Page 224 - Sports

Abhishek Bachchan trolls Kohli after pic with Kane

Virat Kohli and Harry Kane sent sports fans into a frenzy when they posted a selfie together at the Lord's Cricket Ground on Friday. Kohli is currently in England as Team India gears up for the 2019 World Cup. While the Indian skipper and Kane have interacted over tweets before this, this is the first time that they were meeting each other.

We are the ones to blame, Messi backs Ernesto Valverde for Champions League exit

After Champions League semi-final defeat in the hands of Liverpool, Barcelona head coach Ernesto Valverde was subjected to immense criticism. However, Barcelona bigwig Lionel Messi has come in full support of his coach saying that the players are the ones to be blamed."I think the coach has done an impressive job. I think in that elimination against Liverpool, he is practically blameless. We are the only ones to blame for that match," Goal.com quoted Messi as saying.Barcelona clinched a 3-0 victory in the first-leg of semi-finals but in the second-leg, Liverpool came out strikingly and registered a 4-0 victory to secure their spot in the final.In the Champions League 2017-18, Barcelona faced a quarterfinal exit after they were beaten by Roma. Therefore, this is the second consecutive time when Barcelona missed to reach in the Champions League final."It was unfortunate the match we played, the image we left behind. That happened two years in a row, that we missed out on the Champions ..

Thomas Tuchel confident of PSG stay

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) head coach Thomas Tuchel is being optimistic regarding his stay in the club despite PSG displaying a substandard performance as they were crashed out of Champions League and Coupe de la Ligue early.Moreover, they faced a Coupe de France final defeat to Rennes on penalties. However, PSG managed to secure the Ligue 1 title with 91 points, 16 points ahead of second-positioned LOSC."I think I can say yes [I will stay]. But, in football, it can change every day. You often ask me, but I am here. If it changes, it will not be down to me," Goal.com quoted Tuchel as saying.Although he expressed his confidence to continue in his job with the club, questions regarding his stay worry Tuchel."Honestly, I'm quite worried that I keep getting asked these questions. It feels like everyone knows something that I don't. Do you have information? Should I be worried? I know anything can happen in football," he said.For a better next season, Tuchel called for togetherness and said

Anuradha to lead Delhi in sub-junior national hockey c'ship

Government school Mukhlempur's Anuradha will lead Delhi in the sub-junior girl's hockey nationals at Hissar in Haryana from May 27 to June 7.

Tare, Surya for DRS in Ranji matches

Senior Mumbai players Aditya Tare and Surya Kumar Yadav Saturday batted for introduction of Decision Review System in Ranji matches on the lines of international matches and the Indian Premier League. During the Ranji captains' conclave held in Mumbai recently, the introduction of DRS system in Ranji Trophy and doing away with the concept of coin toss were among the suggestions put forward by the captains and coaches of the domestic teams. "Yes absolutely, it's a great move, if at all it happens. Because it is the need of the hour. If you have technology, you might as well use it," Tare told reporters here on Saturday. "See in domestic cricket there are lots of decisions that can sometimes go against you because of umpiring errors. If we have an opportunity to correct it, then why not use it. It's going to be great (if it happens)," Tare said after the launch of the first Go Sport store in the company of teammate Surya Kumar Yadav. Yadav too backed the ...

Steyn's fitness will decide team composition: du Plessis

It was a cakewalk for South Africa as they registered a 87-run victory against Sri Lanka in a World Cup warm-up game on Friday, but more importantly it was their depth in squad that came to the fore.

China reach Sudirman Cup final with clinical display

Hosts China closed in on an 11th Sudirman Cup title as they ruthlessly dismantled Thailand to reach Sunday's final of the mixed-team badminton world championship. China's comfortable 3-0 victory sets them up for a tournament decider against top seeds Japan or Indonesia, who play their semi-final later on Saturday. China went 2-0 ahead in just 94 minutes thanks to their world number one mixed doubles pair Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong, and second-ranked Shi Yuqi in the men's singles. The tie was over when the men's doubles world champions Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen triumphed. Shi did not have it all his own way against 18th-ranked Kantaphon Wangcharoen, who squandered three opportunities to clinch the second game and force a decider. It was a turning point and Shi held his nerve before closing out victory 21-15, 26-24 to thrill the home crowd and snuff out the brief Thai resistance. "It was a very tough second game," said Shi, beaten in last year's world championship final by Kento ...

