(Cricket news) Australia defeat India in a nail biting contest to win 26 W-ODIs in a row. Australia have also won the series with a consolation match left to play.

India were put into bat after losing the toss and had a good start to the innings. India's tried and trusted opening pair of Smriti Mandhana and Shefali Verma scored 70 runs in 11 overs to set the tone. Things were looking good for the Indians but Sophie Molineux broke the partnership as she got rid of Shefali Verma. India lost Mithali Raj and Yastika Bhatia in quick succession. Smriti Mandhana was going strong on the other end but was dismissed by Tahlia McGrath on 86. Cameo's from Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar helped the Indians reach 274 runs.

India started their defence in the best possible fashion as they removed the 3 experienced Australian batters Alyssa Healy, Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry for just 34 runs before 10 overs. Ashleigh Gardner was dismissed soon after. Jhulan Goswami and Meghna Singh got a wicket each Pooja Vastrakar, Opener Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath got a very important partnership of 126 runs. Beth Mooney Played an invaluable innings of 125. Nicola Carey came in after Deepti Sharma dismissed McGrath and played a match winning innings of 39 off 38 balls.

Also read: Kolkata Knight Riders defeat Mumbai Indians for the first time since 2019 to enter the top 4

Australia required 13 from the last over which Jhulan Goswami was going to bowl. A couple of misfields and a beamer no ball eventually brought the equation down to 3 off 1. A full toss to Carrey was hit straight to the fielder and the Indians were celebrating. The third umpire then had a lengthy look at the ball and decided to call it a no ball. Carrey got 2 off the last ball as Australia won the match.

India were in command for the majority of the game but bottled it at the end. Indian fielding in particular was nowhere near international standard which eventually cost them the game. The two no balls in the last over also massively affected the end result. The 3rd ODI will be played on Sunday before a one off Test and a 3 match T20I series.

Mumbai, Sep 24 (Cricket News) A phone call from a hospital to former BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale changed the course of Venkatesh Iyer's life even before his ability with the bat, and utility with the ball, came into the picture.

Ignored from the Ranji Trophy camp in 2019, Iyer picked up the phone and sought help from the veteran administrator, who was also a former national selector and who was also greatly impressed by the youngster's attitude and the willingness to go the extra mile.

"I have been watching him right from the U-14 tournaments. He always looked good and he used to keep wickets also when he was 12-13," Jagdale told PTI.

"But the crucial part where I can say I had some contribution was, two-three years back, he did reasonably well for MP in U-23 tournament and it must be 2019 when selectors were picking Ranji Trophy teams. So they had short-listed some 25-30 boys and Venkatesh was not in that list.

"I don't know the details, but he called me from hospital. He told me, 'sir, I am in the hospital for last 8-9 days and I have not played any cricket but, if I get a chance in selection trials, it will be good for me and I will try to do well.

"The only thing I liked is his attitude, even though he was in hospital for six-eight days, he called me," Jagdale fondly remembered.

Jagdale then requested the selectors to give Iyer a fair trial. And the rest, as they say, is history.

From once failing to make the Ranji probable to taking the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians attack to the cleansers, Iyer has come a long way.

On the 26-year-old's days of trying to stake a claim for state selection, Jagdale shared more details.

"Then I was not a selector but I spoke to the selectors, chairman was Keerti Patel, I spoke to him, I spoke to Devendra Bundela, who was the captain and somehow, I convinced that this boy has been doing well.

"I told them you should be looking for a fifth bowler also and he is a batsman-bowler, he can be there as a batsman, plus your fifth bowler in Ranji Trophy," remembered the 71-year-old Jagdale.

"So, you give him a fair trial. This is what I told them: although you have not picked him in probable, you give him two trail matches, give him an opportunity, he is out of touch, so I told them that one match will be not fair since he must not have played cricket for a long time.

"They did so on my recommendation and he must have done reasonably well and this is how he came into MP probable also," added Jagdale, one of the most respected administrators of the game.

Jagdale reiterated that he liked the attitude of Iyer and that he also worked hard on his fitness.

"He was struggling with his fitness two years back, but he worked very hard on his fitness and other areas, and he always looked confident and the best thing I liked about him was that he gave his 100 per cent whenever he played," said Jagdale.

Iyer's club coach Dinesh Sharma recalled with pride how joining his team made a difference for Iyer.

"This is 2011-12 thing, he used to play at the Khanuja club, where he used to go from his childhood, as it was near his house. So, I was with the MYCC (Maharaja Yashwatrao Cricket Club) club, from where he plays right now.

"I saw him playing when he was a kid, his mother came to me and I suggested to them that he should either play for CCI, where Jagdale Sir teaches or MYCC, he can be better, as he has the potential," Sharma recollected.

Sharma said he had thought that Iyer's height could be a problem.

"After six months, his father, his mother came to me, and then said that we want him to play for your club and he will be under you. I felt that his height could be a problem.

"So, we started working on his fitness, and he was a natural hitter and used to generate power in the shots and we worked on his batting," recalled Sharma.

According to Sharma, Iyer was "mentally strong" and he pushed his mother not to stop him from playing cricket and also narrated his journey in age-group cricket.

"There are ups and downs in cricket, when he wasn't selected his mother used to come, he was very good in academics, his mother would say 'our relatives used to say don't let him play, his life will be spoiled'.

"I motivated his mother not to go ahead, saying the day he will shine, these people would come to you," Sharma signed off.

Also Read : Kolkata Knight Riders defeat Mumbai Indians for the first time since 2019 to enter the top 4

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, Sep 24 (Sports News) Many years ago, Leander Paes acted on a whim when he asked Mahesh Bhupathi, "Would you like to win Wimbledon?" and the tennis star says what followed was a partnership that brought many trophies for India.

This "brotherhood" between the two Indian tennis icons, who were the first doubles team from the country to win at Wimbledon in 1999, is what the two tennis legends have revisited through ZEE5's non-fiction series "Break Point".

Paes said the audience will get to see a faithful representation of their journey through the series, directed by filmmaker couple Nitesh Tiwari and Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari.

"We created a brotherhood. And through ‘Break Point’, you get to see the journey of two young Indian boys and how we conquered the world of tennis, won Wimbledon and became number one in the world," Paes told PTI in an interview.

Once the poster boys for the sport in the country, nicknamed the "Indian Express", Paes and Bhupathi played together from 1994 to 2006 and reunited for their second stint from 2008 to 2011.

Besides the Wimbledon championship that they won in 1999, Paes and Bhupathi also won two French Open titles in 1999 and 2001.

Through "Break Point", Paes said he re-lived all the games that he and Bhupathi played together including the several Grand Slams and the Olympics, while also taking note of the ups and downs of their relationship, among other things.

"One of my favourite memories is when I was 16-year-old playing in Sri Lanka, and Mahesh was 15, playing at the same Asian championships. So when I saw him, I had an intuition that we could win Wimbledon together and we could be number one in the world.

"So I watched him play for about 15 minutes and when he came off the court he had a big smile on his face and I shook his hand. I said, 'I am Leander.' and he said, 'I know and I have been following you'. And then I said, 'Thank you, but would you like to win Wimbledon?'" Paes said.

He recalled that Bhupathi was taken aback by what he said and started laughing.

"He said, 'You're crazy.' I said, 'I am crazy. Would you like to win Wimbledon?' And the rest is history," added Paes, who as a singles player had famously won the bronze medal in tennis at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

What Paes respects a lot about Bhupathi is that he believed in his dreams and worked hard for them.

"I think that what we've achieved together has created some world records as we are unbeaten in the Davis Cup in 24 matches, we played so many Olympics together.

"We've been number one in the world together. So I really respect the hard work that you put into believing in that dream." Their partnership, however, was marred by a public fallout in 2012 ahead of the London Olympics but Paes said they have put that past behind them and moved on in their lives.

He described the show as quite "real" and "raw".

"We are very true to telling the story of how we were pioneers at the time because there was no manual to teach us how to be the best in the world.

"And it also shows our mistakes, the downfalls that we had, the things that possibly we did wrong that we could have done better." Personally, for him, his win at Atlanta Olympics is a moment closer to his heart as it seemed like emulating his Olympian father Vece Paes.

The tennis star felt that one of the key reasons why they chose to narrate their own story through "Break Point" is that they wanted to share a true story.

"One of the reasons we didn't choose actors and told it directly from our own mouths and our own stories…and also we got our parents, siblings, friends and opponents that we played against, like the Bryan twins, the Woodies, Martina Hingis, Radek Stepanek, Mark Knowles.

"I'm really appreciative of all of them coming and taking part in ‘Break Point’," he said.

Praising Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and Nitesh Tiwari, Paes said the directors have gone beyond the game and tapped into the human aspect.

"Through all the episodes, they take you through a journey of human emotions. They show you how champions are built, how Champions also make mistakes and that they are human also.

"They show you how winning Wimbledon on one day might make you the king of the world but the next day you are vulnerable too,” he added.

Paes is grateful to the director duo, writer Piyush Gupta and the streaming platform ZEE5 for giving them the platform to narrate their story in multiple languages.

"It's been one phenomenal journey. We proved that if you work hard and if you believe in yourself, have the courage to believe in your dreams, you can be world champions, for sure.

"With this show, we can actually reach the masses to inspire them that if these two can win Wimbledon then you can also be a champion of the world in anything you want to." "Break Point" will stream on ZEE5 on October 1. 

Also Read : Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra meets Abhinav Bindra

News Source : PTI

Sharjah, Sep 24 (Cricket News) Almost out of reckoning for a play-off berth, bottom-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad will look to play party-poopers when they take on an equally struggling Punjab Kings in the IPL's battle of laggards here on Saturday.

Sunrisers suffered their seventh defeat on Wednesday after being blown away by Delhi Capitals and their play-off chances look less than dim as they have managed just two points after eight games.

Punjab, on the other hand, quite inexplicably found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory against Rajasthan Royals and will be desperate to find an answer to their problems after being placed seventh with six points from nine matches.

The Kings were well-placed to win their first IPL game of the UAE leg before committing harakari in the last over bowled by Kartik Tyagi. They lost two wickets and scored just one run while needing four to win against Rajasthan.

Despite being packed with excellent Indian and foreign talent, Punjab Kings have regularly messed up games and skipper KL Rahul will have to address their inconsistency.

Punjab Kings have also lacked any kind of stability over the last 14 seasons with captains and coaches being changed frequently.

Their playing XI too has gone through many changes, something which has drawn sharp criticism from former team mentor Virender Sehwag.

In batting, Rahul and Mayank Agarwal have been one of the most dominant opening duo of the IPL.

In the last game too, they put on 120 runs in 11.5 overs but none of them could stay back to finish the job.

While Chris Gayle can destroy any attack even at the age of 41, he was kept out in the last game.

In the middle-order, Nicholas Pooran, who had a horrendous outing in the first phase, looked good in the last game before he lost his bearings in the final over even as Aiden Markram was left stranded on the other side.

In bowling department, Mohammed Shami has been their prime bowler and he did well to pull things back against RR.

Young Arshdeep Singh also returned with five wickets as he and Shami bowled out RR to 185 in the last game.

However, Punjab's spinners, especially England's Adil Rashid, have disappointed and they will need to step up their game in the next few weeks.

For Sunrisers, it is all about enjoying the remaining few games and ending on a high.

With Johnny Bairstow, their season's leading run-getter, pulling out and Australian opener David Warner in poor form, SRH have found the going tough against Delhi.

The likes of Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Wriddhiman Saha, Kedar Jadhav, Abdul Samad also failed to capitalise on their starts as SRH could manage just 134 in their last game.

Their bowling has been too dependent on spin sensation Rashid Khan and it will be important for the likes of Khaleel Ahmed, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jason Holder to put up a strong show to give some respectability to the team's campaign.

Squads: Punjab Kings: KL Rahul (captain), Mayank Agarwal, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Porel, Shahrukh Khan, Mohammed Shami, Nathan Ellis, Adil Rashid, Murugan Ashwin, Harpreet Brar, Moises Henriques, Chris Jordan, Aiden Markram, Mandeep Singh, Darsan Nalkande, Prabhsimran Singh, Ravi BIshnoi, Utkarsh Singh, Fabian Allen, Saurabh Kumar, Jalaj Saxena.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Kane Williamson (Captain), David Warner, Manish Pandey, Sherfane Rutherford, Wriddhiman Saha, Shreevats Goswami, Rashid Khan, Vijay Shankar, Mohammad Nabi, Abhishek Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddharth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed, T Natarajan, Basil Thampi, Sandeep Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem, Abdul Samad, J Suchith, Jason Holder, Virat Singh, Priyam Garg, Kedar Jadhav, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Jason Roy.

March Starts: 7:30 pm.

Also Read : In the last two games, superstars have been our bowlers: Morgan

News Source : PTI

Abu Dhabi, Sep 24 (Cricket News) Operating like a well-oiled unit, Delhi Capitals will be eager to consolidate their top spot when they clash with a resurgent Rajasthan Royals, who will be keen to keep the winning momentum going in the Indian Premier League here on Saturday.

The Rishabh Pant-led side had a sensational first leg, winning six games in eight outings. They started the second phase on a high by handing laggards Sunrisers Hyderabad an eight-wicket thrashing on Wednesday to maintain their top spot on the points table.

On the other hand, Rajasthan, who were struggling to find their feet in the first leg, will take a lot of confidence after snatching a two-run victory from the jaws of defeat against Punjab Kings.

With the win, they have bridged the gap on the playoff spots. A victory against Delhi will take them to the fourth.

For Rajasthan, youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Mahipal Lomror rose to the occasion with the bat against Punjab but skipper Sanju Samson will be expected to take more responsibility.

In the bowling department, pacers Kartik Tyagi and Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman did the job in the end.

With Punjab needing eight runs to win of the final two overs, Rahman gave away just four in penultimate over before rookie Tyagi bowled a sensational final six balls, picking up two wickets while conceding just one run to seal the side's fourth win of the season.

The former champions will look to keep the winning momentum going and bag two more points but that's easier said than done.

Come Saturday, the Royals will face a tough task against the Delhi team with openers Shikhar Dhawan, the leading run scorer of the tournament this season, and Prithvi Shaw looking in good touch.

Dhawan (422 runs) and Shaw (319 runs) have provided flying starts to their side with six half-centuries between them along with 88 fours and 21 sixes. For any bowling unit, facing the Dhawan-Shaw duo is a scary proposition.

Shreyas Iyer made a stunning return with an unbeaten 47 after missing the first leg due to injury, which is a big positive for the side.

DC also boast of a strong middle-order comprising, skipper Rishabh Pant (248 runs), Australian Steve Smith and Shimron Hetmyer, who can be highly destructive on their day.

In the bowling department, Delhi is unlikely to tinker with their pace attack, as Avesh Khan has been impressive and South African Kagiso Rabada can do the damage early while Anrich Nortje provides the express speed.

Teams (From): Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Prithvi Shaw, Ripal Patel, Shikhar Dhawan, Shimrom Hetmyar, Shreyas Iyer, Steve Smith, Amit Mishra, Anrich Nortje, Avesh Khan, Ben Dwarshuis, Ishant Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Kulwant Khejroliya, Lukman Meriwala, Pravin Dubey, Tom Curran, Umesh Yadav, Axar Patel, Lalit Yadav, Marcus Stoinis, Ravichandran Ashwin, Sam Billings and Vishnu Vinod.

Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (captain), Liam Livingstone, Evin Lewis, David Miller, Chris Morris, Oshane Thomas, Mustafizur Rahaman, Tabraiz Shamsi, Glenn Phillips, Chetan Sakariya, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Akash Singh, Anuj Rawat, KC Cariappa, Yashashvi Jaiswal, Shivam Dube, Shreyas Gopal, Kartik Tyagi, Mayank Markande, Jaydev Unadkat, Kuldip Yadav, Mahipal Lomror.

Match starts at 3:30PM IST.

Also Read : Kolkata Knight Riders defeat Mumbai Indians for the first time since 2019 to enter the top 4

News Source : PTI

Abu Dhabi, Sep 24 (Cricket News) Rajasthan Royals' latest hero Kartik Tyagi says touring Australia as the Indian team's net bowler last year benefited him greatly, during which time he also received tips from pace ace, Jasprit Bumrah.

The pacer defended four runs in the final over to guide his side to a famous win over Punjab Kings in the IPL on Tuesday.

"When I went to Australia, I learnt a lot. Lot of players were injured and a youngster can also win the tournament and I also want to win matches for India," said Tyagi.

Mumbai Indians pacer Bumrah had lavished praise on Tyagi after his last-over heroics against Punjab.

"When I went to Australia, I didn't go to Jasprit bhaiya because I was nervous but he came to me and discussed many things with me and it was a big moment," he said.

"Personally when I saw that he had tweeted about me, I felt very happy because he is among the world's best bowlers and he is my hero and he has tweeted about me." In the last over against Punjab, the pacer said he looked to bowl six yorkers. He ended up taking two wickets while conceding just one run to seal a two-run win for RR.

"When Mustafizur Rahman was bowling, it didn't seem that the match will go till the last over because a left-hander was batting and left-arm fast bowler was bowling and it was a shorter end," Tyagi said during a virtual press conference on Friday.

"But as he gave just four runs the match reached last over, there was little pressure and excitement too, but I didn't think I will be able to defend the score.

"When I had bowled three balls, I started having the belief that probably it is possible and then when in the last ball it happened, I felt very happy." Tyagi said he didn't feel any pressure when he was asked to bowl the final over.

"When I was in the run-up, Sanju bhaiya (Sanju Samson), Chris Morris, they asked me what was my plans and also discussed their plans. They supported a lot," he said.

"I didn't feel any pressure because four was needed in six balls. I would have been in more pressure if I needed to defend 10 runs in six balls because people will naturally think that we have lost the match because it is possible to score 4 runs in six balls.

"I too felt that it will be chased in 3-4 balls because even if they take four singles it will be over but once I bowled three balls, everybody started believing that the match can turn now and I was clear that I need to bowl six yorkers in six balls." Asked about his ambition as a player, Tyagi said: "I know that I can swing the ball both ways and I can also bowl fast. I have a dream to be the best so I think I should always help the team in every situation and do well in future.

"If I am asked to bowl with the new ball, I can swing it and also bowl fast in the middle overs because I consider them my strengths and as I grow in age, I will also gather more experience, so I would look to help RR." Rajasthan will take on table-toppers Delhi Capitals on Saturday and Tyagi said he is just focussing on the process.

"Not only Delhi capitals, all the teams are good. So I am not planning against any particular team, I am just following the process. Like even in last over, I had to bowl just six balls, so I just want to follow the process," he said.

Also Read : Nortje praises Pant's game sense, says, he can project what's going to happen next

News Source : PTI

Karachi, Sep 24 (Cricket News) England cricket's players body has claimed that its inputs were not sought by the country's Board when it decided to call off the tour of Pakistan, a revelation that has come as a "surprise" to the PCB.

New Zealand abandoned and England pulled out of scheduled assignments in Pakistan in quick succession citing security concerns. England also gave players' mental health as a reason for the withdrawal.

Team England Player Partnership (TEPP), a body formed in 2001 "to look after the needs of professional England cricketers and work closely with the ECB to ensure that their rights are protected", issued a statement to say that it had no role in the pullout.

"At no stage has the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) ever asked Team England Player Partnership or the teams, men and women, whether the tour should go ahead or whether players were prepared to tour Pakistan," a TEPP spokesperson was quoted as saying by British media.

"At no stage has Team England Player Partnership informed the ECB that the players would not be touring. The ECB board met last Sunday to debate the tour to Pakistan.

"That afternoon we were informed the tour had been cancelled. Team England Player Partnership was not asked for our input and we were not involved in the decision to cancel the tour," the spokesperson added.

This has surprised the Pakistan Cricket Board hierarchy because the ECB clearly gave the impression that it called off the tour taking into account the players mental welfare and well-being.

"Amazing that is what this situation is. Rest assured we will be taking up this matter with the ECB in light of this clarification from the players body," one board official said.

PCB's Chairman Ramiz Raja has been on the warpath ever since New Zealand abruptly abandoned its tour and returned home and one day later the ECB announced it was not sending its men's and Women's teams for short tours next month.

A reliable source in the board said that Raja, after speaking to the patron in chief of the PCB, prime minister Imran Khan, has been busy consulting legal experts about the next line of action when the International Cricket Council (ICC) Executive Board meets during the T20 World Cup next month.

"Pakistan is studying all legal resources it can take to demand compensation from the two boards," the source said.

Raja and the Pakistan World Cup squad members were invited for a chat by Imran Khan earlier this week and the premier had urged the players to play fearless cricket during the World Cup, saying that they should seek revenge with their performance after cancellation of two major tours.

"Pakistan is a safe country. You should focus on improving your performances... God willing, Pakistan will host international cricket soon," the Pakistan PM was quoted as saying to the players.

Imran apparently asked the team to perform like "cornered tigers" and also urged captain Babar Azam to lead from the front as Pakistan needed to make a point at the World Cup.

"Ramiz and CEO Wasim Khan, who will go for the ICC meeting, will be taking a hard stance in the board and it has been decided to push other boards to have a clear policy on security issues while finalising bilateral tours specially with Pakistan," the source said.

Also Read : Sri Lanka Premier League to take place in December

News Source : PTI

(Football news) Real Madrid are flying in the La Liga with 5 wins and a draw so far in the campaign. Los Blancos look unbeatable at the moment but Atlético Madrid are just 2 points behind their city rivals. FC Barcelona are in 7th place right now and if some things aren't sorted quickly then the Catalan's season might be derailed to a point where a European spot would be a luxury.

Real Madrid last Wednesday ran riot against Mallorca as they won 6-1. Los Blancos now sit on top of the table and remain unbeaten. Carlo Ancelotti has already worked his magic on the squad and Real Madrid are back playing attacking football. Real Madrid have scored 22 goals in 7 matches which is the highest a Real Madrid side has scored at this stage since the 1987/88 season.

Los Blancos host Villarreal on Saturday to try and keep their place at the top of the table. Long term absentees Ferland Mendy, Marcelo, Toni Kroos, Gareth Bale and Dani Ceballos remain unavailable while Dani Carvajal is the latest to join the treatment room. Unai Emery's side are sitting 12th on the table. The Europa league champions have won just 1 and drawn 4 league games so far. It's going to take some performance to beat Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Also read: Has Carlo Ancelotti rescued Marco Asensio's career with the position change?

Atletico Madrid play Deportivo Alaves away from home. Diego Simeone's men came back from 1 goal down to win 2-1 against 10 men Getafe midweek. Atletico Madrid are also yet to lose a game but haven't been as comfortable and commanding as their city rivals. Alaves sit bottom of the table having lost all 5 games. Atletico would be looking to get a commanding victory to make a statement. Joao Felix is yet to recover from his injury and will be unavailable while the fitness of Hector Herrera, Marcos Paulo, Santiago Arias, Thomas Lemar remains unclear.

These are worrying times for FC Barcelona with the Blaugrana failing to win their last 3 games. Barcelona are yet to lose a game in the league but their performances have been lackluster. The Catalans have a long list of absentees consisting of Ansu Fati, Martin Braithwaite, Pedri, Sergio Aguero, Ousmane Dembélé and Jordi Alba. Barcelona host Levante after their goalless draw away at Cadiz. Levante are yet to win a match in the league this season and they wouldn't get a better chance to get a victory at the Camp Nou

New Delhi, Sep 24 (Football News) Veteran India midfielder Sanju Pradhan is currently busy preparing for the challenges that lie ahead in the I-League Qualifiers with his new club FC Bengaluru United.

However, till he had joined his teammates for their pre-season routines, the 32-year-old was busy giving back to society.

Active footballers do not get to spend a great deal of time at home, and when Sanju was afforded such an opportunity, he used the time to help out the people in need in his native village of Daramdin in Sikkim.

Sanju, who has represented India as well on the international level, has opened his own football academy in Sikkim, through which he attempts to do his social work.

"I myself am from a no-so-affluent background, so I understand when people come to me and ask for help," Sanju told i-league.org.

During normal situations, Sanju and the band of aspiring footballers who train in his academy send relief rations to the forces that are stationed near the area. However, it has been different ever since the pandemic struck.

"Normally we send such relief rations to the forces, like SSB, BSF, and Police. They have to work in harsh conditions, and we always try to help them out. But this time, during the pandemic, many people lost their jobs, or have not been able to get the basic necessities," said Sanju.

"We have had so many requests that we decided to help out anyone who needed aid." "The Pandemic has affected so many people across so many towns and villages. People in the rural areas have been affected even more, especially the daily wage workers," he continued.

"But what is so good to see is that its not just the academy kids who have come out to help this time. The people of our locality have also come out to help one and all, and that is heartening to see.

"We send relief rations to people that are in need. It is basic stuff like rice, dal, oil, sugar, salt – just the essential, but if that helps people in any way, we are happy." While Sanju Pradhan is with his club FC Bengaluru United, playing in the Durand Cup, before travelling to Bengaluru for the I-League Qualifiers, the work in his hometown continues.

"It's very important for me to be able to help, especially since I am also from a family of poor farmers. Football has given me a lot of things in life, and I feel that it is also important to give back to society.

"It's as big an achievement for me as winning any tournament," he said.

Also Read : Former Real Madrid Coach Ángel Garcia Becomes SC East Bengal assistant coach

News Source : PTI

Vadodara, Sep 24 (Cricket News) Former Australian cricketer and World Cup-winning coach Dav Whatmore has joined the Baroda team as its head coach for the upcoming domestic season.

The development was confirmed to PTI by Baroda Cricket Association secretary Ajit Lele on Friday.

"He (Whatmore) joined the day before yesterday as the head coach and he will guide other coaches also, other age groups," Lele said.

The 67-year-old Whatmore has got years of experience in top-flight cricket and was coach of the Sri Lankan team that won the World Cup in 1996.

He then went on to coach various teams and in the Indian domestic circuit, he has had Kerala under his tutelage.

His last assignment was with Nepal.

The BCCI has already announced the domestic schedule for the 2021-22 season and this time the Ranji Trophy will also be played after it had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic last season.

Also Read : Women's ODI: Mandhana's 86 steers India to 274/7 against Australia

News Source : PTI

Kolkata, Sep 24 (Football News) Former Real Madrid coach Angel Puebla Garcia has been appointed as the deputy to SC East Bengal head coach Manuel 'Manolo' Diaz, the club announced on Friday.

He will also be fulfilling the responsibilities of a strength and fitness coach.

With close to two decades of coaching experience, Garcia has worked with the likes of Vicente del Bosque at Real Madrid between 1993-94 and Rafa Benitez in Real Madrid and Real Valladolid between 1994-1996 as both football conditioning and assistant coach.

A UEFA Pro License holder who has also cut his teeth in sports science, fitness and conditioning with multiple degrees to show for, Garcia has worked closely with players of the ilk of David Villa and David Silva also working with the Georgia national team in 2008.

"I am happy to be part of such a big club like SC East Bengal. I have worked in some of the finest football clubs and with some of the best coaches. I know what it takes to bring the winning mentality and that is what we will try to do here," Garcia said.

"I am looking forward for the challenge ahead and I can't wait to get started," he added.

Garcia was the chief executive of Real Valladolid's academy and Kimberley College Football Academy in Brisbane (Australia). Having worked in four continents, Garcia was last attached to Newell's Old Boys in Argentina, where he was the assistant coach to Germán Burgos.

Garcia has worked with players like Raúl, Fernando Morientes, Emilio Butragueño, Rafael Martín Vázquez, Iván Zamorano and Maxi Rodríguez besides also training Spanish world champions Villa, Silva, Álvaro Arbeloa, Carlos Marchena and Raúl Albiol.

He has worked with Al Wasl in Dubai, also plying his trade with Evergrande Football School in China. Garcia was assistant coach to Héctor Cúper in Turkey as well for FC Orduspor. He worked with Cúper at Racing de Santander before that also being part of his team at Greek club Aris FC.

Meanwhile, former Indian football star Renedy Singh will continue to remain assistant coach of SC East Bengal and will be part of Diaz's backroom staff.

Former India captain Renedy was part of Robbie Fowler's coaching team as well in SC East Bengal debut season in the Indian Super League.

Also Read : Mumbai City secure loan move for Brazilian striker Catatau

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Sep 24 (Cricket News) He might have played just one match under Rishabh Pant's leadership as of now but South African speedster Anrich Nortje is impressed by Delhi Capitals' skipper's match reading skills and ability to project what's there in the offing.

Nortje, world's fastest bowler missed out on the first phase of IPL due to an injury.

The match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he got 2/12, was the first game that he played under Pant's captaincy.

"It's difficult to say just after one game. But all in all, he is good in understanding the game from what I have seen. He is a keeper as well and sees things differently," Nortje said ahead of Capitals' game against Rajasthan Royals.

"He has got a good eye of what's going to happen in the game, and that's really nice having that especially as a captain.

"The simple things like being good with angles and where fielders need to be placed, projecting what's going to happen, really nice having him at the back," Nortje said of his new skipper having played under Shreyas Iyer last time.

Without an iota of doubt, Nortje is currently the fastest bowler in world cricket and has bowled the top eight fastest deliveries of the IPL which includes a lot of 150 plus thunderbolts.

The highest recorded speed this IPL has been 151.71 kmph.

"I don't think about bowling speeds on the field but I do think about it when I am doing my strength training. High speed is not something I search for on the field. I just try to hit the right lengths while bowling during a game." Having Kagiso Rabada as a new ball partner has also helped him as their relation has become stronger over the years.

"KG learnt quite a lot. We are quite comfortable with each other and our relation has grown as we get along well.

"We chat simple stuff, like getting on top of off-stump, cliches, just about finding how to do it, knowing what you say to each other, building on it. How he bowls in certain situations in certain wickets," Nortje cited the advantages of having Rabada in his corner.

When asked about his experience of working with head coach Ricky Ponting, Nortje said, "I love his chats and he breaks things down very nicely and makes everything easy to understand." "He's quite clear on what he wants. I am trying to learn as much as possible from him. We enjoy working with him and hopefully, we can grow as a unit with him." Asked if he has shared some tricks of the trade with young fast bowler Avesh Khan, the Proteas speedster was waxed eloquent about the Indian's yorkers.

"Some of us have been looking at how Avesh is landing his yorkers and how he has been going about things. He has been so good for us.

"It was especially nice to see him land his yorkers in the first half of the season in India. It's been so nice to see him progress as a bowler."

Also read : I respect team's decision to let Pant stay as captain: Iyer

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Sep 24 (Cricket News) Uncapped medium pacer Umran Malik was on Friday named as a short-term COVID-19 replacement for T Natarajan in the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad for the ongoing Indian Premier League.

Natarajan had tested positive for COVID-19 before the team's fixture against Delhi Capitals on Wednesday.

"Sunrisers Hyderabad have brought in medium pacer Umran Malik as a short-term COVID-19 replacement for T Natarajan for their VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 campaign," an IPL release stated.

The 21-year-old Malik has played one T20 and List A match for Jammu Kashmir and has picked a total of four wickets. He is already part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad as a net bowler.

"Under the Regulation 6.1 (c), franchises are allowed to sign a short-term replacement player until the original squad member is permitted to re-enter the team's bio-secure environment." "Hence, Malik will only be a part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad side until Natarajan recovers and is allowed to join the team," the release added.

The left-arm pacer is currently under isolation for 10 days and will have to test negative twice before being allowed back into the bubble.

The 30-year-old Natarajan has 20 IPL wickets from 24 matches.

Also Read : SRH's India player T Natarajan tests positive, match against DC to go ahead as scheduled

News Source : PTI

Jamshedpur, Sep 24 (Football News) The Indian women's football team will play multiple international friendlies, starting next week in the UAE, as part of its preparation for the 2022 AFC Asian Cup at home.

According to the itinerary unveiled by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the women's team, which has been training in a camp in Jamshedpur for around a month, will play two friendlies against the United Arab Emirates and Tunisia. The team will leave for the UAE on September 30.

The Indian Women's Team will then travel to Bahrain to play two more friendlies against Bahrain and Chinese Taipei.

That is likely to be followed by a brief stint in Sweden, where they are set to face two Damallsvenskan league teams, subject to permission to Indian citizens arriving in Sweden from relevant authorities.

"Besides the four matches against UAE, Tunisia, Chinese Taipei and Bahrain, we also have two confirmed matches against two Swedish premier league teams," Head Coach Thomas Dennerby said in a release issued by AIFF.

"We are in the process of sorting out the travel protocol to the country as entry of Indian citizens to Sweden is still not open yet.

"I appreciate the efforts of the AIFF in finding us teams willing to play matches against us under such circumstances." Dennerby said the quarantine rules in different countries in wake of COVID-19 has left India with very few options.

"We have been training in Jamshedpur for a month, in our quest to prepare for the AFC Women's Asian Cup India 2020 (January-February)," he said.

"Unfortunately, the current pandemic situation is tough and the reality is that there are different quarantine restrictions in different countries which kills many options for the Indian teams as entry for Indians in some countries is either still not yet open, or involves a major quarantine period." Dennerby has already spoken about the importance of playing quality matches to get the girls match fit ahead of the big tournament, and he believes that the friendlies in UAE and Bahrain will help the team assess itself.

"The matches in UAE and Bahrain will allow us to judge ourselves where we stand against some good competitive opponents. Teams need to build up their defence, and also the build-up process, and all of that is judged in an international match," the coach said.

The Indian women's team, as part of their preparation for the AFC Asian Cup, will be based out of Jamshedpur, training in facilities provided by the Jharkhand Government.

"It's difficult to arrange such things during a pandemic, and it has been very helpful to have the facilities to train in Jamshedpur. The Jharkhand Government has left no stone unturned in providing us with the necessary facilities, and we are all thankful for that," he said.

"I hope with the correct mixture of training and friendlies against quality opponents, we can be more than ready for the Asian Cup."

Also Read : Kochi to host women's international tournament in December ahead of AFC Asian Cup next year

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Virat Kohli’s side will be looking to get back to winning ways after a very disappointing loss to KKR in their first game back. With five wins from eight matches, Kohli's team still look in a good position to qualify. On the other hand, Chennai Super Kings will be looking to reclaim the top spot and virtually put one foot in the playoffs.

CSK will again be looking at their openers to give them a good start to the game so that the middle order batsman can play with a freedom. Ruturaj Gaikwad will be the man to watch out as he made 88* against a good Mumbai bowling attack on a tricky pitch, with the match being played at Sharjah we can expect some big hitting from him. While Curran may be available for selection, CSK just might persist with Dwayne Bravo for his experience as he offers a better death bowling pedigree. Ambati Rayudu suffered a bad bruising on his elbow the previous match, it remains to be seen if he plays or not. Jadeja’s matchup against Maxwell might be an intriguing watch as he has dismissed him 5 times in 36 balls in the IPL.

RCB might just be interested in playing Navdeep Saini but it could be a gamble especially when we have seen that a little extra pace is helping the batsman in these conditions. Virat and RCB management will look to strengthen their middle order as too much dependence is on the top four. Tim David might get picked instead of Hasaranga as his explosive batting style along with playing in the same venue not long ago and also short boundaries might just help him get selected. The strike rate of Suresh Raina this IPL against pacers has been 91, something Virat will look to exploit with Kyle Jamesion and Siraj.

Also read: Kolkata Knight Riders defeat Mumbai Indians for the first time since 2019 to enter the top 4

Head to head: CSK 17- 9 RCB, Chennai have won the 9 out of 11 encounters also, the last time they played together CSK won comfortably by 69 runs as it was a Ravindra Jadeja show, he scored 62* off 28 and took 3-13 with the ball.

Pitch and Weather report: Sharjah Cricket Stadium is usually a batters paradise, with the pitches mostly being flat and with short boundaries we can expect few runs to be scored. The bowlers need to be inch perfect to get their desired result. The temperature is going to hover around 35 degrees with no chance of rain at all.

Interesting facts:

• Harshal Patel has dismissed Faf du Plessis twice in 13 balls and has dismissed Rayudu four times in 36 balls.
• MS Dhoni has scored 824 runs against RCB, which is most against a single franchise
• Virat has scored 151 runs off 98 delivers against Dwayne Bravo without being dismissed
• Virat is 66 runs off making 10,000 runs in T20
• Sharjah has 56 T20s out of which 36 have been won by the team batting second.

Probable XI for CSK:

Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c&wk), Dwayne Bravo/Sam Curran, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Josh Hazlewood

Probable XI for RCB:

Virat Kohli (c), Devdutt Padikkal, KS Bharat (wk), Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers, Tim David/Wanindu Hasaranga, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Navdeep Saini

Mumbai, Sep 24 (Football News) Reigning Indian Super League (ISL) champions Mumbai City FC have signed forward Ygor Catatau on a season-long loan from Brazilian side Madureira Esporte Clube.

The Brazilian striker started his professional career with Madureira before making the jump to the first team in 2015 and was loaned out to clubs like Barra da Tijuca and Boa Esporte in his initial years.

Catatau then signed on a one-season loan deal with CR Vasco da Gama, where he featured in the Brasileiro Série A and Copa do Brasil during the 2020/21 season.

Earlier in March 2021, the 26-year-old player was loaned to Série B side EC Vitoria, where he made 27 appearances for the club and scored three goals, including one assist to his name.

Catatau's move to Mumbai City FC will be his first experience playing outside of his native Brazil, stated a media statement issued by the club on Friday.

Ygor Catatau, on his part said, "Joining Mumbai City and coming to the ISL is a new challenge for me in my career and I'm extremely excited about it." "For all of us at the club, we want to deliver in what I'm aware is going to be an important season for us," he added.

Also Read : Odisha FC reveal home kit for the new Indian Super League season

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Sep 24 (Boxing News) Tell Shiva Thapa that he is the most seasoned boxer in the Indian squad for next month's world championships and the newly-crowned national gold-medallist takes a pause to reflect before trying to downplay that description.

