Kolkata

Packed calendar a problem, but Sindhu must adapt: Gopi

Chief national coach Pullela Gopichand has admitted that the crammed Badminton World Federation (BWF) itinerary is causing problems to the players, but added that they must adapt. Gopichand said the onus is on a player of PV Sindhu’s calibre to adapt to the calendar instead of complaining about it. Though Sindhu won in the World Championships gold last year, she failed to win any other tournament.

“I think the crammed schedule is a problem for the top players, but also to be fair, world over it (crammed scheduling) is a problem. We need to find a solution for it. The players need to be smart and the system needs to put these boundaries in place which as a country we have not done,” he said, and added: “As a top player, it’s her (Sindhu) duty to adapt without complaining.”

New Delhi

Boxing’s Olympics qualifiers in March after Wuhan cancellation

Boxing’s Olympics qualifying tournament scheduled next month was pushed to March, a couple of days after it was cancelled in the Chinese city of Wuhan following the outbreak of coronavirus. The International Olympic Committee’s Boxing Task Force, which is in charge of conducting the sport at the Olympics later this year, confirmed the change of dates in its latest communication to the national federations.

Lahore

Malik stars in Pak’s 5-wkt win over Bangladesh

Recalled allrounder Shoaib Malik smashed a half-century to anchor Pakistan’s five-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first T20I. Malik’s unbeaten 45-ball 58 helped Pakistan overhaul a modest 142-run target in 19.3 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Brief Scores: Bangladesh: 141/5 (Naim 43, Tamim 39); Pakistan: 142/5 in 19.3 overs (Malik 58*, Ahsan 36; Shafiul 2/27)

New Delhi

Ministry to hire around 1,500 coaches: Rijiju

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government has decided to recruit around 1,500 coaches to fill up existing vacancies and ensured full support to the country’s athletes. “We are not going to wait for the eight years period and will promote the assistant coaches to the senior level after a few years on the basis of their service record, so that there is no dearth of coaches. We are hiring reputed foreign coaches, irrespective of their remuneration. There will be no shortage of funds for the training of the Indian athletes. There are some very good Indian trainers and coaches and we are hiring them as well,” he added.

Anand draws with Vitiugov, Caruana leads

Wijk Aan Zee (Netherlands), January 24

Viswanathan Anand’s chances of a podium finish ended after the Indian played out another draw, this time with Nikita Vitiugov of Russia in the 10th round of Tata Steel Chess Masters.

American Fabiano Caruana inflicted a second straight loss on Alireza Firouzja to retain the sole lead with just three rounds to come in the 13-round marathon event. Magnus Carlsen of Norway won his third game on the trot at the expense of Vladislav Kovalev of Belarus to move to the sole second spot behind Caruana.

Anand played the Italian game with white pieces but could get little out of the opening against Vitiugov, who is a known theoretician. The Indian ace yet again tried for complications but the Russian was up to the task and equalised comfortably in the early middle game. Anand sacrificed a pawn but Vitiugov forced a series of repetition to force a draw a little later.

As things stand, Caruana leads the table on seven points and Carlsen is breathing down his neck a half-point behind. Anand is far back on 4.5 points.

In the Challengers section, Surya Shekhar Ganguly, on six points, has to win heavy in the last few rounds to make a match of it. Ganguly is placed tied-4th on six points, one point behind leaders David Anton Guijarro and Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who are on seven points each with three rounds left. The other Indian in the fray, Nihal Sarin, drew with Ganguly in the 10th round. — PTI

Lahiri tied-119th, Woods tied-21st

San Diego, January 24

Anirban Lahiri handled the tougher South Course at Torrey Pines better than many of the big names till he came to the back nine in the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open. After being 2-under through 11 holes, Lahiri had a nightmarish stretch from the 14th to 17th as he bogeyed three times and double-bogeyed once. He ended with a 3-over 75 and was tied-119th.

Tiger Woods, who is looking for a record-breaking 83rd PGA Tour title this week, shot his best opening round of the year since 2011. He shot a 3-under 69 on the North Course. Woods birdied three of the four par-5s and had five birdies against two bogeys and was tied-21st.

Sebastian Cappelen on the South Course and Keegan Bradley on the North Course shot 66 each to share the opening-round lead. Rory McIlroy shot a 67 as he chases a win that could make him the world No. 1 for the first time in four years.

