ARCHERY<\/h4>\n
Hyderabad to host second season of Archery Premier League in October<\/b><\/p>\n
Hyderabad will host the second season of the Archery Premier League from October 8 to 18, with no expansion to the six-franchise field that competed in the inaugural edition last year.<\/p>\n
The 11-day tournament will be held at People\u2019s Plaza on Necklace Road and will retain the six franchises from the inaugural edition — defending champions Rajputana Royals (Rajasthan), Mighty Marathas (Maharashtra), Prithviraaj Yodhas (Delhi), Kakatiya Knights (Telangana), Chero Archers (Jharkhand) and Chola Chiefs (Tamil Nadu).<\/p>\n
A total of 48 Indian and international archers will compete across recurve and compound disciplines.<\/p>\n
Unlike last year, when the league began on the day of Dussehra, the second season will conclude well before the festival.<\/p>\n
Details regarding team squads, player signings, fixtures and broadcast arrangements will be announced later.<\/p>\n
Each franchise will field a squad of eight archers, with the competition following a double round-robin format.<\/p>\n
The top four teams will advance to the semifinals, with the final scheduled for October 18.<\/p>\n
-PTI<\/i><\/p>\n
Narrow miss for compound team<\/b><\/p>\n
The Indian compound men\u2019s team, comprising Sahil Jadhav, Kushal Dalal, Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru, missed out on a podium finish after narrowly losing its bronze medal match to Mexico at the Archery World Cup Stage-3 in Antalya.<\/p>\n
India went down fighting to Mexico, consisting of Sebastian Garcia Flores, Lot Maximo Mendez Oritz and Rodrigo Gonzalez De Alba, 232-233.<\/p>\n
In recurve qualification, B. Dhiraj, who shot a season best 681, and Kumkum Mohod, who logged her career best 671, were the best Indians.<\/p>\n
\nThe results:
\n<\/h5>\n
Recurve: Qualification: Individual: Men: B. Dhiraj (6th, 681), Neeraj Chauhan (10th, 677), Atanu Das (67th, 651), Yashdeep Bhoge (84th, 637); Women: Kumkum Mohod (3rd, 671), Deepika Kumari (7th, 665), Ankita Bhakat (21st, 653), Kirti (43rd, 642); Team: India: Men (7th, 2009), Women (3rd, 1989), Mixed (3rd, 1352).<\/p>\n
Compound: Elimination: Team: Men: India (Sahil Jadhav, Kushal Dalal, Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru) bt Singapore 227-227 (shoot-off: 30-28) (first round), bt Italy 231-231 (shoot-off: 29*-29, shot closer to centre) (quarterfinal), lost to China 232-235 (semifinal), lost to Mexico 232-233 (bronze medal match).<\/p>\n
Women: India (V. Jyothi Surekha, Chikitha Taniparthi, Prithika Pradeep) got a bye (first round), lost to USA 225-228 (second round).\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
– Team Sportstar<\/i><\/p>\nGOLF<\/h4>\n
Kochhar, Bhullar in 10-member Indian golf contingent for Morocco event<\/b><\/p>\n
In excellent form with three top-10 finishes in just five Asian Tour starts this season, Karandeep Kochhar will lead a 10-member Indian contingent in the International Series Morocco golf tournament which will tee off on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The other Indians in the USD 2 million event are Anirban Lahiri, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Aryan Roopa Anand, Udayan Mane, SSP Chawrasia, Rashid Khan, Shaurya Bhattacharya, Ajeetesh Sandhu and Shubham Jaglan. The 26-year-old Kochhar was tied ninth at last week\u2019s AM Green IGPL Bharath Classic, after a tied fifth at International Series Japan and fourth place at the Philippine Golf Championship. Late last year, he won the Egypt Golf Series Red Sea Open on the Asian Development Tour.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I\u2019ve been playing really well this year. I\u2019ve only played five events so far and I\u2019ve already had three top-10 finishes, so that\u2019s definitely encouraging,\u201d said a confident Kochhar.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven in the other events, I felt like I was playing solid golf. In New Zealand, I just had a poor Sunday, and in Singapore I wasn\u2019t playing my best, but I still managed to make the cut, which I was happy about.\u201d That consistency has been tested over the past three weeks as Kochhar competed throughout Morocco\u2019s unique professional golf swing, progressing from the Asian Development Tour and Asian Tour to this week\u2019s International Series Morocco.<\/p>\n
