Page 356 - Sports
Players can now focus on IPL post WC selection: Karthik
With the World Cup team selection now done, players can focus back on the Indian Premier League (IPL), feels Dinesh Karthik, who pipped Rishabh Pant for a place in the 15-member India squad for the showpiece event starting May 30 in England and Wales.
Chandigarh to host Asian Billiards, Snooker C'ships
Chandigarh will host the 18th Asian Billiards, the 20th Under-21 Asian Snooker Championship and the 3rd Ladies Asian Snooker Championship from April 27 to May 3, officials of the Punjab Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) said here on Thursday.
Amir, Asif missing from Pakistan WC 2019 squad
Pacer Mohammad Amir failed to find a place in Pakistans 15-man preliminary squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup, starting May 30 in England, but has been included for the ODI series against England.
Focus back on IPL after WC team selection: Karthik
Drafted into India's World Cup squad as a back-up skipper, Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Dinesh Karthik feels the focus will be back on IPL now that the selectors have picked the 15-man team for the showpiece event. Speculations were rife that Karthik's World Cup dreams are over after the selectors dropped him for the five-match ODI series at home against Australia -- India's last assignment before the World Cup. The MSK Prasad-led selection panel had named Rishabh Pant in the squad for the Australia series, thus hinting that the youngster might be making the cut for the World Cup instead of Karthik. But with his vast experience, the Tamil Nadu glovesman pipped Pant in the 15-member squad for the World Cup last Monday. "Now that the team has been picked all those have been part of team have been announced, I think the focus back on IPL. I think everything is back on track," Karthik told reporters on the eve of their IPL clash against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Eden Gardens. "All ..
IOC pledge 500,000 euros to help ensure Notre Dame ready for Paris
The International Olympic Committee on Thursday pledged 500,000 euros to help ensure Notre Dame is restored in time for the 2024 Paris Games. "The aim of completing the reconstruction in time for Paris 2024 will be an extra motivation for all of us," IOC president Thomas Bach told 2024 Games chief Thomas Estanguet in a letter. "All the Olympic movement and in particular the IOC have been extremely touched by the instantaneous connection the French have made between Notre Dame cathedral and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games," he wrote. Estanguet said the Olympic family "wanted to show its solidarity with Parisians and all French people". The IOC's contribution joins donations totalling 850 million euros made since the landmark was gutted by fire on Monday evening. Notre Dame figures on the route for the 2024 Olympic marathon and on the road cycling circuit.
Saini has all ingredients to be a good bowler: Nehra
A day after he was named a stand-by for the World Cup, former India pacer Ashish Nehra heaped praise on Navdeep Saini, saying the Royal Challengers Bangalore pacer has got all the ingredients to be a good bowler as he has the confidence to excel.
Anurag Bagri scores impressive victory
Seasoned campaigner Anurag Bagri (-170 handicap) of Elphinstone Cricket Club eased past club mate Sunil Jain (-130) by romping to a 200-106 victory in a Round of 16 match of the BSAM-Maharashtra Challenger Tour (Billiards 2019). The tournament has been organised by the Billiards and Snooker Association of Maharashtra. Anurag played confidently and hit up two substantial efforts of 70 and 62 as he smoothly crossed the finish line and set up a quarter-final meeting with Sidhraj Shah of Cricket Club of India. Sidhraj (-50) also enjoyed an easy outing as he comfortably got past Raj Khandwala (-130) also from CCI by a huge 200-78 points margin. Results Round of 16 (race to 200 points): Sparsh Pherwani (-225) beat Dharmesh Mistry (-100) 200(54, 53, 42)-60; Neville Razmi (-70) beat Nikhil Lalwani (-50) 200-176; Anurag Bagri (-170) beat Sunil Jain (-130) 200(70,62)-106; Sidhraj Shah (-50) beat Raj Khandwala (-130) 200-78; Sumehr Mago (-80) beat Manav Panchal (-130) 200-90; ...
Diego Simeone defends Messi from critics, calls him extraordinary
Atletico Madrid manager, Diego Simeone, praised the Barcelona star Lionel Messi and defended the 31-year old from the critics, by terming them 'unfair'."The criticism towards Messi is not fair, not at all, especially in Argentina," Goal.com quoted Messi as saying.Messi generally receives an inimical attitude from his home country and gets brutally criticised for not performing as good for Argentina as he does for his club, Barcelona.Howbeit, Simeone is of the opinion that it is the team that strengthens a great player."In Barcelona, there are some players and a team that supports him and in Argentina, there are no such players, as happens to Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal, because Portugal is not Juventus or Real Madrid," he said."The teams strengthen the great player, it's easy," he added.Despite reaching in the FIFA World Cup 2014 final, Argentina was unable to clinch the title as they faced a 1-0 defeat from Germany, who won the quadrennial extravaganza that year.Messi's failure to .