At 27, he is a five-time Asian medallist and would be competing in his third world championship in Belgrade, Serbia from October 24. Adding to his credit is the fact that Thapa is among just the six male boxers from India who have a medal at amateur boxing's biggest showpiece after the Olympics.

"Being the most experienced means more responsibility. I would like to look at it this way. My job would be to ensure there is a good vibe in the squad, keep the fire ignited going forward," the light welterweight (63.5kg) boxer, the only Indian male with that many Asian medals, told PTI in an interview.

The two-time Olympian has been rebuilding after falling off the radar for a while. He couldn't make the cut for Tokyo Olympics as his rival in the weight category, Manish Kaushik, claimed the slot in the very first qualifier.

But never the one to look back or rue missed opportunities, the former youth Olympics silver-winner made a statement with his fifth Asian championship medal in May earlier this year.

Now with the national title under his belt in Bellary on Tuesday, Thapa is eager to become the first Indian male boxer to grab a second world championship medal come October.

"This was the most intense national championship that I have been a part of. Perhaps because the gold-winners were to be picked for the world championship. But seriously, I could not take it easy against even one guy," he said.

Despite the stiff challenge, he did manage to score one Knockout win during the tournament.

"The challenge coming to Bellary was my preparation. It wasn't particularly great. I was training at home but it is not the same as being in a camp. So, I called up my good friend (and fellow boxer) Kavinder (Bisht), who is with the Air Force and he invited me to join him in Bengaluru for training at their camp," he said.

"I landed here a few days before the Nationals and those 3-4 days were very helpful in getting me ready," he elaborated.

His world championship experience has been bitter-sweet. Thapa won a medal in 2015 but in 2017, when the event was held in Hamburg, a stomach ailment forced him to withdraw without competing.

As has been his approach, the soft-spoken Assamese prefers to look ahead instead of reflecting on the time that has slipped out of his grip.

"We have a really good team. And I believe all of us are going to do well. It is my third world championship and it would be memorable if I win a medal," he said.

The performance would be crucial because Indian men's boxing needs to recover from an underwhelming Olympics, where only one of the five in fray made it past the preliminary round.

"It's easy to sit outside and judge. Nobody likes to lose. They all prepared and they gave their best. There are factors which are beyond everyone, it is a contact sport, never forget that," said Thapa, trying to make sense of the campaign which is being reviewed at present by the national federation.

"Hopefully, the world championship will go well for us. I am really looking forward to it," he added.

Aside from being a trial for the worlds, the national championship this year brought back the head guards to ensure that cuts and bruises could be kept low. Thapa said it was a good move.

"I have competed both with and without head guards. I would say, having head guards is good for something like the Nationals where you are competing everyday because it certainly minimises the risk of cuts," he said.

"At something like the world championships where there is gap between bouts, it is fine without head guards," he explained.

The preparations for the world event will get underway in the next few days but before that, there is another competition for which Thapa has to be ready, albeit in front of a computer at Sivasagar, more than 300km from his base in Guwahati on Sunday.

"I have to appear for an exam to gain promotion in ONGC, where I am employed. I will become an officer once I do that. The exam is on September 26, I have the course material with me, so I don't have too much breathing space right now.

"Lot of running around because I have to go to Sivasagar (ONGC office) from Guwahati, where I live. But I am not complaining, it is always better to be on the move than being stagnant," he laughed.

Also Read : Shiva, Sanjeet, Deepak, Rohit win gold in Men's Boxing Nationals; book spots for Worlds

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news)  All-rounder Matthew Humphreys starred for Ireland Under-19s with both bat and ball to lift Ireland to victory over Scotland, securing place in the ICC Men’s Under-19s World Cup Europe Qualifier final today.
 
After winning the toss, captain Tim Tector decided to bat first  however,  opener Nathan McGuire was dismissed early for 6, with some accurate Scottish bowling, Ireland was restricted to 28-1 after the first power-play.
 
Yesterday’s century-making hero Jack Dickson was bowled for 15, with his dismissal triggering a middle-order collapse. The Irish batting line-up lost 4-21 in 11 overs to be precariously positioned at 58-5 in the 25th over  and were staring at a big defeat, missing out on the Final of the tournament.
 
Scott Macbeth and Liam Doherty stabilised the innings with a 6th wicket stand of 44 runs, however both fell within eight runs of each other and Ireland was once again looking at a well below par total, sitting on 100-7 with 14 overs still available.
 
The Irish were looking for one of the lower-order to contribute in the latter overs, and up stepped Humphreys. He struck two sixes and two fours in a run-a-ball innings of 32 as he found some support from Jamie Forbes (2) who held up an end while Humphreys began to find the boundary, and the pair’s put up a 28-run partnership for the 8th wicket gave their side the first glimpse of hope in setting a low total, but possibly defendable target.
 
Scottish left-arm spinner Oliver Davidson eventually cleaned up the tail, claiming a five-wicket haul, and Ireland ended on 139 from 44.4 overs.
 
If they had any chance of defeating the table-topping Scots, the Irish bowlers needed a positive start, and it was that man Humphreys that struck in the first over – his wicket maiden opening over would then set the tone for the rest of the innings.
 
Captain Tector effected a run out in the 6th over to have Scotland at 7-2, but Tomas Mackintosh looked to counter-attack. He reeled off five boundaries in a quickfire 24, Humphreys trapped him in front with Scotland looking adrift at 25-3.

Also read: Ireland Under-19s win over Jersey in the World Cup qualifiers as Jack Dickson stars in it
 
Ireland sensed their opportunity and made it count. The Irish bowlers, backed up by good fielding, never let up the pressure and wickets tumbled as a result. In all, Scotland lost their last seven wickets for just 12 runs in 10 overs as the side in green were ruthless.
 
Player of the Match Humphreys finished with 4-11 from 10 overs (including four maidens) and McGuire claimed 3-7 from his 4.2 overs of his final delivery which bowled Sean Fischer-Keogh sparked wild celebrations as the Irish camp knew they had booked a place in Saturday’s final, which determines the side that goes through to the Under-19s World Cup in 2022.
 
Scotland  are currently in second place  as they can only watch on tomorrow as Netherlands meets Jersey in the last match of the tournament. A big win tomorrow by the Dutch may see them leap over the Scots on net run rate. Meanwhile the Irish squad has a rest day, and can begin preparing for the final.
 
MATCH SUMMARY  
   
Ireland U19s v Scotland U19s, ICC U19 World Cup Qualifier Group Game 1, Desert Springs Cricket Ground, 23 September 2021  
   
Ireland U19s 139 (44.4 overs; M Humphreys 32, S Macbeth 31; O Davidson 5-23)
Scotland U19s 44 (23.2 overs: T Mackintosh 24; M Humphreys 4-11, N McGuire 3-7, C Doak 1-2)  
   
Ireland U19s won by 95 runs   
 

Mackay (Australia), Sep 24 (Cricket News) Opener Smriti Mandhana hit a patient 86 to guide India to a competitive 274 for 7 against Australia in the second women’s ODI of the three-match series here on Friday.

Mandhana hit 11 boundaries to register her 19th half-century after the visitors were sent in to bat. She shared two crucial partnerships -- 76 runs with Richa Ghosh (44) and 74 runs with Shafali Verma (22) -- to help India set up a good total.

It is the highest total scored against Australia since their 25-match winning streak started in 2018.

India were off to a flying start with Mandhana and Shafali (22) racing to 68/0 in the first 10 overs, their best in the 10 ODIs they have played this year.

But the threatening opening stand was soon broken by spinner Sophie Molineux in the 12th over as she dismissed the latter.

A mix up then led to skipper Mithali Raj’s (8) run out followed by Yastika Bhatia’s (3) departure as the hosts made a strong comeback.

Mandhana and Ghosh then steadied the ship, keeping the scoreboard ticking but the opener sliced it straight to point which marked the end of her innings.

Pooja Vastrakar (29) and Jhulan Goswami (28 not out) added 53 runs to help India breach the 250-run mark.

Tahlia McGrath (3/45) was the pick of the bowlers for Australia with Molineux (2/28) picking two wickets.

India bowlers, who were pedestrian in the series opener, will need to do a much better job to stop Australia.

Brief Scores: India 274 for 7 in 50 overs (Smriti Mandhana 86, Richa Ghosh 44; Tahlia McGrath (3/45), Sophie Molineux (2/28), Darcie Brown (1/63) 

Also Read : Women's ODI: Australia win toss, put India in to bat

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Sept 24 (Hockey News) He played a pivotal role in India's historic hockey bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics and midfielder Simranjeet Singh's next aim is to further hone his skills to become a regular feature in the team for the upcoming events, including next year's Asian Games.

Singh had scored twice as the Indian men's team defeated Germany 5-4 in the thrilling bronze-medal play-off at Tokyo.

"I feel very fortunate, honestly. It was a great experience I had in Tokyo and my aim was to execute the role I was given to perfection," he said in a release issued by Hockey India (HI) on Friday.

"Now, I am waiting to return to the camp and analyse our performance in detail and understand the areas I can further work on and improve." Singh was part of the India Colts team that lifted the FIH Junior Men's World Cup in Lucknow back in 2016.

"That victory in Lucknow truly changed our lives for good. It really was the stepping stone for many of us and the journey so far has been fantastic," he said.

"From here on, my aim is only to get better and be part of India's upcoming campaigns at the FIH Hockey Pro League, Asian Games and so on. There is still a lot that I feel I can improve upon." With the FIH Men's Junior World Cup scheduled to be held in India starting November 24, Singh is excited that the best talents from across the world will get to experience the facilities in Bhubaneswar.

"It is great that the best junior players from across the globe will get to experience the world-class facilities in Bhubaneswar.

"We have played in many venues across the world but playing in Odisha is always special because of the facilities there, the Odisha State Government's hospitality and the fans.

"I am really happy that hockey festivities are returning to India after nearly two years of no action in the country due to COVID-19. I hope all the players enjoy the tournament and wish them good luck," Singh signed off.

Also Read : Odisha to host Hockey Junior World Cup in Nov-Dec: CM

News Source : PTI

(Football news) Barcelona made it three games without victory as they are finding life without Messi tough. On the other hand Atletico brushed off their disappointing draw by winning against Getafe, Carlo Ancelloti created history as his team have scored more goals after six games than any other La Liga team since Barcelona in 2013.

Barcelona drew 0-0 against Cadiz in what was a very disappointing performance by them as it further mounts pressure on Ronald Koeman to save his job. Koeman was under pressure heading into the match but with this draw, the Barcelona hierarchy will surely reevaluate their decision to keep him at the club going forward. Barca were fortunate to even get a point in the match as Marc Andre ter Stegen saved them several times towards the end, Frenkie de Jong received his second yellow card in the 65th minute as it made it even harder for them to win. Memphis was guilty of squandering several good chances in the first half as their performance in the second half lacked intensity and passion.

With this result Barca set some unwanted records as this is the lowest goal tally for Barca since 2003 at this stage, they also notably have picked up two red cards this season. After the nil-nil, Barca are placed 7th in the league having won two, drawn 3 and collected 9 points so far.

"You have to always try to win each game, but you have to be realistic, you have to see the squad we have, the people we're missing," said Koeman.  Meanwhile, club president Joan Laporta said “If we have to make decisions at a certain time, we will take them". 

Atletico Madrid came back from behind to win 2-1 against Getafe, in the first half chances were few and far, but just when the half was about to end Jan Oblak failed to clear a freekick which was scored by Stefan Mitrovic courtesy of Nemanja Maksimovic’s cross. The story of the second was completely different as Atleti asserted their dominance, this pressure showed as Carles Alena got sent off for a high challenge. Atleti finally took the lead through their talisman Luis Suarez as he poked the ball past Soria from 10 yards, the game was looking like a draw but a hopeful ball by Vrsaljko found Suarez unmarked, he made no mistake at the back post and handed them important three points.With this result Atletico Madrid have 14 points just two points of Real Madrid.

Also read: Has Carlo Ancelotti rescued Marco Asensio's career with the position change?

Sevilla beat Valencia 3-1 at home to go fourth in the table and mount an unlikely title challenge. Sevilla blew away their opponents in the opening 22 minutes as goals from Pau Gomez, Montiel and new signing Rafa Mir virtually sealed the game for them in the first half. Valencia grabbed a goal through Hugo Duro and managed to gain some control in the first half but never looked threatening to make an unlikely comeback. With this result Sevilla are fourth with 11 points but have played a match less and Valencia are 5th with 10 points.

Other notable results were:   

• Villarreal 4 (Pino, Trigueros, Groeneveld, Moreno) - 1 Elche (Mojica)
• Granada 2 (Sánchez, Milla) - 3 Real Sociedad (Elustondo x2, Merino)
• Athletic Club 1 (Ciss) - 2 Rayo Vallecano (Garcia, Falcao)
• Osasuna 1(Kike) - 3 Real Betis (Hermoso, Juanmi, William Jose)

Abu Dhabi, Sep 24 (Cricket News) Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is "close to playing" but Mumbai Indians won't rush him back as the franchise is also keeping in mind the needs of the Indian team while managing his workload, MI bowling coach Shane Bond said.

Pandya, who has hardly bowled ever since returning to action after a back surgery last year, missed his second successive IPL game in the UAE leg but Bond asserted that the Baroda player was training well and hopefully will make a mark in the business end of the tournament.

"Look, Hardik is training well, like Rohit. He is getting closer to playing. We are obviously balancing the needs of our team with the needs of Team India as well," Bond said at the post-match press conference when asked about Hardik's status.

Mumbai Indians suffered a seven-wicket loss to Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday in their IPL game. It was after their 20-run loss to Chennai Super Kings in the first game after resumption.

"The one thing that this franchise does very well is look after its players with an eye on not only to try and win this competition but also on the T20 World Cup that's following on," said the former New Zealand speedster.

"We are hopeful that Hardik will be back for the next match. As I said, he has trained today and trained pretty well by all counts." Mumbai head coach Mahela Jayawardene had earlier said that Hardik was kept out of the IPL game against Chennai Super Kings as a precautionary measure as he had a little niggle.

Bond backed the team management's decision to not play Hardik in the first two matches.

"We are obviously desperate to put him back out on the field. But like anything you have to balance everything up, you have to also consider what the player wants," he said.

"There's also no point rushing him back to get injured to miss the rest of the tournament when we may have a chance to win it.

"I think we are doing the right thing and hopeful (that) we will get him back shortly and he'll have an impact on the back-end of the tournament and get us into the playoffs and hopefully win the tournament from there." On Thursday, Mumbai Indians were restricted to sub-par 155 and Bond said that the defending champions were well short of the score.

"I think it was a 175-180 kind of wicket and we were well short of the score. And KKR bowled beautifully, bowled disciplined and then came out and really put us under pressure with the bat and dominated the game and they really deserved to win," said the 46-year-old.

Bond conceded that his team was completely outplayed by the Eoin Morgan-led KKR.

"Today, they played well. You have to give them credit. They were positive, put us under pressure. We bowled some balls that by our standards weren't good enough," he said.

"You can say that they put pressure on us and we weren’t good enough to respond. Look, we have won four of the last six tournaments on the back of some brilliant bowling performances.

"We will improve, I am sure, over the next coming outings. I am not concerned about that. We were just outplayed today but expect a lot better from us in our next game." 

Also Read : RCB seek return to winning ways against resilient CSK

News Source : PTI

Yankton (USA), Sep 24 (Archery News) The Indian compound archery trio of Ankita Bhakat, Abhishek Verma and Jyothi Surekha Vennam kept medal hopes alive in the individual competition by advancing to the quarterfinals of their events in the World Championships here.

India have already confirmed two medals by entering the compound women and mixed finals slated in the early hours of Saturday.

In the individual event, Ankita produced the biggest upset on Thursday when the 23-year-old Kolkata archer held her nerves to eliminate Korean world number four Kang Chae-Young, a team Olympic gold-medallist at the recently-concluded Tokyo Games.

Ankita dropped just one set to defeat the Korean heavyweight 6-4 (29-28, 28-28, 27-27, 24-29, 29-28) and set up a quarterfinal clash with Casey Kaufhold of the USA later in the day.

Ankita started off in spectacular fashion, shooting two 10s en route to 29 out of 30, mounting early pressure on the reigning Olympic team champion.

Thereafter, both the archers had a neck and neck battle tying two sets as Ankita held on to a slender 4-2 lead.

The Indian was wayward in the fourth set shooting in the red ring thrice (8, 8, 8) while Chae-Young was at her best (X, 10, 9) to bring the match on an even keel.

Locked 4-4, Ankita showed fine composure to fire in two 10s to clinch the issue.

Abhishek Verma and Jyothi Surekha Vennam also advanced into their respective last-eight rounds.

Reigning World Cup gold-medallist Verma had two perfect rounds as he beat Jozef Bosansky of Slovakia 145-142 (29-28, 30-27, 28-29, 30-29, 28-29).

The former Asian Games team champion Verma will face American world number one Mike Schloesser later in the day.

Jyothi also capped a memorable outing showing the door to Chaewon So of Korea 146-142 (30-29, 29-29, 28-30, 29-29, 26-29).

Trailing 59-58 after first two series, Jyothi drilled in five perfect 10s in a row that included one X (arrow closest to the centre) to claim a 117-116 lead going into the final set of arrows.

The Korean buckled under pressure and shot an 8 as Jyothi clinched the issue with two 10s including one X.

Jyothi will face Croatian Amanda Mlinaric, the reigning under-21 world champion, later in the day.

Also Read : Archery WC: Indian women's compound team in final, men lose in quarters

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) KKR defeated MI for only the 7th time in IPL history. This allowed KKR to overtake MI in the points table to enter the top 4. Eoin Morgan won the toss and put MI into bat. Mumbai had a brilliant start with Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock firing on all cylinders. Prasidh Krishna and Sunil Narine got rid of the openers and the wickets started tumbling. Lockie Ferguson bowled a brilliant last over to restrict MI to 155. Apart from the openers, Kieron Pollard was the only batsman that looked good before he was run out. 

KKR chased the target of 156 in just over 15 overs. Venkatesh Iyer continued his great form as he scored 53 of just 30 balls. Rahul Tripathi anchored the chase scoring 74 off 42 deliveries. Jasprit Bumrah's 3 wickets went in vain as every MI bowler including him leaked way too many runs. It was not Mumbai's day as luck massively favoured KKR. Trent Boult and Rahul Chahar were uncharacteristically smacked all over the park.

Kolkata have started the 2nd phase in grand fashion and look very likely to make it to the playoffs. Their next game is against Chennai Super Kings on 26th September. Things are not looking good for Mumbai with two very lackluster performances. Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan have failed to make an impact in these two games. MI needs them back in form in order to qualify for the playoffs. Hardik Pandya's absence is clearly felt and the sooner he gets fit the better it will be for Mumbai Indians. Their next game is against RCB on 26th September.

Also read: RCB seek return to winning ways against resilient CSK

Mackay, Sep 24 (Cricket News) Australia won the toss and elected to bowl against India in the second women's ODI here on Friday.

For India, who trail 0-1, left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad came in for Sneh Rana.

Australia are missing vice-captain Rachael Haynes due to injury and Nicola Carey has taken her place.

Teams: India: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Yastika Bhatia, Mithali Raj (c), Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Jhulan Goswami, Meghna Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav.

Australia: Beth Mooney, Alyssa Healy (wk), Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Nicola Carey, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Hannah Darlington, Darcie Brown.

Also Read : Batting coach promises different approach in second ODI, backs Mandhana to overcome poor form

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Sep 24 (Basketball News) Basketball player Satnam Singh Bhamara, who became the first Indian to be drafted into an NBA team before being banned or doping, has decided to try his hand at wrestling by sealing a deal with a professional league in the USA.

The 25-year-old Singh, who created history when he was picked in the NBA draft by Dallas Mavericks in 2015, will begin his training to be a pro wrestler at the Atlanta-based Nightmare Factory, to compete in the All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

Singh follows in the footsteps of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, who squared off alongside Jade Cargill in a mixed tag team match against Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet on "AEW: Dynamite" in March.

"While we've recently secured some of the hottest free agents on the planet, I’m also deeply committed to cultivating our own homegrown stars and the next generation of extraordinary professional wrestlers," Tony Khan, CEO, GM and Head of Creative of AEW, said in a media release.

"In addition to Satnam's commanding 7'3" stature, I was impressed with his high level of athleticism and charisma. He's an exciting addition to our roster, and I'm looking forward to our fans getting to know Satnam's personality and watching his development." Singh is currently serving a two-year ban by the National Anti-Doping Agency's (NADA) disciplinary panel for failing a dope test in 2019.

His suspension is due to end on November 19.

Also Read : Los Angeles Lakers vs Brooklyn Nets: The battle between two superteams

News Source : PTI

Abu Dhabi, Sep 24 (Cricket News) Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Eoin Morgan has hailed his bowlers as "superstars" of the team, saying their "outstanding" performance in the last two IPL games has allowed the openers to play with freedom.

KKR bowlers had bundled out Royal Challengers Bangalore for a meagre 92 in their first game since IPL resumption and on Thursday restricted a marauding Mumbai Indian line-up to just 155.

Rookie Venkatesh Iyer (53) also left many in awe of his talent as he smashed a 27-ball 41 in the first game and then hit his maiden IPL fifty on Thursday to help KKR tame MI by seven wickets and enter the top-four in the points table.

"I don't think it's one player that's changed the outlook of the team. I think in the last two games, the superstars in our side have been the bowlers, they have been outstanding on really good wickets to bat on here at Abu Dhabi," Morgan said at the post-match media conference.

"And I think that allowed our opening pair in (of) Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer to go out and play their natural game." Morgan lavished praise on the lanky south-paw Iyer for his "imposing" innings at the top of the order.

"I think Venkatesh played an innings today that would match a guy who's played possibly 50 IPL games. The freedom in which he has played with has really ... it was quite imposing as a batsman at the top of the order to be able to do that and today was no different," he said.

"He's continued on his form from the first day. So, I don't think it's one player, I think it's collectively, I think it is set up by our bowling line-up which was magnificent again." Morgan also lauded the bowlers for executing the plans "unbelievably well".

"I don't think it's a massive gamble, I think there is a lot of preparation and strategy that go into the decisions that are made on the field," he said.

"Obviously, when you are on the field, you need to adjust to what’s happening with the pitch and conditions here at Abu Dhabi. And I think we had good games both with strategy and planning because the bowlers have executed unbelievably well.

"They have been in fine form, they have managed to do that and make the rest of our preparation look really good." Morgan also singled out the contribution of the spinners, who have been able to show their "high-quality" skills despite not getting much help from the wickets.

"I think, the quality of our spin bowlers means that they can bowl in conditions that aren't friendly to spin bowling and I don't particularly think that Abu Dhabi is, yes, the boundaries are bigger, but the two games that we have played, the ball hasn't turned pretty much at all...

"So far, they haven't played a massive part, it is just the high-quality that they are producing." Morgan was also pleased to see his team play an "aggressive brand of cricket" that he alongwith KKR head coach Brendon McCullum have been advocating.

"It is extremely pleasing. We want the best for everybody in the changing room and the aggressive cricket that we have shown in the last two games, is exactly what suits the talented guys in our changing room," he said.

"I know some of them might feel alien to take risk after risk after risk, but that is exactly what we want them to do. They are a seriously talented batting and bowling line-up and we want them to continue to get better." KKR are next up against Chennai Super Kings on September 26 here.

Also Read : KKR fined for slow-over rate against Mumbai Indians

News Source : PTI

Abu Dhabi, Sep 24 (Cricket News) Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Eoin Morgan and his team-mates have been fined for the side's slow-over rate during their seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in an Indian Premier League match here.

According to an official statement, Morgan has been fined Rs 24 lakh while rest of his team members in the playing XI were each fined lesser of either Rs 6 lakh or 25 percent of their individual match fee.

"The Kolkata Knight Riders have been fined after they maintained a slow over rate during their IPL 2021 match against Mumbai Indians at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi on September 23," read a statement issued by the IPL.

"As it was the team’s second offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over rate offences, Kolkata Knight Riders captain Eoin Morgan was fined Rs 24 lakhs.

"The rest of the members of the playing XI were each fined lesser of either Rs 6 lakhs or 25 percent of their individual match fee." KKR produced a clinical performance for the second successive game since IPL's resumption to tame the mighty Mumbai Indians by seven wickets, riding on fluent fifties from Rahul Tripathi (74 not out) and rookie Venkatesh Iyer (53).

The win also saw the two-time former champions enter the top-four in the points table on Thursday. KKR will next play Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings here on September 26.

Also Read : Mumbai Indians look to bounce back against Kolkata Knight Riders on Match 34

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Sep 23 (Cricket News) The ICC on Thursday launched the official anthem of the upcoming T20 World Cup along with a campaign film featuring 'avatars' of Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli and West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard.

The tournament will begin on October 17 in Oman and UAE, with the final to be played in Dubai on November 14.

Composed by Bollywood music director Amit Trivedi, an animated film features young fans from all over the world engaged in T20I cricket and includes some of the sport's biggest superstars.

India captain Kohli leads the group of players brought to life as 'avatars' in the animation, that interact with each other throughout.

Kohli is joined by fellow captain Pollard of the reigning champions, West Indies as well as Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and Rashid Khan of Afghanistan.

Launched in collaboration with ICC's global broadcast partner Star Sports, the film premiers worldwide on Thursday across ICC, BCCI, and Star Sports' social media handles.

The animation features a brand-new broadcast technology that blends both 3D and 2D effects to create the film.

A production team of over 40 people, including designers, modellers, matte painters, animators, lighters, and compositors, worked round-the-clock to produce the final version.

A total of 16 countries, featuring the sport's biggest names and best teams, will compete in the sport's biggest event since the COVID-19 pandemic.

"There is something magical and special about putting on the West Indies jersey and stepping onto the field," said Pollard.

"This upcoming World Cup will give us more special moments. We know our fans will be fully engaged, watching, and supporting and we want to give them plenty to cheer about," he added.

The opening fixture of the tournament takes place on October 17 as Oman take on men's T20 World Cup debutants Papua New Guinea at Muscat's Oman Cricket Academy.

Claire Furlong, ICC General Manager, Marketing and Communications said: "Cricket has more than a billion fans around the world, and we wanted to put our young fans in the heart of the action alongside their heroes and allow them to live the game."

Also Read : The fantastic four who have made a mark in the T20 game for the country and in IPL

News Source : PTI

(Football news) It already looks like stopping Bayern from winning their 10th title in a row will be a mammoth task. The likes of Dortmund and Wolfsburg are trying to provide some bit of competition but looking at Bayern's current form it already looks like a daunting task.

Bayern take on newly promoted side Fruth, Nagelsman’s side will head into the clash as overwhelming favourites. After failing to win their first match Bayern have been mutilating every opponent they have faced, having won all their seven matches since then and only conceding 4 goals. The Bavarians will be without Kingsley Coman who recently underwent a heart surgery and will be unavailable, Corentin Tolisso, Jamal Musiala and Serge Gnabry will all unavailable with small niggles.

The match of the week is going to be between the two Borussia clubs, Dortmund vs Monchengladbach. It will also be an emotional return for Marco Rose to his former club, the three points for Dortmund are very important as they need to maintain pressure on Bayern or else they will run away with the title. Dortmund will receive an injury boost as Nico Schulz will come back from a long term injury but Emre Can, Julian Brandt and Dan Axel Zagadou will be unavailable for this important clash. All eyes will be on Erling Haaland as he already scored 7 in 5 matches, the same as Robert Lewandowski.

Wolfsburg take on Hoffenheim away from home, Van Bommels side will be looking to get back to winning ways after a disappointing draw against Frankfurt. Wolfsburg have made an unexpected start to the season as they look to maintain this against struggling Hoffenheim side, they have a chance for the first time since 2005 to win three away matches in the league. Wout Weghorst will be the player to watch out as he has scored in each of the last three encounters between them.

Also read: Has Carlo Ancelotti rescued Marco Asensio's career with the position change?

RB Leipzig take Hertha Berlin in what is a must win match for Jesse Marsch, they have made the worst start in their history as they have only managed 4 points from 5 matches. On the other hand Hertha will be high on confidence after winning their previous game and will take advantage of Leipzig's frailty. This season Leipzig are finding it tough to score even after buying last season's golden boot runner Andre Silva, if Leipzig are to get a positive result their forward players need to up their game.  

The other games to watch out for:

Bayer Leverkusen vs Mainz 05
Eintracht Frankfurt vs FC Koln
Union Berlin vs Arminia
Freiburg vs Augsburg

Bhubaneswar, Sep 23 (Hockey News) Odisha will host the Men’s Hockey Junior World Cup at the Kalinga Stadium here from November 24 to December 5, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced on Thursday.

At a function held here, Patnaik said Hockey India had recently approached the Odisha government to support them for the Men’s Junior World Cup to be held in two months time.

“It is a short notice for making the arrangement for such an event, especially during the pandemic period. However, since the country’s prestige is at stake, we have readily agreed to host it,” the chief minister said.

“I hope the reigning Indian team will take advantage of the home condition and emerge victorious again,” he said.

Patnaik also unveiled the logo and the trophy for the event.

Also Read : We're eager to directly qualify for Paris Olympics by winning Asian Games: Hardik

News Source : PTI

Palm Beach (USA), Sep 23 (Golf News) Eager to be back on the course after a month-long break, Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri will compete in next week's Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, hoping to present a stronger and faster version of himself.

Having recovered from a tough season, and despite losing valuable time, tournaments and physical strength after contracting the COVID-19 infection, Lahiri did exceedingly to qualify for the Olympics.

He also managed a punishing schedule and kept his PGA Tour card even as many top stars lost their full playing rights.

Lahiri recognises that the way he played towards the end of the season and even got into the Play-offs after a long time, augured well for the coming year.

"I knew I was getting into my rhythm. So I want to continue with the same mindset. So, the key is to start this season in the same vein, albeit fresher, stronger, faster and I will be able to manage my schedule better and not have to wait till the last minute," he said.

Talking about the off-season, Lahiri said it was mostly spent rejuvenating in the company of his family.

"It has been a good month; a much-needed month which started off by taking some time off with the family to vacation. That was a first after a couple of years. It was probably what I needed after the hectic end to the schedule.

"Physically I found myself quite drained and I think I played like seven out of nine weeks to finish the year. That included travel to Japan and back and the play offs," said Lahiri.

"...the Olympics; managing the travel and the fatigue and the energy levels. Frankly, there was a lot on my plate and I am quite pleased with the way I handled the pressure with the COVID situation.

"I am glad I was able to do that and I had to dig deep. I am proud of how I managed that." Lahiri, who last won in 2015 at the Hero Indian Open and then made his move to the PGA Tour by the end of that year, is still looking for his first win on the PGA Tour.

"I was totally spent every which way and all this happened within 3-4 months of having COVID. The last two and a half weeks or so I have gotten back in the gym; have started working out a little bit more trying to work on endurance as much as possible.

"At the same time, I am trying to keep an eye on all my parameters...I am recovering my strength and have been in touch with my coach Vijay Divecha as well and just trying to get back into the same rhythm that I had found towards the end of the season last year." The Indian ace, who has now spent more than seven seasons on the PGA Tour, the toughest professional golf Tour in the world, is now all set to start the 2021-22 season next week.

"I want to hit the ground running and check some things off my list," added Lahiri.

Also Read : Saudi International, Asian Tour come together for historic USD 5 million event to start 2022 season

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Sep 23 (Cricket News) The lack of quality pace-bowling support for veteran fast bowler Jhulan Goswami remains a matter of concern for the country's women's cricket team, feels former India captain Anjum Chopra.

Regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time in the women's game, Jhulan began her journey in international cricket nearly two decades ago and, at 38, she is still going strong but without enough help from the other end on a consistent basis.

"No bowler to complement for Jhulan... that's been there for a long, long time. That remains a concern for the team to not have a supporting role alongside Jhulan Goswami. Whereas many teams are looking to field three seamers, we are struggling to field two," Chopra told PTI during an interaction.

"Shikha Pandey was not picked for (the series against) South Africa but went to England (earlier this year). Meghna Singh is there... it's also about taking those chances for the players." The 27-year-old Meghna, a pacer, is one of three uncapped players included in the India squad for the ongoing tour of Australia.

In recent times, the Indian team management, including head coach Ramesh Powar and batter Smriti Mandhana, stressed on regularly scoring 250 plus in ODIs, and Chopra said it will not happen overnight.

"A 250-run target doesn't happen overnight, we need planning, preparation and skill level to get there. It can be 250-plus, 300 or 350. 250 is now a par score as women's ODI scores have become higher over the past few years," Chopra said.

Chopra, who was the face of women's cricket in India and played in six World Cup finals, refused to think too far ahead when asked about next year's ODI World Cup.

India are currently touring Australia where they are engaged in a series comprising three ODIs (one already over), three T20Is and a one-off day/night Test.

"The series against Australia has just begun, there are more number of matches to go. World Cup is still far ahead. It's anybody's game in the World Cup.

"The World Cup is the next big tournament and all the preparation is towards that. You need game time towards enhancing yourself." While some believed Virat Kohli would have been better off quitting white-ball captaincy completely instead of relinquishing the job in only T20Is, Chopra said the batting maestro needn't necessarily jump the gun.

"He has mentioned that he wants to focus on Indian captaincy towards the 2023 ODI World Cup. I don't think he needs to jump the gun. He is 32 now and whatever number of years he has to offer to Indian cricket, he still has a long time." It has also been felt by many that giving up leadership responsibilities may help him get back his touch with the bat. Kohli has not scored an international hundred since November 2019.

"When someone sets the kind of benchmark that Virat had set complementing his skills level, I think he is allowed that kind of leeway," she said.

Asked about Kohli's recent decision to step down from the Indian T20 captaincy after the upcoming World Cup, Chopra said, "There will always come a time for every player to realise what is the format they can slightly step away from.

"It's pretty okay... there have been so much chatter or loud sound coming that he has not delivered in T20... Anybody can have a slight dip in performance.

"He (Kohli) knows a little time off from one of the formats may help him. It's an individual decision. And as long as Virat Kohli the match winner is there, Indian cricket will only gain."

Also Read : Batting coach promises different approach in second ODI, backs Mandhana to overcome poor form

News Source : PTI

London, Sep 23 (Cricket News) Steve Elworthy, England and Wales Cricket Board's Managing Director of Events and Special Projects, has been appointed the new Chief Executive of county side Surrey.

ECB Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison confirmed the appointment in a statement on the board's twitter handle.

"He has played a huge part in the development of cricket in England and Wales over so many years, including the success of major events like the ICC Women's and Men's Cricket World Cups in 2017 and 2019 and The Hundred this year," Harrison said.

Elworthy is a former South African international cricketer who represented his country is four Test matches and 39 ODIs between 1998 and 2002.

After retirement, the 56-year-old has worked in administration with Cricket South Africa and ECB.

Also Read : MCC amends laws of game, to use gender-neutral term ‘batter’ instead of ‘batsman’

News Source : PTI

Colombo, Sep 23 (Cricket News) Sri Lanka Premier League (LPL) will be held from December 4 to 23, country's cricket board SLC announced on Thursday.

This will be the second edition of the island’s domestic T20 competition.

The overseas player registration is to commence from September 24.

The SLC has not announced the start of the 2021-22 domestic season as the scheduled kick off on September 5 did not happen.

The SLC was to launch the new first class format this season with 26 clubs in the league tournament which was to be competed under two groups. The group leaders were to play a four day final.

All 26 clubs were also to play in the major limited overs league tournament. The end of December deadline for completion of the tournament now hangs in the balance as the current quarantine lockdown is due to end only on October 1.

The Colombo Cricket Club (CCC) are the reigning league champions while the Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) are the reigning limited overs champions.

Also Read : Atherton questions ECB's decision to cancel Pak tour but give players IPL window

News Source : PTI

 
(Cricket news) Instonians’ Jack Dickson hit an unbeaten century as Ireland Under-19s men’s team bounced back from Sunday’s defeat to beat Jersey today at the ICC Under-19s World Cup European Qualifier.
 
Jersey won the toss and elected to bowl first, Ireland opener Nathan McGuire sought to take the initiative early and played a range of aggressive shots for  his quickfire 25 off 21 balls which helped to settle any nerves in the team..
 
Dickson settled in to anchor the innings, and despite the loss of captain Tim Tector for 25, the Irish batting appeared to look far much more solid than during the loss to Netherlands. Philippe le Roux joined Dickson and the pair put on 85-runs for the fourth wicket, before le Roux fell in the 43rd over for a well-made 43 off 68 balls.
 
Opener Dickson pushed on to his century off 124 balls with the support of Scott Macbeth (22) and Ireland ultimately  finished their innings on 246-5. In response, Jersey began poorly and were soon on the backfoot losing two wickets in the 4th over off the bowling of Liam Doherty (2-34).
 
Jersey recovered well through the middle overs with Patrick Gouge (55) and Asa Tribe (62) combining together  for a 111-run stand, until a great piece of work by Joshua Cox in the field managed to run out Gouge. Needing 8 runs-per-over from the last 15 overs to win, Jersey was stymied by the dismissal of Tribe, trapped LBW by McGuire – the dismissal sparking a middle-order collapse with Jersey losing 5-23 in  the next seven overs. McGuire impressed with the ball, claiming 3-34, while North Kildare’s Muzamil Sherzad helped to stem the run flow with 1-34.
 
Jersey eventually finished on 206-9, falling short by 40 runs.
 
