August 24, 2023 – https://bhartiyanews24x7.com

24Aug

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Pragg loses to Carlsen, misses top chess title, but leaves his mark

R Praggnanandhaa’s dream run at the FIDE World Cup in Baku ended on Thursday, as World No. 1, Magnus Carlsen, defeated him 1.5-0.5 in the tiebreaker to lift the chess title.After the first two games in the classical format were drawn, Carlsen needed just two games in the shorter time control of 25 minutes in the tiebreaker to prevail on Thursday.Pragg, who turned 18 during the World Cup, is the youngest finalist ever. The teenager from Chennai, who was seeded 31, now also holds the distinction of being the lowest seed to make it to the final. Before he pushed Carlsen to the tiebreaker, Pragg ended the campaigns of World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura and World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana. He is now assured of a spot in the eight-man Candidates Tournament (which is held to find a challenger to the rei...

24Aug

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Belligerent Chirag dictates play as India’s top doubles pair inches closer to pinnacle

There’s a line in Avengers where Steve Rogers asks Loki: “What’s the matter, scared of a little lightning?” And the lord of mischief squirms: “I’m not overly fond of what follows.” Opponents of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have been experiencing Loki’s discomfiting wriggle quite a bit this season.Satwik’s lightning hammer of a racquet Mjolnir may or may not hit the target on the court, but the follow-up to his attack is invariably Chirag’s power play from the front of the net, like coming face to face with a booming Thor. In fact, like in the pre-quarters against Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin at the Copenhagen World Championships, beware of a rare Satwik mistake, for it almost always heralds a scything response from Chirag the immediate next point. The retort to con...

24Aug

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Despite defeat to Carlsen in Chess World Cup final, Pragg showed that the future could belong to him

Just a week before the start of the FIDE World Cup, R Praggnanandhaa’s coach RB Ramesh tweeted that the ‘Era of youngsters has begun’.A week into the tournament, four Indian youngsters, for the first time ever, made it to the quarterfinals of the tournament, and stunningly, Ramesh’s ward made it to the final. More importantly, he confirmed his spot in the eight-player Candidates Tournament, the winner of which gets to challenge current world champion Ding Liren.It’s not just that the 18-year-old Pragg reached the final against Magnus Carlsen — which he lost on Thursday — but also how he made it there. He outlasted World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura, fellow teen prodigy and compatriot Arjun Erigaisi, and World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana in tie-breakers to become the youngest World Cup finalist ever....

24Aug

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After Virat Kohli posts yo-yo test score on Instagram, BCCI asks players not to make ‘confidential matter’ public

A FEW hours after Virat Kohli posted his yo-yo test score on social media, the Indian team management asked its players to ‘avoid’ putting their fitness scores in the public domain. The message, it is learnt, came from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) bosses, who didn’t like their star player letting out what it considers confidential information. The Indian Express understands that all players who are undergoing the preparatory camp at Alur in Bangalore have been advised ‘verbally’ about the board’s view. “The happiness of finishing the Yo Yo test between the dreaded cones. 17.2 don.,” Kohli had posted on Instagram earlier on Thursday, However, the post didn’t amuse the board officials. “Players have been informed verbally to avoid posting any confidential matter on so...

24Aug

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Brazilian superstar Neymar could play in India | Football News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: If having Pele, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi was not enough, India could next host Brazilian superstar Neymar when his new club, Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal, visits the country to play against Mumbai FC in an AFC Champions League game.Mumbai FC players and coaching staff could not hide their excitement the moment the team drew Al Hilal on Thursday, realising that it could pave the way for them to rub shoulders with one of the world's best players in the group stage of the continental club showpiece.Al Hilal, the third-place finishers in the 2022–23 Saudi Pro League, had recently signed Neymar, a former Barcelona FC star -- with whom he won the UEFA Champions League title. His last club stint was at Paris Saint Germain, alongside Messi and Kylian Mbappe.Neymar's new Saudi club ...

24Aug

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Manchester City sign Belgium winger Jérémy Doku for $70M to strengthen attacking options

Manchester City strengthened its attacking options by signing Belgium winger Jérémy Doku from French club Rennes for 65 million euros ($70 million) on Thursday. The 21-year-old Doku, who has agreed to a five-year deal, became the English and European champions’ third signing of the summer transfer window after defender Josko Gvardiol and midfielder Mateo Kovacic. “Manchester City are the best team in world football, so to be joining them is something very special for me and my family,” Doku said. “I am a young player with so much learning and improving to do. Working with Pep (Guardiola) and his staff, and playing alongside these world-class players, will make me a much better player. I feel sure of that.” See you soon! 👋 pic.twitter.com/JZy6cymnrk — Manchester City (@ManCity) August 2...

