Page 1821 - Sports
SRH strong enough to replace Warner: Saha
Wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha today said Sunrisers Hyderabad have enough bench strength to replace Australian batsman David Warner, who is facing a lengthy ban from Cricket Australia for his role in the ball tampering scandal. Sunrisers Hyderabad mentor VVS Laxman has made it clear that they would wait for Cricket Australia's decision on Warner, who was forced to step down as Australia's vice-captain for the last two days of the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town. According to reports, Warner might be banned for 12 months by Cricket Australia, which is currently investigating the ball-tampering issue that has plunged the game into crisis. "There has been no ultimate decision as yet. Our team is strong enough to replace Warner," Saha told reporters at the Calcutta Sports Journalists' Club. "The team was decided based on the captain. Maybe initially we will get affected but with the reserve that we have, it won't impact much." Saha said Sunrisers have a solid ...
India 'thinking' of hosting 2023 AFC Asian Cup, Woman's World Cup
Pipped by Poland in the race to host the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup, India is "thinking" of placing a bid for hosting the 2023 AFC Asian Cup and a Woman's World Cup in the near future. India's bid to host the next U-20 tournament ended in disappointment after world football governing body FIFA accorded the status to Poland at its council meeting in Bogota, Colombia earlier this month. "At this stage you can say we are thinking of bidding for the 2023 Asian Cup, though China has also bid for the tournament. We are also thinking about the Woman's World Cup and other top international events," All India Football Federation (AIFF) said here today. The rational behind seeking to host such tournaments is to keep the buzz around football going and draw the attention of the youth. "That is a way of attracting attention," Das said, adding it could eventually "draw the youngsters" to the ground and give the game a try. Amid much fanfare, India had submitted its bid for hosting the U-20 tournament
Kerala pip Bengal, top group
Kerala rode on K P Rahul's late strike to edge defending champions Bengal 1-0 and enter the semifinals as group A toppers in the national football championship for the 72nd Santosh Trophy here today. Both the teams missed a flurry of opportunities and the winning goal came only in the 90th minute when Rahul received a cross from Jithin M S from the right flank before pushing the ball into the net. Kerala finished with four wins from as many matches to top the group with 12 points, while Bengal finish second with nine points from four matches. Bengal will face the Group B toppers while Kerala will take on the runner-up in the two semifinals on March 30. Both teams made four changes each in their starting XI to give rest to their key players ahead of the last-four round. In the Kerala starting XI, Jestin George, JIthin Gopalan, Jiyad Hassan, Midhun V made way for Hajmal S, Sreerag G, Shamnas BL and Vibin Thomas. In an inconsequential match at the Rabindra Sarovar Stadium, Maharashtra ...
Rahane excited to captain RR in IPL 2018
Right-handed Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane, who was appointed captain of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), has expressed his happiness over leading a side which means "family" to him.Rahane was named the team's skipper after Australian batsman Steve Smith post the ball-tampering episode in the Cape Town Test against South Africa."I am very excited to be captaining the team that I have always considered as my family. I would extend my thanks to the entire management of Rajasthan Royals for having shown the trust in me and considered me for this role," Rahane said."I am thrilled to be back with the Royals again and I am ready to get to work and do all that I can, to ensure we go all out and give our best. We won't miss a beat as we gear up for yet another exciting IPL season in a few days from now."He was brought by the franchise for Rs 4 crore through a Right-to-Match card.Rahane played for the Royals from 2011 to 2015 until the ...
Asian Cup Qualifiers: India look to continue unbeaten run against Kyrgyz
The Indian men's football team, who have already secured qualification to the 2019 Asian Cup, will look to continue their unbeaten run when they take on Kyrgyz Republic in an inconsequential last group match of the qualifying event here on Tuesday.India are in the middle of a record 13-match unbeaten run. They are currently at pole position in Group A with 13 points from five matches so far.The last time the two teams met in Bengaluru, Sunil Chhetri's sublime strike made the difference between the two teams.Earlier, India's national coach Stephen Constantine had said that "regardless of our qualification, we will push for win.""We haven't come here to lose," he stressed. "Our objective was to qualify to the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 and we have achieved our aim. From now on, it's part of our preparation for the Asian Cup to be held next year," he added on the eve of the match.India are currently ranked at the 99th spot in the FIFA world rankings and a victory could take them as high as ..
European Commission denies rumours on FIFA World Cup's boycott
The European Commission on Tuesday quashed rumours about its possible boycott of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, with spokesperson Mina Andreeva saying that it will inform everyone if such information is true.
