Vijender Singh offers to return title, wants peace with China

Agencies
August 6, 2017

Mumbai, Aug 6: Boxer, Vijender Singh has offered to return his WBO Oriental Super Middleweight title to Chinese Zulpikar Maimaitiali in lieu of peace at the Indo-China border.

Vijender, a double champion in pro boxing, has urged India and China to maintain peace at the border.

The 31-year-old Olympic bronze medallist grew in stature last night by not just outslugging Maimaitiali in a close bout to annex the dual WBO Asia Pacific Super Middleweight and WBO Oriental Super Middleweight title, but by also urging for peace.

"To India-China friendship (I dedicate my title), because the tension on the border is not good because I see on social media, news, it keeps getting on and on and that's not good. I give this title to people, peace, it's all about friendship, Hindi-Chini bhai bhai," Vijender said during a media interaction.

Vijender's comments came in the backdrop of the stand-off between India and China.

He won the thrilling 10-round bout by one of the closest unanimous decisions 96-93 95-94 95-94 to maintain his unbeaten streak at the professional boxing.The bonhomie between the two boxers was evident as Zulpikar hugged Vijender and made him wear his cap. Vijender also returned the gesture by offering his belt to the Chinese boxer.

Vijender said, "He (Zulpikar) gave me that cap, he said I asked him for the cap and he gave it to me, I simply gave him the belt but he couldn't understand it."The Beijing Games bronze medallist admitted that he did not expect the fight to go down the wire.

"The fight was really good, I didn't expect (it will go all the way), it was 10 rounds, at times the Chinese products last a little long, it was an amazing fight and fun! The fight was tough and a lot of blood oozed out, but finally win was ours, it was nice," he said.

During the fight, the southpaw hit Vijender below the belt and the Indian said that he was disturbed by it.

"As you have seen, 3-4 times he (Zulpikar) hit below the belt and that disturbed me, that was a foul and the refree gave him a warning.

"It's painful and it disturbed your game, you have planned in the mind and when you get that kind of below the belt punches, that distracts you. He is young kid, strong kid, but it's all about winning," said Vijender, who was floored on numerous occasions.

Asked if he was confident of winning, the Indian said, "I am a positive person and I never think of losing, it's all about scoring and rounds, the first six rounds were so good, my coach (Lee Beard) was saying it's going round to round and winning every round (was important)."

Vijender also said he wants to challenge for the world championship soon."Just pray for me, one day I will be a world champion. I would like to thank everyone who came for this fight. It was great to see you all," he signed off.

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News Network
April 4,2020

New Delhi, April 4: India skipper Virat Kohli has said that the 2014 Test series against England was the lowest point of his career.

He made the revelation during a candid Instagram Live session with former England batsman Kevin Pietersen.

To date, the 2014 Test series in England remains one of the worst Test series for Kohli as he averaged just 13.40 from 10 ten innings with his highest score being 39.

"I felt like as a batsman, you know you are going to get out in the morning as soon as you wake up. That was the time I felt like that there is no chance I am getting runs. And still to get out of bed and just get dressed for the game and to go out there and go through that, knowing that you will fail, was something that ate me up," Kohli told Pietersen.

However, just four years later, Kohli made a triumphant return to England as he scored a century in the opening Test of the 2018 series and finished as the highest run-getter in the series.

Kohli told Pietersen that the performance in 2014 came because he was just thinking about his own batting.

"2014 series happened, for all the younger guys listening, because I was too focused on doing well from a personal point of view. I wanted to get runs. I could never think of what does the team want me to do in this situation," Kohli said.

"I just got too engulfed with England tour - if I perform here, Test cricket, in my mind I am going to feel established and all that crap on the outside, which is not important at all," he added.
During the chat, Kohli talked about his favourite format in cricket and he also revealed the main reason for turning into a vegan.

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Agencies
January 14,2020

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News Network
March 2,2020

Mar 2: Indian captain Virat Kohli was left frustrated and deflated as New Zealand won the second Test inside three days in Christchurch on Monday to sweep the series.

India started the day at 90 for six and were all out for 124, before New Zealand chased down the required 132 to win for the loss of three wickets in 36 overs.

It ended a disappointing tour for India and Kohli as New Zealand, who won the first Test by 10 wickets early on day four, wrapped up the series with ease.

New Zealand are now unbeaten in their last 13 home Tests, winning nine of them, and in the past decade their record as hosts is played 39, won 20, drawn 13 and lost five.

In the latest series, on traditional New Zealand green wickets, India managed scores of 165, 191, 242 and 124, reflecting the low contributions from Kohli of 2, 19, 3 and 14.

Kohli came to New Zealand as the world's top Test batsman and oozing charm as he described New Zealand as the “nice guys” of cricket.

But during the series he lost his top ranking to Australian Steve Smith and when Kane Williamson went for three in the first innings of the second Test the pressure showed when he gave the New Zealand skipper a very animated send-off.

There was further evidence of frustration when he was caught on camera yelling an obscenity at a group of New Zealand supporters on Sunday.

The end came quickly for India on day three as Tim Southee and Trent Boult tormented the batsmen with their variety of inswing and outswing deliveries targeting both sides of the stumps.

Hanuma Vihari was the first to fall, in Southee's second over, when he turned a legside delivery too fine and was caught by BJ Watling diving to his left.

Five balls later and with no addition to the score, India's other overnight batsman Rishabh Pant was caught behind off a Boult delivery that swung away.

Mohammed Shami was caught for five by Tom Blundell at deep mid-wicket and Jasprit Bumrah was run out when trying to give the strike to Ravindra Jadeja, who was unbeaten on 16.

Boult and Southee signed for most of the dismissals with Boult taking four for 28 and Southee three for 36. The swing pair accounted for 25 of the 40 Indian wickets in the series.

There was enough seam and swing available for India to keep the New Zealand batsmen guessing but Bumrah and Umesh Yadav were unable to apply consistent pressure and Mohammed Shami was troubled by a sore shoulder.

New Zealand coasted through a century opening stand by Tom Latham and Blundell before losing three quick wickets.

Latham notched his 18th half-century and second of the Test before he was caught behind off Yadav for 52, Kane Williamson had a short stay for five, and Blundell went for 55.

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