Page 2120 - Sports
Virat Kohli bags ICC Cricketer of the Year
India skipper and run-machine Virat Kohli has won the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Cricketer of the Year 2017 as the International Cricket Council announced the men's individual award winners of 2017 on Thursday.Kohli also bagged the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year award, while Australia skipper Steve Smith was declared as the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year.In the qualification period from September 21, 2016 to December 31, 2017, Kohli scored 2,023 runs in 18 Tests with eight centuries and three half-centuries. He also smashed 1,818 runs in 31 ODIs with seven centuries and nine half-centuries and 299 runs at a strike-rate of 152.55 in 10 T20Is during the voting period.It should be noted that Kohli has become the 13th player to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy since 2004.Kohli also won his second ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year award after having won the same award in 2012, making him the first cricketer to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy and the ICC ODI ...
Big-money Shenzhen to host WTA Finals until 2028
The southern Chinese city of Shenzhen will host the WTA Finals from 2019 for a decade with record prize money of USD 14 million for the season-ending event -- a move welcomed by players. The elite tournament, which sees the top eight female players battle it out for the Billie Jean King trophy, has previously been held in Singapore. "It gives me great pleasure to announce that the dynamic city of Shenzhen has been chosen to host the WTA Finals, the WTA's crown jewel season finale, for the next decade," WTA chief Steve Simon said on the sidelines of the Australian Open. "This will easily be the largest and most significant WTA Finals deal in the 45 years since the WTA was founded and promises to take the event to a spectacular new level." Simon said in 2016 that the body was searching for a permanent base for the event, with interest reportedly received from Singapore, Manchester, Prague, St Petersburg and Shenzhen. The winning bid was submitted by Gemdale Corporation, ...
All Indians win at Australian Open
Veteran Leander Paes and Purav Raja outplayed their opponents to progress to the men's doubles second round at the Australian Open and were joined by Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan with their respective partners. Paes and Raja dispatched the pair of Nikoloz Basilashvili and Andreas Haider-Maurer 6-2 6-3 in their opening round. They have a tough job at hand as now they are up against fifth seeds Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares, one of the most consistent teams in the previous season. Left-handed Divij, who had a great 2017 season, and American Rajeev Ram, seeded 16th, edged out Marius Copil of Romania and Serbia's Viktor Troicki 7-6(5) 6-4 in their opening round. They will now fight it out with Fabio Fognini and Marcel Granollers. Meanwhile, 10th seeds Rohan Bopanna and Edouard Roger- Vasselin fought off a late charge from Ryan Harrison and Vasek Pospisil to prevail 6-2 7-6(5). Bopanna saved a break chance in the sixth game of the second set to remain unbroken, forcing a tie
Run-machine Kohli rules ICC awards, claims top honours
Indian skipper and batting mainstay Virat Kohli today dominated the ICC annual awards clinching both the cricketer and captain of the year honours -- a much- expected windfall of accolades for his phenomenal run across formats. Kohli, who is currently leading India in an away Test series against South Africa, was named recipient of the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for Cricketer of the Year and also the ODI Cricketer of the Year. Besides he was picked the captain of both the ICC's Test and ODI teams of the year. Ironically, this comes at a time when his leadership has been called into question in the ongoing three-match series against South Africa, which India are trailing 0-2 after heavy losses. However, in the qualification period from September 21, 2016 to the end of 2017, Kohli scored 2,203 Test runs at an average of 77.80 including eight centuries, 1,818 ODI runs including seven centuries at 82.63, and 299 T20I runs at a strike rate of 153. He also captained India to .
Kohli sweeps ICC awards
After a prolific run with the willow last year, India skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday swept the International Cricket Council (ICC) annual awards as the 29-year won the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for being the World Cricketer of the Year 2017.
Kohli named ICC, ODI Cricketer of the Year
India skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday swept the International Cricket Council (ICC) annual awards after being named the Cricketer of the Year and the ODI Cricketer of the Year.
