Raipur, Jan 20 (PTI) Shardul Thakur was picked over Umran Malik in the first ODI because he adds “depth” to the Indian batting but the Jammu and Kashmir speedster remains very much in the scheme of things for the ODI World Cup at home this year, said bowling coach Paras Mhambrey on Friday. Mhambrey said both Thakur and Malik add value to the team in different ways. “That (batting) is one of the reasons why we picked him (Thakur). He adds depth to the batting. We will have to see the surface and decide the combination accordingly. He has performed…
Author: Team Spogonews
New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI) Two-time world champions Viktor Axelsen and Akane Yamaguchi stayed in contention for second successive titles after progressing to the semifinals of the men’s singles and women’s singles competitions, respectively, at the Yonex-Sunrise India Open here on Friday. Axelsen, the reigning Olympic champion, advanced to the final four after his opponent Rasmus Gemke suffered a leg injury midway through the opening game and had to be taken off the court in a wheelchair. World No. 1 Yamaguchi, however, had to toil hard to get across three-time world champion and Rio gold medallist Carolina Marin of Spain…
Raipur, Jan 20 (PTI) New Zealand left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner feels getting more opportunities to bat over the past 12 months has led to an improvement in his power game and helped him chip in with useful knocks. Santner smashed his third ODI fifty on Wednesday while supporting a rampaging Michael Bracewell in a whirlwind 162-run stand for the seventh wicket against India, taking New Zealand very close to the finishing line in Hyderebad. Batting at number eight, his game plan is simple – to hit sixes from ball one – and that was amply clear in the way he…
Rourkela, Jan 20 (PTI) Star forward Blake Govers scored four times, including from a penalty stroke, as title contenders Australia thrashed South Africa 9-2 to top Pool A and directly qualify for the quarterfinals of the FIH Men’s World Cup here on Friday. Australia will face the winner of the crossover match between Malaysia and Spain in the quarterfinal match on January 24 in Bhubaneswar. Govers struck in the fourth, 15th, 19th and 20th minutes as the rampaging Australians led 7-1 at half time. His first and fourth strikes were field goals while the second one was from a penalty…
New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI) Badminton runs in the blood of the Indonesians.Besides China, no other country has dominated the racquet sport like Indonesia and yet they have only managed to win just one Thomas Cup title in the last two decades.The 14-time champions were denied the honour in the last edition by India, who had beaten the favourites 3-0 in the finals for their maiden win.”India has so many good players, especially in men’s singles. I think when India won the Thomas Cup, I felt maybe it was their time.”Players of Indonesia are good in ranking but that is…
Rohtak, Jan 20 (PTI) Bengal pacer Akash Deep returned with a career-best 10-wicket match haul as Bengal stormed into quarterfinals with a thumping innings and 50-run victory over Haryana in their Group A Ranji Trophy match here on Friday. Resuming the final day on a precarious 177/7 following on, Haryana managed to last only 10 overs and folded for 206 with Akash wrapping up the issue, dismissing Ajit Chahal and Amit Rana en route to a second successive five-wicket haul (5/51). Akash’s 5/61 in the first innings had brought the home team’s downfall for a paltry 153 as he returned…
Pune, Jan 20 (PTI) Come Sunday, and the tennis-loving city of Pune would witness the first six-day NECC ITF 40K Tennis Championships, would be officiated by an all- women members’ team. In a first in tennis in India, a 20-member all-women’s team, led by Asia’s gold badge referee Sheetal Iyer, would officiate the six-day long tournament. Sheetal would be officiating in her 100th plus ITF event as the tournament will have all women’s chair umpires, chief of officials, lines umpires, players desk, physios working during the week. “We are thrilled… This has been in our minds since a long but…
Chandigarh, Jan 20 (PTI) Chandigarh secured three points by virtue of fist innings lead from a drawn Ranji Trophy Group D game against Railways after a truncated final day here on Friday. Resuming the fourth day trailing the opponents by 99 runs, Railways made 71 for 1 in 17 overs. Opener Shivam Chaudhary remained not out on 33 while Pratham Singh was unbeaten on 26 when play ended. Another match in the group between Jammu & Kashmir and Tripura in Jammu ended with the first innings remaining unfinished. Earlier on Thursday, Punjab and Vidarbha posted wins over defending champion Madhya…
East London (South Africa), Jan 20 (PTI) The unbeaten 41-un knock in her India debut was “unreal” for debutant Amanjot Kaur as the young Punjab all-rounder recalled the sacrifices of her father Bhupinder Singh and coach Nagesh Gupta. A carpenter-cum-contractor, Singh who had enrolled Amanjot into a cricket academy as her ‘passing interest’, had to quit half of his work to ensure that his daughter’s training does not get hampered. Gupta, who honed Amanjot’s batting skills, made some tough calls and made her switch back to star-studded Punjab and leave her captaincy job in Chandigarh, a gamble that paid off…
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 20 (PTI) Karnataka gained three points after its Ranji Trophy Group C match against Kerala petered out to a draw on the fourth and final day here on Friday. The visiting team extended its lead to 143 runs adding 75 more runs to its overnight 410 for 6. Karnataka’s total of 485 for 9 declared was built on a superb double ton by India Test discard Mayank Agarwal (208, 360 balls, 17 fours, five sixes) The Kerala batters made 96 for 4 in 51 overs to deny Karnataka any opening as the game ended in a draw. Karnataka…