Chandigarh, September 11
India has refused visas to Pakistan's Faisalabad Wolves to participate in the Champions League Twenty20 tournament, scheduled to begin on September 17, in view of security issues.

The government's decision not to give visas to the Pakistani team to participate in the limited-over cricket tournament comes in the backdrop of recent ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LOC) that created tension between the two countries.

“As a matter of precaution in terms of safety and security, the government did not give green signal for the cricket team's visit,” said a government source.

The Faisalabad team, led by national team skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, was invited to play in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League T20 in India, starting on September 17. The Faisalabad team's participation in the CLT20 was confirmed until the LoC issues arose.

The qualifiers were scheduled to be played in Mohali, with four teams fighting it out for a place in the main draw. Now, with Wolves out, the qualifiers will be played between three teams, which will require some tweaking of the schedule.

Last year, the BCCI had invited Pakistan to send its domestic T20 champions — Sialkot Stallions — for the Champions League which was held in South Africa. The Sialkot Stallions, however, had failed to qualify for the main round.

Kathmandu, September 11
India's bid to win a hat-trick of SAFF Football Championship titles went up in smoke on Wednesday as they lost 0-2 to Afghanistan in the final here.

The Afghans, who won their maiden SAFF trophy exacted a sweet revenge for their humiliating 0-4 loss against the same opponents in New Delhi two years back. The winners were helped by strikes from Mustafa Azadzoy (8th minute) and Sanjar Ahmadi (63rd minute).

India coach Wim Koevermans's gamble of leaving out regular captain Sunil Chhetri from the starting XI didn't exactly pay off although the efforts from Robin Singh and Jeje Lalpeklhua were praiseworthy. It was their inexperience on big occasion that cost India dearly as they fumbled repeatedly on the opposition's attacking third.

For Afghanistan, it was a moment they had waited for two years having found the defeat in Delhi a hard to swallow.

A fleet of Afghan Parliamentarians arrived in the afternoon to cheer their team and one of them even went onto the extent of announcing an apartment and USD 25,000 each for the whole squad if they happen to win the match.

Whether the announcement egged them is hard to know but they certainly played to their plan as they were able to keep the Indian team at bay despite a wave of attacks. Both the strikes came off counter-attacks and after each goal, the 'Men In Red' tightened their defence.

Just like their semi-final match, Afghanistan got the much-needed goal as early as the eighth minute when right wing back Mustafa Hadid beat opposition left-back Syed Rahim Nabi as he got a lot of open space down wide right to enter the penalty box and passed it on to Belal Arezo. Belal managed to hoodwink stopper back Arnab Mondal with a pass for Mustafa Azadzoy to slot it past Subrata Paul.

India played better after conceding the goal as there were a flurry of attacks with some fine build-ups with assistance from Mehtab Hossain in the central midfield and Farncisco Fernandes down right.

In the 19th minute, Mehtab provided a long ball which saw the burly Robin trying to hustle past a defender but Afghan custodian Masur Fagiryar came out of his charge to avert the danger.

In the 26th minute, there was another chance that went abegging when Robin passed it to Francis who kept a through ball for Arata whose placement wasn't good enough to beat the diving Afghan goalie.

In the 35th minute, Mehtab's pile driver was brilliantly saved by Fagiryar and Jeje's shot from the rebound was saved in the goalline by rival captain Fakhruddin Amiri. — PTI

Istanbul, September 11
After a terrific performance at the US Open, Somdev Devvarman has made a shock first round exit from the ATP Challenger event in Istanbul.

Somdev, seeded second, lost 2-6 3-6 to Russian Konstantin Kravchuk in the opening round the USD 75,000 hard court event. It was first meeting Somdev, ranked 101 and Konstantin, who is placed 74 places below the Indian in the ATP ranking charts.

Madrid, September 11
Rafa Nadal started playing with balls before he could walk and in his formative years liked soccer just as much as tennis, his grandmother Isabel Homar told Spanish radio on Wednesday.

Nadal's grandmother Isabel Homar said she had suffered in the second set of Monday's final, which Nadal lost before going on to win the match. — Reuters

Speaking to Cadena Ser from the island of Mallorca where Nadal is from, Homar said the world number two, who beat top-ranked Novak Djokovic to win his second US Open title on Monday, "always liked anything that was round".

"He started playing with balls in the hallway of his home before he learned to walk," Homar said, adding things often got broken by accident."

"He loved playing football and he was always excited when Saturday came around," added the 82-year-old. "He liked football just as much as tennis."

Homar remembered how her son Toni, who has coached his nephew to 13 grand slam titles, rang her one day and told her to come and watch her grandson.

"I remember one day Toni called me and said 'you have to come and see him'," she said after watching Nadal's victory at Flushing Meadows on television with members of her family.

"I can't remember how old he was, maybe six. He was already holding the racket very well and when he hit the ball he hit it well."

