Page 252 - Sports

India 'sleeping giant' of women's cricket, says Australia coach

India are the "sleeping giants" of women's cricket with the resources they have at their disposal, feels Australia coach Matthew Mott. The interest in women's cricket in India has been on the rise ever since they finished runners-up in the 2017 World Cup in the United Kingdom. India also entered the semi-finals of last November's T20 World Cup in the West Indies. "They're (India) the sleeping giant in women's cricket. They've got a country that's mad on the game, and in their batting they've already got three or four world-class players," said Mott. "The depth in their batting is outstanding, their bowling's got potential as well and their fielding has improved out of sight," he was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. India entered entered two World Cup finals (2005, 2017) but finished on the losing on both occasions. But Mott believes if they continue in the same vein, the future is bright for women's cricket in India. "They're going to be a force in world cricket. Having made that ..

Irfan Pathan part of CPL 2019 player draft

Irfan Pathan is one of 536 players from around the world who have signed up for the Carribean Premier League (CPL) player draft.

Loftus-Cheek undergoes surgery, misses Europa League final

Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek will undergo Achilles tendon surgery which will rule him out of the Europa League final, the Premier League club. The 23-year-old England international suffered the injury during the 3-0 friendly win over New England Revolution in Boston on Wednesday. "Ruben has seen a specialist today and will have surgery on his ruptured Achilles tendon this evening," the club said in a statement on Thursday. Loftus-Creek will miss the May 29 Europa League final against Arsenal in Baku as well as England's international commitments this summer. "I went to bed last night and Ruben's in the squad and playing brilliantly," said England coach Gareth Southgate. "He misses now a major European final and a brilliant opportunity for us.

USD 575-mn Qatar World Cup stadium opens to fanfare

Qatar inaugurated its first purpose-built stadium for the 2022 World Cup, staging a prestigious domestic cup final in the $575 million, 40,000-capacity Al-Wakrah venue. The ground, designed by late British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid and located in a coastal town south of Doha, erupted into cheers as Emir Cup finalists Al-Sadd and Al-Duhail ran onto the pitch on Thursday. There were some traffic jams and tight security checks as the ground, which was nearly full for the prestigious fixture, began to fill ahead of kick-off. "I've travelled the world and I've been to stadiums in different cities including the UK," said Yousef al-Jaber, a 35-year-old oil company research director from Doha. "Finally I was able to go to one in Qatar that is world-class," added the Chelsea fan who watched the game with his wife and two sons. "It's a one of a kind, it's a futuristic design. Al-Wakrah is a coastal city and the architecture is inspired by that." Qatar's emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani ...

Federer survives match points, Nadal, Djokovic cruise as Kyrgios exits in disgrace

Roger Federer saved two match points against Borna Coric to advance to the quarter-finals of the Italian Open as defending champion Rafael Nadal and top seed Novak Djokovic raced through in straight sets. However, Australian firebrand Nick Kyrgios was disqualified on Thursday after a foul-mouthed rant during his third-round match against Norway's Casper Ruud which could land him with a lengthy suspension. Federer came through 2-6 6-4 7-6 (9/7) against 13th seed Coric after earlier beating Portugal's Joao Sousa 6-4 6-3 in the second round as players doubled up after rain wiped out play on Wednesday. Federer, a four-time finalist in Rome, trailed 0-4 before dropping the first set, coming back in the second and saving two match points in the third set tie-break. "Definitely felt like I got a little lucky obviously," said Federer. "Borna had the lead. There were crucial moments throughout the match, second set and third set, for me to stay in it. Things definitely went my way ...

Man City target landmark treble as UEFA probe looms

Manchester City are on the brink of a domestic treble, with only Watford standing in their way in Saturday's FA Cup final, but a potentially historic season risks being overshadowed by several probes into the club's off-field conduct. City became the first side in a decade to retain the Premier League title last weekend, holding off Liverpool by a single point at the end of a thrilling race thanks to a run of 14 consecutive league wins to end the season. Pep Guardiola's men also retained the League Cup in February, the first leg of their potential domestic clean sweep, which has never before been done in England. However, the club have spent much of the week preceding the Wembley showcase responding to reports that they could be set for a season's ban from the Champions League over alleged breaches of financial fair play rules. The case was referred to UEFA's adjudicatory chamber on Thursday to decide what sanction, if any, should be imposed. City replied, saying they were ...

