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World Kabaddi Cup cancelled in wake of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib in Punjab

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Punjab Deputy Chief Minister said he had taken the emergent decision to cancel the Kabaddi Cup in the wake of the recent incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib.

Representational Image

Representational Image

Chandigarh: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday announced cancellation of the sixth edition of the World Kabaddi Cup scheduled to be held in the state from November 14 to 28, in the wake of incidents of sacrilege and protests over them in the state.

Announcing this here, the Deputy Chief Minister, who also holds the sports portfolio, said he had taken the emergent decision to cancel the Kabaddi Cup in the wake of the recent incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib.

“Kabaddi symbolises the spirit of the Punjabis and their quest for excellence in rural sports. At a time when the entire Sikh community is shell-shocked with grief at the ghastly manner in which Guru Granth Sahib has been desecrated, holding such a tournament is not appropriate,” he said.

Sukhbir said the feelings of the entire Punjabi community had been outraged after the “ghastly incidents of sacrilege”.

“My feelings too have been outraged and my conscience is not allowing me to preside over a tournament at a time when the Sikh community in India and all over the world is in grief over the ghastly acts of sacrilege,” he said.

A series of incidents of desecration of the Sikh holy book followed by protests by religious orgainsations, including hardliners, has put Punjab on boil recently.

(PTI)

Virender Sehwag ‘The Sultan of Multan’ retires from international cricket

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Virender Sehwag

New Delhi: One of India’s greatest opening batsmen Virender Sehwag announced on Tuesday that he will be retiring from all forms of international cricket and Indian Premier League (IPL).

Sehwag, celebrating 37th birthday today, had already hinted about his imminent retirement at a function in Dubai yesterday and he took barely a few hours to make it official.

“I hereby retire from all forms of international cricket and from the Indian Premier League,” Sehwag tweeted.

The decision comes after Sehwag signed up to play in the next year’s Masters Champions League 2020, where only retired cricketers can play. Sehwag was unveiled at the launch ceremony of the veterans 2020 league in Dubai.

Sehwag’s decision comes barely a few days after one of his contemporaries Zaheer Khan decided to call time on his career. Sehwag had not been in the Indian team since 2013 and had not been in the reckoning either.

An outstanding career

In a glorious international career spanning over 12 years, Sehwag played 104 Tests scoring 8586 runs at an impressive average of 49.34, hitting 23 centuries and 32 half-centuries.

He is the only triple centurion in Tests for India having scored a career-best knock of 309 against Pakistan at Multan, which also is an Indian record. He is also one of those rare batsmen to have scored two triple tons with his next one (319) coming against South Africa.

In 251 ODIs, he accumulated 8273 runs at an average of 35.05 and scored 15 hundreds apart from hitting 38 fifties.

In 19 Twenty20 Internationals, he managed 394 runs with two half-centuries.

He has been a part of two World Cup winning teams under Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s leadership, 2007 World T20 in South Africa and the ICC ODI World Cup in India.

His next innings

Sehwag is going to feature in the 2016 Masters Champions League (MCL) whose rules clearly state that only retired players can participate.

At the MCL launch function here on Monday, Sehwag stressed that if he is not going to feature in India’s international scene, he will retire soon.

“If I am not retired I will not be able to play (in the tournament). I will go back to India and announce my retirement. It is not official yet. I am playing first class and not international cricket,” Sehwag told a news channel.

His batting was also instrumental in helping India win the 2011 World Cup at home. He is also the only batsman along with Don Bradman, Chris Gayle, Brian Lara to have scored a triple century twice in Test matches.

Full text of Sehwag’s statement:

To paraphrase Mark Twain, the report of my retirement yesterday was exaggerated! However. I have always done what I felt was right and not what conformists thought to be right. God has been kind and I have done what I wanted to do – on the field and in my life and I had decided some time back that] will retire on my 37m birthday. So today, while I spend my day with my family. I hereby announce my retirement from all forms of International Cricket and from the Indian Premier League.

