New Delhi, April 17
Heeding to the demands of some affiliated state units, the BCCI has decided to convene an Emergent Working Committee meeting here on April 20 to take stock of the developments relating to the case before the Supreme Court regarding the IPL spot-fixing and betting scandal.

“BCCI Working Committee meeting has been convened on April 20 in Mumbai,” BCCI's vice-president Ravi Savant told PTI from Dubai where the first phase of the seventh edition of the IPL commenced on Wednesday.

The meeting, scheduled at 3 pm, comes in the wake of the Supreme Court making it clear that N Srinivasan cannot head the BCCI till he comes out clean in a probe conducted against him and 12 others, including India-capped cricketers whose names have been mentioned by Justice Mudgal Committee report in the IPL betting and spot-fixing scandal.

At least six affiliated state units, including Rajasthan Cricket Association, had sought an emergent Working Committee meeting of the BCCI on Sunday to discuss matters related to the Supreme Court case.

K K Sharma, Officiating Secretary of RCA, in a letter to BCCI acting president Shivlal Yadav, said that they were unaware of who's instructing the counsel appearing for the Board in the Supreme Court.

“We have noticed the observations of the Supreme Court during hearing. We are unaware as to who is instructing the counsel appearing for the Board in the said matter. The issues have never been discussed at a Board Meeting and no Board Meeting has been convened in this regard,” Sharma said in his letter.

“We do not want that the stance taken by the Board should damage the reputation of the BCCI and Players and therefore we request you to convene an Emergent Working Committee meeting on 20.04.2014 at the board Headquarters in Mumbai to discuss matters pending before Supreme Court as the said matter is now listed for 22.04.2014. We feel that the Board counsel should be instructed about the board decision and should not take instructions from certain individuals.”

Besides RCA, a few other state associations of the BCCI have also shot off similar letters to the Board.

“At least five or six affiliated members of the BCCI have written letters to BCCI on similar lines,” said Niranjan Shah, former secretary of BCCI and current secretary of Saurashtra Cricket Association which, however, is not part of the Working Committee.

As per the BCCI's website, the Working Committee comprises: S M Gavaskar (Interim President), Sanjay Patel (Secretary), Anurag Thakur (Jt. Secretary), Anirudh Chaudhry (Treasurer), S P Bansal (Vice President, North), Shivlal Yadav (VP, South), Chitrak Mitra (VP, East), Ravi Savant (VP, West), Rajeev Shukla (VP, Central), Delhi & District Cricket Association, Tamil Nadu CA, Cricket Association of Bengal, Mumbai CA, Uttar Pradesh CA (all permanent Test centres), Haryana CA (North), Goa CA (South), National CC (East), The Cricket Club of India (West), Railway Sports Promotion Board (Central) (all by rotation), Karnataka State CA, Punjab CA, Gujarat CA, Vidarbha CA, and Hyderabad CA (Staged Test match in the last 2 years). — PTI

No one in BCCI can take on Srinivasan: Manohar
Former BCCI president Shashank Manohar today rued that there was no one in the BCCI to take on N Srinivasan who is facing the heat over the IPL spot-fixing and betting scandal. Srinivasan, who had ignored repeated calls for his resignation, has been stripped of his presidential powers by the Supreme Court till he is cleared of alleged wrongdoings in the scandal. “The Board lacks leaders to take on Srinivasan who is shamelessly and stubbornly sticking to his chair. Nothing has moved in the last one year. The outbreak of the scandal happened in May 2013 and we are currently in April 2014,” said Manohar. Manohar wants someone to raise the issue at the Emergent Working Committee meeting which has been convened on April 20. “In BCCI, the powers (related to Board functioning) are vested with the Working Committee and the General Body, and not with the President,” he said. — PTI

Chandigarh, April 17
There's some good news for Yuvraj Singh's fans. As was widely feared, the T20 World Cup final embarrassment and the subsequent harassment on social media don't seem to have left a lasting impression on his mind and game.

