Page 337 - Sports
My back is holding up, it's not getting worse: MS Dhoni
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni on Tuesday said that his back is holding up well and it's not getting worse and he cannot take any chances as the World Cup is coming up."The back is holding up, it's not getting worse, with the World Cup coming up, can't afford that, because that's too important," Dhoni said at the post-match ceremony.Dhoni had many reasons to smile as CSK defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad on Tuesday by six wickets at Chennai in the ongoing edition of Indian Premier League (IPL). Shane Watson, the former Australian all-rounder starred for the hosts as he smashed a 96-run knock off just 53 deliveries to enable the team to chase down the target of 176 runs.The CSK captain also shared his views on the match-winner Watson and said that batsman was batting well in the nets, so it was just a matter of time he got it together in the matches as well."I think you can give individuals a few games. Watson has been a match winner for us so we need to back him and he has been
Soumya Sarkar scripts history with List-A double century
Soumya Sarkar on Tuesday became the first Bangladeshi batsman to score a List-A double century, after registering an unbeaten score of 208 runs against Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in the Dhaka Premier League.This knock by Sarkar enabled his team Abahani Limited to chase down the target of 318 with nine wickets in hand.Sarkar hit 14 fours and 16 sixes in his 153-ball knock of 208 runs and he shared an opening wicket partnership of 312 runs with Jahural Islam, who also went on to score a century.This victory by Abahani enabled then to clinch the Dhaka Premier League title.Soumya who was three international centuries to his name went past 100 runs for the second consecutive game in the Dhaka Premier League.The left-handed batsman had earlier scored 106 runs against Legends of Rugpanj on Sunday.There are very few batsmen in world cricket who have gone past the double-century mark in ODI format and the landmark has been achieved only eight times in the limited-overs format.Ali Brown's ...
Asian Athletics C'ship: Barman, 4x400m mixed relay team win silver, Jadhav bags bronze
Asian Games gold medallist heptathlete Swapna Barman and the 4x400m mixed relay team clinched a silver each while Sanjivani Jadhav won a bronze in 10000m race on the third day of the Asian Athletics Championships here Tuesday. The 22-year-old Barman logged 5993 aggregate ponits from the seven events to finish second behind Ekaterina Vornina (6198 points) of Uzbekistan, while Purnima Hembram, the other Indian in the fray, was fifth with 5528 points. Barman's aggregate points on Tuesday was more than the 5942 she had logged while winning the gold in the last edition in 2017 but was less than the 6026 she had accumulated in the Asian Games in Jakarta last year. In the 4x4000m mixed relay team which was introduced for the first time in this championship, the Indian quartet of Mohammed Anas, M R Poovamma, V K Vismaya and Arokia Rajiv clocked 3:16.47 to finish second, behind Bahrain. Hima Das who pulled out of 400m due to lower back spasm did not take part in the event. The 22-year-old ...
Watson takes CSK to top of table with win over SRH
Shane Watson smashed a belligerent 96 as Chennai Super Kings zoomed back to the top of the table with a commanding six-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in an Indian Premier League (IPL) clash at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Tuesday.
Need to be careful with my back as World Cup is coming: Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has battled a dodgy back for a long time and he wants to be careful with it as the ICC World Cup is round the corner. The CSK skipper said that there has been some stiffness but it is holding up as of now. "The back is holding up, it's not getting worse, with the World Cup coming up, can't afford that, because that's too important," Dhoni said at the post-match presentation ceremony after CSK beat Sunrisers by six wickets. Dhoni said that at the highest level, there aren't any players who are not playing with a niggle or two. "If it becomes worse, I certainly take some time off but at this level you play with some niggle or the other. Because if you wait to get fully fit, then there will be a gap of five years between two matches," the skipper said cheekily.
Watson 96 gets CSK back on winning track
Shane Watson brought back memories of last year's IPL final with a blazing knock that has now almost ensured a play-off berth for Chennai Super Kings as they beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets here Tuesday. On a vastly improved Chepauk track, Watson roared back to form with an 96 off 53 balls as CSK stuttered a bit in end before winning in 19.5 overs. Watson's innings studded with nine fours and half a dozen of sixes ensured that CSK have reached the cut-off limit of 16 points needed for the play-off even though they would like to finish in the top two. Watson's innings would also be a relief for skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who had urged the top order to finish matches. A 77-run stand between Watson and Suresh Raina (38) created the platform and the former Australia all-rounder singlehandedly decimated the Sunrisers attack. What made it more difficult for the Sunrisers was the fact that their strike bowler Rashid Khan was pulverised by Watson, who took him to the cleaners with .
Watson century gets CSK back on winning track
Shane Watson brought back memories of last year's IPL final with a blazing knock that has now almost ensured a play-off berth for Chennai Super Kings as they beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets here Tuesday. On a vastly improved Chepauk track, Watson roared back to form with an 96 off 53 balls as CSK stuttered a bit in end before winning in 19.5 overs. Watson's innings studded with nine fours and half a dozen of sixes ensured that CSK have reached the cut-off limit of 16 points needed for the play-off even though they would like to finish in the top two. Watson's innings would also be a relief for skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who had urged the top order to finish matches. A 77-run stand between Watson and Suresh Raina (38) created the platform and the former Australia all-rounder singlehandedly decimated the Sunrisers attack. What made it more difficult for the Sunrisers was the fact that their strike bowler Rashid Khan was pulverised by Watson, who took him to the cleaners with .