The victory moved Ireland to second place on the Qualifier group table, ahead of the Netherlands on net run rate. The Irish team take on the leaders Scotland tomorrow

Also read: Ireland Men to play three T20I’s against UAE ahead of the T20 World Cup
 
MATCH SUMMARY  
   
Ireland U19’s v Jersey U19’s, ICC U19 World Cup Europe Qualifier, Desert Springs, 22 September 2021  
   
Ireland Under-19s 246-5 (50 overs; J Dickson 103*, le Roux 43; T Britton 1-21, C Brennan 2-23)
Jersey Under-19s 206-9 (50 overs: P Gouge 55, A Tribe 62; N McGuire 3-34, L Doherty 2-34)  
 
 
 

Kolkata, Sep 23 (Football News) Army Red were on Thursday forced to withdraw from their Durand Cup quarterfinal against FC Bengaluru United after COVID-19 cases were detected in their squad, allowing their opponents to move into the last-four stage.

The match was scheduled for Friday but has now been called off.

"The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of 130th Durand Cup, has called off the quarterfinal game between Army Red and (FCBU) scheduled for Friday, September 24, 2021, at the Kalyani stadium due to positive COVID cases reported in the Army Red squad," a media release said.

"All decisions have been taken, keeping in mind the health and safety of players and officials primarily and the continuity and success of the tournament," the release added.

The other quarterfinal between Goa and Delhi FC will be held as scheduled on Friday. 

Also Read : Full vaccination mandatory for I-League players, except U-18 and those recovered from COVID recently

News Source : PTI

Kolkata, Sep 23 (Football News) SC East Bengal on Thursday added teeth to their attack by acquiring the services of Croatia forward Antonio Perošević on a one-year deal that will keep him at the club till the end of the Indian Super League 2021-22 season.

Perošević joins SC East Bengal from Hungarian top division club Újpest FC, starting 13 games for them last season.

The 29-year-old, who can also play on the wing, becomes Manuel 'Manolo' Diaz's sixth and final foreign signing for the season.

Slovenian midfielder Amir Dervišević, Australian defender Tomislav Mrcela, Croatian centre-back Franjo Prce, Nigerian striker Daniel Chima Chukwu and Dutch utility player Darren Sidoel are the other five overseas recruits.

"India is an amazing country and I have heard a lot about how passionate people are about football here. Especially, SC East Bengal and its fan base are much talked about. I have read up on them and I can't wait to pull on the red and gold shirt," said Perošević after putting pen-to-paper for SC East Bengal.

Perošević has represented the Croatian senior national team in 2017, being capped twice.

"I will look to help the team in whatever way I can and maintain the team spirit. I know the history attached to this club and I will do my best to uphold its legacy," he added.

Perošević started playing for the youth team of his hometown club Osijek in 2010.

He made his senior team debut as a late substitute in a 2–0 win against Cibalia in the last round of 2009–10 season. Perošević finished as Osijek's top league goalscorer with seven goals in the 2011–12 season.

Perošević moved abroad after a successful spell at Osijek, turning out for Hungarian club Puskás Akadémia in 2017 before moving to Al-Ittihad Kalba SC in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on loan the following season.

"I have had a good conversation with the management and I am really looking forward to the new adventure. I am looking forward to meeting the coaching staff and all my teammates. I have also heard about the big derby against ATK Mohun Bagan, and that kind of games further motivates a player," Perošević told the SC East Bengal website.

SCEB will face Jamshedpur FC in their opening game of the ISL on November 21 at the Tilak Maidan Stadium.

Also Read : Young goalkeeper Manas Dubey joins TRAU FC on loan

News Source : PTI

(Football news) Real Madrid ran riot against Mallorca as they won 6-1. Los Blancos now sit on top of the table and remain unbeaten. Carlo Ancelotti has already worked his magic on the squad and Real Madrid are back playing attacking football. Real Madrid have scored 22 goals in 7 matches which is the highest a Real Madrid side has scored at this stage since the 1987/88 season.

The Italian manager is renowned for bringing the best out of 'No.10' midfielders. Ricardo Kaka, Zinedine Zidane, James Rodriguez and Angel Di Maria are prime examples. Ancelotti publicly stated that he was going to change Marco Asensio from a winger to an attacking midfielder just like he did with Di Maria.

When Ancelotti first took charge of Real Madrid in 2013 he straight away changed Di Maria into a midfielder. The decision worked wonders as Di Maria had one of the most prolific seasons of his career. The Argentine scored 11 and assisted 25 goals in all competitions that season winning the award for most assists in La Liga.

Asensio and Di Maria are very similar players. Left footed, good passers of the ball, great close control, adequate pace but not rapid and long range shooting ability. Asensio made his first start of the season against Mallorca playing in a 3 man midfield with Fede Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga who are both box to box players.

Also read: Colombian footballer James Rodriguez joins Qatari club Al Rayyan

Asensio had a few substitute appearances but none of them were impactful as such. Against Mallorca, the Spaniard had a brilliant game where he scored a hat-trick. Playing on the right of the midfield 3 Asensio played between the lines and exploited the gaps in the Mallorca defence. 

Marco Asensio scored on every single Real Madrid debut after he was signed in  2017. He was supposed to be the next best thing at the Spanish capital. An ACL tear in the 2019 pre-season sidelined him for almost a year. In his comeback game against Valencia in June 2020, Asensio scored with his first touch of the game, but it has all been downhill ever since.

After ACL surgery, Asensio as expected lost quite a bit of pace and acceleration which meant that he always struggled on the wing. His best ability is to hit from distance which he was struggling to do in Zinedine Zidane's wide winger system. Playing in midfield now will allow him to shoot more often and play between the lines. 

Ancelotti has more or less revived Asensio's career. Still 25 years of age Asensio has a lot of potential and if the Spaniard manages to stay fit then he could reach incredible heights.

New Delhi, Sep 23 (Table Tennis News) The Delhi High Court Thursday stayed the Table Tennis Federation of India's mandate on compulsory attendance at the National Coaching Camp in order to be selected for any upcoming international event and asked the Centre to conduct an inquiry into Manika Batra's complaint against the sports body.

Justice Rekha Palli further said that if warranted, the Union Sports Ministry may look into the affairs of the TTFI as well.

Justice Palli was hearing a plea by Batra who was left out of the Indian contingent for the upcoming Asian Table Tennis Championships and has alleged that the national coach Soumyadeep Roy “pressurized” her to “throw away” an Olympic qualifier match in favour of one of his personal trainees.

The judge said the rule mandating compulsory attendance at the national camp has been enforced “at a point when there was a complaint pending against the national coach” and the same “does not inspire confidence”.

The court also expressed “anguish” at the manner in which a committee, constituted by the federation to look into the allegations, was reconstituted after it sought centre's stand on the issue.

“They are overreaching the court. I will issue a notice of contempt. I pass an order and you appoint a new person. This is shocking... I am expressing my anguish,” the judge stated.

“I am of the view that the operation of the rule is required to the stayed till the next date of hearing. Respondent no. 2 (Sports Ministry)...is itself inclined to hold an inquiry into the serious allegations by the petitioner. There is no reason why respondent no 1 (federation) should continue with its rule,” she ordered.

“Respondent no 2 will proceed to hold an inquiry at the earliest...furnish a copy of the report to the court,” it was added.

The court clarified that at this stage, it was not appointing any committee to look into the issues and directed that the Centre's inquiry report be placed before it in four weeks.

It added that the centre may seek the stand of the national coach and also issued notice on the petition, which was listed for further hearing on October 28.

Senior counsel Sachin Dutta, appearing for Batra, said his client was not desirous of participating in the upcoming Asian Table Tennis Championships.

“Some (tournaments) are starting from October 24 and world championship is in November. The event (Asian Table Tennis Championship) is next week and training happens in Pune,” he said.

Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, representing the Centre, stated that the federation's rule on compulsorily attending the national camp was in the teeth of the sports code and defeated merit.

He informed that the centre would initiate an inquiry into the athlete's allegation.

Advocate Hrishikesh Baruah, representing TTFI, defended the rule and stated that such a mandate was present on other sports as well including weight lifting and judo.

The lawyer clarified that his client had no say on grant of access to a venue to Batra's personal coach and physiotherapist at any sporting event.

He argued that the federation has no problem with holding a fair inquiry into Batra's allegations and that claimed that the national coach was not even present at the national camp which she refused to attend.

Maybe I will agree with you (at a later stage). Today, holistically, I am not with you,” the court stated.

In the petition, the Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Khel Ratna awardee has alleged that the federation was carrying out its selection processes in a non-transparent manner, targeting certain individuals such as herself.

She has asserted that the national coach, in a clear conflict of interest, was running a private table tennis academy simultaneously and on one occasion, “pressurized the petitioner to throw away a match only with a view to help one of his trainees at his private academy to qualify for the Olympics, 2020”.

“This incident happened on 17.03.2021 in respect of the match to be held on 18.03.2021 at the Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament, 2021 organized by ATTU. Not only did the Petitioner refused to comply with such an unethical, illegal and immoral request, but she also immediately communicated this to the Adviser, TTFI, on 18.03.2021,” the plea reads.

"After conclusion of Olympics, the Respondent No.1 (federation) issued Rules and Regulations dated 04.08.2021 (received by the Petitioner on 27.08.2021) informing her that attending of National Coaching Camp is compulsory, failing which she would not be selected for any upcoming international event," it further reads.

The plea states that Table Tennis is an individual sport, which requires specialised training with support staff and thus the rule against personal coaching is arbitrary, irrational, absurd and have no nexus with achieving excellence in an individualised sport. 

Also Read : HC seeks Centre's stand on plea by Manika Batra against TT Federation of India

News Source : PTI

(Boxing News) The former 8 division world champion has decided to hang up his boxing gloves so that he can focus on his political career. Pacquiao will be running for the presidential position next March in the Philippines. The announcement comes one month after Pacquiao lost to the WBA ‘Super World’ Welterweight champion Yordenis Ugas on 21st August.

The Filipino superstar was commonly known as ‘pac-man’ for his explosive boxing style, he has fought a number of world class fighters during his illustrious career and has enjoyed unmatched success with his ability to stride through different weight classes and continuing to win. The Pac man's decision to retire ends his 26 year professional boxing career which started in 1995 and fought many superstars such as Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, Floyd Mayweather, Juan Manuel Marquez etc. Pacquiao finishes his boxing career with a career record of 62 wins, 8 losses, 2 draws, 39 wins by KO in 72 professional boxing matches. 

Pac Man bows out as the greatest fighter from Asia and one of the legends in the sport of boxing. His net worth from boxing is $220 million dollars and his fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2015 generated the most pay per view buys. Now he will run for President in Philippines as he has served as a senator for the ruling party PDP Laban Party since 2016.

Also read: Shiva, Sanjeet, Deepak, Rohit win gold in Men's Boxing Nationals; book spots for Worlds

"My boxing career? My boxing career is already over. It's done because I've been boxing for a long time and my family says that it is enough. I just continued [to box] because I'm passionate about this sport.

“I will just support other boxers for us to have a champion again. I am a fighter, and I will always be a fighter inside and outside the ring. I am accepting your nomination as candidate for president of the Republic of the Philippines," said Pacquiao in a speech made over live-stream.

New Delhi, Sep 23 (Sports News) Tokyo Paralympics bronze medal-winning high jumper Sharad Kumar has been diagnosed with heart inflammation and has undergone a few more tests, reports of which are still awaited.

Kumar, who won a bronze in the T-42 high jump event in the Tokyo Paralympics on August 31, was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) after experiencing chest congestion last week.

"The earlier reports showed that I have an inflammation in my heart," Kumar told PTI on Thursday.

The-29-year-old Patna-born athlete, who stays in Chhatarpur, was discharged from the medical facility earlier this week but had to come back for some more tests.

"I have come back here for more tests. Since I live just 10 minutes away, I had asked the hospital authorities to allow me to go home," he added.

Kumar, whose left leg was paralysed after he was administered a spurious polio vaccine as a toddler, competed in the T-42 final in Tokyo last month despite suffering a knee injury while training before his event.

He later revealed he was on the verge of pulling out of the competition. Kumar had jumped 1.83m to win the bronze.

He is a double Asian Para Games (2014 and 2018) high jump champion and also a world silver medallist (2019).

The T-42 classification is for athletes with a leg deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement in the legs. The athletes compete in a standing position.

Also Read : Felicitations continue for Paralympic medal winners

News Source : PTI

Mackay (Australia), Sep 23 (Cricket News) Indian women's team batting coach Shiv Sunder Das on Thursday promised a different approach to counter Australian bowlers and backed out-of-form opener Smriti Mandhana to come good in the second ODI against the hosts here.

The match is scheduled for Friday.

India were handed a nine-wicket trashing by Australia in the opening ODI of the three-match series here on Tuesday.

"We are looking at the top-order to give us a good start and the middle order -- they have worked hard in the last few sessions, we have some plans. I think they'll play differently in tomorrow's game," Das said on the eve of the second ODI.

"We have Shafali (Verma) and Smriti... I am positive they will give a good start and once we score 60-70 runs in the 10 overs we can carry that momentum in the middle overs," he added.

India, who are aiming to post 250 plus consistently fell short of the mark once again, managing 225 for eight in their quota of 50 overs in the first ODI, but the batting coach said the Mithali Raj-led side has a plan in place for the second game to keep the scoreboard ticking.

"We are working on that aspect of the game, we are looking for a good start and in the middle overs we are looking at the average of five runs and in the end we are looking at six runs per over. That's our batting plan." After the loss of openers Mandhana and Shafali Verma inside the first six overs, India struggled to get going.

"We have addressed the issues in the first 10 overs but, in the middle overs, running between the wickets we are still working on.

"It's a work in process, we have a few young batters in the side, we have to give them some time and once they get used to the conditions, they will definitely fire." Mandhana's struggles with the bat in the format continued with the left-hander scoring just 16 in the first ODI. The opener has breached the 50-run mark just once in the last nine games but Das is confident she will provide the much-needed solid start for India.

"I had a chat with her (Mandhana) and we have worked on her in the last two sessions, we have addressed the issues, she is a world-class player and we are backing her ability to get runs for us, and definitely, we'll see the difference in tomorrow's game." Mithali, who scored a 107 ball-63, was once again the top scorer for the team and asked if the other players are taking advantage of the skipper's consistency, the coach said the youngsters in the side will perform after they settle in.

"There are a lot of youngsters in the team, Yastika (Bhatia) got an opportunity and she batted really well. It is a huge challenge for them and all these wickets are good batting wicket and I hope they'll perform well tomorrow." 

Also Read : Haynes rendered doubtful for 2nd ODI against India

News Source : PTI

Mackay (Australia), Sep 23 (Cricket News) In-form Australia opener Rachael Haynes was on Thursday rendered doubtful for the second women's ODI against India after she took a blow on her right elbow during a training session.

The match is scheduled for Friday.

Haynes, who had hit an unbeaten 93 in the home team's convincing nine-wicket thrashing of India in the series-opener, was taken for scans.

According to cricket.com.au, Haynes "doubled over in pain, then removed her gloves and walked out of the nets and to the team changerooms to ice the injury, before leaving the ground a short time later." "Rach suffered a knock to her right elbow while batting today and has been taken to get scans," Australia team physio Kate Beerworth said.

The 34-year-old has been in good form as she made 65 in the only practice game ahead of the series.

If Haynes is ruled out of the next match, the hosts may ask Beth Mooney to open alongside Alyssa Healy, who is also enjoying a good run of form.

The Australian women's cricket team is going through an incredible run, having won 25 straight games and it will be a tough task for the struggling Indians to snap it.

Also Read : Shafali needs to work on her back foot to put Australia on backfoot: Khadeer

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Mumbai Indians take on Kolkata Knight Riders in an attempt to get back to winning ways after their loss to CSK in the 1st game of phase 2. Kolkata Knight Riders had an amazing start in the phase 2 after a comfortable win against RCB. Eoin Morgan and co. will be looking to continue on the same path.

Mumbai Indians missed Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya in the last game. The pair is deemed fit and available for selection. Their replacements in the side Saurabh Tiwari and Anmolpreet Singh were two of MI's highest scorers in the last game. It'll be interesting to see if they are dropped after. 

KKR on the other hand looked like a very balanced side in the first game. Venkatesh Iyer should keep his place in the side after his fine knock against RCB. The only other change could be Sakib Al Hasan coming in place of Sunil Narine to strengthen their batting and bring a little variation to their bowling line-up with a left arm spinner.

Also read: Rajasthan Royals pull off a great escape as Punjab Kings fail to score 8 runs in 2 overs

Head to Head: MI 22 - KKR 6, KKR have always struggled against MI, even during the time when KKR used to be unbeatable they would always struggle against MI. 

Pitch & Weather Report: The Sheikh Zayed Stadium is mostly a batting friendly surface so it may assist the batsman again. The temperature is expected to be 34 degrees with 67% humidity and  no chances of rain as of now. The hot and humid conditions might play a key role for the spinners.

Interesting facts:

• Rohit Sharma is 18 runs away from becoming the first batsman to score 1000 runs against a team in IPL. He has won four Player of the Match awards in MI-KKR contests - the most by any player, followed by three each for Sachin Tendulkar and Hardik Pandya.
• While MI haven't won their season opener since 2013, they have come storming back into form in their second match of a season in the five of the last six seasons - four of those wins coming against KKR.
• Shubman Gill is set to play his 50th IPL game.
• Andre Russell has faced more balls from Jasprit Bumrah than from any other bowler in the IPL, and the Mumbai talisman has come out of that head-to-head with a magnificent record: only 51 runs conceded in 40 balls, and three wickets.

Chandigarh, Sep 22 (Sports News) Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra on Wednesday met the country's first-ever individual gold medallist from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Abhinav Bindra, and his family.

The javelin star from Haryana got a puppy named 'Tokyo' as a gift from Bindra.

In a tweet after the meeting, Chopra said, “Took my Olympic medal to meet its elder sibling from Beijing (Bindra) today." "Thank you@Abhinav Bindra sir for your family's warm hospitality and for 'Tokyo' (the puppy) who I will cherish forever,” he added.

Bindra said it was a pleasure to meet and interact with India's golden man.

“I hope that 'Tokyo' will be a supportive friend and motivate you to get a sibling named Paris (wishing him luck for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games) for him in 2024,” he tweeted.

“The two of us agree that the process is the Goal. The process is the Gold. And the Process is most rewarding. Happy to have spent the afternoon with this young Gold Medallist,” Bindra said in another tweet.

Also Read : Felicitations continue for Paralympic medal winners

News Source : PTI

(Football news) James Rodriguez has left Everton FC to join Qatari club Al Rayyan for an undisclosed fee, after a falling out with the club as well as the manager. The move transpired as the Middle East transfer window is still open till the end of the month. Al Rayyan are currently 8th in the Qatari League and also had an abysmal AFC Champions league where they played India’s FC Goa as they finished last in the group.

James joined Everton in the summer of 2020 for 20 millions pounds from Real Madrid in a much hyped transfer. James shared a special relationship with Carlo Ancelotti as he was an integral part of the  2014 Real Madrid Champions League winning squad, then he followed him to Bayern Munich as he was there for a two year successful loan spell, before finally joining him in Everton last summer. Ever since his sudden departure to Real Madrid, James has felt like an expensive spare in a team whose game is completely based on hard running and well organised defence. The new manager Rafa Benitez had no use for him and Rodriguez is not only 30 but also the highest paid player in the clubs history earning 220K a week.

Also read: Manchester United crash out of the Carabao Cup while Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham progress to Round 4

Ever since he joined the Premier League, James struggled with the physical side of the game as he was injury prone and also his workrate was not up to the required standards. Benitez arrived after a sudden appointment and he did not give a single opportunity to Rodriguez before sanctioning a sale for him, James bowed out after making 26 appearances and scoring 6 goals for Everton. The Everton hierarchy were trying to send him back to Porto in the summer window as the proposed swap deal for another Columbian Luis Diaz but failed on the final day of the transfer window.

Dubai, Sep 23 (Cricket News) Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach Trevor Bayliss has asserted that their pacer T Natarajan's positive COVID-19 result did not impact their performance against Delhi Capitals on Wednesday since all the players are used to last-minute setbacks. The game went ahead after other members of SRH squad tested negative but Delhi Capitals cruised to an eight-wicket win with 13 balls to spare.

"I don't think that would have affected the result of the match. They played way too well for us tonight. It was a little bit of an upset," Bayliss said at the post-match press conference.

"Natarajan was going to play, but these guys are professional players. Every now and then, there's an injury just before play and you have got to make a late replacement. So, I am sure all of the players are, in a way, used to that. But we hope Nattu (Natarajan) gets over it pretty quickly and we can move on," added Bayliss.

The Sunrisers Hyderabad coach said Delhi Capitals' world-class tall pacers used the wicket pretty well and deserve the credit for scripting their team's victory.

South African pace duo of Kagiso Rabada (3/37) and Anrich Nortje (2/12) wreaked havoc to help DC restrict SRH to 134 for 9 on Wednesday night in an IPL match. The Rishabh Pant-led side then cruised to the target in just 17.5 overs. "Give Delhi the credit. They bowled particularly well. They have got some world-class bowlers and upfront some world-class very fast bowlers, so they had a good day. We didn't have such a good day and that's the game of cricket," Bayliss said. "Their bowlers upfront bowled exceedingly well. A lot of pace and used the wicket well with cutters, with the ball just holding in the wicket little bit and jumping up a little-bit, those tall fast bowlers took full advantage of it." With Natarajan missing from the playing XI, SRH went in with left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed and speedster Sandeep Sharma had to play a different role.

Sandeep was introduced late in the attack as Khaleel opened the bowling with seasoned Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

"Khaleel (Ahmed) in our practice matches has probably been one of our best bowlers. He was getting the ball to move around in those practice games. He is a little bit taller.

"We thought the balls for the taller guys were sticking in the wicket. He basically bowled quite well. It was one of those things, trying to fit three new ball bowlers into two.

"Today, we went with Khaleel, which meant Sandy (Sandeep Sharma) had to play a little bit of a different role," Bayliss said.

Also Read : I respect team's decision to let Pant stay as captain: Iyer

News Source : PTI

Yankton, Sep 23 (Archery News) The Indian women's compound archery team defeated hosts USA 226-225 to enter the finals but the men's team lost in the last-eight stage of the World Championship here.

The seventh-seeded women's team, comprising Priya Gurjar, Muskan Kirar and Jyothi Surekha, held its nerves in a close battle with Linda Ochoa-Anderson, Paige Pearce and Makenna Proctor on Wednesday.

However, the men's team, led by the seasoned Abhishek Verma, lost 235-238 to Austria in the quarterfinals.

The Indian women's trio will next face top seeds Colombia in the final. Colombia defeated France 234-220 in its semifinal match.

The mixed team of Verma and Surekha also entered the final, beating Korea's Kim Yunhee and Kim Jongho 159-156. They will be up against second seeds Colombia in the summit clash.

In the men's section, three-time World Cup gold-medallist Verma, along with Sangam Bisla and Roshab Yadav, fought well but could not advance ahead.

The Indian men's team was seeded fifth in the draw.

Also Read : Practice of tie shots, breathing exercises gave dividends: Paralympic medallist archer Harvinder

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Sep 23 (Cricket News) Shreyas Iyer says he relished captaining the Delhi Capitals in the IPL but completely respects the team management's decision to let Rishabh Pant stay as leader of the pack till the end of the 2021 season.

Iyer had led the Capitals to the summit clash of the 2020 season but he missed the first phase of this year's season due to a shoulder injury and the management asked Pant to captain the side.

The 26-year-old returned to the side before IPL's resumption after the COVID-19 forced break but the Capitals chose not to change the leader again, keeping Pant in the captain's chair.

The young Mumbai batsman, who hit a blistering 47 in team's win on Wednesday night, said he understands team's policy and has no complaints.

"When I was given the captaincy, I was in a different frame of mind and my decision-making and temperament level was very good and I benefited from it in the last two years," Iyer said at the post-match press conference.

"This is part of the decision-making from the franchise or whatever decision they took, I respect the fact and Rishabh is leading the side well from the start of the season and they thought that he should be continued till the season end and I completely respect the decision," he added.

The 26-year-old said he continues to enjoy the pressure situation as he thrives in such circumstances.

"And no drastic change has come that my focus has increased in batting. when I was captain, I like to soak in the pressure, when there is pressure, there are more challenges and, in such situations, I perform, that is my mind-set.

"Even today (Wednesday) when I went in, there was pressure to win the game. The wicket was playing uneven, so the mind-set is the same that being a main part of the team, you have to finish the match and whenever I play, my mindset is that I play till the last ball and see to it that I make the team win." The aggressive batsman it is a "really good feeling" to contribute in team's win in his first match post comeback.

"I wouldn't say that I'm satisfied because the hunger has just gone up and the appetite keeps on increasing every match you play, so yeah, not satisfied or not contained," he said after DC demolished Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets.

Iyer said the injury period was difficult for him but he had the right people around him.

"I have a very close-knit family and friends and they never made me feel that I was going through an injury.

"When I got injured, it was really difficult for me to adapt (to) the fact that I was injured because I keep doing so many activities here and there and I never think about that situation and that occurred, so it was really tough for me to adapt.

"They kept me busy and in a positive frame of mind and never made me feel that I am going through an injury.

"When the rehab started and I started gaining strength, that feeling was really amazing and that put me in a really good frame of mind that I will come back positive and strong," shared the top-order batsman.

Delhi Capitals is at the top of the table and Iyer said the key now is to maintain the momentum.

"When we came in here, we were still on the top of the table and we have to maintain the same rhythm that we created in the first half of the leg and the mindset has been really positive in the dugout," he said.

Also Read : SRH's India player T Natarajan tests positive, match against DC to go ahead as scheduled

News Source : PTI

London, Sep 22 (Cricket News) Former captain Michael Atherton says it was strange that England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) called off the Pakistan tour, citing players' welfare but allowed them a three-month window to play the IPL.

In a scathing assessment of ECB's decision, Atherton said it was worse than India's recent withdrawal from the Manchester Test.

There are questions in England cricket fraternity on how a few England players, who would have had to play the short white-ball series in Pakistan, can now play for their IPL franchises in the play-offs if required.

"Citing player welfare is strange when the ECB has essentially washed its hands of its players’ travel and cricketing commitments for three months of the year so that they can play in the Indian Premier League," Atherton wrote in his column for 'The Times'.

"If, as an employer, it is so wary of bubble and cricket fatigue, surely it should take more interest in the players' availability for the IPL?," he was blunt in questioning the ECB decision.

"Now, of course, those who are playing in the tournament will be available for the knockout stages. It suits India and England, but not Pakistan, who have no direct stake, their players being barred still from the competition." Atherton said it was difficult to understand the reasoning behind the decision.

"This decision is worse than England's withdrawal from South Africa last winter and India's cancellation of the Manchester Test this month. While both those actions were hard to justify, they were at least understandable given Covid had come into close proximity to both teams." Atherton said he understands that the "sense of anger and betrayal in Pakistan is real and understandable," after England pulled out from their away series without any tangible reason.

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) cited concerns from players rather than security issues, which was the reason for New Zealand to pull their team out of the tour after being in the country for more than a week.

Atherton in his column made it clear that both administrators and players were wrong in selling a dummy to Pakistan when they should have shown gratitude for their magnanimity last year when they toured UK in midst of a raging pandemic.

"English cricket, the governing body and players, had a chance to do the right thing this week. They had a chance to repay a debt, uphold their honour and side with a cricketing nation that has undergone challenges others cannot even begin to contemplate. Instead, citing a mealy-mouthed statement, they did the wrong thing," he wrote.

Atherton felt that Pakistan's worst fears were always going to come true as 'low expectations of England's responses were duly met" once New Zealand called off their tour.

The former England captain also feels that Australia's decision to tour Pakistan won't be any different.

"Australia's reputation for doing the right thing is as bad as England's, so it would be a surprise if they front up in February. Pakistan will be facing a financial hammer blow," he further wrote.

Atherton observed that while it was completely understandable that a lot of players are suffering from bubble fatigue in COVID-19 times, the ECB could still have picked a team to tour Pakistan.

"Player welfare is an important issue, especially so with Covid, and the implication is that the wariness of travelling to Pakistan after New Zealand's withdrawal would exacerbate those concerns. The players were spooked.

"Player welfare in this regard does not wash: while many players have spent long periods in Covid-restricted environments, there are many within the English game who have not, and who could have been asked to tour if others were unavailable." Atherton didn't want to believe that ECB couldn't find 14 willing players "It was incumbent upon the ECB to try to put out a team, any team, once the security arrangements were deemed satisfactory. When a Covid outbreak ruled out England’s one-day squad in July, the ECB was happy to play Pakistan with a second/third team. Why not now? " Atherton understands the anger of new PCB chairman Ramiz Raja.

"They do not expect England to travel, despite the commitment, and have lost any trust and faith in them. It is hard to blame them."

Also Read : ICC charges Marlon Samuels for breaching anti-corruption code

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) The Indian Premier League finishes on 15th of October and the T20 World Cup begins two days later. The squads have been announced by the teams and the players form in IPL will set the stage for a bigger show while they represent their country. Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Andre Rusell have made major strides in the IPL and are known for their T20 game.

Chris Gayle is no doubt the greatest T20 batsmen, the power he holds while comfortably guiding the ball out of the stadium is simply something to admire and to ponder upon. Gayle has been part of the IPL since 2009 and holds multiple records in the league. He has hit a record 357 sixes and also has the highest score in the league of 175 not out, Gayle is the flagbearer of T20 cricket and has been the most attacking player. The 6 foot three inch batsmen does not have the need to run between the pitch instead scores in boundaries and is one of the strongest players in the game. He scored the first international T20 century in 2007 against South Africa in the World Cup and will play a vital role in this year’s World Cup.

Dwayne Bravo is one of the superstars in Chennai Super Kings and has established himself as one the finest bowlers in IPL. He has the record of taking the most wickets in a single season of the league, he had 32 wickets in the 2013 season. His unreadable slow balls leave the batsmen stumped and are unable to score while he is in form, the T20 game requires heavy striking with the bat and the ball and Bravo has the ability to do both. With the ball he is deadly especially in the death overs and with the bat can play cameos and hit maximums. He is also one of the most athletic players on the team and can move around quickly in the field.

Andre Russell will be always remembered for his 2019 season with Kolkata Knight Riders as raged up a storm in the season. He scored 510 runs while batting at number 6 and smacked 52 sixes in 249 balls in the season. He does not take any time to adjust in the pitch, the bat straight away goes for the big ones and can chase any target when in form no matter who he is up against. Russell is a pacer too and can bowl around 140 km/ hour, in the 2018 season his fastest ball was recorded at 147.73 km/hour and can send the stumps on a roll.

Kieron Pollard is the biggest of the four as he is 6ft f5 inches tall and does justice to his giant stature. He will be captaining the West Indies team in the T20 World Cup and is the perfect candidate in the format. He has played over 500 T20 matches making him one of the most experienced players in the shortest format and has played explosive knocks for the Mumbai Indians. Pollard is known to clear the boundaries casually, he has the two biggest sixes this season and both over 100m which shows his raw strength. He is known to provide the last minute show for the team and can chase huge targets under pressure, he is also known for his fielding and shows no fear to dive to take superhuman catches. 

The West Indies is the only team to win the T20 World Cup twice and will look to capture their third title. Their domination in the T20 format reminds the world of how they were on top of the game in the 1970s when Vivian Richards, Clive Llyod along with Malcolm Marshall and Michael Holding were a deadly combination and could disarm the opposition while striking fear in the pitch. After so long the current players will try to bring glory and make history in the shortest format of the game. 

Also read: The test of speed and skill in Indian Premier League, bowlers taking over the game

New Delhi, Sep 22 (Sports News) Some of India's Tokyo Paralympic medal winners, including javelin throw gold-winner Sumit Antil, were on Wednesday felicitated by their sponsor as part of the company's CSR initiative.

Antil, discus throw silver-medallist Yogesh Kathuniya and javelin throw bronze-winner Sundar Singh Gurjar were among the 10 para athletes sponsored by Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Ltd, in partnership with Shirdi Sai Baba Foundation, under its 'Radiant in Quest of Gold initiative.

"The company is really proud of these para-athletes who brought home victory from the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 and is giving its high-end premium 5-Star room air conditioners and monetary gift to these winners as a token of appreciation," stated a press release.

Altogether, the 10 para-athletes sponsored under this campaign secured a total of 19 medals in the last three years for India at various international platforms like Asian Para Games, World Para Grand Prix, Tokyo Paralympics etc.

Antil, who won a gold in the F64 men's javelin throw at the Tokyo Paralympics, said, "It is time that people and even brands in India actively start participating in supporting and fuelling the popularity of para-games and para-athletes.

"Our Paralympics stars have ushered a new chapter of para sports fame and success in India at the Tokyo Paralympics." 

Also Read : Tokyo Paralympians felicitated by Venkaiah Naidu

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Sep 22 (Cricket News) The International Cricket Council on Wednesday charged former West Indies all-rounder Marlon Samuels of breaching four counts of the anti-corruption code during a T10 league, including failure to disclose hospitality benefits that could bring disrepute to the sport.

The game's governing body charged the West Indian on behalf of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), the organiser of the T10 League which is four seasons old.

"Samuels will be given a time period of 14 days to respond to the charges," an ICC release said.

The 40-year-old Samuels played 71 Tests, 207 ODIs and 67 T20Is in his international career, scoring 11,134 runs and taking 152 wickets. He retired from international cricket in November 2020.

According to the ICC, Samuels breached articles 2.4.2, 2.4.3, 2.4.6 and 2.4.7 of the Code.

The three articles deal with failure to disclose to the Anti-Corruption Official, receipt of any gift, payment, hospitality or other benefit that was made or given in circumstances that "could bring the participant or the sport of cricket into disrepute", non-cooperation with the investigation, and obstructing or delaying the investigation by "concealing information that may have been relevant..." The T10 league's latest edition was held in Abu Dhabi in January-February earlier this year.

Samuels was a part of the event in 2019 when he turned up for Karnataka Tuskers, which was led by South African star Hashim Amla.

Also Read : Home Season: Team India to play 4 Tests, 3 ODIs and 14 T20Is

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, Sep 22 (Cricket News) Young India opener Shafali Verma is a fabulous front-foot player but she needs to work on her back-foot to put pressure on the Australians, former India cricketer Nooshin-Al-Khadeer said on Wednesday.

Shafali could score only 8 runs in the first ODI, which the visitors lost by nine wickets against Australia on Tuesday.

"I think in the first ODI, we have seen that they (Australians) were bowling too short on her (Shafali) body. She needs to be adapt and get her back-foot shots quite well, because the Aussies have read her, she is a fabulous front-foot player and she can be destructive," Khadeer said.

"But if Shafali can get on to her back-foot, I am sure that it is going to take Australia on a backfoot... she needs to be working on her back-foot now." Khadeer, a former right-handed batter and off-spinner, also backed ODI skipper Mithali Raj, who has often been criticised for her slow strike rate.

"I think it is very easy for us to sit back and judge that strike-rate is an issue, but as cricketers, do we realise what situation she has walked into bat," Khadeer said at a virtual con-call when asked about the criticism of skipper Mithali Raj's strike rate.

"I would want to put forward a question saying that is it okay for a batter to score 10 runs in 8 balls or a batter who is able to score 60-70 runs, okay in 100 balls she has taken and contribute those 60 runs, there is a difference in that." Raj, the world no 1 ODI batsman, had recorded her fifth consecutive fifty in the first ODI against Australia. She has also completed 20,000 career runs but yet she is often criticized for her slow strike rate.

"I understand strike rate is important, but we need to understand the situation of a batter waking in. Whether the situation is right to get a strike rate of 100-120 and what happens," said Khadeer, who also played 78 ODIs, 5 Tests and 2 T20s.

The 40-year-old also pointed out the lack of contribution of the middle-order.

"Over a period of time, if we go through the statistics, we have seen our middle-order has not been contributing," she said.

"So if we are going with a strike rate of 100 and we miss out on her innings, then there will be criticism that, she is not informed, not contributing, so where is the contribution of the middle order, we need to have people contributing.

"Otherwise, we will see India not even crossing 200 runs," she quipped.

India will play two more ODIs, one day-night Test, and 3 T20Is during the series.

The second ODI of India’s Women’s tour of Australia will be aired on 'Sony Six' channels on September 24 from 10.40 AM IST and the third ODI will be aired on September 26 from 5.35 PM IST.

Also Read : Australia too good for struggling India, win by nine wickets in first ODI

News Source : PTI

(Football news) FIFA disciplinary committee yesterday ordered Hungary to play their next match against Albania behind closed doors, with the a second game suspended for a probationary two years over monkey chants and missiles aimed at the English players during England's 4-0 win over them at the beginning of the month. The Hungarian Football federation was also fined a minimal sum of 158k Swiss Francs. Hungary were already serving a two match stadium ban by UEFA for racist and homophobic chants and banners at their pervious matches in European Competitions.

FIFA and UEFA both need to rectify their racism banning rules. In a sport which is culturally so rich and people from different races, religions, colours unite together to watch the beautiful game, there should be no tolerance towards racism. Football is a sport which has its own beauty where people unite together and spread happiness or sometimes help express their different emotions on and off the pitch. These emotions sometimes get out of hand, fans tend to racially abuse players based on their colour, gender and their backgrounds which needs to be stopped and the fans need to educate themselves about these sensitive topics. No player deserves to be ostracized based on their skin colour and hereditary background.

The lack of common sense prevails amongst these racist fans as players and leagues have taken necessary steps to educate these fans by taking the knee and wearing Black Lives Matter jerseys but it seems like people still lack that basic humanity. The only solution to this problem is by taking extreme police actions against these people because banning them from stadiums won’t stop them from racially abusing anyone. 

Recently Marcos Alonso stated that he won’t no longer take the knee as he believes the gesture is “losing a bit of strength”, he will instead opt to wear an anti racism badge on his shirt before kick off. A decision that might raise a few eyebrows but in all honesty some fans all over the world are still not getting the point and still persist with racial slurs. It is the people’s mentality that needs to be changed rather than the pre match antics, schools and colleges need to educate the people and make the masses aware that being racist is a ‘crime’. 

