Page 734 - Sports
Barty defeats Muguruza at Hopman Cup
Australia's Ashleigh Barty was victorious 6-3, 6-4 over Spain's Garbiñe Muguruza at the Hopman Cup in Perth on Wednesday, to give her country a 1-0 lead in their Group A tie over Spain.
Rafael Nadal withdraws from Brisbane International
Spanish tennis ace Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the Brisbane International on Wednesday due to a strain on his left thigh."After a long period of time without competing, I felt a little bit of pain in the leg. I did an MRI, and it shows a very small strain on the left thigh, but it is there. I tried to play and I still wanted to play," ATP quoted Nadal, as saying.The 32-year-old, who underwent the MRI scan on January 1, admitted, "There is always a time difference between here and in Spain. So I spoke with my doctors there yesterday. I went to sleep. When I woke up, they were sleeping, so I had to wait until later today to make the final decision."The Spaniard, however, plans to compete at the Australian Open, which is scheduled to begin on January 14."I feel better than four days ago. So the normal improvement is I will be practising. I will probably be 100 per cent in five days. But I really believe that I will be 100 per cent ready for Melbourne," he said.Nadal has been aiming ..
Ramakant Achrekar, the man who discovered Tendulkar, passes away
Ramakant Achrekar, the celebrated cricket coach credited for discovering Sachin Tendulkar, died Wednesday. He was 87 and, according to a family member, had been battling old age-related ailments for the past few days. "He (Archrekar Sir) is no more with us. He passed away this evening," his kin Rashmi Dalvi told PTI over phone. Achrekar competed in just one first-class match in his playing career but discovered and shaped the biggest batsman in international cricket after Sir Donald Bradman in Tendulkar. Tendulkar, who is now retired, owns almost all the batting records that were there for the taking in the game, including the highest runs in Tests (15,921) and ODIs (18,426). Achrekar is best known for being his childhood coach and has always been acknowledged by the celebrated right-hander for the role he played in shaping his career as a child. Tendulkar was coached by Achrekar at the Shivaji Park here. "Sir did not say well-played to me ever, (but) I knew (when) Sir has taken me to
Milind slams ton again, Sikkim salvage draw vs Meghalaya
Former Delhi batsman Milind Kumar slammed centuries in consecutive innings to help Sikkim salvage a draw against Meghalaya in a Ranji Trophy Plate Group match here Wednesday. Milind, who scored 117 in the first innings, made 127 not out from 121 balls (20x4s, 1x6) in the second essay as Sikkim replied strongly, finishing at 304 four four to collect one point from the encounter. This was Milind's sixth century, which included two double hundreds. He has so far made 1261 runs from 12 innings this season with an astonishing average of 126.10. This is the fifth most by any batsman in a Ranji Trophy season. With one game left for Sikkim -- against Arunachal Pradesh -- Milind is 154 runs shy of VVS Laxman's all-time record of 1415 runs in 1999-2000 season. Brief Scores: Sikkim: 219 and 304 for 4 in 108 overs (Milind Kumar 127, Nilesh Lamichaney 70, Ashish Thapa 43; Gurinder Singh 3/84) vs Meghalaya 826 for 7 declared. Match drawn. Points: Meghalaya 3, Sikkim 1.
