Page 1966 - Sports
Indian women all out for 133 after dramatic collapse
Frittering away a solid start, the Indian women's cricket team suffered a dramatic collapse to be all out for 133 against South Africa in the third Twenty20 International here today. Put into bat, India were cruising at one stage as they were placed at 93 for two in the 12th over with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (48) punishing the home bowlers with her thunderous strokes. Harmanpreet smashed two sixes six fours in her 30-ball knock. However, once the aggressive Indian captain and left-handed opener Smriti Mandhana (37) were dismissed, the tourists lost wickets in a heap to be bowled out in 17.5 overs. After losing the seasoned Mithali Raj for a duck in the very first over, Harmanpreet and Smriti (37) added 55 runs for the second wicket in quick time. The partnership was broken by leg-spinner Dane van Niekerk, who had the left-handed Smriti caught by Moseline Daniels. Smriti took 24 balls for her 37 which had five fours and one shot over the ropes Harmanpreet was caught behind off pacer ..
Federer aims to win Rotterdam Open
Roger Federer, the oldest man to become the world No 1 in tennis, is aiming to become the first three-time Rotterdam champion as he faces Grigor Dimitrov in the finals of the tournament here on Sunday.The twenty-time Grand Slam champion advanced into the finals after defeating Italy's Andreas Seppi 6-3, 7-6 (7/3).Meanwhile, World No. 5 Dimitrov entered the summit clash after his opponent David Goffin retired from his semi-final with an eye injury while trailing 3-6, 1-0.Federer guaranteed with his quarter-final victory against local player Robin Haase that he will become the oldest World No. 1 in the history of the ATP Rankings.His win against the Dutch marked more than 14 years since the Swiss first claimed the top ATP Ranking on February 2, 2004, and also more than five years since he last held that spot.After claiming the top spot again, the Swiss surpassed eight-time Grand Slam winner Andre Agassi, who earlier held the record at 33 years since September 2003.
Lukaku brace sends Man Utd to FA Cup quarter-finals
Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku scored a brace as Manchester United booked a quarter-finals spot for the fourth consecutive season with a 2-0 victory over fellow English Premier League (EPL) club Hudderfield.
J'burg T20I: India look to extend dominance against Proteas
Fresh from a 5-1 historical ODI series win against South Africa; India will look to extend their white ball dominance further when they meet the hosts for the first of three-match T20I series at the Wanderers here on Sunday.India had, earlier, lost the Test series 1-2, but came back strong to thrash South Africa 5-1 in the ODI series. The T20I series will conclude India's tour of the Rainbow Nation and thus the Men in Blue would look to end it on a high.Suresh Raina and Manish Pandey are the new additions to the Indian contingent for the T20I series.However, the main focus will be on Raina, as he is returning to the squad after he last played in the shortest format for India in February last year.The veteran has since struggled to get back into the side because of both form and fitness issues.The other centre of focus will be skipper Virat Kohli who has been enjoying a rich vein of form. The 29-year-old ended the ODI series against South Africa with 558 runs, becoming the first ...
NBA to bring preseason game to India soon
National Basketball Association (NBA) is planning to bring a pre-season game to India in an effort to tap the growing market for the sport in the country. Realising the market potential of basketball in the country, the NBA had opened an elite basketball training center - NBA Academy India - at the Jaypee Greens Integrated Sports Complex in Greater Noida in May last year. The NBA had also tied up with Reliance Foundation for its Jr NBA program which has already reached more than six million youth and trained more than 5,000 physical education instructors nationwide since its launch in 2013. "We have an excellent relationship with the Reliance Foundation and with other corporate partners in India. We have an office in Mumbai, and one of the things we're looking at, which we hope to do relatively soon, is bring a pre-season game to India," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. "There is an enormous amount of basketball being played, even in India. It's such a large country, obviously, over
Alaves defeat La Coruña 1-0
A spectacular goal by Alaves striker Munir El Haddadi extended the so-called Abelardo effect to defeat La Coruna 1-0 here.
Bayern win, Hamburg lose in Bundesliga
Runaway leaders Bayern Munich continue their winning run to stay atop the standings after beating Wolfsburg 2-1 whereas struggling Hamburg lost 1-2 to Bayer Leverkusen in the 23rd round of the Bundesliga.
PSG defeat Strasbourg in Ligue 1
Paris Saint-Germain bounced back from its Champions League loss this week to defeat Strasbourg 5-2 here in the 26th round of the French football league.
