Lasith Malinga is pumped up after 5-wicket haul in the final

Dhaka, March 8
Opener Lahiru Thirimanne hit a magnificent century to help Sri Lanka thump Pakistan by five wickets to regain the Asia Cup title in Dhaka on Saturday.

The left-hander notched 101 for his third ODI hundred to anchor Sri Lanka's successful chase of a 261-run target in 46.2 overs for his country's fifth Asia Cup title at Dhaka's Shere Bangla stadium.

Thirimanne, who also scored a hundred in the tournament's opening match against the same opponents, hit 13 boundaries during his 108-ball knock and steadied the chase during a solid 156-run third-wicket partnership with veteran team-mate Mahela Jayawardene, who made 75. Pakistan's main spin weapon Saeed Ajmal had broken through after Sri Lanka's confident start of 56, dismissing Kusal Perera (42) and dangerman Kumar Sangakkara (nought) off successive deliveries.

Jayawardene, who had a poor run of scores with 13, nine, 14 and nought in the tournament, benefitted when wicket-keeper Umar Akmal dropped a regulation catch off Shahid Afridi.

Jayawardene, then 36, hit nine boundaries and a six before he holed out off paceman Mohammad Talha.

Sri Lanka also lost Ashan Prinyanjan (13) to Junaid Khan and Thirimanne to Ajmal but skipper Angelo Mathews (16 not out) hit the winning runs. Thirimanne, who reached his hundred with a single off Khan, was finally bowled by Ajmal who finished with 3-26.

Sri Lanka had also won the Asia Cup in 1986, 1997, 2004 and 2008.

Pakistan
Sharjeelc T Perera b Malinga 8
Shehzad c Sanga b Malinga 5
Hafeez c Sanga b Malinga 3
Misbah c MDKJ Perera b Malinga 65
Fawad not out 114
Akmal c Priyanjan b Malinga 59
Afridi not out 0
Extras: (lb 1, w 5) 6
Total: ((5 wkts; 50 ovs) 260
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-17 3-18 4-140 5-255
Bowling: Malinga 10-0-56-5; Lakmal 10-2-41-0; Senanayake 9-0-54-0; T Perera 10-1-66-0; Mathews 7-1-23-0; PC de Silva 4-0-19-0

I am enjoying it. I am very happy to have scored runs against Pakistan. Wanted to bat thorugh the innings today because 260 is a gettable total but we needed someone to hang in there. Malinga bowled really well, took 5 wickets. We had the momentum and we wanted to keep it and we're very happy.

— Lahiru Thirimanne, Player of the Series

One good knock is all we needed and we had three of them. Fantastic effort from Mahela and Thiri to keep us steady. He's a class player.

— Kumar Sangakkara

I think losing the first three wickets quickly put us under pressure and although we managed to reach 260, it was some 20-30 short.

— Misbah-ul Haq, Pakistan captain

Birmingham, March 8
The Indian challenge at the prestigious $400,000 All England Open Badminton Championships came to an end when Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal was beaten by China’s Shixian Wang in the women’s singles quarterfinal here on Friday.

The Indian seventh seed lost to World No. 3 Shixian 17-21, 10-21 in 43 minutes at the National Indoor Arena and with this win, the Chinese bettered her head-to-head against Saina to 3-4.

The former World No.1 took a 6-1 lead in the first game and did not look back. Saina showed some spark in the end, saving four game-points but that wasn’t enough as her error at the net gave Shixian the game.

The Chinese was even more dominant in the second game taking a 9-2 lead in a matter of minutes to stamp her authority once again. Saina saved two match-points but the Chinese was too far ahead to let the Indian make a comeback.

Lucknow, March 8
Namdhari XI beat Sashastra Seema Bal 1-0 to win their second consecutive match in the 4th Hockey India senior men’s National Championship at Major Dhyan Chand hockey stadium here today.

The lone goal in this close Pool A encounter was scored by Gurmukh Singh in the 24th minute. In a lively second half, both teams attacked constantly but none could convert their chances.