Kohli, Smith, Morgan are top skippers, feels Border

Batting legend Allan Border feels Indias's Virat Kohli, England's Eoin Morgan and Australia's Aaron Finch are the three captains to look out for in the World Cup in England and Wales that starts on May 30.

Building something stable takes time: Eelco Schattorie

Kerala Blasters, after witnessing a poor performance in the 2018-19 Indian Super League (ISL), appointed new coach Eelco Schattorie, in a hope to change their fortunes in the next season. However, Schattorie enunciated that reaching new heights is not easy and added that building something stable takes time.Schattorie previously coached NorthEast United FC and under his guidance, the club managed to make their maiden Indian Super League (ISL) play-off appearance in the last season."My statements at the beginning of last season were based on the starting point of NorthEast United, meaning NorthEast never qualified for the play-offs before that which means structurally, there is something wrong. To reach higher heights, it is not easy," Goal.com quoted Schattorie, as saying."It also means that in order for a Mini Cooper to compete with a Ferrari, you will have a lot of challenges. Building something that is stable takes time and that is the same for any club, be it NorthEast or Kerala ..

Vijay Shankar focusing hard on his preparation for World Cup

Ahead of ICC Men's Cricket World Cup warm-up match between India and New Zealand, to be played at Kennington Oval in London on Saturday, India all-rounder Vijay Shankar is all focussed on his preparation for the World Cup."This year has been pretty good, I had a good 'A' series in New Zealand recently which got me the Indian team call-up and it changed after that. I'm not someone who expects things to happen, I focus hard on my preparation," ICC quoted Vijay Shankar as saying.Shankar, who is gearing up to make his maiden World Cup appearance, said he is excited about the premier tournament and expressed his desire to perform well in front the supports that will be flying to England to support India."I will keep working hard on all aspects of my game, whenever the opportunity comes I will always try my best for the team. The last few years, from traveling, you see a lot of supporters all over the world, and they're definitely going to be there (in England), 50/50 sometimes. It's going .

Malaoya Academy win national finals of kabaddi meet

Haryana's Malaoya Academy have been crowned champions of the first ever national finals of Red Bull Tashan -- a competitive cross-country Kabaddi tournament for players at grassroots level.

Afghans ring warning bell, but will Pak repeat history

When Afghanistan got past Pakistan by three wickets on Friday, it looked like an upset. But come the World Cup, this could be the norm when the ever diminishing fine line between minnows and heavyweights could further whittle down.

I used sun screen, zip, mints while bowling: Panesar

Former England spinner Monty Panesar made shocking revelations about ball tampering, saying he would use sun screen, mints and also the zip of his trouser to make the ball reverse swing.

Monaco stays up despite final-day defeat at Nice

Monaco retained its top-flight status despite losing 2-0 at Riviera rival Nice on the final day of the French league campaign. Two years after making it to the Champions League semifinals, the Principality team slumped to an 18th defeat in 38 matches on Friday to end up fourth from bottom. Monaco, champions in 2017, finished two points above Dijon, which needs to win a playoff to remain among the elite next season after beating Toulouse 2-1. Caen's slim hopes of staying up were dashed by a goal from Younousse Sankhare, who sealed a 1-0 win for visiting Bordeaux. Caen is relegated alongside bottom club Guingamp, which was already down and lost 2-1 at Amiens. Runner-up to Paris Saint-Germain last term, Monaco suffered a woeful season highlighted by the firing and re-hiring of coach Leonardo Jardim, who returned after Thierry Henry failed in his first managerial post. "The most important thing was to stay up," striker Radamel Falcao said. "Unfortunately we did not win, but we created ...

Boxing league likely to happen in August or September: BFI president Ajay Singh

Ajay Singh, President of Boxing Federation of India (BFI), on Friday said that boxing league is likely to happen this year in August or September as 'decent amount of work is happening'."It's on. We expect this to happen this year in August or September. They are trying to find windows in the TV schedule to see that does not clash with any other major league. So, that there is undisturbed period," he said during a press conference after the conclusion of India Open boxing tournament."And it also has to match with our preparation as well. We need to make sure that our players are available when we want them to be. We can't suddenly make them available in the middle of a World Championship. Players have started to be contacted and teams have started to be distributed. So, there is a decent amount of work that is happening," he added.Singh has also expressed his confidence of getting a medal in the Olympics saying that they are getting to a level where they can really look forward to a ..

