Page 248 - Sports
Intercontinental Cup football tournament to be held in Ahmedabad
The second edition of the Hero Intercontinental Cup will be held at the TransStadia Arena in Ahmedabad from July 7 to 18, the All India Football Federation announced on Saturday. The AIFF has already announced the participating teams but the venue of tournament was made known on Saturday only. India, Syria, North Korea and Tajikistan are the participating teams. All the four teams will play each other in a round robin format with the top two teams qualifying for the final. The 'Blue Tigers' are the defending champions, having won the inaugural edition in Mumbai in June last year after defeating Kenya in the final, courtesy a brace from the Hero of the Tournament Sunil Chhetri.
A tattoo that drew Chelsea to Kolkata fan's home
A tattoo on his chest, done to feel the same pain as the players felt during the 2015-16 season, made so much noise that it brought members of Chelsea Football Club to Sparsho Ghosh's home.
Indian Women's Hockey team departs for Republic of Korea
Indian women's hockey team departed for the Republic of Korea on Saturday to play a three-match series against Korea beginning from May 20.The Indian team will be led by striker Rani and vice-captained by goalkeeper Savita. The team will be looking at the series as an ideal preparation for the forthcoming FIH Women's Series Finals Hiroshima 2019, scheduled to be held from June 15-23."The team backed by some good results in the previous tournaments is confident about playing against a tough team like the Republic Of Korea in conditions best suited for them. The series will be very challenging given how the Korean national team has been playing lately," the team skipper, Rani said in an official statement."Doing well against them will be vital in our preparations for the FIH Women's Series Finals Hiroshima 2019," she added.For the series against Korea, drag-flicker Gurjit Kaur has also made her return to the team.The team had toured Spain earlier this year where they played matches ...
New coach should be demanding: Sunil Chhetri
A new season ahead and a new coach in charge, Sunil Chhetri is an excited man these days. The undisputed leader of Indian football, who will be joining the national camp in Delhi under newly-appointed coach Igor Stimac on Monday, is looking forward to win more games for India outside the country than on home turf.
Many youngster had potential, Kohli translated it: Upton
Paddy Upton, former mental health and conditioning coach of the Indian cricket team during Gary Kirstens tenure as coach, saw India skipper Virat Kohli rise through the ranks and the Rajasthan Royals coach believes that while there have been many talented batsmen who have played for India, what set Kohli apart is his ability to translate the talent to performance.
DAV Chandigarh win 2019 Red Bull Campus Cricket India
After four days of exciting matches, Red Bull Campus Cricket 2019 National Finals came to an end. DAV College Chandigarh beat Hindustan College Chennai in a low scoring final to emerge the India Champions of the T20 tournament.
Rani sees Korea series as platform to prepare for FIH Women series Finals
On a comeback trail, Indian women's hockey team skipper Rani Rampal is expecting high-intensity action in the three-match series against hosts Korea, starting in Jinchun from Monday. Rani had missed the previous Malaysia series due to a shoulder injury along with drag-flicker Gurjit Kaur, who had a hamstring issue. The team left for Korea Saturday morning and Rani said it will be a good opportunity to prepare for the forthcoming FIH Women's Series Finals in Hiroshima. "This will be an important series for myself and Gurjit because we are coming back after rehabilitation. Playing high-intensity matches will put us in the right rhythm before we set off for the FIH Women's Series Finals," said Rani. "There have been some different things we have tried in this recent national camp in terms of creating variations inside the circle. We will get to try and test these methods against this strong team and basis how we execute these changes we can plan better for the next big tournament," added
'How I prepare myself will be the real challenge for me': Vijay Shankar
Indian all-rounder Vijay Shankar was recently named in the fifteen-member World Cup squad and the player is likely to bat at number four position for the team. Shankar believes how he prepares will be the key factor going into the tournament.At the time of announcing the squad, chief selector MSK Prasad said that Shankar is being viewed as a number four batsman. Ambati Rayudu was seen as a potential number four batsman, but Shankar was given a nod ahead of him in the final squad due to his three-dimensional abilities."There's a difference between batting at number four position and batting in the lower order. How I prepare myself will the real challenge for me. I need to be in good shape, the most important thing will be how I play according to the situation. I should be equipped to play in any condition," Shankar told ANI."Number four slot, there have many been speculations about that slot. It is really important for me to keep things simple. Other things are not in my control, I ...
