New Delhi, May 16 (Boxing News) Asian Championships bronze medallist Nikhat Zareen (52kg) secured India its first medal at the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships in Istanbul on Monday by advancing to the semifinals with a superb win.

Continuing her stellar run from the prestigious Strandja Memorial tournament where she won the gold earlier this year, Nikhat out-punched England’s Charley-Sian Davison 5-0.

The 25-year-old Telangana boxer was all pumped up in her highly physical bout against Davison. Both boxers went attacking ferociously against each other in the first round.

However, the second round was a one way street as Nikhat pounded her opponent with terrific body shots to tire her out while also landing clean and sharp punches.

With the two rounds in the bag, Nikhat then displayed her defensive skills as she no longer felt the need to be on the offensive in the final few minutes of her quarterfinal bout.

However, Nitu (48kg) ended her campaign with a 2-3 split verdict quarterfinal loss to reigning Asian champion Alua Balkibekova of Kazakhstan.

The 21-year-old from Haryana, who is a two-time youth world champion, started the bout cautiously, enticing her opponent to come at her but struggled to land punches herself.

The Indian tried hard to break Balkibekova's defences as the Kazakh boxer moved around swiftly. Nitu managed to up the ante in the final round but it was too late as the judges ruled in her opponent's favour.

Later in the day, Manisha (57kg), Parveen (63kg), Pooka Rani (81kg), Anamika (50kg) Jaisimine (60kg) and Nadini (+81kg) will compete in their quarterfinals bouts. 

Also Read : IBA elects new President and Board of Directors in Istanbul

News Source : PTI

(Football news) Paulo Dybala in a heartfelt letter announced that he will be leaving Juventus at the end of the season when his current contract expires. Apart from thanking the fans and reminiscing the memories, the Argentine said that he thought he would be staying at the club for much longer but fate had other plans. Juventus' next game against Lazio will be Dybala's last home game as a Juventus player. 

"It is difficult to find the right words to greet you," Dybala told fans in a statement posted to his social media channels. "There are so many years and so many emotions involved altogether. I thought we would be together [for] even more years, but fate puts us on different paths. I will never forget everything you made me experience, every game, every goal. With you, I grew up, I learned, I lived and I dreamed. It has been seven years of magic, 12 trophies and 115 goals that no one will take away from us, never.

"Thank you for supporting me in difficult times. Thanks to those who have accompanied me over the years, from the first to the last, from the fans to the people who work within the club, everyone, [from] coaches and teammates, employees and managers. Wearing this important jersey together with the captain's armband has been one of the greatest [moments of] pride of my life, which I hope to show to my children and grandchildren someday. Tomorrow will be my last match with this shirt. It's hard to imagine, but it will be our last farewell. It will not be easy, but I will enter the field with a smile and with my head held high, knowing that I have given everything for you."

Dybala joined Juventus from Palermo at the age of 22. In his 7 years at the club the forward has won a total of 12 trophies. He was an integral part of the Juventus team that dominated the Serie A and played in the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League final. Dybala's form has significantly dropped in the past couple of seasons and his recurring injury issues haven't helped either. It is surprising that Juventus have decided to let Dybala go that easily because he is a player adored by the fans. Dybala is just 28 years of age and still has so much to offer but unfortunately for the Bianconeri fans it will be for some other club.

As of now there is no club which is the front runner for Dybala's signature. Clubs in England, Germany and Spain are said to be interested in the Argentine but Inter Milan seems to be the most feasible option. The player is used to the league and Inter Milan are currently much ahead of Juventus in terms of progress. The people of Turin might not be too happy with the move but considering the circumstances it is most suitable for the player. Juventus also sold Dejan Kulusevski to Tottenham Hotspur which means that they will need reinforcements despite the arrival of Dusam Vlahovic. The Italian club is said to be in talks with Paul Pogba who will also be available for free but they definitely need more attackers next season.

Also read: Atlético Madrid confirm the departure of Luis Suarez

New Delhi, May 15 (Boxing News) Asian Championships bronze medallist Nikhat Zareen (52kg) continued her splendid run as she stormed into the quarterfinals alongside Anamika (50kg) and Parveen (63kg) in the World Boxing Championships in Istanbul on Sunday.

Nikhat made light work of Mongolia's Lutsaikhan Altantsetseg to win by a 5-0 unanimous verdict.

Parveen then displayed her attacking prowess to out-punch former Youth Olympic champion Jajaira Gonzalez of USA 5-0, while Anamika dispatched world championships bronze medallist Kristy Lee Harris of Australia with a similar margin.

But, it was curtains for Shiksha (54kg), who went down by a 2-3 split decision to Youth Asian bronze medallist Yesugen Oyuntsetseg of Mongolia.

Nikhat was the first Indian in action on Sunday and she completely dominated from start to finish in her round of 16 bout.

The Telangana boxer used her quick hands to great effect and landed a flurry of straight punches on her rival’s face in all the three rounds.

The highlight of Nikhat’s display was her immaculate footwork and speed, which the Mongolian found difficult to handle.

Nikhat will next face England’s Charley Davison, who defeated Hainite Kayla of Togo in the round of 16.

A slow and defensive start cost Shiksha dearly in her 54kg bout as she took time to get into the groove in the first round, which the Mongolian won.

But the Indian came back strongly in the second round and adopted a more aggressive approach which paid rich dividends for her as she won the round.

However, she couldn’t hold on to her tempo in the final round as Oyuntsetseg waited for openings to land her punches and succeed in her ploy to pocket the close contest.

Apart from Nikhat and Anamika and Parveen, Nitu (48kg), Manisha (57kg) and Pooja Rani (75kg) have also qualified for the quarterfinals.

Later in the day, 2017 Youth World Champion Ankushita (66kg) will begin her campaign against Poland’s Aneta Rygielska and Jaismine (60kg) will take on Australia’s Angela Harries. 

Also Read : Nitu, Manisha through to quarters of IBA World Championships

News Source : PTI

Bangkok, May 15 (Badminton News) Indian men's badminton team coach Vimal Kumar on Sunday hoped the historic Thomas Cup triumph would do the same to the country's shuttle sport what the 1983 World Cup win did to cricket.

In beating 14-time winners Indonesia 3-0 in the summit showdown in Bangkok, Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth and the doubles duo of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy conjured one of the most remarkable feats in the country's sporting history.

It was no surprise that Kumar was unable to describe the historic victory.

"I have no words to describe it, we always had hopes but the way the players played, they just put up a performance out of the blue. It was really fantastic. We had such a poor record against indonesia and to win 3-0 is incredible," Kumar told PTI from Bangkok.

The unassuming coach, who goes about his job quietly, added, "In 1983, when India won the cricket World Cup, the euphoria was something else but cricket was always a very popular sport and I hope with this performance, now badminton can also become so popular.

"It has always been about individual achievements but this was a team performance and I hope the popularity of the sports goes up from here on." Kumar rated this as Indian badminton's biggest ever achievement.

"I will rate this the biggest ever. Of course, Prakash and Gopi winning All England, Sindhu winning, all great achievements but as a team what we have done, we couldn't deliver as a team (earlier). You call one a badminton nation when you win a team championships, so I will rate it as the best." India, who has never reached the last-four stage since 1979, ended up getting the better of formidable Malaysia and Denmark en route to the summit clash in this edition of the tournament.

Needless to say, the triumph on the day when it mattered the most sparked off wild celebrations in the Indian camp, less than 48 hours after they rejoiced their win over Denmark.

"I have never seen them so enthusiastic, it is a achievement of pure team spirit which I haven't seen in the past. We always had good players but priority was on individual players and tournaments. We have a balanced team and it did the trick.

"In each match what the doubles players have done is amazing, earlier we were dependent on singles but Satwik and Chirag pulled out all the pressure matches, so lot of credit to Lakhsya, Srikanth and Prannoy, for they delivered when it mattered. I am fortunate, lucky coach to be here with them," Kumar said.

"It is the best achievement of Indian badminton, and I feel so proud to be part of this historic team. It is a fantastic bunch of players." 

Also Read : India beat Indonesia 3-0 to lift maiden Thomas Cup trophy

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, May 14 (Cricket News) Many seniors including captain Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are all set to be rested for the upcoming five-match T20 series against South Africa, with an eye on the marquee tour of England in July.

Besides, the national selection committee is also set to excuse Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant from the engagements against the Proteas.

It is understood that veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan and all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who has impressed one and all with his captaincy for Gujarat Titans in IPL-15, are in reckoning for the leadership role for both South Africa and the short two-match T20I series against Ireland.

The T20 rubber against the Proteas will start in the national capital on June 9 with the remaining matches being held at Cuttack, Visakhapatnam, Rajkot and Bengaluru respectively.

The squad for the SA series is likely to be selected on May 22 -- the last day of the league phase of this edition of IPL -- in Mumbai.

The PTI has already reported that an out-of-form Virat Kohli will also be given a much-needed break but it is understood that for the selectors as well as the BCCI, the tour of England starting early July is paramount.

"All the senior India players will get at least three and half weeks of complete rest. Rohit, Virat, KL, Rishabh and Jasprit will all directly go to England for the 'fifth Test' following the white-ball series. We need all our key players to remain fresh for the England series," a senior BCCI source privy to the development told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

As a part of workload management, all the senior all-format players will not be part of the next seven T20 Internationals.

Asked about captaincy, the source said: "The selectors have a couple of choices. Shikhar Dhawan, as he has already captained India in absence of Virat, Rohit and Rahul during last year's Sri Lanka series. But Hardik Pandya's impressive captaincy for Gujarat Titans hasn't gone unnoticed. So it will be a close call," he added.

Mohsin Khan could pip Umran Malik in SA squad ---------------------------------------------------- While Umran Malik has generated considerable excitement with his 150 kmph plus pace, there is a feeling that he is too raw and time with the India A team could help him develop better.

While he remains in the mix with death overs specialist Arshdeep Singh, the man who is emerging as a 'Dark Horse' is Lucknow Super Giants' left-armer Mohsin Khan.

"Our pace bowling department is set and selectors might not experiment too much," he said.

"But yes, Mohsin has impressed almost everyone with his pace, bounce and swing in this edition. He does have a chance. Having said that, not ruling out Umran or Arshdeep either, but Mohsin might just be slightly ahead," he added.

It is understood that most of the players who recently played in the T20 series against Sri Lanka and the West Indies are set to be retained irrespective of their current IPL form.

Obviously Suryakumar Yadav or Ravindra Jadeja's injury needs to be factored in and Deepak Chahar will also not be available.

The likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda along with Dhawan and Hardik are set to form the core of the batting unit. Sanju Samson could also be retained and there could be at the max one left field selection in the squad.

In the pace bowling unit, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Prasidh Krishna, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan are all certainties, along with the IPL's stellar spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal. Kuldeep Yadav is also expected to make the cut. 

Also Read : Unrest in CSK? Rayudu backtracks after announcing 'IPL retirement'

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, May 14 (Cricket News) In impressive form throughout the season, Lucknow Super Giants would look to bounce back from their previous match defeat and register a win to confirm their IPL play-offs berth when they face another aspirants, Rajasthan Royals, here on Sunday.

LSG were on top of IPL points table with four wins on the trot before relinquishing that position after losing to Gujarat Titans in their previous match.

The KL Rahul-led side, which is now at second spot with 16 points, would not want to lose another game just before the start of the knockout round.

The Royals would also look to make amends for their all-round failure in their comprehensive eight-wicket defeat at the hands of Delhi Capitals in their last match.

With 16 points from 12 matches, a win for LSG on Sunday will confirm their play-offs berth. For the Royals too, a victory will take them on the verge of securing a last-four stage spot.

Captain Rahul and his opening partner Quinton de Kock will have to score the bulk of runs once again for LSG. Both fell cheaply against the Titans and they would look to bounce back against the Royals.

Rahul, the tournament's second most prolific batter with 459 runs from 12 matches, has been in impressive form with two centuries and as many half centuries.

De Kock has scored three half centuries to accumulate 355 runs from 12 outings.

Deepak Hooda is another batter who is in form with 347 runs and three half centuries, and he has the ability to make a difference.

The Royals will rely heavily on England wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler, who has scored 625 runs from 12 matches with the help of three centuries and as many half centuries. His team-mates though have not been in the best of form.

Captain Sanju Samson has, again, failed to realise his full potential though he has not done bad either. He has scored 327 runs from 12 matches with two half centuries.

The good news for the Royals is that Devdutt Padikkal (295 runs from 12 matches) has shown some consistency with 31 and 48 in the last two matches though he is yet to make a big one.

The same is the case with Shimron Hetmyer (291 from 11 matches), who has shown a lot of promise but is yet to fire, though his 31 not out off 16 balls was instrumental in the Royals' six-wicket win over Punjab Kings.

Ravichandran Ashwin was the top-scorer for the Royals in their previous match against Delhi Capitals and his utility as a batter can be exploited by the Royals.

The Royals will once again depend on spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who is at joint top among wicket-takers with 23 scalps from 12 matches, to deal with the likes of Rahul and de Kock, even as R Ashwin, Trent Boult and Prasidh Krishna look to chip in.

For LSG, bowling is the weaker department and the likes of Avesh Khan and Jason Holder will have to step up to restrict Buttler and other RR batters.

Both were among wickets against the Titans while Mohsin Khan was economical with figures of 1/18 in four overs. The teams (from): Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul (c), Manan Vohra, Evin Lewis, Manish Pandey, Quinton De Kock, Ravi Bishnoi, Dushmantha Chameera, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav, Ankit Rajpoot, Avesh Khan, Andrew Tye, Marcus Stoinis, Kyle Mayers, Karan Sharma, Krishnappa Gowtham, Ayush Badoni, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya. Jason Holder.

Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (c), Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Prasidh Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal, Riyan Parag, KC Cariappa, Navdeep Saini, Obed McCoy, Anunay Singh, Kuldeep Sen, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel, Tejas Baroka, Kuldip Yadav, Shubham Garhwal, James Neesham, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Rassie van der Dussen, Daryl Mitchell.

Match Starts at 7:30pm. 

Also Read : Do or die game for KKR and SRH in match number 61

​​​

(Cricket news) For both the teams it will be a do or die fixture as they seem to have a very slim chance of qualifying for the playoffs, given their low tally of 10 points and their negative Net Run Rates. Delhi Capitals, with an NRR of +0.210 on the other hand, appear much better placed. But for both KKR and SRH, a victory isn't going to hurt whatever's left of their campaign.

For KKR their coach Brendon McCullum became the new England test match coach in the middle of KKR's campaign, meaning there's already a sense of flux in the camp and how the team responds to the news will be fascinating to watch. KKR will be without Pat Cummins for the entire campaign as he is flying back home after suffering a hip injury. In the batting department, KKR reverted back to their original opening partnership of Venkatesh Iyer and Ajinkiya Rahane. Venkatesh's 24-ball 43 was essential to Knight Riders posting their first fifty opening stand with a score, 64 for 1 in the powerplay, against Mumbai Indians last match. KKR’s lower middle order of Rinku Singh and Andre Russell have been consistent this season but they need the top order to produce runs. In the bowling department, their highest wicket taker this Umesh Yadav needs to fit as they are missing that experience in the pace bowling department.

After 4 wins on the trot for SRH, their campaign has somewhat gone downhill due to the injuries in the squad. Sunrisers have tried out different bowling options, but Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kartik Tyagi, J Suchith and Shreyas Gopal haven't quite provided the control and wicket taking ability that Natarajan and Washington brought. The good news for Sunrisers fans is that both Natarajan and Washington are likely to be fit for this match. In the batting department, Captain Kane Williamson's powerplay strike rate of 79.52 is the lowest among batters who have faced more than 50 balls this season. His opening partner Abhishek Sharma's form has also cooled off after a hot start but their middle order of Aidan Markarm and Nicholas Pooran have been consistent with their performances. In the bowling department, Shreyas Iyer struggles against Bhuvneshwar Kumar, having scored 44 runs in 49 balls and dismissing him 3 times at an average of 14.67 with a strike-rate: 89.79. Since his five wicket haul, Umran Malik has figures of  4-0-48-0, 4-0-52-0 and 2-0-25-0, which needs to improve if they are to make the playoffs.

Pitch and weather report: The toss in Pune matters a lot as nine of the 12 games in Pune have been won by teams batting first but teams are still reluctant to defend totals. Last match we saw the pitch being on the slower side as the spinners played a massive part in the game. The temperature is going to hover around 26 degrees with no chance of rain as dew will not be a factor in the second innings.

Interesting facts:

• Bhuvneshwar Kumar has the edge over Rahane in the IPL, having got him six times in 15 innings while keeping him to 89 runs off 96 balls
• Andre Russell has smashed Bhuvneshwar for 51 off 21 balls at a strike rate of nearly 243 while getting just once in the IPL.
• This is going to be Shreyas Iyer's 100th IPL game.
• Sunrisers Hyderabad have won only one out of their five IPL matches in Pune.
• Kolkata Knight Riders have won seven out of eight IPL matches in Pune.

Also read: Punjab Kings demolish RCB by 54 runs riding on half-centuries from Bairstow, Livingstone

Probable XI for KKR:

1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Venkatesh Iyer, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Rinku Singh, 6 Sam Billings (wk), 7 Andre Russell, 8 Umesh Yadav/Shivam Mavi, 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Varun Chakravarthy

Probable XI for SRH:

1 Kane Williamson (capt), 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 6 Shashank Singh, 7 Washington Sundar/J Suchith, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Marco Jansen/Fazalhaq Farooqi/Romario Shepherd, 10 Umran Malik, 11 T Natarajan/Kartik Tyagi
 

Mumbai, May 14 (Cricket News) Jonny Bairstow has not opened for England in too many matches in recent times but he is relishing his job at the top of the order for Punjab Kings in the ongoing Indian Premier League.

Bairstow's 66 off just 29 balls with the help of four boundaries and seven sixes laid the foundation for a 54-run win for Punjab Kings against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Friday.

"I am happy with the way I have transitioned to opening the batting. It has been very enjoyable being back at the top," Bairstow said at the post-match press conference.

Bairstow arrived late for this edition of the tournament and initially started in the middle order, where he struggled to find his groove. The team management then promoted him to the top and captain Mayank Agarwal moved himself down the order.

The move yielded result as after scoring one in his first match as opener against Gujarat Titans, Bairstow roared back to form with a 56 against Rajasthan Royals before Friday's 66.

"It's one of those days. A couple of those come off and it's your day," he said after the match.

Bairstow has mostly batted in the middle order in the T20Is for England in the last two years, though he has opened the innings in a few matches. He has also kept wickets when Jos Buttler was not playing.

"It's a completely different commodity playing for England and playing here. Through the middle, there's a job to do for England. Coming here, the stats suggest I quite enjoy opening the batting," said the 32-year-old.

Before Friday's match, Bairstow had scored 136 runs in eight IPL innings at a strike rate of 117.24 but he never thought he was having a tough time in the tournament. "It depends on what you class as a tough tournament really," he said.

"Because obviously I have been caught at fine leg twice, third man once, and run out on 19.5 overs so there is a difference in being unselfish and it being a difficult competition." Bairstow was sensational on Friday as he scored 59 out of 83 in the powerplay, taking down RCB key bowler Josh Hazlewood. He reached his fifty in 21 balls.

"There are many quality bowlers in the IPL and sometimes you have to try to get them off their lengths because someone like him hits that length consistently. So you have to try to get him off that length into areas you want to be hitting.

"From the end he was bowling at, the line he was bowling was off stump. Just think that sometimes there is balls in your area, and you have to try to take advantage of that.

"Sometimes it is fine lines where you might get caught on the boundary, just inside the rope, or you might get a thin edge on another one. Today was a good day. Was happy to take advantage of the powerplay." Asked if there was any game plan to attack the opposition bowlers, he said, "That has generally been the ethos of how we have tried to go about all of the tournament," Bairstow said.

"That has been the way in which the guys want to go about the process of the game. You may have noticed sometimes we have lost wickets in clusters in the middle, which has stifled our progress on from there, but I think on the whole that was the way we wanted to try and go about it for a majority of the tournament.

"It doesn't happen all the time but if we can do it more often than not, then hopefully when a couple of people stand up we can get the job done." 

Also Read : Punjab Kings demolish RCB by 54 runs riding on half-centuries from Bairstow, Livingstone

News Source : PTI

Bangkok, May 13 (Golf News) Indian golfer Tvesa Malik overcame sweltering heat and her cold form as she shot three straight birdies on the back nine to make the cut at the Aramco Team Series – Bangkok on Friday.

Tvesa finished the second day at 72 after 75 on the first day. At 147, she was T-38ᨊth. The top 60 and ties made the cut for the third and final round.

In the team competition, which was played over two days, Tvesa’s team, comprising Switzerland’s Nobuhle Dlamini and Anais Maggetti and local amateur Airi Misuhgashi, improved to the 15th place.

The team competition was won by Whitney Hiller’s team that included Krista Baker, Chonlada Chayanum and amateur Pattanam Amatanon.

The 27-year-old Tvesa is attempting to overcome inconsistencies that often come with a recent swing change.

While she hit the ball beautifully at the Ladies European Tour event, she just could not get her putter to convert several close chances in the opening two rounds.

Local hero Patty Tavatanakit (three-under par 69), led the field at nine-under par 133, two shots better than England’s Felicity Johnson (68) and Belgium’s Manon de Roey (67).

Former world No 1, Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn, was also in the mix. A two-under par 70 took her to tied fourth place at six-under par 138.

In Friday’s second round, Tvesa was staring at the prospect of an idle weekend, but things changed when she finally managed to roll in a 24-foot birdie putt on the 11th hole.

That was followed by another long birdie putt on the 12th hole, and then an even more unlikely putt from off the green on the 13th.

“It was still a very tough day. I don't think it was very easy to play out here. I was able to hit my shots close yesterday, as well as today, but just didn’t make as many pars as I needed to.

"Hopefully, I'm going to have another chance to do it tomorrow and hopefully, I can get some to drop,” said Tvesa, who was followed through the 18 holes by her father Aloke, mother Ritu and sister Kasvi.

“But I didn’t leave any putt short today. They all went past because I was really trying to make everything. It just wasn’t my day with the birdies. It just didn’t do what it was supposed to. I missed too many of them by very narrow margins," she added.

The Aramco Team Series is two competitions rolled into one – a USD 500,000 team competition, where an amateur joins the team of three professionals, and a 54-hole individual competition. 

Also Read : Ajeetesh Sandhu lie 20th at midway stage in Japan, Gangjee misses out

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced that it has appointed Brendon McCullum as England Men's Test Head Coach. McCullum, 40, will be in place to start his role for next month's LV= Insurance three-match Test series against New Zealand, which gets underway at Lord's from 2 June, subject to obtaining the necessary work visa.

The ECB's selection panel of Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison, Managing Director of England's Men's Cricket Rob Key, Strategic Adviser Andrew Strauss and Performance Director Mo Bobat unanimously agreed that he was the outstanding candidate for the role, having impressed during the competitive interview process.

New Zealand born McCullum currently works as Head Coach of Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders and previously coached Trinbago Knight Riders to the 2020 Caribbean Premier League title. He also had an exemplary playing career that saw him earn 101 Test caps and was Test captain of the Black Caps from 2012 to his international retirement in 2016.

Commenting on the appointment of McCullum, Rob Key said: "We are delighted to confirm Brendon as England Men's Test Head Coach. It has been a real privilege to get to know him and understand his views and vision for the game. I believe his appointment will be good for England's Test team.

"He has a recent history of changing cricket culture and environments for the better, and I believe he is the person to do that for England's red-ball cricket. We were incredibly fortunate to have a seriously strong list of quality candidates for the post, with Brendon demonstrating he was our number one choice. I'd like to thank Tom Harrison and the ECB Board for their support in this process. I believe in Brendon and Ben Stokes - a formidable coach and captain partnership. Time for us all to buckle up and get ready for the ride."

Speaking about his appointment, McCullum added: "I'd like to say how pleased I am to be given this opportunity to positively contribute to England's Test cricket set-up and move the team forward into a more successful era. In taking this role on, I am acutely aware of the significant challenges the team faces at present, and I strongly believe in my ability to help the team emerge as a stronger force once we've confronted them head-on.

"I've enjoyed several robust conversations with Rob Key about the direction of travel for the team and have found his enthusiasm contagious. I'm no stranger to bringing about change within a team environment, and I can't wait to get started. Ben Stokes is the perfect character to inspire change around him, and I look forward to working closely with him to build a successful unit around us."

McCullum is due to arrive in the UK later this month. The Knight Riders have two matches left in their IPL group campaign on Saturday against Sunrisers Hyderabad and complete their season on Wednesday 18 May against Lucknow Super Giants.

Also read: Playoffs hopefuls PBKS take on in form RCB in match no 60

New Delhi, May 12 (Boxing News) Indian boxer Anamika (50kg) showed her prowess and technical superiority to advance to the pre-quarterfinals of the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships, beating Romania's Eugenia Anghel by unanimous decision in Istanbul on Thursday.

The bout started on an aggressive note as both the boxers relentlessly attacked from the word go but Anamika displayed her sharp footwork and body feints to land clear punches while evading her opponent's counters.

The boxer from Rohtak continued her relentless attack in the second round and didn't let her opponent settle down. She dictated the terms throughout the whole bout and comfortably won by 5-0 margin to move to the next round.

Anamika will next face World Championships bronze medallist Kristy Lee Harris of Australia in the round-of-16 bout on Sunday.

Later on Thursday, two other Indian pugilists -- Shiksha (54kg) and Jaismine (60kg) -- are also set to begin their challenge at the prestigious tournament, which has been witnessing high voltage competition in presence of record 310 boxers from 73 countries across the world.

Shiksha will be up against Argentina's Herrera Milagros Rosario in the 54kg opening round match while Jaismine (60kg) will square off against two-time youth Asian champion Porntip Buapa of Thailand.

Two-time Asian champion Pooja Rani (81kg) and Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain (70kg) will play their respective round-of-16 bouts on Friday.

Pooja, who will begin her World Championships campaign, will take on Hungary's Timea Nagy while Lovlina will fight against Cindy Ngamba of Fair Chance Team. Lovlina had defeated former world champion Chen Nien-Chin in the first round on Monday.

Late on wednesday, Saweety (75kg) went down fighting against England's Kerry Davis and lost the bout by 2-3.

In the last edition of the tournament, held in Russia in 2019, Indian boxers secured one silver and three bronze medals. 

Also Read : World Boxing Championships: Nikhat, Parveen, Manisha register comprehensive wins

News Source : PTI

Bengaluru, May 12 (Hockey News) Indian women's hockey team goalkeeper Savita on Thursday said the side's aim is to "make it to the next level" in this year's FIH World Cup after finishing in the last eight stage four years ago.

The event will be jointly hosted by the Netherlands and Spain in July.

In the 2018 edition of the showpiece in London, India lost 1-3 to Ireland in penalty shoot-out to crash out of the competition.

But this time around, Savita says India are well prepared to make the medal rounds. "With more players getting international exposure, and having gained confidence to play top teams in big-match scenarios, we are heading in the right direction of building a strong team for the World Cup," the senior player said.

"We made it to the quarterfinals last time in London, and the aim this time is definitely to make it to the next level." The World Cup will be played from July 1 to 17 but before that the Indians will gain valuable exposure in the FIH Pro League matches in Belgium, where they will take on the hosts on June 11 and 12.

The two matches will be followed by weekend games in the Netherlands, where India will play Argentina on June 18 and 19 and the United States on June 21 and 22.

The Indian women are placed in Pool B in the World Cup along side England, China and New Zealand. They will open their campaign against England on July 3 in Amstelveen.

Savita said healthy competition for places among the junior and senior players augurs well for India. "With new players coming into the group by virtue of good performances in the Pro League and Junior World Cup, there is healthy competition within the group and this is helping in bringing out the best in each one of us." 

Also Read : Odisha, Himachal win in Senior National Women's Hockey

News Source : PTI

(Football news) According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United are working towards signing Ajax assistant coach Mitchell van der Gaag to come alongside incoming new manager Erik ten Hag. Erik ten Hag was appointed as the new permanent boss at United and is set to join the club in the summer. He is currently in charge of Ajax, where he is trying to lead them to a hat-trick of Eredivisie titles.

The 52-year-old has a pressing style in his Ajax team and he intends to impose the same philosophy on his new set of players at United. This will require them to be at peak fitness in order to keep up with all the running and maintain their energy levels throughout the game. The task at hand is not an easy job as he intends to restore the glory days at Old Trafford where so many have already failed. Ten Hag has had a handful of famous names alongside him at Ajax, including 1995 Champions League winners Michael Reiziger and Winston Bogarde and former Ajax star Richard Witschge.

There are rumours flying around linking former England manager Steve McClaren being part of his new staff at United. McClaren is mostly known for his tenure as being the assistant manager to Alex Ferguson during the 1998/99 treble season and subsequently enjoyed success in Dutch football as well. It is also believed that United do not intend to table an offer for the  former star striker Robin van Persie to join the backroom team. The 2012/13 Premier League title winner is currently on the coaching staff of Feyenoord and is set to continue his learning at his boyhood club.

Van der Gaag is two years younger than Ten Hag, and moved into coaching when he retired from playing in 2007. A centre-back who came through the youth academy of PSV Eindhoven, went on to play for a handful of clubs during his career, including the likes of Motherwell, Maritimo and finished off his career in Saudi Arabia. Van der Gaag returned to Maritimo as the B team coach and then he went on to  manage the first-team of Belenenses, until a heart scare that saw him become unwell and collapse on the touchline during a game as he took a break from football.

He returned to coaching after two years with a short-lived spell at Cypriot club Ermis in 2015, before heading to lower league Dutch football with FC Eindhoven and then working his way up upto the first division with Excelsior Rotterdam and NAC Breda. Van der Gaag had never previously worked with Ten Hag before moving to Ajax in 2019 as Jong Ajax (Ajax youth team) head coach. The pair had previously spent time at Utrecht and De Graafschap as players. Yet it has only been a short time and they have formed a tight working relationship. It was in the summer of 2021 when Van der Gaag was promoted to Ajax first-team assistant coach to work alongside Ten Hag.

Also read: EA Sports to stop making FIFA branded football video games
 

New Delhi, May 10 (Boxing News) India's Nitu (48kg) put up a dominant display in her debut appearance at the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships as she outpunched Romanian veteran Steluta Duta to enter the round of 16 in Istanbul on Tuesday.

The two-time former youth world champion Nitu continued her sublime form from the Stradja Memorial tournament earlier this year, where she clinched the gold medal in her maiden appearance, as she dominated all three rounds to win her opening bout by unanimous decision.

Both the boxers were aggressive from the onset, landing punches on each other. But the young Indian proved too much for the 40-year-old Romanian.

The two continued to attack in the second round with Nitu using her height advantage as Duta, a three-time world championship silver medallist, struggled to keep her momentum going in the electrically charged round of 32 bout.

The 21-year-old from Haryana then landed a flurry of punches in the third round as the last three minutes were closely-fought between the two. But Nitu defended tightly and looked in control to emerge victorious.

Incidentally, all three of Duta's silver medals at the event came from losses against an Indian -- six-time world champion M C Mary Kom, who withdrew from the tournament.

Nitu will take on Spain's Marta Lopez Del Arbol in the round of 16 on Saturday.

On Wednesday, 2019 Asian Championships bronze medallist boxer Nikhat Zareen will fight against Mexico's Herrera Alvarez in the 52kg opening round match.

Manisha (57kg), Parveen (63kg) and Saweety (75kg) will also begin their challenge in the round of 32 on the third day of the prestigious event, which has been witnessing a record participation of 310 boxers from 73 countries across the world.

Manisha, who received a bye in the opening round, will square off against Nepal's Kala Thapa, while Parveen and Saweety will take on Ukraine's Mariia Bova and England's Kerry Davis respectively.

On the opening day of the competition, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain made a winning return to the international circuit after clinching a thrilling 3-2 victory against two-time world championships medallist Chen Nien-Chin of Chinese Taipei. 

Also Read : Women’s World Boxing C'ships: Winning start for Lovlina, beats Chen by split decision

News Source : PTI

Melbourne, May 10 (Cricket News) India will gear up for the ICC T20 World Cup with a home series against Australia featuring three T20 internationals in September later this year.

According to a report in foxsports.com.au, "Australia will play a number of white ball series with home games against Zimbabwe, New Zealand, West Indies and England coming either side of three T20s in India in September." The series will serve as a preparation for the showpiece event to be held in Australia in October and November this year.

Next year, Australia is also set to tour India for a four-Test tour in February and March.

India's next assignment is a five-match T20 series against South Africa at home from June 9 to 19, followed by a tour of Ireland for two T20Is.

The Rohit Sharma-led side then takes on England in the rescheduled fifth and final Test, which was postponed last year due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the Indian camp, on July 1.

The 'Men in Blue' are then scheduled to play a white-ball series including three T20s and as many ODIs against England. 

Also Read : Kolkata Knight Riders remain in competition with big win over Mumbai Indians

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, May 9 (Boxing News) Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain upstaged former champion Chen Nien-Chin in the light middleweight division on Monday to enter the round of 16 at the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Istanbul.

Returning to competitive boxing for the first time since her podium finish at the Tokyo Games last year, Lovlina (70kg) won by a 3-2 split decision against the Chinese Taipei boxer, who had defeated her in the semifinals of the 2018 edition.

This is Lovlina’s second win over Chen. The Indian had gotten the better of her in the Tokyo Olympics quarterfinal enroute to her bronze medal winning triumph.

The 24-year-old Assam boxer, who has two bronze medals from the 2018 and 2019 editions of the tournament, will now take on three-time national champion from England, Cindy Ngamba, in round of 16.

The two boxers started off the proceedings cautiously maintaining distance from each other. Lovlina soon began attacking with the use of her long arms but Chen defended well.

Both boxers landed a few punches in the second round.

Chen, who won gold and bronze medals in 2018 and 2016 respectively at the World Championships, tried attacking in the third round but the swift-moving Indian managed to block with a good defence technique and tilted the result of the nail-biting match in her favour.

On the second day, Nitu, the lone Indian boxer in action, will begin her challenge in the 48kg opening round against Romania’s Steluta Duta.

Four Indians -- Shiksha (54kg), Manisha (57kg), Ankushita (66kg) and Nandini (+81kg) -- have been handed a bye in their respective opening rounds.

In the last edition of the World Championships held in Russia in 2019, the Indian boxers clinched one silver and three bronze medals. 

Also Read : Women’s World C'ships: India boxers handed mixed draw; Lovlina to begin campaign on opening day

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Cheteshwar Pujara is knocking on the selectors doors with his performance in the County championship. After underwhelming performances for India in the tour of South Africa and England along with the home series against New Zealand, Pujara was dropped from the Indian side after being the rock of the team for so long. The batter then went unsold in the IPL 2022 mega auction after which he signed for Susex to play in the England County championship. 

Playing in the 2nd division of the County Championship, Cheteshwar Pujara has scored 717 runs in 7 innings. He has scored 2 hundreds and 2 double hundreds and is also the 2nd highest run getter. Pujara's performance has attracted eyeballs and people are already calling for his return to the Indian side. India has only one Test match scheduled this year which is the postponed game against England. India are leading the series 2-1 and new captain Rohit Sharma along with new coach Rahul Dravid will be looking to seal the series.

Pujara is playing in England which is an added advantage. India at some point will have to move on from Pujara and the process has already started as they have been dropped and calling him back could prove to be costly. Chief selector Chetan Sharma said that if Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara get runs in domestic cricket then they can return to the side. Pujara has done just that so he will definitely be in the mix.

The quality of the County Championship has been questioned but one of the bowlers Pujara got the better of is Shaheen Afridi who is considered the best all format bowler in the world. There are 9 more games left for Pujara to play which could make things clearer. If he continues to put in good performances then it will be very difficult to keep him out of the squad for the Test on first July. 

Also read: Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants look to seal IPL play-off berth in match against each other

Mumbai, May 7 (Cricket News) Punjab Kings captain Mayank Agarwal won the toss and elected to bat against Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League (IPL)match here on Saturday.

Punjab Kings are fielding the same playing XI from their previous game.

For the Royals, Yashasvi Jaiswal comes in place of Karun Nair.

Teams: Punjab Kings: Jonny Bairstow, Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal(c), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(wk), Rishi Dhawan, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh, Sandeep Sharma.

Rajasthan Royals: Jos Buttler, Devdutt Padikkal, Sanju Samson(wk/c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Prasidh Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Sen. 

Also Read : Dr Powell appointed Performance Manager for England Disability Cricket

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) The England and Wales Cricket Board have appointed Dr. Jane Powell as Performance Manager for England Disability Cricket. Dr. Powell has a long affiliation with cricket, having captained the England Women’s cricket team in the 1988 World Cup final before being appointed Head Coach of the England Women’s side. She has also represented the England national team in hockey and led the strategic direction of all Hockey Coaching in the UK through the 2008 and 2012 Olympic cycles. 

Dr. Powell has also led Performance and Talent pathways with England Lacrosse and has been working in an Advanced Coach Support role for ECB. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Worcester in 2013 for Outstanding Contribution to British Sport. In her role as Performance Manager, Dr. Powell will oversee the preparation, performance and management of the four England Disability Squads, reporting into Ian Martin, Head of Disability Cricket.

Speaking about her appointment, Dr Jane Powell said, “There is so much talent and opportunity for growth here in the disability set up, it was simply an offer I couldn’t refuse. The potential for the sport as well as the players is massive and something I’m really excited about. I can’t wait to get stuck in!”

Ian Martin said, “I’m delighted that we have managed to attract someone of Jane’s calibre into our disability program. She will bring a wealth of experience that will be of benefit to our program, the coaches and the staff that work within it. I know how passionate she is about our sport and the performance element of it, and I am very excited about working with her and seeing the difference that she will make to our programme.”

Also read: Knight, Ecclestone, Wolvaardt among 12 foreigners for Women's T20 Challenge, King only Australian

(Football news) Todd Boehly’s consortium has agreed to buy Chelsea Football Club from Roman Abramovich. Announced by the club on Saturday, the proposed deal is subject to approval by the UK Government and the Premier League before its completion, with the formalities expected to close by late May. The consortium is led by the LA Dodgers’ part owner and has the backing of Clearlake Capital, a US investment firm. 

In a statement released by Chelsea, the club said “Of the total investment being made, £2.5bn will be applied to purchase the shares in the Club and such proceeds will be deposited into a frozen UK bank account with the intention to donate 100 per cent to charitable causes as confirmed by Roman Abramovich. In addition, the proposed new owners will commit £1.75bn in further investment for the benefit of the Club. This includes investments in Stamford Bridge, the Academy, the Women's Team and Kingsmeadow and continued funding for the Chelsea Foundation." 

The Blues had a deadline of May 31st to find new owners as the Government license to operate the club would have expired after that. The Raine Group, hired by current owner Roman Abramovich has been overseeing the takeover and were responsible in choosing the preferred bidder, subject to the government granting a special license for the sale of the Premier League club. Chelsea would need a license before June 8th in order to compete in England’s top flight as the Premier League will meet on the date to constitute the new season. 

Other potential owners were the Pagliuca consortium, who were told that they were out of running at the end of last month while the Broughton consortium - led by former Liverpool and British Airways chairman Sir Martin, billionaire Crystal Palace shareholders Dave Blitzer and Josh Harris as well as Lewis Hamilton and Serena Williams were still in contention. The Ricketts family, who are the owners of Chicago Bulls, hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin and US investment bank Lazard were also interested in buying the club but pulled out in March. 

Roman Abramovich had denied multiple reports claiming that he is looking to alter the deal for the repayment of his £1.5billion loan to Chelsea FC, reaffirming that proceeds from the sale of the club will be given to charity for "all the victims of the war in Ukraine". In a statement released by Roman Abramovich, a spokesperson said “Firstly, Mr Abramovich's intentions in relation to gifting the proceeds from the Chelsea sale to charity have not changed. Since the initial announcement, Mr Abramovich's team has identified senior representatives from UN bodies and large global charitable organizations who have been tasked with forming a Foundation and setting out a plan for its activities. The lead independent expert has had conversations with Government representatives presenting the structure and initial plans. 

