Defending champions Patna Pirates witnessed a strong performance by its raiders as they thumped Tamil Thalaivas 45-27 in a zone B clash of the ongoing sixth season of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) here on Wednesday.

Patna skipper Pardeep Narwal, who collected his ninth super 10 of the season, picked 13 points, while Deepak Narwal also had a great night with 10 points.

Tamil Thalaivas’ defence had a night to forget as they scored just four tackle points. skipper Ajay Thakur chipped in with eight raid points for the Thalaivas.

After this win, Patna are now second in Zone B with 38 points after 13 matches whereas the Thalaivas lie at the bottom of the table with 25 points from 13 matches.

Pardeep got Patna up and running with two raids in the first minute. The Thalaivas were slow to get out of the blocks as they scored just one point in five minutes to trail 1-6.

They suffered an all out as Patna asserted their dominance to lead 10- 1.

Thakur put points on the board for Thaliavas as he made two successful raids. After 10 minutes of play, Patna Pirates held an eight-point advantage as they led 12-4.

Thakur came up with a two-point raid in the 13th minute to cut the deficit to five points for Thalaivas before coming back strongly before the end of the half as they inflicted an all out to trail 11-14.

Deepak’s two-point raid in the 20th minute meant that Patna Pirates led 16-13 at the break.

Tamil Thalaivas started the second half strongly with Surjeet making a two-point raid but Deepak responded for Patna Pirates with a raid of his own. Patna Pirates led 20-15 after 25 minutes of play and were looking in control of the match.

Jasvir Singh got Tamil Thalaivas back in the match with a two-point raid in the 29th minute. Patna Pirates however inflicted another all out in the 30th minute to lead 27-20.

Tamil Thalaivas defence let them down as apart from Manjeet Chhillar, no other defender could stop Patna’s raiders. After 35 minutes, Tamil Thalaivas defence scored just four points as they trailed 22-32.

Pardeep made a two-point raid with his trademark ‘dubki’ in the 37th minute to give Patna Pirates 37-23 lead. Manjeet averted an all out for Tamil Thalaivas with a quick raid.

However, Patna Pirates inflicted another all out in the 40th minute as they won 45-27.

IANS

 FC Goa will take on last seasons runner-up Bengaluru FC in what promises to be an enthralling affair at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Thursday.

The Gaurs lead the Indian Super League (ISL) charts with 16 points from seven games and can further consolidate their position with a win. However, if they suffer a loss at the hands of Bengaluru FC, the club from the south will move to the summit.

The match will also see two supreme attacks go up against each other. While Ferran Corominas and Edu Bedia lead the charge for Goa, Miku and Sunil Chhetri will be Bengaluru’s flag bearers.

In Hugo Boumous and Edu Bedia, Goa have two most creative players who have the ability to unlock stubborn defences, and then there is Corominas who gives finishing touches to moves like nobody else.

“I think we are facing the best team in the league. I believe tomorrow’s match is a big challenge for us. I think tomorrow’s match will determine what is going to happen in this league,” said FC Goa chief coach Sergio Lobera.

“But I think it is a good chance for us to get three points at home and take the advantage,” he added.

Bengaluru have been boosted by the news that Chhetri is fit to feature in the game after missing the recent international break with an injury. While Chhetri has four goals to his name, all eyes will be on Miku as well.

“Chhetri has trained in the last two training sessions and as far as we are concerned he is fine now and he can participate in tomorrow’s match,” said Bengaluru FC coach Carles Cuadrat.

“We can say that FC Goa are playing very good football and are scoring a lot of goals so I think it can be a very nice game because our mentality is also to play nice football and score goals,” he added.

The last time the two sides met in Goa in 2017, the hosts triumphed in a seven-goal thriller.

 India skipper Virat Kohli felt stumper Rishabh Pant’s wicket was the turning point in their narrow 4-run loss to Australia in the rain-affected first T20 International at the Gabba here on Wednesday.