Cricket has been my life and continues to be so. Playing for India was a memorable journey and i tried to make it more memorable for my team mates and the Indian cricket fans. I believe that I was reasonably successful in doing so. For that, I wish to thank all my team mates over the years – some of the greatest players of the game. I would like to thank all my Captains who believed in me and backed me to the hilt. I also thank our greatest partner, the Indian cricket fan for all the love, support and memories. I have also played against a lot of great players and it was an absolute pleasure and honour to do so. It was possibly the greatest motivation there was to play to the best of my ability. I have lived my dream and played at the finest of cricket grounds across the globe and I want to thank the groundsmen, clubs. associations and everyone who painstakingly prepare the arena for our performances.

I miss my father today. he was there when the journey started and I wish he could have been there today as well but I know I made him proud and wherever he is today, he is watching me with pride. I want to thank my coach, Mr. A.N. Sharma sir who was possibly the only coach who could have groomed me into the player that I became, I would probably have struggled to play for my school under any other coach. My mother. my wife Aarti and my children Aryavir and Vedant are my biggeststrength and their presence in my life keeps my mind without fear and head held high.

I would like to thank the BCCI for all its support over the years. The work that the BCCI does at such a scale is phenomenal and it has had some fine administrators over the years who have led the Board in developing the game. appreciating the contribution of players and have brought a lot of benefit to the players. I would also like to thank the Delhi and District Cricket Association and particularly Mr. Arun laitley who always supported me and sought our feedback and implemented what the players wanted and his presence ensured that I always had someone to rely upon personally and for the furtherance of the game’s best interest in Delhi.

I would like to thank everyone at the liaryana Cricket Association who have welcomed me with so much love and affection and it is really exciting to work with some really talented youngsters. I would especially like to thank Chaudhary Ranbir Singh Mahendra who has always had words of motivation for me during the toughest of times and l have felt safe in the knowledge that I can always turn to him for well considered advice which I value immensely.

I would also like to thank the Delhi Daredevils and the Kings XI Punjab, the franchisees that I represented. for believing in me and letting me be a part of them. l always gave my best for my team and consider myself fortunate to play with some brilliant players in the IPL.

I would also like to thank the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC). Very little is known about the effort they put in to promote sportsmen and sportswomen across various disciplines. ONGC gave me the security to pursue my game and the organization will always have a special place in my heart.

I must also add that l have enjoyed every Press conference and every interaction with the members of the media through out my international career and the presence of lndian media on foreign tours has left some very pleasant memories that I shall always cherish.

I want to thank all my sponsors for believing in me and all the bat manufacturers that have been associated with me over the years for providing me the willow that I love.

I want to tell everyone at the Sehwag International School. lhaijar that I now hope to have a higher frequency of visits to the campus to be with you all.

I also want to thank everyone for all the cricketing advice given to me over the years and apologise for not accepting most of it! I had a reason for not following it; I did it my way!

Jadeja recalled to Test squad, replaces Harbhajan

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Harbhajan Singh

New Delhi: India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who had fallen out of favour with the national selectors, has been recalled to the squad after a gap of around 14 months for the first two Tests against South Africa, starting on November 5.

What prompted his inclusion was that Jadeja scored 149 runs and picked up 24 wickets in the two Ranji Trophy games he has played for Saurashtra so far this season. However, veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has been left out of the Test outfit.

Harbhajan is getting married to his long-time girlfriend, actress Geeta Basra, reportedly on October 29.

Harbhajan, who was sidelined from the Test squad since March 2013, made a comeback against Bangladesh earlier this year in June.

He played the one Test there and then featured in the first Test against Sri Lanka in the island country but he did not help his cause as he grabbed only one wicket from the 25 overs he bowled. He was out of the team for the second and third games of the three-match Test series.

Though offie Ravichandran Ashwin is still recovering from a side strain, he has been selected in the 16-member Test squad.

Fast bowler Ishant Sharma has been included too for the Tests but he will have to sit out the first contest as the International Cricket Council (ICC) has suspended him for a Test owing to his bad behaviour during India’s tour to Sri Lanka.

The selectors have made only one change for the remaining two One-Day Internationals (ODI) against South Africa, replacing Umesh Yadav with Sreenath Arvind, who played in the three-match Twenty20 International series which India lost 0-2.

India currently trail the ODI series 1-2 with the fourth match to be played on Thursday in Chennai.

The squads:

India ODI squad for last two matches: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain, wicketkeeper), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Axar Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra, Mohit Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sreenath Arvind, Stuart Binny, Ambati Rayudu, Gurkeerat Mann.

India Test squad for first two games: Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Lokesh Rahul, Stuart Binny, Varun Aaron, Ishant Sharma.

