Minerva Punjab are in the limelight for the right reasons. Four games into the new season and they are top of the table, unbeaten and three points ahead of Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan, who have a game in hand. Just like it is unfair to criticise one player for the defeat of a team, it would be considered an exaggeration to say Minerva’s new signing Chencho Gyeltshen is the reason why they are where they are....
The young Arrows were unable to repeat what they did a few days ago versus Mohun Bagan and ultimately paid the price for some sloppiness early in the game. Here’s what stood out from the match. Rookie errors give East Bengal the advantage The Arrows remained resolute against Mohun Bagan in their previous game even in the face of being a man down, but today they allowed East Bengal a foothold early with some callous errors....
The other team are Gokulam FC who had been granted a direct entry into the I-League this season as Bengaluru FC joined the cash-rich Indian Super League (ISL). Gokulam FC will play their home matches from Kozhikode. But the first match of the season will see the team from Punjab host last season’s runners-up. TV CHANNELS & LIVE STREAM The Star Sports Network have the exclusive broadcasting rights of the I-League....
The context Majumder bloomed in Bagan colours and went on to become one of the best goalkeepers in the country. He had also won the Federation Cup and I-League titles with Mohun Bagan and received the Best goalkeeper award. He became very popular among the Bagan fans as his hands saved the Mariners on many occasions. He played for Bagan from 2014 to 2017 and earned accolades from all corners. Mohun Bagan gave him his identity before he got noticed by ISL clubs....
What transpired in the next two matches was unexpected from them. Heart-breaking losses against Chennai City and last boy Aizawl FC have left the Red and Golds in a spot to bother. Though East Bengal have played at least a match less than their opponents, this is the perfect time for them to rise and make the occasion memorable. EB were on top of the table after two rounds of the league but are now languishing at the eighth position now with six points from four matches....
City giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan had shown Rabindra Sarovar and Barasat Stadium as options to play their home matches this season, besides agreeing the Kanchenjunga Stadium in Siliguri will host the Kolkata Derby. “If the facilities at the Rabindra Sarovar stadium is retained, we are fine with the venue,” I-League CEO Sunando Dhar told IANS. City’s Indian Super League (ISL) franchise Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) have built temporary facilities along with floodlights which both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan have to negotiate with ATK whether they can be kept for the I-League starting January 7....
“The Bid Evaluation Committee was to meet on the 15th of this month but then there was a suggestion that it could convene on the 16th morning. However, now it has been pushed back to next week,” informed an AIFF official. Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) are the independent auditors who go through the bid documents of each interested party and place their thoughts in front of the Bid Evaluation Committee....
Boult picked 5 for 21 in his devastating spell of 10 consecutive overs to dismiss India for their seventh lowest ODI total – 92 in 30.5 overs for a eight-wicket win, the hosts first success in the five-ODI series. “It’s purely a conditions thing … It was nice to see the ball move in the air like that. I feel like I am a different bowler definitely when it swings....
Pique caused a stir during the international break when he criticised the values of bitter rivals Madrid, sparking backlash from Sergio Ramos and club president Florentino Perez. Nacho also responded to the controversial Barca star following Madrid’s 3-0 win at home to Alaves on Sunday. “We are used to such statements. We are focused on our own thing,” said Nacho, who scored at the Santiago Bernabeu. “He will have his thoughts....
The mamoth car industry supports millions of workers, but few have found a stranger way to make a buck than Priddy and a small band of other automotive paparazzi. Perched on hills by test tracks or cruising through California desert or Canadian tundra, they sneak past security guards and fight off the boredom of the stakeout to snap pics of cars years before the public is supposed to see them....
The former Manchester United captain, who completed a return to Goodison Park this week, marked his first start back in a blue shirt by firing his side ahead with a dipping shot from 30 yards out. Ronald Koeman’s side went on to win 2-1 in Tanzania, and Rooney, who played the full first half, was delighted to get off the mark. “To score for Everton again is a great feeling,” he told EvertonTV....
Arsenal were beaten 2-0 at Leicester City on Saturday to leave them eight points adrift of the top four. The result means it is Arsenal’s worst start to a top-flight season since 1982-83, with the Gunners only having 17 points and a goal difference of negative one. Arsenal barely troubled Kasper Schmeichel at all and were arguably lucky to only lose 2-0, yet Emery remains convinced he can get their campaign back on track....
Diaby was once one of the great hopes of French football, yet his career has been marked by incredible injury issues over the years. Arsenal 16/5 to beat Chelsea The 31-year-old has managed to play just 139 league matches in a career that began with Auxerre in 2004, while he featured just five times in Ligue 1 for OM over a two-year period. “Retiring? I’ve thought about it, but my conclusion is that I want to work, to rehabilitate myself and to play football again,” he told Canal Football Club....
Captain Smith and vice-captain Warner were suspended for a year, while batsman Bancroft was handed a nine-month ban, after a Cricket Australia (CA) investigation into an incident that occurred in the third Test with South Africa. All three have been sent home but can appeal against the sanctions, with batsmen Joe Burns, Matthew Renshaw and Glenn Maxwell called up as replacements for the last game of the series. Speaking for the first time since he was cleared of knowing about the premeditated plan, Lehmann admitted he is “immensely” worried about the players’ health as they prepare for a backlash on their return to Australia....
Bishop also added that India did not become a successful fast bowling nation overnight and that the foundation was laid by the likes of Zaheer Khan and Kapil Dev. The commentator also stated that he did not expect the fast bowlers from India to give teams like South Africa, England, Australia and West Indies a taste of their own medicines when the Virat Kohli-led side toured the aforementioned nations in the recent past....
“There’s no disgrace in losing; it’s part of cricketing life. However, what is disgraceful is failing to compete to the best of your ability and continuing to make the same mistakes. That’s what India have done for the bulk of their last two visits to the UK and their most recent tour of Australia,” he wrote in his column for ESPNcricinfo. India raised hopes of a series victory in England after achieving a historic win at Lord’s in the second match of the tour only to meekly surrender the next three....
Let’s have a look at the statistical highlights of this match Indian innings’ highlights In this match both captains were also the wicketkeepers, AB de Villiers and MS Dhoni. This is only the 39th ODI in cricket history where 2 keeper-captains played. The opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma is the 127th opening pair for India in ODIs. Interestingly, they added 127 runs for the first wicket. Rohit Sharma scored his 14th half century in his ODI career....
Australia, a small island nation with a name that sparked terror in hearts of cricketing nations. Lethal pace, killer instinct and devastating batting is what defined them. However, that was then and this, is what is now. Mickey Arthur coached Australia had a very poor and demoralizing start to the tournament in the face of 243 run defeat at the hands of India. However, they look great on paper. Here are five points of how prepared Australia is on the stage of the ICC Champions Trophy to defend their title....
Nowadays, with the congestion of fixtures owing to the demands of the international calendar (allied to the intransigence of the powerful members of the ICC), the tournament has struggled to bear its own. And, in all honesty, not many had mourned its absence in the last four years. But today is about another story. A story about when the United States of America (yes, you read it right) played in the ICC Champions Trophy in 2004, a tournament which was dubbed by many to be one of the “Great Sporting Fiascos of our time”....
ICC Chief Executive David Richardson, who attended the event, said: “I would like to congratulate both teams on winning the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier. It was a shame that the weather prevented us from completing the tournament as planned but it’s fair to say that they were the two form teams and both deserved to win.” In addition to those two sides, Ireland, Hong Kong, Afghanistan and Oman have qualified to take part in next year’s ICC World Twenty20 in India....
