Zaheer eyeing comeback in ClT20
New Delhi: Gearing up for the second phase of his rehabilitation, senior Indian pacer Zaheer Khan is hopeful of making a comeback through the Champions league Twenty20 in September before the home series against West Indies. “I am looking forward to play in Champions league which is beginning next month. That’s a good goal to have but I have to see how my bowling rehab goes and what kind of feedback I get from my physio,” Zaheer said. India’s seniormost fast bowler strained his left latissmus dorsi muscle during IPl this year and because of that he missed the tour of England. “I am starting my second phase of rehab this week which is bowling phase. Thereafter I will see how things unfold and hopefully in another five weeks or so, I will look to bowl 100 per cent,” said the pacer who has 311 wickets in 92 Tests and 281 scalps in 200 ODIs under his name. “When injuries happen it’s not an easy phase to deal with. You have to be patient and work on recovery under right guidance. I have been doing the same thing everytime I have had any injury. There are phases in rehab and when you are 100 per cent fit, you just come back,” he added.
Chess: Indians off to a good start
Tromso (Norway): Grandmaster Parimarjan Negi was held to a draw by little known Basher Iyti but the Indian team coasted off to a 3.5-0.5 victory over Syria in the 41st Chess Olympiad here on Sunday. On what turned out to be an indifferent start from Negi, the Indian was staring at a shocking loss in the first round but survived, thanks to Iyti missing out on some simple winning moves. The Indian, however, sensed that he had no chances just in time and his peace offer was something that Iyti could not refuse after 44 moves. On the remaining three boards, the Indian men scored victories. S P Sethuraman used his white pieces to beat Hasan Omrani, Akhras Khaled proved no match for B Adhiban, while M R lalith Babu had it easy against Ward Al-Tarbosh to complete the Indian triumph. Highest rated Indian, Krishnan Sasikiran was rested in the opener. There were no surprises in the opening round and fancied teams scored easy victories. Match point being the case here, each of the winning team got two points apiece. In the Women's Olympiad, which is being held simultaneously, the Indian eves had little problems in outwitting New Zealand 4-0. led by Tania Sachdev on the top board, it was an expected whitewash. Sachdev defeated Helen Miligen on the top board as D Harika dropped herself in the first round. Eesha Karavade put it across Marani Meyer, while Mary Ann Gomes and Padmini Rout accounted for Judy Gao and Nicole Tsoi to ensure a perfect score.
Pak cricketer alleges torture
lahore: A Pakistani woman cricketer has alleged she was tortured by her former brother-in-law who also subjected her to extortion demands. Nida Rashid Dar, 27, today told reporters that she had virtually been detained at her house and was unable to go the ground for practice for upcoming tour of Australia. “I have been constantly receiving threats from my former brother-in-law Junaid Sindhu and the police have yet to provide me a foolproof security,” she complained. In an FIR registered with the Gujranwala police, the all-rounder who made her debut in 2010 against Ireland, said last Saturday Sindhu along with his accomplices visited her house and tortured her. “My sister had got divorce from Sindhu but he was making extortion demands. He warned me of dire consequences if money was not given to him,” she said. Nida said after the incident she went to the police station but the police refused to register a case against Sindhu. “However after the media narrated my story the police registered the FIR but they are still not providing security to me,” she said. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board has announced its full cooperation to Nida. The police are also conducting raids to arrest Sindh.
Beating Eng will be huge: Mithali
Mumbai: Offered a chance to play a four-day Test after eight years, Indian women’s cricket captain Mithali Raj welcomed it and said the younger lot in the squad, who are embarking on a 23-day tour of England tonight, would benefit a lot from playing the longer version of the game. She also said it would be a big challenge and a huge achievement if the team got the better of the more experienced hosts in their backyard in the one-off Test and the three ODIs that will follow during the visit. “Only three of us — myself, Jhulan (Goswami) and Karuna Jain — had played the last Test in 2006. I feel it’s easier to adapt from playing the longer version of the game to the ODIs and T20s. Our team is inexperienced in Tests but experienced in ODIs. The younger players would benefit. “It’s a big challenge and beating England in England will be a huge achievement for the team. The last time we went there (in 2012) we came close to doing it but lost the series (5-game ODI rubber) after taking a 2-0 lead,” said Hyderabad batswoman Mithali at the pre-departure media conference at the Cricket Board’s headquarters here on Sunday. The team is scheduled to play a two-day warm-up game (August 7 and 8 at loughborough, Haslegrave) ahead of the one-off Test from August 13-16 (Wormsley Cricket Ground). The team will also play a warm-up one day game (August 19, Harrogate CC) before the 3-match ODI series scheduled on August 21, 23 (both at Scarborough CC) and 25 (lord's). The Indian women's last international appearance was during the WT20 in Bangladesh in March and prior to that they had played three ODIs and as many T20s against Sri lanka at home last season.