Sports
Santosh trophy: Semifinal extravaganza awaits in Arunachal Pradesh
Itanagar (A.P), March 6 (IANS) And then there were four! The 77th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy is down to the semifinals, where Services, Mizoram, Manipur, and Goa will fight it out for a spot in the final at the Golden Jubilee Stadium, on Thursday.
Services will take on Mizoram in the first semi-final , while Manipur will play Goa under the floodlights.
Services vs Mizoram
This is a battle between two sides that have shown a lot of resilience over the course of the tournament, and will be looking to use that to their advantage in this semifinal clash.
Services have been absolutely miserly at the back, having let in only six goals in 11 matches, including the Group Stage, Final Round Group A, and the quarterfinal. While they have been well-guarded at the back, up front, Samir Murmu has been putting in consistent performances, having scored 10 goals so far. While he had perhaps struggled to find his scoring boots once the team reached the Final rounds, the 22-year-old finally seems to be coming into his own. He scored the all-important goal against Services in the quarterfinal, which gave his side the breathing space for the second half.
Services head coach Mileswamy Govindaraju Ramachandran said, “I must commend my players for adapting well to different situations. We had a tough group, and these boys have grown really well, playing against such teams. Tomorrow, we face Mizoram, who are a well-coordinated team with a good mix of young and experienced players. They have done well, but we are up for the challenge. Looking forward to a good and fair game.”
Mizoram, on the other hand, have shown a lot of grit and determination in Arunachal Pradesh, buoyed by the vibrant support that they receive from a goodly number of fans, most of whom are students. They have, in fact, improved every step of the way since the Final Round began, starting with a defeat against Maharashtra (1-3) and a draw against Karnataka (2-2). Not fazed by a 1-4 defeat at the hands of Manipur, they did well to finish second in their group, and have only gotten stronger since.
Coached by Lalsangzuala Hmar, Mizoram were locked in a battle of will against a strong Kerala side and eventually prevailed 7-6 on penalties after it ended goalless post extra time. Hmar said, “Services have a well-balanced side, which they had last season too, so it will be difficult to face them. I had one good training session with the boys today, so hopefully good things will come.”
MC Malsawmzuala has been their standout player thus far, netting four goals, all of which have come in the final round.
Manipur vs Goa
The second semi-final of the day will be a clash between two sides that just do not know how to lose. Manipur have played 11, and won 10 of them, beginning with the Group Stage, to Final Round, and the quarterfinal. They have built a winning habit, scoring a whopping 34 goals in the process. Their determination to prove their dominance was on ample display in the quarterfinal, when they steamrolled fellow Northeastern state Assam, 7-1 at the Golden Jubilee Stadium.
Manipur head coach Thangjam Saran Singh said, “We did not have much time to prepare back home, so I feel our best is yet to come. As we practice more with each other, the boys understand the way they all work more, and the chemistry is building.
“Goa will be a tough side to face, but we have devised our plans on how to approach the game. It will be difficult, but we will work hard and try to get the victory,” he said.
Phijam Sanathoi Meetei has been on fine form for Manipur, netting 11 goals in the tournament so far. He currently leads the scorers’ charts in the 77th NFC for Santosh Trophy. However, there will be some competition within the ranks for the top scorers’ award with two possible matches to go, as Wangkheimayum Sadananda Singh also put himself in contention for the award with a hat-trick in the quarterfinal against Assam; his tally now stands at eight.
There is a stark difference in the way these two giants of Indian Football have gone about their business. At the other end of the spectrum are Goa, who have made themselves into a unit that is difficult to beat. They had won exactly half of their 10 matches at the completion of the Group Stage and the Final Round, drawing the other five, and have also been able to establish themselves as a not-so-overtly-defensive side.
Goa head coach Charles Ador Dias said, “Manipur are a good side. That state is a hub of football, and their players understand the game very well. We have a lot of respect for them. We are both unbeaten sides, and it will be a good show for the fans. Football is an unpredictable game, so one never knows what will happen. We just need to give our best every moment on the pitch.”
Mahammed Faheez has been an absolute crowd-pleaser with his nifty bag of tricks, which always keeps the opposition defenders on their toes. However, they have also shown that they can produce goals from a number of sources, like Necio Maristo Fernandes, Joshua D’Silva, and Lloyd Cardozo, all of whom have netted three apiece in the Santosh Trophy so far.
