Page 485 - Sports
Australia opt to bat in series decider
Australia won the toss and opted to bat in the fifth and final ODI against India here Wednesday. Ravindra Jadeja replaced Yuzvendra Chahal in the Indian playing eleven while K L Rahul made way for Mohammad Shami. For Australia, Marcus Stoinis was brought in for Shaun Marsh and Nathan Lyon replaced Jason Behrendorff. Teams: India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Kedar Jadhav, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah. Australia: Aaron Finch(c), Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Ashton Turner, Alex Carey(w), Jhye Richardson, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, Nathan Lyon.
Azlan Shah Cup will test our youngsters: Surender
India vice captain and reliable defender Surender Kumar feels the experience gained by the youngsters in the upcoming 28th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2019 will be beneficial for the team in the FIH Men's Series Finals, slated to be held in Bhubaneswar this June.
Sam Thapa reveals sad state of Indian football
The Indian football team is without a coach ever since Stephen Constantine quit after the 2019 Asian Cup in UAE in January. While one would have expected the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to immediately advertise for the vacancy, IANS has learnt that there has been no such effort from the federation.
Defeated Djokovic will regroup at the double
World number one Novak Djokovic was trying hard to take his shock loss at the ATP Indian Wells Masters in stride on Tuesday, but it wasn't easy. "To be honest, I don't enjoy losing," Djokovic said after falling 6-4, 6-4 to 39th-ranked German Philipp Kohlschreiber in the third round. Kohlschreiber notched his first ever victory over a number one-ranked player, ending Djokovic's bid for a sixth Indian Wells crown. "Especially in a tournament like this, a tournament where I have had plenty of success in the past ..." Djokovic said. "But it just happens, one of those days." Djokovic, playing his first tournament since lifting his record seventh Australian Open title in January, knew he'd have to work his way back into top form. He admitted he was nervous in the early going of his 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, win over US qualifier Bjorn Fratangelo in his second-round opener. Nevertheless, he thought he was poised for a deeper run, something he'll now try to achieve in doubles alongside Italian playing .
Confident Hamilton predicts 'toughest battle yet' with Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton believes Ferrari have the edge going into the opening Grand Prix of the season in Melbourne, but the Mercedes ace remains quietly confident in his bid for a sixth world title. The 34-year-old, who was dominant in 2018, is gunning to go one better than legendary five-time champion Juan Manuel Fangio and close in on Michael Schumacher's all-time record seven Formula One crowns. But it was Ferrari who sizzled in pre-season testing to emerge as the early favourites in Australia, with Hamilton claiming the Italian team could be up to half a second quicker around Albert Park on Sunday. "This is going to be the toughest battle yet," said the Briton, although Mercedes, who have won five drivers' and constructors' titles in a row, may not have shown their full hand yet. - 'We've got the best team' - ============================= "We've got the best team around us. We have experience, it's no coincidence that we are world champions so we have to be diligent and stay balanced," ...
'It all feels cool': Home hero Ricciardo raring to go at Renault
Daniel Ricciardo says he's growing happier by the day at new team Renault, but warned home fans in Melbourne this week not to expect fireworks from their Formula One hero, at least not yet. The seven-time grand prix winner stunned the paddock by ditching Red Bull after five years for a "fresh start" and said he was raring to go for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix at the weekend. "We had a good winter test, I'm growing happier every time I step into the car and the first race will be especially exciting," said the Perth-born Ricciardo, whose contract with Renault is reportedly worth almost three times what he was getting at Red Bull. "I feel comfortable within the team. Walking through the garage, stepping into the car all feels cool and real now." Ninth in the constructors' championship on their return as a team to Formula One in 2016 after taking over Lotus, Renault improved to sixth in 2017 and were fourth last season. But Ricciardo is cautious about the team's chances of ..
Dipa eyes Olympic berth with strong performances
India's Dipa Karmakar will look to secure an Olympic berth with "some good performances" at back-to-back Artistic Gymnastics World Cups in Baku and Doha, beginning Thursday. Dipa had claimed a bronze at the vault event of the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Cottbus, Germany in November 2018, to make a strong bid for her Olympic qualification. It was Dipa's first appearance after recovering from a knee strain, which had spoilt her chances at the Jakarta Asian Games, where she missed the vault final and also had to pull out of the team event. However, she recovered in time to secure a third-spot finish at Cottbus, keeping alive her chances of Olympic qualification. Although Dipa skipped the World Cup in Melbourne (February 21-24), she is now eyeing good outings at the two World Cups - Baku (March 14-17) and Doha (March 20-23). "This time the Olympic qualifications is through several routes including the World Cups. I want to explore all possible routes to increase my chances for the ...
Cristiano hat trick powers Juventus over Atletico
Cristiano Ronaldo notched a hat trick to lead Juventus 3-0 over Atletico Madrid for a 3-2 aggregate victory in their Champions League round-of-16 tie.
