Delhi’s Jagreet Misra wins FIDE Rapid Rating event
New Delhi, Dec 29: Delhi chess prodigy Jagreet Misra racked up an impressive 8.5 points in nine rounds to win the inaugural ChessVeda FIDE Rapid Rating Tournament in Greater Noida. The 13-year-old’s performance earned him 90 rating points, highlighting his tactical sharpness and competitive maturity as he remained unbeaten in the tournament. The Mount Carmel School student received a cash prize of Rs 25,000 for the win. The tournament saw participation from 592 Indian and foreign players, including International Masters, FIDE Masters, and Candidate Masters. Jagreet had recently defeated a Grandmaster Blagojevic Dragisa (ELO 2446) from Montenegro. (PTI)
Shan Masood scores fastest first-class 200 by Pak batter, goes past Inzamam
Karachi, Dec 29: Test captain Shan Masood has scored the fastest double century by a Pakistani in first-class cricket in 177 balls, breaking batting great Inzamam Ul Haq’s three-decade old record. Masood set the mark while playing for Sui Northern Gas against Sahar Associates on the first day of the President’s Cup departmental tournament. Previously, the record was held by former skipper Inzamam, who had scored a double hundred from 188 balls in a tour match in England in 1992. Masood was unbeaten on 212 from 185 balls at close on day one of the match on Sunday. The record for the fastest double hundred by a visiting batsman is still held by India’s Virender Sehwag who scored a double century from 182 balls in the Lahore Test in 2006. (PTI)
After ‘two fugitives’ remark, Lalit Modi issues apology to Indian govt
New Delhi, Dec 29: Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi on Monday issued an apology to the Indian government, days after he referred to himself and liquor baron Vijay Mallya as the two “biggest fugitives” in a viral video, a comment that was widely perceived as a swipe at India. In a post on X, Modi, however, did not clearly specify what exactly he was apologising for. “I apologise if I have hurt anyone feelings especially the Indian Government who I have the highest respect and regard for. The statement was misconstrued and was never intended to be as played out. Once again my deepest apologies,” he wrote. The apology came after a video showing Modi at Mallya’s lavish birthday party in London went viral last week. In the clip, Modi was heard saying, “We are the two fugitives, the biggest fugitives of India.” (IANS)
Ex-boxing champ Anthony Joshua involved in car accident in Nigeria
Lagos, Dec 29: Anthony Joshua, the Nigerian-British boxer and former world heavyweight champion, was involved in a car accident that killed two other passengers in Nigeria on Monday. The Lagos state commissioner for information, Gbenga Omotoso, confirmed the accident in a post on X, adding that the government had sent ambulances to the crash site. Local media reports say the boxer has been transferred to a hospital. According to a statement by Olusegun Ogungbemide, spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Corps, preliminary investigations indicate the vehicle “to be travelling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit on the corridor, lost control during an overtaking manoeuvre and crashed into a stationary truck well packed by the side of the road.” Photos on social media show the boxer being extricated from a wrecked vehicle while he was wincing in pain. (AP)