Homar said she had suffered in the second set of Monday's final, which Nadal lost to Serb Djokovic before completing a 6-2 3-6 6-4 6-1 triumph. Her musician husband had preferred not to watch the match due to nerves, she added.

"I liked the first set a lot but the second not so much because when I see that he is losing, I don't like it.”

"I was really suffering and a lot of the time when that happens I have to turn it off. You get really nervous and then it is really difficult to get to sleep."

Nadal is next in action in Spain's Davis Cup World Group playoff tie at home to Ukraine starting on Friday. — Reuters

New Delhi, September 11
The Central Government has constituted a 10-member steering committee, headed by the secretary in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, to monitor and co-ordinate the works related to major international competitions, up to the 2020 Olympic Games.

The steering committee will decide on the core probables, review performances of the core probables every three months for deciding who needs to be retained/dropped and added. It will also be the committee’s task to decide on cases on which the Director-General of the Sports Authority of India cannot take a decision “for any reason”. The steering committee will also be tasked to take up cases where quick decisions are required on the part of the Ministry, including arrangement of additional funds, and any other activity deemed necessary in connection with preparation for major international sporting events.

The steering committee will consist of secretary (sports), SAI DG, joint secretary (sports), joint secretary (development, Sports Ministry), Government observer for the concerned discipline, a representative of the concerned National Sports Federation, a representation of the IOA, any other member to be co-opted as required, chief coach of the concerned discipline and Executive Director (Team’s Wing, SAI).

Sydney, September 11
Newly-elected International Olympic Committee vice-president John Coates Wednesday piled pressure on 2016 host Rio, saying its slow progress in preparing for the Games was of "critical concern".

The Australian, who was elected to the post at the IOC's 125th session in Buenos Aires this week, said there was no bigger challenge for the organisation than ensuring Rio was ready on time.

"Our biggest challenge is Rio. There is a little over two years to go and there is still so much work to be done," he said in a statement headlined "Rio preparation of critical concern" released through the Australian Olympic Committee. "We are all concerned. It is not impossible, but they desperately need a more concerted effort with some of the infrastructure projects and venues."

With the clock rapidly ticking before the first Olympics in South America, many facilities in Rio have yet to be completed because of construction delays and soaring costs.

There have also been street protests about the vast investment being made in the Olympics and the football World Cup next year, which is also being held in Brazil.

In an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Coates said it was too late to move the Olympics elsewhere. "No they can't lose the Games," he said "You're really, your hands are tied at this late stage. And you've just got to work with an organising committee and its underwriting government to get the right solutions."

He added: "The money is there in Brazil. It's a wealthy economy. The plan is right.

"But there just doesn't, or we haven't seen yet too much or enough coordination between the three levels of government when it comes to the big construction projects."

Coates' concerns were echoed by other IOC members in Buenos Aires. — Reuters

Asuncion, September 11
Lionel Messi converted two penalties as Argentina booked their ticket to the 2014 World Cup finals with a crushing 5-2 away win over Paraguay on Tuesday. Argentina lead the South American group on 29 points with two qualifiers remaining next month. The top four qualify automatically and the group leaders can now only be overtaken by Colombia and Chile.

Captain Messi put his team ahead in the 12th minute at the same venue where Argentina had lost the equivalent qualifier under Diego Maradona four years ago.

Messi converted from the spot after Sergio Aguero was brought down by goalkeeper Roberto Fernandez.

But Paraguay, who began the match with only the slimmest hopes of reaching the fifth-place playoff berth, conjured up a fine equaliser when striker Jose Nunez deflected a left cross past Sergio Romero from a narrow angle six minutes later.

The visitors were soon back on the front foot, however, and Aguero gave Argentina a crucial 2-1 halftime lead in the 32nd minute.

Messi chested down a ball with his back to goal into Aguero’s path and the striker nudged it forwards before hitting a low left-footed shot inside the base of the far post.

Winger Angel Di Maria increased Argentina’s lead five minutes into the second half, running onto a through ball from playmaker Fernando Gago and shooting home across Fernandez.

Messi’s second penalty after he was brought down took his tally as joint top scorer in the qualifiers to 10, equal to Uruguay’s Luis Suarez.

Paraguay captain Roque Santa Cruz pulled one back in the 85th minute before substitute Maxi Rodriguez, looking to go to a third World Cup tournament with Argentina, rounded off the scoring in the final minute from Di Maria’s pass.

In Rome, Italy qualified with two games to spare but almost inevitably it was volatile striker Mario Balotelli who grabbed the headlines. Balotelli missed a host of easy chances in Italy’s 2-1 win over Czech Republic in Turin and could easily have been sent off, although he did slot home the winning penalty. Those misses and a rash challenge on Tomas Sivok capped a first half to forget, with some among the Juventus Stadium crowd whistling the forward in exasperation at his antics.