Disappointed by Pakistan bowling again: Akhtar
Former Pakistan tearaway quick Shoaib Akhtar expressed his disappointment with the team's botched effort to defend 340 against England in the fourth ODI, saying he was not impressed with the bowling.
Stokes sees stuttering England to Pakistan series win
Ben Stokes's unbeaten 71 rescued England from a top-order collapse as the World Cup hosts and favourites beat Pakistan by three wickets with three balls to spare at Trent Bridge. Friday's win in a floodlit match saw England secure the series at 3-0 up with one to play, but it was far from routine. England were cruising to a target of 341 at 201 for one when Jason Roy's dismissal for 114 sparked a collapse that saw three wickets lost for seven runs in 10 balls. And when Moeen Ali was out for a duck, England were 216 for five. But Stokes steadied the ship and with No 8 Tom Curran (31) got England back on track in a stand of 61. Curran, pushing for a place in England's final 15-man World Cup squad, had already taken four for 75 in Pakistan's 340 for seven. This was a modest score at Trent Bridge, where England have twice set the record for the highest one-day international total, with last year's 481 for six against Australia following their 444 for three against Pakistan in 2016. - 'Got
Yuvraj Singh trolls Virat Kohli on Instagram
Virat Kohli may be the captain of the Indian team but it was not too long ago that he was one of the youngsters in the team, learning from established stars like Yuvraj Singh.
Indian Women's League: Sethu FC beat Baroda 7-0
Sethu FC defeated Baroda Football Academy by a thumping 7-0 margin on Saturday to round off their Group II campaign of the Indian Women's League.Indian international Sandhiya was exceptional for Sethu FC as she scored four times for the team.The match got off to a slow start as Sethu FC had already secured top spot in group II, so the team took their team in creating momentum inside Baroda's half.Sandhiya scored the first goal for Sethu FC within the first fifteen minutes to give the team from Madhurai the lead.She scored two more goals before the half time. Before the half time, Ashalata Devi too scored giving the team a 4-0 lead.Baroda was able to provide some resistance in the second half, but the team clearly looked out of steam towards the end.Indumathi Kathiresan, Ratanbala Devi, and Sandhiya added three more goals in the last 15 minutes to end Sethu's Group II campaign with a thumping 7-0 win.The defender Ashalata Devi was given the player of the match award.
Italian Open: Novak Djokovic enters semi-finals
The Serbian Novak Djokovic survived a scare in the quarter-finals of the Italian Open as he defeated Martin Del Potro 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-4 on Friday (local time) to advance to the semi-finals of the tournament.Djokovic saved two match points to fend off Del Potro's attacking tennis play.The four-time Italian Open champion was leading 5-2 in the second set, but Del Potro made a stunning comeback and Djokovic had to save both match points in the tie-break, including one on Del Potro's racquet."I never lost faith I could come back to the match. One break of serve, mini-break in the tie-break when he was 6/4, more or less open forehand that he was making the entire match, that's all it took for me to come back," Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) quoted Djokovic as saying."He missed a couple of crucial points in the tie-break. Also breakpoint third set, quite easy forehand. That's what happens. That's sport. I'm just really pleased to overcome," he added.Djokovic had beaten Del Potro ..
