Page 533 - Sports
KHELO INDIA adopts the Law Of Natural Progression (Comment)
Im a sportsperson first. Anyone who pursues a hobby with some seriousness or plays a sport with certain dedication would understand, as I did at the age of 15-years, that sports is a potent instrument of 'social engineering. It affects change and regulates the future development and behaviour of a society at large.
Shooters Ravi, Deepak asked to report by employers IAF
Done with the World Cup, shooters Ravi Kumar and Deepak Kumar Wednesday said they have been asked to report by their employers, the Indian Air Force -- a routine practice but they expect "instructions on protocol" in view of the escalating tension between India and Pakistan. Security has been heightened in major Indian cities after the IAF bombed terrorist camps across the Line of Control (LOC) in retaliation for the Pulwama terror attack on February 14. "We have been called by the secretary of Air Force Sports Control Board. This is the general practice after every tournament as they ask us about our plans. We will be issued instructions and we will follow the protocol in the current situation," Ravi, an ISSF World Cup bronze-medallist, told PTI. Though he is part of the ground staff, Ravi said as a Junior Warrant Officer (JWO), his job is to "look after five-six posts". "I am willing to go to the front if required. Studies and sports are secondary. We always have to be ready to ...
Final ODI important as championship points are on line: Knight
Having already conceded the three-match ODI series to India, England captain Heather Knight is now focussed on at least bagging two crucial points from the third and final game against the hosts to be played on Thursday. England and India will play the final ODI of the three-match series here on Thursday. The series is a part of the ICC Women's Championship where the winning team earns two points from a match. The defending World Champions are currently placed seventh with 10 points from 11 games while India are placed second with 16 points from 14 games. "It's a really important game. (ICC) Championship points are on the line. First of all it's about clearing your mind. Forget what has gone and try to learn as much as possible and try to move forward," Knight said at the pre-match conference. "It's been a tough tour for us so far but we still have lot to play for and it is still a long way to go. It's little bit about character (now), how we respond to what's gone and how we fight ...
BCCI will take a call on Indo-Pak match: Jhulan on ICC Women's Championship game
Senior pacer Jhulan Goswami Wednesday said that BCCI will decide whether the national team will play Pakistan in a bilateral series as a part of the ICC Women's ODI Championship after the Pulwama terror attack. The tournament is qualification process for the 2021 Women's ODI World Cup and team's get points for each matches. While this is a part of ICC Women's World Cup, it is unlikely that India and Pakistan will engage in a bilateral series. As far as the released current schedule, India have not been slotted to play Pakistan but are expected to be when the next set of itinerary is released. "That (Indo-Pak clash) BCCI will decide. We don't know what will happen against Pakistan and I cannot comment on that," Jhulan said on the eve of the match. "But all the matches are important for us and whenever we play, we must play positive and good cricket and try to do things in right way," she added. Even there has been calls to boycott the men's World Cup group league game against Pakistan .
I-League: Mohun Bagan look to get back to winning ways against Arrows (Preview)
Already out of the title race, a deflated Mohun Bagan will look to get back to winning ways when they take on Indian Arrows in an I-League encounter at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan here on Thursday.
Enjoying playing in one format, says Jhulan
Veteran India pacer Jhulan Goswami on Wednesday said quitting T20s has rejuvenated her mentally and physically and she is now enjoying playing the 50-over format. The 36-year-old from Kolkata, who is the leading wicket-taker in ODIs, retired from T20s just three months before the T20 World Cup that was held in November last year. "Well, I am very much fresh mentally and physically. Mostly I am enjoying my cricket, because T20 is a format where you need to be physically or mentally little aggressive," Goswami told reporters here on the eve of the final ODI against England. "That way (now) I am getting more time for myself to think about what to do and what not to do, so I am enjoying playing one format game." Jhulan said that she is enjoying her rhythm since the South Africa tour last year. "Since South Africa tour, I am bowling well so far. I bowled against England in Nagpur. In Sri Lanka, I bowled well. New Zealand, and now England," she said. "I'm enjoying my rhythm and I just try ..
HPL Electric & Power partners with IPL team Delhi Capitals
This is HPL's first partnership with the IPL team Delhi Capitals. The Company will further leverage the association by using Delhi Capitals and its team players in all communications related to LED and Switchgears. The company plans to come up with a 360 degree marketing approach to get maximum benefitaround the tie-up.