In a Pool B match, Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd. outplayed Himachal Pradesh 4-0. The Mumbai team played an attacking game and in the 19th minute scored its first goal through captain Victo Singh. Manprit Singh Chahal scored the second goal by converting a penalty corner in the 28th minute.

In the second half, Himachal Pradesh fought hard but couldn’t convert their chances, while Mumbai scored two more goals.

New Delhi, March 8
Railways will try to break their 48-year old jinx while Mizoram will look to become first-time lucky when the two sides cross swords in a high voltage title clash of the 68th National Championships for Santosh Trophy tomorrow.

Railways last triumphed in the Santosh Trophy way back in 1966. On the other hand Mizoram — who had not surfaced on the football scene back then — would be chasing their maiden title since the Northeastern side's emergence in the mid eighties.

"It has been 48 years since we last won the Santosh Trophy, and 27 years since our last Final appearance.

Tomorrow's match means so much to us. A win can bring us back in the fold," Railways head coach Souren Dutta, who was only a year old in 1966, said.

Railways last made it to the final in 1987. They have previously won the tourney thrice, finishing second best on five occasions.

"It is a great opportunity for Mizoram also to get their name in the history book. They have been the best team in the tournament so far and have won all their matches. It will be a difficult match,” Dutta added.

Railways will be without the services of their two first choice centre-backs Vimal Kumar and Rajiv Boro, both suspended for the final owing to double booking. "It will be a miss for sure having to play without your regular stoppers. But that cannot be an excuse. This is the time for the others to step up," Dutta said. Centre-back Akhil Rajbanshi and either of midfielder Dipankar Das or full back Mohd Sayeed are set to replace the suspended duo. Mizoram have no injury or suspension concerns as such ahead of the match slated to be held at the Kanchenjunga Stadium.

Talking about their strategy for the final, Dutta informed: “We will look to block them in midfield catch them on the counter. They attack all out so if we can try and hurt them on the break." His counterpart, H Vanlalthlanga did not reveal much. "We will play our natural game and according to our philosophy.

Railways are a very fast side and I have seen them improving with every match. They will be high on confidence after that morale-boosting semifinal win. It will be a good match,” the coach said. — PTI

Indian Wells, March 8
Now that the magnitude of his Australian Open triumph has sunk in, Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka is aiming to build on his first Grand Slam triumph.

The unassuming Swiss, playing his first tournament since he beat Rafael Nadal in the final at Melbourne in January, is the third seed in the ATP Masters tournament in the California desert.

He put a toe back in the water on Friday by teaming with compatriot Roger Federer in a 6-2, 6-7 (4/7) 10-6 first-round doubles win over sixth seeds Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi, who lifted the doubles title in Dubai last week. “"I feel great,” said Wawrinka, who helped Switzerland into the Davis Cup quarterfinals shortly after his Australian Open triumph but then withdrew from the ATP tournament in Rotterdam saying his legs weren't up to it. “I was home after Davis Cup for three-and-a-half weeks, but since I'm here practising ... I'm really happy,” he said. "I'm not sure if I can win a Grand Slam again. For sure it's going to be really, really difficult. I know I did it already. I know that I can reach that level, but it's going to be tough.

“I need to be ready every match to try to win every match. We will see how the season will go.” Wawrinka, who upset Novak Djokovic in the Aussie Open quarter-finals, admitted the jubilant reaction in Switzerland to his achievement took him by surprise, but his time off helped him find his feet.

“It took me time to realize really what I did in Australian Open,” he said. “Still when I'm saying that I won a Grand Slam it's still strange for me, but that's why it was good to be home during three weeks. It was good to be with the family,” he said. — Agencies

New Delhi, March 8
Indian lifters booked two quota places among boys and one among girls for the Youth Olympic Games to be held in China in August after the conclusion of the 16th Asian Youth Weightlifting Championships at Bangsaen in Thailand today.