Board President XI: Cheteshwar Pujara, Lokesh Rahul, Unmukt Chand, Karun Nair, Shreyas Iyer, Naman Ojha, Hardik Pandya, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Nathu Singh, Karn Sharma, Sheldon Jackson.

(IANS)

South Africa beat India by 18 runs in third ODI

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south-africa-india

Rajkot: South Africa beat India by 18 runs in the third of their five-match One-Day International (ODI) series at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium here on Sunday.

Quinton de Kock (103) and Faf du Plessis (60) helped South Africa reach 270/7 in 50 overs. In reply, India managed 252/6 despite Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli scoring fluent fifties.

With this win, the visitors took a 2-1 lead.

(IANS)

Ranji Trophy: Wasim Jaffer leads Vidarbha’s fightback against Karnataka

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Wasim Jaffer and Ganesh Satish hit well-paced half centuries to lead Vidarbha’s reply to Karnataka’s first innings score of 350. Vidarbha reached 172 for two in 72 overs.

Wasim Jaffer scored 68 for Vidarbha against Karnataka on Friday.

Wasim Jaffer scored 68 for Vidarbha against Karnataka on Friday.

Bengaluru: Youngster Ganesh Satish and veteran Wasim Jaffer crafted well-paced half centuries to lead Vidarbha’s reply to Karnataka’s first innings score of 350 on the second day of their four-day Group A Ranji Trophy match at Chinnaswamy stadium here on Friday.

The former Mumbaikar, Jaffer, smashed a superb 68 runs while Satish remained unbeaten on 81 as Vidarbha reached 172 for two in 72 overs.

When the stumps were drawn, Satish and skipper Subramanium Badrinath were at the crease with Vidarbha still trailing Karnataka by 178 runs with eight wickets in hand.

Satish showed lot of patience and grit to build a 117-run partnership for the second wicket and brought the team back on the track after they had lost their first wicket on three in the very first over of Abhimanyu Mithun.

Satish, who migrated to Vidarbha because of difficulty in cementing a place in the defending champions’ side, and Jaffer, grinded the Karnataka bowlers and did not allow them to dominate them by grafting runs in a systematic manner.

The duo remained unseparated between lunch and tea, despite some loud appeals as the hosts went wicketless in the second session.

“There were some close calls, but things can go against us. Some things are not in our hands,” Shreyas Gopal said.

In the very second over after tea, Jaffer trying to change gears ended up giving a catch at mid-on to Karun Nair off left-arm spinner Jagadeesh Suchith. The flamboyant former Indian opener cracked ten boundaries in his 120-ball 68 runs.

“I don’t think Wasim Bhai threw away his wicket, it was just that he might have wanted to change the gear to get quick runs,” Satish told reporters after the day’s play.

After the fall of Jaffer, Vidarbha tightened their screws and made it difficult for the visitors to score runs. Satish and captain Subramanium Badrinath also did not want to lose further wickets as they dug their heels to end the day on a positive note.

“After the fall of Wasim Bhai’s wicket, it was really very difficult for us to score runs because of the close-in fielding. I and Badri decided to stay at the wicket and look for small partnerships to frustrate the home bowlers,” said Satish, who could muster 52 runs after tea with Badrinath.

Asked whether the team is planning to go for an outright victory and settle down for first innings points, Satish said, “We will think of it once we get past their total. Right now, we are focusing on batting.”

For Karnataka, Mithun and Suchith picked one wicket each and Vinay Kumar, S Aravind and Gopal — all went wicketless.

Resuming their overnight score of 298-6, Karnataka were bundled out for 350 runs in 102.4 overs, after wicket-keeper batsman Chidambaram Gautam scored 30 and Vinay 22.

Vidarbha pacer Ravi Thakur ended the innings, taking four wickets.

(PTI)

England need 99 to win first Test

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Adil Rashid

Abu Dhabi: England need 99 runs in a possible 19 overs to win the first Test after Pakistan collapsed to 173 all out in their second innings in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

The Test was heading for a draw after England declared their first innings at 598-9, but they bowled with fire and employed aggressive field settings on a weary fifth and final day pitch at Sheikh Zayed Stadium pitch.

Spinners Adil Rashid (5-64) and Moeen Ali (2-28) did the damage while paceman James Anderson took 2-30.

