Page 917 - Sports
IPL: Pacer Starc released by Kolkata Knight Riders
Australia pacer Mitchell Starc on Wednesday said that he was released by his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of the upcoming season.
IOA tells sports ministry to resolve Kosovo boxer visa issue immediately
Fearing serious repercussions, the Indian Olympic Association Wednesday asked the sports ministry to immediately resolve the controversy surrounding Kosovan boxer Donjeta Sadiku's visa. In a strongly-worded letter to the sports ministry, IOA president Narinder Batra said that her non-participation in the Women's World Championships beginning tomorrow, could lead to India being barred by the International Olympic Committee from hosting major events. "It is required that immediate action is taken today by Indian authorities to make sure the athletes and delegation from Kosovo will be able to take part in the Women's World Boxing Championships and will be treated in the same conditions as any other participants without any undue discrimination in accordance with the values and principles which govern the Olympic Movement worldwide," Batra said in the letter. "Failing which the situation will be reported to all international sports organisations concerned for appropriate action which will
New train coaches from India to reach Sri Lanka
The Indian Railways will export the first state-of-the-art swanky and modern Diesel Multiple Units (DEMU) train rake to Sri Lanka in a week, rail officials said on Wednesday.
Sunil's absence from Jordan game big blow, says Constantine
The "irreplaceable" Sunil Chhetri's absence from the friendly against Jordan is a huge blow, Indian football coach Stephen Constantine said Wednesday, staring at a bleak future upfront with his talismanic striker starting to grey. The 34-year-old Chhetri has been ruled out of the November 17 friendly owing to an ankle injury. Constantine expressed concerns at the dearth of promising strikers and the void the country's all-time leading scorer's absence can cause. "Sunil missing for the clash against Jordan is a big blow for us. He is a great player and has been fantastic for us in the last four years. He is one of those players that is irreplaceable but somebody has to take his place for the match against Jordan. Sunil is no spring chicken," Constantine said. "However it is a great opportunity for young players to step up and although you cannot find a player of his calibre and class, we need to see if the young player step up and take this opportunity." The match is in preparation ...
SAI orders enquiry into sprinter Palinder Chaudhry's suicide
The Director General of Sports Neelam Kapur on Wednesday ordered an internal enquiry to ascertain the facts behind the suicide of sprinter Palinder Chaudhry.The enquiry panel will be headed by Sports Authority of India (SAI) Secretary S S Chhabra.Speaking about the matter, Kapur said, "The enquiry officer will speak to all concerned people - coaches, other athletes, and his family members, especially his sister who had come to visit him that evening, to understand what may have led him to take this extreme step. This is a very sad turn of events and we are extending all support to the family. Arrangements are being made to send the body to Aligarh for his the last rites."Meanwhile, the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore has expressed condolences at the loss of the 18-year-old sprinter.The sprinter was found hanging from a ceiling fan inside his hostel room in the athletics academy yesterday.Chaudhary had joined the National Athletics Academy of SAI in ...
Hong Kong Open: Sindhu survives a scare to enter pre-quarterfinals
Olympic silver medallist P V Sindhu on Wednesday defeated Thailand's Nitchaon Jindapol to enter the pre-quarterfinals of the ongoing Hong Kong World Tour Super 500 tournament.The 23-year-old survived a scare as she fought her way with 21-15, 13-21, 21-17 win over her Thailand counterpart.Sindhu started her campaign with an easy first game but she went down in the second as her Thai opponent made a comeback. However, she refreshed her energy and knocked out Jindapol in the decider.With six consecutive points, Sindhu dominated Jindapol, who could only bag four consecutive points overall in the women's singles game. The World number three also secured 55 rallies, while World number fourteen could gain only 53 of them.After stamping her authority in the match that lasted an hour, Sindhu will face World number ten Sung Ji-Hyun of South Korea in the main draw tomorrow.In men's singles event, Indian campaigner Verma hardly broke a sweat to conquer Suppanyu Avihingsanon of Thailand in ...