The Championship was the continental qualification event for the second Youth Olympic Games to be held in August in Nanjing, China. “The Indian girls team was declared runners-up with 164 points and as a result they got one quota/berth for ensuing second YOG Nanjing. Two boys have already qualified for Nanjing YOG 2014,” Indian Weightlifting Federation vice-president Sahdev Yadav said.

In the men's section, India added one silver and two bronze through Karanbir Singh Bal in boys 94 kg category. Karanbir, who was competing in his first international event, lifted 127kg in snatch for a silver and then went on to bag a bronze each in clean and jerk (153kg) and total lift (280kg). On Thursday, Ragala Venkat Rahul had won two gold and one silver in 77kg category. — PTI

The Indian girls team was declared runners-up with 164 points and as a result they got one quota/berth for ensuing second YOG Nanjing. Two boys have already qualified for Nanjing YOG 2014.

— Sahdev Yadav, Indian Weightlifting Federation vice-president

New Delhi, March 8
Former Indian motorsports body chief Vicky Chandhok, who helped the Jaypee Group get Formula One to India, says the chances of the race returning to the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida are unlikely, unless the government liberalises its policies.

Chandhok obviously was referring to the stakeholders' demand that the teams get tax relief and hassle-free import of vehicles and equipment into the country.

His reaction comes two days after F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone said India's return to the F1 itinerary was likely to be delayed beyond 2015, fuelling speculation whether the event will ever be held again after getting dropped from the 2014 calendar.

“After what all has happened recently, it will be very tough for India to get the race back. The sport raised the country's profile around the world, but unfortunately the Indian government does not see it as a sport to help the stakeholders cross the hurdles,” Chandhok said.

Chandhok was president of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) in 2007 when a provisional agreement was signed between the Formula One Management (FOM) and race promoters Jaypee Group before he returned to head the body again in 2010.

The inaugural Indian Grand Prix eventually took place in 2011 and after three fairly successful editions, suddenly insurmountable glitches surfaced, putting the future of the race in jeopardy. The reason for that is that the stakeholders (especially FOM and teams) are not happy with the country's taxation policies and bureaucratic redtape. — Agencies

London, March 8
Two goals from late substitute Olivier Giroud and one apiece by Mesut Ozil and Mikel Arteta secured Arsenal’s place in the FA Cup semifinals with a 4-1 win against Everton at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Ozil gave Arsenal a seventh minute lead, after a precise through ball from Santi Cazorla but Everton equalised after a surging run from Ross Barkely resulted in a Romelu Lukaku tap-in after 32 minutes.

Arsenal regained the lead in the 68th minute after Gareth Barry tripped Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the box and Mikel Arteta converted the penalty.

Washington, March 8
The White House will deliver two cases of beer to the Canadian Embassy on Monday after US President Barack Obama lost an Olympic ice hockey bet to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Canada's men beat their fierce local rivals 1-0 in the semifinals in Sochi, Russia last month while the women's team stormed back to see off the US 3-2 and snatch gold.

“Hey, @connect2canada! Look forward to delivering two freshly brewed cases of WH beer on Monday for @pmharper from POTUS,” the White House National Security Council told the Canadian Embassy on Twitter. “On behalf of POTUS, enjoy and congrats on the Canadian victory (this time around)! Look forward to a rematch.”

The craft beer will be made with honey from the White House garden, with one case of Honey Porter and the other of Honey Blonde. “I haven't received it yet, but in fairness to President Obama, he's lost bets to me before, and he's always paid up before,” Harper said. “I'm sure he will.”

The Canadian Embassy thanked the NSC and jokingly promised it would only take a few bottles from the shipment intended for Harper. "@NSCPress Thank you! We're thirsty and ready for delivery! @pmharper We promise only a few bottles will be missing :) #beerdiplomacy," it wrote on its Twitter feed. The US and Canadian leaders struck their bet last month when they met for a North American leaders summit in Mexico.

It was not the first time the two men had wagered beer over hockey — and not the first time Obama has lost. The President sent Harper a case of American Yuengling beer after Canada's men triumphed in an overtime thriller in the final of the Vancouver Olympics four years ago. — Agencies

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