Gujarat trounce Maharashtra by innings and 130 runs
Gujarat made a winning start to 2019 by defeating hosts Maharashtra by an innings and 130 runs in a Ranji Trophy Elite Group A game here Wednesday. After bundling out Maharashtra for 230 in the first innings at the MCA international stadium at Gahunje near here, Gujarat piled up a mammoth 545/8 declared, thanks to centuries by skipper Priyank Panchal and opener Kathan Patel. When the play began on the fouth and the final day, Maharashtra were teetering at 137 for 6 in their second innings, adrift by 178 runs. Maharashtra's second essay folded up at 185 in 55.5 overs. Anupam Sanklecha showed resistance as he remained unbeaten on 40, but Gujarat bowlers removed the tail to hand their side a memorable win and additional point. For Gujarat, right-arm medium pacer Chintan Gaja (3-47) and leg-break bowler Piyush Chawla (3-18) shared the wickets. Gujarat grabbed 7 points from the win. Brief Scores: At Pune: Maharashtra 230 and 185 (Anupam Sanklecha 40 not out, Naushad Shaikh 40,
Shikha Pandey, Punam Raut to clash in Senior Women's Cricket Challenger Trophy
Ahead of their New Zealand tour, all-rounder Shikha Pandey and Punam Raut are set to clash in the Senior Women's Cricket Challenger Trophy here at Devineni Venkata Ramana Praneetha Ground in Mulapadu on Thursday.Veda Krishnamurthy, who has been dropped from both limited-overs squads for the tour, is part of Pandey-led India Red. Priya Punia, who earned her maiden call-up for the T20I squad, will play for Raut-led India Blue in the 50-over match.The tournament will be devoid of a number of seniors and regulars like ODI captain Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Jemimah Rodrigues, Taniya Bhatia, Ekta Bisht, and Rajeshwari Gayakwad. The ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year Smriti Mandhana and T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who are playing in the fourth edition of the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), will also miss out.India Blue will next meet India Green led by Mona Meshram, who has replaced Veda in the ODI squad, on January 4. India Red and India Green will lock horns on January 5. The finals are
Abhimanyu slams 183 not out as Bengal chase down record 322 vs Delhi
Opener Abhimanyu Easwaran played the innings of his life with an unbeaten 183 as Bengal chased down a record 322 to record a seven-wicket win and virtually knock Delhi out of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group B here Wednesday. Dismissed for 220 in less than 59 overs in the first session, Bengal had a mountain to climb on the final day. But the 23-year-old Abhimanyu, fresh from India A tour to New Zealand under Rahul Dravid, came off age in his composed innings which featured 23 boundaries and two sixes. Supremely fit, Abhimanyu ran hard for his singles as he found perfect ally in senior teammate Anustup Majumdar who made a valuable 69 not out (8x4) as Bengal took just 70.2 overs to get across the line. The duo put on 186 runs for the unbroken third wicket to script Bengal's biggest run chase in Ranji Trophy, bettering their 307-run chase against Karnataka here in 2006-07 season. Wednesday's win kept Bengal's quarterfinal hopes alive as they now occupy seventh place in the combined Elite ...
For Davis Cup team member Sasi Mukund, happiness does not depend on results
Sasi Kumar Mukund, India's new Davis Cup team member, had an extraordinary childhood and became a graduate at the age of 15 but he is not in a hurry to explode on the tennis circuit. Mukund was recently named in the Indian team as a reserve member for the World Group Qualifying tie against Italy, scheduled for February 1 and 2 in Kolkata. Mukund had started the 2018 season outside 400 in ranking and ended it at 295 (number five in India) and was rewarded by the AITA selection committee. Unlike many youngsters, the 21-year-old Mukund has an uncluttered mind. He knows where his game lies and strongly believes in the philosophy that success is a by-product of hard work, put in right direction. Realising that he is much sharper than the kids of his age, IAS officer Sasi Kumar withdrew his son Mukund from school after second standard and prepared him to write seventh class examination at the tender age of seven. Mukund further stunned everyone by clearing the 10th standard examination at .
New skipper Pandey guides Karnataka to big win over Chhattisgarh
Manish Pandey led from the front with a sublime century to help Karnataka beat Chhattisgarh by a massive 198 runs in a Group A Ranji Trophy match at Alur on Wednesday. The win took Karnataka a step closer towards securing their place in the knock-out stages of the premier domestic tournament. Karnataka are now placed placed second with 27 points from seven matches, a point less than group toppers Vidarbha. Karnataka won three matches and drew as many in seven outings they played so far. They have lost just one against Saurashtra. Pandey played an unconquered 102-run knock while Ronit More and Shreyas Gopal bagged four wickets apiece in Chhattisgarh's second innings to ensure the big win for Karnataka. The newly appointed Karnataka skipper's knock was studded with 14 boundaries and a six. After declaring their second innings at 219 for seven, Karnataka, who had made 418 all out in the first essay, skittled out Chhattisgarh for 156 in 57 overs. Chhattisgarh had made 283 all out in their
PKL 6: Gujarat up against confident UP in Qualifier 2 (Preview)
After missing their first chance to enter the final of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), Gujarat Fortunegiants will take on a confident UP Yoddha in the second qualifier of the tournament at the NSCI Dome here on Thursday.