Australia rode on a collective top order effort to post 158/4 in 17 overs before the target was readjusted to 174 for India under the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Dinesh Karthik and Pant were responsible for bringing India’s chase back to life after hammering Andrew Tye for 25 runs in the 14th over. However, the latter’s dismissal bought the home side back in contest.

“It was a close game, was a see-saw battle. Started well with the bat, fumbled in the middle overs, in the end we thought we’ll win with Pant and Karthik but it changed again with Pant’s dismissal,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation.

The India skipper also praised opener Shikhar Dhawan, who top scored for the tourists with a 42-ball 76, laced with 10 fours and two sixes.

“He’s (Dhawan) a very strong player at the top of the order. Hasn’t got a T20 hundred yet, but the way he plays it really benefits the team,” the 30-year-old opined.

“That’s how it goes in the game. What we can do is to learn from them (mistakes) and get back better,” Kohli added.

Meanwhile, Australia skipper Aaron Finch felt his bowlers performed well in crunch situation, resulting in their win.

“Thought the boys played really well, especially in the middle overs with the bat. Showed a lot of courage to take it on. Some of our bowling was outstanding under pressure,” Finch said.

The two sides will play the second T20I on Friday in Melbourne.

IANS

Rain halted a perfect start by Australia in the first Twenty20 International match against India here on Wednesday. Australia were 153/3 in 16.1 overs when the sky opened up.

Australia were going hammer and tongs in the last few overs when Glenn Maxwell (46) and Marcus Stoinis (31) were hitting their shots at will before the showers started.

For India, Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav scalped two wickets and pacer Khaleel Ahmed took one.

The tickets for the opening ceremony of the men’s hockey World Cup to be held at Kalinga Stadium on November 27 and World Cup Celebrations on November 28 at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack were sold out in just a few hours after going live online.

In view of public demand, the ticket sales for both the events went live on Tuesday.

Within a few hours, all tickets for both the events were sold out. The online redemption of the tickets for the opening ceremony will be from Thursday at the Kalinga Athletics Stadium while the redemption centres in Cuttack for the World Cup Celebrations event will be announced later.

Music Maestro A.R. Rahman will be performing both at the opening ceremony and at the World Cup Celebrations event. Many other prominent Bollywood celebrities will attend both the events.

Australia-bound India pacer Mohammed Shami on Wednesday courted controversy by bowling more than his stipulated 15 overs in Bengal’s Group B Ranji Trophy tie against Kerala at the Eden Gardens here.

An integral part of India’s Test setup, Shami was asked by the BCCI to play the ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Kerala on the condition that he would bowl 15-17 overs per innings.

On Wednesday, Shami rolled his arms for 26 overs in the first innings.

“When you are playing a match for your state, the important thing is to fulfil your responsibility,” said Shami returning with 26-3-100-3 at the end of day 2.

“I was also feeling well and had no discomfort. The wicket was also doing well so I continued as long as I could… I decided on my own,” added Shami, who is India’s highest wicket-taker in Tests this year.

Shami said it was best to bowl in a match than in practice.

“It was better to bowl for your team and state rather than practising somewhere else… The more you bowl here the better it will help in Australia. It was a good preparation. For me bowling in a match is the best preparation. I prefer that any day.”

“I was feeling well to bowl at home after a long time. All my friends were here. It was after a long time I could play with my team,” Shami added.

Shami is the leading Indian wicket taker in Tests this year with 33 wickets in nine games.

Talking about his preparation for the Test series beginning next month Down Under, he said, “I’ve prepared well, had good training and match preparation. I’ve a practice match there. I will be ready for the Tests.”

Bengal coach Sairaj Bahutule also played down the issue.

“He was absolutely willing to bowl so he continued. Nobody put pressure on him,” Bahutule said.

IANS

In a setback to the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) demands for monetary compensation from the BCCI for deciding against playing bilateral cricket, the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Dispute Panel on Tuesday dismissed the PCB’s case.

The panel was chaired by Michael Beloff QC, an English barrister and a member of Blackstone Chambers, and included Jan Paulsson and Annabelle Bennett. The hearings took place in Dubai from October 1-3.

