Page 841 - Sports
Atletico's Costa to have foot surgery this week after old injury resurfaces
Atletico Madrid announced on Monday that striker Diego Costa is set to have surgery on his left foot later this week, after an old injury to his fifth metatarsal bone resurfaced last month.
Lakshya Sen keen to carry title-winning momentum into PBL
Buoyed by the men's singles title triumph in the Tata Open India International Challenge Sunday, rising shuttler Lakshya Sen is keen to carry that winning momentum into the upcoming Premier Badminton League (PBL) for debutants Pune7Aces. The Almora-born youngster had defeated Thailand's Kunlavat Vitidsarn, a two-time world junior champion, to lift the title in Mumbai at the Cricket Club of India after having finished runner-up last year. "This tournament (Tata Open) which I won yesterday will definitely boost my confidence, because it was a senior tournament and I'll carry that momentum with me to the PBL (Premier Badminton League)," Sen told reporters here. With the Sunday victory, the Asian junior champion had thus avenged his defeat to Vitidsarn in the semi-finals of the Junior Worlds in Canada last month. Sen, along with Ajay Jayaram, Prajakta Sawant and doubles specialist Chirag Shetty, spoke at the launch of the Pune7Aces. Also present was actress Tapasee Pannu, ...
Bangladesh thumping of West Indies bittersweet for Walsh
Former West Indies bowling great Courtney Walsh has admitted to mixed emotions as his countrymen were routed by Bangladesh -- the side he now helps coach, who earned a rare Test series win. Bangladesh swept the series 2-0, with the second Test wrapping up Sunday inside three days as the Tigers recorded their first-ever victory by an innings margin. The Caribbean visitors made just 111 runs in their first innings -- the lowest Test score ever recorded against their hosts -- to become the first side Bangladesh has ever asked to follow-on. Walsh, a Jamaican cricketing giant who took 519 Test wickets for the West Indies, today acts as fast-bowling coach for Bangladesh, and said the thumping was bittersweet. "I might say that I am disappointed with probably how things have unfolded, but I am very happy to be involved with Bangladesh," Walsh told reporters in Dhaka. "We are in a winning situation, so my pride is intact. As a West Indian, you are going to be disappointed in the ...
ISL: Kerala look to get house in order vs Jamshedpur (Preview)
Kerala Blasters will look to set their house in order when they take on Jamshedpur FC in an Indian Super League game here on Tuesday.
Young Aussie batsman hits six sixes in an over
A rookie Australian batsman clubbed six sixes in one over during a record-breaking double century in the Cricket Australia Under-19 Male National Championships here on Monday.
Gagan Sethi defends JK Tyre Hornbill Rally title
Delhi's Gagan Sethi lived up to his reputation by defending his JK Tyre Hornbill Rally title here on Monday. Competing in the open category, Gagan (with navigator Sabatullah Khan) was at his sublime best, finishing the 55-km TSD rally with a mere penalty of 29 seconds to emerge victorious. The rally, held in the backdrop of the famous Hornbill Festival, was flagged-off by multiple Indian National Rally Champion Hari Singh from Indira Gandhi Stadium. The competitors traversed through rocky terrains on the outskirts of Kohima to reach the finish line in Kisama Village. They had to negotiate a total of seven surprise time controls. Gagan, who teamed up with Sabatullah for the first time, conceded that the victory was indeed very special as it was his wedding anniversary. He promptly dedicated the win to his wife. The second place was taken by Bijo Awom and Chandrasekhar (1:44 minutes penalty) while Tali Akang and Nirav Mehta finished third with a penalty of 2:05 minutes. Honourable chief
Kerala Blasters seek win against Jamshedpur to stay afloat
Winless in eight matches, Kerala Blasters FC would look to beat Jamshedpur FC in their Indian Super League football match here on Tuesday to remain in the hunt for a play-offs berth. It's getting worse by the match for Kerala Blasters FC, the two-time finalists. Since their opening round win against ATK, they have only gone downhill. David James' side can still qualify for the play-offs as one of the four-best teams but they must first start winning. This is Kerala's worst winless run (8 matches) in ISL history and much of it has been their own doing. James' men have lost seven points from winning positions this season after conceding late goals. "We have been very close in a lot of games. Early on in the season, there were a few decisions that didn't go our way. Perhaps we could have created more chances," said James. "As a head coach, I want to win every game and want the fans to be entertained. The way we recruited, we weren't expecting to reach the finals in year one. The first ...