Gusty winds damage canopy at Hyderabad stadium
Strong winds that wreaked havoc in Hyderabad on Monday night, blew away a major portion of the canopy at the Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium, hours after the BCCI shifted IPL final from Chennai to the city.
Asian Athletics C'ships: Heptathlete Barman, 4x400m mixed relay team win silver
Asian Games gold medallist heptathlete Swapna Barman and the 4x400m mixed relay team won a silver each in a disappointing show for India on the third day of the Asian Athletics Championships here Tuesday. The 22-year-old Barman logged 5993 aggregate ponits from the seven events to finish second behind Ekaterina Vornina (6198 points) of Uzbekistan, while Purnima Hembram, the other Indian in the fray, was fifth with 5528 points. Barman's aggregate points on Tuesday was more than the 5942 she had logged while winning the gold in the last edition in 2017 but was less than the 6026 she had accumulated in the Asian Games in Jakarta last year. In the 4x4000m mixed relay team which was introduced for the first time in this championship, the Indian quartet of Mohammed Anas, M R Poovamma, V K Vismaya and Arokia Rajiv clocked 3:16.47 to finish second, behind Bahrain. Hima Das who pulled out of 400m due to lower back spasm did not take part in the event. With the two silver on Tuesday, India's ...
Asian Wrestling C'ships: Bajrang Punia bags gold
Asian Games gold medallist and world number one Bajrang Punia defeated Asian Games bronze medallist Sayatbek Okassov to clinch gold in 65 kg on the first day of the 2019 Asian Wrestling Championships in China on Tuesday.The Kazakh grappler made a fiery start to put Punia under pressure but the Indian was able to turn it around late in the second period to clinch a thrilling 12-7 win. This is Bajrang's fifth medal from the Asian Championships after gold in 2017, silver in 2014 and a couple of bronze in 2013 and 2018.Punia, who also won a silver medal at the World Championships last year, was in no mood to relent and stamped his authority throughout the day. In the semi-finals, he conceded a point in the first period before notching up a commanding 12-1 Technical Superiority win over Uzbekistan's Sirojiddin Khasanov.Earlier in the day, he accounted for former world junior champion Peyman Biabani and Charles Fern of Sri Lanka.Parveen Rana, however, failed to make it a double delight for .
Women's T20 Challenge to begin on May 6
Three teams are set to play four Women's T20 Challenge matches at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur as standalone games during the IPL Playoff week, beginning May 6.The teams -- Supernovas, Trailblazers and Velocity -- will comprise current and future stars of Indian cricket playing alongside a selection of the world's best players.The combined strength of talent on display will showcase the quality of women's cricket, the BCCI announced on Tuesday.Following is the schedule for the Women's T20 Challenge:May 6- Supernovas vs TrailblazersMay 8- Trailblazers vs VelocityMay 9- Supernovas vs VelocityThe final between the first and second placed team will be held on May 11.Last year in Mumbai, the one-off match was played as a curtain-raiser to the first IPL Qualifier and comprised two teams -- Supernovas and Trailblazers. India T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana led the Supernovas and the Trailblazers, respectively.The match was conducted as a means to test ...
Gayle, Rahul set games up for us: Mayank Agarwal
Kings XI Punjab's Mayank Agarwal is full of admiration for destructive openers Chris Gayle and K L Rahul as they set the game up for their team. "It is amazing to have both of them at the top of the order. ... they are almost always setting it up for us. You just have to go out there, execute plans. It is good if your openers can go out there and get runs, nothing like it," he told reporters Tuesday on the eve of the RCB-Kings XI Punjab clash here. Asked about batting with Gayle, Agarwal said it makes batting easier for him as the opposition would focus on getting the West Indian star out. Agarwal said Punjab needs to win three games out of four and strive to make it to the play-offs. "The thought process is very simple for us in the side. We have got to win three games out of four and we have got to take one game at a time, and going out there and winning those games. As a team, if we can get momentum now and start winning now, back-to-back games, nothing like it going ..
Pandey, Warner fifties help Sunrisers post 175/3
Manish Pandey and David Warner struck half-centuries as Sunrisers Hyderabad posted 175/3 in 20 overs against Chennai Super Kings in an Indian Premier League (IPL) clash at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Tuesday.
15 held for online IPL cricket betting racket
: Fifteen youths were arrested for running an online cricket betting racket and Rs 7,500 in cash and 15 mobile phones seized from them, police said. Under the instruction of district police superintendent Rahul Hegde, a police team raided the campus of government junior college in Sircilla town and found the 15 youth indulging in IPL cricket betting on their mobiles. The youths were gathered in a room to bet on IPL match between Chennai and Hyderabad teams, the police said. The 15 were taken into custody while seven others were at large, they said, adding that the arrested would be produced in court and remanded.