"Mr Abramovich has not been involved in this work and it has been managed independently by experts with years of experience working in humanitarian organizations. Secondly, Mr Abramovich has not asked for any loan to be repaid to him - such suggestions are entirely false - as are suggestions that Mr Abramovich increased the price of the Club last minute. As part of Mr Abramovich's objective to find a good custodian for Chelsea FC, he has however encouraged each bidder throughout this process to commit investing in the Club - including in the Academy, Women's team, necessary redevelopment of the stadium as well as maintaining the work of Chelsea Foundation."

The spokesperson added in the statement: "Following sanctions and other restrictions imposed on Mr Abramovich by the UK since announcing that the Club would be sold, the loan has also become subject to EU sanctions, requiring additional approvals. That means that the funds will be frozen and subject to a legal procedure governed by authorities. These funds are still earmarked for the Foundation. The Government is aware of these restrictions as well as the legal implications. To be clear, Mr Abramovich has no access or control of these funds and will not have any access or control of these funds following the sale. Despite the changing circumstances since his initial announcement - he remains committed to finding a good custodian for Chelsea FC and making sure the proceeds go to good causes."

Also read: Real Madrid and Liverpool's contrasting roads to the 2021/22 UCL final

New Delhi, May 6 (Cricket News) England captain Heather Knight, world number one bowler Sophie Ecclestone and Australian leg-spinner Alana King are among 12 foreign players who are set to take part in the Women's T20 Challenge from May 23 in Pune.

Alana, who impressed in the recent World Cup in New Zealand, is the only cricketer available from Australia for the exhibition event comprising three teams and four matches.

Besides Knight and Ecclestone, Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt are the other English cricketers who have signed up for the competition.

South Africa's star opener Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp will also be part of the event alongside West Indians Deandra Dottin and Hayley Matthews.

The Women's Challenge did not take place last year and the upcoming edition is expected to be the last one with the BCCI planning a full fledged Women's IPL from next year.

"Heather Knight has confirmed her presence. Alana has also confirmed and is the only Australian. A total of 12 overseas players are available," a BCCI source told PTI.

The England captain, who led her team to the World Cup final last month, is currently in the UAE for the FairBreak Invitational T20 event alongside the rest of the players bound for Women's T20 Challenge.

The Indian players for the event will be picked soon and the performances of the recently concluded domestic T20 event will be considered.

K P Navgire scored the most runs in the competition, 525, followed by India batters Yastika Bhatia and Shafali Verma.

The top three wickettakers were Aarati S Kedar, Sujata Malik and Priyanka Priyadarshini.

In the latest Women's T20 Challenge in 2020, Smrit Mandhana-led Trailblazers won the trophy after beating Harmanpreet Kaur-led Supernovas in the final. 

Also Read : Tim David's whirlwind 44 not out takes MI to 177/6 against GT

News Source : PTI

London, May 6 (Cricket News) Newly-appointed England Test captain Ben Stokes hit a County Championship record of 17 sixes in an innings en route to smashing 161 on his first Durham appearance of the summer.

Stokes marked his first first-class innings since being appointed England captain with a breathtaking 161 off 126 balls for Durham against Worcestershire at New Road, including five sixes in an over, and 17 in total -- a new record for county cricket.

He broke the earlier record of 16 sixes in a first-class county game which was jointly held by Australian Andrew Symonds for Gloucestershire against Glamorgan in 1995 and Graham Napier for Essex against Surrey in 2011.

Stokes raced to his hundred in 64 balls, sharing 220 for the fifth wicket with David Bedingham (135).

The 30-year-old brought up his century -- the fastest in first-class cricket by a Durham player -- with five successive sixes off Josh Baker, eclipsing Paul Collingwood's previous mark of 75 deliveries set at Taunton in 2005.

Stokes finally fell after lunch as Durham declared on 580 for 6. He came to the crease early on the second morning when Scott Borthwick was trapped leg before by Ben Gibbon and, after a steady start, produced an awesome display of power hitting.

It's the second time Stokes has hit five consecutive sixes in a County Championship game, having also performed the feat against Hampshire in 2011. 

Also Read : Awesome we got over the line: Daniel Sams on conceding just 3 runs in last over

News Source : PTI

(Football news) England is the place where football came to life and to this day it is still considered to be the country where people breathe football. A lot of the time English media is subject to criticism by foreign players and media. The most prominent example is when Luka Modric before facing England in the Euro 2020 talked about the English media hype saying that "Arrogance is not so much related to the players and to the national team but to the people around them, some of the journalists and commentators."

The Premier League is undoubtedly the most competitive and famous league in the world but sometimes things in England get way too much hype. One decent season or even less than that by a player in the Premier League gets a lot of hype all over the world while in other leagues it's not the case. There is a term in football called the English tax where England players tend to receive transfer fees which are way more than their worth like Jack Grealish and Harry Maguire. A player like Declan Rice, who has never played for a top team at the club level gets added into the bracket of extraordinary midfielders while someone like Pedri, Federico Valverde and Joshua Kimmich barely get a mention. This hype results in a lot of things but the main thing is delusion in England.

People in England always believe that the Premier League is the best in the world despite the fact that statically La Liga is superior. This season, West Ham and Leicester City were lauded in England for being great teams but they ended up getting knocked out of the European semi finals. West Ham were knocked out by Eintracht Frankfurt who are 11th in the Bundesliga while Leicester were knocked out by Roma who are 5th in the Serie A. Real Madrid defeated UCL champions Chelsea and Premier League champions Manchester City in their road to the UCL 2022 final but the British media majorly described it as luck. In both these games the Premier League teams were considered favourites despite the fact that Real Madrid are runaway leaders in the La Liga and Chelsea are not having a great season.

After Karim Benzema's hat-trick in Real Madrid's comeback win against PSG, former Manchester City player Micah Richards said that Benzema has convinced him that he is up there with Harry Kane and Robert Lewandowski only in the last 6 months. There is a lot wrong with that statement in many ways. Karim Benzema when he was playing 2nd fiddle to Cristiano Ronaldo was still a great player who scored goals. He did it with France at the 2014 World Cup and in the Euro 2020. Since Ronaldo left in 2018, Benzema has been carrying Real Madrid single handedly in terms of goals. Using Harry Kane, who has never won a single trophy in his career as a benchmark for Benzema who has won everything there is to win in football is criminal. It does seem like media channels have made their choice of getting entertaining pundits who don't have much knowledge about football.

British Pundits often don't analyse foreign teams well as they don't watch competitions other than the Premier League. It wouldn't be wrong to say that they do indeed watch football with blinkers which is why their prediction of English dominance is often wrong. Jamie Carragher during an analysis of the 1st leg between PSG and Real Madrid said that Real have absolutely no chance of winning the UCL despite being La Liga leaders and yet they are in the finals. Players like Thiago and Thiago Silva got overhyped when they came to the Premier despite the fact that they were the exact same players when they played in other leagues before.

Before every major tournament, British Pundits always believe that England are favourites because they only watch the Premier League and hence think that the England squad is better. Apart from the last two tournaments, it has always resulted in heartbreak for England. Alan Shearer after England's shock Euro 2016 exit against Iceland said " We're blinded by our Premier League, we think it is the best in the world for talent but we're totally reliant on foreign players and foreign managers. We're not as good as we think we are." The statement at that time was true even though England can now genuinely be considered contenders for big tournaments. 

Also read: Why Real Madrid's legacy does not allow it's players to give up

(Football news) Watford manager Roy Hodgson has announced that he won't be at the club next season and does not expect to take up another managerial position. The 74 year old was honoured with a CBE for his services to football at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday and Hodgson will hope to guide Watford to a victory when they face Crystal Palace on Saturday as a loss would mean relegation from the Premier League. 

Speaking about his future, Hodgson said “I've enjoyed my time doing the job. It's a very demanding world. Obviously, it's a short-term [deal]. Certainly, I made it clear it would need to be a short-term one between now and the end of the season. I took that job on and came out of retirement to do that particular job. Now that job has unfortunately ended. I don't think I shall be putting my name forward anymore for further sorties in the world of Premier League football. I think I've earned the right to step back and enjoy some free time and spend some time with my wife and son." 

Hodgson’s managerial career has spanned 45 years and the former England manager has worked at clubs such as Inter Milan, Blackburn, Fulham, Liverpool, West Brom and Crystal Palace along with the national teams of Switzerland, United Arab Emirates and Finland. He left Crystal Palace at the end of last season but came out of retirement to take over Watford after they sacked Claudio Ranieri following a string of poor results. 

Also read: Real Madrid reach the UCL final  with yet another dramatic comeback

(Football news) Diego Maradona, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, has always been a controversial figure. His ‘Hand of God’ goal against England at the 1986 World Cup is one of the most controversial and iconic goals in history and the jersey worn by the legendary Argentine while scoring the goal has now become the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia. 

The jersey was put up on sale by former England midfielder Steve Hodge who swapped jerseys with Maradona after the quarter-final match at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. According to Sotheby’s (the auction house), the jersey sold for higher than the estimated price of £4m and £6m. In the last few years, Steve Hodge has publicly reiterated that the iconic jersey was not for sale, especially after Maradona’s death in November 2020, despite the overwhelming number of interested buyers. 

Brahm Wachter, Sotheby's head of streetwear and modern collectables said “This is arguably the most coveted football shirt to ever come to auction, and so it is fitting that it now holds the auction record for any object of its kind.” Previously, the most expensive jersey ever sold at auction was a New York Yankees jersey by baseball legend Babe Ruth which sold for $5.6 million in 2019. That same year, the original Olympic manifesto, penned in 1892, sold for $8.8m (about £7m), becoming the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia at that time.

The jersey has been on display since the last 36 years, most recently at the National Football Museum in Manchester. In its online listing, Sotheby said that the jersey on sale matched the exact jersey Diego Maradona wore while scoring the two goals in Argentina’s 2-1 win over England in the quarter-finals of the 1986 World Cup. His second goal of the match was voted the goal of the century in a poll conducted by football's world governing body FIFA. Led by Diego Maradona, Argentina subsequently went on to win the Jules Rimet Trophy after defeating West Germany 3-2 in the World Cup final.

Also read: Tickets for the 2022 FIFA World Cup are more affordable than the IPL

New Delhi, May 5 (Badminton News) Rising Indian doubles player Gayatri Gopichand has pulled out of the upcoming Uber Cup Finals after being advised rest to recover from a strain in hip joints.

The development was on Thursday confirmed to PTI by Badminton Association of India (BAI) secretary Sanjay Mishra.

The tournament is beginning in Bangkok on Sunday.

Gayatri, who forms the women's doubles combination with Treesa Jolly, has been in good form, of late, producing a series of impressive performances in international and domestic circuit.

She had skipped the Asia badminton championships as well due to the injury and absence has only compounded the Indian women team's problems as the experienced pair of N Sikki Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa has already withdrawn from the tournament after the former suffered an abdomen tear.

Simran Singh and Ritika Thakkar, who had finished fourth in the ranking during the selection trials, were included by the selectors in the 10-member squad following Sikki's injury.

But no replacement could be named for Gayatri since the extent of her injury came to light after the deadline for making any change to the squad was over.

Gayatri and Treesa had emerged winners at the selection trials to make it to the Indian squad for the Commonwealth Games, Uber Cup and Asian Games.

The duo had reached the semifinals of All England Championships in March this year.

While Gayatri missed out, Treesa left for Bangkok along with the team on Wednesday. Besides Treesa, the other doubles players in the squad include Tanisha Crasto, Shruti Mishra, Simran and Ritika.

The singles players in the team include PV Sindhu, Aakarshi Kashyap, Ashmita Chaliha, Unnati Hooda.

India are in Group D along side South Korea, Canada and the United States in Uber Cup Final.

Meanwhile, former top-10 player H S Prannoy also recovered from a "small injury" which had kept him away from the BAC to reach Bangkok for the Thomas Cup Final. 

Also Read : It was really unfair, I could have played the final: Sindhu on controversial point penalty at BAC

News Source : PTI

Pune, May 4 (Cricket News) The Chennai Super Kings spin duo of Moeen Ali and Maheesh Theekshana spun a web around Royal Challengers Bangalore batters to restrict them to 173 for 8 in the Indian Premier League here on Wednesday.

The CSK spinners made full use of skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's decision to bowl first as a fit-again Ali (2/28) and Theekshana (3/27) shared five wickets between them.

While Ali rattled the top-order getting rid of the opening pair of Virat Kohli (30 off 33) and Faf Du Plessis (38 off 22), Theekshana snapped three wickets in the penultimate over.

Dwaine Pretorius (1/42) was the other wicket taker for CSK.

Mahipal Lamror was the top-scorer as he smashed a 27-ball 42 while Dinesh Karthik (26 not out off 17) hit some lusty blows towards the end to help RCB go past the 170-run mark.

Kohli and du Plessis (38 off 22) batted with authority as the two veterans pummelled the inexperienced pace duo of Mukesh Choudhary (0/30) and Simarjeet Singh (0/21) in the Powerplay.

The opening pair extracted 57 runs in the first six overs, RCB's highest Powerplay total this season.

With the uncapped talent going for runs aplenty, skipper MS Dhoni introduced spin, which slowed down the proceedings for RCB.

With the pitch offering turn and bounce, England off-spinner Ali, who returned to the side after an ankle injury, broke the dangerous partnership as du Plessis found Ravindra Jadeja at deep midwicket in the eighth over.

A horrible mix up between Kohli and new-man Glenn Maxwell (3) spelt the end of the big-hitting Australian's short stay in the middle. It was the fourth time that Kohli was involved in a run-out this season.

The CSK bowlers did a tremendous job after an expensive start.

RCB was trying to recover from the twin blows, when Ali bowled a brilliant delivery.

He pitched the ball up outside off, inviting Kohli for the drive. However, the ball turned past the inside edge and clattered the stumps, the former Indian skipper's struggles against Ali's spin continued.

Lamror and Rajat Patidar (21) then shared a quick 44-run stand but Dhoni re-introduced pace in the form of Pretorius and the South African struck in his very first delivery, getting rid of Patidar.

Lamror was dropped on 33 by Jadeja, but the batter couldn't capitalise on the reprieve as he became Theekshana's first victim in the 19th over The Sri Lankan then went on to dismiss compatriot Wanindu Hasaranga and Shahbaz Ahmed. 

Also Read : Senior Women's T20: Railways beat Maharashtra by seven wickets; clinch title

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, May 4 (Cricket News) IPL's all-time leading scorer, Virat Kohli, feels playing in the lucrative league for 14 years has made him realise that there is not just one template to succeed in the game in which he has attained superstar status.

It also helped him add a different dimension to his "understanding of the game", the former India captain said.

Seeking to regain his touch after battling a prolonged slump in form, Kohli has so far accumulated nearly 6500 runs in the IPL, having played for Royal Challengers Bangalore from its inaugural edition in 2008.

On IPL's impact on his life, Kohli said on 'Inside RCB' show on Star Sports, "I think outside of playing for India, IPL gave me the platform to show my capabilities, compete against the best in the world and share knowledge with them.

"I think that was the most important thing that added a different dimension to my understanding of the game. This helped me move ahead in a very progressive manner.

"I was picking brains of people that probably I wouldn't have come across otherwise on things like how to play in different conditions and what mind-set they have.

"You know, people have different ways to succeed so it can't be just one template. So I used to be so excited and grateful for the opportunity to pick their brains and just learn from them day in and day out and that's for me has been the standout feature of IPL." Apart from his sedate fifty in the last game against Gujarat Titans and a knock of 48 earlier in the tournament versus Mumbai Indians, Kohli has mostly struggled for runs this season.

The batting maestro has so far scored 186 runs in 10 matches at a below-par average of 20.67.

Kohli is the only player who has been with the same franchise from the very beginning of the IPL.

On his loyalty towards RCB (even though he still hasn't won a trophy for them in the IPL), Kohli said, "To be very honest I thought about it. Yes, I won't shy away from it and I have been approached many times as well to come into the auction somehow, put my name there and stuff.

"And then I thought about it, I was like at the end of the day everyone has X numbers of years that they live and then you die and life moves on. There would have been many great people who won trophies but no one addresses you like that. No one addresses you in the room like 'Oh he's an IPL champion or he's a World Cup champion.

"It's like if you are a good person, people like you, if you're a bad guy, they just stay away from you and eventually that's what life is all about." Kohli was just 18 when he first played for RCB in 2008. Appointed the franchise's captain in 2011, Kohli enjoyed his best season in 2016 when he amassed a whopping 973 runs, the most by a player in a single edition of the IPL. An IPL trophy, though, continues to elude Kohli, who played in the finals of 2009 and 2016 editions.

"For me the understanding that the loyalty with RCB like how I follow my life is far greater for me than the fact that five people in the room will say oh finally you win the IPL with whoever xyz. You feel good for five minutes but then sixth minute you could be miserable with some other issues in the life. So it is not the end of the world for me.

"What this franchise has given me in terms of opportunities in the first three years and believed in me that is the most special thing because as I said there are many teams who had the opportunity, but they didn't back me, they didn't believe in me.

"So now when I am successful and I shouldn't fall to the opinion of people saying 'but' the IPL. This was the case with me till 2018 England tour happened. For four years of my life, I was doing well everywhere in the world, the only thing was 'but England'.

"So there are always going to be 'but', you literally can't live your life like that and I just carry out doing my own things and I actually honestly don't even bother about a third person beyond myself and Anushka discussing things.

"For me nothing else or no one else's opinion matters at all." 

Also Read : Resurgent CSK take on RCB in classic battle in match no 49

News Source : PTI

Dubai, May 4 (Cricket News) India under new captain Rohit Sharma finished the 2021-22 season as the world's number one ranked T20 team after a string of impressive performances at home but were a good nine points behind Australia in the annual Test rankings released by ICC on Wednesday.

The 'Black Caps' from New Zealand finished the last season as the world No.1 ODI team with the cut-off date being May 4, 2022. The England versus India series that began in 2021, will be included in the rankings once the final postponed Test is completed.

"Australia have increased their lead over second-placed India from one to nine rating points while Pakistan have overtaken England to fifth position in the ICC Men's Test Team Rankings following the annual update carried out today," the ICC release stated.

"India have also gained a point to move to 119 while England have had the biggest decrease of nine points as their 4-1 series win over India in 2018 is now dropped from the rankings. England's 88 rating points is their lowest since 1995," the release added.

Australia, who beat England 4-0 in the Ashes in January, have moved from 119 to 128 rating points in the annual update that drops the 2018-19 season and reflects all series completed since May 2019.

Series completed prior to May 2021 are now weighted at 50 per cent and subsequent series at 100 per cent.

India remain on top in T20Is, extending their lead over second-placed England from one to five points. South Africa and Australia have overtaken New Zealand, who are now in sixth place. Similarly, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are now ahead of Afghanistan (10th).

In the updated ODI rankings, New Zealand remain on top but their lead over England is reduced from three to one point. The gap between England and third-placed Australia has increased from seven to 17 points. 

Also Read : Time for Lalit Yadav to deliver as DC fight SRH to stay alive in IPL

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, May 4 (Cricket News) All-rounder Lalit Yadav is running against time to repay the unshakeable faith that head coach Ricky Ponting has reposed in him as Delhi Capitals face a must-win situation to keep their shoddy IPL campaign alive against Sunrisers Hyderabad here on Thursday.

This is the third IPL season for the lanky DC all-rounder, who is one of Ponting's favourite cricketers, and the Aussie legend has invested a lot in the man from Najafgarh.

However, modest returns of 137 runs from nine games with a strike-rate of less than 110 while batting in the middle-overs and an economy rate of nearly 8.5 with only four wickets, don't do justice to his enormous potential.

While numbers always don't tell the whole story but Lalit hasn't exactly been the best finisher for Delhi and despite his reputation at the domestic level, he has managed only six maximums in seven innings so far.

At least DC's eight points from nine games, with five defeats, show that all is not well in terms of combination as well as performances.

Anrich Nortje's retention has backfired badly as the South African quick has hardly been of use and save Kuldeep yadav (17 wickets) and partly Khaleel Ahmed (11), none of the other bowlers have looked menacing. Mustafizur Rahaman has been good in patches but far from being the skiddy customer that he was between 2015-18.

Skipper Rishabh Pant (234 from nine games) showed glimpses of his destructive power but the team would want more from its skipper who is more than capable of hammering any attack into submission.

Pant's battle against India's fastest bowler Umran Malik will be a contest everyone will be looking forward to considering that the Jammu speedster only comes after powerplay, which could also be the time of the DC skipper's arrival to the crease.

Prithvi Shaw, who had started the tourney on a bright note hasn't been in his element in last few games and David Warner would ideally like to convert one of his fifties into a hundred.

It will be easier said than done against an attack that has Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran, T Natarajan and Marco Jansen who would be coming relentlessly at the DC batting unit to increase their points tally from 10 to 12.

The only good news for Capitals is Washington Sundar's absence after a recurrence of a hand injury, and probably, Jagadeesha Suchith will be bowling his slow left-arm orthodox.

DC will however have to concentrate on young opener Abhishek Sharma (324 in nine games at 135 strike-rate approximately), who has been consistently giving good starts.

Skipper Kane Williamson hasn't really set the stage on fire and SRH's batting in their five wins mainly relied on Abhishek, Aiden Markram (263 in nine games) and Rahul Tripathi (228 in nine games).

The first game in which SRH's bowling and batting came under the pump was against CSK when they conceded 200 plus runs in 20 overs, and then left too much at the end, with Nicholas Pooran scoring consolation runs.

How well SRH fare while batting first under lights remains to be seen as they have mostly chased.

Shardul Thakur's quickish medium fast bowling could test the SRH line-up. Thakur's bowling in the tournament has been a huge let-down for DC as he has got only seven wickets from nine games and at an embarrassingly high economy rate of 9.75 for a specialist front-line pacer.

The man, who is affectionately called 'Beefy' (Ian Botham's nickname) for his all-round prowess in England last year, has been a shadow of his old self with only 89 runs in seven innings.

Teams: Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant (Captain), Ashwin Hebbar, David Warner, Mandeep Singh, Prithvi Shaw,Rovman Powell, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya, Khaleel Ahmed, Kuldeep Yadav, Lungi Ngidi, Mustafizur Rahman, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Kamlesh Nagarkoti,Lalit Yadav, Mitchell Marsh, Pravin Dubey, Ripal Patel, Sarfaraz Khan, Vicky Ostwal, Yash Dhull, KS Bharat and Tim Seifert.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Kane Williamson, Abhishek Sharma, Rahul Tripathi, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Priyam Garg, Vishnu Vinod, Glenn Phillips, R Samarth, Shashank Singh, Romario Shepherd, Marco Jansen, J Suchith, Shreyas Gopal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sean Abbott, Kartik Tyagi, Saurabh Tiwary, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Umran Malik, T Natarajan.

Match starts at 7.30 pm. 

Also Read : The wicket helped us, says Sandeep Sharma

News Source : PTI

Lausanne, May 2 (Hockey News) The Indian men and women hockey teams climbed to third and seventh positions respectively in the latest FIH World Rankings issued on Monday.

Both the Indian teams made upward movement in the rankings chart, courtesy their impressive performances in the FIH Pro League matches recently.

Three wins and a draw over England (3-3 and 4-3) and Germany (3-0 and 3-1) helped Indian men move ahead of Netherlands, who dropped to fourth.

Australia continued to lead the men's rankings after a successful four-match Test series against Malaysia, while Belgium are in second place, followed by India, Netherlands, Germany, Argentina, England and New Zealand.

In the women's rankings, India jumped to the seventh spot following a win over top ranked Netherlands in the FIH Pro League.

Argentina continuing good form in the Pro League means they remain in second place with Australia in third.

England are in fourth spot ahead of Germany, Spain and India. Belgium are in eighth position ahead of New Zealand and Japan. 

Also Read : We are headed in right direction: women's hockey coach Schopman ahead of World Cup

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, May 2 (Cricket News) Regular match practice, something Cheteshwar Pujara was not able to get due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is the reason for the India batter's consistent run in the ongoing County Championship, reckons his father and coach Arvind Pujara.

Pujara, a veteran of 95 Tests, found himself out of the Indian team after the series loss in South Africa alongside Ajinkya Rahane.

The consistency that has made him play close to 100 Tests was not there over past three seasons when he averaged less than 30, forcing the selectors to look beyond him for the home series against Sri Lanka.

But with two double centuries and a hundred in three games for Sussex this season, Pujara is doing what is in his control as he looks to make a comeback for the one-off Test in England in July.

"I feel the lack of game time was a big reason why he could not be consistent over the past three seasons," his father Arvind, who remains his only personal coach till date, told PTI.

The pandemic struck, Ranji Trophy was not happening and Cheteshwar being a one format player, found himself playing series to series with no warm up games too, sometimes with long gaps in between (when India played white-ball cricket).

"When you play the likes of Australia and England, you have to be on the top of your game as you don't get loose balls that you may get at the domestic level.

"There were not enough games for him to play at the domestic level to be ready for bigger battles. That I feel impacted his consistency at the highest level." "Now that he is getting to play regularly, you can see the consistency is back in his game," said the father cum coach.

The 34-year-old did play three Ranji Trophy games this season as the premier domestic event made its return after two years.

After Saurashtra failed to qualify for the knock-outs, Pujara headed to UK for a full-fledged County season.

Pujara's technique was questioned after being dismissed while defending on the front foot on multiple occasions over the last two years.

Without getting into the technical side his son's game, Arvind said when one doesn't play enough games, the ability to "concentrate in the middle for long periods is affected".

His father said Cheteshwar was understandably disappointed after being left out of the Indian team but the setback made him hungrier for runs.

"Selection is in the hands of selectors. I just told him that you need to keeping working hard, keep putting in the effort day in and day out and rest will follow.

"It is every cricketer's dream to play for India and no different for Cheteshwar but you also play for the love of the game. The fact he is playing County Cricket at the moment shows that just wants to be out in the middle." On his selection for the one off Test in England couple of months down the line, "That is for the selectors to decide. I feel especially in overseas conditions, you need your experience players in the team to deal with tough situations and also guide the youngsters. He just needs to keep scoring," Arvind added. 

Also Read : Captaincy pressure burdened Jadeja's preparations and performance: Dhoni

News Source : PTI

(Football news) Real Madrid have just become 35 time La Liga winners and are also in the semi finals of the UCL. It has been a good season for Real Madrid and at the heart of it all is their evergreen midfield. The trio of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro has been running the show for Real Madrid since 2016. This season, Eduardo Camavinga and Fede Valverde have added more legs in midfield. 

Despite the fact that their performances have been consistent, age will catch up eventually. Modric's current deal expires in June but a 1 year extension is imminent. Kroos' contract expires in the summer of 2023. The German during his contract signing in 2019 announced that it will be his last long term renewal as he doesn't want to play for longer than his body allows to. Reports state that the player and the club will take a decision only in the last 6 months of his contract. This means that midfielder can retire after the 2022/23 season or leave Real Madrid to play at a club with less pressure. If Real Madrid lose these two stalwarts then they will need people to fill in. Only Camavinga and Valverde will not do as there will have to be some competition.

Real Madrid are heavily linked with young Monaco starlet Aurélien Tchouaméni. The player is said to be interested in the move but there are Premier League clubs interested in him as well. Reports from Spain suggest that Real Madrid may not want to spend too much money on a player who isn't going to be a guaranteed starter. Dani Ceballos has been very impressive in recent performances and rumours say that Carlo Ancelotti wants to keep the player and thinks that he is the future of the club. Another player linked with a move to the Spanish capital is Youri Tielemans.

Ever since joining Leicester City from Monaco in 2019, Tielemans has been one of the most consistent midfielders in England. He is now seeking a move away from the King Power Stadium. The midfielder's current contract expires in 2023 and Leicester City will have to sell them in order to avoid losing him for free. Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are all interested in his services but reports suggest that Tielemans wants a move to Spain. The Leicester man is more established than someone like a Tchouaméni. 

The fact that Tielemans plays for Leicester City means that he doesn't get that much hype. The midfielder has been a regular for Belgium national team along with all the big boys and is consistently among the top midfielders in the Premier League. The Belgian might not be someone who will walk straight into the Madrid team but could be signed as someone to put pressure on others. His capability to play at an elite club is something that needs to be tested but if he is available for somewhere around £25million then it would be a good deal. At the age of 24 Tielemans still has a lot of potential to grow and when Real Madrid come calling then almost every player answers.

Also read: Real Madrid’s La Liga title winning season review

(Football news) Everton took a big step in their Premier League survival hopes with a 1-0 win over Chelsea. The pressure was firmly on the Toffees after Burnley’s comeback win over Watford on Saturday and desperately needed a win in order to have a chance of remaining in England’s top flight next season. The atmosphere at Goodison Park was electric and the Toffees broke the deadlock in the 46th minute with a goal from Richarlison which eventually secured Everton much needed three points.

However, Everton had to fight hard to secure the win as Pickford was forced to make two brilliant saves to deny Cesar Azpilicuta and Antonio Rudiger. The Blues continued to push for a goal and Pickford had to stop Mateo Kovacic’s low strike as the home fans also played their part in safely getting their side beyond the final whistle to move two points behind Leeds and Burnley with a game in hand. As for Chelsea, Thomas Tuchel’s team remain third but will need to get results in their upcoming fixtures as a place in the top 4 is not guaranteed.

Speaking after the match, Everton manager Frank Lampard said “Difficult. They are always a team that will put you under pressure late on. We did brilliantly. The team, the stadium, the fans were the man of the match today. From the drive in to the support, which we need. Thanks to them. The fans are in the middle of this. I am pleased the players could see on the way what it means to the fans. They know that and understand it. They got behind us, were nicely aggressive, this place has to be a hard place to come. Results have been good here at Goodison before I came, we have to maintain that.

“We have to fight for points, we are in the relegation zone, and we have to go with that same spirit every game. They [the players] have to show they care. I like that. They don't have to go over the line but have to show they care; the fans want to see that. I prodded them a bit before the game because the situation is clear. We need to perform at that level in all our remaining games. That needs to keep coming in and if it doesn't, we have to sort it out.” 

At the London Stadium, Arsenal consolidated their place in the top 4 with a 2-1 win over West Ham. A result for the Gunners was necessary after they dropped into fifth place with Spurs’ 3-1 win over Leicester City and Mikel Arteta praised his side for “winning ugly”. A second half header by Gabriel Magalhaes in the 55th minute from Gabriel Martinelli's cross secured the three points for Arsenal. Rob Holding, who replaced an injured Ben White scored the opening goal of the match in the 39th minute from Bukayo Saka’s corner but West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen scored the equaliser just before the break.

Arsenal had the opportunity to kill off the game with Eddie Nketiah not taking advantage of a number of opportunities but their slender advantage was enough to secure the three points and are now two points above West Ham and three points behind Chelsea in the Premier League table. Meanwhile, West Ham are seventh, three points behind Manchester United and will now set their sights on the Europa League semi-final second leg against Eintracht Frankfurt. 

Speaking after the match, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said “We won ugly and big teams have to find a way to win ugly when they don't play at their best. With the ball we were really poor. We lacked composure, dominance to play the game we wanted to play, but we found a way through set pieces, through defending extremely well. To win here is credit to the boys. They showed the spirit we have. I'm still digesting a lot of things we didn't do right, but as a team to grow in confidence and to continue with the moment we have, we've won against three big teams in a row."

Also read: Will Reece James even consider leaving Chelsea for Real Madrid?

Hove (UK), Apr 29 (Cricket News) Senior India batter Cheteshwar Pujara continued his stellar show in the English County Championship, scoring his third century in as many games for Sussex here on Friday.

Pujara, who was batting on 107 off 167 balls, hit 13 fours to help his side take a substantial lead against Durham, who were all out on 223 in their first innings.

The out-of-favour India batter, who is in sparkling form, is making most of his county stint. He now has scored three hundreds including a double century in his five innings.

Making his debut for Sussex, Pujara had scored 6 and an unbeaten 201 to help his side draw the match against Derbyshire.

In the Sussex's 34-run loss to Worcestershire, he scored 109 in the first innings, followed by 12 in the second essay.

The runs will keep Pujara in contention for a place in the Indian squad when India travel to England for the postponed fifth Test later this year.

The veteran batter was dropped from the Indian Test team following the series loss in South Africa earlier this year. 

Also Read : I'm happy but never satisfied: Arshdeep Singh on IPL performance

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Cricket Ireland has today announced a new five-year broadcast deal with Pitch International for Ireland men’s and women’s international cricket played at home in that period. Pitch International has worked with Cricket Ireland since 2014, facilitating broadcast sales for Ireland Men’s home internationals matches with the global market. The new deal, covering home internationals from 2022-2026, extends Pitch’s scope in a number of ways – with Pitch now assuming ownership of Cricket Ireland’s rights, Pitch will be expanding its portfolio of matches to include women’s internationals, and taking all international matches to the end of the next future tours programme (FTP).  

The broadcast reach of Ireland Men’s internationals have begun to attract substantial numbers in recent years, with the Ireland Men v India Men two-match T20I series in 2018 recorded broadcast reach globally of 429M, while the home international programme in 2019 and 2021 had a combined broadcast reach of almost 600M.

Warren Deutrom, Chief Executive of Cricket Ireland, said: “As Irish cricket grows in stature on the world stage, broadcast and digital rights are becoming a key income stream to support Cricket Ireland and its work in growing and improving the sustainability of our sport. Having worked closely with Pitch International as our agent in the broadcast market for so many years, we are delighted to formally welcome them as our official global broadcast partner. From experience, we are confident that Pitch provides the necessary expertise and reach into the global broadcast and digital marketplace.

“Not only will this agreement help grow the profile of our sport internationally, but it will also help to sustain the revenue for Cricket Ireland to invest back into the sport – our facilities, our high performance programmes, our Provincial Unions and programmes at club and grassroots levels. As a new aspect of our latest broadcast deal, we will offer women’s cricket content to the market for the first time. Almost 750,000 views of our women’s international livestreams in 2021 has demonstrated the interest in Irish women’s cricket, and this will be set to grow significantly further with the senior squad’s entry into the ICC Women’s Championship.

“As we don’t want to just be a major nation in world cricket, but a major sport in Ireland, we have ensured the new broadcast deal carves out our ability to offer attractive opportunities for with domestic broadcast partners in Ireland – and we will explore these

Guy Le Grew, Chief Revenue Office at Pitch international, said: “We are delighted to extend our long-term partnership with Cricket Ireland and continue to help grow the game of cricket in Ireland. As the landscape of world cricket continues to evolve, our focus is on driving reach and revenue for Irish cricket and to enhance the profile of Ireland’s international sides both at home and abroad. Cricket Ireland have consistently secured high quality opposition for both their men’s and women’s teams, which in turn provides us all with exciting opportunities in broadcast markets around the world.

“Through Pitch’s wider portfolio of international cricket rights, which also includes the England and Wales Cricket Board, New Zealand Cricket, Cricket West Indies, Netherlands Cricket and Cricket Scotland, our unrivalled expertise and network uniquely positions us to deliver market-leading results. We look forward to continuing to work with Cricket Ireland to take the sport forward.”

Also read: Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) record 20-run win as Punjab fluff run chase

(Football news) All the rumours indicate that Real Madrid will make a few big transfers this summer. Antonio Rudiger and Kylian Mbappe are reportedly set to join Los Blancos for free. The Merengues are also interested in AS Monaco starlet Aurélien Tchouaméni whose transfer will be a little complicated. New reports have emerged from Spain revealing Real Madrid's interest in Reece James. The operation will be carried out at the end of the 2022/23 season and a lot will depend on the new ownership scenario.

Reece James has been Chelsea's first choice right back for around 2 years now. The Englishman is a product of Chelsea's academy who broke into the first team after an impressive loan spell at Wigan Athletic. While on loan, James became Wigan's Player of the Month in the 2018/19 season. Since his return to Chelsea the right back has performed at the highest level consistently. Watching his performance at the Bernabéu against Real Madrid may have convinced the Real Madrid board of his quality. When Real Madrid put all their efforts into signing a certain player, they very rarely fail but this time around the situation is different.

Players like Steven Gerrard, Alessandro del Piero and Francisco Totti have famously rejected Real Madrid for the love of their respective clubs. Reece James could be a similar story as he is a boyhood Chelsea fan who came through the ranks. If James does stay at Chelsea for the rest of his career then he will eventually end up being the captain of the club. Chelsea just cannot afford to lose Reece James at this point. He ticks way too many boxes in the squad for any amount of transfer fee to be sufficient. An English player who came through the ranks and is already considered one of the best in the world at his position at the age of 22 isn't something Chelsea's academy would produce that often.

English players at Real Madrid don't often reach their full potential and the language barrier is often the reason for it. Transfers of Thibaut Courtois, Mateo Kovacic and Eden Hazard have established a good relationship between the two clubs which should make things a little more smooth but that is only if Chelsea want to negotiate. From Reece James’ point of view it might be too early for him to switch to Real Madrid but at the same time it can also be a once in a lifetime opportunity of creating a legacy that not many players from England manage to do. 

Also read: Real Madrid aim to secure 35th La Liga title with 4 games in hand

Mumbai, Apr 29 (Cricket News) The elegant KL Rahul's ability to score at a healthy rate by playing textbook stroke has caught the attention of none other than batting great Sunil Gavaskar, who feels it's a message that one doesn't need to manufacture shots to score quickly.

In the ongoing IPL-15, Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rahul has been in sublime form at the top of order and has already hit two hundreds -- both against Mumbai Indians.

With 368 runs, he is the second highest run-getter so far this season, just behind Rajasthan Royals' Jos Buttler.

Speaking on Cricket Live on Star Sports, Gavaskar said, "He's been outstanding. The best part about KL Rahul's batting is that nothing is agricultural in his cricketing shots. Every shot that he plays is a proper textbook stroke.

"So what he has actually told you with his shot-making skills is that you don't have to manufacture shots. If you've got the shots, use them and the selection of his shots has been outstanding." Former England captain Kevin Pietersen also lavished praise on the Karnataka batter claiming his batting to be a breath of fresh air.

Pietersen said, "He has a wide range of shots in his armoury. So he can hit you over back-foot point, he can slice you for a six. He can hit you over extra-cover, he can hit you down the ground, and he can pick you over midwicket.

"So, he really is a 360-degree batter. I mean, he's a breath of fresh air. You can switch on the TV and watch him bat all day." Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan said the right-handed batter plays according to the situation.

Irfan said, "Lokesh Rahul is the batsman who can increase or decrease the striker rate according to the situation. He has the style, the elegance and aggression to build his innings the way he wants.

"He has a sound technique and a good temperament. He is gauging the situations and batting accordingly. Rahul knows very well when he needs to shift gears." 

Also Read : Ben Stokes' biggest challenge as England's new Test captain

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Ben Stokes has been named as the new Test captain of England. Joe Root left the role after 5 years of leading the team which was the beginning of the transition that England's red ball set up needs. A new coach is also set to be appointed very soon and Gary Kirsten is being mentioned as a strong candidate. Ben Stokes has a massive target ahead of him and the process is expected to be a long one.

Ben Stokes showed his commitment to the Test side by choosing not to participate in the IPL. He clearly mentioned that he felt that the Test team would benefit by him playing county cricket rather than the IPL. Stokes will have to manage the workload of being an all-rounder along with the captaincy which will be a very big challenge. Having said that, Stokes has all the quality to do it at the highest level for years to come. At the age of 30 he is in his cricketing prime and at the peak of his powers. Having someone like Joe Root in the squad to help him out will be a massive benefit for him. If Gary Kirsten does become the coach then Stokes' job becomes much easier. Kirsten with all his experience will have a clear idea of what to do in any given situation.

Reports say that Stokes want's Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad back in the squad. The pair was dropped from the side for the West Indies tour despite bowling well in the Ashes. The decision will definitely be a controversial one and is likely to divide people. As long as the Durham all-rounder has a clear idea and blueprint of what he wants to do the move should benefit the team. The ECB will also have to play a role to make England a good Test team again with changes in selection policies and county tournaments.

Ben Stokes' first Test as captain will be against New Zealand. After the 3 match series against the Kiwis, England have the last Test against India which they need to win in order to draw the series. Coincidentally India will also have a different captain in Rohit Sharma after Virat Kohli stepped down earlier this year. These 4 Tests will be very crucial for Ben Stokes and England but not so much from the results point of view. Even if England lose all 4 Tests after playing some good cricket then there won't be too many complaints as they are clearly in a rebuilding process.

Also read: Umran Malik's raw and lightning pace is lighting the IPL on fire

Bengaluru, Apr 29 (Hockey News) Aiming to "maximise" the pace of her side's game in the coming months, Indian women's hockey team chief coach Janneke Schopman said the recent FIH Pro League matches were ideal preparation for the team in the run up to the upcoming World Cup.

