India hold USA to 1-1 draw, progress to knockouts of women's hockey World Cup

Agencies
July 30, 2018

London, Jul 30: Under pressure Indian women's hockey team produced a spirited performance to come back from a goal down and hold the higher-ranked USA to a 1-1 draw in their last Pool B match and progress to the knock-out stages of the World Cup here on Sunday.

The draw enabled India too keep their campaign afloat in the tournament and progress to the crossovers while the Americans crashed out of the event.

As per the rules of the tournament, the top teams from the four pools progress directly to the quarterfinals while the second and third placed teams will feature in the crossovers to decide the remaining four spots of the last eight round.

Margaux Paolino (11th minute) broke the deadlock for world no.7 USA before skipper Rani Rampal equalized for 10th ranked India in the 31st minute.

The Indians started brightly with good forays into the US citadel but the forwards failed to breach the rival defence.

India secured their first penalty corner in the seventh minute but the Americans defended well.

As time passed by the Americans grew in confidence and started to attack the Indian goal quite frequently.

From one such occasion, Margaux Paolino scored from a rebound in the 11th minute after her initial try was kicked away by Indian goalkeeper Savita.

Stung by the goal, the Indians continued to press forward and secured two penalty corners in the final minutes of the first quarter but drag-flicker Gurjit Kaur failed on both occasion as USA ended the first quarter with a slender lead.

USA secured their first penalty corner three minutes into the second quarter but the Indians stood tall to thwart any danger.

A minute later India got another penalty corner but this time skipper Rani Rampal's slap shot was well saved by American custodian Jackie Briggs.

The Americans then pressed hard and secured two more penalty corners in the second quarter but Indian goalie Savita was upto the mark.

Trailing by a goal, the Indians came out all guns blazing after the change of ends and drew level a minute into the third quarter through a penalty corner conversion by skipper Rani Rampal.

The Indians showed great energy and attacked the American goal in numbers. In the process, they earned their sixth penalty corner in the 47th minute but this time Gurjit's powerful grounded flick was brilliantly saved by Briggs.

The Indians, thereafter, defended brilliantly to deny USA any breakthrough to secure the hard-earned win and prolong their stay in the tournament.

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News Network
March 29,2020

New Delhi, Mar 29: Former Indian batsman Wasim Jaffer on Sunday picked his all-time IPL team and appointed wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni as its captain.

Jaffer's team's feature opener Rohit Sharma, current Indian skipper Virat Kohli, all-rounder Hardik Pandya, spinner R Ashwin, and pacer Jasprit Bumrah as seven domestic players.
While the foreign players spot have been occupied by West Indies' swashbuckling batsman Chris Gayle, all-rounder Andre Russell, Afghanistan's spinner Rashid Khan, and Sri Lanka's veteran pacer Lasith Malinga.
Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been picked as 12th man by Jaffer.

Earlier this month, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to postpone the IPL to April 15, 2020, as a precautionary measure against COVID-19 outbreak.
The board also assured that it will work in unison with the Sports Ministry and will adhere to the guidelines issued.

The 13th edition of IPL was scheduled to commence from March 29. 

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News Network
July 26,2020

Chennai, Jul 26: Indian Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand suffered his fifth straight defeat in the USD 150,000 Legends of Chess online tournament, going down 2-3 to Peter Leko of Hungry.

The former world champion got off to a good start and won the first game of the best-of-four contest. The next two games were drawn before Leko levelled by winning the fourth.

The Hungarian then claimed the Armageddon (a tie-breaker) to ensure Anand remain winless and at the bottom of the points table.

Anand, who is making his maiden appearance on the Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour, had earlier lost to Peter Svidler, Magnus Carlsen, Vladimir Kramnik and Anish Giri.

World no. 1 Carlsen bounced back strongly to avoid an upset, beating veteran Vasyl Ivanchuk 3-2 to stay on top.

Legends of Chess is a unique event where Carlsen, Liren, Nepomniachtchi and Giri, semifinalists at the Chessable Masters (part of the Magnus Carlsen Tour), received an automatic invite and are up against six legends aged 40-52, who have been at the top of world chess at various points in their career.

The tournament is part of the Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour. The winner of this event will qualify for the USD 300,000 Grand Final scheduled from August 9 to 20.

Results of Round 5: Peter Leko beat Viswanathan Anand 3-2; Magnus Carlsen beat Vasyl Ivanchuk 3-2: Vladmir Kramnik beat Ding Liren 2.5-1.5; Anish Giri beat Boris Gelfand 2.5-1.5; Ian Nepominiachtchi beat Peter Svidler 3-1. 

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News Network
May 14,2020

May 14: Veteran South Africa batsman Faf du Plessis has proposed a two-week isolation period for players before and after the T20 World Cup as a way to stage the event as per schedule later this year.

Like other sports, cricketing action too has come to a complete halt due to the coronavirus pandemic. The fate of the T20 World Cup to be held in Australia in October-November is shrouded in uncertainty.

Talking to Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal, du Plessis said travel was going to be an issue despite Australia being less affected by the deadly contagion.

"I am not sure... reading that travelling is going to be an issue for lot of countries and they are talking about December or January. Even if Australia is not affected like other countries, to get people from Bangladesh, South Africa or India where there is more danger, obviously it's a health risk to them," du Plessis said.

"But you can go in before the tournament (for) two weeks isolation and then play the tournament and afterwards two weeks isolation," said the former captain.

Several countries across the globe, including South Africa, Australia and India, have travel restrictions in place and the veteran Proteas batsman joked travelling by boat is not an option.

"But I don't know when South Africa will open their travel ban because we can't go there like old days on boats," du Plessis said.

In March, South Africa's ODI series against India was called off after the first match in view of the pandemic.

The coronavirus outbreak, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has infected more than 44 lakh people worldwide while causing close to 3 lakh deaths.

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