Crespo, Pires in ISl football
Mumbai: The much-anticipated IPl-style football league to be held early next year will be christened as the Indian Super league even as the organisers IMG-Reliance today disclosed the roping in of four more big international stars. Former Trinidad and Tobago and Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke, former Sweden captain and Arsenal star Fredrik ljungberg, ex-Argentina striker Hernan Crespo and former France and Arsenal winger Robert Pires have confirmed their availability. “Crespo, Yorke, ljunberg and Pires have confirmed their availability,” an IMG-Reliance source told PTI. With their signings, the names of five marquee players out of eight have been known and the remaining three are expected to be named in a few days. IMG-Reliance has also signed up former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and 1998 World Cup winner France international Marcel Desailly as two of the eight managers for the January 18 to March 30 tournament.
Tanvi finishes runners-up
New Delhi: Former junior national champion, Tanvi lad finished runners-up at the Swiss International Challenge badminton tournament after suffering a straight-game defeat against USA’s Beiwen Zhang in the women’s singles competition at Yverdon-Ies-Bains, Switzerland. Tanvi could not produce her best in the summit clash and went down 12-21 12-21 in a 26-minute match.
59 foreign players in HIl auction
New Delhi: Fifty-nine overseas players, including 27 Olympians have signed up for the Mini Players Auction/Closed Bid, which is scheduled on November 18 here for the next two editions of the Hero Hockey India league (HIl). Hockey India (HI) Secretary General and HIl chairman, Narinder Batra said players from 12 countries have made themselves available for the auction. “We are happy that players from 12 countries besides Indians have made themselves available for Mini Players Auction/Closed Bid for Hero Hockey India league,” he said. “We are also pleased that maximum number of players from World Champion Australia and Argentina will be part of the auction,” Batra said.
Sania back in double’s top 10
New Delhi: Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza has broken back into the top 10 of the world women’s doubles by gaining two spots to ninth place in the latest WTA Team Rankings issued on Monday. Sania jumped from 11th spot despite not playing any event this week. The 26-year-old moved up as a result of other players dropping points.