Page 553 - Sports
Kaushal, Girish guide Uttarakhand to three-wicket win in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
Karn Kaushal and Girish Rauturi starred with the bat as Uttarakhand defeated Services by three-wicket in a thrilling T20 match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy here Thursday. Chasing 165 to win, Kaushal scored a 32-ball 58 to lay the foundation while Rauturi provided the late charge as Uttarakhand overhauled the target with one ball to spare. Earlier, Nakul Verma (48) and skipper RS Paliwal (54) powered Services to a competitive 164 after electing to bat first. Among other matches, Maharashtra, Baroda and Puducherry also made a winning start to their campaign here. Playing at Palam A Stadium, Maharashtra thrashed Uttar Pradesh by 12 runs. Asked to take first strike, Maharashtra posted a decent 149-5, riding on some useful contributions by NS Naik (41), NS Shaikh (41) and RD Gaikwad (35). In reply, Uttar Pradesh folded for 137 allout in 19.3 overs, despite a 61-ball 93 by Samarth Singh. Only skipper AD Nath (10) posted a double figure as rest of the batsmen were dismissed for single ...
Saxena's 122 puts India U-19 in command against SA
A brilliant knock of 122 by left-handed opener Diyansh Saxena put India under-19 team in a command position against South Africa on the second day of the first 'Youth' Test here Thursday. The home team made 330 all out in 92.3 overs in reply to South Africa's 197 and prised out three wickets to gain the upperhand at stumps. The visitors closed the day's play at 34 for 3 in 15 overs having lost the openers and captain Matthew Montgomery. Resuming at 95 for 3, India under-19 took the lead without suffering any losses as Saxena (44 overnight) forged a big partnership with captain Suraj Ahuja, who came up with a well-made 57 (78 balls, 7X4, 1X6). Saxena got better as the innings progressed as he hit some delightful shots and hammered a six while Ahuja too batted impressively. The partnership ended when Ahuja was dismissed by Bryce Parsons, who finished with impressive figures of 6 for 77 with his slow-left arm spin. To South Africa's credit, they didn't allow the Rahul Dravid-coached ...
NADA penal alludes to presence of illegal suppliers of prohibited substance at JLN Stadium
The Anti-Doping Appeal Panel (ADAP) of the NADA has revealed that it discovered an "important source" which illegally supplies prohibited substance to athletes at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here while investigating the case of decathlete Jagtar Singh. In what is claimed as the first instance of action against illegal suppliers of banned drugs on the assistance of an athlete, the ADAP of the National Anti-Doping Agency has blacklisted two such persons while reducing the suspension period of Jagtar by half from four years to two. The ADAP blacklisted an unidentified athlete's husband Puneet and another drug supplier Sunny Malik on the information provided by Jagtar, who was dropped from the Indian team for the Asian Athletics Championships in 2017 after testing positive for Meldonium. Jagtar contended that he had consumed the food supplements provided by one Puneet, who is a regular supplement supplier at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here and is also the husband of a Commonwealth ...
SC displeased over public "sparring" between CoA chief Rai, member Edulji
The Supreme Court Thursday expressed displeasure over "sparring" between BCCI Committee of Administrators (CoA) chief Vinod Rai and its member Diana Edulji and said they should not bring their differences in "public domain". The apex court, while observing that it was "partially aware" of what was going on in the CoA, said that whosoever is involved in these issues, they should not bring it in public domain. "We have heard in newspaper reports that some sparring is going on between CoA members. We want to know is it correct?" asked a bench comprising Justices S A Bobde and A M Sapre. Senior advocate Parag Tripathi, appearing for the CoA, responded, "Not on core issues." To this, the bench said, "We have thought to tell the amicus curiae to inform them (CoA members) that whosoever is involved, they should not bring it in public domain. It should not come in public domain". In 2017, the apex court had appointed a four-member CoA, headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General of India
Rajasthan hands TN defeat in opener
Skipper Mahipal Lomror with a strokeful unbeaten 78 (52 balls, 6X4, 4X6) starred in Rajasthan's emphatic 53-run win over Tamil Nadu in a Group 'B' match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 tournament, which began here Thursday. Sent into bat, Rajasthan recovered well from 7 for 2 to post a score of 181 for 4 in 20 overs with Lomror leading the way and handy contributions from T N Dhillon (38, 19 balls, 1X4, 4X6), Aditya N Garhwal (30, 21 balls, 4X4, 1X6) and Chetan Bist (28). In reply, Tamil Nadu was bowled out for 128 in the final over. M S Washington Sundar, coming back from injury, got M N Singh (1) off the final ball of the first over as Tamil Nadu got off to a good start. Four balls later, the experienced Robin Bist bowled the Abhishek Tanwar for a duck as Rajasthan slipped to 7 for 2. The left-handed Lomror, who walked in at the fall of Robin Bist, went about steadying the ship and played shots whenever he got the chance to. First, he was involved in a 42-run stand .
