YMCA women hoopsters enter semis of Gali Ravikanth Memorial Basketball Tournament

In the quarterfinal clashes, YMCA Secunderabad eased past Youth 15-4 while Don Bosco scored an easy 14-8 victory over Hyderabad Public School

Published Date – 31 January 2024, 06:45 PM


YMCA women hoopsters enter semis of Gali Ravikanth Memorial Basketball Tournament

In the quarterfinal clashes, YMCA Secunderabad eased past Youth 15-4 while Don Bosco scored an easy 14-8 victory over Hyderabad Public School

Hyderabad: Host YMCA Secunderabad alongside Don Bosco, St Francis and SFC marched into the women’s semifinals of the Gali Ravikanth Memorial First Memorial 3×3 Basketball Tournament at YMCA Secunderabad on Wednesday.

In the quarterfinal clashes, YMCA Secunderabad eased past Youth 15-4 while Don Bosco scored an easy 14-8 victory over Hyderabad Public School. SFC breezed past Loyola Academy ‘B’ 16-2 and St Francis edged past Loyola Academy ‘A’ in a 14-11 win.


In the men’s section, YMCA Secunderabad, Central Tax, PBC, OLX Warriors, YMCA Hyderabad, YMCA Secunderabad ‘Y’, Gymkhana Club registered wins to enter quarterfinals

Results: Women’s: YMCA 15 bt Youth 4, Don Bosco 14 bt Hyderabad Public School 8, SFC 16 bt Loyola Academy 2, St Francis 14 bt Loyola Academy ‘A’ 11.

Telangana swimmer Vritti clinches fifth gold medal at Khelo India Youth Games

Vritti, who represented India in the Asian Games last year, is the only swimmer to win five gold medals in this edition of the Khelo India Youth Games

Published Date – 31 January 2024, 06:30 PM


Telangana swimmer Vritti clinches fifth gold medal at Khelo India Youth Games

Vritti Agarwal

Hyderabad: Telangana swimmer Vritti Agarwal continued her dream run as she added two more gold medals to make it five overall, in the ongoing Khelo India Youth Games in Chennai, Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.

Vritti, who represented India in the Asian Games last year, is the only swimmer to win five gold medals in this edition of the Khelo India Youth Games. The State swimmer emerged fastest in the 1500m freestyle event with a timing of 17:59.51s to finish ahead of Karnataka duo of N Aditi Mulay and Tumu Sri Charani in second and third places respectively.


In the 200m butterfly event, Vritti added another gold finishing at the top with a timing of 2:22.89s.

Results: 1500m freestyle: 1. Vritti Agarwal (TS) (17:59.51s), 2. N Aditi Mulay (KAR) (18:12.77s), 3. Tumu Sri Charani (KAR) (18: 17.85s); 200m butterfly: 1. Vritti Agarwal (TS) (2:22.89s), 2. Rithika Mahesh Banglore (KAR) (2:26.86s), 3. Nirmayee Sachin Ambet (MH) (2:26.91s).

Lakshmi clinches silver in tennis

Lakshmi

Lakshmi Dandu

Telangana tennis player Lakshmi Dandu clinched silver medal in the women’s singles final. The State player, who showcased excellent show in the competition, was beaten by Maya Rajeshwari of Tamil Nadu 6-1, 6-3 in the final.

Results: Final: Maya Rajeshwari bt Lakshmi Dandu 6-1, 6-3.

Sarojini Naidu Vanita Maha Vidyalaya emerges winner at OU Inter-Collegiate Yoga Tournament

Sarojini Naidu Vanita Maha Vidyalaya grabbed 917 points to seal top spot ahead of University College for Women with 888 points and St Ann’s Degree and PG college with 882 points in second and third places respectively

Published Date – 31 January 2024, 05:54 PM


Sarojini Naidu Vanita Maha Vidyalaya emerges winner at OU Inter-Collegiate Yoga Tournament

Sarojini Naidu Vanita Maha Vidyalaya team members.

Hyderabad: Hosts Sarojini Naidu Vanita Maha Vidyalaya emerged winner in the Osmania University Inter-Collegiate Yoga Tournament for Women held at Sarojini Naidu Vanita Maha Vidyalaya, Nampally, Hyderabad on Tuesday.

The winners grabbed 917 points to seal top spot ahead of University College for Women with 888 points and St Ann’s Degree and PG college with 882 points in second and third places respectively.


Results: 1. Sarojini Naidu Vanita Maha Vidyalaya (917), 2. University College For Women, Koti (888), St Anns Degree and PG college, Mehdipatnam (882).

Our mom is fit and fine: Virat Kohli’s brother clears rumours about his mother’s health

Taking to his official Instagram handle, Vikas debunked all the rumours floating on the internet regarding their mother’s health. He also asked everyone not to spread such news without any “proper information”.

Updated On – 31 January 2024, 04:34 PM


Our mom is fit and fine: Virat Kohli’s brother clears rumours about his mother’s health


New Delhi: Star India batter Virat Kohli’s brother Vikas Kohli on Wednesday opened up on the fake news about their mother Saroj Kohli’s health and said that “she is absolutely fit and fine”.

