September 18, 2023 – https://bhartiyanews24x7.com

18Sep

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Lack of proper centre-forward hurts Mumbai City FC as they go down 0-2 to Iran’s Nassaji in AFC Champions League opener

To prepare his team for the demanding season ahead, Mumbai City FC coach Des Buckingham should consider playing on loop footage of the two goals they conceded against Nassaji Mazandaran in their AFC Champions League (ACL) opener on Monday.Playing their continental fixtures at Pune’s Balewadi Stadium since their home ground, the Mumbai Football Arena in Andheri, doesn’t meet AFC standards, the home team was beaten 2-0 by the Iranian Cup winners, who were making their ACL debut. The scoreline doesn’t tell the entire story though. For one, Nassaji had just two shots on target and both of them ended in the back of Mumbai’s net. Buckingham’s boys, on the other hand, took a total of 13 shots but couldn’t breach the Iranian defence. FT: MUM 0⃣-2⃣ NSJ Not our night but a lot of takeaways from ...

18Sep

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Skipper Cheteshwar Pujara suspended for one game after Sussex docked 12 points for ‘on-field behaviour’

India international Cheteshwar Pujara has been suspended from one county game after his team Sussex was docked 12 points in the County Championship due to a code of conduct breach during the match against Leicestershire.Most Read 1 Ridhi Dogra says it’s ‘unfortunate to play’ Shah Rukh Khan’s mother in Jawan: ‘He told me many times…’ 2 Jawan director Atlee admits he overshot allocated budget of Rs 300 crore, thanks Shah Rukh Khan for accommodating cost overrun See More Pujara received an automatic suspension after the club reached the threshold of four fixed penalties in the same season and won’t be available for this week’s game against Derbyshire, according to a report in ESPN Cricinfo. Sussex have also made ...

18Sep

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Shreyas Iyer fit at the moment, says Ajit Agarkar

Shreyas Iyer’s fitness issues are behind him, and it’s all about him getting enough game time and runs ahead of the World Cup, according to the BCCI’s senior selection committee. Iyer had missed a lot of cricket since March due to a back injury and suffered a niggle on his return to the squad at the Asia Cup, where he had only one knock during the tournament. He had made a promising start in the match against Pakistan after the top order were blown away, before succumbing to a pull shot. Before his injury, He has been included in the squad for the three-match ODI series against Australia starting Friday, and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar said the middle-order batsman has been declared good to go.Most Read 1 Ridhi Dogra says it’s ‘unfortunate to play’ Shah Rukh Kh...

18Sep

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Cheteshwar Pujara handed one-match ban, Sussex docked 12 points in County Championship | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: India's middle-order batter Cheteshwar Pujara, who is currently leading Sussex in Division II of the County Championship, has been handed a one-match ban. Additionally, the team has received a 12-point penalty after the club accumulated its fourth fixed penalty of the season.Sussex incurred their third and fourth penalties during their recent victory over Leicestershire at Hove in the County Championship. According to the rules of the County Championship, amassing four penalties during a season automatically results in a 12-point deduction under regulation 4.29 of the Professional Conduct Regulations.Regulation 3.0 specifies that a captain who led the team in all the matches where the penalties were incurred shall also face a one-match suspension when the four-penalty thresho...

18Sep

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How Pullela Gopichand got HS Prannoy to pull off the deceptive push

The courage to play a deceptive push at 19-19 to the lines came from a beaming face sitting behind Prannoy – no one was happier than Pullela Gopichand who was the starting point of it all. Speaking in the mixed zone after beating Loh, Prannoy would say about the feint, “Before coming for the World Championships, we had a week’s time and all we did was practice a few shots.” The seeds of the dazzling deception at 19-19 were sown two Sundays before the Loh Kean Yew match, when Prannoy lost to Chinese Weng Hong Yang in the Australia Open final after leading 20-16. Gopichand had watched him on the brink of victory, before the Chinese snatched away the match. Prannoy would wonder later about playing it too safe while closing out, and losing the plot.Most Read 1 Ridhi Dogra...

18Sep

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HS Prannoy’s deceptive push that was 15 years & a week in the making

Having watched HS Prannoy induct a bunch of doubles strokes from their sparring sessions at the Gopichand Academy into his arsenal to surprise opponents, former doubles shuttler Pranaav ‘Jerry’ Chopra identified the latest bamboozler from World Championships as something that flummoxed even him despite knowing Prannoy’s game since they were 13.The shot in the spotlight, watched on a loop and now part of the glory story of Prannoy’s Worlds bronze is what he played at 19-19 in the decider against Loh Kean Yew in the pre-quarterfinals at Copenhagen last month. The skill to play that deceptive push returning Loh’s serve, was entirely down to at least 15 years of mastering it, Jerry explains. The courage to play it at a critical 21-18, 15-21, 19-19 juncture though, was reinforced by coach Pu...

