Wednesday, November 29TRUSTED FEARLESS INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL NEWS PORTAL

Day: September 20, 2023

Sports

Babysitter to Street Fighter: How this esports athlete juggled roles on way to Asian Games

A freelance interior designer, Mayank Prajapati spends most of his daytime looking after his two-year-old. It is only after wife Shweta, a business analyst at the American Express office nearby, is done with her shift that Prajapati embraces his alter ego. That is when the 33-year-old Gurgaon resident becomes a Street Fighter, who kicks, punches and beats others to a pulp. All within the confines of his PC room.Later this month, he will be among India’s first-ever contingent of 15 esports athletes vying for a medal at the Asian Games. Scheduled to fly to Hangzhou this week, Prajapati credits his wife for being his guardian angel in an expensive industry with increasing accessory demands for players to thrive in a highly competitive atmosphere. “Your family support means a lot if you are...
Sports

Hangzhou Asian Games: Square medals, robots and a river in the emblem

Emblem: Surging Tides The emblem of the Hangzhou Asian Games consists of six different elements: the shape of the instantly recognisable Chinese fan, the Qiantang River, a tidal bore, lines of a running track, the Internet icon and finally, on the top right, the glowing red sun of the Olympic Council of Asia. It was unveiled in 2018 at the end of the last edition. Mascots: trio of robots The three mascots for the Games are a group of robots, representing Memories of Jiangnan, which is a geographic area roughly China’s eastern regions south of the Yangtze River. The yellow robot Congcong represents the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City. The name comes from the Cong jade pendant-the quintessential relic unearthed from the Ruins. The green robot Lianlian represents the West Lake, anoth...
Sports

E-sports at the Asian Games: Not just about FIFA Online

It’s not just incessant rattling of the keys. In 2023, gaming seems to have left behind that age old stereotype. E-sports has been included at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, as a medal event — a first at a major multi-sporting event. A total of seven competing events feature; Arena of Valor Asian Games Version, Dota 2, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, FIFA Online 4, League of Legends, PUBG Mobile Asian Games Version and Street Fighter V: Champion Edition. India however, has only named their 15-member squad across four of the seven; League of Legends, Dota 2, FIFA and Street Fighter. The Indian Express decodes the games, their objectives, and what makes them unique: MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) are the faster and much more appealing cousins of RTS (Real-Time Strategy) games su...
Sports

Antim Panghal goes down in last-second turnaround in Wrestling Worlds semifinal, but still has chance for Olympic quota

0 seconds left: Antim loses by a point Antim Panghal was dealt the ultimate heartbreak in her first-ever senior World Championships appearance where after defeating the likes of defending champion Dominique Parriah in her opening bout, the Hisar-born freestyle wrestler came second-best to Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Vanesa Kaladzinskaya at the literal last second in the 53kg semi-finals. Antim will now fight for the bronze medal and a Paris Olympics quota spot against Greece’s Maria Prevolaraki, who lost to Japan’s Akari Fujinami 10-0, on Thursday. Panghal was trailing by three points with 40 seconds left in her semi-final bout. But the 19-year-old, who has won the U-20 World Championship twice, went to work against an opponent Indians are all too familiar with. Kaladzinskaya, a Be...
Sports

BCCI announces SBI Life as official partner for BCCI Domestic, International season 

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday announced SBI Life as one of the official partners for the BCCI Domestic and International Season 2023-2026. SBI Life has signed a 3-year deal with the BCCI and their partnership will begin with the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, starting September 22.Skipper Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli have been rested for the first two ODI clashes against Australia and KL Rahul will lead the 'Men in Blue' against a strong visiting side.BCCI president Roger Binny said after the announcement of new official partners, “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with SBI Life as the official partner of BCCI for both domestic and international cricket. SBI Life has been one of the torchbearers in the insurance s...
Sports

Mohammed Siraj back to No. 1 in ICC ODI bowling rankings

Mohammed Siraj celebrates during the Asia Cup final cricket match between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on September 17, 2023. | Photo Credit: AP Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj has regained his number one spot in the men's ICC ODI bowling rankings after his six-wicket haul in the final of the recently-concluded Asia Cup.Siraj, who first grabbed the top position in January before being displaced by Josh Hazlewood in March, has surged eight spots after his memorable performance that helped dismiss Sri Lanka for just 50 runs and enabled India to complete a 10-wicket victory in the summit clash.Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has moved down three places to ninth.Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah climbed up two places to 27th while Hardik Pandya rose eight spots to 50th.Among bat...
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Dallas, Florida and New York to host matches in men’s T20 World Cup next year

England players celebrate winning the ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup 2022 Final between Pakistan and England at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on November 13, 2022. | Photo Credit: AFP Dallas, Florida and New York will host matches at next year's men's T20 World Cup, the governing body of cricket announced Wednesday.The United States will be staging a global cricket event for the first time as the sport looks to expand into new territory and get Olympic status for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The country will co-host the June 4-30 tournament with the West Indies.The International Cricket Council said an agreement has been reached for the construction of a 34,000-seat stadium in Eisenhower Park, a purpose-built sports and events park in Nassau County, New York, pending the awarding ...
Sports