Muguruza suffers blistering exit to Hsieh at Open
Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza refused to blame her heat-blistered feet as she became the biggest casualty of the Australian Open so far on Thursday. The third seed, whose preparation was hampered by a thigh injury, was always trailing against the 88-ranked Hsieh Su-wei from Taiwan before being edged out 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 in one hour and 59 minutes on Rod Laver Arena. "I maybe could have done things better, but at the end, she deserves to win. That's really it," Muguruza told reporters. Two-time Grand Slam champion Muguruza struggled from the start to keep pace with the tenacious 32-year-old whose last WTA Tour singles title came at Guangzhou back in 2012. The tall Spaniard had a medical timeout at 2-5 in the first set and after having a blistered foot re-taped looked briefly regalvanized. Muguruza said her feet were suffering in the heat as temperatures soared above 39 Celsius (102 Farenheit). "I think the surface of the court, I don't know how much heat, it's ...
Australian Open: Leander Paes, Rohan Bopanna make winning start
The unseeded Indian pair of Leander Paes and Purav Raja kicked off their Australian Open campaign on a promising note by clinching a comfortable straight sets victory in the opening round of the men's doubles event here at the Melbourne Park on Thursday.Paes and Raja stormed into the second round of the first major of the season by brushing aside Georgian-Austrian pair of Nikoloz Basilashvili and Andreas Haider-Maurer 6-2, 6-3 in a one-sided clash.During the match, the Indian duo had won 90% of their first serve points besides converting all the break points.Paes and Raja will now take on fifth-seed pair of Britain's Jamie Murray and Brazil's Bruno Soares.Rohan Bopanna, another Indian in fray, also made a winning start to his campaign along with French partner Edouard Roger-Vasselin.After the second set went into the tie-breaker, Bopanna and Roger-Vasselin eventually managed to prevail American-Canadian duo of Ryan Harrison and Vasek Pospisil 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) in a clash that lasted an ..
Kohli named captain of ICC's Test & ODI teams
Virat Kohli was today named captain of the ICC Test and ODI teams of the year that included four other Indians as well. Kohli scored 2,023 runs at 77.80, including eight centuries and three half-centuries in 18 matches during the qualification period. He surprisingly pipped Australian skipper Steve Smith for the ICC's Test team captaincy. Smith had led his team to a dominating 4-0 win over England in the Ashes. The Test team also comprises Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravichandran Ashwin, who have been in good form last year. While Pujara scored 1,914 runs at 63.80 including seven centuries, nine half-centuries in 19 matches, Ashwin picked 111 wickets at 25.87, including eight five-wicket hauls and three ten-wicket hauls. The Indian off-spinner also scored 616 runs at 25.66, including five half-centuries. The team includes three Australians -- Smith, opener David Warner and fast bowler Mitchell Starc, three South Africans -- opener Dean Elgar, wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock and .
India expected to extend domination against Zimbabwe
A quarter- final berth already secured, India will be aiming to keep their unbeaten run intact when they take on another weak opponent in Zimbabwe in the ICC Under-19 World Cup, here tomorrow. A confidence-boosting win against past champions Australia and demolition of Papua New Guinea has put India in a comfortable position and they can experiment a bit before the knockout stage. The only test for the Indians was their tournament-opener against Australia, who they thumped by 100 runs, courtesy an all-round show by the last edition's finalists. Indian fast bowlers Kamlesh Nagrakoti and Shivam Mavi have impressed with their testing pace so far and it remains to be seen if legendary coach Rahul Dravid fields them again or keeps them fresh for the quarter-finals. Vidarbha bowler Aditya Thakare, called as a cover for an injured Ishan Porel, might get a chance. Porel is nursing a bruised left heal and was replaced by Arshdeep Singh in the match against PNG. India's bowling ..
Australian Open: Paes-Raja enter 2nd round
Veteran Leander Paes and fellow Indian Purav Raja defeated N. Basilashvili and A. Haider-Maurer in straight sets in the first round of the men's doubles competition at the Australian Open tennis tournament here on Thursday.
