Kabaddi World Cup: India outclass Bangla; Iran edge Kenya

October 12, 2016

Ahmedabad, Oct 12: India needed to make a statement and they did it in style as they battered Bangladesh with ease in their Group ‘A’ Kabaddi World Cup encounter here.

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It was a dominant team performance with India living up to their favourites’ tag.

In a must-win crucial encounter, India maintained their reputation to beat Bangladesh 57-20.

Ajay Thakur scored 10 points for India after coming on as a substitute whereas Pardeep Narwal led India’s charge in the first half and ended with eight points.

India have got their World Cup campaign firmly back on track after suffering a setback in the opening encounter against Republic of Korea.

This was a stern test for India but they showed their class and brushed away a good Ban¬gladesh side with relative ease.

The host nation’s defence put on a tremendous show as they kept the Bangladesh raiders in their pocket for most of the match.

Pardeep got the first points for India with a raid in the third minute and Sandeep Narwal followed it with a tackle to give India 2-1 lead. India led 4-2 in the sixth minute with captain Anup Kumar scoring a bonus and tackle point. Bangladesh’s Firdaus Sheikh was in good form early in the match as he made four tackle points with score level at 4-4 after six minutes.

India came strongly to score four points in a row to lead 8-4 after nine minutes with defence doing a fine job. Pardeep scored his fourth raid point in the 10th minute as India inflicted an all out to lead 13-4. Bangladesh got their first raid point in the 12th minute as they trailed 5-14.

Pardeep was in superb form in the first half and scored his seventh raid point to give India 17-6 lead.

Thakur came on as a substitute to score five points as India led 21-8 after 17 minutes. India inflicted the second all out in the 18 th minute to take a commanding 24-9 lead.

India led 27-10 at the end of the first half as the attack and defence worked well in tandem to put on a solid performance.

Both teams exchanged a raid point each at the start of the second half as India led 28-11.
India used the opportunity to test their bench strength in the second half and got Surender Nada and Nitin Tomar.

In the Group ‘B’?fixture of the night, Iran edged past Kenya 33-28 in what was a closely fought game.

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Agencies
August 2,2020

New Delhi, Aug 2: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly on Sunday said the Women's IPL or the Challenger series, as it is better known, is "very much on", ending speculation about the parent body not having a plan for Harmanpreet Kaur and her team.

The men's IPL will be held between September 19 and November 8 or 10 (final date yet to be locked in) in the UAE due to the surge in Covid-19 cases in India. The women's IPL will also be fit in to the schedule, according to the BCCI chief.

"I can confirm to you that the women's IPL is very much on and we do have a plan in place for the national team also," Ganguly told PTI ahead of the IPL Governing Council meeting later on Sunday.

The BCCI president, who is awaiting a Supreme Court verdict on waiver of the cooling-off period to continue in the position, did not divulge details but another senior official privy to the development said that women's Challenger will be held during the last phase of IPL like last year.

"The women's Challenger series is likely to be held between November 1-10 and there could be a camp before that," the source said.

The former India captain also said that the centrally contracted women players will have a camp which has been delayed due to the prevailing situation in the country.

"We couldn't have exposed any of our cricketers -- be it male or female to health risk. It would have been dangerous," Ganguly said.

"The NCA also remained shut because of Covid-19. But we have a plan in place and we will have a camp for women, I can tell you that," he added.

The BCCI's cricket operations team is chalking up a schedule where Indian women are likely to have two full-fledged white-ball series against South Africa and the West Indies before playing the ODI World Cup in New Zealand. 

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March 7,2020

Melbourne, Mar 7: He will be supporting Australia for sure but former pacer Brett Lee feels an Indian victory in Sunday's T20 Word Cup final could be a "start of a major breakthrough" for the women's game in the cricket-mad country.

India and Australia will lock horns in what is expected to be a blockbuster title clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

"As an Australian, I'd love nothing more than for (Meg) Lanning's team to do the job. But if India were to win the World Cup for the first time, victory would do so much for women's cricket in a country that already adores the sport," Lee wrote in an ICC column.

"This could be the start of a major breakthrough, particularly with the amount of talent that is coming through."

The former speedster said Australia will have to look for ways to counter the in-form 16-year-old Shafali Verma.

"In Shafali Verma, India boast one of the most talented players in the world and you feel that for Australia to win the game, dismissing her will likely be their first job.

"I've been so impressed with the opener - it's staggering to believe she's only 16 with the confidence she has in her own ability and the way she strikes the ball so cleanly.

"She's such good fun to watch and I'm not sure the women's game has seen anyone like her for such a long time."

Shafali has been the star of the tournament, having amassed 161 runs at a strike rate of 161, consistently providing India solid starts, and that was not lost on Lee.

"To be the world's best T20 batter already shows just how far she has progressed in such a short space of time and the experience in this tournament will hold her in good stead for years to come.

"Even with the way she's played in Australia and her fearless brand of cricket, you still get the feeling she has more to come as well."

He reckoned Shafali may have another big score awaiting her.

"She's got a big score in her locker and there's probably no better place to do that than the MCG. Shafali is already a record breaker but if she can steer her side to their first Women's T20 World Cup title at just 16, then the sky really is the limit for her career."

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Agencies
August 5,2020

New Delhi, Aug 5: Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Harmanpreet Kaur were on Wednesday appointed as the global brand ambassadors of the WTF Sports.

Raina is also joining the brand as a Strategic Partner. WTF Sports, a fantasy sports gaming platform, was today formally launched in India and globally.

The announcement was made through a web conference with prominent cricket host, Vikram Sathaye moderating and hosting the webinar and Vinit Bhatia, Manit Parikh and Yash Kadakia Co-Founders - India and Global, WTF Sports introducing the cricketers as the Global Brand Ambassadors.

Kaur said it was a perfect fit for her and she can use her strategy and experience while playing.
"WTF Sports was the perfect fit with me, I can use strategy and my experience while playing, I've actually learnt to strategize better as I've played along. Additionally, when we were under lockdown and I couldn't really practice, it was fun to come on the platform and feel like I'm still playing," Kaur said in a statement.

On the other hand, Raina said, "It is exciting to be a part of a fantasy sports platform like WTF Sports not just as an ambassador but also as the strategic partner, it is everything that I embody and what I believe in, it's fierce, fun and competitive."

The app currently hosts three major sports, multiple playing modes, and exciting contests, ensuring that sports fans can get more skillful by letting them strategize and use their sports knowledge into rewarding behaviour.

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