The World Cup will be held in Terrassa, Spain and Amstelveen, the Netherlands from July 1 to 17.

The Indian team has raised expectations after its historic fourth-place finish at last year's Tokyo Olympics.

"Playing top teams in these home games, we were mostly focused on ourselves. But more than the outcome of the matches, I am satisfied with how the team has played and I believe we are headed in the right direction," Schopman said on 'Hockey Te Charcha', a podcast series launched by Hockey India.

The Indian team led by Savita ended the home games of the FIH Pro League as table toppers in its maiden campaign.

Talking about the team's preparations ahead of the remaining Pro League matches in Europe and the World Cup, Schopman said, "For the next five to six weeks, we will be in Bengaluru - in our own environment and we will train towards a common goal of doing well in the Pro League and the World Cup.

"Our focus will be on building our physical robustness. We will work on maximizing our speed in the game. We also want to limit the risk of injury as we will be playing back-to-back Pro League and World Cup matches." Speaking about their World Cup opponents in pool B, in which India is grouped with England, China and New Zealand, Schopman said, "We have played England a few times in the past and we are ​familiar with their game and the team has played China quite a lot too.

"But because of the pandemic, we have not seen New Zealand play in the last two years and from what I have read about them, there are a few retirements in their team and a few players are injured.

"But having said that, ours is a pool where anyone can beat anyone on a good day and we just need to make sure we start well." 

Also Read : India to open Asia Cup men's hockey campaign against Pakistan on May 23

News Source : PTI

(Football news) The first leg of the Europa Conference League between Leicester City and AS Roma ended in a 1-1 draw. Jose Mourinho after the game said that the clash was too good for the Europa Conference League. The tie will be decided at the Stadio Olimpico in a week's time. Before that Leicester City will play against Mourinho's former team Tottenham Hotspur while AS Roma have a crucial clash against Bologna. 

Leicester City had 67.4% possession but couldn't create a lot of chances. Both the teams had 2 shots on target despite Leicester having a lot more shots off target. It took Roma just 15 minutes to take the lead at the King Power stadium. Nicola Zalewski set up Lorenzo Pellegrini who scored his 12th goal of the season. The game was very tight for the rest of the half as Roma defended deep. The home team lacked that killer pass and had to rely on set pieces and long shots to have a sniff at the goal. 

Brendon Rogers bought on Harvey Barnes and Kelechi Iheanacho for Jamie Vardy and Marc Albrighton in the 62nd minute to switch things a little. The substitutes had an instant impact as Harvey Barnes after an incredible dash into the box played a pass across goal which went in off Roma defender Gianluca Mancini after being put under pressure by Ademola Lookman. Iheanacho also had a couple of very good chances to score the winner but couldn't take them. Roma looked to be content with a draw as they didn't commit many players forward after conceding the equaliser. 

20 year old Zewski had an excellent game at Left wing back as he assisted the first goal and was incredible in defence. Chris Smalling on his return to England had a decent game as he blocked a couple of chances and defended well. As for Leicester City James Maddison often found himself in good positions but just couldn't produce that moment of magic. The return leg in Rome is going to be a very big challenge for Leicester given that they are going into the game on level terms.

Also read: Ronaldo stunner salvages a draw against Chelsea at Old Trafford

Mumbai, Apr 28 (Cricket News) Mumbai Indians have roped in left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya Singh as a replacement for injured Mohd Arshad Khan for the remainder of the Indian Premier League.

"The left-arm spinner will join Mumbai Indians for the price of Rs 20 lakh," the IPL stated in a media statement on Thursday.

Kumar Kartikeya Singh, who represents Madhya Pradesh in domestic cricket, has so far played nine first class matches, 19 List A games and eight T20s, picking 35, 18 and 9 wickets respectively.

Singh was with the Mumbai Indians as part of the support team.

Mumbai Indians, who have suffered eight losses on the trot, are out of contention for a playoff berth.

The Rohit Sharma-led side will now on Rajasthan Royals on April 30 at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. 

Also Read : Ben Stokes named England’s Test captain by the ECB

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Durham’s Ben Stokes has been appointed captain of the England Men’s Test team by the England & Wales Cricket Board. He succeeded Joe Root in becoming the 81st captain of the England Men’s Test team. The ECB Interim Chair and Chief Executive Officer approved the appointment on Tuesday evening following the recommendation by the Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, Rob Key.

Commenting on the appointment, Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, Rob Key, said: “I had no hesitation in offering the role of Test captain to Ben. He epitomises the mentality and approach we want to take this team forward into the next era of red-ball cricket. I am delighted that he has accepted, and he is ready for the added responsibility and the honour. He thoroughly deserves the opportunity.”

Tom Harrison, ECB Chief Executive Officer, said: “I am delighted that Ben has agreed to become England Men’s Test captain, which is another great achievement in his extraordinary career in an England shirt. He cares deeply and passionately about what it means to represent England and he will lead us into a new era with great pride. It’s an important summer for our Test side and Ben will I am sure relish the challenge before him and his team.”

Stokes made his Test debut in December 2013 and has represented his country on 79 occasions at this level. He was named vice-captain in February 2017 and also stood in as captain when Root was absent for the birth of his second child in the summer of 2020. The Durham star currently has 5,061 Test runs at an average of 35.89. He has taken 174 wickets with the ball and is amongst the best all-rounders in the world.

England Men’s Test Captain, Ben Stokes, added: “I am honoured to be given the chance to lead the England Test team. This is a real privilege, and I’m excited about getting started this summer. I want to thank Joe (Root) for everything he has done for English Cricket and for always being a great ambassador for the sport all across the world. He has been a massive part of my development as a leader in the dressing room, and he will continue to be a key ally for me in this role.”

Also read: Umran Malik's raw and lightning pace is lighting the IPL on fire

(Football news) Jose Mourinho is set to return to England to lead his AS Roma team against Leicester City in the Europa Conference League. This is the first edition of the Europa Conference League which is the third tier of UEFA's European cup competition. Roma qualified for the competition after finishing 7th in the Serie A last season while Leicester City qualified after failing to get past their Europa League group and finishing 3rd in it. 

Roma defeated Trabzonspor 5-1 over two legs in the playoffs round. The Giallorossi then finished 1st in their group with 4 wins, 1 draw and an embarrassing 6-1 loss against Bodø/Glimt. Roma then defeated Vitesse 2-1 on aggregate thanks to a last minute goal by Tammy Abraham. In the quarter finals, they were once again pitted against Bodø/Glimt who won the first leg 2-1. A hat-trick from Nicolo Zaniolo helped Roma win the return leg 4-0. Now they face a tough challenge against Leicester City for a spot in the inaugural Europa Conference League final. Leicester City finished 3rd in their Europa League group after they lost 3-2 to Napoli in their last game. They then defeated Randers FC 7-2 on aggregate in the Conference League Round of 32. The Foxes narrowly defeated Rennes 3-2 on aggregate in the Round of 16 before coming from behind to beat PSV Eindhoven in the quarter finals. 

Leicester City will be without Wilfried Ndidi and Ryan Bertrand while Jonny Evans and Boubakary Soumare are doubtful. For Roma there are question marks around the fitness of Bryan Cristante and Nicolo Zaniolo. Both teams don't like to defend deep hence the game is likely to be a high scoring one. Tammy Abraham will be coming back to England with a point to prove after the English media deemed him not good enough for the Premier League. Roma lost their last game 3-1 against champions Inter Milan while Leicester City came into the game on the back of two consecutive draws against Everton and Aston Villa.

After a dreadful spell with Tottenham Hotspur, Jose Mourinho has done a fine job by rejuvenating AS Roma as a club as the Italian side are currently 5th on the Serie A table. Leicester on the other hand are having a disappointing season so far. They were relegated from the Europa League and are also 10th in the Premier League making it impossible for them to be in a European competition next season unless they win the Conference League.

Also read: Two quick goals give Liverpool first leg advantage over Villarreal

(Cricket news) In Sunrisers Hyderabad's last ball thriller against Gujarat Titans, Umran Malik was named the Player of the match. GT ended up chasing the target of 196 with 5 wickets to spare thanks to some late fireworks by Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan. Despite being on the losing side Umran Malik was selected as the player of the match, which doesn't happen often especially in the T20 format but it was just that kind of spell by the Jammu bowler.

When Malik came into bowl, Gujarat were wicketless and cruising towards the target thanks to a brilliant opening partnership by Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill. He picked up the wickets of Gill, Saha, Hardik Pandya and Abhinav Manohar in his 4 overs. The speedster gave away only 25 runs in his 4 overs and bowled at lightning quick pace. In his wicket taking balls he clocked the speeds of 144.2 kmph, 145.1 kmph, 152.8 kmp, 148.7 kmph, 146.8 kmph. The 5 wicket haul was the first of the IPL season by a fast bowler.

As every game passes the pacer is making an excellent case for himself to make his international debut. If Umran Malik continues these types of performances then the selectors will have no option but to get him into the side. India will be hosting South Africa in the T20I series before travelling to England for the one off Test and white ball series. There will also be 2 T20Is in Ireland where the BCCI is likely to send a 2nd string side. If Malik doesn't find a place in the main squad then he will definitely be a part of the 2nd team. Many experts and former players have already suggested that he must be included in the Indian team before it's too late to see if he belongs to the level.

Other Indian players who perform well during the IPL all get a buzz for an international call up but with Umran Malik it's different. No one on the Indian side can do what Malik does, in fact no one even comes close. Clocking 150 kmph on a regular basis is very unique and if India has a bowler with that ability then it's going to be the bowling attack better than it already is. Malik has already been a part of the Indian side as a net bowler in last year's T20 World Cup. If he does get a call up and puts in a good performance then he might make his way into the T20 World Cup squad.

Also read: Struggling KKR take on a depleted DC squad in match no 41

Pune, Apr 28 (Cricket News) Punjab Kings would be keen to put brakes on Lucknow Super Giants skipper KL Rahul's rollicking batting form and notch up a win when the two sides clash in an IPL game here on Friday.

Lucknow are currently in fourth spot, having five wins and three losses from eight games, while Punjab are at sixth, with four wins and as many losses.

Lucknow beat Mumbai Indians by 36 runs in their last game, while Punjab come into the game after defeating Chennai Super Kings by 11 runs.

Rahul has been in sublime form at the top of order and has already hit two hundreds -- both against Mumbai Indians -- and a fifty-plus score this season.

With 368 runs, he is the second highest run-getter so far this season, just behind Rajasthan Royals' Jos Buttler and has been the batting mainstay for his team.

Punjab’s balanced bowling attack, led by South African pacer Kasigo Rabada, would be keen to put the brakes on the stylish right-handed batter.

Rabada and the likes of Arshdeep Singh, who has been impressive in death overs, Sandeep Sharma, Rishi Dhawan and Rahul Chahar, would need to pose serious questions to Rahul at the MCA stadium, which has witnessed high-scoring thrillers. Leg-spinner Chahar is the leading wicket taker for Punjab with 10 scalps but he would need to step up even more to help his team's cause.

In the batting department, opener Shikhar Dhawan, who hit an unbeaten 88 in Punjab's previous matcg, is back among the runs and that is a big plus.

But the form of skipper Mayank Agarwal is a cause of concern. He has blown hot and cold with the willow, having a single fifty-plus score in the seven matches this season. He would be keen to find consistency and provide the thrust at the top with flamboyant Dhawan.

One-down Bhanuka Rajapaksa has played his part well against CSK the other night when he chipped in with 32-ball 42 and the Sri Lankan would be keen to put up another good show.

One of the top-order batters will need to come good again to set the stage for power-hitters like Liam Livingstone and Jonny Bairstow if Punjab have to post or chase a big total.

For Lucknow, captain Rahul needs support from other batters, including his opening partner Quinton De Kock, who failed in the game against Mumbai as he was dismissed for 10.

De Kock, who has scored 225 runs so far, has not done full justice to his potential and needs to fire on all cylinders and add weight to the LSG batting.

Lucknow have depth in their batting with the experienced Manish Pandey, the hard-hitting duo of Marcus Stoinis and Krunal Pandya, reliable Deepak Hooda, rookie Ayush Badoni and West Indian Jason Holder, who is known to hit sixes at will, in their ranks.

The bowling department has also fared well, with Sri Lankan pacer Dushmantha Chameera and Holder right on the money so far. The duo have shared 14 wickets among them and will need to continue with their good work to stop the attacking Punjab batting line-up.

The eight overs of spinners Krunal Pandya and Ravi Bishnoi can also become crucial and change the fate of a match.

The Teams (From): Punjab Kings: Mayank Agarwal (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Brar, Shahrukh Khan, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Ishan Porel, Liam Livingstone, Odean Smith, Sandeep Sharma, Raj Angad Bawa, Rishi Dhawan, Prerak Mankad, Vaibhav Arora, Writtick Chatterjee, Baltej Dhanda, Ansh Patel, Nathan Ellis, Atharva Taide, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Benny Howell.

Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul (c), Manan Vohra, Evin Lewis, Manish Pandey, Quinton De Kock, Ravi Bishnoi, Dushmantha Chameera, Shahbaz Nadeem, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav, Ankit Rajpoot, Avesh Khan, Andrew Tye, Marcus Stoinis, Kyle Mayers, Karan Sharma, Krishnappa Gowtham, Ayush Badoni, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya. Jason Holder.

Match starts at 7.30 PM. 

Also Read : Take Umran Malik to England for one-off Test, limited-overs series: Gavaksar

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, Apr 28 (Cricket News) The legendary Sunil Gavaskar has pitched for young pace sensation Umran Malik's inclusion in the Indian team for the upcoming England tour following his stunning five-wicket haul against Gujarat Titans in the IPL here.

The 22-year-old Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer from Jammu produced one of the most fiery spells of fast bowling in the IPL history, snapping five wickets for 25 runs on Wednesday night.

But his breathtaking effort went in vain as Rashid Khan (31 not out off 11 balls) and Rahul Tewatia (40 not out in 21 balls) scored 56 from the last four overs, including 22 from the final six deliveries, to take the Titans home in a last-ball thriller.

"The next for him, I think is the Indian team," former India skipper Gavaskar said during his commentary after the game.

"He might not play in the XI because India have got Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav. So, he might not play.

"But just travelling with the group, travelling with the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, sharing the dressing room with them... just look what is going to happen to him!" The young pace sensation has been clocking in excess of 150 kph consistently throughout the season and has picked up 15 wickets in eight matches at 15.93 average.

Introduced into the attack as late as the eighth over, Malik bowled devastatingly quick deliveries to scythe through the Gujarat Titans top-order, becoming the first IPL bowler to pick up all the first five wickets of an innings.

He rattled Shubman Gill's off stump for his first wicket, before removing Hardik Pandya with a combination of pace and bounce.

Next, he produced a perfect 153 kmph thunderbolt yorker to smash the wickets of Wriddhiman Saha, before cleaning up both David Miller and Abhinav Manohar to sign off with a five-for.

India's tour of England starts in June with the visitors playing the final Test of the five-match series, which was abandoned last year due to COVID-19, from July 1 to 5, before embarking on a three-match T20 series and playing as many ODIs.

India will begin the UK tour with two T20Is against Ireland in Dublin, starting June 26. 

Also Read : Rashid and Tewatia power GT's stunning win, SRH lose despite Umran heroics

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) Wimbledon organisers have confirmed that players unvaccinated against COVID-19 will be permitted to participate in this year’s tournament. This means that World Number 1 Novak Djokovic will be competing in the tournament and attempt to defend his title, after defeating Italy's Matteo Berrettini in last year's final to win the Wimbledon title for the sixth time. 

Chief executive of the All England Club, Sally Bolton, said: "The requirements set out by the government to enter the UK do not include mandatory vaccination, therefore whilst of course it is encouraged, it will not be a condition of entry to compete at the Championships this year." Earlier this year, the Serbian was deported from Australia due to his vaccination status and couldn’t compete at the Australian Open as well as enter the United States for any tournament.

"We are planning to return to a normal Championship this year. And so we don't intend to implement any of the Covid-19 measures that we saw last year in any substantial fashion. But we are, of course, keeping it on our radar in case we need to take further action when we continue to engage with DCMS, public health officials and with other sports. But this means that players will be able to return to their own choice of accommodation. We will see full capacity crowds for the whole event. And we're absolutely thrilled to welcome back the wider tennis family to Wimbledon this year."

Despite the lack of competitive action so far, Djokovic will undoubtedly be one of the favourites to win his seventh Wimbledon title. With most countries relaxing their COVID-19 regulations, the Serbian can now expect an almost full calendar in the clay and grass events. The Wimbledon Championship will begin from 27 June to 10 July.

Also read: Emma Raducanu splits with coach Torben Beltz after just five months

(Football news) Giorgio Chiellini is set to retire from international football after Italy’s friendly against Argentina in June. Having made 116 appearances for Italy, the 37 year old defender was part of the team that failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Speaking after Juventus’ 2-1 win against Sassuolo, Chiellini said “I'll say goodbye to the national team at Wembley. Where I experienced the pinnacle of my career winning the Euros. I'd like to say goodbye to the Azzurri with a nice memory. That will certainly be my last game with Italy.”

Chiellini made his debut for Italy in 2004 and was central to the national team’s famous Euro 2020 victory against England on penalties. Alongside Andrea Pirlo, Chiellini is joint fifth in the list of Italy’s most capped players with only Daniele de Rossi, Paolo Maldini, Fabio Cannavaro and Gianluigi Buffon making more appearances. 

Despite his decision to retire from international football, Chiellini is expected to continue in his role for Juventus. The Italian defender said “My love affair with Juventus is not ending, it will never end. Of course, from now to the end of the season I do have to evaluate everything, and talk to my family about what is best. Let's reach fourth place [in Serie A] first and win the Coppa Italia, then we'll sit down with my two families - at home and Juventus - to figure out what is best for everyone. It was the same last summer, I took time and didn't sign the new contract until after the Euros. At my age, you can't look too far into the long-term, but that's only natural, it's all fine."

Also read: Leeds go five points clear of relegation zone with draw against Palace

London, Apr 26 (Cricket News) Robert Key will need to grow a "thick skin" akin to the Dukes ball just like I grew one to counter the "jealous people", former India head coach Ravi Shastri said on how the ex-England opener should go out about his job as ECB's 'Director of Cricket'.

Shastri was at helm of India's coaching staff between 2014 to 2021, save one year in the middle when Anil Kumble was given the charge.

In an interview to UK's 'The Guardian' newspaper, Shastri said that there was a "gang of people in India" who always wanted him to fail.

Just like Shastri, Key has also been an acclaimed commentator for a long time and doesn't have a coaching degree as he tries to ease into a new and very different role.

"I didn't have coaching badges [either]. Level one? Level two? **** that. And in a country like India, there is always jealousy or a gang of people willing you to fail. I had a thick skin, thicker than the leather of the Dukes ball you use. A real solid hide.

"And you need a bloody hide over here. Rob will develop this as he does the job, because every day you are judged. And I am glad he has a lot of captaincy experience from his time at Kent, because communication with the players is absolutely paramount," Shastri was quoted as saying by the British newspaper.

From his own experience of working with the Indian team, Shastri feels that national teams across the cricketing world function in a pretty similar fashion.

"Rob may have more work with the domestic game but, when it comes to the national team, it is very similar. The most important thing is getting among the players and setting a tone from the outset: what you believe in, what you think of them and changing the mindset to compete and win.

"You have to be bullish and brutish in wanting to achieve that. For us, and now England, it was about setting the challenge of winning abroad, big time. I was very firm when it came to team culture: all the prima donnas and all that shit, that had to go out of the window early," Shastri explained.

Outlining the philosophy and team culture is important, according to Shastri and that's what he had drilled in when India beat Australia in two back-to-back away series.

"...it was also outlining how we want to play: to be aggressive and ruthless, to up the fitness levels, to get a group of fast bowlers to take 20 wickets overseas. And it was about attitude, especially when playing the Aussies. I told the boys if one single expletive comes your way, give them three back: two in our language and one in theirs." Shastri also feels that Key needs to discuss issues with former Test captain Joe Root to understand how it all works.

"Rob will have an adjustment period to understand the issues and will need to speak in detail with Joe Root for his experiences as Test captain. But in my 24 years [commentating], I did not miss a beat or a ball of Indian cricket.

"And he (Key) will have covered a huge amount too. So you’re not lagging behind by an inch, you’re abreast of what a team requires but also what other teams are doing. You should be able to leapfrog over all those early issues and get into the nitty gritty straight away." Shastri felt that Ben Stokes would be the ideal choice to take the England team forward.

"The adrenaline of captaincy – not that he needs it – could fire Stokes up to be something even more than the incredible player he is now. The important relationship is with the captain – the moment there is friction, things go downhill.

"But they will be fine because the England I saw last year, they have enough talent and skill to compete. There’s no doubt about that in my mind. It’s all about their mindset." 

Also Read : Punjab Kings PBKS beat Chennai Super Kings by 11 runs

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Apr 25 (Cricket News) The BCCI in all likelihood will do away with bio-bubbles from the upcoming five-match T20 series against South Africa, keeping in mind the mental well-being of cricketers.

Bio-bubbles became a part of the lives of cricketers with almost all the series (home and away) played in strict bio-secure environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The T20 series will be played across five venues -- Delhi, Cuttack, Vizag, Rajkot, Bengaluru -- between June 9 and 19.

The IPL, which is also being played in a bio-bubble for the safety of the players and the officials, will end on May 29 and the BCCI does not want its players to move to another confined stay just after the conclusion of the league.

"If all goes well and things remain in control like it is right now, there will be no bio-bubbles and hard quarantine during the home series against South Africa," a senior BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

"Then we are going to Ireland and England and there won't be any bio-bubble in those countries too." The board is aware that bubble life is not sustainable for long period as staying confined to restricted areas can severely affect the players' mental health.

"Some players have got periodic breaks but if you look at the bigger picture, living in bio-bubble one series after another and now two months of IPL is simply exhausting for the players," he said.

In UK, there are no bio-bubbles as of now for any sporting activity and hence the Indian team is expected to have a free environment in the country where they would play one Test and six white-ball games in a space of three weeks.

However it is understood that the players will be tested at regular intervals to ensure there are no positive cases within the group.

Workload management post IPL ---------------------------------- An effective workload management program is being prepared so that all the stars including skipper Rohit Sharma, senior batters Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, keeper Rishabh Pant, pacers Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami , spinner Ravindra Jadeja get adequate rest before jetting off to UK.

"There are five T20 Internationals between June 9 to 19 in five cities. Obviously, all the players won't be playing all the games. Some might be given total rest and some might play a few games.

"If these guys aren't given systemic breaks, it will only harm them. But obviously, the duration of break will be decided by selectors after talking to head coach (Rahul Dravid)," the source added.

It will be interesting to see if Hardik Pandya -- whose comeback is just a matter of time -- will picked for the Proteas series at home just after a gruelling IPL season or directly fielded in the T20I series in Ireland. 

Also Read : Rahul hits second IPL ton to guide LSG to 36-run win over MI

News Source : PTI

Manila (Philippines), Apr 25 (Badminton News) Focus will be on two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu and world championships bronze winner Lakshya Sen when they lead India's challenge at the Badminton Asia Championships, beginning here on Tuesday.

A lot of hope will ride on Sen and Sindhu as the duo has been in good form in the run-up to the continent championships, which is returning after a gap of two years due to COVID-19.

The prestigious event will, however, lose a bit of sheen with the withdrawal of an injured HS Prannoy, who had claimed a bronze at the 2018 Wuhan edition and is in good form.

While Prannoy will miss out due to a "small injury" sustained on way to his Swiss Open final finish, it will be a great opportunity for All England silver medallist Sen.

The 20-year-old from Almora has been on a stellar run with title wins at the India Open Super 500 and final appearance at the German Open and All England Championships.

Sen had also won a bronze at the 2020 Asia team Championships, besides bagging a gold and bronze at the 2018 and 2016 Asian Junior Championships.

The fifth seeded Indian will be eagar to win a medal from the senior tournament but it will be easier said than done as he faces 22-year-old China's Li Shi Feng, a two-time world junior championships gold medallist, in his opening round.

All eyes will also be on former world champion fourth seed Sindhu, who had scooped a bronze from the 2014 Gimcheon edition and is coming into the event after securing two Super 300 titles at Syed Modi International and Swiss Open.

The World No. 7 Indian will be eagar to pocket another medal when she begins her campaign against Chinese Taipei's Pai Yu Po.

Sindhu is likely to come across fifth seeded Chinese He Bing Jiao in the quarterfinals if she can cross the initial rounds.

World championships silver winner Kidambi Srikanth too has been in good touch though he has been guilty of not able to close out some tight matches.

The seventh seeded Indian, who won two bronze in 2016 and 2020 Asia Team Championships but failed to secure an individual medal, will aim to grab the opportunity this time when he opens against Malaysia's NG Tze Yong.

Tokyo Olympian B Sai Praneeth too will eye a good show when he opens against fourth seeded Jonatan Christie.

Focus will also be on London Olympics bronze medallist Saina Nehwal as she looks to claim her fourth medal at the Badminton Asia Championships.

Saina has been on a comeback trial after recovering from some nagging injuries and had skipped the selection trials for the upcoming major events such as Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Uber Cup.

The former world number one will look to silence her critics when she begins campaign against Korea's Sim Yujin.

Among others, Aakarshi Kashyap, who was picked for all the three major events after she emerged as winner in the trials, will face top seed Akane Yamaguchi, while Malvika Bansod, who missed out of a berth, will cross swords with Singapore's Yeo Jia Min.

World number 7 and third seeds Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will open against Thailand pair of Apiluk Gaterahong and Natchanon Tulamok.

MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila, who recently made it to the Asian Games and Thomas Cup teams after finishing on top at the selection trials in New Delhi, will also be in action.

The unseeded Indian pair will be up against fourth seeded Indonesian combination of Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto in its opening round. Krishna Prasad Garaga and Vishnuvardhan Goud Panjala, who had reached the quarters at Odisha Open Super 100 and German Open Super 300 besides finishing runners-up at Syed Modi International Super 300, will look to give a good account of themselves.

In women's doubles, India will lack the punch following the withdrawls of N Sikki Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa, and Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand.

While Sikki got injured during the recently-concluded selection trials in New Delhi, Treesa and Gayatri also pulled out at the last minute following an injury to the latter.

Ashwini Bhat K and Shikha Gautam, and young pairing of Simran Singhi and Ritika Thaker will be in the fray in women's doubles for India.

In the mixed doubles, Venkat Gaurav Prasad and Juhi Dewangan, and Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto will look to go deep in the draw. 

Also Read : Prannoy, Treesa-Gayatri pull out of Badminton Asia Championships

News Source : PTI

(Football news) The title race is heating up in England as Manchester City and Liverpool are neck to neck in the points table. Manchester City kept their place at the top with a win over Watford at the weekend. City won 5-1 at the Etihad as Gabriel Jesus scored 4 goals and provided an assist for Rodri. His incredible performance came days after reports linking the Brazilian with a move to Arsenal. The 23-year old has a contract with Manchester City until 2023 which means that getting him in the summer of 2022 wouldn't cost a lot of money.

Manchester City tried to sign Harry Kane last season but Tottenham Hotspur refused to negotiate. Now City have reportedly agreed a deal to bring Erling Haaland to the Etihad in the summer. Haaland to City rumours are intensifying as Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc said that Haaland's move to England wouldn't surprise him. Gabriel Jesus is set to be one of the players to make way for the Norwegian. Arsenal have understandably shown interest in Jesus. After the departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January, the Gunners have Alexander Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah as number 9s. Both the players are out of contract in the summer and are expected to leave. Arsenal desperately need a striker or two and even though Jesus isn't a pure number 9, he certainly fits the demands. 

Arteta is known to favour young and energetic players who have a high workrate. Gabriel Jesus is all that and more as he has displayed in the 5 years he has been in the Premier League. The Brazilian joined Manchester City from Palmeiras as a 20 year old in 2017 and has since scored 57 goals in all competitions from 155 games. Jesus would be a perfect partner for Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith-Rowe and fellow Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli. The most important thing for Arsenal right now is UCL qualification. Jesus might reject the Gunners if they fail to qualify for the UCL. The north londoners are currently in 4th position with 5 games left to play.

Also read: Real Madrid reach verbal agreement with Antonio Rudiger

New Delhi, Apr 23 (Badminton News) Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand's dream run continued with the young duo making it to the Indian team for the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Uber Cup following its stellar display at the recently-concluded selection trials.

And the young pair is now focussing on returning with a medal from the upcoming major events, cracking the world's top 10 and qualifying for the Paris Olympics in two years time.

It has just been a little over 15 months that the two paired up but the duo has been like a house on fire, becoming the first women's pair to reach the All England semifinals, winning the Odisha Open Super 100 and reaching the finals of Syed Modi Super 300.

"Now the target is the CWG, Asian Games and Uber Cup and we also want to work hard and qualify for the 2024 Olympics," Treesa told PTI.

"Main thing is the Paris Olympics, so our aim is to be in top 10 by next year. That is the target." All of 18, Treesa hails from Cherupuzha, Kerala where the seeds of badminton were first sowed in her by her father Jolly Mathew, who is a physical education teacher.

"My father is a physical education teacher, so he wanted his kids also to play the sport. My elder sister (Maria) was my partner in under-15, under-17 in state events but I was performing better so my father motivated me to continue," Treesa said.

"When I started playing badminton, I realised that it gives me a lot of happiness. I remember watching Saina (Nehwal) at the Olympics, since then she has been my inspiration." Treesa, who started playing the sport as a six year old, said she joined the Gopichand academy just two months before the COVID-19 lockdowns were announced in 2020.

"I used to play singles and doubles but when I shifted to Gopichand academy in January 2020, Gayatri too had started playing doubles, so something clicked and we started playing together.

"But with lockdown, it was difficult as I had to go back home and we did the online sessions. In fact, Sudirman Cup and Uber Cup trials was the time when we played together and the first international event was at Poland." The duo had reached the finals of Polish International, won the Infosys Foundation International Challenge, before finishing second best at Welsh International.

But it was 2022 that the duo made a massive breakthrough with a runners-up finish at Lucknow and a top finish at Odisha.

However, the icing on the cake was their performance at the All England Championships.

"We were playing All England for the first time and there was no pressure, we were just playing freely and so we could give our best. It was such a great moment, as there was no expectations," Treesa said.

The Kerela shuttler knows expectations will be high from here on and she says it will be all about "adjusting to the pressure" and finding a way to "give our best".

The duo's court work has also been neatly divided with Treesa mending the back court as Gayatri manages the net.

"I am a attacking player, I am confident of attacking and to play at the back court with my smashes, Gayatri plays both, but she is good at net.

"It is different, when you play against the foreign players like the Chinese or Europeans. You need to be fitter and have more patience.

"The Japanese play 40-50 strokes in a rally, so we have to be of the same level. We need to be more patient to be in the rallies and also working mentally on the game.

"We have to adjust to the different style of games. I think we are comfortable with fast paced games and we need to work on playing the rally game," she signed off. 

Also Read : BAI trials: Aakarshi, Priyanshu emerge winners in singles; Ashwini-Sumeeth win mixed doubles

News Source : PTI

London, Apr 21 (Cricket News) India captain Rohit Sharma and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been named among five players in Wisden's 'Cricketers of the Year' in the 2022 edition of the Almanack.

Besides the duo, the list also features New Zealand batter Devon Conway, England pacer Ollie Robinson and Proteas women star Dane van Niekerk.

England's Joe Root has been named leading cricketer in the world, while South African women's team batter Lizelle Lee has been awarded the title of leading woman cricketer.

Besides, Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has earned the title of leading T20 cricketer in the world.

Bumrah starred for India in their visit to England last summer. Besides his exploits in India's historic win at Lord's, he also produced a match-winning spell at The Oval with the latter handing India a 2-1 lead in the series that is to be concluded in July this year.

Rohit had an exceptional summer at the top of the order for India, scoring 368 runs in four Tests at an average of 52.57. The India skipper scored a match defining 127 at The Oval, his first Test century away from home.

Root was named leading cricketer of the year after an historic 12 months in which he scored 1,708 Test runs in a calendar year, the third most in history.

Lee was named leading woman cricketer in the world after a dominant 2021, averaging 90.28 with the bat in ODI cricket, including a spectacular series against India in which she scored 288 runs in four innings.

Rizwan's T20 recognition came after a record breaking 2021 in which he scored 1,329 runs at 72.88 in 27 T20s that included a century and 11 fifties. By passing 1,000 runs in a calendar year, he also became the first cricketer in the international game to achieve the feat. 

Also Read : Pathirana replaces Milne in Chennai Super Kings (CSK) squad

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news) US Open champion Daniil Medvedev, world number 8 Andrey Rublev and women’s fourth ranked Aryna Sabalenka will be ineligible to participate in this year's Wimbledon as per a ruling by The All England Club. Medvedev reached the fourth round of Wimbledon last year while Sabalenka was knocked out in the semi-finals. Russian world number 15 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Belarus' Victoria Azarenka will also not be participating.

The All England Club said in a statement: "We share in the universal condemnation of Russia's illegal actions and have carefully considered the situation in the context of our duties to the players, to our community and to the broader UK public as a British sporting institution. If circumstances change materially between now and June, we will consider and respond accordingly." 

Ian Hewitt, chairman of the All England Club, said: "We recognise that this is hard on the individuals affected, and it is with sadness that they will suffer for the actions of the leaders of the Russian regime. We have very carefully considered the alternative measures that might be taken within the UK Government guidance but, given the high profile environment of The Championships, the importance of not allowing sport to be used to promote the Russian regime and our broader concerns for public and player (including family) safety, we do not believe it is viable to proceed on any other basis at The Championships."

Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said “The UK has taken a leading role internationally to make clear that President Putin must not be able to use sport to legitimise Russia's barbaric invasion of Ukraine. "Whilst the withdrawal of individual athletes is a complex issue that will divide opinion, there is a bigger cause at stake. We have set out our position with sport governing bodies and event organisers and will continue to encourage them to take appropriate action for their sport."

An ATP statement read: "We strongly condemn Russia's reprehensible invasion of Ukraine and stand in solidarity with the millions of innocent people affected by the ongoing war. Our sport is proud to operate on the fundamental principles of merit and fairness, where players compete as individuals to earn their place in tournaments based on the ATP Rankings. We believe that today's unilateral decision by Wimbledon and the LTA to exclude players from Russia and Belarus from this year's British grass-court swing is unfair and has the potential to set a damaging precedent for the game.

"Discrimination based on nationality also constitutes a violation of our agreement with Wimbledon that states that player entry is based solely on ATP Rankings. Any course of action in response to this decision will now be assessed in consultation with our Board and Member councils. It is important to stress that players from Russia and Belarus will continue to be allowed to compete at ATP events under a neutral flag, a position that has until now been shared across professional tennis. In parallel, we will continue our joint humanitarian support for Ukraine under Tennis Plays for Peace."

A WTA statement read: "The WTA strongly condemns the actions that have been taken by Russia and its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. We continue our humanitarian relief efforts to support Ukraine through Tennis Plays for Peace. We are, however, very disappointed in today's announcement by the AELTC and the LTA to ban individual athletes who are from Russia and Belarus from competing in the upcoming UK grass court events. A fundamental principal of the WTA is that individual athletes may participate in professional tennis events based on merit and without any form of discrimination.

"That principle is expressly set forth in our rules and has been agreed to by both AELTC and LTA. Prohibitions against discrimination are also clearly expressed in their own rules and the Grand Slam rules. As the WTA has consistently stated, individual athletes should not be penalised or prevented from competing due to where they are from, or the decisions made by the governments of their countries.

"Discrimination, and the decision to focus such discrimination against athletes competing on their own as individuals, is neither fair nor justified. The WTA will continue to apply its rules to reject discrimination and ensure that all athletes are able to compete at our Tour events should they qualify to do so, a position that until today's announcement has been shared across professional tennis. The WTA will be evaluating its next steps and what actions may be taken regarding these decisions."

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said “Given that Russia is a strong tennis country the competitions [which take this decision] will suffer from this. To make sports people hostages of political intrigue is unacceptable. I hope the players won't lose their fitness." 

Also read: Tsitsipas defeats Davidovich to win Monte Carlo Masters title

New Delhi, Apr 20 (Badminton News) Aakarshi Kashyap and Priyanshu Rajawat are set to be picked for the upcoming Commonwealth Games and Asian Games respectively after emerging as winners in women's and men's singles at Badminton Association of India's (BAI) selection trials here on Wednesday.

While Aakarshi prevailed over Ashmita Chaliha 21-10 17-21 21-15, Priyanshu saw off Odisha Open winner Kiran George 21-15 18-21 21-10 to top the rankings at the national trials at the IG Stadium Complex here.

While Aakarshi, who stayed unbeaten in the tournament, is set to join double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu in the CWG team as the second women's singles player, Priyanshu will get a chance to represent the country at the Asian Games and Thomas Cup.

With Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth given direct selection due to their top 15 world ranking, Priyanshu, however, won't get a place in the CWG team.

Priyanshu has been in good form, losing just one match in the entire event at Stage 2B to Sai Charan Koya.

Priyanshu, Kiran, Ravi and Sameer Verma emerged as the men's singles players ranked 1 to 4 in the trials, while Aakarshi was followed by Ashmita, Unnati Hooda and Aditi Bhatt in women's singles.

The top three women's singles players will get a chance to represent the country as three positions are available for the Asian Games and Uber Cup teams.

In mixed doubles, B Sumeeth Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa staved off challenge from Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto 11-21 22-20 21-18 to grab the top position. The duo are likely to be picked for all the three major events.

Ishaan and Tanisha finished second, followed by Pratik Ranade and Akshaya Warnag, and N Sikki Reddy and K Sai Pratheek.

According to the selection procedure of the BAI, the winner of the mixed doubles will be selected for the third slot in the CWG team.

In women's doubles, Commonwealth Games bronze medallists Ashwini and Sikki will fight it out with All England semifinalists Tressa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand to decide the top position.

While both the pairs are assured of berths in the Asian Games and Uber Cup teams, where three positions are up for grabs, only the winner will be picked for CWG.

The winner of the match between Simran Singhi and Ritika Thaker, and Tanisha and Shruti Mishra later in the day will decide the third spot.

Fast-rising men's doubles pair of MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila also finished at the top.

The duo first beat Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy 21-6 25-23 and later K Sai Pratheek retired following an injury, paving their way to the top.

Manu and Sumeeth will take on Krishna Prasad G and Vishnuvardhan Goud P to decide the number 2 and 3 rankings, while Ishaan and Sai Pratheek finished at the fourth place. According to the BAI selection policy, the top two men's pairs will be picked for Asian Games and Thomas Cup.

The selection committee will meet later in the evening to take a final call on the players. 

Also Read : Bhagat, Kadam among top Indians competing at Brazil Para Badminton International

News Source  : PTI

Mumbai, Apr 20 (Cricket News) Batting stalwart Virat Kohli is mentally "overcooked" and needs to take a break from cricket in order to serve the country for at least another six-seven years, feels ex-India coach Ravi Shastri.

Kohli has been going through a lean patch with just two 40-plus scores to show in last seven innings for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the current IPL season.

The 33-year-old from Delhi, who hasn't scored a century in the last 100 matches across formats, had stepped down from T20 captaincy both for India and RCB and also quit Test leadership, while he was removed from ODI skipper's role.

Shastri feels the likes of Kohli needs to be handled with care and empathy amid the COVID-19 restrictions which has confined players inside bio-bubbles.

"I am going straight to the main guy here. Virat Kohli is overcooked. If anyone needs a break, it's him," Shastri told Star Sports.

"Whether it's 2 months or a month-and-a-half, whether it's after England or before England. He needs a break because he has got 6-7 years of cricket left in him and you don't want to lose that with a fried brain." Kohli was out for a duck on Tuesday night as RCB rode on Faf du Plessis' 96 to claim a 18-run win over Lucknow Super Giants.

"When I was coach at the time when this first started, the first thing I said is 'you have to show empathy to the guys'.

"If you're going to be forceful, there is a very thin line there, from a guy losing the plot as opposed to him hanging in there and giving his best. So you have to be extremely careful." Shastri said there might be one or two players in world cricket going through the same problem which needs to be addressed upfront.

Echoing the same sentiment, former England captain Kevin Pietersen said Kohli should take time away from the game as well as social media to rejuvenate himself.

