Harmanpreet signs for lancashire
new delhi: Harmanpreet Kaur has been signed up by lancashire Thunder as their overseas player for the 2018 season of England's Kia Super league, becoming the second Indian cricketer to play in the league after Smriti Mandhana. Harmanpreet made history in 2016 when she became the first Indian cricketer - male or female - to sign a Big Bash league contract with Sydney Thunder, following an impressive showing during India's tour of Australia, where she made a 31-ball 46 during their highest-ever T20 chase. The 29 year-old, who has made 170 appearances for India in all three formats of the game, shot to fame in 2017 when she hit a match winning 171 not out against Australia in the semi-final of the ICC Women's World Cup in Derby. Harmanpreet said, "I am so pleased to sign for lancashire Thunder ahead of the 2018 Kia Super league. I have followed the KSl for a while and I can't wait to finally play in the competition, especially at a stadium like Emirates Old Trafford.
Mirabai to lead India at AsiaD
new delhi: World Champion Saikhom Mirabai Chanu will spearhead the Indian weightlifting challenge in the upcoming Asian Games as the national federation named a five-member team on Friday. Mirabai, who won Gold in the world championships last year and Commonwealth Games in April, will compete in women's 48kg while Rakhi Halder has been named as the second women and will take part in 63kg. The three men are CWG Gold medallist Sathish Sivalingam and Ajay Singh (both 77kg) and CWG Bronze medalist Vikas Thakur (94kg). In 2014 Asian Games, India had sent six weightlifters and returned without a medal. Mirabai had finished ninth in her category. This time though she is the favourite to win Gold.
Pliskova knocked out at Eastbourne
eastbourne: Reigning champion Karolina Pliskova was surprisingly knocked out of the Eastbourne tournament after squandering a three-game lead in the final set. It seemed Pliskova was on course to reach the semi-finals of the grass-court event that acts as a warm-up for Wimbledon but surrendered her advantage against 20-year-old Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka to lose 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7/5). Sabalenka will now meet 2008 champion Agnieszka Radwanska in the last four. The Pole, continuing her return from a back injury, defeated Jelena Ostapenko 6-2, 7-5. Meanwhile, top seed Caroline Wozniacki, the 2009 champion and last year's beaten finalist, will face Angelique Kerber in Friday's other semi-final. World number two Wozniacki, the Australian Open champion, beat eighth seed Ashleigh Barty 6-4 6-3, while Kerber had a much tougher time before seeing off Russia's Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/3). In the men's event, British number one Kyle Edmund was unable to build on his win over compatriot Andy Murray. Despite winning the first set, Edmund lost 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 to world number 90 Mikhail Kukushkin.