Page 496 - Sports
Plaza's opener goes in vain as Kromah steals 2-1 win for Aizawl
Aizawl FC ended their I-league campaign on a high, notching up a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Churchill Brothers FC here Saturday. Churchill Brothers drew first blood through Willis Plaza in the 4th minute but an unfortunate own goal in the 42nd minute from Hussain Eldor of Churchill Brothers brought up the equalizer for Aizawl FC. Kromah then converted a penalty in the 87th minute to earn the win for Aizawl. Aizawl FC goalkeeper Lalawmpuia was adjudged the hero of the match. With this win, Aizawl FC finished their I-League campaign in the seventh place with 24 points, while Churchill Brothers finished their campaign three places above with 34 points. Churchill started on an attacking note, putting pressure on the home side right from the first minute. They were penetrating deep quite easily into the Aizawl FC defence and the results soon showed when Churchill Brothers drew first blood as early as the 4th minute. Plaza scored his 21st goal of the season through a beautiful cross from
Farooq's twin strike guides Real Kashmir to 3-2 win over Neroca
Danish Farooq struck twice to guide debutante Real Kashmir FC to a thrilling 3-2 win over Neroca in what could be their penultimate I-League match here Saturday. It was the hosts who drew first blood in the 18th minute through Subash Singh. Neroca FC scored their second goal in the added time (90th + 4th) through Felix Chidi. Real Kashmir, however, powered by a brace from Farooq (29th, 48th) and Bazie Armand (57th) wrapped the game in style. Farooq was adjudged the Hero of the match for this game. With this loss, Neroca FC finished their campaign in the sixth place with 26 points while Real Kashmir FC propel to the third position with 36 points on their debut season. Real Kashmir are yet to play their I League re-match against Minerva Punjab. Real Kashmir FC pressed hard right from the start and nearly scored a goal in the 10th minute but an unfortunate foul on the keeper saw the snow leopards goal disallowed. Neroca who mostly attacked on the counter were unable to create a lot of ...
Indian cricketers providing 'whereabouts' details to WADA since 2017
The BCCI has been furnishing details of top Indian cricketers' 'whereabouts' on World-Anti Doping Agency's data base since 2017, a far cry from its perceived objection to the contentious clause. The BCCI is still not National Anti Doping Agency (NADA)-compliant and WADA has expressed its concerns to the International Cricket Council on the issue. The matter was tabled at the recent ICC Board meeting in Dubai and the Indian Cricket Board was asked to sort the issue with NADA urgently. It has been learnt that the BCCI, since the 2017 Champions Trophy, has been uploading the 'whereabouts' of its players in WADA's ADAMS (Anti Doping Administrative & Management Systems) database. The ADAMS database was created to coordinate anti-doping activities and to provide a mechanism to assist stakeholders with their implementation of the code. It stores athletes' whereabouts, TUE (Therapeutic Use Exemptions), Test Planning and Results Management, Lab Results Module. "We need to clear this ...
Inzazam bats for ODI WC format, says it will provide level playing field to all teams
Inzamam-ul-Haq feels the "single group of 10 teams" format of the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup will be beneficial for all competing nations, especially an "inconsistent" side like Pakistan. According to the format of the mega-event to be held in England, there is a single group of 10 teams with each playing the other nine sides, and the top four teams progressing to the knockout stages. And Pakistan's chief selector Inzamam said the format gives a fair chance to all teams to show their worth and make a comeback even after a bad start to the tournament. "I totally support this format because all other playing formats tried by the ICC have not been very successful. I remember in the 2007 World Cup we had one bad day against Ireland and we had to exit the event in the West Indies," Inzamam told PTI on Saturday. "In the single group format where each team plays against the other, it gives a chance to the established outfits to make a comeback if they falter in the early games. I think this .