England batter Joe Root looks to emulate 2019 World Cup success in India

England’s Joe Root during the ODI match against New Zealand at Lord’s cricket ground in London, on September 15, 2023. | Photo Credit: AP England batter Joe Root is counting on his squad to draw from the lessons they learned in the 2019 World Cup as the Three Lions look to defend their title in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in India later this year.When England travels to India for this year's 50-over competition, they have a chance to become just the third team to win back-to-back championships. Root was a member of the successful England team that raised their first World Cup trophy at home four years ago.Root is hoping he can repeat that triumph in India in November since he still vividly recalls the dramatic Super Over match that took place in the World Cup final at Lord's in 201...
Sports

No ice-vending machines like in US, need to break slabs with a dagger, but Tejaswin back in India to bid for decathlon national record at Asiad

When Tejaswin Shankar moved to Kansas City in the United States as a student-athlete to pursue a degree in business management, he was blown away by the world-class facilities on offer. Apart from the best coaches on the global athletics circuit, Kansas State University provided top-class training and recovery facilities.For Tejaswin, who had spent most of his athletics career till that time on the worn-out tracks of Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, a travelling physio was unheard of. However after a fruitful stint in the States and a year working with Deloitte in their audit team. Tejaswin returned to India this year. The high jump national record holder has now shifted his focus to decathlon, in which he won an Asian Championships bronze in July this year. Now Tejaswin is back in Del...
Sports

Roger Federer match-worn outfit from 20th major title run expected to fetch 29 lakhs at auction

Looking for an “inexpensive” way into the lucrative sports memorabilia market? One of Roger Federer’s match-worn outfits might be your ticket.Most Read 1 As Indo-Canadian relations sour, anxiety grips Indian students, residents who wish to settle in Canada 2 Jawan box office collection day 13: Shah Rukh Khan film to pass Rs 900 crore globally, just days away from overtaking Pathaan See More Not just any shirt and shorts, of course. An online auction that starts Wednesday is offering a Federer outfit from his winning run at the 2018 Australian Open. That was his 20th and final Grand Slam title. The Nike-made outfit is “expected to achieve up to $35,000 (2902581.50 rupees),” Prestige Memorabilia said. Both items ...
Sports

England’s first ODI against Ireland abandoned due to rain – Times of India

LEEDS: The first of the three one-day internationals between England and Ireland was called off due to rain on Wednesday without a ball being bowled at Headingley.Play was due to start at 1130 GMT in Leeds, but after multiple pitch inspections, umpires declared the pitch was too wet, with the match being called off just after 1545 GMT.The series is part of England's preparations as they look ahead to their title defence at next month's 50-overs World Cup in India.The second ODI will be held at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Saturday.!(function(f, b, e, v, n, t, s) { function loadFBEvents(isFBCampaignActive) { if (!isFBCampaignActive) { return; } (function(f, b, e, v, n, t, s) { if (f.fbq) return; n = f.fbq = function() { n.callMetho...
Sports

World Wrestling Championship: Antim Panghal shocks reigning champion Parrish, but loses in semis | More sports News – Times of India

BELGRADE (Serbia): Antim Panghal shocked reigning champion Olivia Dominique Parrish en route to the World Championship semifinals, but the young grappler's giant-killing run was halted in the last-four stage, leaving her fighting for a bronze medal and a Paris Olympics quota place on Wednesday.Panghal, the 53kg grappler, lost the semifinal bout to world No.23 Vanesa Kaladzinskaya -- a Belarusian competing as a neutral athlete -- on technical points 5-4.But the Indian can still earn an Olympic quota if she wins the bronze-medal match or emerges triumphant in the bout between the losers of the bronze-medal contest.Underlining her growth and a smooth transition from the junior to senior circuit, the two-time U20 champion won the first three bouts of the day to enter the semifinal even as o...
Sports

‘3ka Dream hai apna’: Team India’s ODI World Cup 2023 jersey unveiled, watch viral video | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Team India's jersey for the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup was unveiled in a unique way, through a song titled '3 Ka Dream hai apna,' performed by the renowned Indian rapper Raftaar. This creative approach not only showcases the jersey but also adds an element of excitement and anticipation for the tournament among fans and supporters.The concept of the '3 Ka Dream' encapsulates the hopes and aspirations of millions of cricket fans who dream of witnessing their team secure a third ODI World Cup victory.India's previous triumphs in the ODI World Cup came in 1983 and 2011, and the '3 Ka Dream' symbolises the desire for a third championship win in this prestigious tournament.The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released the video on social media platform 'X', formerly Tw...
Sports

