Pakistan cricket team faces 76-day winless streak, losing all 8 matches played

Their quest for victory has been fruitless for the past 76 days, with the last triumph recorded on November 4 against New Zealand during the World Cup in India.

Published Date – 19 January 2024, 09:50 PM


Pakistan cricket team faces 76-day winless streak, losing all 8 matches played


Hyderabad: The Pakistan cricket team, grappling with widespread criticism after their disappointing exit from the 2023 World Cup without advancing to the semi-finals, finds itself in an ongoing struggle to regain form in ODIs despite implementing significant changes, such as appointing a new captain.

Their quest for victory has been fruitless for the past 76 days, with the last triumph recorded on November 4 against New Zealand during the World Cup in India.


Their woes continued with a comprehensive 3-0 defeat in a Test series against Australia. The current five-match T20I series against New Zealand hasn’t fared any better as Pakistan suffered four consecutive losses, leaving just one match to salvage some pride.

Notably, Pakistan’s losing streak encompasses all eight matches played, including the defeat against England in the World Cup.

The team is now under heightened scrutiny as they grapple with a prolonged period of winless performances.

Kalinga Super Cup: Sreenidi Deccan demolish Hyderabad FC

Sreenidi Deccan began with a bang as the first corner of the match in the 5th minute, taken by Afghanistan midfielder Faysal Shayesteh, was met by Sissoko to put his side in an early lead

Published Date – 19 January 2024, 08:42 PM


Kalinga Super Cup: Sreenidi Deccan demolish Hyderabad FC

Sreenidi Deccans Ibrahim Sissoko (centre) and Hyderabad FCs Ramhlunchhunga vie for the ball.

Hyderabad: Sreenidi Deccan Football Club overwhelmed Hyderabad Football Club 4-1 in their last Group A match of the Kalinga Super Cup at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Friday to earn bragging rights over their city rivals in the first ever official meeting between the two.

First half goals from Ibrahim Sissoko, Eli Sabia, Lalromawia and Kean Lewis set the Deccan Warriors on their way to a historic triumph over the Nawabs and earned them a third placed finish in the group which also consisted of Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.


Sreenidi Deccan began with a bang as the first corner of the match in the 5th minute, taken by Afghanistan midfielder Faysal Shayesteh, was met by Sissoko to put his side in an early lead. Barely a couple of minutes later, another Shayesteh corner found the head of defender Eli Sabia who guided it past the Hyderabad FC goalkeeper to make it 2-0.

Lalromawia gave the shell shocked Hyderabad FC side no respite as his first time finish from Sissoko’s pass gave Sreenidi Deccan their third goal of the game in just the 10th minute. After the half hour mark, winger Rilwan Hassan sent in a cross towards the back post and Kean Lewis was on hand to make it four before half time.

The second half saw Sreenidi Deccan switch to cruise mode as they passed the ball about, dominating possession, having made the game safe in the first half itself. Hyderabad FC got a late consolation from winger Makan Chothe who curled one in off the post in the 83rd minute.

Sreenidi Deccan FC will return to I-League action on February 4 as they travel to Goa to take on Churchill Brothers FC.

Iraq stun favourites Japan to reach Asian Cup last 16

Iraq pulled off the first upset of the Asian Cup in Qatar when they beat tournament favourites Japan 2-1 on Friday in the group phase.

Aymen Hussein scored both goals in the first half for Iraq, who are ranked 63 in the world to Japan’s 17, to put them into the last 16. Wataru Endo pulled a goal back at the death.

MNA

Ranji Trophy: Tanay, Tanmay put Hyderabad in command

Hyderabad ended the day with an impressive total of 381/3 to take a lead of 302 runs thanks to Tanmay’s century and half-centuries from Rahul Singh, Rohit Rayudu and Tilak Varma

Published Date – 19 January 2024, 07:38 PM


Ranji Trophy: Tanay, Tanmay put Hyderabad in command

Tanmay Agarwal

Hyderabad: Hyderabad continued their dominating show with the help of Tanay Thyagarajan’s six-wicket haul and Tanmay Agarwal’s aggressive century as hosts took control of their third round Ranji Trophy Plate Group match against Assam, at the NexGen Cricket Ground in Hyderabad, on Friday.