The Bangalore attack, led by Strac, bowled with a lot of discipline to restrict Delhi Daredevils to a manageable 145. The fans (right) queue up to get into the stadium on Thursday. — BCCI

The left-hander, playing his first game after the T20 final where he just couldn't put the bat on ball, appeared to have put the nightmare behind him and looked much better as he shared a crucial 84-run partnership with skipper Virat Kohli to lead Royal Challengers to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Delhi Daredevils.

While the 145-run total they were chasing wasn't big, given the firepower Bangalore have in their ranks, it was important for the left-hander to make a significant contribution to regain his confidence and convince his franchisee that buying him for a record amount wasn't a blunder.

While the Daredevils attack wasn't a patch on the Sri Lankan attack that saw Yuvraj developing cold feet on that sultry Dhaka night, the left-hander deserves some credit getting over his most embarrassing moment so quickly and chipping in with a quick-fire 29-ball 52, studded with five sixes and three boundaries. Yuvraj did look a little uncomfortable against Mohammed Shami at times, but against the lesser bowlers, who looked very ordinary, he was confident and brutal.

Virat Kohli, on the other hand, continued with his sublime form. Although he didn't look as impressive as he was in the T20 World Cup, perhaps the ordinary bowling didn't fire him up enough, he was still good enough to smash an unbeaten 49 and see his team home without any hiccups.

Earlier, JP Duminy and Ross Taylor played sensibly to help Delhi Daredevils put on a reasonable 145-run total against Royal Challengers Bangalore after poor start. Daredevils, who were without skipper Kevin Pietersen, lost quick wickets upfront, and were gasping for breath at 35 for four at one stage.

With the Delhi top order comprising Mayank Aggarwal, M Vijay, Dinesh Karthik and Manoj Tiwary back in the hut, the responsibility to pull the team out of the woods and set a challenging target fell on Duminy and Taylor.

They responded to the challenge brilliantly, putting on an unbeaten 110-run stand for the fifth wicket. While Duminy scored a 48-ball 67, Taylor finished with a 39-ball 43. But that was never going to test the power-packed Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Brief scores: Delhi 145 for 4 (Duminy 67no, Taylor 43no); Bangalore 146 for 2 (Yuvraj 52 not out, Kohli 49 not out)

Rajasthan Royals look beyond controversies

Abu Dhabi: One of the worst hit teams in last year's spot-fixing scandal, Rajasthan Royals will be keen to clear their off-field image with good on-field performances when they begin their IPL campaign by taking on a formidable Sunrisers Hyderabad here tomorrow.

New captain Shane Watson said the spot-fixing controversy last year was the case of a couple of bad apples in the side, and assured that the team had got over the distraction and was concentrating on giving its best. —TNS/PTI

Today’s matches CSK vs Kings XI (4pm) Sunrisers vs Royals (8pm) Live on Sony Six

dubai, April 17
Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh on Thursday said it was difficult to cope with the World Twenty20 final defeat against Sri Lanka but he was learning to take disappointments in his stride. India had reached the summit clash of the tournament unbeaten but had failed to cap their brilliant campaign with a win.

“A match like the finals always left feelings of ‘so near yet so far’, but sportsmen need to overcome these emotions quickly and face next challenge,” he said in an interview published on the Royal Challenger Bangalore’s official website.

“As a team we played a fantastic tournament and displayed emphatic cricket all around. But in the finals thing didn’t go the way we planned and it’s not easy to overcome that disappointment,” he said.

Yuvraj said in his younger days, one of his coaches told him that as a sportsperson one should be able to handle both the success and the defeats alike. “That’s what I want to do,” he said.

Yuvraj said he is thrilled to be a part of RCB and hoped it would a memorable season for the side. He said most of the team-mates got a short but very refreshing break after the World T20 and they are ready for the next 50 days.

He added that the last few days have given the team ample time to be with each other and figure out combinations.

“We had some very useful practice sessions and that has given us a fair idea about our strategies and game plans.”

