Page 584 - Sports
Let's make India want to play Pakistan: PCB MD Wasim Khan
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) managing director Wasim Khan is not confident about resumption of India-Pakistan bilateral cricket anytime soon but he has suggested a change in strategy to get the two nations playing.Wasim said that the PCB needs to create a situation where India ask Pakistan to play while adding that they need to move forward as they could not wait forever to play India."It's a massive challenge and I don't think we're going to see any solutions anytime soon. I think elections are coming up in India, so nothing is going to happen in the near future. But, we are trying and [PCB chairman] Ehsan Mani is trying hard to get them to the table and get things moving," ESPNcricinfo quoted Wasim, as saying."We keep on asking them to play us but let's create a situation where they ask us to play. I think we need to do that. It's sad that we are not playing against them but life continues. We need to move forward and carry on. We can't wait forever to play India. Our focus is to ...
I-League: Chennai begin their final push against Neroca
Chennai City FC, who have had an impeccable season winning 10 out of their 15 games so far, will take on Manipuri side Neroca FC in a return leg fixture on February 11, which will begin their final push towards the maiden National league triumph in their short four year history.The crucial game will be played at the Khuman Lampak stadium in Imphal. The visitors are sitting atop the table with 33 points but can ill-afford to drop their guard.Neroca, who fell away a bit in their campaign in recent times, losing three of their last four games, are placed at the fifth position with 25 points from 16 games and are still among at least three other chasing teams with a realistic shot at the coveted I-League crown."We will be playing tomorrow against Chennai not for the first position but for the best position. We will be playing at home and that is important and we will go all out and try to take the three points," Neroca coach Manuel Fraile said on the eve of the match."It is an important ..
Pune make life difficult for ATK in ISL
An engaging tie between FC Pune City and ATK ended 2-2 but play-off hopes for either side took a beating in the Hero Indian Super League here on Sunday. Pune took the lead in a see-saw tussle through Marko Stankovic's deflected strike (17'). A superb goal from Jayesh Rane (23') and a penalty by Edu Garcia (61') looked to have turned the tables in ATK's favour but Robin Singh scored a header (73') to help Pune clinch a point. ATK have lost the chance to move within a point of fourth-placed NorthEast United and stay sixth with 21 points from 15 matches while Pune City's slim hopes of reaching the top-four have ended. With a victory the need of the hour for both sides, an end-to-end game of football unfolded and ATK came out all guns blazing. Marko Stankovic had an effort in the very second minute but his shot went inches over the bar. Edu Garcia too came close when his shot from the edge of the box struck the crossbar on its way out. However, it were Pune who took the lead thanks to a ..
ISL: Pune make life difficult for ATK
An engaging Indian Super League match between FC Pune City and ATK ended 2-2 and provided plenty of entertainment but play-off hopes for either side took a beating at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, here on Sunday.
Windies pace exposes England soft centre once again
England's batsmen collapsed to West Indian pace yet again as they lost six wickets for 45 runs to be dismissed for 277 in their first innings just before lunch on the second day of the third and final Test at the Darren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia on Sunday. Having already reclaimed the Wisden Trophy with comprehensive victories in the first two Tests, and seeking a first clean sweep of their opponents for 33 years, the home side will resume their reply at two without loss after the interval. Wicketless on the first day when an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 124 between Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes lifted the tourists to 231 for four, Kemar Roach stole the spotlight in scything through the middle and lower order to finish with figures of four for 48. He now has 17 wickets in series. It was Shannon Gabriel though who made the first strike of the morning by bowling Buttler on his overnight score of 67 with just one run added to the total. That was the trigger for the slide and a ...
Calicut beat Hyderabad in Pro Volleyball League
Calicut Heroes cemented their place in the playoffs with a 3-2 win over Black Hawks Hyderabad in a Pro Volleyball League (PVL) match here Sunday. Calicut beat Hyderabad 15-11 15-11 15-7 12-15, 11-15 with Ajith Lal scoring as many as 19 points (15 spikes, 4 serves). Hyderabad's Ashwal Rai put in a valiant effort with nine points (6 spikes and 3 blocks) in a losing cause. Ajith Lal became the first player to score half century of spike points with 53 to his name. After initial exchanges, it looked like Calicut will run away with the set as they went into a 4-2 lead but Hyderabad soon levelled the scores with a block and a spike by Guramritpal Singh and skipper Carson Clark. Ajith Lal joined the party and helped Calicut take a 8-5 lead entering the first Technical Time Out (TTO) with two spikes and a super serve. Post TTO, Hyderabad scored three consecutive points to level the scores at 8-8 and with a spike from Raison Rebello went ahead for the first time in the set. The lead didn't ...
