Page 382 - Sports
Manoj Tiwary likely to join DC after trial in Kolkata
With injuries to the likes of Harshal Patel and Manjot Kalra, the Delhi Capitals team management on Thursday decided to hold a trial camp at the Eden Gardens on the eve of their IPL match against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Otters squash: Mithali stuns top seed Tanaya, enters semis
Mumbai's unseeded Mithali Surana Thursday put up an amazing show to outsmart top seed Tanaya M Parakh and advance to the semi-finals of the Otters Club Vedanta Squash Open here Thursday. Meanwhile, Aishwarya Khubchandani continued her fine run by advancing to the U-19 and women's semi-finals with straight game victories over her opponents Rewa Bharma and Nikita Agarwal, respectively. Tanaya started the game as a crowd favourite, but Mithali quickly showed her prowess and changed perceptions by winning the first game 11-3. The second game saw a fightback from Tanaya, but she could not capitalise on a positive start and succumbed to an 8-11 defeat. The third game saw a fierce fight between the two with Tanaya giving her all to stay in the game. The game saw neck and neck fight for a while, but Tanaya struggled in the crunch moments which helped Mittali take the game 11-9 and the match 11-3, 11-8, 11-9 to advance to the semis. In the boys U-19 tie, top seed Veer Chotrani ...
Taking break from IPL will allow us to be fresh: Pat Cummins
New Delhi [India], Apr 11 (ANI): Pat Cummins, the Australian fast-bowler who emerged in the cricketing field in 2011, has now become a pivotal member of the team and is one player on whom the captain relies to provide the crucial breakthroughs at key junctures of the game.The pacer came back from the tour of Pakistan mid-way to ensure that he is fit enough to be a part of the Australian squad for the World Cup and the Ashes.In an exclusive interview with ANI, the pacer opens up on why he decided to opt out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year and how the team shapes up for the upcoming World Cup and the Ashes.The bowlers of Australia have not been playing all their matches to ensure that their workload gets managed. The pacer says it was a voluntary decision to opt out of the IPL to ensure he stays fit for the upcoming World Cup and the Ashes."We have all opted to take a break instead of playing the IPL this year in the hope that it will give us the best chance of being fresh .
Goswami credits IPL experience for growth in life
Shreevats Goswami is yet to get a game in this season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) but the Sunrisers Hyderabad wicketkeeper feels the overall experience in the cash-rich league has helped him to grow as a person. The 29-year-old cricketer made his IPL debut over a decade ago. "The (overall IPL) experience has been amazing. Apart from cricketing experience, it has made me grow as a person. Speaking to legends of the game, being involved in the team meeting, it has made me grow in life. "It has helped me to have a right discipline and all those things have helped me," Goswami said when quizzed about his experience in the cash-rich T20 league. "Obviously rubbing shoulders with the legends of the game has helped develop a kind of friendship which will last long (and) so a combination of all of these has helped me," elaborated the Kolkata-born left-handed batsman. Goswami, who had been earlier with the Rajasthan Royals and the Royal Challengers Bangalore, made his T20 ...
I have a lot of cricket left in me: Kieron Pollard
After his thrilling performance on Wednesday against Kings XI Punjab in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), Mumbai Indians batsman Kieron Pollard has said that he has a lot of cricket left in him."I am a cricketer, I am 31 years of age and I have a lot of cricket left in me and I think people who are close to me, back me and that is most important," Pollard said at the post-match press conference.Pollard's last appearance in an ODI was in October 2016. When asked about opinions being made about his performance in the last few years, Pollard said: "When you are losing, people tend to have all sort of opinions on you, you cannot stop people from that. Every time I get the opportunity to play, I want to do my best."He also praised fellow West Indies players, saying: "I think Chris batted superbly well. Fellow West Indian [Andre] Russell he's smacking the ball and it's great to see the way he's hitting the ball and [Sunil] Narine. These guys are having a good tournament and again it .
