Windies revenge not on Simmons’ mind despite axe
harare: Phil Simmons insists that leading Afghanistan to the 2019 World Cup and not exacting revenge over his West Indies compatriots is his only priority when the 10-team qualifying tournament gets underway on Sunday. Simmons, who played 26 Tests and 143 ODIs for the West Indies from 1987 to 1999, was sacked as coach of the Caribbean side in 2016, just five months after leading them to the World Twenty20 title in India. His sacking had been preceded by a suspension the previous year for publically criticising the West Indies selection policy. Simmons, 54, took over the reins of Afghanistan in December and his mission to get the newly-minted Test team to a second successive World Cup in England and Wales next year.
Rahane, Suryakumar auctioned for Rs 7 lk each
mumbai: India Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and his Mumbai teammate Suryakumar Yadav went under the hammer for Rs 7 lakh each as they were picked in the auction on Saturday by Mumbai North and Mumbai North East teams as their icon players respectively for the upcoming T20 Mumbai league. The players' auction for the league, to be held at the Wankhede Stadium from March 11 to 21, also saw stand-in India limited over skipper Rohit Sharma being bought by Mumbai North West for Rs 6 lakh as their icon player. Sharma will be leading the national team in Sri lanka in the T20 tri-series in the absence of regular captain Virat Kohli. He is unlikely to play in the event as it clashes with the tri-series in lanka scheduled from March 6-18.
Bagan beat Churchill, stay in I-league title hunt
vasco (goa): Mohun Bagan stay in hunt for the title as they scored a hard fought 2-1 win over Churchill Brothers in a penultimate round match of the I-league here on Saturday. After a barren first half, Bagan scored through Nikhil Kadam (54th minute) and Akram Moghrabi (76th). Churchill Brothers pulled one back through Osagie Moday in the 74th minute in the match played at Tilak Maidan. Mohun Bagan now move to third place with 30 points and play their last match against Gokulam Kerala on March 6 in Kozhikode.
It's Umesh vs Shami as India A take on India B
dharamsala: The battle to remain relevant in India's limited overs scheme of things will be foremost on Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav's minds when India A take on India B in the opening game of the Deodhar Trophy here on Sunday. Having slipped in the pecking order as far as ODIs are concerned, both Umesh and Shami will like to use the opportunity to stake claim for the third and fourth pacers' slot in the national team that is still up for grabs, keeping the World Cup in mind.
Perera shoots into sole lead at Chennai Open golf
chennai: Sri lanka's Mithun Perera continued his good form with a five-under-65 today to take a three-shot lead ahead of compatriot N Thangaraja at the Chennai Open golf championship 2018 here. Perera, with a total of 14-under-196, is three shots ahead of Thangaraja, who fired 68. Gurgaon-based Veer Ahlawat fired the day's best score of seven-under-63 to gain 13 places and finished the day in third position at 10-under-200.Perera (68-63-65), who was part of the three-way lead at the halfway stage along with Thangaraja and Noida's Vikrant Chopra, fired a second consecutive bogey-free round to break away from the rest of the field.