Also read: Hungary is a hotbed for racism on football grounds and governing bodies must unite to tackle this issue

Piara Powar, executive director of the FARE Network, which operates both organisation’s of anti-discrimination systems, welcomed a “renewed determination to punish racism” from the former.

But he added: “If all Hungarian offences had been taken into account, they would be facing exclusion from the World Cup, and remedial measures would have been put in place. There should be better coordination between confederations, such as Uefa, and Fifa.

“In this case, Uefa should have asked Fifa to apply their previous sanction and the Hungary vs. England match played behind closed doors. An administrative loophole has allowed racism to flourish”
 

Hyderabad, Sep 22 (Football News) Young Hyderabad FC goalkeeper Manas Dubey has joined I-League side TRAU FC on a season-long loan deal, the club said on Wednesday.

The 19-year-old has been with Hyderabad FC since 2019 as a part of the reserve side before joining the first team squad for the club under Manolo Marquez, during the 2020-21 Indian Super League campaign.

The 6"5' goalkeeper, who trained under HFC Goalkeeping Coach Marc Gamon last season, will look to continue his progress with the Manipur-based club, which finished third in the 2020-21 I-League season.

Also Read : Full vaccination mandatory for I-League players, except U-18 and those recovered from COVID recently

News Source : PTI

(Tennis news): Laver Cup will begin from 24th of September and will be led by the next generation as the big three won’t be taking part this time. Team Europe is led by the US Open champion Daniil Medvedev and Diego Schwartzman will be leading team World, the tournament is back after a year as it was not held last year due to the pandemic.

The Laver Cup is played in honour of the living legend Rod Laver who dominated the game during the early 60’s and set records which still stands today. He is the only man to have achieved a calendar year slam and was the first player to do it when he won all the four slams in 1969. He played left handed and had strong groundstrokes along with an attacking serve and volley.

Laver also became the first Open era champion at Wimbledon in 1968, he had a total of 198 titles with 111 titles coming in the Open era. He also played doubles, winning all the slams except the US Open in the pre open era and won the Australian Open and Wimbledon in the open era. He was one of the highest paid players and had a total of 11 slams in which 5 of them came in the open era. Laver had laid the foundation for tennis, he was even present in this year’s US Open final and Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne is named after him. 

The Laver Cup was created by Roger Federer’s management company TEAM8 along with former player Jorge Paulo Lemann with a partnership of Tennis Australia. It is based on the Ryders Cup in Golf and the top players from the US play against top professionals from Europe. The Laver has two teams, team Europe and team world and there six players in each team who will be captained by a legend in the sport. The current captain for team Europe is Bjorn Borg and vice captain being Thomas Enqvist as for the team world they are being captained by John Mcenroe and the vice captain being Patrick Mcenroe. 

The Laver Cup does not have ATP points and is played between the top players. The players are chosen according to team ranking and the captain also chooses players, Team Europe has won the first three editions of the game and Alexander Zverev is the only one player from team Europe to feature in all the editions. John Isner and Nick Kyrgios and have also been part of all the editions in team world.

The first edition was notable as Federer and Rafael Nadal were part of the doubles team and in the second edition Federer and Novak Djokovic were part of the doubles team. There were outstanding performances from Sock in the doubles, Isner and Kyrgios in the singles. All the players watch the match on the court and also receive coaching during the match from the captain and the players.

Team Europe: Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev,  Matteo Berrettini and Casper Ruud.

Team World: Félix Auger-Aliassime, Denis Shapovalov, Diego Schwartzman, Reilly Opelka, John Isner and Nick Kyrgios.

John Isner is the only player this time who is aged above 30 as the rest of the players are all in their twenties. Isner who is 36 is the oldest and Félix Auger-Aliassime who is 21 is the youngest this time. Team Europe is filled with youngsters and is the favourite to win the Cup as for Team world they will look to hold the cup for the first time.

Also read:  Davis Cup: Bopanna and Ramkumar crack in must-win doubles match, India lose tie to Finland

New Delhi, Sep 22 (Football News) All the footballers taking part in the I-League starting in December will have to be fully vaccinated except for U-18 players and those who have recently recovered from COVID-19 infection, League CEO Sunando Dhar said on Wednesday.

The I-League 2021-22 is expected to be held under bio-secure environment with strict COVID-19 protocols in Kolkata and its surrounding suburbs.

"It will be mandatory for all the players and officials taking part in the I-League and I-League qualifiers to have both doses of COVID-19 vaccination. The only exception will be the players who are under-18 years and those who cannot be vaccinated due to recent recovery from the infection," Dhar told PTI in an interview.

"Last year, double dose vaccination was not mandatory but we have made it mandatory this time. In that sense, it is stricter this time," he added.

The U-18 players and those who have not got their jabs due to recent COVID-19 recovery will have to undergo more frequent testing during the tournament than the vaccinated players.

"If the fully vaccinated players are having test for every 5-6 days, they (U-18 players and recently recovered players) will be tested every 3-4 days," he said.

All the players and officials are also required to remain in quarantine for six days in their respective hotels after arrival. They will be tested twice during those six days.

Anybody who tested positive will be isolated in a different floors of the hotel and he will have to have three consecutive negative test results before joining their team-mates.

Dhar said it will be more challenging to manage the bio-bubble this time as 13 teams are competing as against 11 last year. The 13 teams and match officials will be put up in a bio-bubble comprising three hotels. Last year, the 11 I-League teams were put up in two hotels in Kolkata.

"We have the experience of last year, we were the first in the country to stage tournaments inside a bio-bubble. So we already have a template to follow.

"But the challenge will be to live up to expectations. Moreover, there are two teams more this time than last year. So, more matches and longer duration of the league. But we are hoping we will pull it off smoothly just like last year." He also said that only six COVID-19 cases were reported during last year's I-League out of the 12500 tests conducted.

Dhar also made a point that the AIFF's COVID-19 management abilities have been appreciated by other countries also.

"I had gone to Kathmandu for a workshop organised by All Nepal Football Association. I was invited to make a presentation on the bio-bubble management of the AIFF so that they can learn and apply in their domestic competitions," he said.

The I-League qualifiers will be played in Bangalore starting October 4 among 10 teams from which one will be promoted to the I-League. Out of the 10 teams, seven are new teams. Last year, only five teams competed in the I-League qualifiers.

"We had put all the players and officials inside one hotel last time. This time, we will use two hotels in Bangalore as bio-bubble.

"Seven teams will be in one hotel and the other three teams along with match officials will occupy another hotel. The players and match officials in the second hotel will occupy different sections." The matches will be played in front of empty stadium.

He said there will be live streaming of the I-League qualifier matches and even they are trying for live broadcast the games on television.

Dhar also said that it was unfortunate that the Golden Baby League grasssroot programme and other age group leagues have to be stopped due to the pandemic. The All India Football Federation is, however, hoping to resume the programmes next year.

On the Indian Women's League, which was not held this season due to the second wave of the pandemic, Dhar said, "It should happen in March-April next year after the Women's AFC Asian Cup."

Also Read : Delhi FC reach Durand Cup quarterfinals with 1-0 win over Kerala Blasters

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) India and Australia are all set to play the 2nd W-ODI at Harrup Park in Queensland. Australia outclassed India in the 1st W-ODI, winning by 9 wickets. Australia come into the game with a 25 consecutive winning streak in W-ODIs. It will take a mighty performance by team India to beat this Australian side in their own backyard.

Possible playing XI

India: Smriti Mandhana, Shefali Verma,Yastika Bhatia, Mithali Raj (C), Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (WK), Shikha Pandey, Sneh Rana, Jhulan Goswami, Poonam Yadav.

Vice captain Harmanpreet Kaur missed the first game due to a thumb injury but she should be back in the side. India clearly missed some experience in their bowling line-up so Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav's inclusion would be very crucial. 

Australia: Alyssa Healy (wk), Rachael Haynes, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Hannah Darlington, Darcie Brown

The Aussies have no reason to change their line-up after a perfect performance in the 1st game. The game will be played on the same ground so the team combination should remain pretty much the same. There is no official news on any injuries so it is very likely that Australia go into the match unchanged.

India will have to stitch more long partnerships together to get a better score. The bowling was nowhere near as good from the Indians. The match and the series is very crucial considering the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand is just around the corner.

Also read: Indian Women lose 1st W-ODI after dominant Australian performance in all departments

London, Sep 22 (Cricket News) Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on Wednesday announced that the gender-neutral term "batter" will replace "batsman" with immediate effect, in a bid to reinforce cricket's status as an inclusive game.

The amendments to the laws were approved by the MCC Committee, following initial discussion by the Club’s specialist Laws Sub-committee.

"MCC believes that the use of gender-neutral terminology helps reinforce cricket’s status as an inclusive game for all," MCC, the custodians of the game, said in a statement.

"The amendments are a natural evolution from work already undertaken in this area as well as an essential part of MCC’s global responsibility to the sport," the statement added.

Women's cricket has enjoyed unprecedented growth at all levels around the world and there had been calls to adopt more gender neutral terms to encourage women and girls to play the game.

A number of governing bodies and media organisations already use the term “batter”.

"At the time of the last redraft in 2017 it was agreed, following consultation with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and key figures within women’s cricket, that the terminology would remain as 'batsman' and 'batsmen' within the Laws of the game," the MCC said.

"The changes announced today reflect the wider usage of the terms 'batter' and 'batters' which has occurred in cricketing circles in the intervening period.

"The move to 'batter' is a natural progression, aligning with the terms of bowlers and fielders that already sit within the Laws." Jamie Cox, Assistant Secretary (Cricket and Operations) at MCC said: “MCC believes in cricket being a game for all and this move recognises the changing landscape of the game in modern times.

"It is the right time for this adjustment to be recognised formally and we are delighted, as the Guardians of the Laws, to announce these changes today.”

Also Read : Mithali retains number one spot as Satterthwaite returns to top five in ODI Rankings

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Sep 22 (Badminton News) The Indian men's doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy has pulled out of the Sudirman Cup mixed team championships on medical grounds.

The World no.10 pair was part of the 12-member Indian team announced by the Badminton Association of India for the prestigious event to be held from September 26 to October 3 in Finland.

"Chirag and Satwik have withdrawn on medical grounds as the former is not well," a BAI source told PTI.

"It is also uncertain if they will participate in the Thomas Cup which will be held after the Sudirman Cup. It will be subject to Chirag's recovery from illness." The nature of illness couldn't be ascertained as neither Chirag nor Satwik answered calls.

The Thomas and Uber Cup will be held from October 9 to 17 at Aarhus in Denmark.

Double Olympic medallist P V Sindhu had already requested not to be considered for the two events citing post Olympics recovery.

The Sudirman Cup will be the first BWF tournament to be held this year since the world body was forced to cancel or reschedule a number of events due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Chirag and Satwik's absence, the onus will be on Dhruv Kapila and MR Arjun, who were the top-ranked doubles pair in the selection trials, to win India the men's doubles matches in the tournament, which comprises two singles and three doubles ties in a rubber.

The squad also comprises Kidambi Srikanth, B Sai Praneeth, women's doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy and youngsters such as Malvika Bansod, Aditi Bhatt, Tanisha Crasto, Rutuparna Panda.

The biennial tournament will see the Indian team competing against defending champions China, Thailand and hosts Finland in Group A. 

Also Read : BWF cancels Syed Modi International badminton tournament

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) On this day in 1986, the Test match between India and Australia ended in a tie. This was only the 2nd time in the history of Test cricket that a match had ended in a tie. The occurrence has not been repeated since. The first tied match occurred between Australia and West Indies in 1960 at the Gabba.

In 1986 Australia toured India for 3 Tests and 6 ODIs. The tour got off to a fantastic start with a rare occurrence of a tied Test match first up.

The first Test match happened at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Madras as it was known back then. Australian captain Allan Border won the toss and elected to bat first. Australia scored 574/7 declared thanks to a double century by Dean Jones and a ton each by Allan Border and David Boon. In the 2nd innings India could only manage 397 with skipper Kapil Dev scoring a century. Off spinner Greg Matthews took a fifer while Ravi Shastri, Mohammed Azharuddin and Krisnamachari Srikant scored fifties.

Also read: Rajasthan Royals pull off a great escape as Punjab Kings fail to score 8 runs in 2 overs

With a lead of 177 runs, Australia walked out to bat for the 3rd innings. Allan Border declared after Australia was 170/5 leaving India to chase 348. Sunil Gavaskar scored 90 runs and other Indian batters contributed as well, but Australia kept picking wickets to keep themselves in the game Greg Matthews grabbed his 2nd fifer of the match and while his partner in crime Ray Bright also ended up picking 5 wickets.

The ending of the game was as dramatic as it could get. India were 344 for 9 before the last over of the day requiring 4 runs to win the match. Ravi Shastri was batting on 45, joined by the number 11 Maninder Singh with Matthews ready to bowl. After a dot ball, Shastri ran two off the 2nd delivery. He made the bold choice of running a single on the 3rd ball, leveling the score but that also meant Matthews had 3 balls to get Maninder Singh out and that is exactly what he did. The 5th ball trapped Maninder on the back leg and the umpire signalled out. The match ended in a dramatic fashion as a tie.

Apart from the two tied Tests, there have been two other instances when the match has ended when time expired with the scores level in the fourth innings, but with the batting side still having wickets in hand. These matches are considered to be draws, rather than ties. The first one happened in 1996 between Zimbabwe and England at Bulawayo. The 2nd one was in 2011 between India and West Indies in Mumbai.

Abu Dhabi, Sep 22 (Cricket News) Mumbai Indians pacer Trent Boult is not sure if skipper Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Hardik Pandya would feature in their next IPL game on Thursday but said both of them are recovering well.

West Indies' Kieron Pollard had led the side against Chennai Super Kings in the absence of Rohit, who has a dodgy knee while Pandya also missed the game due to a niggle.

"They are both recovering very well. In terms of their selection for the next game, I'm not too sure what's going on there. But day by day, they are improving," Boult said during a virtual press conference on the eve of their game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

"They are obviously two vital players in the XI for Mumbai. And we're desperate to get them back. So, fingers crossed that they'll be pretty good to go over the next couple of games," added the New Zealand pacer.

Boult said Rohit was "sorely missed" in the game against CSK but defended the team management's decision to rest the star opener.

"He is right up there in terms of experience and runs achieved in this format. So, it was a big hole but it was a good decision to make sure he is 100 per cent with the amount of cricket coming up.

"If he comes to the eleven, it will be brilliant, but we want to make sure he is 100 percent fit," said Boult. The defending champions have a better record against KKR in the cash-rich league but Boult believes that history does not matter in this format.

"It is more about starting afresh, every game is such a big game, every match is important now. History is history, it is nice to have previous results against them, but they are a quality side and we would not take them lightly," said the left-arm pacer.

Boult, 32, also felt that competing in the IPL was good preparation ahead of the T20 World Cup, which will be held in the UAE and Oman in October-November.

"You could probably not have any better build-up to the tournament like the T20 World Cup. The focus is on what's on for the next couple of weeks, but in terms of preparation, it is very good.

"Conditions can change quite quickly but having to deal with the heat and humidity is a big challenge at this stage. It is going to be interesting to see how conditions move over the course of the next few weeks," Boult signed off.

Also News : MI eye improved batting effort against rejuvenated KKR

News Source : PTI

(Motorsports news) The German Grand Prix is one of the most iconic and loved events by the fans, but it's a race that is struggling to meet the financial end for years. The Hockenheimring and Nurburgring alternated to spread the cost between them. Mercedes AMG were one of the key partners for the German GP but ever since they stopped doing so, the German GP found it difficult to sustain it.

In 2020, Nurburgring returned to the calendar because of the pandemic, replacing the Eifel Grand Prix. The historic track first started hosting races in 1926 and was a staple to the F1 schedule from 1956 to 2006, although F1 didn’t race in Germany in 2007, 2015 and 2017. It will be a huge blow for the sport as the German influence on the sport is tremendous and the likes of Vettel and Mercedes will not have a home race to show for. The German GP over the years have seen have some legendary moments like the infamous crash of Nikki Lauda in 1976 where he miraculously escaped the engulfing fire only to come back racing two races later to renew his championship battle with James Hunt, it saw a birth of a superstar in 1995 when Michael Schumacher won his first race in Germany and placed one hand on the 1995 title .

The 2022 calendar was going to originally feature a record 23 races but with the pandemic and cancellation of races, F1 bosses came to an agreement of 22 races next year. F1 is looking to diversify the sport by hosting one third of the races in Europe and the rest in different continents. Formula 1 CEO Domenicali also suggested that a race in Africa and also the return of the Korean Grand Prix at Yeongam is a distinct possibility.

Also read: Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll retained by Aston Martin for the Formula 1 2022 season

"I have the feeling that the organizers have no faith in themselves to host a Grand Prix anymore. Just look at what happened in Holland, Zandvoort is sold out for the next three years.

“I can imagine about a third of the races in Europe and the others around the rest of the world, starting in Bahrain. We have requests from Africa and are negotiating in the south and the north, plus one or two places in the Far East—Korea, for example” said the F1 CEO Domenicali.

New Delhi, September 22 (Esports news): The India qualifiers for the World Esports League (WSL) 2021 will begin from September 29 to 30 by the Esports Federation of India (ESFI). The World Esports League is hosted by Technoblood Inc. and organised by the WSL Organising Committee in partnership with the International Esports Federation (IESF). The pandemic has caused the India Qualifiers to be held virtually with top athletes from across the country competing and showcasing their skills and strategies. Top games like TEKKEN7 and multiplayer online battle arena and third-person hero shooter video game Brawl Stars (3V3) will
be part of the event.

Fighting game Tekken7 will be proceeding in double elimination format whereas athletes can compete in Brawl Stars in Single elimination format. “A tight-knit fight gaming community in India has extreme potential, one that we keep witnessing in many esports tournaments in the country. Tekken7 has a legacy of being the top fighting games and we are confident that esports athletes coming from the country will be putting up a show of their own. Brawl Stars is a very popular game among the children between 16-21 years of age and there will be a display of budding superstars coming out as national champions and bringing the laurels for the nation at the Global Finals.This is a very interesting time for esports in India and we are already looking forward to our national qualifiers for WSL ’21,” said Mr. Prabhat Kumar, Director of Esports Federation of India.

Along with the experience, the Indian qualifiers will be selected to represent the country at the Global Finals of WSL 2021 which is scheduled to take place in Korea from December 16 to 19. The air travel expenses and accommodation of the athletes traveling to Korea will be covered. In order to take part in the event, country’s Esports athletes and enthusiasts can
register themselves on https://discord.gg/esfi till 26th September 2021.

Also read:  Ultimate Battle brings out subscription model for gamers for increased access

Kolkata, Sep 22 (Football News) Willis Plaza's second half strike took Delhi FC to their maiden Durand Cup quarterfinals as they beat ISL giants Kerala Blasters 1-0 in their third and final group fixture at the Kalyani Stadium here on Wednesday.

Delhi FC started the game on a bright note as they drew out a couple of outstanding saves from the Blasters goalkeeper. The Blasters also looked to probe with set-pieces, but Lovepreet did well to punch the ball out.  DFC then got a free-kick from quite a long way out, and Anwar Ali lined it up, but it went over the bar.  Plaza was then introduced by DFC, and he almost made an instant impact. In a chaotic situation in the box, he managed to turn three defenders and somehow get his shot away, but it was blocked.  A few minutes later, Samuel Shadap had a crack from distance, which the goalkeeper almost spilled.  It was indeed a very lively first half, but the teams went into the halftime break with a 0-0 scoreline.   Delhi FC again started the second half in a better way as an early chance presented itself. Some neat play down the right of the Blasters defense, Rinreithen Shaiza crossed it across the face of goal but Jangra couldn't get there in time and could only squeeze his effort wide.  A few moments later, Plaza who brought the ball down in the box, turned and fired a shot at goal, but it was straight at the goalkeeper and he parried it away.

Plaza was causing a lot of problems for the Blasters defense, and he finally had something to show for it in the 52nd minute.

He received the ball in the box with his back to the goal, turned two defenders, dragged it onto his left and found the bottom corner of the near post. DFC got their well-deserved lead.  The Blasters then had a few half-chances, before a golden chance fell their way. It was a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, and with Lovepreet beaten, the ball was only to be tapped into the open net.

However, Anwar Ali heroically got back to make a stunning goalline clearance, and preserved his team's 1-0 lead.  Sergio Barboza then had a great chance to make it 2-0, but his left-footed strike was kept out by the goalkeeper.

Kerala Blasters then saw one final chance to get their equaliser, but Lovepreet again made a stunning one-on-one save to deny them.

Also Read : ATKMB face FC Nasaf in unfamiliar Uzbek territory in AFC Cup Inter-Zone Semis

News Sources : PTI

Dubai, Sep 22 (Cricket News) Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer T Natarajan has tested positive for COVID-19 but the team's IPL match against Delhi Capitals on Wednesday will go ahead as scheduled, the BCCI said.

Left-arm pacer Natarajan, who is coming back from a knee surgery, has been isolated along with six close contacts which also include out of favour India all-rounder Vijay Shankar.

"Sunrisers Hyderabad player T Natarajan tested positive for COVID-19 at a scheduled RT-PCR test. The player has isolated himself from the rest of the squad. He is currently asymptomatic," a BCCI release stated.

"The rest of the contingent including the close contacts underwent RT-PCR tests at 5AM local time this morning and the test reports are negative.

"As a result, tonight's game between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals will go ahead at the Dubai International Stadium, Dubai," it further stated.

The close contacts identified by the medical team also include Vijay Kumar(Team Manager), Shyam Sundar J (Physiotherapist), Anjana Vannan (Doctor), Tushar Khedkar (Logistics Manager), and Periyasamy Ganesan (Net Bowler).

The IPL resumed here on Sunday after it had to be halted in May due to multiple COVID cases in its bio-bubble when the event was being staged in India.

Also Read : IPL: Delhi Capitals take on struggling Sunrisers Hyderabad in match 33

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Sep 22 (Hockey News) Eager to change the shade of the Tokyo bronze, the Indian men's hockey team is now focussing on directly qualifying for the Paris Olympics by winning next year's Asian Games, says young midfielder Hardik Singh.

The Manpreet Singh-led Indian team had ended a 41-year-old long wait for an Olympic medal when it clinched the bronze at the Tokyo Games last month.

With the all-important Asian Games scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China from September 10 to 25 next year, the team's top priority will be to qualify for the Paris Olympics by winning the gold at the continental tournament.

"We are eager to begin our quest for gold at the Paris Olympics. We will have to approach step-by-step, and our first step will be to qualify directly for the Olympic Games 2024 by winning Gold at the 2022 Asian Games," Hardik said in a Hockey India media release.

"Then in 2023, we have another marquee event- Hockey World Cup, which will be played in Odisha, so there are challenging and exciting times ahead, and we are looking forward to it," he added.

The 22-year-old, who was one of the key figures in the Indian midfield, scored two crucial goals in his debut Olympic Games in Tokyo.

When asked about the reason behind India's success at the Tokyo Olympics, Hardik said, "We are a tight-knit team, and I think that was our biggest strength at the Olympics. We have formed a special bond, and we were able to master the best out of each other skills.

"After the disappointing result against Australia, we sat together and openly spoke to each other about what went wrong and what we needed to do in the upcoming matches to put up a much better performance. That really helped us a lot to bounce back and eventually win the medal for the country." He scored a memorable field goal in the quarterfinal match against England, which helped the team enter the medal rounds at the Olympics after more than four decades.

While recalling the iconic goal, the young gun said, "It was a team goal, our defence line stuck together to hold the 2-1 lead at a very crucial phase of the game as we were down to 10 men.

"Harmanpreet tackled the ball really well, he then passed it to me, and I had open space to penetrate into the striking circle, although my shot bounced off the goalkeeper's pad, luckily I received the rebound, and found the back of the net.

"Nilakanta also played a crucial role here as he blind spotted the goalkeeper, which helped me find the gap during that rebound," he added.

Also Read : Initially disappointed, but Varun feels lucky to be a part of Olympic hockey history

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) The sight of stumps flying leaving the batsman with no clues is every bowler’s perfect dismissal and only the best of the best have done it continuously. The IPL has been a stage for bowlers to shine as there are fewer balls to bowl and it always gets intense from the start. Brett Lee dismissing Unmukt Chand in the very ball of IPL in 2013 is still a memory worth reliving, the fast bowlers have ruled the game in most of the seasons and the spinners have been on top overall.

In terms of wickets, yorker legend Lasith Malinga is on top with 170 wickets and is closely followed by spinner Amit Mishra who has 166 wickets. This year we might be able to see an Indian in the top of the bowlers list but Mishra is closely followed by Dwayne Bravo and Piyush Chawla. The spinners are flooding the top ten as only Bravo and Malinga being the pacers in the list as the next ten are only pacers.

The best bowling figures belong to Alzarri Joseph who in 2019 became the third player to pick up a six wicket haul while playing for Mumbai Indians. Sohail Tanvir was the first one to take six wickets in a single game in IPL, he was playing for Rajasthan Royals in 2008 and did it against Chennai Super Kings. Adam Zampa did it 8 years later while playing for Rising Pune Supergiants and as of now is the only spinner in the IPL to have done it. The five wicket haul has been recorded on multiple occasions with only two bowlers doing it twice, Jaydev Unadkat and James Faulkner. Faulkner did it twice in 2013 while playing for Rajasthan Royals, the first Indian to do it was Lakshmipathy Balaji in the 2008 season while donning the Chennai Super Kings jersey.

IPL also has been recording the fastest balls bowled since 2012 and South African speedster Anrich Nortje has bowled the top three fastest balls in the history of the league, he bowled all of them in the 2020 season with the fastest one recorded at 156.22 km/hour. The fastest Indian is Navdeep Saini who bowled a 152.85 km/hour in the 2019 season, the 2016 season saw the least number of times bowlers crossing the 150km mark as only it was passed twice and in the 2020 season it happened on a record 71 occasions. 

In the Orange cap holders, Bravo and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar are the bowlers to wear it twice with Bhuvaneshwar being the only bowler to do it consecutive times. In the 13 editions so far every leading wicket taker has managed to take more than 20 wickets a season, with the lowest being 21 in the 2010 season by spinner Pragyan Ojha and the highest by Bravo in 2013 when he took 32 wickets. Spinners have worn the cap twice, Ojha in 2010 and Imran Tahir in 2019 and the first Indian bowler to wear it was RP Singh in the 2009 edition.

Chennai Super Kings have been able to top the bowling charts on three occasions, Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore are yet to do it. The 2013 season saw a record 9 bowlers taking 20 wickets or more and the 2008, 2010 season saw only a single bowler taking 20 wickets or more. 

Balaji was the first player to take a hat-trick in the league, he took three in three against Punjab Kings in the very first edition which saw a total of three hat- tricks in a record span of 8 days. Amit Mishra has a record three hat tricks to his name and Yuvraj Singh has the record of doing it twice in a single season in 2009. This year many records are at stake, with the bowling friendly pitch in UAE we can surely hope to see the wickets tumbling and look forward to the race for the Orange cap.

Also read: Harshal Patel leading the race for purple cap in first phase of Indian Premier League

Abu Dhabi, Sep 22 (Cricket News) Defending champions Mumbai Indians would look for inspiration from skipper Rohit Sharma, who is set to return to action, when they take on a rejuvenated Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League match here on Thursday.

Mumbai were without the services of Rohit and star all-rounder Hardik Pandya in their 20-run defeat to Chennai Super Kings on Sunday as both were rested as a precautionary measure due to having niggles. However, head coach Mahela Jayawardene has said Rohit should be fit and available for selection for the match against KKR.

KKR, on the other hand, have registered a dominating nine-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in their opening game of the second leg of the league.

Mumbai, who are currently placed fourth in the table with eight points, began their second leg campaign in a typical slow manner but with only half the tournament left to play, the defending champions need to win to stay in the top half of the league table.

Rohit, who has been in fine touch of late, will be expected to continue in the same vein and help his side make amends of the inept batting performance against CSK. Apart from Saurabh Tewary, who hit an unbeaten half century, none of the other batsmen were able to capitalize on their starts against CSK, failing to chase down 156.

On the other hand, the comprehensive win would have boosted KKR’s confidence. Having struggled in the first leg, KKR looked a completely different unit, in the manner in which they defeated RCB.

The Eoin Morgan-led side, placed sixth in the points table, fired on all cylinders with mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy and star all-rounder Andre Russell wreaking havoc with the ball before openers Shubman Gill and debutant Venkatesh Iyer chased down the 93-run target with 10 overs to spare.

Skipper Morgan had said that KKR would be dangerous opponents with nothing to lose in the second leg and the team certainly looked menacing against RCB. They will hope to continue playing in a similar aggressive fashion and win the title just like 2014 edition when they notched nine victories in a row.

They will also hold the edge over their rivals having already experienced the conditions at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium against RCB.

The Teams (from): Kolkata Knight Riders: Eoin Morgan (captain), Dinesh Karthik, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Karun Nair, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathy, Shubman Gill, Harbhajan Singh, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Kuldeep Yadav, Lockie Ferguson, Pawan Negi, M Prasidh Krishna, Sandeep Warrier, Shivam Dube, Tim Southee, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy, Andre Russel, Ben Cutting, Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Sheldon Jackson, Tim Seifert.

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (captain) Quinton de Kock, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Aditya Tare, Anmolpreet Singh, Chris Lynn, Saurabh Tiwary, Anukul Roy, Arjun Tendulkar, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, James Neesham, Jayant Yadav, Kieron Pollard, Marco Jansen, Yudhvir Singh, Adam Milne, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohsin Khan, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Piyush Chawla, Rahul Chahar, Trent Boult.

Match starts at 7:30PM IST.

Also Read : Special to change game myself after watching others do it: Tyagi

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Rajasthan Royals secured a dramatic last ball victory by 2 runs against Punjab Kings. KL Rahul had elected to bowl first after winning the toss. RR set a stiff target of 186 and PBKS looked comfortable in their run chase but bottled it in the end as they failed to score 8 runs from the last 2 overs.

Youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Mahipal Lomror anchored the RR innings scoring 49 and 43 runs respectively. Left arm seamer Arshdeep Singh led the PBKS bowling attack as he picked up a fifer. Evin Lewis who was signed as a replacement for Jos Buttler played his first game of the campaign and scored a quickfire 35 which is a good sign for the team and the player as well. Mohammed Shami's 3/21 was very crucial in the game as he picked up wickets up front as well as in the death. 

Chasing 186, PBKS did what they have done in the last few years. Openers Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul once again put together a 100-run partnership. The two openers have carried the PBKS batting line-up for a while now, after their dismissals is when things start going downhill. After Chetan Sakariya got the wicket of KL Rahul and Rahul Tewatia picked up Mayank Agarwal's wicket, Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran looked like they would finish the job but Rajasthan bowlers had other plans.

Also read: Kolkata Knight Riders outclass dull Royal Challengers Bangalore to win by 9 wickets

After 18 overs PBKS required just 8 runs in 12 bowls with 8 wickets in hand. Mustafizur Rahman gave away just 4 runs in the 19th over as the equation came to 4 off 6 balls. Karthik Tyagi bowled a stellar final over in which he took 2 wickets and gave away just 1 run as Rajasthan Royals claimed a thrilling victory.

The win is a huge boost for RR as they reclaim their 5th spot on the table. As for PBKS the same old problems with the middle order persists. Markram and Pooran didn't bat poorly as such but they choked under the pressure of some quality bowling by Tyagi and Mustafizur. PBKS could drop to the last spot if they lose their next game

RR's next game is against the Delhi Capitals on 25 September while PBKS play an almost do or die match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

(Cricket news) The main question the Hyderabad setup needs to answer is, will they bring back David Warner back into the playing XI? He was stripped off his captaincy midway through the season and then axed from the playing XI against Rajasthan Royals which has meant that he has suffered his worst IPL season by some distance. For SRH, chances of qualification look really grim with Kane Willamson and co needing to win all their matches to even stand a chance for qualifying for the playoffs. On the other hand Delhi Capitals will look to reclaim top spot from CSK, the welcome return of Sheryas Iyer might act as a boost for the team.

SRH's biggest miss is going to be their best batsman this season's Jonny Bairstow as he opted to focus on the T20 World Cup and Ashes. They have brought in West Indies explosive batsman Sherfane Rutherford as his replacement. Another major concern for SRH is their middle order as they haven't really shown any impetus to score runs or even take the team home in run chases. With Bairstow not playing, SRH management can use either Mohammad Nabi or Jason Holder to fill that void in the team. In the first leg SRH were hampered with injuries especially to their bowlers, this unwanted break might act as a blessing in disguise as they have near full strength bowling line.

The Delhi Capitals side will be looking for their maiden IPL trophy as this team almost have all the bases covered. They lost Chris Woakes but have replaced him with Ben Dwarshuis for the rest of the season, while left arm seamer Kulwant Khejroliya replaces M Siddharth. The DC management opted to stick with Rishabh Pant as the captain even though Sheryas Iyer is back to full fitness. The return of Iyer will be a boost for the team, and the balance of the team improves as he can play no 3 which could mean that they could bring back the South African duo of Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada back together in playing XI. Warner vs Rabada will be a key battle to watch out for as Rabada has dismissed him 3 times in 39 balls but he has also conceded at a rate of 9.38.

Head to head: SRH 11 - 8 DC, the last time they played Delhi prevailed in a humdinger of a contest as the match went into a super over.

Pitch and Weather report: The Dubai International Stadium is a batting friendly surface like we saw in the last match and is expected to assist the batters again, pacers might get some assistance towards the latter half of the game and wrist spinners in both the sides might play a big role.The temperature will  hover around 39 degrees as the humidity will be 55% with no chance of rain as of now. The dew factor could play a major role in the second innings.

Also read: Captain Samson fined Rs 12 lakh for RR's slow over rate against Punjab

Interesting facts:

• Amit Mishra will become the first player to feature in 100 matches for Delhi in the IPL if he plays 
• Amit Mishra is only 4 wickets behind Lasith Malinga’s tally of 170 wickets to become the highest wicket taker in IPL history
• Rashid Khan has picked up 17 wickets in 12 matches in Dubai at an economy rate of 4.55
• DC have hit the fewest sixes (32) but have hit most fours also (132)
• Ashwin needs only one wicket to take 250 T20 wickets and in doing so he’ll become the only the third Indian bowler to do so.  

Probable XI for DC:

1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Axar Patel, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Avesh Khan   

Probable XI for SRH:

1 David Warner, 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Kane Williamson (capt), 5 Kedar Jadhav, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Jason Holder/ Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 T Natarajan, 11 Sandeep Sharma   .       

Dubai, Sep 22 (Cricket News) Punjab Kings head coach Anil Kumble admitted that his team losing IPL games narrowly has become a pattern and the two-run defeat to Rajasthan Royals was certainly a difficult pill to swallow.

The Punjab side failed to score four runs from the final over with the Royals fast bowler Karthik Tyagi dismissing Nicholas Pooran and Deepak Hooda and giving away only one run to snatch the win for his team on Monday.

“It’s sort of become a bit of a pattern for us, especially as soon as we get to Dubai, it seems. There was a clear message saying we need to finish this game in 19 overs, and that was the approach," Kumble said at the post-match press conference.

"Unfortunately, we let it till the end, and in the last couple of balls it becomes a lottery (with) a new batsman going in, it is a bit of lottery.” The legendary leg-spinner gave credit to Tyagi for the way he bowled the final over.

“But credit to how Tyagi bowled the last over, it was pretty obvious that he’s going to bowl wide outside the off stump, but somehow our batters didn’t take the right options.

“Yes, it’s become a pattern, that’s something that we need to discuss and sort out. We have five more games, but again, we don’t want to get bogged down by this defeat. It’s certainly a difficult pill to swallow,” elaborated Kumble.

While Kumble praised the bowling effort of his team, he lamented that the batsmen could not finish the game.

“It was a very good wicket, in fact we really came back in the last four overs, I think we gave just about 20 runs and picked up six wickets. Arshdeep (Singh) bowled brilliantly, (Mohammed) Shami bowled brilliantly, (Harpreet) Brar bowled really well on a tough pitch.

“And remember one side of the ground, the boundaries were short, the other was longer. At one stage, Rajasthan were looking to score almost 200-210, so to really squeeze the last four overs and pick up six wickets, I thought the bowling effort was really good,” said the head coach, who has 619 Test wickets to his name.

“I think the batting showed till the 17th over that we were cruising, unfortunately 18th, 19th (over) sort of pulled us back after that six (Aiden) Markram hit. After that, we just got singles and then lost wickets and took it to the last over, which unfortunately we couldn’t finish,” he added.

According to Kumble, the team management had given a clear message to finish the game in 19 overs, but unfortunately it did not turn out that way.

“As batsmen, they certainly know what their scoring shots are, it’s not about just the scoop. It also boils down to that particular batsman. When you have 8 runs in 12 balls, I don’t think we needed a scoop, all it needed was a bit of hitting, and even if someone got out, the next batsman would at least get five or six balls to get those runs.

"When it goes to the last couple of balls, it becomes really hard,"

Also Read : Special to change game myself after watching others do it: Tyagi

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Sep 22 (Cricket News) Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson has been fined Rs 12 lakh for his side's slow over rate during their two-run win over Punjab Kings in an Indian Premier League match here.

The Royals pulled off an incredible two-run victory over Punjab Kings with fast bowler Karthik Tyagi dismissing Nicholas Pooran and Deepak Hooda and giving away only one run in the final over to snatch the win for his team at the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday.

"Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson has been fined after his team maintained a slow over rate during their VIVO Indian Premier League 2021 match against Punjab Kings at the Dubai International Stadium, Dubai on September 21," the IPL said in a statement.