Swapna Barman settles for silver in heptathlon, Jinson pulls out of 1500m
Asian Games gold medallist and defending champion Swapna Barman settled for a silver in women's heptathlon while top medal contender Jinson Johnson pulled out of the men's 1500m race on the third and penultimate day of the Asian Athletics Championships here Tuesday. The 22-year-old Barman logged 5993 aggregate points from the seven events to finish second behind Ekaterina Vornina (6198 points) of Uzbekistan, while Purnima Hembram, the other Indian in the fray, was fifth with 5528 points. Barman's aggregate points on Tuesday was more than the 5942 she had logged while winning the gold in the last edition of the continental meet in 2017 but was less than the 6026 that she had accumulated in the Asian Games in Jakarta last year. With the silver from Barman, India's medal count now stands at two gold, four silver and five bronze medals. In women's 3000m steeple chase, Parul Choudhary clocked personal best of 10:03.43 to finish fifth in the final. Earlier in the day, India suffered a ...
Pandey back in form as Sunrisers scored 175 for 3 vs CSK
The immensely talented Manish Pandey was back in his element as his unbeaten 83 off 49 balls powered Sunrisers Hyderabad to a fighting 175 for 3 against Chennai Super Kings in an IPL match here Tuesday. Pandey and league's current leading run-scorer David Warner (57 off 45 balls) added 115 runs for the second wicket to lay the foundation for a decent score on what was the best batting track on offer at the Chepauk. Veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh struck an early blow, having the in-form Jony Bairstow caught behind in the second over for a duck. He was the most successful bowler with figures of 2 for 39 in four overs while Deepak Chahar picked up the wicket of Vijay Shankar (26 off 20 balls). Despite the early dismissal of Bairstow, the visiting team didn't get tied down as the irrepressible Warner and Manish Pandey kept hitting those boundaries and sixes. They brought up the team's 50 in the sixth over. Pandey who has not been in the best form, hit his straps, scoring freely and was ..
Jinson pulls out of Asian C'ships due to injury
In a major jolt to India, Asian Games gold medallist Jinson Johnson pulled out of the Asian Athletics Championships owing to an injury just hours before the 1500m finals here on Tuesday. "His left calf muscle is troubling him at the moment. Doctors have advised him not to compete in such situation," deputy chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair said in a statement. Johnson could not complete his 800m final race on Monday. He holds the national records in both 800m and 1500m.
Bajrang reclaims gold at Asian Wrestling C'ship, silver for Parveen
World number one Bajrang Punia logged 10 points in a row in the gold medal bout to reclaim his Asian Championship crown, while Praveen Rana settled for silver as India ended the first day with three medals, here Tuesday. Punia defeated Kazakhstan's Sayatbek Okassov 12-7 in a nail-biting 65kg men's free style. The CWG and Asian Games champion was trailing 2-7 with just 60 seconds to go for the final bell but the unperturbed Indian produced three gut wrench moves and an exposure move to take eight points after he began the attack with a two-point take down. The Kazkah was visibly tired while Bajrang displayed immense stamina and intelligence under pressure to emerge triumphant. It is Bajrang's second gold at the championship, having won one in 2017. Overall, it was the fifth medal for the Indian in this tournament. With this performance, Bajrang yet again sounded a warning to his opponents that he will be a strong medal contender at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. On his way to the final, ...
Simona Halep pulls out of Stuttgart Open
World number two Simona Halep has withdrawn from the Stuttgart Open due to a left hip injury suffered during the recent Fed Cup.Halep, who competed for her country Romania against France over the weekend in the Fed Cup, missed the end of the 2018 season because of a back issue. However, she was fit to return and went on to reach the last 16 of the Australian Open before reaching the final of Doha and the semi-final of Miami.The 27-year-old's start to the clay court season on the WTA Tour has been put on hold for the time being after a tumble playing Caroline Garcia at the weekend, Women's Tennis Association (WTA) reported on Tuesday."It was against Garcia in the first set, when I fell down. I felt pain in the hip. If I'm not 100 percent I don't want to step on the court. I'm also exhausted mentally because I gave my everything in that tie but unfortunately we couldn't win," Halep said."That's why I decided to pull out because I have to think about my health first. It feels bad because
ISSF World Cup: Apurvi Chandela, Anjum Moudgil miss medals
Indian shooters Apurvi Chandela and Anjum Moudgil continued their great form, reaching yet another International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup final, but eventually finished just outside the medal this time around here on Tuesday.On day one of the competition, the two Air Rifle exponents eased into the Women's 10m finals with solid scores, making it their fifth ISSF final in less than two years, including the World Championship finals last year.World record holder Apurvi topped the qualification charts with a solid 630.9 after 60 shots while Anjum qualified fourth out of 107 shooters, with a score of 629.4.Yulia Karimova of Russia won gold with a score of 251.1 in the finals, while Eunji Kwon of Korea settled for silver with a score of 250.2. Korea's Keum Jihyeon won bronze in the event, piping Apurvi by 0.1 points after the 20th shot of the 24-shot final.In another event, Chain Singh shot 1169 while Parul Kumar shot 1168 in the Men's 50 Rifle 3 Positions event. They ...