The occasion of May Day remained momentous for young archers across India as they performed their best at the Khelo India Zonal Archery Tournament on Sunday. The tournament, organized by the Archery Association of India (AAI), saw participation from 600 archers across 4 Zones. The venues were Sports Authority of India National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs) in Sonepat, Imphal, Kolkata, Guwahati and Aurangabad.

Khelo India Zonal Archery tournament held successfully across 5 SAI NCOEs on May Day

The occasion of May Day remained momentous for young archers across India as they performed their best at the Khelo India Zonal Archery Tournament on Sunday. The tournament, organized by the Archery Association of India (AAI), saw participation from 600 archers across 4 Zones. The venues were Sports Authority of India National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs) in Sonepat, Imphal, Kolkata, Guwahati and Aurangabad.



New Delhi: Veteran drag flicker Rupinder Pal Singh, who recently came out of retirement, will lead India at the Asia Cup as Hockey India on Monday announced a 20-member team for the upcoming tournament in Jakarta.The prestigious event, which will be held from May 23 to June 1, is a World Cup qualifier.Senior players like Manpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh will give the tournament a miss.Birender Lakra has been named deputy to Rupinder for the event, where a second-string team represent India.Both Rupinder and Lakra had announced their retirement after the Tokyo Games last year but made themselves available for selection later on.It will be first assignment for former captain and two-time Olympian Sardar Singh as India coach.India have been grouped with Japan, Pakistan and hosts Indonesia in pool A, while Malaysia, Korea, Oman and Bangladesh comprise pool B.The team have as many 10 players who make their senior debut, including junior World Cup players Yashdeep Siwach, Abhisek Lakra, Manjeet, Vishnukant Singh and Uttam Singh.Also new in the team will be Mareeswaren Sakthivel, Sheshe Gowda BM, Pawan Rajbhar, Abharan Sudev and S Karthi.The team features two goalkeepers in Pankaj Kumar Rajak and Suraj Karkera. Defenders include Rupinder, Yashdeep Siwach, Abhisek Lakra, Lakra, Manjeet, Dipsan Tirkey, Vishnukant Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Mareeswaren Sakthivel, Sheshe Gowda BM, Simranjeet Singh.Forwards Pawan Rajbhar, Abharan Sudev, SV Sunil, Uttam Singh and S.Karthi have also been named in the squad.Junior World Cup player Maninder Singh and Nilam Sanjeep Xess have been named as replacement players while Pawan, Pardeep Singh, Ankit Pal and Angad Bir Singh have been named as standbys.Speaking about the team composition, Coach BJ Kariappa said, "The team is a good mix of experienced senior players and newcomers, many of whom have played at the international level in different age-group matches but have not made their Senior India debut."Since India has already qualified for the FIH Men's World Cup by virtue of being the hosts, this will be a good platform for us to try out this new group and test how these players utilize the opportunity."Coach Sardar said,"This is a very talented group of players and I have seen them work really hard over the past few weeks to earn a place in the team."On a personal front, this will be my first tournament as India Coach and I am looking forward to this new experience—PTI

Veteran drag flicker Rupinder Pal Singh, who recently came out of retirement, will lead India at the Asia Cup as Hockey India on Monday announced a 20-member team for the upcoming tournament in Jakarta.The prestigious event, which will be held from May 23 to June 1, is a World Cup qualifier.

Rupinder Pal Singh named captain for Asia Cup

Chennai: Two-time Indian Super League champions Chennaiyin FC have signed Bengal captain and defender Monotosh Chakladar ahead of the upcoming season of the tournament.Chakladar, who got his maiden ISL contract, is the third fresh signing for the Marina Machans this summer.The 24-year-old footballer had captained Bengal in the 75th Santosh Trophy last month and played a crucial role in his state's runners-up finish.Chakladar was previously part of I-League teams Gokulam Kerala and East Bengal and now the Bandel-born player will look to make his mark for Chennaiyin FC in the country's premier football league."I'm very excited to play in the ISL for the first time and that too for two times champions, Chennaiyin FC. My only motive now is to work hard, get into the first team and win titles with this team," he said.Chakladar began his youth career at Kolkata-based United Sporting Club before moving to Mohammedan Sporting, where he made two I-League second division appearances in 2017-18 season.His good showing for Pathachakra FC in the 2018-19 Calcutta Premier Division earned him an I-League debut in that season when he joined Gokulam Kerala on loan. He played four matches for Malabarians and then featured for East Bengal in the next I-League season.Chakladar was also part of Peerless SC's historic maiden title-winning campaign in the Calcutta Football League in 2019.—PTI

 Two-time Indian Super League champions Chennaiyin FC have signed Bengal captain and defender Monotosh Chakladar ahead of the upcoming season of the tournament.

Chennaiyin FC sign Bengal skipper Chakladar

Lausanne: The Indian men's team reached the final of the inaugural FIH Hockey 5s tournament after defeating Malaysia 7-3 and Poland 6-2 here on Sunday. In the first match of the day, India thrashed Malaysia 7-3, scoring four goals in the second half before beating Poland 6-2 in the second match. India, who had beaten Switzerland 4-3 and drawn with arch-rivals Pakistan 2-2 on Saturday, topped the group with 10 points from three wins and one draw. India now will face Poland in the final later in the day. Raheel Mohammed continued his good form scoring three goals against Malaysia and then struck twice against Poland to play a pivotal role in India's victory. He has already scored eight goals in four matches to lead the goal-scoring chart. The Indians led 3-2 at the half time in the 20-minute match.Against Poland, India completely dominated the match, scoring 5 goals at half time period. The scorers were Sanjay (2nd), Raheel (4th and 9th), Gursahibjit Singh (7th) and Mandeep Mor (10th).The Indian men's team had a mixed day in the FIH Hockey 5s, beating hosts Switzerland 4-3 and playing out a 2-2 draw against Pakistan in their first two matches on the opening day of the competition on Saturday. The Indian men's team led by Gurinder Singh edged out the hosts Switzerland 4-3 to open their campaign in FIH Hockey 5s. Mohammed Raheel (2', 10'), Rabichandra Moirangthem (5') and captain Gurinder Singh (19') scored in India's thrilling win, while Jonas Winkler (6'), Fabio Reinhard (11'), and Patrick Kruesi (16') were the goalscorers for Switzerland.In the second match, the Indian men's hockey team played out a dramatic 2-2 draw against Pakistan. Mohammed Raheel (1') and Gursahibjit Singh (18') were the goalscorers for India, while Arshad (7') and Abdul Rehman (20') scored for Pakistan in an intense match.—IANS

