Author: Abhishek Shukla

Owner of Sports India Live.
by Abhishek Shukla

Junior World Boxing C’Ships: India’s Amisha, Prachi and Hardik sign off with silver

New Delhi, December 4, 2023: Indian boxers Hardik Panwar (80kg) , Amisha (54kg) and Prachi Tokas (80+kg) bagged silver medals after suffering defeats in their respective finals of the IBA Junior World Boxing Championships in Yerevan, Armenia.

The Asian junior champion Hardik conceded a narrow 2-3 loss against Ashurov Bairamkhan of Russia in a closely fought contest. Both the boxers looked aggressive in the bout, grabbing every opportunity to score points and keeping the spectators on the edge of their seats. However, the Russian did enough to tilt the result in his favour.

Meanwhile, in the girls’ section, Amisha and Prachi suffered identical 0-5 losses in their respective final bouts. While Amisha lost to Ayazhan Sydyk of Kazakhstan, Prachi gave her all against the tough opponent two-time Asian junior champion Sobirakhon Shakhobiddinova from Uzbekistan but fell short.

India have already secured 17 medals, including five bronze, in the on-going prestigious tournament.

Payal (48kg), Nisha (52kg), Vini (57kg), Shrushti (63kg), Akansha (70kg), Megha (80kg), Jatin (54kg), Sahil (75kg) and Hemant (80+kg) are the country’s nine pugilists who will fight for gold medals on the final day of the competition.

Neha (46kg), Nidhi (66kg), Pari (50kg), Kritika (75kg) and Sikandar (48kg) have secured bronze medals earlier after concluding their campaigns in the semi-finals.

by Abhishek Shukla

Indian Super League: East Bengal FC looks for long-sought victory against resurgent NorthEast United FC

East Bengal FC will host NorthEast United FC at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on December 4, Monday, in their fixture in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24. Multiple coaches this season have stressed on the bridging gap between success at home and away encounters in the ISL. However, the Highlanders find themselves stuck in the middle of a precarious position at the moment.

They have not won in any of their last 20 away games (D 5, L 15), which is the longest such streak for any team in ISL history. In a season when they are putting block after block to inspire resurgence, Juan Pedro Benali and his players will be eager to set this record straight against the Red & Gold Brigade.

They come into this game after holding Bengaluru FC to a gritty 1-1 draw at home. For a team that won only once in 20 games last season, NorthEast United FC will be pleased by finding themselves in the top-six spots having played seven games in their current campaign. The new guard has come to the fore nicely, and Benali will be edging to inch closer to the top of the table with each passing game.

They will fancy facing East Bengal FC, who started the season brightly, but it’s been over two months since they last won a game in the league, i.e. against Hyderabad FC by 2-1 on September 30. Their last match was a 1-1 draw against Chennaiyin FC. Over the past few games they have missed out capitalising on good starts, which has resulted in them dropping 13 points off a possible 18 in this campaign.

What’s at stake?

East Bengal FC

Carles Cuadrat knows that he has taken over a team that has secured sensational support from their passionate fans.

They were truly encouraged with the Spaniard’s arrival after some difficult outings in the last few seasons. East Bengal FC have put up a better on-field show this season, undoubtedly, but Cuadrat is a proven ISL winner and he knows that it is of utmost importance for such performances to translate into positive results at the end of the games.

There are certain issues that need fixing in their backline, and in terms of in-game management so they manage to hold on to leads and not succumb to late hurdles. NorthEast United FC have won three points, thanks to goals after the 75th minute mark this season, and this is a fact that the home team will have to be wary of in the coming fixture.

Their frontline is setting up nicely, having found the back of the net in each of the last three games. With the likes of Naorem Mahesh Singh, Nandhakumar Sekar, and Cleiton Silva stepping up off late, some defensive consolidation could plug all holes and result in good news for the team.

NorthEast United FC

The Highlanders have a win, a draw, and a loss each in their last three ISL fixtures. To be fair, a new squad requires sufficient time to settle in, and initial hiccups are almost a given in such circumstances. Regardless of that, they have avoided defeats most often and grabbed the timely win, thus ensuring that they are on the higher end of the table.

A win against East Bengal FC gives them a chance to record their best ever start to an ISL season since 2018-19, when they had notched five victories after the same number of games. To give some context, they had made it to the semi-final in that season, and an eventual result of a similar kind could only turn out to be an encouraging outcome for them.

They hold a formidable record against East Bengal FC, having been unbeaten in five out of their last six encounters against them. Will that propel them to bring curtains down to their four-year-long drought of an away win? Monday will answer the query.

Key Players

Naorem Mahesh Singh (East Bengal FC)

With two goals in six matches, Naorem Mahesh Singh has come up as a bankable attacking resource for Cuadrat. He is capable of making sharp runs from the flank and even operating right down the middle, tapping upon low crosses and deliveries coming from the wing, especially by Nandhakumar.

The former Odisha FC star has assisted both strikes by Mahesh in this campaign, and their operation in tandem will be essential for the Red & Gold Brigade to find breakthroughs in the NorthEast United FC defence. The Highlanders have conceded once on an average per game in this campaign, whereas East Bengal FC have netted once on an average in ISL 2023-24. So, one can expect a low-scoring thriller and Mahesh will be critical in converting any chances coming East Bengal’s way.

Nestor Albiach (NorthEast United FC)

The NorthEast United FC player has been an imposing presence in the front, contesting 7.2 aerial duels per match. He has also won 3.8 of them on an average in every game, which is the highest for any player who has contested over 10 of those duels in this season.

In addition to that, Nestor Albiach has scored and assisted once across his six appearances in the league. Nestor is someone who gives it his all to win the loose balls, but is an equally capable creative force with the ball at his feet. His eye for a defence-splitting pass coupled with the dexterity with which he controls the ball in tight spaces makes him a force to reckon with.

Head-to-Head

Played – 6

East Bengal FC – 1

NorthEast United FC – 3

Draws –2

Trivia: A win in this match will make Naorem Mahesh Singh the player with most wins with East Bengal FC in ISL history. He is currently tied with Ankit Mukherjee (8).

Team Talk

“We have 26 players; we have to find a solution. Everybody is ready to play and I think whoever will play instead of Mohammed Ali Bemammer will do his job well,” NorthEast United FC head coach Juan Pedro Benali addressed the absence of his star midfielder in this match. The 34-year-old Moroccan could have been instrumental in breaking the East Bengal FC momentum at the centre, having won the possession 62 times in the middle and defensive half so far this season.

“We have to take advantage of the next two games to try to get points at home. In one week, we have the opportunity to be here next Sunday with six more points. That makes a big difference,” East Bengal FC head coach Carles Cuadrat touched upon the importance of this match for his team.

Where to Watch

Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam. Fans can watch the action on linear channels like Sports18 Khel (Hindi), Sports18 1 SD & HD (English), Sports18 3 SD (English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali), VH1 SD & HD (English), Surya Movies (Malayalam) & DD Bangla (Bengali). In addition to this, as part of FSDL’s partnership with OneFootball, ISL live streams and highlights of all matches of the upcoming 2023-24 season will be delivered across more than 190 countries.

by Abhishek Shukla

Emirates Esports Federation & ITW forge alliances to launch EGL; Indian gamers to compete in franchise-based league on Global Stage

National, December 4, 2023: The Emirates Esports Federation & ITW Global have joined forces to introduce the EGL (E-Gaming League), a global Esports League, which is scheduled to take place in UAE during April 2024. With a lucrative prize pool, the first-of-its-kind league will offer Indian gamers the platform to prove their mettle on the international stage.

Slated to be a multi-title league, the EGL will onboard 6 Franchises as Team Owners that will be competing across various titles like DOTA, PUBG, etc. Player selection will be conducted by franchises through drafts, marking a pioneering move as the league becomes one of the first to embrace a franchise and draft format.

