Day: December 17, 2021

17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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ISL: NorthEast United stun SC East Bengal to register their second win this season | Football News – Times of India

The first half of the Indian Super League match in Fatorda on Friday saw a confident SC East Bengal, something that was rarely on display this season. But at the end of the second, their hopes for the first win had been crushed by coach Manuel Diaz’s tactical mistake and two strikes from NorthEast United in one of the Highlanders’ best 45 minutes of the season so far. After completely being out-powered by SCEB in the first half where both teams lacked finishing in the attacking third, NEUFC came back a different team in the second – pressing up and creating chances. The change in tempo began to put the SCEB defence in trouble for the first time in the match. And it was not long before it yielded results. In the 61st minute, the SCEB defence failed to clear the ball out of the box from a...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Ex-South Africa captain Graeme Smith rejects charges of racism | Cricket News – Times of India

JOHANNESBURG: Graeme Smith, South Africa's director of cricket and former Test captain, has hit back through his lawyer at accusations of racial prejudice contained in a report by an ombudsman. David Becker, former International Cricket Council head of legal and Smith's personal lawyer, issued a statement on Friday in which he disputed findings by Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza, who headed a Social Justice and Nation Building Commission (SJN) to investigate allegations of racial discrimination in South African cricket. In a report issued on Wednesday, Ntsebeza found that Smith "failed to rebut the presumption of unfair discrimination" in appointing former Test wicketkeeper and long-time team-mate Boucher as head coach of the national team ahead of Enoch Nkwe, a black coach who served briefly ...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Premier League a ‘lottery’ as Covid cases run riot | Football News – Times of India

LONDON: Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard revealed there is "constant paraonia" over the status of his players after a glut of Premier League postponements due to coronavirus outbreaks. Five of the previously scheduled 10 matches due to take place on Saturday and Sunday have been called off, taking the total number of postponed top-flight fixtures over the past week to nine. Villa's clash with Burnley is still set to go ahead, but Gerrard admitted that could quickly change after two matches this week were postponed just hours before kick-off. "There's certainly a constant paranoia. The testing process has gone on every day and the PCR tests are twice a week. Even now we are playing in 24 hours, I have a team I want to play but it could change," said Gerrard. "I'm actually scared to loo...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Wrestling federation chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh loses cool, slaps wrestler in public | More sports News – Times of India

RANCHI (Jharkhand): Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, the president of the Wrestling Federation of India, landed in an awkward situation on Friday when he slapped a wrestler from Uttar Pradesh on the stage during the first round of the Under-15 National Wrestling Championship at Shaheed Ganpat Rai Indoor Stadium. Many wrestlers from other states including Uttar Pradesh protested strongly and demanded an apology from the WFI president. However, Jharkhand Wrestling Association president Bholanath Singh and others intervened and pacified the matter. During the age verification, a wrestler from Uttar Pradesh was found to be above 15 years of age. He was stopped from participating in the competition. However, the wrestler first lodged a complaint and then stepped onto the stage and started arguing w...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Inter Milan terminate Christian Eriksen contract | Football News – Times of India

Inter Milan have terminated midfielder Christian Eriksen's contract, the Italian Serie A club said on Friday, after the Denmark international was suspended from playing in Italy because of his cardiac device implant. Eriksen, 29, has not played since suffering a cardiac arrest during Denmark's opening game of the European Championship against Finland in June and receiving life-saving treatment on the pitch. Inter said in October that the Italian medical authority had suspended Eriksen from playing in Serie A, due to a rule prohibiting the use of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) device. "FC Internazionale Milano announces that an agreement has been reached for the consensual termination of Christian Eriksen's contract," Inter said in a statement. "The club and the entire N...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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England fined eight WTC points for over-rate offence in Brisbane, not five: ICC | Cricket News – Times of India

DUBAI: England have been penalised eight World Test Championship penalty points and not five, as announced earlier, for maintaining a slow over rate in the first Test against Australia in Brisbane, the ICC clarified on Friday. The International Cricket Council had earlier announced that England were fined 100 per cent match fee and five WTC points for the over-rate offence in Brisbane last week. England were eight overs short (not 5 overs short as previously announced) but were only fined 100 per cent of their match fee due to the limit. England lose more ICC World Test Championship points 📉Details 👇— ICC (@ICC) 1639748398000"However, the points deduction for penalty overs is not capped and must reflect the actual number of penalty overs a team is short of the minimum requirement as per...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Badminton Worlds: Intriguing first-ever all-Indian semifinal

The chair umpire for Saturday’s Lakshya Sen vs Kidambi Srikanth semifinal ought to carry a fire extinguisher with him, climbing up his perch. Fires will be lit, flames will crackle at the net on Saturday as two of India’s pyrotechnicians of shuttle hover around the net to get the better of each other in a historic World Championship men’s singles showdown. India assured itself of a place in the Worlds final when Srikanth slashed a strikethrough on Mark Caljouw’s ambition in 26 minutes, winning 21-8, 21-7. Later, Lakshya Sen spent 67 minutes building up Chinese Zhao Jun Peng’s hopes, only to charge him at the net while saving and making good match points, and in between sending back an outrageously unbalanced down-the-line backhand winner for three highlights package points ...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Marnus Labuschagne plays down batting milestone | Cricket News – Times of India