In context of 50-over World Cup, T20 series win over India an isolated result: Williamson
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson doesn't want to read too much into the T20 series win over India, especially in the context of the upcoming World Cup and feels the 2-1 result was an "isolated" one. Williamson said the series win was a big confidence booster for his side and their main aim coming into the rubber was just to gel as a unit. "We were sitting down and looking at what can we get at the end out of the series. It's just about each game as it comes. Like I said, we are looking at this series as an isolated series," he said after the four-wicket win in the third T20 Sunday. "We just don't want to sit down and ask ourselves what we want to see in terms of end point, we just wanted to gel as a group, play the sort of cricket we wanted to play and I think we did see that. The first game was a very good performance. It's not always going to happen in T20 cricket and we saw that in the second game," he said. India savoured a historic Test and ODI bilateral series win in ...
'Lightening quick' Dhoni shows his love for Indian flag
In a moving gesture, Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Sunday showed how dear was the Indian flag to him after one of his countless fans trespassed on to the ground during the third T20 International against New Zealand here. Dhoni's delirious fan, who was holding the Indian tri-colour, breached the security and rushed towards the former Indian captain to touch his feet. Running high on emotions, the trespasser was able to touch Dhoni's feet but in doing that, the Indian flag in his right hand brushed the ground. Just like his lightening quick stumping, Dhoni spotted that and grabbed the flag from the fan. The incident took place during the New Zealand innings which ended at 212. India fought hard but lost the game by four runs and thus the series 1-2. While Dhoni was exceptional behind the stumps as usual, he scored just two runs though. However, he has been in good touch of late. The game was also Dhoni's 300th in the shortest format, including the 199 IPL games he has featured so far. He has
Pakistan-Windies women teams eye series win in ODI decider
Women cricket teams of Pakistan and West Indies have their eyes set on the ODI series win as the two sides clash in the decider match at the ICC Academy in Dubai on February 11.The series is currently locked at 1-1.After a 146-run loss in the first match, the Bismah Maroof-led Pakistan made a strong comeback to secure a 34-run win in the second match on Saturday.The two teams are aiming to win the series and collect valuable ICC Women's Championship points in the ongoing fourth round.Maroof, who returned to the eleven to lead her side to a win in the second game after missing the opener due to a jaw injury, believes Pakistan have the prowess to record a first-ever ODI series win over West Indies."The next match is incredibly important for us both in terms of the (ICC Women's Championship) points and a series win. I am hopeful that my team will carry forward the momentum they gained in the second game and play to the best of their ability in the all-important series decider tomorrow," .
SAI win women's national hockey title
Sports Authority of India (SAI) beat Chandigarh to win the 9th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2019 (B Division), here on Sunday.
Railways win men's national hockey title
Railways came up with a scintillating performance to dethrone defending champions Punjab 3-2 in the final of the 9th Senior National Men Hockey Championship 2019, here on Sunday.
Chadwick creates history at MRF Challenge
Jamie Chadwick from Bath, England, scripted history in the MRF Challenge by becoming the first female driver to annex the championship in seven seasons as she finished the third and final round of the international series with a triple crown, including two back-to-back wins here on Sunday.
I-League: Chennai begin final push for title against Neroca (Preview)
Chennai City FC that have had a fairly impeccable season so far, winning 10 out of 15 games and losing only twice to debutant Real Kashmir FC, take on Neroca FC in a return leg fixture on Monday, which will begin their final push towards maiden I-League triumph in their four-year history.
Law student dies at SAI campus in Kolkata
A 23-year-old law student Rittick Das died after a cardiac arrest while competing in the inter-university football tournament here on Saturday, family sources said on Sunday.
Lakshya guides AAI to final of 74th Inter State Zonal Badminton Championships
Asian junior champion Lakshya Sen received a huge boost ahead of the Senior National Championships as he guided the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to the final of the Yonex-Sunrise 74th Inter State-Inter Zonal Badminton Championships here Sunday. With a commanding 3-0 victory over Andhra Pradesh, AAI will now challenge the Railways for the title after the latter beat Assam 3-1 to return to the summit clash for the first time since 2011. The 17-year-old Lakshya refused to put a foot wrong and completely outclassed Andhra's Jagadeesh K 21-10 21-13 in the men's singles contest that lasted just 30 minutes. While the World Junior Championships bronze medallist cruised through, AAI had to work hard for the other two wins. Malvika Bansod fought back from a game down to edge past Sai Uttejitha Rao Chukka 13-21 21-14 21-15 in the women's singles clash before Shlok Ramchandran and Chirag Sen teamed up to beat Krishna Prasad Garaga and Gouse Shaik 18-21 21-14 21-18 in a hard-fought men's ...