This initiative represents a significant global effort to establish an Esports league modeled after the successful structures seen in traditional sports leagues.

Speaking on the creation of EGL the President of the Emirates Esports Federation, Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Shakbout Al Nahyan said, “The Emirates Esports Federation under the National Sports Council was set up to ensure the consistent development of Esports in the UAE in a fair and regulated manner. The EGL will revolutionize the Esports industry and go a long way in achieving our goal of creating a space where publishers, players, organizers & brands can come together and co-exist harmoniously to further bolster the future of Esports in the region.”

The tournament will feature a perfect blend of international global players and emerging talents from across the Middle East, UAE, India, China, South-East Asia, Europe, and the USA. Aspiring players will undergo a rigorous selection process, with multiple rounds of qualifiers scheduled for February and March 2024.

“Asia is one of the fastest-growing Esports markets currently and with Indian gamers participating in this league, this league will provide country’s talented esports athletes with the platform to showcase their ability amongst the best-of global Esports talent. We are excited about the potential of this league and look forward to creating an event that will truly change the trajectory and contribute to the growth of Esports,” added Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Shakbout Al Nahyan.

The top-ranked amateurs and future players emerging from these qualifiers will then be drafted into each franchise through a player auction or draft.

ITW Global, the co-owner of the league is set to bring the concept to reality, Nayeem Khan ITW said, “ITW has been working in the business of sports for the last 15 years and we pride ourselves on understanding the market with an eye on the future, we have always believed in the potential of Esports and are very excited to partner with the Emirates Esports Federation to bring EGL to the fans and players. We look forward to launching EGL India on the same concept in October 2024”

The “India Games Market Report 2023” report by Niko Partners states that the number of gamers in India across all platforms is forecast to reach 444 million in 2023, up 12.1% YoY, and reach 641.2 million in 2027, growing at a 5-year CAGR of 10.1%.

EGL will leverage the growing prominence of Esports in India and focus on bringing tried and tested, successful sports formulas like the franchise setup seen in the IPL to the Esports arena.

Anticipated to commence in April 2024, the inaugural edition of EGL will be preceded by pre-event build-up activities starting in February in the UAE.

by Abhishek Shukla

Match Highlights: Gujarat Giants vs Telugu Titans | December 2 | PKL Season 10

Pro Kabaddi Season 10 kicked off on a thrilling note as Gujarat Giants beat Telugu Titans 38-32 in the season opener. Sonu powered the Giants with a Super 10, while Titans captain Pawan Sehrawat scored 11 points too. Watch the exciting match highlights here and keep watching #PKLSeason10, LIVE from 7:30 PM onwards, only on the Star Sports Network and for free on the Disney+Hotstar mobile app!

by Abhishek Shukla

PKL: Sonu Shines Yet Again As Gujarat Giants Defeat Bengaluru Bulls In A Humdinger

Ahmedabad, 03rd December 2023: The Gujarat Giants played out a nail-biting match against Bengaluru Bulls at the EKA Arena by TransStadia on Sunday. Both sides kept trading the lead throughout the game until the Giants managed to clinch the lead in the last couple of minutes and win the game 34-31. Sonu emerged as the best player for the Giants once again with 12 points in the match. 

Neeraj Narwal pulled off a magnificent raid in the opening minute of the game as the Bulls took the lead at 3-0. Moments later, Bharat backed up his compatriot and reduced the Giants to just two members on the mat. However, Mohammad Nabibakhsh pulled off a SUPER TACKLE and helped the Giants stay in the contest in the 5th minute. Sonu picked up two raid points soon after as the Giants levelled the scores at 5-5.

Thereafter, the Giants and the Bulls fought a neck-to-neck battle as the scores were levelled at 9-9 in the 11th minute. But, Vikash Kandola pulled off a magnificent raid to reduce the Giants to just one member on the mat. Moments later, the Bulls tackled Parteek Dahiya and inflicted an ALL OUT to take a decent lead at 14-11. The Bulls’ defence unit continued to shine and helped its team race away with a big lead at 20-14 by the end of the first half.

Sonu effected a SUPER RAID in the opening minutes of the second half and reduced the gap between the two sides. Moments later, the Giants tackled Bharat and inched closer to the Bulls’ score. However, Vishal tackled Nabibakhsh and helped the Bulls extend their lead in the 25th minute. But, the Giants continued to fight and took the lead at 24-23 after inflicting an ALL OUT in the 27th minute. Kandola effected a fantastic raid in the 31st minute, but the Giants still held the lead at 26-24.

However, Bharat effected a raid and Neeraj Narwal picked up a tackle point to help the Bulls reclaim the lead at 28-27 in the 36th minute. But Rakesh pulled off a brilliant raid and tackled Bharat to help the Giants take the lead at 32-30 in the 39th minute. The home side played its cards perfectly in the final seconds of the game and walked off the mat as winners of the game.

by Abhishek Shukla

AFC Champions League: Mumbai City vs PFC Navbahor

Pune, 3rd December 2023: A busy December kicks off for Mumbai City as the hosts gear up for the final game of Group D of the 2023-24 AFC Champions League. The Islanders welcome Uzbek side PFC Navbahor Namangan as action returns to the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune with the game kicking off at 9:30 PM IST.
Mumbai City traveled to Iran in challenging conditions with an all-Indian squad to take on Nassaji Mazandaran in the penultimate group stage game. An early blinder from Mohammed Reza Azadi and an unfortunate own goal from young Halen Nongtdu set the Islanders back early on. The hosts went down to 10-men in the second half as Mumbai City kept piling on the pressure but could not break down the Iranian’s resolute defence. A 2-0 loss on the road meant Mumbai City have five losses on the trot and will play for pride in Group D in tomorrow’s outing against Navbahor.
PFC Navbahor Namangan have enjoyed their maiden AFC Champions League campaign with a neck to neck battle for top spot in Group D. The Uzbek side hosted the four-time AFCCL winners on matchday 5 as the two sides were locked on the same points at the top of the table. However, Al Hilal got the best of the hosts as goals from Malcom and Salem Al Dawsari helped their side to a 2-0 win to open up a three-point gap at the top of Group D.
With the Islanders set to participate one final time in the 2023-24 AFC Champions League, coach Anthony Fernandes addressed the media in Pune and highlighted his side’s intention to finish their continental campaign on a positive note. “We would like to finish our campaign on a positive note. Even in the last two training sessions, the positiveness and eagerness to play this match is as high as as any other match. We need to get into that winning momentum going into the ISL games,” said Fernandes.
Lallianzuala Chhangte accompanied Fernandes to the customary pre-match media briefing and echoed the important of the final ACL challenge. “I think it’s an important game, it will be a challenging game, but we approach this game very seriously because we want to win this game. Since the last few days, we have been doing everything possible to do well in this game and the preparation is well and the atmosphere in the team is very good and we are ready to go give our best,” said the Islanders’ forward.
Team News

Mumbai City will welcome back JPD and Mehtab who return from suspension as the Islanders reported their full squad available for selection.

PFC Navbahor will be without the services of defenders Filip Ivanović and Ibrokhim Yuldoshev who serve suspensions.

Where To Watch
 
The game will kick off at 9:30 PM IST on 4th of December 2023 and will be broadcasted on Sports 18 and Fancode.

by Abhishek Shukla

National Ranking TT: Priyanuj and Syndrela are U-17 champions

Vijayawada, December 3: Priyanuj Bhattacharyya of Assam redeemed his position and lifted the Youth Boys Under-17 trophy when he beat Punit Biswas of West Bengal 3-1 in a one-sided affair in the final of the fourth UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championships at the Ramakotaiah Indoor Stadium today.

Syndrala Das of West Bengal continued his fine run to thrash Sayanika Maji of Delhi 3-0 and take the crown in the Girls’ section.

