FIDE Chess Grand Master Praveen M Thipsay to visit Shillong
SHILLONG: FIDE Chess Grand Master Praveen M Thipsay will visit Shillong on February 12 and therefore the Meghalaya Chess Association has arranged a simultaneous play with 10 (Ten) selected state players at Govt. Girls H. S. School in Jail Road, Shillong at 4:00 P.M on the same date.
Tata Football Academy to scout state football players
SHILLONG: The Tata Football Academy in collaboration with the Meghalaya Football Association will conduct scouting for Football players in Shillong on February 24 and 25. Interested participants who wish to SHILLONG: The Tata Football Academy in collaboration with the Meghalaya Football Association will conduct scouting for Football players in Shillong on February 24 and 25. Interested participants who wish to attend the scouting should come along with their birth certificate which should be 01.01.2000 and above, educational certificate, 2 Passport size photo, sports proficiency certificate and personal playing kit.
Sharapova to miss Qatar Open
DOHA: Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova was forced to withdraw from Qatar Open as she is yet to recover from the forearm injury she sustained at the Australian Open, the organisers announced on Wednesday. The five-time Grand Slam winner has not played since her quarter-final defeat to Serena Williams in Melbourne last month, although she was included in Russia’s squad for the Fed Cup last weekend, reports Xinhua. “Unfortunately, I will not be able to play the Qatar Open because of my left forearm injury,” the 28-year-old said in a statement released by Qatar Tennis. “I would like to wish the tournament and all the great fans in Doha a great week of tennis and I hope to see them next year.” Sharapova has won in Qatar twice — in 2005 and 2008 – – and was a semi-finalist in her last appearance in 2013. The Qatar Open, with a prize money of $2,517,250, will be played between February 21 and 27 this year. (IANS)
Windies players object to pay cut ahead of World T20
PORT OF SPAIN: Fresh controversy appears to be brewing between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the squad preparing to participate in the T20 World Cup in India, according to media reports. The players, captained by all-rounder Darren Sammy, are objecting to a 75 percent pay cut imposed by the WICB ahead of the World Cup, set to begin on March 8 in INdia, reports CMC. Sammy has reportedly written to the WICB requesting an urgent meeting to be held on February 14, the Valentine’s Day. “We want to propose that we participate in the T20 World Cup 2016 under the same conditions that we have represented the West Indies in previous tournaments,” Sammy wrote in his letter on Tuesday. Sammy has been quoted as saying that the West Indies players will each earn $21,000 if they participate compared to $135,000 received from the last tournament. The WICB will receive $8 million for the team’s participation and more if they advance. (IANS)
I-League: Bengaluru maul Shivajians 4-1 to top points table
BENGALURU: Runners-up Bengaluru FC notched up a crushing 4-1 win over DK Shivajians in an I-League encounter at Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Wednesday. Skipper Sunil Chhetri’s 15th minute goal off a freekick opened the floodgates for Bengaluru with Kim Song Yong (33rd), Shankar (53rd) and Len Doungel (80th) sounding the board. The Blues thus braced themselves to snatch the top position in the points-table from Kingfisher East Bengal, who are second with 14 points, a point below the hosts. Only once did the Blues’defense breached in the entire match when Kuttymani Sapath scored one past a hapless Amrinder after he was at the end of the cross from Douhou just before the halftime whistle.Last 20 minutes belonged to Bengaluru’s star striker CK Vineeth who created opportunities of scoring goals with his brilliance. In 73rd minute, he picked the ball up near the dugout, dribbled his way past two defenders to make space for the shot but it flew off target. (PTI