Page 551 - Sports
adidas Launches the First All-women's Semi-pro League to Empower Women to Break Barriers
/ -- ~The league shall be hosted under the adidas Creators Platform~ ~350 Passionate women footballers from Mumbai come together to live their football dream~ adidas India today announced the launch of India's first ever semi-professional football league for women under the adidas Creators platform. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/825441/adidas_Football_League.jpg ) The adidas Creators football platform was established in 2018 in Delhi-NCR with an aim to give football enthusiasts an authentic playing experience. With its success in Delhi-NCR, the league expanded to Mumbai earlier this year. To continue promoting football at grassroots, adidas is now extending the league to include women footballers. Strongly committed to enable women to break barriers in sport and nurture their individual dreams, the adidas Creators football league for women features semi-professional footballers from varied walks of life coming together to participate and kick off a new trend in grassroots .
Shooting World Cup: NRAI thanks IOC for clearing 14 Olympics quotas
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on Friday thanked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for clearing the issuance of 14 Olympics quotas in the ongoing Shooting World Cup.Earlier, various media reports had suggested that IOC will scrap all the 16 Olympics quota spots available in the shooting World Cup after three-member contingent of Pakistan was not issued the Indian visa. But IOC defied all such reports and revoked the Olympic qualification status for two quota places of the men's 25m Rapid Fire pistol event."As you are aware, the two Pakistani athletes in question were both to compete in one event only, namely the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men's event. The IOC in its wisdom has decided to withhold the issuance of the two quotas available in this event and at the Same time cleared the issuance of the 14 other quotas available in other events," NRAI said in a statement."The Organising Committee of the New Delhi World Cup wishes to unequivocally thank the ISSF President
Short working on his spin to enhance selection for India series
Dashing Australian batsman D'Arcy Short is working on his left-arm spin bowling with former India tweaker Sridharan Sriram to enhance selection in the team for the limited over series starting with the first T20I in Vizag on Sunday. "I did a lot of work with him (Sriram) in the A tour in August and September. That was good then and I've done a bit of work with him yesterday and today, just refining things and getting a little bit better," he was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. "If I can give two or three overs or even four or five in one-day cricket then it's always going to help my selection in the end and hopefully it goes in my favour," added Short, who is in the 15-man squad as cover for Shaun Marsh. The 28-year-old has claimed 10 wickets in 15 games for Hobart Hurricanes this season besides amassing 637 runs at 53.08 and a strike rate of 140.61. Sriram said Short can offer a lot to the team with his spin bowling. "We've seen in the Big Bash, he's bowled a lot more than the ...
IOC 'suspends discussions' with India for hosting global events after denial of visa to Pak shooters
The denial of visas to Pakistani shooters in the Delhi World Cup has jeopardised India's chances of hosting the Olympics or any global event with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspending all such discussions with the country and recommending that no big tournament be awarded to it. India denied visas to Pakistani shooters for the World Cup that starts on Saturday in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, which killed 40 CRPF personnel. As a result, the IOC revoked the two Olympic quotas on offer in the men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol competition of the event. However, the bigger repercussion was the world body's declaration that it would not engage with India on discussions to host major events. The country aspires to host the 2026 Youth Olympics, the 2032 Summer Olympics and the 2030 Asian Games. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has already sent an expression of interest to the IOC for the 2032 Games and the bidding process for the 2026 showpiece is expected to start next
Man Utd seek to derail Liverpool title bid as Spurs lurk
Liverpool travel to Manchester United on Sunday facing the toughest assignment of their Premier League run-in on paper as Tottenham seek to sneak back into the heart of the title race. The trip to Old Trafford is effectively Jurgen Klopp's team's game in hand as they bid to open up a three-point lead over Manchester City, who play Chelsea in the League Cup final on the same day. Liverpool thumped United 3-1 at Anfield in the last match of Jose Mourinho's reign on December but they are transformed under interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and are back in the top four. If Spurs beat Burnley and Liverpool slip up, Mauricio Pochettino's men will be just two points behind City and Liverpool, with all three clubs having played 27 matches. AFP Sport picks out some of the main talking points ahead of this weekend's Premier League fixtures. Wary Liverpool face Old Trafford litmus test ============================================ Liverpool know that a win at Old Trafford -- where they have won ...