The finals went along the expected lines, but none, including the players, expected them to be so easy and cosy. Priyanju assessed the mood perfectly and went on the offence right from the word go. Unable to bear the pressure, Punit wilted, despite taking a game off his rival.

Syndrala, having played the defensive Sayanika before, knew what to do when it came to the final, and her waiting game with patience and converting all the good points proved her USP. The Delhi paddler could not come to grips and faltered. 

It was a disappointing exit for Balamurugan, who went down to Priyanuj 1-3 in the Boys’ semifinals. The meek surrender by the Tamil Nadu player baffled more than Priyanuj’s win because Balamurugan, before coming to Vijayawada, did the unthinkable of completing a hat-trick of wins in the three previous outings this season.

However, you cannot take away the credit from the Assam lad, who kept the Tamil Nadu boy under check all the time except in the second game. But the loss was momentary as Priyanuj wrapped it up quickly.

In the other semifinal, Punit did well to outsmart Sudhanshu Maini of Delhi 3-0. Punit, who faced a gritty opponent in Rajkhowa Roy of Assam in the quarterfinal, did not take any chance against the Delhi boy, who had a fine outing against Kushal Chopda of Maharashtra, who grabbed the silver in the Vadodara championships.

Sudhanshu led 2-0 in the quarters but dropped the third game to the tall boy from Maharashtra. In a fast-paced quarterfinal game, Sudhanshu kept his cool and outlasted an error-prone Kushal to enter the medal-reckoning phase for the first time this season. But a subdued Sudhanshu lost the opportunity to progress further and had to be satisfied with the bronze medal.

Sayanika Maji of Delhi beat Saanvi Roy 3-0, making amends for her loss in Vadodara. Saanvi, the finalist in her previous outing, was out of sorts against the defensive Sayanika, who didn’t need any further invitation to finish in style. Syndrella, with a triple-gold from the last championships, was up to the task against Nandini Saha, also from West Bengal. Syndrala won 3-1 for another shot at the crown.

Results:

Youth Boys U-17: Final: Priyanuj Bhattacharyya (Asm) bt Punit Biswas (AAI) 13-11, 6-11, 11-4, 11-7.

Semifinals: Priyanuj bt Balamurugan (TN) 11-4, 3-11, 11-3, 11-8; Punit Biswas bt Sudhanshu Maini (Del) 11-6, 11-8, 11-6.

Quarterfinals: Balamurugan Rajasekaran bt Sarthak Arya (PSPBA) 3-0; Priyanuj Bhattacharyya bt Sehgal Singh (Man) 3-1; Sudhanshu Maini bt Kushal Chopda (Mah) 3-1; Punit Biswas bt Rajkhowa Roy (Asm) 3-2.

Youth Girls U-17: Final: Syndrela Das (WB) bt Sayanika Maji (Del) 11-8, 15-13, 11-6.

Semifinals: Sayanika Maji bt Saanvi Roy (WB) 11-7, 11-4, 11-6; Syndrela Das (WB) bt Nandini Saha (WB) 11-3, 12-10, 6-11, 11-8.

Quarterfinals: Sayanika Maji bt Soumya Das (WB) 3-0; Saanvi Roy bt Ditsa Roy (WB) 3-1; Nandini Saha bt Subhankrita Datta (NCOE) 3-0; Syndrela Das bt Hardee Patel (Mah) 3-2.

by Abhishek Shukla

Day 1 Results: 1st Hockey India Junior and Sub Junior Men Academy Championship 2023 – (Zone A)  

New Delhi, 3rd December 2023: Day 1 of the 1st Hockey India Junior and Sub Junior Men Academy Championship 2023 – (Zone A) witnessed Roundglass Punjab Hockey Club Academy win their match in the Sub Junior category while Bhai Behlo Hockey Academy Bhagta, HAR Hockey Academy Raja Karan Hockey Academy and Roundglass Punjab Hockey Club Academy won their respective matches in the Junior category.  

Roundglass Punjab Hockey Club Academy begin with comfortable win:
In the Sub Junior category, Roundglass Punjab Hockey Club Academy defeated Cheema Hockey Academy 14-0. Anurag Singh (27’, 44’, 47’) and Sunny (43’, 53’, 56’) led the scoring spree with hat tricks, Gurjot (19’, 47’) and Charanjeet Singh (41’, 51’) scored a brace each while Captain Amandeep (35’), Inderjit Singh (49’), Deepakpreet Singh (53’) and Arjandeep Singh (59’) scored a goal each for Roundglass Punjab Hockey Club Academy.  

Bhai Behlo Hockey Academy Bhagta wins thriller:
In the first match of the Junior Category, Bhai Behlo Hockey Academy Bhagta defeated Salute Hockey Academy 2-1. Shamsher Singh (10’) opened the scoring for Bhai Behlo Hockey Academy Bhagta in the first quarter but Yogesh (30’) equalized for Salute Hockey Academy at the end of the second quarter. About halfway through the third quarter, Sukhjeet Singh (38’) converted a Penalty Corner for Bhai Behlo Hockey Academy Bhagta as they went on to post their first win of the tournament.   

HAR Hockey Academy overpowers Ghumanhera Riser’s Academy:
In the second match of the Junior Category, HAR Hockey Academy beat Ghumanhera Riser’s Academy 8-2. Jitender (21’, 40, 52’) scored a hat trick, Sumit (7’, 34’) scored a brace and Sanju (7’), Nitin (47’) and Sahil (52’) scored a goal each for HAR Hockey Academy while Captain Yuvraj Singh (24’) and Daksh Vats (26’) scored the two goals for Ghumanhera Riser’s Academy.  

Raja Karan Hockey Academy wins their first match:
In the third match of the Junior Category, Raja Karan Hockey Academy beat Cheema Hockey Academy 4-1. While Divyanshu Sharma (5’) brought up the first goal of the match for Cheema Hockey Academy, Harish Sharma (30’, 57’), Sunny (42’) and Tanish (43’) scored for Raja Karan Hockey Academy to take them to a comfortable win.  

Roundglass Punjab Hockey Club Academy wins close game:

In the fourth match of the Junior Category, Roundglass Punjab Hockey Club Academy beat Namdhari XI 4-3. Roundglass Punjab Hockey Club Academy Captain Gursewak Singh (19’, 45’) scored a brace while Prince Kumar (15’) and Lovenoor Singh (36’) scored a goal each. Captain Navraj Singh (22’, 57’) and Bihara Singh (9’) brought up the three goals for Namdhari XI but Roundglass Punjab Hockey Club Academy held their nerve to go on to win the game.  

by Abhishek Shukla

ITF Kalaburagi Open: Ramkumar emerges the king

Kalaburagi, Dec 3: Ramkumar Ramanathan of India pocketed his third ITF title in a span of 57 days when he won the Ultratech Cement ITF Kalaburagi Open at the Chandrashekhar Patil Stadium here on Sunday. In an almost one-sided final, Ramkumar brushed aside his Austrian rival David Pichler’s challenge in straight sets 6-2, 6-1 in just 64 minutes.

Ramkumar pocketed the winner’s cheque of US$ 3200 and 25 precious ATP points while the visitor was richer by US$ 2120 while gaining 16 ATP points.

“It feels great to win back to back titles. My game is coming along good. I did play some of my best tennis in these last two weeks. The courts here didn’t suit my game initially, but I adapted to them very quickly,” said Ramkumar after the victory.

Playing in front of home crowd in a packed stadium, Ramkumar was already morally boosted even before he hit his first serve. After both the players had held their serve for the first five games, Ramkumar made the first dent by breaking David’s serve in the 6th sixth game and never looked back dishing out some superb winners to capture the rest of the games to win the set 6-2.

