Page 2022 - Sports
Bangladesh bolster batting for second Sri Lanka Test
Bangladesh have included batsman Sabbir Rahman for the second Test against Sri Lanka to strengthen their batting in the absence of injured all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, a team official said today. Shakib will miss the second Test starting Thursday in Dhaka after he failed to recover from a finger injury that kept him out of the opening match. Sabbir, who played 10 Tests to score 480 runs at an average of 26.66, was ignored for the first game after he failed to live up to expectations in the one-day tri-series last month. The two-Test series remained locked at 0-0 after the first match ended in a draw in Chittagong on Sunday. "The wicket of Dhaka is much different than Chittagong. So we thought an extra batsman might be useful. This is why we included Sabbir," said chief selector Minhajul Abedin. The home side dropped left-arm spinner Sunzamul Islam and pace bowler Rubel Hossain but retained Abdur Razzak and uncapped off-break bowler Naeem Hasan in the 15-man ...
Neymar effect helps French league agree 'major' African tv
The French league (LFP) has reached a "major agreement" with two networks to broadcast Ligue 1 games in Sub-Saharan Africa, it announced today, a clear sign of the impact made by the arrival of Neymar. The deal means French-language network Canal+ and Kwese, in English and Portuguese, will show games in Ligue 1, Ligue 2 and the French League Cup for six seasons from 2018-19 to 2023-24. No financial details were revealed by the LFP or beIN Sports, the network which owns the exclusive international distribution rights for the French league. However, French sports daily L'Equipe said the deal should be worth 33 million euros ($41.1m) per year, compared to 13 million euros annually under the existing terms. "This first result encourages us to pursue our defined sales strategy and confirms the growing attractiveness of Ligue 1 thanks to the investment of the clubs to recruit new stars, develop new talent and equip themselves with modern infrastructure," said LFP director ...
Pyeongchang Oly brings 'real hope' to divided Koreas: Bach
Olympics chief Thomas Bach today said the Pyeongchang Winter Games brought "real hope" to the divided Korean peninsula and conceded there was no "Plan B" even when nuclear tensions put them under threat. Bach was speaking four days ahead of the opening of the Games, which received a major boost when isolated North Korea ended months of bellicose posturing by agreeing to send a contingent of athletes. "The Olympic Winter Games Pyeongchang 2018 have allowed another new beginning on the Korean peninsula," Bach told delegates at the opening ceremony for this week's International Olympic Committee (IOC) session. "They have opened the door for a peaceful dialogue between the Republic of Korea (South) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North). "The Olympic spirit has brought two sides together that for too long were divided by mistrust and animosity. "The Olympic spirit has brought real hope for a brighter future for everyone on the Korean peninsula." Bach said it ...
Butt cleared of any dubious activities in All-Stars T20 league
Tainted former Pakistan captain, Salman Butt has been cleared of any involvement in dubious activities during the Ajman All-Stars T20 league tournament which had come under the scanner of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Anti-Corruption unit. Butt, who had served a five-year ban for spot-fixing, was asked questions by ICC's Anti-Corruption unit relating to his level of involvement in the event. "They asked me some questions and I cooperated with them completely. They were satisfied with what I had to say and I have now got clearance from any involvement in any dubious happenings in the tournament in Ajman," Butt told PTI. The opener said he had been concerned since the ICC first announced it was investigating some dubious activities in the league which was neither sanctioned nor recognized by the ICC or its affiliated unit, Emirates Cricket Board. "It was very worrying for me given what I have been through in the past due to my own blunders. Since serving the ban .
London to host new World Cup event
London will host a new World Cup event this summer featuring eight top nations including the United States and Jamaica, British Athletics announced today. Britain, the United States, Poland, China, Germany, France, Jamaica and South Africa will compete at the London Stadium on July 14-15. The tournament follows last year's world athletics championships in the British capital, which also hosted the Olympics in 2012. The competition format will feature all field events and track events up to and including the 1500m, with just one man and one woman from each nation in each event. Each nation will be competing for a USD2 million prize pot over two evening sessions of athletics under the lights. "It's great to see such an exciting head-to-head event confirmed to be taking place in London this summer -- the concept is one that will excite everyone in athletics and is sure to attract new fans to the sport," said Olympic and world 400m champion Wayde van Niekerk. Sebastian Coe, ..
Clinical India thrash S.Africa in opening women's ODI
Opener Smriti Mandhana's superb fifty and the pace duo of Jhulan Goswami and Shikha Pandey combining for seven wickets, guided the Indian women's team to a 88-run win over South Africa in the first of the three-match ODI rubber here on Monday.