(Agencies)

Test Cricket: Cook bats on as England closes on Pakistan total

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Cook

Abu Dhabi: Alastair Cook continued to bat solidly to help England approach Pakistan’s massive total on the fourth day of the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Friday.

The England captain was unbeaten on 237 as England reached 468 for five at tea, just 55 runs behind

Pakistan’s first innings total of 523 for eight declared as the prospects of a result on a flat Sheikh Zayed Stadium diminished.

Ben Stokes was the other unbeaten batsman with 16.

Cook came to the crease in the last hour of the second day and has since batted with authority and grit, smashing 17 boundaries during his resolute 471-ball knock.

He added 141 runs for the fourth wicket with Joe Root who made a brilliant 85 after England resumed at 290-3.

Paceman Rahat Ali provided Pakistan the breakthrough after they went without wicket in the extended two-and-a-half hour session due to Friday prayers.

After lunch Root played a rash shot off a wide delivery and was caught by wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed. He hit seven boundaries during his 143-ball stay.

But it was Cook’s third double century that enlivened an otherwise dull day.

Cook flicked paceman Wahab Riaz to backward square-leg for two to complete his double century off 395 deliveries, the second of the match behind Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik’s 245.

Cook has so far hit 16 boundaries in a 407-ball stay.

Root also batted with authority, reaching his 14th Test half-century with a reverse sweep boundary off Malik.

Pakistan were once again sloppy in the field as they missed another chance to dismiss Cook when wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed failed to take an inside edge off Riaz when the England captain was on 173.

Fawad Alam had let off Cook on 147 off spinner Zulfiqar Babar on Thursday.

Root also survived a confident leg-before shout when fast bowler Imran Khan trapped him but Pakistan’s review once again went unsuccessful.

Riaz was the pick of the bowlers with 3-116.

Pakistan’s frontline spinner Babar also struggled to take a wicket, conceding 132 runs in his 58 overs.

Pakistan has played seven Test matches at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, winning four, including the last two by massive margins against Australia (356 runs) and New Zealand (248 runs) and drawing the other three. It won the only Test match here against England by 72 runs in 2012.

Test Cricket: Cook hits ton as England pursue mammoth total

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Cook

Abu Dhabi: England captain Alastair Cook knocked a solid hundred to lead England’s fightback on the third day of the first Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

Cook continued to bat without much problem as he reached 116 to take his team to 197 for one at tea with Ian Bell on 31 as the pair thwart Pakistan’s pace-cum-spin attack on a Sheikh Zayed Stadium pitch.

England still trail Pakistan’s mammoth first innings total of 523 for eight by 326 runs.

Cook drove left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz for an exquisite cover drive for his tenth boundary to complete his 28th century in Tests, raising his bat in celebration.

When on 93 the England skipper also completed 1,000 runs in 11th Test this year, only the second batsman to reach 1,000 runs in 2015 behind team-mate Joe Root.

He has so far hit 11 boundaries during his 222-ball stay at the wicket.

Pakistan thought they had England skipper leg-before when he failed to connect a sweep off left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar but Australian umpire Paul Reiffel’s decision of not out was upheld on review.

Earlier, Cook and Moeen Ali resumed the day at 56-0, bringing up the century stand in the first hour of play as Pakistan attacked through pace at one end and spin from the other.

England’s last century stand came against New Zealand at Leeds earlier this year with Cook and now discarded Adam Lyth posting 177.

But at 116, left-hander Ali edged an outgoing delivery from paceman Imran Khan to wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed who took a low catch to his left.

Bell survived some anxious moments at the crease with left-armer Zulfiqar Babar started to turn the ball on a pitch which did not assist England spinners on the first two days.

Babar was unlucky not to have Bell four overs before the interval when close-in fielder Shan Masood failed to hold on to an edge at silly point.

Bell, who survived some anxious moments before lunch, looked settled with three boundaries in his 104-ball knock.

(AFP)

Ranji Trophy: Karnataka Vs Vidarbha in Bengaluru

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KL Rahul has returned to Karnataka side after recovering from injury.

KL Rahul has returned to Karnataka side after recovering from injury.

Bengaluru: KL Rahul and Karun Nair would look to put up impressive show before the national selectors meet to pick the Indian Test squad for the South Africa series, as Karnataka take on Vidarbha in a Group A Ranji Trophy.