Harmanpreet Singh and Lovlina Borgohain named India’s flag-bearers for Asian Games opening ceremony – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and boxer Lovlina Borgohain have been named India's flag-bearers for the Asian Games opening ceremony scheduled to take place on September 23 in Hangzhou, China.The 19th edition of the Asian Games is set to commence on September 23, and India is sending its largest-ever contingent, aiming for its best performance yet in this quadrennial multi-sport event.India's impressive team consists of 655 athletes competing in 41 out of the 61 available disciplines at the Asiad. The Games will be spread across 56 venues, with a total of 481 gold medals up for grabs.Asian Games: Indian hockey and shooting team at Hong Kong airportWhile the official opening ceremony of the Hangzhou Games is scheduled for September 23, several sports like cricket, football, ...
Sports

New cheating scandal in chess: Vladimir Kramnik boycotts popular platform due to ‘too many obvious cheaters’

Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik announced he will not play games on Chess dot com anymore due to what he called “too many obvious cheaters” on the popular platform. While he did not name any player, Kramnik recently played a few games against American GM Hans Niemann, who recently buried the hatchet with Magnus Carlsen and the portal for their allegations that he had been cheating. “I have decided to stop playing on chesscom from tomorrow on. Just too many obvious cheaters here and nothing is done to clean the platform from those small crooks. Harsh words but true. Would continue informing those who care publishing interesting statistics though (sic),” said the Russian legend. He went on to add: “Hope would come back one day if it will be cleaned from at least obvious cheaters. ...
Sports

After 1-5 hammering by China, India face Bangladesh in must-win Asian Games football match

Battered by hosts China in their opening match after playing without any training session, India will be up against a tricky Bangladesh side in their must-win group match in the Asian Games football competition here on Thursday. A rag-tag Indian team reached here late Monday evening and played its first match without proper rest and sleep and was hammered 1-5 by China on Tuesday. Igor Stimac’s team needs to beat Bangladesh in its second Group A game to remain in the fray for the knock-outs. A loss on Thursday may not straightway knock India out of reckoning as the best third-placed teams from the six groups can also advance to the Round of 16, but that will leave the team with a lot of uncertainties in the final game. Qualifying as one of the best four third-place teams could also set I...
Sports

ODI World Cup 2023: All you need to know about 10 iconic venues | Cricket News – Times of India

The 13th edition of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup will feature matches across ten venues in India. From Chennai to Dharamsala, cricket enthusiasts from all over the world will converge to witness the pinnacle of the global game.The upcoming World Cup will feature a total of 10 teams. The tournament, scheduled to start on October 5, will be played in a round-robin format, with each team playing each other once.The top four teams will then progress to the semifinals, with the winners of those matches meeting in the final on November 19.The tournament kicks off at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad with a thrilling rematch of the unforgettable 2019 final. Defending champions England will square off against New Zealand, who were the runners-up in the tournament four years ago.Her...
Sports

R Ashwin vs Washington Sundar: Story behind an unexpected World Cup trial | Cricket News – Times of India

MOHALI: A month and half back, Ravichandran Ashwin was eloquently explaining on his Tamil YouTube channel, why a talent like Tilak Varma should be seriously considered for the ODI World Cup.One of India's greatest match-winners in Test cricket wouldn't possibly have envisaged that in six weeks time he would be summoned for a two-match trial against Washington Sundar -- nearly a decade and half junior to himClose selection calls are par for course when it comes to World Cup squads.Read AlsoHow Ravichandran Ashwin got back in ODI World Cup mixRavichandran Ashwin has been selected for the three ODIs against Australia, marking a remarkable turnaround in his white-ball career. KL Rahul, who recently made a century in his return match after a five-month injury break, will lead the team in the...
Sports

Dallas, Florida and New York to host T20 World Cup matches next year | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Wednesday that Dallas, Florida, and New York will serve as the host cities for matches in the upcoming T20 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States and West Indies. This edition of the World Cup will be the largest ever, featuring 20 teams.As part of the preparations for the tournament, a new modular stadium with a capacity of 34,000 seats will be constructed in Eisenhower Park, New York, as confirmed by the ICC.In addition to the new stadium in New York, the existing venues in Grand Prairie, Dallas, and Broward County, Florida, will undergo expansions.These expansions are aimed at tapping into what could be a significant market for the sport, further enhancing the T20 World Cup experience for cricket en...
Sports

ICC confirms New York, Dallas, Florida as US venues for T20 WC 2024

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday confirmed New York, Dallas and Florida as the three venues for the USA-leg of the ICC Men’s World Cup 2024. Broward County (Florida), Grand Prairie (Dallas) and Eisenhower Park (New York) will be the three stadiums hosting the matches in the US.This is the first time the tournament will be played in the USA, and they will co-host it with the West Indies. The ICC had awarded the event to the USA in 2021. Geoff Allardice, the Chief Executive of the governing body, said, these venues have been zeroed in after an extensive evaluation process. “We’re delighted to announce the three USA venues that will host part of the biggest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup ever staged, with 20 teams competing for the trophy. “We explored a number of potential ve...