Sports

Rashmikaa pair enters ITF $25K Women tournament quarterfinals

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In the pre-quarterfinal clash, the duo of Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty and Vaidehee Choudhari eased past compatriots Kashish Bhatia and Sahira Singh 6-0, 6-1 to enter the last eight stage.

Published Date – 28 February 2024, 08:37 PM


Rashmikaa pair enters ITF $25K Women tournament quarterfinals

Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty and Vaidehee Choudhari in action during the match.

Hyderabad: Hyderabad tennis player Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty and her partner Vaidehee Choudhari entered quarterfinals of the ITF $25K Women tournament in Gurugram on Wednesday.

In the pre-quarterfinal clash, the Indian duo eased past compatriots Kashish Bhatia and Sahira Singh 6-0, 6-1. In the singles event, Rashmikaa defeated Ikumi Yamazaki of Japan 6-1, 6-2 in the first round.

Meanwhile, another Hyderabad player Sahaja Yamalapalli also stormed into the pre-quarterfinals after she downed A Koshiishi of Japan 6-4, 6-2 in straight sets.

Results: Pre-quarterfinals: Doubles: Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty & Vaidehee Choudhari bt Kashish Bhatia/Sahira Singh 6-0, 6-1; Singles: Round of 32: Sahaja Yamalapalli bt A Koshiishi (JPN) 6-4, 6-2; Singles: Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty bt Ikumi Yamazaki (JPN) 6-1, 6-2.

Sports

All-round Prakash powers Green Park to big victory

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Prakash Jena shone with all-round show in Green Park’s huge 126-run win over Hyatt Place in the Hotel & Restaurants Association of Telangana State (HRATS) T20 Cricket Tournament in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Published Date – 28 February 2024, 08:23 PM


All-round Prakash powers Green Park to big victory

Prakash Jena shone with all-round show in Green Park’s huge 126-run win over Hyatt Place in the Hotel & Restaurants Association of Telangana State (HRATS) T20 Cricket Tournament in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Hyderabad: Prakash Jena shone with all-round show in Green Park’s huge 126-run win over Hyatt Place in the Hotel & Restaurants Association of Telangana State (HRATS) T20 Cricket Tournament in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Batting first, Green Park posted 160/8 in 20 overs. P Naresh top-scored with 46-ball 71 runs which was included with nine fours and one six. Prakash hit 52. Later, Prakash’s three-wicket haul helped his side bundle out Hyatt Place for mere 34 runs.

Brief Scores: Green Park 160/8 in 20 overs (P Naresh 71 (46b, 9×4, 1×6), Prakash Jena 52) bt Hyatt Place 34 in 8.4 overs (Prakash Jena 3/2, G Ramesh 2/6, lucky Singh 2/6); Marriott 135 in 18.4 overs (Prakash 43, Vimlesh 21; Nagendra 3/21, Pappu Das 2/16, Pradeep Rana 2/25) lost to Novotel HICC 136/8 in 16.5 overs ( Pradeep Rana 40; Ganesh 3/31, Rakesh 2/20, Vimlesh 2/25).

Sports

BCCI unveils annual player contracts for Team India

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Grade A+ category features the cricketing stalwarts, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja, underscoring their pivotal roles in the squad.

Updated On – 28 February 2024, 06:31 PM


BCCI unveils annual player contracts for Team India


Hyderabad: In a significant development, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially announced the Annual Player Contracts for Team India (Senior Men) for the upcoming 2023-24 season, spanning from October 1st, 2023, to September 30th, 2024.

Grade A+

The prestigious Grade A+ category features the cricketing stalwarts, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja, underscoring their pivotal roles in the squad.

Grade A Holds Strong Contenders: A formidable lineup comprises players in Grade A, including R Ashwin, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Hardik Pandya. This tier boasts a perfect blend of seasoned performers and emerging talents.

Grade B and C

Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Yashasvi Jaiswal secure places in Grade B, showcasing their prowess.

Meanwhile, Grade C welcomes a diverse set of 15 athletes, with names such as Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, Sanju Samson, and Prasidh Krishna.

Notably, the selection is dynamic, with additional criteria involving participation in Test matches, ODIs, and T20Is during the stipulated period.

Exclusion of Iyer and Kishan:

Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan, despite their significant contributions, were not considered for the annual contracts in this round of recommendations, leaving fans and pundits speculating on the reasons behind their omission.

Fast bowling contracts for rising stars: The Selection Committee has introduced Fast Bowling contracts for promising athletes – Akash Deep, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Umran Malik, Yash Dayal, and Vidwath Kaverappa, a move reflecting the BCCI’s commitment to nurturing and recognizing talent in the fast bowling department.

Sports

Shikhar Dhawan hits 39 on return

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Set a target of 186, Dhawan, who last played competitive cricket in 2023 IPL for Punjab Kings, shared a 64-run stand with Abhijit Tomar in 7.1 overs.

Published Date – 28 February 2024, 05:45 PM


Shikhar Dhawan hits 39 on return


 Navi Mumbai: Out-of-favour veteran Indian batter Shikhar Dhawan returned to competitive cricket with a 28-ball 39 but his knock went in vain as DY Patil Blue lost by one run to Tata Sports Club in the DY Patil T20 Cup here on Wednesday.