"...the guy has had so much to deal with, from marriage to baby to media scrutiny and all on his personal life. He is the biggest star on show," he said.

"Virat Kohli needs to say 'cricket boots, for six months, I will see you later'. Turn off social media, go and get re-energised.

"When the stadiums are full again, you guarantee him a spot in that side for the next 12, 24 or 36 months. Tell him 'you're our guy, we know you'll deliver for us'." Pietersen said Kohli "is going to find it very hard to continue delivering now as his brain is completely fried". 

Also Read : Skipper Faf du Plessis guides RCB to 181/6 against LSG

News Source : PTI

(Football news) Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City are ready to trigger a 75 million euro release clause for Borussia Dortmund in order to bring him to the Etihad Stadium this summer. Haaland’s 75 million euro fee (£62m) is considered below market value and the 21 year old Norwegian could earn an estimated £500,000 per week as part of the deal. 

Various reports suggest that the German club are eyeing Red Bull Salzburg striker Karim Adeyemi as Haaland’s replacement. Ever since Sergio Aguero departed, Manchester City have often played without a recognized striker as the club failed to lure Harry Kane from Tottenham in the summer transfer window, despite the England international wanting to secure the move in order to win silverware. 

Haaland joined Borussia Dortmund from RB Salzburg in 2020 and scored an impressive 82 goals in 85 games. Despite having a number of injuries this season, Haaland has still scored 25 goals in 26 games as Dortmund aim to compete for the title and will face Bayern Munich this weekend. Real Madrid are also rumored to be interested in the 21 year old, but Los Blancos will prioritize the signing of Karim Benzema who is available for free after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain will expire this summer. 

Also read: Liverpool to face Man United in blockbuster Premier League clash

(Football news) The two most successful clubs in England will battle it out at Anfield with a lot at stake for both the teams. Liverpool, who just booked their place into the FA Cup finals after defeating Manchester City will undoubtedly be the favourites for this fixture while Manchester United desperately need the win if they want to play in the Champions League next season. 

Having already won the Carabao Cup, Liverpool could potentially win the quadruple but will need to win every single game in the Premier League and hope that City slip up to make that happen. Their first half performance against Manchester City was magnificent, a brace from Sadio Mane and a header from Ibrahima Konate sealed the win for Jurgen Klopp’s team. Despite their busy run of fixtures, Liverpool barely have any injuries to deal with and a win against their most bitter rivals could get them on top of the table, even if it’s just for 24 hours.

Liverpool have scored at least two goals in each of their last five matches domestically and abroad, their record at Anfield is impeccable to say the least, having won 10 consecutive games, better than any other team. Moreover, they have only conceded seven goals at home this season, a staggering record and it will undoubtedly take a very special performance from Manchester United to get a result against the Reds at their fortress.

As for Manchester United, the club are looking very vulnerable defensively, having conceded two goals against Norwich City and it took a hat-trick by Cristiano Ronaldo to secure the three points. It was only their second win in eight across all competitions and they haven’t kept a clean sheet away from home since December 2021. However, the 5-0 humiliation at Old Trafford will still be fresh in their memories and they would be looking for revenge this time around but it remains to be seen if they’re up to the task.

In team news, Liverpool have a fully fit squad and Jurgen Klopp is expected to go with Joel Matip instead of Konate while Jordan Henderson could replace Naby Keita. As for Manchester United, Edinson Cavani and Luke Shaw are unavailable for selection due to injury while Raphael Varane remains doubtful. Rangnick could feature Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Nemanja Matic to provide some defensive solidity. The Red Devils could rely on Ronaldo’s individual brilliance against Norwich City, but even the five time Ballon d'Or winner cannot help the team win this fixture alone. A Liverpool win is the most probable result in this fixture.

Also read: Manchester United close the gap on top 4 while Spurs and Arsenal lose

Mumbai, Apr 18 (Cricket News) Jos Buttler's dream season just got a bit better after he knocked the stuffing out of a quality Kolkata Knight Riders attack with a magnificent second IPL hundred to power Rajasthan Royals to an imposing 217 for five here on Monday.

Buttler's 61-ball-103 had nine fours and five sixes, some of which were out of the ordinary, including one off Umesh Yadav (0/44 in 4 overs) which landed into the adjacent tennis courts of Cricket Club of India.

When he finally got out trying to hook Pat Cummins (1/50 in 4 overs), Royals had crossed 180-run mark and by then the Australian Test captain was hammered for as many as seven fours and a six, bulk of them by the dashing England keeper-batter.

Buttler added 97 runs for the opening wicket stand with Devdutt Padikkal (24 off 18 balls), who only faced deliveries worth three overs in the first 10 overs.

He was then joined by skipper Sanju Samson (38 off 19 balls), who was equally destructive in their 67-run second wicket stand in just 5.4 overs.

None of the KKR bowlers save Sunil Narine (2/21 in 4 overs) looked like posing any threat to Buttler, who seems to be walking away with the Orange Cap with an aggregate of 375 runs in six games so far.

Varun Chakravarthy (0/30 in 2 overs) is getting from bad to worse during the season as neither there is bite nor any mystery in his deliveries and it was like cannon fodder on a Brabourne batting beauty.

The fifth bowling option turned out to be a nightmare as Andre Russell (0/29 in 2 overs) completed Chakravarthy's quota as they cumulatively gave away 59 runs in 4 overs.

Shivam Mavi (1/34 in 4 overs) and Umesh started off well during the first two overs primarily because Padikkal is out of sorts.

However, showing cricketing smarts, Padikkal gave Buttler bulk of the strike and that changed the course from the third over of the match.

Umesh, who had started the tournament on a bright note, got back to his old self of being erratic as Buttler lofted him for a four and a six off successive deliveries.

The floodgates opened after that as he literally toyed with Chakravarthy, whom he hit for a six by rocking back and having enough time to send him into the orbit.

If there was a wide yorker, he would steer past third-man, short deliveries were pulled and those on the legs were tucked behind square. 

Also Read : My plan was to bat till end, couldn't continue with run-rate after Finch's dismissal: Shreyas Iyer

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Apr 18 (Cricket News) Pace bowling sensation Umran Malik could be fast-tracked into the Indian team as early as June when it will play seven T20 Internationals against South Africa and Ireland respectively.

India will play South Africa in a five-match T20 International series at home (June 9, 12, 14, 17, 20) and two matches in Ireland's Malahide (June 26, 28) where a second-string team comprising white-ball specialists will be plying their trade as the big guns prepare for the series-deciding fifth Test against England, starting early July.

Umran was a net bowler during India's last World T20 campaign in the UAE.

The BCCI is keen on having a bigger pool of fast bowlers going into the upcoming World T20 in Australia and Umran, with his scorching pace, has a high probability of making it to the squad if all goes well and he remains fit over the next two months.

The pool of premier bowlers whose workload management will be paramount are Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Deepak Chahar (if fit), Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav.

The three bowlers from the fringe pack, who might get a go in some of the 20 plus T20I matches in the run-up to the World Cup are Umran and left-armers T Natarajan and Arshdeep Singh, all of whom have been impressive in the IPL.

Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling coach and fast bowling legend Dale Steyn has termed the Jammu man a "genius".

"My job with Umran is to ensure he runs fast and make players play differently. My job is to try and make him forward-thinking as to what the batters are planning on doing.

"It's exciting for us to sit back and watch what a genius he is. I don't want to turn him into what I was, all I want is his geniuses to come out," Steyn said on 'Star Sports' 'Cricket Live' programme.

It is understood that chairman of selectors Chetan Sharma and his committee will be keeping a close eye on Umran, who is now India's fastest bowler by a distance, regularly clocking 152 plus (approx 95 miles/hr).

He has nine wickets from six games for SRH this season and the manner in which he intimidated an established international batter like KKR's Shreyas Iyer was an exhilarating sight.

Sunil Gavaskar, commentating for the IPL broadcasters, said that Malik will become more lethal once he is able to stop spraying deliveries on leg-stump and wide off it.

"A lot of guys who bowl at that speed tend to spray the ball around but Umran bowls very few wide deliveries. If he can control the wides down the leg side, he will be a tremendous bowler because that will mean he'll be attacking the stumps all the time, and with his pace, it's not easy to hit straight.

"If he bowls wicket-to-wicket, he's going to be pretty much an unplayable bowler. He's going to play for India," Gavaskar said.

Former opener WV Raman, one of the most respected voices in Indian cricket, feels that time is ripe for Umran to be drafted into the Team India set-up straightaway.

"He is a special talent. He has pace and now he is slowly picking up the ropes of fast bowling. When a young bowler has pace, don't wait for three seasons before you blood him.

"If he is young and as quick as Umran is, you should seriously look at him," Raman, who has been a former NCA batting coach, apart from working with KKR and the Indian women's team, told PTI.

"When Umran is bowling, you could hear that the ball is hitting the bat. But also when you have a bowler like that bowling at 150 consistently, then you also need good slip catchers as the ball will travel at quite a speed," Raman added.

Raman also analysed that when it comes to express pace bowlers, they have a better chance of making their international debut much earlier compared to batters, who are doing well in IPL.

"If you look at our batting unit, we have a lot of experience and if you are an uncapped player making a mark as a specialist batter within No. 4, it is a bit difficult to get a look-in. After that you have multi-dimensional cricketers coming in.

"Also you will produce more quality batters than bowlers. Therefore when a special bowler comes in the horizon, he is bound to create a certain degree of interest," Raman explained.

Former selector Devang Gandhi, however, feels that raw pace can be counter-productive as batters at international level can score quick runs.

"I believe that India will bank on experience going into the World Cup considering that Australian pitches for the ICC tourney will be great for batting.

"But having said that, in the run-up to the World T20 you can check out on various options and there is no harm if they decide to try out Umran and see what he can bring to the table," Gandhi, a member of the last selection committee, said.

Also Read : Killer Miller leads GT to incredible run chase against CSK

News Source ; PTI

(Cricket news) Rob Key has been confirmed as the new Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket. Following a rigorous recruitment process, the former England international will take up the role immediately. Key will also relinquish his current role with Sky Sports.

Key will be responsible for the strategy behind the England Men’s cricket teams and the performance pathways leading into them. He will also take a key role as part of the High Performance Review which will begin shortly. Prior to the appointment, Sir Andrew Strauss had undertaken the role on an interim basis following Ashley Giles’ departure in February after three years.

A former England cricketer and Kent captain, Key is a hugely respected figure in the game. Key played 21 times for England across all three formats including making a Test double hundred against the West Indies at Lord’s in 2004 which led to him being named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 2005.

During a playing career that spanned three decades (1998-2015), Key amassed over 28,000 runs with 60 centuries. He captained Kent twice from 2006-2012 and then again from 2014-15. During his time as captain the side won the County Championship 2nd Division title in 2010 and reached three white ball domestic finals. He was also part of the England side who won the Under-19 World Cup for the first and only time in 1998.

After announcing his retirement in 2016, Key became a successful commentator for Sky Sports alongside writing a regular column for the Evening Standard. He has remained involved in the administration side of the game and has previously sat on the ECB’s Performance Cricket Committee.

Rob Key said, “It is an absolute honour to take up this role. The chance to have an impact and make a difference is an opportunity given to very few and I will give it everything I have to try to shape the next great era of English Men’s cricket. I have absolutely loved my time at Sky and I could never have imagined leaving were it not for this incredible opportunity. I’d like to personally thank Bryan Henderson and everyone in the team for their help and support.

“Although at this current moment it has been a challenging time in English cricket, I also think it’s as exciting a time as I can remember. With two of our teams near or at the top of the world rankings and an undoubted amount of talent in our game, I hope to try and bring everyone along for the ride so we can all help take English Men’s cricket to new heights across all formats.”

Tom Harrison, ECB Chief Executive Officer said, “Following a thorough recruitment process, Rob stood out in a very competitive field. His passion and knowledge of the game at domestic and international level is outstanding. He is a proven leader and combines an approachable nature with fresh original thinking and resilience which will stand him in good stead. He will bring a lot to the role and I am sure players and staff alike will enjoy working with Rob. I have no doubt he will relish the challenge before us.”

“I’d like to thank Andrew for agreeing to step back into the role on an interim basis. To have someone of his experience and skill set during the transition and recruitment process was invaluable. He remains a huge asset to English and Welsh Cricket.”

Also read: Umran Malik fires SRH to 4th consecutive win as they defeat PBKS

(Football news) Goals by Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount ensured that Chelsea managed to secure a hardfought 2-0 win over Crystal Palace in the semi-final of the FA Cup at the Wembley Stadium. The win meant that the Blues will now play their third consecutive FA Cup final when they take on Liverpool on May 14th. 

Having suffered defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League, Chelsea’s performance, especially in the first half was far from convincing with players looking lethargic and lacking conviction. Palace had the best chance to take the lead when a volleyed drive by Cheikhou Kouyate forced Edouard Mendy to make a fine save before Joachim Andersen hit the post from a rebound from an offside position. 

The deadlock was broken by substitute Loftus-Cheek who replaced an injured Mateo Kovacic and scored 20 minutes after the interval when Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell was caught on the ball and a few one-touch passes by Kai Havertz ultimately led to his effort being half-cleared, only for Loftus-Cheek to smash the ball into the back of the net with a slight deflection. The 26 year old has been a former Palace player during the 2016-17 season and was delighted after scoring his first goal of the season in such a crucial fixture.

Just 11 minutes later, a simple square pass by Timo Werner found Mason Mount and the England international scored his 12th goal of the campaign. Romelu Lukaku had an opportunity to make it 3-0 but the Belgian striker hit the far post as his goal drought continues in the year so far. Thomas Tuchel will hope to win the FA Cup this time around, having lost to Arsenal in 2020 and Leicester City last year as it is realistically the only real chance for Chelsea to secure the title. 

In what was a blockbuster clash between two of the strongest teams in England, Liverpool defeated Manchester City 3-2 at the Wembley Stadium to secure passage into the FA Cup final. The two sides faced each other just six days from their 2-2 draw in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium and Jurgen Klopp’s team put up an impressive display in the first half, scoring three goals (a brace from Sadio Mane and a header by Ibrahima Konate). 

However, City retaliated after the break, reducing the deficit almost immediately after kickoff when Jack Grealish found the back of the net from Gabriel Jesus’ assist. Bernardo Silva then got a late goal in the 90th minute to set up a tense few minutes. The Reds will be grateful to have Allison in front of goal, the Brazilian keeper denied Gabriel Jesus twice. The result ended City’s treble hopes while Liverpool’s quadruple aspirations remained alive after winning the Carabao Cup earlier this year.

Also read: Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid score last minute winners

Mumbai, Apr 16 (Cricket News) Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to field in their Indian Premier League match against Lucknow Super Giants here on Saturday.

Seeking to end their five-match losing streak, MI made one change from their previous match playing XI with Fabian Allen replacing Basil Thampi.

Super Giants also made one change with Manish Pandey coming in for K Gowtham.

The Teams: Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis, Ayush Badoni, Jason Holder, Krunal Pandya, Dushmantha Chameera, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi.

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Dewald Brevis, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Kieron Pollard, Fabian Allen, Jaydev Unadkat, Murugan Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Tymal Mills. 

Also Read : Stokes is obvious choice to lead England Test team: Former captains

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Joe Root on friday announced his decision to step down as England Test captain after 5 years of leading the team. The decision comes after England lost the West Indies tour 1-0. The England cricket team is going through a major overhaul as coach Chris Silverwood was sacked after the Ashes tour and managing director Ashley Giles also stepped down from his role.

Root took over as England captain in February 2017 after Alistair Cook's resignation. He scored a century against South Africa at Lord's to become the first England player to score a ton on his captaincy debut. His personal form after initially dropping with the captaincy gradually increased and towards the end were phenomenal. Root holds the record for most matches as England captain. His tenure was a complete mixed bag in terms of team performance and development. The 2-0 series win away at Sri Lanka was his last as a captain. England lost to India away after which they trailed 2-1 to India with 1 postponed Test match left to play.

The Ashes series down under was a major blow as England lost 4-0 against Australia and not one match was a close contest. The West Indies series was supposed to start a revamp and comeback. Senior bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad were dropped from the squad. Things got worse after England lost the West Indies series that too without a win. Root's personal form during the last year or so was incredible as he won the ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Year award. The team has been underperforming which does call for a change.

The change however wasn't necessarily in captaincy as the system of England cricket is flawed. England's county system has come under a lot of scrutiny for a number of things. Recent videos of Alistair Cook and Rory Burns bowling has infuriated the English fans about the condition of the domestic tournament. County cricket needs to go through some changes like schedule and pitch quality to begin with. The good thing about Root's resignation is that he can now concentrate on his batting and perhaps try to make a comeback into the limited overs squad. 

Root hasn't played a white ball game for England since July 2021 and now that he doesn't have the burden of captaincy, he could eye a comeback. Root was a great ODI batter a few years ago and it's not like he cannot cope with the format. Ben Stokes, who was Root's deputy, is likely to take over as the captain. Stokes is definitely committed as he decided to not take part in the IPL to concentrate on red ball cricket for England. Up next, England play a 3 match Test series against New Zealand before playing the last Test against India. 

Also read: SRH defeat KKR to get 3rd consecutive win of the season

London, Apr 16 (Cricket News) Star all-rounder Ben stokes has a "smart cricket brain" and is the "obvious" choice to take over as England Test captain following the exit of Joe Root, according to former captains Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussain.

Root on Friday stepped down from captaincy, ending his five-year tenure after facing criticism following England's 0-4 Ashes defeat against Australia and 0-1 series loss to West Indies.

"I don't see anyone else who could take the position and be guaranteed of their place in the side," Vaughan told the BBC.

"In Ben Stokes, you have clearly got someone who has got a smart cricket brain, he's going to give it everything, he is certainly going to have the respect of the players around him." Hussain, who led England from 1999-2003, also backed Stokes to take over as Test captain.

"For me the obvious candidate is Ben Stokes. (He) Stokes has done some phenomenal things as a cricketer and has a very smart cricket brain. He showed that in World Cup final, he showed that at Headingley...He showed that when he's taken over occasionally from Joe Root," Hussain was quoted as saying in skysports.com.

"People say, 'Oh, Ben Stokes', do you know what happened to Flintoff and Botham? Ben Stokes is not Flintoff and he's not Botham, don't judge him by how other people have done." Stokes had taken a break from cricket last year to focus on mental well-being and Hussain feels it is important that he is in the right place mentally as captaincy can take a toll. "The difficult thing for Stokes is the point I made about the toll it takes on you as a captain. You have to be in the right place mentally and physically," he said.

Hussain, however, said Stuart Broad could also be an option in case Stokes is not up for it.

"If Stokes is not in the right place, then short-term Stuart Broad has an excellent cricket brain, is a real fighter, a real competitor, and he's got a point to prove after what's happened in the last few months and we know what Broad is like when he's got a point to prove.

"Pat Cummins has led Australia as a bowler brilliantly, so in the short term, I can see Broad doing a similar thing." Another former captain Michael Atherton, who led England from 1993 to 1998, also picked Stokes for the top job.

"You've got to pick somebody who is worth his place in the side. I think the days are long gone where you could have a Mike Brearley-type figure, who wouldn't necessarily be a first-choice pick.

"Just because of the scrutiny, you need to be worth your place in the side, so Ben Stokes is the obvious candidate." "The one great defining characteristic of Ben Stokes is loyalty, and he's very loyal to Joe Root as his number two, and very good friends with him. He will feel a lot easier about accepting the job, if indeed it comes his way." 

Also Read : Ishan Kishan not worth blowing nearly your whole salary on: Watson tells MI

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Pune, Apr 16 (Cricket News) It will be a test of wits between two new captains in Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya when defending champions Chennai Super Kings clash with debutants Gujarat Titans in an IPL game here on Sunday.

Known for their all-round skills, both Jadeja and Pandya have served Indian cricket well and the duo will be engaged in a battle of tactical supremacy on Sunday with both teams looking to continue their momentum after wins in their previous matches.

While Jadeja was elevated to the captaincy role by CSK, Pandya was roped in as the leader of the Titans after Mumbai Indians didn't retain the gifted all-rounder as he struggled with his fitness.

Pandya has given the newcomers a rollicking start with four wins in five games. The Titans are headed into the match after bouncing back from their only loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad with a 37-run win over Rajasthan Royals on Thursday.

Jadeja, on the other hand, has endured a tough initial phase with the team losing their first four matches before opening account with a 23-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Bowling has been a major concern for CSK but the former champions produced a better show against RCB with the spin duo of Maheesh Theekshana and skipper Jadeja running riot with seven wickets between them in their last match.

But pacer Mukesh Choudhary has not been able to rise to the occasion in the absence of CSK's main weapon Deepak Chahar, who has been ruled out of the IPL due to a back injury.

Chris Jordon and Dwayne Bravo have done well overall to keep things in check even though the latter was taken for runs in the last match.

The Titans, however, boast of a formidable bowling line-up with New Zealand speedster Lockie Ferguson (8 wickets), India quick Mohammed Shami (7) and Pandya (4) himself all capable of taking wickets and putting the opposition under the pump.

With six wickets so far, Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan too has done the job of squeezing the run flow.

In the batting department, Pandya and opener Shubman Gill, with two fifties each, have been among the runs but Matthew Wade's form has been a concern.

Rookie Abhinav Manohar and South Africa's David Miller came good in their last match and the team will expect them to take more responsibility.

Rahul Tewatia too shone in his role of a finisher as his sixes earned the Titans a win over Lucknow Super Giants.

For CSK, time is running out for young opener Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has been in horrible form this season. Moeen Ali too has lacked consistency at the top of the order. Ditto for Ambati Rayudu, who has failed to capitalise on his starts.

All-rounder Shivam Dube has been their star performer as he blasted an unbeaten 95 at number four the other night. Opener Robin Uthappa also turned back the clock during his 88-run hammering of RCB bowlers.

However, Jadeja and former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni will have to show more intent when the going gets tough in the middle.

The Teams (from): Chennai Super Kings: Ravindra Jadeja (captain), Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Moeen Ali, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dwayne Bravo, Ambati Rayadu, Robin Uthappa, Mitchell Santner, Chris Jordan, Adam Milne, Devon Conway, Shivam Dube, Dwaine Pretorius, Maheesh Theekshana, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Tushar Deshpande, KM Asif, C Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Subranshu Senapati, K Bhagath Verma, Prashant Solanki, Simarjeet Singh, Mukesh Choudhary.

Gujarat Titans: Hardik Pandya (captain), Abhinav Manohar, David Miller, Gurkeerat Singh, B Sai Sudarshan, Shubman Gill, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Matthew Wade, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Wriddhiman Saha, Alzarri Joseph, Darshan Nalkande, Dominic Drakes, Jayant Yadav, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Shami, Noor Ahmad, Pradeep Sangwan, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Varun Aaron, Yash Dayal.

Match starts at 7.30 PM. 

Also Read : New Zealand, England to tour Pakistan over next 12 months

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Karachi, Apr 15 (Cricket News) Pakistan will host five men's and women's teams over the next 12 months as PCB announced the international calendar on Friday.

The Pakistan men's team is scheduled to play seven Tests, 17 ODIs and a minimum of 25 T20Is in the next 12 months while the women’s team participate in the ICC Women’s Championship, ICC U19 and T20 World Cups and Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

The PCB confirmed that West Indies, England and New Zealand men’s sides will tour Pakistan twice each in the next 12 months while Sri Lanka and Ireland women will visit Pakistan in May/June and October/November.

New Zealand and England had withdrawn from Pakistan tours last year.

The back-to-back international cricket will be in addition to the 2022-23 domestic cricket season, which will run concurrently to the international season.

The Pakistan men's team is scheduled to play seven ICC World Test Championship fixtures against three opponents – Sri Lanka (2), England (3) and New Zealand (2) – while the 12 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League ODI matches will be versus West Indies, Sri Lanka, Netherlands and New Zealand (three each).

In the shortest format of the game, Pakistan men’s side will feature in the ACC Asia Cup T20 in August/September and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Australia 2022 from October 15 to November 15.

Outside the two main events, Pakistan’s other T20Is will be against England (seven), West Indies (three) and New Zealand (five).

New Zealand, in addition to the five ODIs in April 2023, will also play five T20Is. 


Also Read : Tripathi, Markram star in SRH's third straight win

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New Delhi, Apr 15 (Cricket News) Speculations rife about her international future, India's Test and ODI skipper Mithali Raj will be turning up for Railways at the Women's Senior T20 Trophy beginning on April 18 in what will be her first competitive event since the Women's World Cup.

The future of stalwarts Mithali and Jhulan Goswami have been a subject of debate since India's early exit from the World Cup in New Zealand last month.

While Jhulan is recovering from a side strain that she suffered during the global event, Mithali will groom the next generation of players in the Railways squad. Both are 39 and are at the business end of their illustrious careers.

"Mithali will be there to guide the younger players. As a senior player, she understands her role really well. Anyway, she never misses domestic assignments when not on national duty," a BCCI source told PTI.

Mithali, who is the leading run-getter in international cricket, had captained the Railways team to the title in the T20 competition last year. Her international T20 career came to an end in 2019.

As far has her ODI and Test future is concerned, the source added: "There is no international cricket lined up in the near future. She has a lot of time to think over her future." India's next confirmed international assignment is in September when they play three T20s and as many ODIs in England after the Commonwealth Games in July-August.

Majority of the players who were part of India's World Cup squad will take part in the domestic event which will be held in a bio-bubble across six venues. That also includes India T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur.

The BCCI recently refused to give NOC to a few leading India players for the Fairbreak Invitational in Dubai as it wanted them to be available for the Women's T20 Trophy and the following Women's T20 Challenge which will be held alongside the IPL play-offs. 

Also Read : Warne always had constructive conversations, he was a positive person, says Kohli

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(Cricket news) Joe Root has today stepped down as England Men's Test Captain. Root holds the record for the most number of matches and wins as England Men's Test Captain. His 27 victories put him ahead of Michael Vaughan (26), Sir Alastair Cook, and Sir Andrew Strauss (24 each).

After being appointed as Sir Alastair Cook's successor in 2017, Root led the side to a number of famous series victories, including a 4-1 home series win over India in 2018 and a 3-1 triumph away to South Africa in 2020. In 2018 he became the first England Men's Captain to win a Test series in Sri Lanka since 2001, a feat he went on to repeat with a 2-0 victory in Sri Lanka in 2021.

He is already England’s second highest Test run scorer of all time behind only Cook and scored 14 centuries as Captain. His tally of 5,295 runs as skipper is the highest by any England Captain and puts him 5th in the all-time list behind only Graeme Smith, Alan Border, Ricky Ponting and Virat Kohli.

Joe Root said, “After returning from the Caribbean tour and having time to reflect, I have decided to step down as England Men’s Test Captain. It has been the most challenging decision I have had to make in my career but having discussed this with my family and those closest to me; I know the timing is right.

"I am immensely proud to have captained my country and will look back on the past five years with enormous pride. It has been an honour to have done the job and to have been a custodian of what is the pinnacle of English cricket. I have loved leading my country, but recently it's hit home how much of a toll it has taken on me and the impact it has had on me away from the game.

"I want to take this opportunity to thank my family, Carrie, Alfred and Bella, who have lived it all with me and been incredible pillars of love and support throughout. All of the players, coaches and support staff that have helped me during my tenure. It has been a great privilege to have been with them on this journey.

"I would also like to thank all the England supporters for their unwavering support. We are lucky to have the best fans in the world, and wherever we play, that positivity is something we always cherish and admire, which is a huge drive for all of us out there.

"I am excited to continue representing the Three Lions and producing performances that will enable the team to succeed. I look forward to helping the next Captain, my teammates and coaches in whatever way I can."

Tom Harrison, ECB Chief Executive Officer said, “Joe has been an exceptional role model during his tenure, balancing the demands of Test captaincy whilst continuing to shine brilliantly through his own personal performances. He has led by example, and that has resulted in more Men's Test wins than any other England Captain, alongside a number of famous series home and away victories.

“Joe’s leadership qualities were exemplified by how he led the team through some of the most difficult and uncertain times we have known, playing during the pandemic all over the world, which speaks volumes for him as a leader and as a person.

“I know that every single person who has played or worked under Joe’s captaincy will speak of his integrity and humility as a person, as much as his determination and example as a leader.

“Off the field, Joe has been no different. It has been a privilege and a huge pleasure to have worked with him in his capacity as our Men's Test Captain, and I know he’ll continue to drive English cricket forward as a senior player, offering his wealth of experience and advice to support his successor.”

Also read: MI in rebuilding mode, you will see great players coming out in few years: Suryakumar Yadav

Bhubaneswar, Apr 14 (Hockey News) Vice-captain Harmanpreet Singh continued his goal-scoring spree with a brace as the Indian men's hockey team defeated an inexperienced Germany 3-0 in the first match of the two-leg tie to extend its lead in the FIH Pro League standings here on Thursday.

Harmanpreet converted two penalty corners for India in the 18th and 27th minutes, while Abhishek scored from another set piece in the 45th minute.

With a half a dozen of Germany's 22-member squad making their senior debut here, the vast gap between the two sides was evidently visible.

By virtue of this win, India have consolidated their position at the top of the table with 24 points from 11 games, while the Germans are placed second with 17 points from nine matches.

Both the teams will lock horns again in the second match of the tie at the Kalinga Stadium on Friday. The Indians started on a bright note and secured a penalty corner early into the first quarter but Jugraj Singh's effort from a penalty corner was kept out by the German defence and from the resultant rebound Nilkanata Sharma shot wide. India enjoyed a lot of possession in the first quarter but the forwardline hasn't been clinical enough to bury the chances.

India continued in the same vein in the second quarter and took the lead in the 18th minute through none other than Harmanpreet from a penalty corner with a superbly executed dragflick.

India earned another penalty corner soon but this time Gierman goalkeeper Alexander Stadler denied Harmanpreet.

But Harmanpreet doubled India's lead three minutes from half time, wrong-footing Stadler from another set piece.

The Indians kept up the pressure after the change of ends and created plenty of scoring opportunities but the young German defence stood firm but were also guilty of conceding a lot of plenty corners.

And from such opportunity, Abhishek deflected in Harmanpreet's variation to hand India a comfortable 3-0 lead just at the end of the third quarter.

Minutes into the fourth and final quarter, Germany conceded another penalty corner but this time Stadler kept out Harmanpreet's try.

The Germans gave a good account of themselves in the final 15 minutes but they gave too many chances to the Indians in the form of penalty corners which cost them dearly.

Ther Germans conceded eight penalty corners but failed to secure a single one in the entire 60 minutes. 

Also Read : Mumtaz's brace goes in vain as Indian team loses to England in bronze medal match

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Navi Numbai, Apr 14 (Cricket News) Skipper Hardik Pandya smashed a stroke-filled unbeaten half-century to guide Gujarat Titans to 192 for four against Rajasthan Royals in an Indian Premier League match here on Thursday.

Hardik made unbeaten 87 off 52 balls with the help of eight fours and four sixes and in the company of Abhinav Manohar (43 off 28) shared 86 runs for the fourth wicket to lay the foundation for Titans' big score after being asked to bat.

Towards the end, David Miller played a 14-ball unbeaten 31-run cameo.

Brief Scores: Gujarat Titans: 192 for 4 in 20 overs (Hardik Pandya 87 not out , Abhinav Manohar 43, David Miller 31 not out; Riyan Parag 1/12). 

Also Read : England pacer Anya Shrubsole, star of 2017 World Cup final against India, announces retirement

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New Delhi, Apr 14 (Badminton News) Two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Saina Nehwal on Thursday questioned the timing of selection trials and slammed the Badminton Association of India for "putting" her out the two mega sporting events later this year.

The governing body had called for selection trials on April 2 to pick the Indian team for big-ticket events including the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the Asian Games in Hangzhou and Thomas Cup and Uber Cup in Bangkok from May 8 to 15.

Saina, a former world no 1, said she had informed BAI about her decision to skip the trials which begins at the IG stadium on Friday but it did not mean that she was not eager to participate at the major events including the Commonwealth Games and Asiad.

"Surprised to see all the articles stating that I don't want to defend my CWG title and my Asiad medal. I'm just not participating in the trials because I just got back from 3 weeks of Europe events and according to the schedule there's Asian Championships," Saina tweeted.

"In 2 weeks time, as a senior player to participate in back to back events nonstop is impossible and it's risking injuries, such short notice is not possible. I've conveyed this to BAI but there has been no response from them. It seems like they're happy to put me out of CWG n Asiad." BAI has exempted players inside the top 15 in the BWF rankings from the trials but said shuttlers ranked between 16 to 50 in the latest world rankings, released on March 29, will have to participate in the trials to be selected for the team.

Saina, 32, however, questioned the logic of having trials at this juncture.

"I wish we had better understanding about how to manage a schedule and not announce events with 10 days notice. I'm world no.23 currently and I almost beat the world no.1 Akane in All England. One loss at India open and BAI tries to pull me down. Shocking." Saina, a London Olympics bronze medallist, had participated at the German Open (March 8-13), All England Championships (March 16-20) and Swiss Open (March 22-27) before pulling out of the Korean Open (April 5-10). Saina has been battling injuries and poor form for the past couple of years, which saw see her ranking slip to 23rd but she did show signs of returning to form when she played a three-game match against Akane Yamaguchi at this year's All England Championships.

Among the current crop of women's singles players, Malvika Bansod, Aakarshi Kashyap, Ashmita Chaliha and Anupama Upadhyaya have been in good form but none of them have beaten top international stars in the world stage.

Saina had returned to the circuit after recovering from a groin and knee injury this year but she didn't have the desired results as her India Open campaign ended in the second round.

After a gap of few weeks, she played three events last month -- German Open, All England and Swiss Open -- where she failed to cross the second round. 

Also Read : Saina Nehwal decides to skip selection trials for CWG, Asian Games

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London, Apr 14 (Cricket News) England pacer Any Shrubsole, a two-time Women's World Cup winner, on Thursday announced her retirement from international cricket after a 14-year-old career.

The 30-year-old, known for her sharp inswingers, played eights Tests, 86 ODIs and 79 T20s taking 19, 106 and 102 wickets respectively.

Shrubsole had famously taken six for 46, which remains her career best figures, against India in the World Cup final against India five years ago.

She was also part of 2009 victorious squad and more recently the team that lost to Australia in the final earlier this month.

"I feel immensely privileged to have been able to represent my country for the past 14 years. To have been involved in women's cricket at a time of such growth has been an honour but it has become clear to me that it is moving forward faster than I can keep up with, so it is time for me to step away," she said in a statement.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be lucky enough to play for England for so long, I'd have been happy with one game. There have been many ups and downs along the way but it was all worth it to be able to lift the ICC Women's World Cup at Lord's in 2017."

Also Read : Australia all-rounder Shane Watson picks Kohli ahead of Smith, Root, Williamson and Babar

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Wellington, Apr 14 (Cricket News) New Zealand pacer Tim Southee on Thursday won the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal, an honour bestowed on the country's performer in a calendar year.

On the final day of the three-day awards ceremony, Southee shared the podium with Bert Sutcliffe Medal recipient Penny Kinsella; the Test Player of the Year, Devon Conway, and the women's and men's Domestic Players of the Year -- Nensi Patel, and joint male winners Tom Bruce and Robbie O'Donnell.

The 33-year-old Southee, who is representing Kolkata Knight Riders in the ongoing IPL-15, won the award after a stellar 2021 season, both at home and abroad, and in red as well as white-ball cricket.

In the year, he has captured 36 Test wickets at 23.88, including best figures of six for 43 against England at Lord's and five wickets against India in the victorious ICC World Test Championship final at Southampton.

In all, Southee has taken 338 Test wickets, which is just 23 fewer than Daniel Vettori and 93 short of the record-holder the award is named after, Hadlee.

"It's a huge honour to win such a prestigious award," Southee said, speaking from KKR's base in Mumbai, according to www.stuff.co.nz He added, "Like most cricketers growing up I knew all about the exploits of Sir Richard and it's certainly pretty humbling to win his award this year.

"While the accolades are nice, I think it really just reflects the way we have worked together as a group and played our cricket for a long period of time.

"It's been great to be a part of this period and being able to win games for our country which is something that's very special," he said on the occasion." 

Also Read : Jeff Vaughan steps down as Australia's assistant coach for Tasmania job

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Melbourne, Apr 14 (Cricket News) Australian men's team assistant coach Jeff Vaughan has stepped down from his role to take up coaching duties at state side Tasmania.

The development comes close on the heels of Andrew McDonald's appointment as Australia's head coach.

"I feel very fortunate with how everything has worked out," Vaughan said in a statement.

"I have been connected to the program throughout and am confident that I have continued to develop my coaching and leadership skillset to assist the development of the Tigers' program holistically and for the players as individuals." He thanked Cricket Australia for the opportunities he received while he was part of the national squad.

"I'm incredibly grateful to Cricket Australia for the opportunity, and to Cricket Tasmania for being so open-minded about my return, so I really can't wait to just get stuck in and am looking forward to maintaining the direction of the program for an extended period of time." Vaughan was appointed Australia's assistant coach in July 2021 alongside Michael Di Venuto and was part of the team's T20 World Cup triumph last year along with the Test series wins over England at home, and more recently, in Pakistan. 

Also Read : PBKS hand MI 5th consecutive defeat courtesy of Dhawan and Agarwal

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New Delhi, Apr 13 (Cricket News) Former England cricketer Graeme Swann feels Mumbai Indians should adopt the "ultra aggressive" approach CSK showed against RCB as it aims for its first win of the season.

Both the multiple-times champions lost their opening four games before CSK broke their losing streak with a 23-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore on Tuesday.

The Rohit Sharma-led MI, however, is still in the look out for their first victory this season "Mumbai Indians basically need to take a template from what CSK did against RCB and copy that going forward" Swann said on Star Sports.

"If they can go with an ultra-aggressive intent, they will be able to win (their upcoming matches)," the former off spinner said.

Swann further added that for teams like Mumbai and Chennai - who suffered four consecutive defeats in as many games - body language has to be positive going forward.

"Any coach or any captain would demand from his players to show more intensity (on the field), more hard work and want them to show that they mean it (when it comes winning)even if you've lost a few games. So the body language is a good way to go." 

Also Read : Indian Premier League (IPL) : Royals, Titans set for high-voltage clash

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(Football news) Manchester City captain Fernandinho announced his intention to leave the club after the end of the season, ahead of his team’s Champions League match against Atletico Madrid. The Brazilian has played more than 370 games for City in all competitions but is unlikely to extend his stay beyond his current 10th season in England. The former Brazil international signed a one year contract extension in June and has enjoyed an illustrious career in the blue half of Manchester, winning four Premier League titles and six League Cup trophies. 

When asked if he intends to leave Manchester City in the summer, Fernandinho said “Yes, I want to play. I want to play regularly. I will go back to Brazil. I decided with my family, which is the most important for me." Later, Fernandinho issued a statement on Twitter which said “I was 100 percent honest and spontaneous in answering that question at today's press conference. But anyone who knows me also knows that my greatest honesty is with Man City and my duties as team captain. My focus is 100 percent on winning all the titles we are playing for and I will only talk about my future at the end of the season. Let's keep pushing!”

Surprisingly, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was unaware of Fernandinho’s decision and was shocked when he was told the news. Guardiola said “Oh! I didn't know. You give me the news. I didn't hear it. We will see what happens. I don't know what will happen. He is so important. I'll ask him." At the end of the season we talk, maybe it's because of his family. I would love it. We will talk. The role he plays this season - I like the people who behave behind the scenes. I know what he has done, behind me, he handles many of our players and stars for the benefit of the team. "I praised him and he was here when I arrived. Raheem (Sterling), Kevin (De Bruyne), John (Stones), a few players. We have known him well, from day one to now. An incredible player for Man City. There are things nobody knows but I know exactly."

Also read: Real Madrid survive Chelsea scare to win in extra time

Potchefstroom, Apr 12 (Hockey News) Mumtaz Khan's brace went in vain as the Indian women's hockey team's dream of reclaiming a bronze medal from the FIH Junior World Cup went up in smoke, losing 0-3 in the shoot-out to England after both the teams were locked 2-2 at the end of regulation time here on Tuesday.

Mumtaz, India's highest scorer in the tournament with eight strikes, scored two field goals in the 21st and 47th minutes, but those were cancelled by Millie Giglio (18th) and Claudia Swain (58th) to take the third-fourth play-off match to shoot-out.

