Category: SPORTS

A three billion dollar deal is too big to ignore as authorities target revamp of the Davis Cup but doing away with the home and away format is not “ideal” since it is the DNA of the competition, says India’s captain Mahesh Bhupathi. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) will put to test a proposal to create a season-ending World Cup of Tennis, featuring 18 nations. The matches will be played over a week at a single venue in the traditional week of Davis Cup final in November, abolishing the home…

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Robbed off home advantage for the entire 2018 season, Chennai Super Kings will have to work hard in their adopted home venue here to be a force to reckon with in the ongoing Indian Premier League, said the team’s head coach Stephen Fleming. Back into the IPL family after serving a two-year suspension, CSK lost their home advantage after just one game in Chennai as the IPL orgainsers decided to shift its remaining home games to Pune in the wake of protests related to Cauvery issue and threats to disrupt…

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The fit-again duo of Sumit Sangwan (91kg) and Nikhat Zareen (51kg) was among the three gold-medallists in India’s stupendous campaign at the 56th Belgrade International Boxing Tournament in Serbia. Himanshu Sharma (49kg), who defeated Algeria’s Mohammed Touareg 5-0 in his final bout, was the third top spot finisher last night as India ended the tournament with three gold, five silver and five bronze medals in all. Continuing his fine comeback from a wrist injury, Sumit, an Asian silver-medallist, defeated Ecuador’s Castillo Torres in a unanimous 5-0 verdict to claim the…

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Rajasthan Royals’ desire to move up the pecking order got a boost following an incredible win a week ago, and the mid-table team would look to keep the momentum going in its IPL game against Sunrisers Hyderabad here tomorrow. The Royals are aware of the challenges facing them at the Sawai Mansingh Stadum, a few days after Sunrisers Hyderabad got the better of Kings XI Punjab to grab the second position in the standings. While SRH have won five out of their seven games so far, Rajasthan Royals are placed…

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Barcelona need only a point against Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday to confirm a domestic double and win La Liga for the third time in four years. Andres Iniesta will be at the centre of any celebrations, with the Spaniard expected to announce his Barca departure in the coming days. The Spaniard made an emotional exit from the victorious Copa del Rey final last weekend, bleary-eyed as he was substituted in the second half, and it will be a nostalgic occasion again when he hoists his final trophy with the…

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Arsenal have little time to digest Arsene Wenger’s long-awaited decision to end his 22-year reign as a Europa League semi-final with Atletico Madrid offers the outgoing manager a chance to salvage some of his lost credit with the club’s fans. Wenger admitted he stepped aside to unite a fanbase fed up with years of mediocre results having been spoiled by success and silky football in the first decade of the Frenchman’s reign. Fourteen years on from Arsenal’s last Premier League title, for so long Wenger could defend his record by consistent qualification for the Champions League.…

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The Indian men’s and women’s cricket team openers Shikhar Dhawan and Smriti Mandhana have been nominated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the prestigious Arjuna Award, BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Chaudhury confirmed on Wednesday. “We have sent the communication to the Government of India,” Chaudhury told reporters. Dhawan is currently playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for SunRisers Hyderabad and has been a consistent performer across all three formats for India. Mandhana had helped India reach the final of the ICC Women’s World Cup in England last year.…

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Morocco’s World Cup bid is facing fresh scrutiny this week with the arrival of another delegation from FIFA after an initial task force found deficiencies in the proposals for the 2026 tournament. In a downbeat conclusion to the visit by the inspectors last week, Morocco’s bid leader acknowledged it had to improve the quality of the submission made to FIFA in March because inadequacies were identified by football’s governing body. The previously unplanned second inspection of Morocco is an indication of the more rigorous process introduced by FIFA following criticism…

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Down but not out. That’s what pacer Liam Plunkett tried to convey while summing up the mood in the Delhi Daredevils camp after suffering yet another loss in the Indian Premier League. Delhi Daredevils came agonisingly close to breaking their run of reverses, only to lose by four runs to Kings XI Punjab at the Ferozeshah Kotla last night. “It was really disappointing to lose such a close game. I think we should have won this match. It is really frustrating for all of us,” Plunkett said at the post-match…

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Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and her cricketer husband Shoaib Malik are expecting their first child, due in the month of October this year. The couple celebrated their eighth marriage anniversary a few days back on April 12. The 31-year-old Indian tennis superstar, who is out of action due to a jumper knee issue since October 2017, tweeted a picture suggesting that she is pregnant. Sania’s father and coach Imran confirmed to PTI that the six-time Grand Slam champion is indeed expecting a child. “Yes, it’s true,” Imran told PTI…

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