The hosts rode on impressive bowling figures from Thyagarajan (6×25) and CV Milind (4/30) to skittle out Sikkim for a mere 79 in 27.4 overs. Later, Hyderabad ended the day with an impressive total of 381/3 to take a lead of 302 runs thanks to Tanmay’s century and half-centuries from Rahul Singh, Rohit Rayudu and Tilak Varma.


Earlier, Sikkim’s decision to bat first backfired as their innings lasted just over 27 overs. While CV Milind began the proceedings for the hosts, Tanay Thyagarajan ran through the Sikkim batting order with impressive bowling figures in just 6.4 overs. With both left-arm bowlers Milind and Thyagarajan bowling in tandem, the visitors’ batters struggled to get going. The highest score in their batting order was 17 by Ankur Malik as only four batters managed to cross single digits.

While batting, Hyderabad were off to a superb start with openers Tanmay and Rahul Singh tearing apart the opposition bowling. They scored runs thick and fast. Both added 132 runs for the first wicket in just 18 overs before Rahul was bowled for a 64-ball 83, which was laced with 10 boundaries and five over it.

At the other end, Tanmay reached his century in ultra-aggressive fashion. He hit 11 boundaries and five sixes in his 137-run knock (off 125 balls) and fell after adding 138 runs with Rohit Rayudu. After his dismissal, captain Tilak Varma joined forces with Rayudu. While Rayudu employed a cautious approach in his innings (75 off 111, 3×4, 2×6), Tilak found the boundaries at regular intervals.

Rohit departed in the innings’ 60th over. At stumps, Tilak was batting on 70 (66 balls; 5×3, 3×6) in the company of Chandan Sahani.

Ravichandran Ashwin receives invitation to attend ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of Ram Temple

The 37-year-old spinner became the latest cricketer to be invited to the ceremony.

Published Date – 19 January 2024, 02:45 PM


Ravichandran Ashwin receives invitation to attend ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of Ram Temple


Chennai: Star India bowler Ravichandran Ashwin on Friday received an invitation to attend the Ram Temple ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony on January 22 in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.

The 37-year-old spinner became the latest cricketer to be invited to the ceremony.


“Excited to stand alongside BJP State Secretary Shri. @suryahsg in presenting a heartfelt invitation and Akshathai to the esteemed cricketer Shri. @ashwinravi99 for the Ayodhya Ramar Temple #PranaPratishta,” BJP Tamil Nadu State Vice President Venkatraman C wrote on X while announcing the news.

Apart from Ashwin, star batter Virat Kohli, world Cup-winning former India captain MS Dhoni and India’s all-time great Sachin Tendulkar have also been invited to the ceremony at the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Several Bollywood celebrities including Akshay Kumar, Kangana Ranaut, Tiger Shroff, Jackie Shroff, Hariharan, Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Randeep Hooda have also received the invitation for the Ram Mandir ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony in Ayodhya.

Vedic rituals for the Pran-Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya began on Tuesday, a week before the main ceremony. General secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Champat Rai said Ram temple will be open for ‘darshan’ for the general public from January 23.

“The ‘Pran Prathishtha’ is expected to conclude by 1 pm. PM Modi and others present on the occasion will express their thoughts after the ceremony. As per tradition, gifts in 1000 baskets have come from Nepal’s Janakpur and areas of Mithila. On Jan 20 and 21 darshan will remain closed to public,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started an 11-day special ritual in the run-up to the Pran Pratishtha of Shri Ramlala at the temple at Ayodhya.

Meanwhile, Ashwin is a part of India’s Test squad against England. India and the visitors will lock horns on January 25 for a five-match Test series.

Iran qualify for 2024 IWBF AOZ semifinals

The national Iranian men’s wheelchair basketball team had previously defeated South Korea 67-48, Thailand 86-51, Japan 74-65 and China 84-53 and lost to Australia 69-60.

Iran will play winners of Thailand and Japan match on Friday.

The winners of both the men’s and women’s competition will qualify directly for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

The IWBF Asia Oceania Zone started on Jan. 12 in Bangkok, Thailand and will run until Jan. 20.

MNA

Hossein Vafaei out of 2024 World Grand Prix

Williams will face China’s Cao Yupeng in the quarterfinals.

