I am back to my best: Saina
Hyderabad: After ending her prolonged title drought, Saina Nehwal avowed that she was back to her best and that she would play select tournaments this year to be in good shape ahead of major tournaments, the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. Saina beat talented compatriot PV Sindhu in the final to clinch Indian Open, last week. “It feels great. Last year was not really up to the mark in terms of many things. But, it is a good start this year. I finally pulled off such a big tournament,” Saina said on Tuesday after returning here from Lucknow. “It (final) was a very good match. She (Sindhu) has been playing well. I think I am back to my best, just that I have to maintain and come back to even better shape for the even bigger tournaments next month. Right now, the important aspect is to stay fit, train as much as possible. I want to take care of my body, which was not very supportive last year,” she said. (PTI)
Silva’s maiden ton puts Lanka in control
Dhaka: Opener Kaushal Silva hit a maiden Test century to lead a dominant batting display by Sri Lanka on the second day of the first Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Tuesday. Silva scored 139 as the tourists reached 375/5 by stumps at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium, a lead of 143 over Bangladesh’s first innings total of 232 with five wickets in hand. The right-hander put on 118 for the first wicket with Dimuth Karunaratne (53) and then teamed up with veteran Kumar Sangakkara (75) to add a further 155 runs for the second wicket. (AFP)
EB, Bagan start favourites in IFA Shield
Kolkata: East Bengal will look to shrug off their Federation Cup disappointment when they kick off the IFA Shield campaign against South Korean club, Busan SunMoon FC, in a Group I fixture here on Wednesday. United Sikkim FC will face S-League side Geylang International in the second match of the day as the 118-year-old tournament this year will lack sheen without top I-League clubs, like Shillong Lajong, who have preferred to skip the Shield for the top tier league. In such a scenario, the three foreign clubs, the other being Sheikh Jamal Dhanmodi Club of Bangladesh, will be in the spotlight among the four city I-League clubs and second division side United Sikkim FC. For East Bengal, who narrowly missed the semifinal cut in the just concluded Federation Cup in Kerala, the Shield will give the perfect setting before getting into the final phase of the I-League. (PTI)
Pune FC play in ACL play-off Rd 1 today
Pune: Pune FC will look to capitalise on home advantage when they take on Vietnamese champions Hanoi T&T FC in a historic AFC Champions League play-off round one match here on Wednesday. The match, to be played here, will be the first time ever that India will host any AFC Champions League match. Pune will also be making their first ever appearance on the continental stage. The winner will travel to Thailand to face domestic runners-up Muangthong United in the second round of the play-offs on February 8. Pune are midway through the season and they are third in the I-League standings. (PTI)