The second set promised a fightback from David when he held his serve losing just a point, but Ramkumar had different plans. Moving with great tenacity, he forced David to commit mistakes and himself came up with a couple of cross court winners which drew cheers from the crowd that could be heard a mile away. The only game Ramkumar struggled to hold his serve was in the 5th game where the Indian Davis Cup team member didn’t find answers to David’s down the line winners. With two breaks in the 4th and 6th game, Ramkumar signed off with an ace to almost blank his opponent at 6-1 to win the crown.

Results

Men’s Singles (Final)

5-Ramkumar Ramanathan bt 7-David Pichler (AUT) 6-2, 6-1.

by Abhishek Shukla

PKL: ‘Fazel And Nabibakhsh Form A Great Combination,’ Says Gujarat Giants’ Head Coach Ram Mehar Singh

Ahmedabad, 03rd December 2023: The Gujarat Giants got off to a flying start in the Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 through a 38-32 victory over Telugu Titans at the EKA Arena by TransStadia on Saturday. Speaking about their victory, Gujarat Giants’ Head Coach Ram Mehar Singh said, “A win is great, but I thought we could have played better. Sonu played very well and changed the game for us. The defence unit made a lot of mistakes. The raiders other than Sonu could’ve also put up a better performance.”
 
The Head Coach also lauded the Iranian duo in the Gujarat side, “Fazel Atrachali and Mohammad Nabibakhsh’s Super Tackles against Pawan Sehrawat were the turning points of the game. Fazel and Nabibakhsh form a great combination. Whenever Pawan was trying to attain a bonus point, both were ready to tackle him.”
 
Meanwhile, U Mumba registered a 34-31 victory over U.P. Yoddhas in the second match on Saturday. When asked about the team’s performance, U Mumba’s Head Coach Gholamreza Mazandarani said, “There are a lot of new players in the team. The players didn’t have the time to get to know each other before the tournament. Nevertheless, all the young athletes played very well. They can certainly get better as the tournament progresses. However, I think we’ll take time to form our best combination.”
 
All-rounder Amirmohammad Zafardanesh was the star of the match for U Mumba on the opening day of PKL Season 10. He effected fantastic raids and scored a total of 12 points in the game. Speaking about him, Mazandarani said, “Amirmohammad’s reaction time is terrific. He’s a really good player for us. We have another Iranian Heidarali Ekrami, who’s also a good player, but we’ll choose our team combinations according to the opposition we play.”
 
Preview for Monday’s matches:
 
The Puneri Paltan and Jaipur Pink Panthers will be in action for the first time in the Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 on Monday. The Puneri Paltan will be banking on their young raiders brigade, which consists of Aslam Inamdar, Akash Shinde and Mohit Goyat. While the Jaipur Pink Panthers will be hoping that their defenders Ankush and Sunil Kumar rise and shine once again.
 
The Bengaluru Bulls will be taking on the Bengal Warriors in the second match on Monday. The Bulls have a strong raiders group in Bharat, Neeraj Narwal and Vikash Khandola. However, the Warriors also have a strong attack, which consists of Maninder Singh and Shrikant Jadhav.
 
Please find below the schedule for PKL Season 10 matches on Monday: 
 
Game 1: Puneri Paltan vs Jaipur Pink Panthers – 8 pm 
Game 2: Bengaluru Bulls vs Bengal Warriors – 9 pm 

‘THE ORGANIZERS OF PRO KABADDI LEAGUE HAVE CONSTRUCTED A GREAT PLATFORM FOR KABADDI PLAYERS,’ SAYS SWAMI RAMDEV
by Abhishek Shukla

The Organizers Of Pro Kabaddi League Have Constructed A Great Platform For Kabaddi Players,’ Says Swami Ramdev

Ahmedabad, 03rd December 2023: Swami Ramdev graced the opening day of the Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 with his presence at the EKA Arena by TransStadia on Saturday. Swami Ramdev attended the first day of the tenth edition on behalf of Patanjali – Partner for the Pro Kabaddi League Season 10. 

Speaking about his tryst with kabaddi, Swami Ramdev said, “I have been playing kabaddi since I was five years old. I have grown up playing the game. I play kabaddi even now when I have the time. Today, kabaddi is the second biggest sport after cricket in India.” 

Swami Ramdev also lauded the organizers of the Pro Kabaddi League – Mashal Sports and Star Sports, “Kabaddi should be played more in schools and universities across India. We’ll have to grow the game even more. The organizers of the league have shown a lot of spirit while conducting PKL and have constructed a great platform for kabaddi players.” 

The Gujarat Giants defeated Telugu Titans 38-32 in the first match of PKL Season 10 on Saturday, meanwhile, U Mumba triumphed over U.P. Yoddhas 34-31 in the second match of the day.

by Abhishek Shukla

PKL SEASON 10: ALL-ROUND TEAM PERFORMANCE HELPS U MUMBA DEFEAT U.P. YODDHAS IN CLOSE CONTEST

Ahmedabad, 02nd December 2023: A compact and in-form U Mumbai turned on the style in their tournament opener, as they swatted away the challenge of the traditional powerhouse U.P. Yoddhas in Ahmedabad, on Saturday. Fine performances Amirmohammad Zafardanesh (11 points), Rinku and Guman Singh ensured that U Mumba would walk away with a 34-31 win.

The U Mumba side had the better of the early exchanges in the first half, keeping the dangerous raiding unit of the U.P. Yoddhas at arm’s length. Always quite efficient in attack, Pardeep had a slow start to his season and that was reflected on the scoreline. For U Mumba, Amirmohammad Zafardanesh was leading the charge with three successful raids early on, which put pressure on the opposition.

In the final 10 minutes of the first half, the well drilled U Mumba continued to tighten the screws on the U,P. Yoddhas, and began to pull away with the lead at 7 points at one point. Rinku had put in a few big tackles while Zafardanesh was getting significant raid points to his name. U.P. Yoddhas’ Pardeep failed to get a point his way in the first half, which ended with the U Mumba 5 points ahead.

The U.P. Yoddhas started off with a Super Tackle in the first half, however, it did not take too long for the U Mumba side to get back in their groove. Zafardanesh, Rinku and Guman Singh were on fire and looking to take the game away. But, the U.P. Yoddhas were also starting to claw their way back into the game and landed an ALL OUT on Zafardanesh, which brought them right back into the contest.

The contest was heading for a close finish, and with ten minutes to go, the U.P. Yoddhas were 4 points behind. Zafardanesh had registered his first Super 10 of the season while Surinder Gill was on the brink for the U.P. Yoddhas. The fans cheered on both teams, who were matching each other move for move. With 5 minutes to go, Surinder Gill failed to make a Do or Die raid count, and allowing U Mumba some breathing space, who surged into a 4-point lead. Eventually, the U.P. Yoddhas weren’t able to mount a comeback and U Mumba came away with a comfortable win.

The Dream11 Gamechanger of the Match: Amirmohammad Zafardanesh (U Mumba)

The ACC Moment of the Match: Rinku (U Mumba)

by Abhishek Shukla

PKL Season 10: SONU SCORES SUPER 10 AS GUJARAT GIANTS TRIUMPH

Ahmedabad, 02nd December 2023: The Gujarat Giants put up a scintillating performance to defeat Telugu Titans 38-32 in the opening match of the Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 at the EKA Arena by TransStadia on Saturday. Giants’ Raider Sonu scored 11 touch points and his compatriot Rakesh chipped in with 5 touch points in the match. Meanwhile, Telugu Titans’ Captain Pawan Sehrawat returned to the Pro Kabaddi League with a bang through a Super 10.

Rajnish effected a raid as the Telugu Titans took the lead at 4-3 in the opening minutes of the match. However, the Giants fought back and levelled the scores at 5-5 in the 7th minute. Moments later, Rakesh pulled off a magnificent raid as the Giants took the lead at 6-5. Rakesh tried to effect another raid, but the Titans tackled him and inched ahead at 8-6 in the 10th minute.