ADELAIDE: Australia run-machine Marnus Labuschagne enjoys winning games for his team more than any personal milestone, the 27-year-old said after his sixth Test century consolidated their position in the second Ashes Test against England on Friday. South Africa-born Labuschagne top-scored for the dominant hosts with a patient 103 to help Australia post 473-9 before declaring their innings in the day-night contest. Labuschagne's current average of 62.48 is second only to legendary Don Bradman's benchmark of 99.94 among players who have batted in 20 innings or more. Currently number two in the official rankings for test batsmen, Labuschagne dismissed the compliment as if it were an England bowler. "It's the first I'd heard of it," he said. "A couple of nick offs and you are right down the...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Rohit Sharma gives pep talk to India U-19 squad as he undergoes rehab at NCA with Ravindra Jadeja | Cricket News – Times of India

BENGALURU: The India U-19 squad on Friday got some "priceless lessons" from Rohit Sharma at the National Cricket Academy where the senior team's white-ball skipper is undergoing injury rehabilitation alongside teammate Ravindra Jadeja. Rohit, who has been ruled out of the upcoming Test series in South Africa due to a hamstring injury, gave a pep talk to the U-19 boys ahead of the Asian Cup beginning December 23 in the UAE. Rohit and Jadeja were seen at the NCA with India U-19 captain Yash Dhull in his social media posts. The BCCI also tweeted pictures of Rohit's session with the squad. Rohit himself played at U-19 level back in 2006. "TeamIndia white-ball captain @ImRo45 made most of his rehab time as he addressed India's U19 team during their preparatory camp at the NCA in Bengaluru," ...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Ben Stokes loving being back and ready to score big in Ashes | Cricket News – Times of India

ADELAIDE (Australia): Ben Stokes told England fans that "we don't believe we're beaten" and said he felt ready for a big score with the bat, after another tough day at the Ashes on Friday. The visitors were forced to toil for 150 overs in the field over the past two days as Australia built an ominous 473 for nine in their first innings of the second Test at Adelaide. In reply, England were tottering on 17 for two after losing openers Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed cheaply. Star all-rounder Stokes said the tourists still hope to repay England's suffering supporters, who saw their side hammered by nine wickets in the first Test. "We're seeing a lot of support on social media from everyone back home in England and the guys supporting us out here in Australia as well have been absolutely phen...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Andy Flower appointed head coach of IPL’s Lucknow franchise | Cricket News – Times of India

KOLKATA: Former Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower was on Friday appointed as the head coach of the yet-to-be-named Lucknow franchise, which will make its debut in the 2022 Indian Premier League. Flower was working with Punjab Kings as assistant coach for the past two seasons. KL Rahul, who was Punjab's skipper for the last two seasons, is also expected to move to the Sanjiv Goenka-owned franchise. "I am incredibly excited to be joining the new Lucknow franchise and I am very grateful for the opportunity. Since my very first tour to India in 1993, I have always loved touring, playing and coaching in India," said Flower in a statement. "The passion for cricket in India is unrivalled and it is a real privilege to lead an IPL franchise and I am looking forward to working closely with Dr Goenka a...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Covid threatens to wreak havoc across global sports | More sports News – Times of India

PARIS: Just as global sports had rediscovered its brio and the welcome return to full stadia the Omicron coronavirus variant threatens to once again plunge it into chaos. Here's a look at the state of play in various sports across the globe: Premier LeagueBrentford manager Thomas Frank has called for a circuit break of the season as positive tests pile up across several clubs and it enters one of its most hectic spells of matches. Jurgen Klopp disagreed with him but with postponements increasing -- five of the matches due to be played on Saturday and Sunday have been called off -- the BBC reported Premier League clubs were due to meet on Monday to discuss the spiralling crisis. The biennial African football showpiece to be hosted in Cameroon in 2022 has already been postponed from this ...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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2nd Ashes Test: Australia remove openers to leave England in deep trouble | Cricket News – Times of India

ADELAIDE (Australia): England were battling to stay in the second Ashes Test on Friday after Australia removed both openers in a fiery spell under lights on day two to leave the visitors reeling. The home team declared their first innings on a commanding 473 for nine in Adelaide, leaving England to face a trying 40 minutes against a swinging pink ball. ScorecardThey didn't fare well with under-pressure Rory Burns lasting just three balls against a rampant Mitchell Starc, edging a rising delivery to Steve Smith at second slip after making just four. Haseeb Hameed hung on slightly longer before Michael Neser, in for skipper Pat Cummins -- who pulled out of the Test at the last minute over a Covid scare -- bagged his maiden Test scalp. Hameed, on six, chipped to Starc at mid-on with Neser ...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Harmanpreet’s double strike hands India 3-1 win over Pakistan in ACT hockey, takes team closer to semis | Hockey News – Times of India