Mohammad Amir left out of Pakistan's preliminary WC squad
Mohammad Amir, the pace bowler, has been left out of Pakistan's preliminary 15-member squad for the upcoming World Cup, chief-selector Inzamam-ul-Haq announced on Thursday.However, he has been included in the ODI and T20I series against England, which will be played in the month of May.Amir starred in the Champions Trophy final in 2017, in which he was awarded the Man of the Match, but since then he went wicketless in nine out of 14 ODIs played since then.The team that has been picked for the upcoming World Cup, includes 11 players from the side that won the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 in England and Wales.Players retained from the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 winning party include Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain), Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Shadab Khan, and Shoaib Malik.The World Cup team will be led by Sarfaraz Ahmed."While picking the side, we've tried to cover all bases by assessing our strengths as well as ...
Jadhav needs a few good IPL knocks going into WC: Bhave
Maharashtra Ranji team coach Surendra Bhave is confident that under-firing Kedar Jadhav will find form soon in the Indian Premier League (IPL) which will stand him in good stead going into the ICC World Cup. Maharashtra's Jadhav, known to Bhave for several years, has been named in the 15-strong Indian World Cup squad and is playing for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the ongoing edition of the IPL. "I am sure he is totally focusing on the games in hand for CSK and also looking forward to once again create that form which makes a player feel comfortable going into the World Cup", Bhave told PTI Thursday. "Till last week or so he looked in a good touch. So, I mean, it is matter of time. If he gets two-three good knocks before going to the World Cup, it will set him right for the mega tournament," noted Bhave, a former Maharashtra opener and ex-national selector. Kedar, who has played 9 matches for the Chennai Super Kings this season, has managed only 136 runs, with a lone
Saini could make World Cup debut: Nehra
The rapid rise of uncapped pacer Navdeep Saini could actually see him making a World Cup debut, his Royal Challengers Bangalore bowling coach Ashish Nehra said here Thursday. Snapped up for Rs 3 crore for IPL 2018, the pacer did not play any match for RCB last season but he has been a revelation this time. The 26-year-old from Haryana was named as a standby for the World Cup beginning May 30. "He's got pace and bounce and the most important thing is he's confident right now especially in this format because it's really quick," Nehra told reporters ahead of their match against Kolkata Knight Riders. "Within two games his confidence is high when nobody thought he will do well. That's the beauty of IPL. He's not going to come good in every game. He will go for runs but he's got all the ingredients to be a good bowler. "Look where he's today. He is the first standby so if any fast bowler gets injured he (Saini) will be the one playing the World Cup," he added. A find of Gautam Gambhir, ...
Loyalty matters most, says Kohli recalling times when Dhoni backed him
Virat Kohli hasn't forgotten the times when Mahendra Singh Dhoni firmly stood by him as a captain and now that the roles have reversed, he is not going to back down from supporting the veteran despite the "unfortunate criticism" that the former skipper is coping. The Indian captain also expressed his happiness with the composition of the 15-strong Indian squad for the World Cup in an interview to 'India Today'. "It's unfortunate to see so many people going after him. For me, loyalty matters the most," Kohli's words showed his reverence for his first international captain. "When I walked into the team he had the option of trying someone else after few games, although I grabbed my chances but for me to get that kind of backing, it was very crucial for me. "Also, he gave me an opportunity to bat at No 3 because not many youngsters get to play at No 3," the skipper recalled his formative days in international cricket. When an astute brain meets a superlative performer, there is bound to ..
DHA appoints Gursimran Singh as Vice President
Gursimran Singh has been appointed Vice President of the Delhi Hockey Association (DHA), the body announced on Thursday.
Akram, Vengsarkar to officially launch Euro T20 Slam
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram and former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar will make the official announcement of the first-ever continent-based league -- Euro T20 Slam in Dublin on April 30.