WFI to hire professional support staff to bolster 2020 Olympic preparations
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is set to hire professional support staff for all three categories -- Men's Free Style, Greco Roman and Women's team -- to bolster Olympic preparations.The posts include physios, nutritionist, masseurs and mental conditioning coaches in all the above-mentioned categories. The WFI is also set to hire a professional manager for the national team.WFI is the first Olympic sports federation in the country to offer annual contracts to the leading wrestlers across all age categories, including stipends for select grassroots players.Speaking about professionals hiring, WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said: "The federation has decided to hire professionals with a view to bring in more professionalism in teams' functioning and operations and also ascertain accountability for individual and teams' performances.""These hirings are aimed at preparing the players with a focus on the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. These trained hands will closely work with the .
Stick Pool Club- India's fastest growing 8-ball pool game app
India has witnessed a sea-change in the online gaming industry. Many players came into sight in the last few years but the major share in the skill-based real money gaming segment belongs to Stick Pool Club. India's first 8-ball pool game app made their appearance in July 2018 and won the hearts of million players, surpassing more than 2 million registered users in just 8 months of time span.Stick Pool Club also organises offline e-sports tournaments where players can win big tangible cash prizes. Stick Pool Club emerged as India's first & only skilled based online real money 8-ball pool game, which offers a unique & adrenaline experience to its users and also a platform to showcase skills.This unique concept is catering adults to make money while playing the game and entertainment; this makes it more appealing and exciting for players. The idea is to give a great gaming experience with tangible prizes to the user base."Since the start of Stick Pool Club, it recorded a GMV
WFI hiring professionals to boost Olympic preparations
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is hiring professional support staff for the national teams in all three categories -- Mens Free Style, Greco Roman and the Womens team.
Minerva granted permission to use Kalinga Stadium for one AFC Cup match, not shutting shop for now
Minerva Punjab FC Thursday heaved a sigh of relief after the Odisha government granted them permission to use Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Stadium for their AFC Cup home match on May 1, and said they are "not shutting shop" for now. Minerva had earlier alleged that on the All India Football Federation's insistence, the Odisha government had withdrawn permission to use the stadium against Manang Marshyangdi Club of Nepal for the Group E match. Club owner Ranjit Bajaj had requested Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to look into the matter. On Thursday, Bajaj said the Odisha government has informed him that his club can use the Kalinga Stadium for the May 1 match only. He will have to look for venues for the other two home matches on June 19 and 26. "I have been informed through phone that I can use the Kalinga Stadium for the May 1 match. I am very happy and I want to profusely thank Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik ji and Sports Secretary and Director Sports for giving the permission," Bajaj told .
Singapore Open: Sindhu, Saina and Srikanth seal quarterfinal spots
The Indian trio of P V Sindhu, Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikanth continued their impressive run, progressing to the singles quarterfinals of the USD 355,000 Singapore Open here Thursday. The fourth-seeded Sindhu, a Rio Games silver medallist, took 39 minutes to get the better of world number 22 Mia Blichfeldt 21-13 21-19, her second straight win over the Danish shuttler, who had clinched the Spain Masters earlier this year. World number 6 Sindhu will next face China's Cai Yanyan, a 2017 BWF World Junior Championships bronze medallist. Sixth seed Srikanth survived a scare in the second game before overcoming Denmark's Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus 21-12 23-21 to set up a meeting with the winner of the match between top seed Kento Momota of Japan and India's H S Prannoy. Sixth seed Saina, however, had to work hard in her bid to avenge a Malaysia Open first-round loss to Pornpawee Chochuwong before pulling off a thrilling 21-16 18-21 21-19 win over the Thai shuttler in the second ...
