World Hockey League Semi-final: Jasjit double sinks Malaysia, India enter last four

July 2, 2015

Antwerp, Jul 2: Jasjit Singh Kular converted two penalty corners in the final quarter to send India to the last four stage of the Hockey World League (HWL) Semi-Final as the 2014 Asian Games champions overcame a fighting Malaysia with a 3-2 victory in the quarter-final here on Wednesday.

World Hockey League

Satbir Singh gave world No.9 India the lead in the 15th minute but world No.12 Malaysia scored from skipper Razie Rahim (15th) and Shahril Saabah (23rd) to go ahead, before Jasjit scored twice (49th and 56th) to secure victory for his side at the Brasschaat Municipal Park.

India, who have already qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics, will meet the winner between hosts Belgium and France in the semi-final. World No.1 Australia thrashed Ireland 4-1 to set up a semi-final against England, who got the better of Pakistan 2-1 in the earlier matches held on the day. With this loss, four-time four-time World Cup winners Pakistan have failed to qualify for the Olympic Games.

The game between India and Malaysia opened up on a breakneck speed as the two teams, with counter-attacking game, showed their intent from the beginning.

India grabbed the first opportunity in the third minute as Akashdeep Singh ran down to from the right of the Malaysian circle and dodged two markers before passing it to Satbir, who deflected the ball home to make it 1-0.

One minute later, Akashdeep got a brilliant chance to make it 2-0 as he was one-on-one with rival goalkeeper Roslan Jamaluddin but the Indian fired it over of the post.

Without wasting any moment, Malaysia were rewarded with a penalty corner following a pacy counter-attack, only for skipper Rahim to waste it.

Both the goalkeepers P.R. Sreejesh and Roslan had a tough day as their teams went on the offensive.

Malaysia seemed better in the last five minutes of the first quarter and got their equaliser in the 15th minute as Azuna Hasan hit the ball on the foot of India's Birendra Lakra, allowing a penalty corner. Skipper Rahim made amends for his earlier mistake and fired a grounder to the right corner of the post.

As soon as the second quarter began, Malaysia absorbed the pressure exerted by India and dominated the midfield. They showed more pace and energy as compared to the Indians and that bore fruit in the form of a 2-1 lead in the 23rd minute.

Off a penalty corner, Rahim played a dummy to Saabah, who managed to beat through Sreejesh's legs in a rare mistake from the Indian vice-captain.

India responded with much more firepower. However, they failed to make the most of two penalty corners following their directionless efforts.

Skipper Rahim had avery good day as he led the Malaysian defence that held firm against the likes of Nikkin Thimmiah, Devindar Walmiki, Satbir and Dharamvir Singh.

Trailing 1-2, India went on the attack from the start of the final quarter of 15 minutes. Lakra made a very good run form the right and passed it on to winger Gurbaj Singh, who found a foot of a Malaysia defender, earning a penalty corner in the 49th minute.

Jasjit flicked high into the net to make it 2-2 in the second chance following a messy defending on the first from the Malaysians.

After India levelled themselves, the 2014 Asian Games champions upped the ante and were rewarded with a penalty corner. Jasjit fired a booming flick into the net to give the 3-2 lead for India in the 56th minute. And later Sreejesh was tested fiercely but the Indian custodian came out on top to take India to the semi-final.

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News Network
June 10,2020

Kingston, Jun 10: "Enough is enough", said West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo as he opened up on the raging issue of racism and called for "respect and equality" for black people, who have faced discrimination for years.

Bravo joined the likes of his former captain Darren Sammy and Chris Gayle in denouncing racism in the wake of African-American George Floyd's killing at the hands of a white police officer in the USA.

"It's sad to see what's going on around the world. As a black man, we know the history of what black people have been through. We never ask for revenge, we ask for equality and respect. That's it," Bravo told former Zimbabwe cricketer Pommie Mbangwa in an Instagram live chat on Tuesday.

"We give respect to others. Why is it that we are facing this over and over? Now enough is enough. We just want equality. We don't want revenge, war.

"We just want respect. We share love and appreciate people for who they are. That's what is most important."

The 36-year-old, who has played 40 Tests, 164 ODIs and 71 T20Is for West Indies, said he wants the world to know that they are powerful and beautiful people and gave the example of greats such as Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan.