Captain Morgan leads Englands battle to stay in tri-series
England captain Eoin Morgan, returning from injury, smacked an unbeaten 80 as England posted 194 for seven against New Zealand in their tri-series Twenty20 match in Hamilton on Sunday. England, having lost to New Zealand by 12 runs last week, need to win the match and finish with a better overall run-rate than the Kiwis if they are to make Wednesdays final in Auckland against Australia. Morgan, who missed the last two England matches because of a groin strain, had six sixes and four fours in his crucial innings. He went to the middle in the fourth over when England were two for 24 and featured in a 93-run, nine over stand with Dawid Malan. Malan was eventually dismissed for 53, his fourth half-century in five international Twenty20 innings. With a place in the finals riding on the game, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson did not want to let the England batsmen settle when he won the toss and opted to bowl. He mixed up his attack, using seven bowlers in the first 10 overs as England ..
J'burg T20I: SA win toss, ask Indian eves to bat first
South Africa women's cricket team won the toss and asked India to bat first in the third of the five-match series being played at the New Wanderers Stadium here on Sunday.South Africa have made one change to their playing XI which they fielded in East London. Ayabonga Khaka has been replaced by Masabata Klaas.For India Women, Rajeshwari Gayakwad will replace Radha Yadav.The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side currently leads the five-match series 2-0, having already clinched the three-match ODI series 2-1.India would be looking to ride the wave of momentum to clinch the series by talking an unassailable 3-0 lead here.Earlier, India registered a thumping seven-wicket win over South Africa in the high-scoring series opener in Potchefstroom and the second by nine wickets.Mithali Raj has been enjoying a good form with successive half-centuries -- 54 no off 48 balls and 76 no off 61 balls -- bagging 'Player of the Match' in both the matches.On bowling front all-rounder Rumeli Dhar will replace ...
'Uruguayan domestic football a disgrace'
Former Uruguay captain Diego Lugano has described Uruguayan domestic football as "a disgrace" and called for changes to the country's football structure.
Hirscher claims Olympic double with giant slalom win
Austrian Marcel Hirscher claimed his second Olympic gold of the Pyeongchang Games today, showing all his class to comprehensively win the men's giant slalom. Hirscher, who finally won an individual gold in the alpine combined on Tuesday after dominating the World Cup for the last six years, clocked an aggregate of 2min 18.04sec down the Rainbow 1 course at the Yongpyong Alpine Centre. Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen claimed silver, 1.27sec adrift of Hirscher, with France's Alexis Pinturault following up on his combined silver with bronze, a further four-hundredths back. The 28-year-old Hirscher, a six-time consecutive World Cup overall champion, showed none of the nerves that afflicted American Mikaela Shiffrin in her failed attempt to defend her slalom title after winning the giant slalom the previous day. He laid down a near-faultless first run on a course that saw many other racers come unstuck on a tricky, twisting run-in to the finish line. That left him a very healthy 0.63sec ...
Anderson ends Nishikori run in New York
South Africa's Kevin Anderson ended Kei Nishikori's hopes of a comeback victory at the New York Open, beating the Japanese fifth seed in three sets in Long Island. Top seed Anderson downed Nishikori 6-1 3-6 7-6 (7/4) in a gruelling 2hr 11min semi-final last night and will now play America's Sam Querrey in the final. Nishikori had been chasing a first ATP Tour victory after returning from a five-month injury layoff. However the 28-year-old was slow to start, with Anderson racing through the first set to go 1-0 up before Nishikori found his range in the second. Anderson's reliable service game -- he won 79 percent of his first serve points compared to Nishikoris 60 percent -- was to prove decisive in the third set tie-break. Nishikori dropped three service points in the tie-break, which 31-year-old world number 11 Anderson duly punished to wrap up the win. Earlier, Querrey ended his long wait for a first victory over Frances Adrian Mannarino to book his place in the final. Second seed ..
Pearson powers into Australia team for Commonwealth Games
World hurdles champion Sally Pearson says she will head to the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham after qualifying for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the trials. Pearson, 31, claimed her ninth Australian 100-metres hurdles crown on Saturday in a dramatic finish at the Australian Games selection trials on the Gold Coast. Pearson shook off the disruption of a false start to equal the record number of national titles set by Pam Ryan in a season best time of 12.73 seconds. Pearson and 2016 national champion Michelle Jenneke both claimed the automatic nominations in the event for the Australian Commonwealth Games team. "I'm really proud that I got out here today and put on somewhat of a good show," Pearson told reporters. "It's disappointing with the interruption because I was ready to run fast. "These things can happen at the Commonwealth Games or at the majors anywhere. "You've got to keep your focus and keep your cool and just make sure that you get done the best job ...