I-League: Lajong and Gokulam gear up for operation "salvage pride"
Out of reckoning, Shillong Lajong and Gokulam Kerala will look to salvage pride and finish as high as possible in the points table when they clash in an I-League fixture here Friday. Both teams would be looking to get out of the relegation zone when they face under lights at the JLN Stadium here. In their only encounter this season, Shillong suffered a 2-3 loss against Gokulam Kerala FC at the EMS Corporation Stadium in Calicut. Kerala would have the odds to their favour and they would look to capitalise on this psychological advantage to walk away with all the three points again. Shillong Lajong FC too would be eyeing a win to reduce the relegation pressure. The hosts are currently placed at the bottom of the Hero I-League Points table with 10 points from 17 games. What adds to their concern is the defence line which has conceded 48 goals so far. Gokulam Kerala FC are placed just above Shillong Lajong FC in the points table with a three-point cushion. Kerala's performance has seen ...
Olympic quota doesn't confirm ticket to Tokyo: Shooter Ravi Kumar (IANS Interview)
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Ravi Kumar is hopeful of bagging an Olympic quota at the ISSF Shooting World Cup but feels it doesn't gurantee him a ticket to Tokyo as the quota belongs to a country.
Don't consider Pant as my competitor: Saha (IANS Interview)
Back to playing competitive cricket after a long injury layoff, India's Test wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha says he does not consider stumper Rishabh Pant as a rival and is happy at the younster's success.
Karan, Rakesh grab final qualification spots from MercedesTrophy Gurugram leg
Golfers Karan Khaitan and Rakesh Anand qualified for the National Finals of MercedesTrophy on the third day of the Gurugram leg qualifier here Thursday. Karan with Handicap Category A (0-17) and Rakesh with Handicap Category B (18-24) clinched the final two qualification spots available from the leg by carding a nett. score of 73 and 72.8 respectively. The MercedesTrophy 2019 has so far seen 30 qualifiers, who will be competing in the National Finals to be played at the Oxford Golf Resort in Pune from March 27 to 29. Prominent winners include Shivraj Karayat, who won the Ballantine's Long Drive Challenge with a mammoth drive of 314 yards. Shekhar Agarwal won the Standard Chartered Closest to Pin contest on hole no. 17 by landing the ball at 3 ft. from the pin. In the Mercedes Benz Closest to Pin in Two Shots, Sant Dhiman landed the ball at 4 ft. from the pin to win the contest on hole no. 12. Narender Pal won the Mercedes-Benz Straightest Drive contest on hole no.7 by landing the ...
The following are the top/expected stories at 1730 hours.
The following are the top/expected stories at 1730 hours. EXPECTED STORIES Report of ISL match between Bengaluru FC and FC Goa in Bengaluru. Preview of ISL match between ATK and Mumbai City FC from Kolkata. Preview of I-League match between Shillong Lajong and Gokulam Kerala from Shillong. Report of Barcelona Spain Masters badminton tournament. Report of Syed Mushtaq T20 matches at various venues. Report of India U-19 vs South Africa U-19 first Youth Test in Thiruvananthapuram.
Boycotting Indo-Pak World Cup will make no impact, says Pakistani fan
Adil Taj, a Pakistani cricket fan who sang the Indian national anthem during a match between the arch rivals at the Asia Cup, comes in support of the scheduled match at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, saying"In the UAE, Pakistanis and Indians still share that old bond after the incident. Because of cricket, India toured Pakistan in 2004 and 2006. If you ask the players from that time, you will get to know how much love and affection they got on Pakistan soil," Taj told ANI in the aftermath of the February 14 Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. Citing examples of previous encounters between the two teams, Taj said former cricketers Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar have never failed to acknowledge that they have got more affection in India than Pakistan."Sachin Tendulkar's signed jersey is still framed at Afridi's home. And after Afridi's retirement, Virat Kohli gifted his own jersey, which has the signatures of all the current players and Kohli had written a ..
Hardik Pandya ruled out of Australia series, Jadeja named as replacement
In a big setback for the Indian team, all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been ruled out of their upcoming ODI series against Australia due to lower back stiffness.Pandya will be replaced by Ravindra Jadeja for the five-match series.The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), in a press note, revealed that Pandya is suffering from lower back stiffness and as per the medical team's instructions, the player has been given a rest in the series against Australia. Pandya will undergo strength and conditioning work on his lower back at the National Cricket Academy.Hardik Pandya was a member of the T20I squad as well, but no replacement has been named for the T20 series, as for now.India will play five one day matches against Australia from March 2 to 13. Before that, both the teams are slated to play a two-match T20 series which will begin on February 24 in Vishakhapatnam.
Don't talk about my performance but I share my experience of 29 years with Mehuli: Karmakar
Living with one of Indian shooting's most painful stories, Joydeep Karmakar is certain that his "phenomenally" talented protege, Mehuli Ghosh, has it in her to achieve what he could not by half a point: win an Olympic medal. Shooting without the weight of expectations and with all the focus trained on the likes of Abhinav Bindra, Gagan Narang and Ronjan Sodhi, Karmakar was on course for a podium at the 2012 London Olympics before missing out by the smallest of margins to finish fourth. Since that agonising English summer evening nearly seven years ago, Karmakar has come a long way, producing promising shooters. Mehuli, undoubtedly, is one of his most talented shooters. "She is definitely up there technically, she has the results, scored quite high scores in training and competitions," Karmakar told PTI ahead of the season-opening World Cup in the capital. "That was a totally different scenario," Karmakar, now 39, said, recalling his near-miss in London. He was asked what he thinks ...