Tough to become a standout Kabaddi player in India: Fazel (IANS Interview)
In no time he has become one of the latest posterboys in Indias cash-rich Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) but U Mumba skipper Fazel Atrachali, the Iranian defender, feels it is a tough task to become a standout player in a country like India, the powerhouse of this game for several years.
Ranieri to the rescue as Fulham sack Jokanovic
Fulham appointed Italian veteran Claudio Ranieri as manager on Wednesday after sacking Slavisa Jokanovic in a bid to beat the drop from England's Premier League. Jokanovic led Fulham back into England's top flight in May 2018 but the 50-year-old Serbian has struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League. After 12 games, Fulham sit bottom of the pile with just five points and one win from 12 games. Jokanovic becomes the first managerial casualty of the season in the Premier League. Ranieri, who famously led Leicester to a fairytale Premier League title in 2016, was a free agent after being sacked by French Ligue 1 club Nantes one game before the end of last season. His appointment comes only weeks after his former boss at Leicester, club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, died with four others when his helicopter plummeted into a car park outside the King Power stadium shortly after his side's 1-1 draw with West Ham. "I was terribly shaken by the news," Ranieri told Sky Sport Italia two
Mary Kom eyes historic sixth gold as World Championship begins Thursday
Celebrated boxer M C Mary Kom will aim for a historic sixth gold at the AIBA Women' World Championships, the build up of which has been marred by a row over lone Kosovan boxer's participation and poor quality air in the national capital. The 10th edition of the championships, set to be the biggest ever with more than 300 participants from 72 countries, is being held in the backdrop of boxing's uncertain Olympic future in the aftermath of controversial Uzbek businessman Gafur Rakhimov's election as President. Commensurate with its status as global power in women's boxing with the third most number of medals in the history of the event, India is hosting the championships for the second time after 2006 when the country topped the table with eight medals (4 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze). The 10-member Indian team, which is a mix of seasoned and young boxers, is unlikely to repeat the 2006 feat but is expecting at least three medals, including a gold. The 35-year-old Mary Kom, who is India's .
Fixture against Jordan important for team, says football coach Constantine
India's coach Stephen Constantine on Wednesday said that the fixture against Jordan would prove to be extremely beneficial for the national football team.
Women's World T20: Confident India eye semis berth (Preview)
Having convincingly won their first two matches, a dominant India will look to stamp their authority and inch closer to a semi-final berth when they face a lowly Ireland in a Group B match of the ICC Women's World Twenty20 here on Thursday.
BCCI to consider appointing higher-ranked umpires in Ranji Trophy
Considering the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB)'s plea to appoint higher-ranked umpires for Ranji Trophy games, the BCCI has decided to "relook" at the matter, sources close to the board said.
England staggered by Sri Lanka spinners in second Test
England's top batsmen were toppled by Sri Lanka's spinners after their new number three Ben Stokes and skipper Joe Root fell cheaply on day one of the second Test on Wednesday. The tourists lost regular wickets after electing to bat first and were 212 for seven at tea in Kandy. Sam Curran, on 12, and Adil Rashid, on 29, were batting at the break. Jos Buttler stood out with his gritty 63 after the spinners, led by Malinda Pushpakumara, ran through the English top and middle order. Dilruwan Perera grabbed two wickets while fellow spinner Akila Dananjaya and fast bowler Suranga Lakmal claimed one each. Pushpakumara took the three key wickets of Root, for 14, Buttler and Moeen Ali, for 10, with his left-arm orthodox spin to put England on the back foot on a turning pitch. The left-right batting pair of Curran and Rashid put together an unbeaten 41-run stand for the eighth wicket after the hosts had slipped to 171-7. Stokes, who batted at number five in his team's opening win last week, ..
