Page 1912 - Sports
Azlan Shah Hockey Cup:Spirited India lose 2-3 to Argentina
The Indian men's hockey team went down 2-3 against Olympic champions Argentina in a rain-affected opening match of the 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2018 here on Saturday.All goals came off penalty corners with Argentina's Gonzalo Peillat (13', 24', 33') scoring a hat-trick while Amit Rohidas (26', 31') scored double goals for India.It was a zestful start by India who looked to dominate the first quarter as their young forwards pushed the Argentine defenders to create space in the striking circle.Talwinder Singh and debut player Sumit Kumar were impressive as they attempted to beat Argentina's experienced goalkeeper Juan Vivaldi early in the match.India made as many as four circle entries against Argentina's two and it was Sumit Kumar's burst into the baseline that gave Indian supporters hope of a first goal within ten minutes of the match, but Argentine defenders were defiant. Minutes later, a long ball assist to Talwinder was picked up well but he couldn't quite make an effective ...
FC Goa and Jamshedpur FC clash each other in play-off spot decider
FC Goa and Jamshedpur FC clash each other in a crucial match which will decide the final play-off spot in the Indian Super League here tomorrow. A draw will be enough for Goa to make it to the last four stage since they are already a point ahead of Jamshedpur. If they lose, then Steve Coppell's side will seal a remarkable achievement in their first season at the JRD Tata Sports Complex. "In a strange sort of way, I am happy that we have to win to go through because that way there is no doubt in our mind. If we would have been able to qualify with a draw, all of a sudden human nature means you try and protect what you have and I don't think that really suits us," said Coppell. "The results in midweek mean that we have only one goal in mind and we have only one way we can play. We simply have to win to qualify," he said. The Englishman left no doubts that his team will go for the victory. The previous fixture between the two sides ended 2-1 in favour of Goa. "Do we need to get better in
Former Pakistan pacer Asif to play in 10PL
Former Pakistan pacer Mohammed Asif will be one of the key players in the upcoming tennis ball cricket tournament, 10PL scheduled to be held in Dubai from March 19-23. The second edition of the tournament will be staged at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Asif will turn out for Shehenshah Warriors, Pakistan. In all 16 teams will be participating in the tournament. Asif played 23 Tests, 38 ODIs and 11 Twenty20s for Pakistan before his international career came to a halt after he was arrested in the United Kingdom on charges of spot-fixing during a Test series against England, back in 2010. After serving a ban, Asif has I have played this form of cricket a lot on the streets of Pakistan. Almost all of us have learnt a lot by playing this brand of cricket. I am hoping to pass on my experience to the rest of the squad and along the way, gain a lot myself. I cannot wait to get back on the field at the Sharjah stadium, said Asif. In the first edition in addition to regular tennis ball ...
Afghanistan not favourites to win World Cup qualifier, insists coach Simmons
In spite of impressive performances recently, Afghanistan chief coach Phil Simmons on Saturday dismissed that they are the favourites to win the ICC Cricket World Cup qualifier, beginning on Sunday.
Coleman cruises in Collins' last hurrah
US track sensation Christian Coleman cruised into the semi-finals of the world indoor 60m today as he looks to become the first sprint phenomenon of the post-Usain Bolt era. Coleman arrived in Birmingham, England, fresh from having set a new world indoor record for the 60m, blasting to victory in an altitude-assisted 6.34sec at the US championships in Albuquerque last month. And the 21-year-old American took his first steps in the global arena in the absence of the now-retired Bolt, whom he beat to bronze in the 100m at last year's London world outdoor championships. Coleman clocked 6.71sec to win his heat, overcoming a little stumble out of the blocks that left him scrabbling low before he got into his running and put some daylight between himself and the rest of the field. "I just wanted to come out here and make it to the next round. My start was decent, but I tripped. But I stayed calm and made it through," said Coleman. "My focus is to win. I have come out here to compete and to .
Bangladesh's Shakib ruled out of Sri Lanka tri-series
Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan has been ruled out of the upcoming tri-nation Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka as he is still nursing a finger injury, Bangladesh Cricket Board said today. The Nidahas Trophy, which also includes hosts Sri Lanka and India, will start in Colombo on Tuesday. Shakib picked up the injury during the final of a tri-nation one-day international competition against Sri Lanka in Dhaka in January. He missed the two-match Test series and both Twenty20 internationals against Sri Lanka last month due to the injury. Bangladesh included Shakib in the squad for the Nidahas Trophy in the hope that he would recover at some stage of the tournament. The BCB last week sent Shakib to Thailand for an expert opinion on his injured finger, where doctors said it would need more time to heal. Interim Bangladesh coach Courtney Walsh said Shakib should not be rushed back to play cricket. "We will give him the time, as long as he takes to get ready," Walsh said at a press ...