18Sep

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Ravichandran Ashwin named in India’s squad for ODI series against Australia

Seasoned off-spinner R Ashwin on September 18 made a comeback to the Indian ODI team for the three-match series against Australia and will be competing for a potential World Cup berth with Washington Sundar if Axar Patel doesn’t get fit in time for the global event.Senior players including skipper Rohit Sharma, senior batter Virat Kohli, all-rounder Hardik Pandya and in-form spinner Kuldeep Yadav were rested from the first two games, giving them a chance to get mentally fresh for the mega event.K L Rahul will lead the side in the first two games against Australia before Rohit returns to lead a full strength squad in the third and final ODI ahead of the World Cup beginning October 5. The squad for the third game is effectively the 15 picked for World Cup and Ashwin and Washington.Ashwin,...

18Sep

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ICC ODI World Cup: ‘India favourites at home but Pakistan always a threat’, Kevin Pietersen picks WC ‘favourites’

The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 is one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year, and there are a number of teams that are considered to be favourites to win the tournament. India is the host nation for the World Cup but quite interestingly former England cricketer has backed dark horses South Africa as one of the contenders, along with Australia.Most Read 1 Ridhi Dogra says it’s ‘unfortunate to play’ Shah Rukh Khan’s mother in Jawan: ‘He told me many times…’ 2 Jawan director Atlee admits he overshot allocated budget of Rs 300 crore, thanks Shah Rukh Khan for accommodating cost overrun See More According to Pietersen, England are also the ‘favourites’ behind India. England are the current world champions, ...

18Sep

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India Squad vs Australia 2023: R Ashwin makes comeback; Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya rested for first two ODIs | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin made a surprise comeback as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday announced the squad for the three-match ODI series against Australia at home. The series will serve as the final preparation for both teams before going into the ODI World Cup, starting October 5 in India.Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been rested for the first two matches of the series. KL Rahul will lead the team in the absence of Rohit in the first two games. However, both Rohit and Virat will return for the final one-dayer. Shreyas Iyer, who missed the latter half of the Asia Cup due to back spasm has also been included in the team.All-rounder Axar Patel, who suffered a quad injury during India's Asia Cup Super Four fixture against Bangladesh will ...

18Sep

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Manchester Utd’s injured Aaron Wan-Bissaka out for ‘several weeks’

Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka is set to be out for some time after sustaining an injury during their 3-1 loss at home to Brighton & Hove Albion at the weekend, the Premier League club said on Monday. The issue is still being assessed but the right back has been ruled out for “several weeks”, United added.Most Read 1 Ridhi Dogra says it’s ‘unfortunate to play’ Shah Rukh Khan’s mother in Jawan: ‘He told me many times…’ 2 ‘Selling a false dream’: Indian students abroad open up about mental health issues See More According to a report in The Athletic, the England international, who came on in the 85th minute on Saturday, will be out of action for two months due to a hamstring injury. Wan-Bissaka...

18Sep

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Australia great Adam Gilchrist reveals his four World Cup semi-finalists | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Australian great and former wicket-keeper batter on Monday revealed his four semi-finalists for the upcoming ODI World Cup slated to start in India on October 5.The man, who boasts an impressive record of nearly 400 international matches spanning three formats, accumulating over 15,000 runs, and being responsible for over 900 dismissals (comprising catches and stumpings), had a clear and uncomplicated selection when it came to identifying the four potential semi-finalists."I think India and Pakistan could feature in the semi-finals, Australia and England are the other two teams," said Gilchrist at a promotional event in Ahmedabad.Gilchrist is optimistic about the five-time World Cup champions Australia's prospects in India, especially considering their previous success in the...

18Sep

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Bangladesh bowler under fire over misogynist remarks | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Bangladeshi pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib on Monday found himself in a soup as controversy erupted regarding his misogynistic social media comments that criticized working women. The controversy unfolds just days after Sakib's impressive international debut.In his first-ever international game in Asia Cup, Sakib dismissed India captain Rohit Sharma. He further demonstrated his composure, securing victory for Bangladesh in the final over.However, the adoration that followed his stellar performance quickly turned into condemnation from women's rights activists and feminists when his derogatory social media posts about women surfaced."If the wife works, the husband's rights are not ensured," Tanzim posted on Facebook last year. "If the wife works, the child's rights are not ensured. ...

18Sep

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‘Fascinating how Rishabh Pant’s impact has changed…’: Former Australian wicket-keeper – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Rishabh Pant may not be fit to participate in the upcoming World Cup, but former Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist remains captivated by the significant impact the talented wicket-keeper batter has had during his six-year association with the Indian national team.Pant, who endured a severe car accident in December of the previous year, is presently undergoing a rehabilitation program at the National Cricket Academy(NCA) in Bengaluru.His return to competitive cricket is expected sometime next year.In Pant's absence, KL Rahul will take on the wicket-keeping duties for India, and Ishan Kishan stands a good chance of featuring in the team as a specialist middle-order batter. Despite Pant's temporary absence, his contributions and potential remain highly regarded by cricket enth...