The Indians cut a sorry figure in the shoot-out as Olympian Sharmila Devi, skipper Salima Tete and Sangita Kumari faltered, while England's Katie Curtis, Swain and Maddie Axford found the back of the Indian net to avenge their loss at the same stage in the 2013 edition.

In the 2013 Junior World Cup in Monchengladbach in Germany, India had secured its maiden bronze medal by defeating England in the shoot-out.

Contrary to the final result, it was India which had the better statistics in the match in all aspects, be it possession, circle penetrations and shots on goal.

But England had the last laugh as lapse in concentration in the final few minutes of the match cost India dearly.

The Indians, though, started the match on a positive note, securing two penalty corners in quick time just after the start but the English defence was up to the task to deny their opponents.

Lalrindiki then had an excellent chance to put India ahead but she fired wide from close range with only the English goalkeeper to beat.

England took the lead three minutes into the second quarter through a lucky goal.

Giglio's weak shot on goal from inside the circle bobbled towards India goalkeeper Bichu Devi Kharibam, who mistimed her kick as the ball went past between her legs inside the post.

It was an unfortunate mistake from the Indian custodian, who so far had an outstanding tournament under the bar.

England's joy lasted just three minutes as India equalised through, who else, than Mumtaz.

Mumtaz scored her seventh goal of the tournament by beautifully controlling a pass from the right flank with one touch and then slotted the ball into the English goal to draw parity.

Both the teams tried hard to take the initiative thereafter but failed to create any real scoring opportunity to go into the halfway break locked at 1-1.

It was a disappointing display by both India and England after the change of ends, dishing out frustrating and cagey hockey for most part of the next 15 minutes.

Just 11 minutes into the fourth quarter, England won a penalty corner but Bichu Devi made an excellent save to deny Maddie Axford.

The Indians continued to dominate in the final quarter, earning a couple of penalty corners but they failed in final execution.

India made the scoreline 2-1 in the 47th minute, yet again through Mumtaz, who cooly lifted over the English goalkeeper following a goal-mouth melee.

Trailing by a goal, a desperate England pulled off their goalkeeper for an extra player six minutes from the final hooter, and mounted numerous raids on the Indian citadel, which resulted in two penalty corners but the Indian defence stood firm till then.

But two minutes from full time, the Indian defence finally wilted under pressure when Swain scored the equaliser with a slap shot past Bichu Devi after receiving a pass from the right flank.

Also Read : Germany men's hockey team arrives without many senior players for Pro League matches against India

News Source : PTI

Navi Mumbai, Apr 12 (Cricket News) Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Faf du Plessis won the toss and opted to field against Chennai Super Kings in an IPL match on Tuesday.

CSK fielded an unchanged side, while Suyash Prabhudesai makes his IPL debut in place of Harshal Patel for RCB, who also brought in Josh Hazlewood in place of England speedster David Willey.

Teams: Royal Challengers Bangalore: Faf du Plessis(c), Anuj Rawat, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Dinesh Karthik(w), Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Josh Hazlewood, Mohammed Siraj, Suyash Prabhudessai, Akash Deep Chennai Super Kings: Ravindra Jadeja(c), Robin Uthappa, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni(w), Dwayne Bravo, Chris Jordan, Maheesh Theekshana, Mukesh Choudhary. 

Also Read : Batters have stopped taking risks against me: Rashid Khan

News Source : PTI

Wellington, Apr 12 (Cricket News) Black Caps pace spearhead Trent Boult and White Ferns skipper Sophie Devine won the 'T20 International Player of the Year' for their sensational run in the shortest format of the game at the New Zealand Cricket Awards.

The awards are being delivered virtually over three days.

Boult was awarded for his splendid run at the T20 World Cup in UAE lst here where New Zealand reached the final.

The 32-year old had taken 13 wickets in the tournament and played a crucial role in taking his side to the finals.

Boult defeated Tim Southee, Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell and Ish Sodhi -- who also played vital roles in the Black Caps’ run to the final before they lost to Australia -- to take home the award.

"It means a lot. T20 is a format I really enjoy and one I'm constantly trying to adapt my game to in order to become a better bowler. It's something very special to win this award and I feel really grateful to receive it," Boult, who is currently in India for the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, said.

Devine, on the other hand, bagged her her second International Women’s T20 Player of the Year award in two years.

She scored 118 runs in four outings at an average of 29.50 with an overall strike-rate of 113.46 and a top-score of 50 against England in Hove.

The fan moment of the summer went to the retired Ross Taylor for his final wicket in his last Test against Bangladesh in Christchurch.

Melie Kerr and Michael Bracewell were named the respective Super Smash Players of the Year following their efforts for Wellington.

Day two of the awards on Wednesday will see the first-class and domestic batting and bowling cups handed out along with the men's and women's ODI Players of the Year, and the Umpire of the Year award.

Thursday’s final day will see the presentation of the men's and women's Domestic Players of the Year, the Test Player of the Year, the Bert Sutcliffe Medal for outstanding services to cricket, and the supreme playing award - the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal.

Also Read : Back injury rules Deepak Chahar out of Indian Premier League (IPL)-15

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Apr 12 (Badminton News) Saina Nehwal's chances of defending her title at the Commonwealth Games looks bleak as she has decided to skip the selection trials for the upcoming multi-sport events.

The big-ticket events include the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the Hangzhou Asian Games.

The selection trials are scheduled here from April 15 to 20.

The 32-year-old Hisar-born shuttler, a two-time CWG gold medallist and 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist, has informed the Badminton Association of India (BAI) about her decision to skip the trials.

"Saina has written to BAI, informing her decision to not play in the trials which will be the only tournament to pick players for CWG, Asiad and Thomas and Uber Cup," a BAI source told PTI.

The CWG squad will consist of 10 members with equal number of men and women, while the Asian Games and Thomas & Uber Cup contingents will have 20 members each, including 10 men and 10 women.

The BAI has made it clear that players inside the top 15 in the BWF rankings will be picked directly, while the rest will be chosen from the trials which will see participation of shuttlers ranked between 16 to 50 in the latest world rankings, released on March 29.

The national governing body will also be "finalising probables for the senior core group for the 2024 Olympic Games" during the trials.

Injuries and recent form =============== A former world number one, Saina has been battling a series of injuries and poor form for the past couple of years, which saw see her ranking slip to 23rd.

Saina, who had won gold medals at the 2010 and 2018 CWG, had suffered a career-threatening knee injury ahead of the Rio Olympics.

She had hurt her groin during the Thomas & Uber Cup Final in Aarhus, Denmark in October last year, and she was also forced to withdraw midway in the first round match at the French Open due to a knee injury.

Her return to the circuit at the India Open ended in the second round when she lost to the fast-rising Malvika Bansod. After a gap of few weeks, she played three events last month -- German Open, All England and Swiss Open -- but failed to cross the second round.

A semifinal finish at 2021 Orleans Masters Super 100 and quarterfinals at Barcelona Spain Masters Super 300 and Malaysia Masters in 2020 have been Saina's highlights in recent years. 

Also Read : Korea Open: Sindhu fails to decode An Seyoung, campaign ends at semifinals

News Source : PTI

Bhopal, Apr 11 (Hockey News) Chandigarh, Jharkhand and Bengal registered contrasting wins on the sixth day of the 12th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship here on Monday.

While Chandigarh beat Dadra & Nagar Haveli 6-4 in the first match of the day in Pool E, Jharkhand secured a convincing 5–0 victory against Jammu & Kashmir in Pool E. In Pool F, Bengal registered a 7–2 win over Arunachal Pradesh, while Puducherry overwhelmed Gujarat 13–2.

In the final match of the day, Assam thrashed Goans Hockey 6–0 in Pool H.

Also Read : Junior Women's Hockey WC: India look to recreate 2013 magic against England in bronze-medal match

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Delhi Capitals defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by 44 runs to get their 2nd win of the season. After winning the toss Shreyas Iyer elected to bowl first and announced an unchanged XI. DC on the other hand brought back Khaleel Ahmed for Anrich Nortje after the South African seamer's disappointing outing against Lucknow Super Gaints. 

Batting first Delhi Capitals got to a mammoth total of 215. Openers Prithvi Shaw and David Warner led the charge scoring half centuries. Rishabh Pant batting at one down scored a quickfire 27 off just 14 balls. Axar Patel and Shardul Thakur scored 49 runs in 3.2 overs to get their side to a massive total. The big talking point was Sarfaraz Khan who despite being selected as a pure batter didn't come out even after DC lost 5 wickets. The move shocked fans and experts alike as it could be a massive blow to the Mumbai batter's confidence. The strategy did work in the end because DC put a good target on the board. Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy and Andre Russell picked up a wicket each. While every other bowler proved to be expensive, Sunil Narine bowled an incredible spell of 2/21 in his 4 overs.

Chasing 216 runs, KKR kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Shreyas Iyer's 54 in 33 balls went in vain as KKR fell 44 runs short. Nitish Rana and Andre Russell did get good starts but couldn't convert them into big scores. Kuldeep Yadav dismantled the side which didn't give him enough games by picking up 4/35 in his 4 overs. The returning Khaleel Ahmed got 3 wickets while Shardul Thakur picked up 2 scalps. Lalit Yadav also chipped in with the crucial wicket of Nitish Rana. KKR could be looking to drop Ajinkya Rahane in the next game after the veteran failed to get going once again. 

Also read: Former England head coach Chris Silverwood appointed Sri Lankan men's team head coach

Potchefstroom (South Africa), Apr 11 (Hockey News) Their dream of winning a maiden FIH Junior Women's Hockey World Cup title shattered, India need to lift their morale quickly to match their best-ever third place finish when they take on England in the bronze medal tie here on Tuesday.

India had a memorable campaign in the tournament till the semifinals, where they lost 0-3 to three-time champions, the Netherlands.

India had an unbeaten run in the pool stages, which include a 2-1 win over Germany, a side which will play the Dutch in the title clash.

But the title chance now out of their grasp, the Indians would look to at least finish on the podium, like they did in the 2013 edition in Monchengladbach, Germany.

Back in the 2013 women's Junior World Cup, it was the Netherlands who had defeated India 3-0 in the semifinals and the Indian team, led by Sushila Chanu, then had faced England in the bronze medal tie, which they eventually won after a tense shootout.

But it remains to be seen whether the Salima Tete-led side can recreate the 2013 script on Tuesday.

Tete was visibly disappointed with the team's effort against the Netherlands.

"We are quite disappointed from our match against Netherlands. We created so many chances but could not convert. It just felt like it wasn't our day," she said.

But the skipper said the semifinal is a thing of the past now.

"There is no point thinking about what's happened in the past. Now we need to be focused on the upcoming match against England.

"Getting off to a good start against them will definitely give us the right momentum and that is what we will be looking for against them," Tete said.

India would be banking heavily on Lalremsiami, Sharmila Devi and Mumtaz Khan, who is India's top-scorer with six goals, to deliver the goods upfront.

England, on the other hand, will be low on confidence after the 0-8 drubbing at the hands of Germany in the semifinal.

But vice-captain Ishika Chaudhary reiterated that India can't afford to let go off chances against England.

"England is a good side and we watched videos from their previous matches. I just feel it is important for us to be focused on our game and ensure we score from the chances we create and be tight in our defending.

"It's important we don't allow space for them and we must play to our strengths," said Chaudhary. 

Also Read : Defender Amit Rohidas to lead India against Germany in FIH Pro League tie

News Source : PTI

Bhubaneswar, Apr 11 (Hockey News) Defender Amit Rohidas will continue to lead the 22-member Indian men's hockey team in its next FIH Pro League tie against Germany, starting here on Thursday.

Star dragflicker Harmanpreet Singh will don the responsibility of vice-captain in the double-header at the Kalinga Stadium. The second match of the tie will be played on Friday. There were no big surprises in the squad as the Indian team management continues to test various combination from the core group in the Pro League ties ahead of a busy calendar year, which includes the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

The squad includes goalkeepers PR Sreejesh, Krishan Bahadur Pathak, and defenders Varun Kumar, Amit Rohidas, Surender Kumar, Jugraj Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, and Gurinder Singh.

The midfield will manned by Nilakanta Sharma, Manpreet Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Shamsher Singh, Hardik Singh, and Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh, while the forward line will feature Sukhjeet Singh, Abhishek, Mandeep Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Dilpreet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, and Akashdeep Singh.

Speaking about the team composition, India's chief coach Graham Reid said, "This year's FIH Pro League has provided us with great opportunities to try different combinations and tactics. We have recognised what works and, more importantly, what areas we need to improve on.

"This week against Germany is the last leg of our home games for this year and we are looking forward to two more world-class encounters once again.

"Germany are always an extremely tough opponent and given where we both are on the ladder it will be important for us to finish this week with as many points as possible to remain at the top of the points table," he added.

India has so far played 10 matches in this season of FIH Pro League and are currently placed on top of the table with 21 points, while Germany occupy the second position with 17 points from eight games.

The Indian team had beaten South Africa in the double header (10-2, 10-2), while they won a game and lost one each against France (5-0, 2-5), which was also held in South Africa.

At home, India won a game and lost one to Spain (5-4, 3-5), won one game 4-3 and lost one 2-2 (1-3 SO) against Argentina, and recently, won both their games against England, 3-3 (3-2 SO), and 4-3.

Team: Goalkeepers: Sreejesh Parattu Raveendran, Krishan B Pathak.

Defenders: Varun Kumar, Amit Rohidas, Surender Kumar, Jugraj Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Gurinder Singh.

Midfielders: Nilakanta Sharma, Manpreet Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Shamsher Singh, Hardik Singh, Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh.

Forwards: Sukhjeet Singh, Abhishek, Mandeep Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Dilpreet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Akashdeep Singh. 

Also Read : India face Netherlands in Junior Women's Hockey WC semifinals as history beckons

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Apr 10 (Sports News) India's squash stars including Dipika Pallikal, Saurav Ghosal and Joshna Chinappa are hoping to get entry into Sports Ministry's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) after their title winning exploits at the World Doubles Championship in Glasgow.

TOPS was formed in September 2014 to support elite athletes in Olympic sports but in the year of Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, players from non Olympic sports like squash have been added to the scheme in the past.

TOPS cuts through the government red tape and athletes get access to funds faster for competition and training. The chosen athletes also get a monthly stipend of Rs 50,000.

Ghosal, Joshna and Dipika are genuine medal contenders at CWG and Asiad this year and were part of TOPS heading into the two multi sporting events back in 2018.

"It will only help if we are added to TOPS as it is a big year for us. It makes the exercise (to get funds) a lot faster. It surely helps and makes it easier. Don't know why we are not included yet but hope that happens soon," world number 17 Ghosal told PTI, a day after winning mixed doubles world title with Dipika in Glasgow.

It was a double delight for Dipika, who also won the women's doubles crown alongside Joshna. It was her first competitive event in more than 3 years, making it a fairytale comeback. The 30-year-old had given birth to twins last October.

"The TOPS scheme will go a long way in helping the squash team. TOPS always makes it easier for the athletes to secure funding for training and tournaments.

"I feel before CWG and Asian Games, TOPS is a must for us. All medal contenders should be part of the scheme going into the two events. It will just help us a lot if we get funded," said Dipika.

India's top-ranked player Joshna said getting entry into TOPS will provide a big boost to her preparation for the mega events later this year.

"I am hoping we are in TOPS soon. We were included in the scheme one and a half years before the 2018 CWG and Asian Games and it made a huge difference to our preparation," said the world number 13. Though government has been funding her air travel for tournaments on the professional tour, Joshna is having to spend out of her own pocket for out of competition training in England and Egypt.

At the most recent Mission Olympic Cell meeting earlier this week, the matter of including athletes from non Olympic sports to TOPS was not discussed, a member told PTI. "It was not proposed or discussed in this meeting but the players could be included going forward if the proposal is made," said the member. 

Also Read : Dipika Pallikal Karthik reaches twin finals at WSF World Doubles Championships

News Source : PTI

Pune, Apr 9 (Cricket News) Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Faf du Plessis won the toss and opted to field against Mumbai Indians in an IPL match here on Saturday.

MI made two changes, bringing in Jaydev Unadkat in place of Tymal Mills and Ramandeep Singh replaces Daniel Sams, while RCB brought in Glenn Maxwell for Sherfane Rutherford.

MI are winless, having lost three matches, while RCB has lost one and won two games so far in the season.

Teams: Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (w), Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Kieron Pollard, Ramandeep Singh, Murugan Ashwin, Jaydev Unadkat, Jasprit Bumrah, Basil Thampi Royal Challengers Bangalore: Faf du Plessis (c), Anuj Rawat, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik (w), David Willey, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj. 

Also Read : Former England head coach Chris Silverwood appointed Sri Lankan men's team head coach

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Apr 9 (Sports News) Indian squash ace Dipika Pallikal Karthik progressed to the finals of both the women's and mixed doubles at the WSF World doubles championships in Glasgow.

In mixed doubles, Dipika and Saurav Ghosal beat Wales' Joel Makin and Tesni Evans in an entertaining bout, taking the first game 11-9 before finishing the match with an impressive 11-5 win on Friday.

Dipika also paired up with Joshna Chinappa to reach the summit clash in women's doubles after New Zealand pairing of Joelle King and Amanda Landers Murphy withdrew from the semifinal due to an injury.

"For us women, our bodies go through a lot, day in and day out, and I think it's important to believe in ourselves," Dipika, who give birth to twins last October, was quoted as saying by worldsquash.org.

"What's really worked for me is I've had a lot of support from family and friends and that's why I'm here today, because a lot of people believed in me." The pair returning to competition after over three years, will face the winner of the match between England's Sarah-Jane Perry and Alison Waters and Malaysian pair of Rachel Arnold and Sivasangari Subramaniam.

The second-seeded Dipika and Saurav will take on fourth-seeded Alison Waters and Adrian Waller of England in the finals.

India has never won a gold medal at the World Doubles Squash Championships. 

Also Read : Should trans women compete against biological women in sports?

News Source : PTI

Colombo, Apr 9 (Cricket News) Former England head coach Chris Silverwood is all set to take charge of the Sri Lankan national team, the country's cricket board announced on Saturday.

The former England pacer's first competitive assignment with the Sri Lanka national team will be the upcoming away Test series in Bangladesh. He is contracted for a two-year period.

"We are delighted to appoint Chris as the new Head Coach of the national team. He is an extremely experienced coach and from our discussions with him in the recruitment process it is clear he has the required qualities we are looking for to take the team forward," said Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) CEO Ashley De Silva.

"I am very excited to be on board with Sri Lanka and I cannot wait to get over to Colombo and get started. They have a talented and passionate group of players and I am really looking forward to meeting up with the players and coaching staff very soon," Silverwood said on his part.

Silverwood, was appointed as head coach of England men's team in October 2019.

He had previously served as the team's bowling coach, working under then head coach Trevor Bayliss when England won the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup in 2019.

Silverwood featured in six Tests and seven ODIs for England and played county cricket for Yorkshire and Middlesex.

After his playing career, he took to coaching. He guided the Mashonaland Eagles in Zimbabwe to victory in the inaugural Logan Cup before a very successful stint as the Head Coach of Essex County Cricket.

At Essex, Silverwood helped the club's promotion in his first year in charge and led them to win the County Championship in 2017, after a gap of 25 years. 

Also Read : Moeen Ali hits 48 in CSK's 154/7 against SRH (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

News Source : PTI

Potchefstroom, Apr 9 (Hockey News) History beckons the Indian women's hockey team as it eyes a maiden final berth in the FIH Junior World Cup but in three-time champions, the Netherlands a stern test awaits it in the semifinal here on Sunday.

India's best performance in the tournament so far is a bronze medal finish in the 2013 edition of the event in Monchengladbach, Germany.

Unbeaten so far in the tournament, the Indians have exceeded expectations in the event, beating Wales 5-1, upsetting Germany (2-1), Malaysia (4-0) and Korea (3-0).

It was a cohesive effort from the Indians in the tournament so far with all departments clicking for the Salima Tete-led side.

India's forward line has shone bright with the strikers scoring as many as 12 goals so far and conceded just two.

Young striker Mumtaz Khan has been the cynosure of all eyes, scoring six goals, including a hat-trick so far in the event, while Lalremsiami, Lalrindiki and Sharmila Devi completed her brilliantly.

The presence of three Tokyo Olympians in skipper Tete, Lalremsiami and Sharmila has worked wonders for the Indians in the tournament in terms of their experience.

Credit must also go to the Indian midfield which played an instrumental role in creating numerous scoring opportunities for the side.

While one expects the forwardline and midfield to contribute, but it is the team's backline led by goalkeeper Bichu Devi Karibam that stood out so far.

Young Bichu, who recently made her senior team debut in the FIH Pro League, has been a revelation under the bar for India, denying the opposition with breath-taking saves on numerous occasions.

But besides her performance, it is Bichu's enigmatic celebrations after every save that caught the attention of all.

Having said that it won't be easy against the Dutch as besides being three-time champions, they finished runner-up in the last edition of the event in Santiago, Chine and would be eager to reverse that result in this year's event.

Just like India, Netherlands too finished their pool engagements on top with three wins from as many games and then got the better of South Africa 5-0 in the quarterfinals.

But in in-form India, the Dutch girls are bound to face their first real test in the competition.

In the other semi-final, Germany and England will square off against each other. 

Also Read : FIH Pro League: Indian women stun Netherlands 2-1 in first match

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Gujarat Titans got their third consecutive victory over the Punjab Kings in dramatic fashion as Rahul Tewatia hammered two sixes of the last two balls to lead his side to a very dramatic victory. Hardik Pandya won the toss and unsurprisingly chose to bowl first as they made two changes bringing in Sai Sudarshan and Darshan Nalkande in place of Vijay Shankar and the injured Varun Aaron. On the other hand, Mayank Agarwal handed Jonny Bairstow his PBKS debut in place of Bhanuka Rajapaksa.

In the first innings, England all-rounder Liam Livingstone, who was the costliest foreign player this season made full use of a lucky catch which Hardik Pandya caught but was unfortunately touching the boundary ropes, to smash a second consecutive half century and help Punjab Kings post 189/9. Livingston smashed 64 off just 27 balls to score the bulk of the runs for them as he shared 52 runs partnership for the third wicket with opener Shikhar Dhawan (35) to revive the Punjab innings after they were 43 for 2 after the powerplay. Rashid Khan had a field day against the Punjab batsmans as he picked up three wickets and conceded only 27 runs. Darshan Nalkande had a good IPL debut as he finished with figures of 2/37.

In reply, Gujarat Titans had a poor start as they lost Matthew Wade early on but Shubam Gill and debutant Sai Sudharsan shared a 101 partnership to stabilise the innings, Surdharsan made a nice 35 off 30 balls to support Gill who was smacking the ball all around the park and it looked like GT would chase the target quite easily. The decisive moment came in the match when Rahul Chahar got Sudharsan in the 15th over as the scoring rate was brought down and put the opposition under pressure. In the penultimate over the pressure showed as Shubam Gill just missed out on a terrific century by 4 runs. The Titans needed 19 off the last over and all hopes of a victory were dashed when Hardik Pandya was run out on the first ball by Bairstow, but in stepped Rahul Tewatia to hit two massive sixes to edge out a victory from the clutches of a defeat. 

Pandya after the unlikely victory said: "The kind of ups and downs happen, I think I have now become used to it. It was a Kings' game; some sympathy for them losing this. Gill has been telling everybody that he is there. A lot of credit goes to Sai as well. Body is coping all right; I am getting tired obviously. As the games come, I'll be getting better."

Shubman Gill after his motm performance said, “It is important to keep the scoreboard ticking. It is important to hit those gaps because this outfield is rapid. It is just about execution. It was just one of those days where I was hitting the ball well and finding the gaps as well. I am hitting the ball hard, trust me. I am doing my level best to hit it hard, it might not look that way. As an opener, I have to bat through the innings, so that it is easier for the big-hitters to hit it in the end. Instead of not thinking in the nets, I try and work and reduce my dot balls as much as possible. Not sure about the celebrations now, it takes us one hour to reach the hotel”

Also read: CSK and SRH look for their first victory in match no 17

Mumbai, Apr 8 (Cricket News) Rahul Tewatia smashed a couple of sixes off the last two deliveries after the talented Shubman Gill's magnificent 96 off just 59 balls as Gujarat Titans pulled off a dramatic six-wicket win over Punjab Kings in their IPL match here on Friday.

Chasing 190 for a win, Gill was out in the 19th over after hitting 11 fours and a six, followed by his captain Hardik Pandya (27) in the final over as the Titans needed 12 runs from the last two balls.

Tewatia (13 not out off 3 balls), who has a reputation of hitting big sixes in crunch situations, sent the last two balls bowled by Odean Smith for maximums to hand the Titans their third win on the trot.

The Punjab side made a brilliant comeback at the death and they were on the verge of a victory only to be denied by Tewatia in a dramatic fashion.

Gill, who had hit 84 in the previous match against Delhi Capitals, was in imperious form as he cut, drove and smacked the Punjab bowlers to hold one end together. He shared 101 runs in 11.2 overs with debutant Sai Sudharsan (35 off 30 balls) to keep the Titans on course in the run chase.

It was not an easy chase though as the Titans needed more than 11 runs an over after Sudharsan was out off Rahul Chahar (1/41) in the 15th over.

Arshdeep Singh (0/31) bowled brilliantly in the 18th over, giving away just five runs, leaving the Titans to score 32 from the final two overs.

In a tense finish, Gill was out in the penultimate over after his captain had struck two fours off Kagiso Rabada (2/35).

The Titans needed 19 from the final over bowled by Smith (0/35) and 12 from the last two balls and Tewatia did the unthinkable.

Earlier, England all-rounder Liam Livingstone, this IPL's costliest foreign player, made full use of a lucky reprieve to smash a second consecutive half century and help Punjab Kings post 189 for 9.

Livingstone, who was bought for Rs 11.5 crore, smashed 64 off just 27 balls to score the bulk of the runs for Punjab Kings after being asked to bat first.

He shared 52 runs for the third wicket with opener Shikhar Dhawan (35) to revive the Punjab innings after they were 43 for 2 after the powerplay.

Livingstone, who had hit 60 off 32 balls against Chennai Super Kings in the previous match, survived by the skin of his teeth in the ninth over, when he was on 14, as Titans captain Hardik Pandya's foot touched the boundary ropes while trying to take a high catch off spinner Rashid Khan (3/22).

The Englishman took full advantage of the 'life' given to him as he reached to his fifty off 21 balls. In the end, he struck seven fours and four sixes in his quickfire knock.

The potent Gujarat Titans bowling attack made a brief comeback with debutant Darshan Nalkande (2/37) and the seasoned Rashid claiming wickets in quick succession.

Nalkande removed Jitesh Sharma (23) and Odean Smith (0) off consecutive balls in the 14th over, while the wily Rashid dismissed Livingstone and Shahrukh Khan (15) in the space of three balls in the 16th over, besides claiming the wicket of Dhawan earlier.

From 153 for 5 in the 16th over, Punjab were reduced to 162 for 9 but Rahul Chahar and Arshdeep Singh stitched a valuable 27-run partnership for the unconquered last wicket to take their side to a stiff total.

Earleir, captain Mayank Agarwal (5) was out cheaply for the third time while star England batter Jonny Bairstow's debut match for Punjab Kings lasted eight balls for as many runs as both fell inside the powerplay overs.

Also Read : Livingstone's quickfire 64 takes Punjab Kings to 189 for 9 against Gujarat Titans

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, Apr 8 (Cricket News) England all-rounder Liam Livingstone, this IPL's costliest foreign player, made full use of a lucky reprieve to smash a second consecutive half century and help Punjab Kings post 189 for 9 against Gujarat Titans here on Friday.

Livingstone, who was bought for Rs 11.5 crore, smashed 64 off just 27 balls to score the bulk of the runs for Punjab Kings after being asked to bat first.

He shared 52 runs for the third wicket with opener Shikhar Dhawan (35) to revive the Punjab innings after they were 43 for 2 after the powerplay.

Livingstone, who had hit 60 off 32 balls against Chennai Super Kings in the previous match, survived by the skin of his teeth in the ninth over, when he was on 14, as Titans captain Hardik Pandya's foot touched the boundary ropes while trying to take a high catch off spinner Rashid Khan (3/22).

The Englishman took full advantage of the 'life' given to him as he reached to his fifty off 21 balls. In the end, he struck seven fours and four sixes in his quickfire knock.

The potent Gujarat Titans bowling attack made a brief comeback with debutant Darshan Nalkande (2/37) and the seasoned Rashid claiming wickets in quick succession.

Nalkande removed Jitesh Sharma (23) and Odean Smith (0) off consecutive balls in the 14th over, while the wily Rashid dismissed Livingstone and Shahrukh Khan (15) in the space of three balls in the 16th over, besides claiming the wicket of Dhawan earlier.

From 153 for 5 in the 16th over, Punjab were reduced to 162 for 9 but Rahul Chahar and Arshdeep Singh stitched a valuable 27-run partnership for the unconquered last wicket to take their side to a stiff total. Earleir, captain Mayank Agarwal (5) was out cheaply for the third time while star England batter Jonny Bairstow's debut match for Punjab Kings lasted eight balls for as many runs as both fell inside the powerplay overs. 

Also Read : India to play warm-up games against Derbyshire, Northamptonshire ahead of England limited overs series

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Apr 8 (Cricket News) India will take on Derbyshire and Northamptonshire in two T20 warm-up fixtures ahead of their white-ball series against England in July.

The two matches will be played against on July 1 and 3 respectively.

However, both the games will clash with the postponed fifth and final Test between India and England, which was suspended due to a COVID-19 outbreak last year.

The Test, which was called off after COVID-19 cases were reported in the Indian contingent, will be held from July 1-5 at Edgbaston, Birmingham. India lead the series 2-1.

"India will travel to The Incora County Ground to face Derbyshire in a Twenty20 Tour Fixture on Friday 1 July (7pm start). The number-one ranked T20 side in the world will continue their ICC Twenty20 World Cup preparations against a Derbyshire side," Derbyshire announced on its website.

"Northamptonshire will welcome India to Wantage Road this summer for a one-off T20 tour match," Northamptonshire wrote.

The first practice match is slated to be played at the Incora County Ground in Derby, while the second game will be held at the County Ground in Northampton.

India and England are scheduled to play three T20Is, starting July 7, before taking on each other in as many ODIs from July 12.

India are also slated to play Ireland in two T20Is, on June 26 and 28, respectively.

Also Read : Gujarat Titans win toss and opt to field against Punjab Kings

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Mumbai, Apr 8 (Cricket News) Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and opted to bowl in their Indian Premier League match against Punjab Kings here on Friday.

GT made two changes with Sai Sudarshan and Darshan Nalkhande coming in for Vijay Shankar and Varun Aaron for their debut matches.

Jonny Bairstow is making his debut for Punjab Kings as he was brought in for Bhanuka Rajapaksa.

The Teams: Punjab Kings: Mayank Agarwal (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Jitesh Sharma, Shahrukh Khan, Odean Smith, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Vaibhav Arora, Arshdeep Singh.

Gujarat Titans: Hardik Pandya (c), Matthew Wade (wk), Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Abhinav Manohar, Rashid Khan, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Shami, Darshan Nalkande. 

Also Read : England unveil new T20 kit in collaboration with Castore

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Earlier this week the long-term partnership between the ECB and Castore was launched with a high-performance training range for all of England’s national teams – including Women, Disability, Pathway and Men. Following on from the training kits, the IT20 kit has been released today. The three lions are at the heart of the bespoke kit design, which will be worn by the England men’s team at the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup this Autumn and the women’s team in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023..

Key players from the men’s, women’s and disability teams collaborated extensively with Castore to create an IT20 kit that is specific to the needs of an elite-level cricketer, incorporating specially selected fabrics combined with Castore’s unique construction methods. Athletes such as Jofra Archer and Jos Buttler of the men’s team, Katie George of the women’s and Chris Edwards of the learning disability team were integral to the design process, helping designers choose features and fabrics that will elevate player’s performance on the field.

With two T20 World Cup’s coming up and a Disability tour of Australia, this kit was designed to enhance performance and ease of movement with fabrics that Castore have used across the highest level of their sportswear. For the first time ever, England supporters will be able to purchase the Pro Kit that is worn by the players on the pitch. Crafted from a high-stretch and recycled poly elastane blend that allows freedom of movement for athletes that a conventional garment would not. With mesh panelling at the underarms to keep athletes cool and focused throughout play. This kit lays out the aims of Castore and ECB’s joint initiative clearly, by providing England players and supporters with kit that is rooted in sportswear technology and innovation.

Jos Buttler said, “It is a really exciting time for us as a squad with the Men’s T20 World Cup coming up later this year. We’d love to take the trophy home and we’ll be ready to perform at our best thanks to the new Castore IT20 kit.”

Katie George said, “This summer is a once in a generation opportunity for the women’s game with the Birmingham Commonwealth Games showcasing women’s cricket for the first time. We’ll be kitted out in our new IT20 kit for our internationals thanks to Castore and I hope we can inspire a new generation to get involved in the game.”

Chris Edwards said, “It is brilliant that Castore have involved all of the England teams in the process. We have an incredibly exciting summer coming up for us with an Ashes series down under and we can’t wait to take on the Aussies in the new kit.”

Pascal Lafitte, Castore Partnerships Director said, “We at Castore are proud to be providing an innovative IT20 kit for England Cricket, especially with the T20 World Cup this year. The main aim is to elevate performance and give players their technical best on the field, with a bold design that embodies the passion of both England teams and supporters.”

Castore will also launch the Test and ODI collaborations ahead of England Men’s first LV= Insurance Test against New Zealand on 2nd June at Lord’s.

Also read: Could Dinesh Karthik and Umesh Yadav return to the Indian T20I squad?         

Potchefstroom, Apr 8 (Hockey News) The Indian women's hockey team continued its unbeaten run and defeated South Korea 3-0 here on Friday to enter the semifinals of the FIH Junior World Cup for only the second time.

The Indians, who topped the pool stage with an all-win record, scored through Mumtaz Khan (11th minute), Lalrindiki (15th) and Sangita Kumari (41st) to emerge winners in the quarterfinal match.

India's best result in the tournament remains the bronze medal finish at the 2013 edition in Monchengladbach, Germany, where they defeated England 3-2 in shootout following a 1-1 stalemate in regulation time.

Against Korea, India made a sedate start but found their footing 10 minutes into the game.

The Indian players used their speed and defence-splitting runs to trouble the Korean backline, which resulted in two penalty corners, the first of which was capitalised by Mumtaz.

It was Olympian Sharmila Devi's brilliant run and a resultant pass that created the short corner for India and Mumtaz deflected home skipper Salima Tete's slap for her sixth goal of the tournament.

Seconds from the end of first quarter, Lalrindiki doubled India's lead by tapping in a rebound after Deepika's reverse shot was saved by Korean goalkeeper Eunji Kim.

The second quarter was more physical from both the teams but it was India who dominated possession.

The Indian defence was impressive in the first two quarters as the Koreans hardly tested goalkepeer Bichu Devi Kahribam, whose only involvement in the first 30 minutes was when she comfortably kicked away Korean skipper Seona Kim's miscued shot just before half time.

South Africa earned their first penalty corner of the match after the change of ends, but Seona Kim's deflection went just over the bar.

Minutes later, India extended their lead through Sangita, who pushed home in an open goal after Korean goalkeeper Eunji Kim was thrown off balance by Beauty Dung Dung's miscued shot.

Despite enjoying a comfortable three-goal advantage, the Indians never let the momentum slip out of their hands and, instead, continued to press hard.

India will next face the winner of the other quarterfinal between three-time champions Netherlands and South Africa on Sunday.

Also Read : In-form India to start favourite against Korea in Women WC quarterfinal

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Pattaya, Apr 7 (Golf News) Indian golfer S Chikkarangappa, looking for his maiden success on the Asian tour, opened with a solid 3-under 69 and was the best Indian at T-21 in the inaugural Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup here on Thursday.

Also shooting a 3-under 69 was compatriot Viraj Madappa, who has one Asian Tour win to his name.

The USD 750,000 tournament marks the first time the Asian Tour has staged a mixed event, as it is being jointly sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour.

There are eight Indian men and two women, Diksha Dagar (70) at T-36 and Tvesa Malik at T-72.

The other men players are Aman Raj (70) in T-36, Rashid Khan, Shiv Kapur and SSP Chawrasia, all at T-52 with cards of 71 each.

Ajeetesh Sandhu (72) was T-77 and Gaganjeet Bhullar (74) was T-116.

Thailand’s Ratchanon Chantananuwat, the 15-year-old amateur, who could not practice much last week because he was busy with his studies, shot a nine-under-par 63 to take a share of the lead.

His round was matched by Finland’s Sanna Nuutinen, a member of the Ladies European Tour (LET), on the Waterside Course at Siam Country Club, while Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai and Hung Chien-yao from Chinese-Taipei carded 65s.

Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen and Meghan Maclaren from England are in fifth after firing 66s. 

Also Read : 13-year-old Riya Jadon wins 11th DGC Ladies Open Amateur Golf Championship

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Johannesburg, Apr 7 (Cricket News) South Africa batter Mignon du Preez, who played a major role in knocking India out of the recent Women's World Cup, has announced her retirement from ODIs and Tests with immediate effect.

The former South Africa captain took the decision to concentrate on T20 cricket and spend more time with family.

"I've been wonderfully fortunate to play in four ICC ODI World Cups to date. These have been some of my most treasured memories in life. I would however love to prioritise time with my family and hopefully start a family of my own soon," she said in a CSA statement.

"I feel the time is right to announce my retirement from the longer format of the game and focus my attention on T20 cricket going forward. Thus, I decided to retire from ODI cricket at the completion of our recent World Cup in New Zealand.

"I feel South African women's cricket is in a very healthy state and the time is right to step away and allow the next generation of exciting cricketers to continue to grow this beautiful game of ours." Slight in stature but brimming with passion for the game of cricket, Du Preez will always be synonymous with the Proteas Women’s journey from a budding team to a world-renowned side currently ranked second in the one-day format.

The 32-year old made her international debut in 2007 as a teenager and went on to don the green and gold in 154 ODI matches, including a ground-breaking reign as captain in 46 ODIs, where the team also transitioned into a fully contracted outfit.

The electric right-handed batter ends her 50-over career as South Africa’s leading run-scorer with 3,760 runs at an average of 32.98, with 18 half-centuries and two centuries, including a 116 not out against Ireland in 2016.

In this year’s World Cup, Du Preez notched up her 150th appearance against New Zealand and scored her last fifty in ODI cricket in what will go down as a World Cup classic, where she guided South Africa to a historic run chase against India in Christchurch.

Du Preez will also not be adding to her solitary Test cap despite the upcoming one-off red-ball clash against England in June this year. In her only four-day game, the Pretoria-born and raised player recorded a debut hundred (102) against India in 2014, in what was South Africa’s last Test match to date. 

Also Read : Pat Cummins onslaught leads KKR to victory over MI

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Suncheon, Apr 7 (Badminton News) Ace Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth progressed to the quarterfinals but Lakshya Sen was ousted after losing his second round match at the Korea Open Super 500 badminton tournament here on Thursday.

World number seven Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, got the better of world number 26 Japan's Aya Ohori 21-15 21-10 in a lop-sided contest to take her head-to-head count against the Japanese to an overwhelming 12-0.

The third seeded Indian will next face familiar foe in Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan, whom she had defeated in the final of the Swiss Open last month.

The former world champion, who has claimed two Super 300 titles this season at Syed Modi International and Swiss Open, enjoys a 16-1 lead in 17 meetings against the world number 11 Thai.

World championship silver medallist Srikanth saw off Israel's Misha Zilberman 21-18 21-6 to set up a clash with local hope and former world no 1 Son Wan ho.

Commonwealth Games silver medallists and world no seven pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty defeated Singapore's Hee Yong Kai Terry and Loh Kean Hean 21-15 21-19 in 36 minutes to also advance to the quarterfinals.

World championship bronze medallist Sen, ranked ninth in the world, went down 20-22 9-21 to world number 24 Shesar Hiren Rhustavito in 33 minutes.

The country's other fast-rising shuttler Malvika Bansod also failed to advance to the quarterfinals as she was brushed aside by Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong 8-21 14-21 in a second round women's singles clash that lasted 39 minutes.

It was curtains for the mixed doubles pair of Sumeeth Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa as well. The duo fought hard but eventually went down 20-22 21-18 14-21 to the fifth seed Chinese combine of Ou Xuan Yi and Huang Ya Qiong in a gruelling battle that lasted close to an hour.

