Month: September 2023

Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee shocked world champion Chinese pair Chen Meng and Yidi Wang to enter the women’s doubles semifinals, assuring India a historic table tennis medal at the Asian Games here on Saturday.
Sutirtha and Ayhika won 11-5, 11-5, 5-11, 11-9
In the quarterfinals, Sutirtha and Ayhika won 11-5, 11-5, 5-11, 11-9 and the victory over World No. 2 Chinese duo is all the more significant because India have never won a medal in the women’s doubles event in the Asian Games.
The Indian players never allowed their superior opponents to settle down right from the go.
The Chinese duo was expected to roll over their opponents, and it happened precisely the opposite, as the Indians won the first game in just 8 minutes.
The trend followed in the second game too, as the Indians wrapped it in just 9 minutes as the Chinese players committed several unforced errors, particularly on the forehand.
The home side players mounted a brief fightback, winning the third game.
But the Indians regrouped quickly to assert themselves in the fourth game.
The epic winning moment came when Meng sprayed her forehand into the net.
Earlier, Commonwealth Games gold medallist Manika Batra produced an error-filled game to make an early exit in the quarterfinals of the women’s singles table tennis competition.
Manika went down against world No. 4 Yidi Wang of China 8-11, 12-10, 6-11, 4-11, 14-12, 5-11 and her defeat also marked the end of Indias campaign in the singles event at the Hangzhou Games.
The ace Indian paddler lost the first game 8-11, as she showed a distinct weakness on her backhand.
Even when she won the second and fifth games, it was more about the Chinese player making unforced errors in her eagerness to close out the points.
The classic example came in the fifth game when the Chinese sprayed an easy forehand while leading 11-10, which allowed Manika to claw back.
But in the sixth game, Wang regained her focus and peppered Manikas backhand with powerful shots that the latter failed to reply properly.
Manika tried to fight back with a couple of powerful forehands but Wangs astonishing retrieving ability left the Indian frustrated.
Fittingly, a backhand error from Manika that brought the match to an end.
Wang’s laser-guided forehand found Manika fumbling as her backhand return sailed well wide of the table.
Earlier, India’s men’s double pair of Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar also bowed out in the quarterfinals.
They were beaten by South Korean pair Woojin Jang and Jonghoon Lim 8-11, 11-7, 10-12, 11-6, 9-11 in the last eight.
The Indians were leading 6-2 in the fifth game which later transpired to 9-9, but they squandered the chances to go down against the Koreans.
“We fought really well. We took the game to 9-9 in the last set. We were very close to winning but we have to take the learnings and move forward,” said Manush after the defeat.
On the experience of playing against the World No. 1 Korean pair, Manush said: “They are probably the toughest opponents. We had some strategies and moves that we wanted to execute, and which we did. But in the end, we couldn’t prevail.”

Athletics can fetch multiple medals for India on Sunday with some of the country’s big track and field stars in action.
Jyothi Yarraji will aim for a medal in women’s 100m hurdles while Avinash Sable is the favourite to win the 3000m steeplechase.
India’s trap shooters will be in action in the final day of event as they would want to end their campaign by winning more medals in the sport. Golfer Aditi Ashok can also finish on top in the individual event the golf team can try for a medal in the team event.
(Medal events are listed out first. Then the rest chronologically.)
MEDAL EVENTS
4 am: Golf – Anirban Lahiri, SSP Chawrasia, Hitesh Joshi and Shubhankar Sharma in men’s individual and team round 4.
4 am: Golf – Aditi Ashok, Pranavi Urs and Avani Prashanth in women’s individual and team round 4.
6:30 am: Shooting – Prithviraj Tondaiman, Darius Chenai and Zoravar Sandhu in men’s trap individual and team qualification (phase 2) and team final.
6:30 am: Shooting – Manisha Keer, Preeti Rajak, Rajeshwari Kumari in women’s trap individual qualification (phase 2) and team final.
11:45 am: Boxing – Parveen vs Sitore Turdibekova (Uzbekistan) in women’s 57kg quarterfinal.
12:30 pm: Boxing – Jaismine vs Ungyong Won (North Korea) in women’s 60kg quarterfinal.
12:30 pm: Shooting – Trap women’s final.
13:30 pm: Shooting – Trap women’s final.
2:30 pm: Badminton – India vs China in men’s team final.
4:30 pm: Boxing – Nikhat Zareen vs Raksat Chuthamat (Thailand) in women’s 50kg semifinal.
4:30 pm: Athletics – Tajinderpal Singh Toor and Sahib Singh in men’s shot put final.
4:40 pm: Athletics – Jeswin Aldrin and Sreeshankar Murali in men’s long jump final.
4:45 pm: Athletics – Avinash Sable in men’s 3000m steeplechase final. 5:35 pm: Athletics – Seema Punia in women’s discus throw final.
5:50 pm: Athletics Harmilan Bains and Deeksha in women’s 1500m final.
6 pm: Athletics – Jinson Johnson and Ajay Saroj in men’s 1500m final.
6:45 pm: Jyothi Yarraji and Nithya Ramraj in women’s 100m hurdles final.
EVENTS
5:30 am: Equestrian – Vikas Kumar-Noreway Harry, Apurva Dabhade-Valtho Des Peulpliers and Ashish Limaye-Willy Be Dun in eventing cross country team and individual events.
6:30 am: Archery – Tushar Shelke, Atanu Das, Mirnal Chauhan and Dhiraj Bommadevara in recurve men’s individual qualification round.
6:30 am: Archery – Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Parneet Kaur, Avneet Kaur and Aditi Swami in compound women’s individual qualification.
After 7 am: Kurash – Aditya Dhopaokar vs Hassan Rasooli men’s 81kg round of 16 bout.
7 am: Athletics – Megha Pradeep in women’s canoe single 200m heat 1.
7:10 am: Athletics – Jyothi Yarraji in women’s 200m round 1 heat 1.
7:26 am: Athletics – Soniya Devi in women’s kayak single 500m heat 2.
7:30 am: Sepaktakraw – India vs Laos women’s group match.
8:06 am: Athletics – Amlan Borgohain in men’s 200m round 1 heat 4.
8:30 am: Squash – India vs South Korea mixed doubles Pool A match.
10:00 am: Squash – India vs Philippines mixed doubles Pool D match.
11:30 am: Sepaktakraw – India vs Japan men’s group match.
11:50 am: Archery – Prathamesh Jawkar, Ojas Pravin Deotale, Abhishek Verma, Rajat Chauhan in compound men’s individual qualification round.
11:50 am: Archery – Prachi Singh, Simranjeet Kaur, Bhajan Kaur and Ankita Bhakat in recurve women’s individual qualification round.
12:30 pm: Sepaktakraw – India vs China in women’s group match.
12:30 pm: Chess – India men and women’s teams round 3 matches.
1:30 pm: Squash – Mahesh Mangaonkar vs Jonathan Reyes men’s singles round of 32 match.
1:30 pm: Squash – India vs Pakistan squash mixed doubles Pool A match.
1:30 pm: Hockey – India vs South Korea women’s group stage match.
3 pm: Squash – India vs Pakistan mixed doubles Pool D match.
5:30 pm: Basketball – India vs China in women’s group stage game.
The document will be updated with events as and when they are scheduled.