Williamson, Watling dig in after Yasir shines in final Test
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson hit a fighting half century while BJ Watling batted with patience to delay leg-spinner Yasir Shah's bid to become the fastest to 200 wickets on the first day of the third and final Test in Abu Dhabi on Monday. Williamson missed out on a 19th Test century but Watling was unbeaten on 42 as New Zealand closed on 229-7, a measured recovery after being reduced to 72-4 by a triple strike from Yasir in the first session. Yasir began his 33rd Test needing five wickets to become the fastest man to reach the milestone of 200 Test wickets. The record is currently 36 Tests, set 82 years ago by Australian legspinner Clarrie Grimmett. Yasir managed 3-62 but was then thwarted by the fifth wicket stand of 104 in 249 balls between Williamson and Watling. He failed to take any more wickets in the last two sessions and still needs another two wickets to hit the 200-mark and claim the record. Williamson struck seven boundaries but these were the bright points in a day .
IPL auction to held in Jaipur on December 18
The player auction ahead of the 2019 Indian Premier League will be held in Jaipur on December 18, the BCCI announced on Monday. The auction will be a one-day affair and there is also a change in venue with the event moving to the Pink City from Bengaluru. Only 70 players -- 50 Indians and 20 overseas -- will be up grabs with eight teams left with a total purse of Rs 145.25 crore. Ahead of the auction, teams announced their retentions last month, while releasing a few big names. Yuvraj Singh was released by KXIP while Delhi Daredevils let go of Gautam Gambhir. Rajasthan Royals released Jaydev Unadkat after paying a whopping Rs 11.5 crore for his services at the auction held ahead of the 2018 edition. Sunrisers Hyderabad dumped injured Wriddhiman Saha along with West Indies T20 captain Carlos Brathwaite. Mumbai Indians released some top international stars like JP Duminy and fast bowling duo of Pat Cummins and Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh. The 2019 edition may be held outside India, .
ICC Test rankings: Mehidy Hasan breaks into top 20
Bangladesh's off-spinner Mehidy Hasan achieved a career-high to break into the top 20 of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Bowlers rankings on Monday.After a stellar performance in the second Test against West Indies, which Bangladesh won by an innings and 184 runs, the 21-year-old leapfrogged Shakib Al Hasan (21st) and Taijul Islam (22nd) to secure the 16th position after his figures of seven for 58 and five for 59 provided him a lift of 14 places.Mehidy, who featured in the U19 World Cup 2016 held in Bangladesh, started the series at the 28th position but had slipped to 30th after the Chittagong Test where he managed to scalp only three wickets.Headed by Kagiso Rabada of South Africa, and followed by James Anderson of England and Pakistan's Mohammad Abbas, Mehidy is the only notable gainer in the bowling table.Meanwhile, Shakib may have lost the status of being his side's highest-ranked bowler, but he has gained seven places to become Bangladesh's highest-ranked batsman. .
Odisha CM felicitates winners of 'Hausla 2018'
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Monday announced cash prizes for the winner of 'Hausla 2018' the national festival for children living in child care institutions (CCIs). The festival was held in Delhi in the last week of November. Patnaik announced a cash prize of Rs 50,000 for the first rank holders and Rs 30,000 and Rs 20,000 for second and third rank holders respectively. The chief minister also felicitated the participants of 'Hausla 2018' here at the state secretariat. Patnaik praised the children of CCI's for performing well in various events, including men's football, women's football, chess and track and field events. Around 38 participants from different child care institutions in Odisha took part in the event, officials said. The children from Odisha won 14 gold medals, four silver medals and three bronze medals in the sports event. With this Odisha topped the medal tally in both men and women field, the officials said. The chief minister also invited the .