The Indian men's team reached the final of the inaugural FIH Hockey 5s tournament after defeating Malaysia 7-3 and Poland 6-2 here on Sunday. In the first match of the day, India thrashed Malaysia 7-3, scoring four goals in the second half before beating Poland 6-2 in the second match.

Men’s Hockey 5s: India face Poland in final

Stavanger: Former world champion Viswanathan Anand scored a win over Tari in the ninth and final round to finish third in the Norway Chess tournament which was won by world number one Magnus Carlsen. The 52-year-old Indian chess legend won the Armageddon encounter against Tari after the classical match finished in a 22-move draw. Anand was made to work hard by Tari in the sudden death tie-break as he needed 87 moves to secure the victory early on Saturday. He finished with 14.5 points to sign off at the third place behind Carlsen (16.5 points) and Azerbaijan’s Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (15.5). The Indian GM started superbly, scoring victories in his first three matches (against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Veselin Topalov and Wang Hao) and then pulled off an impressive win over Carlsen. He led the points table after the fifth round but appeared to lose steam in the second half of the tournament.A defeat at the hands of Mamedyarov in the Classical in round eight hurt his chances to a large extent. Anand scored over long-time rival Carlsen in the Blitz event before prevailing over him again in the Classical tournament. Carlsen was able to finish on top despite not being at his best and suffering defeats to So, compatriot Tari and Anand. After all classical games on the final day ended in draws, there were wins for Vachier-Lagrave over Anish Giri (the Netherlands) and Anand.Carlsen had to settle for a draw in the Armageddon against Topalov, while Mamedyarov was held by Radjabov and Wang Hao shared the honours with So. Final standings: 1. Magnus Carlsen (Norway) 16.5 points, 2. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan) 15.5, 3. Viswanathan Anand (India) 14.5, 4. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (14), 5. Wesley So (USA) 12.5, 6. Anish Giri (12), 7. Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria) and Aryan Tari (Norway) 9.5, 9. Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan) 8, 10. Wang Hao (China) 7.5.—PTI

Former world champion Viswanathan Anand scored a win over Tari in the ninth and final round to finish third in the Norway Chess tournament which was won by world number one Magnus Carlsen.

Norway Chess: Anand beats Tari in final round; settles for third place

Dehradun (The Hawk): An Inter House Football Tournament was organized by the Sports Department of Tula’s International School.
The first final match was played in the Junior Boys category between Trojan and Titan House, in which Titan House won the match by 2-1 and lifted the ‘Winner of the Tournament’ trophy. Trojan House took the Runner up Trophy. The Best Player trophy of the tournament in the Junior Boys’ category was awarded to Uday Ujjwal.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The second final match was played in the Senior Boys’ category between Olympian and Titan House, in which Titan House won the match by 3-2 and took away the ‘Winner of the Tournament’ trophy. The Runner-up trophy was awarded to Olympian House. Akshat Maitreya was declared ‘The Best Player of the Tournament' in the Senior Boys Category. The Headmaster of TIS, Mrigank Pandey, awarded the jubilant winner and runner-up teams with medals and trophies and congratulated the winners.

An Inter House Football Tournament was organized by the Sports Department of Tula’s International School.

TIS Holds Inter House Football Tournament 

Dineshpur (The Hawk): Under the banner of Rudra Young Club, a match was played between the teams of Ramnagar and Dehradun in the state level women's football tournament at Khudiram Bose Stadium in the city on Sunday. In which Ramnagar's team defeated Dehradun 3-2 in the midst of a fierce fight. Earlier, the sponsor and the chief guests jointly inaugurated the game by lighting the lamp.
On Sunday, under the auspices of Rudra Young Club, the Swabhavesh Chatterjee Memorial State Level Women's Football Tournament was organized at Khudiram Bose Stadium in the city. First of all, under the chairmanship of Chief Guest Congress Party's State Minister Mamta Haldar and sponsor former chairman Kabal Singh, regional MLA Arvind Pandey and Nagar Panchayat President Seema Sarkar, jointly inaugurated the game by lighting the lamp. Ramnagar and Dehradun teams landed in the field amid spectacular fireworks. In a tough match, Shalini Rawat of Ramnagar scored the first goal and took the lead in the game. In response, Dehradun players scored a goal in 24 minutes to level the match. Both the teams could not score the goal in the stipulated time. Later, through a penalty shoot, Ramnagar's team defeated Dehradun 3-2 to enter the next round. During this, Shalini Rawat of Ramnagar was adjudged the man of the match. Trinath Biswas, Vijay Mandal, Anil Mishra, Manoj Rai, Ravi Sarkar, Mehtab Ali, Parjeet Mandal, Sunita Mistry, Shikha Dhali, Nityanand Mandal, and many others were present during the game.

Under the banner of Rudra Young Club, a match was played between the teams of Ramnagar and Dehradun in the state level women's football tournament at Khudiram Bose Stadium in the city on Sunday. In which Ramnagar's team defeated Dehradun 3-2 in the midst of a fierce fight. Earlier, the sponsor and the chief guests jointly inaugurated the game by lighting the lamp.

