Former Pakistan cricketer Muhammad Nazir passes away
KARACHI, Nov 21: Former Pakistan cricketer and umpire, Muhammad Nazir junior passed away in his hometown of Lahore on Thursday after prolonged illness. He was 78.Nazir, who had given some torrid time to West Indian legend Viv Richards with his off-spin, was bed-ridden for the last few months, Noman Nazir, his son, confirmed.“My father was badly injured in a road accident some five years back and after that he never got over his health problems and for the last few months was bed-ridden. He passed away in hospital,” Noman said.Noman had made an appeal last week to the Pakistan Cricket Board to help his ailing father.Nazir junior gained fame for his off-spin bowling when he was recalled to the Pakistan team after a five-year gap by Imran Khan in 1979/80 to play against the West Indies at home.Imran believed that the economical bowling of Nazir would play a big role in containing the visiting batters including Richards and the spinner justified his skipper’s call, keeping the Antiguan in check during the series.Nazir, who bagged over 800 First-Class wickets, played 14 Tests, including a series against India, and 4 ODIs before took up umpiring.He officiated in 5 Tests and 15 one-layers. (PTI)
Karan Singh cruises into QFs of Kalaburagi Open
KALABURAGI, (Karnataka) Nov 21: Fourth seeded Indian Karan Singh produced a clinical effort to beat compatriot Nitin Kumar Sinha to enter the quarterfinals of the ITF Kalaburagi Open here on Thursday.Karan won 6-4 6-3, as three more Indian players sailed into the last eight stage.Birthday boy and fifth seed Aryan Singh outclassed Manish Sureshkumar 6-3 6-3 while seventh seed Dev Javia overcame Mohammed Rifqi Fitriadi of Indonesia 5-7 6-2 6-2.Later Sidharth Rawat prevailed over Indian-American Adhithya Ganesan 6-3 7-6.However, it was curtains for local man SD Prajwal Dev as Russian Bogdan Bobrov took him in his stride.The 27-year-old’s workmanlike 6-2 6-3 victory over an error-prone Indian powered him into the quarterfinals. He takes on Aryan next.Later, top-seeded Khumoyun Sultanov.The qualifier surprised Sultanov by matching him shot for shot and even taking a 4-3 lead in the opening set.However, the 25-year-old Indian, who was running a temperature, just didn’t have the energy to maintain the tempo.Gasping for breath, Dheeraj called the doctor on court when down 0-2 in the second set.Even though he did continue gamely, it was all over bar the shouting as Sultanov took the second set 6-0.Results (Indians unless mentioned): Singles: Round 2: 6-Nick Chappell (USA) beat Anthony Susanto (Ina) 6-3, 6-2; 8-Maxim Zhukov (Rus) beat Rishab Agarwal 6-2, 6-1; 7-Dev Javia beat M Rifqi Fitriadi (Ina) 5-7, 6-2, 6-2; 2-Bogdan Bobrov (Rus) beat SD Prajwal Dev 6-2, 6-3; 4-Karan Singh beat Nitin Kumar Sinha 6-4, 6-3; Sidharth Rawat beat Adhithya Ganesan (USA) 6-3, 7-6 (7-0); 1-Khumoyun Sultanov (Uzb) beat Dheeraj Kodancha Srinivasan 6-4, 6-0; 5-Aryan Singh beat Manish Sureshkumar 6-3, 6-3.Doubles (Quarters): Nick Chappell (USA)/ Nitin Kumar Sinha beat Yash Chaurasia/ Karan Singh 6-2, 7-5; Siddhant Banthia/ Vishnu Vardhan beat M Rifqi Fitriadi (Ina)/ Rishi Reddy 4-6, 6-2, 10-7; 1-Egor Agafonov/ Bogdan Borbov (Rus) beat Adhithya Ganesan (USA)/ Aryan Shah 1-6, 7-6 (8-6), 10-7; Rishab Agarwal/ Kabir Hans beat 4-Sureshkumar/ Parikshit Somani 7-5, 6-3. (PTI)
Sangelkar wins U-13 national ranking TT tournament
MUMBAI, Nov 21: Mumbai paddler Myraa Sangelkar has won the youth girls’ U-13 title at the Panchkula National Ranking Table Tennis tournament while representing The Suburban Table Tennis Association.Myraa defeated West Bengal’s Shariqa Shahid 3-2 (11-9 12-10 6-11 9-11 11-8) in the summit clash.Myraa began the contest by winning two games but Shariqa fought back to win the next two.Myraa, however, made a comeback to win the final game and emerge victorious.Earlier, in the TSTTA District Championship, Myraa had won three separate titles in the girls’ U-13, U-15 and U-17 categories. (PTI)
2025 Khelo India and Para Games to be held in Bihar
NEW DELHI, Nov 21: Bihar will host the Khelo India Youth Games and Para Games for the first time in April next year, the sports ministry said here on Thursday.For the first time both the Games will be held in the lines of the Summer Olympics.The Para Games will follow the Youth Games with a gap of 10-15 days.The first edition of the Para Games was held here last year.Bihar successfully hosted the recently-concluded women’s Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in Rajgir, where India beat China 1-0 to retain the continental title.“Bihar has recently showcased its capability to host major sporting events,” said sports ministery.The ministry said Bihar is an “integral part of plans to develop infrastructure and provide support to athletes from the grassroots level”.“Talent development is at the heart of the Khelo India Programme and Bihar is also a major beneficiary of the Department of Sports’ developmental programmes,” the statement read.“There are 38 Khelo India Centres in Bihar and one Khelo India State Centre of Excellence catering to athletes at all levels. In addition to this, there are three SAI Training Centres,” it added. (PTI)
Double Olympic champ Alistair Brownlee retires from triathlon
LONDON, Nov 21: Double Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee announced his retirement from triathlon at the age of 36 on Thursday.Brownlee won gold medals in London in 2012 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016, with his younger brother, Jonny, making the podium on both occasions.Alistair Brownlee was also world champion in 2009 and 2011, and a four-time European champion.He wrote on X it was “time to close this chapter.” This marks my transition from professional triathlon, a moment approached with both dread and excitement in equal measure,” he wrote.Brownlee said he was excited to try new challenges and had some “projects I’m eager to tackle.” But he knew his time as an elite triathlete was over.“It has got more difficult for me,” he said in an interview published on the website of Britain’s Olympic team.“I can’t do anywhere near the training that I used to be able to do. So I also found it hard at times being on the start line, knowing that I’m not prepared to the level that I’d like to be.“And I’m older, I’m 36. I’ve done it for a long time and there’s a lot of other things I want to do with my life.” (AP)