Global Sports News Updates

Asia Cup shifted from Pakistan after BCCI objects, confirms Sourav Ganguly

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly on Friday revealed that Asia Cup 2020 has been moved from Pakistan and will now be held in Dubai. He added that both India and Pakistan will now be participating in the tournament. Earlier, the BCCI had said they have "no problem with Pakistan hosting the tournament, provided it is held at a neutral venue."
read more at CricTracker

15% of my liver, gall bladder and appendix removed due to cancer: Richard Hadlee

Ex-New Zealand fast bowler Richard Hadlee has revealed that 1/3rd of his bowel, 15% of his liver, his gall bladder and appendix had to be removed due to cancer. Hadlee was diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer in 2018, while secondary cancer was discovered in his liver later that year. "At the moment I am all good," Hadlee said.
read more at Cricket Country

Can't have different parameters for different players: Kapil Dev on MS Dhoni

India's 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev has said that MS Dhoni should play more matches to be in the squad for the 2020 T20 World Cup. "He hasn't played for one year. There shouldn't be different parameters for different players," he added. Kapil further said, "As his fan, yes...I would like to see him playing the T20 World Cup."
read more at Hindustan Times

Umar Akmal asked to return paychecks he received for Pakistan Super League

Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal, who has been suspended pending an anti-corruption investigation for failing to report a spot-fixing approach, has been told to return the payment cheques he received prior to the start of the Pakistan Super League. Umar was paid 70% of his total contract amount for representing Quetta Gladiators in the PSL.

Team India undergoes new training drill called 'Turbo Touch', BCCI shares video

The BCCI took to social media to share a video of Team India undergoing new training drill called 'Turbo Touch'. "It's an evasive game wherein you divide the players into two teams, and they try and score in between the two goals. The idea is that they have only two touches to score," Team India's conditioning coach Nick Webb said.
read more at CricTracker

I received death threats over Sachin's unusual freak dismissal: McGrath

Former Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath has revealed that he received death threats over the 'shoulder-before-wicket' dismissal of Sachin Tendulkar in 1999 Adelaide Test. "I had security. My family had security in Sydney because Cricket Australia received death threats for me because I got Sachin out. It was an unusual freak dismissal," McGrath added.
read more at CricTracker

Triple Olympic swimming champ Sun Yang banned for 8 yrs for missing doping test

Triple Olympic swimming champion Sun Yang has been banned from the sport for eight years for missing an out-of-competition doping test, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Friday. Sun was accused of smashing the vials containing his blood after a row with a team of FINA drug-testers at his home in September 2018.
read more at The Guardian

Hardik Pandya returns to cricket after 5 months; slams 4 sixes, takes 3 wickets

Playing his first cricket match in more than five months, India all-rounder Hardik Pandya helped his side Reliance 1 register a 25-run victory over Bank of Baroda in DY Patil T20 Cup. Batting at number four, Hardik smashed 38(25) including four sixes to help Reliance 1 post 150 for 8. He then picked up three wickets for 26 runs.
read more at Hindustan Times

T20 generation bowlers have at least 5 variations, I only had 2: Richard Hadlee

Former New Zealand fast bowler Sir Richard Hadlee has said that the T20 generation bowlers have at least five variations. "They bowl different deliveries like knuckle ball and back of the hand slower one," he added. He further said, "Back in my time, I only had two variations (inswinger and outswinger). That’s all I needed."

No change in qualification period due to coronavirus: BWF

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has said that there will be no change in the regulations related to the Tokyo Games qualification period. Going by the current players' rankings and qualification criterion, India's PV Sindhu, Sai Praneeth, men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty make the cut. However, Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikanth haven't qualified as of now.
read more at The Quint

India pulls out of shotgun World Cup in Cyprus due to coronavirus

India on Friday pulled out of next month's shotgun shooting World Cup in Cyprus due to the coronavirus. The Indian team withdrew from the tournament on the advice of the government, reports claim. The shotgun tournament is scheduled to be held in Nicosia from March 4 to 13. Cyprus does not have any confirmed cases of coronavirus so far.