This week\u2019s International Series field also gives Kochhar another opportunity he has been relishing, spending time alongside Indian golfing icon Anirban Lahiri.<\/p>\n
The pair were already sharing some friendly competition before tournament week officially began.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe actually had a little seven-hole match today. Me and Aryan (Roopa Anand) versus Anirban and Shaurya (Bhattacharya),\u201d Kochhar said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAryan and I were two down with two holes to play, but I birdied the last two holes to halve the match. I was pretty happy about that.\u201d<\/p>\n
-PTI<\/i><\/p>\n
Sunit Chowrasia shoots 62 to establish two-shot lead at DP World PGTI<\/b><\/p>\n
Sunit Chowrasia of Kolkata fired a bogey-free eight-under 62 to surge into a two-shot lead after round two of the inaugural DP World PGTI NexGen Vijay Kumar Memorial tournament.<\/p>\n
Sunit (70-62), the nephew of Indian golfing legend SSP Chawrasia, who had shot an opening round of 70, climbed from tied 13th to the top of the leaderboard at a total score of eight-under 132.<\/p>\n
The Kolkata golfer, currently sixth on the DP World PGTI NexGen Order of Merit, produced the lowest round of the tournament with eight birdies and no bogeys.<\/p>\n
Overnight leader Abhishek Kumar (65-69) of Panchkula slipped to second place at six-under 134 after carding a second successive bogey-free round of one-under 69.<\/p>\n
Pawan Kumar, 41, followed up his opening-round 67 with a two-under 68 to move into sole third place at five-under 135.<\/p>\n
– PTI<\/i><\/p>\n
Misra, Anas take early lead as NCR Cup tees off at Delhi Golf Club<\/b><\/p>\n
Aditya Misra and Anas Khan grabbed the spotlight with impressive opening-round performances as the 24th NCR Cup junior golf tournament began at the Delhi Golf Club.<\/p>\n
Misra produced the best score of the day in Boys\u2019 Category B, carding a two-under-par 70, the only under-par round across all divisions.<\/p>\n
After turning at three-over, he bounced back spectacularly with five birdies on the back nine to take a two-shot lead over Chaitanya Pandey (72).<\/p>\n
In Boys\u2019 Category A, Anas Khan delivered the highlight of the day with a hole-in-one on the par-three fifth hole before finishing with a round of 72.<\/p>\n
Among the girls, Anushka Gupta led Category B with a 75, four shots ahead of Dalisha Chetry, while Myra Kumar topped Category A after returning a 76 to edge past Ayesha Gupta (77) by one stroke.<\/p>\n
– PTI<\/i><\/p>\nCRICKET<\/h4>\n
Shrachi Rarh Tigers beats Murshidabad Kings<\/b><\/p>\n
Shuvam Dey struck a power-packed half-century and Rohit Kumar and Rahul Prasad bagged three wickets apiece to guide Shrachi Rarh Tigers to a comprehensive 59-run win over Murshidabad Kings via DLS method in a rain-affected Bengal T20 League match at the Eden Gardens here on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Put in to bat, Rarh Tigers scored 188 for five. Following rain interruption, Kings, at 121 for nine in 15.5 overs, were behind the revised target.<\/p>\n
Rarh Tigers got off to a solid start as its openers Sumanta Gupta and Shuvam Dey put up 52 runs. The stocky left-handed Dey (51, 40b, 5×4, 2×6) showcased his shots on both sides before retiring hurt in the 12th over. His team was at 89 for one.<\/p>\n
Sumit Nag (37, 22b, 3×4, 2×6), who clubbed two sixes and as many fours off an Aditya Sharma over, and Gaurav Chauhan (34, 19b, 4×6), who executed three pulled sixes, took Rarh Tigers to a formidable total.<\/p>\n
Pacer Rohit Kumar showed discipline to claim the first three wickets inside four overs and deflate Kings\u2019 chase. Off-spinner Rahul Prasad also bowled in the right areas to take three.<\/p>\n