"As it was his team’s first offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over rate offences, Mr Samson was fined Rs 12 lakh," the statement added.

The two sides were playing their first match after resumption of the IPL on September 19.

Also Read : Delhi Capitals resume IPL campaign against laggards SRH

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Sep 21 (Cricket News) Pacer Kartik Tyagi was ecstatic to effect a turn around in an IPL match for Rajasthan Royals after having seen others do it in the past seasons.

Punjab were poised for an easy win as they needed just four runs from the last over but the 20-year-old from Uttar Pradesh changed the game with his accurate bowling.

He took two wickets and conceded just one run to script an incredible two-run win for his team.

Tyagi, who missed the India leg of the IPL, said "This feels really good".

"I have been talking to seniors over the years and they keep telling me that things keep changing in this format, so I need to keep believing," Tyagi said at the post match press conference.

"I've always heard from everyone and also watched games in this format where strange things have happened. Today, I was fortunate to play a big role in something special." Asked about his effort, he said, "I was bowling a bit too short earlier, later worked on it consciously after getting a lot of feedback." Royals skipper Sanju Samson could not stop smiling after pulling off an incredible win.

"It's funny that we kept believing (that we could win). I kept the overs of Mustafizur and Tyagi for the end, believing. Cricket is a funny game right. We just kept fighting and believing," he said.

"I always believe in my bowlers, want to keep fighting and that's why I kept those two overs till the end. To be very honest, to get that score on this wicket, we felt good because we had the bowling.

"If we took the catches, we could have won the game earlier. People have really worked hard on their fitness," he said.

Punjab skipper KL Rahul was gutted.

"This is a tough one to swallow. We need to see how we can handle pressure better. It's happened to the best in the game. Tough one to swallow that you haven't learnt from your previous mistakes," he said, looking dejected. "We bowled decent lengths in the first six. Unfortunate that edges got it away from us. But we pulled this back nicely with the ball."

Also Read : Rishabh's level of maturity has gone through the roof: Ponting

News Source : PTI

Bellary, Sep 21 (Boxing News) Rohit Mor stunned defending champion Mohammad Hussamuddin but the accomplished duo of Shiva Thapa and Sanjeet lived up to expectations by clinching gold medals in their respective weight categories at the Men's National Boxing Championships here on Tuesday.

Deepak Kumar (51kg), Akash (54kg), Akash (67), Sumit (75kg), Sachin Kumar (80kg), Lakshya (86kg) and Narender (+92kg) also secured gold medals by winning their respective final bouts at the Inspire Institute of Sports. All of them are from Services team.

All the gold medal winners of the National Championships will represent India at the World Championships scheduled in Belgrade, Serbia from October 24 to November 6.

All of them, except Shiva, will be competing in their maiden world championships.

Delhi boxer Mor dished out a dominating 5-0 win over Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Hussamuddin, one of the strong contenders for the title in the 57kg.

Reigning Asian champion Sanjeet, also representing Services, outclassed Haryana’s Naveen Kumar by unanimous decision.

Seasoned boxer Shiva Thapa of Assam, a bronze medallist at the 2015 world championships and also a five-time Asian medallist, successfully defended his title as he recorded an easy 5-0 win over Dalveer Singh Tomar of Services in the 63.5kg final.

Karnataka’s Nishant Dev also continued his brilliant run at the championships. He blanked Amit Kumar of Daman, Diu & Nagar Haveli to win the 71kg title.

Deepak, an Asian championships silver medallist, was adjudged best boxer of the championships for his impressive performance.

Services defended their team championship title as they won 12 medals -- 8 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze.

Railway (2 gold, 2 bronze and 3 silver) and Delhi (1 gold, 4 bronze) claimed the second and third position respectively.

For Railways, Varinder Singh (60kg) and Govind Sahani (48kg) claimed gold medals with identical unanimous victories. While the 2021 Asian Championships bronze medallist Varinder defeated Services' Etash Khan Muhammed, Govind got the better of Chandigarh’s Kuldeep Kumar.

The Championships, which returned after a gap of one year due to COVID-19 pandemic, saw participation of 35 States/UT units and Boards and close to 400 boxers.

While the gold and silver medallists from each category of the Championships will also get direct entry into the national coaching camp, the two bronze medallists will take part in the selection trials where they will compete alongside the boxers representing the second team of top-3 teams of the last National Championships -- Services, Railways and Haryana.

The announcement of the remaining two names for the national camp will be made on September 24 on the basis of results of the selection trials.

Also Read : Shiva, Sanjeet, Hussamuddin one win away from world championship selection

News Source : PTI

Bengaluru, Sep 20 (Sports News): Bengaluru racers - Ruhaan Alva, Rohaan Madesh and Nikhilesh Raju - won the three titles on offer in the Meco FMSCI National Karting Championship here recently.

Alva clinched the Senior title in the NC Racing MSport X30 India class in an emphatic manner while Rohaan Madesh (Junior) and Nikhilesh Raju (Cadet) had to fend off stiff challenge from their rivals to take the top spot.

Local lad Nigel Thomas took the second place in the Seniors section and Zarah Misra the third in the Cadets.

Fifteen year-old Alva (167 points) was in a league of his own, impressing in each of the five rounds that were held under prescribed Covid-19 norms. In Rounds 2, 3 and 4, he won each of the four races that eventually proved to be the difference.

In the final round too, he suffered only one minor setback, taking the second position in the second race. But by then he had already sealed the championship.

In the Juniors, Rohaan Madesh (146 points) had to ward off a stiff challenge from Jaden Pariat (134) and younger brother Ishaan (130). Final championship table: Cadet: 1. Nikhilesh Raju (Bangalore; 167 points); 2. Arafath Sheikh (Pune; 157); 3. Zarah Misra (Bangalore; 76) Junior: 1. Rohaan Madesh (Bangalore; 146); 2. Jaden Pariat (Guwahati; 134); Ishaan Madesh (Bangalore; 130) Senior: 1. Ruhaan Alva (Bangalore; 190); 2. Nigel Thomas (Bangalore; 120); 3. Nirmal Umashankar (Chennai 3). 

Also Read : After winning 200m gold in only his 2nd senior level race, Amlan Borgohain wants to just run fast

News Source : PTI

(Football news) La Liga is off to a great start this season and Real Madrid are flying. Los Blancos were reunited with Carlo Ancelotti this season and the Italian manager has got the team to play with an attacking intent which had been missing for the past two seasons. FC Barcelona on the other hand are struggling. Although they are still undefeated in the league they don't look like a team who could challenge for the title. Atletico Madrid have already drawn two matches but the defending champions cannot be ruled out just yet.

Real Madrid scored two late goals against Valencia at Mestalla to win 2-1. They now host  Mallorca in a game they need to assert their dominance and make a statement. Madrid have won 4 and drawn 2 in the League this season as they sit on top but all the victories have been hard fought. Real Madrid haven't had a game where they have got a comfortable win yet and Mallorca at home is just the perfect scenario.

Newly promoted Mallorca are currently 9th on the table and have started the campaign well. Los Blancos cannot treat Mallorca as a stepping stone but Ancelotti will expect his team to convincingly win the game. Real Madrid are in the middle of a jam packed schedule so there might be a few changes in the squad. Marcelo might return to full fitness while Toni Kroos, Gareth Bale and Dani Ceballos are still out of contention.

Also read: IPL: IPL: Punjab Kings take on Rajasthan Royals in Match No 32

Atletico Madrid take on their neighbours Getafe. The Rojiblancos come into the game after two disappointing goalless draws against Porto and Athletic Club. Diego Simeone's men have had a bumpy start to the campaign having drawn 2 games already. The Madrid side haven't managed to replicate their form from last season so far. Getafe on the other hand have lost all their matches this season as they sit 19th on the La Liga table. Atletico Madrid are expected to win this match comfortably but Getafe need to get a result from this game to get their campaign back on track.

Barcelona travel to Cadiz after a disappointing week where they lost 3-0 against Bayern Munich and drew 1-1 against Granada, both on their home turf. The Blaugrana are in a rebuilding stage after the departure of Lionel Messi but their form has been worse than anybody expected. Barcelona sit 7th on the table and things aren't looking good for the Catalans. The injury crisis doesn't help as Ansu Fati, Martin Braithwaite, Pedri, Sergio Aguero, Ousmane Dembélé and Jordi Alba are all injured and won't be available for selection. Ronald Koeman needs to overcome 13th placed Cadiz to have any hope of keeping his job.

Dubai, Sep 21 (Cricket News) Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting feels his young skipper Rishabh Pant's level of maturity "has gone through the roof" in the last couple of seasons as he has evolved from a swashbuckling keeper-batsman to a leader of the pack.

The 23-year-old Pant was given the responsibility to lead Delhi Capitals in the first phase of IPL 2021 after regular captain Shreyas Iyer was ruled out due to a shoulder injury.

"Rishabh's level of maturity in the last two seasons has gone through the roof," Ponting, one of the game's all-time greats, described the cricketer on Tuesday.

"When I first came in, he just burst on to the scene. I had said we are going to see the unearthing of someone who is going to play for India for a long time. I could see that coming. I could see how much he wanted to be in every Indian team..

"It will take a very good player to knock him off that Indian team." Under Pant's captaincy, DC reached their maiden IPL final last season though they lost to Mumbai Indians in the summit showdown in the UAE.

"He has done a terrific job so far (leading DC in IPL). We are all striving for something special. This year we want to go one step further and Rishabh is going to play an intergral part in that." Before the first phase of the league had started in India earlier this year, Ponting had backed Pant as the team's skipper in the absence of Iyer, stating that the youngster would enjoy the extra responsibility.

And he did as DC topped the standings with six wins from eight matches before COVID-19 cases in the IPL's bio-bubble led to a suspension of the event.

Eager to in their first silverware, Pant said the team needs to give just 10-15 percent more than last season.

"We are better than last time this year. We have been focussing on the process for two-three years. We don't have to do too many things differently from last year. We can do the same things and give 10-15 percent extra," Pant said on the eve of their opening game against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

With the presence of people like Marcus Stoinis and Shimron Hetmyer in the team, besides Pant, the Australian legend has a lot of confidence in his middle-order.

"Stoinis has had actually really big impact on us. He has the talent to be a great all-rounder in world cricket, especially in white-ball. We have got a lot of finishing power there with Hetmyer, Stoinis and Pant... makes our batting lineup really strong and really deep." Ponting is delighted to have Shreyas back in the squad, lending additional firepower to the batting lineup.

"I am delighted to have him back in the team. He has been an exceptional player for Delhi, a world-class player. It does make our team look a little more complete." He said the inclusion of Shreyas in the playing XI will not disturb their bowling combination that has two highly effective South African pacers in Kagiso Rabada and Andre Nortje.

Ponting said the vibe and atmosphere around his group is good going into their first game in the second phase of the league.

DC have plenty of senior players in their ranks including Steve Smith, Ajinkya Rahane and Ravichandran Ashwin, and some of them often miss out on game time, but the head coach said managing them has never been an issue as he treats everyone equally.

"I manage everyone the same way, everyone is on the same page in our team. We treat each other equally, that's certainly the way we try to go about. We have a good mix of youth and experience..

"We also do rely on our senior players as, at the end of the day, Rishabh is not always going to be right. So we bring everybody along the journey." Pant said the team's performance in the first half is good from the psychological point of view but they don't talk about what happened few months ago.

"That performance in first half counts obviously but we just want to focus one match at a time. We don't discuss that as a team and focus on our process.

"As a player, I don't think too much. I try to make most of the opportunity I get, move on, and keep learning everyday." Asked about his biggest learning from his predecessor in the Indian team -- the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni -- Pant said, "Focus on the process and results will follow." When asked about his leadership, he said, "I just try to keep the environment light. Anyone can discuss anything with me or Ricky. The combination of youth and experience helps us to go forward.

"I have learned from Ricky that everyone should be treated equally in the team -- players and also the support staff. Only then special things happen and as a skipper, that's the only thing you want." About Wednesday's opponents, Ponting observed that SRH are not a high-scoring side but "they back their defensive side of the game" and are always up for a scrap.

"We feel like we are well prepare. I am very confident that our boys will get the job done." 

Also Read : We've given ourselves a good chance to qualify for playoffs: Rabada

News Source : PTI
 

Kochi, Sep 21 (Football News) An international football tournament will be held here in December ahead of the AFC Women's Asian Cup that India is hosting from January 20 to February 6 next year.

Kerala will host the final round of the 75th Santosh Trophy National Senior Football Championship. The next junior and sub-junior national football championships for boys and girls will also be held in the state.

The slew of tournaments were part of efforts to promote football in Kerala undertaken by the state government in collaboration with the All India Football Federation.

The AIFF and Kerala Football Association will also support the organisation of Golden Baby Leagues as well as the Youth Leagues from the local level to the state level.

Talismanic former India captain IM Vijayan sounded excited, lavishing praise on the collaboration between the Government of Kerala and the AIFF in close coordination with the KFA.

"This will act as a boon to football in the state. I am very happy to hear such tournaments are being planned to be hosted in Kerala," Vijayan said in an AIFF release.

"It has been a long time since we have had footballing action in the state, especially due to the pandemic. People are dying to watch live action,” Vijayan, nicknamed the ‘Black Buck’ during his playing days, said.

He said hosting an international women’s tournament will further help inspire more women to take up the sport.

“Gokulam Kerala will already play in the AFC Women’s Club Championship, and now the Kerala Government has also opened academies for women. I am looking forward to it. Well done,” Vijayan said.

Also Read : ATKMB face FC Nasaf in unfamiliar Uzbek territory in AFC Cup Inter-Zone Semis

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Sep 21 (Cricket News) Bolstered by Shreyas Iyer's return, Delhi Capitals will look to maintain the form they showed in the first half of the season as they resume their IPL campaign against a struggling Sunrisers Hyderabad here on Wednesday.

Delhi are currently sitting on the second spot, with 12 points from eight games. On the other hand, Sunrisers are placed at the last spot, with just a solitary win from seven games and six losses.

The Rishabh Pant-led side ended the first half of the IPL with a win and would be keen to start on a winning note.

And to do that, the Capitals have enough power-hitters in their line-up, who can take any good attack to cleansers and Sunrisers won’t be an exception.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan (380 runs), would be keen to prove the selectors wrong after being axed from India’s World T20 squad, while his partner young Prithvi Shaw (308 runs), would also like to get some runs under his belt.

DC boast of a strong middle-order comprising Shreyas Iyer, skipper Rishabh Pant (213 runs), Australians Steve Smith (104 runs) and Marcus Stoinis (71 runs) and Shimron Hetmyer (84 runs.

They will have to play their roles well if the Capitals need to keep winning and in case the opener’s fail, the middle-order will need to take responsibility.

Iyer, who is making a comeback after recovering from shoulder injury that he sustained in March, would also be keen to start the tournament well.

Delhi also have a settled bowling attack and they could go in with Avesh Khan (14 wickets) and Kasigo Rabada (8 wickets), who have been lethal at the start and at the death.

Delhi have array of spinners to choose from – be it wily old-fox Ravichandran Ashwin, experienced campaigner Amit Mishra, Axar Patel, Lalit Yadav or Pravin Dubey.

For Sunrisers, a win would boost their confidence and help them stay afloat in the tournament.

However, their season’s leading run-getter Johnny Bairstow, has decided to pull out and hence the marauding Australian opener David Warner (193 runs) will have to shoulder more responsibility.

The likes of Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Wriddhiman Saha, Kedar Jadhav, Abdul Samad and Vijay Shankar, will also need to chip in and contribute.

Their bowlers, led by spin sensation Rashid Khan, also will have to put up a disciplined show to contain the Delhi batters at the Dubai International Stadium.

Teams (From): Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Prithvi Shaw, Ripal Patel, Shikhar Dhawan, Shimrom Hetmyar, Shreyas Iyer, Steve Smith, Amit Mishra, Anrich Nortje, Avesh Khan, Ben Dwarshuis, Ishant Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Kulwant Khejroliya, Lukman Meriwala, Pravin Dubey, Tom Curran, Umesh Yadav, Axar Patel, Lalit Yadav, Marcus Stoinis, Ravichandran Ashwin, Sam Billings and Vishnu Vinod.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Kane Williamson (Captain), David Warner, Manish Pandey, Sherfane Rutherford, Wriddhiman Saha, Shreevats Goswami, Rashid Khan, Vijay Shankar, Mohammad Nabi, Abhishek Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddharth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed, T Natarajan, Basil Thampi, Sandeep Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem, Abdul Samad, J Suchith, Jason Holder, Virat Singh, Priyam Garg, Kedar Jadhav, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Jason Roy.

Match starts at 7.30 PM.

Also Read : How Kohli overcame persistent back issues

News Source : PTI

Chennai, Sep 21 (Football News) Two-time ISL champion Chennaiyin FC's new head coach Bozidar Bandovic does not believe in a long pre-season, saying eight weeks were enough to make the players run and still keep them fresh.

The ISL 2021-22 season gets underway on November 19 in Goa.

"As a coach I don't agree with long pre-season. I think eight weeks are enough to make them run for 90 minutes and be refreshed at the same time. We start the work every day on zoom call," Bandovic said during a virtual media interaction. "We start training on September 26. I spoke to the club about having 6-7 friendly games but we will inform you when we will complete all the dates because it's a difficult situation. We need to see which teams are free and when it's good for them and us to play friendly matches." The man from Montenegro said the team had a "good mix of youth and experience and also some domestic players who play for the national team".

"We have a good team and now we have to work hard. I believe that we need to make coordination between the players and to make them play in their preferred position so that they can give their best for the team," he added.

To a question about last season during which CFC finished eighth in the league stage, Bandovic said, "I cannot speak about the last season." "Looking at the numbers, the team did not score many goals. I believe that these (foreign) players can score the goals. We will try to work to make the change. It's not important who scores the goal. I want the team to win. I believe that we will be better this season," he added.

On the new foreign signings, the CFC coach said they will have a positive influence on the domestic players and help them improve.

"They are new to the league. I know that they have the quality. We choose the players who have the personality. The foreigners need to make a difference immediately on the field. We will make a good group.

"They will have a positive influence on the domestic players – training and communication. The domestic players will improve. They are leaders and have character," he added.

He further said all the players were in Goa save for Hungarian -midfielder Vladimir Koman, who was expected to arrive on Wednesday and added that there were no injury worries for the team.

"All players are here...Koman will arrive tomorrow.. (Goalkeeper) Samik Mitra has some problem – flu.. He will be with us in a couple of days. (Lallianzuala) Chhangte is 99 percent. He only has a small problem. He will need only two days to be fully fit," the CFC coach added.

He also revealed that the local mid-fielder Dhanpal Ganesh has not joined the pre-season camp so far.

Bandovic, who recently worked with Thai club Buriram United, said he needed to adapt to India and Indian football.

"The people around me are very good. I will learn more as days go by. This club should be in the top four. This is a team that has won two championships.

"I looked at the games of our team from last season. I chose the players after looking at them. The club signed the players that I proposed. I looked at players who are best of the team."

Also Read : 

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Punjab Kings take on Rajasthan Royals in the Dubai International Stadium in a must win match for both teams, with Mumbai dropping points Rajasthan can go level on points and can also occupy the 4th position if they win. On the other hand KL Rahul’s side can’t afford any more slip ups as they have to potentially win all their matches to stand a chance of qualifying for the playoffs. Both the sides will have plenty of new faces due to the non availability of players, and some of those could work in favour looking at their form and calibre of these players.

Rajasthan Royals are basically going to have a new set of foreign players as the likes of Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, Andrew Tye and Jos Buttler all opted out as they wanted to focus on the T20 World Cup and Ashes. Although the Royals have got in form players in Evin Lewis, Oshane Thomas, Shamsi and Glenn Phillips in. The positives for Royals is that Liam Livingston and Evin Lewis are in sublime form as both were the highest run getters in the Hundred and CPL respectively. A lot of responsibility falls on Chris Morris to lead the relatively inexperienced  bowling attack as players like Archer and Tye opted out, Morris’ match up with Gayle will be an interesting watch as the South African has dismissed him three times scoring 58 runs in 61 balls only.

Punjab Kings on the other hand will be without Jhye Richardson, Riley Meredith and Dawid Malan, the kings decided to bring in Nathan Ellis, Adil Rashid and Aiden Markarm as their replacements. The kings during the first phase had a lot of dependency on the top order as 50% of the runs this season have been scored by KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal, the middle order has only averaged 17.10% of the runs in this year's IPL, which is the lowest amongst the teams. A solution to this problem could be Markarm as he recently played in the slow turning pitches in Sri Lanka recently at number 3. The Kings can straightway hand Adil Rashid his debut as the Royal players tend to struggle to spin.    

Also read: Kolkata Knight Riders outclass dull Royal Challengers Bangalore to win by 9 wickets

Head to head: RR 12 - 10 PBKS, their last game was a thriller as kings won by four runs in the last over.

Pitch and Weather report: The pitch was green top in the first match which assisted the fast bowlers. It is expected to turn slower like it did earlier as a total of 160 could be a challenging target especially with the long boundaries. The temperature is going to hover around 42 degrees with no chances of rain as of now.

Interesting facts:

• Mustafizur (43) and Shamsi (41) are the second and third highest wicket-takers in T20s in 2021
• KL Rahul has a strike rate of over 157 in the middle overs
• Kings (57) and Royals (52) are amongst the top three six hitting teams this season
• Mustafizur has an economy rate of 8.81 in the death overs which is the best this season

Probable XI for PBKS:

1 KL Rahul (capt, wk), 2 Mayank Agarwal, 3 Chris Gayle, 4 Deepak Hooda, 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Shahrukh Khan, 7 Fabian Allen/Adil Rashid, 8 Ravi Bishnoi, 9 Arshdeep Singh, 10 Nathan Ellis, 11 Mohammed Shami 

Probable XI  for RR:

1 Evin Lewis, 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Sanju Samson (capt, wk), 4 Liam Livingstone, 5 Riyan Parag, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Chris Morris, 8 Rahul Tewatia, 9 Kartik Tyagi, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Chetan Sakariya/Jaydev Unadkat

Karshi (Uzbekistan), Sep 21 (Football News) Up against a formidable opponent in an unfamiliar territory, ATK Mohun Bagan will start as underdogs in their AFC Cup Inter-Zone Semi-final against FC Nasaf of Uzbekistan here on Wednesday.

ATK Mohun Bagan are without central defender Sandesh Jinghan, who has joined Croatian club Sibenik since the 1-1 draw with Bashundhara Kings which saw the Indian side advance as South Asian Zonal champions.

Another heavyweight Hugo Boumos is also out, having been omitted from the squad to make way for Joni Kauko, a newly signed midfielder who appeared in all three of Finland’s matches at UEFA Euro 2020 earlier this year.

The 2020 Uzbekistan Super League runners-up will play the make-or-break clash in the familiar surrounds of Markaziy Stadium, a venue where they have tasted defeat just twice in 11 home matches this season, including their 3-2 win over Turkmenistan’s FC Ahal in the previous round of the continental tournament.

In contrast, ATK Mohun Bagan have had to travel via Dubai in their bid to advance to next month’s Inter-Zone Final against Lee Man FC of Hong Kong, and have been out of domestic league action since March, with three AFC Cup group stage fixtures in August their only competitive action in over six months.

Despite the lack of competitive preparation matches, Antonio Lopez Habas’ side hope to make up for it in talent and ambition.

The star attacking duo of Roy Krishna and David Williams have travelled after combining for three of the team’s six goals in the group stage, while goalkeeper Amrinder Singh will be aiming to build on a positive start to life at ATK Mohun Bagan.

Fans of the Kolkata-based side will, at the very least, be expecting a far better result than the last Indian team to venture to Karshi for an AFC Cup clash, with Dempo suffering a 9-0 defeat in the group stage back in 2011.

Nasaf are match fit, focused and in form. Chasing the trophy, a decade after the club won it in 2011, the settled nature of Ruzikul Berdiev’s outfit is underlined by the fact there are no changes to the squad which successfully navigated the Central Asian Zonal Final last month.

Serbian duo of Marko Stanojevic and Andrija Kaluđerovic -- both goal scorers against Ahal -- may be well known to fans from outside Uzbekistan, but Nasaf’s strength lies in their deep pool of young local talent, with Sherzod Nasruallev, Khusayin Norachaev, Akmal Mozgovoy and Khusniddin Alikulov all under 25, and all influential in the competition so far.

Berdiev’s charges have proved impossible to contain in Asia this season, averaging 67 percent of possession and 21 shots at goal per outing over their four fixtures and scoring multiple goals in every match.

Also Read : Kerala Blasters FC launch their home kit for 2021-22 Indian Super League season

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Indian Women's team started their Australia tour in the worst possible way. Australia won the 1st ODI in a very convincing and comfortable fashion by 9 wickets and 9 overs to spare. The toss was going to be very crucial as it was a fresh wicket and bowling first was going to be a very big advantage. Unfortunately for India, Mithali Raj lost the toss and India was put into bat first. 

Australia displayed some aggressive bowling from the very beginning. India's dangerous and in form openers Shefali Verma and Smriti Mandhana were dismissed very cheaply by seamer Darcie Brown. Yastika Bhatia and Mithali Raj built a partnership of 77 runs before Bhatia was dismissed. Australia kept picking wickets on regular intervals as India could manage only 225 runs. Debutant Hannah Darlington and spinner Sophie Molineux took 2 wickets each while Darcie Brown put in Player of the match performance by picking up 4 crucial wickets.

Also read:  Opportunities aplenty for aspiring female cricketers post evolution of the game - India A all rounder Tejal Hasabnis

India had a very small target to defend and they never looked like doing it. Australia's top 3 of Alyssa Healy, Rachael Haynes and Meg Lanning scored half centuries to guide Australia to a comfortable victory. Healy became the fastest woman to score 2000 runs in One Day Internationals.

Although the Indian batters didn't put a big enough score on the board, it was the bowlers who lost the match. Poonam Yadav was the only bowler who picked up a wicket and that too was just a consolation. 

The next W-ODI is on 24th September when Australia will have a chance to wrap up the series. A thumb injury sidelined vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur from the 1st match but the hard hitting batting all-rounder could come back for the 2nd game.

Dubai, Sep 21 (Cricket News) India skipper Mithali Raj continued to hold on to the number one spot while New Zealand's Amy Satterthwaite returned to the top five in the latest ICC women's ODI rankings for batters released on Tuesday.

While skipper Mithali, who has 762 rating points, retained her top spot, opener Smiriti Mandhana was placed seventh.

Satterthwaite made her way back into the top five on the back of her unbeaten 79 in the first ODI against England.

South Africa opener Lizelle Lee, who had caught up with Mithali last week to share the mantle at the top, has slipped by a position at number 2 -- one rating point behind -- after missing the final two ODIs against West Indies.

England captain Heather Knight also made significant gains. Her match-winning 89 off 107 deliveries against New Zealand helped her enter the top ten, jumping five places to share the ninth spot with Natalie Sciver and Laura Wolvaardt.

Veteran Indian pacer Jhulan Goswami moved up a spot to fourth while senior spinner Poonam Yadav remained static on ninth among bowlers.

India's Deepti Sharma moved a rung to be fourth in the all-rounders' list led by Australia's Ellyse Perry.

In the bowling rankings, the England pair of Sophie Ecclestone and Katherine Brunt climbed up the ladder one position each at sixth and seventh respectively, shifting Ayabonga Khaka of South Africa down to number eight who missed the final two outings of the series against South Africa.

Kate Cross snared five wickets in the first two ODIs while Natalie Sciver picked up three. Effectively, Cross moved up two places to 15th and Sciver advanced up three places to 18th.

Also Read : Australia too good for struggling India, win by nine wickets in first ODI

News Source : PTI

(Football news) September 21, 2021: Kerala Blasters FC has launched their first kit for the upcoming season of Hero Indian Super League 2021-22. The first kit is a tribute to the 1973 Kerala Santosh Trophy squad who won the first-ever Santosh Trophy championship on the soil of Kerala. To celebrate the 1973 triumph and to honour those veterans, 1973 will be written on  all the jerseys. This kit will be the home kit and will be worn for the home matches.
 
Yellow remains emboldened in the kit, as it represents the team's strong passion for football and also symbolizes their pride to be one with Kerala in reinforcing the State’s legacy. Along with this unchanged yellow, the Komban is also maintained as it signifies the pride of KBFC. The blue colour on the sides represents the tusk of the Komban, and the skin pattern is inspired by the shape of the Komban’s eyes. This skin pattern is made to represent the culture and passion of the Kerala fan base. 

Also read: Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters FC teams up with Kerala Government for Sports Kerala Elite Residential Football Academy
 
Ambar Aneja, CEO Six5Six says, 'It's been an honour to be a part of this historic partnership and to honour heroes that have had an incredible impact on the game of football in Kerala. This Jersey is an ode to all of that and more.' 
 
Kerala Blasters FC's Director Nikhil Bhardwaj says, 'This one is special for me because when we made a commitment to the development of football in the state of Kerala we knew that we had a rich legacy that we had to honour. This year when we wear the Yellow Armour we will take with us the spirit of the Class of 1973. #ForOurLegends.'
 
The club will reveal the second and third kits prior to the start of Hero ISL 2021-22.

New Delhi, Sep 21 (Sports News) He has won a gold with the fifth fastest time ever by an Indian in only his second 200m competition at senior level but Assam youngster, Amlan Borgohain, wants to take one step at a time and refuses to harbour lofty ambitions.

The 23-year-old Borgohain, hailing from Meleng village in Assam's Jorhat district, claimed the men's 200m gold on Sunday with a time of 20.75 seconds during the National Open Championships in Warangal, Telengana.

His time was the second fastest on the country's soil and fifth fastest ever by an Indian after national record holder Muhammed Anas Yahia (20.63), Dharambir Singh (20.66), Arokia Rajiv (20.66) and Anil Kumar (20.73).

"It was my first senior level 200m final race since I started taking part at senior level in 2019 and I don't have any international experience," Borgohain told PTI in an interview from Bhubaneswar, where he is training at the Reliance Foundation Odisha Athletics High Performance Centre (HPC) since April last year.

His first senior level 200m race was during the 2019 National Open Championships in Ranchi, where he had clocked 21.99 seconds. He had also won a silver in the 100m dash with a creditable time of 10.34 seconds in Warangal.

Asked what are his targets, he said, "I have just started my career and I want to just run fast.

"Olympics is any athlete's ultimate dream but, at the moment, I am not looking very far. I want to take one step at a time. My coach is there to help me and chalk out my future course of action." Borgohain is under the tutelage of Welshman James Hillier, the head coach at the Reliance Foundation HPC, who has mentored the likes of Rio Olympics 4x400m relay bronze medallist Emily Diamond in the past.

"Of course, there is Asian Games and Commonwealth Games next year but I am not going to put pressure on him by telling him about medals. There is a lot of room for improvement and we are focussing on that.

"He is certainly the best 200m runner in the country at the moment. I am planning to take him to Europe next year to compete on the European circuit and get some more experience competing against quality foreign athletes.

"He has the right attributes to become a top-class athlete. He is always eager to learn, wants to work hard and also very actively participates in anything, not the kind of shy or reticent athlete, he is the leader of any pack." Borgohain also took part in the Federation Cup in March in Patiala where he ran 10.44 seconds in 100m but did not run in 200m due to a hamstring injury. A bout of COVID-19 infection -- he tested positive on his 23rd birthday -- forced him to miss the National Inter-State Championships in June.

A fan of Cristiano Ronaldo and Sunil Chhetri, football was Borgohain's first love but took up athletics once his armyman father was posted in Hyderabad, where they shifted from Assam. His father BC Borgohain retired as Subedar Major in 2009.

"Just like most of northeasterners, my first love was football and I played the game in my childhood and school days. But once our family shifted to Hyderabad, there was little scope for football. So, I shifted to athletics. That was in 2015," he said.

Asked if he had faced financial issues during his formative years in the sport, Borgohain said, "We are not well off but the situation was not that bad. It is not that I will not get things like running shoes with spikes, but it takes some time for my father to gather money to buy the stuff." His first athletics medal came at the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) Nationals in Lucknow in 2015 and podium finishes in the Under-18 and Under-20 categories at state level followed.

Borgohain, whose family has now returned to their native village in Assam, then took part in the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports (RFYS) nation-wide athletics competition in 2017.

He clocked 10.84 seconds in 100m and 22.06 seconds in 200m in the 2018 RFYS national finals.

Hillier spotted him at the Khelo India Games in Guwahati in January last year and invited the youngster to appear for an evaluation at the HPC in February. After four weeks of intensive training and assessment, Borgohain was confirmed a spot at the Reliance Foundation High Performance Centre in April last year.

Also Read : Amlan Borgogain, Praveen Chithravel share limelight with Manju Bala Singh

News Source : PTI

Mackay, Sep 21 (Cricket News) India's frailties in the batting and bowling department were laid bare as the mighty Australia gave the visitors a nine-wicket hiding in the first women's ODI to extend their record winning streak to 25 matches.

India, who are aiming to post 250 plus regularly to challenge the likes of Australia, could only manage 225 for eight in an innings that never got the momentum it needed.

Skipper Mithali Raj (61 off 107) recorded her fifth consecutive fifty, which was also her 59th overall, while the other contributions came from debutants Yastika Bhatia (35 off 51), Richa Ghosh (32 not out off 29) and veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami (20 off 24).

Australia gunned down the target in 41 overs as India bowling lacked the teeth to trouble them. The four-time World Cup winners last lost an ODI in October 2017.

After a sedate start of 30 runs in eight overs, Australian openers Alyssa Healy (77 off 77) and Rachael Haynes (93 not out off 100) changed gears to run away with the game.

Healy was the aggressor in their 126-run stand with her dominating knock comprising eight fours and couple of sixes. She was eventually caught at mid off trying to hit another one out of the ground off leggie Poonam Yadav.

Haynes and skipper Meg Lanning (53 not out off 69) then shared a 101-run stand and took Australia home for a resounding win.

India, who fielded three debutants in the game including Ghosh, Yastika and pacer Mansi Singh, have a lot of thinking and planning to do for the second ODI of the three-match series.

The decision to pack the eleven with three all-rounders in Sneh Rana, Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar, leaving out a specialist left-arm spinner, did not work for India.

Megha impressed with her ability to swing the ball while Jhulan bowled a tidy spell as usual but India were never able to put Australia under pressure.

On the batting front, the visitors would not have crossed the 220-run mark if it wasn't for the eight-wicket stand of 45 runs between Jhulan and Ghosh, who was picked ahead of Taniya Bhatia to add the much needed firepower.

India openers Shafali Verma (8) and Smriti Mandhana (16), whom the team relies on heavily for brisk starts, perished after hitting a few boundaries. They need to be consistent going forward.

The bowlers have identified the apparent weakness in Shafali's game and don't offer front-foot balls. The 17-year-old perished off a short ball again with wicketkeeper collecting the catch on the leg side off pacer Darcie Brown.

Brown (4/33) was the stand out bowler for Australia while debutant Hannah Darlington (2/29) and Sophie Molineux (2/39) took a couple each.

Mithali was hit on the helmet by a Ellyse Perry bouncer but she carried on to bat.

Senior India batter Harmanpreet Kaur did not play the game due to a thumb injury.

Also Read : India's batting struggles continue as visitors end up with 225/8

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Sep 21 (Cricket News) Delhi Capitals pacer Kagiso Rabada feels the the team has given itself a good chance of qualifying for the IPL playoffs following a brilliant performance in the first half of the season.

The Delhi franchise registered six wins from eight matches in the first half of the tournament and led the points table when the league was suspended midway in May owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I think the guys are in a good space as we have been playing some cricket since the first half of the tournament. That's a positive for the team," Rabada said in a media release.

"It's also nice to start the second half of the season being on top of the table. However, we still have a lot of work to do. We've given ourselves a good chance to qualify for the Playoffs and earn a spot in the final," said the fast bowler.

Speaking about the return of Shreyas Iyer, who had missed the first leg due to injury, Rabada said that the batsman is great for the balance of the side.

"It's awesome to have Shreyas back. He's a phenomenal batter and an integral part of our team. He's good for the balance of the team. I'm sure he's itching to play. He seems to be in good spirits and he seems to be hitting the ball well." The fast bowler, who has snared eight wickets this season, expressed that the Delhi Capitals who finished runners-up last season, will give it their best shot to win their maiden IPL trophy this time.

"We've had unfinished business since the day the Delhi Capitals didn't win a final. We are coming back after a break and it's just one final stretch for us.

"Hopefully, we can do it for our fans and our families this season. We are just going to give it our best shot. The guys believe that they can do it so that's a great sign." The Rishabh Pant-led side will begin its second leg campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Also Read : Virat’s decision to quit captaincy didn't impact RCB's performance against KKR: Hesson

News Source : PTI

(Football news) Matchday 5 brought out all the action as Real Madrid became outright leaders of La Liga, although Barcelona have played a match less, they still look pretty unconvincing as they haven’t found the proper groove. With Madrid’s win they have opened a two point gap over Atletico Madrid, who dropped points against Athletic Club.

Real Madrid came from behind against Valencia to win 2-1 late on to claim all three valuable points. Carlo Ancelloti’s side is going through a transition period but have proven their champion like mentality as this is their second victory after going a goal down. In the first half, both sides seemed off the pace as all the action took place in the second half. Hugo Duro scored in the 66th minute to give Valencia the lead but just when the Valencia fans thought that they’ll get the victory, up stepped Vincius Junior and Karim Benzema to score right at the end to give the Los Blancos the much needed points. With this result Real are on top with 13 points from 5 matches as they have a superior goal difference of 8.