The Telugu Titans’ defence unit continued to carry out tackles and helped its team stay in the lead at 11-7 in the 14th minute. The Giants were reduced to just two defenders in the 15th minute, however, the Iranian duo of Fazel Atrachali and Mohammad Nabibakhsh tackled Pawan Sehrawat to help their team stay in the contest at 12-9. Moments later, the Giants tackled Sehrawat again and levelled the scores at 13-13. However, the Titans managed to clinch the lead at 16-13 by the end of the first half.

Giants’ Sonu pulled off a SUPER RAID in the opening minute of the second half as the home team reclaimed the lead at 18-16. The home side continued to showcase brilliant form as they effected an ALL OUT in the 23rd minute to take a big lead at 22-18. Sonu continued to pick up raid points for the Giants and helped his team stay in the lead at 26-19 in the 27th minute.

The Giants reduced the Titans to just one player on the mat in the 33rd minute, however, the away team’s Robin Chaudhary effected a raid to help his team stay in the contest. Moments later, Sehrawat effected a raid and helped his team inch closer to Giants’ score at 30-28. However, Gujarat’s Sourav Gulia tackled Robin Chaudhary to help his team inflict another ALL OUT in the 38th minute. The home side held on to their lead in the last couple of minutes and eventually walked off the mat as the winners of the match.

by Abhishek Shukla

12 Indian boxers storm into the finals at the IBA Junior World Boxing Championships

New Delhi, December 2,2023: Junior boxers continued their fine form at the IBA Junior World Boxing Championships as 12 of them entered the finals after a stunning show in Yerevan, Armenia.

Amisha (54kg) and Payal (48kg) started the day on a winning note for team India against Trigos Bucur Rocio of Romania and Bibolsynkyzy Sila of Kazakhstan, both winning the bout by a unanimous 5-0 win.

Prachi Tokas (80+kg) put up a dominant show over Osipova Mariia of Russia, forcing the referee to stop the contest in the first round itself to grab the win. Megha (80kg) on the other hand showed a similar display of strength and power to clinch a referee stopping the contest win in round three against Tseng An Chi of Chinese Taipei.

Vini (57kg) Akansha (70kg) and Shrushti (63kg) outperformed their opponents to grab an identical 5-0 unanimous decision win to enter the finals. Vini was up against Kantzari Ouriana of Greece while Akansha and Shrushti faced Mcdonagh Mary of Ireland and K Alina of Kazakhstan respectively.

Nisha (52kg) struggled after the initial dominance in round one but soon fought back to grab an impressive 4-1 win over Russia’s Sikstus Diana.

The boys put on a solid outing as four out of five boxers in action got the win. The two heavyweights Hardik Panwar (80kg) and Hemant Sangwan (80+kg) entered the finals with a comfortable 5-0 unanimous decision win against R Andrei of Belarus and K Tigran of Armenia.

Jatin (54kg) took on K Pavel of Russia who for a moment looked like a more dominant boxer but Jatin soon took control of the game and got a 4-1 win in his favour..

Sahil faced a tough challenge against D Vladimir of Russia as both the boxers were quick in predicting each other’s moves and counter attack. The bout looked like it could go anywhere but ultimately Sahil got the win with a 3-2 split decision verdict.

Neha (46kg), Nidhi (66kg), Pari (50kg), Kritika (75kg) and Sikandar (48kg) ended their campaign with a bronze medal.

The finals will be played on December 3 and December 4, 2023

by Abhishek Shukla

I-League: Inter Kashi return to winning ways in Kalyani

KALYANI: Jordan Lamela was the star of the show as Inter Kashi returned to winning ways in the I-League 2023-24 at the Kalyani Municipal Stadium on Friday, December 1, 2023. The Spaniard scored a brace to help Inter Kashi defeat NEROCA FC 3-1. The other goal was scored by Jackichand Singh in injury time. For NEROCA, Sushil Meetei reduced the deficit.

The victory helped Inter Kashi reach 10 points from seven matches with three wins, one draw and three losses. They occupy the eighth spot. NEROCA, on the other hand, are 10th with seven points from eight games.

Inter Kashi came into the match on the back of defeats against Mohammedan Sporting and Real Kashmir. However, Carlos Santamarina’s men showed real character and intent on Friday to eke out a nice win.

Inter Kashi broke the deadlock in the 28th minute. Edmund Lalrindika initiated a key play by sending a precise through ball from deep within the field. Nikum Gyamar gave chase and smartly left the ball for Mario Barco, who was swiftly advancing down the left flank. The skilled Spaniard, expertly controlled the ball and delivered a low cross to his fellow countryman, Jordan Lamela. With no NEROCA defenders nearby to intercept, Lamela had ample time to comfortably slot the ball into the roof of the goal, giving Inter Kashi an early lead.

The lead was further extended in the added minute of the first half when Lamela scored his second goal of the match. Barco proved instrumental once again, weaving through the NEROCA defence and drawing defenders towards him before setting up Lamela. The Spaniard adeptly evaded the NEROCA defenders and unleashed a powerful left-footed shot to complete his brace.

NEROCA, though, were not the ones to leave the ground without a fight. They regrouped and returned stronger after half-time, dominating midfield exchanges. Their efforts paid off in the 63rd minute when Waikhom Rohit Meetei delivered a low cross into Inter Kashi’s penalty box. Tarak Hembram responded with a forceful right-footed shot, leading to a goal-line clearance by Bijoy V. However, Sushil Meetei was strategically positioned to take advantage of the rebound, scoring NEROCA’s first goal.

NEROCA tried their best to score the equaliser but the Inter Kashi defenders held firm. In the final moments of the match, Jackichand Singh made an impressive run, evading defenders with skilful twists and turns before being fouled by NEROCA’s Surajit Seal at the edge of the box. Jackichand took the ensuing set-piece, executing a beautifully floated ball that outmaneuvered NEROCA goalkeeper Irengbam Santosh Singh and found the net, sealing Inter Kashi’s commanding lead and eventual victory.

by Abhishek Shukla

Men’s National Boxing Championships: Shiva Thapa, Amit Panghal, and Sagar storm into the finals

New Delhi, December 1, 2023: Six-time Asian Championships medalist Shiva Thapa (63.5kg), Amit Panghal (51kg) and  Sagar (92+kg) maintained their impressive form to enter the final of the 7th Elite Men’s National Boxing Championships in Shillong after registering contrasting victories.

Representing Assam, Shiva showcased his experience as he secured a commanding victory over Harivansh Tawari of Maharashtra with a perfect score of 5-0. The previous edition’s gold medalist will face Vanshaj of SSCB (Services Sports Control Board) in the final.

On the other hand, Amit Panghal who represents SSCB went head to head against Ankit of RSPB (Railway Sports Promotion Board). The bout was closely contested throughout but the highly experienced 28-year-old maintained his composure in the crucial moments of the game to get past his opponent in a 5-2 split decision win. The 2019 World Championships silver medalist will now face Anshul Punia of Chandigarh in the final.

In another gripping encounter, Sagar, representing RSPB faced Vishal Kumar of Delhi in his semi-final bout. Sagar’s skillset and power-packed punches were on full display as he dominated the match, securing the victory with a 5-0 score. The 2022 Commonwealth games silver medalist will face off against Jaipal Singh of Punjab in the gold medal match. 

Adding to the winning streak, the 2021 Asian champion, Sanjeet (92kg) from SSCB got the better of his opponent Vicky of AIP (All India Police). Sanjeet was at the top of his game and dominated the proceedings to grab the win by unanimous decision. Sanjeet will be up against Naveen Kumar of Haryana in the final. 

The other SSCB boxers that qualified for the final include Barun Singh (48kg), Pawan (54kg), Sachin (57kg), Akash (60kg), Vanshaj (63.5kg), Rajat (67kg), Akash (71kg), Deepak (75kg), Lakshya (80kg) and Jugnoo (86kg).

