Rio Olympics: PV Sindhu creates history, Aditi Ashok on course

August 19, 2016

New Delhi, Aug 19: 24 hours after wrestler Sakshi Malik ended India's excruciating wait at the Rio Olympics by winning a bronze, shuttler PV Sindhu+ extended her terrific form at the ongoing Games by outclassing world no 6 Japanese Nozomi Okuhara in the women's singles semi-finals to seal country's second medal on Thursday.

sindu

At the Olympic Golf Course, 18-year-old Aditi Ashok+ has continued her solid performance in the second round, finishing tied 8th after another 3 under par 68.

Sindhu has a chance at becoming the second ever individual gold medalist from India if she manages to topple world no 1 Carolina Marin in the summit clash, who has been in sublime touch herself.

Exploiting her height-advantage to the hilt, the 21-year-old Indian unleashed a deadly combination of back flips and cross-court smashes over the diminutive Okuhara to which she had no answer. In fact, Sindhu began tentatively in the first game which also happened to be the phase when the semi-final looked to be a close affair. However, as the match progressed, Sindhu steadily improved to eventually win 21-19.

Sindhu was down 3-5 initially in the second game but egged on by a vociferous support from the partisan crowd, that kept chanting her name; she gathered her wits to draw level at 5-5 and then quickly opened up a lead at 7-6. It was a seesaw affair but then Sindhu ran away with the game and the match, outclassing Okuhara in a dominating fashion as clearly suggested by the scoreline of 21-10.

Sindhu became the first shuttler from India to make it to the final of the event in Olympics and if her form is any indication, she is well set to give Spaniard Marin a tough fight in the gold medal match scheduled for Friday (18:55 IST).

Earlier in the day, wrestler Babita Kumari+ lost her opening bout in women's 53kg category 1-5 against Maria Prevolaraki of Greece.

Babita, a former world championship bronze medalist, lost after Prevolaraki managed to successfully wriggle out of her leg holds in both the periods to take lead. The only point that the 26-year-old Indian secured was due to the 30-second passivity rule.

Later on when Prevolaraki lost in her next round, it also ended Babita's hopes of winning a bronze via repechage. With her exit, curtains were drawn on Indian campaign in women wrestling.

Parallel to the hoopla surrounding Sindhu's historic achievement, another Indian athlete was slowly plotting her way to a potential Olympic medal.

Golfer Aditi has raised hopes as she stands just four strokes off the pace at tied 8th after the second round of the women's individual event.

Only four strokes separate Aditi, the youngest in the field, from the leader Inbee Park of Korea after she fired a second successive three-under 68 on Thursday.

Aditi (68-68) is tied 8th with five others.

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News Network
April 5,2020

New Delhi, April 5: England batsman James Vince lashed out at people for not taking proper measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and said people are going out as if "everything is normal".

"Just seen the pictures of people out and about today as if everything is normal. What selfish people, surely by now they've realised this is serious. Well done to everyone who's doing their bit and staying in," Vince tweeted.

On March 13, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said that Europe was now the 'epicentre' of the disease.

The death toll due to the novel coronavirus in the UK has exceeded 4,313 with at least 708 new deaths in the last 24 hours, the largest one-day rise since the start of the outbreak as confirmed by the Department of Health and Social Care.

The total number of cases in the UK as on Saturday is 41,903, a rise of 3,735 cases in the last 24 hours.

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News Network
January 13,2020

Mumbai, Jan 13: India spearhead Jasprit Bumrah on Sunday headlined the BCCI Annual Awards function, grabbing the prestigious Polly Umrigar award apart from annexing the Dilip Sardesai honour for his exploits in international cricket in the 2018-19 season.

Polly Umrigar award is presented to the best male International cricketer and it carries a citation, trophy and cheque for Rs. 15 lakh.

Dilip Sardesai award is conferred on both the highest wicket-taker and highest run-getter in Test cricket. Bumrah took 34 wickets in six matches with three five-wicket hauls.