The Punjab southpaw said the side boasts of a very good mix of experience and youth and positivity around the team is infectious and uplifting. “This comes across as a group that is willing to back each other in good and bad times. It is an absolute privilege to share the dressing room with the likes of Chris Gayle, Muttiah Muralitharan, AB de Villiers, Daniel Vettori and Alan Donald,” Yuvraj said.

new delhi, April 17
Eyeing an Olympic quota place this year, ace Indian shooter Manavjit Singh Sandhu says the gold medal at the recent ISSF World Cup is a proof that his preparation is headed in the right direction in a crucial season which features the Commonwealth and Asian Games.

Manavjit produced some excellent shooting to clinch the men's trap gold medal ahead of a two-time Olympic champion and another equally proven marksman Michael Diamond at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Tucson, USA.

“This win confirms that my training is going on well, my technique and equipment are in right position. Therefore, I need to continue on this path with increased effort and dedication,” said Manavjit.

The 37-year-old Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee has made a few changes to his game. Manavjit said the World Cup medal was a “validation” of his efforts in an “important” year.

“The victory in Tucson was an extremely important event for me as it's a validation of the changes in equipment and technique that I have done in the last 14 months. Such validation is crucial in an important year. Last year was full of near misses and good scores, but I needed the confirmation through a win. For me this is an extremely important year, and I am looking forward to it,” said the former world No 1.

It was some achievement by the ace shooter as he was up against Australia's Michael Diamond, who had won the top prize in the 1996 Atlanta and Sydney Olympics in 2000, besides winning five gold medals at the Commonwealth Games. The bronze went to Russia's Alexey Alipov, who won the yellow metal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

“Competing head to head with two Olympic champions on a single day and getting the better of both was indeed special.”

“Psychologically, it can be intimidating to shoot against legends, but I did not let that trouble me,” Manavjit said.

If the strong field was not enough, the heat and wind only made the conditions at Tucson more challenging. “Conditions were very challenging. The heat and the high UV Index... the ranges had no covering so we were shooting directly under the sun. Additionally it was very windy. Indeed a difficult environment, but it was the same for all.”

The time ahead is going to be busy for Manavjit, with the shooter currently training in Italy. “The training schedule is extremely hectic, with training in Italy as well as competing at the other two World Cups before the CWG, World Championships, Asian Games and the World Cup Final. So, it is a very intense calendar but I am looking forward to it.”

Talking about the day he bagged his latest top prize, he said, “It's just that everything clicked and fell in place. However, for the last two years I have been shooting very high scores. This underscores that good scores and training eventually lead to win.”

Asked about the inaugural Indian Shotgun Open, which is the brainchild of Manvjit and Ronjan Sodhi, he said, “The Indian Shotgun Open was a concept very dear to Ronjan and me, as it seeks to give a winning opportunity to the young shooters of India. I am very happy with the results and the huge response the competition received.” The Indian sharpshooter had last won at the World Cup stage four years ago. — PTI

Brasilia, April 17
A police strike has unleashed violent crime in Brazil's third-largest city just two months before it is set to welcome hordes of football fans for the World Cup, adding to fears about the country's ability to ensure safety during the event. At least 22 people were killed in and around the north-eastern city of Salvador after state police went on strike early on Wednesday to demand better pay and other benefits, the Bahia state government said on Thursday, prompting the federal government to dispatch troops to restore order.

Local media reported looting at supermarkets and stores in central Salvador and also said that another 21 people were killed in nearby Feira de Santana, the state's second-largest city.

The violence prompted many shop owners in Salvador, one of Brazil's most popular tourist destinations, to remain closed early on Thursday as many police stayed off the streets for a second day in defiance of a court order to return to work.

While Salvador has one of the highest crime rates in Brazil, its murder rate is historically much lower than the toll of Wednesday and early Thursday. In April last year, the Salvador area had an average of 2.5 deaths a day, according to state government data. — Reuters

Cristiano Ronaldo, who missed the match due to an injury, poses with the trophy. AP/PTI

valencia, April 17
Gareth Bale raced away to score a stunning late winner as Real Madrid made light of the absence of top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo to beat arch-rivals Barcelona 2-1 to win a riveting King’s Cup final on Wednesday.

Wales winger Bale, who joined Real for a world record fee in the close season, galloped down the left wing into the penalty area in the 85th minute at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium and slipped the ball superbly between the legs of Barca goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto.