Honda Racing India bag points in ARRC opener
The Idemitsu Honda Racing India team had reasons to cheer as both riders-Rajiv Sethu and rookie Senthil Kumar finished among the points in the first round of the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, Saturday. After a solid practice Friday where Rajiv Sethu ended up seventh, the Chennai rider recorded the best ever finish by an Indian in the AP250 class, by taking 11th spot, bettering the previous 13th, a press release said. Teenager Senthil secured two points by finishing 14th in his debut ARRC race, to ensure seven points for the Honda Indian in the season-opener. Prabhu Nagaraj, vice-presidentBrand & Communications, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd., praised Sethu and Senthil for their performances. "Charged with today's results and learning, we are challenging ourselves to better our results even more in tomorrow's second race," he added. The 21-year old Sethu made a good start from 14th on the grid and ...
Pakistan demands ICC action against India for wearing military cap
Pakistan has demanded that the ICC take note of Indian cricketers wearing camouflage military caps during the third ODI against Australia, accusing Virat Kohli team's of politicising the game. As a mark of respect to the CRPF jawans who lost their lives in the Pulawama terrorist attack, Indian cricketers sported the Army cap and also donated their match fee for the welfare of the families of the martyrs. Taking an exception to the gesture, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the International Cricket Council must do something about it. "The world saw that the Indian cricket team wore military caps instead of their own, did ICC not see this? We think that it is the ICC's responsibility to take notice of this without the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) bringing it up," Qureshi was quoted as saying by Pakistan media. India had lost the match by 32 runs but still lead the five-match series 2-1. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry echoed Qureshi's sentiment. "It's just not ...
Honda Racing India Team wins 7 points at ARRC
IDEMITSU Honda Racing India team, comprising Rajiv and Senthil, won seven points in single race at the inaugural race of Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) here Saturday. It is the first time that both riders of India's solo team scored points at Asia's toughest road race championship in same race. Rajiv recorded the best ever finish by Indian rider in AP250 class of ARRC at 11th spot (earlier highest 13th). The teen rider Senthil too became the first Indian rookie to win 2 points with 14th finish in his debut ARRC race. With this, Honda's Indian team has made its best ever season start with tally of seven points in the first race itself. In practice Friday, Rajiv finished 7th and the 18-year old Senthil ended at 17th position in the AP250 class.
China's Liu sets 50km walk world record
China's Liu Hong on Saturday set a new world record for the women's 50km race walk, becoming the first woman to complete the event in under four hours. The Olympic gold medallist completed the Chinese Race Walk Grand Prix in the eastern city of Huangshan in just 3hr 59min 15 sec, the International Association of Athletics Federations said. She shaved more than five minutes off the previous record set by compatriot Liang Rui. It is the first 50km outing for the 31-year-old, who has just returned from two years of maternity leave in 2019, the official Xinhua news agency reported. A two-time World Championships winner, she also holds the women's 20km world record of 1hr 24min 38sec set in Spain's La Coruna in 2015. Liu pipped Mexico's Maria Gonzalez by just two seconds to win the Olympic women's 20km race walk in a nail-biting finish in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Chinese athletes dominated Saturday's Huangshan race, with Li Maocuo shaving 11 minutes off her personal best to finish second at
India 'B' upstage India 'A', SA beat Afghanistan
India 'B' upstaged India 'A' by three wickets in the final round-robin match of the quadrangular under-19 ODI series here Saturday, while South Africa edged Afghanistan by nine runs in an inconsequential game. With the two teams having qualified for the March 11 final, India 'B' scraped through in a low-scoring encounter after dismissing the opposition for 129 in 40.3 overs at St Xavier's KCA Cricket Ground. In the dress rehearsal before the final, opener Arya Sethi's half-century (51) set up the win for India 'B', before Atharva Vinod Ankolekar's unbeaten 29 off 65 balls saw the team home despite a mini collapse. Earlier, India 'A' lost opener Arjun Azad (1) in the second over and never seemed to recover as wickets fell at regular intervals. Opener Yashasvi Bhupendra Jaiswal hammered four boundaries and a six in his 27-ball 30 but fell to left-arm spinner Shivam Sharma to leave the team at 54 for four. Wicketkeeper Dhruv Chand Jurel made 40 and a late resistance from No. 9 Harsh ...
