Messi, Ribery, Ronaldo vie for Ballon d’Or
Paris: Lionel Messi, Franck Ribery and Cristiano Ronaldo were shortlisted on Monday for this year’s Ballon d’Or, football’s world governing body FIFA and sponsors France Football magazine said. Barcelona forward Messi has already won the title four times but seems less of a hot favourite this year after an injury-hit season. French winger Ribery was part of a Bayern Munich team that claimed an unprecedented treble of Champions League, German title and German Cup, as well as the European Supercup. Real Madrid’s Portugal striker Ronaldo won the 2008 Ballon d’Or and has been tipped to win the award this time around. The Ballon d’Or will be presented in Zurich on January 13. Ribery’s former Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes is up against ex-Manchester United supremo Alex Ferguson and Jurgen Klopp (Borussia Dortmund) in the male coach of the year nominees. (AFP)
Tripura, Hyderabad share points after draw
Hyderabad: DB Ravi Teja (175) and skipper Akshath Reddy (149) scored a century each to ensure that Hyderabad did not get out in their first innings against Tripura as it gave both the teams one point each after their Group C Ranji Trophy match ended in a dull draw on the fourth and final day here on Monday. When stumps were drawn on the last day, Hyderabad were 566 for eight in their first innings in reply to Tripura’s 650 for eight declared. Since the first innings of both the teams were not completed in four days, both shared a point each with Tripura failing to earn three points despite a lead in the first essay. Only 16 wickets fell in four days. Brief scores: Tripura: 650/8 declared, Hyderabad: 566/8 in 171 overs (DB Ravi Teja 175, Hanuma Vihari 55; Tushar Saha 5/150). (PTI)
Goa sail past Assam in Guwahati
Guwahati: Goa off-spinner Amit Yadav wrecked Assam with a seven-wicket haul before his team chased down down a 50-run target with ease to clinch a 10-wicket win on the fourth and final day of their Ranji Trophy Group C encounter here on Monday. Reeling at 31 for four at stumps on Sunday, Assam collapsed to 208 to set Goa a target of 50 runs. Amit was the undisputed star of the Goa show, doing the bulk of the bowling. His 31 overs, including nine maidens, cost merely 69 runs and yielded seven wickets for the visiting side. Jamaluddin Syed Mohammed was the top-scorer for the hosts with 67 runs. In reply, Goa hardly broke a sweat in chasing down the paltry target with openers Amogh Sunil Desai (14) and Swapnil Asnodkar (33) clinching the issue in 9.5 overs to give the team its second win in five matches. Brief scores: Assam: 247 and 208 all out in 79.3 overs (Jamaluddin Syed Mohammed 67, Amit Yadav 7/69) Goa: 406/9d and 50/0 in 9.5 overs. (PTI)
Pak clinch last-ball win over Afghanistan
Sharjah: Pakistan overcame stiff resistance from minnows Afghanistan to win the first-ever Twenty20 international between the two countries by six wickets in Sharjah on Sunday. Chasing a challenging 138-run target, Pakistan were held to the final over of the match and won on a wide off the last delivery of the match. Skipper Mohammad Hafeez kept his cool to finish with a 37-ball 42 not out as Pakistan needed six off the final over bowled by Dawlat Zadran and one off the last delivery. (AFP)
Indian special athletes win 387 medals at Asia Pacific Olympics
New Delhi: Indian special athletes have returned with a rich haul of 387 medals, including 111 gold, in the first Asia Pacific Olympic Games held in Newcastle, Australia, from December 1-7. Competing against 2,200 Athletes from 29 nations, the Indian team won 111 gold, 136 silver and 140 bronze across athletics, aquatics, basketball, badminton, cricket, football and table tennis, a release stated. Kirti Kalra, 18, and her sister Simran Kalra, 13, both with intellectual disabilities and impaired hearing effecting their speech, won three gold medals each. (PTI)