The 38-year-old, who last played for India during the ODI series in Bangladesh in 2022, hit five boundaries and two maximums during his entertaining knock.

Set a target of 186, Dhawan, who last played competitive cricket in 2023 IPL for Punjab Kings, shared a 64-run stand with Abhijit Tomar in 7.1 overs.

Nutan Goel remained unbeaten on 38 off 35 balls as he added a valuable 58 runs for the fifth wicket with Shubham Dubey (42).

However, in the end, Blue fell short by just one run to finish on 184 for seven in their allotted 20 overs. Former India wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik, playing for Blue, was dismissed for a first-ball duck but he took the important catch of Samarth Vyas.

Sports

KL Rahul flies to London, unlikely for final Test against England in Dharamsala

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KL Rahul has been flown to London for an expert opinion as he is still experiencing some discomfort in the quadriceps . Notably, the senior batter underwent a surgery for the same injury last year.

Updated On – 28 February 2024, 04:47 PM


KL Rahul flies to London, unlikely for final Test against England in Dharamsala

Kl Rahul

Hyderabad: India have secured a series win against visitors England with a victory in Ranchi on Sunday, but the fitness and availability of players is still a point of discussion, as the team will soon head to Dharamsala for the fifth and the last test match which will begin on March 7.

Since the fourth Test match finished on Day 4, members of the team have all gone in different directions form Ranchi and they will all be assembling in Chandighar on March 2 and will be heading to Dharamsala in a chartered flights on March 3.

The long gap between the two matches, however, does not seem to bring any joy to team India in terms of players being injured or unavailable. Although KL Rahul was stated to be 90 percent fit ahead of the third Test in Rajkot, after missing out on the second match due to a right quadriceps soreness, his participation in the last Test is still uncertain at this point.

According to a report on Cricbuzz, the senior batsman has been flown to London for an expert opinion as he is still experiencing some discomfort in the quadriceps . Notably, Rahul underwent a surgery for the same injury last year.

Given Rahul’s importance in the team across all formats, especially with the T20 World Cup in the near future, the management seems to be prioritising his long-term recovery at this point even as some enthusiasts and experts in the know of things stress that his injury is not that serious.

On the other hand, bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah‘s availability for the firth Test is not confirmed at this point. He was rested by the team for the fourth Test to manage his workload. He is most likely to return for the last match.

With every match being crucial for the World Test Championship (WTC), India will look to put their best team forward in Dharamsala even after the series won. India is currently placed second in the WTC standing behind New Zealand.

Sports

Sreenidi Deccan lock horns with Mohammedan SC in I-League summit clash

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The Deccan Warriors are currently in 3rd place in the I-League standings but could displace the Black Panthers at the top with a win on Thursday.

Published Date – 28 February 2024, 04:18 PM


Sreenidi Deccan lock horns with Mohammedan SC in I-League summit clash

Sreenidi Deccan’s Arun Kumar (left) and Pawan Kumar in training.

Hyderabad: Sreenidi Deccan Football Club host Mohammedan Sporting Club in a mouthwatering top of the table I-League clash here at the Deccan Arena on Thursday which could have ramifications on the title race.

The Deccan Warriors are currently in 3rd place in the I-League standings but could displace the Black Panthers at the top with a win. The corresponding fixture had ended in a 2-1 win for Mohammedan SC in Kolkata.

Sreenidi Deccan head coach Carlos Vaz Pinto and midfielder Kean Lewis addressed the media ahead of the clash. Speaking about the 2-0 win over Namdhari FC in the previous game, the Portuguese tactician observed, “They were a challenging opponent who put a lot of numbers behind the ball but we overcame that and got the win which was the most important thing. We are not perfect so there is always room for improvement and we will keep striving for the same.”

Despite being billed as a ‘title decider’, Vaz Pinto refused to get drawn into championship talk and reiterated the focus was taking it game by game. “The league will not be decided tomorrow, neither for Sreenidi Deccan nor for Mohammedan SC. Everyone was saying the league was done in December but it is a different story now.

First, they were talking about Mohammedan SC and now they are talking about Gokulam Kerala. Here at Sreenidi Deccan, we are talking about the three points on offer tomorrow and our focus is on working hard to get them,” he said.

Winger Kean Lewis faced a challenging initial period after signing for Sreenidi Deccan in summer but the experienced 31-year-old, who played for Mohammedan SC last season, has been one of the most consistent performers in the team of late. “Every player wants to play and I am no different. I am happy to keep contributing and help the team keep winning,” he said. “Both teams have different players as compared to last season so it is difficult to predict how the game will pan out tomorrow, but we will be playing to win.”

 

Sports

Iranian chess grandmaster stuns Polish rival in Prague

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In the first round of the competition, Maghsoodloo, with a rating of 2715, defeated his opponent from Poland Mateusz Bartel with a rating of 2660.

The Festival features Masters, Challengers, and Futures tournament, supported by the European Chess Union, as well as the Karel Janecek Open Chess Tournament, and a variety of side events that will take place simultaneously.