Andhra-Hyderabad Ranji Trophy match ends in draw
Andhra picked up three points after its Ranji Trophy Elite Group 'B' match against Hyderabad here Wednesday ended in a draw. Akshath Reddy (65, 98 balls) and Himalay Agarwal (60, 93 balls) batted solidly for Andhra to dash the home team's hopes of securing a victory. Resuming at 33 for no loss, Hyderabad lost opener Tanmay Agarwal (18), castled by B Ayyappa. The other opener Tilar Verma (34) didn't last too long either as he was bowled by Shoaib Mohammed Khan to leave the visitors at 64 for 2. Skipper Akshath Reddy and B Sandeep (45, 101 balls) got together for a 84-run stand for the third wicket. Once their partnership was broken, Sandeep forged an important association with Agarwal to deny Andhra an opening. Himalay held firm despite the loss of Sandeep and Ravi Teja (8) to steer Hyderabad to safety. Play was called off before the commencement of the final hour with Hyderabad having erased the first innings defeat. Andhra earned three points to take its tally to 11 from
India's Balasubramaniam tames Russian GM Maxim
Indianyoungster Balasubramaniam Hscored a sensational win against Russian Grandmaster Lugovskoy Maxim in a third round match ofthe EKA IIFWL Investment Managers 4th Mumbai International GM Chess Tournament 2018 here. The 15-year-old Chennai-basedBalasubramaniam starting with white played aggressively and launched a good attack after the 23-year-old Russian GM Maxim opened with the French defence, a media release said Wednesday. The Indian teenager put his rival under a lot of pressure and then capitalised on an error from the Russian to grab his Queen on the 17thmove. With not much options left, Maxim resigned on the 19thmove to hand the Indian a creditable victory. Meanwhile, India's 35-year-old GM Chanda Sandipan and 20-year-old IM Visakh N R, the only two players to extend their winning streaks to three successive wins, enjoy the lead at the top with three points each. Sandipan easily defeated compatriot Sammed Jaykumar Shete, while Visakh with the black pieces ...
Won't be easy for other teams to face India in Asian Cup: Sunil Chhetri
Even as it is prediction time for pundits all over the world on the forthcoming AFC Asian Cup, star Indian striker Sunil Chhetri has said that "it won't be easy for other teams to face India.""All of us are super excited and thrilled right now. Apart from me and Gurpreet, it's a first-time experience for all else. Everyone is ready to grab this opportunity. I can assure you that it won't be an easy job for other teams to face us. We are a team who hate to lose, and we have proven it in recent times. We are working as per the plan," he stated.The 34-year-old, who is the highest Indian scorer in international football with 65 goals at the moment, however, refrained from commenting on which team will post the toughest challenge for India in the group stage."At the moment, our sole focus is on our opening fixture-the game against Thailand. At the moment, we are not looking anything beyond that. Yeah, there are matches against UAE and Bahrain lined up but we will think about them only when
Injured Nadal withdraws from Brisbane International
Spain's Rafael Nadal on Wednesday pulled out of the Brisbane International with a left thigh injury.
Mary Kom named event ambassador of Mumbai Marathon
Six-time women's world boxing champion and Olympic medallist M C Mary Kom has been named as the event ambassador for the 16th Tata Mumbai Marathon to be held on January 20. "The Tata Mumbai Marathon has paved the way for a running revolution in India and is the largest showcase of individuals pushing boundaries of the human spirit," star boxer Mary was quoted as saying in a release issued on Wednesday by event organisers, Procam International. "From being a legend in the world of boxing, to being an important catalyst for the growth of sports in India, Mary Kom is an inspiration; an individual that epitomises the spirit of Tata Mumbai Marathon," said Vivek Singh of Procam. The 35-year-old Mary is the only woman to win the amateur world championship on six occasions and the lone woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the seven world championships. The organisers said that with a prize money of USD 405,000, the marathon will see the participation of over 46,000 ...