France's Corentin Moutet wins Chennai Open ATP challenger
France's Corentin Moutet, the second-seed, beat Andrew Harris of Australia 6-3, 6-3 in the singles final Sunday to win the title in Chennai Open ATP Challenger tennis tournament here. The Frenchman played confidently to dash the hopes of Harris, the conqueror of top-seeded Prajnesh Gunneswaran on Saturday. The 19-year old left-hander displayed a range of exquisite shots, tremendous agility and exemplary court-craft in subduing Harris, a former junior doubles champion at the French Open and Wimbledon. Harris coming into the final on the back of some tough matches, struggled to find his form particularly on his ground strokes. His single-hand backhand did not find its target often enough. Moutet returned with a great degree of confidence and precision and broke Harris's serve twice in the first set to win it 6-3. In the second set, the Frenchman broke Harris twice and jumped to a 4-0 lead. The Australian broke back in the next game with some powerful returns and then held
Unstoppable Advani clinches 9th National Snooker title
Ace Indian cueist Pankaj Advani on Sunday claimed yet another Senior National Snooker title with a thumping win over young Laxman Rawat in a one-sided final here. Advani annexed the national title, this time in snooker, taking his total tally of Indian championships to a whopping 32 golds. After winning 11 Indian titles as a junior, Advani, as a senior, has won nine billiards, three six-red snooker and now nine snooker gold medals. From a statistical point of view, Advani now has 21 world titles and 21 national titles as a men's player, in both snooker and billiards. Advani took his younger opponent Rawat to the cleaners with a 6-0 win in the final. The match was mostly defined by the champion's experience as he brought on a lethal combination of scoring and safety of the highest quality. The only really close frame was the fourth which could have ended with the scoreline reading 3-1, giving young Rawat an outside chance of a comeback. But once Advani clinched that too with a fine ...
Pankaj Advani wins 86th senior snooker national championship
Country's ace cueist Pankaj Advani Sunday defeated Lakshman Rawat by 6-0 to clinch the 86th Senior Snooker National Championship title. Advani won by 70-36, 91-22, 66-06, 65-51, 77-49, 59-18 in the finals here. Advani told reporters that aggressive play against Rawat in the title match benefitted him. Advani said since he had played against Rawat earlier in other events, he was familiar with his opponent's style.
Keshav stars in US Club's rally to clinch Grover Golf Trophy
The United Services Club Sunday scripted an amazing comeback to win the play-off against Willingdon Sports Club Gymkhana and clinch the 23rd Grover Vineyards Inter-Club Golf Championship here. After dominating day one and the first half of the second and final day, Willingdon were clear leaders at 29 points while US Club trailed by seven points at 22. US club dominated the foursomes to come from behind and level the scores at 34 all to take the game to playoffs, a media release said. Keshav Mishra of USC completely dominated Kushal Thakker of WSC in the playoffs to help USC continue their winning streak on their home turf. Earlier in the singles, leaders Willingdon Sports Club started on a winning note with Jamsheed Mehta defeating Capt VM Shah of the US Club to gain two points. Later Kushaal Thackersey, Ashish Agarwal and Sahil Parikh won their respective ties helping Willingdon race to 29 points. Poona Golf Club was in a much better position in the singles with Aaron ..
Promotion to number three was a big surprise: Shankar
India all-rounder Vijay Shankar on Sunday said being promoted to bat at the crucial number three position came as a big surprise to him and he returns home from the maiden tour of Australia and New Zealand as a much improved cricketer. Shankar batted at number three in two of three three T20s against New Zealand, scoring 43 off 28 balls in the final game and 23 in the series opener. He made his ODI debut against Australia at Melbourne and featured in three out of five ODIs and all three T20s against the Black Caps. The 28-year-old might not have done enough to stake a strong claim for a World Cup spot but gave a good account of his all-round abilities. Going forward, Shankar said he would love to bat higher up the order. "It was a big surprise for me when they asked me to bat at three. That is a big thing. I was focussed on playing the situation. You need to be open anyway if you are playing for a team like India," said Shankar after his team's four-run loss in the third T20. "These ..