–IANS
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Sports
Ahead of white-ball series against India, Wanindu Hasaranga steps down as Sri Lanka T20I captain
New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) Ahead of Sri Lanka’s white-ball series against India later this month, leg-spin all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga has resigned as the side’s T20I captain. Hasaranga was appointed as Sri Lanka’s T20I captain last year and led the team in 10 matches.
His last captaincy assignment saw Sri Lanka crash out of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup in group stage. In a statement issued by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Hasaranga said it was in the best interest of the team that he decided to relinquish his captaincy duties and would remain in the side as a player.
“Sri Lanka will always have my utmost best efforts as a player, and I will support and stand by my team and leadership as always,” wrote Hasaranga in his resignation letter to SLC. The governing body accepted his resignation and stated that Hasaranga would remain an important player for them in their international cricketing plans.
Sri Lanka’s next international assignment is taking on India in a home bilateral series, comprising three T20Is and as many ODIs, starting from July 26. It remains to be seen who becomes the Sri Lanka captain for the T20I leg of the tour, with the hosts having the legendary Sanath Jayasuriya as their interim head coach.
–IANS
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New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) In India’s 23-run win over Zimbabwe to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match T20I series, Ravi Bishnoi’s screamer of a catch to dismiss Zimbabwe top-order batter Brian Bennett dominated the post-game talk, with his team-mates Avesh Khan, Washington Sundar, Shubman Gill and Rinku Singh left in awe of his superb effort.
In chasing 183, Bennett went for a cut off Avesh, but Bishnoi timed his jump well to complete a stunning catch, with both hands, at backward point in the fourth over. After the wonderful catch was completed, Bishnoi was mobbed by his elated teammates, congratulating him on producing a moment that will be talked about for a long time.
“When he took the catch, I don’t think he got the reaction time. We also in the field did not get the reaction time. We ourselves were shocked at how he took that catch. He is a very good fielder and works a lot on his fielding. The catch that he took, the scoreboard will show that it was taken by me, but it should be credited to his account,” said Avesh in a video posted on bcci.tv.
Washington, who took 3-15 with his off-spin bowling, described how he had the best view for seeing Bishnoi’s catch. “First of all, it was a great opportunity for me to stand at mid-on and have a clear view of whatever happened throughout the catch and that particular ball. It went at rocket speed and Bishnoi, that rocket speed was there.”
Rinku added that he wasn’t surprised over Bishnoi pulling that kind of catch. “It was an outstanding catch. It’s not that he has taken such a catch for the first time. He has taken several outstanding catches in international cricket and IPL.”
A pleased Gill, the Indian skipper on this tour of Zimbabwe, said, “First of all, very happy with the team’s win to go 2-1 up in the series and the catch that Bishi took was absolutely remarkable.”
“It was truly delightful to watch. Cricket is definitely a team sport and it’s more so a team sport when you’re fielding. So, it’s very important to have fun when you are fielding. If you are having fun, then you are always in the game.”
In a conversation with Avesh, Bishnoi described what was his approach before taking that catch.
“Yes, it felt very good. We have been talking about fielding for the last two or three days, and how to improve my fielding even more. It’s not a new normal for me to take the catch off Avesh’s bowling. As long as we don’t make that effort to take the catch, we won’t know if it is near or far. So, I push myself to be as close to the catch as possible.”
–IANS
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Monaco, July 11 (IANS) Just a few days to go before the Olympic Games in Paris, some of the top stars of track and field will gather at the Stade Louis II in Fontvieille here for the ninth meet of the 2024 Diamond League on Friday, hoping to test their skills before the mega event.
With the elite track and field event featuring several Paris 2024-bound athletes, competing in 14 Diamond disciplines, fans can expect some tough competitions before the year’s biggest sports extravaganza.
The focus will be on the men’s 400-metre hurdles event, which is expected to give viewers a taste of the Olympics finals, as it will see the three fastest runners in the discipline’s history compete in Monaco.