MCC Committee recommends shot clock, standard ball, free hits in Test cricket
A shot clock to prevent time wasting, standard ball for the inaugural World Test Championship and free hit for a no ball are among the steps proposed by the MCC World Cricket Committee to spice up the longest format. The Committee, chaired by former England captain Mike Gatting and which also includes former India captain Sourav Ganguly, suggested some changes for the Test cricket in a meeting held in Bengaluru last week. The proposals were put out by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on its website on Tuesday night here. Slow over-rate is a regular phenomenon in the five-day format and has contributed to driving away fans, said the MCC Committee on the need for introducing a shot clock. "When asked what the main barriers were for attending Test Cricket, 25% of fans from England, Australia, New Zealand & South Africa mentioned slow over rates. "In those countries, where spinners bowl fewer overs, the full 90 overs are sometimes not bowled in a day, even with the extra 30 minutes,"
Swiss Open: Riya Mookerjee qualifies for main draw
Young India shuttler Riya Mookerjee has qualified for the main draw of the Yonex Swiss Open.
French pundits fear Mbappe's departure after Zidane
The reappointment of Zinedine Zidane as Real Madrid's head coach has raised fears in France's sporting press that the national hero could seek to sign Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Kylian Mbappe to play in the Spanish capital in 2019.
Man City in Champions quarters, crush Schalke 7-0
Manchester City has humiliated Schalke 7-0 to win the Champions League knockout stage tie 10-2 on aggregate and claim a berth in the quarterfinals.
Lahiri, Kiradech eye redemption at Players Championship
Anirban Lahiri will be looking to put behind his last three forgettable performances at the Players Championship when this year's tournament tees off on Thursday. He has never needed a good result like he does in these next few weeks. The Players Championship has not been good to him in the past three starts, all of which ended after 36 holes. While Lahiri is upset with his starts, Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat wants to erase memories of a quadruple bogey seven at the 17th last year. That Island Green took away the chance he had of a Top-10. However, Lahiri, who is working on some technical changes in his swing feels the 'rectification work' is beginning to click and he is close to setting that right. Lahiri hopes and feels becoming a father for the first time last month and the shifting in the date of the Championship to March away from its previous slot in May, could change his fortunes, too. Lahiri, who till recently used to be seen as a good putter, has been suffering on the ...
Bad day for No. 1s: Djokovic, Osaka upset at Indian Wells
It was a tough day for seeded players at the BNP Paribas Open, with Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka, the world's top-ranked players, ushered out in the desert. Djokovic and Philipp Kohlschreiber resumed their third-round match that was suspended because of rain a night earlier. The unseeded German knocked off the five-time tournament champion 6-4, 6-4. Osaka lost to Belinda Bencic 6-3, 6-1 in just over an hour in the fourth round of the first title defense of her career. "She sort of came out there really aggressive," Osaka said. "She sort of knew what she wanted to do more than me." Since Osaka won the title at Indian Wells a year ago, she won the U.S and Australian opens. Her triumph in Australia made her No. 1 for the first time, but her time at the top has been rocky. Osaka fired her coach and lost in the first round in Dubai before taking on a new coach, Jermaine Jenkins, who came on court during the match. "It's always a bit tricky whenever you change someone in the team, but I ..
Indian Arrows ready to take on the best: Pinto
The development at the grassroots level must be strong for any footballing nation to rise through the ranks and that is exactly what India aims at as it takes baby steps in the soccer world.
Ronaldo nets hat trick to send Juventus into CL quarters
Cristiano Ronaldo made a mockery of Atletico Madrid's vaunted defense, and then mocked its coach as well. Ronaldo scored a hat trick against the normally resilient Spanish side to send Juventus into the Champions League quarterfinals with a 3-0 win as the Bianconeri fought back from a two-goal first-leg defeat. The former Real Madrid player outjumped Atletico's defenders to score a header in each half and then converted a late penalty for his first hat trick since joining Juventus in the summer and just when they needed it most. He celebrated at the final whistle by mimicking the obscene gesture Atletico coach Diego Simeone made after the Spanish side's second goal in the first leg having the final say against a rival he so often defeated as a Real Madrid player. Simeone was fined 20,000 euros ($22,500) by UEFA for improper conduct and it remains to be seen whether Ronaldo will face a similar punishment. It was Ronaldo's eighth hat trick in the Champions League, moving him level ...
UEFA: Barcelona unlikely to play Dembele
Barcelona head coach Ernesto Valverde has said he will not put his injured French winger Ousmane Dembele at risk in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16.
I do not miss Spain: Ronaldo
Portugal and Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo has said that he did not regret leaving Spain, where he played for nine years as a Real Madrid forward.
Eight I-League clubs withdraw from Super Cup
Eight I-League clubs on Tuesday decided to withdraw from the upcoming Super Cup set to take place in Bhubaneswar this month after their plea was not heard by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), sources said.
Chess set for comeback at 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou
Chess will be back at the next edition of Asian Games in China's Hangzhou after Olympic Council of Asia decided to reinstate the sport in its games programme scheduled from September 10-25 in 2022. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly met in Bangkok on March 3 and its president Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad Al-Sabah officially confirmed the development to World Chess Federation (WCF) president Arkady Dvorkovich. "I also have the pleasure to inform you that sport of Chess has been officially included in the Sports Programme of the Games," OCA president to his WCF counterpart. The twitter handle 'Chess Base India' quoted Emil Sutovsky, Director General of FIDE, who said: "It took some massive work by FIDE, and in 2022 we are getting back!" Chess was a part of Asian Games programme at the 2006 edition in Doha and 2010 in Guangzhou.