Pakistan leave out Aamir from World Cup squad
Pakistan Thursday left out experienced but out-of-form pacer Muhammad Aamir from its 15-member World Cup squad while including batsman Abid Ali in the line-up. Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq, announcing the World Cup squad and two reserve players, said the 11 from the 2017 Champions Trophy had been retained in the selection process. "We are hopeful and confident that Pakistan will give a good account of itself in the World Cup," Inzamam said. The selectors, while not showing faith with left-armer Aamir who has taken just five wickets in his last 14 ODIs since the Champions Trophy two years back, reposed confidence in seniors Shoaib Malik and Muhammad Hafeez. Inzamam said that Hafeez's final inclusion in World Cup was subject to him being 100 per cent fit before the tournament as he is still recovering from a thumb injury. "Doctors have advised him not to bowl or bat now but when his rehab is over he will be back in action in two weeks time," he added. Inzamam said hard-hitting batsman .
Champions League failures haunt Guardiola as Man City fall short again
Another season will pass without Champions League glory for Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, but few will forget the manner in which the quest for a historic quadruple was ended by a combination of Tottenham Hotspur and VAR. Spurs survived a seven-goal thriller on Wednesday night at the Etihad, losing the battle 4-3 but winning the war on away goals thanks to their 1-0 victory in the first leg a titanic quarter-final tie. A match that saw City lead 1-0, trail 2-1, then forge ahead 4-2 to lead the tie for the first time before Fernando Llorente's controversial decisive goal was allowed to stand after a VAR check for handball, brought one final twist in stoppage time. Guardiola scampered down the touchline in celebration when Raheem Sterling thought he had completed his hat-trick with the goal to take City into the semi-finals for just the second time. Seconds later, delirium turned to disbelief, as Guardiola sank to his knees in the realisation that VAR had revealed an offside earlier .
Coman: 'I am not the new Ribery'
Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman has said that he hopes to step out of Franck Ribery's shadow when his veteran compatriot leaves Bayern. Coman, 22, has long been touted as the natural successor to Ribery, who is expected to end a glistening 12-year spell at Bayern this summer. Yet in an interview with Kicker magazine on Thursday, Coman insisted that he is not a carbon copy of his fellow French winger. "Franck has his career and I have mine. I am not the new Ribery, I am myself," he said. Having missed the first half of the season with injury, Coman has established himself as a regular starter under coach Niko Kovac. A key part of Bayern's generational shift under Kovac, the 22-year-old has been first-choice left-winger in recent weeks. He scored twice in Bayern's 4-1 win over Duesseldorf last Sunday, but told Kicker that he still needs to improve. "As a winger I should be scoring more goals," he said. "I bring a lot of good qualities, but I am still a long way away from being world
Santosh Trophy semifinals: Punjab vs Goa, Services vs Karnataka
Punjab will take on Goa, while Services will lock horns with Karnataka in the two semifinals of the Hero Santosh Trophy here Friday. After the Zonal Qualifiers, a total of 10 teams made it to the Finals. Services, Goa, Delhi, Meghalaya and Odisha were clubbed in Group A, while Karnataka, Maharashtra, Assam, Sikkim and home side Punjab were placed in Group B. From Group A, Services and Goa finished with 10 points apiece, four ahead of their nearest opponents Delhi. In Group B, Punjab, with the support of the home crowd, shot ahead of the rest of the pack on the last match-day, beating Karnataka 4-3 in a thrilling encounter. While the hosts topped the group with nine points, both Karnataka and Maharashtra finished with seven points apiece, the latter thrashing Sikkim 5-0 to reach their current tally. Eight-time champions Punjab will take on five-time champions Goa in the first semifinal of the 78-year-old national championship's business end. While Sukhpreet Singh has been on form for ..
Santosh Trophy: Punjab take on Goa in semis
Punjab, Goa, Services and Karnataka will fight it out for a spot in the final of the Santosh Trophy here on Friday.
Hashim Amla included in South Africa's WC squad
Hashim Amla, the right-handed batsman has been named in South Africa's 15-member squad for the upcoming World Cup, Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced on Thursday.Amla has been an accomplished player for the South African team, as he has scored almost 8000 runs in the ODI format at an average of just 49.75.But the batsman has been struggling for form over the past year. He has been bogged down by inconsistency, but his experience was hard to rule out for the selectors.Amla's inclusion meant that Reeza Hendricks had to be left out from the fifteen-member squad. The 29-year-old Hendricks had established himself as a potential replacement for Amla after having a flourishing start to his ODI career.Aiden Markram has also been included in the World Cup squad and as a result, the team has now three solid opening options (Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla).The team will be led by Faf du Plessis and he will have plenty of bowling options as Kagiso Rabada, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lungi .