SSCB have secured 12 medals to lead the medal tally at the ongoing 7th Elite Men’s National Boxing Championships.

by Abhishek Shukla

Aiming for gold at the Paris Paralympics, World No. 1 archer Sheetal Devi terms her journey a surreal one. 

New Delhi, December 1, 2023: Sheetal Devi’s story is one of fierce grit and determination, but many are still unaware of her incredible journey about how she took up archery and emerged as the champion athlete. The World No. 1 para archer, who bagged two gold medals and a silver at the recent Asian Para Games, is now focused on repeating her performance at next year’s Paralympic Games in Paris.

Bangalore-based storytelling startup, Being You focuses on documenting and celebrating human stories as they believe that positive stories inspire change in Individuals and the society and Sheetal is the biggest example and flag bearer of this initiative.

“Until a couple of years back I had not even stepped out of Jammu and Kashmir. It feels a little overwhelming when I go around representing India in different countries. I handle those moments calmly and ensure I hit the bullseye,” the archer commented while reminiscing how as a 14-year-old she came in touch with Being You in 2021 which changed her life completely.

“I have my eyes on the Paris Paralympics. I am putting all efforts to ensure that the Indian flag flies high on the podium and I bring back as many medals as possible,”  she further added.

When Sheetal realised that the prosthetics don’t work for her, she and her family had left all hopes. That is when she saw the stories of Sharath Gaekwad and Shekhar Naik from the book – Being You: Against All Odds, written by Preethi, which got her all inspired. Being You has also signed up with sheetal and will be managing the athlete from here on.

“When we first met her in Bengaluru in 2021, Sheetal was keen to only have prosthetic hands. After a lot of convincing, she decided to take up sports. I and my team and I were convinced that Sheetal had all the qualities and abilities to become an athlete. With the help of GoSports, we reached out to sports physio Srikanth Iyengar and he recognised her sublime core strength, which she had developed while regularly climbing trees in her village and that is how it was decided that she should take up archery,” said Preethi

And what the 16-year-old has achieved in the last two years is a testament of what Being You had envisioned for her, and it is just the beginning of a massive success journey that no one possibly ever imagined for her.

The para-archer’s journey took flight as she started to clinch victories in the national and international competitions, culminating in a stellar performance at the Asian Para Games 2023, where she secured two gold and one silver medal.

Already number one para archer in the world after terrific performances in recent tournaments, Sheetal aims to bring more laurels to the country.

Sheetal will continue to train for the forthcoming competitions at the Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board Sports Complex in Katra, who have constantly supported the para archer since she took up the sport. Keeping the funds going has always been a formidable task.

As she has already started preparing for the Paralympics, her focus now is following her training regime. “My present form, diet and focus align with what I need to do to train for the Paris Paralympics 2024. I will continue to improve my game and focus on acing it there,” she concluded.

On the sidelines of the event, Sheetal also unveiled the cover page of the second edition of Being You :Against all Odds by Being You founder Preethi, the same book that inspired her to take up the sport. The first edition of the book was launched in 2021 with 100 Inspiring stories of extraordinary Indians who have achieved the unthinkable, going against all the odds. The book went on to inspire numerous people including Sheetal. The second edition of the book will be launched in January 2024, with a special exclusive story of Sheetal and her unbelievable journey.

List of Acknowledgements

-Amputee sports achievers, Shalini Saraswathi, Briju Mohan & Vishwas: They suggested

 Sheetal, prosthetics were an hindrance and she should get into sports.

-Former Blind Cricket Captain Shekar Naik & Paralympian Sharath Gaeykwad for sharing their

 journey with Sheetal and inspiring her

– Go Sports CEO Deepthi Boppaiah for connecting Being You with Srikanth Iyengar & Kuldeep Vedwan

– Physio Srikanth Iyengar- Assessed Sheetal and suggested Archery to go with.

-Sunil Handa, Ekalavya Education Foundation- for all the mentoring

– Aditi & Sneh from Bakers Dozen who backed us financially

– ONGC Foundation for her first state of the art Archery kit

– Anoj from Milaap – Our NGO partners

– MP Tejasvi Surya for recommending to the ONGC for providing archery kit

– Ramesh Kumar IAS, former CEO of Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board for accommodating

  Sheetal and Sh Anshul Garg, Present CEO of Shrine Board

– Sheetal’s Family: Sh Man Singh, Smt Shakti Devi, sister Shivani & brother Ajay Singh

– Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board for the initial equipment & training

– Coach Kuldeep Vedwan & Abhilasha Choudary for training

– Khelo Hero Scheme by Hero MotoCorp through the Paralympic Association of India.

– TOP scheme by Ministry of Sports, Government of India

– OGQ’s for onboarding Sheetal Devi in Dec 2022 & many more

– SBI Foundation

Also, 11 RR Indian Armed forces, Maj Akshay Girish Foundation  & Anupam Kher for bringing her dream of getting prosthetic arms to reality which got her to Bangalore. A journey which connected the team to Sheetal which enabled us to change her story line.

by Abhishek Shukla

ITF Kalaburagi Open: Ramkumar lone Indian in fray

Kalaburagi, Dec 1: Ramkumar Ramanathan was the lone Indian left in the last four men’s singles line-up at the Ultratech Cement ITF Kalaburagi Open. In the quarterfinals played at the Chandrashekhar Patil Stadium in Kalaburagi here on Friday, the fifth seed quelled the challenge of giant killer Manish Sureshkumar 7-5, 6-0 to make it to the semifinals.

In the other quarterfinal matches of the day, Aryan Shah went down fighting to Ryotaro Taguchi of Japan 3-6, 2-6 while sixth seed Rishab Agarwal succumbed to second seed Matsuda Ryuki of Japan 0-6, 4-6. In a one-sided affair seventh seed David Pichler of Austria saw the back of Japanese Seita Watanabe with a 6-0, 6-0 win in the last quarterfinal tie.

A little later Matsuda and Taguchi advanced to the finals in the doubles after defeating the Indian pair of Rishab Agarwal and Bharath Nishok Kumaran 7-6 (4), 6-2. In the final they will clash with the Austrian-Indian pair of David Pichler and Nitin Kumar Sinha who brushed past the duo of Adil Kalyanpur and Sidharth Rawat 6-3, 6-2

Ramkumar who has recently won two ITF 25K titles in as many months, found an able opponent in his Chennai citymate, at least as far as the first set was concerned. Both the players held their respective serves until the seventh game till Manish broke Ramakumar’s serve to nose ahead 5-3. In a sudden change of form, Manish committed three unforced errors which gave his senior counterpart a chance to not only come back in the match but strike his true form. Ramkumar since then won 10 games in a row, including six in the second set to overpower Manish. The striking feature about Ramkuamar’s game was his big serve and a strong forehand which further dented Manish’s feeble chances of a comeback.

Aryan Shah showed much promise when he matched shot for shot against his Japanese rival. After he lost serve in the 4th game, Aryan broke his opponent’s serve in the very next game. However, he was broken back in the sixth game, and capitalising on the errors committed by Aryan, Taguchi won the first set 6-3. Continuing in the same form the Japanese earned an early break in the very first game and one more in the seventh game before serving out for the match.

Results (all Indians unless mentioned, seeding in parenthesis)

Men’s Singles (Quarterfinals)

7-David Pichler (AUT) bt Seita Watanabe (JPN) 6-0, 6-0; 5-Ramkumar Ramanathan bt Manish Sureshkumar 7-5,6-0; Ryotaro Taguchi (JPN) bt Q-Aryan Shah 6-3, 6-2; 2-Matsuda Ryuki (JPN) bt 6-Rishab Agarwal 6-0, 6-4.

