Page 947 - Sports
Messi in Barca squad for trip to Inter Milan
Lionel Messi has been included in the Barcelona squad that flew from the El Prat airport on Monday for the away Champions League tie against Inter Milan.
Sterling plans to give Man City fans more to sing about
Raheem Sterling hopes to give Manchester City fans plenty more reason to chant his name after starring in Sunday's demolition of Southampton. Sterling scored two goals and provided two assists as City swatted aside Southampton 6-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. City manager Pep Guardiola praised the performance of the England attacker, talking about his "incredible form" as the crowd revelled in his performance. Sterling said he loved it when the crowd sang his name. "I've got to try to keep making them sing it," he said. "I enjoy playing at the Etihad any time. It is an amazing stadium, coming out here and seeing my family and everyone." Sterling's comments could be seen as a further sign of encouragement that he is close to agreeing a new contract with the defending champions, who are two points clear of Chelsea and Liverpool at the top of the Premier League. The former Liverpool player's current deal expires at the end of next season but there were reports last week that he had ..
Upcoming book charts history of women's cricket in India
From the days of pioneers like Diana Eduljee and Shantha Rangaswamy in the early 1970s to the stars of today like Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur, the story of womens cricket in India will be chronicled in an upcoming book.
Taijul's 11 wicket-haul leads Bangladesh fightback
Taijul Islam claimed 11 wickets to lead Bangladesh's fightback in the first Test against Zimbabwe on Monday, but the hosts still need a record chase to win in Sylhet. Bangladesh dismissed Zimbabwe for 181 in their second innings with Taijul returning impressive bowling figures of 5-62. Taijul's effort boosted Bangladesh after they were bowled out cheaply for just 143 in response to the tourists' first innings haul of 282 runs. The hosts were 26-0 in their chase of 321 when bad light stopped play on day three at the Sylhet International Stadium. Opener Liton Das and Imrul Kayes remained unbeaten on 14 and 12 respectively as Bangladesh head into day four with another 295 runs needed to re-write the record books. No team has ever had to chase so many runs to win a Test match in Bangladesh. Bangladesh's highest successful chase at home is 101 against Zimbabwe in 2014. Zimbabwe though were on their way to a bigger lead after reaching 165-6 at tea, but spinners made a quick work to pick the
Sylhet, Nov 5 (AFP) Scoreboard at stumps on the third day of the first Test between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet Monday:
Scoreboard at stumps on the third day of the first Test between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet Monday: Zimbabwe 1st innings 282 Bangladesh 1st innings 143 Zimbabwe 2nd innings (overnight 0-1) H. Masakadza lbw b Mehidy 48 B. Chari b Mehidy 4 B. Taylor c Imrul. B. Taijul 24 S. Williams b Taijul 20 S. Raza b Taijul 25 P. Moor c Liton b Taijul 0 R. Chakabva c Mahmudullah b Nazmul 20 W. Masakadza lbw b Mehidy 17 B. Mavuta c Ariful B Nazmul 6 K. Jarvis not out 1 T. Chatara lbw b Taijul 8 Extra: (b-4, lb-4) 8 Total: 181 all out in 65.4 overs Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-47, 3-101, 4-121, 5-121, 6-130, 7-165, 8-172, 9-173 Bowling: Taijul 28.4-8-62-5, Nazmul 6-1-27-2, Jayed 7-1-25-0, Mehedi 19-7-48-3, Mahmudullah 4-1-7-0, Mominul 1-0-4-0 Bangladesh 2nd innings (target 321) Liton Das not out 14 Imrul Kayes not out 12 Extras: 0 Total: 26 for no loss in 10.1 overs Bowling: Jarvis 5-2-11-0, Chatara 5-1-15-0, Raza 0.1-0-0-0.
Coach Jitendra pleased with Krunal's debut
Joy knew no bounds for Jitendra Singh, the coach of Krunal Pandya, after the all-rounder made his T20 debut for India Sunday night in Kolkata and justified the faith reposed in him by the team management. Krunal got his chance to don the national cap two years after younger brother Hardik's ODI debut in October 2016 against the West Indies in the first of three T20 Internationals at Kolkata. The 27-year-old Krunal (21 not out off 9 balls) did not disappoint as he steered the side home in a tricky chase in the company of Dinesh Karthik and also hit the winning boundary off Keemo Paul in the 18th over. "Yes Krunal did well and batted as per the situation (of the game), which is a good thing. I am very satisfied and there is always score of improvement. Finishing a match has been there in my coaching philosophy," Jitendra told PTI from Vadodara. "A good player is the one who finishes tha match and you should not leave it for anyone else. And he (Krunal) did that yesterday .