Taking to his official Instagram handle, Vikas debunked all the rumours floating on the internet regarding their mother’s health. He also asked everyone not to spread such news without any “proper information”.


“Hello everyone, I have noticed that there is this fake news about our mom’s health has been circulating around. Let me clear that our mom is absolutely fit and fine. Also, I would request everyone and also the media, not to spread such news without proper information,” Vikas wrote on Instagram.

Recently, there have been rumours saying that the former India skipper asked for a break from the first two Test matches against England in the five-game series due to his mother’s illness.

Meanwhile, Kohli has withdrawn from the first two Tests against England due to personal reasons, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced.

The BCCI also requested the media and fans to respect Kohli’s privacy during this time and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons. Without Kohli, India conceded a 28-run loss against England in the first Test match in Hyderabad on Sunday.

Recapping the first Test match, India will be keen for redemption after going 1-0 down in the series. The hosts were in complete control of the Test and dominated the visitors. But on Day 3, Ollie Pope stepped onto the crease and changed the entire complexion of the game with his reverse sweeps.

He not only brushed off India’s 190-run lead but went on to hand England a target that could be defended on a tricky surface with his knock of 196.

Debutant Tom Hartley introduced himself and spun India’s batters out with his spell of 7/62. He ended the Test with 9/193 which is the best figure for an England spinner on Test debut since 1945.

His nine wickets tally in the first Test in a match is the joint-most since former English spinner Robert Berry’s 9/116 against West Indies in Manchester in 1950. Hartley also became just the fourth England spinner to claim a five-wicket haul on Test debut in this century.

Vishnu Saravanan clinches India’s first Paris 2024 sailing quota

In the one-person dinghy event at the Adelaide Sailing Club, Saravanan earned 125 nett points over six days, securing the 26th position on the overall leaderboard.

Published Date – 31 January 2024, 03:00 PM


Vishnu Saravanan clinches India’s first Paris 2024 sailing quota


New Delhi: Indian sailor Vishnu Saravanan secured the country’s first Paris 2024 Olympics quota in sailing at the ILCA World Championship 2024 in Adelaide, Australia.

Competing in the one person dinghy event at the Adelaide Sailing Club, Saravanan accumulated 125 nett points over six days and secured the 26th position on the overall leaderboard. Notably, he claimed the fifth spot among eligible sailors to secure quota place for the Paris Olympics.


“Vishnu Saravanan has secured India’s 1st #ParisOlympics quota in Sailing at the ILCA 7 World Championship, held in Adelaide.

“Clinching one of the 7 Olympic quotas available at the event, #TOPScheme Athlete Vishnu outsailed many Asian sailors to finish 26th overall and secure the Paris berth,” Sports Authority of India shared the post on X.

In the 2023 World Sailing Championships held last year, Saravanan narrowly missed securing a spot for the Paris Olympics. Finishing 23rd in the overall race standings, he fell just seven places short of obtaining one of the 16 Paris quota places available.

The ILCA 7 Men’s World Championship served as a qualifying event for Paris 2024 with seven quotas on offer for countries which had not qualified for the Olympics earlier.

The other six quotas on offer at the Adelaide meet went to Guatemala, Montenegro, Chile, Denmark, Turkey and Sweden.

Last year, the 24-year-old won the bronze medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in the same sailing category.

Saravanan, who is a U21 World Championships bronze medallist from 2019, also represented India at Tokyo 2020, where he finished 20th in a field of 35.

In the Tokyo Olympics India had 4 representatives in sailing — Varun Thakkar, Nethra Kumanan, Saravanan K.C. Ganapathy.

S. Korea into quarterfinals at 2023 AFC Asian Cup

South Korea and Saudi Arabia went head to head in the last 16 of the Asian Cup at the Education City Stadium on Tuesday.

The Korean team booked their place in the quarterfinals with a 4-2 penalty shootout win over the Saudi team after a 1-1 draw.

South Korea will compete with Australia in the semifinals.

Australia was the first team to qualify for the last eight when they beat Indonesia 4-0 earlier on Sunday.

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Jay Shah unanimously reappointed as ACC president for a third term

Shah’s extension was proposed by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) president Shammi Silva for the second time and the nomination was unanimously backed by all ACC members.

Published Date – 31 January 2024, 02:04 PM


Jay Shah unanimously reappointed as ACC president for a third term


New Delhi: BCCI Secretary Jay Shah will be continuing as President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) after being unanimously reappointed for a third straight term at the organisation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in Bali, Indonesia on Wednesday.

Shah’s extension was proposed by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) president Shammi Silva for the second time and the nomination was unanimously backed by all ACC members. “I am grateful to the ACC Board for their continued trust. We must remain committed to ensuring the all-round development of the sport with a special focus on regions where it is still in its infancy. The ACC is committed to nurturing cricket across Asia,” said Shah in an ACC statement.


Shah, who has been the BCCI secretary since 2019, had taken over as ACC president in January 2021 from Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan, making him the youngest administrator to be re-appointed as the ACC president.