The main, Masters event, is played with 10 grandmasters in the field who will compete in 9 rounds, round-robin system. The players are: GM Vincent Keymer (GER, 2743), GM Praggnanandhaa (IND, 2743), GM Vidit Santosh Gujrathi (IND, 2742), GM Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI, 2740), GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB, 2727), GM Gukesh D (IND, 2725), GM Richard Rapport (ROU, 2717), GM David Navara (CZE, 2679), GM Mateusz Bartel (POL, 2657), and GM Thai Dai Van Nguyen (CZE, 2632).

The 6th Prague International Chess Festival is held at Don Giovanni Hotel Prague, Czech Republic from February 27 to March 7, 2024.

AMK/IRIB4167085

Sports

VVS Laxman meets Indian Navy Chief R Hari Kumar

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The Navy chief will be felicitating the family of Baig today.

Published Date – 28 February 2024, 03:45 PM


VVS Laxman meets Indian Navy Chief R Hari Kumar


New Delhi: Former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman on Wednesday met Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar at a ceremony to felicitate the legacy of cricket coach and former Navy official late MR Baig.

The Navy chief will be felicitating the family of Baig today.

Some of the cricketers trained by Baig include VVS Laxman, MSK Prasad, Ravi Shastri, Venkatesh Prasad, Rahul Dravid and Mohammed Azharuddin at some point of their careers.

In 134 Tests for India, VVS scored 8,781 runs at an average of 45.97, with 17 centuries and 56 fifties. His best score is 281.

VVS also played 86 ODIs for India, scoring 2,338 runs at an average of 30.76, with six centuries and 10 fifties in 83 innings. His best score is 131.

Sports

Mauricio Motta Paes named Iran volleyball coach

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Paes will serve as Team Melli’s head coach until the end of the 2024 Olympic Games, with the option to extend for two more years.

Italian coach Alberto Giuliani was a serious candidate for taking charge of Iran’s volleyball team but the Federation opted Paes.

He has most recently worked as Ukraine’s Epicentr-Podolyany.

Paes replaced Behrouz Ataei, who was dismissed in October following poor results in the 2023 Volleyball Nations League.

Italian coach Angelo Lorenzetti, Roberto Piazza, Russian Vladimir Alekno, Belgian Vital Heynen, and Saeid Marouf were among the candidates for the job.

Iran’s chances of reaching the 2024 Paris Olympics are slim due to poor results in the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Nations League and the Olympic qualifiers.

AMK/TT

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ACA report alleges teammates ‘threatened’ to support Hanuma Vihari

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New Delhi: Days after India batter Hanuma Vihari vowed to never play for Andhra in domestic cricket following political interference in him being forced to leave captaincy, the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) has alleged that the rest of the team were threatened to sign the letter in favour of the right-handed batter.

Following Andhra’s four-run loss to Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Monday, Vihari shared that he had to step down from the captaincy just after the first round not due to personal reasons, but because of political interference.

He also a copy of his statement on social media along with another picture of the signatures of his teammates, asking for him to be reinstated as captain. But the ACA, as per a report in India Today, has said that the rest of the cricketers were forced to sign it in favour of Vihari.

“He asked the Andhra Cricket Association to continue on behalf of Andhra, apologising for being emotional and frustrated for not being selected in the Indian team, as he was not given the NOC.

“The parents of the players have brought it to the attention of the association many times that the local players are losing opportunities due to players coming and going of the team. But keeping in mind Vihari’s experience, the team management kept him. However, it is unfortunate that Vihari is making false accusations on social media platforms.”

“Hanuma Vihari has alleged that despite all the players in the team supporting him to continue as the captain, he was removed. In this regard, the concerned players have complained to the Andhra Cricket Association against Vihari.

“Some players have complained to the Andhra Cricket Association that they were forced to sign under threats. Andhra Cricket Association will thoroughly investigate all the complaints received and report the facts to the BCCI,” said ACA, as per the report.

The report further quoted the ACA saying that Vihari was making a class difference in the Andhra team. “Moreover, players had previously complained to the Andhra Team Managers Association that Vihari used foul language and misbehaved with fellow players during the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament. It was stated that due to the behaviour of Hanuma Vihari, there was a class difference in the team.

“In January 2024, after the first Ranji Trophy match, ACA Senior Selection Committee Chairman, Vasireddy Chandramouli Prasad Chaudhary, sent an e-mail to the Andhra Cricket Association, proposing a new captain following complaints about Vihari’s form.

“In response to this, Vihari also sent a mail to Andhra Cricket Association saying that he will abide by the decision taken by the selection committee one hundred percent. Andhra Cricket Association did not interfere in this matter. The decision making authority is entirely taken by the selection committee.”

“It is very unfortunate that some political parties and their leaders criticise the prestigious Andhra Cricket Association on the basis of Vihari’s allegations on social media. ACA politely appeals to those who don’t like politics over cricket,” ACA said.

Vihari, who last played Tests for India against England at Birmingham in July 2022, began his domestic cricket career with Hyderabad in 2010 and played for the side until the 2015/16 season. He later returned to play for Hyderabad in the 2021/22 season, before moving back to Andhra for the next season.