“Following a three-day hearing and having considered detailed oral and written submissions, the Dispute Panel has dismissed the PCB’s claim against the BCCI,” the ICC said in a release.

The PCB had sought compensation to the tune of $70 million from BCCI for not honouring the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two boards in 2014 to play six bilateral series over the course of eight years between 2015 and 2023.

The ICC, earlier, had said the decision of the panel will be final and cannot be challenged.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on Monday announced the five finalists for female world athlete of the year.

Dina Asher-Smith of Britain is European champion in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m, and finished second in the 100m in the IAAF Diamond League final and IAAF Continental Cup, reports Xinhua news agency.

Beatrice Chepkoech from Kenya is the current world record holder in the 3000m steeplechase, and became the first woman to break 8:50 and 8:45 barriers with a time of 8:44.32 this year.

Caterine Ibarguen of Colombia won the Central American and Caribbean championship at both long jump and triple jump.

Shaunae Miller-Uibo from the Bahamas remained unbeaten across five events in 15 races, including a 200m and 4x100m double at the IAAF Continental Cup. She grabbed three wins in the 400m, with the world’s fastest time since 2009.

Nafissatou Thiam of Belgium is world number three in the high jump, and is unbeaten in the heptathlon this season.

Both male and female World Athletes of the Year will be announced live on stage at the IAAF Athletics Awards 2018 in Monaco on December 4.

The male finalists will be announced on Tuesday.

IANS

 India’s professional boxer Vijender Singh has signed a multi-year agreement with Top Rank, Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum announced on Tuesday.

The 2008 Olympic bronze medallist, and current unbeaten super middleweight Vijender, who has fought all but one of his professional bouts in India and England, will make his debut under the Top Rank banner in early 2019, according to a statement.

“Top Rank is very excited to enter into a contract with Vijender,” Bob Arum said.

“We intend to make him a big star in the United States and look forward to him participating in major events in India, where he is already a major superstar,” he added.

Commenting on the development, Vijender said. “I am really excited to be on board with Bob Arum and Top Rank. I have always wanted to work with someone who is the best in the business, and I know Top Rank has been the driving force behind boxing’s biggest superstars, including Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, and Miguel Cotto.”

“I am eagerly waiting a date for my U.S. debut to take on the world and keep the Indian flag on the world boxing map fluttering high.

Neerav Tomar, Promoter of IOS Boxing Promotions said: “We at IOS are thrilled to be signing with the top boxing promoter in the world today, Bob Arum,” said Neerav Tomar.

The 33-year-old boxer turned pro in 2015 following an extensive amateur career that made him a mainstream celebrity in India.

He represented his homeland as a light welterweight at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Four years later, at the Beijing Olympics and fighting as a middleweight, Vijender captured a bronze medal to become India’s first Olympic boxing medallist.

During the 2008 Olympics, he defeated Badou Jack, a current light heavyweight contender and former two-weight world champion.

Singh went on to capture bronze at the 2009 World Championships (where he defeated current top middleweight contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko), gold at the 2010 Asian Games, and qualified for the 2012 Olympics.

As a professional, he’s captured WBO Asia Pacific and Oriental super middleweight honours. He last fought on December 23, 2017, scoring a shutout 10-round decision against tough Ghanaian Ernest Amuzu at the Sawai Mansingh Indoor Stadium in Jaipur.

 Sports Flashes, a multi-sports App, has bagged the audio rights for the upcoming India-Australia cricket series for the Indian audience, it was announced on Monday.

Sports Flashes will be using the services of well known commentators like Akash Chopra, Simon Katich, Damien Fleming, Reetinder Sodhi and many more, according to a statement.

The live audio feed would be broadcast across the Sports Flashes App & Web platform besides multiple other platforms including FM Radio, Mobile operator & Digital platforms.

Former cricketer Akash Chopra said: “I am happy to be associated with the Sports Flashes and creating a world class experience for cricket loving fans in my home country. I congratulate team Sports Flashes for the initiative.”

IANS