Adhiban, Ganguly part of Indian team to compete at World Team Chess C'ship
In absence of top players, B Adhiban and Surya Shekhar Ganguly will be part of the all-grandmaster men's team which will spearhead the Indian challenge at the World Team Chess Championship starting March 5 in Astana, Kazakhstan. Besides Adhiban and Ganguly, the team will also comprise Krishnan Sasikiran, SP Sethuraman, and Arvind Chithambaram. The men's team will be accompanied by coach and non-playing captain GM Srinath Narayanan, the All-India Chess Federation said. India's top three chess players Viswanathan Anand, P Harikrishna and Vidit Gujarati will not be participating in the tournament. "We as a team are motivated and looking forward to beating them all," coach Srinath was quoted as saying on the AICF website. Speaking about the strategies, Srinath underlined the importance of consistency. "Unlike the Olympiad, this is a closed, round-robin event. Therefore, consistency and solidity is important. A few stray wins won't be decisive, it will be a question of who stays solid ...
Tye replaces injured Richardson in Australia squad
Australian fast bowler Kane Richardson was Wednesday ruled out of the limited overs tour of India due to a side injury with IPL regular Andrew Tye replacing him in the squad. Although Richardson suffered the injury while batting in the nets in Hyderabad last week, he trained on the eve of the second and final T20 International here on Wednesday. "Kane reported some left side pain at training prior to the opening T20I in Vizag," said Australia team physio David Beakley in a statement. "Unfortunately he has not recovered well enough in order to play a further part in the tour. Kane will return home to continue his rehabilitation, and we (will) monitor his progress over the coming weeks." Richardson's absence is a significant blow for the visitors who are already missing the services of injured pacers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. The 28-year-old from South Australia was in top form in the recently concluded Big Bash League, ending as the highest wicket-taker for eventual champions .
Alyssa Healy foretells Meg Lanning will bounce back
Australia wicket-keeper batter Alyssa Healy is expecting her captain Meg Lanning to bounce back in the third game of the Rose Bowl Trophy encounter with New Zealand after a quiet patch with the bat.Lanning could score only a mere six in the opening game as she was dismissed courtesy of a blinder one-handed catch at slip from New Zealand captain Amy Satterthwaite.In the second game, Lanning's stay at the crease lasted just eight-ball before she was departed cheaply for three.Lanning was earlier removed for 14 in the third ODI against Pakistan in October last year, making it her third consecutive ODI where the Australian skipper failed to pass 20 runs.Coming into series off a brilliant domestic form, Lanning had scored 389 runs at 48.62 during the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL). She also broke her own Premier Cricket record playing for club side Box Hill, plundering 244 runs off 145 deliveries, Cricket Australia reported."It is a little bit scary when Meg goes quiet. You are never quite
BCCI will decide India-Pak fate, says Jhulan Goswami
Jhulan Goswami, the veteran fast-bowler, on Wednesday said the BCCI will decide the fate of India and Pakistan fixture, however, stressed on the importance of having the matches as ICC Women's Championship points are at stake."It will be decided by the BCCI. We do not know what will happen against Pakistan, but yes all the matches are important for us and we should try to play positive and good cricket in those matches," Goswami said on the eve of third ODI encounter with England.India captain Mithali Raj had earlier said the series against England is of prime importance as they probably know they would not play against Pakistan. To escape the qualifiers ahead of the 50-over World Cup 2021, India aims to grab as many points in as many games."The last time, I remember that we were short of three points and that is why we had to play the qualifiers. It has always been on our minds that we probably would not play against Pakistan and that is why, whatever matches we play against whoever,
Mexican Open: Nadal advances into second round
Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal defeated Mischa Zverev of Germany 6-3, 6-3 in the first-round match of the Mexican Open on Wednesday.The top seed Nadal was competing in his first match since finishing as a runner-up in the Australian Open last month. He ended up losing the final to Novak Djokovic of Serbia in straight sets.The 32-year-old looked in tremendous form in the entire match, taking an early 3-1 lead in the first set. He ended up holding the advantage for the rest of the set.Nadal played like a confident man who had won both of his previous ATP head to head matches against Zverev, who lost to the relentless offence by the world number two.The Spanish player will take on Australia's Nick Kyrigios, who defeated Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-3, 7-5 in the first round.
