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New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) Lakshya Sen admitted he was disappointed after his shock second-round exit from the BWF World Championships in New Delhi, saying he was forced to play a catch-up game for much of his contest against USA’s Garret Tan.

The 14th-seeded Indian, who won a bronze medal at the 2021 World Championships, clinched the first game but could not hold on to his lead, as the 18-year-old American, who is 92nd in the world rankings, managed to come back and win 19-21, 21-19, 21-17 after 73 minutes at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.

“It was a good match. I gave a lot of credit to my opponent. He played a very solid game,” Lakshya said after the defeat.

“Towards the third set, both of us were completely exhausted. I think I gave it my all. In the end, it was just not enough to win this match. I am a little bit disappointed.”

Lakshya had just managed to win the closely contested first game, but Tan took control of the second and forced a decider even though the Indian saved four game points. In the third game, the American's steady net play together with his aggressive smashes continued to trouble Lakshya, who was seven points behind when the ends changed for the final time.

The Indian then launched a strong fightback and scored six points in a row, which cut the deficit to 10-12. But when Tan was leading 17-15, he needed medical attention and the break seemed to stop Lakshya's momentum. The American then won four of the next six points to achieve the comeback.

“He was quite dominant throughout the match. I was always playing the covering-up game,” Lakshya said. “I still had my chances. I was always covering up the scores. Eventually, he was taking those points.”

“I was playing a lot of times under pressure and always trying to play the catch-up game.”

Tan’s attacking game also posed a challenge, but Lakshya refused to blame the American’s smashes for his defeat. “No, I didn’t. Those were good smashes,” he said when asked whether he felt under pressure because of the American’s attacking play.

The conditions also played a role, with Lakshya explaining that neither side of the court offered a significant advantage.

“I was playing on the least positive side of the court,” he said when asked about his approach on the so-called better side. “Both sides were pretty even today. All three games were 21-19, 21-19 and 21-17.”

“I don’t think there was a clear advantage on any side today.”

Lakshya added that the shuttle’s pace made it difficult to finish points, particularly during long rallies. “The rallies were long. I think, compared to the other days, Drift was not playing such a big role. You can see the scorelines. It was even.”

“The strategies were the same because he was quite solid on his attack and also in his defence. I was not getting many chances. Also, a little bit slower, and you don’t usually get your punch that much. You can’t finish the shots pretty well.”

--IANS

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Lahore, Aug 19 (IANS) The ODI tri-series returns to Pakistan when the hosts welcome England and Sri Lanka for a six-match tournament from October 18 to 31, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Wednesday.

The tri-series, featuring Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka, will be played across the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium and Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, with the final scheduled for October 31 in Lahore.

The tournament will begin with Pakistan taking on Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on October 18. Pakistan will then face England at the same venue on October 20, before Sri Lanka and England meet on October 22.

The three teams will subsequently move to Lahore, where Pakistan will face England on October 25, followed by Pakistan’s clash against Sri Lanka on October 27. Sri Lanka and England will meet in the sixth match on October 29, with the top two teams progressing to the final at Gaddafi Stadium on October 31.

The upcoming tri-series will be the second of its kind hosted by Pakistan in as many years. Ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Pakistan hosted New Zealand and South Africa in an ODI tri-series in February last year.

The PCB has also announced a busy bilateral schedule involving Sri Lanka and England, with the three teams set to feature in matches between October 9 and November 21.

Sri Lanka will arrive in Pakistan on October 4 for a three-match T20I series against the hosts, with all three matches scheduled to be played in Rawalpindi on October 9, 11 and 13.

England will then arrive for the ODI tri-series, while Sri Lanka will return to action after the tournament in a three-day match in Islamabad from November 4 to 6.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka will then play a two-match Test series, which will form part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27. The first Test will be played in Rawalpindi from November 9 to 13, followed by the second Test at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from November 17 to 21.