Angel Di Maria had put Real ahead in the 11th minute in the 228th meeting between the two sides when he finished off a swift break with a low shot that Pinto could only palm into the net before Marc Bartra headed in from Xavi’s corner in the 68th to make it 1-1.

After Bale struck, Barca had a chance to send the match into extra time in the 89th minute when Neymar, the Catalan club’s marquee signing of the close season, found space in the area but his stabbed effort crashed back off a post when he had the goal at his mercy.

“I think the team played a fabulous match tonight in a very entertaining game,” Real captain Iker Casillas said. “We are happy for all the fans who came here to Valencia tonight. Now we have to enjoy this moment and think about the league and the Champions League.”

Bale was the first Welshman to feature in Spain’s ‘Clasico’ between the world’s two richest clubs by income and his wonder goal went some way towards justifying the 100 million euros Real paid Tottenham Hotspur to lure him to La Liga.

The 24-year-old, whose season has been disrupted by a series of minor injuries, stepped up to fill the void left by Ronaldo, who has been sidelined by knee and muscle problems in his left leg, and outshone Barca’s four-times World Player of the Year Lionel Messi, who again failed to perform on the big stage.

It was Real’s 19th victory in Spain’s domestic Cup competition, seven fewer than record winners Barca, and their second in four years after they beat the Catalan club 1-0 in the 2011 showpiece.

It was also a first trophy for their Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti in his debut season and his side still have a chance of becoming only the second team after Barca in 2009 to win a treble of La Liga, Champions League and King’s Cup titles.

They are second in the domestic league, three points behind leaders Atletico Madrid with five games left, and play holders Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of Europe’s elite club competition this month.

“We deserve it because we played better and had more chances,” Portugal captain Ronaldo, who was watching the game from the stands, said. “We are very pleased with the first trophy of the season and we have two more which we will fight for.”

For Barca, a nightmare week comes to an end when they were dumped out of Europe by Atletico and suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at Granada in La Liga that left them four points off the top.

Wednesday’s reverse marks the first time they have lost three matches in a row since the beginning of 2003. — Reuters

New Delhi, April 17
The ad-hoc committee formed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to run boxing in the wake of IABF’s international suspension announced the dates for selection trials to pick the boxing contingent for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games this year.

The committee, formed earlier this month by IOA with the approval of the International Boxing Association (AIBA), met for the first time today to discuss the way forward for Indian boxing. The meeting was attended by its president Tarlochan Singh, national coach GS Sandhu, India’s representative at the AIBA Kishan Narsi, Rakesh Gupta, Kuldip Vats and Mehtab Singh.

“We have decided to hold the selection trials to pick the team for the Commonwealth Games from May 20 to 23 at the National Institute of Sports (NIS), Patiala. The trials for Asian Games will be held from August 9 to 11, also at the NIS,” Tarlochan Singh told The Tribune.

“We have decided to hold an open trial from May 7 to 11 at the NIS to identify the core group probables for these events. Boxers who have won medals in the international junior competitions in 2012 and the medal winners in the international competitions after 2012 would be eligible to take part in the open trial. NIS campers would also be participating in the open trial,” he said.

“The selected boxers will form a part of the core group probables and out of them the team for CWG and Asian Games will be selected.”

The committee also discussed the training requirements of the Indian boxers, keeping in mind the two events. The Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 3, while Asian Games will take place in Incheon, South Korea, from September 19 to October 4.

Tarlochan said the committee has also requested the AIBA to allow the Indian boxers to undertake foreign exposure trips to prepare for the CWG. Earlier, Indians had exposure trips of 90 days per year, but in 2013 there were none. It is to be noted that every federation has to take the approval from AIBA before embarking on an exposure tour.

“There have been no exposure tours for our boxers after the suspension of IABF. We have requested AIBA to allow them to visit countries like Cyprus, Russia to prepare for the CWG,” he said.

Indians participated in fewer international tournaments in 2013, only four, compared to about 8-10 in the previous years.

Asked about holding the National Championships this year, Tarlochan said, “It’s not possible in 2014, at least not before the Asian Games. We would work out the details after the Asian Games.”