Yuvraj helped me a lot: Shubman Gill
India's U-19 World Cup hero Shubman Gill today said senior pro and veteran batsman Yuvraj Singh guided him and gave him batting tips in the past. "Yuvi paaji (Yuvraj Singh) gave a lot of guidance when he was at the NCA (National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru). He told me things about on and off the field, he gave me tips and batted along with me," Gill, who slammed an unbeaten 102 in the semifinal against Pakistan in the U-19 World Cup, said. The 18-year-old right handed batsman struck three fifties and a hundred in the U-19 World Cup, which India won for the record fourth time after thrashing Australia by eight wickets in the final on Saturday. Speaking about the knock against Pakistan, Gill said coach Rahul Dravid advised him to play till the end. "There was pressure for the game against Pakistan. Our openers gave a good start and it was going well in the middle. We lost some wickets and Rahul (Dravid) sir advised me to bat till the end and the partnership with Anukul ...
Porel likely to miss Vijay Hazare Trophy
In a strong blow to Bengal's campaign, India's U-19 World Cup winning pacer Ishan Porel is likely to be ruled out of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy due to a foot injury. "As a precautionary measure, he (Porel) has been advised rest. We don't want to aggravate his injury," an official told PTI. Last year's finalists Bengal lost to Maharashtra by seven wickets in their group B opener at Nadaun in Himachal Pradesh today. Porel will arrive Kolkata tomorrow morning and will go on the recovery process for his ruptured tissue on the out step of left foot. According to his coach Bibhash Das, such type of injury takes at least "three weeks to recover". "He played with the injury in the knockout stages," Das said about Porel who took four wickets in India's comprehensive win over Pakistan in the U-19 World Cup semi- final. In the final, Porel took two wickets as India defeated Australia by eight wickets to clinch their record fourth U-19 World Cup title.
I want to emulate Shami and Bhuvaneshwar: Nagarkoti
India's U-19 pace sensation Kamlesh Nagarkoti wants to emulate Mohammed Shami and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and said he tries to put himself in their shoes to wriggle out of tricky situations. "I keep Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami in mind whenever there is a particularly tricky situation facing me," Nagarkoti told reporters after arriving here following their title triumph at the World Cup in New Zealand. "I try to think how they would have bowled and try emulate that. I haven't met them yet, hopefully in the coming days I will get a chance to chat with them," he added. Nagarkoti, who took nine wickets at 16.33 to help India win a record fourth World Cup title in New Zealand, said he would try to do well in the Vijay Hazare trophy and then the Indian Premier League. "I am focused now on playing the one-day matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and then the IPL later. I'll try to do well in both. I will try not to let up on speed, but will try to bowl according to the ...
U-19 WC: My team executed plans perfectly, says Shaw
India U-19 World Cup winning captain Prithvi Shaw on Monday lauded his team's efforts during the tournament in executing their plans perfectly.
Haryana stay on top of medal tally, Delhi second
Haryana stayed on top despite not adding any gold medal to their overnight tally as Delhi narrowed down the gap with an impressive show from their athletes today. Delhi added a yellow metal each in boys kabaddi and volleyball to swell their gold medal count to 18. Maharashtra were third with 16 gold while Karnataka have 15. Haryana still occupy top spot with 20 gold medals. West Bengal opened their gold medal count with two successes today. The Bengal girls won the volleyball title and then added one more gold through weightlifter Shrabani Das in girls 48kg category. Of the four weight categories in weightlifting, Assam (Sidhanta Gogoi in boys 56 kg), Odhisa (Bhaktaram Desti in boys 50kg), Bengal (Shrabani Das in girls 48kg) and Manipur (Konsam Ormila Devi in girls 44 kg) shared the honours. In weightlifting, the star of the day was Konsam Ormila Devi of Manipur, a Commonwealth Youth Championship winner, who won the 44 kg category. The Commonwealth Youth Championship ...
Di Biagio to take charge of Italy in two friendlies
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced on Monday the appointment of Under-21 team coach Luigi Di Biagio as the coach of the national team ahead of fixtures against Argentina and England in March.
U-19 WC: Real satisfaction was the process, says Dravid
India U-19 cricket team head coach and batting legend Rahul Dravid on Tuesday said the most satisfying part of the World Cup triumph was the process the team followed to reach the top.
La Liga collaborates with Anantapur Football League
The La Liga Foundation and La Liga's women's football department have signed a collaboration agreement with the Vicente Ferrer Foundation, with the aim of developing football in the most deprived communities of the southern Indian district of Anantapur, it was announced on Monday.