AIFF launches scouting App to unearth talent
Encouraged by the success of the overseas online scouting portal which helped it discover players for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, the All India Football Federation today took it a step further becoming the first National Sports Federation to launch a mobile based scouting application to unearth future talent. AIFF's new mobile scouting application Scout-Me will further ease out the scouting process. It was through their overseas online scouting portal that AIFF had earlier unearthed Namit Deshpande and Sunny Dhaliwal for the Indian U17 squad which represented the country in their maiden appearance at the quadrennial event. The AIFF Scouting Application ScoutMe has been developed by a 17-year football enthusiast Kush Pandey who is pursuing his International Baccalaureate Diploma Program at Jayshree Periwal International School, Jaipur and incidentally has represented Delhi at the National Championships and also leads his school football team. AIFF President Praful Patel who unveiled the ..
HIL confidence will help India crack Aussie code in CWG: Zafar Iqbal
The Indian hockey team can break the Australian jinx in the upcoming Commonwealth Games thanks to the confidence the players have gained by competing alongside the world champions in the Hockey India League, feels former captain Zafar Iqbal. India were hammered 0-8 by Australia in the 2010 CWG finals, and lost 0-4 to them in the 2014 Glasgow Games summit clash. India are a strong medal contender at Gold Coast where the Games will begin on April 4. "Australians always play very well but they are not unbeatable. Since the start of HIL, which is one of the best leagues in the world, our players have had a good chance to play with Aussie players," Iqbal said at a function to send good wishes to India's CWG contingent here today. "They have gained a lot of confidence from the HIL. They have gotten rid of the hesitation that was quite usual while playing against big teams. In fact, the Australians were quite impressed with Indian players during HIL," he added. However, Iqbal also pointed ...
IOC President to meet newly-elected IOA members in April
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach will meet the newly-elected members of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Executive Board during his visit between April 18 and 20 here, it was announced on Tuesday.
Sindhu suffers injury scare ahead of CWG
Olympic and world championship silver medallist P V Sindhu today suffered an injury scare but there is no immediate threat to her participation in the Commonwealth Games starting next month. The 22-year-old Indian suffered a sprain in her right ankle while practising at the Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad under the watchful eyes of India chief coach Gopichand and assistant coach Mohd. Siyadutallah. "She had hurt her ankle while training at the academy today. So we did an MRI to be 100 per cent sure that everything is fine. No bone or ligament injury was found, so I am happy. we didn't want to take any risk," Sindhu's father P V Ramana told PTI. "Now she will rest for a day and day after tomorrow she will start running again. She will go to the ground tomorrow and do some strengthening experience. There is enough time as CWG starts with team event. So nothing to worry." World No 3 Sindhu is a favourite to win the Commonwealth Games gold medal. She had won a bronze in the last edition at
France winger Thauvin ruled out for around 2 weeks
After picking up a left hamstring injury on international duty with France, winger Florian Thauvin is estimated to be ruled out for 10 to 15 days, his football club Marseille announced on Tuesday.
Smoke in Howrah-bound Shatabdi Express
A coach of 12042 down New Jalpaiguri-Howrah Shatabdi Express had to be separated after smoke billowed from it near Jamalpur Station in Purba Bardhaman district, spreading panic among passengers. As the train was about to enter the station, smoke could be seen from the C-1 coach, following which it was evacuated, Bardhaman Station Manager Swapan Adhikari said. Brake binding in the coach is thought to be the reason behind the emission of smoke, Adhikari said, adding, it had to be segregated. The passengers of C-1 coach were accommodated in other compartments of the train, which started its journey for Howrah after about two-and-a-half hours, he said.
Indians will win 80 per cent of shooting medals: Moraad Ali Khan
Indian shooters will win 80 per cent of the medals in events they compete in at next month's Commonwealth Games, former CWG gold-medallist Moraad Ali Khan said today, basing his confidence on the brilliant form shown by youngsters in the recent World Cups. "Colour of the medals is impossible to predict but I am sure they will come back with 80 per cent of the medals from the events they are competing in," Khan, who won a trap gold at the 2002 Manchester Games, said at a function to send good wishes for the CWG contingent. India have fielded 27-strong shooting team -- 15 men and 12 women -- for the Games starting April 4 in Gold Coast. There are seasoned campaigners such as Gagan Narang, Jitu Rai, Sanjeev Rajput, Heena Sidhu and Tejaswini Sawant but the spotlight would also be on the likes of teen sensations Manu Bhaker, Anish Bhanwala and Mehuli Ghosh. While Manu (16) and Mehuli (17) claimed medals in their maiden senior World Cups, Anish (15) won a gold at the Junior World Cup ...