Bad start for Aditi

Boca Raton (US): Playing her first event of the year, Aditi Ashok endured a disastrous opening round at the Gainbridge LPGA golf tournament, carding back-to-back bogeys before play was called off due to darkness. The Bengaluru golfer was 2-over through 15 holes, and was coming off bogeys on the 14th and 15th holes, when darkness forced a stoppage in play. The day saw high winds and heavy rain delaying play for nearly 40 minutes late in the afternoon. The 26-year-old Jessica Korda shot a 6-under 66 to take the first-round lead. — Agencies

Iyer fireworks give India win in T20 opener

Auckland, January 24

Shreyas Iyer guided India to a six-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first T20I at the Eden Park as the tourists showed few signs of fatigue or jetlag. Iyer scored his second T20I half-century with 58 not out and finished the game with his third six as India reached 204/4 to chase down New Zealand’s 203/5 with an over to spare.

KL Rahul and captain Virat Kohli put on 99 runs in 50 deliveries for the tourists, who only arrived in New Zealand on Tuesday after completing a 2-1 ODI series victory over Australia on Sunday. Rahul was brilliantly caught by Tim Southee at mid-off for 56 before Martin Guptill produced an even more spectacular catch at deep midwicket to dismiss Kohli for 45 to give the hosts a sniff of an upset. India’s deep batting line-up, however, ensured that they cantered home with a measured run-chase full of quality.

New Zealand’s innings included half-centuries for Colin Munro, Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson. After Munro put on 80 for the opening wicket with Guptill (30), the loss of the left- hander for 59 and Colin de Grandhomme within a space of three deliveries stalled New Zealand’s momentum.

Williamson (51) and Taylor (54*), however, prospered after two fielding errors by Yuzvendra Chahal and the pair scored 61 runs in 28 deliveries to put their side in a strong position at 178/4 with three overs remaining. Some superb death bowling by Jasprit Bumrah, who rolled his ankle badly when he stood on the seam of the drop-in pitch, and Mohammed Shami ensured they did not kick on. The second game of the five-match series is also at Eden Park on Sunday. — Reuters

India A lose to NZ by 29 runs in second unofficial ODI

Christchurch, January 24

India A’s top-order batsmen failed to convert their starts as New Zealand A won the second unofficial ODI by 29 runs and restored parity in the three-match series.

The home team relied on opener George Worker’s 135 and Cole McConchie’s brisk 56 to post 295/7 in their stipulated 50 overs after being sent in to bat at the Hagley Oval. In reply, the visiting team was stopped at 266/9.

Opting to bowl after winning the toss, India A tasted early success when Mohammed Siraj dismissed Rachin Ravindra for a nought. Left-arm spinner Axar Patel accounted for Glenn Phillips as New Zealand A found the going tough in the middle. Ishan Porel picked up a couple of wickets, leaving the visitors struggling at 96/4 in the 22nd over. Krunal Pandya made it worse by removing Mark Chapman.

At 109/5 in the 25th over, the hosts badly needed someone to steady the ship, and Worker, Jimmy Neesham (33) and McConchie came to their rescue. During his 144-ball knock, Worker smashed six sixes and 12 boundaries. McConchie then scored some quick runs, hitting eights fours in his 54-ball knock.

India A lost their in-form opener Prithvi Shaw (2) in the first over. Leading the team in the absence of Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal made 37 off 42 balls, while Ishan Kishan scored 44 off 55 deliveries. All-rounder Vijay Shankar contributed 41 off 53 balls and Krunal top-scored with a 48-ball 51. — PTI

Melbourne Stars coach Hussey fined for spikes joke

Melbourne, January 24

Melbourne Stars coach David Hussey has been fined A$2,000 for joking he was trying to gain a competitive advantage by wearing spikes during a pitch inspection before a Big Bash League clash. His comments, during a television interview, were found contrary to the spirit of the game and unbecoming of a coach.

Hussey was cleared of the charge of trying to seek an unfair advantage, but he had said: “You want to dot every i and cross every t and try to get the competitive advantage over the opposition.”

The former limited-overs international offered an apology for his comments made on Wednesday. “These comments were made in jest and in a light-hearted moment with the commentators,” said the 42-year-old. “I never intended to suggest that I had in any way broken the rules of the game. I realise that my comments, broadcast to our fans and supporters, may have undermined the Spirit of Cricket and for this I apologise.”

His team eventually lost Wednesday’s match against Adelaide Strikers. — Reuters