Vishnu, Prajwal, Rashmikaa top draws in National tennis c’ship
NEW DELHI, Sep 24: Multiple Asian Games medallist Vishnu Vardhan, top seed Prajwal Dev and defending champion Rashmikaa S Bhamidipaty will headline the 29th Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship at the DLTA Complex here from September 28-October 12.The other top names include former India No. 2 Riya Bhatia.Apart from the senior category, the tournament will have age-group sections in U-18, U-16 and U-14 for boys and girls.The opening week of the tournament will feature men, women, U-18 boys and U-18 girls singles and doubles matches.The qualifying rounds are scheduled from September 28-29, while the main draw will be from September 30-October 5.The boys and girls U-16 and U-14 category will be from October 6-12.The tournament carries a total prize purse of Rs 21.55 lakh and kit allowance in the junior categories.Chairman and senior managing director of DCM Shriram Ltd Ajay S Shriram announced Rs 25,000 scholarships to the winners and runners-up of the U16 and U14 singles events to support the emerging young talents. (PTI)
Masood likely to be retained Pak captain for England Test series
KARACHI, Sep 24: Pakistan’s Shan Masood is likely to be retained captain for the upcoming home Test series against England, while Babar Azam is also assured of keeping his white-ball captaincy when the team flies to Australia and South Africa later this year.England are set to arrive in Pakistan on October 3 for a three-Test series beginning in Multan on October 7, with the Pakistan Cricket Board selectors expected to announce the Test squad after the Champions Cup final on Sunday.Masood, under whose captaincy Pakistan has lost all five Tests, will be holding discussions with head coach Jason Gillespie and national selectors, Muhammad Yousuf and Asad Shafiq, in Faisalabad this week to decide the plan for the England series.The last time England came to Pakistan during the 2022/23 season, they white-washed the Babar Azam-led side 3-0.According to a source, not many changes are expected in the Test squad that lost the series against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi 0-2. The source added that the batting order was unlikely to change much with Shan, Babar, Saud Shakeel, Abdullah Shafique, Salman Ali Agha, Muhammad Rizwan, Kamran Ghulam, Muhammad Huraira in line for selection. Pakistan have lost the home series to Australia, England and Bangladesh since 2022 and barely managed to draw the series against New Zealand. (PTI)
SAFF U-17: India beat Maldives 3-0
THIMPHU, Sep 24: Second half substitute Hemneichung Lunkim struck a brace as a dominant India blanked Maldives 3-0 to continue their winning streak at the SAFF U17 Championships here on Tuesday.After Samson Ahongshangbam gave India the lead in the 14th minute, Lunkim scored in the 74th and 89th minute in the second and final Group A match at the Changlimithang Stadium.Having already qualified for the semi-finals after their 1-0 victory over Bangladesh in the three-team group, India emerged Group A winners with six points.Bangladesh also made the last-four stage from this group as the runners-up side.India will now face the runners-up team from Group B (Bhutan, Pakistan or Nepal) in the first semi-final on September 28.Samson opened the scoring with a spectacular diving header, perfectly connecting a cross from Manbhakupar Malngiang from the right flank.In the second half, substitute Lunkim doubled India’s lad in the 74th minute, finishing decisively after Maldives custodian Hassan Nasir fumbled to collect a shot.Lunkim turned out to be the star of the day as he scored his second goal with a fine long-ranger in the 89th minute that crashed against the net.As part of his plan to rotate players, the Blue Colts’ head coach Ishfaq Ahmed made three changes from the starting eleven that played against Bangladesh and brought in Karish Soram, Rishi Singh and Malngianng. (PTI)