24-member team for japan
New Delhi: India on Thursday announced a 24-strong team for the men’s hockey series against Japan in Bhubaneswar from May 3 to 9. The Preparatory Camp for the series, which started on April 22 at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, ended on Thursday. The team will leave for Bhubaneswar May 1. The series will be in preparation of the all-important FIH Hockey World league Semi-Final scheduled in June this year. The Indian team: Goalkeepers: PR Sreejesh, Harjot Singh, Defenders: Gurbaj Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Birendra lakra, Kothajit Singh, VR Raghunath, Jasjit Singh, Gurmail Singh, Yuvraj Walmiki, Harmanpreet Singh, Midfielders: Manpreet Singh, Dharamvir Singh, Sardar Singh, SK Uthappa, Chinglensana Singh Kangujam, Pardeep Mor, Forwards: SV Sunil, Ramandeep Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Mandeep Singh, Nikkin Thimmaiah, Satbir Singh, lalit Upadhyay.
India’s campaign in NZ Open ends
Auckland: The Indian campaign at the $ 120,000 New Zealand Open Grand Prix Gold ended today after Anand Pawar and Rachita Sahdev lost their respective matches here on Thursday. Pawar, seeded 11th, was outplayed 14-21 7-21 by South Korean third seed lee Hyun Il in 34 minutes in the third round of men’s singles at the North Shore Events Centre here. With this victory, lee has extended his lead to 2-0 over the Indian. Meanwhile, Rachita Sahdev along with her mixed doubles partner Abhinav Manota of New Zealand lost 7-21 10-21 against Chinese fifth seeded pair of Zheng Si Wei and Chen Qingchen in 19 minutes in the second round.
Patel elected as AFC’s VP
New Delhi: All India Football Federation President Praful Patel was on Thursday elected unopposed as Asian Football Confederation’s vice president of the SAFF region at the AFC Congress held in Bahrain. The development gives India a significant representation in the AFC and Patel thanked all Member Associations for finding him “competent enough”. “First of all I need to thank all for finding me competent enough. Indian football is undergoing a transition and it feels nice that our development progress has rung bells all over the continent. I take this as a complement for Indian football,” he said. “This is a huge responsibility. I would not only be representing my own Country but the entire SAFF Region. I stay confident of receiving support from all stakeholders for rapid progress of football in the region,” he added.
‘TOP scheme will get medals’
Indore: Wrestler Sushil Kumar on Thursday expressed confidence that the government’s Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme will fetch more medals for the country in the 2016 Olympics than the earlier Games. “TOP scheme will increase India’s medal tally at the Olympics. If such a big country bags 4-5 medals, it disheartens the people,” Kumar, who won a silver medal in the london Games in 2012, told reporters here. The government has picked up 45 sportspersons, including Kumar, under the TOP scheme ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics. They will be provided financial and other assistance for preparations.
Yuki reaches quarter-final
Taipei: Indian Davis Cupper Yuki Bhambri overwhelmed higher-ranked Jimmy Wang in straight sets to progress to the singles quarterfinals of the $ 75000 ATP Challenger event, here on Thursday. Unseeded Yuki tamed the eighth seed local player 6-3 6-1 in the second round of the Indoor tournament, being played on carpet. After a difficult start, Yuki dominated the 64-minute contest in which he saved all three breakpoints in the opening set. He broke his rival, ranked 132 on ATP charts, twice in each set. Yuki, ranked 216, did not face a single breakpoint on his serve in the second set. Yuki though said the match was not easy as the scoreline suggested. He next faces Japanese third seed Go Soeda, an experienced campaigner ranked 87 in the world. Yuki has played Soeda once before, having suffered defeat in Yokohoma last year.
SHARATH KAMAl WITHDRAWS
New Delhi: India’s Sharath Kamal withdrew from the QOROS World Table Tennis Championship due to injury here on Thursday. The number 33 seed, Sharath Kamal was supposed to play Chinese Fang Bo in the third round but the hip injury, which he suffered during the second round match against Frenchmen Simon Gauzy, forced him to take no further part in the tournament. Sharath Kamal tore the adductor muscle in his right hip. RsRs I made a step to the right to play a forehand top spin. I felt a click in my right hip. I felt the pain again on the next point and took a medical time out,’’ Sharath Kamal said. RsRsBefore I played today I was experiencing problems with my hip. Before I played the doubles match I had pain killing injections and felt better, said Kamal.
lb shastri reach final
New Delhi: Fine spell of bowling by Yatharth Tomar 3/33 & Vikas Dixit 3/42 and unbeaten partnership for the third wicket between Sandeep Raj Kaushik 84* and Nitin Tanwar 67* enabled l.B.Shastri Cricket Club beat ONGC by 8 wickets to enter the final of 25th All-India Om Nath Sood Memorial Cricket Tournament being played at R.S.K.P., grounds here on Thursday.