WFI to bolster support staff ahead of 2020 Olympics
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Thursday invited applications for multiple positions, including mental conditioning coaches, physios, and nutritionists, to bolster preparations for the 2020 Olympics. The WFI has decided to hire support staff in all three categories men's freestyle, greco roman and the women's team. "The WFI has invited applications for the posts of Physios, Nutritionist/ Dietician, Masseurs and Mental Conditioning Coaches in all the three categories. The WFI will also hire a professional manager for the national team," the national wrestling body said in a statement. The WFI, following its association with Tata Motors and commercial partners Sporty Solutionz, already offers annual contracts to its leading wrestlers across all age categories, including stipends for select junior athletes. Speaking about the hiring of professionals, WFI President Brijbhushan Sharan Singh said, "These hirings are aimed at preparing the players with a focus on the 2020 Tokyo ...
Diego Costa handed eight-match ban, misses rest of season
Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa will miss the rest of the season after being handed an eight-match suspension by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) on Thursday. Costa was sent off in the first half of Atletico's 2-0 defeat to Barcelona on Saturday for directing a crude insult towards referee Gil Manzano. Manzano also reported that Costa had "grabbed" him by the arms during the incident. The lengthy ban means Costa will not play again this season as Atletico have seven games left in La Liga, having been knocked out of the Champions League and Copa del Rey. According to the match report submitted by Manzano, Costa insulted his mother in a foul-mouthed outburst before "grabbing me by the arms to prevent me showing cards to numbers 24 and 2 respectively". The RFEF ruled Costa should therefore be suspended for four matches for "clear insults and offensive expressions made by the player towards the referee" and another four, after "meeting the referee with mild violence, without ...
Pogba says Man Utd can hurt Barcelona in the Camp Nou
Paul Pogba says Manchester United can hurt Barcelona at the Camp Nou as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side plot another unlikely Champions League comeback following their 1-0 home defeat. Luke Shaw's own goal from a Luis Suarez header was the difference in Wednesday's first leg of the quarter-final at Old Trafford, where United failed to muster a single shot on target but largely shackled Barca's glut of attackers. Solskjaer's men face an uphill battle but they will travel with memories still fresh of their remarkable recovery last month to beat Paris Saint-Germain on away goals after losing the home leg 2-0. French World Cup winner Pogba was encouraged by how United largely kept Barcelona quiet. "I think it was a good game," the midfielder said. "Obviously we were playing against Barcelona, one of the best teams in the world, but we gave them some problems as well. "They gave us some problems but we know where we can hurt them. Now it is one leg gone, you have the other one and we are going
Goal-shy Man Utd pray for another Champions League miracle
Manchester United's powers of recovery carried them to a first Champions League quarter-final in five years but even Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits beating Barcelona in the Camp Nou is maybe one mountain too many to climb. Unlike their experience in losing the first leg of their last-16 tie on home soil 2-0 to Paris Saint-Germain, United were not outclassed by the Catalan giants in a 1-0 defeat on Wednesday. However, on a night when Lionel Messi was left bloodied by a charging Chris Smalling and had little impact after playing his part in creating Luke Shaw's 12th-minute own goal, Barca were still comfortable winners. "Messi received a black eye and a bloodied nose but Manchester United did not lay a glove on Barcelona," was the verdict of the Daily Telegraph. Implausibly, Solskjaer's men turned the PSG tie around with a famous 3-1 victory in Paris, but the task of overturning a home defeat against a side of serial Champions League winners is an even tougher one. "It will be a greater ...
Rising Ferrari star Leclerc vows to shut out hype
Fast-rising Ferrari star Charles Leclerc said on Thursday that he must shut out the growing hype surrounding him if he is to win his maiden Formula One race. The 21-year-old from Monaco goes into the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday -- the 1,000th world championship race -- widely touted as the next big thing to grace the sport. He came an agonising third last time out, in Bahrain, after leading for much of the race until his Ferrari lost power, allowing Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton to snatch victory. Speaking in Shanghai, the third race of the season, Leclerc conceded that getting himself on the podium for the first time had propelled him into the spotlight. "After the first race (Australia, where he was fifth) nobody sees me as a title contender," he said. "After the second race, everyone sees me as a title contender so things can go (change) very quick in Formula One. "I need to keep the focus on what I'm doing in the car, work as hard as possible and try to do the best job in the car and .