18Sep

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‘Because of captaincy, he couldn’t…: Gautam Gambhir’s big statement on MS Dhoni – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The only captain to win three ICC trophies for India -- World T20 (2007), the ODI World Cup (2011) and the Champions Trophy (2012) -- MS Dhoni had a remarkable international career that spanned close to 15 years. To go with that, 10,773 ODI runs and 1617 runs in T20Is as Dhoni was a force to reckon with in India's lower middle order. However, former India opener Gautam Gambhir feels that the legend could have achieved a lot more with the bat but sacrificed his personal runs for team's cause and trophies. After the initial phase of his career, Dhoni played at No.3 for some time but then he brought himself down the order to be the finisher for the team. “Earlier, they were wicketkeeper-batters who were keepers first and then batters, but MS was batter first and then a keeper. I...

18Sep

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Without single training session, India face formidable China in Asian Games football opener – Times of India

NEW DELHI: India's national football team faces a challenging situation as they prepare for their opening match against China in the Asian Games. The team had little time to prepare due to last-minute squad announcements and logistical issues.The squad for the tournament was finalised just before the competition, leaving no time for proper training sessions.Additionally, two players, Konsam Chinglensana Singh and Lalchungnunga, were unable to join the team on time due to visa issues. While they are expected to receive "express visas" and join the team soon, they will miss the crucial opening match against China.Head coach Igor Stimac has made the decision to rest senior defender Sandesh Jhingan and star striker Sunil Chhetri for the opening match, aiming to have them fresh for the subse...

18Sep

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‘Practised a lot to generate…’: Mohammed Siraj on his magical spell | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: After hours of dedicated practice in the nets, honing the skill of making the cricket ball swing in the air and then move away unpredictably after pitching, Mohammed Siraj reaped the rewards. The Indian fast bowler delivered a mesmerising performance, claiming six wickets for just 21 runs against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final in Colombo.Siraj's exceptional spell included dismissing Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera Samaraiwickrama, Charith Asalanka, and Dhananjaya De Silvain his second over.He later returned to the attack to dismiss the Lankan captain,Dasun Shanaka, with a remarkable delivery that left the batter completely bamboozled."I had practised a lot on generating out-swing deliveries from wide of the crease in the West Indies. My outswingers were going well. So I tried from ...

18Sep

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Asian Games: Without single training session and proper rest, India face formidable China in men’s football opener

Set to play their opening match without any training session and proper rest after the last-minute announcement of the squad, India will be the clear underdogs against formidable China in their Asian Games group game on Tuesday.India were able to stitch a rag-tag final squad only on Friday and the team left for China on Sunday, leaving no time for the players to even have a training session together. Moreover, two players — defenders Konsam Chinglensana Singh and Lalchungnunga — out of the 22 players picked will join later as their visas were not ready. The Indian contingent’s chef de mission Bhupinder Singh Bajwa has, however, said that the duo will get their ‘express visas’ in a day or two and they will join the team. 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦 ✅🗓️ The Indian men’s and women’s teams Group Stage...

18Sep

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Asia Cup 2023 Final | Siraj says practised a lot to generate outswingers from wide of the crease

Mohammed Siraj celebrates the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Dhananjaya de Silva during the Asia Cup final cricket match between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo, Sri Lanka on September 17, 2023. | Photo Credit: AP Hours of net sessions perfecting the art of getting the ball to dart in the air and then deviate away after pitching paid dividends while bamboozling Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka, India's man of the moment Mohammed Siraj, said after his magical spell of 6/21 in the Asia Cup final.Siraj dismissed Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera Samaraiwickrama, Charith Asalanka and Dhananjaya De Silva in his second over before returning to clean up Lankan skipper Dasun Shanka with a peach of a delivery."I had practised a lot on generating out-swing deliveries from wide of the crease in West Indies. My outs...

18Sep

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Jason Roy World Cup axe shows ‘ruthless’ side of sport: England selector | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: England opener Jason Roy fell victim to the harsh reality of sports when he was axed from World Cup squad just before the tournament, according to selector Luke Wright. Despite being initially included in the provisional 15-member squad for the upcoming tournament in India, Roy's removal comes to a mixture of his own injury concerns, Dawid Malan's exceptional performance and the increasing potential of Harry Brook.Back spasms ruled Roy out of the recent series against New Zealand, which England won 3-1, meaning he was unable to make a case for himself.Roy averages nearly 40 in 116 50-over one-day internationals."It's not a decision we've taken lightly," said Wright. "In the early squad, we had him down for opening the batting with Jonny Bairstow in the World Cup... but things...

18Sep

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Tim Southee will be given every chance to prove his fitness, says Gary Stead | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: New Zealand's premier fast bowler, Tim Southee, will have an opportunity to demonstrate his fitness in preparation for the upcoming World Cup in India, according to head coach Gary Stead.Southee sustained a thumb injury when he attempted to take a catch during the fourth ODI against England last week. The extent of his injury will be determined after consultations with specialists in his home country.Stead and the team management will make a decision regarding the 34-year-old's participation in the World Cup based on the advice and assessment provided by the specialists."Until then, we can't make a call around the World Cup. We'll just need to understand the time frames and what that looks like and once we have that information, we will then be able to move forward and make a...