Black Caps spinner Astle back for Bangladesh Tests
Spinner Nathan Astle will resume his stop-start Test career against Bangladesh after beating Ajaz Patel for a spot in New Zealand's 13-man squad to face Bangladesh next week, selectors said Friday. Astle was the only change in the squad that defeated Sri Lanka 1-0 in December to claim an unprecedented fourth Test series in a row for New Zealand. Selector Gavin Larsen admitted it was "a tough call" to drop Patel, who was outstanding against Pakistan in the UAE. "It's great though to have Todd fit again and we're keen to see what his wrist-spin can offer in New Zealand conditions, and he'll also bolster the batting," he said. Astle, 32, made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in 2012 but since then has played only two more, most recently against England in March last year. The first of three Tests begins in Hamilton on February 28. New Zealand: Kane Williamson (capt), Tom Latham, Jeet Raval, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling, Colin de Grandhomme, Todd Astle, Tim Southee, Neil ...
Turkish Women's Cup a good challenge for India to grow: Women's football coach
Senior women's football team coach Maymol Rocky believes that the upcoming Turkish Women's Cup is a good opportunity for India to grow as a team.Coming on the back of the recently concluded Hero Gold Cup, India left for the Turkish Women's Cup which kicks-off from February 27.The tournament is part of the Indian women's preparation for the AFC Olympic Qualifiers Round 2 to be held in April, as well as the Senior Women's SAFF Championship slated for March."In Turkey, we will be playing against Romania and Uzbekistan, both of whom are high-quality teams, and ranked higher than us. It is wonderful to get such an opportunity to play against such sides as it will help the girls gain valuable experience. It will enable us to see where we stand against such top sides," AIFF quoted Maymol, as saying."It will be a good challenge for the whole team as they will play in a high-pressure environment. This will help them develop into better players. We will look to improve on our finishing as a ...
Shooting WC: IOC revokes Olympic qualification status of men's 25m rapid fire pistol event
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive board on Friday revoked the Olympic qualification status of the men's 25m Rapid Fire pistol event of the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle /Pistol in New Delhi.The decision came after the IOC was informed on February 18 that the Indian government authorities failed to grant an entry visa to the Pakistani delegation comprising two athletes and one official who were meant to participate in the ISSF World Cup.Shooting World Cup is a qualification competition for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 in which direct quotas are earned by the respective National Olympic Committees (NOCs). The two Pakistani athletes were due to compete in the men's 25m rapid fire pistol event, starting Saturday February 23, in which two quota places are available for the Games.The IOC restricted the withdrawal of recognition as an Olympic qualification event to the 25m rapid fire pistol competition in which the two Pakistani ...
Barca, Real Madrid wrestle fatigue and form ahead of Clasico double-header
Real Madrid and Barcelona face two Clasicos in four days next week but La Liga's greatest rivals are not so much revving up for the double-header but crawling reluctantly towards it. This weekend, Barca travel to fourth-placed Sevilla on Saturday and Madrid to Levante on Sunday, when priorities, rest and rotation will all be high on the agenda again. Santiago Solari pointed to exhaustion following his team's latest loss at home to Girona, four days after they came from behind to beat Ajax, eight after defeating Atletico Madrid and 11 after holding Barca to a draw at the Camp Nou. "The fatigue is not only physical, it is mental, it affects our concentration," Solari said. "Obviously we have come from an important period, with a lot of hard games. We have to overcome it because it might be that our energy levels dipped in the second half." Girona were outplayed in the first period but scored twice in the second, both goals coming in the final 25 minutes, to end what had begun to look ...