DHAKA: Vice-captain Harmanpreet Singh scored a brace as Olympic bronze-medallists India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan 3-1 to register their second consecutive win and virtually qualify for the semifinals of the Asian Champions Trophy men's hockey tournament here on Friday. Harmanpreet (8th, 53rd minutes) converted two penalty corners, while comeback-man Akashdeep Singh, who couldn't make the Tokyo Olympics squad, found the net from a field effort in the 42nd minute for his second goal of the tournament. Pakistan's lone goal was scored by Junaid Manzoor in the 45th minute. It was India's second win in the tournament after their 9-0 drubbing of hosts Bangladesh, while Pakistan are still winless, having drawn goal-less against Japan in their opening match. India had earlier drawn 2-2 again...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Former England defender cleared to play for Sierra Leone

Former England defender Steven Caulker has switched eligibility to represent Sierra Leone, FIFA said on Friday. Caulker, who has a grandparent from Sierra Leone, can now be selected for the African Cup of Nations. Caulker will turn 30 before the tournament starts on Jan. 9 in Cameroon. Sierra Leone is in a group with Algeria, Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea. He was with Tottenham when making his only appearance for England in November 2012, scoring in a 4-2 loss at Sweden. The game is best known for Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring his fourth goal with a long-distance overhead kick. Because that game was a friendly and Caulker never played in a competition game for England, FIFA rules let him switch eligibility to a country where he always had a family link. Caulker current...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Ajaz Patel’s 10-wicket ball will have ‘pride of place’ in MCA museum | Cricket News – Times of India

MUMBAI: Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president Vijay Patil has lauded New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel for donating his "10-wicket" ball for the upcoming MCA museum where it would duly be the "pride of the place". "What he (Ajaz Patel) achieved at the Wankhede stadium was something completely phenomenal. And the fact that he did at our iconic (Wankhede) stadium just gives us another memory to savour from his historic ground," Patil told PTI. Earlier this month, the Mumbai-born 33-year-old Ajaz, a left-arm spinner became only the third bowler in Test history to return a 10-for in an innings after Jim Laker (1956) and Anil Kumble (1999) and that too in the city of his birth. "And the fact that he traces his roots back to Mumbai made it extra special for us. "He was gracious, once the fe...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Ashes: Pat Cummins allowed to fly home after missing Adelaide Test | Cricket News – Times of India

ADELAIDE: Australia's regular Test skipper Pat Cummins has been allowed to return home in Sydney, the team said on Friday, after missing the ongoing second Ashes Test in Adelaide for being a close contact of a COVID-19 case. Cummins was ruled out hours before the start of the pink-ball Test against England after dining in the same restaurant as the positive case on Wednesday night. The 28-year old produced a negative Test result on Thursday and has been cleared by South Australia's SA Health to return home by a chartered flight, Cricket Australia said. "Under the plan approved by SA Health, he will self-drive from isolation and then, with the appropriate PPE and hygiene controls, take a single charter flight," the CA said. "Cricket Australia will continue to consult with SA Health to en...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Sachin Tendulkar thanks traffic cop for going beyond duty and saving his friend

Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar once again showed his human side as he met a traffic cop, who saved his friend after he had met with an accident and also thanked the entire community for going beyond their call of duty. The legendary right-handed batsman took to Twitter to laud the traffic cops and shared an elaborate note titled “The world is a beautiful place because of such people…”. “Few days ago, a close friend met with a serious accident. By God’s grace, she is better now. However, it was the timely help from a traffic cop, which made the difference,” Tendulkar wrote in the note. A heartfelt thanks to all those who go beyond the call of duty. pic.twitter.com/GXAofvLOHx — Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) December 17, 2021 “He immediately took her in an auto to a hospital a...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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India paddler Hansini Mathan Rajan beats Tokyo Olympics’ youngest athlete to win ITTF title | More sports News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: India's Hansini Mathan Rajan defeated Syria's Hend Zaza, the youngest athlete of this year's Tokyo Olympics, to win the girls singles event at the 2021 ITTF Hopes and Challenge table tennis tournament in Amman. Playing in the U-12 category, the reigning cadet national champion outplayed Zaza 11-6, 11-8, 6-11, 11-6 in the final played on December 14. Parth Prabhakar was India's entry in the boys singles event that was won by Iran's Komeil Niknejad Divshali. Hansini, who has stayed back in Amman for the camp organised by the Asian Table Tennis Union, said the final was her toughest match of the competition. "I knew my opponent had gone to the Olympics earlier this year, but I didn't think about that while playing her. There was no pressure and I just played my game," said the 1...

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17Dec By source belowNo Comments

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Anti-doping bill introduced in Lok Sabha

A bill which seeks to provide statutory framework for the functioning of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) besides strengthening measures to tackle drug abuse in Indian sports was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday. The bill was introduced by Sports Minister Anurag Thakur amid protests by the opposition over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. The bill is intended to provide a “statutory framework for the operation of the National Anti-Doping Agency, the National Dope Testing Laboratory and other dope testing laboratories and for creation of a National Board for Anti-Doping in Sports to strengthen anti-doping activities in sport.” The bill seeks to give NADA powers of “investigation, levying sanctions for Anti-Doping Rule Violations,...

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