24Aug

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A proud mother’s emotions during chess prodigy Praggnanandhaa’s biggest tests

24Aug

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IBSA World Games 2023: Indian women’s visually challenged cricket team enters final

India’s Gangavva Neelappa Harijan celebrates with her teammates during the women’s cricket at the IBSA World Games in Birmingham, Britain August 21, 2023. | Photo Credit: REUTERS The Indian women's visually challenged cricket team created history by becoming the first team to reach the final of the International Blind Sports Federation World Games 2023 here. Visually challenged cricket at the IBSA World Games debuted last week. The Indian women's team played its opening game on August 20 against Australia. India won the meeting by eight wickets, kicking off its campaign in style. They restricted Australia to 59/6 and chased the target down quite easily. In the next game versus England, India went ballistic and scored 268/2 in 20 overs, with Gangavva H. striking a 60-ball 117, as the E...

24Aug

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T20 | Shivamogga Lions succumbs to Mangalore Dragons for its third loss on the trot

Thippa Reddy’s quickfire 82 helped set up Mangalore Dragons’ victory over Shivamogga Lions | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Shivamogga Lions lost its third match on the trot, succumbing to Mangalore Dragons by 15 runs in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Thursday.A stunning display of power-hitting. 🔥@MangDragons cruised to a mammoth total of 1️⃣9️⃣1️⃣#SMLvMD#IlliGeddavareRaja#MaharajaTrophy#KSCA#Karnatakapic.twitter.com/5b80SMnLcD— Maharaja Trophy T20 (@maharaja_t20) August 24, 2023Asked to bat first, the Dragons were powered by Thippa Reddy’s blitzkrieg (82, 47b, 11x4, 2x6). He combined for crucial partnerships with M.G. Naveen (16, 10b) and Aniruddha Joshi (34, 20b, 4x4, 1x6), for the fourth and fifth wickets respectively, pushing the total closer...

24Aug

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This is no small feat: PM Modi leads wishes as Praggnanandhaa takes 2nd place at Chess World Cup

“This is no small feat”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said as he led the nation in hailing young Indian Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa’s runner-up finish at the FIDE Chess World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan on Thursday. Praggnanandhaa’s sensational run at the prestigious tournament came to an end after he lost to world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in the tie-break after the classical games in the final ended in a stalemate. “We are proud of Praggnanandhaa for his remarkable performance at the FIDE World Cup! He showcased his exceptional skills and gave a tough fight to the formidable Magnus Carlsen in the finals,” PM Modi wrote on ‘X’, formerly Twitter. We are proud of Praggnanandhaa for his remarkable performance at the FIDE World Cup! He showcased his exceptional skills and gave a tough fi...

24Aug

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Umesh Yadav joins Essex County Club for remainder of the season | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Indian pacer Umesh Yadav has signed with Division One English County club Essex for the remainder of the 2023 season.With three games remaining, he has replaced injured New Zealand pacer Doug Bracewell and has become the team's second active foreign player for the season, along with South African Simon Harmer.Umesh's maiden County appearance came last season with Middlesex in Division Two, where he took four wickets at an average of 71.50.His contract was terminated after three matches due to a quadriceps injury sustained during a One-Day Cup encounter against Gloucestershire.Umesh will be in contention to play in Essex's final three games against Middlesex (at home), Hampshire (at home), and Northamptonshire (away)."I am really pleased to join Essex and make what I hope will...

24Aug

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Praggnanandhaa: From wonderkid to a chess great in the waiting | Chess News – Times of India

CHENNAI: For someone, who took to chess just because his parents wanted him and his sister to wean away from watching television, R Praggnanandhaa has charted his own path to glory and is closer to greatness than ever.The 18-year old wonderboy has long been seen as a possible successor to the five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand and is certainly on the path to be a chess great.A stunning performance in the FIDE World Cup in Baku has catapulted him to the Candidates tournament to determine the challenger to current world champion Ding Liren.He could not win the World Cup but his stellar giant-killing show brought chess on the front page of national dailies, adding to the popularity of the game that is followed keenly only in a few states in India.By becoming the only Indian player ...

24Aug

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Focus on KL Rahul as Indian cricketers excel in fitness drills ahead of Asia Cup | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Indian cricketers undertook strenuous fitness drills on Thursday ahead of the Asia Cup 2023, including the Yo-Yo test, which the players in attendance aced.The activity is part of a six-day conditioning and skill-set upgrading programme, and Virat Kohli got a high 17.2 in the test.The fitness parameter mandated by the BCCI is 16.5.Apart from Kohli, it is learnt that skipper Rohit Sharma and ODI vice-captain Hardik Pandya, among others, took part in the drills at the KSCA-Alur fields and passed the tests."The tests were successful and the reports will be sent to the BCCI soon," a source following the developments told PTI.Four players are expected to attend the camp on Friday: Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Sanju Samson, and Tilak Varma.After a three-match T20I series agains...

24Aug

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Cricket | Asia Cup bound players arrive for camp in Bengaluru

The Asia Cup-bound Indian cricket team has started arriving here in batches for a week-long preparatory camp. With the Maharaja Cup KSCA T20 on at full swing at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the national team players will undergo their fitness drills and conditioning at the Alur Grounds, located on the city’s periphery.On Thursday, star batter and former captain Virat Kohli shared an update on social media platform Instagram about having successfully completed his Yo-Yo test. In fact, fitness will be the main area of focus, for a number of Indian players have broken down in recent times. The camp is expected to drill the outfit into shape ahead of the Asia Cup, with the all important World Cup beginning at home on October 5.Batters Shreyas Iyer and K.L. Rahul are returning from long injur...

