Advani enters final of WBL World Matchplay Billiards C’ship
Carlow (Ireland), April 11: Multiple-time world champion Pankaj Advani advanced to the final of the WBL World Matchplay Billiards Championship with a 7-5 victory over compatriot Shrikrishna Suri here on Thursday. Advani, a 28-time world billiards and snooker champion, showcased his class and composure on way to a 100-0, 100-0, 100-6, 47-100, 100-4, 64-100, 81-100, 100-11, 12-100, 8-100, 100-7, 100-0 win over Suri in the semifinal. He will meet David Causier of England in a best-of-15 final. In the other half, England’s Causier comfortably defeated Singapore’s Peter Gilchrist 7-2. While Advani has had Causier’s number in recent times, including scoring a mammoth 800 break in last year’s CCI Invitational Billiards Tournament time format, the 100-up format is anybody’s game. (PTI)
PCB slaps one-year PSL ban on South African Corbin Bosch
Islamabad, April 11: The Pakistan Cricket Board has banned Corbin Bosch from playing in its Super League competition for one year after the South African all-rounder withdrew from the event to sign for an Indian Premier League team. Bosch was picked by Pakistan Super League franchise Peshawar Zalmi in January’s draft, but Mumbai Indians then snapped him up as an injury replacement for South African Lizaad Williams. Both T20 competitions are clashing this year. Bosch’s withdrawal prompted the PCB to serve a legal notice, alleging breach of contract. “The all-rounder will serve a one-year ban and will not be eligible for selection in next year’s Pakistan Super League,” the PCB said in a statement on Thursday. Bosch said: “I deeply regret my decision and offer my sincere apologies to the people of Pakistan, the fans of Peshawar Zalmi and the wider cricket community. “I fully understand the disappointment caused by my actions … but I am committed to learning from this experience and hope to return to the PSL in the future with renewed dedication and the trust of the fans.” (AP)
Heroic backnine effort takes Bhatia to T-7 at Masters
Augusta (US), April 11: Akshay Bhatia and Aaron Rai, two of the three Indian-origin golfers at the 89th Masters, negotiated the opening day with aplomb to be placed Tied-7th while Justin Rose was in pole position with a round of 7-under 65. Bhatia, Sahith Theegala and debutant Rai put themselves in a good place to make the cut after a decent first day. Bhatia and Rai carded 2-under 70 and were T-7th and Theegala shot even par 72 to be T-27 as the leader board had a bunch of big names. The top 50 and ties make the cut. Twice runner-up at the Masters, the 44-year-old Rose, a former US Open winner, equalled his best start at the Masters with a 65. The round was bogey free till he dropped shot at the 18th which pulled him back from 8-under to 7-under, that was a brilliant display of putting with just 22 putts. World No. 1 and defending champion, Scottie Scheffler (68) was tied second alongside last year’s runners-up Ludvig Aberg and Corey Conners, all at 4-under. (AP)
Indian Racing Festival set to thrill North-East region from April 12
New Delhi, April 11: Indian Racing Festival- a carnival of Total Control set to thrill the North-East region with a regional tour, scheduled from April 12 to 22, covering key cities including Kohima, Aizawl, Shillong, Guwahati, and Gangtok. A key highlight of the JK Tyre-powered Indian Racing Festival- a carnival of Total Control will be blazing showcases of international Formula 4 and Wolf cars from the Indian Racing Festival, offering audiences an electrifying glimpse into the world of professional open-wheel racing. The line-up features champions across generations from 9-year-old karting sensations to racing champions and rally legends. Enthusiasts can look forward to jaw-dropping drifting displays in high-performance machines like Lexus and BMW, alongside gravity-defying stunts on Superbikes. The showstoppers will be young karting prodigies on their Rotax Karts who will push the limits of speed and skill, offering a powerful preview of India’s racing future. The heart-thumping roadshows are designed to give the wide audience an opportunity to experience high-octane action up close in a region where it is fast evolving into a lifestyle and cultural phenomenon. The tour will feature a dynamic mix of adrenaline-fueled events — all driven on JK Tyre’s ultra-high-performance Levitas Ultra range of tyres. (IANS)
12th Senior National Rugby 7s C’ship to be held in Assam from April 23-29
Mumbai, April 11: Rugby India announced that the 12th Senior Rugby National Championships 2025 will be held from April 23 to 29 at the iconic Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium in Guwahati. The most coveted national championship for Rugby will feature over 600 athletes from 26 states across both men’s & women’s categories. The hosting of the competition in Assam marks a special occasion in the history of the sport as for the first time the flagship competition will be held in the North East of India and will further boost the development of the sport in the region. The senior women’s championship will be played on April 23 and 24 while the men’s will compete on April 27 and 28. Odisha and Haryana will start as the defending champions in women’s & men’s events respectively. (IANS)
Dubai named host city for 2025 Asian Youth Para Games
Dubai, April 11: The Asian Paralympic Committee (APC) on Friday announced that the fifth Asian Youth Para Games will take place in Dubai, UAE from December 7–14, 2025. Dubai has been handed the hosting rights on the rebound as the original host Tashkent had pulled out a few months back. This is the second time that Dubai will be hosting the event. Dubai first hosted the Asian Youth Para Games in 2017. The news comes four months after the APC announced that the original host city of Tashkent was unable to go ahead with staging games, originally scheduled for October. “The Asian Youth Para Games are a vital part of developing the Paralympic Movement in Asia. They give young athletes the chance to get their international classification and to test themselves in a prestigious multi-sport event,” APC President Majid Rashed said in a release on Friday. According to the APC release, 30-40 countries are expected to send an estimated 1350 athletes to Dubai to compete in 10 sports. The 10 sports that will feature are Para Athletics, Para Swimming, Para Power-lifting, Para Taekwondo, Para Archery, Para Table Tennis, Para Badminton, Wheelchair Basketball, Boccia, and Goalball. (IANS)