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I’m no god, I make mistakes: Sachin
Gautam Gambhir plays a shot on Wednesday. — PTI |
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RCB to face off with Mumbai Indians
Somdev Devvarman and Sanam Singh play around on Wednesday. — PTI
Barca on course despite PSG draw
Barcelona’s Cesc Fabregas crashes to the ground as David Beckham of Paris Saint Germain gestures to indicate his innocence during their Champions League quarterfinal first leg match in Paris on Tuesday. — AP/PTI
In Kolkata, special offer on liquor for IPL buffs
IOA-Ministry difference stalls meeting with IOC
Malinga to miss MI opener vs RCB
My future is in sports car racing: Chandhok
3 refs axed in Singapore probe
Tevez handed community service, ban and fine
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I’m no god, I make mistakes: Sachin
Bangalore, April 3 “I was not jumping or celebrating. My first question to God was why did it take so long?” Tendulkar said when he was asked about the 100th international century he scored last year after a long wait. “What did I do wrong? With a billion plus people waiting for this, it shouldn’t have taken so long...” Tendulkar was also asked what he would have been if cricket had not been kind to him. “I would play cricket to avoid studies. (But) I tried to maintain a balance between cricket and studies — it didn’t work,” he said. “Cricket gave me sleepless nights. I would play even if it was dark outside, such was my passion.”
— Agencies |
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KKR beat Delhi Daredevils by 6 wkts in IPL opener
Kolkata, April 3 Earlier, Delhi Daredevils were bowled out for 128 runs. Mahela Jayawardene (66) was the only Delhi batsman to impress as Sunil Narine picked up four for 13 in his four overs for Kolkata. In fact, Jayawardene and David Warner (21) were the only two batsmen to reach double figures. For Kolkata, Narine was supported well by Rajat Bhatia (2/23) and Brett Lee (2/40). Lee, with figures of 4-0-40-2, was the most expensive bowler for Kolkata Knight Riders.
— PTI
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Narine sends Delhi to the devil in first game of event
Kolkata, April 3 Unmukt Chand was clean bowled by Brett Lee off the very first ball of the match while David Warner made 21 off just 19 balls. Manprit Juneja could only make 8 runs as he was dismissed by Laxmipathy Balaji. Naman Ojha (9) too could not do much. John Botha (7), Irfan Pathan (4) were out without contributing much. For Kolkata, Narine was supported well by Rajat Bhatia (2/23) and Brett Lee (2/40) Lee, with figures of 4-0-40-2, was the most expensive bowler for Kolkata Knight Riders. Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Gautam Gambhir had won the toss and elected to bowl. The defending champions drafted in Jacques Kallis, Eoin Morgan, Brett Lee and Sunil Narine as the four foreign players. For Delhi Daredevils, the four overseas players were skipper Mahela Jayawardene, David Warner, Johan Botha and Andre Russell. Scores (innings break) Delhi Daredevils 128/10 in 20 overs (Jayawardene 66; Narine 4/13).