24Aug

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‘India will win World Cup if…’: What Sourav Ganguly feels about team’s chances | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: As India's wait for an ICC Trophy stretches over a decade, former India skipper Sourav Ganguly feels there is no need to press the panic button, adding that if Rohit Sharma and co. are to lift the ODI World Cup this year, the batters need to perform well. India last won an ICC title in 2013 when MS Dhoni-led side beat England in the Champions Trophy final. Prior to that in 2011, India won the ODI World Cup after 28 years.Since 2013, India have featured in eight knockout matches, including semifinals and finals, in the ICC tournaments but failed to win a title."You cannot win World Cups all the time, there will be bad times, there will be gaps," Ganguly said.India have lost two successive World Test Championships Finals in 2021 and 2023, while they exited in semifinals of the ...

24Aug

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FIFA opens disciplinary proceedings against Spanish FA chief Luis Rubiales

FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has opened disciplinary proceedings against Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish FA, following his unsolicited kiss on Women’s World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso, the global soccer body said on Thursday. The incident – which happened as Rubiales was presenting the players with their gold medals after they beat England 1-0 in the final on Sunday – sparked outrage within and outside Spain, with Hermoso saying such acts should “never go unpunished”. “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee informed Luis Rubiales, President of the Spanish Football Association, today that it is opening disciplinary proceedings against him based on the events that occurred during the final of the Women’s World Cup,” it said in a statement. “The events may constitute violations of art...

24Aug

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R Praggnanandhaa’s historic road to FIDE World Cup final | Chess News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa on Thursday lost to World no.1 Magnus Carlsen in the FIDE World Cup final in Baku but despite that the teenage prodigy scripted a golden chapter in Indian chess history, becoming the youngest player from the country and only the second to Viswanathan Anand, to compete in the final.The 18-year-old unfortunately went down in the summit clash to Norwegian in the tie-breaks. Here's a look at Praggnanandhaa journey in the elite event:R Praggnanandhaa's road to World Cup final:*Got a bye in first round.*Defeated French Grandmaster Maxime Lagarde 1.5-0.5 in second round.*Beat experienced Czech GM David Navara 1.5-0.5 in third round.*Beat world No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura of USA 3-1 in fourth round.*Beat Hungarian Ferenc Berkes 1.5-0.5 in fifth round.*Registere...

24Aug

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‘Social media is biased and…’: Gautam Gambhir’s sharp World Cup remark | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: One of the finest top-order batters and World Cup winner, Gautam Gambhir on Thursday took a jibe at the social media culture, pointing out that there has been a tendency to celebrate individuals more than the team in the country.Gambhir's remarks came in context to the the 2011 World Cup triumph as he reiterated that the title win was a collective effort. Pointing out that social media has been biased, Gambhir felt that other performers apart from MS Dhoni aren't celebrated enough. "Do we celebrate Yuvraj Singh enough for what he did in the 2011 World Cup with all the health concerns he had? Do we celebrate Zaheer Khan's opening spell enough? To start off a World Cup final with four maiden overs is incredible, and yet he isn't given enough credit. Do we celebrate Sachin Tendu...

24Aug

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FIDE Chess World Cup: Praggnanandhaa loses to Magnus Carlsen in final | Chess News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Indian chess prodigy Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa's remarkable journey came to a close as he lost to the world's No. 1 chess player, Magnus Carlsen in a thrilling final showdown at the FIDE World Cup on Thursday. The tie-breaker clash concluded with Carlsen emerging victorious at 1.5-0.5, after the classical games had ended in a stalemate.As it happened: Chess World Cup FinalDespite a valiant effort by Praggnanandhaa, Carlsen showcased his end-game prowess to secure his first-ever World Cup triumph, an addition to his already impressive five World Chess Championship titles.The decisive moment arrived during the tie-breaker's second 25+10 game, which ended in a draw after just 22 moves. Carlsen, adopting a cautious approach, safeguarded his advantage gained from winning the first...

24Aug

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Carlo Ancelotti rules out Real Madrid move for Kylian Mbappe in this window

Real Madrid have ruled out signing Kylian Mbappe before the transfer window closes next week, manager Carlo Ancelotti said on Thursday as the Paris St Germain forward continues to be linked with the LaLiga club. Ancelotti added that Real are unlikely to do any more transfer business in the current window which closes on Sept. 1. When asked about France striker Mbappe, he told reporters: “No, I rule it out 100%. I think our squad is closed and our players are thinking about our season.” The transfer window remains open in Saudi Arabia beyond Sept. 1, which means clubs from the Gulf nation could still poach Europe’s best players, but the Real boss was not concerned. “Someone may change their mind, but I am not afraid of that,” he added ahead of Real’s LaLiga game at Celta Vigo on Friday. ...