Rahul, who is making a comeback after recovering from the quadriceps strain that he had sustained during India’s tour of Sri Lanka in August, will be desperate to make to mark.

He has played a stellar role in Karnataka’s success story in last two seasons. Last year, he notched up 838 runs from five matches and became the first Karnataka batsman to score a triple century in the domestic circuit.

The 23-year-old will look to continue the success story this season too, besides returning to the Indian team. Karun, who was recently called up as a reserve for the India Test team against Sri Lanka, would want to carry forward his form that he showed against Bengal in the last match.

He made a mincemeat of Bengal bowling with a crushing century, which put Karnataka in the driver’s seat. Shishir Bhavane (119) and bowling-allrounder Shreyas Gopal (139) will also be high on confidence after their fine tons that helped Karnataka amass 537 runs for nine declared.

Also one of last season’s top scorers Robin Uthappa and Manish Pandey will be eager to showcase their skills. The Vinay Kumar-led bowling attack has been consistent with its ability to take wickets in regular intervals.

Kumar and HS Sharath shared seven wickets between them in Bengal’s first innings, forcing them to follow on in the last game. On the other hand, Vidarbha will look to put behind their dismal performance against Delhi, which had mauled them after Ishant Sharma ran through their innings.

After failing miserably in the last match, stalwarts Wasim Jaffer and Subramanium Badrinath would like to showcase their talents, which they had been doing for their erstwhile Mumbai and Tamil Nadu, respectively.

A Shanware, who scored a brilliant 119 against Odisha in their opening match, and Ganesh Sathish, who notched up a half century so far, will also like to contribute with their bats.

A consistent run-maker for the past four seasons, Shalabh Shrivastava would also want to bury the disappointing performances of the last two matches.

Umesh Yadav is away on national duty and it is a big loss for Vidarbha. His new ball partner Shreekant Wagh, meanwhile, has been growing in stature in the last three seasons.

The team will expect the pace duo of Ravi Thakur and Swapnil Bandiwar to shine. They did a good job last year. Off-spinner Akshay Wakhare, who broke the 50-year-old record of best bowling figures in a match for Vidarbha, enjoys role of lead spinner and would like to make his presence felt.

Squads

Karnataka: R Vinay Kumar (captain), CM Gautam (vice-captain and wicketkeeper), R Samarth, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Karun Nair, Shishir Bhavane, Shreyas Gopal, J Suchith, A Mithun, HS Sharath, Udit B Patel, S Aarvind, Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul.

Vidarbha: Subramanium Badrinath (captain), Ganesh Satish, Wasim Jaffer, Shalabh Shrivastava, Swapnil Bandiwar, Ravi Thakur, Amol Ubarhande, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Ravi Jangid, Aditya Sarwate, Aditya Shanware, Shreekant Wagh, Akshay Wakhare, Dharmendra Ahlawat, Amol Jungade.

(PTI)

Indore ODI: Dhoni’s unbeaten 92 takes India to 247

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India's captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni plays a shot during the second ODI against South Africa in Indore on Wednesday. AFP

India’s captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni plays a shot during the second ODI against South Africa in Indore on Wednesday. AFP

Indore: A fighting unbeaten 92 by captain M.S. Dhoni helped India post a respectable 247/9 in 50 overs against South Africa in the second ODI here on Wednesday.

The under-fire Dhoni smashed seven boundaries and four sixes during his 86-ball knock. Dhoni, who walked into bat with India, struggling at 82/3, added 41 runs for the seventh wicket with Bhuvneshwar Kumar (14). He continued the good work in the company of Harbhajan Singh (22) and took India past the 200-run mark.

Earlier, the hosts were off to a poor start with in-from opener Rohit Sharma being castled by Kagiso Rabada for three. Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane put the Indian innings back on track with a 56-run stand for the second wicket. Dhawan was dismissed by Morne Morkel for 23.

Virat Kohli was involved in a mix-up with Rahane and was run out for 12, with the total reading 82. Rahane, who made a fine 51 was bowled round the legs by leg-spinner Imran Tahir as the home side slipped to 102/4 in the 23rd over. Suresh Raina failed to open his account as he was caught behind off Morkel.

Dale Steyn claimed 3/49 for the South Africans.

(IANS)

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