Meg Lanning highlights importance of Ashes
Australia Women's cricket captain Meg Lanning on Saturday highlighted the importance of Ashes (series between England and Australia) and said she was extremely jealous on missing out on the series last time."I was really jealous sitting on the sidelines during that last series, it's a really great thing to be a part of," cricket.com.au quoted Lanning as saying.No women cricketer has more ODI centuries than Lanning, but she is yet to pass the score of fifty in Test format. She has played three Test matches in her career so far and her highest score till date is 48."We want to play good cricket no matter what format it is and it is harder in Test matches because we just don't play it enough to really understand what our strengths and weaknesses are," Lanning said."But at the end of the day, I think as long as we stick to the style of play that has treated us well (in all formats) over the last 18 months, that's the best way to approach it. I don't think you can change too much. We still
Indian shuttlers eye elusive medal at Sudirman Cup
India will continue their hunt for an elusive medal when top shuttlers PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal spearhead the Indian challenge at the prestigious Sudirman Cup which gets underway here Sunday. India reached the quarterfinals twice in the 2011 and 2017 editions but failed to cross the last eight stage. The Indians would have to ensure they pull no punches when they face heavyweights China and avoid any early hiccups against 2009 semifinalists Malaysia in Group 1D to qualify from the group. India's chances during the mixed team championship will depend on the quality singles players such as reigning BWF World Tour Finals winner Sindhu, 2019 Indonesia Masters champion Saina Nehwal, 2019 India Open finalist Kidambi Srikanth and BWF World Tour Finals semi-finalist Sameer Verma. India first will look to quell the challenge of Malaysia on Monday before taking on the mighty 10-time champions China the next day. The 13-member Indian team, seeded eighth this time, will look to draw inspiration
Ibrahimovic hit with ban after neck grab
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been suspended for two games after grabbing New York City FC goalkeeper Sean Johnson by the neck during Los Angeles Galaxy's defeat last weekend, Major League Soccer said Friday. The MLS Disciplinary Committee announced in a statement it was sanctioning Ibrahimovic for violent conduct after the incident in the 86th minute of the game on May 11. Ibrahimovic and Johnson wrestled each other to the floor after coming together in the closing stages of Galaxy's defeat last week. Both players received a yellow card for the incident for unsportsmanlike conduct. Johnson later accused Ibrahimovic of losing his cool. "Zlatan is a talented player, he obviously knows what he is doing, he is a clever boy and you know, it is a part of the game," Johnson said. "I would be frustrated if I were him too, you know. Can't blame him for his frustration at that point in the game," the goalkeeper added. It is the second retrospective sanction Ibrahimovic has received in recent ...
Roy reveals baby drama after Pakistan hundred
Jason Roy was at a loss to explain how he had scored a match-winning century against Pakistan following an overnight visit to hospital with his baby daughter. Roy's superb 114 was the centrepiece of England's chase as they beat Pakistan at Trent Bridge on Friday to go 3-0 up with one to play in a one-day international series. Yet Roy's eighth century at this level came in trying circumstances, with the Surrey opening batsman saying he'd been more worried about daughter Everly than piling up the runs. "It was a very emotional hundred. I didn't see it coming," Roy told BBC Radio's Test Match Special. "I had a bit of a rough morning so this one is a special one for me and my family," added Roy, who returned to hospital after a three-wicket win, although his daughter's condition is not believed to be serious. "It was my little one. We had to take her to hospital at 1:30 in the morning. I stayed there until 8:30am, came back for a couple of hours sleep and got to the ground just before ...
Djokovic survives scare, Nadal coasts into Rome semi-finals
World number one Novak Djokovic saved two match points against former US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro to advance to the semi-finals of the Italian Open in a three-set Roman thriller on Friday as defending champion Rafael Nadal swept through without dropping a set. But Swiss star Roger Federer and women's world number one Naomi Osaka both pulled out injured from the last warm-up tournament before the French Open starting in just over a week. Djokovic saved match points in the second set tie-break before winning through 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-4, sealing victory with an ace on his first match point after a three-hour battle. "I had luck in the decisive moments in the second set tiebreak," said the 31-year-old. "Towards the end of the first set he just started hitting the ball really well from both corners. "Also backhand side, backhand down the line. He was playing really well. Gave me a lot of trouble. But I never lost faith," the four-time Rome winner said. "I'm just really pleased ..
Allegri to leave Juventus season end
Italian Serie A champions Juventus announced that coach Massimiliano Allegri will leave the club at the end of the season.
Enrique will remain Spain coach: Federation
Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) sporting director Jose Molina insisted Luis Enrique's job is safe, despite the fact that the national team coach will not be with his Spain side for the forthcoming European Championship qualifying ties against the Faroe Islands and Sweden.