T20 Mumbai: North Mumbai Panthers storm into final

Young prodigy Prithvi Shaw's 76 helped North Mumbai Panthers defeat ARCS Andheri by 2 wickets in the first semi-final of the T20 Mumbai league here Friday. They will now face the winner of Sobo Supersonics versus Aakash Tigers Mumbai Western Suburb in the final to be played on Sunday. Chasing 167, skipper Shaw was the cynosure of eyes at the Wankhede stadium, as he hammered 6 fours and 3 sixes in his 48 ball-knock. He found an able partner in Swapnil Salvi (62 off 38 balls; 2x4, 5x6) as the duo conjured 114 run stand for the fourth wicket and brought their side close to the target. Shaw, was in his usual self, and raced to his fifty in 39 balls and made optimum use of the 'lives' which he got, thanks to the sloppy fielding by the Andheri team. However, left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla brought the Andheri team back into contention after removing Shaw and Sairaj Patil (0) in the 18th over, with Panthers still needing another 13 runs from 15 balls. Pacer Tushar Deshpande ...

Gayatri, other top seeds reach Jr. badminton quarters

Top seed P. Gayatri Gopichand of Telangana faced her first tough fight in the Microplex Global and Yonex Sunrise All-India Junior Ranking Badminton Tournament before prevailing 2-0 and entering the quarter-finals here on Friday night.

WC Warm-up: South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 87 runs

Skipper Faf du Plessis smashed his way to 88 while Andile Phehlukwayo produced an all-round effort as South Africa outplayed Sri Lanka by 87 runs in an ICC World Cup warm-up encounter here Friday. Batting first, South Africa put up a par score of 338 for seven, riding on Du Plessis's 88 off 69 balls with four sixes and seven fours. Sri Lanka were all out for 251 in 42.3 overs with Phehlukwayo taking 4 for 36 in 7 overs. When the Proteas batted, Du Plessis was well supported by opener Hashim Amla, who scored 65 off 61 balls along with contributions from Hendrik van der Dussen (40 off 41 balls), Phehlukwayo (35 off 34 balls), Chris Morris (26 off 13 balls). With Lasith Malinga being rested, the new ball bowlers Suranga Lakmal (2/63) and Nuwan Pradeep (2/77) went for runs with the only respectable figures coming from Isuru Udana (1/42 in 10 overs). Sri Lanka fought till skipper Dimuth Karunaratne (87 off 92 balls) and former skipper Angelo Mathews (64 off 66 balls) were at the crease ...

CWC19 Warm-up: South Africa defeats Sri Lanka by 87 runs

South Africa defeated Sri Lanka by 87 runs on Friday in a warm-up fixture at Cardiff ahead of the upcoming Cricket World Cup.Chasing a score of 339, Sri Lanka got off to a bad start as they lost Kusal Perera (0) and Lahiru Thirimanne (10) in quick succession and they were reduced to 10 for two.Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis put up a 62-run stand, but their resistance was broken by Andile Phehlukwayo in the 14th over as he dismissed Mendis (37).Angelo Mathews and Karunaratne steadied the ship for the Islanders as they stitched together a 98-run stand. Their partnership was finally broken by Kagiso Rabada as he took the crucial wicket of Karunaratne (87).Dhananjaya de Silva (5) also failed to leave an impression as he was sent back to the pavilion by Phehlukwayo with the team still requiring 140 runs for the win.Mathews (64) also perished in the 39th over and with his dismissal, Sri Lanka's hopes of winning the match ended and they finally lost the match by 87 runs.Earlier, skipper

World Cup Warm-Up: Young Hashmatullah shines as Afghanistan stun Pakistan

Afghanistan announced their intentions of being more than mere pushovers as they stunned Pakistan by three wickets in a World Cup warm-up game that went to the wire. Young middle-order batsman Hashmatullah Shahidi played the role of sheet anchor to perfection with an unbeaten 74 as Afghanistan chased down a below-par target of 263 set by Pakistan with a couple of balls to spare. If the IPL stars Mohammed Nabi (3/46) and Rashid Khan (2/27) set it up by restricting Pakistan to well below 300, it was Shahidi's composure that saw Afghanistan cross the finishing line despite some late hiccups. Veteran Nabi after a good bowling performance also did his bit with the bat, scoring 34 off 41 balls, including three boundaries. Shahidi's patient knock had seven fours and he played 102 balls. A lot of credit should also go to opener Hazrtullah Zazai for his 49 off 28 balls that had eight fours and two sixes. It was after Mohammed Shahzad retired hurt for 23. Zazai set the pace in the Powerplay ...