| Australia to target Chris Gayle |
World T20 semifinal
COLOMBO, Oct 4: Australia hope to remove big-hitter Chris Gayle early to put the West Indies under pressure during the second semifinal of the World Twenty20 in Colombo on Friday.
The belligerent left-hander holds the key to his team’s batting success and Australian captain George Bailey said it was important not to let Gayle settle down at the c... |
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| Gavaskar denies reports of his involvement with PPL |
New Delhi, Oct 4: Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar on Thursday, denied his involvement with the proposed Pakistan Premier League as has been reported in a section of the media, saying nothing of this sort was on the table when he had a brief meeting with PCB chief Zaka Ashraf in Colombo.
A report by the Associated Press of Pakistan yesterday said that Gavaskar pledged his support to ... |
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| Kohli could become next 'Viv Richards' of cricket |
London, Oct 4: India batsman Virat Kohli has all the potential to become the next big superstar of world cricket, and if he continues with his staggering form as consistently as he has since his inception to the big stage, then he might go on to emulate legendary Sir Vivian Richards' achievements, according to sports journalist Rob Smith.
Smith said Kohli was India's standout performer ... |
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| Mary Kom hits out at Manipur government |
New Delhi, Oct 4: India's legendary female boxer M.C. Mary Kom on Thursday hit out against her home state government of Manipur saying she is still waiting for the piece of land promised to her two years ago.
The five-time World Champion and Olympic bronze medallist said the state government also has gone back on its promise of giving her the long pending promotion in the state police.<... |
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| England cruise past NZ to final |
Women’s WT20
Colombo, Oct 4: England stormed into the final of the ICC Women's World Twenty20 after an all-round effort gave them a convincing seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the first semi-final in Colombo on Thursday.
Skipper Charlotte Edwards led the chase with a knock of 33 after the English bowlers restricted the Kiwis to a mere 93 for 8 in 20 ... |
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| Schumacher to retire from Formula 1 |
Suzuka, Oct 4: Seven-time champion Michael Schumacher announced on Thursday that he will retire from Formula 1 at the end of the season, closing the door on a record-breaking career.
Schumacher, 43, first retired in 2006 after 15 seasons only to mount a comeback with the newly-founded Mercedes team in 2010, but failed to add to his record tally of 91 career wins.
The German has ... |
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| Schumacher 'driver of the century' - Mercedes boss |
Suzuka, Oct 4: Mercedes boss Ross Brawn, the man who guided Michael Schumacher to all seven of his drivers' world titles, dubbed the German "the driver of the century" after the 43-year-old confirmed his final retirement Thursday.
It is a massive compliment to the former Benetton and Ferrari man who announced earlier that he would be leaving Formula One for good at the end of this seaso... |
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| Sania-Nuria in China Open semis |
Bhupathi-Bopanna in quarters
BEIJING, Oct 4: Sania Mirza and her partner Nuria Llagostera Vives progressed to the China Open semifinals after coming from behind to pip Julia Goerges and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova on Thursday.
The fifth seed Indo-Spanish pair overcame the fighting German-Czech pair 4-6 6-4 16-14 in one hour and 34 minutes in the quarterfinals.
Sani... |
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| World Series Hockey from December 15 |
Mumbai, Oct 4: The second edition of the World Series Hockey is to be held from Dec 15 to Jan 20 with a total of 45 matches.
The tournament, to be played over five weeks, will have 14 matches less than the last edition played from Feb 29 to April 2.
Importantly, the number of teams have been reduced to seven from eight with the Chandigarh Comets and first edition champions Sher-... |
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| India 168th in FIFA rankings |
New Delhi, Oct 4: India moved a place to be 168th in the FIFA rankings. They had earlier dropped to 169 last month. However, they regained the position when the rankings were released on Wednesday.
India next play Singapore, ranked 162, in an away friendly Oct 16. The Wim Koevermans-led side recently won the Nehru Cup here last month. IANS ... |
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| Indian junior judokas win three medals in Taipei |
Taipei, Oct 4: The Indian junior judo team won one silver and two bronze medals at the seventh Taipei Open International Junior Judo Championships here on Thursday.
Promod Kumar won the silver in the men’s under-100kg category while in the women’s section, Rukhshar Khan (under-52kg) and K.H. Rashi Devi (under-70kg) won a bronze each.
Rashi Devi also won the bronze at... |
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| AIFF ropes in India's FIFA referees |
New Delhi, Oct 4: In their bid to raise the standards of refereeing in the country, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Thursday roped in FIFA referees Pratap Singh, C.R. Srikrishna and M.B. Santosh Kumar giving them a seven-month professional contract.