Ramnagar's Team Defeats Dehradun 3-2 In The State-Level Women's Football Tournament 

Dehradun (The Hawk): The DDPSA Senior Girls’ Basketball tournament commenced with great zeal and enthusiasm at The Aryan School today. The schools participating in the week-long tournament include The Aryan School, St Thomas’ College, Welham Girls’, Unison World School, Shigally Hills International School, and St Joseph's Academy.
The first day of the tournament commenced with matches between The Aryan School &amp; St Thomas’ College, and Welham Girls’ &amp; Unison World School.&nbsp;
In the first match, the Welham Girls’ was declared the winner with a 20-00 score as they got the walkover against Unison World School. In the second match, The Aryan School won against St Thomas’ College with a score of 37-12 baskets. The highest scorer of the match was Shreya Handa with 22 baskets. The finale of the DDPSA Senior Girls’ Basketball tournament is scheduled to take place on 14th November at The Aryan School.&nbsp;
The officials of the matches were Sanjay Thapa, Mohd Usmaan Abbasi, and Vinod Gairola.

The DDPSA Senior Girls’ Basketball tournament commenced with great zeal and enthusiasm at The Aryan School today. 

DDPSA Senior Girls' Basketball Tournament Commences

Mumbai: After becoming runners-up in the inaugural Womens Premier League (WPL) through a seven-wicket loss to Mumbai Indians in the final, Delhi Capitals' fast-bowling all-rounder Shikha Pandey believes the side has it in them to bag many more titles in the future editions of the tournament.

"All the conversations in the DC camp have been around being the best team players. The team that has the most team players usually wins. It didn't work out for us this time, but I'm sure we will have many more titles in the longer run. We'll try harder next season," Shikha was quoted as saying in a release by the franchise on Monday.

In the final played at the Brabourne Stadium, Delhi were in deep trouble at 79/9, but then Shikha and Radha Yadav were unbeaten on 27 not out each as the duo shared a phenomenal 52-run partnership for the last wicket and take the side to 131/9 in 20 overs.

It would've been really nice to win the inaugural edition of the WPL. I can assure everyone that we tried our best. I was batting conservatively until Radha came in and played a big shot. And then she encouraged me to play my shots as well," she added.

Shikha also spoke about what Captain Meg Lanning told the team before defending 132, which Mumbai chased down with three balls to spare. "She just asked us to enjoy the game and bowl at our best. She also said that we play cricket for these challenging moments."

"I thought we could pull it off when we needed to defend 21 in the last two overs. But Amelia Kerr played some really good shots and Nat Sciver-Brunt also played a very good innings."

She signed off by summing up her experience of being part of the first-ever WPL. "It was a really good tournament for me. The last one and a half years have been challenging for me. It was wonderful working with a great support staff and playing alongside legends. This tournament and DC will always have a special place in my heart." IANS

Delhi Capitals' fast-bowling all-rounder Shikha Pandey claims the team can win many more titles after losing the inaugural tournament to Mumbai Indians by seven wickets.

WPL 2023: I'm sure we will have many more titles in the longer run, says Delhi's Shikha Pandey

New Delhi News: The Indian football team clinched the Tri-Nation International Football Tournament trophy after a 2-0 victory against Kyrgyz Republic at the Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal, Manipur.

A packed Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal, Manipur saw 30,000 supporters turning up in support of the home team in the Tri-Nation decider. The home team started the match on the front foot and after numerous chances, the deadlock was broken in the 38th minute with Sandesh Jhingan turning in Brandon Fernandes' free-kick from close range.

An eventful second half saw both teams giving their best but it was team India skipper Sunil Chhetri who calmly converted from the penalty spot in the 84th minute to seal the win for the Blue Tigers.

Fernandes expressed his gratitude to the fans and backed the team to continue in the same way as the team prepares for the AFC Asian Cup 2023.

"Feeling great here in Imphal, Manipur. The crowd has been amazing. We had only one thing in our minds and that was to win this tournament and win both of the matches and that's what we did. We are very happy and this is a growing step for us, the AFC Asian Cup is coming and we have to continue like this," Fernandes said after the match.

Fernandes, who has been a regular part of the Indian team for the past few years now, spoke about providing the assist for the opening goal.

"When we got the freekick, Chhetri bhai (Sunil Chhetri) and Sandesh (Jhingan) came to me and Sandesh just told me to put the ball in the space and he'll attack it. That's what I did, I tried to put the ball very softly and he made a very good run, so credit to him for finishing," the FC Goa midfielder state.

Meanwhile, Chhetri scored his 85th goal for the Indian team, surpassing legend Ferenc Pusk s. The India captain now sits in fifth place in the all-time international goalscorers' list. Chhetri talked about the importance of the clean sheet and the experience of playing in Manipur.

"I feel good, more importantly for the clean sheet, that was important. We don't get to play for the national team at home and this is the first time we're playing at Manipur, so it's a good feeling to keep two clean sheets," Chhetri said after the match.

Jhingan, who netted his the fifth goal in national team colours, opened up on how much the win meant to the team and thanked the Manipur crowd for the support they provided.

"The win is what matters and we are happy with the win. Being a defender, clean sheets are something that we admire or look forward to more but happy for the team. The effort they put in was top notch and we deserved to win and we've to build on this. We have a busy calendar ahead of us with important games leading up to the AFC Asian Cup so we have to keep building up on that. Thanks to Manipur, the way they turned up is brilliant and we hope that we've given them many reasons to smile and for many years to come and we're really happy for the whole of India," Jhingan stated after the final whistle.

"This is something that me and Brandon (Fernandes) have known for years, this is a very old trick of me, Brandon and Sunil Bhai (Chhetri). The initial plan was to put the ball there and for me to pass it inside for Sunil but it just landed in front of me and I put it inside, it was instinctive but the plan was the ball will come over to me and I'll put it back in for Sunil for a tap in but when it's your day it's your day (laughs)," said Jhingan while talking about the goal he scored.