Del Piero recalls 'great' time in India, rules out coaching stint in near future
Former Italy and Juventus great Alessandro Del Piero has ruled out a coaching role in the foreseeable future, including a stint in the Indian Super League, where he played last as a professional. The 44-year-old, who played for Delhi Dynamos in the inaugural 2014 ISL, is happy being a television pundit. The former World Cup-winning Italy forward had announced his retirement on October 15. He greeted a select Indian media group with a namaste on the sidelines of the Laureus World Sports Awards held here earlier this week. "I have been to India couple of times for different reasons after my ISL stint. I am following what is happening in the league. I had a great time there, short time, just three months but happy that the league has grown, it is six months now. I quite like how things are moving," he said. When asked why the Indian national team is not improving despite ISL being five seasons old, Del Piero said: "I know what is going on with your national team but don't know the ...
Cricket World Cup undergoes several changes in its 44-year history
Since its inception in 1975, the ICC World Cup has witnessed several changes. While defending champions Australia are the most successful nation with five titles, India and West Indies have two each, and Pakistan and Sri Lanka one World Cup each.
Korean coaches 'stole tens of thousands' from 'Garlic Girls' curlers
South Korea's "Garlic Girls" curling team were exploited by their coaches who stole tens of thousands of dollars of prize money from the Olympic medal-winners, the sports ministry said Thursday. The curlers, who come from a town famous for garlic farming, were rank outsiders at South Korea's Pyeongchang Games last year, but became a media sensation as they swept their way to Olympic silver. But last November they publicly accused their coaches of verbal abuse and intrusive control and claimed they had not received their prize money from previous competitions, prompting public outrage and a probe by the sports ministry. The team claimed the coaches were running Korean curling like a family fiefdom: the husband of their head coach, Kim Min-jung, is a former national men's team coach, while her father Kim Kyung-doo is a former vice president of the Korean Curling Federation (KCF). Following a five-week investigation, the sports ministry said Thursday that the allegations made by the ...
Team focused on getting direct entry into 2021 World cup: Mithali
Indian women's ODI team skipper Mithali Raj said the team is focussed on avoiding the qualifiers ahead of the 2021 World Cup but reckoned it will be a major challenge facing World Cup champions England in the absence of injured Harmanpreet Kaur. The Indian women's team begins its three-ODI series against England at home on Friday in the absence of star player Harmanpreet Kaur, who has been ruled out of the series due to an ankle injury. Mithali said her team is focused on holding on to its position in the top-four of the world rankings till 2020 to get direct qualification for the 2021 World Cup. "It's a very important series for us, being number three right now in points table. Points are at stake and I definitely want the team to get direct entry (into the next World Cup). It's important to get as many points as possible from the series," she said on the eve of the series. India had beaten England 2-1 the last time the visitors were here in 2018 but Mithali said facing the visitors .
We want to make history in India, says England skipper Heather Knight
Reigning World Cup champions England want to create history by defeating India in their own backyard for the first time in an ODI series, said visiting team captain Heather Knight on the eve of the opening clash here Friday. "Yes, we have talked about it. It's something we want to do as a team. We want to make history. When we came here last year, it was a slightly younger team. We weren't able to do that; we lost that series 2-1," said Knight. The two teams had played a memorable World Cup final in 2017 when hosts England pulled off a sensational win. "We have had some amazing games; that World Cup final was an amazing game to be involved in. Obviously the enormity of the occasion: to be in a WC final, to be sold out at Lord's. We've played some good games, including last year in Indian conditions as well." According to Knight, her team's strength was its depth. "The ODI cricket we've played in the last couple of years, including the World Cup in England, that's been very good. We ...
Hardik ruled out of Australia's tour of India
Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been ruled out of the upcoming Twenty20 International and One-Day International series against Australia due to lower back stiffness, BCCI announced on Thursday.
Stiff lower back rules Hardik Pandya out of Australia series, Jadeja named replacement
India all-rounder Hardik Pandya was on Thursday ruled out of the upcoming T20 and ODI series against Australia due to "lower back stiffness" with Ravindra Jadeja replacing him in the 50-over squad. It is a minor setback for the team and Pandya, who returned to action during the limited-overs series in New Zealand after being handed a provisional suspension for his loose talk on women on a TV show. The BCCI also lifted the interim suspension on batsman K L Rahul, who was on the same chat show. "The BCCI Medical team decided to rest the all-rounder and let him undergo strength and conditioning work for his lower back at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. Mr. Pandya will begin his strength work from next week," said the BCCI in a statement. "The T20I squad will now consist of 14 members. Mr. Ravindra Jadeja has been named replacement for Hardik Pandya for the 5 ODIs," it added. Both Pandya and Rahul still face an inquiry for their controversial comments. While an ...