Karachi set to watch top cricketers in PSL T20 finals
Pakistan's biggest city is set to witness some of the biggest stars in international cricket over the next nine days as the last leg of Pakistan Super League begins on Saturday. Shane Watson of Australia, Kieron Pollard and Darren Sammy of the West Indies will be the star attractions in the Twenty20 format for cricket-frenzied fans in Karachi. Watson will be playing in Pakistan 14 years after being a member of the Australia A team in 2005, while Pollard will be playing in Pakistan for the first time. Sammy has been an unofficial ambassador of the PSL around the world since the league began in 2016. Sammy, who leads Peshawar Zalmi, won the second edition of the PSL at Lahore in 2017 as the PCB gradually started organising more and more league games at home. "It's been 14 years since I last visited Pakistan, a place with some of the most passionate fans in world cricket. Can't wait to give it our best shot in winning the trophy," Watson said in a video message tweeted by his team Quetta
Champions League chase leaves Man Utd little time to bask in PSG glory
After the miracle of Paris, Manchester United have no time for a hangover when they travel to Arsenal on Sunday if their chances of even qualifying for next season's Champions League are not to suffer significant damage. Should United repeat their 3-1 success at the Emirates in the FA Cup six weeks ago, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will rack up a perfect 10 away wins since taking caretaker charge to make a seemingly irrefutable case to be handed the job on a permanent basis. The highlight was beating free-spending Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 in dramatic circumstances on Wednesday to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League on away goals and erase the consequences of Solskjaer's only defeat in 17 games in charge. United have made up an 11-point gap to the Premier League top four under the Norwegian, but their Champions League status for next season is still far from assured. The Red Devils lead Arsenal by just a solitary point and a two-point advantage over sixth-placed Chelsea could
"Every game is a final': Willian eyes Chelsea charge
Willian admits every game is a "final" for Chelsea as they aim to boost their bid for a top four finish against Wolves on Sunday. Maurizio Sarri's side have 10 Premier League matches left to overhaul fourth placed Manchester United, who are currently two points ahead of the sixth placed Blues. Chelsea have a game in hand on United and fifth placed Arsenal and could also qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League. They are on course for the Europa League quarter-finals after a superb free-kick from Willian inspired a 3-0 win in their last 16 first leg against Dynamo Kiev on Thursday. But sterner tests lie in wait in Europe, while the top four race is so tight that any slip-up could be decisive. As Brazil winger Willian acknowledges, Chelsea have no margin for error when Wolves arrive at Stamford Bridge. "Now is the moment we have to win every game," Willian said. "Every game is a final for us now and we have to go well in every game. "We know our targets, we know ...
Van Dijk lays foundation for Liverpool's title finish
Liverpool's attacking power kick-started their challenge for a first English title in 29 years, but with the finish line in sight, the focus is on a rock-solid defence led by Virgil van Dijk as Burnley visit Anfield on Sunday. The arrival of Van Dijk in Pound 75 million ($97 million) transfer from Southampton was met with scepticism in some quarters 15 months ago, but the Dutch star's imperious form quickly quietened such concerns. This season, in particular, the durable centre-half -- Liverpool's only outfield ever-present in the Premier League -- has been particularly outstanding. His high-level displays have been crucial for Liverpool in recent weeks as his attacking team-mates have, by their previous standards, failed to hit the heights of months gone by. Watford were swept aside 5-0 at Anfield at the end of last month, but those goals were the only ones scored by Liverpool in a spell that has featured goalless draws with Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Everton. The ...