Men's pairing of MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila, however, retired while lagging 5-8 in the first game against second seeded Indonesian pair of Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan.

During the 37-minute second round match, Sindhu didn't look in too much trouble as she kept things under control to reign supreme.

The Indian made a good start and only once did Ohori take a slender one-point lead at 8-7 but it was erased in no time as she comfortably closed out the opening game.

The Japanese did try to make a comeback in the second with a 8-4 lead but it was dealt with authority with Sindhu grabbing 17 of the next 19 points to bang the door on her opponent.

Earlier, sixth seed Sen, who has been in sensational form in the last six months with back-to-back final finishes at German Open and All England Championships, was pipped by Rhustavito in the closely-fought first game.

The 20-year-old Indian then lost steam and struggled in the second to concede the tie meekly. 

Also Read : World championship bronze medallist Lakshya, Malvika bow out of Korea Open

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Suncheon, Apr 7 (Cricket News) World championship bronze medallist Lakshya Sen's run at the Korea Open Super 500 badminton tournament ended with a straight-game loss to the lower ranked Shesar Hiren Rhustavito in the second round here on Thursday.

The world number nine Indian, went down 20-22 9-21 to the world number 24 Indonesian in 33 minutes.

The country's other fast-rising shuttler Malvika Bansod also failed to advance to the quarterfinals as she was brushed aside by Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong 8-21 14-21 in a second round women's singles clash that lasted 39 minutes.

It was curtains for the mixed doubles pair of Sumeeth Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa as well. The duo fought hard but eventually went down 20-22 21-18 14-21 to the fifth seed Chinese combine of Ou Xuan Yi and Huang Ya Qiong in a gruelling battle that lasted close to an hour.

Sixth seed Sen, who has been in sensational form in the last six months with back-to-back final finishes at German Open and All England Championships, was pipped by Rhustavito in the closely-fought first game.

The 20-year-old Indian then lost steam and struggled in the second to concede the tie meekly. 

Also Read : PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth sail into Korea Open second round

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Potchefstroom, Apr 7 (Hockey News) Unbeaten so far in the tournament, a confident India team is expected to steamroll lower-ranked Korea and seal the semifinal spot in the Junior Women Hockey World Cup, here on Friday.

The Indians finished on top of Pool D with maximum nine points from three victories. After humbling Wales (5-1), Germany (2-1) and Malaysia (4-0), India go into the quarterfinals with a superior 11-2 record.

On the contrary, with just three points in their kitty, Korea finished second in Pool C on account of a better goal difference.

Korea's pool was headed by Argentina with maximum nine points while Uruguay and Austria lost out on a quarterfinal berth on goal difference after finishing with same points as their Asian rival.

With three Olympians in the squad in skipper Salima Tete and strikers Sharmila Devi and Lalremsiami, the Indians looked a completely dominant side, rich with big match experience.

Salima has led the side from the front with her superlative runs from the flanks, creating chances for the forward line, while Sharmila and Lalremsiami too lived up to their expectations with their attacking game upfront.

But the star of India's performance so far in the tournament has been young striker Mumtaz Khan, who has scored five goals so far, including a hat-trick against Malaysia on Wednesday.

Besides Mumtaz, Lalremsiami and Lalrindiki scored two goals each in three matches, while Sangita Kumari and dragflicker Deepika scored once each.

India captain Salima Tete, however, is no mood to take Korea lightly.

"We have speedy players. We want to beat them but Korea is a good team and we need to fight as a team," Tete said.

India vice-captain Ishika Chaudhary summed up the team's goals in a more articulate manner.

"Our first challenge was to top the league stages and our next focus is on quarterfinals. We are going step by step. We are going match by match so we are taking the quarterfinal as just another match," she said.

"We need to focus on that match only, not on the outcome and future. We are focussing on what we have and what we can do in that match," Chaudhary added.

In other quarterfinals of the day, Netherlands will take on South Africa, England will face United States and Argentina will be up against Germany.

The quadrennial tournament, which was originally scheduled for last December, was postponed due to the threat posed by the omicron variant of COVID-19 in South Africa.

India, who have appeared in four editions of the junior global event, claimed their best finish in 2013 with a bronze. The team did not qualify for the previous edition. 

Also Read : Chandigarh, Jharkhand, Bengal, Puducherry emerge winners on first day of national men's hockey

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Dubai, Apr 6 (Cricket News) International captains Babar Azam from Pakistan, Kraigg Brathwaite of West Indies and Australia's Pat Cummins have been shortlisted for the ICC men's Player of the Month award following their outstanding individual performances in March.

In women's category, England bowler Sophie Ecclestone, and run-machines Rachael Haynes (Australia) and Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa) are in the running to scoop the award following stellar performances in the recently concluded ODI World Cup.

The winners will be announced next week.

Babar played an integral part in Pakistan's batting during the recent series against Australia, amassing 390 runs during the month in Tests, including a record-breaking 196 in the second Test to salvage a draw.

In addition, his efforts at the crease in the two ODI matches during the month saw Babar score 57 and 114 respectively, with the latter helping his side chase down an imposing target of 349 set by Australia.

This is the second time he's featured on the short-list for the ICC Player of the Month award, after winning in April 2021.

West Indies skipper and opening batter Brathwaite led from the front during the recently-concluded successful WTC series against England, scoring 341 runs at an average of 85.25.

He scored a monumental 160 from 489 balls in the second Test in response to England's big first innings total. This mammoth innings ensured a drawn second Test and provided the platform for his side to clinch the series by winning the final showdown in Grenada.

Cummins, on the other hand, stood out for his bowling performances in unforgiving conditions during the WTC Test series which was dominated by run scoring.

He led his side to victory in Pakistan with a match-winning spell, taking 5 for 56 in the first innings and following it up with 3 for 23 in the second innings of the final test.

Taking 12 wickets at an average of 22.50 helped Cummins secure his first nomination in the ICC Player of the Month awards.

In women's category, Ecclestone was nominated for the second time following her outstanding bowling performances which helped steer her side to the World Cup final. She took 20 wickets during the calendar month at an average of 12.85.

Haynes too was at the forefront of Australia's unbeaten run through to the World Cup Final, scoring 429 runs in the eight matches at an average of 61.28 and a healthy strike rate of 84.28 during the month.

Wolvaardt, on the other hand, played a critical role in taking South Africa to the semi-finals. She was the tournament's leading run-scorer, amassing 433 runs at an average of 54.12, passing 50 on five occasions.

Also Read : Dinesh Karthik, Shabaz Ahmed lead RCB to stellar chase against RR

News Source : PTI

(Football news) It was a packed Old Trafford on 11th September 2021 as Manchester United fans celebrated the return of Cristiano Ronaldo at the Theatre of Dreams once again. When he left the club in 2009, Ronaldo had won everything there was to win in England, Europe and around the world but the club he rejoined more than a decade later was a shadow of its former self, a far cry from the glory days of Sir Alex Ferguson. He was meant to be the messiah, a truly world class player who had won it all and could take the club that he has loved back to the summit of world football. Unfortunately, dreams don’t always come true and his first season at Manchester United has been more of a nightmare than a romantic reunion.

Manchester United are currently 7th in the Premier League, three points behind Tottenham and Arsenal but the Gunners have a game in hand and could potentially be six points ahead. The possibility of Champions League qualification remains a distant dream for Ralf Rangnick’s side and Ronaldo has never played in the Europa League in his illustrious career. He may be 37, but a player who has won five Champions League titles surely deserves to play in Europe’s elite club competition doesn’t he? After all, he was one of the biggest reasons Manchester United managed to progress past the Group Stage this season. As things stand, it doesn’t seem likely that we will be hearing the iconic Champions League anthem at Old Trafford next season but a lot can change between now and when the season ends.

More importantly, it’s clear that Edinson Cavani will be departing in the summer while Mason Greenwood is suspended indefinitely and Marcus Rashford has had an abysmal season so far. The 24 year old cannot be counted as a reliable option up front and cannot even get a game over the inexperienced Anthony Elanga at the moment. This leaves Cristiano Ronaldo as the only reliable striker in the team but at 37 years, a club of Manchester United’s stature should not depend on a player who, despite being a credible goal threat, offers little else in other aspects. Getting a young and proven striker will be one of the biggest priorities for Manchester United in the summer, but does that mean that Ronaldo will have to settle for a place on the bench?

Ronaldo has transitioned from being a winger with pace and skills to a lethal striker with incredible movement in the box, an aerial presence and a poachers instinct. However, to make use of these traits, the club needs to have players around him who can provide the service for Ronaldo to capitalise on. Moreover, Ronaldo has been quite wasteful in front of goal, uncharacteristically missing opportunities that would have surely gone into the back of the net years ago. The blame doesn’t sorely lie on his teammates, Ronaldo himself has offered little apart from his goal scoring traits, which means that combined with his poor work rate, he might not be the most reliable option for Manchester United going forward, especially under a new manager who might want to significantly overhaul the team’s structure and tactics.

The club signed Ronaldo on a two year contract in 2021 and unless their intention is to extend that contract, this summer might be their only opportunity to cash in on the four time Ballon d'Or winner. He might be 37, but there will definitely be clubs in Europe who have qualified for the Champions League and would be more than happy to take Ronaldo, especially considering that it could be a very lucrative investment in terms of shirt sales and sponsorships. A return to Sporting CP could also be a possibility as his mother Dolores Aveiro has previously said that her biggest desire is to see her son return to the Portuguese club one last time. What is abundantly clear is that Ronaldo certainly has the talent to compete at the highest level, but there are limitations to his game and his future definitely looks uncertain, especially if the club fails to qualify for the Champions League next season.

Also read: Bayern take on Villarreal in the Champions League quarter finals

(Tennis news) Wimbledon officials are taking part in ongoing talks with the government of the United Kingdom regarding the participation of Russian and Belarusian players in this year’s championship. One of the favourites to win the tournament is World Number 2 Daniil Medvedev and the Russian could be banned as there are fears that his victory could boost Vladimir Putin’s regime while the ongoing invasion in Ukraine is taking place.

As things stand, Russian and Belarusian players have been allowed to compete at ATP, WTA and ITF competitions as long as they participate under a neutral flag and no anthem. However, Wimbledon is hosted by the All England Club which could ban players from these countries without any legal repercussions as it’s an independent body. Wimbledon organisers are working alongside the government and the Lawn Tennis Association before next month’s deadline.

A statement released by the All England Club said “We have noted the UK Government's guidance regarding the attendance of Russian and Belarusian individuals in a neutral capacity at sporting events in the UK. This remains a complex and challenging issue, and we are continuing to engage in discussion with the UK Government, the LTA, and the international governing bodies of tennis. We plan to announce a decision in relation to Wimbledon ahead of our entry deadline in mid-May."

Earlier, UK Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston had asked for the Russian and Belarusian players to prove that they are “genuinely neutral” and give assurances that they don’t give or receive money from Putin’s regime. When asked in a recent interview if players from these countries would be allowed to play, Huddleston said “Absolutely nobody flying the flag for Russia should be allowed or enabled. We need some potential assurance that they are not supporters of Vladimir Putin. We're considering what requirements we may need.

"Would I be comfortable with a Russian athlete flying the Russian flag? No. When it comes to individuals, that gets a bit more complex so we are looking at and talking to various sports in terms of what the response and requirements should be there." If permitted, some of the players who could play at Wimbledon include Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Karen Khachanov, Aslan Karatsev, Aryna Sabalenka, Victoria Azarenka, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Veronika Kudermetova, Daria Kasatkina and Ludmilla Samsonova. The last Russian player to have won the Wimbledon title was Maria Sharapova in 2004 after defeating Serena Williams.

Also read: Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek win the Miami Open

(Football news) A second half goal by Kevin De Bruyne was enough for City to secure a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals at the Etihad Stadium. As expected, the hosts dominated right from kick off while Atletico sat back and relied on counter-attacks to find the breakthrough. There were penalty calls from Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne while Joao Cancelo had a shot, but Jan Oblak wasn’t tested in the first half as Diego Simeone’s tactics proved to be largely effective. 

Pep Guardiola made three changes to the starting lineup with Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva and John Stones coming into the team while Kyle Walker was suspended and Phil Foden and Jack Grealish featured on the bench. As for Atletico, Diego Simeone made two changes from their weekend clash against Alaves with Koke returning to captain the side as well as centre-back Filipe. With both the teams struggling to break the deadlock, Guardiola looked to his bench and brought in three new players, a decision which paid dividends instantly.

It was Foden who provided a precise assist to Kevin De Bruyne who found the back of the net in the 70th minute. The England international could have created a second soon after, finding space on the right side but De Bruyne’s shot was blocked. The tie may be far from over but City are in the driving seat and it will take a special performance at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium for Atletico Madrid to progress into the next round.

Speaking after the match, City manager Pep Guardiola said “It was a difficult game against a tough opponent. It was difficult to find spaces, but we were patient enough. It was a good result. We had one or two more chances at the end to score more goals. Even at 1-0, going to Madrid is always tough but it was a good result. We won the game, we won at Burnley, now we prepare for the next one."

Reflecting on De Bruyne's composed finish, manager Guardiola said: "He is in the best moment of the season right now. He is sharp, quick and positive. His influence in our game is massive. He scored an exceptional goal from the combination with Phil." Guardiola added of Foden: "He has a special quality. His reception is always forward, his space in the first step is massive and he had the composure to make an incredible assist for Kevin."

Also read: AC Milan held at home by Bologna, miss the chance to extend their lead

Dubai, Apr 5 (Cricket News) India skipper Mithali Raj dropped a place to seventh but star opener Smriti Mandhana moved up to ninth position in the ICC Women ODI batters rankings issued on Tuesday.

After her below-par outing in the just-concluded Women's World Cup, Mithali dropped a rung in the chart with 686 rating points. The veteran India captain accumulated 182 runs from seven games at an average of 26.

In comparison, Mandhana (669 points) scored 327 runs from seven games with a best of 123, averaging 46.71 in the showpiece.

Besides the duo, vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur climbed one place to the 14th spot.

Harmanpreet has been India's second best batter in the World Cup with 318 runs from seven games. Her highest was 109.

Australian keeper-batter Alyssa Healy jumped to the top of the batter rankings after her phenomenal 170 in the final against England.

The Australian's outstanding knock sent her soaring into the number one spot, ending South African opener Laura Wolvaardt's short stay at the summit.

The 32-year-old Healy smashed 509 runs, including two hundreds and two half-centuries, across her nine matches at the World Cup at a strike rate of 103.66.

Healy finished just ahead of compatriot Rachael Haynes as the tournament's top scorer.

Four Australians remained in the top six in the latest ODI rankings, with Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning and Haynes joining Healy among the world's top-ranked batters.

England all-rounder Nat Sciver's unbeaten 148 not out in the world Cup final saw her jump to the second spot in the batting rankings.

The English star's brilliant effort also saw her claim the top spot in the all-rounder rankings, usurping Ellyse Perry.

England spinner Sophie Ecclestone remained at the number spot 1 in the bowler rankings, with South Africa pacer Shabnim Ismail moving up to second after a terrific tournament.

Veteran swing bowler Anya Shrubsole was the big mover in the latest bowling rankings, jumping five places to enter the top 10 after her figures of 2/27 in the semi-final and 3/46 in the final.

Veteran India pacer Jhulan Goswami remained static at the fifth position.

Goswami also held on to her 10th spot in the all-rounders' rankings, which also featured another Indian in Deepti Sharma at seventh. 

Also Read : Natarajan death over specialist, we missed him in T20 World Cup: Shastri

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Women’s World Cup winners Beth Mooney and Megan Schutt set to line up at Lord’s The Hundred announces more activities and food options inside grounds for the 2022 competition. London Spirit got The Hundred Draft off to a thrilling start with the choice of Kieron Pollard as the number 1 men’s pick. Pollard has played more than 100 T20 internationals for the West Indies and is one of the world’s most exciting all-rounders.

They followed that up by selecting England international spinner Liam Dawson, and Australia's one of the fastest bowlers in the world Riley Meredith. The women’s side can look forward to welcoming two World Cup Winners with Australia’s Beth Mooney and Megan Schutt joining up only two days after defeating England in the ICC Women’s World Cup final. They will be joined by New Zealand allrounder Amelia Kerr who was initially signed by Southern Brave before missing the first year of the competition due to the complications caused by the Covid pandemic.

The Lord’s-based side has also secured the signing of Western Storm captain Sophie Luff from Welsh Fire. London Spirit picked up some exciting young talent in the draft, with Jordan Thompson joining from Northern Superchargers and Daniel Bell-Drummond from Birmingham Phoenix. They also re-signed Chris Wood as a right-to-match option during the draft. They join a men’s squad already boasting Australian superstar Glenn Maxwell, England men’s World Cup winning captain Eoin Morgan and fellow England internationals Zak Crawley, Dan Lawrence and Mark Wood.

Liam Dawson said, “It’s an honour but I was surprised to be one of the first picks in the draft for The Hundred this year. Leaving Southern Brave was a tough decision but ultimately, I didn’t see me playing a role there. I can’t wait to get going at Lord’s this summer in front of a packed house.”

Sophie Luff said, “I’m really excited to be joining London Spirit and linking up with Heather and the team. The Hundred was a fantastic competition last year but it’ll be really special to be playing at the Home of Cricket this summer and I’m looking forward to a new challenge.”

Sanjay Patel, Managing Director of The Hundred said, “With a host of star players confirmed, The Hundred will have fans on the edge of their seats with world class sport, as well as bringing more family-friendly entertainment off the pitch. In the women’s competition we have the best players from across the world taking part including Meg Lanning, Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine and we are confident we will set a new benchmark for the women’s domestic game. 

"On the men’s side, it’s great to see a mix of new overseas stars like Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell alongside returning stars such as Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine. It is also brilliant that some of the best domestic white ball players including Tom Banton and Joe Clarke have been recognised and picked up early. Get your tickets for The Hundred now so you don’t miss out.”

The Hundred proved a big hit with families and young people in particular relishing the mix of fast-paced cricket with music and family entertainment off the pitch which will only be bigger and better this year. Lord’s will come alive with activities around the ground offering even more fun for all the family and a diverse range of great music acts through the continuing partnership with BBC Music Introducing. Year two of The Hundred will also offer a new range of merchandise to get the family kitted out in full London Spirit colours.

London Spirit men’s side travel south of the river to take on local rivals Oval Invincibles at the Kia Oval in their opening game on Thursday 4 August. The opening men’s game at Lord’s on 8 August will see London Spirit host Manchester Originals. The women’s side start their Lord’s campaign on Wednesday 24 August with Welsh Fire the visitors in an exciting double header. Oval Invincibles visit for an all-London clash on Saturday 27 August before Birmingham Phoenix travel to Lord’s for the final group game on Tuesday 30 August. London Spirit’s women’s side now has three places left to fill, while both men’s and women’s sides will choose a fourth overseas player through a Draft in June.

Also read: KL Rahul, Deepak Hooda and Avesh Khan lead LSG to victory over SRH

Mumbai, Apr 5 (Cricket News) Former coach Ravi Shastri has hailed T Natarajan as a death bowling specialist, saying the Indian team missed the left-arm pacer sorely during its T20 World Cup debacle in UAE.

Natarajan, who came to limelight in India's historic Test series win Down Under in early 2021, suffered a knee injury and missed most part of the year before making a comeback in Sunrisers Hyderabad's second match of the IPL-15 here on Monday.

"Very happy for him. We missed him in the World Cup. He would've been a certainty had he been fit," Shastri said in ESPNCricinfo's 'T20 Time:Out'.

India had made a heartbreaking group stage exit in the T20 World Cup in 2021.

"He got injured against England when we were playing the ODI series and we really missed him (in the World Cup).

"He's that specialist death bowler, bowls those yorkers very skilfully. He's got great control. He is skiddy. A bit quicker than you think and hits the bat," Shastri said.

The 31-year-old, who was bought back by SRH for Rs 4 crore, made a fine comeback after 12 months, picking 2 for 26 from his full quota of four overs, even as they suffered their second defeat on the trot with a 12-run loss.

Shastri was the head coach when the leftarm pacer made his debut for India across the three formats in their memorable 2020-21 tour to Australia.

The former coach said Natarajan was a lucky charm for them.

"Every game I've picked him we've won. In his debut in T20, India won. In his debut in Test cricket, India won. From a net bowler, he played those other two formats," Shastri said.

SRH will next face defending champions Chennai Super Kings on April 9. 

Also Read : Tim David wants to use Pollard's experiences to add to his game

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Apr 5 (Hockey News) Star striker Rani Rampal on Tuesday returned to the national side after a lengthy injury lay-off as India on Tuesday named a 22-member women's hockey squad for the upcoming FIH Pro League tie against world no 1 Netherlands.

The squad also includes two new faces in midfielder Mahima Choudhary and striker Aishwarya Rajesh Chavan, who will make their senior team debut in the double leg tie to be held at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Friday and Saturday. Rani, who led India to a historic fourth place finish in the Olympics last year, has not played for the national team since the Tokyo Games due to several injuries, mainly hamstring problem.

Since then Rani has been undergoing rehabilitation at the SAI south centre in Bengaluru but she is now fit to take the field again.

Goalkeeper Savita will continue to lead India and will be assisted by Deep Grace Ekka.

India, though, will be without the services of Tokyo Olympians Salima Tete, Sharmila Devi and Lalremsiami who are representing India in the Junior Women's World Cup in South Africa.

The national selectors also named three standby players -- Upasana Singh, Preeti Dubey and Olympian Vandana Katariya. "It's great to be back on the field for our Hockey Pro League games vs the Netherlands after the disappointment of England not being able to visit. With our juniors playing the World Cup we have the chance to use the depth of our core group and I am excited to potentially see some new faces on the field," chief coach Janneke Schopman said.

"Rani has also worked hard to be back in contention and if this training week goes well I hope we can play her in one of the games." The coach said India would look to take confidence from their performance against Germany in the previous tie.

"Netherlands is a formidable opponent, they have shown last weekend against the USA that they score goals easily and play from a tight defence.

"We are looking to build on our own performance since our last games vs Germany and am excited to hopefully show our progress against a strong opponent," Schopman said.

The Indian women's team is currently placed fourth in the FIH Pro League standings with 12 points from six games.

Netherlands, on the other hand, are atop the table with 17 points from six matches.

Team: Goalkeepers: Savita (captain), Rajani Etimarpu.

Defenders: Deep Grace Ekka (vice-captain), Gurjit Kaur, Nikki Pradhan, Udita, Rashmita Minz, Suman Devi Thoudam.

Midfielders: Nisha, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Jyoti, Navjot Kaur, Monika, Namita Toppa, Sonika, Neha, Mahima Choudhary.

Forwards: Aishwarya Rajesh Chavan, Navneet Kaur, Rajwinder Kaur, Rani Rampal, Mariana Kujur.

Standbys: Upasana Singh, Preeti Dubey, Vandana Katariya. 

Also Read : We have habit of not finishing games when we are in control: Reid

News Source : PTI

Suncheon, Apr 5 (Badminton News) World championships bronze medallist Lakshya Sen staved off a spirited challenge from local hope Choi Ji Hoon to enter the men's singles second round of the Korea Open Super 500 badminton tournament here on Tuesday.

Sen, who has been in sensational form in the last six months with back-to-back final finishes at German Open and All England Championships, beat Choi 14-21 21-16 21-18 in just over an hour in his opening round match.

The sixth seeded Indian will next meet Indonesia's Shesar Hiren Rhustavito. 

Also Read : Orleans Masters: Indian shuttler Mithun Manjunath loses in final

News Source : PTI

(Football news) Manchester United’s season has gone from bad to worse and the club is at serious risk of missing out on Champions League qualification next season unless there is a miraculous turnaround in their fortunes. With the club having one of their most underwhelming seasons since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, it’s fair to say that interim manager Ralf Rangnick is struggling to get the best out of the current crop of players.

The management has been hunting for a full time manager and potential candidates include Mauricio Pochettino, Erik Ten Hag, Luis Enrique and Julen Lopetegui. Let’s explore each of these candidates’ strengths and weaknesses and what they bring to the table.

1) Erik Ten Hag

The Dutch manager seems to be the fan favourite for the Manchester United job if social media is anything to go by. His Ajax side play impressive football and the manager has delivered, especially domestically while playing free flowing attacking football. Ten Hag also has an important quality of being able to rebuild his squad while continuing to be successful despite losing important players, a quality that Sir Alex Ferguson also possessed during his prime years at Manchester United. However, it remains to be seen if he can adapt to a club of this stature, especially considering that he won’t have the same football structure as Ajax with the likes of Edwin Van Der Sar and Marc Overmars. 

2) Mauricio Pochettino

The Argentine is reportedly unhappy at Paris Saint-Germain and the 49 year old is undoubtedly one of the favourites for the Manchester United job. His previous experience in the Premier League is a big advantage as none of the other potential candidates have managed in England before. Known for grooming and utilising young and talented players, Pochettino’s teams typically play an attractive brand of football. However, Manchester United need to really strengthen their recruitment policies if they are to compete alongside City, Liverpool and Chelsea and Pochettino has a questionable track record with regards to signings.

3) Luis Enrique

Just like Sir Alex Ferguson, the current Spain manager is one of the few in football history who have won the treble. Not only does Enrique have the experience of managing at the top level at club and national level, he is also adept at dealing with big names and managing the dressing room. However, the Spaniard hasn’t had a club job since 2017 and with the 2022 World Cup on the horizon, it’s unlikely that he will want to leave before then. 

4) Julen Lopetegui

Having previously managed Spain, Lopetegui had a less than impressive stint at Real Madrid but rebuilt his reputation at Sevilla, winning the Europa League in 2020 by defeating Manchester United in the semifinals. The Spaniard has exceeded expectations considering the resources at his disposal and is arguably the easiest appointment amongst the choices. However, just like David Moyes, Lopetegui might be more suited for a smaller club rather than one of the biggest in the world if his time at Real Madrid is anything to go by. He is definitely not considered as one of the favourites for the job.

Also read: Liverpool and City secure three points and Chelsea and Man Utd falter

(Cricket news) Ahead of today’s Hundred Men’s Draft, London Spirit have appointed Trevor Bayliss as Interim Men’s Head Coach following the tragic passing of Shane Warne. Further planned tributes to Warne will be announced shortly as the game looks at ways to remember one of the greatest cricketers of all time.

Bayliss will link up with Eoin Morgan once again after the pair famously led England to the 2019 ICC Men’s World Cup in a Lord’s Final against New Zealand that no one will ever forget. The World Cup triumph was a key highlight of a successful four-year stint as coach of England men’s white and red ball sides.

One of the most successful coaches in the history of white ball cricket, Bayliss coached Sydney Sixers to the inaugural Big Bash title in 2011-12 as well as winning the IPL twice with Kolkata Knight Riders. After stepping down from England he has coached Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL and Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash. He has also previously coached the Sri Lanka men’s national side from 2007-2011. Bayliss was awarded an OBE in the 2020 New Year Honours for his services to cricket.

Trevor Bayliss said, “It is obviously very bittersweet to take the role given the circumstances. It is an honour to try and build on the work Warnie started. The side knew what he and Eoin were trying to build and I hope we can do that this year.”

Fraser Stewart, London Spirit Team Manager said, “This is a situation none of us ever wanted to be in and all of our thoughts remain with Shane’s family and what is such a heart-breaking time. We were so lucky to work with Shane last year and we hope that the team will play in a style that he would have been proud of this summer. Trevor and Eoin are completely committed to that and we hope they can give our fans a reason to smile.”

Bayliss will take the role for one year initially after emerging as the successful candidate after a number of candidates were interviewed for the role. The London Spirit have the coveted first pick in today’s Draft. They will be looking to pick up two overseas picks to complement a side already housing captain Eoin Morgan, Aussie star Glenn Maxwell and England internationals Zak Crawley, Dan Lawrence and Mark Wood.

The picks will be announced from midday tomorrow alongside a number of exciting signings and player movements in The Hundred women’s competition. Tickets for The Hundred go on sale tomorrow to anyone signed up at thehundred.com with tickets going on general sale on 20 April.

Also read: Livingston displays all-round brilliance as PBKS hand CSK 3rd defeat

Bhubaneswar, Apr 4 (Hockey News) The Indian men's hockey team might have won its FIH Pro League double-header against England but head coach Graham Reid is not completely pleased with its performance, especially the tendency of allowing opponents to come back into the game.

India pulled off wins in both the games against England, winning the first one in the shootout after being locked 3-3 in the regulation time before registering a 4-3 victory in the second on Sunday.

With the twin wins, India climbed to the top of the Pro League table, with 21 points in 10 games so far.

"We seem to have a habit of not finishing those games when we have control of them. We let the other team get back into it. But I suppose that's hockey nowadays. In the third quarter, we lost control a bit and we need to look into that," Reid said.

"The corners went in tonight and we had opportunities to try some variations. It was a really good fight with them and our boys showed a good heart and good spirits. Games like these help in building characters. And it's always good to come out on top," the coach added.

India next play against Germany at the same Kalinga Stadium in another two-legged tie on April 14 and 15.

"It's good to win and reach top of the table, but now we have to prepare for Germany, who are also a very tough team. They will always bring a competitive team. They are a great hockey nation. So, we can look forward to some good games coming up in two weeks," Reid said.

Harmanpreet, who scored a hat-trick in the second match, said he was happy to have helped in the team's winning cause.

"My aim has always been to score goals for the benefit of the team. Even if I score one or two goals, or don't score any, I always look to help the team in any which way I can. All my goals are memorable for me and are my favourite ones - because I scored them for India," Harmanpreet said.

"England are a very good team, they did not give up till the last minute. But we also performed well to keep our calm.

"It is also a learning lesson for us that we need to maintain our lead and the pressure in the match so that we can play freely in the final two quarters," he added.

Captain Amit Rohidas said that the 4-3 win over England on Sunday has given the players a great deal of confidence.

"We have gained a lot of confidence. Everybody in the team is making their contribution and we are showing a great team effort," Rohidas said.

"I am enjoying leading the team and it has been a great learning experience for me. But, more than that, everyone in the team wants to play for the benefit of the team, and that has been a really good thing to see in the past few games." 

Also Read : Manpreet, Harmanpreet's twin strikes hand India 4-3 win over England in FIH Pro League

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) The Sunrisers Hyderabad will take on the Lucknow Supergiants in a bid to win their first match of the season. After their heavy defeat against the Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers are looking a little like the odd team out once again. On the other hand, the LSG franchise got their first victory of the season against CSK and will look to continue the same momentum.

For SRH they will hope to forget the first match of the tournament quite quickly as nothing really worked in that match. The new-look top 4 combined to score only 11 runs as Aiden Markram was the only batsman that went down fighting in that game with a fifty and an innings which might earn him a promotion up the order but SRH do need their other new faces to step up big time. Their bowling attack that has always looked strong over the previous season,looks good on paper but most of the players are out of form and also the lack of a wicket-taking spinner in the playing XI who can make inroads in the middle overs is missing as in the first match the absence of Rashid Khan was really highlighted. Nicholas Pooran holds the key for SRH as he needs to replicate his the same form he showed in the India vs West Indies series 

For the LSG fans, the good news is that Jason Holder has completed his quarantine after arriving in India following the conclusion of West Indies' Test series against England and trained with his SuperGiants team-mates as he is likely to slot straight into the XI and face his old franchise. For the LSG franchise, Chameera holds the key as he has met Nicholas Pooran three times in T20 cricket and has dismissed him three times in just six balls. The new superstar Ayush Badoni will be hoping that he gets promoted up the order now that Holder is going to come into the lineup and naturally act as a finisher in the team. Bishnoi vs Samad will be another battle to watch out for as the leggie has got  the better of the SRH youngsters so far in their young careers.

Pitch and weather report: The different pitches at the DY Patil stadium have thrown up contrasting results. While the first game here was a high-scoring one, the second one saw the fall of 17 wickets and the latest saw Jos Buttler bring up the first hundred. Spinners will hold the key in this venue considering the boundaries are longer..The temperature is going to hover around 30 degrees with no chance of rain as dew will be a factor in the game.

Interesting facts:

• Bhuvneshwar has dismissed Manish Pandey four times while conceding just 20 runs in 19 balls.
• Evin Lewis (85) and Pooran (84) are currently the third- and fourth-most six-hitters in all T20 cricket since the start of 2021. 
• Holder has averaged 20.95 at an economy rate of 7.83.in T20 cricket from 2020. 
• Sunrisers Hyderabad have lost 10 of their last 11 games in the IPL
• Quinton de Kock has scored 57 runs via slog shots in the powerplay, the most by any batter, since 2020

Also read: Livingston displays all-round brilliance as PBKS hand CSK 3rd defeat

Probable XI for SRH:

1 Kane Williamson (capt), 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 5 Aiden Markram, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Romario Shepherd, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Umran Malik, 11 T Natarajan

Probable XI for LSG:

1 KL Rahul (capt), 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Evin Lewis, 5 Deepak Hooda, 6 Ayush Badoni, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Jason Holder, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Avesh Khan
 

Bhubaneswar, Apr 3 (Cricket News) Olympic bronze medal winning skipper Manpreet Singh and ace dragflicker Harmanpreet Singh struck a brace each as the Indian men's hockey team eked out a narrow 4-3 win over England in the second match of the double-leg FIH Pro League tie here on Sunday.

Manpreet (15th, 26th) and Harmanpreet (26th, 43rd) sounded the board twice each to help India extend their lead at the top of the standings.

England's goals came from the sticks of Liam Sanford (7th), David Condon (39th) and Sam Ward (44th).

Interestingly, all the seven goals in the match were scored from penalty corner opportunities.

England had the better share of possession in the match, but it was India who had the last laugh.

India converted four of the eight penalty corners they secured in the match, while England scored from three of their six short corners.

Despite inferior ball possession, India had more circle penetrations. The hosts penetrated England's circle 24 times as against their rivals' 17.

In terms of shots on goal, India were the better side as they hit their rival goal 10 times, while England had just five shots on the home team's citadel.

After conceding an early goal, India bounced back soon and equalised at the stroke of the first quarter through Manpreet.

Harmanpreet and Manpreet scored in succession then in the 26th minute to go into the breather with a comfortable 3-1 lead.

England did enjoy possession but it was India who controlled the proceedings with more circle penetrations and penalty corners in the first two quarters.

The Indians continued to play high pressure hockey after the change of ends but failed to make any further inroads.

England pulled a goal back in the 39th minute through a penalty corner conversion by Condon before Harmanpreet scored his second goal of the day with a low dragflick to the right of the English goalkeeper James Mazarelo to make it 4-2 in favour of India.

A minute later England reduced the margin when Ward scored from a set piece, in what has been an exhibition of penalty corner conversions.

Down by a goal, a desperate England came all out attacking in the final quarter and created a few openings but failed to breach the Indian defence.

Four minutes from the final hooter, England pulled out their goalkeeper Mazarelo for an extra player but the Indians held firm to pocket full three points from the match.

By virtue of this win, India are sitting pretty at the top of the standings with 21 points from 10 games, while England continued to reel at the seventh spot with seven points from six games.

The Indians had earlier defeated England 3-2 in shoot-out after they finished tied at 3-3 in the first game of the tie on Saturday to pocket a bonus point. 

Also Read : Hockey Jr Women's WC: India stun Germany 2-1 to seal quarterfinal berth

News Source : PTI

Potchefstroom, Apr 3 (Hockey News) The Indian women's hockey team stunned formidable Germany 2-1 to register its second consecutive win in pool stages and assure its place in the quarterfinals of the FIH Junior World Cup here on Sunday.

India, who thrashed a lowly Wales 5-1 in its opening Pool D match on Saturday, scored through two penalty corner conversions by Lalremsiami (2nd minute) and Mumtaz Khan (25th) to emerge winners.

Germany's lone goal was scored by Jule Bleuel in the 57th minute.

The Indian will finish off their pool engagements against Malaysia on April 5 before the quarterfinal round which starts on April 8.

The Indians are currently atop Pool D with two wins from as many games ahead of second-placed Germany. Two teams each from pools will qualify for the knock-out rounds.

Against Germany, the Indians took the lead as early as in the second minute when Lalremsiami scored from a rebound after Deepika's dragflick from a penalty corner was saved by German goalkeeper Mali Wichmann.

Thereafter, Germany proceedings and earned a handful of penalty corners by putting relentless pressure on the Indian defence, which stood firm.

India goalkeeper Bichu Devi Karibam had an excellent match as she not only denied the Germans from penalty corners on number of occasions but also pulled off a brilliant save to keep out a penalty stroke by Jette Fleschutz in the second quarter.

The Indians mostly relied on counter attacks and from one such move secured back-to-back penalty corners, the second of which was deflected in by Mumtaz in the 25th minute.

The Germans were the attacking side for major part of the first half but have been wasteful in converting penalty corners as they wasted as many as six set pieces.

The Indians, on other hand, scored from two of the three penalty corners they managed in the first two quarters.

Down by two goals, the Germans continued to attack after the change of ends but as has been the case they failed to find the back of the Indian net despite creating numerous chances.

The Indians also upped their game a bit in the fourth and final quarter, making inroads into German circle on quite a few occasions but to no avail.

Germany livened up the game three minutes from the final hooter through a reverse hit field goal by Bleuel.

But the Indian defence did enough in the remaining minutes of the game to pocket full points from the game.

The quadrennial tournament, which was originally scheduled for last December, was postponed due to the threat posed by the omicron variant of COVID-19 in South Africa.

India, who have appeared in four editions of the junior global event, claimed their best finish in 2013 with a bronze. The team did not qualify for the previous edition. 

Also Read : FIH Pro League: India beat England 3-2 in marathon shoot-out to climb to top of table

News Source : PTI

Christchurch, Apr 3 (Cricket News) Alyssa Healy smashed a whirlwind 170 to power Australia to a record-extending seventh ICC Women's World Cup title, beating defending champions England by 71 runs in the final here on Sunday.

It was a dominating performance from Australia after being invited to bat. Besides Healy's special performance, Rachael Haynes (68) and Beth Mooney (62) also struck fine half-centuries to power Australia to 356 for five.

Healy's knock came off 138 balls and was studded with as many as 26 boundaries.

Anya Shrubsole picked up three wickets for England, conceding 46 runs.

Chasing the mammoth target, Nat Sciver remained unbeaten on 148 off 121 balls in a lonely effort but failed to defend their title as Australia bundled out England for 285 runs in 43.4 overs.

Jess Jonassen (3/57) and Alana King (3/64) shared six wickets between them for Australia. Brief Scores: Australia Women: 356 for 5 in 50 overs (Alyssa Healy 170, Rachael Haynes 68, Beth Mooney 62; Anya Shrubsole 3/46).

England Women: 285 all out in 43.4 overs (Nat Sciver 148 not out; Alana King 3/64, Jess Jonassen 3/57). 

Also Read : Didn't realise how good Moeen Ali was until he joined CSK: Mike Hussey

News Source : PTI

Christchurch, Apr 3 (Cricket News) Conjuring up the innings of her life, Alyssa Healy put England attack to sword with a breathtaking 170 that powered Australia to a massive 356 for five in the Women's Cup final here on Sunday.

Healy, who was dropped on 41, toyed with the English attack in her mesmerising 138-ball knock, which is the highest-ever individual score in a World Cup final in both men's and women's cricket.

Adam Gilchrist (149, 2007), Ricky Ponting (140, 2003) and Viv Richards (138, 1979) are the next best.

Healey's opening partner Rachael Haynes (68 off 93) and Beth Mooney (62 off 47) also batted with confidence as Australia put on board the highest team total in a World Cup final in women's cricket and second-highest behind the Australian men's team's effort of 359 for two against India in 2003.

The star Australia wicket-keeper batter forged a 160-run stand with Haynes before sharing 156-runs with left-handed Mooney who was sent in ahead of skipper Meg Lanning to maintain the left and right combination.

A packed and a neutral crowd at Hagley Oval was in for a treat with Healy showing devastating form en route to her second consecutive hundred in the knock-out stage, having scored 129 against West Indies in the semifinal.

Healy flaunted her 360 range of strokes in a sensational effort, scoring runs at will against a bowling line-up that had no answer to her brilliance. For the major part of her innings, Healy exposed all three stumps to make room for herself and hit bowlers over the mid-off fielder.