— TNS |
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RCB to face off with Mumbai Indians
Bangalore, April 3 The Mumbai Indians are the big-spending side and have the Champions League Twenty20 Trophy to show for all the money shelled out on acquiring star players. Besides, Mumbai have also been runners-up once and semifinalists twice in the previous IPL seasons. With Ricky Ponting as captain this time, Mumbai would be hoping to lay their hands on the IPL trophy for the first time. In the batting department, Ambati Rayudu and Rohit Sharma would be looking to continue from where he left in the previous IPL where they amassed 333 and 433 runs respectively. Senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar would open with either Dwayne Smith or James Franklin, both of whom can contribute to the team with their bowling as well. Also Ponting, who has had a good outing in Australia`s Big Bash and Shield Cricket tournaments since retiring from Test cricket, would be an asset at number three. Dinesh Karthik would give solidity to the middle-order. Boasting of three prolific wicket-takers in the IPL so far — Sri Lankan Lasith Malinga, Pragyan Ojha and Munaf Patel — Mumbai Indians look a well-balanced side. However, spinners were a tad disappointing for them in IPL-5 with Harbhajan Singh hardly making any impact. He scalped six wickets in 17 matches, while Ojha claimed nine wickets in as many matches. Mumbai, in fact, are rocked by a problem of plenty as only four international cricketers are allowed to play in a match. There is lot to choose from the international basket given the presence of “million -dollar buy” Glen Maxwell, Dwayne Smith, Kieron Pollard, Jacob Oram, James Franklin and Malinga. RCB, on the other hand, will take the field with the young and feisty Virat Kohli leading the team. Known for being diffident in the initial stages of the IPL, RCB have, in their arsenal, swashbuckling characters like Chris Gayle, Tillakaratne Dilshan and A B de Villiers, who can turn the game on its head in a jiffy. Kohli is not too far behind having been RCB's leading run-getter (1639), but their over-dependence on Gayle has been a nightmare for the team. The West Indian, with 1341 runs, has won countless games single-handedly, but still has to come up good in big matches. RCB`s main worry is their bowling with Zaheer Khan making a comeback from a calf injury which he sustained in a Ranji Trophy match against Gujarat last year. Abhimanyu Mithun and R Vinay will be waiting to give better performance. Caribbean speedster Ravi Rampaul along with senior pros like Muttiah Muralitharan, Daniel Vettori and Murali Karthik, are expected to bolster RCB attack. Squads Mumbai Indians: Ricky Ponting (c), Abu Nechim Ahmed, Akshar Patel, Aditya Tare, Aiden Blizzard, Ambati Rayudu, Amitoze Singh, Dhawal Kulkarni, Dinesh Karthik, Dwayne Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Harbhajan Singh, Jacob Oram, Jalaj Saxena, James Franklin, Kieron Pollard, Malinga, Mitchell Johnson, Munaf Patel, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Phil Hughes, Pawan Suyal, Ojha, Rishi Dhawan, Rohit, Tendulkar. RCB: Virat Kohli (c), AB De Villiers, Abhimanyu Mithun, Abhinav Mukund, Andrew McDonald, Arun Karthik, Pujara, Gayle, Christopher Barnwell, Daniel Christian, Vettori, Harshal Patel, Jaidev Unadkat, KP Appanna, Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal, Moises Henriques, Murali Kartik, Muralitharan, Pankaj Singh, Vinay Kumar, Ravi Rampaul, RP Singh, S Aravind, Sandeep Warrier, Saurabh Tiwary, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Vijay Zol, Zaheer. — PTI
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Indonesia expects a miracle win over India
Bangalore, April 3 “The Indian team look strong, particularly after the return of their main players, but we still are confident because anything can happen in the court. We will do our best to give a fight to the Indian contingent,” Indonesia’s non-playing captain Hendri Susilo Pramono told reporters here. Pramono said the team has not yet decided on who would play singles and doubles, however would take a call an hour before the draw. Top Indonesian player Christopher Rungkat said he has been used to carry the pressure and responsibility of the team on his shoulders, especially being No. 1 player for the country in Davis Cup for last two years. “The team is expecting from me to perform. I cannot say,” he said. “I will give my best.” Talking about the courts at the KSLTA, Rungkat said the courts are pretty bouncy which suited his style of play. “I had a hit at the ball yesterday on the courts and they are pretty good,” he said. Rungkat said there would pressure while playing Yuki Bhambri as he had a very close game last year in the Challengers match in Singapore. “Whenever we played each other, the goings had been tough. In this Davis Cup too, I am expecting the same,” he said. Rungkat also said he is also looking forward towards facing Sanam Singh in the tie. He said that it has been exciting to be in Bangalore for its attractive tourist value, hospitality, clubs and food served. “I have totally enjoyed my stay here,” he said. Rungkat said he has played four tournaments in India last year. He said though Indonesia is a badminton-crazy nation, he preferred tennis because of the family background. “My mom was a tennis player and played Fed Cup. I love the sport and have passion for it,” he said. The 23-year-old said Andre Agassi is his all-time favourite. Davis Cup Commitment
award for 4 icons
Four Indian tennis icons will be presented with Davis Cup Commitment awards instituted by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) as a part of the centenary celebrations at KSLTA on April 6. “Four Indian tennis icons — Ramanathan Krishnan, Ramesh Krishnan, Anand Amritraj and Mahesh Bhupathi — will be honoured with the Davis Cup Commitment awards by former union minister and AITA lifetime president, Yashwant Sinha on April 6,” Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association Secretary CS Sundar Raju told reporters here. The criteria for selection for the awards was — a player should have competed in a minimum of 20 home or away Davis Cup ties, said Raju. No animosity between me and Lee: Somdev
Somdev Devvarman said he may have difference of opinion with Leander Paes but there is no animosity between them. Somdev had led a players revolt against AITA, demanding better playing conditions, forcing Paes to lead a depleted Indian side against South Korea in February. Somdev said all of them stand united as they face Indonesia in the relegation play-off tie, beginning Friday. “There is no animosity,” he said. “It is great to be back in the Davis Cup team. We are having a good time and in fact, went bowling last night. There is no animosity between me and Leander. It is not that we have met here for the first time. We have been seeing each other in tours. We have differences of opinion, but does not mean we do not respect each other. We both know the reasons for what we did. We still think highly of him and his credentials speak of themselves,” he said.