Sharapova roars into third round of Australian Open
Russian tennis star and former champion Maria Sharapova produced a rich vein of form as she swept aside 14th seed Anastasija Sevastova in straight sets to cruise into the third round of the Australian Open here at the Melbourne Park on Thursday.The 30-year-old played nearly flawless in the opening set, but things got complicated in the second set before she recovered to win the tie-break and claim a 6-1, 7-6(2) win over Sevastova in a thrilling clash that lasted an hour and 23 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.Heaping praise over her opponent, Sharapova revealed the struggle she had faced in the previous matches that she played against Sevastova."She never really lets up. She gets a lot of balls back. That's something that I had trouble with in the previous matches that I played against her," the WTA quoted Sharapova, as saying.The Russian tennis star, however, seemed quite satisfied with her performance during the match as she said, "I was really happy with how aggressive I was. I was ...
Hazlewood ruled out of Gabba ODI
In a major blow to Australia, right-arm pacer Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the second ODI of the five-match series against England after picking up a viral infection.The 27-year-old, who has been rested for his side's shocking five-wicket defeat against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), was due to rejoin the squad for the Gabba Test to be held on Friday.However, the team officials confirmed that the right-arm quick was ill with a virus and that he would now head home to Sydney.While Pat Cummins will spend some time at his home in Sydney after playing at the MCG, Jhye Richardson, who has played two T20I matches for Australia against Sri Lanka last summer, is most likely to make his debut in the absence of Hazlewood, cricket.com.aureported.It should be noted that Hazlewood is the latest player to be taken ill in the recent weeks after Tim Paine, David Warner, Steve Smith and Patrick Cummins as well as England captain Joe Root and batsman James Vince were all struck .
Sharapova cranks up title charge on day four
Maria Sharapova laid down her Australian Open title credentials on a scorching hot Melbourne day Thursday, with Caroline Garcia and fellow veteran Agnieszka Radwanksa joining her in the third round. With the temperatures heading towards an energy-sapping 39 Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) and ice-towels in use, the Russian drawcard worked hard to get off court early against Anastasija Sevastova. It was the Latvian 14th seed who ended her Grand Slam comeback in the last 16 of the US Open in 2017 as she returned from a drug ban. But not this time. Sharapova was unstoppable in racing through the first set 6-1 before a battle in the second to prevail 7-6 (7/4), proving she must again be taken seriously. "You know, it was a warm day. I did my job in two sets against someone that's been troubling in the past for me," she said afterwards. "So third round of the Australian Open. I think I deserve to smile out there after that victory." Being unseeded means she has her work cut out to ...
Thiem beats heat in five set fightback
Austria's fifth seed Dominic Thiem fought back from two sets down to overcome American qualifier Denis Kudla and fierce heat to reach the third round at the Australian Open on Thursday. Thiem looked headed out the door before he turned around the match in the third set and went on to complete a 6-7 (6/8), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 victory in 3hr 48min on Margaret Court Arena. In searing on court temperatures, Thiem wore down the 190th-ranked Kudla to set up a third round match against Czech Jiri Vesely or French 26th seed Adrian Mannarino. "It's awesome. It's only the second time in my career I've come back from two sets down and especially in this very hot weather it was tough," Thiem said. "We practised all year long to play in these conditions and it's the first Slam, it's very early in the season, so we are at our freshest now. "But it's difficult and we just have to hydrate and not try to play too long, which wasn't the way today. I'm off to have an ice bath." Thiem ...
Maharathi accuse organisers of cheating; pull out of PWL
Accusing the organisers of "cheating" after being prevented from blocking the 74kg category, a miffed Mumbai Maharathi have pulled out of the Pro Wrestling League (PWL). The Maharathi team alleged that Sakshi Malik had opted to block the wrestler in the 74kg category but was not allowed to do so by the organisers "in a clear violation of the rules". It was the result of 74kg category which shaped the final outcome of the contest as at 3-3, Praveen Rana got the better of Praveen Dahiya to seal the tie in favour of Veer Marathas. "In a reaction to cheating by the organisers of the PWL, led by Sunil Yash Kalra, the CEO of ProSportify, the team owners of Mumbai Maharathi have decided to withdraw from the 3rd edition of the PWL with immediate effect," a press release said. "While the team management has taken in its stride several instances of mismanagement and operational glitches by the league organisers, they reacted strongly to the incident that occurred at the toss ...
