It's passion for game not money that drives Mithali and Co.

September 23, 2012
Mithali__co
Colombo, September 23: The huge gap between the pay cheques of Indian men and women cricketers notwithstanding, the manner in which Mithali Raj and Co. go about their task gives one the impression that they are hardly perturbed by this disparity.

While the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Virat Kohli earn a whopping Rs 7 lakh per Test, their women counterparts have to be satisfied with a mere fee of Rs 1 lakh, not per match, but per international series.

"After we have come under BCCI wing, the players get Rs 1 lakh per international series," women's team manager Vidya Yadav informed.

In fact, even the Tripura Ranji team players earn a match fee of Rs 1.5 lakh per domestic first-class game and Rs 35,000 for one-day matches.

Asked about the match fee for domestic tournaments for women, Yadav said: "Players get Rs 2500 per match apart from DA."

Besides getting Rs 7 lakh for a Test match, the Indian men's team earn Rs 4 lakh per ODI and Rs 2 lakh for T20 for being in the playing XI and half if he is part of the squad.

Skipper Mithali tried to put things into perspective.

"We can't complaint as to why the men get paid more. It's simple...they earn much more revenue and thus get paid more.

"But the situation in women's cricket has improved a lot from the early 90s when lot of talented women cricketers had to leave the game due to lack of monetary assistance," said Mithali.

Manager Yadav said that any change doesn't happen overnight.

"Look, it will take a lot of time but change is happening. When my brother Shivlal Yadav played for India, he used to get Rs 5000 for a Test match and compare what cricketers of current times are getting.

"Obviously, this change hasn't happened overnight," Yadav said.

As they quietly trudged out from their dressing room at the Bloomfield Cricket Club ground, there weren't hordes of cameramen or journalists, but the Indian cricketers seemed unperturbed by the lack of attention.

While each and every movement of Dhoni and his boys is dissected keeping in mind the minutest of details, the quiet entry of the Indian eves in the island nation hasn't bothered many.

The intensity and resolve was very much there, though, during the two-hour practice session.

The Indian women's team hasn't played any longer version matches since 2006 and Mithali felt that having only played ODIs and T20 Internationals, it will be difficult to switch to the Test mode.

"Initially, we used to miss playing Test matches for a year but now it will be difficult for us to switch to longer format as we have only T20s and ODIs. If Tests are scheduled in the series, it will be difficult for us," the Indian captain said.

The Indian women's team has consistently reached the semi-final stages of the ICC but she admitted that they need to step up their game in order to beat top teams like Australia and England.

"We must admit that we don't have the physique to consistently hit big shots but we need to find the gaps and focus on our strengths," she said.




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News Network
June 22,2020

Zadar (Croatia), Jun 22: Grigor Dimitrov took to Instagram to announce that he has tested positive for coronavirus. The tennis star was one of the players who took part in the Adria Tour with the likes Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem among others.

Taking to Instagram, the player wrote: "Hi Everyone-I want to reach out and let my fans and friends know that I tested positive back in Monaco for Covid-19. I want to make sure anyone who has been in contact with me during these past days gets tested and takes the necessary precautions. I am so sorry for any harm I might have caused. I am back home now and recovering. Thanks for your support and please stay safe and healthy."

He also urged those who had come in contact with him over the last few days in Monaco should also get tested for the deadly virus.

Meanwhile, World no.1 Djokovic reached the final of his exhibition tournament in Zadar, Croatia, after easing through the round-robin group stage on the first day. This is the second stage of the Adria Tour with Austrian Dominic Thiem winning the first leg in Belgrade, Serbia.

Djokovic started by saving three set points in his 4-3, 4-1 win over fellow Serb Pedja Krstin. He then beat home favourite Borna Coric 4-1, 4-3 in front of several thousand fans at the Visnjik tennis complex.

The tournament in Zadar is being played on red clay over two days. In the other group, Russian Andrey Rublev is in pole position to advance into the final after wins over 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic and Serb Danilo Petrovic. He faces German star Alexander Zverev in the final round robin match on Sunday who stayed in contention after beating Cilic 4-3, 0-4, 4-3.