NBA All-Star Abdul-Jabbar auctions 4 champion rings for educational charity
Legendary centre Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is auctioning hundreds of items from his memorabilia collection, including four of his five NBA championship rings he won with the Los Angeles Lakers, his website said.
Argentinian Cuesta leads Melgar to Libertadores group stage
Argentinian striker Bernardo Cuesta sent Peru's Melgar into the Copa Libertadores group stage when he scored the only goal in his team's 1-2 loss to Venezuela's Caracas in the second leg of the third stage of the continental tournament.
Ex-Argentina international Redondo to represent LaLiga in his homeland
Former Argentine international Fernando Redondo, who won four trophies with Real Madrid, was introduced as the new LaLiga ambassador to Argentina.
Madrid coach focuses on Clasico, avoids discussing Bale
Real Madrid head coach Santiago Solari said his whole team remained focused on the upcoming Clasico against arch-rival Barcelona in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semis tie, and not on the recent conduct of his Wales winger Gareth Bale.
Rejuvenated Kapur excited to play with Fleming at New Zealand Open
Indian golfer Shiv Kapur is relishing the opportunity to play alongside close friend and former captain Stephen Fleming as he aims to establish himself as one of the genuine contenders for the 100th New Zealand Open starting Thursday. The spirited 37-year-old will spearhead the Asian Tour challenge in the talented field when he make his debut appearance at the approx. USD 850,000 event, which is slated to take place at the scenic Millbrook Resort and The Hills. Kapur, a four-time Asian Tour winner, is known for his love for cricket and he took time off to participate in a cricket match at the Millbrook Cricket Ground on Monday. "Stephen and I have known each other for a few years now. We have been talking about playing together for a couple of years now and it's great that it's happening this time," he said. "We played in a cricket match at the Millbrook Cricket Ground earlier this week and we have been paired together in the tournament as well. He is one of my childhood heroes on ...
Saurav enters quarters of World championship
India's Saurav Ghosal made his way into the quarterfinal with a hard fought win over Wales player Joel Makin in the PSA World squash championship here. The 32-year-old Indian, seeded 11th, won 11-13, 11-7, 11-7, 13-11 but the success did not come easily, thanks to the way his unseeded opponent fought for every point. Makin, who previously faced and lost to Saurav in the CCI International in Mumbai in 2017, presented himself as a much better player. Saurav knew his hands were full when Makin snatched the first game. The Indian was able to tighten his game to take the next two. In the fourth game, however, Saurav was down 5-8 and Makin looked set to clinch the game but experience helped the Indian as he clawed back and earned three match balls before ensuring a win. This is the second time that Saurav has reached the last eight, the last being in 2013. Saurav next faces the third seed German Simon Rosner.
Didn't expect Belinda to win, says Federer
Swiss tennis player and 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer did not expect his compatriot Belinda Bencic to win the Dubai Open Championship but said that he is happy for her."I am really happy for her, but I definitely did not expect it, I still think, like she also thought, it was sort of work in progress, her whole comeback. But this is what sports does, they write great stories," Women's Tennis Association quoted Federer, as saying."I thought the way she did it was tremendous, beating four Top 10 players in exhilarating matches, to be honest. I think that was wonderful for her," he said.Bencic had a dramatic title run in which she had to save six match points against Belarus's Aryna Sabalenka, stun former world number one Simona Halep and end Elina Svitolina's two-year winning streak before defeating Czech Petra Kvitova in a three-set thriller final.Closely monitoring Bencic's progress, Federer was in the UAE to kick-start his tournament preparations."Every day I saw her at ..
Indian women eye clean sweep against England
The series already in the bag, a confident India will look to complete a whitewash when they take on a beleaguered England in the third and final women's One-day International here Thursday. The Mithali Raj-led outfit had thrashed the reigning World Champions by 66 runs in the opening ODI and then followed it up with a dominating seven-wicket win in the second game to seal the three-match series with a 2-0 unassailable lead. More importantly, India grabbed four crucial points in the ICC Women's championship as the race for securing direct qualification spots for the 2021 World Cup heats up. With two more points up for grabs, the hosts would not like to experiment by making any changes to the line-up. India seem to have found the winning momentum under new coach W V Raman as they ticked most boxes in the last two games. Prolific opener Smriti Mandhana, who is the current ICC cricketer of the year, has been in splendid form. Her classy 63 in the last game helped the hosts to clinch the .