Healy never allowed the number one ODI bowler Sophie Eccelstone (1/71) to settle, using her feet against her and other spinners to hit them straight over the in-field.

She also cut and pulled on her way to a fifth ODI hundred and when she was bored hitting the boundaries over mid-off and cover, she moved across the off-stump to play the scoop shot. Expecting heavy dew in the evening, defending champions England opted to put Australia in to bat. Australia, the only unbeaten team in the tournament, came out determined to stamp their authority for one last time in the tournament and they certainly did that with the bat.

England limited the damage the last five overs by taking four wickets. Pacer Anya Shrubsole (3/46) was the only England bowler that ended with respectable figures.

Natalie Sciver, Charlotte Dean and Kate Cross conceded more than 8 runs per over. 

Also Read : Lockie Ferguson, Shubman Gill star in Titans' 14-run win over DC

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Apr 2 (Badminton News) The Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Saturday decided to conduct selection trials at the Indira Gandhi Stadium here from April 15 to 20 to pick teams for the upcoming major events such as Thomas and Uber Cup, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

The national governing body will also be "finalising probables for the senior core group for the 2024 Olympic Games" during the trials.

While the players inside the top 15 in the BWF rankings will be picked directly, the rest of the members will be chosen from the trials which will see the participation of shuttlers ranked between 16 to 50 in the latest world rankings, released on March 29.

It meant double Olympic medallist P V Sindhu (World No. 7), world championships silver and bronze medallists Kidambi Srikanth (World No. 12) and Lakshya Sen (World No. 9) and men's pairing of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (World No. 7) are the only ones assured of a place in the teams for the big-ticket events.

Among others, London Games bronze medallist Saina Nehwal, currently ranked 23rd, and Tokyo Olympian B Sai Praneeth, who is ranked 19th, will have to go through the trials.

The Commonwealth Games squad will consist of 10 members with equal number of men and women, while the Asian Games and Thomas and Uber Cup teams will have 20 members each, including 10 men and 10 women.

Thomas Cup and Uber Cup are scheduled in Bangkok from May 8 to 15, while Commonwealth Games and Asian Games are slated in Birmingham and Hangzhou, China, from July 28 and September 10 respectively.

According to the BAI release, "Players, who are ranked in the Top-16 in singles and Top-8 in doubles in national rankings, based on the domestic performances in the senior ranking tournaments played in Chennai and Hyderabad, and the core group players selected by the BAI selection committee/SAI in 2019 will also be included for the selection trials." The national body, however, said that "players who have notable performances at the international circuit in the last three months will be selected directly alongside those ranked in the Top-15 in the world.

"...while the vacant spots will be filled based on performances of the selection trials as they will be eligible for BAI/SAI assistance for training and competition." Former World No. 10 player H S Prannoy has been impressive in the last few months as he reached the final at the 2022 Swiss Open Super 300 tournament, besides a series of quarterfinal finishes to reach the 23rd spot in the latest chart.

Women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also had reached the semifinals of the All England Championships last month, while Kiran George, Unnati Hooda had claimed the Odisha Open Super 100 titles in January.

BAI will also conduct trials for the junior players. The players for the selection trials will be chosen based on the performances of the upcoming U-19 ranking tournament to be held in Bangalore.

The dates of the selection trials will clash with the Korean Masters, scheduled from April 12-17.

However, BAI has said that it will "withdraw entries of its players from the Super 300 tournament and settle the withdrawal fine amount so that shuttlers can participate in the trials."

Also Read : Top seed Sai Praneeth knocked out, Mithun and Anupama in quarterfinals

News Source : PTI

Bhubaneswar, Apr 2 (Hockey News) The Indian men's hockey team beat England in a dramatic shoot-out after both the sides were locked 3-3 in the regulation time in the opening match of the double-leg FIH Pro League tie at the Kalinga Stadium here on Saturday.

In the shoot-out, the hosts won 3-2 to pocket two points (including a bonus) as against England's one.

Abhishek (14th minute), Shamsher Singh (27th) and Harmanpreet Singh (52nd) were the goal scorers for India in the regulation time, while England sounded the board through Nicholas Bandurak (8th, 28th) and Sam Ward (60th), who scored from a penalty stroke.

Both the teams will lock horns against each other again in the second match of the tie on Sunday.

England started the match on a positive note by taking the lead in the eighth minute from a penalty corner conversion by Bandurak.

Even though they were not up to their best, India drew level six minutes later through Abhishek, who scored with a fierce reverse hit after receiving a pass from Shamsher. India took the lead in the 27th minute through Shamsher's field strike.

But India's joy was shotlived as England drew level a minute later, once again through a penalty corner conversion by Bandurak.

It was a scrappy first half from both the teams, more so from the Indians as they failed to secure a single penalty corner as against England's three.

England continued to play positively after the change of ends and secured a penalty corner soon but veteran India custodian PR Sreejesh made a fine save keep the scores level. The Indians were lacklustre throughout the game with their passes, more so in the third quarter.

India's below-par showing can be gauged from the fact that they failed to win a single penalty corner in the first three quarters.

The Indians, however, stepped up in the final quarter and got back-to-back penalty corners just eight minutes from the final whistle, the second of which was converted by Harmanpreet with a stunning drag-flick to take a 3-2 lead.

But there was more drama in store as the fragile Indian defence conceded a penalty stroke just 14 seconds from the final hooter and Ward was bang on target to level the scores once again and take the match into shoot-out.

It was a marathon shoot-out as both the teams faltered, but eventually the Indians held their nerves to come out on top and pocket two points from the game.

By virtue of the win, India climbed to the top of the Pro League standings with 18 points from nine games. 

Also Read : India start Jr Hockey WC campaign on bright note, thrash Wales 5-1

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Christchurch, Apr 2 (Cricket News) Star all-rounder Ellyse Perry is most likely to feature in the summit clash of the ICC Women's World Cup against England as a specialist batter, skipper Meg Lanning said on Saturday.

The 31-year-old Perry had missed Australia's previous two games, including the semifinal against West Indies, after she suffered back spasms in Australia's win against South Africa last week.

"Ellyse got through a pretty hard and high-intensity session yesterday and she's trained again today and is feeling pretty good," Lanning said at the pre-match press conference.

"It will just depend on how she pulls up sort of this afternoon, that will be the final hurdle she needs to get over. But at this stage, it is looking pretty good.

"She can definitely play as a specialist bat and that's probably the most likely scenario. She hasn't bowled for a couple of weeks now and it would be difficult for her to come out and bowl in a final," she added.

However, Perry, who had been forced to miss Australia's T20 World Cup semifinal and final on home soil in 2020 due to a hamstring injury, has not bowled since suffering the back spasms.

"Ellyse is a world-class player and has shown that over a long period of time, particularly in this 50-over format. She averages 50 with the bat and has a great record with the ball as well.

"To have someone with that experience, someone who has performed on the big stage before hopefully to be part of our team is a huge boost." Australia are vying for a record-extending seventh title and Lanning is expecting her players to draw on their nerves as they look to steal England's crown.

"There are certainly some nerves around, it would be crazy if you weren't nervous heading into a World Cup final, so it's a good thing. But there's a lot of excitement.

"It's a great opportunity for our team to go out on a big stage and play really good cricket and we feel like we've been building throughout the tournament." Australia have been the most consistent team in the tournament, winning all eight of their games, and Lanning is hoping for another complete performance in the showpiece.

"We know that it's going to be tough, England always provide a great contest. They've got some world-class players who can take the game away from you really quickly.

"It's going to be a massive challenge for us and certainly not going to be easy but we feel confident that if we can put up as close to our best as possible, then that'll give us a good chance." Lanning will be playing in her 100th ODI on Sunday.

"Both teams start on zero runs tomorrow and it's about putting out a really good performance and that's the challenge for our team." 

Also Read : Mumbai Indians win toss, elect to field (IPL)

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New Delhi, Apr 2 (Hockey News) The FIH Hockey Men's Pro League double header between India and Germany, which was postponed after a COVID-19 outbreak in the visitors' camp last month, was on Saturday rescheduled to April 14 and 15.

The announcement comes a day after Hockey India received a confirmation from the International Hockey Federation.

The matches will be played at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

The last time the two teams met was during the bronze medal match at the Tokyo Olympic Games where India prevailed 5-4 in a thrilling match to earn a historic podium after a gap of 41 years.

The Indian men's team and Germany were originally scheduled to play on March 12 and 13, but the matches had to be postponed after several members of the German squad tested positive for COVID-19.

Welcoming the German team's decision to travel to India for the matches in April, Hockey India president Gyanendro Ningombam said, "No doubt, there is a lot of excitement among the Indian hockey fans to watch these two teams who played the bronze medal match at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020." The German men's team has so far played eight matches out of which they have won five, while India, who are placed second in the pool standings behind Germany by only a point, have also played eight games, winning five and loosing two in regulation time and one in shootout. 

Also Read : India eye wins against England to climb to top spot in FIH Pro League standings

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(Football news) The 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be held later this year and the Group Stage draws have already been announced despite some playoff final fixtures remaining. Gareth Southgate’s England will begin their World Cup campaign on November 21st against Iran before facing the United States in their second game on November 25th. However, their third Group Stage fixture remains ambiguous as one of Wales, Scotland or Ukraine are yet to qualify for the World Cup.

The tournament will kick off with hosts Qatar facing Ecuador on November 21st with kick off timings and venues yet to be decided. The hosts are in Group A alongside Ecuador, Senegal and the Netherlands. Reigning world champions France have been drawn in Group D alongside Denmark, Tunisia and one of Australia/UAE or Peru. Meanwhile, Group E features two blockbuster teams as 2010 champions Spain will take on 2014 champions Germany while Japan and one of Costa Rica/ New Zealand are also in the group.

Group G features four time winners Brazil alongside Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon while their rivals Argentina are in Group C alongside Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland. Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal will face tricky opponents Uruguay, Canada and South Korea while Belgium will take on Ghana, Morocco and Croatia. 

2022 World Cup draw in full

Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands
Group B: England, Iran, USA, Scotland/Ukraine/Wales
Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland
Group D: France, Australia/UAE/Peru, Denmark, Tunisia
Group E: Spain, Costa Rica/New Zealand, Germany, Japan
Group F: Belgium, Ghana, Morocco, Croatia
Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon
Group H: Portugal, Canada, Uruguay, South Korea

Also read: Gareth Bale's future will depend on Wales' World Cup fate

Nuh (Haryana), Apr 1 (Golf News) American Dodge Kemmer fired a brilliant last round of six-under 66 to win the Gurugram Challenge by three shots ahead of Thailand's Chanat Sakulpolaphaisan (68), here on Friday.

Seventeen-year-old rookie Arjun Bhati, playing only his second event after turning professional, was the best-placed Indian with a third place finish. He aggregated 18-under 270 at the PGTI event.

Bhati's final round of 66, along with winner Kemmer's round, was the day's joint best score. India's Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (67) and England's Joshua Grenville-Wood (68) also took a share of fourth place. Indonesia's Rory Hie, the leader for the first three days, carded a 73 on Friday to finish tied fourth at 17-under 271.

Kemmer (67-66-66-66), shot a third straight 66, a bogey-free round, to come home the winner on the most windy day of the week. Asian Tour regular Kemmer's success ratified his decision to stay on for the event after last week’s The DGC Open presented by Mastercard, where he finished joint 49th.

"It was a great decision. I like being in India, it was an easy choice. Obviously, a win is always good and good for the confidence and gets me in a good place on the ADT list in case I need that to stay on the Asian Tour next year," he said.

Chanat Sakulpolaphaisan (66-67-67-68), who was overnight tied third, shot a flawless 68 in round four to rise one spot to second place. He chipped-in for birdie on the fifth.

Bhati (70-66-68-66) mixed seven birdies with a bogey during his 66. He began his day with a 30-feet birdie conversion on the first hole that set up the round for him.

"I'm very proud of my effort this week. Scoring 18-under is a huge confidence-booster for me. It's a dream start to my career. I putted really well this week," Bhati said. 

Also Read : Solid finish sees Lahiri card 68, Indian lying seventh in Texas Open

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Christchurch, Apr 1 (Cricket News) Tournament's leading wicket-taker Sophie Ecclestone has said that England are capable of beating the mighty Australia on their day, warning that her side entered the ongoing World Cup final without playing its best cricket.

The final will be played at the Hagley Oval on Sunday.

"Beating the Aussies in the final, I can't really put it into words after the Ashes we had," she said according to ESPNcricinfo.

"I really believe in this group and on our day we can definitely beat the Aussies - we've got a great chance." England have had a poor tun-up to the showpiece, losing the Ashes to their traditional rivals before suffering a defeat to the Aussies in their opening game of the World Cup.

"I know if we play our best cricket and our batters bat the way they can and the bowlers bowl the way they can, we've got such a great unit as a team, so we'll just focus on ourselves and do the best we can," she said.

After losing three matches in a disastrous start to the tournament, England prevailed in five must-win games to earn the right to defend the title they won at home five years ago.

After conceded 77 runs off her 10 overs in England's 12-run defeat to Australia in the group stage, the left-arm spinner has been instrumental in the team's remarkable turnaround, claiming 20 wickets at an outstanding average of 12.85, including a career-best 6/36 against South Africa in the semifinals.

Recalling the horror start, the 22-year-old was quoted as saying by Sky Sports, "I think when we lost three from three, there were a few tears in the changing room after the game.

"I think everyone was very disappointed with how we'd gone, but I think the turning point was having a few meetings to just say that we had nothing to lose now, so just put what we do in training out into a game and go out with no fear.

"We still haven't played our best cricket, so to get through to the final without playing our best cricket is obviously so good to see from this group."

Also Read : Mumbai Indians are slow starters, but it's still early days: Zaheer

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Bhubaneswar, Apr 1 (Hockey News) Fairly well-placed after eight games, the Indian men's hockey team would look to annexe the top position in the standings when it takes on England in a double-leg FIH Pro League tie, starting here on Saturday.

The second match of the tie will be played on Sunday.

Tokyo Olympic bronze medallists India have so far played eight matches this season and are placed second in the standings, behind Germany (17 points), with 16 points.

The Indian team defeated South Africa 10-2, 10-2 before winning a game and losing one against France (5-0, 2-5) and Spain (5-4, 3-5).

Recently against Argentina, the Indians lost 2-2 (1-3 in shoot-out) before registering a thrilling 4-3 win in the second match.

Going into tie against England, defence remains a major concern for the Indians as the backline wilted under pressure in every match.

Conceding soft goals has been India's bane and vice-captain Harmanpreet Singh had no qualms in admitting that, saying the defenders need to improve their decision making going forward.

"Our main focus is to make the team stronger match by match. We are learning a lot about our weakness and strengths. We need to improve our finishing, create more penalty corners.

"The decision making need to improve. The defenders need to avoid conceding penalty corners and tackle outside the circle," he said during a virtual pre-match press conference.

On the contrary, India's forwardline has been impressive, scoring as many as 42 goals in the eight games.

Mandeep Singh, in particular, has been at his best inside the opposition circle, scoring some important goals, including the last-minute match-winner against Argentina in their previous game.

Captain of the Olympic bronze-medal winning side, Manpreet Singh is the backbone of India's midfield alongside Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Nilkanta Sharma and Sumit.

The presence of four world-class dragflicking options -- Harmanpreet, skipper Amit Rohidas, Varun Kumar and young Jugraj Singh -- hand India a clear edge over their opponents.

Jugraj has been a revelation since making his senior team debut, striking a brace in the second game against Argentina before providing the assist to Mandeep for the winner.

"He (Jugraj) is playing really well. He is a powerful, world-class dragflicker, it is a big benefit for the team. He is availing his chances. The presence of so many dragflickers makes it difficult for opponents to judge," Rohidas said.

In their last meeting, India defeated England 3-1 in the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Olympics last year.

On paper and in world rankings too, India hold an edge over England. While the Indians are ranked fourth, the Englishmen occupy the seventh spot.

England, on the other hand, are placed seventh in the Pro League standings with six points from two wins and as many defeats.

England started their Pro League campaign on a positive note beating Spain 6-1 and 3-2 before losing 1-3 and 0-2 to Argentina.

England are on a rebuilding phase under new captain Tom Sorsby and head coach Zak Jones, and are looking at the Pro League matches to gain valuable experience ahead of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

"It (Pro League) is really important... We have new players and we want to gain some experience. These games are vital in building the momentum as much as possible going into CWG," Jones said.

Also Read : FIH Pro League vs England: India retain Rohidas as captain, Neelam makes comeback

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) After losing their opening game against Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants came back with a 6 wicket win over Chennai Super Kings. CSK on the other hand have now lost 2 out 2 games and may need to rethink a few things. KL Rahul won the toss and unsurprisingly elected to bowl first just like every other toss winning captain. 

Batting first CSK managed to reach 210/7 in 20 overs. Robin Uthappa rolled back the years and played a wonderful knock of 50. He exploited the power play by hitting 8 fours and a six in the 27 balls he faced. Shivam Dube scored 49 off 30 balls in the middle overs while MS Dhoni finished off with 16 off 6. In a high scoring game Ravi Bishnoi bowled an incredible spell as he conceded just 24 runs in his 4 overs. He also picked up crucial wickets of Ambati Rayudu and Uthappa in addition to inflicting Ruturaj Gaikwad's run out. 

LSG's run chase got off to a great start thanks to KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock who scored 40 and 61 respectively. Ewin Lewis came to bat at number 4 and scored an unbeaten 55. Ayush Badoni who scored a half century on his debut in the last game hit 2 sixes in the last 2 overs to get LSG over the line. Ravindra Jadeja's decision to give the 19th over to Shivam Dube who hadn't bowled a single over till then ended up being a bad decision. Lewis and Badoni hit 25 runs of that over and the game's momentum shifted. 

Also read: Ecclestone and Wyatt lead England to 2nd consecutive Women's CWC final

Orleans (France), Mar 31 (Badminton News) Top seeded Indian shuttler B Sai Praneeth bowed out of the men's singles competition at the Orleans Masters after suffering a shock straight-game defeat against France's Christo Popov, here on Thursday.

Praneeth lost his pre-quarterfinal match of the Super 100 event 12-21 11-21 in 35 minutes.

He had advanced to the round of 16 after beating Czech Republic's Jan Louda on Wednesday.

However, Mithun Manjunath stunned the second seed from Denmak Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus 16-21 21-10 21-11 to reach the men's singles quarterfinals.

Anupama Upadhaya also reached the last-eight stage of the women's singles competition, beating Léonice Huet of France 21-17 21-16 in 38 minutes.

Ira Sharma lost her women's singles match 11-21 17-21 to Australia's Hsuan-Yu Wendy Chen, but the seventh seeded Indian duo of Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto carved out a win over the Netherlands' Ties Van Der Lecq and Debora Jille 21-18 22-20.

Earlier, the Indian troika of Kiran George, Meiraba Luwang Maisnam and Manjunath had progressed to the men's singles pre-quarterfinals after contrasting wins in the second round of the tournament.

While George stunned Netherland's third seed Mark Caljouw 19-21 21-16 23-21, qualifier Meiraba got rid of eighth seed Toby Penty of England 21-16 21-16 and Manjunath prevailed over compatriot Siddharth Pratap Singh 21-14 21-10 in another second round match.

George, who had won the Odisha Super 100 event in January, will face Indonesian qualifier Christian Adinata, Meiraba will meet Hong Kong's Chan Yin Chak and Manjunath will taken on second seeded Dane Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus next.

Ashwini Bhat K and Shikha Gautam eked out a 21-23 21-12 21-10 win over Danish pairing of Amalie Schulz and Christine Busch to set up a fight against French duo of Flavie Vallet and Emilie Vercelot.

The men's doubles pair of PS Ravikrishna and Sankar Prasad Udayakumar also made it to the pre-quarterfinals with a 19-21 21-11 21-12 win over German pairing of Marvin Datko and Patrick Scheiel. 

Also Read : Kiran George, Meiraba Maisnam, Mithun Manjunath enter pre-quarterfinals in Orleans Masters

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) In the Bangabandhu 4 Nation Physically Challenged Cricket Tournament organized by the National Paralympic Committee of Bangladesh at Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium on the occasion of 100th anniversary of Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujeeb Ur Rahman, the Indian Cricket Team for the Physically Challenged won their second league match against Sri Lanka and enter to the finals.
 
Earlier, Bangladesh also made it to the finals after beating Sri Lanka and Nepal. Sri Lanka's Divyang Cricket Team captain Weerasinghe won the toss and decided to bat first. Their opening batsmen got off to a great start adding 50 runs in the first 4 overs, but their run-rate stopped before the Indian bowling. Despite that, the Sri Lankan team made a strong target of 164 runs in 20 overs for the Indian team. Sanjeeva's 54, Udara Indrajit's 41, Tanendaru 27, Udayakumar 12 contributed the most. Ghulamdin and captain Kailash Prasad took two wickets each and vice-captain Chirag Gandhi took one wicket and one player was run out.
 
In response, the start for the Indian team was very slow. They scored just 18 runs in the first 5 overs. After that, India gradually started increasing the run speed and in the end the Indian Cricket Team for the Physically Challenged won this exciting match by eight wickets on the last ball of 19th overs. In this victory of the Indian cricket team, MS Shiva scored 79 not out in 47 balls with the help of seven fours and four sixes. Sanjeeva and Udara took one wicket each for Sri Lanka divyang cricket team. The man of the match was awarded to MS Shiva. Haroon Rasheed, Secretary General, Divyang Cricket Control Board of India said that the Indian cricket team had a match and with reaching the finals, it has been ensured that the Indian Cricket Team for the Physically Challenged will now play its 100th match, which is a big achievement.

Also read: Ecclestone and Wyatt lead England to 2nd consecutive Women's CWC final

Orleans (France), Mar 30 (Badminton News) The Indian troika of Kiran George, Meiraba Luwang Maisnam and Mithun Manjunath progressed to the men's singles pre-quarterfinals after contrasting wins in the second round of the Orleans Masters Super 100 badminton tournament here.

While George stunned Netherland's third seed Mark Caljouw 19-21 21-16 23-21, qualifier Meiraba got rid of eighth seed Toby Penty of England 21-16 21-16 and Manjunath prevailed over compatriot Siddharth Pratap Singh 21-14 21-10 in another second round match.

George, who had won the Odisha Super 100 event in January, will face Indonesian qualifier Christian Adinata, Meiraba meets Hong Kong's Chan Yin Chak and Manjunath takes on second seeded Dane Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus next.

Ashwini Bhat K and Shikha Gautam eked out a 21-23 21-12 21-10 win over Danish pairing of Amalie Schulz and Christine Busch to set up a fight against French duo of Flavie Vallet and Emilie Vercelot.

Men's doubles pair of PS Ravikrishna and Sankar Prasad Udayakumar also made it to the pre-quarterfinals with a 19-21 21-11 21-12 win over German pairing of Marvin Datko and Patrick Scheiel.

Among others, top seed B Sai Praneeth and women's singles players Anupama Upadhyaya and Ira Sharma also entered the third round on Wednesday night.

Mixed doubles pairing of Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto, seeded seventh, also crossed the opening round hurdle. 

Also Read : Sai Praneeth, Anupama, Ira win in Orleans Masters Super 100 badminton tournament

News Source : PTI

Navi Mumbai, Mar 31 (Cricket News) Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Faf du Plessis has lavished praise on teammate Dinesh Karthik, saying his calm demeanour is close to what Mahendra Singh Dhoni displays in the final overs of the game.

Karthik clobbered a six and a four in the first two deliveries of the last over to take RCB home after they were in a spot of bother chasing a tricky target of 129 against Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday night.

"DK's experience helped in the end, cool-calm, runs weren't never really too far away. He's probably as cool as MS Dhoni can get in the last five overs," said RCB captain Faf du Plessis, who has played with Dhoni at CSK, in the post-match presentation.

Seamers Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj had shared three wickets in the powerplays to leave KKR at 44 for 3 and Wanindu Hasaranga then snapped four to bowl them out for 128 in 18.5 overs.

Chasing the target, RCB batters had to overcome some anxious moments as they huffed and puffed to a three-wicket win with four balls to spare in the end. "Good win, obviously chasing small scores, you want to be positive and not leave it late, but it was good bowling from their seamers. Tonight there was seam and bounce, the first night it swung a bit more," said du Plessis, who was named captain ahead of the IPL this year.

RCB had lost their opener against Punjab Kings at the same venue despite posting a challenging 205 for 2.

"Two-three days ago, it was 200 vs 200. Tonight it was 120 vs 120, pretty good. In an ideal world, we would've liked to have won more convincingly but a win is a win."

Also Read : Wyatt, Ecclestone fire England to another World Cup final

News Source : PTI

Christchurch, Mar 31 (Cricket News) Danielle Wyatt made the most of the luck that came her way enroute to a memorable hundred as defending champions England showed their big-match temperament with a 137-run win over South Africa to enter the Women's World Cup final here on Thursday.

Wyatt (129 off 125), who was dropped five times, struck a maiden World Cup hundred before Sophia Dunkley produced a fine 60 off 72 balls to take England to an imposing 293 for eight after South Africa chose to bowl. South Africa, who had reached the last four stage as the second best team from the league stage and also eliminated India from the competition, crumbled under the pressure of a knock-out game.

They could never recover from the body blow it received in the second over of the chase when pacer Anya Shrubsole had tournament's leading run-getter Laura Wolvaardt caught and bowled. Their innings ended at 156 in 38 overs.

Left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone completed the job for England by cleaning up the lower-order, ending with six wickets for 36 runs in eight overs. She had also hit an unbeaten 24 off 11 balls to take England close to the 300-run mark.

With five wins on the trot after three losses that had them staring at an early exit, England's juggernaut is well and truly rolling as they stand on the cusp of a fifth title.

Their final and familiar opponents Australia, on the other hand, are eyeing a record-extending seventh crown.

It was a brilliant display of swing bowling from Shrubsole that broke the backbone of South Africa batting in the run chase.

Wolvaardt's opening partner Lizelle Lee was Shrubsole's second wicket as the out-of-form batter flicked it straight into the hand of the mid-wicket fielder, ending her forgettable campaign in the ICC event.

After Kate Cross removed Sune Luus with a beauty that seamed to nip back in sharply, the writing was on the wall for South Africa, who paid the price for their sloppiness in the field early on in the game.

Their decision to chase in a high-pressure game was also a questionable one. 

Also Read : Fit-again Surya joins MI ahead of IPL fixture against Rajasthan

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(Cricket news) England booked their place in the 2022 Women's World Cup final with a 137 run win over South Africa and will now face arch rivals Australia in the final. Both the semi finals were kind of one sided which doesn't reflect how nail biting the tournament has been. Neutral fans will be hoping to see a close match in the finals.

Having been put into bat, England did a very good job by scoring 293/8. Danni Wyatt anchored the innings with her incredible 129 off 125 balls. Opening the batting, she kept her composure and played some exquisite strokes even though wickets kept falling at the other end. Wyatt also had a lot of good fortune as she was dropped on 36 by Marizanne Kapp and on 77 by Lara Goodall and on 116 by Shabnim Ismail. She was supported by Sophia Dunkly 60 off 72 balls. Sophie Ecclestone played a quickfire 24 lower down the order to help England reach 293 runs.

South Africa never looked up for the challenge. Anya Shrubsole dismissed both the openers cheaply before Lara Goodall and Sune Luus steadied things a little. Charlie Dean and Kate Cross joined the action and dismissed them. From then on it was the Sophie Ecclestone show. The world number 1 bowler and the highest wicket taker of the tournament spun webs all over the Proteas as she picked the final 6 wickets to take England into the semifinals. She continued her great form and kept it simple to get the breakthroughs in quick succession. South Africa lacked an anchor who would hold one end and keep the scoreboard ticking. That doesn't change the fact that the target was too big in the first place. 

Also read: Hasaranga spins his webs as RCB defeat KKR by 3 wickets

New Delhi, Mar 31 (Cricket News) Recovering from a back injury, England allrounder Sam Curan says he is gutted to miss the IPL this season but feels his decision to opt out of the auction was the right one.

Curran said it would have been too soon to return to action as he nurses the most serious injury of his young career.

"I'm gutted not to be there. It's a frustration watching from home," Curran, who played for Chennai Super Kings, told ESPNcricinfo.

"I wanted to go (into the auction) but I didn't at the end – which was probably the best decision. Looking back, IPL probably came a little bit too soon." The 23-year-old, who bowls left-arm medium pace, had sustained a stress fracture on his lower back during the second leg of IPL in October last year.

"I definitely want to go back (to the IPL) at some stage because you learn so much about your T20 game there: it's a tournament when you live and breathe cricket. You go down for breakfast every day and you're sitting with superstars, sitting down and chatting about the game." Curran had felt pain in his back during CSK's loss to Rajasthan Royals in October and scans later revealed that he had suffered a stress fracture of the lower back, ruling him out of the T20 World Cup and the Ashes.

He is now looking to put up a good show in Surrey's County Championship opener against Warwickshire at Edgbaston next week, while the main focus remains on getting his place back in the Test series against New Zealand in June and T20 World Cup in Australia in October.

"It's been a long winter. I'd never really experienced an injury before and missing out on what I have has been pretty hard. They're probably the two biggest series or tournaments as a player: a World Cup for your country and an Ashes series down under," he said.

"...for now, it's about starting these first six Championship games, trying to put in performances for myself and for Surrey. The Test matches in June are my initial goal and the end goal is probably the World Cup." 

Also Read : With WIPL, India is going to be unbeatable in 10 years: Alyssa Healy

News Source : PTI

Bhubaneswar, Mar 30 (Hockey News) Amit Rohidas was retained as captain, while defender Neelam Sanjeep Xess made a comeback in India's 22-member squad for the upcoming FIH Pro League double-header against England here this weekend.

Neelam was part of India's team in the Asian Champions Trophy in December last year at Dhaka where they finished third with a 4-3 win over Pakistan.

The 23-year-old comes in at the expense of Varun Kumar in the only change to the squad announced by Hockey India on Wednesday.

The Rohidas-led side recently lost 2-2 (1-3 SO) and won 4-3 against Argentina.

"It has been quite exciting to see how some of the younger players are grabbing the opportunity to play in the Pro League and have been showing great potential," Chief coach Graham Reid said in a release issued by Hockey India.

"It is good for us to have these options, we have been using this platform to try out different combinations. England has a talented squad and no doubt the matches this weekend will be quite exciting." India (16 points) are placed second behind Germany (17) after eight matches in this season of Pro League.

The Indian team has beaten South Africa at home (10-2, 10-2) while they won a game and lost a game against France (5-0, 2-5) which was also held in South Africa.

At home, they won a game and lost one to Spain (5-4, 3-5) and Argentina. 

Also Read : England keen to gather valuable experience of playing in India ahead of World Cup: skipper Sorsby

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Every year plenty of overseas players make their debut in the IPL and then play for their respective nations based on the performances in the league. The IPL is one tournament where the biggest of names play, however, what makes the  league exceptional is every year there is some debutant who manages to capture everyone's imagination by taking on the seasoned pros. Let us take a look at this years overseas debutants

1) Chamika Karunaratne (Kolkata Knight Riders)

The Sri Lankan all-rounder ever since he made his debut has impressed everyone whenever he has played and that was the biggest reason behind him being picked by KKR for a base price of Rs 50 lakh only, which could be a bargain buy in the future. Karunaratne is a proper fast bowling all rounder who can perform in all three departments of the game and mainly has the experience of finishing matches for Sri Lanka in the past. If Andre Russell gets injured, then Karunaratne will be a natural replacement. Karunaratne is a very underrated bowler as he can bamboozle the batters with his strong slower deliveries and in the IPL especially in the death when the batters are going for it, the slower ball is the best option to bowl.

2) Dushmantha Chameera (Lucknow Supergiants)

Chameera was bought by Lucknow SuperGiants for Rs 2 crore and one of the biggest reasons the LSG franchise went all out for the Sri Lankan pacers is because of the qualities he brings to the table as a quick bowler. Chameera is quite deceptive with his pace and he can beat the batters with pace as well as his slower balls. At the death, he’s a deadly sniper, bowling the yorker at will and along with being a good fast bowler he packs a few hefty blows at the end also with his bat as time and time again he has bailed Sri Lanka from precarious positions.

3) Dewald Brevis (Mumbai Indians)

Dewald Brevis took the world by storm when he had set the U19 World Cup on fire after scoring 506 runs. Labelled as Baby ABD, Brevis already has the attention of the world and one needs to see if he can actually live up to all the hype and excitement behind him. He was bought for whopping Rs 3 crore, the right-handed batter would be looking to bat at his favoured position of number 3 but the fact that only four foreigners are allowed to play makes it difficult for to straight away enter the playing XI but he's very young, the youngster might just be one for the future.

4) Odeon Smith (Punjab Kings)

Odeon Smith lit the third match of season with a blistering 25* off 8 balls to guide his side chase a mammoth target of 205 quite comfortably. Odeon Smith came into the limelight recently in the series against India as he showed the world that however big the boundaries he can hit the ball very far and no boundary is enough to sustain the batter. The right-handed batter has the experience of finishing T20I games for West Indies and this has already come in handy for Punjab Kings this season. He was bought for Rs 6 crore and along with Shahrukh Khan, with the duties of finisher as well as make important breakthroughs with his fast bowling. Someone who idolises Andre Russell's game is certainly moving in the right direction and it could be some exciting times for the Punjab fans.

5) Rovman Powell (Delhi Capitals)

In January, Rovam Powell smashed an unbelievable century against England in a T20I game and he hammered all the bowlers but what was wonderful about this innings was he read the situation really well and took control of the game. He was previously bought by KKR but never really got a game because of Dr Russ but now with age and maturity he’s become a mainstay for the West Indies team. He is a power-hitter and on his day he can take down any bowler at his own will. DC bought him for Rs 2.8 crore, as Ricky Ponting will hope that his all round skills come in handy and give DC that much needed batting all rounder that they have been searching for a long time

6) Bhanuka Rajapaska ( Punjab Kings) 

The swashbuckling left hander from Sri Lanka lit the tournament with a blistering innings of 43 from just 22 deliveries, showing the Sri Lankan selectors what they have been missing. Bhanuka was recently overlooked by the Sri Lankan selectors for the India series for apparently not being match fit but he just showed the mental temperament and big hitting skills he possesses. Bought for his base price of 50 Lakhs in the mega auction, many raised an eyebrow considering the 30-year-old has played 18 T20Is for Sri Lanka and has scored 320 runs at an ordinary average of 26.67 but he brings ample of experience playing in the different leagues in especially in the subcontinent.

7) Romario Shepherd (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Sunrisers Hyderabad shelled out a massive 7.75 cr to buy Romario Shepherd as many teams were interested in him but ultimately SRH got their man. He came into the limelight after the Caribbean Premier League where he was not only a good T20 bowler, but he proved his batting abilities in the CPL 2021. For Guyana Amazon Warriors, he scalped 18 wickets in 7 games at 7.69, with a batting strike-rate of 165.15. He single handedly won some really tough games for the Warriors as a finisher. In overall T20s, Shepherd has scalped 55 wickets in 47 games, whereas he has scored 344 runs at a strike-rate of 159.25. In the recently concluded England vs West Indies series, he won a game on his own with his death bowling and explosive batting

8) Kyle Mayers (Lucknow Supergiants)

The latest left handed power hitter Kyle Mayers is making quite a name for himself in the international circuit with some impressive performances against some big teams around the world. The 29 year old averages over 40 and has a strike rate of over 150 in T20’s as Mayers has only played 4 T20s for West Indies which indicates that he’s relatively inexperienced in T20 cricket but if given the opportunity to play he will know that a good performance will mean that he will cement that opening slot for the West Indies team heading into the World Cup. Coming into the IPL, he will be in rich vein of form as he single handedly bowled England to make his country win a historic series. 

Also read: Top 5 all rounders to watch out in the upcoming Tata IPL 2022
 

(Cricket news) In the 1st semi-final of the 2022 Women's World Cup, Australia defeated West Indies by 157 runs in a rain affected encounter. The Aussies are still unbeaten in the tournament as they reach the final for the 9th time. They will now face the winner of England vs South Africa in the ultimate final. After a rain delay, the overs were cut down to 45 each before the toss which was won by Stefanie Taylor who elected to bowl first.

West Indies effectively lost the match in the first quarter itself as Alyssa Healy and Rachel Haynes put on a 218 run opening partnership. The pair displayed some top class batting as they packed their innings really well. Healy reached her century while Haynes fell 15 runs short but laid the foundation for Australia. The Windies who are usually great were absolutely abysmal in the field. They dropped 4 catches in the opening partnership itself and had quite a few midfields. The bowlers did exactly what the openers wanted them to. Late fireworks from Beth Mooney took Australia to 305 runs in the 45 overs.

There was a small period in the chase where West Indies looked to have intent but it soon faded. All Australian bowlers except Darcie Brown picked up wickets as the umpires flicked the bails after the score was 148-8 in 37 overs. The body language of the West Indians after the first 30 overs of the first innings itself was just off. They didn't celebrate wickets even when they could've come back into the game. There was a clear gap in the level of the two teams but West Indies were the underdogs and reaching the semifinals was also a big achievement.

Also read: RR completely outplay SRH to register their first win

(Football news) Having confirmed their place in the 2022 World Cup a long time ago, Brazil emphatically defeated Bolivia 4-0 to keep their unbeaten run intact. Despite putting up a good fight, Bolivia simply failed to capitalise on their opportunities while their opponents were clinical in front of goal.

Richarlison scored a brace while Bruno Guimaraes scored his first international goal, setting a new points mark (45) for Brazil in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying. Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli was a standout performer and almost scored an amazing goal for his country. Brazil head into the 2022 World Cup as one of the favourites for the title and will hope to maintain their momentum in the prestigious tournament. 

Meanwhile, Luis Suarez moved ahead of Lionel Messi as the top scorer in the South American World Cup qualifiers after scoring his 29th goal in a 2-0 win over Chile. The 35 year old has scored two more goals than Messi (29 in 62 games) and his latest goal was a magnificent bicycle kick from four metres out with 11 minutes remaining. 

The second goal was scored by Federico Valverde in the final moments of the match, proving that manager Diego Alonso has done a fantastic job since taking over from Oscar Tabarez. The team were suffering from four successive defeats since he took over and their qualification looked under serious threat but the team has had a brilliant change in fortunes and have won four games on the trot since then. The team finished third in qualification behind Brazil and Argentina while Ecuador is in fourth place.

Other results

Ecuador 1-1 Argentina
Perú 2-0 Paraguay
Venezuela 0-1 Colombia 

Also read: England defeat Ivory Coast while Maguire is booed by home crowd

(Football news) England cruised to a comfortable 3-0 win over Ivory Coast at the Wembley Stadium with stand-in captain Raheem Sterling scoring one and setting up another while Ivory Coast’s captain Serge Aurier was sent off in the first half. Ollie Watkins opened the scoring for England in what was his second goal for the country after converting from three yards out when he was set up by Sterling. 

Former Spurs player and Ivory Coast skipper/right back Serge Aurier was given marching orders with a second yellow card. He received the first one after fouling Jack Grealish and the second goal came six minutes later for dissent after being held up by Watkins. With the visitors down to 10 men, England took advantage of the circumstances within five minutes as Watkins set up Sterling whose shot was blocked by goalkeeper Badra Ali Sangare but Jack Grealish teed him up to score in the second attempt.

Despite England firmly in the driving seat, their second half performance lacked the edge and the team couldn’t score the third goal of the match until the final touch. Tyrone Mings’ header gave England the three goal margin and maintained their winning start to the year ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. One of the biggest talking points of the match was England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire being booed by his own fans before kickoff. The 29 year old had a fairly good match and kept a clean sheet for his side in his 42nd appearance for England.

Speaking after the match, England manager Gareth Southgate said “The reception was a joke, an absolute joke. I don't know how it benefits anybody. We're either all in it together or we're not. I imagine if you asked a few of them why they did it they probably wouldn't even be able to answer. It's a mob mentality. One end of the ground you have a hardcore group trying to get his name sung - it wasn't everybody. Players will look at that and think, that could be me. It makes players not want to come. That happened with John Barnes here, that happened with Ashley Cole a couple of times, it happened with Raheem, now Harry. 

“We need Harry to do well. We aren't going to win a World Cup with a load of players with three or four caps. That's never happened in the history of the game. The way he has performed for us has been absolutely phenomenal. I don't get it. He's in an England shirt and not only should you support a player in an England shirt regardless, but when you've played at the level he has for us - and put the performances in he has - it should be total commitment behind him. 

