Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: India eye on final berth as they take on Malaysia in last league tie

April 14, 2016

Ipoh (Malaysia), Apr 14: The loss to New Zealand complicating matters for them, an inconsistent India will take on Malaysia in a do-or-die battle to secure a final berth in their final league fixture of the 25th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament here on Friday.

Sultan

India, who have been unimpressive so far except for the 5-1 victory over arch-rivals Pakistan, need to pull off a victory against Malaysia tomorrow to ensure their place in the final match of the tournament, which they have won five times and were bronze medallists last year.

World champions Australia have already qualified for the final to be played on Saturday with 15 points from five successive wins. India have had an edge in past encounters against Malaysia, who will, however, draw inspiration from their 3-2 win over the Asian Games champions during last year's Sultan Azlan Shah Cup at the same venue.

In the last meeting between these two teams, India shattered Malaysia's hopes of qualifying for the Olympic Games by winning 3-2 in last year's World League Semifinals at Antwerp (Belgium).

Avenging that loss will be on Malaysia's mind, although they have faint hopes of qualifying for the final after being held to a draw by Canada two days ago. The hosts need to defeat India by seven goals to earn a place in the final. A victory over India will enable Malaysia to equal New Zealand's points tally as well as the goal-difference, but the home team will be ahead in goals scored. Otherwise, they can only aspire for a bronze medal.

The tussle for the second spot in the league standings, which will earn a title encounter with Australia, is between India and defending champions New Zealand.

New Zealand, after their 2-1 victory over India, moved into the second place as they finished their six league outings with 11 points, while India are on nine points from five matches.

India's task of clinching a place in the title match is simpler. They just need a victory to finish above New Zealand, who will then have to play for the bronze medal. India raised the level of their game to post a 5-1 victory over Pakistan on Tuesday, but their performance slackened a bit the following day against New Zealand as they lost 1-2 in extremely hot and humid afternoon conditions.

A victory against New Zealand would have secured India a place in the title round with a league game to spare and a livid head coach Roelant Oltmans made no bones about his wards' poor show against the Black Sticks.

"We're keen to make the final, but for getting there we need to produce a good game of hockey against Malaysia tomorrow," said Oltmans.

"Malaysia have exhibited some good hockey, but were unlucky not to get better results," said Oltmans.

Malaysian coach Stephen van Huizen has concerns about injuries sustained by his captain Razie Rahim whose penalty corner conversions have been a key element in Malaysia's good show.

Rahim needed stitches on his lips after Tuesday's match against Canada. The following day, he received a stinging blow on the hand as he brought off a desperate save in the last quarter of the match against Pakistan which the home side won 1-0.

Rahim played a gallant game for Malaysia as they hung on to the fourth-minute lead provided by himself. Van Huizen extolled his team to come out and produce a outstanding show in the last league outing against India tomorrow.

"We'll give it our best and only then look at where we finish," said van Huizen, who conceded that Malaysia did not have very good prospects of qualifying for the final. "We're still a long way off being among the top teams, but we aspire for a sound show against them," said the Malaysia coach.

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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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Agencies
April 12,2020

London, Apr 12: Former Formula 1 legendary driver Stirling Moss died at the age of 90 on Sunday.

"All at F1 send our heartfelt condolences to Lady Susie and Sir Stirling's family and friends," Formula 1 said in a statement.

Often referred to as the greatest driver never to win the world championship, Moss contested 66 Grands Prix from 1951 to 1961, driving for the likes of Vanwall, Maserati and Mercedes, where he famously formed a contented and ruthlessly effective partnership with lead driver Juan Manuel Fangio.

In his 10-year-long stint at the tracks, Moss took 16 wins, some of which rank among the truly iconic drives in the sport's history - his 1961 victories in Monaco and Germany in particular often held up as all-time classics.

Moss won the 1955 Mille Miglia on public roads for Mercedes at an average speed of close to 100mph, while he also competed in rallies and land-speed attempts.

Following an enforced retirement from racing (barring a brief comeback in saloon cars in the 1980s) after a major crash at Goodwood in 1962, Moss maintained a presence in Formula 1 as both a sports correspondent and an interested observer, before retiring from public life in January of 2018.

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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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