for his 12th Roland Garros title.Nadal recorded a straight sets win over Federer in the semi-final match that was played on Court Phillippe-Chatrier. The entire match lasted for two hours and 25 minutes. It was Nadal's 14th win in 16 clay-court matches against Federer.Nadal had the upper hand over Federer on clay courts going into this match as the Swiss tennis star has managed to beat Nadal only two times in the matches that have been played on clay.Nadal had a 13-2 lead on clay against Federer and 5-0 at Roland Garros going into this match.Nadal saved one break point in the first game and as a result, the world number two's confidence increased. Federer was seen struggling, and looked unsure of his groundstroke timing.He struck a backhand into the net on Nadal's third break point in the second ...
CoA seeks govt permission to host Pakistan Women
CoA, which governs the BCCI, has sought permission from the government to host Pakistan for One-Day International series as part of the ICC Women's Championship.The underway ICC Women's Championship is played with all eight teams - Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies - taking on each other in a three-match ODI series on a home or away basis. Based on the championship, the host of the World Cup 2021, New Zealand, and top four other teams will gain direct qualification for the ICC's pinnacle event.CoA chief Vinod Rai and member Diana Edulji confirmed that they have written a letter to the government despite the prevailing political tension between the two nations, which has prevented the men's teams to contest in any bilateral series for the last six years."Yes, we have (written a letter). As regards playing Pakistan in India, we have always taken the government's viewpoint," Rai said.Celebrated former India skipper Edulji said ..