Category: SPORTS

Star Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal crashed out of the China Open Super 1000 tournament after suffering a first round defeat to Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan in the women’s singles on Wednesday. The London Olympic bronze medallist lost 10-21 17-21 at the hands of the World No. 19 Ongbamrungphan in a match that lasted for 45 minutes. It was the former world number one’s second successive defeat to the Thai player. The 29-year-old Saina has struggled for form following her recovery from injuries. The Indian started her season with a win at…

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India captain Virat Kohli has managed to hold on to his second position behind Australia’s Steve Smith in the ICC Test Rankings for batsmen released on Monday.Kohli, with 903 rating points, is 34 points behind Smith (937).Besides former Australia captain Smith, compatriot Pat Cummins has also retained his one position in the ICC Test bowlers’ rankings.Both Smith and Cummins player key roles in helping Australia retain The Ashes.The Ashes culminated with a 135-run victory for England in the fifth and final Test on Sunday. The series ended in a 2-2…

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Mahendra Singh Dhoni has always put the interest of Indian cricket in mind and is “on same page” with the team management as far as his international future is concerned, skipper Virat Kohli said on Saturday.On the eve of the T20 International series against South Africa, Kohli maintained that the 38-year-old Dhoni will “remain valuable” as long as he continues playing the game even as team management grooms youngsters like Rishabh Pant.”One great thing about him (Dhoni) is that, he thinks for Indian cricket. And whatever we (team management) think,…

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Former South Africa all-rounder Lance Klusener feels that a phenomenal talent like Rishabh Pant will do well to learn from others’ mistakes rather than make his own in a bid to become more consistent for India in near future.An average of 22.90 in ODIs and 21.57 in T20s doesn’t do justice to the kind of talent the flamboyant left-hander possesses and his impetuous shot selection is an indication that he is getting ahead of himself, feels the 48-year-old Klusener.”It would hard for me to pinpoint but with a phenomenal talent…

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Difference of opinion cannot be construed as conflict, said India head coach Ravi Shastri as he sought to play down the speculation of a rift between captain Virat Kohli and his limited-overs deputy Rohit Sharma.Shastri, who had also rubbished the reports of the alleged rift between the two senior players earlier, was asked about the subject again.”In a side when you have 15 players there will always be times when there will be opinions that will be different. That is what is needed. I don’t want everyone toeing the same…

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Joe Root is in no doubt he should remain as England’s Test captain despite presiding over their first failure to win a home Ashes series in 18 years. England were looking to regain the Ashes after a humiliating 4-0 loss under Root in Australia in 2017/18. But Australia’s 185-run victory in the fourth Test at Old Trafford on Sunday left them with an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match series ahead of next week’s finale at the Oval. Root, whose tactical acumen has been questioned this series, may be England’s…

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He might have clinched his second World Cup gold last week but Indian shooter Abhishek Verma says he will have to achieve a “mental stability of a different level” to claim an Olympic medal.The 30-year-old from Haryana, who had secured an Olympic quota place by winning the 10m air pistol gold medal at the Beijing World Cup in April this year, won his second yellow metal in the same event at the Rio World Cup last week.The Indian also bagged a silver with Yashaswini Singh Deswal in mixed 10m air…

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Australia star Steve Smith marked his return to international cricket with a third hundred of this Ashes series on Thursday. Smith was 101 not out in an Australia total of 245-5 at lunch on the second day of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford.Tim Paine, his successor as Australia captain, was unbeaten on nine after winning the toss.But it might have been a different story had fast bowler Jofra Archer held on to a Smith caught and bowled chance.Archer, whose bouncer at Lord’s concussed Smith and ruled him…

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Pakistan Wednesday appointed former captain Misbah-ul-Haq as head coach and chief selector in a bid to lift the national team’s performance.The cricket-mad nation failed to reach the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup in July, prompting the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) not to renew head coach Mickey Arthur’s tenure.Bowling coach Azhar Mahmood and batting coach Grant Flower were also shown the door. The PCB said Misbah will be head coach for three years.”Former captain Misbah is confirmed as Pakistan men’s national team head coach in all three formats on a…

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Hanuma Vihari continued his fine form and in vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane’s company took India closer to a series sweep by sharing an unbeaten 111-run stand in the second innings of the second Test against the West Indies here. The visitors have now set an improbable 468-run target before the West Indies on day three of the match on Sunday. The in-form Rahane (64 not out) and Vihari (53 not out) got India’s second innings back on track after the top-four were dismissed for 57 runs. The fifth-wicket partnership between the…

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