AIFF`s head of referees Goutam Kar said the contract will run from October to May on a trial basis.
"The three refrees hav... |
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| Sri Lanka beat Pakistan to reach World Twenty20 final |
COLOMBO, Oct 4: Discipline Sri Lankan bowlers powered the hosts to the final of the 2012 World Twenty20 as they beat 2009 champions Pakistan by 16 runs in a low-scoring thriller at Premadasa stadium in Colombo on Thursday.
Chasing 140 to win, Pakistan could manage only 123 in 20 overs losing 7 wickets. Umar Akmal remained at 29 but could not save the day for his team. They needed 27 run... |
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| India 'A' in dominant position in 2nd unofficial Test |
Lincoln, Oct 4: India `A` consolidated their position in the second unofficial Test, amassing over 550 runs and then reducing New Zealand `A` to 198 for five on the second day of the match here.
After Mandeep Singh and Ashok Menaria`s big centuries propelled India ‘A’ to a mammoth 554 for eight declared in 118 overs, R Vinay Kumar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar took two wickets apiec... |
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| Ronaldo's hat-trick gives Real Madrid win over Ajax |
Champions League
Amsterdam, Oct 4: Portugal footballer Cristiano Ronaldo scored his second hat-trick in four days as Real Madrid won 4-1 away against Ajax here to go top of their Champions League qualifying group.
Ronaldo was back to his best to help defeat an Ajax side on Wednesday which, especially in the second-half, posed problems for Jose Mourinho's squad, said a rep... |
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| Balotelli salvages fortuitous draw for Manchester City |
MANCHESTER, Oct 4: Mario Balotelli's last-minute penalty secured Manchester City a 1-1 Champions League draw with Borussia Dortmund that they scarcely deserved on Wednesday.
A goal from Marco Reus looked to be enough to secure victory for Jurgen Klopp's team and leave a major dent in City's hopes of progressing from Group D and into the knock-out phase.
But with just two minutes... |
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| Podolski sinks Olympiakos as Arsenal bounce back |
LONDON, Oct 4: Lukas Podolski maintained Arsenal's 100 percent start to their Champions League campaign as the Gunners recovered from a lacklustre opening to beat Greek side Olympiakos 3-1 on Wednesday.
Arsene Wenger's side were below their best for long periods at the Emirates Stadium, but Germany forward Podolski made the crucial contribution as he put Arsenal ahead after Gervinho's o... |
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| Dynamo Kiev beats Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 |
Kiev, Oct 4: Ukraine’s football club Dynamo Kiev beat Dinamo Zagreb from Croatia 2-0 to gain three points in the second Champions League group stage match at the Olympic Stadium here.
Kiev had the better of the early game scoring a quick goal in the third minute when midfielder Oleg Gusjev found the net on Ognjen Vukoevic’s pass on Wednesday evening.
Soon after, Dyna... |
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| Azarenka, Sharapova in last eight in China Open |
Beijing, Oct 4: Top two seeds Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova, both bidding for their first title here, eased into the last eight in straight-set victories at the China Open on Thursday.
Belarus’ World No.1 Azarenka defeated qualifier Elena Vesnina of Russia 6-3, 6-3 to set up a quarter-final clash with Switzerland’s Romina Oprandi, while Sharapova cruised past World N... |
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| El Classico dominates La Liga weekend |
Madrid, Oct 4: Although there are several fascinating and tense matches on offer this weekend, the 'El Classico' between Spanish giants FC Barcelona and Real Madrid is dominating football news.
The game in Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium Sunday night is hugely important for Real Madrid, whose form is improving after a poor start to the season which saw them drop eight points in their openi... |
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| Berdych, Tipsarevic, Raonic reach Tokyo QFs |
TOKYO, Oct 4: Former champion Tomas Berdych advanced to the Japan Open quarterfinals with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Alejandro Falla of Colombia on Thursday.
Berdych was joined by Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia, Milos Raonic of Canada and Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus.
The third-seeded Tipsarevic beat Swiss qualifier Marco Chiudinelli 6-4, 6-2, while Baghdatis ousted fourth-seeded ... |
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| FA can seek bigger ban for Terry in Ferdinand racial abuse case |
London, Oct 4: The Football Association (FA) might look to increase the four games ban given to former England captain John Terry for racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand during a match last year.
The FA has appealed against the decision of last week’s Independent Commission in exactly the same way as the Chelsea skipper can challenge the findings.