Players handled pressure well in WC final: Dravid
India U-19 cricket team head coach Rahul Dravid lauded the players for handling pressure well in the final match of the World Cup against Australia, which India won by eight wickets."I am really happy because of these 15 boys winning the World Cup," Dravid said while addressing a press conference in Mumbai on Monday."The way they have (Indian team) played and executed in pressure, these kinds of things give you happiness," he added.Humbled with the praises he has been getting from all quarters, the former batting stalwart said, "I know the impact a coach can have on the team, but the real credit goes to the players. They are the ones who stand up in such pressure games.credit is entirely theirs," Dravid added.India thrashed Australia by eight wickets to lift their record fourth U-19 World Cup, at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, on Saturday.The India colts became the first team to win the title four times as earlier they were tied with Australia with three titles each. The ...
Indian women's team thrash hapless South Africa by 88 runs
India produced a clinical all-round performance to thrash hosts South Africa by 88 runs in the first one-dayer of the ICC Women's Championship at Diamond Oval here today. Opener Smriti Mandhana (84 off 98) scored a strokeful fifty while pace duo of Jhulan Goswami (4/24) and Shikha Pandey (3/23) shared seven wickets between them to emerge as the architects of India's victory. Electing to bat, left-handed batswoman Mandhana hit eight boundaries and a six in her 98-ball innings and shared a 99- run stand with skipper Mithali Raj (45) to help India post 213 for seven in their allotted 50 overs. Chasing 214 for a win, South Africa failed to stitch partnerships and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Skipper D van Niekerk top-scored for South Africa with a 41. Pandey rocked the hosts early by removing opener Lizelle Lee (3), wicket-keeper Trisha Chetty (5) and Mignon du Preez (0) to leave them at 23/3 in 9.2 overs. Spinner Poonam Yadav (2/22) then accounted for the other
Shubhankar Sharma zooms to World No. 72 after title win
Shubhankar Sharma today emerged as the best Indian golfer in the world, grabbing the 72nd position in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) after his recent title triumph at Maybank Championship. Sharma has enjoyed a golden run over the past few months on the international stage, clinching his first European Tour win at the Joburg Open in December last year. He had entered the event in South Africa ranked 462 in the world and his victory soon catapulted him to 226. The win in Kuala Lumpur yesterday elevated Sharma from 193 to 72, a gain of 121 spots. Sharma, who stays in Chandigarh and has his roots in Jammu, has broken into the top-100 for the first time in his career and also emerged as the highest ranked Indian in the world surpassing PGA Tour regular Anirban Lahiri, who is currently placed 76th in the OWGR. The 21-year-old Indian now also has the rare distinction of leading both the European Tour Race to Dubai and the Asian Tour Order of Merit. His latest success ...
Shubhankar becomes highest ranked Indian golfer
In-form young golfer Shubhankar Sharma was on Monday elevated from 193 to 72, a gain of 121 spots, in the world rankings making him the highest-ranked Indian in the world.
Kohli does not have a negative bone in his body: Ashwin
India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin today described Virat Kohli as a captain with a fierce winning mentality and said that his positive body language always rubbed on the other players. Talking to reporters after Tamil Nadu's opening match against Gujarat in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Ashwin went on to say that Kohli is now on-par with the some of the greatest captains in the game. "He (Kohli) is someone who will go for a win come what may. He does not have a negative bone in his body, he always talks about a win, never about saving situations, we're always moving ahead. It is good because the players know what is required from them. It gives an amazing amount of intensity to the team," Ashwin told reporters after the Group 'C' match. "This is his first series overseas as a full-time captain. I am sure all the best captains in the past too have a set of home games. He (Kohli) is already on par with most of the greatest captains that have played the game. It is best that
IPL auction week was stressful, I was worried: Dravid
The week around the IPL auction was "stressful" and left India's U-19 coach Rahul Dravid "worried" as some of his players, in the middle of an incredible run in the World Cup, waited with bated breath to land lucrative contracts. However, no distraction could come in their way of winning a record fourth U-19 World Cup title, as they comprehensively beat Australia in the final. "That week during the IPL auction was a bit stressful but credit to the boys, once that was done they came back to practice and switched on. Only those three days I was a bit worried," the legendary Dravid said today. The triumphant team arrived to a rousing reception here. In the first media interaction at home after the win, Dravid added, "We had some loose curfews, sometimes they followed it. What impressed me was the level of maturity they showed in the age of social media, most of which I am not even aware of." Players such as skipper Prithvi Shaw, Shivam Mavi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shubman Gill .