There have been no boxing nationals in any age category for two years now.

London, April 17
Manchester City’s Premier League title hopes were dealt a crushing blow when they were held to a 2-2 draw by bottom club Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.

Everton suffered a shock 3-2 home defeat by mid-table Crystal Palace at Goodison Park to put a huge dent in their bid for a top-four finish.

City, champions in 2012 and runners-up to neighbours Manchester United last season, failed to respond to their 3-2 defeat at leaders Liverpool on Sunday and stayed third in the table on 71 points from 33 matches, six behind Liverpool and four adrift of Chelsea with only one game in hand.

Liverpool are in pole position to claim their first English title in 24 years, but they still have to play Chelsea at Anfield on April 27.

“We did not play well but we had in our mind the game against Liverpool,” City manager Manuel Pellegrini said.

Sunderland remained rooted to the bottom of the table with 26 points from 33 matches, six points adrift of 17th-placed Norwich City.

After the damaging defeat by Liverpool, City knew anything other than a win would seriously dent their title hopes and a slick passing move enabled Fernandinho to fire them ahead after two minutes.

But with talismanic midfielder Yaya Toure missing through injury, City lacked a cutting edge and Sunderland striker Connor Wickham was in the right place on 73 minutes to convert Emanuele Giaccherini’s left-wing cross and score his first Premier League goal since 2011.

City have won just twice in their last eight games against Sunderland and Wickham put Poyet’s side in front after 83 minutes when he beat Joe Hart at his near post.

But Sunderland’s hopes of a shock victory were dashed when goalkeeper Vito Mannone spilled Nasri’s shot into his own net two minutes from time. — Reuters

Munich, April 17
Dutch winger Arjen Robben was the inspiration as Bayern Munich crushed second division Kaiserslautern 5-1 on Wednesday to set up a mouth-watering German Cup final against Borussia Dortmund.

Bayern, who face Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals next week, stayed on course for an unprecedented back-to-back treble having already clinched the league title.

However, the Bavarians, who have won the German Cup a record 16 times, have not enjoyed a good run since clinching the Bundesliga crown. They have slumped to a draw and two defeats in their last three league games.

“Kaiserslautern were very courageous at the start and we had problems with possession,” Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said.

“It is not easy to score five goals no matter which team you are playing against.”

The Spaniard can now avenge their league loss to Dortmund and their German Super Cup defeat to the Ruhr valley club at the start of the season. — Reuters

Monaco, April 17
Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic demonstrated their superior class on clay as they eased into the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday. Claycourt wizard Nadal barely broke a sweat in his 6-1 6-3 thrashing of Italy’s Andreas Seppi while fourth seed Federer recovered from a break in the first set to beat Czech Lukas Rosol 6-4 6-1.

Champion Djokovic dropped just one game as he demolished Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta 6-0 6-1 to continue his title defence in the principality.

Spaniard Nadal, whose eight-year reign as champion was ended by Djokovic in the final last year, extended his proud record in Monte Carlo to 50-2 with the win on centre court.

The world No. 1 will next meet compatriot and sixth seed David Ferrer in the final eight, who made easy work of Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov by winning 6-4 6-2.

“That is going to be a very tough match,” the eight-times French Open champion said about the all-Spanish duel with Ferrer. “David is a tough, tough player on any surface but here on clay, (he is) always a big challenge. I play a lot of matches against him, very tough ones.”

Federer will face local favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in a mouth-watering quarterfinal after the French ninth seed shook off a mediocre start to celebrate his 29th birthday with a 5-7 6-3 6-0 victory over Italy’s Fabio Fognini. “I think Jo played the semis here last year, so he’s played here well in the past,” Federer said.

“I’ve seen Jo play different kinds of quality matches lately so I’m not quite sure how he’s going to play, how aggressive, how passive.”

Stanislas Wawrinka reached the quarterfinals without hitting a ball on Thursday after his third-round opponent Nicolas Almagro withdrew injured.

“I woke up this morning with a severe pain in my left foot that prevented me from even walking normally,” Almagro said. “After consulting with the doctor, we decided together that it was better for me not to play today.”