IOC scraps Olympic quotas from Delhi shooting World Cup
The International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) announced on Thursday that all the 16 quota places for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on offer at the shooting World Cup here have been scrapped due to denial of visas to Pakistan players.
India well prepared for World Cup, says Ganguly
Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly on Thursday said that India have played good cricket in the last couple of months which makes them favourites to win the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup in England.
ISL: Bengaluru top ISL table again
Ten-man Bengaluru FC flexed their muscle and sealed a spot at the top of the table in the Indian Super League (ISL) with a 3-0 win against FC Goa at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, here on Thursday.
With 147 in 55 balls, Iyer hits highest T20 score by an Indian
Young batsman Shreyas Iyer hit a blazing 147 off just 55 balls to help his side Mumbai crush Sikkim by a whopping 154 runs in their Group C opening T20 match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy here Thursday, but Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara's ton went in vain as Saurashtra lost their game. The Mushtaq Ali Trophy is the domestic T20 tournament. Iyer's 147 is the highest T20 score by an Indian and in the process he surpassed wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who had scored an unbeaten 128 for Delhi Daredevils in the IPL. His 147 is also the 12th highest score by a batsman in the T20 cricket history. Meanwhile, Pujara, who played a vital role in India's maiden Test triumph in Australia, struck a stroke-filled unbeaten 100 in 61 balls in another Group C match against Railways. However, Pujara's blazing knock could not help Saurashtra secure a victory as Railways chased down the 189- run target with five wickets in hand at the Holkar Stadium here. However, at the Emeralds .
Nabi's 51 guide Afghanistan to five-wicket win over Ireland
Mohammad Nabi shone with both bat and ball to guide Afghanistan to a six-wicket win over Ireland in the first T20I at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium here Thursday. Nabi first scalped two wickets before returning to score an unbeaten fifty. Chasing 133 to win, Afghanistan were 50 for 5 in 7.2 overs but Nabi added an unconquered 86-run stand with Najibullah Zadran (40 not out) to take the side home, scoring 136-5 in 19.2 overs. Earlier, Nabi (2/16) took two wickets, while Rashid Khan also returned with two wickets and Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Fareed Ahmad accounted for one each as Afghanistan restricted Ireland to 132-6 in 20 overs. Ireland found the going tough after electing to bat with George Dockrell (34) and Stuart Poynter (31) giving the team some respectability with an unbeaten 67-run stand after they were struggling at 65-6 at one stage. Brief Score: Ireland: 132-6 in 20 overs (G Dockrell 34; M Nabi 2/16) Afghanistan: 136-5 in 19.2 overs (M Nabi 51; WB Rankin 2/39).
Late South African strikes spoil Sri Lanka's day
Three late strikes by South Africa's fast bowlers on Thursday helped atone for a poor batting performance on the first day of the second Test against Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka were 60 for three at the close at St George's Park after bowling out South Africa for 222. Earlier, Vishwa Fernando and Kasun Rajitha both took three wickets as Sri Lanka followed up their surprise win in the first Test in Durban with a disciplined bowling performance on a slow but well-grassed pitch. Some of their good work was undone after Dimuth Karunaratne and Lahiru Thirimanne gave the Sri Lankan innings a reasonable start, putting on 25 for the first wicket. Captain Karunaratne was caught behind off Kagiso Rabada for 17 in the 12th over. Duanne Olivier then bowled Oshada Fernando and had Kusal Mendis caught behind. South Africa, needing a win to share the series, made a poor start after winning the toss, losing three wickets with the total on 15, two of them off successive balls from Vishwa Fernando. They ...
Stokes, Buttler rested from England T20 series against West Indies
Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler will be rested for England's Twenty20 series against the West Indies, selectors announced on Thursday. Wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Billings and batsman Dawid Malan return to the 14-man squad for the first time since last year's tour of Australia and New Zealand. Stokes and Buttler were both involved in the Test series in the West Indies and are playing in the ongoing one-day international series which ends on March 2. Jason Roy will miss the series to return home for the birth of his first child after the final one-day international. England, who lost the recent Test series against the West Indies 2-1, are 1-0 up in the five-match ODI series after beating the hosts by six wickets in Barbados on Wednesday. England face a packed schedule in 2019, including a World Cup on home soil and a home Ashes series. England squad: Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil ...
