Mumbai, July 11 (IANS) Monsoon Pickleball Championship second editon is set to be held from the August 20-25 here with 800 participants are expected to compete in a total of 47 categories.

The Championship offers a total of USD 100,000 (close to Rs 1 crore) prize money that will be up for grabs for all participants in the 47 categories ranging from Open PRO, 19+ intermediate, 30+ Open, 40+ Open, 50+ Open, 18+ Open, 60+ Open, Split Age 35+.

Former World No. 2 on the PPA Tour, Jocelyn ‘Jay’ Devilliers, often referred as the Flying Frenchman, has shot to the top of the sport in all three divisions. He has proven himself to be one of the most fiery and exciting players to watch and is one of the most popular professional pickleball players on tour and will bring flair and talent to the Monsoon Pickleball Championship 2.0.

Other international pickleball stars namely Meghan Fudge, Ryler Dheart, Rob Nunnery and Thaddea Lock will also feature at this championship.

“We are extremely happy to announce the second edition of the Monsoon Pickleball Championship. Global Sports’ main aim is the absolute commitment towards growing the sport of pickleball in India and this edition will be bigger than the last tournaments we have conducted. Having Jay DeVilliers playing this tournament will inspire younger talent and give them a road map into playing professional pickleball,” said, Niraj Jain, Tournament Director, Monsoon Pickleball Championship 2.0 & Partner, Global Sports.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) The newly appointed India head coach Gautam Gambhir is reportedly pushing for the inclusion of former Dutch cricketer Ryan ten Doeschate into the team’s coaching staff.

Ryan ten Doeschate recently collaborated with Gambhir at the Kolkata Knight Riders, where he contributed as the team’s fielding coach during their victorious 2024 campaign.

Beyond his role with KKR, Ten Doeschate holds multiple positions within the franchise’s subsidiaries, including in the Caribbean Premier League, Major League Cricket, and ILT20.

According to a report in Cricbuzz, Gambhir, who has requested a free hand in managing the team, wants the 44-year-old Dutch as one of his key associates. However, the final decision rests with the BCCI, which has recently favoured hiring only Indian personnel for coaching roles.

Earlier, reports claimed that Abhishek Nayar, a former India all-rounder and integral part of the KKR backroom team, is likely to join Gambhir’s team as an assistant coach.

The ongoing deliberation revolves around the role Ryan ten Doeschate could potentially take up if selected but the BCCI wants to retain T Dilip, a member of Rahul Dravid’s existing coaching team, for the position of fielding coach, the report added.

–IANS

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Northampton, July 11 (IANS) South Africa Champions defeated India Champions while Australia Champions prevailed over West Indies Champions in the last two league games of the World Championship of Legends 2024 here at County Ground.

With that, the league stage came to an end and the four semi-finalists have been locked in.

Pakistan Champions will take on West Indies Champions in the first semifinal while the second will be played between Australia and India on Friday. The winners of the respective games will play the summit clash on Saturday.

In the first match of the day, led by an explosive century from Ben Dunk and a near-century from Daniel Christian, Australia Champions set a commanding total of 274 for 7 in their 20 overs after they were put in to bat first.

Dunk’s 100 off 35 balls, featuring 10 fours and 7 sixes, set the tone for a high-scoring innings. Christian followed with a rapid 99 off 35 balls, which included 11 fours and 8 sixes, ensuring the Australia Champions posted a formidable total. Rayad Emrit was the pick of the West Indies bowlers, taking 4 wickets for 56 runs.

In response, the West Indies Champions started their chase with a early setback, losing Kirk Edwards for just 5 runs. Dwayne Smith led a spirited effort, smashing 64 off 40 balls with 7 fours and 3 sixes. His aggressive approach gave the West Indies hope, but wickets continued to fall at regular intervals.

They were struggling at 81 for 4 at one stage before a middle-order resilience was showcased by Ashley Nurse, who played a remarkable innings, scoring an unbeaten 70 off 36 balls with 7 fours and 4 sixes. His late partnership with captain Daren Sammy, who contributed 33 off 18 balls, added some respectability to the score.

However, the required run rate kept climbing, and despite Nurse’s valiant efforts, the West Indies Champions fell short of the target, finishing their innings at 219 for 6 in 20 overs.