Nations League gets to the business end
World Cup winners France, Eden Hazard's Belgium and a fast-improving Netherlands under Ronald Koeman could all book places in the finals of the Nations League in matches between Thursday and Tuesday. The competition, UEFA's bid to move away from meaningless friendly matches, has divided opinion in its inaugural season. The strongest sides will qualify for the finals next June, but all 16 group winners will get a place in the Euro 2020 qualification playoffs. However, if those nations have already qualified for Euro 2020 through normal qualifying, the best-ranked team from a lower group will be drafted in. Qualifying for Euro 2020 does not begin until next March. France on brink of qualification ================================ Kylian Mbappe can carry world champions France into the finals on Friday with a draw against the resurgent Netherlands in Rotterdam. "We are going there for the win," coach Didier Deschamps warned. "We are the world champions and we will behave like it." France .
Family clueless over sprinter Palinder Chaudhary's alleged suicide
The family members of sprinter Palinder Chaudhary, who allegedly committed suicide at the Sports Authority of India (SAI)-run athletics academy at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Wednesday, stated that everything was normal and they are clueless as to what went wrong with their son.Speaking to ANI, the sprinter's father, Mahesh Pal, said, "He (Palinder) told me he needed money. I assured him that I will give him the money. Don't know what happened later. I've no complaints against the people at the stadium."Meanwhile, Palinder's cousin, while clarifying that she didn't meet him on Tuesday, revealed that everything was normal when he spoke to his parents. All of a sudden, they got a call that he allegedly committed suicide and was rushed to a hospital by his coach, she added."There was no problem. He was focussed on his game and career. I am the only sister in Delhi and I haven't met him. The news that I met him is fake," the cousin sister said.However, an SAI official said, "I was ...
Real Madrid confirm Solari as coach until June 2021
Real Madrid confirmed Santiago Solari as their new permanent first team coach until the end of June 2021 following a successful fortnight in charge since replacing the sacked Julen Lopetegui on October 29.
KKR dumps Strac, tells him via text message
Australian paceman Mitchell Starc on Wednesday revealed that IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders has released him from the squad and he got the news of his dumping via a text message from the owners. One of the costliest buys in the 2018 auction, Starc was forced to miss the entire season due to stress fracture in his right leg. "I got a text message two days ago from the owners of Kolkata, saying I've been released from my contract. At the moment I'll be home in April," Starc told reporters. The exact reason for Starc's release is not yet known but it is being believed that it could be because of the uncertainty around his availability for the 2019 season. Starc, grabbed by KKR for 1.8 million Australian dollars, was replaced by England fast bowler Tom Curran.. "I obviously didn't go last year with my tibia injury and it was a great opportunity to freshen the body up, let everything heal by itself. I guess barring a little niggle in my hammy I've felt pretty good with my body and my ...
Spanish women hold powerhouse Germany to scoreless draw in friendly
Spain's national women's football team battled to a goalless draw against second-ranked Germany in a friendly match, which saw its seven-game winning streak come to an end.
Organisers deny Federer given special treatment at Australian Open
Australian Open director Craig Tiley has responded to criticism that he gives Roger Federer preferential treatment by saying that the former World No. 1 creates interest in the sport and deserves to play at times that will draw the largest spectator numbers.
Stokes fails at three as England slip to 120-4 at lunch
New number three Ben Stokes fell for 19 and captain Joe Root was dismissed cheaply again as England slipped to 120 for 4 in the opening session of the second Test against Sri Lanka on Wednesday. The tourists elected to bat in their bid for a series-clinching win but lost four wickets before lunch on a pitch already assisting spinners in Kandy. Jos Buttler, on 38, and Moeen Ali (4) were the not out batsmen with paceman Suranga Lakmal and spinners Dilruwan Perera, Malinda Pushpakumara and Akila Dananjaya all taking a wicket each. Dananjaya, who is playing despite his bowling action being reported by the International Cricket Council in Galle last week, got the final wicket before lunch, of Rory Burns for 43. Stokes, who batted at number five in his team's opening win last week, had been sent up the order following Moeen's twin failures at number three in Galle. Off-spinner Perera successfully reviewed an lbw decision against Stokes after the on-field umpire had turned down an ...