Favre, Kovac face old friends as Bundesliga finale grips Germany

Bayern Munich coach Niko Kovac and his Borussia Dortmund counterpart Lucien Favre both face a trip down memory lane on Saturday as the Bundesliga braces itself for the most nail-biting season finale in years. Both Kovac and Favre will face their former clubs on a much-anticipated final day, as the title race goes down to the last weekend of the season for the first time since 2010. Bayern currently sit two points ahead of Dortmund, and can claim a seventh straight league crown if they avoid defeat at home by Kovac's old club Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday. Dortmund, meanwhile, travel to Favre's old hunting ground at Borussia Moenchengladbach, knowing that they can only be crowned champions if they win and Bayern lose. "We need to focus on our game," said Favre on Thursday, adding that Dortmund needed to be prepared for all eventualities against Gladbach, whom he coached between 2011 and 2015. "They play well on the counter-attack, but they can also press high up the pitch, and they ..

Kane named in England's Nations League 27-man squad

England coach Gareth Southgate has included captain Harry Kane in his squad of 27 players for the UEFA Nations League to be held in June. Kane has not played since April 9 due to an ankle injury, but is working to be fit to play a part in the Champions League final on June 1.

Koepka seizes command with 63 at PGA while Tiger struggles

Defending champion Brooks Koepka, chasing his fourth victory in eight major starts, opened with a record-equalling low score to grab the lead at the 101st PGA Championship while inconsistent Tiger Woods struggled at Bethpage Black. Koepka on Thursday fired a seven-under-par 63, the day's only bogey-free round, to take a one-stroke lead over New Zealand's Danny Lee after 18 holes while Woods, in his first start since snapping an 11-year major drought at last month's Masters, settled for a 72 and a share of 51st. Third-ranked Koepka closed with a 33-foot birdie putt to set a course record and match the lowest round in tournament history. "That was one of the best rounds I've played probably as a professional," said Koepka, who turned pro in 2012. It was the second 63 in as many years at a PGA Championship for the 29-year-old American, who joined Australian Greg Norman and Fiji's Vijay Singh as the only players to shoot so low twice in majors. "My putter was hot today. It hasn't felt ...

Valencia seek perfect end to remarkable recovery in La Liga

Valencia lost to Arsenal in the Europa League semi-finals but hold pole position for La Liga's last Champions League spot as the race for the top four reaches its climax on Saturday. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's hat-trick ended Valencia's hopes of qualifying by lifting a trophy and their chances looked slim in the league too, when they trailed Getafe by three points ahead of the penultimate weekend. But a 3-1 win over Alaves, combined with Getafe losing away to a wounded Barcelona, means it is Valencia with their fate in their own hands, as they prepare to face Real Valladolid at Jose Zorrilla. A superior head-to-head over Getafe means they need only match the result of Jose Bordelas' side, who host a Villarreal team sitting 14th and with little left to play for. Yet Valladolid's position appears in Valencia's favour too. Victory away at Rayo Vallecano last weekend means their safety is already secured. Win, and Valencia will be guaranteed Champions League football in consecutive ...

Topless Tongan eyes unique Olympic treble

Tongan athlete Pita Taufatofua -- the bare-chested flag-bearer who became an online sensation at both the Rio and Pyeongchang Olympics -- plans to break out the baby oil once again and compete at the Tokyo Games in 2020. After travelling to Brazil as a taekwondo fighter and South Korea as a cross-country skier, Taufatofua is aiming to paddle his way to the Tokyo Olympics as a kayaker. "I'm trying to be the first person in the modern Olympics to do three unrelated sports," said the 35-year-old, who will also attempt to compete again in taekwondo in Japan. "You'll have indoor sports, winter with the cross country skiing and water," he told AFP. "I grew up in a kayak on the ocean, so it's not such a big leap for me." Taufatofua first captured global attention when he appeared at the Rio opening ceremony shirtless in 2016, his torso glistening in oil and wearing just a traditional Tongan ta'ovala mat around his waist. After the ceremony he went viral, racking up 45 million mentions on ...

Variations remain same, but I am wiser now: Chahal

March 26, 2015, was the fateful day when Indias challenge in the World Cup ended with a 95-run defeat at the hands of Australia in Sydney. Almost 15 months later, on June 11, 2016, a young leg-spinner from Haryana made his ODI debut for India in Zimbabwe. The debut spell ended with a wicket in his last over and that was how it all started for Indias numero uno leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal.

Nadal, Djokovic enter Italian Open quarterfinals

Spanish world number 2 Rafael Nadal has moved a step closer to his first ATP Tour title in nine months, routing Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1, 6-0 in just over an hour to reach the quarterfinals of the Italian Open.

Italian Open: Federer gets hard-fought win over Coric

World number 3 Roger Federer rallied to beat Croatia's Borna Coric 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9-7) in the round of 16 at the Italian Open, where the Swiss great pulled off a monumental comeback in the third set tiebreaker.