'Golden head' Ronaldo gives Juve the edge, 'but remember Real Madrid' warns Italian press
Cristiano Ronaldo debuted his new golden hairdo with a diving header to earn Juventus a precious away goal against Ajax in a 1-1 draw in the Champions League quarter-final first leg but the Italian press warned on Thursday the young Dutch team remain dangerous after eliminating three-time holders Real Madrid. "CR7, Golden Head," headlined Gazzetta Dello Sport and said it was "a new masterpiece" by the 34-year-old who extended his record goal tally to 125, exactly 12 years after his first one in the competition. "The Emperor is back," wrote Corriere dello Sport as Ronaldo played for the first time since his hat-trick against Atletico Madrid sealed Juventus's comeback and quarter-final berth. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner had been an injury doubt after picking up a thigh issue playing for Portugal two weeks ago. But he shrugged off the injury, pouncing acrobatically on Joao Cancelo's cross on the stroke of half-time, only for Brazilian winger David Neres to level just after the break
AITA signs MoU with Serbain Tennis Federation to train junior players
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) has signed an MoU with Serbian Tennis Federation (STF) to train Indian junior players under world renowned Serbian coaches, at the RK Khanna Stadium here. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Wednesday by Secretary General, AITA, Hironmoy Chatterjee, and CEO, STF Dusan Orlandic. "The two federations expressed their intention to cooperate within the scope of mandates and sphere of competence to work towards the development of junior tennis players in India," a media release said. The trainers and coaches from Serbia will come to India for a week/two-week camp for the under 12, 14, 16 and 18 categories. A joint two-week preparation camp will also be conducted in Serbia for 8-10 players in the age group of 15-18 and 3-4 trainers in the latter half of the year. Both the federations have also agreed to work on the education of officials, coaches and physical trainers and their exchange for tournaments.
'We had played average cricket in 2011 World Cup': Gary Kirsten
Gary Kirsten, the former South African opening batsman who coached India in the 2011 World Cup triumph on Thursday, believes that the team had played average cricket in the tournament and was really good in the quarter-final clash against Australia."We had played average through the tournament, we had a really good quarter-final where we were under pressure. In my head, I just thought we are not playing that well and winning. Imagine, when we play well," International Cricket Council quoted Kirsten as saying.India clashed with Sri Lanka in the finals of 2011 World Cup. Sri Lanka posted 274 runs on the board for the loss of six wickets on the back of a brilliant century by Mahela Jayawardene.In reply, India were struggling at 31/2 but Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni staged a tremendous comeback for the Men in Blue allowing the team to shrug off the target. Kirsten believes that the match was a tight encounter, but he knew that the team had good players so there's nothing to ...
KKR not worried, Ganguly knows his duties well: Mysore
Three cricket fans in Kolkata might have questions about Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Sourav Ganguly's position as Delhi Capitals advisor when they take on Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on Friday, but KKR CEO Venky Mysore has batted for the former India skipper and said that Ganguly is a thorough professional and no question marks can be raised on him.
Kohli has different kind of hunger when he plays for India: Kuldeep
Spinner Kuldeep Yadav says Virat Kohli has a different kind of hunger when he plays for India, refusing to believe that the IPL losing streak will affect the skipper's form going into the World Cup. The Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore have lost six matches on the trot this IPL season but Kuldeep backed his captain. "He's one of the best in the world, has broken so many records I don't think he will be affected by this," Kuldeep said. "He has a different hunger when he plays for India. Everyone is highly motivated to do well in the World Cup." The 24-year-old from Kanpur feels lack of team combination is the main reason behind RCB's failure. "With 5000-plus runs, individually he's doing his best. But maybe his team combination is not clicking. Maybe somewhere down the line he's lacking in team combination. It's a team combination. "He's in great touch and if he keeps doing well like that it will be good for India in World Cup.