Wawrinka advances to meet eighth seed Milos Raonic after the Canadian beat 11th-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo 6-4 6-3. — Reuters

Bops, Qureshi in quarterfinals
Rohan Bopanna and his partner Aisam-ul-haq Qureshi lost only three games against Lukas Kubot and Robert Lindstedt before advancing to the quarterfinals. The unseeded Indo-Pak pair scored a dominant 6-3 6-0 win over the seventh seed Polish-Swede combo in just 54 minutes in the second round. — PTI

Monaco, April 17
Roger Federer hinted on Wednesday that the upcoming birth of another child for him and wife Mirka Vavrinec could prevent him playing in the French Open in June.

The father of four-year-old twins said his family life would take precedence over any tennis match. “It’s a priority for me trying to be there (at the birth), trying to support my wife,” he said.

“Of course, I’ve played enough tennis matches. Missing a tournament or missing a match wouldn’t change anything for me.”

Asked if his decision would include the French Open, the 32-year old said that it was too early to say.

“Let’s talk about it when it would happen. At the moment we hope it’s not going to be that way. If it is, that’s what it is.” — Agencies

Chandigarh, April 17
It was a disappointing day for Indian professional golfers as most of them were bunched way down the leaderboard after the first round of the Malaysian Open which was suspended due to rain in the afternoon. Play commenced two hours later but Arjun Atwal’s hopes of recreating the magic of 2008 were shattered with a three-over 75 for 18 holes. Gaganjeet Bhullar tied him with a 75.

Shiv Kapur and Jyoti Randhawa were a stroke further back after shooting a four-over 76 while Jeev Milkha Singh and Himmat Rai shot dismal 77’s. Jeev’s round was marred by a quadruple bogey on the par four 13th and three bogeys. “I didn’t play as badly as my score reflects. I just got a bad break with my second shot on the 13th hole and the ball bounced on the cart path and got stuck in wild grass over the green behind a boulder. However, I missed a lot of short birdie putts and made two three-putts,” said Jeev.

The lowest round amongst the Indians was carded by SSP Chowrasia who shot a one-under 71. He made four birdies, on the first, fifth, eighth and 15th holes but made a double bogey on the 13th and a bogey on the 16th hole.

Anirban Lahiri was a stroke behind at 72 as was Rashid Khan. Chiragh Kumar was also at par for 12 holes and will have to come back and complete his round tomorrow. Rahil Gangjee and Digvijay Singh were tied at two-over-par, but Digvijay too has three more holes to play.

Lee Westwood, who carded a brilliant seven-under 65, led the field by one stroke.

BRIEFLY

It’s going to be our season, says Miller of Kings XI
New Delhi: Devastating South Africa batsman David Miller believes Kings XI Punjab have built a strong squad that is capable of winning its maiden Indian Premier League title this year. The Punjab outfit, who have only once qualified for the knockout stage in the six editions of the event, made smart buys in the auction after retaining only Miller and 20-year-old uncapped Indian player Manan Vohra. “It is exciting to have a different group of players. Overall, the squad looks more than capable to win the title. We have been training hard from the past four-five days and are getting to know each other,” said Miller.

Sanga on Durham radar
Colombo: English county side Durham are understood to be in advanced negotiations with former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara, but the management is not willing to reveal the deal, according to a BBC report. Head coach Jon Lewis believes that the former Sri Lankan skipper would be a tremendous addition to the Durham side. “I can't think of a better player in the world who is not involved in the Indian Premier League,” Lewis told the Northern Echo newspaper. Sangakkara, 36, retired from T20 cricket on a high after the islanders won the World Cup in Bangladesh recently. The left-hander had a county stint with Warwickshire in 2007 and was due to feature for Lancashire in 2010 but never made an appearance. Durham have already signed Australian all-rounder John Hastings as an overseas player for the 2014 season.