Akash Mishra was named the Hero of the match against Kyrgyz Republic after his brilliant display on the left flank. The left-back kept the door shut from his side of the defence for the opponents and was lively for the whole of 90 minutes on the left wing. The youngster provided support to the attackers and delivered inviting crosses into the penalty box.

"I think they gave me the award but everybody on the pitch, the boys deserve this award and the boys who came on from the bench, they did a really brilliant job and we were really strong together as a team. It was difficult for us but we played as a team and the support we got from Manipur, it really pushed us and we felt like we were with the 12th player on the pitch, so they were really motivating us and that helped us to win the game," Mishra said after the match. IANS

The Indian football team clinched the Tri-Nation International Football Tournament trophy after a 2-0 victory against Kyrgyz Republic at the Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal, Manipur.

We have to build up on this: Sandesh Jhingan reacts to India's Tri-Nation win

The Hawk: It’s an exciting time for sports in India. India has always had a promising and large pool of sporting talent. What was needed was modifying the existing policies and bringing newer ones that match their needs and aspirations. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government is in mission mode to transform the sports landscape of the country by focusing on grassroots-level talent identification, sports infrastructure building, support to elite athletes, and creating an ecosystem that provides equal opportunities to women, divyangjan, and youth from even the remotest corners of the country. The success stories as well the stories of grit, struggle and determination of multiple sportspersons, of every age group, have found a place in the Prime Minister’s ‘Mann ki Baat’ and the hearts of the nation. &nbsp;
Khelo India has been a game changer. In fact, Khelo India Games have become like the mini-Olympics of India. The incentive of being recognised at the national level has given the impetus to not only the young athletes but also the individual States to develop their own robust sporting infrastructure. Apart from the development of an overall sports culture in the country, the personal interest that the Prime Minister takes in knowing every athlete and their progress is also something that was never seen before in our country. He makes it a point to interact with the Indian contingent before the final send off and after an international tournament/sporting event and motivate and congratulate them on their success or sincere efforts.&nbsp;
The Prime Minister also talks a lot about sports in his monthly radio programme, ‘Mann ki Baat’. In the past, the newspaper was the only medium to get any information about the sports achievers of our country, but now even before they head for the international tournaments, we are celebrating them. Be it the Commonwealth or Olympics-bound Indian contingent or the youth taking part in the Khelo India Games, ‘Mann ki Baat’ has become a platform where the country’s achievements on the sports front are brought to light. And today, when ‘Mann ki Baat’ is going to hit its century-mark on 30th April 2023, I am sure that all its episodes, all through these years, have worked as an inspiration for the athletes to hone their talent and build a future in sports.&nbsp;
When I had won the first medal for the World Championship, my fellow athlete who had also won a medal had got a call from the head of her country which was being projected on the stadium screens. And I was wondering when I would get a similar opportunity. In that sense, today’s young athletes are really lucky that the Prime Minister is talking about them at such an important platform like ‘Mann ki Baat’. He also knows their personal interests well and is giving them grand send overs and felicitating them when they come back. The entire India is watching this and especially the younger generation. &nbsp;
The Prime Minister has repeatedly stressed on the fact that sports does not stop short at winning medals and putting India on the global map. What it primarily brings to the table is development of individual personalities by making us physically fit, mentally alert, and nurturing sportsmanship. Sports, as a whole, holds much importance for the development of a nation. Gone are the days when people used to follow only cricket. Today, there is a huge national pride attached to India’s participation in every international sporting event. Be it badminton, javelin throw, handball, or fencing, and even indigenous sports like Mallakhamb and Kalaripayattu, people today are united in their appreciation for the sportspersons who are waiving the tricolour high all around the world. &nbsp;
Just before the Olympics 2020, the Prime Minister urged the listeners of ‘Mann ki Baat’ to support the Tokyo-bound athletes with #Cheer4India, which subsequently transformed into a campaign, witnessing participation from school students to celebrities who sent their wishes for the athletes. It is interesting to see the different ways that we are finding as a country to celebrate our sportspersons. This momentum on the sports front is unprecedented for India and I am grateful to the Prime Minister for injecting a renewed vigour into sports. &nbsp;
The results are there for all to see. With seven medals in the Tokyo Olympics and 19 in the Paralympics, India performed its best in four decades. India recorded one of its best performances at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with a total of 61 medals including 22 Gold medals. For the first time in the history of the prestigious international Thomas Cup (Badminton) tournament, the Indian men’s team won the championship by defeating 14 times World Champion Indonesia. The Indian contingent for Deaflympics Brazil gave the best-ever performance for the country with 16 medals. New young talent is performing tremendously well and the entire nation is enjoying their victories. &nbsp;
‘Mann ki Baat’ as a platform has inspired among the citizens, especially the youth, a collective enthusiasm towards sports in the country. In multiple episodes of ‘Mann ki Baat’, the Prime Minister has appealed directly to the younger generation to make sports a crucial part of their lives. Through his radio programme, he has instilled a feeling of Sabka Prayas to make sports an important aspect for India’s holistic development and together the people, the Governments, athletes and associations are striving to make this vision a reality of the New India. I am looking forward to the upcoming 100th episode of Mann Ki Baat and to hear our Prime Minister inspire, encourage and talk of ordinary people who have made huge difference in the life of others. - Anju Bobby George&nbsp;