— PTI
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Barca on course despite PSG draw
Paris, April 3 The 2009 and 2011 champions went in front seven minutes before halftime when Dani Alves produced an exquisite pass with the outside of his right boot straight into the path of Lionel Messi who drove the ball in with his left foot from an acute angle. World Player of the Year Messi then sustained a hamstring injury and was replaced by Cesc Fabregas at
halftime. Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave PSG a lifeline when he scrambled in the
equaliser, even though he looked offside before a soaring header from Thiago Silva rebounded to the Sweden striker off the post in the 79th
minute. Xavi calmly restored title favourites Barca’s advantage from the penalty spot after goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu rushed off his line in the 89th minute and brought down Alexis
Sanchez. Matuidi then struck with the last kick of the game when his long-range shot eluded the outstretched fingers of keeper Victor
Valdes. “It’s a good result but it comes at a high price,” Barca assistant coach Jordi Roura said, referring to the injuries sustained by Messi and defender Javier
Mascherano. Mascherano will be out for six weeks after he was carried off on a stretcher with knee ligament damage in the 84th minute. Midfielder Matuidi was booked and will miss the second leg at the Nou Camp on April 10 through suspension. David Beckham became the first British player to appear for four different clubs in the Champions League when he was named in PSG’s starting lineup. He did well in midfield before being taken off midway through the second half. “I think we deserved a draw tonight,” said Beckham. “There’s no reason why we can’t go there and get a
result.” PSG, unbeaten at home in all competitions since November 17, went for Barca’s throat in the opening stages but were not rewarded for their efforts. They went close in the fifth minute when Javier Pastore chested an Ibrahimovic pass into the path of Ezequiel Lavezzi who struck Valdes’s right
post. Lavezzi wasted another good opportunity five minutes later, shooting straight at
Valdes. Pastore then fired a powerful low shot that forced Valdes to dive to his right and the Spain keeper was at full stretch again when he stopped Ibrahimovic’s 20-metre free kick.
— Reuters |
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In Kolkata, special offer on liquor for IPL buffs
Kolkata, April 3 Extended happy hours, new cocktails, beer buffets and sports bars are being lined up to ensure a charged-up atmosphere for enthusiasts cheering on their favourites with a glass of bubbly. Plush, the lounge bar of Astor Hotel, located in the heart of the city on Theatre Road timed their ‘Happy Hours’ from 5 p.m to 9 p.m. The Sonnet, a hotel in the satellite township of Salt Lake, launched a new menu for their lounge Unwine and restaurant Aura, that are both being converted to a sports bar with offers that would set the barrels flowing. “In case a bowler achieves a hat-trick, unlimited beer will be offered at minimal cost. At Every sixer, a customised shot will be prepared by the bartender,” the hotel’s food and beverage manager Soumen Halder said. Someplace Else, a pub, is soaking in the cricket mania with beer buffets while the popular nightclubs Aqua, Roxy and Tantra have on offer liquor buffets. “It seems this time there are not only great matches but even some new cocktails and exciting offers on booze will keep us intoxicated,” IPL buff Proteek Banerjee told IANS. With nine teams and 76 matches, IPL-6 was officially inaugurated on Tuesday at a glittering ceremony in the Salt Lake Stadium. The gala opening saw American rapper Pitbull and Bollywood actors Shahrukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone enthrall over 50,000 spectators.