Olympian Shahnaz Shaikh to coach Pak hockey team
Karachi: In a bid to pull Pakistan out of their recent slump, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has appointed Olympian Shahnaz Shaikh as the senior team's coach. Pakistan failed to qualify for the World Cup to be held in the Netherlands in June -- a humiliating first for the four-time former champions. Pakistan have also won three Olympic gold medals but fell to seventh position in the 2012 London Olympics. They were 12th and last in the 2010 World Cup in India. Shaikh, who has had two unsuccessful stints as coach, said his first target would be to defend the Asian Games title which Pakistan won in China in 2010. “I am here to do my best to revive Pakistan hockey and my first target will be to defend the Asian title in South Korea in September,” Shaikh was quoted as saying by the media. — Agencies

Boxer Solanki makes it all-win day for India
New Delhi: Asian silver-medallist Gaurav Solanki (52kg) turned it around remarkably to beat Belarus’ Dzmitry Asanau and cap off an all-win day for India at the World Youth Boxing Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, today. Out-witted in the first three minutes by Asanau, Solanki roared back in the next two rounds to clinch a 2-1 victory on points in his opening bout after getting a bye in the earlier round. Solanki will face Ireland’s William Donoghue in the pre-quarterfinals. In the 64kg division, Neeraj Parasar completed a comprehensive win in his opening bout, which ended in the second round itself. The Indian won via Technical Knockout after his opponent Chagrylbeg Pazzyev was forced out of the contest with an injury. Parasar will face Romania’s Ninel Gheorghe in the pre-quarterfinals tomorrow.

Hulkenberg denies strike threat over wages
Shanghai: Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg on Thursday denied reports that Formula One drivers were threatening to go on strike over unpaid salaries, but he called for quick action to resolve the problem. Hulkenberg said it was “not good for the sport” that drivers were kept waiting for their wages and said discussions were underway to find a solution. Germany’s Sport Bild magazine claimed this week that several drivers for smaller teams, including Hulkenberg, who drove for Sauber last year, were still owed unpaid wages dating back to 2013.

Bengaluru FC just a win away from I-League title
Bengaluru: Debutantes Bengaluru Football Club can script history on Monday and clinch the I-League title if they get it past Dempo SC at Margao in their penultimate fixture of the season. Ashley Westwood’s side are currently on 41 points with two games left, and mathematically, three more points will hand them the coveted trophy. The Bangalore outfit will be on 44 points if they beat Dempo and that will make it impossible for either Salgaocar, second with 38 points with a game in hand, or East Bengal, third with 37 points with two games in hand, to upset their applecart.

Vietnam backs out as hosts of 2019 Asian Games
Hanoi: Vietnam quit as hosts of the 2019 Asian Games on Thursday, citing a lack of preparedness and concerns that holding the multi-sport event would not prove financially viable. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said Vietnam was suffering the effects of global recession and the state was unable to foot the bill for facilities and venues that would not be profitable in the years after the Games. — Agencies

Alonso yet to meet new Ferrari F1 boss
Shanghai: Fernando Alonso spoke warmly of Stefano Domenicali on Thursday and revealed he had yet to speak to new Ferrari Formula One team boss Marco Mattiacci ahead of Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix. Domenicali, who had been with the Italian team for 23 years, quit this week after taking responsibility for a poor start to the season for the sport's oldest and most successful constructor. Mattiacci, a Ferrari executive with no Formula One experience, has taken charge of the team after previously heading the company's North America operations. "I think that Stefano was a great man, first of all," Alonso, who has been at Ferrari since 2010, said. Neither Alonso nor team mate Kimi Raikkonen has met the new boss yet, and the Spaniard said Ferrari needed to give him time.

Pistorius trial adjourned, state mauls forensic expert
Pretoria: The murder trial of Olympic and Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius was adjourned on Thursday until May 5 after the state wrapped up three days of punishing cross-examination of a forensic expert brought by the defence. Judge Thokozile Masipa granted the state's request for a postponement to avoid conflicts with other cases. Prosecutor Gerrie Nel tore into defence witness Roger Dixon, questioning his credibility and expertise. Dixon, a forensic geologist and former police officer, testified that Steenkamp was standing at an angle to the door with her arm out in front of her, suggesting she was reaching for the handle, when Pistorius shot her dead. — Agencies