India can adapt to conditions, they're no.1 for a reason: Boult

Ahead of the second and final Test against India, New Zealand pacer Trent Boult has said that they expect India to "adapt to conditions" and come "positive" into the match. "Their records speak for themselves. They're number one [in Tests] in the world for a reason," he added. New Zealand won the 1st Test by 10 wickets.
read more at Cricket Country

Ritu Phogat wins her 2nd MMA fight, defeats ex-Jiu-Jitsu gold medallist

Wrestler-turned-Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Ritu Phogat on Friday won her second fight at One Championship's One: King of the Jungle event. Phogat defeated her Chinese opponent Wu Chiao Chen, a former JJIF Asian Jiu-Jitsu Championship gold medallist, by a unanimous decision by the judges present. Notably, she had won her debut fight in just over three minutes.
read more at Hindustan Times

Juventus-Inter match to be played in empty stadium due to coronavirus

Italian football league Serie A has announced that five weekend matches will be played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus outbreak in the country. The clash between league leaders Juventus and third-placed Inter Milan is among the five games. Italy is Europe's worst-hit country with coronavirus, with 17 deaths and around 650 infected.

Will shift focus on semis after SL clash: Harmanpreet Kaur

Talking about the upcoming clash against Sri Lanka in the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup, India Women skipper Harmanpreet Kaur said that the team will shift focus on semi-final after the Sri Lanka clash. Team India have already qualified for the semifinals of the tournament and a win against Sri Lanka will ensure they remain on top of Group A.
read more at Cricket Country

Shake-up like 1st Test opens mindset: Shastri before 2nd NZ Test

Ahead of the Christchurch Test, Team India head coach Ravi Shastri said that a "shake-up" like the Wellington Test is "good" as it opens "mindset". "It [was] a good lesson and boys are up for the challenge," he added. On the second Test, New Zealand pacer Trent Boult also said that they expect India to come "positive" into the match.
read more at Cricket Country

Lara was fearless: McGrath names tougher opponent between Tendulkar, Lara

On being asked who was tougher to bowl to between ex-India batsman Sachin Tendulkar and ex-Windies batsman Brian Lara, former Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath said, "That was Brian [Lara]." "Sachin [Tendulkar] was equally as good, but there was something about Brian where he could just keep going...he was slightly harder to bowl to than Sachin," McGrath added.
read more at Hindustan Times

Anand aa raha hai: Sehwag on India Women's win vs NZ

After India Women defeated New Zealand to enter the semifinals of the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup, ex-India batsman Virender Sehwag tweeted, "Wah bhai Wah...Shafali Verma is a rockstar. Anand aa raha hai ladkiyon ka performance dekhne mein." Sachin Tendulkar tweeted, "Fantastic performance...It was a tight game and we played well...Shafali Verma play yet another crucial knock."
read more at Hindustan Times

Olympiacos score in 119th minute to knock Arsenal out of Europa League

Arsenal were knocked out of the Europa League after Olympiacos' forward Youssef El Arabi scored in the last minute of the added time during their second leg of the round of 32. Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who scored through a bicycle kick in the 113th minute, missed a chance to score in the last minute of the game.
read more at Hindustan Times

Indonesia's Agus Dwi Santoso to coach Indian shuttlers for Olympics

Indonesian coach Agus Dwi Santoso will join the Indian badminton team as singles coach from next month. Santoso has previously coached current world number 11 Sung Ji Hyun and world number 14 Busanan Ongbamrungphan. He is also credited for guiding former Indonesian player Hendrawan to win Olympic silver in 2000 and world championship gold in 2001.

Boxer Divya Pawar tests positive for prohibited substance by NADA

Boxer Divya Pawar has been tested positive for a stimulant, Higenamine, which falls under the WADA's prohibited substances list. Divya who fights in the 54kg category had won gold at the International Golden Glove boxing tournament in Serbia in 2018 and bronze in AIBA Asian youth championship in the same year. She is currently participating in Khelo India University Games.
read more at Hindustan Times