Akhil questions India's obsession for foreign coaches
Seasoned boxer Akhil Kumar on Tuesday questioned India's obsession for foreign coaches, a sentiment which was echoed by 2002 Commonwealth Games gold-winning trap shooter Moraad Ali Khan at a function organised to send out good wishes to the contingent for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, starting April 4.
Manu-Anmol clinch gold in 10m Air Pistol mixed team event
Manu Bhaker and Anmol Jain struck gold in the 10m Air Pistol mixed team event at the Shooting Junior World Cup here on Tuesday.
UEFA to ease Champions League rules on January signings
UEFA has relaxed its player registration rules so January signings can play for their new clubs in the Champions League and Europa League. UEFA says starting next season clubs "may register three new eligible players without any restrictions." Current rules mean Barcelona cannot select Philippe Coutinho in the Champions League because he played for Liverpool in this season's group stage. And Arsenal cannot select Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the Europa League because previous club Borussia Dortmund switched to the same competition's knockout rounds after he played in the Champions League. UEFA says the change brings its competitions into line with national leagues, which do not limit January signings' right to play. Also from next season, clubs reaching competition finals can use a 23-player squad instead of 18.
Fanie de Villiers undoes Australia again
Twenty-four years ago Fanie de Villiers dismantled an Australian cricket team with a sensational spell of swing bowling. Now he has emerged as one of the key figures in exposing the current Australian side as ball tamperers. In January 1994, an inexperienced South African team, on their first tour of Australia after two decades of political isolation, faced almost certain defeat when Australia needed just 116 runs to win the second Test in Sydney. Playing in just his second Test, De Villiers took six for 43 and bowled South Africa to an improbable five-run victory in a match in which they had been forced to follow on and in which Shane Warne had taken 12 wickets for Australia. Twenty-four years later De Villiers was at Newlands as a television commentator, trying to understand how the Australians were able to get reverse swing on a grassy field with a ball which was still relatively new. De Villiers told Australian radio station RSN927 that he had tipped off the camera crew that ...
Desperation drove Aussies - Gibson
South African coach Ottis Gibson said today that Australia's desperation to win might have driven them to tamper with the ball during the third Test at Newlands. "The Aussies have said themselves that the brand of cricket they play is to win at all costs," said Gibson of the controversy that erupted when television cameras caught Cameron Bancroft rubbing the ball with a sticky piece of tape. "When you look at the Ashes (against England), they were never really behind in many of the games," said Gibson. "They won quite comfortably. Here they were behind a couple of times and perhaps that desperation came into it for them. It's a shame that something like this had to happen for them to have a look at themselves." Gibson acknowledged that teams around the world tried to find a way to get reverse swing. "Every team since the beginning of reverse swing, everybody tries to get the ball reversing," he said. "They skim it in, they bounce it in, they try and get it rough. The spinner gets his .
UK anti-doping agency hit by cyber-attack
The United Kingdom anti-doping agency (Ukad) has fallen victim to a cyber attack.Ukad holds details of thousands of sports stars' drug test and medical records, including that of Premier League footballers, high-profile cyclists and well-known Olympic athletes.According to The Independent, the cyber attack was however unsuccessful and no data breach was reported."I got in with the rest of the staff, and we were told that there had been a security breach over the weekend," The Independent quoted a source as saying."My interest was piqued by the fact that our team wanted to get out in front of the story, especially in light of Fancy Bears from a few years ago."In 2016, the Russian-based hacking group Fancy Bears attacked the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and leaked some medical data from it.It largely named players who had sought Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs), which allow athletes to take banned substances for verified medical needs.
Why obsession with foreign coaches? ask CWG stalwarts Akhil, Moraad
Indian boxing's national observer Akhil Kumar sees nothing wrong in leaving out national chief coaches from the Commonwealth Games contingent but what irks him is the higher pay and greater importance given to the foreigners in the support staff. One of only five Indian boxers to have claimed a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, the tough-talking 37-year-old hardly minced words as he weighed in on the burning issues of his sport and others at a function organised to send out good wishes to the CWG contingent. "If the foreign coaches are so good then why are they not employed at the sub-junior level? If they are so good, let them shape youngsters. Why are finished products handed to them. If I come into the national camp after winning the national title, am I not an almost finished product given to them?," he asked at the launch of 'RangdeTiranga' campaign by the Games' official broadcaster Sony TV. "I am not against hiring foreign coaches but it should not be at the expense of ...