Why Azhar? Gambhir blasts CAB invitation to former captain
The outspoken Gautam Gambhir has lashed out at the Cricket Association of Bengal for inviting former skipper Mohammed Azharuddin for the first T20 International against the West Indies. Gambhir, not one to hold back from expressing his reservations for anyone remotely associated with match-fixing, took to twitter to air his views. "India may have won today at Eden but I am sorry @bcci, CoA & CAB lost. Looks like the No Tolerance Policy against Corrupt takes a leave on Sundays! I know he was allowed to contest HCA polls but then this is shocking. The bell is ringing, hope the powers that be are listening," Gambhir tweeted. Repeated calls to CAB president Sourav Ganguly and joint secretary Abhishek Dalmia went unanswered. Azharuddin was banned for life by the BCCI for his alleged involvement in the match-fixing scandal that rocked the cricket world in 2000. However, in 2012, the former captain's ban was overturned by the Andhra High Court. While the BCCI has never formally issued ...
Chandimal looks to put England in a spin at Galle
Skipper Dinesh Chandimal Monday said Sri Lanka's spinners are ready to fire in the first Test against England in Galle as the hosts eye a winning farewell for the retiring Rangana Herath. Sri Lanka, who went down to the tourists 3-1 in the five one-day internationals and also lost a one-off Twenty20 match, are looking for redemption in the three-Test series starting Tuesday. Spinners Dilruwan Perera and Akila Dananjaya are expected to partner Herath in his final international outing on a turning Galle track that has seen rain in the lead up to the match. "When you look at the Galle pitch, it's always turning and helpful to spinners," Chandimal told reporters. "When we play in Sri Lanka, it's spinners who take charge. Then again, it's all about weather and the condition of the pitch." But England are also ready with their battery of spinners led by Moeen Ali. Jack Leach, Joe Denly and Adil Rashid will also be fighting for a place in the starting line-up. Skipper Joe Root also admitted .
Helicopter tragedy will haunt me forever, Leicester's Schmeichel says
Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel says the helicopter crash that killed the club's revered Thai owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha will haunt him forever after he witnessed the tragedy. The 32-year-old Danish international -- speaking after Leicester had beaten Cardiff on Saturday in their first match since the crash, which also killed four others -- waved the helicopter off following the 1-1 draw with West Ham on October 27. Moments later it came down, with Schmeichel reported to have been stopped by police as he ran towards the burning wreckage. "I was on the pitch and I waved him off," said Schmeichel, before he flew with teammates and coaching staff to Bangkok to attend Vichai's funeral. "I saw it all happen. It is something that will stay with me, unfortunately. It's not a nice memory but I've had all the support that I need. "The club has been great and everybody has received the support that they needed." Schmeichel joined Leicester in 2011, a year after Vichai bought the ...
Confident Real Kashmir face Churchill Brothers in first home game
India's top football competition will make its debut in the Valley Tuesday when a confident Real Kashmir, who made this possible, host Churchill Brothers in their maiden home game of the I-League. Real Kashmir got their campaign off to a dream start, stunning defending champions Minerva Punjab FC in their first-ever game in the country's top-flight. The match will be played at the TRC turf ground. In their opener, Real Kashmir were helped by a strike from Ivorian striker Gnohere Krizo. Churchill Brothers have done well to remain unbeaten in their two games, played at two different corners of the country. They drew goalless against Minerva and then had a fighting 2-2 draw against table toppers Chennai City, which should give them confidence going into the game. David Robertson, Real Kashmir's Scottish coach knows that his side will have to improve a lot from their display against Minerva. In the pre-match press conference, he said, "It's going to be another day in history as we are ...
Rose regains top spot World Golf Rankings
English golfer Justin Rose regained the No. 1 spot in the World Golf Rankings released Monday.
Gambhir steps down as Delhi Ranji skipper
Cricketer Gautam Gambhir on Monday stepped down as the captain of the Delhi Ranji team and said it was time for the young guns to lead the squad.
IPL: Delhi Daredevils trade Dhawan from Sunrisers Hyderabad
Delhi Daredevils have traded in left-handed opener Shikhar Dhawan from Sunrisers Hyderabad for the upcoming Indian Premier League season, it was announced on Monday.