Prolific Saurashtra batsman Chetshwar Pujara was picked for the honour for scoring 677 runs in 8 matches at an average of 52.07 with three centuries and two half centuries.

Bumrah, the world's number ODI bowler made his Test debut during India's tour of South Africa in January 2018 and hasn't looked back since.

He picked up a five-wicket haul in South Africa, England, Australia and the West Indies, becoming the first and only Asian bowler to achieve the feat.

He played a stellar role in the historic 2-1 Test series win in Australia, India's first Down Under and which helped them retain the Border Gavaskar Trophy.

While Bumrah netted the biggest prize in the men's category, Poonam Yadav claimed the top prize in women's section and was awarded the best international cricketer.

The award will be another feather in the leg-spinner's cap who recently received the Arjuna Award.

Former India captains Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Anjum Chopra were presented the Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award and the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for women respectively.

A member of the 1983 World Cup-winning team, Srikkanth took on the fearsome West Indies fast bowlers and scored an attacking 38, the top individual score in the low-scoring final at the Lord's.

He also captained India and post-retirement served as the chief selector and it was during his tenure that the 2011 World Cup squad was picked.

Anjum is one of the finest batswomen and the first Indian to play 100 ODIs. In a career spanning 17 years, Anjum represented India in four 50-over World Cups and two T20 World Cup (played in one).

Mayank Agarwal, who emerged as an impact batsman starting with his debut series in Australia in 2018-19, received the best international debut in men's category while talented 15-year-old Shafali Verma grabbed the same in the women's category.

Mumbai all-rounder Shivam Dube, who impressed in the recently concluded T20 series against Sri Lanka, was presented the Lala Amarnath Award for the best all-rounder in the Ranji Trophy while Delhi's Nitish Rana received the same for doing well in the limited overs competition.

India's middle-order batsmwoman Deepti Sharma received the Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for best woman cricketer in senior domestic circuit while Shafali was picked for honour in the junior category.

Virender Sharma was adjudged the best umpire in domestic cricket while Vidarbha Cricket Association were presented the best performance award in domestic cricket for wining the Ranji Trophy.

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said, “The BCCI Awards is our way of recognising the finest on-field performances right from the age group to senior level and also honour our legends.”

Board secretary Jay Shah said, “We wanted to make Naman bigger and better and have introduced four new categories highest run-getter and wicket-takers in WODIs and best international debut men and women from this year.”

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Agencies
June 8,2020

New Delhi, Jun 8: Indian pacer S Sreesanth has slammed England all-rounder Ben Stokes for questioning MS Dhoni's intent during a World Cup match, saying that the former captain will end Stokes' career.

Stokes in his book titled 'On Fire' had questioned Dhoni's intent during India's 31-run defeat at the hands of England in the premier tournament last year.

"For Ben Stokes, I will only say that you should pray that Dhoni does not play against you in the future. Dhoni does not forget things easily," Sreesanth said during a Live session on Helo.

"I wish Stokes all the best for whenever he faces Dhoni again, be it IPL or an England vs India match. You must be earning in millions now, Dhoni Bhai will end your career. Dhoni will strike the ball everywhere and he (Stokes) can never dismiss Dhoni. Before he (Stokes) opens his mouth, he should make sure to wear a helmet," he added.

Former West Indies pacer Michael Holding had also come out in support of Dhoni and said that the wicket-keeper batsman wanted to win the match against England.

"Well, people will write anything in books these days, because people are a lot more free with their opinions and when they are writing books, they need to be making headlines at times," Holding had said on his official YouTube channel.

"...It was not the game that India had to win, but I don't think anyone can say that was a team tactic to lose the game. I watched that game and it appeared to me as if India weren't putting up their 100 percent, but I realised it was not the case when the expression on MS Dhoni's face told me that he desperately wanted to win, so I do not think it was a team decision to not try to win," he had added.

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