Australia Test fails to bring out fans in Durban
It was billed as one of cricket's great battles but it hasn't translated into a rush on the turnstiles. The first Test between South Africa and Australia at Kingsmead features the world's second and third-ranked teams, both bristling with world-class fast bowlers and stroke-playing batsmen. Yet the crowds have been negligible. The official attendance on the first day on Thursday was 3,957. It improved slightly to 4,865 on Friday but there were not enough people to create a vibrant atmosphere in the 18,000-capacity ground. Ticket prices are low, starting at 60 rand ($5.03) for students and pensioners and 100 rand ($8.39) for adults. The most expensive seats are 230 rand. At those prices spectators are likely to spend more on food, drink and parking than the admission price. Test crowds -- or the lack of them -- have been a concern in South Africa, and Durban in particular, ever since South Africa staged its first post-isolation Test in the coastal city in 1992/93. Despite frequently ...
Laws body set to approve VAR for World Cup
Football's lawmakers today were set to approve video assistant referee technology (VAR) for this summer's World Cup, in what would be one of the biggest changes to the sport in years. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) was meeting in Zurich ahead of a decision expected to rubber-stamp a move already backed by FIFA's top brass, including president Gianni Infantino. Assuming IFAB endorses VAR, FIFA may take the final formal step of integrating the technology into World Cup competition rules at a meeting in Colombia later this month. VAR can only be used when there is doubt surrounding any of four key game-changing situations: goals, penalty decisions, straight red cards or mistaken identity. It has already been implemented in top European leagues including the German Bundesliga and Italy's Serie A -- along with tests in multiple other leagues. Spain's La Liga on Friday began training officials ahead of the technology's expected introduction next season. - Critics ...
Bancroft stretches Australian lead against South Africa
Cameron Bancroft hit a half-century as Australia strengthened their grip on the third day of the first Test against South Africa at Kingsmead today. Bancroft hit 53 as Australia reached 112 for three at lunch, a commanding overall lead of 301. It was Bancroft's first fifty since he made 82 not out on debut against England in Brisbane in November. He was struck on the body by a hostile lifting delivery from Morne Morkel in a testing first over when Australia started their second innings with a comfortable cushion of a 189-run first-innings lead. But David Warner and Bancroft quickly put the pressure on the South African bowlers with aggressive batting, putting on 56 for the first wicket in 13 overs before Warner pulled Kagiso Rabada to mid-on after making 28. Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, who conceded 20 runs in his first two overs as the opening batsmen went on the attack, claimed the second wicket when Usman Khawaja gloved an attempted reverse sweep to be caught behind by Quinton .
Spirited India go down fighting against Argentina in Azlan Shah opener
India found themselves at the receiving end of star penalty corner specialist Gonzalo Peillat's hat-trick as they lost 2-3 against Olympic champions Argentina in their opening match of the Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament here today. All the goals of the rain-affected match came off penalty corners with Peillat sounding the board in the 13th, 24th and 33rd minutes while Amit Rohidas (26th, 31st) scored for India. Play was stopped for nearly an hour in the fourth quarter due to heavy rain and thunderstorm. India dominated the first quarter as their young forwards pushed the Argentine defenders to create space in the striking circle. Talwinder Singh and debut player Sumit Kumar were impressive as they attempted to beat Argentina's experienced goalkeeper Juan Vivaldi early in the match. India made as many as four circle entries against Argentina's two and it was Sumit Kumar's burst into the baseline that gave India hopes of a first goal within the first ten minutes of the match, but ...