Mann Ki Baat-100: Celebrating India as A Sporting Nation

Kolkata: Dimitri Petratos scored the lone goal of the match as Mohun Bagan Super Giant defeated cross-town rivals East Bengal to be crowned champions of the 132nd Durand Cup football tournament here on Sunday.  On a Super Sunday for India's oldest football competition, Mohun Bagan, despite being reduced to 10 men, avenged their defeat from the group stage against Emami East Bengal (EEB), winning the Kolkata derby 1-0 in the final.  Petratos struck the winner in the 71st minute after Anirudh Thapa was sent off for a second bookable offence, early in the second half.  There was nothing much to choose between the two sides save the Petratos strike, in an entertaining final at the hallowed Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK), here in the city, which had close to 50,000 fans watching.  A tactical game  Both managers sprung surprises with the first eleven. Carles Cuadrat of EEB gave Md. Rakip was given a start for the first time in the tournament, while Juan Ferrando of MBSG kept Manvir, who has had a good campaign, on the bench, while starting with both his foreign forwards, Dimitri Petratos and Armando Sadiku.  Ashique won the game’s first corner for MBSG within the first five minutes, however not much came off it. A similar fate awaited EEB when they got theirs a few minutes later. There was nothing to choose between the two in the first quarter of an hour. Left was the preferred attacking flank for both teams, with Ashique of MBSG and Mahesh of EEB being the prime movers of such attacks.  Then just after the water break, Jordan Elsey seemed to have twisted his ankle and Cuadrat had to replace him with Jose Antonio Pardo at the back.  With just a couple of minutes to go, the half’s two best chances fell to both teams. First when a cross by Borja meant for Siverio’s head fell for Nandhakumar, but the winger failed to keep his shot on target. Then Dimitri Petratos unleashed a brilliant strike from the top of the EEB box, but also just missed his target.  The half ended equal, not only in terms of no team scoring a goal but also in terms of both getting an equal number of bookings, with Saul Crespo and Borja for the Red and Gold brigade and Hugo Boumos and Thapa for the Green and Maroon team going into the referee’s book in the final stages.  Petratos breaks the deadlock  Cuadrat made his second change in the 57th minute of the game when he brought on the experience and guile of Brazilian Cleiton Silva in place of Borja. Ferrando responded with Manvir Singh in place of Ashish Rai.  The Punjab winger created an immediate chance on the hour-mark for Boumous, but the Frenchman shot wide from close.  Another critical moment of the match then happened when Anirudh Thapa was sent off for a high boot on Saul Crespo, his second bookable offence of the match.  In the 69th minute, Ferrando made a triple change, bringing on Australian World Cupper Jason Cummings, Liston Colaco and Glan Martins in place of Boumous, Sadiku and Ashique.  The move brought Mohun Bagan luck in the 71st minute as Dimitri Petratos, MBSG’s Greek forward, received the ball in transition, just inside the EEB half and kept advancing towards goal without much challenge from the right-hand side. He then unleashed a left-footed diagonal along the ground from just outside the box.  The ball took a bad bounce to elude the outstretched palm of Prabhsukan Gill and went in to give Mohun Bagan the lead.  In the 78th minute, Cuadrat effected a triple-change himself, bringing on Nishu Kumar, VP Suhair and Edwin Vanspaul, in place of Chungnunga, Siverio and Rakip. Then in the 87th, Ferrando made his final move, consolidating his defense by bringing on Brendan Hamill in place of Sahal Abdul Samad.  Try as they might, East Bengal could not break the MBSG defence and had to contend with the runners-up finish on this day.  Mohun Bagan were awarded the Simla Trophy and the Durand Cup, the original prize, at a glittering prize distribution ceremony.  Among the other prize winners of the day were:  Golden Boot (Highest scorer)- David Lalhlansanga-six goals (Mohammedan Sporting)  Golden Gloves- Prabhsukan Gill (Emami East Bengal)  Golden Ball (Player of the Tournament)- Nandhakumar Sekar (Emami East Bengal) —IANS

Dimitri Petratos scored the lone goal of the match as Mohun Bagan Super Giant defeated cross-town rivals East Bengal

132nd Durand Cup: 10-man Mohun Bagan beat archrivals East Bengal, crowned champions

Changzhou: Olympic champion Chen Yufei of China and world No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi of Japan both stormed into the second round of the women's singles at the badminton China Open here.
Chen, the 3rd seed at the tournament, beat Zhang Beiwen of the United States 21-18, 21-5, reports Xinhua. "I was patient and determined on the court, so I got some key points and sealed the victory," Chen noted.
The Hangzhou native has been selected as a torchbearer for the 19th Asian Games to be held in her hometown. "I heard about it this morning, and I feel very honored, grateful and excited. I have a new torch to collect now!" Chen said with a smile.&nbsp;
Second-seeded Yamaguchi eliminated Indonesia's Putri Kusuma Wardani 21-12, 21-18 to reach the last 16.
In the men's singles, world No. 2 Anthony Sinisuka Ginting of Indonesia suffered an early exit at the hands of Japan's Kanta Tsuneyama 21-11, 18-21, 21-17, while another Japanese contender Kodai Naraoka, seeded fourth, secured a 26-24, 12-21, 21-11 win against Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia.
China's top men's singles player Shi Yuqi also booked a last-16 berth by sweeping Magnus Johannesen of Denmark 21-8, 21-11.
"I will try to find my shortcomings through the competition and prepare for the Asian Games," said Shi.
His compatriot Li Shifeng fought 75 minutes to overcome Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei 21-14, 18-21, 21-18, and will take on his teammate Lu Guangzu, who beat Ng Ka Long Angus of Hong Kong, China 21-17, 21-15.
In the mixed doubles, China's Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping defeated Hee Yong Kai Terry and Tan Wei Han Jessica of Indonesia in straight sets.
He Jiting/Zhou Haodong and Liu Shengshu/Tan Ning, both of China, also progressed through in the men's and women's doubles respectively.&nbsp;
—IANS

Olympic champion Chen Yufei of China and world No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi of Japan both stormed into the second round of the women's singles