"I just want our brothers and sisters to know that we are powerful and beautiful. And at the end of the day, you look at some of the greats of the world, whether it is Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan we have had leaders who paved the way for us," he said.

Two-time T20 World Cup-winning captain Sammy had earlier alleged that a racist nickname was used to address him during his IPL stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad and demanded an apology.

Sammy said he was called 'Kalu' while he was in India. 'Kalu' is a derogatory word to describe black people.

Gayle, who too plays in the IPL, took to Twitter to back Sammy, saying that racism does exist in cricket.

"It's never too late to fight for the right cause or what you've experienced over the years! So much more to your story, @darensammy88. Like I said, it's in the game!!," Gayle tweeted.

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Agencies
January 9,2020

Atlanta, Jan 9: Top tennis stars like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams will be playing an exhibition match to raise funds for Australia's bushfire relief.

Apart from these three, Naomi Osaka, Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas have also confirmed their availability for the match, CNN reported.

The match will be played on January 15 at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena. The Australian Open Rally for Relief will be donating the proceedings from the ticket sales to the bushfire relief efforts.

Tennis star Maria Sharapova had also announced on Wednesday that she had left 10 signed pairs of her tennis shoes in her Brisbane hotel that members of the public could buy with a donation to the Australian Red Cross.

"Brisbane, I have signed ten pairs of my tennis shoes, left them at the @BrisbaneTennis
desk at the Westin Hotel, alongside a donation envelope for fire rescue efforts.They're yours to keep,we just ask you to donate AUD 300 a pair. All money going directly to Red Cross," Sharapova tweeted.

Earlier, former Australian spinner Shane Warne on Monday had announced to auction his Baggy Green cap to raise funds for victims of devastating bushfires in Australia.

Taking to Twitter, Warne made the announcement and posted a statement.

"The horrific bushfires in Australia have left us all in disbelief. The impact these devastating fires are having on so many people is unthinkable and has touched us all. Lives have been lost, homes have been destroyed and over 500 million animals have died too," Warne wrote.

"Everyone is in this together and we continue to find ways to contribute and help on a daily basis. This has led me to auction my beloved baggy green cap (350) that I wore throughout my Test career," he added.

Warne joined a growing list of cricketers to raise money for the bushfire victims. Australian players Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell and D'Arcy Short have already announced that they will donate AUD 250 each for every six they hit in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) to support bushfire victims.

Athletes from other sports too joined the movement as tennis stars Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic decided to donate 25,000 dollars each for Australia's bushfire relief fund.

Wildfires have been raging across Australia for months, killing 23 people, burning about 6 million hectares (23,000 square miles) of bushland and killing a billion animals.

Naval and air rescue operations were launched on Friday as mass evacuations of towns at risk of being engulfed by flames got underway.b

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Agencies
February 4,2020

Potchefstroom, Feb 4: Yashasvi Jaiswal and Divyaansh Saxena guided India to a comfortable ten wickets win over Pakistan in the ICC U19 World Cup semifinal at Senwes Park on Tuesday and progressed to the final of the tournament.

Chasing 173, Indian openers Jaiswal and Saxena played cautiously and stitched an unbeaten partnership of 176 runs.

The duo built the highest opening partnership of the tournament's history. Jaiswal, the left-handed batsman, scored his maiden century of the tournament as he amassed unbeaten 105 runs studded with eight fours and four sixes.

Saxena scored 59* off 99 balls including six fours. India chased down the total in 35.2 overs. This is the first time in the history of the U19 World Cup that a team won a knockout match by ten wickets.

Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat.

Opener Haider Ali and skipper Rohail Nazir's half-centuries guided the side to a respectable total of 172. Ali played a knock of 56 runs while Nazir accumulated 62 runs including six boundaries.

Pakistan did not have a good start as they lost Mohammad Hurair (4) in the second over. Fahad Munir, came to bat at number three, failed to score a single run and was departed by Ravi Bishnoi on a duck in ninth over.

Apart from Ali and Nazir, Mohammad Haris was the only batsman to score runs in double digits. He played an innings of 21 runs off 15 balls. Indian bowlers showed a spirited performance as they bowled out arch-rival in 43.1 overs.

Pacers Karthik Tyagi and Sushant Mishra bagged two and three wickets respectively. Spinner Ravi Bishnoi clinched two scalps and conceded 46 runs in his ten overs.

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