Barcelona continued their poor start to the season as they drew 1-1 to Granada, Ronald Koeman after this result is under significant pressure to save his job as the Barca board are not happy with the string of results. He made several changes to starting XI as he played Coutinho and youngster Demir on the wings but it make much difference as Granada took the lead in the second minute through Duarte, it was only in the 90th minute that a cross from the 17 year old Gavi was met by Araujo to head home the equaliser for them. With this result Barcelona have suffered one their worst start in the clubs recent history, having managed 8 points in 4 matches and currently sit in 7th place.

Also read: Bundesliga: Bayern and Dortmund both win convincingly as Wolfsburg lost their 100% start to the season

Atletico Madrid failed to reclaim the top spot in the table as they drew 1-1 to Athletic Club, Diego Simone handed Griezmann his second debut but he failed to inspire the side in what was a very dull match. The only significant moment to take place was when substitute Joao Felix picked up two yellow cards in a space of minutes as he argued with the referee about being booked moments ago, although Athletic Club couldn’t capitalize on being a man up. With this result Atletico Madrid have 11 points from 5 matches and sit in 2nd position in the table.

Other notable results were:

Real Sociedad 0 - 0 Sevilla

Mallorca 0 - 0 Villarreal

Real Betis 2 (Pedrosa(og), Fekir) - 2 Espanyol (Vidal, Cabrera)

Rayo Vallecano 3 (Trejo(pen), Ciss, Falcao) - 0 Getafe

New Delhi, Sep 21 (Cricket News) Virat Kohli has narrated his struggles from a persistent back pain in 2014 and how he overcame it with the guidance of former India strength and conditioning coach Basu Shanker.

In the foreword for Shanker's maiden book -- 100, 200 Practical Applications in Strength and Conditioning -- Kohli recalled how he was introduced to lifting weights by the S&C coach who helped him in becoming one of the fittest cricketers around.

"In the latter half of 2014, I found myself with a relentless back issue which was not easing off. Every morning, I had to do a routine for 45 minutes to loosen my back, but the stiffness could come back at any time through the day.

"It was then that Basu sir and I had a conversation around lifting weights and get ting overall explosive strength in my body," Kohli wrote.

Shanker, who worked with the national team from 2015-2019, is seen as the man responsible for the transformation of Kohli and the Indian team's fitness.

"At first, I wasn't convinced (about lifting), but the only thing Basu sir asked of me was 'trust'. I had full faith in his knowledge and experience.

"I remember in our series against Sri Lanka in 2015, I started learning lifting from Basu sir, understood the dynamics and the study behind the practice and felt I was working towards something amazing.

"The results were outstanding, and that changed my perception of S&C and the importance of knowing exactly what you're working towards." Kohli, who himself launched the book on social media last week, heaped rich praise on Shanker, who is currently with RCB.

"Basu sir is the best S&C coach I've worked with, and his ability to make you feel at ease with his template is absolutely amazing. Never have I worked with someone who knew exactly how to transform my physique and performance according to my needs, not through a set template that was common to every one.

"I truly believe through this book, one can dive into the details and the knowledge which can surely transform your perception of what training means, change the way you do things and how you feel about your physique after fol lowing the programme to the T, as Basu sir likes to say," Kohli added.

Also Read : Iyer's aggressive knock signifies the aggressive brand of cricket KKR want to play: Morgan

News Source : PTI

Abu Dhabi, Sep 21 (Cricket News) Virat Kohli's decision to quit Royal Challengers Bangalore captaincy after the ongoing season had no impact on the team's performance against Kolkata Knight Riders, asserted head coach Mike Hesson.

RCB were handed a nine-wicket loss by by KKR, a day after skipper Kohli announced he will step down as captain of the IPL team at the end of the ongoing season.

Hesson believes it was important to make the announcement as early as possible.

"No, I (don’t) think so. It was actually important to get any form of distraction out of the way early. So, we sort of talked about making that announcement as soon as possible really, so all the players were aware of it," Hesson said at the post-match press conference.

"But it really hasn't had any impact on today’s performance. We weren’t certainly sharp as we needed to be with the bat, we didn’t adapt to conditions, we lost wickets in clubs, everything we can’t do as a batting group.

"But I’m still confident of this group, we will turn around pretty quickly,” added Hesson.

Kohli's RCB announcement had come two days after he decided to quit national T20 captaincy following next month's World Cup.

KKR’s Varun Chakravarthy ran through the RCB batting line up as he returned with 3/13.

“I think it is very tough to start against Chakravarthy, so the fact that we keep losing wickets, that meant that he was able to attack new batsmen,” said the RCB head coach.

Hesson lamented that the batsmen were not as sharp as they needed to be but refused to blame the team’s composition for the loss.

“The team composition wasn’t the problem today, we got ourselves to 1/42, and even going back further than that, we probably got the toss wrong, so we scrapped to 1/42, but certainly wasn’t a 93 wicket." "We should have found out a way to get ourselves to 150, and whether that would be enough or not would be debatable as well, because the ball started to slide on, but all in all we weren’t sharp enough with the bat,” he rued.

Hesson said they did not want to risk AB de Villiers by handing him wicket-keeping duties and thus had to make changes to the playing XI.

“You saw Ab De Villers didn’t have the gloves, so certainly we have got to look after AB. He is a very important player for us and not one that we could risk at the moment behind the stumps, so that was unfortunate for Rajat (Patidar),” he said.

“We needed to pick up a keeper-bat, to bat at three, and KS Bharat, he has been outstanding in the whole camp leading up-to to this game, certainly deserves his inclusion.

"We wanted to have real batsman at six, we had the abilities, still have six bowlers, and once again Sachin Baby was a left-hander and obviously gave us some options with the ball, potentially if we needed one as well, so, the reason was with AB not keeping, we needed to make that change at the top,” he signed off.

Also Read : Kolkata Knight Riders outclass dull Royal Challengers Bangalore to win by 9 wickets

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) In match 31 of the IPL, RCB were convincingly defeated by KKR by 9 wickets with 10 overs to spare. RCB remain 3rd on the table while KKR jump to 5th.

RCB had played well in the first half of the tournament but couldn't replicate their form. KKR on the other hand bounced back from their disappointing first. Bangalore's batting collapsed like dominoes as Devdutt Padikkal was the only batter who crossed the 20 run mark. 

Kolkata's bowlers did a magnificent job to restrict RCB to 92. Varun Chakravarty picked up 3 wickets and also influenced a run out as he was named the man of the match. Andre Russell displayed some fiery  bowling picking up 3 wickets. His yorker to get rid of AB de Villiers for a golden duck was a jaffa which would've troubled any batter in the world.

Also read: Iyer's aggressive knock signifies the aggressive brand of cricket KKR want to play: Morgan

KKR's batters didn't have too much to do as the required run rate was well below 5 an over. Shubhman Gill scored a fine 48 while debutant Venkatesh Iyer scored a magnificent 41 to anchor the run chase. There were a lot of positives in the game for KKR. Iyer's innings cement's his place in the side for a while and the team's balance looks to be perfect for the time being. KKR's next game will be against Mumbai Indians on 23rd September.

RCB don't have too much to think about as the loss doesn't reflect anything wrong with the tactics or selections. It was just a batting collapse which is enough to lose any match in the T20 format. RCB will play table toppers CSK on 24th September to try and get their campaign back on track.

Abu Dhabi, Sep 21 (Cricket News) Lavishing praise on debutant Venkatesh Iyer, skipper Eoin Morgan said the Madhya Pradesh batsman's unbeaten knock against Royal Challengers Bangalore signified the "aggressive" brand of cricket Kolkata Knight Riders aspire to play.

After bowling out RCB for a paltry 92, openers Iyer (41 not out) and Shubhman Gill (48) helped KKR cruise to a nine-wicket win with 10 overs to spare.

“I think Venky, the way he came in and played, was outstanding. Certainly, the brand of cricket we want to play. We have a lot of talent within our group," Morgan said at the post-match press conference.

"Playing the Brendon McCullum (way), that’s the aggressive nature in which we want to play.

"Although he was very aggressive, he managed to play with drastic control throughout the innings and his opening partnership with Shubman Gill was beautiful to watch,” he added.

Swashbuckling all-rounder Andre Russell came in at number three and asked whether this would often be the case, Morgan said, “No, I think it is open to interpretation.” “I think, given the way that we played today and the position that we found ourselves in and the run-chase we had an opportunity to really affect our run-rate position, hence Russ (Russell) going up the order,” he explained.

Despite the big-win, Morgan conceded that it was a challenge for his side to make the last four, as they are currently on the fifth spot with six points from eight games.

“There is no doubt that it is going to be a challenge, but our main aim is turn up and try and play cricket like we have done today. I think if we do that, we give ourselves the best chance of progressing,” said the England limited overs skipper.

“It is something that the franchise has done before and gone on to win the championship, so we take confidence from that but more so from our performance with the ball and the bat and in the field today.

"Moving forward, if we continue to play in that manner, it makes us a dangerous side,” Morgan signed off. 

Also Read : Situation was tough, glad I could take up responsibility: says CSK's Gaikwad

News Source : PTI

Sentosa (Singapore), Sep 21 (Golf News) The Saudi International golf tournament will mark the start of a revamped 2022 schedule, as the prestigious event becomes sanctioned by the Asian Tour as part of a 10-year partnership, the organisers announced.

The tournament, scheduled to take place from February 3-6, will feature an increased purse of USD 5 million -- up from USD 3.5 million.

The Asian Tour is also in the process of finalising plans to complete its combined 2020/2021 schedule, which will be announced in due course.

Asian golfers have not seen action on their home turf since March last year.

The tournament, presented by SoftBank Investment Advisers, will continue to be broadcast globally from Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, near Jeddah.

“The importance and potential of Asia’s role in world golf is undeniable, not least due to its position as a global economic powerhouse. This partnership will unlock many opportunities for players, sponsors and fans of the game, " said Majed Al-Sorour, CEO of Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation.

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, Asian Tour, said: “This is an outstanding development for the Asian Tour that will create significant benefits for our membership, key stakeholders, and fans alike.

In 2021, the Saudi International presented one of the strongest fields in world golf, joining an elite group behind only the Majors and a small number of professional championships in the ranking points offered to competitors.

The Asian Tour, the official sanctioning body for golf in Asia and a full member of the International Federation of PGA Tours, will sanction the championship, opening new commercial prospects and enabling a greater number of professional golfers to qualify and compete for life-changing opportunities.

Also Read : Sandhu ends T-22 and Sharma finishes T-27 in Dutch Open

News Source : PTI

Mackay, Sep 21 (Cricket News) India's batting woes continued as they could only manage 225/8 against Australia in the first women's ODI of the three-match series here on Tuesday.

India, who are aiming to score 250 plus consistently to challenge the likes of Australia, kept losing wickets regularly in an innings that never got the momentum it needed.

Skipper Mithali Raj (61 off 107) recorded her fifth consecutive fifty, which was also her 59th overall half-century, while the other significant contributions came from debutants Yastika Bhatia (35 off 51) and Richa Ghosh (32 not out off 29).

India would not have crossed the 220-run mark if it wasn't for the eight-wicket stand of 45 runs between senior pacer Jhulan Goswami (20 off 24) and Ghosh, who was picked ahead of Taniya Bhatia to add the much needed firepower to the batting line-up.

India openers Shafali Verma (8) and Smriti Mandhana (16), whom the team relies on heavily for brisk starts, perished after hitting a few boundaries.

Senior batter Harmanpreet Kaur did not play the game due to a thumb injury.

Pacer Darcie Brown (4/33) picked up four wickets for Australia while debutant Hannah Darlington (2/29) and Sophie Molineux (2/39) took a couple each.

Also Read : Best possible preparation for ODI World Cup: Mithali on mighty Australia challenge

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Sep 20 (Sports News) Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday pushed for a common pool of cash awards for athletes with both the central and state governments accumulating funds to provide equal benefits to athletes winning medals for India.

During a virtual interaction, Thakur asked the sports ministers of states and union territories to send their feedback in this regard.

The meeting was organised to draw a road map to prepare the Indian athletes for future Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games and evaluate how the states are contributing to promote sports at the grassroots.

The meeting was also attended by sports secretary Ravi Mittal.

Thakur said sports is a state subject and the overall motive of the interaction was to urge the states to organise sporting events across rural and urban areas for able-bodied and para-athletes as well as play a key role in identification of talents at the grassroots level.

"Today's meeting was very fruitful and we have agreed to meet at least twice in a year to evaluate the progress and how we can come up with better infrastructure, more coaches and more trainers and physiotherapists," he said after the meeting.

"Apart from that we will be looking to create a dashboard, where the data related to sports infrastructure will be available from each state, district, block.

"The dashboard will give all relevant information like how many coaches are available, what kind of sports will be played in those indoor stadium or outdoor games etc. and all these details will be available at the click of a button." Thakur also said that there will be a talent hunt programme for various sports to identify youngsters and train them for future events.

Also Read : Tokyo Paralympians felicitated by Venkaiah Naidu

News Source : PTI

Auckland, Sep 20 (Cricket News) New Zealand Cricket (NZC) is hopeful of finding a window next year for the abandoned white-ball series against Pakistan, its CEO David White has said.

Just hours before the start of the first ODI at Rawalpindi on Friday, New Zealand called off the Pakistan tour which was to comprise three ODIs and five T20Is, citing security concerns.

“I’m sure we’ll find a window. We are scheduled to play them next year in January and February, two Test matches as part of the World Test Championships and some ODIs, so maybe we can wrap the games around those series," White said on Mornings with Ian Smith show on SEN Radio.

White, however, reiterated that apart from abandoning the tour, there was no other option left for them.

“(The Pakistan Cricket Board) were fantastic, very professional. We will work through with them over the coming weeks and months to ensure we fulfill our obligations to them, we’ve got to play five ODIs and three T20s against them.

“It’s really disappointing for Pakistan cricket, but we had no option but to leave the tour, unfortunately,” he said.

White spoke about the serious nature of the threat that came about despite “extensive” precautions.

“I was at home and we got a call from a government agency on Friday afternoon informing us of a specific credible threat against the team,” he said.

“I contacted our security person in Pakistan, which was at 3am in the morning, and we just worked through it with him on the ground and other independent sources as well." He said the New Zealand government agencies informed that they had knowledge of a specific credible threat against the team.

"They informed us of that immediately and we continued those discussions and informed our people on the ground (in Pakistan). We had a contingency in place. We had a charter flight that was available at short notice.

"So we were able to do that and execute that and secure accommodation in Dubai where the team are going to be staying for the World T20s, so that’s where the players are now.

“They are all safe and in a secure place, I think they’re in a hotel where there are two of the IPL teams as well.”

Also Read : PCB reaches out to SLC and BCB for short tours but no series could be planned

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) IPL has seen the highest run scorers every year breaking new barriers as the orange cap takes a lot of team effort too as more the matches, the more the chances they get to score. Players like Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum, David Warner and Ab De Villers have redefined the art of attacking the bowlers. Indian players are also not far behind as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina have terrorised the bowlers in their own style.

When we look at the numbers, only twice has the orange cap holder scored less than 600 runs in a season, Mathew Hayden scored 572 runs in 2009 and David Warner scored 562 runs in 2015 which is the lowest for an orange cap holder. Virat Kohli has scored the most runs in a single season when he scored 973 runs in the 2016 season, no one has been able to touch the 900 run mark and the closest was in the same season when David Warner finished second with 848 runs.

Shaun Marsh was the first player to score over 600 runs in a single season as he took the orange cap in 2008, Sachin Tendulkar became the first Indian to score 600 runs in a season as he scored 618 runs in the 2010 season. Chris Gayle became the first player to break the 700 run barrier as he scored 733 runs in the 2012 season, Virat Kohli became the first Indian to score more than 700 runs in a year in the 2016 season and was joined by David Warner. Warner and Kohli are the only batsmen to score more than 800 runs in a year.

Sunrisers Hyderabad has had a batsmen score more than 600 runs a year four consecutive times and Royal Challengers Bangalore being the other one who have done it four times but on separate occasions. Punjab Kings have done it thrice, Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals have done it twice, Mumbai Indians and Kolkota Knight Riders have done it once with Rajasthan yet to do it. David Warner has won the orange cap a record three times.

Virat Kohli is leading the run chart overall with 6076 runs, he is the only player to go past the 6000 run mark and is followed by Shikhar Dhawan who has 5577 runs to his name. David Warner has the highest runs for an overseas player as he has scored 5447 runs with De Villers coming in second with 5056 runs. Dhawan can cross the 5600 run mark while Warner can enter the 5500 mark in this season.

Warner has scored the most fifties as he has scored it fifty times in 148 innings and has a narrow lead over Dhawan who has 44 fifties to his name. Chris Gayle is on top in the century list as he has 6 hundreds to his name and is challenged by Virat Kohli who has five in which four came in the 2016 season which is itself a record. The first hundred was scored by Brendon McCullum in the very first match of the IPL in 2008, he was playing for Kolkata and scored it against Bangalore. Manish Pandey scored the first hundred by an Indian in the IPL, he was playing for Bangalore and scored it against Deccan Chargers in 2009. 

Chris Gayle has scored the fastest century as it took him only 30 balls to reach the three figure mark against Pune Warriors India in 2013 and the Indian record is held by Yusuf Pathan when he scored a century in 37 balls against Mumbai Indians in 2013. The IPL is known to bring in records every season and has seen batsmen smashing sixes all over the stadium and even out of the stadium. This season, the batsmen will have more challenges as the UAE pitches are not batsmen friendly so they won't have the same advantage that they had in India. However, this format is all about challenges and this time too it will be handled with brutal force and power.

Also read: The top five run scorers in the first phase of the Indian Premier League

Dubai, Sep 20 (Cricket News) Young opener Ruturaj Gaikwad is glad that he could take up the responsibility of guiding Chennai Super Kings to an eventual winning total from a "tough situation" against reigning champions Mumbai Indians in their opening match of the second phase of IPL here.

The 24-year-old Gaikwad scored an unbeaten 88 off 58 deliveries to guide CSK to a fighting 156/6 from 24/4. CSK eventually won the match by 20 runs here on Sunday.

"Obviously the situation was tough as most of the top-order batsmen got out. I had to take the responsibility and then find a way how can we reach up to 120-130," Gaikwad told teammate Deepak Chahar in a video posted on IPL website.

"And after spending some time on the crease the target got extended by 10 runs everytime, 140-150 looked possible then." Gaikwad took up the onus on himself after the likes of Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni were dismissed early, while Ambati was retired hurt.

Gaikwad and senior pro Ravindra Jadeja (26) shared crucial 81 runs for the fifth wicket to take CSK forward and lay the foundation for the winning total.

"The conversation I had with Jaddu bhai (Jadeja) in between was to build a partnership, it was the plan and thankfully it got executed," said Gaikwad, who bagged his fifth man-of-the-match award in 13 IPL matches.

"Our preparation was good, we came a little early here than other teams. We had plenty of match simulations where we tried simulating slog overs batting as well as early on in the innings, setting target as well. I think that was really helpful."

Also Read : Ruturaj's 88 and bowlers power CSK to 20-run win over MI

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Sep 20 (Sports News) Paralympics bronze-medallist high jumper Sharad Kumar has been admitted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) after experiencing chest congestion but he is "feeling better" now.

Kumar, who won a bronze in the T-42 high jump event in the Tokyo Paralympics on August 31, is awaiting his test reports after he was admitted to the prestigious medical facility four days back.

"I have been here for four days after feeling chest congestion. I am feeling better now," Kumar told PTI.

"Everyday, there is a test and the doctors are going to tell (what is future course of action) in a day or two," he added.

The 29-year-old Patna-born athlete, whose left leg was paralysed after he was administered a spurious polio vaccine as a toddler, had competed in the T-42 final despite suffering a knee injury while training before his event. He later said he was on the verge of pulling out of the competition. He jumped 1.83m to win the bronze.

"I had my meniscus dislocated (during training). I cried whole night and thought of pulling out of the event. I spoke to my family back home and my father asked me to read Bhagavad Gita and focus on what I can do and not on what I have no control over," he had said then.

Kumar is a double Asian Para Games (2014 and 2018) high jump champion and world silver medallist (2019).

The T42 classification is for athletes with a leg deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement in the legs. The athletes compete in a standing position.

Also Read : Tokyo Paralympians felicitated by Venkaiah Naidu

News Source : PTI

Bellary (Karnataka), Sep 20 (Boxing News) The accomplished trio of Sanjeet (92kg), Shiva Thapa (63.5kg) and Mohammad Hussamuddin (57kg) stood just one win away from booking a slot in India's world championship squad after they entered the finals of the men's National Boxing Championships here on Monday.

Reigning Asian gold-medallist Sanjeet, representing Services Sports Control Board (SSCB), proved too strong for Harsh Kaushik from Delhi as he registered a convincing 5-0 win.

Sanjeet will take on Haryana's Naveen Kumar in the final. Naveen blanked Punjab's Raghav Chaudhary.

Another SSCB boxer Hussamuddin, however, faced a tough challenge from the in-form youth world champion Sachin of Haryana.

The defending champion Hussamuddin had to work hard before completing a 4-1 win in an intense semifinal bout. He will fight against Delhi's Rohit Mor in the gold medal match.

Later, 2015 world championships bronze-medallist Thapa recorded a dominating victory over Uttar Pradesh's Abhishek Yadav, winning with a unanimous 5-0 verdict.

The five-time Asian medallist will square off against SSCB's Dalveer Singh Tomar in the final on Tuesday.

Deepak (51kg), Akash (54kg), Etash Khan Muhammed (60kg), Akash (67kg), Sumit (75kg), Sachin Kumar (80kg), Lakshya (86kg) and Narender (+92kg) were the other SSCB boxers to enter the finals.

Chandigarh's Kuldeep Kumar (48kg) and Sagar (+92kg) also made their way into the finals with equally dominant victories.

While Kuldeep Kumar outperformed Uttar Pradesh's Ravi Kumar with a unanimous margin, Sagar too comfortably defeated Maharashtra's Reynold Joseph, when the referee stopped the contest in his favour.

For Karnataka, Nishant Dev also booked a final berth in the 71kg category. Nishant got the better of Haryana's Yashpal with an easy 5-0 win.

Gold medal winners from the championships will earn themselves a chance to represent the country at the world championships to be held in Serbia from October 24 to November 6.

Also read : Shiva Thapa storms into semi-finals of boxing nationals 

News Source :PTI

Zurich, Sep 20 (Football News) World football governing body FIFA has reached out to its member associations and other stakeholders to hold discussions on bringing reforms to the international match calendar for women and men, which is set to expire at the end of 2023 and 2024 respectively.

There is a broad consensus within the game that the international match calendar should be "reformed and improved".

The stakeholders included representatives of the players, clubs, leagues and confederations).

Following invitations to stakeholders, including all confederations, at the beginning of September, discussions are being organised in the coming weeks.

On September 15, 2021, FIFA also invited its member associations to a first online summit on September 30. This is one of the several opportunities to establish a constructive and open debate, at a global and regional level, over the coming months and FIFA is looking forward to it.

"As this is a football project, in which the global interests of the game should come first, this process started with players and coaches from all over the world," FIFA said.

"Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs) have been established under the stewardship of Arsene Wenger, FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, and two-time FIFA Women's World Cup-winning coach Jill Ellis. The debate will also involve fans from around the globe." The apex football body added, "FIFA is committed to being a forum for meaningful debate by engaging with a wide range of stakeholders including fans and looks forward to discussions on the sustainable growth of football in all regions of the world, at all levels."

Also read : Former England striker Jimmy Greaves passes away, leaving behind a legacy that will inspire generations to come

News Source: PTI

(Football news) German football provided the fans with plenty of goals, Bayern are steam rolling every opponent their way and Dortmund's talisman Haaland is just scoring for fun as the Bundesliga table looks very familiar with those two at the top. Wolfsburg maintained their unbeaten run but drew against Frankfurt to drop 2 points as Bayern became the new leaders of the Bundesliga.

Bayern won 7-0 against VFL Bochum as they are back to their dominant best, Nagelsman side fired four goals past them in the first half itself. Bayern opened the scoring with Leroy Sane and goals from Kimmich, Gnabry and an own goal from Lampropoulos virtually sealed the game for them in the first half. In the second half, an inevitable goal from Lewandowski and one more for Kimmich, Eric Choupo Moting rounded off the perfect performance late on as he scored his 50th goal in the Bundesliga. With this result Bayern are on top with 13 points from 5 matches as they have a superior goal difference of 16.

Dortmund were back to their best as they won 4-2 against Union Berlin as Marco Rose is slowly but steadily integrating his philosophy in this team. Dortmund opened the scoring through an amazing half volley from Guerreiro in the first 10 minutes, Haaland then doubled the tally with a towering header. In the second half, Dortmund made it 3-0 through an own goal from Friedrich but Union had other ideas as they pegged back two goals from Kruse and Voglsammer. Erling Haaland wrapped up the three points with a sublime half volley chip over the keeper to take his goal tally to 7 goals from 5 matches. With this result Dortmund are on 12 points just 1 point behind Bayern.

“Erling is simply a goal-hunting machine. When he sees a chance to put the ball in the net, his eyes light up and a fire is lit,” said Dortmund defender Mats Hummels after the match.

Wolfsburg drew 1-1 against Eintracht Frankfurt as they missed their chance to go on top of the table. Marco Van Bommels side were very lackluster in the first half as they conceded a goal through Sam Lammers but Wolfsburg showed their spirit as they pegged them back after a goal from Weghorst. With this result Wolsburg are level on points with Bayern on 13 points but have an inferior goal difference compared to Bayern.

Also read: Serie A: Milan draw against Juventus to go joint top with Inter who thumped Bologna

Leverkusen continued their up rise as they won 3-1 against Stuttgart, goals from Andrich, Schick and teenage sensation Wirtz wrapped the points for them as they are 4th in the table with 10 points. RB Leipzig continued their bad start to the season by drawing 1-1 against Koln as Jesse Marsch is under pressure to save his job already. All the action took place in the second half, Koln took the lead through Modeste but an equaliser from Haidara saved them from a third successive loss. With this result Leipzig lie 12th in the table with 4 points from 5 matches.

Other notable results were:

Augsburg 1 (Niederlechner) - 0 Mönchengladbach
Mainz 0 - 0 Freiburg
Hertha 2 (Ekkelenkamp, Bauer (own goal) - 1 Fruth (Hrgota(pen)
Arminia 0 - 0 Hoffenheim

Mackay (Australia), Sep 20 (Cricket News) India captain Mithali Raj and head coach Ramesh Powar on Monday listed out their objectives from the ODI series against Australia and said playing the mighty hosts is the best possible preparation for next year's Women's World Cup.

Powar, who had spoken about the need for playing fearless cricket following the UK tour in July, said it is high time the team starts scoring 250 consistently to compete with the likes of England and Australia, who are on a record 22-match winning streak in ODIs.

The team also needs to improve in the fast bowling department with veteran Jhulan Goswami not getting enough support from the other end.

"Moving towards the World Cup as a group, batting unit, bowling unit, we have set some targets. We want to score consistently over 250. And we are planning towards that.

"In bowling we are trying to get opponents all out so we are trying to use Jhulan Goswami as the experienced bowler who can give us good openings in front and senior players as always, we expect them to guide youngsters and drive the team which they are doing quite well," said Powar ahead of the series opener on Tuesday.

Mithali, who was the only consistent batter against England with three consecutive fifties, said she could move up to number three from four, like she did in the warm-up game if the other batters are performing as per expectations.

"We definitely are looking at the combinations for the World Cup, and we will be giving a little more game time to the players to fit into those roles, that's our objective in the series, but the main thing definitely is that we are fielding in the best level to win every game.

"Playing against the best side before the World Cup, it is the best preparation that we can get," said Mithali.

On batting at three, Mithali said: "I have been quite flexible with my batting order whether it is number three or number four, but it all depends on the composition of the team.

"If we have a good middle order then I push my order up to three. If there is a little more inexperience in the middle order then I push myself to number four. Now with Harman out of the first ODI, I probably have to think about my order." Mithali also said said the 14-day quarantine in Brisbane was tough on the players but they chose to look at the positive side and kept themselves going with training sessions in the room, zoom meetings and team bonding activities during which the skipper got to know a lot more about her teammates than just their cricketing life.

A lot of bouncers were used by the Australian pacers during the warm-up and India are geared up for that challenge.

"We also have gathered that input that you know they will be using a lot many of the short pitch deliveries for our batters.

"So we do have the sidearm throwers in the team so that's that's where the girls have been using a lot of time playing them, playing more of the short of length and short pitch deliveries.

"So lot more of the cuts and the pulls we've been working in our training sessions," she said.

Powar spoke about the progress of Shafali Verma in international cricket and Jemimah Rodrigues' return to form after a forgettable time against England.

"The way she played in England, we were happy and as a 17-year-old I think we have to give a little breathing space and Mithali, SS Das (batting coach) and me we have had conversations with her. She knows what is expected of her, so we don't push a 17-year-old who's very expressive in her batting.

"We don't want to curtail her game, but we want to give her freedom with some more responsibility and SS does plays a major role.

"He has spent a lot of time with Shafali, and he's working on her game, and mental aspects also, and she has played the hundred. She's got some confidence from England. We can't forget that she is just 17." On Jemimah, he added: "She will be and she is part of our plans going forward, and it's about combination. We are trying to find the right composition for the team going into the World Cup.

"So she might miss out (in the ODIs against Australia), she might play also. We'll take it one game at a time." Australia will be extremely tough to beat in their own backyard but India are up for the challenge.

"We don't think about opponents. If you keep thinking of Australia or England, you will lose your battle in the dressing room, so we don't think that way. We just think of playing quality cricket."

Also Read : Big test for India's middle-order against mighty Australia, Harmanpreet not fit for opener

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Sep 20 (Cricket News) The Indian cricket team will play 14 T20 Internationals and just four Tests at home between November 2021 and June 2022 as the BCCI announced its international itinerary, which features just three ODIs.

The teams that will visit India during the eight-month period are New Zealand (in November-December), West Indies (in February, 2022), Sri Lanka (February-March 2022) and South Africa (in June, 2022).

In between in December-January, India will be touring South Africa and the IPL will happen between April-May.

Against New Zealand, India will be playing two Tests and three T20Is while West Indies are due to play three ODIs and five T20Is.

Sri Lanka will play two Tests and three T20Is while South Africa will come for the shortest tour where they would play five T20Is in a space of 10 days.

"We have kept 14 T20Is because we have another T20 World Cup in Australia in a year's time and we need to have adequate matches before the big event," a BCCI official said.

The four Test matches will be held at Kanpur and Mumbai for the New Zealand series while Bengaluru and Mohali will host Sri Lanka in the traditional format.

As per the rotation system, most of the cities will be getting the 17 white-ball games that has been scheduled.

Jaipur, Ranchi, Lucknow, Vizag, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Cuttack, Trivandrum, Chennai, Rajkot, Delhi have all got matches.

Also Read : Achieved all I wanted, never overstay your welcome: Shastri gears up for end of India tenure

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Sep 20 (Cricket News) The BCCI on Monday announced that domestic cricketers affected by the COVID-curtailed 2020-21 season will be paid 50 per cent additional match fee as compensation for the disruption and also hiked their remuneration for the upcoming season.

Many Indian cricketers struggled financially after the Ranji Trophy was not held last year for the first time in its history due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The BCCI compensation package for these players was awaited for a long time.

"Cricketers who participated in 2019-20 Domestic Season will get 50 per cent additional match fee as compensation for season 2020-21 lost due to COVID-19 situation," BCCI general secretary Jay Shah said in a tweet.

The decision to give compensation and increase the match fee was taken during the BCCI's Apex Council meeting on Monday.

The per day fee for the top Ranji cricketers, who have played more than 40 matches, was also almost doubled to Rs 60,000, which will ensure that such players earn Rs 2.40 lakh per first-class match.

Those who have played 21 to 40 matches will be paid Rs 50,000, while players with experience less than that will be entitled to a remuneration of Rs 40,000 per day.

The move will likely benefit more than 2,000 male cricketers from the under-16 to the senior level.

Shah also said that domestic players will be paid an increased match fee.

According to the announcement, the cricketers in under-23 and under-19 category will get Rs 25,000 and 20,000 per day respectively.

"I am pleased to announce the hike in match fee for domestic cricketers," Shah tweeted.

Before Monday's decision, a first XI player in a Ranji Trophy game was entitled to Rs 35,000 per day. For Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the BCCI pays Rs. 17,500 per game.

The BCCI also announced remuneration for women cricketers and the senior players will now be paid Rs 20,000 per match instead of Rs 12,500.

The recommendations to increase the payout were made by a working committee comprising former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin, Yudhvir Singh, Santosh Menon, Jaydev Shah, Avishek Dalmiya, Rohan Jaitley and Devajit Saikia.

Also Read : PCB reaches out to SLC and BCB for short tours but no series could be planned

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) The North West Warriors won their first-ever Inter-Provincial T20 Trophy with an easy 8-wicket win over Leinster Lightning today.

Having won the toss, the North West Warriors made great use of a tricky pitch with early wickets – led by Conor Olphert who took 2-5 in the first powerplay as he was awarded the player of the match trophy for his efforts. Kevin O'Brien was the only top-order batter who made it into double figures, he fell for 23 off the bowling of Kennedy (2-14) and the Lightning innings collapsed to 59-8 after 14 overs.
Tailenders Gavin Hoey (37 off 28 balls) and Josh little (19* off 19 balls) came to the crease and the pair put on a potentially matching saving partnership of 53  to drag the Lightning to a score of 113-9.

Needing a positive start to set the tone for the run case, the Warriors Stephen Doheny (17) and William Porterfield (39*) put on 30 in the first 5 overs, but the loss of Doheny slowed the run rate for the Warriors, with Andy McBrine striking 24 off 19 balls, including two sixes. McBrine fell late on, but Porterfield and Shane Getkate (26* off 12 balls) saw the Warriors home by 8 wickets.

MATCH SUMMARY 

Leinster Lightning v North West Warriors, IP20 Festival Game 6, North Down C.C,Comber, 19th September 2021

Leinster Lightning 113-9 (20 overs; G Hoey 37, K O’Brien 23; C Olphert 3-27, G Kennedy 2-14)

North West Warriors 119-2 (13.5 overs; W Porterfield 39*, S Getkate 26*, A McBrine 24; D O’Halloran 1-13)

North West Warriors won by 8 wickets

Also read: Zimbabwe secures victory in the decider over Scotland to win T20 series

Earlier in the day, the Northern Knights won a reduced-overs affair over the Munster Reds by 9 wickets to finish second on the table. The Knights bowlers restricted the Reds batting attack to 72-5 from their 10 overs, then the kings chased down the target in less than 8 overs thanks to an unbeaten 54 from 27 balls by Ross Adair.

MATCH SUMMARY 

Munster Reds v Northern Knights, IP20 Trophy, Comber, 19 September 2021 

Munster Reds 72-5 (10 overs; M Ford 21; B White 2-3, R Pretorius 1-15)

Northern Knights 74-1 (7.4 overs; R Adair 54*; M Frost 1-13) 

Northern Knights won by 9 wickets

Abu Dhabi, Sep 19 (Cricket news) The opening pair of Shubman Gill and Nitish Rana may not have fired in the first leg of IPL but Kolkata Knight Riders chief mentor David Hussey believes the duo can "shock the world" with their batting in the second phase of the tournament beginning here on Sunday.

While Gill scored just 132 runs, Rana managed 201 runs in the first seven games for KKR in this year's IPL, which was postponed in April following multiple COVID-19 cases inside the bio-bubble in India.

However, Hussey pinned his hopes on the duo, calling them the 'next generation of Indian players'.

"They both are quality players, they are determined to do very well for the team and for themselves and they have a taste of international cricket now," Hussey told ESPNcricinfo.

"I think they are about to shock the world that they are the next generation of Indian players, not just for one or two series but for perhaps a decade, so if they get going look out for them in the IPL." Hussey also backed skipper Eoin Morgan to come good in the second leg after a lacklustre performance in the first phase.

"As a captain, he is going to lead from the front. We need some big performances from him. His is probably the hardest position to play in the middle order. He comes in either in deep trouble or coming in with 3-4 balls to go when top orders have done realy well," he said.

"He also has to lead on the field, get the fields correct, take wickets and also gamble a few times...Eoin will be a little disappointed with the last seven games, but knowing well that he is going to be prepared really well, I back him to be dominant in the next 7 games not only with the bat but captaincy as well." The road ahead, however, is extremely difficult for KKR as the team is languishing at the seventh position on the points table.

However, Hussey believes his team can script a turnaround.

"All we have to do is win this ... We have done it before and so we can do it again... I feel we have the squad to do it also. You qualify for the finals and whole competition starts again," he said.

In the 2014 edition, KKR had won nine matches in a row to claim the title.

Hussey said coach Brendon McCullum is determined to prove a point this time.

"Brendon has been phenomenal, been very consistent, whether we are winning or losing. He has been a consistent person, this time there is a bit of determination in Brendon, he really wants to show that this squad can go a long way in the tournament." KKR will face Royal Challengers Bangalore in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

Also Read : IPL: Kolkata Knight Riders meet Royal Challengers Bangalore in match 31 of the season

News Source : PTI

(Sports news) Ferdinand Omanyala Omurwa of Kenya ran a 9.77 secs as he finished ahead of Justin Gatlin who came third with a timing of 10.02 secs and Trayvon Bromell running a season leading 9.76 secs to capture the Continental Tour Gold Series at the Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi. This was the final race of the year as it was also the fastest one this year, the last time two sprinters finished under 9.80s was in 2012 London Olympics and it was the fastest 100m race ever.