East Bengal look to return to winning ways against Minerva Punjab FC at home
Kolkata giants East Bengal would look to bounce back from their back-to-back defeats and return to winning ways when they face defending champions Minerva Punjab FC in their home I-League match on Tuesday. East Bengal began the league with consecutive wins -- against Neroca FC and Shillong Lajong -- in their away matches but then suffered defeats against table-toppers Chennai City FC and Aizawl FC and they would look to arrest the losing streak. Minerva Punjab FC are with eight points to their kitty from two wins and equal number of losses and draws. East Bengal head coach Alejandro Garcia would be looking to organise his defence line which has quite often allowed the opponents to breach into the danger zone this season. "After two losses we want to win a match. Our priority will be to win tomorrow. Minerva is a good team. Their style of play is very different and to defend against them is very difficult at times. But we are playing at our home and we have to play better than them," .
Skipper Cortes hands Spain 1-1 draw against France, both teams still in fray
Skipper and goalkeeper Quico Cortes led from the front with a superb penalty stroke save to help three-time medallist Spain eke out a hard-fought 1-1 draw against lowly France in their second Pool A match at the ongoing men's hockey World Cup here on Monday. The draw kept both the teams in the hunt for the knock-out round with one point apiece from two games. It was a battle between world number 8 Spain and the lowest ranked team of the competition France, who are ranked 20th, but it turned out to be a keenly-contested encounter as the Frenchmen gave their opponents a run for their money. It was France who stunned the Spaniards in the sixth minute when Timothee Clement scored from a field effort. But Spain came back strongly after the change of ends and restored parity in the 48th minute through Alvaro Iglesias' field strike. France had a golden opportunity to register their first major upset of the tournament but the Spain skipper Cortes came to his side's rescue. In the last 10 ...
First time in history, IOA submits interest to bid for 2032 Olympic Games
"Dead serious" about bringing the Olympics to India in 2032, the IOA has submitted a formal expression of interest to bid for the event and is set to approach the government for support. IOA president Narinder Batra told the visiting International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach earlier this year that India would consider bidding for the 2032 Games. Bach had welcomed the move. The IOA has already submitted a formal expression of interest to the IOC to bid for the 2032 Olympic. Following that, IOA Secretary General Rajeev Mehta had a meeting with the three-member bid committee of the IOC headed by Jacqueline Barrett, Associate Director Olympic Games/Olympic Candidatures, during the body's Board meeting in Tokyo earlier this month. "We are dead serious about this bid for the 2032 Olympics. So, we have already submitted to the IOC the letter expressing our interest in hosting 2032 Olympic Games. I had a meeting with the Bid Committee of the IOC. They welcomed the move and said that ..
Ricky Ponting offers strategic insight to unsettle Virat Kohli
Ahead of the upcoming four-Test match series between India and Australia, former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting on Monday offered a detailed strategic insight into how to unsettle India skipper Virat Kohli.Talking about who possess the potential to stop the Indian leader, Ponting told Cricket Australia: "The first thing I will be doing is going back and looking at how anyone has stopped him in the past. Who has had the most success against Virat Kohli and why? The first one that comes to mind is someone like a James Anderson, who's probably had the most success against him. From what I've watched over the years, he seems to trouble him the most.""If the ball is not moving, he is going to be really hard to get out. With someone like him who likes to score freely, he's obviously got a big ego but there are other things you can do. You can put a few fielders out (on the boundary) early on; don't let him get any boundaries. Maybe don't go as aggressive at him early on. Try to bowl lots ..
