India suffer shock defeat against Korea in Kabaddi World Cup

India failed to make a positive start as they were stunned 32-34 by South Korea in the opening match of the Kabaddi World Cup in Ahmedabad on Friday. It was an extraordinary effort by Korea, who came back strongly at the death to clinch a thrilling win over favourites India. India were in the lead for most of the contest but Korea managed to reduce India's lead to three points with little over three minutes on the clock at the fag end of the match. India were 18-13 ahead at the half time but Korea were giving them a real run for their money. Anup Kumar lead from the front and has been in top form but his fellow raiders Jasvir Singh and Rahul Chaudhari could not get going. Dharmaraj Cheralathan and Manjeet Chhillar had a good half. In the second half, Korea reduced the deficit to just three points at 15-18 but two superb ankle holds from Manjeet put India 22-15 ahead. Not ready to give up, Koera, however, slowly and steadily made it 19-24 and then 26-29 before leveling at 31-31. Deepak Hooda was then outnumbered by Korea, who went into the lead at 33-31, courtesy Super raid by Jan Kun Lee.  Other Top Stories

Spirited India went down fighting against South Africa

Indian football team on Friday suffered their second defeat after going down fighting 0-1 against South Africa in the first BRICS U-17 tournament at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim.

South Africa warded off a strong Indian challenge especially in the second half as they scored a solitary goal to open their campaign on a winning note. Thus South Africa opened their account with three points, while the Indians who had lost to Russia in their opening match are yet to open their account. The flee-footed South African who looked far more fitter than the home team scored the all important goal in the 22nd minute through Ndamolelo Radzilani to help them to collect full points. Both the teams played attacking games and matched each other in both the sessions. The African who arrived late last night did not show any sign of fatigue as they moved the ball with quick short passes followed by overhead passes that caught the Indian defence napping as they conceded a goal in the 22nd minute. Lyle Foster who showed lot of agility made a quick run down on the left and send a high cross into the home team defence where the entire Indian defence was beaten and the tall Ndamolelo Radzilani who followed the ball got the better of his marker to head the ball into the net. India made inroads into the rival box with quick short passes but their moves somehow fizzled out as they could not get past the tall and robust defenders who kept the Indians striker at bay.

DesiTalent - Volleyball - Kumar Siddhant Rahar

"My dream is play for India" are the words of Kumar Siddhant Rahar, youngest among three children of a farmer in Nawalgarh town of Jhunjhunu district, Rajasthan.

Siddhant, who plays at the Libero position, is currently improving his defensive skills under the watchful eyes of his coach BS Samant at Sports Authority of India centre in Jaipur.

This 15 year old boy, who had started playing Volleyball 3 years ago, is already a two time State level gold medalist.

BRICS U-17 Football World Cup: Russia beat China by 4-1

Russia grabbed their second win of the Tournament and moved into pole position in the Under 17 BRICS Cup 2016 in Goa. Russia with a 4-1 win over China now top the group, displacing Brazil, at the Athletic Stadium in Bambolin, Goa.

Russia took the lead as early as the 6th minute over China when Kolesnichenko Kirill's header off a cross from the right flank made the score line read 1-0. Russia were awarded a chance to double their lead minutes before the half-time but Kirill this time could only skew the ball for an onrushing Semen Radostv, whose shot got lost in the defensive track. Russia secured the deal in the 60th minute when a quick flurry of passes saw Lopatin Daniil blasted the ball home after outfoxing a Chinese tackle to double the lead. Kirill added gloss to the score line nine minutes later as a thunderous left footed shot, which crashed into the back of the Chinese, made it 3-0 for Russia. Shortly after, Lopatin Daniil made it 4-0 for Russia and Tao Qianglong pulled a goal back for China in the dying embers of the match from the penalty spot as the full-time score line read 4-1 in Russia's favour.

Raina returns to India's ODI squad for New Zealand series

Batsman Suresh Raina staged a comeback while Haryana off-spinner Jayant Yadav was the lone new face in India's 15-member ODI squad for the first three games of a five-match series against New Zealand starting October 16.

Raina, who had been rested from the ODI series against Zimbabwe in June, returns to the fold even as senior off-spinner R Ashwin, pacer Mohammed Shami and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja were given a break. Medium pacer Jasprit Bumrah, batsman Mandeep Singh and Kedar Jadhav were included in the squad announced by new Chairman of selectors M S K Prasad after a meeting of the committee in Mumbai on Thursday. The team, to be captained by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, retained batsman Manish Pandey, while paceman Umesh Yadav was brought back into the team after missing the Zimbabwe tour.  India Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni(Capt), Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Manish Pandey, Suresh Raina, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Amit Mishra, Jasprit Bumrah, Dhawal Kulkarni, Umesh Yadav, Mandeep Singh, Kedar Jadhav.  The first match of the series will be held at Dharamsala (October 16), followed by games in Delhi (October 20), Mohali (October 23), Ranchi (October 26), and Visakhapatnam (October 29).

source:PTI

Squad for Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2016 Hockey tounament announced

Hockey India today announced the squad for the fourth edition of the Asian Champions Trophy organized by the Asian Hockey Federation which will be held in Kuantan, Malaysia, starting 20 October 2016.