Chen Yufei, Yamaguchi power into last 16 at badminton China Open

Doha (Qatar): India’s Saurav Ghosal and Ramit Tandon made it to the second round of the Qatar Classic Squash Championship, registering emphatic wins in the PSA World Tour Platinum tournament at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex on Sunday.
Ghosal beat Balazs Farkas of Hungary in 39 minutes to advance to the next round. The World No. 17 started on a shaky note in the first game but recovered in quick time to take the first game 11-6. He followed in the same streak to pocket the second game 11-8.&nbsp;
However, in the third game, the Hungarian made Ghosal toil for every point and tied at 11-all but the Indian top-ranked player broke free to take the third and deciding game and win in straight games.
Tandon got past David Baillargeon of Canada in three games to one and qualified for the second round.&nbsp;
He took the first two games in his stride to win it at identical scores of 11-5 but dropped the third game at 11-9, but then came back strongly to win the fourth 11-5 and won the match in 41 minutes.&nbsp;
Ghosal and Tandon are the only two Indians in the fray in the one-week-long tournament which features the top players in both the men’s and women’s sections.
The women’s event is returning to Qatar after a gap of eight years and was last staged in 2015.&nbsp;
—IANS

India’s Saurav Ghosal and Ramit Tandon made it to the second round of the Qatar Classic Squash Championship, registering emphatic wins

Squash: Saurav Ghosal, Ramit Tandon reach second round of Qatar with emphatic wins

Bengaluru: A fortnight ago, when Sonika’s mother boarded a flight from Delhi to arrive in Bengaluru to attend Sunehra Safar – a special send-off ceremony hosted by Hockey India little did the 26-year-old player know that she would receive her India jersey by her mother ahead of the all-important Hangzhou Asian Games, which is scheduled to be held from September 23 to October 8.  “It was truly a special moment, especially to receive the jersey in front of a big audience which included all my teammates. Those few minutes on the stage brought back all the memories of my struggle and facing challenges to get here and my mother has been equally part of this journey – always supporting me at every crucial juncture,” stated an emotional Sonika.  The midfielder from Hisar, Haryana made her senior team debut at the Hawke’s Bay Cup in New Zealand back in 2016. She was part of the team that won the Gold medal at the Women’s Asia Cup in 2017 and featured in the Ready Steady Tokyo event in 2019.  But the following year put a pause in her budding career. In 2020, she had to leave the National Camp to seek professional help to improve her mental wellbeing. “Covid lockdown was not kind to me. It was a tough phase personally and I am so glad that my struggle to stay strong mentally through this phase was recognized very early on by the team management and I was provided with professional help. Looking back, I am very grateful to Hockey India and my teammates for allowing me this break,” stated Sonika in retrospect.  Having made a comeback in the national team in 2021/ 22 at the FIH Hockey Pro League after a strong performance in that year’s National Championships, Sonika has only risen in her career. She has been a regular feature in the team, having played a part in the historic Bronze medal win at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games as well as the title win at the FIH Nations Cup 2022.  “I am extremely excited and eager to play my first ever Asian Games. I have put in a lot of hard work to reach this stage in my career and having picked up good results in major events like CWG, the team is very confident of a good show. After Hockey India’s Sunehra Safar event, the team is all the more motivated and inspired to bring laurels to the country, as well as our families. Our focus is purely on winning the Gold and doing well in the Paris Olympics 2024,” Sonika signed off.  India is grouped in Pool A with Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong China and Singapore. They will begin their campaign on September 27 against Singapore.
—IANS

A fortnight ago, when Sonika’s mother boarded a flight from Delhi to arrive in Bengaluru to attend Sunehra Safar – a special send-off ceremony 

'Receiving India jersey from my mother in front of all my teammates was very special,' says Sonika

A fortnight ago, when Sonika’s mother boarded a flight from Delhi to arrive in Bengaluru to attend Sunehra Safar – a special send-off ceremony

Hangzhou: Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues stitched a crucial 73-run partnership, followed by young fast-bowling all-rounder Titas Sadhu bowling a deadly spell of 3-6 in four overs to help India beat Sri Lanka by 19 runs and win the country's first gold medal in women’s T20 event at the Asian Games.  The gold medal in Asian Games is a huge prize and a historic moment for the Indian women’s cricket team after enduring a heartbreak at last year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, where they ended up with the silver medal after losing to Australia.  Monday’s gold medal match was also Harmanpreet Kaur's 100th game as T20I captain, who returned after her two-match suspension was over. India had got past Malaysia in quarter-final and defeated Bangladesh, the eventual bronze medal winners, in the semi-final in their quest to win the elusive gold medal.
Electing to bat first, Smriti and Jemimah made 46 and 42 respectively on a tough pitch with turn and awkward bounce while also throwing up some puffs of dust. After the duo fell, India lost wickets in quick succession to finish with 116/7.  Titas, Player of the Match in U19 Women’s T20 World Cup final for her spell of 2-6 earlier this year, picked three wickets in a spell full of accuracy, including a double-wicket maiden first over.  Left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad took two wickets while Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar and Devika Vaidya had a scalp each to contribute in India's gold medal win in their first-ever participation in the event as Sri Lanka ended up at 97/8.  India’s innings began with Smriti beautifully bringing out her cover drive against Oshadi Ranasinghe for four, before Shafali Verma played a sublime on-drive against Udeshika Prabodhani. But Sri Lanka quickly began to build-up pressure and that resulted in Shafali being stumped for nine.  Smriti broke free from the pressure by hitting a six – a gorgeous lofted drive over long-on off Sugandika Kumari and a four to sign off from power-play, followed by pouncing on full toss and short balls to get runs. She found able support in Jemimah, who used sweep and cut to good effect against the spinners while keeping scoreboard ticking through strike-rotation.  When it looked like India will post a strong total, Sri Lanka bounced back as Smriti miscued her slog-sweep against Inoka Ranaweera. Richa Ghosh’s promotion backfired as she was caught behind off Inoka. Harmanpreet and Pooja fell in quick succession, followed by Jemimah and Amanjot Kaur being dismissed in final over as India made only 27 runs in last five overs.  Chamari Athapaththu began Sri Lanka’s chase strongly by heaving Deepti Sharma high over deep mid-wicket for six and steered one past slip for four in the opening over. But the introduction of Titas turned the game on its head – having Anushka Sanjeevani caught at mid-off on her first ball and getting a nip-backer to castle Vishmi Gunaratne through the gate.  She then removed Chamari in her next over as the Sri Lankan skipper miscued a drive and was caught by fielder at cover moving to her right. Hasini Perera tried to revive Sri Lanka by hitting four fours and a six in her 22-ball 25.  But once she holed out to deep mid-wicket off Rajeshwari, Sri Lanka couldn’t come back in contention despite some boundaries coming from bats of Oshadi and Nilakshi de Silva, as India finally got their hands at a gold medal after beating the same opposition in their Women’s Asia Cup triumph last year.  Brief Scores: India 116/7 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 46, Jemimah Rodrigues 42; Udeshika Prabodhani 2-16, Inoka Ranaweera 2-21) beat Sri Lanka 97/8 in 20 overs (Hasini Perera 25, Nilakshi de Silva 23; Titas Sadhu 3-6, Rajeshwari Gayakwad 2-20) by 19 runs.
—IANS

Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues stitched a crucial 73-run partnership, followed by young fast-bowling all-rounder Titas Sadhu bowling a deadly spell

Asian Games: Titas, Smriti, Jemimah star as India clinch first-ever gold medal in women’s T20 event

Mumbai (Maharashtra): As the 13th edition of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup is set to be played in India from October 5, citizens across the country are extremely excited to see the 'Men in Blue' in action on Indian soil. Like other cricket enthusiasts, actor Suniel Shetty is also eagerly waiting for the tournament to kick-start. This year's World Cup will be a little special for him as his son-in-law KL Rahul is going to play his second ODI World Cup, now as a mainstay in the Indian line-up, currently going through a rich run of form.
Speaking to ANI, Suniel rooted for Team India and gave his best wishes to the boys.
"I believe he (KL Rahul) is my son. I don't know how to be a father-in-law. I am a better father... I call him my son only. (World Cup is approaching) My fingers are crossed. Let the best team win. We have got an extraordinary team. (hope they) play well, play hard and play fair," Suniel said on the sidelines of the promotions of Discovery Channel's 'Star Vs Food Survival' show. India’s campaign at home will start against Australia in Chennai from October 8. KL Rahul made his return to the sport during the recently-concluded Asia Cup, which India won for the eighth time. He made an incredible hundred against arch-rivals Pakistan in his comeback match, after having missed the group stage of the tournament due to a niggle. He scored 169 runs in three innings at an average of 84.50, with one century. In India’s final assignment before the World Cup, a three-match ODI series at home against Australia, KL captained India in the first two ODIs in the absence of Rohit Sharma and won 'Men in Blue' the series, which ended with a scoreline of 2-1. KL Rahul was in fine form with the bat, contributing 136 runs in three matches with two fifties. With the form he is in right now and the fact he is executing his role as a middle-order batter to perfection, there are high hopes from this talented batter to fire big runs in the World Cup.
—ANI

As the 13th edition of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup is set to be played in India from October 5, citizens across the country are extremely excited

"Play hard, play fair": Suniel Shetty's message for KL Rahul, Team India ahead of World Cup 2023

Hangzhou [China]: A top-class bowling spell from spinner Sai Kishore and explosive knocks from skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and Tilak Varma helped India secure a berth in the final of the cricket tournament at the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou, defeating Bangladesh by nine wickets on Friday. India elected to field first after winning the toss. The Indian spinners wreaked havoc on the Bangladeshi batting lineup, taking down the top order easily. At the end of the powerplay, Bangladesh was at 21/3 in six overs.
Sai Kishore, Washington Sundar and Tilak Varma were at their destructive best, reducing Bangladesh to 40/4 in ten overs. Pavez Hossain Emon (23 in 32 balls) was the top contributor till that point. Wickets kept falling for Bangladesh, but wicket-keeper batter Jaker Ali (24* in 29 balls) and Rakibul Hasan (14) helped Bangladesh reach 96 in their 20 overs at the loss of nine wickets. Sai Kishore (3/12) was the pick of the bowlers for India. Washington (2/15) also bowled well. Tilak, Arshdeep Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed and Ravi Bishnoi got a wicket each. In the chase of 97 runs, India lost opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for a four-ball duck after he had made a century in a previous match against Nepal. But after that skipper Gaikwad and Tilak Varma started to fire quick runs for India, powering them to 68/1 in six overs. India chased down the target of 97 in just 9.2 overs, with Gaikwad (40* in 26 balls with four boundaries and three sixes) and Varma (55* in 26 balls with two fours and six sixes) unbeaten. "Unstoppable India! Our Men's Cricket Team has emerged victorious against Bangladesh in the Semifinals, and enters the FINAL at the #AsianGames2022! #TeamIndia's chase for glory continues, and we are rooting for the GOLD All eyes are on the ultimate showdown! #Cheer4India #JeetegaBharat #BharatAtAG22 #Hallabol@BCCI," tweeted SAI Media.
<a href="https://twitter.com/Media_SAI/status/1710139102790885823?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1710139102790885823%7Ctwgr%5E2f490bbbec52a6da5fcae3aaf2d06c7ea60dc2af%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aninews.in%2Fnews%2Fsports%2Fcricket%2Fasian-games-india-thrash-bangladesh-by-nine-wickets-to-reach-final20231006093405" target="_self">https://twitter.com/Media_SAI/status/1710139102790885823?</a>
India has stormed into the final and will either play Afghanistan or Pakistan in the gold medal match on October 7.
—ANI

A top-class bowling spell from spinner Sai Kishore and explosive knocks from skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and Tilak Varma helped India secure a berth in the final