World record holder Karsten Warholm (Norway), 2022 Diamond League 400m hurdles champion Alison dos Santos (Brazil), and 2023 Diamond League 400m hurdles champion Rai Benjamin (United States) are set to battle it out in an eight-man field. The three have clocked the 15 fastest times in the discipline’s history and will meet for the first time since the 2023 Diamond League final where Benjamin emerged victorious.
Other track and field stars in action across disciplines feature Tokyo 2020 men’s 1500m gold medallist Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Norway), Tokyo 2020 men’s 110m hurdles gold medallist Hansle Parchment (Jamaica), and 2019 Diamond League women’s 100m winner Dina Asher-Smith (Great Britain) in a packed slate.
Diamond Disciplines at Monaco 2024:
Men: High jump, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles
Women: Javelin throw, Pole vault, Triple jump, 100m, 400m, 2000m, 5000m
The Diamond League 2024 will be held on Friday (July 12) at the Stade Louis II, Fontvieille, Monaco from 11:30 PM IST onwards.
The event will be live streamed in India on JioCinema and broadcast on TV by Sports18 – 1 (HD), Sports18 – 3.
–IANS
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Mumbai, July 11 (IANS) Amidst attempts by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to popularize the sport in India, the top officials of two of the biggest professional sports leagues met here on Thursday, giving rise to speculation of exchange of ideas and possible collaboration on some aspects.
The secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Jay Shah met the Deputy Commissioner of the National Basketball League (NBA), Mark Tatum here on Thursday, to share knowledge with the BCCI official claiming that exciting times are ahead for the NBA and BCCI.
“Had a fantastic meeting with Mark Tatum, the NBA Deputy Commissioner. It was great meeting you, Mark, and sharing knowledge. Exciting times ahead for the @NBA and @BCCI!” wrote Shah in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
He also shared a photograph of him and Tatum standing alongside a trophy with an NBA backdrop, probably shot at the NBA office in Mumbai.
Shah did not elaborate on what kind of knowledge they shared or what “exciting” times the two organisations are looking forward to in the future.
However, it is a fact that the BCCI’s flagship Indian Premier League (IPL) is loosely modeled on the NBA, which is one of the most prestigious professional leagues in sports featuring a total of 29 teams from the USA and one from Canada. It is held in two Conferences and a few Divisions in each and the top eight from each group qualify for the Playoffs.
IPL in contrast has only 10 teams and if the BCCI wants to expand it, it may have to consider something like a two-division system.
Another thing that the IPL can pick from the NBA will be their highly successful centralised marketing and merchandising system.
–IANS
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New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) Defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant and their archrivals East Bengal FC, the two finalists from the previous edition, have been drawn together in the same group as the group stage draw for the upcoming Durand Cup 2024 was unveiled on Thursday.
The 24 teams from the ISL, I-League, international teams, and teams from the Armed Forces will fight it out in Asia’s oldest football tournament, scheduled to commence on July 27.
Notably, international teams will also feature with Nepal’s Tribhuvan Army FC and Bangladesh Army Football Team, both returning from the previous edition.
This year, Jamshedpur and Shillong join Kokrajhar and Kolkata as host cities, with each hosting group stage fixtures. Kolkata, the main venue, will host three groups, while Jamshedpur, Shillong, and Kokrajhar will each host one group.
The tournament will follow a round-robin league format with knockout stages, culminating in the final at Kolkata’s Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. In total, 43 matches will be played and the top teams from each group, along with the two best second-placed teams, will advance to the knockout phase.
Here are the groups for Durand Cup 2024:
Group A (Kolkata): Mohun Bagan SG, East Bengal FC, Indian Air Force FT, Downtown Heroes FC
Group B (Kolkata): Bengaluru FC, Inter Kashi FC, Indian Navy FT, Mohammedan SC
Group C (Kolkata): Kerala Blasters FC, Mumbai City FC, Punjab FC, CISF Protectors FT
Group D (Jamshedpur): Jamshedpur FC, Chennaiyin FC, Indian Army FT, Bangladesh Army FT
Group E (Kokrajhar): Odisha FC, NorthEast United FC, Bodoland FC, BSF FT
Group F (Shillong): FC Goa, Hyderabad FC, Shillong Lajong FC, Tribhuvan Army FC
–IANS
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