Ishant Sharma wanted to quit ODIs after being ignored for World T20

April 13, 2014

New Delhi, Apr 13: Ishant Sharma was so disappointed after being dropped from the WorldT20 squad that he wanted to retire from the ODIs. The fast bowler was under fire for his string of average performances in the series against Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

Ishant_Sharma_World_T20"It was a setback for me when I did not do well for the country or when I was not selected. You feel bad when you are not part of the T20 World Cup," he said.

"It is a big tournament. But it is not in my hand. If I am playing Test cricket or wherever I am playing, I have to do well in those conditions and that particular format," he said at an event of the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Ishant said it was his mother who made him change his mind. "I think the one person who gave me confidence was my mother. At one stage, I thought I should stop playing ODIs. But my mother pulled me out of my negativities. Such support from your parents or friends gives you much-needed confidence.

"Now, I am enjoying my cricket, which is more important. If you enjoy your cricket and express yourself on the field, you will do well."

With the Indian Premier League just days away, the Delhi bowler said he is looking forward to give his best in the new season for Sunrisers Hyderabad. "I am looking forward to do well in the new season. I am bowling well. I am in good rhythm. I played in domestic Twenty20, bowled well, took some wickets. I am confident with my bowling and hopefully I will do well for the Sunrisers this time as well."

"I bowled well in South Africa and New Zealand and in the North Zone T20 tournament too," he said.

Ishant bowled a good spell in his last T20 match for Delhi taking 4 for 9 against Haryana in the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy.

India will head to England for a Test series after the IPL, but Ishant is focused on the present. He said he does not believe in setting personal goals.

"I don't set personal goals for myself. Because in doing so you end up putting pressure on yourself. In T20 cricket one needs to react according to the situation."

Ishant and South Africa's Dale Steyn forged a good new-ball combination for Sunrisers last season. Ishant, who took 15 wickets in IPL last year, said he has learnt a lot for Steyn. "Dale gives his plans and we set fields accordingly. That helps a fast bowler. It feels really great. I have learnt a lot from him."

The first part of the IPL will be played in UAE and Ishant expects the wickets to be similar to that in India.

"I think the wicket will be the same. It does not matter whether you play in India or UAE, the wicket will be the same in Asia. You should know where you need to bowl in the T20 format. You don't need to see how the wicket is going to behave. You just need to execute your plans well."

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News Network
February 29,2020

Feb 29: India were all out for 242 in their first innings following a stunning battling collapse, triggered by paceman Kyle Jamieson on the opening day of the second cricket Test against New Zealand at the Hagley Oval, here on Saturday.

India were steady at 194 for five at tea but lost wickets in quick succession after the play resumed. Jamieson returned figures of 14-3-45-5.

Hanuma Vihari top-scored for India with his combative 55 while Prithvi Shaw (54) and Cheteshwar Pujara (54) hit contrasting half-centuries.

Virat Kohli's (3) poor run continued while his deputy Ajikya Rahane (7) also fell cheaply.

India lost last five wickets for 48 runs, of which 26 were contributed by last-wicket pair of Mohammed Shami (16) and Jasprit Bumrah (10).

Brief Scores:

India 1st innings: 242 all out in 63 overs. (H Vihari 55, P Shaw 54, C Pujara 54 batting; Kyle Jamieson 5/45, Tim Southee 2/38, ).

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News Network
May 9,2020

May 9: Filipina weightlifting star Hidilyn Diaz noticed live-streamed concerts were collecting money for coronavirus relief and was struck by inspiration: why not raise funds with an online workout?

Since then the Olympic silver-medallist -- and strong contender for her country's first Games gold -- has made enough money to buy food packs for hundreds of hard-hit families in the Philippines.

Diaz has done it all from Malaysia, where she was training to qualify for the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics when much of the world locked down against the virus in March.

"I thought (distribution) would be impossible because I'm not physically present," Diaz, 29, told news agency.

"It's a good thing that I have trusted friends and trusted family members who understand why we need to do a fundraising."

That circle of supporters has handed out the packages, which include vegetables, eggs and rice, to more than 400 families.

The food was bought with donations from about 50 people who joined sessions that lasted up to three hours, and gave them a rare chance to train with an elite athlete.

Diaz rose to fame in 2016 after snagging a surprise silver in the 53 kilogramme category in Rio, becoming the Philippines' first female Olympic medallist and ending the nation's 20-year medal drought at the Games.

Two years later, she won gold at the Asian Games in Indonesia.

However, her quest to qualify for Tokyo is on hold ahead of the Games' rescheduled opening in July 2021.

"I thought all the hard work would soon be over... then it was extended," she said. "But I'm still thankful I can still continue with (the training) I need to do."

Still, the lockdown broke her daily training regimen, keeping her away from weights for 14 days for the first time in her career.

"I felt like I was losing my mind already. I've been carrying the barbell for 18 years and all of a sudden it's gone. Those were the kinds of anxiety that I felt," she said.

But she got access to some equipment, and with her coach's urging, got back to work. She was relieved to find her strength was still there.

Instead of a Tokyo berth, the past months have been about a different kind of accomplishment for Diaz: helping her countrymen get through the coronavirus crisis.

Rosemelyn Francisco's family in Zamboanga City, Diaz's home town, is one of the first to get help from the athlete's initiative, and is deeply grateful.

Her family was not wealthy to begin with, and the pandemic has cost her husband his construction job.

"The food she donated has all everything we need, including eggs," said Francisco, 27.

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News Network
January 28,2020

Gibraltar, Jan 28: Young Indian Grand Master R Praggnanandhaa pulled off a huge upset, beating former world champion Veselin Topalov in the sixth round of the 18th Gibraltar chess festival to record his fifth straight win here.

The 14-year-old Chennai lad needed just 33 moves to put it across the Bulgarian. He had started with a loss against compatriot P V Nandhidhaa but since then he has been on a winning spree.

Praggnanandhaa, who recently won the world under-18 title, said: "It was very tough to prepare against him."

He is in second spot on five points with six other players and will take on Chinese GM Wang Hao in the seventh round.

Seventeen-year-old Russian GM Andrey Esipenko jumped to sole lead with 5.5 points with a win over Georgia's Ivan Cheparinov

The Russian player would be unpaired in the seventh round as he decided to take a bye.

A bunch of players including Indians — B Adhiban, K Sasikiran, Shardul Gagare, Karthikeyan Murali, SL Narayanan — are in joint third place with 4.5 points.

Adhiban beat Gabriel Flom, while D Gukesh, the world's second youngest Grand Master ever, defeated Martin Percivaldi to move to four points.

Also winning were Karthikeyan Murali against Qi B Chen and Gagare over France's Maxime Lagarde.

Top-seed Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's moderate run continued as he was held to a draw by GM Aryan Chopra.

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