Asian Games: India thrash Bangladesh by nine wickets to reach final

Ahmedabad: Former left-arm wrist spin bowler Brad Hogg believes talismanic India batter Virat Kohli will score big in the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup final, but added that Australia would go on to win the title.  Hosts India have won all 10 games in the tournament so far as they aim to clinch their third Men’s ODI World Cup title and second on home soil after the 2011 triumph, and break their ten-year drought of not winning a global title. Kohli is the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 711 runs in ten innings.  “I think the Australian bowling line-up has got the goods to unsettle the Indian batting line-up. I think Virat Kohli is going to have a day out, he’s going to make another big score. He’s going to bat through this innings and try and stabilize this Indian batting order.”  “The likes of Rohit Sharma and (Shubman) Gill coming upfront and trying to be aggressive against the likes of (Josh) Hazlewood and (Mitchell) Starc with the new ball is going to be an interesting contest,” said Hogg on JioCinema’s daily show ‘#AAKASHVANI’.  Australia, who are on an eight-match unbeaten streak, are eyeing an unprecedented sixth World Cup crown and are now playing their eighth final. Australia also beat India in the World Test Championship final earlier this year in June at The Oval in London. Sunday's meeting will be the eighth between India and Australia in ODIs this year.  “When you’ve got Starc bowling with a good height and good pace and swinging the ball into the right-handers, he can get Rohit Sharma and Gill early. But, if these two bat well and get India off to a good start, (Shreyas) Iyer comes up against (Adam) Zampa. This is another interesting contest that we are looking at.”  “But, I think Zampa may have a day out and get the big wicket of Iyer. So for me, Australia are going to win the game with Starc and Hazlewood getting on top of Rohit and Gill early and Zampa taking the wicket of Iyer. Australia are going to take another World Cup in the 50-over format,” added Hogg.  India had met Australia in what was the tournament opener for both teams at Chennai on October 8, where Pat Cummins' side were bowled out for 199, before a stunning 165-run partnership off 215 balls between KL Rahul (97 not out) and Virat Kohli (85) carried India to a memorable six-wicket win after being 2/3 in two overs.  Former India captain Anjum Chopra had a different take, saying India look strong to win the title. “I think India are going to win the final. If we compare the bowling line-ups of both teams then I feel India’s is better. If (Mohammed) Shami doesn’t get you, (Ravindra) Jadeja will. If (Jasprit) Bumrah does not get you, Kuldeep (Yadav) will.”  “When it comes to batting, it will be important for Mitchell Marsh and David Warner to help them get a good start in the powerplay. Steve Smith and Travis Head are contributors. Glenn Maxwell can give the match a different direction but only on his day. So head-to-head, India looks stronger.”  —IANS

Former left-arm wrist spin bowler Brad Hogg believes talismanic India batter Virat Kohli will score big in the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup final

Men’s ODI WC: 'Kohli will score big but Australia are going to win the World Cup', says Brad Hogg

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India]: The tournament's top wicket-taker, Mohammed Shami expressed gratitude towards fans for their support throughout the tournament and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for meeting players in the dressing room. Having an unbeaten run throughout the tournament till the final, India came so close to clinching their third World Cup crown, however, Travis Head stood tall between Men in Blue's victory and starred with the bat, hitting an inspired century to win Australia's men their sixth ICC Cricket World Cup crown.  A billion Indian hearts were broken on Sunday, but none more than the 11 players who gave their all on the field to reach the final after competing fiercely in the tournament for more than a month. Even though India did not win the 2023 World Cup at home, the way they performed throughout the competition was nothing short of an extraordinary dream for the billions of Indian supporters. Shami took to X and thanked Indian fans for their unwearying support and shared a photo of the PM giving him a hug.
<a href="https://twitter.com/MdShami11/status/1726534405672603840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1726534405672603840%7Ctwgr%5E0cd5a1bd8dab78393ea854239327a0186c4dd40c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aninews.in%2Fnews%2Fsports%2Fcricket%2Fcwc-2023-pm-modi-comforts-mohammed-shami-with-a-hug-india-pacer-expresses-gratitude-to-fans-for-support20231120162009" target="_self">https://twitter.com/MdShami11/status/1726534405672603840?</a>  "Unfortunately, yesterday was not our day. I would like to thank all Indians for supporting our team and me throughout the tournament. Thankful to PM @narendramodi for especially coming to the dressing room and raising our spirits. We will bounce back!" Shami wrote on X. Mohammed Shami, the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, was exceptionally impressive considering that he didn't even play for the squad when the season began.  After missing his team's first four games, Shami emerged as a star bowler, claiming 24 wickets at an average of just 5.26 and 10.70. Only four players in the history of the men's game--Lasith Malinga (56), Mitchell Starc (65), Muttiah Muralitharan (68), and Glenn McGrath (71), have taken more wickets in the Cricket World Cup than Shami (55), with Shami's returns occurring in ten fewer matches than any of the players above him on the list.  <a href="https://twitter.com/imjadeja/status/1726510989758308835?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1726510989758308835%7Ctwgr%5E0cd5a1bd8dab78393ea854239327a0186c4dd40c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aninews.in%2Fnews%2Fsports%2Fcricket%2Fcwc-2023-pm-modi-comforts-mohammed-shami-with-a-hug-india-pacer-expresses-gratitude-to-fans-for-support20231120162009" target="_self">https://twitter.com/imjadeja/status/1726510989758308835?</a>
We had a great tournament but we ended up short yesterday. We are all heartbroken but the support of our people is keeping us going.  India's star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja who made his place in the ICC Team of the Tournament thanked the fans for their support and wrote on X, "We had a great tournament but we ended up short yesterday. We are all heartbroken but the support of our people is keeping us going. PM @narendramodi's visit to the dressing room yesterday was special and very motivating."
—ANI

The tournament's top wicket-taker, Mohammed Shami expressed gratitude towards fans for their support throughout the tournament and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi

The Hawk

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Khelo India Zonal Archery tournament held successfully across 5 SAI NCOEs on May Day

Sunil Aswal

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Khelo India Zonal Archery tournament held successfully across 5 SAI NCOEs on May Day

Sunil Aswal

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