Lahore :Downplaying his alleged controversial remarks “dushman mulk” after the Pakistan cricket team landed in Hyderabad, Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Management Committee Chairman, Zaka Ashraf called India a “traditional rival”. Earlier on Friday, in a video that is viral on social media, Zaka was heard purportedly talking about players going to “dushman mulk” (enemy country) for tournaments, while he was addressing the media about PCB’s new contracts for players. His remark was allegedly targeted at India.
In the viral video, Ashraf said, “We gave these contracts to our players with love and affection. Never in the history of Pakistan, such an amount of money has been given to players. My aim was to keep the players’ morale high as they go to countries, the enemy country (‘Dushman Mulk’) for competitions.”
But later on Friday, Zaka said the fantastic reception of the Pakistan men’s cricket team in India for the World Cup proves how much love the people of both countries have for each other’s players.
“The fantastic reception of the Pakistan team in India for the World Cup proves how much love the people of both countries have for each other’s players. This love was evident by the reception arranged at the Hyderabad airport. I congratulate the Indians for arranging a reception of this kind,” Ashraf said as quoted from Pakistan Cricket.
He further went on to say whenever India and Pakistan step onto the cricket field, they appear as traditional rivals but not enemies. He also asserted that the Indian fans will get to witness the best cricket from Pakistan players.
“Whenever India and Pakistan step onto the cricket field, they emerge as traditional rivals but not as enemies. I hope that throughout the entire World Cup, Pakistan cricketers will receive the same warmth, and Indian fans will get to see the best cricket from Pakistan players,” Ashraf added.
In a press release released by the PCB Zaka expressed his desire for the resumption of bilateral series between both countries which read, “He expressed his desire for the restoration of bilateral cricketing relations between the two countries, allowing millions of cricket fans from both nations the opportunity to watch these players perform live. He concluded by expressing his hope that the Indian cricket team would also visit Pakistan soon, enabling Pakistan to reciprocate the warmth and love shown by India to the Pakistan cricket team.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

India Vs Japan Men’s Hockey: Abhishek Scores Brace To Guide India To 4-2 Win Over Defending Champions

Former India captain Virat Kohli | Source: X.com
The ICC World Cup 2023 is just around the corner, and it’s a historic moment as India hosts this prestigious event independently for the first time. While excitement soars, emotions run deep as cricket lovers brace themselves for the possibility that this could be the last World Cup campaign for the legendary batter Virat Kohli. 
Like many legendary players, Virat Kohli, who was a member of the 2011 World Cup winning team, has had his fair share of highs and lows in his cricketing career. 
However, the most ‘poignant chapter’ in his cricket journey spanned 1,020 days when he went without scoring a century. He came close to scoring his 71st so many times but never broke that mental barrier. 
However, the dry spell finally came to an end during the Asia Cup in September of last year, when Kohli smashed a century against Afghanistan in the shorter format, a format in which it was least expected. 
Since then, there has been no stopping him. He has smashed six centuries after that and has 77 tons to his name in international cricket so far. However, that period did offer Kohli some valuable lessons, as he shared it with the ICC recently.
The last two and a half years have taught me a lot. Those angry celebrations are a thing of the past. I have had many suggestions, lots of advice has come my way; people were telling me I was doing this wrong, that wrong.
I picked out all the videos from the best time I had, same initial movement, same approach towards the ball and it was just what was happening inside my head, I wasn’t able to explain it to anyone. 
Virat Kohli’s cricket career is not just a journey for him; it’s a shared experience with his fans who have witnessed the highs and lows in his life. One thing they must remember is the importance of perseverance. Just like Virat Kohli, you can overcome any phase with patience. 
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli is edging closer to surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most ODI centuries. Given his outstanding form, it appears almost inevitable that this record will fall during the ICC World Cup 2023.

FeatureRegardless of how Australia lead into a global event, they usually find a way of being in the mix when it matters