South Korea counting on red-hot Son to shine on Asian Cup quest
South Korea are hoping Son Heung-min's dazzling pace and goals can help them end a 59-year wait to be crowned continental kings as the newly expanded Asian Cup starts at the weekend. Holders Australia, four-time winners Japan, Carlos Queiroz's Iran and hosts the United Arab Emirates are all formidable opponents, but none will relish facing Paulo Bento's Koreans. The 2015 runners-up have put their stamp on the international scene in recent times, stunning holders Germany at last year's World Cup before winning the Asian Games football tournament in September. Son, 26, was at the heart of both successes and his delight was plain to see at the Asian Games in Indonesia, where victory earned the team an exemption from South Korea's compulsory, 21-month military service. The Tottenham Hotspur forward, who has a deadly shot with either foot, has been in scorching form for his club, scoring seven goals in his last seven Premier League games. But he will sit out South Korea's first two games ..
India eye maiden series win against Australia (Preview)
A confident India face Australia in the fourth and final Test here on Thursday, aiming to create history by registering their maiden Test series win Down Under.
Sri Lanka need to prove abilities, not to rebuild squad: Malinga
Sri Lankan cricket team has gone through a rough patch after the retirement of their senior players including Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. They are struggling to find a right combination of players since then but their ODI skipper Lasith Malinga believes that this is not the time to rebuild the squad and they should now start to focus more on proving themselves.Malinga said that with the World Cup cricket slated to be held this year itself, all the players should be keen to prove themselves as the best and try to have a good start to the year."Now is not the time to rebuild. More than three years have gone since the great players have retired. The next World Cup is this year. Now we have to prove who the best are in Sri Lankan cricket. All the players are keen to do that. We'll try to start 2019 well," ESPNcricinfo quoted Malinga, as saying.Sri Lanka will be beginning their ODI series against New Zealand from January 3 and the skipper has got just one advice for his ...
Mumbai siblings shine at Singapore chess meet
City-based Rajveer and Anaishaa shone brightly winning the gold medal in the Under-9 and silver medal in the Under-7 age groups, respectively, in the 35th Singapore National Open Age Group Chess Championship. The tournament, organised by the Singapore Chess Federation, saw around 500 players from 14 countries competing for the top honours. Rajveer, a student of city-based Vibgyor High School, with clever tactical play, remained unbeaten to finish with a total of 7.5 points out of a possible 8, stated a media release issued by South Mumbai Chess Academy. Rajveer, ranked third in his age group in the country, scored some creditable wins against higher rated opponents and also forced a draw against Singapore's Goh Zi Han, the highest ranked player in the competition. His sister Anaishaa, who is the defending Maharashtra state Under-7 champion, won the silver medal in her age category. She scored seven out of eight points.
India to host 3rd leg of Asian Tour 10 Reds Snooker in March
India is set to host the final leg of the Asian Tour 10 Reds Snooker in March this year, ace cueist Pankaj Advani said. "We have taken up the responsibility of conducting the third and final leg of the Asian Tour 10 Reds snooker in next two months. The competition will be organised in Bengaluru," Advani told PTI here. The first and second legs of the tournaments were held in Qatar and China, in September and October last year respectively. The third leg should have been held last year itself, but Karnataka State Billiards Association sought time to conduct the event and hence it will be held this year, Advani informed. Advani had reached the top spot in the Asian Tour 10 Reds Snooker 2018 after winning the finals held in China's Jinan. He was at no. 4 position after Doha championship with 121.7 points. But in the Jinan event, Advani secured 201.92 points and accumulated a total of 323.62 points to grab the top spot. Doha championship winner, Muhammad Bilal of Pakistan, slipped to ...