“We act a... |
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| Worker dies in fall at 2018 World Cup stadium |
Moscow, Oct 4: A construction worker has fallen to his death at the site of a 2018 World Cup stadium, Russia’s Investigative Committee said.
The 43,000-capacity Spartak Moscow arena was one of 12 stadiums awarded matches in an announcement by FIFA and Russian organisers Saturday.
“A pre-investigation check is under way into the death of a worker who fell from a heigh... |
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| Brazil-Argentina friendly called off |
Resistencia, Oct 4: The friendly football match between Brazil and Argentina was suspended due to a floodlight failure here.
Officials spent an hour trying to fix a problem with a light tower that left part of the Estadio Centenario in semi-darkness before calling the game off Wednesday night.
Organisers said the match would be rescheduled later.
The friendly, not an off... |
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| Rafael Nadal aiming for ATP Tour Finals, Davis Cup final |
Paris, Oct 4: Spanish tennis superstar Rafael Nadal, out of action since June, will resume training in two weeks with the aim of playing in the ATP Tour Finals and the Davis Cup final, his uncle has told Fox Sports television channel.
"In 15 days, Rafa will resume training, in time for him to aim to play in the Masters and the final of the Davis Cup," said Toni Nadal, as reported by the... |
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| Kaka working his way back into Real contention |
MADRID, Oct 4: For a 30-year-old former World Player of the Year who cost Real Madrid 67 million euros three years ago, Kaka has been spending a surprising amount of time warming the bench.
The Brazilian appeared to have been discarded from coach Jose Mourinho's plans and the arrival of fellow playmaker Luka Modric from Tottenham was interpreted by many as the final nail in the co... |
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| Zhang deals out shock Gasquet defeat |
Beijing, Oct 4: China's unheralded Zhang Ze on Thursday celebrated the biggest win of his career, handing fifth seed Richard Gasquet of France a shock second-round defeat at the China Open in Beijing.
Zhang, 22, overcame world number 11 Gasquet in three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, to set up a quarter-final tie against Germany's Florian Mayer.
"I had a very good start, winning the first... |
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| 'KP might not feel welcome in dressing room after' |
London, Oct 4: Controversial batsman Kevin Pietersen would need to work hard to reintegrate himself in the England squad, and he might not feel very welcome at first when he joins the squad, according to sports journalist Mike Selvey.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) yesterday offered Pietersen a new four-month long central contract, which has cleared any obstacle for his Engla... |
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| Hodgson says sorry to Ferdinand over England snub |
LONDON, Oct 4: England manager Roy Hodgson has publicly apologised to Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand after a private conversation about the demise of the defender's international career was published in an an English national newspaper.
Hodgson is alleged to have told fellow passengers on a London Tube train en route to the Emirates Stadium for Arsenal's Champions League game ... |
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| England squad for World Cup qualifiers against San Marino, Poland: |
Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster, Joe Hart, John Ruddy
Defenders: Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Kieran Gibbs, Phil Jagielka, Glen Johnson, Joleon Lescott, Ryan Shawcross, Kyle Walker
Midfielders: Michael Carrick, Tom Cleverley, Steven Gerrard, Adam Johnson, Aaron Lennon, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott
Forwards: Andy Carroll, Jermain Defoe,... |
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| Arthur pleased with Oz performance in T20 WC |
Colombo, Oct 4: Australia coach Mickey Arthur has said he is pleased with their performances in the ongoing Twenty20 World Cup so far, despite losing last match of the Super Eight stage to Pakistan by 32 runs following a batting collapse.
Pakistan's spinners exposed Australia's middle-order problems as skipper George Bailey's side scored a paltry 7-117 chasing 150 to win on Tuesday nigh... |
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| Evra urges Man U to wake up from slumber |
London , Oct 4: Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has said they can't afford any more slip ups in the Premier League after losing at home to Tottenham Hotspurs last weekend ahead of their clash with Newcastle United.
United travel to St James' Park, the scene of a 3-0 defeat last January, aiming to put their Premier League title ambitions back on track after suffering two league d... |
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| Australia may follow Kiwis in 'banning' Tyson over past 'criminal record' |
Sydney, Oct 4: Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu has called for former boxer Mike Tyson to be banned from entering Australia for a speaking tour.
Convicted of rape in 1992, Tyson is due in Melbourne next month as part of a trans-Tasman "Day of the Champions" motivational speaking event.
Following the New Zealand Government banning the boxer because of his criminal record, Baillieu ... |
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