India off to flying start at Asian U-15 & U-17 boxing c’ships
Amman (Jordan), April 20: India started their campaign at the Asian U-15 & U-17 Boxing Championships in style with Hardik Dahiya and Rudraksh Singh securing dominant victories here. In the U-15 boys’ category, Hardik (43kg) outclassed Kyrgyzstan’s Kubanychbek Bolushov with a 5-0 unanimous decision on Saturday. Rudraksh (46kg) followed it up with another clean sweep, defeating Mongolia’s Ibrakhim Maral 5-0. This the first event organised by Asian Boxing, endorsed by both the Olympic Council of Asia and the newly-formed World Boxing. India has fielded a 56-member squad in the tournament. (PTI)
Azharuddin to move court against Ombudsman’s order
New Delhi, April 20: Former India skipper Mohammed Azharuddin is planning to approach the Telangana High Court, seeking a stay on Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) Ombudsman’s order to remove his name from North Stand at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Justice (Retd) V Eswaraiah, who is also HCA’s ethics officer, made the decision on basis of a petition filed by Lords Cricket Club – one of HCA’s member units – which alleged that Azharuddin misused his position as then HCA President by taking arbitrary decisions. The petition alleged that the veteran of 99 Tests and 334 ODIs violated HCA rules by sitting in the Apex Council meeting as former HCA president to get the resolution passed on naming the North Stand after him in December 2019, barely a month after he became association chief. According to HCA constitution, a resolution needs to be ratified by the General body. “I will definitely take legal recourse and will be appealing to the High Court to stay this order. It is a shame that an India captain’s name is being asked to be removed,” Azharuddin said. The former India skipper also questioned the validity of Ombudsman’s order, saying his tenure has already ended. (PTI)
I will reveal everything, my book will open everyone’s eyes: Latif
Karachi, April 20: Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has promised to “reveal everything” about the match-fixing scandals that rocked Pakistan and world cricket in the ‘90s in his biographical account which he said will open everyone’s eyes. Latif, a whistleblower in the Pakistan dressing room, said he has already started working on the biography. “I can assure you I will reveal everything as it happened and the book will open everyone’s eyes,” Latif told Geo TV. Since retiring in 2004, it is the first time Latif has spoken about releasing his autobiography. Latif, regarded as one of the finest wicketkeepers in Pakistan cricket history, first drew attention to the match fixing corruption scandal in 1994 when he and Basit Ali announced their retirements while touring South Africa. They insisted they couldn’t carry on playing in the given environment of the dressing room. Latif also talked about how some players were allegedly involved in throwing matches and how he was told to do “as said”. This led to a long drawn out scandal in Pakistan cricket right up to 2000/2001 when the Justice Qayyum judicial inquiry into the match-fixing allegations recommended a life ban on Salim Malik and fines for others including Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Mushtaq Ahmed for not cooperating with the inquiry. The inquiry also banned pacer Ata-ur-Rehman for life for committing perjury before it. (PTI)
Gillespie still waiting on some remuneration from PCB
Karachi, April 20: Forme Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie has claimed that he is still waiting on some remuneration from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). On his Instagram account, Gillespie posted a story which was related to his interview with Pakistan media, saying that the PCB still had to clear some of his remunerations. Gillespie and South African Gary Kirsten were appointed the red ball and white ball head coaches respectively in April 2024 on two-year contracts by the PCB. The PCB promised a new era for the Pakistan team but six months down the line both were forced to resign after the Board pulled away much of the authority given to them, including being on the national selection committee. This is the first time either of them have spoken publicly on financial matters with the PCB. “I am still waiting on some remuneration from the PCB,” read one story while in another he wrote, “Gary Kirsten and I got sold the dream of building a team. Losing a game, and all of a sudden, that gets thrown out of the window.” (PTI)
Zverev secures third Munich title
Munich, April 20: Alexander Zverev marked his 28th birthday with a flawless performance at the BMW Open in Munich, lifting his third title at the event and matching Philipp Kohlschreiber’s tournament record. The German star dispatched second seed Ben Shelton 6-2, 6-4 in a dominant display that underlined his comfort on home soil. Zverev didn’t face a single break point across the 71-minute final, his serve proving impenetrable as he controlled the match from start to finish as per ATP Stats. It was Zverev’s first title of the 2025 season and his sixth overall in Germany. (IANS)