Trayvon Bromell has now run the fastest time this year in 100 metres and the 6th fastest in history with his performance in Kenya. Omanyala has run the eight fastest of all time and he became the first Kenyan to run in the semifinals of the men's 100m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Omanyala became the first Kenyan to break the sub 10 barrier when he ran a 9.96 secs at the International Josko Lauf Meeting in Austria a month back and lowered it to 9.86 secs in the final. He broke Akani Simbine’s record of 9.84 secs which he had run in July and will look to go under 9.70s and become the fourth man to do it after Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake and Tyson Gay.

Usain Bolt has both the World records in 100m and 200m, he had run a 9.58 secs in the 100m and a 19.19 secs in 2009 at Berlin. In the current runners only Gatlin, Bromell and Christian Coleman have come closest to breaking it. Although the record seems to be safe, now there might be a minor one in a million chance that there will be a new record or a run under 9.75 secs next year. Bolt is the only athlete to ever run a 100 metre under 9.60 secs also under 9.65 secs and also holds the Olympics records in 100m and 200m.

Omanyala has defied the tradition of Kenyan runners as they are mostly known for their endurance, they have been dominating the middle and long distance running for the past few decades. Omanyala has been sprinting towards records for the country as he has improved his timings considerably this year, this year’s leading time of 9.76 is the joint fastest in the last five years as in 2019 Coleman ran the same timing. Gatlin ran a 9.74 secs in 2015 which has not been surpassed ever since and is currently 39 years old and still giving tough competition to rivales who are over 15 years younger to him. He is one of the seniors in athletics and can break Kim Collins' record of 9.93 secs which is the fastest by a 40 year old.

Fredrick Lee Kerley shift from 400m has paid off well as he ran a personal best of 19.76 secs to win in Nairobi, he had become the first athlete to win the 100m, 200m and 400m in Diamond League and is the third athlete after Wayde van Niekerk and Michael Norman to run a sub 10 in the 100m, sub 20 in 200m and sub 44 secs in 400m. Kerley is a well built athlete and a tall one like Bolt as he is 6ft 3 inch and had won the silver in the 100m behind Lamont Marcell Jacobs at the  2020Tokyo Olympics. One individual beating  both the 100m and 200m world record is near to impossible task but the current set of sprinters are finding their pace in each event and can target a single event for now.

Also read: Mike Powell’s world record in Long Jump still on top after three decades as Beamon’s Olympic record untouched after half a century

New Delhi, September 20 (Esports news): Ultimate Battle (UB), India’s first single stop online Esports platform has introduced VIP membership for esports players to expand their gaming levels.

Available at INR 99 for 3 months and INR 299 for a year, the VIP Membership will include players unlimited access to Free tournaments along with a redeem store to buy and sell in-game items using UB Coins earned from Free tournaments on Ultimate Battle. VIP Members will also enjoy an ad-free experience with the new intuitive user interface. Other than that, VIP members will also get free access to Leaderboard events with added rewards. VIP Membership enables Gamers to explore exclusive features and explore the platform.

While talking about the latest development, Tarun Gupta, Founder of Ultimate Battle said, “The new subscription model will help us take the business to the next level. It will increase player’s participation and give them more opportunities to engage on the platform backed by awards and recognition. Our new subscription model is a step forward in a direction to give the esports community a platform to hone their gaming skills.”

“The excitement and the growing popularity of Esports have taken the gaming community to its new heights. The latest announcement of 8 esports titles in Asian Games 2022 is being welcomed in the Esports community, only making it more prominent and influential in every aspect,” he further added.

Subscription models are becoming a mandatory step in all major cloud-based apps. Ultimate Battle is one of the few that has successfully introduced it for its users. UB, which has been a regular place for playing many action-packed games with high-end graphics and has successfully added more than 12 esports title games to the platform, boasts to be a gamer’s paradise that also caters to the Esports community with Gaming News Content and an e-commerce gaming store.

Currently, the platform has over 3,30,000+ players and 81,000+ monthly active users. The platform also provides gamers an active community to engage, interact and compete with other gamers.

Also read: Reigning national champion Hemanth Kommu qualifies for the Finals at 13th Esports World Championship

Dubai, Sep 19 (Cricket News) Delhi Capitals all-rounder Axar Patel says the team will look to build on its "happy memories" from the previous season, when it reached its maiden final, and go a step further in the second leg of IPL-14.

The IPL, which was suspended midway into the 14th season of the league in May owing to multiple COVID-19 cases in its bio-bubble, resumes in the UAE on Sunday.

The Capitals, who are currently perched on top of the points table, had reached their maiden final last season when the tournament was held entirely in the UAE. The Shreyas Iyer-led side had lost to Mumbai Indians in the summit clash.

"When it was announced that the second half of the tournament will be held in the UAE, I thought about our performance the last time we were here," Axar was quoted as saying in a media release.

"We have happy memories from that tournament as we reached our first-ever IPL final. We are looking to repeat our performance and hopefully, just go one step further in the final this season," said the all-rounder, who had picked up nine wickets in 15 matches last season.

Axar, who was part of the Indian squad for the recently-concluded Test series in England, spoke about the massive difference in weather conditions between UK and UAE.

"It's been a drastic change for us as far as the weather is concerned. It was quite cold in England and now we are getting used to the heat here.

"When we stood on our balconies during quarantine, we got an idea about the heat, but we got to know the full extent of the weather conditions when we started practising in the nets.

"We are looking to get used to the conditions in the next 2-3 days," he said.

When asked about his personal goals for the remainder of the IPL season, Axar said, "My personal goals are always aligned with the team goals.

"I always think about what the team needs and then set my personal goals accordingly. I always carry out my preparations according to the team's requirements. And personally, I just look to get better with every match in every season." Delhi Capitals are set to take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad on September 22. 

Also read : Match readiness will be an issue for some of IPL players: RR all-rounder Chris Morris

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Sep 19 (Table Tennis news) The Indian pairs of Siddhesh Pande-Mudit Dani and Fidel R Snehit-Sudhanshu Grover had to be content with bronze medals after losing their respective men's doubles semifinals at the ITTF Kazakhstan International Open in Karaganda.

Both the pairs put up a great show throughout the tournament before suffering defeats in contrasting fashion in their respective semi-finals.

While Maharashtra duo of Mudit and Siddhesh suffered a 0-3 loss against the Saudi Arabian pair of Ali Alkhadrawi and Abdulaziz Bu Shulaybi, Snehit and Sudhanshu went down fighting 2-3 against Kazakh pair of Alan Kurmangaliyev and Kirill Gerassimenko.

Snehit also entered the singles final after defeating Pavel Platonov of Belarus 4-1.

The world number 405 Indian will take on 46th ranked Kirill Gerassimenko of Kazakhstan in the gold medal match.

Indian women's doubles pair of Kaushani Nath and Prapti Sen also stormed into the final, outclassing Uzbek duo of Kamila Khalikova and Mekhriniso Norkulova 3-1.

They will now face Valeria Kotcyur and Valeria Shcherbatykh of Russia in the title clash.

Also read : Indian TT players make merry at WTT Youth Contender Meet in Tunisia

News Source : PTI

Karachi, Sep 19 (Cricket News) The Pakistan Cricket Board had reached out to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh for a short series in the country to make up for the cancellation of the New Zealand tour but since players from both the nations had prior commitments, no series could be planned.

PCB CEO, Wasim Khan said Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) showed willingness to play in Pakistan but there was little time in hand for them to send their teams.

"Our Chairman spoke to them and explored the possibility of a short tours and they were very receptive but they pointed out it was very difficult for them to change their already confirmed plans and also some of their players were dispersed," he said.

"They showed a strong willingness but because of the short time frame it was not possible for them to put in place a tour as they had prior plans for the World Cup," he said.

New Zealand abandoned their tour of Pakistan on Friday citing a security threat to their team, hours before the first ODI was to be played in Rawalpindi.

The Kiwis have reached Dubai after taking a chartered flight out of Islamabad.

Wasim Khan also ruled out any possibility of a boycott of the World T20 Cup match against New Zealand but made it clear that they believed New Zealand had treated Pakistan cricket with disrespect and left scars by unilaterally abandoning the tour.

"We have a real problem in world cricket if perceived threats can’t be discussed at the Government to Government or Intelligence level and teams can abandon a tour unilaterally," he said.

He confirmed Pakistan would be taking up the issue of inequality in world cricket at the International Cricket Council level as according to him there had to be a level-playing field for all member countries.

"Since it is a bilateral series there is little hope of getting any compensation from NZ cricket unless we go to a dispute resolution committee.

"What we can do is ensure at the ICC board level that such things don't happen again. We are going to have a full dialogue and discussion with them about the processes in place for such situations," he said.

Also Read : Zimbabwe secures victory in the decider over Scotland to win T20 series

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Sep 19 (Sports news) Sports minister Anurag Thakur will virtually interact with sports ministers of all states and union territories on Monday to prepare a roadmap for the future.

The interaction comes after the country's success at the Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo.

The government's flagship programs, Khelo India and Fit India, will remain an integral part of the interaction.

During the interaction, Thakur would urge the states to organise sporting events across rural and urban areas for able-bodied and para-athletes as well as play a key role in the identification of talents at grassroots level.

The promotion of school level sports and support to the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) will be another key point of discussion.

The states and UTs would also be requested to form a pool of cash awards for the athletes where both the central and the state governments can accumulate the funds.

At present, there are 24 Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCE) across 23 states and UTs while 360 Khelo India Centres have opened across various districts in the country.

Thakur would also urge the states and UTs to send in proposals to open up KISCEs, KICs as well as academies to further the cause of strengthening the sports ecosystem of the nation. 

Also Read : Tokyo Paralympians felicitated by Venkaiah Naidu

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Sep 20 (Hockey News) Disappointed to lose out on a place in the initial 16-member squad for the Olympics, Indian men's hockey team defender Varun Kumar considers himself lucky to make a bronze medal-winning debut in the Tokyo Games after he was called up in the side as an alternate player owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Varun, a drag-flicker, and and mid-fielder Simranjeet Singh made their Olympic debut after they were added to India's squad following the International Olympic Committee's decision to allow "alternate athletes" in team events due to the pandemic.

"When the squad for the Olympics was announced, my name was not part of the 16-member squad. I still remember that day very well and I was evidently disappointed," recalled Varun.

"But after a few days when IOC allowed hockey teams to expand to 18 players, Simranjeet and I were called up as alternate athletes. It came as a huge relief but somewhere at the back of my mind I was still upset about not making it to the final 16 and I really wanted to prove myself." Varun further stated that skipper Manpreet Singh's one-on-one chat with him before the team left for Tokyo helped him a lot.

"It really helped that captain Manpreet had a long chat with me and pumped me up mentally. Manpreet has been a big influence in my career from a very young age as we played in the same academy and him talking to me made a lot of difference.

"I stopped beating myself up for not being good enough to make the 16-member squad. I started focusing on how I can make this opportunity count and deliver when the team needs me," stated Varun.

What followed in Tokyo is now part of history as the Indian men's hockey team went on to clinch an Olymipic medal, bronze, after a hiatus of 41 years.

Varun played a key role in India's 3-1 win over Argentina in the pool stages as he scored the first goal of the match. He was effective in the backline and impressed with his performance every time he was called up.

"It was indeed a fantastic experience in Tokyo. Winning the bronze and standing on the podium along with my teammates is perhaps the best moment of my life. Now my priority will be to improve in every aspect.

"We have had a good break after the Olympics and we are all waiting to return to camp in October," he said.

Also read : Hope my Olympic bronze will inspire youngsters of Manipur to take up hockey: Nilakanta

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Sep 20 (Cricket News) The COVID-forced four-month break between the first and second phase of the Indian Premier League is sure to affect the "match readiness" of some players and they might just "struggle" to shake the rustiness off, feels Rajasthan Royals' South African all-rounder Chris Morris.

While most of the foreign players were freelancing in leagues and also playing international cricket, the Indian domestic players haven't had any game time after the IPL stopped in the first week of May due to COVID-19 cases inside the bio-bubble.

"Match readiness is going to be an issue just like last time when IPL was played in Dubai. People will take a couple of games to get rustiness out of their way," Morris, one of the mainstays in this Royals line-up, said when asked about challenges of having the IPL in two halves.

"Fortunately, overseas players have been playing some cricket. I have done pre-season at home, trying to lose weight. Match fitness is always the best type of fitness. We have had two warm-up games now and we have spent time on our feet," Morris said.

The fast-medium bowler and lower-order explosive hitter feels that simulations can never match the intensity of real games.

"You can never simulate match intensity and I think a few guys will struggle to get that rustiness off. That's the nature of the beast of COVID at the moment," he said.

"Some guys will have to shake off their rustiness and I think that's part and parcel of the game. You have to find out a way to get out and make it work," he added.

For Morris, all the freelance overseas players like Liam Livingstone, and Evin Lewis to name a few, will add a lot of intensity to the game.

"The guys who are there are playing leagues and scoring quite a lot of runs and making massive impact around the world," he said.

Morris also said that the Royals' bowling unit has quality to restrict the opposition.

"The bowling unit is going to be under pressure as it's the bowlers who win you matches, we know we have quality to restrict teams and at business end, we will come out all guns blazing," he added.

Also Read : Battle of explosive top-orders as Rajasthan Royals meet Punjab Kings in IPL

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Sep 20 (Table Tennis news) The Delhi High Court Monday sought the Centre's stand on a petition by Manika Batra, who was left out of the Indian contingent for the upcoming Asian Table Tennis Championships, assailing Table Tennis Federation of India's (TTFI) mandate of compulsory attendance at the National Coaching Camp in order to be selected.

Justice Rekha Palli granted two days to the central government counsel to take instructions on the petition which alleges that on one occasion, the national coach Soumyadeep Roy “pressurized” Batra to “throw away a match” to enable one of his personal trainees to qualify for the Olympics 2020 and seeks that the Sports Ministry “enquire into the management” of the federation.

The judge said the allegations against the coach were serious and the Centre should be a little proactive.

“There is something to be said. We have a high ranking player. We have to balance... If there are such senior allegations against the coach, Union of India has to be a little bit proactive on this,” said the judge.

“Let them (Centre) come back with instructions. Ultimately she is the highest-ranking player in the country today,” the judge added.

Senior counsel Sachin Dutta, appearing for Batra, said that by virtue of a rule on mandatorily attending the national camp, his client's chance for the 25th ITTF Asian Table Tennis Championships, 2021, which is to be held in Doha from September-October, has been scuttled in spite of her fulfilling all merit-based criteria.

He urged the court to stay the rule to enable her to participate in another international event scheduled for November.

“There is an event in November. This regulation be stayed immediately. It will kill my career,” Dutta said as he highlighted that personal coaching is encouraged in several other sports.

The counsel for the federation denied all allegations and said that the national coach was not even present at the national camp.

In the petition, the Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Khel Ratna awardee has alleged that the federation was carrying out its selection processes in a non-transparent manner, targeting certain individuals such as herself and acting completely contrary to the interest of sports and sportspersons.

She has asserted that the national coach, in a clear conflict of interest, was running a private table tennis academy simultaneously and on one occasion, “pressurized the Petitioner to throw away a match only with a view to help one of his trainees at his private academy to qualify for the Olympics, 2020”.

“This incident happened on 17.03.2021 in respect of the match to be held on 18.03.2021 at the Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament, 2021 organized by ATTU. Not only did the Petitioner refuse to comply with such an unethical, illegal and immoral request, but she also immediately communicated this to the Adviser, TTFI, on 18.03.2021,” the plea alleges.

"After conclusion of Olympics, the Respondent No.1 (federation) issued Rules and Regulations dated 04.08.2021 (received by the Petitioner on 27.08.2021) informing her that attending of National Coaching Camp is compulsory, failing which she would not be selected for any upcoming international event," it says.

The plea states that Table Tennis is an individual sport, which requires specialised training with support staff and thus the rule against personal coaching is arbitrary, irrational, absurd and have no nexus with achieving excellence in an individualised sport.

“Only the personal coach would know the strengths, weakness, skills and areas which a player should focus and strengthen. However, these Rules do not permit any personal coach/support staff,” the plea adds.

The matter would be heard next on September 23.

Also read: Manika Batra left out of India squad for Asian TT Championships

News source: PTI 

Cromvoirt (The Netherlands), Sep 20 (Golf News) Indian golfer Ajeetesh Sandhu faltered in the final round with an even-par 72 to end tied 22nd at the Dutch Open here.

Sandhu slipped seven places from his T-15 position after the third round. He totalled 11-over 299 for the tournament.

Shubhankar Sharma, who began the week superbly with 70-66, let it slip over the weekend with 74-70 and finished T-27th.

SSP Chawrasia, who had an up-and-down week with a 67 on the second day followed by 82 on third, ended the week just the way he started with a 75 and was 77th.

Kristoffer Broberg ended a six-year drought as he claimed an emotional victory at the Dutch Open. The Swede won by three strokes after holding his nerve down the final stretch.

For Sandhu, who had 69s on first three days, the bogeys on 15th and 16th ended his hopes of a Top-15 finish.

Sharma, trying to avoid dropping bogeys as he did in round three, played a bogey free 70 with just two birdies.

Broberg, 35, said he went through "six years of hell" before battling his way back to triumph at Bernardus Golf. He won back in 2015 BMW Masters after a play-off with Patrick Reed.

Matthias Schmid (66) and Alejandro Canizares (68) seemed to pile pressure but Broberg held on despite dropped shots at the par five 12th and the 14th.

Broberg holed a long birdie putt at the par-three 17th to almost seal the event and then finished it with a par.

Schmid earned his best European Tour finish with an outright second place on 20-under, courtesy of a final round 66. Canizares claimed the third place despite a double-bogey finish and a 19-under total.

Also Read : Aditi finishes 73rd in Cambia Portland Classic Tour

News Source : PTI

Colombo (Cricket News) : Galle Gladiators fell short by a whisker to win the inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League going down to eventual winner Jaffna Stallions in a closely fought final. But, owner of Galle Gladiators Mr. Nadeem Omar feels this will be the year of the Gladiators as they prepare to bounce back even stronger in the second edition of the premier T20 League in the island nation. 

In the first season, the team was led by Pakistani star all- rounder Shahid Afridi in the early phase of the tournament and was later taken over by Sri Lanka’s Bhanuka Rajapaksa after Afridi had to leave the tournament midway due to some personal reasons. Former legendary pacer Wasim Akram was the team mentor.

Mr Omar also owns the Quetta Gladiators franchise in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He is a Pakistani business executive and former scrabble player who is known nationally and internationally for his contributions to sports. He has been the president of the Pakistan Scrabble Association since October 2020 and the president of the Karachi City Cricket Association since May 2018. He is also the president of the Pakistan Cricket Club. The core motivation of the Galle franchise is to develop the game in the southern province of Sri Lanka.

“The upcoming season of LPL is very crucial for us especially after the way we fought back last season. We saw some remarkable performances from young players like Azam Khan, Dhananjaya Lakshan and Sahan Arachchige. They have set a benchmark of excellence for the younger talents who will come into the team. Coming into the next edition, we want to put up a better fight and clinch the trophy. We had great support from the fans around Galle, though they weren’t allowed into the stadiums but we saw their support online through various platforms. We urge them to extend their support in similar fashion and help us grow,” said Mr. Omar while highlighting the focus for the upcoming edition of the premier T20 League in the Island Nation. 

Mr Anil Mohan, who is the Founder and CEO of Dubai-based production giant The IPG Group, the official promoter of LPL, added, “Gladiators set LPL on fire with their remarkable comeback in the

first edition. But we are all set to witness a new chapter in its cricketing history with LPL becoming bigger and better. I am confident that the Galle team's performance will help the League grow in stature.”

Mr. Jawad Ghulam Rasool, COO & CCMO of The IPG Group added: “Last season of LPL saw Mr. Nadeem Omar’s team, the Galle Gladiators give us some nail-biting performances. Mr. Nadeem Omar will always hold a special relationship with us as the first franchise to be announced that kick started the league. I look forward to some thrilling moments in this year’s LPL which will no doubt be welcomed by sports enthusiasts not just in Pakistan but the world over. We wish Mr. Nadeem ‘Mr. Cricket of Pakistan’ and the Gladiators good luck for the second season of the Lanka Premier League”

The inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) which was played in a bio-secure bubble at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota from November 26 till December 16, 2020, reached a cumulative audience of 557 million people through TV, digital-social space, and traditional media outlets. Sponsors enjoyed a media evaluation (visibility) of $54.5m and title sponsor MY11CIRCLE enjoyed a ROI of 9.85x. Winner of the first edition of LPL Jaffna Stallions tops the valuation chart with $3.98m followed by Galle Gladiators ($3.82m), Dambulla Kings ($3.54m) Colombo Kings ($3.44m) and Kandy Tuskers ($3.19m).

The LPL matches which were telecast live by Sky Sports, Sony Sports Network, Geo, PTV, and Willow TV in Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, UK, US, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand saw 155 million people tuning in to catch live action. On social media, it achieved a reach of 218 million and LPL found 133478 mentions as the league came alive with each and every match with some scintillating performances on the ground.

(Cricket news) KKR meet RCB at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, in what is a must win match for KKR. RCB on the other hand will be looking to continue their first phase form and hopefully go on run to win their maiden IPL trophy. Brendon McCullum's side lost five matches in the first phase as this unwanted break will act as a blessing in disguise for KKR, now that the players and coaches had time to reflect on the early tournament failures, the only option for them is to start winning all the matches if they stand a chance to qualify for the playoffs.

RCB on the other hand will have a lot of new faces in the camp as Adam Zampa, Finn Allen, Kane Richardson and Daniel Sams all opted out of the tournament. RCB have recruited the world no 2 T20 bowler Wanindu Hasaranga who can be their x factor heading into the tournament, the slow pitches along with playing at these venues not long back will certainly assist RCB. One area that RCB needs to improve is its death bowling if they are to challenge for the title, after the Chennai leg the RCB bowlers have leaked 12.10 runs per over and picked up only 5 wickets in the death overs. Purple cap holder Harshal Patel and Kyle Jamieson will have a lot of responsibility to tighten things up.

KKR need their foreigners to perform to their potential if they stand any chance of qualification. They have lost their star player Pat Cummins who had figures of 3/24 when they last faced each other in the first phase of the tournament, KKR management have replaced Cummins with Tim Southee who shares a close relationship with Brendon McCullum. The West Indies duo of Sunil Narine and Dre Russ hold the key to success if they are to find a result against this in form Bangalore team, Narine holds a good head to head record against AB de Villiers as he has been dismissed 3 times in 53 balls conceding only 64 runs.

Also read: KKR is now dangerous side with nothing to lose, says Morgan

Head to head: KKR 14 - 13 RCB. The last time these two sides met, RCB scored 204 runs and won that match pretty comfortably by 38 runs.

Pitch & Weather Report: The Sheikh Zayed Stadium is mostly a batting friendly surface so it may assist the batsman again. The temperature is expected to be 34 degrees with 67% humidity and  no chances of rain as of now. The hot and humid conditions might play a key role for the spinners.

Interesting facts:

• Both Russell and Narine have strike rates of over 200 against RCB
• De Villiers has now struck three consecutive fifties against KKR
• Kohli is set to make his 200th appearance for RCB 
• Kohli is also 71 runs shy of scoring 10,000 runs in T20’s

Probable XI for KKR:

1 Nitish Rana, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 Andre Russell, 7 Sunil Narine, 8 Lockie Ferguson, 9 Kamlesh Nagarkoti/Shivam Mavi, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Prasidh Krishna  

Probable XI for RCB:

1 Virat Kohli (capt), 2 Devdutt Padikkal, 3 Rajat Patidar, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 AB de Villiers (wk), 6 Shahbaz Ahmed, 7 Kyle Jamieson, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal

Dubai, Sep 20 (Cricket News) Liam Livingstone and Evin Lewis's explosive batting will meet its match in Chris Gayle's power and KL Rahul's finesse when Rajasthan Royals lock horns with Punjab Kings to improve upon their mid-table position in the Indian Premier League here on Tuesday.

The two IPL teams have been perennial under-achievers in the league and would be desperate to change their fortunes after disappointing one and all with their underwhelming performances over the past few seasons.

More so for Punjab Kings, the only team that has lacked any kind of stability over the 14 seasons of IPL with captains and coaches being changed like musical chairs.

For skipper KL Rahul, who has been a prime performer in IPL, it will not just be about the runs he scores but also about how he leads the team with guidance from Anil Kumble, who will also want to prove his mettle as a franchise coach.

However, the match on Tuesday will be more about the kind of starts that the top-orders players provide.

Liam Livingstone has been a rage in shortest format for last couple of years now and is coming into his own with some great performances in 'The Hundred'. His potential opening partner is likely to be West Indies man Lewis, who has often been Indian cricket team's nemesis in various games.

Mohammed Shami is expected to be partnered by either Chris Jordan or Nathan Ellis.

If Livingstone and Lewis can be explosive in the Powerplay overs, Royals will expect skipper Sanju Samson to be more consistent in that number three position.

What will be Royals' advantage is Punjab's weak Indian bowling set-up save Shami as they have to depend on either Adil Rashid or Ravi Bishnoi for wrist spin. Their pace line-up with left-armer Arshdeep Singh as the domestic pick doesn't look the strongest.

Royals' third and fourth foreign player in the playing XI will be interesting choices as Chris Morris as an all-rounder is a certainty, while the fourth slot will go to either David Miller in the middle-order or world's No 1 T20 spinner Tabraiz Shamsi.

However, it is the Indian players like Rahul Tewatia, Riyan Parag, Jaydev Unadkat and Chetan Sakariya, who will like to step up their game in the next four weeks to ensure a play-off berth for Royals, which many believe is the weakest unit in absence of Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and Jos Buttler.

Similarly for Punjab Kings, Rahul and Mayank Agarwal are expected to open with Chris Gayle still an enforcer par excellence at the age of 41 which will keep the Rajasthan bowlers on tenterhooks.

In the middle-order, Nicholas Pooran, who had a horrendous outing in the first phase will like to put a far better account of himself along with M Shahrukh Khan.

Squads: Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (captain), Liam Livingstone, Evin Lewis, David Miller, Chris Morris, Oshane Thomas, Mustafizur Rahaman, Tabraiz Shamsi, Glenn Phillips, Chetan Sakariya, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Akash Singh, Anuj Rawat, KC Cariappa, Yashashvi Jaiswal, Shivam Dube, Shreyas Gopal, Kartik Tyagi, Mayank Markande, Jaydev Unadkat, Kuldip Yadav, Mahipal Lomror Punjab Kings: KL Rahul (captain), Mayank Agarwal, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Porel, Shahrukh Khan, Mohammed Shami, Nathan Ellis, Adil Rashid, Murugan Ashwin, Harpreet Brar, Moises Henriques, Chris Jordan, Aiden Markram, Mandeep Singh, Darsan Nalkande, Prabhsimran Singh, Ravi BIshnoi, Utkarsh Singh, Fabian Allen, Saurabh Kumar, Jalaj Saxena.

March Starts: 7:30 pm.

Also read : KKR is now dangerous side with nothing to lose, says Morgan

News Source : PTI

Mackay, Sep 20 (Cricket News) The under-fire middle-order will be expected to deliver when India take on the mighty Australia in the ODI series beginning here on Tuesday, aiming to finalise their combination ahead of the Women's World Cup next year.

India have lost back-to-back series against South Africa and England primarily due to poor batting and even poorer strike-rate save for openers. The next challenge could not be tougher with Australia on a record 22-match winning streak.

Key batter Harmanpreet Kaur is unavailable after injuring her thumb before the warm-up game on Saturday.

"Unfortunately she injured her thumb few days ago and is not available for the first game. The rest of the squad members are fit and available for tomorrow," head coach Ramesh Powar said on the eve of the game.

Lack of firepower has been an issue for India since the home series against South Africa and Powar has clearly conveyed his expectations to the batters. Depending on how the batting performs, skipper Mithali Raj will decide on whether to bat number three or four in the longer run. With Harmanpreet injured for the opener, she is likely to stick to four to lend more solidity to the batting line-up.

The team has realised that Punam Raut neither has the power nor the game to build momentum at one-drop position after Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana's flamboyance.

Jemimah Rodrigues, who had a dismal run against England, played brilliantly in The Hundred and is back in the reckoning for the number three spot.

Mithali, with her two-decade long experience, also makes a lot of sense at number three as the innings can be built around her presence in the middle. She had scored three consecutive fifties in England at number four.

Deepti Sharma is another slow-scorer in the middle-order, which has often lost momentum.

Even during the one-off practice game, Deepti consumed as many as 93 deliveries to return with a 49 not out but its her tight off-breaks that India would require in the middle-overs which makes her indispensable.

However during the warm-up game against Australia that India lost by 36 runs, left-handed batter Yastika Bhatia gave a good account of herself scoring 41 off 42 balls as Harmanpreet was not fit for the game.

Yastika has a good chance of starting tomorrow. She is a hard-hitting batter with a good range of strokes in the off-side area.

Richa Ghosh looks set to play the 50 over format as Taniya Bhatia's strokes also lack strength, something where the Bengal girl is far ahead.

The advantage for India will be Australia's bowling line-up which isn't the most experienced one as the cricket board wants to manage the workload of the players in a series with short turnaround between formats.

So Ellyse Perry will have Annabel Sutherland, Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Stella Campbell for company in absence of seasoned pacer Megan Schutt and spinner Jess Jonassen.

The Australia bowlers have made their intentions clear: they will be aiming to bounce out the India batters as it was evident in the warm-up game.

It is Southern Stars' might batting line-up that will pose a bigger challenge for the Indians.

If the warm-up match is anything to go by, Indian bowlers, save leg-spinner Poonam Yadav and senior seamer Jhulan Goswami, looked out of rhythm as the home team scored 278 in 50 overs which is more than winning score in women's cricket.

The line up of Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Meg Lanning, Perry and Beth Mooney form a formidable five.

It is no surprise that Goswami and Yadav will need a lot of support. With Shikha Pandey not having measured up in recent series as Goswami's pace bowling partner, rookie Meghna Singh might be tried out along with bowling all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar.

Squads India: Mithali Raj (Captain), Harmanpreet Kaur (vice-captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Punam Raut, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Yastika Bhatia, Taniya Bhatia (wicket-keeper), Shikha Pandey, Jhulan Goswami, Meghna Singh, Pooja Vastrakar, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav, Richa Ghosh, Ekta Bisht.

Australia: Meg Lanning (captain), Rachael Haynes (vice-captain), Darcie Brown, Maitlan Brown, Stella Campbell, Nicola Carey, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Georgia Redmayne, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham.

Match Starts : 5:35 am IST.

Also Read : Perry set to spearhead depleted Australian bowling attack against India

News Source : PTI

Portland (USA), Sep 20 (Golf News) India's Aditi Ashok ended a disappointing week with a six-over 78 that saw her finish 73rd at the 2021 Cambia Portland Classic golf tournament here.

Playing her first event in the US since mid-July and after the Olympic Games, Aditi shot 77-72-78. She will now look to shake off this rust and get back to the form in the last leg of the LPGA season from here on.

Meanwhile, Rolex Rankings No. 2 Jin Young Ko, starting for the first time in six weeks, dominated the field. She carded a bogey-free 69 in the third round, which was also the final round in the event shortened due to rain.

She won by four strokes over Jeongeun Lee and Su Oh.

Ko started with a one-stroke advantage over Gemma Dryburgh and as the latter fell back with a couple of bogey, Ko pulled ahead.

Oh and Lee kept Ko in their sights, with Lee striking an eagle at No.18 to pull within three shots but a confident Ko drained a 23-foot putt at 18th to close the win.

Oh and Lee both earned the best finishes of their LPGA Tour careers with their tie for the second spot.

Also Read : Aditi plays steady second round to make cut in Oregon

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Sept 20 (Table Tennis News) India's Payas Jain claimed his second successive under-17 boys title after defeating Tom Closset of Belgium 3-1 in the WTT Youth Contender final in Tunis.

Picking up the threads from where he left off in Otocec, Payas outwitted Tom 7-11, 11-4, 11-4, 15-13 in the summit clash on Sunday.

The Delhi lad, who won gold in the same category in Slovenia last week, had a bad start to the final but came back strongly to go up 2-1.

However, in the fourth game, his opponent squandered a couple of game points to let the Indian finish in style.

In his semi-final, Payas defeated Preyesh Raj Suresh 16-14, 11-8, 11-8.

Despite his upper hand in the first game, the Tamil Nadu boy could not breach Payas' confidence and finally settled with the bronze.

Ankur Bhattacharjee, who played an enduring semi-final against Tom Closset, settled for the bronze.

In under-19 boys, Payas, however, failed to cross the semi-final hurdle yet again on Sunday.

The Indian signed off with a bronze after going down to Louis Laffineur 1-3 (11-9, 10-12, 4-11, 9-11).

Payas began well and after a bit of struggle in the second, deuced. The Belgian bounced back well and completed the task soon after taking the second game.

In the other semifinal, Maharashtra lad Deepit Patel went down 3-11, 4-11, 7-11 to Adrien Rassanfosse, also a Belgian. Adrien became the eventual winner when he defeated his compatriot Tom in the final.

Left-handed Preyesh made up for his loss to take the Under-15 Boys title.

He downed Ankur Bhattacharjee in the final 3-1 (11-8, 15-13, 11-13, 11-9). The West Bengal paddler ascended the podium for the second time, this time winning a silver medal.

Another Indian, P B Abhinand of Tamil Nadu, settled with a bronze after losing his semi-final 9-11, 12-10, 7-11, 1-11 to Ankur, earlier in the day.

In the under-11 boys, it was an Indian show again as Vishruth Ramakrishnan claimed the gold medal after accounting for local boy Amir Essid. The Tamil Nadu boy won 11-4, 11-3, 11-7.

Also Read : Golden sweep for Indian girls in Tunis

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Sep 20 (Cricket News) Star allrounder Hardik Pandya was kept out of the IPL game against Chennai Super Kings as a precautionary measure as he had a little niggle, said Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene.

"Hardik was training, had a little niggle, so again precaution, we thought, lets just give him extra days to see how things are, but nothing serious,” the former Sri Lankan skipper said during a virtual press conference.

MI skipper Rohit Sharma had also opted out of the match and Jayawardene said he should be available for the next match.

"Rohit was batting and doing his running as well, but after coming back from the UK, we felt that, he probably needed an extra few days, so should be fine to play the next game," he said.

Mumbai didn't have a good start to the resumption of the IPL as they lost the opening match by 20 runs and Jayawardene lamented that none of his batters took the responsibility to bat through the innings.

Ruturaj Gaikwad hit an unbeaten 88 while Dwayne Bravo, batting at number eight, smashed 23 off just 8 balls as CSK made 156 for six after opting to bat first.

The total proved to be more than enough as CSK restricted MI to 136 for 8.

"We probably gave couple of soft dismissals. It just needed someone to take a bit more responsibility and bat through the innings, which we did not do and that was a difference with Ruturaj (Gaikwad) doing that for CSK," Jayawardene said.

"So, even though they (CSK) lost wickets, there was a set batsman, who went till the end. So, I think we're disappointed, the way we handled the situation, the game awareness and the approach." Chasing 156, MI slipped to 37 for three in the sixth over, before further slumping to 58 for four in the 10th over. Saurabh Tiwary (50 not out) was the top-scorer for MI but he didn't get enough support.

"...probably needed a bit more application of taking that responsibility and giving yourself a bit of time because we felt that the second half of each innings was much easier to bat," Jayawardene said.

“So, I put it down to game awareness and taking that kind of onuses, but not too concerned, because the guys (have) been hitting the ball pretty well, it is just the application out there in the middle, that is something we need to work on." Mumbai did well in the Delhi-leg of the cash-rich tournament when the IPL was called off earlier this year due to outbreak of COVID-19 cases.

Jayawardene admitted it is hard to create that kind of momentum again.

“Yeah, I mean, not in our control. Obviously, we played a couple of very good games in Delhi but unfortunately the tournament had to stop and everyone went away, was playing a lot of different cricket in different parts of the world and then coming back together again and trying to create that kind of momentum is going to be harder.

"We knew we need to be sharper, especially against the experienced Chennai team. But I think we probably competed that first 10 overs and probably another five overs in between in a 40-over game.

"So, I think when you're playing an opposition like Chennai, if you're not in the competition for that many overs, it's always going to be tough," he said.

Also Read : Rohit Sharma rested due to knee niggle

News Source : PTI

Abu Dhabi, Sep 19 (Cricket News) Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Eoin Morgan on Sunday said they will be "dangerous" opponents in the second leg of the IPL since they have nothing to lose.

The two-time champions endured an underwhelming first half, losing five of their seven matches and are languishing at the seventh spot.

The skipper feels the team now controls its own fortunes going ahead.

"We need to just look at it in one way -- we absolutely control everything from here, there is no looking behind," Morgan said during a virtual press conference ahead of their match against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

"We need to find a way of getting results and everyone in the team, fans know that that can make for very exciting watching because it makes us a very dangerous side with nothing to lose." Morgan hopes the break would fare well for KKR, who were struggling to find their feet during the first phase of the tournament "I'm delighted that we are back. Given the position we found ourselves in the beginning of the tournament and result not going our way, a little bit of a break would have hopefully helped us.

"We have certainly re-grouped here in Abu Dhabi, the guys are looking very hungry and fit, determined to make things right." KKR have roped in senior New Zealand seamer Tim Southee as a replacement for Australia's Pat Cummins, who has opted out of the second leg.

"Tim Southee is fine international cricketer who has been there for a very very long time, huge amount of experience and he has also played in the IPL. He has fitted in nicely and will hopefully contribute to the squad going forward." KKR missed out on a play-off spot last season owing to an inferior net run rate but the skipper feels conditions in UAE suit his side.

"We fell short of qualifying for the playoffs last time, I felt that we were playing some really good cricket and peaking at the right time, small margins hurt us, not going ahead on net run rate but we feel pretty much at home here in Abu Dhabi," he said.