Freak eye injury forces Goffin retirement in Rotterdam
Grigor Dimitrov moved into the final of the Rotterdam Open today as David Goffin was forced to retire after he was hit in the eye by a ball which bounced off his own racquet. After dropping the first set 6-3, the Belgian fourth seed had the worst of luck in the opening game of the second set against Bulgarian Dimitrov, with the ball taking a fluke bounce off his frame and striking him in the left eye. After a pause of more than five minutes as Goffin went off court for treatment, the chair umpire informed Dimitrov that the match was over by retirement. The pair were facing off three months after Dimitrov won their title match in the ATP Finals in London. It is not the first time Goffin has suffered to a freak injury, with the world number seven hurting his ankle at last years French Open after tangling with a rolled-up cover at the back of the court. He was forced to skip Wimbledon in July as he continued his recovery from that accident. Dimitrov will now await an opponent from the ...
Sevilla claim controversial win ahead of Man Utd clash
Sevilla warmed up for their Champions League clash with Manchester United by winning 2-1 at Las Palmas in La Liga today, although they were aided by a controversial late offside call. Real Madrid youth product Pablo Sarabia produced a great piece of skill to make space for a 35th-minute shot that was saved by Las Palmas goalkeeper Leandro Chichizola, and Wissam Ben Yedder netted the loose ball to put Sevilla ahead. Sarabia then turned in a cross by languid Argentine Franco Vazquez to double Sevillas lead five minutes into the second half in Gran Canaria. However, Jonathan Calleri pulled one back for Las Palmas from the penalty spot after Alen Halilovic had been fouled by Miguel Layun, the Mexican former Watford full-back. And the islanders were denied a 93rd-minute equaliser when an extremely tight offside call went against them -- Alejandro Galvez looked to be level with the last defender before putting the ball in the net. Las Palmas remain in the relegation zone. Having experienced
Lahiri jumps to T26, Woods misses card at Genesis Open
Anirban Lahiri set himself up for a good finish after two late birdies saw him card two-under 70 in the weather-hit second round to lie tied 26th at the Genesis Open golf tournament here today. Lahiri, who was even-par at the 15th, holed two brilliant 30-footers in his three remaining holes to zoom up the leaderboard. Trying to make up for numerous missed putts earlier in the week, Lahiri started the day at even par after the 15 holes he had played on Friday before darkness stopped play. On the Par-3 16th his tee shot was 30 feet from the cup and he holed. Ironically he missed a birdie on Par-5 17th but again on 18th he hit a great second shot from the rough to just over 30 feet. He once again holed it for a second birdie in three holes. However, the man in focus this week, Tiger Woods will miss the cut after he shot 5-over 76 in the second round today. Playing at the Riviera for the first time in 12 years, totalled six-over 148 and exited. Patrick Cantlay (69) and Graeme McDowell ...
Brown guides Kerala Blasters to 1-0 win over Northeast United
Defender Wes Brown scored the solitary goal as Kerala Blasters kept their play-off hopes alive in the Indian Super League by defeating Northeast United 1-0 at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, here today. Brown produced his maiden ISL goal in the 28th minute to put Kerala ahead even as the home favourites couldn't find an equaliser despite making some creditable efforts in the field. The former Manchester United headed the ball into the back of the net from Jackichand Singh's corner. After this win, Kerela held on to the fifth spot with 24 points from 16 matches, one adrift of Jamshedpur FC, who are the fifth position with 25 points. Northeast Unived were also static at the ninth place after suffering their 11th loss. Northeast will face Mumbai City FC on February 22, while Kerala takes on Chennaiyin FC on February 23. In the 10th minute, Northeast had an early chance when Danilo Lopes failed to get pass custodian Paul Rachubka after being fed by Maic Sema. Eight minutes later, the .
ISL: Kerala stay alive after 1-0 win over NE United
Kerala Blasters FC kept their playoff hopes alive, collecting the crucial three points after beating a depleted NorthEast United FC 1-0 in their final home game at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium here on Saturday.
Atletico coach understands fans' fears at losing Griezmann
Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone on Saturday stressed the importance of French forward Antoine Griezmann for the capital football giants amid ongoing speculation about his future.