“His performance was pretty faultless really. He stepped out from the back really well for the first goal, and was involved in the second one too. The team is totally united. We recognise everyone has difficult moments, but he's a top player and he will come through it. They are real England fans and some are influenced by whatever - social media or players that played previously who are influencing opinion. The club situation is obviously very difficult, but he's in an England shirt. I remember decades ago a few players being booed in an England shirt and it's never been acceptable to me. Fans should always get behind their team."

Maguire also received support from his teammates with Jordan Henderson saying “I can't get my head around what happened at Wembley tonight. Harry has been a colossus for England. Without him, the progress made at the last two tournaments would not have been possible. To be booed at his home stadium, for no reason? What have we become? What happened tonight was just wrong. As someone who wants to win with England I feel fortunate to share a dressing room with him. We all feel the same." 

Jack Grealish said “Harry has been unbelievable for this country - the World Cup, the Euros, he has been brilliant. Our first two goals, the first one comes from him driving with the ball and the second one comes from him driving a little bit. Not every centre-back has those qualities." Declan Rice took to Twitter to extend his support by saying “Harry Maguire has been incredible every single time he's put on the England shirt. Absolute nonsense now it's becoming. Back your own players. Especially with a major tournament coming up."

Also read: Senegal qualify for the 2022 World Cup after win over Egypt

Bhubaneswar, Mar 30 (Hockey News) England men's hockey team captain Tom Sorsby is relishing the "challenging" prospect of playing the FIH Pro League double header in India against the hosts as it will help his team gather valuable experience ahead of the World Cup here next year.

The England men's team arrived here on Tuesday night, ahead of the double-header against hosts India, scheduled to take place on April 2 and 3 at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium.

"We are quite a new team, so not necessarily in preparations for India, but this group has got some good experience in the Pro League recently," Sorsby was quoted saying in a media said.

"And, I think all the experience we get here will be valuable, especially between now and coming back here for the World Cup," he added.

India are set to host the 2023 men's hockey World Cup.

"India have been playing really well, they have got some great results. We know they are going to be a tough team to play against, but it's a challenge that we are really looking forward to taking on." "It's not often that you get to come out to play in India against the home team, so just looking forward to the challenge they are going to give us," Sorsby added.

Upon his arrival, England Head Coach Zak Jones expressed excitement at the prospect of playing against India.

"Few of the guys have played here before and they know a bit of challenge because India are a good side at the moment.

"We have got a lot of guys who haven't been here before, so yeah really excited to come out here and play at this stadium, and also get ready for the 2023 World Cup," said Jones.

With two wins and two losses in four matches, England are currently seventh in the Pro League points table.

They started their campaign with wins against Spain, but lost both of their matches against Argentina last month.

"We have performed really well so far. We are sort of building game-to-game, and it's really important that we take that momentum and look to get as many results as possible in the Pro League," Jones added. 

Also Read : India to host NZ, Spain in opening ties of FIH Hockey Pro League 2022-23

News Source :PTI

New Delhi, Mar 29 (Cricket News) Axed over England's Ashes debacle, former batter Graham Thorpe was on Tuesday appointed as Afghanistan's new head coach.

Thorpe was one of three people to lose their jobs in the wake of England's disastrous Ashes campaign Down Under along with head coach Chris Silverwood and managing director Ashley Giles.

Thorpe, who played 100 Tests for England between 1993 and 2005, was announced by the Afghanistan Cricket Board as the full-time replacement for Lance Klusener, who stepped down in November after a two-year tenure.

"The ACB had launched the recruitment process for hiring a new head coach, through which Graham Thorpe was selected as the best available nominee for the position," the board said in a press release.

"He will step up into the role of head coach ahead of the upcoming international events of Afghanistan." Former Australia batter Stuart Law had been in charge of the national set-up in an interim capacity.

The other names in contention included former Pakistan players Misbah-ul-Haq and Azhar Mahmood.

Thorpe's more-than-a-decade-long tenure in the England set-up ended in controversial circumstances earlier this year.

Following England's defeat in the fifth and final Test at Hobart, Thorpe triggered controversy by filming the arrival of police officers to break up an early-morning drinking session involving several English and Australian players.

The police had allegedly been called after Thorpe lit a cigar in an indoor space, which is against the law in Tasmania. 

Also Read : Rajasthan Royals defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 61 runs (Indian Premier League)

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) The Women's World Cup has had some of the most nail biting matches in the history of women's cricket. The group stages have been concluded as Australia, South Africa, England and West Indies finished in the top 4 spots and qualified for the semifinals. The quality of cricket in the tournament has been outstanding. 

Here is the best player from each team:

Australia: Meg Lanning

The Aussies finished the group stages at the top of the table and remained unbeaten. Their skipper Meg Lanning led from the front as she scored 358 runs in 7 innings at an average of 59.66. Lanning also has the highest score at the World Cup which was her unbeaten 135 against South Africa. Batting at number 3, Lanning anchored the Australian innings on multiple occasions with her glorious stroke play. Australia will need Lanning to keep on contributing as a batter and captain in the knockout stages like she always has

South Africa: Marizanne Kapp

South Africa have had a very good World Cup so far, winning 5 out 7 games and finishing 2nd on the table. The Proteas do have the highest run scorer of the tournament Laura Wolvaardt but she is arguably the 2nd best player in her side. Marizanne Kapp has had an exceptional tournament so far with both bat and ball. With the willow she has scored 182 runs in 7 innings at a strike rate of 94.79. Batting at number 6, the all-rounder scored 42, 7, 32, 34*, 30* and 32 in her innings. She also picked up 10 wickets in those 7 games at an average of 26.30. Her numbers don't do justice to her impact at this tournament as she always delivered whether it was finishing the innings with the bat or making something happen with the ball. The Proteas need her to deliver in the match against England and in the final if they progress.

England: Sophie Ecclestone

England had a terrible start to the World Cup as they lost their first 3 games. They recovered well and ended up qualifying for the knockouts by finishing 3rd on the table. The heart of the success is the tournament's highest wicket taker Sophie Ecclestone. The left arm spinner has taken 14 wickets in the 7 games so far and has an economy of just 3.27 which is the 2nd highest in the tournament. Ecclestone has truly spun webs over the opposition which has led her side into the Semi finals. England will need Ecclestone to continue doing the business of picking up crucial wickets in the knockouts as well.

West Indies: Hayley Matthews

West Indies needed a little help from South Africa and the rain gods to qualify for the semi finals ahead of India and New Zealand. Hayley Matthews has been a big reason why they have managed to reach the semis. She is the highest scorer and highest wicket taker for West Indies in this tournament. Her 226 runs with the bat and 10 wickets with the ball have guided West Indies to the semi finals. Opening the innings, Matthews has scored quick runs to get a good start to the Windies and her off-spin has got them wickets at crucial intervals. West Indies will be expecting Matthews to deliver in the game against Australia and potentially the World Cup final as well. 

Also read: Sensational Shami leads Gujarat Titans to 1st ever IPL win

Dubai, Mar 29 (Cricket News) India skipper Mithali Raj climbed two places to sixth while veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami also rose a couple of spots to fifth in the latest ICC Women's ODI rankings released on Tuesday, taking into account the ongoing World Cup in New Zealand.

Raj, who struck a half-century in India's final league match against South Africa on Sunday, surpassed Australia's Rachael Haynes and Tammy Beaumont of England.

However, the match ended in heartbreak for the Indian skipper as her team crashed out of the World Cup in a last-ball thriller.

Star opener Smriti Mandhana, who played a 71-run knock against South Africa, remained static on 10th.

In the bowlers' chart, Goswami, who missed the match against the Proteas, went past the South African duo of Marizanne Kapp and Ayabonga Khaka to be fifth.

However, she lost her ninth position in the all-rounders' list to Katherine Brunt of England.

Goswami is now 10th with 217 rating points in her kitty, while compatriot Deepti Sharma held on to her seventh position.

South Africa opener Laura Wolvaardt, who has scored more runs (433) at the ongoing World Cup than any other player, moved up two places, overtaking the Australian duo of Alyssa Heau and Beth Mooney to claim the top ranking . 

Also Read : Ireland Wolves coach Johnston shares his views about touring squad

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Mar 29 (Badminton News) Riding on his runner-up finish at the Swiss Open, India's HS Prannoy jumped three places to number 23 in the latest BWF rankings, released on Tuesday.

Prannoy, who was competing in a title-clash after five years, now has 52875 points in his kitty.

He could not play his best on the circuit in the last three years as he was battling health issues. Double Olympic medallist P V Sindhu, who secured her second women's singles title of the season at Swiss Open Super 300, remained static at the number seven.

Among other Indians, young Lakshya Sen is also inside the top 10 along with the men's team of Chirag Shetty and Satwisairaj Rankireddy.

While 20-year-old Sen, who had reached the finals of German Open and All England earlier this month, is at the ninth spot, Chirag and Satwik are also placed at number seven.

Kidambi Srikanth, who had reached the semifinals at Basel, held on to his world number 12 slot, while B Sai Praneeth is at number 19. London Olympics bronze medallist Saina Nehwal is static at the 23rd spot.

Ashwini Ponappa and N Sikki Reddy are ranked 20th while Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand slipped a rung to 15th. 

Also Read : Anupama Upadhyaya and Kiran George win Polish Open titles

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Mar 29 (Cricket News) Sachin Tendulkar has paid rich tribute to the late Shane Warne, calling him a "fierce competitor", against whom he always had to prepare differently as the Australian spin legend was good in playing mind games and gave nothing away with his body language.

One of the all-time greats of the game, Warne died at the age of 52 due to a suspected heart attack in Thailand on March 4.

"My first proper series against Shane Warne was in 1998 in India and everyone tagged that series as Tendulkar versus Shane Warne clash. And to remind people that it's not Tendulkar versus Shane but it is India vs. Australia. But such was the following," Tendulkar said.

"That kind of following is going to put you under pressure. When you are playing a world class bowler like him, you just can't turn up and hope that things are going to be okay.

"So I had to prepare properly, not just out being there at the nets but when you're sitting in the room, you have to be a step ahead of him, what he would be thinking because he was extremely good in putting pressure and playing mind games and trying to plan your dismissal." Tendulkar had many fierce battles with Warne and the 1998 series in India will remain a part of cricketing folklore.

"It didn't matter, you looked at his body language. One didn't know whether Warne had picked up four wickets, five wickets or he was bowling wicketless. Every delivery that he bowled, he was a fierce competitor.

"So even if you're facing the second last over of the day, one had to keep their eyes open, because he was always up to something and trying to figure out how could he dismissed." Tendulkar said "there were number of good spinners, but Shane was different".

"One of those very few bowlers against whom you couldn't hit the ball on the rise. He was someone if you did not get to the pitch of the ball, there was no way one was expected to go and drive on the rise," he said.

"That was his class the way he got the ball to drift and that can only happen if you have strong shoulders and you're giving it a rip, the ball drifts down the leg and then spinning away from you.

"I had to also practice because till then nobody had bowled round the wicket in the rough, trying to get you out. It was usually bowled to keep things under control. If the batter was scoring runs, to kind of slow him down.

"But Shane was actually looking to get the batter out, so one had to prepare the defensive and attacking options." West Indies batting great Brain Lara also hailed Warne as the "most potent player" for Australia, who sealed his place "in the upper echelons of world cricket" with his performances in the Ashes series, which included the ball of the century that he bowled to England's Mike Gatting in 1993.

"I grew up in a country where spin bowling dominated. The lower part of the Caribbean, Trinidad, Guyana, we played spin very well. And Warne posed a lot of trouble for a lot of other players. I found myself winning a lot of those battles, but he never gave up," he said.

"He always produced that miracle delivery the one that you didn't know was coming. So I always had my eyes open for Warne throughout my career. He was just a tremendous bowler, bowling in an attack which had awesome fast bowlers." Condoling his death, Lara said: "He was huge, such a legend, such a king, someone who I felt was, you know, gigantic when it comes in the world of sport, and it's unfortunate what has happened, it's very sad. He has a very young families, his parents still alive. It's a weird feeling that he's gone..." Remembering his last meeting with Warne in 2021, Tendulkar said: "After the last IPL, I went to spend some time in London where we got in touch. There was never a dull moment. He was full of entertainment, full of jokes and you know those battles those mini competitions.

"I realised that it was not just about spin, the swing also came naturally to him. He was a good golfer. I hate saying he was a good golfer because it's hard to accept what has happened and for us he will continue to live in our hearts.

"...He had this tremendous attitude towards life. Always positive and always welcoming. It's really hard to accept that he is no more among us..." 

Also Read : Would be very emotional thinking about de Villiers if we win IPL: Kohli

News Source : PTI

(Football news) England are set to face Ivory Coast in a friendly and the fixture will help Gareth Southgate tinker with his squad and tactics ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. In their last fixture, the Three Lions came from behind to defeat Switzerland 2-1 at the Wembley Stadium on Saturday with Marc Guehi, Kyle Walker-Peters and Tyrick Mitchell receiving their debuts. 

In the press conference ahead of the match against Ivory Coast, Southgate said “We'll make changes. We think that's the right thing to do. We want to keep all of the squad involved. I think that has been a strength for us. Players who come in perform well at the level and the team march on." Along with the obvious change in personnel, Southgate could also experiment with a different system with a back four instead of a back three, a system he employed against Switzerland when his team were winning.

Harry Maguire is expected to start in the match with Tyrone Mings also a possible contender. John Stones is unavailable due to an injury and has returned to the Manchester City camp while Declan Rice could start in midfield after an impressive performance as a substitute against Switzerland. Southgate has been so impressed by Rice that he has claimed the 23 year old could be a potential captain one day. "He is right among that despite his age," Southgate said of Rice. "What I've seen this season is the confidence that he's gained from his experience last summer.

"He had a huge impact on the game when he came on," he added. "A really mature performance, strong, breaks the game up so well, but now has more confidence to drive with the ball and bring it forward as well. Without a doubt, he has all the attributes to be a captain. There will be others, but we are gaining the rewards of the opportunities we had to blood him so young."

Meanwhile, Harry Kane’s penalty against Switzerland means that the 28 year old is now on 49 international goals, going past Gary Linekar and now joint-second with Sir Bobby Charlton in the England’s all time top scorer chart. To say that Kane has been prolific in front of goal would be an understatement, the Spurs striker has scored 49 goals in 68 appearances for his country and can easily surpass Wayne Rooney’s record with just four more goals. 

Tammy Abraham could have been a potential candidate to start the match but the AS Roma striker is currently injured. Southgate’s attacking options are only Kane and Ollie Watkins, who would be keen to make his mark after coming on as an 88th minute substitute against Switzerland. Southgate said about Watkins “There is never a camp where he looks like he doesn't want to play. That mentality spreads through the rest of the group." 

Emile Smith Rowe could also feature against Ivory Coast after recuperating from a minor injury that kept him sidelined against Switzerland. Since receiving his first call-up in November, Smith Rowe scored his first international goal in England’s 10-0 win over San Marino. However, competition is tough in the middle of the park with Southgate having Mason Mount, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling at his disposal. Unfortunately, Saka will be unavailable for the match after getting COVID-19.

Also read: Poland to take on Sweden for a place in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

(Football news) With a place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on the line, Poland and Sweden will battle it out at the Stadion Slaski in the playoffs. The hosts received an automatic bye in the playoff finals after their match against Russia was cancelled due to the Ukraine invasion while Sweden defeated Czech Republic after 120 minutes. 

Earlier this month, FIFA had announced that Russia will not be eligible to participate in the playoffs due to the country’s invasion of Ukraine, which meant that their opponents Poland automatically progressed to the playoff final. However, they didn’t use the period to rest, instead, Czeslaw Michniewicz's side took on Scotland in a friendly to retain sharpness ahead of the fixture against Sweden. 

The friendly against Scotland backfired in a few ways as two Polish players were forced to be substituted because of injuries while Kieran Tierney broke the deadlock in the 68th minute before a penalty by Krzysztof Piatek right before full time levelled the score. A result against Sweden would mean that Poland would qualify for their second consecutive World Cup and would aim to do better than their group stage elimination in 2018.

The hosts have only lost one match in the last eight across tournaments and haven’t failed to score in a single qualifying match since 2009. Moreover, a fit and ready Robert Lewandowski is the best striker in the world and Sweden would be extremely wary of the threat he possesses. 

Sweden are also looking for back-to-back appearances in the World Cup after losing in the quarter-finals to England in 2018. The side must recover from their 120 minute fixture against the Czech Republic which saw substitute Robin Quaison score in the 110th minute to seal a place in the playoff final. Worryingly for Sweden, they have lost each of their last three World Cup qualifying away matches and have won only one of their last nine in all tournaments. However, Sweden have traditionally played well against Poland, winning six consecutive games, the last one being a 3-2 win in the group stage of Euro 2020.

In team news, Poland’s Arkadiusz Milik and Bartosz Salamon are currently injured while midfielder Mateusz Klich is suspended. With Piatek struggling with fitness, Lewandowski is expected to start the match and one of Marcin Kaminski or Bartosz Bereszynski should feature in the back three. Sweden’s answer to Lewandowski is none other than Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is back from serving his ban alongside Emil Krafth. However, Martin Olsson will be unavailable for selection due to injury and either Ludwig Augustinsson or Pierre Bengtsson will replace him at left back. Despite being a closely contested fixture, Sweden should edge it out and find a place in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Also read: Argentina win over Venezuela as Messi scores in his return to the side

(Cricket news) New teams Gujarat Lions and Lucknow Supergiants face each other in a clash of the new guns as both Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul will look to get a victory for their new franchise. Both sets of owners will be extremely nervous considering it is their first match, so the onus is on the player and experienced players to step up and remove all the tension from their camps.

The Lucknow Supergiants did brilliantly in their first ever auction and have relatively ticked all the missing gaps in their squad but going into their first the only issue for Supergiants is that they will not be able to field a full-strength team as of yet. England quick Mark Wood had been ruled out of the entire season with an elbow injury, as they went with Australian Andrew Tye as his replacement. The likes of Marcus Stoinis, Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers are also expected to be out for the first week of the IPL due to their international commitments but they have plenty of back-ups to replace them. They do have a number of talented household IPL names in  Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi and Avesh Khan as they will this season rely heavily on their Indian core to perform big in the tournament. Their biggest strength, however, is their opening pair of KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock who can wreak havoc if both start to find form in the tournament.

As for Titans, Jason Roy's withdrawal has put their plans in a bit of disarray but they have roped in Rahmanullah Gurbaz as his replacement and will most likely open with Shubman Gill at the top as they have to wait to bring in Matthew Wade to open. The one thing that theTitans put emphasis was on their bowling attack as they have the likes of Rashid Khan (who has also been named the team's vice-captain for the season), Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Shami and Rahul Tewatia, R Sai Kishore available to bowl when needed, they easily have one of the strongest bowling units going in the tournament. The area of concern for Hardik Pandya will be their fragile batting line up which lacks certain match winning experience and they may find it difficult to chase down big scores considering their fragile middle order.

Pitch and weather report: The pitch at the Wankhede in the season opener had evident assistance for pace, with lots of wickets falling in the first match. With a new pitch pacers will get massive assistance off the pitch and we can expect some fiery spells from both sets of fast bowlers. The temperature is going to hover around 31 degrees with no possibility of rain.

Interesting facts:

• In T20s since 2020, 14 out of 20 matches have been won by the chasing team at the Wankhede Stadium.
• Miller needs 26 more to tally 2000 runs in the IPL.
• Hardik is two hits away from tallying 100 sixes in the IPL.
• KL Rahul has the highest average of 47.43 at a strike rate of 136.37, for players who have scored more than 3000 runs in the IPL

Probable XI for GT:

1 Shubman Gill, 2 Matthew Wade (wk), 3 Wriddhiman Saha/Vijay Shankar, 4 Abhinav Manohar, 5 David Miller, 6 Hardik Pandya (capt), 7 Rahul Tewatia, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 R Sai Kishore, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Mohammed Shami

Probable XI for LSG:

1 KL Rahul (capt), 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Deepak Hooda, 5 Manan Vohra, 6 Krunal Pandya, 7 Ankit Rajpoot, 8 K Gowtham, 9 Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Avesh Khan

Also read: Top 5 all rounders to watch out in the upcoming Tata IPL 2022
 

(Football news) The Chelsea Women’s team overtook Arsenal at the top of the Women’s Super League table with a 9-0 win over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. Arsenal’s fixture against arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur was postponed due to COVID-19 and the Blues had the opportunity to claim the top spot with a win and it’s fair to say that they did it emphatically. It was Chelsea Women’s biggest win of the season as Guro Reiten, Beth England and Sam Kerr scored two goals each while Aniek Nouwen, Lauren James and Jessie Fleming scored a goal each.

The result meant that Emma Hayes’ side moved onto 41 points from their 17 league games, one above Arsenal while Leicester remained second last on the Women’s Super League table. With just three minutes on the clock, Guro Reiten opened the scoring with a brilliant freekick, which pretty much set the tone for the rest of the match. Sam Kerr doubled the advantage by converting her second opportunity after her initial shot was blocked by goalkeeper Demi Lambourne. With just seven minutes gone, Chelsea scored their third goal when Kerr's square ball was found by Beth England who put the ball into the back of the net and the fourth goal was scored by Aniek Nouwen soon afterwards.

Chelsea’s tempo dropped after a brilliant start to the match and Leicester found an opening when the Blues gave away possession but Freya Gregory couldn’t find the target. Having already scored a goal, Reiten created Chelsea’s fifth with a perfect ball to the far post which was headed home by Beth England. Reiten then went on to double her tally in first-half stoppage time when a mis-hit cross went over the line. Sam Kerr scored Chelsea’s seventh in the bottom right corner in the second half while Lauren James scored her first goal for the Blues from a Niamh Charles pull-back and Jessie Fleming scored the ninth and final goal in stoppage time to wrap up a successful evening.

Speaking after the match, Chelsea manager Emma Hayes said “I could see this result coming for us. I've seen the way we trained the last three days and I feel like we're in the final stretch of the season. We know what this is about and I want to keep improving on performances. We were doing some different things in training to create overloads and I saw it done in abundance today. The team just has so much flexibility and I can do so many different things with them because they are intelligent and they know how to win games with the same relentlessness that I demand.

"We're used to being in this position, however, everybody knows the type of games we've got coming up. I just personally enjoy good performances; I'm not really bothered about the result, in the first instance. Of course it is about winning, but I want to see us improving, that's what motivates me as a coach. The team was incredible today. It wasn't just about having fun, we were so clinical and so ruthless. But you see the difference with our squad depth now; with so many players back it's driving the standards at training and that's where the magic happens."

Also read: Fernandes set to sign a new five year contract with Manchester United
 

(Cricket news) All-rounders have always been a crucial part of the league since the beginning of the IPL. The likes of Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya were unearthed through the IPL and have since become mainstays not only for their franchises but also for the Indian Cricket team. This time around a lot of all rounders fetched a lot of money, so let us take a look at the all rounders who can light up the IPL with their performances:

• Ravindra Jadeja (Chennai Super Kings)

The newly appointed captain of CSK and India’s best all-rounder has been a constant name in both the line-ups over the years and has consistently delivered. Heading into the IPL, he has been in the form of his life after his heroics against Sri Lanka and that could act as a huge boost for CSK going forward in the tournament. He is a very wily bowler, an impact batter and a gun fielder, Jadeja is well and truly a 3D factor on the field. Over the years, his batting has massively improved over the years as last season, he scored 227 runs from 12 innings at an average of 75.66 and scored at a good strike-rate of 145.51. Along with that he also picked up 13 wickets from 16 innings at an average of 26.61 and possessed an impressive economy rate of 7.06. The best part about Jadeja is that he can play any role as a batter in the team and being the captain of the side, we’ll see him batting higher up the order.

• Jason Holder (Lucknow SuperGiants)

The West Indies all-rounder stocks have risen over the last few years and at the moment playing some of his best cricket. He can hit big, bowl wicket-taking deliveries as well as keep the batsmen in check in the frugal overs. In their recently concluded T20I series against England, he took four wickets off four balls, helping West Indies clinch the series 3-2 and becoming the first West Indian bowler to register a hat-trick in international T20Is. Jason Holder was the only shining star in SRH's dismal campaign last season as he picked up 16 wickets from eight matches at an average of 15.43 with an economy rate of 7.75. 

He played some valuable cameos in the latter matches and it provided his side with a late surge lower down the order. In the last couple of years, Holder has become West Indies' joint highest wicket-taker along with Dwayne Bravo in T20Is with 26 wickets from 17 innings at an economy rate of 7.86 and SR of 14.1. Lucknow SuperGiants shelled out a massive Rs 8.75 crore for him and hope he continues his golden run of form.

• Hardik Pandya (Gujarat Titans)

The newly appointed Gujarat Titans’ captain Hardik Pandya will have to prove his worth this season if he wants to make into the India squad for this year's T2O World Cup. Pandya announced himself on the world stage during the IPL, portraying his ability to strike the ball big, outstanding fielding, and some street-smart bowling really helped to become a top all rounder in the world’. The captain of GT, Pandya has some big couple of matches to prove his fitness and showcase his talent for his new franchise, who have put extreme faith in him despite being out injured for such a long time and even though he is out of shape because of the injury, he has to take responsibility with great vigor. If Gujarat Titans are to make the playoffs then they need a massive season from Hardik.

• Andrew Russell (KKR)

The Jamaican cricketer who plays internationally for the West Indies has previously lit up the tournament with some swashbuckling hitting in the IPL but over the last two seasons he has struggled with a lot of injury issues and couldn’t really perform to his fullest ability. He has played in more than 300 Twenty20 (T20) matches for a number of sides in different leagues all around the world. KKR retained him as a main key player because of the all-round skills he possesses. Russell in the IPL averages a staggering strike rate of 169.8 and has become a very handy bowler in the death overs. In 2019, he won the MVP as he had scored more than 500 runs and had picked up 15 wickets in a season which actually showcased his full all round capabilities. KKR fans will be hoping that he is fit and firing because if he gets going then there is no ground big enough for him or even any bowler safe from his massive hits.

• Liam Livingstone (Punjab Kings) :

If Livingstone finds his groove, then be rest assured that there might be a lot of lost balls. He has this unique ability to hit big and make the opposition bowlers suffer. Along with being a  power-hitter, Livingstone is a handy leg spinner as well, who can provide crucial breakthroughs in the middle overs if needed.In his short T20 career, he already holds the record for the fastest century by an England batsman when he got his 100 off just 42 balls against Pakistan at Trent Bridge last year. In this year's Hundred, he scored 348 runs at a strike rate of 178.46 playing for Birmingham Phoenix. In his short career he has a strike rate of 158.33 in T20Is which is quite mindblowing considering he doesn’t have a assured batting position in the side

His number as a so-called part-time leg-spinner is also decent in T20Is, picking up 12 wickets in 17 matches that he has bowled at an average of 19.58,  with an economy rate of 7.12. He didn't have the best of times in his debut season, averaging just 8.40 with the bat from five innings playing for RR and this season he will come with a point to prove as he was bought for a whopping Rs 11.5 crore by Punjab Kings. He would certainly hope to make a mark and justify the price tag in his second season in the IPL

Also read: Top 5 bowlers to watch out in the upcoming Tata IPL 2022
 

(Cricket news) The Indian women's team were knocked out of the World Cup group stages after finishing in 5th position. India needed a win against South Africa to make it to the semis but a no ball in the last over by Deepti Sharma was what ultimately cost them the match. The result is very disappointing for the women in blue who would've liked to win the cup after finishing runners up at the last edition in 2017 and also in the 2020 T20 World Cup. 

It wouldn't be wrong to say that the Indian women's team were lucky to have played a series in New Zealand right before the World Cup. To play a 5 match series against the hosts in their country was always a massive advantage going into any big tournament, especially the 50 over World Cup. The series ended 4-1 in favor of New Zealand as the last game was the only one which saw the women in blue perform well. The approach of the Indian team could've been questioned after they somewhat treated the series as a warm up instead of going full strength trying to win the matches.

Mithali Raj's side came into the tournament after back to back series losses to South Africa, England and Australia. Jemimah Rodrigues and the experienced Shikha Pandey from the World Cup squad. The performance of the team is definitely not down to those calls as both Rodrigues and Pandey were inconsistent in the past couple of years. 

There are a few other calls which coach Ramesh Powar and captain Mithali Raj took which went wrong. India, after going with 6 pure batters and Deepti Sharma at number 7 changed it by getting in all-rounder Sneh Rana by dropping pure batter Yastika Bhatia. Deepti was then asked to bat at number 3 and after that didn't work Mithali Raj was reverted to number 3. The constant change of the batting line-up at the big tournament does more good than bad. Deepti was eventually dropped as India went back to the 6 pure batters combination.

In the last game against South Africa, Deepti Sharma was called back into the side instead of Poonam Yadav as a pure bowler which once again changed the combination of the side. The other big call was regarding Shefali Verma who was considered undroppable just 6 months ago was dropped in the 2nd game. Yastika Bhatia opened with Smriti Mandhana which isn't the spot of her comfort. Verma was then called back while Bhatia kept her place. The constant chopping and changing definitely didn't work in India's favor.

India once again caved under pressure and the fielding was once again a let down. Mithali Raj didn't show her usual consistency with the bat as she managed only two half centuries. The field setting and bowling changes at times didn't work for her. India can take a lot of positives from the World Cup like the performance of Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar. Mithali Raj and Jhulan could hang their ODI boots which would mean that the team gets a new captain who can change around some things.

Also read: Takeaways from Australia's legendary Test series win in Pakistan

Christchurch, Mar 27 (Cricket News) She may have earlier hinted at a possible retirement at the end of the Women's World Cup, but veteran India captain Mithali Raj on Sunday said it's not the right time to take a call on her future just after the country's heart-breaking exit from the showpiece.

The 39-year-old Raj, the lone woman cricketer to have played in six World Cups after making her maiden appearance 22 years ago, said she has not even come out of the disappointment of failing to qualify for the semifinals after India's three-wicket lost to South Africa here.

"You've not given me even an hour to think about my future, to go through and process what has just happened today," Raj said in the post-match virtual media interaction, replying to a query about future plans.

"When you have a disappointment and in the campaign which ends like this in a World Cup where you've really prepared very hard over a year, it takes time to accept and then probably move on from there.

"Whatever the future holds for each and every player, so I've not really thought about my future." Raj, only the third cricketer (men and women) after Sachin Tendulkar and Javed Minadad to play in six World Cups, had earlier dropped hints about her retirement, saying "life has come full circle" for her as she looked forward "to finishing the journey".

But on Sunday, she said she will take a call on her future career when the "emotions are settled down".

"I am not in... It would not be appropriate for me to comment on my future, considering that the sort of game that we just played and as emotions are still there," Raj said when prodded if the South Africa match was her last in India colours.

"It needs to settle down before I could sort of have clarity on that and give an answer to that." Lacking in consistency throughout the World Cup, India lost to South Africa by three wickets in their must-win game to make an exit from the tournament.

"Honestly, right now I don't have any emotions. I'm just trying to get a hang of how the match has gone through," Raj said.

"Probably it will hit me, maybe tomorrow, because at some point we'll have to deal with the disappointment. It's a process that will take time." The World Cup exit may also have ended the illustrious career of iconic India pacer Jhulan Goswami who missed the match against South Africa because of a side strain.

"There will be generations of players coming and going. The team definitely will have to get going. After every World Cup there is always a change in the team. There will be fresh faces in, there will be some experienced players in," the skipper said.

"Every team has to go through this process of rebuilding the team especially after the ODI World Cup, so that they prepare for the next tournament in another four years. We are no different. The Indian team will probably go through the same transformation." Jhulan would have made a difference ======================= Raj felt sorry for Goswami as she missed out on a crucial match. In the absence of Goswami, India failed to give early breakthroughs as South Africa made it easy in the end.

"I'm sure she would have made a difference, with so many years of experience playing different teams and different surfaces, similar pressure situations.

"Having a senior player like her to lead the bowling attack clearly would have made a difference. But having said that, I'm sure she might be feeling very disappointed that in the last game of the Indian team she could not be part of. But then that's how it is.

"She had a side strain during the training session and she couldn't recover. I really wanted to win this game so that we could give her another game to play the semi-final," Raj rued.

Not the time to make wholesale changes ========================= The World Cup exit may be a bitter pill to swallow but it's not the right time to make wholesale changes, Mithali said.

"It's important that you don't take any step right now. You allow the team to process what has happened and maybe with time you know, the management, the Board, the selectors will look into it. But right now I think as players we need some time to process that." Raj acknowledged that the BCCI had done its bit to give the players exposure trips in the build-up to the tournament but they could not make the most out of it.

"The BCCI has done a great job to give us series last year against the best sides. We played South Africa at home. We toured England, Australia and we had a couple of Tests.

"They gave us the sort of preparation which would be ideal before a World Cup, having played New Zealand also before the World Cup.

"It's part and parcel of the sport, it didn't go our way. Of course it is disappointing for all of us. But moving forward, we have very talented youngsters in the side. And I'm sure, in the coming tournaments we will have a very strong side and play well." Delving on the positives, she said: "A lot of good things have come out of the tournament like we've got Yastika. Shafali has started scoring runs. The spinners have done well.

"There are areas we need to work on moving forward. But overall, we could have done better and in initial phases of tournament. But, future definitely looks bright," she concluded. 

Also Read : Delhi Capitals get off to a flier, stun Mumbai Indians (IPL)

News Source : PTI

Christchurch, Mar 26 (Cricket News) Having regained her confidence with runs in the previous game, India opener Shafali Verma is relishing the prospect of facing the South African pacers in their must-win Women's World Cup match on Sunday.

The teenager has not been in the best of form in the ongoing tournament and was dropped from the playing XI before being called back for the game against Australia.

"I'm always ready for any sort of situation whether I was not in the squad. When I was included against Australia, I was ready for it as I always thought that I may be given a chance on any given day," Verma said at a pre-match press conference.

"Coaches were backing me when I was in nets. Our batting coach always gave me confidence which is a very good thing. He always worked on my weak and strong points." "Our staff goes to those player who are not in good nick. They sit with them and give them confidence. As a player it gives us a boost.

"They always make sure to speak to the out-of-form players and try to boost their confidence, which is a good thing. As a player, you derive a lot of confidence through such interactions." Her run-a-ball 42 against Bangladesh has given her a lot of confidence, too.

"The last game gave me so much confidence. I was just thinking of improving myself and backing myself rather than thinking I am doing good or not. So, I'm just thinking to do well for the team in tomorrow's game.

"When I was out, I was going through a bad time. I was focusing on my processes and when you go through such patches it's important to work on your process.

"I worked on my mistakes, and tried to improve on a day-by-day basis, and I am doing that even now - physically, mentally and skills-wise." Having made her India debut as a 15-year-old prodigy, Shafali has come a long way and alongside the elegant Smriti Mandhana, forms one of the most explosive opening pairings in women's cricket.

However, on tours of England and Australia last year, she was peppered with short balls and didn't look comfortable against them.

"I have worked on playing short balls. I have improved but want to keep getting better at it, whether that be against the short ball or a strong point of mine," she said.

"I love playing fast balls and good bowlers. I have always played against pace because I used to play with boys. I am very excited to play tomorrow's game. It would be fun to play fast balls." 

Also Read : Delhi Capitals clash with Mumbai Indians; PBKS take on RCB

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) The 2022 Women's World Cup is about to reach its climax. Australia and South Africa have qualified for the semi finals. England, India, West Indies and New Zealand are in contention for the last two spots. England need to win their last game against Bangladesh to qualify while New Zealand need both England and India to lose by a large margin which is very unlikely. India needed a win in their last match against South Africa to seal the semi final spot. If India lose the match then West Indies will qualify instead while a no result will also work in India's favour. 

India's possible playing XI:

Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Yastika Bhatia, Mithali Raj(c), Harmanpreet Kaur, Richa Ghosh (wk), Sneh Rana, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Jhulan Goswami, Rajeshwari Gayakwad

Bench: Deepti Sharma, Poonam Yadav, Taniya Bhatia, Renuka Singh

India is likely to call back Meghna Singh in place of Poonam Yadav to go back to the seam trio. Other than that there is no real reason to make any changes in the side. This time around Harmanpreet Kaur could be asked to bowl a few overs as the 6th bowler.

South Africa possible playing XI:

Lizelle Lee, Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus (c), Mignon du Preez, Marizanne Kapp, Chloe Tryon, Trisha Chetty (wk), Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Tumi Sekhukhune

Bench: Lara Goodall, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Sinalo Jafta, Masabata Klaas

South are expected to field an unchanged XI even though their qualification is already secured. Marizanne Kapp is having an amazing tournament in both departments. Laura Wolvaardt will be the prized scalp as far as India are concerned. The seam attack of Shabnim Ismail and Ayabonga Khaka is what the Indian batters need to be careful about.

India have had a rollercoaster of a tournament with huge wins and losses alike. A qualification for the semi final will be great for the side but failure to do so will raise a lot of questions. This will be India's first match in Christchurch which will be a challenge in itself. The match could also be the last time Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami are seen donning the blue jersey.

Also read: Takeaways from Australia's legendary Test series win in Pakistan

Christchurch, Mar 26 (Cricket News) Their destiny in their own hands, India will go all out to brush off an inconsistent run and seal a semifinal berth in the Women's World Cup when they play South Africa in a do-or-die match here on Sunday.

So far in the tournament, the 2017 runners-up haven't fired in the manner they would have like to.

With three wins and as many losses India, who are in the fifth spot with six points in the overall standings, find themselves in a must-win situation heading into their final league match.

Their semifinal chances were dented when West Indies, who are also vying to advance to the knockout stage, and South Africa's match was washed out with the former moving up to seven points earlier this week.

A win on Sunday will see India advance to the last four, and a point from the game will also work for the Mithali Raj-led side, as they have a superior NRR (+0.768) than West Indies (-0.890).

In case India lose to South Africa, their only hope of advancing to the semifinals will be if England, who have a better NRR (+0.778), also lose their last league stage match to Bangladesh and finish on a lower NRR. That seems unlikely, though.

But the 'Women in Blue' would want to hold all the cards and also get a two-match winning momentum going into the semifinals.

India's inconsistent batting came to the fore yet again in an otherwise 110-run win against Bangladesh, and skipper Raj would be keen to improve on that aspect against a challenging South African bowling attack.

"Tomorrow is a crucial game and everyone knows that. They are all ready to give their 100 percent. Whoever goes out to bat goes out thinking we have to get partnerships and back each other," Shafali Verma said at the pre-match press conference.

"We want good partnerships in tomorrows match as a batting unit.The bowling and fielding has become quite good. We have improved as a team," she added.

Raj herself has been struggling with the willow. She has four single digit scores in the tournament.

Potentially playing her last game for India should they not make the semis, the 39-year-old veteran would be eager to get some runs under her belt, and ensure that her team makes the cut.

Smriti Mandhana, barring the century against West Indies, has also looked scratchy. Shafali got some much-needed runs against Bangladesh while Yastika Bhatia has slotted herself perfectly at No. 3.

Vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been India's most consistent performer with the bat while all-rounders Pooja Vastrakar and Sneh Rana have shown they can be counted on to score quick runs down the order.

The batters will need to fire as a group to get the better of South Africa who have only lost one match in the tournament.

The bowling department, which has looked lacklustre at times, put up a much-improved show against Bangladesh. The move to bring in spinner Poonam Yadav in place of pacer Meghna Singh paid off for India.

However, it remains to be seen if India persist with two pacers, three spinners strategy at the Hagley Oval, which has a balanced track where the bowlers will have to be disciplined with their line and lengths.

South Africa, on the other hand, have already qualified for the semifinals. They sit second in the overall standings, behind Australia.

However, batting remains a concern for the Proteas. Laura Wolvaardt has been South Africa's stand-out batter. Skipper Sune Luus has three half-centuries while Marizanne Kapp has played a few cameos.

The teams (from): India: Mithali Raj (c), Harmanpreet Kaur (vc), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Sneh Rana, Jhulan Goswami, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh Thakur, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav.

South Africa: Sune Luus (c), Chloe Tryon (vc), Tazmin Brits, Trisha Chetty, Mignon du Preez, Lara Goodall, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Lizelle Lee, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Laura Wolvaardt.

Match starts 6.30 am IST. 

Also Read : Takeaways from Australia's legendary Test series win in Pakistan

News Source : PTI