Ahoure makes history with 60m win, keeps cancer-victim father in mind
Murielle Ahoure blasted out of her blocks to lead Ivory Coast to a 1-2 after scorching to a historic gun-to-tape victory in the women's 60m at the world indoors. Ahoure, with two previous world indoor silvers to her name, clocked an electric 6.97 seconds down the blue track in Birmingham, the fastest time run over the sprint this season. Ahoure's teammate Marie-Josee Ta Lou (7.05sec) took silver by five-thousandeths of a second in a photofinish from Switzerland's Mujinga Kambundji. It was not only a first world indoor gold for Ivory Coast but also the first time an African sprinter, male or female, has won the 60m title. Ahoure, 30, acknowledged that it had been a difficult year personally after the death of her father from cancer. "I knew he was watching from up there," she said. "I was talking to him before the race, saying 'please Dad help me in the race.' I couldn't get a gold medal when he was alive. I have so much pent-up up emotion now." Jamaica's double Olympic sprint champion
Amandeep best Indian at T-44th in New South Wales Open
Amandeep Drall (72) was the best Indian at Tied-44th while Sharmila Nicollet (74) and Gaurika Bishnoi (76) were Tied 50th and 58th respectively after the third round of the Womens New South Wales Open here today. Amandeep seemed set for a fine 2-under round, before she courted disaster on the closing Par-4 18th which she triple bogeyed. That saw her drop to 72. In contrast, Sharmila was five-over through 12 holes, before she found her only two birdies of the day that saw her finish at 74 while Gaurika had five bogeys and no birdies. Meanwhile, Englands Meghan MacLaren fired her best score on the Ladies European Tour a six-under-par 65 to move to 10-under-par and take a two-stroke lead into the final round. The 23-year-old from Rushton in Northamptonshire carded eight birdies and two bogeys in fine conditions on day three at Coffs Harbour Golf Club. Meghan is two ahead of Norwegian rookie Marita Engzelius, with Australian Rebecca Artis, Thailands Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras and ...
India lose to Argentina in Azlan Shah opener
India went down 2-3 to Olympic champions Argentina in the opening match of the 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey here today. Star drag-flicker Gonzalo Peillat (13th, 23rd, 33rd minute) scored a hat-trick for Argentina while Amit Rohidas (24th, 32nd) converted two penalty corners for India. Play was stopped in fourth quarter due to heavy rain. At resumption, India were reduced to 10 men though a last-gasp effort from Talwinder Singh almost found the equaliser for India. India next play England tomorrow. The other teams taking part in the tournament are Australia, Ireland and Malaysia. India are fielding a young team here in the absence of key players like Akashdeep Singh, SV Sunil, Mandeep Singh, Manpreet Singh and goalkeeper PR Sreejesh. Drag-flick specialists Rupinder Pal Singh and Harmanpreet Singh too have been rested.
India lose to Argentina in Sultan Azlan Shah Cup
India lost 2-3 to Olympic champions Argentina in the opening match of the 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament here on Saturday.
Injured Shakib ruled out of Lanka T20I tri-series
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been ruled out of the upcoming T20I tri-series in Sri Lanka after failing to recover from a finger injury.The 30-year-old sustained the injury in the little finger of his left hand during the ODI tri-series final on January 27 and was subsequently forced to miss the T20I and Test series against Sri Lanka last month.In Shakib's absence, Mahmudullah will continue to lead the Bangladesh side, while Liton Das will replace the all-rounder in the squad.Earlier, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had named Shakib in their 16-member squad with the hope that he will be available at some point during the tri-series in Sri Lanka,ESPNcricinfo reported.However, the all-rounder had recently consulted two orthopedists in Bangkok, where it was decided that he would require at least two week of time to complete his rehabilitation and get back to match fitness.The T20I tri-series is slated to be held from March 6, with Bangladesh playing their opening match ...
Chawrasia to open foundation for underprivileged golf enthusiasts
In a bid to help underprivileged children trying to make a name in golf, ace caddie-turned-golfer S.S.P. Chawrasia on Saturday said he is starting his foundation this month to ensure they get the support needed to back their skills.
England beats NZ by 4 runs in thrilling 3rd ODI
England stayed calm at the death to snatch a thrilling four-run win in the third one-day cricket international on Saturday, despite an unbeaten century by New Zealand captain Kane Williamson. Williamson finished 112 not out, rebuilding New Zealand's innings after a middle-order collapse provoked by off-spinner Moeen Ali, who took 3-36 from his 10 overs, and leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who took 2-34. New Zealand had been strongly placed at 97-2 in the 21st over, chasing England's 234 all out in 50 overs which was grafted on a slow pitch offering extreme turn and frustrating big hitters. Ali, who narrowly missed a hat trick, and Rashid shared five wickets to set in motion a collapse which saw New Zealand slump to 103-6 before it ended 230-8. Williamson rebuilt the innings in a determined partnership of 96 for the seventh wicket with Mitchell Santner. England regained the upper hand with a piece of good fortune, when Santner (41) was run out at the non-striker's end in the 46th ...
'Zlatan can't help Man-U at the moment'
Manchester United chief coach Jose Mourinho said his Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is fit but can't help the English football giants for a winning cause.
Man City needs to improve: Pep
Leaders Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola insisted that his side still needs improvement and can't consider themselves perfect after outclassing Arsenal 3-0 in the English Premier League (EPL) tie.
Chile coach Rueda names three teenagers for international friendlies
Chile football team coach Reinaldo Rueda has included three teenagers in his squad for international friendlies against Sweden and Denmark this month.