Kyrgios disqualified as Federer, Nadal, Djokovic advance in Rome

Australian firebrand Nick Kyrgios was disqualified from the Italian Open after an expletive-laden rant on Thursday as defending champion Rafael Nadal swept into the third round along with top seed Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. Kyrgios grabbed the headlines when he suffered a spectacular meltdown on Court Three against Norwegian qualifier Casper Ruud. The controversial 24-year-old, who had marked his presence in Rome by criticising Djokovic and Nadal in an interview on Wednesday, starting arguing with the umpire in the third set. World number 36 Kyrgios had levelled the match at one set all but was given a game penalty early on in the third set for swearing. His response was to kick out at a water bottle before throwing a chair onto the court, packing his bag and then storming off court, shouting I am fucking done'' Kyrgios was automatically disqualified with Ruud winning 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 2-1 to advance to the third round against former US Open champion Juan Martin del ...

Imad proud of Pakistan's efforts against England

All-rounder Imad Wasim believes Pakistan have gained much from their one-day international series against World Cup hosts England despite having yet to win a match. England head into Friday's fourth ODI in Nottingham 2-0 up with two to play after a no result washout at The Oval was followed by 12-run and six-wicket wins at Southampton and Bristol respectively. Pakistan, however, have made England work hard for those wins, with all four completed innings in the series so far topping 350 runs. "If you take some positives, we have played really well in both games," Imad said on Thursday. "Credit to England. They have batted really well, it's fine margins," added Imad, who insisted the tourists' morale was still intact despite their recent losses. "I think the team is confident. We're going to put up a good fight again. Yes, they (England) are (tough to bowl at), that's why they are the number one (ODI) team in the world. "But we take pride in our bowling as well and we have some plans, ..

Koepka seizes the lead while Tiger struggles early at PGA

Tiger Woods endured two double-bogey disasters in the first eight holes Thursday while defending champion Brooks Koepka shared the early lead at 4-under par at the PGA Championship. Woods, who snapped an 11-year major win drought at last month's Masters, opened with a double bogey at the par-4 10th hole and made another at the par-3 17th to reach the turn three-over par at the formidable, 7,549-yard, Bethpage Black. Koepka, who played alongside Woods and British Open champion Francesco Molinari in the feature group, was spectacular, holing a 40-foot birdie putt at 10, sinking a 20-foot birdie putt at the par-3 14th and adding two more at 18 and one. That left third-ranked Koepka sharing the lead with England's Tommy Fleetwood, trying to become the first Englishman to win the event since Jim Barnes in 1919. Fleetwood opened with a bogey at 10, answered with birdies at 15 and 16 and birdied three of the first four holes after making the turn. Koepka, who seeks a third consecutive US ...

England quick Wood eager to team up with Archer

Mark Wood wants to "ruffle a few feathers" alongside fellow fast bowler Jofra Archer in what promises to be an exciting England new-ball partnership. World Cup hosts England can seal a warm-up series win over Pakistan at Trent Bridge on Friday, where victory in the fourth one-day international would see them go 3-0 up in a five-match contest. The match in Nottingham is set to see 29-year-old Durham quick Wood make his first England appearance of the season following the latest recurrence of a longstanding ankle problem. Wood hit speeds of 95 mph while bowling for England in the Caribbean earlier this year, and Barbados-born Archer has regularly topped the 90 mph mark since making his international debut earlier this month. Now the pair are set to take the field together for the first time, with Wood saying on Thursday: "It'll be good to have two pace lads in at the same time and see if we can really ruffle a few feathers." Whereas the effort Wood puts into his delivery stride is ...

Irfan Pathan becomes first Indian to sign up for CPL players' draft, doubts remain over his NOC

All-rounder Irfan Pathan Thursday became the first Indian to be included in the Caribbean Premier League's players' draft, a development that could make him the only Indian man to play in an overseas T20 league. It remains to be seen if he gets a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the BCCI, which has maintained a tough stance in not allowing Indian cricketers to participate in T20 leagues such as BBL, CPL and BPL. The players' draft for CPL 2019 was announced on Thursday with Irfan being the only Indian in the list. CPL's official website posted the final list of players who have signed up for the player draft. "Prior to the draft, each franchise will have the option to retain and/or acquire a maximum of six players, although there is no obligation to do so," CPL announced on its website. "The fact that so many players have registered for our draft is a testament to the stature of our league. Playing cricket in the Caribbean is something that all players look forward to, and the CPL .

FC Goa retains Ahmed Jahouh for another year

Indian Super League (ISL) outfit FC Goa on Thursday announced that Ahmed Jahouh had agreed to one-year contract extension. The new contract will see the Moroccan midfielder dawn the orange of FC Goa again for the 2019-20 season.