IAAF clears 21 Russian athletes to compete as neutrals
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said Thursday it had cleared 21 Russian athletes to return to international events, albeit competing under a neutral banner and not representing Russia. Athletics' governing body banned Russia in November 2015 because of evidence of state-sponsored doping, but Russian athletes cleared by the IAAF can compete as neutrals. "The IAAF Doping Review Board has agreed that the applications of 21 Russian athletes have met the exceptional eligibility criteria to compete in international competition as neutral athletes in 2019," the IAAF said. "The application process for athletes seeking neutral status in international competitions in 2019 opened in December 2018. The Doping Review Board is prioritising, wherever possible, applications from athletes wishing to compete in the current indoor season." The 21 athletes will now be eligible for the March 1-3 European Indoor Championships in Glasgow and the March 9-10 European Throwing cup
Nine more over-age athletes disqualified from Youth Championships
Nine more athletes were Thursday disqualified after being found over-aged in the medical examination conducted by the national federation during the 16th National Youth Championships here. Three athletes in boys hammer throw, three in boys 2000m steeplechase, two in boys pole vault and one in heptathlon were found over-age in the age verification tests on the third and final day of the event. Thursday's nine cases took the total number of over-age athletes from the championships, which serves as selection trial for next month's Asian Youth Championships at Hong Kong, to a whopping 50. As many as 41 athletes, including promising Delhi sprinter Nisar Ahmed, were found over-age in the first two days of the championships. AFI Competition Manager and secretary of the championships, Nitin Arya said he will recommend a two-year ban on the over-age athletes to the Age Verification Committee of the federation. "We will recommend two-year ban of these over-age athletes to the Age Verification ..
Bengaluru FC stun Goa 3-0 to seal top spot in ISL
Ten-man Bengaluru FC sealed their place at the top of the table with a stunning 3-0 win over FC Goa in the Indian Super League here Thursday. Full-back Nishu Kumar received his second yellow card and was sent for an early bath in the 42nd minute. Down to 10 men, Bengaluru produced a brilliant second-half performance to pick up all three points as Juanan (50'), Udanta Singh (58') and Miku (69') wrote their name on the scoresheet. The win sees Bengaluru assured of finishing top of the league for a second consecutive season while FC Goa will be disappointed at not pressing home their numerical advantage. FC Goa looked to be the better team in the opening session but the tables turned in the second. The hosts were given an early scare when Ahmed Jahouh stole the ball off Dimas Delgado's feet in the midfield and unleashed a piledriver at the goal that ricocheted back off the inside of the post. Bengaluru also had a chance when Miku and Dimas combined brilliantly in the 20th minute but the .
Mugdha Agrey lone surviving Indian at Barcelona Spain Masters
Young shuttler Mugdha Agrey emerged as the lone Indian survivor at the Barcelona Spain Masters, reaching the women's singles quarterfinals with a hard-fought three-game win over USA's Natalie Chi here Thursday. On a day when the Indian trio of Sourabh Verma, Parupalli Kashyap and Ajay Jayaram suffered second-round defeats, the 19-year-old from Nagpur shone bright with a thrilling 21-14 13-21 21-16 win over Natalie in the second round of the World Tour Super 300 tournament. The Nagpur shuttler, who had won a title at the All India Senior Ranking tournament at Guntur in 2017, had to dig deep as she recovered from a mid-game slump to outdo her opponent in a 50-minute duel. World No 82 Mugdha, an arts student of LAD College, will next play top seeded Chinese Han Yue. In men's singles, national champion Sourabh failed to get across 22-year-old Ren Pengbo of China, going down 17-21 13-21 in a 44-minute clash, while Kashyap went down fighting 12-21 21-18 15-21 to Kean Yew Loh of ...