Semifinal line-up:

5-Ramkumar Ramanathan Vs. Ryotaro Taguchi (JPN); 7-David Pichler (AUT) Vs. 2-Matsuda Ryuki (JPN)  

Doubles (Semifinals)

Ryuki Matsuda (JPN)/Ryotaro Taguchi (JPN) bt Rishab Agarwal/Bharath Nishok Kumaran 7-6 (4), 6-2; 2-David Pichler (AUT)/ Nitin Kumar Sinha bt Adil Kalyanpur/Sidharth Rawat 6-3, 6-2.

by Abhishek Shukla

UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championships: Several top-seed players exit before QF

Even before the quarterfinals could get underway late in the evening, three top seeds in the men’s singles and two in the women’s singles fell by the wayside in the fourth UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championships at the Ramakotaiah Indoor Stadium here today. 

Sourav Saha of PSPB went the distance to beat No. 3 Snehit of AAI 3-2 in a tough pre-quarterfinal battle, while Anthony Amalraj defeated No. 4 Manush Shah relatively easily with a 3-1 verdict and No. 5 Sanil Shetty went down to Ronit Bhanja of the Railways in another clash that went down to the wire. Ronit won 3-2. 

Except for the top seed, Manav Thakkar, who blanked out Yashansh Malik of Delhi 3-0, second seed G. Sathiyan and No. 6 A. Sharath Kamal had to endure before outlasting Raj Mondal of RBI and Akash Pal of the Railways to win 3-2, respectively. 

Sharath was down 0-2 against Akash Pal before summoning his vast experience to win the last two extended games despite stiff resistance from the Railway’s paddler. The fast-paced match witnessed several long rallies, most of which went the Sharath way. 

Second-seed Sathiyan, caught on the wrong foot and trailing 0-2, raised his game to the extent it put enormous pressure on Raj Mondal, who matched stroke for stroke. But Sathiyan stemmed the rot in the third game and continued similarly to subdue his RBI rival.

In contrast, the sixth and seventh women seeds, Moumita Datta and Swastika Ghosh, departed in the pre-quarterfinals and went 2-3 down to Yashini Sivashankar of Tamil Nadu and Anusha Kutumbale of the Railways, respectively. But the two top seeds, Sreeja Akula and Archana Kamath, who won her first National Ranking title in Vadodara last month, sailed through.

SHAILU EXCELS

Barring Shailu Noorbasha, who accounted for Pooja Sahasrabudhe in the round of 64 with a 3-1 (13-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-9) triumph, the other two girls—Guna Samyukta and Ramjali Kajol—failed to go past the first-round hurdle of the main draw. 

Samyukta bowed out, losing to Kavyashree Baskar of Tamil Nadu 11-6, 11-6, 11-7, and Ramajali lost 6-11, 6-11, 6-11 to Sweta Parte of RBI. 

Shailu faced a tough and experienced Pooja, a former international, and won the extended game on her second game point. But Pooja levelled the score in the next to give a bit of worry to the Andhra girl, who played brilliantly and outlasted Pooja with easy wins in the remaining games. 

In the mixed doubles final, Tamil Nadu’s Preyesh Suresh Raj and Selenadeepti Selvakumar combined well to beat the UP-Assam duo of Abhishek Yadav and Trisha Gogoi 3-1 to lift the title.

Results:

Men’s Singles (PQF): Manav Thakkar (PSPB) bt Yashansh Malik (Del) 11-7, 11-6, 11-6; Jeet Chandra bt Abhishek Yadav (UP) 6-11, 11-5, 12-10, 11-6; Ronit Bhanja (RSPB) bt Sanil Shetty (PSPB) 11-6, 6-11, 9-11, 11-7, 12-10; Anthony Amalraj (PSPB) bt Manush Shah 8-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-9; Sourav Saha (PSPB) bt SFR Snehit (AAI) 11-7, 11-3, 7-11, 9-11, 14-12; A. Sharath Kamal (PSPB) bt Akash Pal (RSPB) 11-7, 7-11, 10-12, 13-11, 14-12; Anirban Ghosh (RSPB) bt Punit Biswas (AAI) 11-7, 11-6, 11-5; G. Sathiyan (PSPB) bt Raj Mondal (RBI) 5-11, 12-14, 11-2, 11-8, 11-6.

Women’s Singles (PQF): Sreeja Akula (RBI) bt Takeme Sarkar (RSPB) 11-9, 12-10, 11-7; Poymantee Baisya (RSPB) bt Pritha Vartikar (Mah) 11-6, 11-9, 9-11, 11-4; Mouma Das (PSPB) bt Shweta Parte (RBI) 11-4, 11-8, 11-6; Sutirtha Mukherjee (RSPB) bt Ditsa Roy (WB) 11-3, 13-11, 8-11, 11-2; Ayhika Mukherjee (RBI) bt Deepika Neelakandan (TN) 11-4, 11-6, 11-7; Yashini Sivashankar (TN) bt Moumita Datta (RSPB) 4-11, 6-11, 11-6, 13-11, 11-8; Anusha Kutumbale (RSPB) bt Swastika Ghosh (AAI) 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9; Archana Kamath (PSPB) bt Oishiki Joardar (Guj) 11-3, 11-9, 11-4.

Mixed Doubles: Final: Preyesh Raj/Selena Selvakumar (TN) bt Abhishek Yadav/Trisha Gogoi (UP-Asm) 11-8, 11-7, 7-11, 11-6.

Semifinals: Preyesh Raj/Selena Selvakumar bt Arjun Ghosh/Kaushani Nath (RSPB) 12-10, 11-7, 11-6; Abhishek Yadav/Trisha Gogoi bt Asif Haque/Nikhat Banu (RBI) 11-6, 11-8, 11-8.

by Abhishek Shukla

Junior World Boxing Championships: Indian boxers extend dominance to confirm eight more medals

New Delhi, December 1,2023: Reigning Asian Junior champions Nisha (52kg) and Akansha (70kg) put up a solid show to confirm medals along with six other Indian pugilists on seventh day of the IBA Junior World Boxing Championships 2023 in Yerevan, Armenia.

Indian girls once again led the proceedings with their dominant show as all five boxers in action won their respective matches to enter the semis. Akansha (70kg) began the day on an aggressive note before her opponent Kurbonboeva Rayhona of Uzbekistan unsettled the Indian pugilist with her counter attack. However, Akansha ultimately grabbed the win with a 4-1 split decision verdict.

Nisha (52kg), on the other hand, proved too strong against Grace Conway of Ireland as she was declared winner by a unanimous 5-0 decision. Shrushti recorded a comfortable win in 63kg after the referee stopped the contest in round two against Mariia Kazaova of Russia.  

Kritika (75kg) put up an equally dominant show and didn’t allow her opponent Melendez Sanchez of Mexico to settle down before winning the bout by referee stopping the contest in round one.

Vini (57kg) entered the semis after the opponent Nunez Naiomi of Trinidad and Tobago gave her a walkover.

Meanwhile, it was a mixed day in the boys section for the country as three of the five competing boxers made it to the final four. Hemant Sangwan (80+kg) and Sikandar (48kg) outperformed their opponents Bachevvski Roselin of Bulgaria and Urmanov Ramzidin of Kyrgyzstan respectively to win the bout with an identical 5-0 decision.

In the 75kg quarter-finals, Sahil had to work hard against Ruslan Esanov of Uzbekistan, but the Indian grabbed a 3-2 split decision win, showcasing impressive quick movements and better decision making.

M Kabiraj Singh (63kg) and Rahul Kundu (70kg) suffered defeats in the Quarterfinals.

With the addition of eight more medals, India’s total medal count now stands at 17 as Megha (80kg) had already confirmed the medal after getting bye in the initial two rounds.

17 Indian boxers, including 12 girls, will be in action in the semifinals.

by Abhishek Shukla

Santosh Trophy: Draw revealed for the Final Round in Arunachal Pradesh

NEW DELHI: The draw for the 77th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2023-24 Final Round was conducted at the Football House in New Delhi on Thursday, November 30, 2023.

The dates for the Santosh Trophy have tentatively been fixed from February 21 to March 9, 2024.