Gambhir shuns Delhi skipper responsibility
Delhi batsman Gautam Gambhir, on Monday asked the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) authorities to not consider him for the captaincy role and in his stead should give the responsibility to some youngster.The 37-year-old Southpaw further mentioned that he will assume a supporting role and will help the newly-appointed captain.Gambhir while revealing his decision, tweeted, "Time to pass the captaincy baton to youngsters, hence have requested the DDCA selectors not to consider me for that role. I will be in the background helping the new leader to win games."DDCA president Rajat Sharma also expressed his happiness over Gambhir taking a back seat and prepping the new skipper for Delhi.In his reply, DDCA president Rajat Sharma tweeted, "We would have loved to have @GautamGambhir leading the Delhi team. At the same time, I'm happy that Gautam has decided to take a back seat and will train the new captain."Gambhir was reinstated as captain at the start of the domestic season. He
Zaheer, Munaf among Indian cricketers for T10 League
Former pace spearhead Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel and Praveen Kumar are among a few well-known Indian cricketers picked to play for respective franchises in the upcoming T10 League in the UAE. Bengal Tigers picked up Zaheer while Punjabi Legends opted for Praveen at a draw for eight Indian cricketers. The T10 League that takes place at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium from November 21 to December 2. S Badrinath will play for Maratha Arabians while last year's champions Kerala Kings have picked Reetinder Singh Sodhi to brighten their chances. Pakhtoons selected R P Singh while Rajputs picked up Munaf at the draw. Newcomers Karachians picked up Pravin Tambe, while Northern Warriors have opted for Amitoze Singh. Zaheer Khan, who took 311 wickets in Test cricket, 282 in one-day internationals and 17 T20 wickets in a career spanning 14 years, leads the pack among Indian players. Shaji Ul Mulk, chairman of T10 League, said, "The inclusion of some of the most prominent Indian cricketers in the T10 ..
130 will be tough to chase on Lucknow track: Curator
Twenty20 is always considered to be a batsmen-friendly format but the second Twenty20 International between India and West Indies here on Tuesday is expected to be a low scoring affair, according to a local curator. Lucknow is hosting an international cricket match after 24 long years with the newly-built Ekana Stadium making its debut. But going by a local curator, the cricket-crazy fans of the city are up for a dampener as anything above 130 would be a winning score for the team batting first. "It won't be a high-scoring game for sure. The pitch has long dead grass on both sides with cracks in between. It will be a slow bouncing wicket and spinners are expected to play a big part from the beginning," the curator told PTI. "The pitch is made of soil exported from Odisha's Bolangir which is famous for its slow nature. Both the teams will find it difficult to score runs and hit big shots with long square boundaries," he added. BCCI's chief curator Daljit Singh was in charge of the ...
Book on history of women's cricket to be out on Nov 30
A book on history of women's cricket in India will hit the stands on November 30, announced Westland Publications on Monday. The book, titled 'The Fire Burns Blue: A History of Women's Cricket in India', is co-authored by sports journalists Karunya Keshav and Sidhanta Pathak. Claiming to provide an elaborate narrative of the game, right from its origin to the present day, the book, as per the author, would be peppered with rare photographs in a bid to re-iterate the highs and lows of the early years of women's cricket. It would talk about the numerous "twist and turns" of women's cricket, including the early days of pioneers like Diana Eduljee and Shantha Rangaswamy in the early '70s and the stars of today like Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur. "Women's cricket in India has been built on the hard work and a wonderful can-do spirit of some incredible, multi-faceted women. "Their journeys are inspiring and entertaining. At a time when the game is changing, and the understanding of ...
It's shame top players are not interested in playing for WI: Hooper
Former West Indies skipper Carl Hooper has said it's a shame that the top players from the Caribbeans are not interested in playing for the country. The T20 world champions, who are in India without the likes of Chris Gayle, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, suffered a five-wicket defeat in the opening match against India at the Eden Gardens here Sunday. The players are missing in action either because of injuries or 'personal problems' in the wake of the long-standing feud with their cricket board. "It's clear that they are not interested in playing for the West Indies. It's a shame," the cricketer-turned-commentator said on the sidelines of the first T20I. The Carlos Brathwaite-led West Indies team featured three debutants, including Fabian Allen, in the match against India. Allen was their top-scorer (20-ball 27) in a weak batting display as they posted 109/8. "It would not have been this easy for India if our seniors played. This is a young squad and they need time," the 51-year-old
Djokovic snatches Nadal's ATP top spot
Serbia's Novak Djokovic snatched the top spot of the men's Association of Tennis Professionals world singles rankings released on Monday from Spanish tennis great Rafael Nadal, now World No. 2.
ISL: Pune City's Diego Carlos suspended & fined
FC Pune City player Diego Carlos has been suspended for three Indian Super League (ISL) matches and fined Rs two Lakhs for breach of AIFF Disciplinary Code, it was announced on Monday.