— PTI |
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IOA-Ministry difference stalls meeting with IOC
New Delhi, April 3 Vijay Kumar Malhotra, who was the acting president of the IOA before elections were held, in a letter to Sports Minister Jitender Singh today stated that the meeting will not materialise till the the Government clarifies its stand on the Sports Code notified by the Ministry in January 2012. The IOC continues to recognise only Malhotra as president and Randhir Singh as the secretary-general and the invitation was addressed to them. Malhotra, in his letter, requested the Government to “clarify its latest position about the constitution of a committee to redraft the Sports Code, which encompasses the earlier guidelines and regulations imposed by it on the IOA and all the National Sports Federations”. He said he and Randhir were against any interference in the autonomy of the IOA or the NSFs. “The Sports Code, in violation of the IOC Charter, is not acceptable to us. We are rather surprised that during this tenure of talks of settling the issue with the kind indulgence of the IOC, you have set up a committee to redraft the bill, without consulting us,” Malhotra stated. |
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Malinga to miss MI opener vs RCB
Bangalore, April 3 Malinga, who has been MI attack’s mainstay over the past five editions, is suffering from a sore back which he sustained during Sri Lanka’s recent limited overs series against Bangladesh. Malinga’s last match was against Bangladesh during the T20 International at Pallekele. “Malinga will miss the first match of this season due to the on-going treatment for sore back. He was scheduled to join MI camp in Bangalore yesterday but now he will only join for the team’s first home match,” a MI official informed. In Malinga’s absence, Munaf Patel, Nathan Coultier-Nile, Mitchell Johnson are likely to lead the bowling attack. MI strongest, RCB will miss Kumble: Vettori
Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Daniel Vettori said their opener against Mumbai Indians will give them a chance to assess where the team stands and what would be their course of action. “It is a great game for us. It will be a real test,” he said.
— PTI |
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My future is in sports car racing: Chandhok
New Delhi, April 3 After making his debut in GT series with Seyffarth Motorsport team in France recently, Chandhok announced securing a deal to race in the historic 24 hours of Le Mans with Murphy Prototypes LMP2 squad. Last season, he raced at the FIA World Endurance Championship but his team, JRM Racing, pulled out of the championship just ahead of the season, which left him without a full season contract. Now that he has secured a deal to race at Le Mans in June, Chandhok is relieved. Lack of financial backing had forced him to move out of F1 in 2011. “The focus would be on sports car races. I enjoyed my time during Endurance races last year. Doing GT and sports car racing is different and satisfying. I am happy to do more Endurance races, Le Mans and Sports Car races,” Chandhok said. “F1 is F1, everyone knows the financial situation. F1 is difficult at the moment unless you have millions. I like to do more (races) in WEC and fortunately, there’s no clash in calendar,” he added.
— PTI |
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3 refs axed in Singapore probe
Singapore, April 3 Ali Sabbagh and assistant referees Ali Eid and Abdallah Taleb were taken to the CPIB early on Wednesday, the FAS said, with replacement officials from Thailand and Malaysia taking charge of Tampines Rovers’ 4-2 defeat by East Bengal of India later in the day. “Singapore and FAS have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to matchfixing and football corruption,” the FAS said in a statement released shortly before the match was due to kick-off. “We take a serious view of allegations pertaining to matchfixing and football corruption activities and the authorities and FAS will spare no effort in minimising the possibility of such activities,” it added. — Reuters
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Bangalore, April 3
Barcelona stayed on track for a sixth consecutive Champions League semi-final appearance despite conceding a last-gasp goal by Blaise Matuidi in a pulsating 2-2 first-leg draw at Paris St Germain on Tuesday.
The 2009 and 2011 champions went in front seven minutes before halftime when Dani Alves produced an exquisite pass with the outside of his right boot straight into the path of Lionel Messi who drove the ball in with his left foot from an acute angle.
Batting first, Daredevils scored 128 in 20 overs which was overtaken by KKR in 18.4 overs. Skipper Gautam Gambhir top scored with 42 runs, while Jacques Kallis and Manoj Tiwary made 23 runs each. 