Vafaei had defeated English snooker player Matthew Selt 4-3 in his opening match.

The event features a total prize fund of £380,000, with the winner receiving £100,000.

The tournament is taking place from January 15 to 21 at the Morningside Arena in Leicester, England.

It features the top 32 players in the one-year ranking list as it stood after the 2023 Scottish Open.

MP/TSN

Hyderabad’s Trisha, Mamata named in South Zone team for Women’s Inter-Zonal One-Day Trophy

The team will be led by Shreyanka Patil while V Sneha Deepthi will serve as her deputy

Published Date – 18 January 2024, 08:15 PM


Hyderabad’s Trisha, Mamata named in South Zone team for Women’s Inter-Zonal One-Day Trophy

Pranavi Chandra, G Trisha and M Mamatha.

Hyderabad: Hyderabad cricketers G Trisha, M Mamata have been named in the South Zone Team for Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal One-Day Trophy to be held at Baroda starting January 30.

Another Hyderabad cricketer Pranavi Chandra has been named among the stand-byes. The team will be led by Shreyanka Patil while V Sneha Deepthi will serve as her deputy.


Squad: Shreyanka Patil (C), V Sneha Deepathi (VC), Shrey, Yuvashree, S Sajana, G Trisha, M Durga, M Mamata, Sahana S Pawar, Vinaya Surendran, Arundhathi Reddy, SB Keerthana, Tarannum Pathan, MD Shabnam, Akshara Srinivasan, Sonal Patil; Stand byes: S Anusha, E Kavisha, Pranavi Chandra, G Kamalini, G Divya.

India’s first-ever motorsport team INDE Racing to debut in FIM E-Xplorer Season 2

The team, owned by Abhishek Reddy’s Kankanala Sports Group (KSG), will be the 10th team in the competition that will have five races

Published Date – 18 January 2024, 06:15 PM


India’s first-ever motorsport team INDE Racing to debut in FIM E-Xplorer Season 2


Hyderabad: INDE Racing team, India’s first-ever motorsport team, is set to make its debut in the upcoming 2024 FIM E-Xplorer season 2, announced Kankanala Abhishek Reddy, in Hyderabad on Thursday.

The team, owned by Abhishek Reddy’s Kankanala Sports Group (KSG), will be the 10th team in the competition that will have five races. KSG signed an exclusive nine-year partnership with FIM E-Explorer to oversee races in India. This announcement marks India’s first FIM-licensed team in history which also means that it is the first Indian team to compete in any officially-sanctioned international competition.


INDE Racing is set to participate in every round of Season 2, spanning from February to November, traversing the challenging tracks in Japan, Norway, France, Switzerland, and culminating in a triumphant homecoming to India.

The team’s lineup will feature Indian rider Aishwarya Pissay, Asia’s first female athlete to win a world championship in 2-wheel motorsport. Pissay is poised to represent her homeland across the globe and challenge for another World Title.

Abhishek Reddy, the founder of Kankanala Sports Group and INDE Racing, said: “Despite the growing interest in motorsports in India, we have always missed a competitive independent team to cheer for. With the launch of INDE Racing, we aim to break new grounds in Indian motorsports, not only on the racetrack but also in promoting sustainability, gender equality, and the spirit of innovation. By establishing India’s first global motorsports team, we want to inspire a new generation of Indian riders and showcase the nation’s prowess in the world of racing.”

“It’s truly exciting to be part of India’s first FIM-licensed team in history. Being able to be part of a project aiming to represent all Indians worldwide and make them proud is a unique opportunity”, said Aishwarya Pissay.

Accompanying her are two seasoned international riders, including Canadian rider Spenser Wilton and Spanish rider Sandra Gomez, the reigning champion of the FIM E-Xplorer World Cup.

Carina Munte, FIM E-Xplorer Co-Founder, added: “We are thrilled to welcome INDE Racing to our Championship in 2024. Having a pioneering motorsport team from India onboard spotlights how E-Xplorer is pushing boundaries across the globe. Their presence promises to be a significant driver of enthusiasm for a strong Indian fanbase and will act as a catalyst for the promotion of e-mobility and electric motorsport worldwide.”