Old warhorse Sharath breaks into top-30 of ITTF rankings
Veteran table tennis player Sharath Kamal has broken into the top-30 of the ITTF rankings while teammate G Sathiyan has jumped four places to reach a career-high 31st position. With 36-year-old Sharath and the much younger Sathiyan achieving a career-best rankings, the year has gotten better for Indian table tennis. Sharath held the 31st spot in the rankings for October and November before gaining a place in December. In a path-breaking year, India won an unprecedented two bronze medals in the Asian Games held in Jakarta. Sharath and Sathiyan led India to a men's team bronze before another unexpected bronze came when Sharath and Manika Batra finished in the top-four of the mixed doubles competition. The other Indian in the top-100 of the men's rankings is Harmeet Desai (100). Manika has gained a place to be 52nd in the women's rankings and remains the sole Indian in the top-100. India had also produced their best ever showing at the Commonwealth Games by winning eight medals, ...
German football legend Matthus on India tour from Tuesday
Germany's World Cup winning skipper Lothar Matthus is on a three-day promotional visit to the country beginning Tuesday and will also attend a couple of Indian Super League (ISL) games. The Germany and FC Bayern Munich great, who took part in five successive World Cups - from 1982-1998 - is visiting the country as part of the Bundesliga Legends Tour designed to inspire and connect Indian fans to the German football league, a media release stated Monday. Matthus, who captained Germany to the World Cup title in 1990 and is on his first tour to India, is scheduled to visit several football development projects. He will also attend the ISL matches in Kochi and Mumbai scheduled on December 4 and 6, respectively. During his trip, the 57-year-old former European Footballer of the Year will also meet several key stakeholders within the Indian football ecosystem, including Bundesliga's media partner Star Sports, according to the release. The Bundesliga trophy - 'Meisterschale' is
Koepka leads World Golf Ranking for 2nd consecutive week
United States' golfer Brooks Koepka maintained the number one spot in the World Golf Ranking released on Monday for the second week in a row, after a weekly battle with Justin Rose of England.
Birthday wishes pour in for women's ODI skipper Mithali Raj
Birthday wishes poured in for the Indian women's ODI team skipper Mithali Raj from across the cricketing fraternity as the ace cricketer turns 36 today.From the International Cricket Council (ICC) to master blaster Sachin Tendulkar, a number of people took to Twitter to extend good wishes to Mithali on her special day."Happy birthday to Mithali Raj! No woman has scored more ODI runs than her 6,550," ICC wrote along with her picture in the blue jersey.The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Women also wished the "leading run-scorer" in women ODIs."The leading run scorer in Women ODIs, here's wishing our ODI Captain @M_Raj03 a very happy birthday #HappyBirthdayMithali," BCCI Women tweeted.Posting a picture with Mithali, Sachin Tendulkar wrote, "Happy Birthday, @M_Raj03! Have a fantastic year ahead and keep making India proud. #HappyBirthdayMithali.""You're not just a brilliant cricketer, but also a symbol of women's empowerment. A true inspiration to the youth. Wishing you a ...
Maheshwari Chauhan retains women's skeet title
Rajasthan's Maheshwari Chauhan retained her women's skeet title at the 62nd National Shooting Championship Competitions (NSCC) for shotgun events here on Monday. Maheshwari got the better off Punjab's Ganemat Sekhon, the same rival whom she had beaten last year. While the two women had to be separated through a shoot-off in last year's final, Maheshwari overcame Ganemat 52-51 in this year's final to clinch the gold. The bronze medal was won by Punjab's Simran Preet Kaur Johal, who later picked up three gold in other events. Simran won the women's team, junior women's and junior women's team gold to add to her women's skeet bronze. In the junior women's final, Simran beat state-mate Parinaaz Dhaliwal 55-51. In the women's skeet team competition, Simran, Parinaaz and Ganemat's combined tally of 342 was far better than silver winning Rajasthan's tally of 331. Telangana won the bronze.