“Jay has played a pivotal role in steering the ACC towards significant progress in promoting and developing cricket across the Asian region. I am pleased that the ACC Board supported the proposal unanimously. Jay has a proven record of boosting finances through commercial and broadcast deals and channelizing the finances to the grassroots level, uplifting the associate members,” said Silva.

The ACC board also acknowledged Shah’s proven track record in enhancing financial stability through strategic commercial and broadcast deals, as well as his commitment to channelizing these financial resources to grassroots levels, thereby uplifting associate members within the organisation.

“I’ve worked closely with Mr. Jay Shah for a considerable time and know firsthand of his passion and enthusiasm towards administration. He is a young and dynamic leader with a clear vision and roadmap. Not only has he managed to foster a collaborative spirit among the Member Boards but has significantly enhanced the financial and commercial standing of the ACC.

“Today, stakeholders see value in investing in tournaments that the ACC conducts, and I credit him for this major transformation, which will further fuel the growth of the game in the region. I look forward to working closely with him on taking ACC to the next level,” stated Pankaj Khimji, ACC Vice-President and Chairman of Oman Cricket.

The ACC also said it has achieved significant progress in promoting and developing cricket across the Asian region under Shah’s leadership, like organising the Men’s and Women’s Asia Cup, as well as Emerging Teams’ tournaments and U19 competitions.

“I congratulate Mr. Jay Shah and all the members of the ACC for unanimously voting to extend his term. Under Mr. Shah, the ACC has scaled new heights, and he has been instrumental in developing and strengthening grassroots cricket.

“The Asia Cup is now the most sought-after continental tournament in world cricket and also the most-anticipated, and Mr. Shah deserves appreciation for elevating this tournament to the level it deserves. I am fully confident that cricket in Asia will continue to prosper, and we will work closely with ACC in furthering this endeavour,” said Hassan, also serving as an ACC Executive Board Member.

“I congratulate Mr Jay Shah on his reappointment as the ACC President for a third term. His leadership has been a catalyst for growth and popularity of the sport within the Asian cricketing community.

“He laid an impetus on providing more exposure to the cricketers from the region and we see that across formats. The Asia Cup is definitely a crowning jewel and it showcases the true competitiveness inherent in Asian teams.

“His financial prudence ranging from broadcast deals to commercial and sponsorship agreements have made his two previous terms highly impactful and engaging. I assure him full support and I look forward to yet another successful term and an enriching period for ACC under him,” said Mirwais Ashraf, Afghanistan Cricket Board Chairman and ACC Executive Board Member.

FIFA unveils record-breaking international transfer

Professional male and female players were involved in approximately 31.7% of these transfers, contributing to a record-breaking total spending of 9.63 billion U.S. dollars.

Published Date – 31 January 2024, 11:00 AM


FIFA unveils record-breaking international transfer


Geneva: FIFA has released the 2023 Global Transfer Report, which confirms a record of 74,836 cross-border transfers last year.

About 31.7 percent of these moves involved professional male and female players, which accumulated a record spending of 9.63 billion U.S. dollars in total.


The top 10 player transfers generated more than 10 percent of the entire amount spent on transfer fees in 2023, and the top 100 generated more than 45 percent of the transfer fees, FIFA announced.

FIFA also reported an impressive growth in women’s football as over 20 percent more transfers were made in 2023 compared to those of 2022, reports Xinhua.

Amateur transfer market was more active as more than 50,000 amateur players moved across borders in 2023, with 207 of FIFA’s 211 member associations were involved in at least one amateur transfer.

Premier League: Jesus, Saka secure 2-1 victory for Arsenal at Nottingham Forest

On the 89th minute, Forest substitute Taiwo Awoniyi scored a goal, but Arsenal maintained their lead, securing consecutive victories as they head into a crucial clash with Liverpool at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Published Date – 31 January 2024, 10:00 AM


Premier League: Jesus, Saka secure 2-1 victory for Arsenal at Nottingham Forest


Nottinghamshire: Second-half goals from Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka gave Arsenal a deserved 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest. With a win Gunners climbed to second in the table, two points off the top.

Despite dominating possession, Arsenal once again struggled to find a way through Forest’s defence in the first half, but Jesus gave them the breakthrough in the 65th minute before setting up Saka in the 72nd minute.


Forest substitute Taiwo Awoniyi pulled a goal back on 89 minutes, but Arsenal held on to make it back-to-back victories ahead of a huge showdown with Liverpool at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

The opening goal duly arrived in the 65th minute as Arsenal caught the Forest defence out. Oleksandr Zinchenko took a quick throw-in down the left to Jesus, who found himself free behind Forest’s defence and advanced to score from the narrowest of angles, through the legs of Turner.

The lead was doubled seven minutes later on the counter-attack. Forest lost the ball in midfield and Odegaard’s ball to Jesus put Arsenal in with four players against two. Jesus played the ball across the box to Saka, whose right-foot shot was dispatched clinically into the far corner.

Awoniyi held off William Saliba to poke in and score against Arsenal for the third match in a row on 89 minutes to set up a grandstand finish.