FIFA warns scandal-hit Oceania: Clean-up 'vital for survival'
FIFA warned the scandal-scarred Oceania Football Confederation on Saturday that it was on its "last opportunity" to clean up its act. The message was personally delivered by Gianni Infantino, the president of world football's governing body, while in New Zealand to attend an OFC congress to elect a new president. "It's vital that OFC turns the page. It's vital for the survival of football in this part of the world," Infantino told reporters, adding he had emphasised the point in his address to the congress. The strict message came just days after FIFA slapped a three-month ban on OFC vice-president and FIFA Council member Lee Harmon following an investigation into the resale of tickets at last year's World Cup in Russia. The previous week, FIFA suspended former Oceania president David Chung for six years for corruption related to an NZ Dollar 15 million (USD10 million) OFC building project in Auckland. They were the latest in a series of scandals to hit Oceania, which is made up ...
MCC backs inclusion of women's T20 event in 2022 CWG
The MCC World Cricket Committee, which comprises spin great Shane Warne, has unanimously backed the inclusion of women's T20 competition in the 2022 Commonwealth Games. The next edition of the Games will be held in Birmingham and organisers are to announce this year whether cricket will get a place for the first time since 1998. Warne attended his first Marylebone Cricket Club World Cricket committee meeting after being elected to the committee last year. "It's a hugely exciting time for women's cricket after two great World Cups in two years and it's up to the cricket world and Commonwealth Games Federation to build on that momentum and bring cricket into multi-sport games," the Australian legend said in Bengaluru. "What's more, including women's T20 in the Commonwealth Games will demonstrate that the sport of cricket is inclusive, dynamic and with plenty of opportunities for growth," Warne added. Former New Zealand women's captain Suzie Bates, who has been a member of the committee .
Women's T20I: England pip India by a run, win series 3-0
The England women's team successfully whitewashed India 3-0 after pipping them by a run in the third and final Twenty20 international of the series at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium here on Saturday.
Pakistan wants ICC action against India over army caps
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday expressed disappointment at Indian cricket team's decision to don army caps during its match against Australia, Radio Pakistan reported.
Hubby Kashyap chides Saina during All England match
When India's top shuttler Saina Nehwal was struggling in her match against World No.1 Tai Tzu Ying of Taiwan in the quarters of All England Championship, Commonwealth Games gold medallist and her husband Parupalli Kashyap reportedly admonished her for playing weak shots.
Top archers to battle it out in Senior Nationals in Cuttack
Top Indian archers will be seen in action in the Senior Nationals followed by selection trials for the World Championships, beginning here on Sunday. The new regime of the Archery Association of India (AAI), under president BVP Rao, has made a slew of changes to ensure a fair and transparent selection of four members each for India A and B teams. Overall, 1100 archers from 32 states and six affiliated units will compete in the three disciplines of recurve, compound and Indian rounds in both men's and women's sections. For the first time, there would be a system of bonus and penalty points. The Olympic round will be a round-robin affair where all the 12 archers, who qualify from the first event, will compete in one-play-all format that will eliminate any chance of favouritism. The first event of the three-day trials will see 24 archers (16 from first stage trial in Rohtak in January plus eight from the nationals) fighting it out. The selection trials for recurve will be from March 13 ..
This knock is special, but there is more work to do, says Usman Khawaja
Australia's opener Usman Khawaja scored his first century in the ODI format in the second ODI of the five-match series against England at Ranchi. The opener has said that this knock is special for him, but there is a lot more work that he needs to do."I have worked really hard over the past year to get back into the one-day side, with my fitness, day in and day out, I have put in the extra yards. It was really satisfying just coming back into the one-day side after all that hard work I had put in. It is even nicer now to get that first 100 and get that win," International Cricket Council quoted Khawaja as saying.Since making his comeback into the ODI squad of the Aussies, Khawaja has scored 306 runs in six innings at an average of 51.Khawaja's century enabled the team to defeat India in the third ODI by 32 runs."The first (century) is always the hardest - no matter what you are playing, I found the same thing in Test cricket and the same thing in one-day cricket. I got that 98 before,