Djokovic''s own inconsequential final group match is against Croatian Dino Serdarusic who replaced Grigor Dimitrov after the Bulgarian pulled out of the tournament with sickness following his opening 4-1, 4-1 loss to Coric.

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News Network
January 15,2020

Jan 15: Australia openers David Warner and Aaron Finch both struck superb centuries to complement their bowlers’ inspired display as the touring side handed out a 10-wicket thrashing to India in the opening one-day international in Mumbai.

India, world-ranked No 2 in ODIs, suffered a middle-order collapse on their way to being bundled out for 255 in the final over of their innings after Australia captain Finch won the toss and opted to field in the first of the three-match series.

Warner and Finch then smashed the Indian bowlers to all corners of the ground, picking up boundaries seemingly at will to chase down the target with 74 balls to spare at the Wankhede Stadium.

Left-handed Warner successfully used the decision review system twice to overturn the umpire’s decision on his way to his 18th ODI century, hitting three sixes and 17 fours in his unbeaten knock of 128, from 112 balls. Finch completed his 16th century in the format, his unbeaten innings 110 from 114 features two sixes and 13 fours.

Earlier, Australia’s left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who made his ODI debut in India 10 years ago, picked up three wickets to set up Australia’s victory. He struck the first blow with the new ball when he sent back Rohit Sharma for 10.

India managed to recover from that early loss through a second-wicket stand of 121 between opener Shikhar Dhawan, who top-scored for the hosts with 74, and KL Rahul. However left-arm spinner Ashton Agar broke the stand by dismissing Rahul for 47 before Agar caught Dhawan off Pat Cummins in the next over.

The hosts were hoping for a solid innings from captain Virat Kohli, who batted a position lower than his usual No 3 spot to accommodate Rahul, to get them out of trouble. However, he lasted only 14 balls, hitting leg-spinner Adam Zampa for a six before offering a return catch to the bowler on the very next delivery to be out for 16.

Starc then returned to the attack, removing Shreyas Iyer cheaply as India lost four wickets for 30 runs to be reduced to 164 for five. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja then fell just short of a half-century partnership, before the remaining four wickets falling for 42 runs, with Cummins and fast bowler Kane Richardson picking up two wickets apiece for Australia.

To compound India’s woes, wicketkeeper Pant suffered a concussion after being hit on his helmet by a short-pitched delivery from Cummins. The Indian cricket board said Pant, who did not come out to keep wicket and was replaced behind the stumps by Rahul, was under observation. The two sides will meet in Rajkot for the second ODI on Friday.

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News Network
February 13,2020

Feb 13: Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna were buried in a private funeral service in Southern California last week, multiple outlets reported late Tuesday.

Citing Kobe Bryant's death certificate, Los Angeles Fox affiliate KTTV reported the remains of the former Lakers star and his daughter were transferred to Pacific View Memorial Park and Mortuary in Corona del Mar. Kobe and Brianna were laid to rest in a private ceremony there last Friday.

According to KTTV, the death certificate cited Kobe's cause of death as "blunt trauma" sustained in a "commercial helicopter crash." It also said his death was "rapid."

Corona del Mar is a community within Newport Beach, where the Bryant family lives.

Kobe, 41, and Gianna, 13, were among nine people killed when the helicopter they were in crashed on a hillside in Calabasas, Calif., northwest of Los Angeles, on Jan. 26. Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, 56; his wife, Keri; and their daughter Alyssa, 14 -- who played on the same club basketball team as Gianna Bryant -- also were killed. Christina Mauser, a 38-year-old who was the top assistant coach of the Mamba girls basketball team, was also killed in the accident, as were Sarah Chester, 45; her daughter Payton Chester, 13; and pilot Ara Zobayan, 50.

A public memorial service for the Bryants will be held Feb. 24 at Staples Center, beginning at 10 a.m. PT.

While the date -- 2/24 -- conveniently falls between two Lakers' home games, it still could have been chosen symbolically. Gianna -- one Kobe and Vanessa' four daughters -- wore No. 2 on her basketball jersey while Kobe was No. 24 for part of his 20-year-tenure with the Lakers, and his retired jerseys -- he also wore No. 8 -- hang at Staples Center.

The Los Angeles Times reported that "entry is expected to be severely restricted" at the venue despite Staples Center's capacity of about 20,000.

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