"The conditions here suit us and we are also going to have fans around as well." Talking about the youngsters in the team including Shubhman Gill, Morgan said, "They have played a lot and are developing really well. They always look in great form and look good on the eye, hopefully they can get back into the rhythm of things."

Also Read : Ruturaj's 88 and bowlers power CSK to 20-run win over MI

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) Zimbabwe tour of Scotland came to an end as the third and final T20 was won by the visitors to capture the series. Kyle Coetzer, the captain will still be content with the way they played in the series as they played their best in the three match series and narrowly lost the second match in a low scoring contest. Scotland are also currently playing the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two and are placed third with four more matches to go.

Scotland had a winning start to the series as it won the first match thanks to Richie Berrington’s swashbuckling 82 runs as he stood till the end with the score reading 141 for the loss of six wickets. The target looked easy for Zimbabwe but a four wicket haul from Safyaan Sharif and some tight bowling by Alasdair Evans saw the visitors fall short of 7 runs. Milton Shumba’s 45 runs was not enough to pull the Zimbabwe team through.

In the second match, Zimbabwe again got bundled out under 140 runs as Sean Williams was the top scorer as he held on to his bat with a 52 ball 60 as the team set a target of 137. Scotland was eyeing a comfortable series victory but got off to a clumsy start as they lost four wickets for just 16 runs until Berrington and Matthew Cross jointly scored 42 as the team was staring into a smooth win. 

Sean Williams broke the partnership in the 15th over as he got the wicket of Berrington and Luke Jongwe struck to take out Cross as Scotland lost their last four wickets while scoring two runs as they lost the match by 10 runs. Zimbabwe’s Richard Ngarava was the pick of the bowlers as he captured two wickets in the second over and only gave away 13 runs in his four over spell.

The third and final match was a high scoring one unlike the first two as both the teams went cross the 150 mark. Scotland won the toss and opted to bat which turned out to be the perfect choice as opener George Munsey and in form Berrington scored 54 and 44 runs respectively as the team ended the innings with 177 runs for the loss of four wickets. Victory again was in favour of Scotland.

Zimbabwe got off to a good start as they kept the run rate under control as Wesley Madhevere played defensively while watching his team mate Shumba smash six sixes in his 29 ball 66 which as the Scotland bowlers looked helpless. Shumba struck a four off Safyaan in the second ball of the final over as Zimbabwe finished the final match with an inspiring victory.

Scotland’s Richie Berrington finished the series as the highest run getter as he scored 168 runs in three matches as Zimbabwe’s Tendai Chatara and Luke Jongwe finished on top among the bowlers with five wickets each. The series also saw Sean Williams go past the 1000 run mark in T20 becoming only the second from his country after former player Hamilton Masakadza. Luke Jongwe is currently the second highest wicket taker this year in T20 matches with 26 wickets from 14 matches and is 2 wickets behind South African Tabraiz Shamsi.

Also read: Ireland win last ODI to tie the series after McBrine and Little star with the ball

Bellary (Karnataka), Sep 19 (Boxing News) Five-time Asian Championships medallist Shiva Thapa entered the semi-finals of the 5th men's Boxing Nationals with a thrilling win over Ankit Narwal, here on Sunday.

The Assam boxer showed great footwork and used all his experience to put pressure on his RSPB opponent with precise punches.

Though Thapa faced a stiff challenge, he did not let the momentum slip and completed a 4-1 win in the 63.5kg quarter-final.

For RSPB, Sachin and Varinder Singh (60kg) emerged victors in their respective quarter-finals.

Sachin put up a dominating show to outperform Goa's Roshan Zamir by unanimous margin in the 54kg quarter-final match.

The 2021 Asian Championships bronze medallist Varinder also defeated Inderjit Singh of Daman, Diu & Nagar Haveli 5-0.

On the other hand, Uttar Pradesh's Ravi Kumar advanced into the semi-finals. Ravi started the 48kg quarter-final with an aggressive intent against Orrisa's Santosh Pradhan.

His powerful blows and continuous attack forced the referees to stop the contest and declare him the winner.

The 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Mohammad Hussamuddin of SSCB extended his winning run as he knocked out Maharashtra's Rushikesh Gaud to enter the 57kg semi-finals.

Meanwhile, the reigning youth world champion Sachin once again impressed everyone as the Haryana boxer looked too strong for his opponent Jitendra Chaudhary from Rajasthan.

Sachin notched up an easy 5-0 win to progress into the 57kg semi-finals.

Punjab pugilists Vijay Kumar (60kg) and Rajpinder Singh (54kg) also registered identical 5-0 victories to enter the semi-finals and ensure themselves at least bronze medals.

While Vijay made light work of Manipur's Myson Moirangthem Manipur, Rajpinder got the better of Vishal Sheokand of Chandigarh.

Also Read : Sumit Sangwan among winners on day 1 of National Boxing

News Source : PTI

(Football news) Italian football provided us with some high octane games, Roma suffered their first loss as they couldn’t capitalize on AC Milan dropping points. On the other hand Napoli today can reclaim the top spot by winning their fixtures against Udinese, they can become the only team in the top 5 leagues to maintain a perfect record by winning their match.

Juventus drew 1-1 against the in-form AC Milan, Allegri’s side still havent won this campaign and languish in the relegation places with only two points. Juventus began the match very confidently as Alvaro Morata had given them an ideal start, finishing a counter attack as he coolly chipped Maigan. Bianconeris dominated the first half as Allegri’s men were desperate for the three points but the story of the second half was completely different. Milan improved but struggled to make opportunities but still managed to take the lead, Ante Rebic rose the highest to head home the equaliser from Sandro Tonalis corner. With this result Juventus have suffered one of the worst starts in their clubs history as Allegri’s men need to find a solution quickly, on the other hand Milan are in second with 10 points just behind Inter on goal difference.

"Luckily the referee whistled for the end otherwise we could have lost it. Tonight I'm quite angry. The team played well in the first half, only conceding a long shot to Milan. In the end, we even risked losing despite the fact that until they equalised we were in total control. Unfortunately we lost attention and determination, we have to improve even if the team is to take a step forward," said Allegri after the match.

Inter thumped Bologna 6-1 in what was a great bounce back after the midweek defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League. Inter began the scoring spree through Lautaro Martinez in the first 5 minutes, then goals from Skriniar and Barella in the first half made sure Inter had a 3-0 lead heading into the break. The story of the second was similar as goals from Vecino and a double from substitute Edin Dzeko put the match to an end before 70 minutes, Bologna grabbed a mere consolation goal through Theate in the dying moments. With this result, Inter have reclaimed the top spot as they have 10 points in 4 matches and also have a positive goal difference of 11.

Also read: Premier League: Dominant Chelsea brush aside Spurs as Liverpool and Arsenal gain three points

AS Roma lost their first match against Hellas Verona 3-2, Jose Mourinho was looking for his 4 consecutive victory in the league but a below average performance from the team let the opposition capitalize on their weaknesses. Roma started off the first half well as the captain Pellegrini opened the scoring through an exquisite back heel after a cross from Karsdorp. In the second half, Verona came out with a renewed vigour as they scored two goals in quick succession from Barak and Caprari to take a much deserved lead but the visitors quickly equalised after an own goal from IIic. The decisive moment came in the 63rd minute, Verona captain Faraoni scored a magnificent volley to beat the romans 3-2 in what was a thrilling contest. With the result Roma are still in third position with 9 points from 4 matches.   

The other notable results were:

Salernitana 0 - 1 Atalanta (Zapata)

Lazio 2 (Immobile, Cataldi) - 2 Cagliari (Pedro, Balde)

Genoa 1 (Criscito) - 2 Fiorentina (Saponara, Bonaventura)

Sassuolo 0 - 1 Torino (Pjaca) 

Kolkata, Sep 19 (Football News) Defending champions Gokulam Kerala FC and Army Red entered the quarterfinals of the 130th Durand Cup football tournament from Group D here on Sunday, beating Assam Rifles 7-2 and Hyderabad FC 2-1 respectively.

The Army Red team became the second Services side after Army Green to progress to the tournament's knockout stages.

The simultaneous final group fixtures were extremely contrasting in nature. While the game between the Reds and ISL side Hyderabad FC at the Vivekananda Yubabharati Krirangan (VYBK) was tight and cagey in nature, it rained goals at the Kalyani Stadium where Assam Rifles and Gokulam Kerala squared off.

The Malabarians showed no mercy and raced to an emphatic 4-1 lead by half time.

Nigerian striker Chisom Elvis Chikatara gave Gokulam the lead in the very first minute. Goan forward Beneston Piecton Barretto notched a brace in the first-half while Rahim Osumanu also added to the tally.

In the second half, Chikatara added a double to his name to complete his hat-trick, the first of the tournament this year. Substitute Sourav also joined the action and nicked a goal for himself in the 61st minute.

Assam Rifles scored though Soibam Roger Singh (36') and Samujal Rabha (63').

In the other game at the VYBK, Army Red continued their brilliant run and defeated Hyderabad FC 2-1.

Liton Shil of Army Red scored a brace and was the star of the match. Koustav Dutta scored the only goal for Hyderabad FC.

The first half was very eventful with both teams playing equally well. Liton broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute but Hyderabad's Koustav Dutta did well to score the equalizer, just two minutes later.

Army Red played a very attacking game in the second half and Liton did well to score the winning goal for the Reds, taking his team through to the quarterfinals.

Also Read : Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters FC teams up with Kerala Government for Sports Kerala Elite Residential Football Academy

News Source : PTI

Gurugram, Sep 19 (Sports News) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday felicitated the history-making Paralympians with the Haryana government handing out cash rewards for the medallists at The NorthCap University here.

Cash rewards of Rs. 6 crore to the gold-winning athletes, Rs. 4 crore to silver, and Rs. 2.5 crores to the bronze medal winners were distributed along with government jobs.

"It's my immense pleasure that I received a chance to felicitate the winners of the Tokyo Paralympics 2020. The athletes have created a history and made all of us proud," Naidu said.

"The entire nation complements and salutes them for their enormous contribution in the field of sports. I feel honored while honoring the athletes,” he added.

The Indian para-athletes returned from Tokyo on the back of a sensational campaign that saw them win an unparalleled 19 medals, including five gold, eight silver and six bronze.

This was the country's best-ever Paralympics campaign as it finished 24th in the overall tally.

The Harayana government also distributed a reward of Rs. 50 Lakh and Rs 15 Lakh to the players who performed extremely well at the Paralympics.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal said, “Our Paralympic players are a source of inspiration for the entire society. Leaving the weakness of their bodies behind they have reached the top of their game and won a medal for our country." "For the next Olympics, we have set a target of 100 participants from Haryana and winning 50 medals. The goal is to bring maximum medals for the country without worrying about the budget," he added.

Also Read : Top five most watched sporting events in the world

News Source : PTI

Warangal, Sep 19 (Sports News) Assam sprinter Amlan Borgohain, Tamil Nadu triple-jumper Praveen Chithravel and experienced Rajasthan hammer thrower Manju Bala Singh produced career-best efforts to emerge champions on the final day of the 60th National Open Athletics Championships, here on Sunday.

Borgohain clocked a sensational time of 20.75 seconds to win the men’s 200m final. Only Muhammed Anas Yahia (20.63), Dharambir Singh (20.66), Arokia Rajiv (20.66) and Anil Kumar (20.73) have run a faster time over the distance in the history of Indian athletics.

The 23-year-old, who has lived in Hyderabad since 2014, was running his first 200m competition at the National level in 20 months. Borgohain burst out of the blocks and sped ahead of the pack to break the beam in 20.75 seconds.

It was not only the first time that Borgohain stopped the clock inside 21 seconds but also a new meet record.

The 20-year-old Chithravel, whose previous best of 16.51m that came in March 2019, nailed the triple jump gold medal with his opening try of 16.88m.

He is now third on India’s top list in hop, step and jump behind Renjit Maheswary (17.30m) and Arpinder Singh (17.17m).

He had two other good efforts over 16.74m and 16.79m while Services Abdulla Aboobacker also produced his personal best of 16.84m to take silver in a competition that saw his teammate Karthik Unnikrishnan equal his career best of 16.80.

Asian Games champion Arpinder was sixth with a best effort of 15.91m.

Manju Bala Singh, a 2014 Asian Games medallist, had five throws over the 60m mark with a career best of 64.42m on her third attempt to claim the women’s hammer throw meet record from Hardeep Kaur who set it at 61.67m in 2002.

The 32-year-old produced the second best throw by an Indian woman behind Sarita Romit Singh’s national record of 65.25m.

Sarita Romit Singh came up with a 59.58m effort on her last try to edge Railways’ teammate Jyoti Jakhar Rana to third place.

The 31-year old Sarita had accounted for the five best throws until this competition where Manju improved on her previous best of 62.74m she achieved in Lucknow in June 2014.

Kartik Kumar (Services) and Sanjivani Baburao Jadhav (Maharashtra) overcame opening day disappointments to claim gold in the 10,000m events on the final day.

Kartik, who finished outside the medal bracket in the 5000m, showed his lasting power to beat Services team-mate and 5000m silver medalist Dharmender.

Sanjivani Jadhav, who was second in the 5000m, emerged on top with a comfortable win in the 25-lapper.

Archana Suseendran (Tamil Nadu) was another who did not let an earlier result worry her and claimed the women’s 200m sprint, stopping Taranjeet Kaur (Delhi) from racing away with the sprint double.

The Delhi teenager fought hard to bridge the gap and ended up with a maiden sub-24-second effort, finishing just six-hundredths of a second behind Archana Suseendran.

Also read : Long distance runner and world record holder Sufiya Khan announces her next ultra marathon aiming to cover 480 KM

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Sep 19 (Cricket News) India vice-captain Rohit Sharma opted out of Mumbai Indians' opening match of the second phase of Indian Premier League, which resumed here on Sunday, due to a knee niggle he had sustained during the recent England tour.

Rohit had struck a century in the second innings of the fourth Test at the Oval but did not take the field when England batted.

"The message from the physio is 'assess every minute, don't look too far ahead'," Rohit had said after the Oval Test.

Kieron Pollard led the defending champions against Chennai Super Kings in the absence of Rohit.

MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene said Rohit was kept out of the game as a precautionary measure.

"Rohit had something going in last Test (Oval), so we thought a couple of days of extra precaution," he said.

Mumbai Indians next play Kolkata Knight Riders on September 23 in Abu Dhabi.

With the T20 World Cup beginning immediately after the conclusion of the IPL, the Indian maestro would not wish to rush his return. 

Also Read : The top five run scorers in the first phase of the Indian Premier League

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Sep 19 (Cricket News) The gifted Ruturaj Gaikwad laid the foundation with an unbeaten 58-ball 88 before Dwayne Bravo led an excellent bowling display to power Chennai Super Kings to a crushing 20-run win over Mumbai Indians in the IPL here on Sunday.

Gaikwad batted through the innings to lift Chennai Super Kings from a precarious 7/3 to 156 for six as the IPL-14 resumed in the UAE after the first phase in India was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in May.

The late spark was provided by Bravo (23 off 8 balls) as CSK recovered from a disastrous start to put up a fighting total.

Chasing 157 on a pitch where the ball often stopped on the batsmen, MI too were off to a poor start as they slipped to 37 for three in the sixth over at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Both Quinton de Kock (17) and debutant Anmolpreet Singh (16) got out after getting starts, the bowler being pacer Deepak Chahar on both occasions.

Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan too made their way back to the dugout in quick succession to leave MI in a spot of bother at 58 for four in the 10th over.

Saurabh Tiwary (50 not out) and stand-in skipper Kieron Pollard tried to forge a partnership before Josh Hazlewood had the big-hitting all-rounder from Trinidad trapped in front of the wicket.

CSK brightened their prospects further when Krunal Pandya was run out by the Dwayne Bravo-MS Dhoni combination.

Tiwary and Adam Milne tried but could not succeed, with the latter getting out to the experienced Bravo in the second ball of the 20th over.

Bravo picked up 3/25 while Chahar had 2/19 as MI ended at 136 for eight.

Earlier, the 24-year-old Gaikwad added 81 runs for the fifth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja (26) to steady the ship after they lost skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the sixth over with the score reading 24 for 4.

Gaikwad smashed nine fours and three sixes, while Bravo hit three maximums as CSK scored 112 runs in the back 10.

CSK lost four wickets in the power play, including the wickets of skipper Dhoni and the team's seasoned run-getter Suresh Raina, as three top-order batsmen failed to open their account.

The start was inauspicious for CSK as Trent Boult dismissed Faf du Plessis in the fifth ball of the very first over when the New Zealand pace spearhead had the veteran South African caught by the backward point fielder Adam Milne, who was standing very fine, after the batsman had shaped himself up to play the cut shot.

One for one became two for two in the next over as Milne got Moeen Ali who slapped a slightly short ball straight to Saurabh Tiwary at cover.

What didn't help Moeen was that the ball seemed to stop as the England all-rounder went for his shot.

More trouble was in store for CSK as the three-time winners lost the big wicket of Raina in the third over when the experienced left-handed batsman, who has helped the team win so many matches in the past, got out to an irresponsible shot when he miscued one while trying to attack the Kiwi seamer.

Meanwhile, Ambati Rayudu retired hurt after taking a blow on his body to make matter worse for the Super Kings.

If that was not enough, holders Mumbai Indians piled more misery on CSK by sending the veteran Dhoni back to the hut for a poor score.

The World Cup-winning Indian captain timed his shot well but, to his shock, Boult completed a well-judged catch at deep square leg, capping a forgettable powerplay for the unit from Chennai.

After that, Gaikwad and Jadeja put together invaluable runs by mixing caution with aggression to give their team a total to defend against a side that is missing two of their big players in regular skipper Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Hardik Pandya, whose seam-up bowling was missed when the Chennai duo was rebuilding their innings.

Also Read : Kohli to quit RCB captaincy after this year's IPL

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Sep 19 (Cricket News) Virat Kohli will step down as captain of his IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore at the end of the ongoing season, the Indian batting maestro announced on Sunday, two days after deciding to quit national T20 captaincy following next month's World Cup.

The 32-year-old will quit the India T20 captaincy to manage the immense workload that he has been enduring as an all-format skipper and his decision to leave the leadership role in franchise cricket is part of those efforts.

"This will be my last IPL as captain of RCB. I'll continue to be an RCB player till I play my last IPL game. I thank all the RCB fans for believing in me and supporting me," Kohli said in a video statement issued by RCB.

"I have spoken to the squad. It was something that was on my mind as I recently announced stepping down as T20 captain to manage my workload which has been immense.

"I want to be clear about how I want to move forward. I have made it clear to the management that I can't think of being in any other team apart from RCB," he added.

Kohli was inducted in the RCB squad in 2008, when the league came into existence, and started leading the side in 2013. He has not managed to win the IPL title even once but was never removed from captaincy due to his immense brand value.

"It is just a little halt, not the end of the journey. The journey will continue," he asserted.

One of the most decorated players of the franchise, the star batsman will continue to be a part of the RCB squad.

Kohli has been enduring a tough phase in which he has gone without a Test century in two years and perhaps the decision will help focus on the longest format of the game.

He has managed 563 runs at 26.80 in 12 Tests during this period.

"It has been a great and an inspiring journey, captaining a talented bunch of players in the RCB squad.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the RCB management, coaches, support staff, players, and the entire RCB family, who have been instrumental in the growth of the franchise over the years.

"It wasn't an easy decision but one that has been well thought of and in the best interest of this wonderful franchise." Kohli has played 199 IPL matches and scored 6076 runs so far with five hundreds.

He had his best IPL season as a batsman in 2016 when he claimed the Orange Cap with 640 runs averaging an astonishing 81.

The highest paid cricketer in the IPL, Kohli was the first to be retained by his franchise ahead of the 2018 players auction.

Mike Hesson, RCB's director of cricket operations, thanked Kohli for his contribution as the team's captain.

"Have only been here a short time but I thank you @imVkohli for all you have done for @RCBTweets as a fully committed leader and team man, your energy and passion is infectious. I know the boys are fully committed to help send you out on a well deserved high skipper," Hesson tweeted.

Also Read : Ruturaj and Bravo got us more than what we expected: Dhoni

News Source : PTI

Dubai, Sep 19 (Cricket News) Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said Ruturaj Gaikwad and Dwayne Bravo "got us more than what we expected" after his team was reeling at 24 for four at one stage of its IPL match against Mumbai Indians here on Sunday.

Gaikwad stroked his way to an unbeaten 88 while veteran Bravo, batting at number eight, smashed 23 off just 8 balls as CSK made 156 for six after opting to bat first.

The total proved to be more than enough as CSK beat MI by 20 runs.

"At 30 for 4, you want to put up a respectable score, I felt Rutu and Bravo got us more than what we expected. We thought of 140, to get close to 160 was tremendous," Dhoni said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

"Rayudu got injured, so it was tough to come back from there but we batted sensibly and finished superbly. It was sensible for one batter to bat right through to the end." Talking about the wicket, Dhoni said, "The wicket was two-paced, slightly slow to start off. Also it's difficult if you're batting lower down, if you don't get a chance to see what is happening, you want to go hard." Dhoni also said that Ambati Rayudu, who retired hurt after getting hit while batting, should be fine by the next match.

Gaikwad was declared the Player of the Match and he said it was one of his better knocks.

"Obviously one of my top innings until now, given the pressure we were in. I had to grind it out, bat till 10-12 overs, give myself time and push for 120-130, and then slowly 140-150 was possible. It was a matter of spending time in the middle," he said.

"Mahi bhai, everyone in the CSK management, once they back you, they don't make you think anything but positive things. The Sri Lanka tour and preparation coming here helped a lot." MI's stand-in captain Kieron Pollard was also all praise for Gaikwad.

"Ruturaj batted really well. In T20 cricket, if one person bats through he can hurt you. We didn't finish off well with the ball. Losing by 20 runs you know those were the extra runs we conceded," he said.

He did not find any fault with the pitch but blamed poor batting for the defeat.

"The surface was good, new ball had movement, our seamers got early wickets. Their batters tried to continue the momentum throughout, we didn't do that." "Even though they got 150-plus, as a batting team we could have gotten that. Losing three wickets was a cardinal sin for us. Given the circumstances, Saurabh (Tiwary, 50 not out) batted really well," he said.

Also Read : Rajasthan Royals aim to break into the top four in the 2nd phase of the IPL

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news): The Indian Premier League is set to continue after a gap of 4 months as the pandemic caused a break in the middle of the tournament. The first half saw over 29 matches played and now in the second half, there will be a total of 27 matches before the qualifiers. The final will be played one month from now on October 15th. Out of the 8 teams only Delhi Capital and Punjab Kings have played 8 matches as the rest have played 7 matches.

The teams will play a total of 14 matches which will see the top four teams enter the qualifiers. The second half will be crucial as every match will give the teams a chance to enter the top four of the points table. Bottom placed Sunrisers Hyderabad will hope their luck changes in Dubai and Sharjah as top placed Delhi Capitals will hope their wheel of fortune keeps rolling. Mumbai Indians are currently placed 4th, they are known for their comebacks and the expectations are no different this time.

Since the venue has shifted from India to UAE there will be a significant change in every team as the pitch will be different and there will also be spectators in limited numbers this time which will bring the old charm back. The matches will start on September 19 and the schedule has also been released.

Also read: A look back at what happened in the 1st half of Indian Premier League 2021

Dubai, Sep 20 (Cricket News) Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming has lavished praise on young opener Ruturaj Gaikwad, saying he absorbed the pressure and played a "remarkable" innings which gave the team a chance against defending champions Mumbai Indians in their IPL match here.

Gaikwad hit a match-winning unbeaten 88 as CSK posted 156 for 6 after being reduced to 24 for four inside the powerplay.

"Today's innings was very special. It's okay to play an innings in a high-scoring game and dominate. But when you're the one to get a score to give your team a chance, then that's even more special," Fleming said at the post-match press conference.

"So, the way he went about his work, it had really absorbing pressure and then the ability to accelerate as the innings went on, it really was down to his hand, that we were able to create any pressure whatsoever. So, it was a remarkable innings from him." Gaikwad anchored the innings with an unbeaten 58-ball knock before Dwayne Bravo led an excellent bowling display to power CSK to a crushing 20-run win over Mumbai Indians in the IPL here on Sunday.

"It was very special, as you know, we've had very big taps on him (Ruturaj) for some time. Even last time we were here, we rushed him back, probably too early given the shape he was in from COVID, but that's how much regard and respect we have for his ability.

"But the way he finished off the IPL here in Dubai last year, set him up for the first part in India,” added the former New Zealand skipper.

While batsman Ambati Rayudu retired hurt after taking a blow on his body, pacer Deepak Chahar had cramps while bowling.

Giving an update on their fitness, the head coach said: "Rayudu X-ray was clear. So, it was just a bad bruise at the stage and he lost a little bit of power on his grip. So, yeah, we were up feared for that it could be broken, but the good news, it is not.

"And Deepak Chahar was cramped and will check that out tomorrow. So hopefully fingers crossed, they both will come through reasonably, okay.” In the game against Mumbai Indians, CSK skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni came out to bat ahead of Ravindra Jadeja and Fleming said the call was taken based on the match situation.

"It is very much (based on the) situation. In India, we had some really good starts and we looked at the left and right hand combination. So, we're getting into the back end of the innings," he said.


"When the captain made the call today it was much different. We haven't been in this situation for some time, if at all."So, the captain wanted the responsibility and it was right, so it was a good call but it's very much situational and just a little bit of a gut feel in the match situation, with a left hander or MS goes up. So, it's good to have those options."

Also Read : Harshal Patel leading the race for purple cap in first phase of Indian Premier League

News Source : PTI

(Cricket news) The 14th season of IPL will see its second phase starting from 19th of September.  The top 10 of all time wicket takers are dominated by the spinners as there are only three pacers, Lasith Malinga is on the top with 170 wickets and Amit Mishra will look to overtake him this season as Mishra needs five more wickets to become the leading wicket taker. Only two spinners have managed to win the purple cap, Pragyan Ojha in 2010 and Imran Tahir in 2019. Dwayne Bravo has taken the most wickets in a single season as he won the purple cap in 2013 with 32 wickets.

Harshal Patel: Royal Challengers Bangalore

Harshal is having his best season by picking up 17 wickets in seven matches as he leads the list of wicket takers in the first phase of IPL. He and Andre Russell are the only bowlers to take a five wicket haul so far in this season. Harshal created chaos in the opening game against Mumbai Indians as he took three wickets in the last over while conceding a single run. He will look to break Bravo’s record as there are seven more matches and he needs 15 more wickets. Although he proved to be economical in the beginning, he has leaked the second most runs in the league this season after Shardul Thakur.

Avesh Khan: Delhi Capitals

Avesh Khan is placed second in the list as he has taken 14 wickets from eight matches. He has been bowling well in every match and has leaked minimal runs. He has the ability to trouble the batsman with his pace as well as the length. The T20 format requires sharp bowling and Avesh does have the potential to stop the run scoring. He has bowled 72 dot balls this season and is fourth on the list.

Chris Morris: Rajasthan Royals

Chris Morris is currently third having picked up 14 wickets in seven matches. He had taken fifteen wickets in the 2013 season in sixteen matches and will be able to finish strong this time. He is the most expensive player as he was bought by the team for a price of 16.25 crores. He does have a lot of expectations to fulfil and is so far performing well for the team. He has bowled 63 dot balls this season and bowled 18 dot balls against Kolkata Knight Riders while picking up four wickets.

Rahul Chahar: Mumbai Indians

Rahul Chahar has been one of the most economical bowlers this season as he has not only reduced the run flow but has also picked up wickets. He has 11 scalps from seven games and looks promising as the second phase will test his potential. He cleaned the top four batsmen from the Kolkata Knight Riders which played a major part as Mumbai won the match by 10 runs.

Rashid Khan: Sunrisers Hyderabad

Rashid Khan has been the most economical bowler out of the top five as he has given away only 172 runs while taking 10 wickets. He is one of the top bowlers in the game and has been phenomenal with the bowl although the others have failed to do well. It will be a shame if Sunrisers don’t finish in the top four as Rashid is a player who can trouble any of the batsmen and can defend low totals.

Also read: The top five run scorers in the first phase of the Indian Premier League

Espoo (Finland), Sep 18 (Tennis news) Rohan Bopanna and Ramkumar Ramanathan blew away their chances in the must-win doubles match as India lost the World Group I tie to Finland after conceding an unassailable 0-3 lead, here on Saturday.

Captain Rohit Rajpal changed the doubles combination at the last minute by pairing Bopanna with Ramkumar instead of left-handed Divij Sharan but nothing helped as they lost the crucial match 6-7(2) 6-7(2) to Henri Kontinen and Harri Heliovaara in one hour and 38 minutes.

Both Prajnesh Gunneswaran and Ramkumar had lost their singles matches on Friday and to stay alive in the tie, the Indians needed to win the doubles.

The reverse singles have now been rendered inconsequential.

Heliovaara was considered the most vulnerable of all four players on the court but he raised his game by several notches and created a huge impact on the outcome of the match with his fearless approach.

The Indian, on the contrary, fumbled even when they had advantage as they squandered as many as four breakpoints in the eight game of the second set when winning that game could have given them the chance to put the hosts under the pump.

After doing all the hard work, the Indians cracked at crucial junctures.

At 3-3, the Indian pair attacked the serve of Heliovaara, going 30-all but the home player served big on the next two points to ensure the set stays on serve.

Eventually the opening set went to tie-breaker. Heliovaara found a stunning service return winner off Bopanna on the second point to get the mini break and also held his serve as Finland took a 4-1 lead.

Then came Ramkumar's double fault and a volley error at the net that gave Finland players five set points. They converted the second when Ramkumar could not return Kontinen's serve.

A forehand winner by Ramkumar at 30-all in the second game of the second set, set up the first break chance for India and they converted when Kontinen could not return Bopanna's backhand.

However, the big-serving Bopanna dropped his own serve in the next game when he made consecutive unforced errors.

In the next game, the Indians went up 40-0 on Heliovaara's serve but blew away all three breakpoints and later one more to let the rivals hold for a 4-4 scoreline.

Another tie-breaker followed. Helovaara pulled of a sensational forehand winner at 5-2 to get to first match point and it was all over for India when Ramkumar could not return the ball in the next point.

Also read: Davis Cup: Prajnesh, Ramkumar lose on Day 1, India trail 0-2 against Finland

News source: PTI 

(Cricket news) The 2nd phase of the 2021 IPL is about to start and Rajasthan Royals are 5th on the points table with 7 matches left to play. Their 1st game back is against PBKS on 21st September.

Newly appointed captain Sanju Samson has been performing with the willow, having scored 277 runs in 7 innings. Proteas seamer Chris Morris is leading the bowling attack and has already picked up 14 wickets. Youngster Chetan Sakariya is enjoying a good start to his IPL career.

Sanju Samson and Jos Buttler carried the batting line up in the 1st half. With Buttler not there, one or two others have to take more responsibility. David Miller is the obvious candidate with all his experience. Rahul Tewatia had a breakthrough tournament last season but hasn't quite delivered in this edition. Another problem is that the opening pair is still unclear. Manan Vohra, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Evin Lewis.

Also read: Punjab Kings look to break their 6 year streak to qualify for the playoffs

Since winning the inaugural tournament in 2008, Rajasthan Royals have made it to the playoffs only twice. They have a long way to ge before they can get anywhere near the trophy, to try and get to the playoffs would be the first step. On a personal level Sanju Samson will have something to prove after being cast aside from the Indian side.

The Royals played the 1st half without Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and Liam Livingstone. While Livingstone is set to return, Stokes and Archer will miss the tournament. To make matters worse Jos Buttler is the recent Englishman to pull out of the tournament. Evin Lewis, Glenn Phillips, Tabraiz Shamsi and Oshane Thomas are the four new signings made for the 2nd phase.

Here is the full Rajasthan Royals squad

Sanju Samson (c & wk), Shreyas Gopal, Glenn Phillips (wk), Rahul Tewatia, Riyan Parag, Evin Lewis, Oshane Thomas, Kartik Tyagi, Mahipal Lomror, Yashasvi Jaiswal, David Miller, Jaydev Unadkat, Anuj Rawat (wk), Mayank Markande, Manan Vohra, Tabraiz Shamsi, Chris Morris, Shivam Dube, Chetan Sakariya, Mustafizur Rahman, Liam Livingstone, Akash Singh, KC Cariappa, Kuldip Yadav.

Brisbane, Sep 18 (Cricket news) The Indian women's team made a disappointing start to its tour of Australia as it suffered a 36-run loss in a 50-over warm-up match here on Saturday.

Opener Rachael Haynes (65), Meg Lanning (59) and Beth Mooney (59) smashed individual fifties as Australia posted a challenging 278 for nine after batting first at the Ian Healy Oval.

In reply, India could only manage 242 for seven in their 50 overs with Pooja Vastrakar (57) emerging as the top-scorer.

For Australia, star all-rounder Ellyse Perry (2/38) made a successful return to new-ball duties as she, along with 19-year-old quick Stella Campbell (3/38), snapped two wickets each inside the first 15 overs to leave India reeling at 88 for four.

Perry produced a disciplined performance, bowling a tight line and was rewarded with the wickets of opener Smriti Mandhana (14) and Mithali Raj (1).

Campbell made her case for an international debut as she got rid of Shafali Verma (27) and Richa Ghosh (11) early.

The 21-year-old India rookie Yastika Bhatia (41) then gave ample display of her resilience as she negotiated a barrage of short balls from Darcie Brown, 18, before being dismissed by left-arm finger spinner Sophie Molineux (1/12).

With India slipping to 106 for six, Vastrakar and Deepti Sharma (49 not out) tried to stage a recovery but the duo couldn't take them across the line.

Earlier, Jhulan Goswami (2/36) and Meghna Singh (0/35) looked impressive with the new-ball.

Goswami provided the first blow, removing Alyssa Healy (8) but Haynes and Lanning took Australia past the 100-mark.

Vastraker ran out Haynes to break the partnership and Perry (1) was stumped after she appeared to be unaware that she had strayed out.

With two wickets falling in quick succession, Australia slipped to 136 for four.

After that, Ashleigh Gardner (24) combined with Mooney for an important fifth-wicket stand of 63.

Annabel Sutherland (20 off 14) and Georgia Wareham (17 not out off 15) then offered India a stark warning of their depth as Australia posted a good score on board.

The two teams will meet in the ODI series opener on Tuesday.

Also read: Heather Knight and Katherine Brunt lead England to ODI victory against New Zealand

News source: PTI 

(Cricket news) The second phase of the IPL begins tomorrow in UAE, the first phase saw Delhi Capitals leading the points table with Shikhar Dhawan leading the batting charts. Delhi Capitals have one bowler and two batsmen in the top five charts of runs scored and wickets. The first stage has so far seen three centuries with Rajasthan Royals accounting for two of them. The top five batsmen from the first phase are all right handers except for Shikhar Dhawan and Faf Du Plessis being the only overseas player.

Shikhar Dhawan: Delhi Capitals

Dhawan is currently the highest run scorer with 380 runs from eight matches, he has been playing in IPL since the inaugural edition and has scored 300 plus runs in every season except in 2009 and 2010. He started off with a whirlwind 85 from 54 balls that helped his team chase a target of 190 against Chennai Super Kings and in the third match single handedly led the team to victory by scoring 92 runs from 49 balls against Punjab Kings.

Dhawan’s form has given the team great starts and they have been able to chase down huge targets. The left hander plays with aggression which has helped him become a consistent performer in the league and last year became the first batsmen in IPL to score back to back centuries which helped saw him scoring 618 runs his highest so far. Dhawan’s form is vital for Delhi Capitals to stay on top of the points table.

KL Rahul: Punjab Kings

Rahul has been a star performer every season with the bat and has so far scored 331 runs from seven matches. He has smashed 16 sixes which is the most this season along with four half centuries and has got out in the nineties twice. His captaincy skills are also on point along with the wicket keeping and has scored 500 plus runs in the past three seasons. He can get runs on board quickly and has the ability to clear the boundaries consistently as he has scored the fastest half century in IPL in 2018 which came off 18 balls . Rahul also has the highest score by an Indian in the IPL as he scored 132 last year and ended the season with 670 runs.

Faf Du Plessis: Chennai Super Kings

Du Plessis is known for his flying catches and speed on the field, he is 37 years old but is still quicker and agile than most of the youngsters in the league. He has scored 320 runs from seven matches. After failing to score in the opening game against Delhi Capitals, Du Plessis has been in spectacular form as he has scored four half centuries in his last four innings and even came close to scoring his first century in IPL in the fourth match against Kolkata Knight Riders but fell short of five runs. He is coming back from playing CPL for Saint Lucia Kings and is known for his ability to hit with power and also technique.

Prithvi Shaw: Delhi Capitals

The youngest of the lot, Shaw has been proving to be a perfect partner to Dhawan in the Delhi Capitals. He has scored 308 runs from eight matches and is having the best season so far as his previous highest runs tally was in 2019 when he scored 353 runs from 16 matches. Shaw was on song against Kolkata Knight Riders as he scored 82 runs from 41 balls and hit six fours in six balls in the very first over of the match. Shaw will be eager to cross the 400 run mark or even the 500 mark this season and has the ability to hit the ball all around the ground.

Sanju Samson: Rajasthan Royals

Samson has been one of the most elegant batsmen in the IPL in recent times and comfortably clears the boundary ropes. He has scored 277 runs from seven matches so far and scored a heroic 119 in his first match as a captain. He is known to be brave and is always on the lookout to knock one over the boundary. Although he struggled after the first match scoring 30 runs in the next three matches he came back with 40 plus scores in the final three matches. Samson has been the lone performer from his team and as the captain will need to motivate the players to climb up the rankings.

Also read: IPL returns as precursor to T20 World Cup