The United States also qualified after second half goals from Eddie Johnson and Landon Donovan gave them a 2-0 home win over Mexico.

With Honduras drawing 2-2 with Panama and Costa Rica held to a 1-1 draw in Jamaica, the Americans stand on top of the CONCACAF standings on 16 points with two games remaining. Costa Rica, who also qualified on Tuesday, are on 15 points with Honduras on 11 points still fighting for the third automatic qualification spot. — Reuters

Chandigarh, September 11
Arjun Singh Chaudhari continued to be the man to watch at the PGTI Feeder Tour event at the Forest Hills Golf Resort. The Noida professional, who carded a 65 in the first round, had a one-over 71 today to take his two-round total to four-under-136.

Local PGTI regular Ranjit Singh was tied eighth at 145 while Harmeet Kahlon was T34 at 151. Angad Cheema of Panchkula was in tied 23rd place at nine-over-149.

But it was a comfortable day for Chaudhari, who birdied the fourth, fifth and 15th holes. But he had two bogeys and a double bogey on the 13th.

“I hit just 12 greens in regulation and didn’t hit the ball as close as I did yesterday and as a result did not give myself enough birdie chances. I also missed some short putts but feel my short game is good enough to handle the competition tomorrow,” said Arjun.

Honey Baisoya was three strokes behind at 139. Ashbeer Saini of Kapurthala and Shubhankar Sharma were tied third at 141.

BRIEFLY

Woods, McIlroy set for big pay-day in China
Hong Kong: Golf superstars Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy will expand their already bulging bank accounts with a lucrative, one-round exhibition appearance next month in China. The highly sought-after pair will face off at Hainan island's giant, 180-hole Mission Hills complex, one of the world's biggest golf resorts, on October 28, organisers announced on Wednesday. While no figures were revealed, last year's similar "Duel at Jinsha Lake" — an event to promote luxury real estate — involving Woods and McIlroy was for a reported pot of $2 million.

Jaggi replaces injured Tiwary for Challengers
New Delhi: The BCCI senior selection committee today replaced injured Saurabh Tiwary with his state teammate Ishank Jaggi for the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy starting September 26. The Jharkhand batsman, who underwent a shoulder operation few weeks back, was named in the India Red squad announced yesterday by the panel.

Younis, Misbah knuckle down for jittery Pakistan
Harare: Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq put up their hands yet again after the Pakistan top order gave in without much fight. At the draw of stumps, Younis had reached his fifty (51) while the skipper had knuckled in for a long haul. Brief scores: Zimbabwe 294 (Masakadza 75, Taylor 51, Junaid 4-67); Pakistan 163 for 3 (Younis 52*, Manzoor 51)

Raid-de-Himalaya begins from October 6
Shimla: The Raid-de-Himalaya, which turns 15 this year, will be flagged off by Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra singh on October 6 from here. The world's highest motorsport rally would take on two most formidable challenges of the Himalayas this year and traverse through the Khardung La and the Wari La, prone to snowfalls and blizzards. The Khardung La is located at an altitude of 5,359 meters (17,582 feet) while altitude of Wari La in Ladakh is 5,250 meters (17,300 feet) above sea level. The first leg of the event would end on October 6 itself and after taking off from Shimla, the riders will traverse through Matiyana, Nag Jubbar, Kotighat, Kangal, Jhanjeli, Chamola, Luhri, Jameri, Panjvi, Karki, Koti, Batore, Shush, Khanag and will rest at Manali, Principal Secretary (youth Services & Sports) said. An all time high number of 150 teams from india and abroad would participate in the event and the Raid would run in two parallel categories — the X-treme and the Adventure Trial.

Pietersen setting great example: England coach
London: Kevin Pietersen is setting a "great example" to the novice players in England`s one-day squad, according to limited-overs coach Ashley Giles. Just over a year ago, world-class batsman Pietersen was briefly exiled from the national side after being accused of sending derogatory text messages regarding then England captain Andrew Strauss to South Africa players. But following Strauss`s retirement, former skipper Pietersen has been "reintegrated" into the England set-up. He is now the one star name left in the squad for the ongoing one-day series against Australia, with England resting regular captain Alastair Cook, batsman Ian Bell and bowlers James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann ahead of their Ashes defence `Down Under` starting in November.

Tendulkar still has hunger for cricket: Chauhan
Patna: Amid speculations on retirement of Sachin Tendulkar, former Test cricketer Chetan Chauhan on Wednesday said the veteran batsman still had hunger for runs and was the best judge when to call it a day. "Tendulkar still has hunger to play cricket," Chauhan said. Chauhan, who partnered with legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar for a long time before retiring from the game in 1982, said Tendulkar was the best judge himself to call it a day at a right time. "Though he (Tendulkar) has not scored a century in Test matches for the last two year, but he still has a lot of potential and hunger to keep playing the game", said Chauhan. — Agencies