Twelve teams were divided into two groups of six each. The participants include six group stage winners (Goa, Delhi, Manipur, Assam, Services and Maharashtra), three best second-placed teams (Kerala, Mizoram and Railways), and three automatic qualifiers – hosts Arunachal Pradesh, last season’s champions Karnataka and finalists Meghalaya.

For the first time since its inception in 1941, the Santosh Trophy will be held in Arunachal Pradesh. The hosts were placed in Group A. The new format for the tournament will see an expanded knockout stage, with the top four teams from each group progressing to the quarter-finals.

AIFF Acting Secretary General Mr Satyanarayan M said, “It’s going to be a very special edition of the Santosh Trophy as we take the tournament to Arunachal Pradesh for the first time. I thank our President Mr Kalyan Chaubey, Treasurer Mr Kipa Ajay and Hon’ble Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Shri Pema Khandu for hosting the Santosh Trophy Final Round.”

77th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy 2023-24 Final Round Draw Result:

GROUP A
Arunachal Pradesh
Meghalaya
Goa
Assam
Services
Kerala

GROUP B
Karnataka
Maharashtra
Delhi
Manipur
Mizoram
Railways

by Abhishek Shukla

FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup 2023: Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team goes down 3-4 against Germany in a thrilling game

Santiago, 1st December 2023: The Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team put up a solid show in their second game of the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup 2023 but the runners-up of the last edition of the elite tournament, Germany, came from behind to register a 4-3 victory in a thrilling match played in Santiago, Chile, on Friday. 

For India, Annu (11’), Ropni Kumari (14’), and Mumtaz Khan (24’) were the goalscorers, while Sophia Schwabe (17’), Laura Pluth (21’, 36’), and Carolin Seidel’s (38’) netted goals for Germany. 

India quickly settled into a passing rhythm, dominating the game in the opening quarter by controlling possession and continuously testing Germany’s defensive line. Despite their early efforts, India were thwarted by Germany’s sturdy defense, preventing them from scoring until the closing minutes of the quarter. It was during this period of sustained pressure that the Indian team secured consecutive penalty corners, and Annu (11’) capitalized on the second opportunity with a powerful shot, finally putting her team in the lead. 

Shortly after breaking the deadlock, India further solidified their position as Ropni Kumari (14’) elegantly found the net with a well-executed shot from another penalty corner. The first quarter concluded with India leading 2-0, marking a successful start for the team. 

Germany, determined to turn the tide, approached the second quarter with renewed zeal. Their efforts bore fruit as Sophia Schwabe (17’) scored an impressive field goal, reducing the deficit for Germany. Building on this momentum, Laura Pluth (21’) fired a powerful strike to level the score. However, India swiftly responded as Mumtaz Khan (24’) skillfully put the ball past the opposition’s goalkeeper, shifting the momentum back in India’s favour and putting them in front again as they went into the half-time break with a 3-2 lead. 

Determined to maintain their lead, India prioritized ball possession in the third quarter, yet Germany managed to level the score. Laura Pluth (36’) struck for the second time, equalizing the game. Motivated by their resurgence, Germany intensified their attacks, seizing the lead with Carolin Seidel’s (38’) goal from a penalty corner. 

India, eager to retaliate, increased their frequency of attacks. But, despite their efforts, the score remained 4-3 in favour of Germany by the close of the third quarter. 

The final quarter witnessed an aggressive display from both sides, with Germany coming close to extending their lead. However, Indian goalkeeper Madhuri Kindo’s exceptional save in a one-on-one situation denied Germany a chance to extend their lead. Meanwhile, India earned consecutive penalty corners in the dying minutes but failed to convert. The fourth quarter concluded without any goals, culminating in a 4-3 victory for Germany. 

The Indian team will next take on Belgium in their third match of the tournament on 2nd December at 18:30hrs IST.

The matches will be broadcast on Viacom Sports 18 – 3 and Sports 18 – 1 HD, as well as live-streamed on JioCinema. 

by Abhishek Shukla

S8UL bags ‘Esports Content Creator of the Year’ award consecutively for the second year at the ‘Esports Awards’23’ 

Mumbai, December 1, 2023: In a remarkable feat for the second consecutive year, S8UL, India’s leading Esports organization, has secured the prestigious ‘Esports Content Creator of the Year’ award at the Global Esports Awards 2023 on Friday night in Las Vegas. S8UL has established its position as a trailblazer not only in the Indian Esports community but on the international stage as well.

The brainchild of Esports industry veterans Naman Mathur (Mortal), Animesh Agarwal (8Bit Thug), and Lokesh Jain (Goldy), S8UL made history by outshining global contenders such as Christian ‘IWDominate’ Rivera, Timothy ‘ITZTIMMY’ An, The Score Esports, One True King, Judo Sloth, Last Free Nation, Loud, Tribo Gaules and other well-renowned names. This victory marks a significant milestone for S8UL and elevates the stature of Indian Esports worldwide.

Lokesh Jain aka Goldy, Co-Founder of S8UL and 8Bit Creatives shared his thoughts right after the coveted win, “Winning the ‘Content Group of the Year’ award last year was an incredible milestone for us, and to follow it up with another one this year is beyond words to express our gratitude. This achievement is a testament to our dedication, the hard work of our creators, and the endless support from our fans. S8UL has changed the way gaming and content is perceived in India. We are not just creating content but we are shaping the future of Indian Esports & gaming creators economy on a global scale.”

Since its very inception, S8UL has been the frontrunner of gaming content in India. With a clear vision, they have brought together some of the best gaming content creators under one umbrella to create engaging and entertaining gaming content, which is enjoyed every day by millions of their loyal viewers.

The high calibre of their Esports talent which includes Mortal, Scout, Payal, Mamba, Snax, Rega, Krutika, Sidd, Kaashvi, and many more is evident from the various Esports titles they have been winning over the years including the inaugural ‘Global Impact on Mobile Gaming’ award at the MOBIES earlier this year.

“Winning in this difficult category twice, against some of the biggest names in the industry is a surreal feeling. These milestones let us know that we are on the right path with our vision and also give all of us something to celebrate at a time when the industry is undergoing significant transformations. This victory rounds off yet another historic year for the community. Thank you to the incredible team, our fans, and everyone who believed in us! We are ready for even greater things in 2024! Onwards & Upwards, as always.” said Animesh Agarwal aka 8Bit Thug, Co-Founder of S8UL and 8Bit Creatives.

Besides S8UL, Naman ‘Mortal’ Mathur, the co-founder and widely regarded as the ‘Face of Indian Gaming and Esports’ has also been nominated for the ‘Esports Personality of the Year’ category at the awards. The award was claimed by Disguised Toast.

Mortal has consistently been representing Indian Esports at the global Esports Awards, having been nominated for the ‘Esports Personality of the Year’ last year. Prior to that, he had won second place for the Streamer of the Year for two consecutive years in 2020 and 2021.

“Being the only Indian organization to win not once but twice at the Esports Awards is a moment of pride not just for us but for the entire Indian Esports fraternity. This award recognizes the incredible work of our talented creators, team players, and the incredible support from our fans who have been religiously watching our content for the past few years. It gives us immense pride to witness S8UL’s innovative and exceptional content redefining the gaming content landscape of the country and propelling its growth. We are motivated to continue defying expectations and revolutionizing the gaming landscape globally,” said Naman Mathur aka Mortal, Co-Founder, S8UL who was there and collected the award on behalf of S8UL at the award night.

Dedicated to showcasing top-class performance and innovation, the Esports Awards recognizes excellence in Esports and ensures that the success and achievement of Indian Esports is celebrated globally. The 2023 edition of the awards was hosted in Las Vegas where prominent names from the Esports community all over the world were in attendance. Going into what promises to be another exciting year for Indian Esports, S8UL will continue reshaping the landscape of gaming content and setting new benchmarks on the international stage.