Captain Abhishek Raman (47, 34b, 4×4, 2×6) tried in vain to bail out Kings from a precarious 65 for six.<\/p>\n
\nThe scores:
\n<\/h5>\nMen:<\/h5>\n
\nShrachi Rarh Tigers 188\/5 in 20 overs (Sumanta Gupta 27, Shuvam Dey 51 retd. hurt, Sumit Nag 37, Gaurav Chauhan 34, Saksham Chaudhary 2\/42, Nuruddin Mondal 2\/25) bt Murshidabad Kings 121\/9 in 15.5 overs (Abhishek Raman 47, Rohit Kumar 3\/8, Rahul Prasad 3\/26, Shahbaz Ahmed 2\/25) (Revised target: 180 in 15.5 overs, DLS).<\/p>\n
Servotech Siliguri Strikers 128\/7 in 20 overs (Badal Singh Balyan 30, Pramod Chandila 52, Mukesh Kumar 2\/30, Prayas Ray Barman 2\/16) lost to Sobisco Smashers Malda 129\/4 in 17.3 overs (Akhil 50, Prayas Ray Barman 39, Geet Puri 2\/17).\n<\/p>\n
Women:<\/h5>\n
\nServotech Siliguri Strikers 119\/6 in 20 overs (Dyuti Paul 27) lost to Mushidabad Kueens 123\/4 in 18.2 overs (Tanushree Sarkar 61, Shivanshi Tiwari 25, Ananya Halder 2\/17); Rashmi Nes Medinipur Wizards 101\/6 in 20 overs (Riya Goswami 40 n.o., Saika Ishaque 3\/17) lost to Sobisco Smashers Malda 84\/3 in 15.2 overs (Saika Ishaque 51 n.o.) (Revised target: 73 in 15.2 overs, DLS).\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
-Team Sportstar<\/i><\/p>\n
Andhra Premier League: Amaravati Royals, Kakinada Kings win<\/b><\/p>\n
Amaravati Royals cruised to a six-wicket win against Tungabhadra Warriors in an Andhra Premier League clash at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam.<\/p>\n
Put in to bat first, Warriors struggled to get going, losing two wickets and scoring just 41 runs by the end of the PowerPlay. They failed to get meaningful partnerships going, with only three batters managing to reach double-digit scores, and folded inside 16 overs with just 105 runs on the board.<\/p>\n
Royals started the chase aggressively and never looked in trouble. S.V. Rahul (40, 21b, 4×6, 1×6) and Y. Sandeep (30, 13b, 4×4, 2×6) top-scored for them, wrapping up the win with nine overs to spare.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Kakinada Kings registered a comfortable 71-run win against Simhadri Vizag Lions. Kings rode on M. Yuvan\u2019s unbeaten half-century (64 n.o., 34b, 2\u00d74, 6\u00d76) to set a 220-run target. In reply, Lions were bundled out for 148, with M. Anjaneyulu (3\/25) and G. Manish (2\/22) being the pick of the bowlers.<\/p>\n
\nThe scores:
\n<\/h5>\n
\nTungabhadra Warriors 105 in 15.5 overs (M. Toshith Yadav 3\/23) lost to Amaravati Royals 108\/4 in 11 overs.<\/p>\n
Kakinada Kings 219\/5 in 20 overs (M. Yuvan 64 n.o.) bt Simhadri Vizag Lions 148 in 20 overs (M. Anjaneyulu 3\/25).\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
– Team Sportstar<\/i><\/p>\nRUGBY<\/h4>\n
Kolkata Bangla Tigers unveils squads ahead of maiden Rugby Premier League<\/b><\/p>\n
Kolkata Banga Tigers on Wednesday unveiled its men\u2019s and women\u2019s squads for the upcoming Rugby Premier League, becoming the first franchise from eastern India to compete in the tournament.<\/p>\n
The franchise has assembled a 26-member squad comprising players from 11 countries for the league, which will be held in Hyderabad from June 16 to 30.<\/p>\n
Tigers is one of four franchises in the competition to have teams in both categories.<\/p>\n
The men\u2019s team will be coached by former Fiji sevens captain Osea Kolinisau, while South Africa\u2019s Paul Delport will head the women\u2019s side.<\/p>\n
Kolinisau said the franchise had assembled a squad with considerable international experience and would look to make an impact in its debut season.<\/p>\n
The Rugby Premier League will be played at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad and features franchise-based teams competing in the sevens format.<\/p>\n
Rugby India vice-president Sanaya Mehta Vyas said Kolkata\u2019s inclusion in the league was an important development for the sport in the region.<\/p>\n
\u201cKolkata has always shared a special relationship with rugby and it is wonderful to see the city represented on the Rugby Premier League stage,\u201d she said at the launch.<\/p>\n