Hope N Korea sees value in ending international isolation: WH
The White House has expressed hope that by participating in the Winter Olympics, the North Korean leadership would see the value in ending its international isolation. "We see this as an opportunity for the regime to see the value of ending its international isolation via denuclearisation. We still are very much focused and hope that that happens," the White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference yesterday. She was responding to questions on the decision of North Korea to send its athletes to participate in Winter Olympics along with South Korea. "This isn't the first time that the two countries have marched together. We hope that this experience gives North Korea and its athletes a small taste of freedom, and that rubs off and is something that spreads and impacts in these negotiations and in these conversations," Sanders said. The two Koreas yesterday decided to march under a single flag at the opening ceremony of the Winter ...
Mumbai Maharathi withdraws participation from Pro Wrestling League
The team owners of the Mumbai Maharathi announced that they have decided to pull out of the third edition of the Pro Wrestling League with immediate effect.While the team management has taken in its stride several instances of mismanagement and operational glitches by the league organisers, they reacted strongly to the incident that occurred at the toss between Mumbai Maharathi and their opponents.After Sakshi Malik won the toss, she opted to block the wrestler in the 74 kg category but was prevented to do so by the organisers in a clear violation of the rules. Sakshi then had no option but to block a wrestler in another weight category, which subsequently proved vital in the final outcome of the match, as Mumbai Maharathi lost the tie 3-4 to Veer Maratha.According to the rules, one weight category cannot be blocked for consecutive matches and for a total of two out of the five league matches. Mumbai Maharathi had blocked the 74 kg category in their first encounter and now sought to ..
Second edition of Andhra Badminton League begins on Jan 20
The second edition of the Andhra Badminton League (ABL) will be held from January 20 to 28 in eight cities in the southern state on the lines of the Premier Badminton League (PBL). Six teams-- Amaravathi Acers, Synergies Vizag Smashers, LKSA Prakasam Bulls, VZM Steel Giants, Guntur Club Pioneers, and Godavari Guns---will participate in the event. Over 40 badminton players, who played national and international events, were selected for the ABL by bidding with a base price of Rs 10,000 recently. "The prize money for the league is Rs 10 lakh and players were chosen on auction with a sum of Rs 15 lakh," said Secretary of Visakhapatnam District Badminton Association (VDBA) and Joint Secretary of AP Badminton Association, Chukka Srinivasa Rao. The matches would be held at the Swarnabharathi Indoor Stadium (Inauguration and Matches) in Vizag on January 20, Vizianagaram on January 21, Kothapeta on January 22, Vijayawada on January 23, Guntur on January 24, Ongole on January ...
Pro Wrestling League: Parveen Rana gifts Veer Marathas first win
Commonwealth Championship silver medalist Parveen Rana fought to a hard-victory to help Veer Marathas win the battle between two Maharashtra teams in the Pro Wrestling League here on Wednesday.In the last bout of the tie, with the scores tied 3-3, he overcame compatriot Praveen Dahiya of Mumbai Maharathi 6-4 to give the league debutants their first victory in the league.Parveen looked in great touch and warded off all attempts by his opponent to register his first win in this year's edition.In the previous matches, World Championship bronze medalist Levan Berianidze of Armenia first beat Satender Malik 5-0 in the super heavyweight category to make it 3-2 in favour of the Marathas.But World Championship silver medalist Odunayo Adekouroye of Nigeria promptly pulled off a stunning 5-1 victory over Rio Olympic bronze medalist Marwa Amri to level the scores and bring her team back into the contest.Earlier in the day, Mumbai won the toss and decided to keep Shravan out of the equation, ...