Brett Lee and Peter Siddle were instrumental in controlling the run chase, taking 2 wickets each as Australians secured a comfortable victory by 55 runs.

In another action, riding upon blistering half-centuries from opener Jacques Synman and wicketkeeper Richard Levi, the South Africa Champions posted a total of 210/8 in 20 overs, and the bowlers restricted India to 156/6 in the allotted 20 overs to end their campaign on a winning note.

Synman, who scored an unbeaten 82 against Pakistan in the previous game, once again showcased his batting prowess and blasted 73 off 43 balls (10x4s, 3x6s) to lay a solid foundation for his team.

Later, Levi smashed a 25-ball 60, with 5 sixes and as many boundaries, and helped his team dominate the middle overs. While the Indian bowlers did make a strong comeback in the death overs, they couldn’t prevent the Proteas from posting a big total.

Harbhajan Singh (4/25) was the pick of the bowlers for India as the Turbanator rolled back the clock with his off-spin bowling.

Indian openers failed to give their team a good start in the run chase and their top five were back in the dugout with just 77 runs on the board in 11.3 overs. Yusuf Pathan (54* off 44) and Irfan Pathan (35 off 21) shared a vital stand but couldn’t help their side cross the finish line as the asking rate kept getting higher. India lost the game by 54 runs eventually.

Brief Scores:

Australia Champions Vs West Indies Champions

Australia 274/7 in 20 overs (Ben Dunk: 100 off 35 balls & Daniel Christian: 99 off 35 balls; R Emrit: 4-0-56-4) beat West Indies Champions 219/6 in 20 overs (Dwayne Smith: 64 off 40 balls & Ashley Nurse: 70* off 36 balls; Brett Lee: 3-0-30-2, Peter Siddle: 4-0-32-2) by 55 runs.

South Africa Champions Vs India Champions

South Africa 210/8 in 20 overs (Jacques Synman 73 off 43 & Richard Levi 60 off 25; Harbhajan Singh 4/25) beat India 156/6 in 20 overs (Yusuf Pathan 54* off 44, Irfan Pathan 35 off 21; Vernon Philander 2/17) by 54 runs

–IANS

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Charlotte (US), July 11 (IANS) Following Uruguay’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Colombia in the Copa America semifinals, a heated altercation erupted in the stands involving Uruguayan players and Colombian supporters.

The incident, which occurred after the final whistle on Wednesday evening, saw Uruguay forward Darwin Nunez at the heart of the chaos.

As Uruguayan players approached the stands, a confrontation with Colombian fans quickly escalated into a physical altercation. Punches were thrown, and objects, including beverages and food, were hurled between the two groups. Broadcast footage captured the intense scene, involving both players and spectators, according to Spanish national sports daily Marca.

The Copa America organising body has condemned the “act of violence”, saying “There is no place for intolerance and violence on and off the field”.

“Our work is based on the conviction that soccer connects and unites us through its positive values. We invite everyone in the remaining days to pour all their passion into cheering on their national teams and having an unforgettable party,” it said in a statement.

Colombia extended its unbeaten streak to 28 games after beating Uruguay 1-0 on Wednesday night and qualified for the Copa America final, where on Sunday it will seek its second continental title in its history against Argentina.

After the semfinal loss, Uruguay will play Canada at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday to determine third place.

–IANS

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Charlotte (US), July 11 (IANS) Midfielder James Rodriguez surpassed Argentine great Lionel Messi’s record of most assists for goals in a single edition of the Copa America.

The pass for Jefferson Lerma to score was his 6th assist in the tournament, making him the player with the most assists in a single edition since 2011, when the statistic began to be computed.

The previous mark belonged to Messi, who had registered 5 assists in the Copa América 2021.

With this sixth assist, Colombia’s number 10 achieved his fourth game out of five with at least one assist. He started with two in the victory against Paraguay. He added one more against Costa Rica and another two in the 5-0 against Panama, in the quarterfinals.

Colombia defeated Uruguay 1-0 to advance to the final, which will be held on Sunday in Miami. Awaiting them are Argentina, as Lionel Messi and Co. look to make it a second consecutive Copa America title.

–IANS

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