The 18-member squad will be led by goalkeeper P.R Sreejesh while 24-year-old midfielder Manpreet Singh will be his deputy for the tournament.

Defender Jasjit Singh Kular, from India’s hockey hub Sansarpur, finds himself in the squad and will be expected to double-up as drag flicker in place of V R Raghunath who is rested for the tournament. Making a strong comeback after a long lay-off due to injury is Birendra Lakra, who showed his prowess in the recently held Obaidullah Khan Heritage Hockey Cup in Bhopal and the MCC-Murugappa Cup in Chennai. He will form India’s defence along with the experienced Rupinder Pal Singh, Kothajit Singh, Surender Kumar and Pardeep Mor.

While the midfield line-up remains unchanged, the forwardline will miss Akashdeep Singh and Ramandeep Singh. The duo will be replaced by Talwinder Singh and Lalit Kumar Upadhyay.

Scheduled two months after the Olympic Games, the men’s Asian Champions Trophy will see India, Korea, Japan, China and hosts Malaysia challenge defending champions Pakistan. “The Asian Champions Trophy is an important tournament for us and going by the world rankings, India will go in as favourites to win the title. The team has been upbeat since their return to the camp after the Olympic Games and are eager to start the season on a winning note,” expressed Roelant Oltmans, Chief Coach India Men Hockey Team and Director High Performance.

Meanwhile, Captain P.R Sreejesh emphasised on playing with caution. “We may be the top ranked team in Asia right now but no team can be taken lightly. The defending Champions (Pakistan) are known to spring a surprise and Korea too will be a team to watch out for as they have been playing good quality hockey lately,” stated the goalkeeper.

Squad: 
Goalkeepers1. P.R Sreejesh (Captain)
2. Akash Chikte

Defenders3. Rupinder Pal Singh
4. Pardeep Mor
5. Jasjit Singh Kular
6. Birendra Lakra
7. Kothajit Singh
8. Surender Kumar

Midfielders9. Chinglensana Singh Kangujam
10. Manpreet Singh (Vice Captain)
11. Sardar Singh
12. S.K Uthappa
13. Devindar Walmiki

Forwards14. Talwinder Singh
15. S.V Sunil
16. Lalit Kumar Upadhyay
17. Nikkin Thimmaiah
18. Affan Yousuf

source: Hockey India

Sharapova's doping ban cut from 2 years to 15 months

Maria Sharapova's doping ban was reduced from two years to 15 months today, meaning the Russiantennis star can come back in April and return to Grand Slam play at the French Open.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport cut nine months off the suspension imposed on Sharapova, who tested positive for meldonium at the Australian Open in January.

Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1-ranked player, appealed to CAS in June seeking to overturn or reduce the two-year suspension imposed by the International Tennis Federation.

The CAS panel found that Sharapova "bore some degree of fault" for the positive test, saying a 15-month sanction was "appropriate."

The ban took effect on Jan. 26 and was originally due to run until Jan. 25, 2018. Now she will be eligible to return nearly a year earlier.

"I've gone from one of the toughest days of my career last March when I learned about my suspension to now, one of my happiest days, as I found out I can return to tennis in April," Sharapova said in a statement.

"In so many ways, I feel like something I love was taken away from me and it will feel really good to have it back," she added. "Tennis is my passion and I have missed it. I am counting the days until I can return to the court."

Steve Simon, CEO of the WTA tour, welcomed the ruling.

"We are pleased that the process is now at completion and can look forward to seeing Maria back on court in 2017," he said.

An independent ITF panel had found that Sharapova did not intend to cheat but that she bore "sole responsibility" and "very significant fault" for the positive test.

The panel also said the case "inevitably led to the conclusion" that she took the substance "for the purpose of enhancing her performance."

Sharapova acknowledged taking meldoni um before each match at the Australian Open, where she lost in the quarterfinals to Serena Williams.

Sharapova said she was not aware that meldonium, also known as mildronate, had been included on the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of banned substances from Jan. 1, 2016.

The ITF said she also tested positive for meldonium in an out-of-competition control in Moscow on Feb. 2.

The 29-year-old Sharapova missed this year's French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open, as well as the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Sharapova said she was first prescribed the Latvian-made drug, typically used for heart conditions, by her family doctor for various medical issues in 2006. She cited a bout of the flu, possible onset of diabetes and a magnesium deficiency.

Meldonium increases blood flow, which improves exercise capacity by carrying more oxygen to the muscles.

More than 100 athletes, including many Russians and other eastern Europeans, tested positive for meldonium early in the year.

Some escaped with no sanctions because they argued successfully that they stopped taking the drug before Jan. 1 and that traces had lingered in their system. Sharapova, however, acknowledged that she used meldonium after Jan. 1.