The series will be Pakistan’s second Test assignment at home in the ongoing WTC cycle after South Africa toured the country for a two-Test series in October last year.

ODI tri-series schedule:

October 18: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, Rawalpindi

October 20: Pakistan vs England, Rawalpindi

October 22: Sri Lanka vs England, Rawalpindi

October 25: Pakistan vs England, Lahore

October 27: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, Lahore

October 29: Sri Lanka vs England, Lahore

October 31: Tri-series final, Lahore

--IANS

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Guwahati, Aug 19 (IANS) Guwahati Royals kept their campaign firmly on track with a convincing 30-run victory over Charaideo Sunrisers in Match 37 of the Assam Premier League 2026 at the ACA Stadium, Guwahati, on Wednesday.

Rohit Sen’s blistering 96 at the top of the order set up a commanding total for Royals, before Bastab Roy’s superb four-wicket haul helped restrict Sunrisers well short of the target. Manash Jyoti Gogoi fought hard for the chasing side with a well-made 32, but could not take his team over the line.

Opting to field, Rohit Sen and Sanjay Kumar Singh put on 38 for the opening stand before Singh fell for 9 in the fifth over. Rohit then anchored the innings, sharing useful stands with captain Rishav Das (21) and Nibir Deka (30), before accelerating in the closing overs.

Rohit produced some exquisite strokes to score 96 off just 57 balls, with six fours and eight sixes, before eventually falling as Royals surged to 159 for 4 in the 18th over. Nipan Deka was dismissed for a duck soon after, but a late flourish from Gunjan Jyoti Deka, who remained unbeaten on 19 off just six balls, took Royals to a formidable 182/5.

Reshabh Dipak was the pick of the bowlers for Charaideo Sunrisers with 3/34, while Himanshu Saraswat and Amlan Jyoti Das picked up one wicket apiece.

In response, Sunrisers made a solid start through captain Sumit Ghadigaonkar and Hrishikesh Tamuli, who put on 53 for the opening wicket. Tamuli continued positively despite losing his partner, scoring 32 off 21 balls with three fours and two sixes before falling to leave Sunrisers at 59/2.

Reshabh and Soumya Kanti Paul then added some quick runs, with Paul striking 23 off just 10 balls, but regular wickets kept the required rate climbing.

Manash Jyoti Gogoi fought hard in the middle overs, scoring 32 off 21 balls, but wickets continued to tumble at the other end.

Bastab proved the difference for Royals, returning figures of 4/21 to wrap up the chase. Rupesh Chetry and Deepak Gohain picked up two wickets apiece, while Raj Agarwal and Nipan Deka chipped in with one wicket each. Charaideo Sunrisers were eventually bowled out for 152 in the 18th over, falling 30 runs short of the target.

Brief scores:

Guwahati Royals 182/5 in 20 overs (Rohit Sen 96, Nibir Deka 30; Reshabh Dipak 3/34, Amlan Jyoti Das 1/19) beat Charaideo Sunrisers: 152/10 in 17.3 overs (Hrishikesh Tamuli 32, Manash Jyoti Gogoi 32; Bastab Roy 4/21, Rupesh Chetry 2/27, Deepak Gohain 2/27) by 30 runs.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) India’s Lakshya Sen suffered a shock second-round exit at the BWF Badminton World Championships 2026, going down to USA’s 18-year-old Garret Tan in a three-game thriller at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Sen, who was the 14th seed and had won a bronze medal at the 2021 World Championships, won the first game but could not keep up his pace as Tan, the world No. 92, fought back to win 19-21, 21-19, 21-17 in their first appearance at the World Championships, the match lasting 73 minutes.

Lakshya managed to keep his composure in the closely fought first game, but the Chinese-American rookie Tan took control of the second from the beginning. Although the Indian star, who narrowly missed winning the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics in 2024, had four game points, he was unable to stop the American from forcing a deciding game.

In the last game, Tan kept bothering Lakshya with his reliable net play and powerful smashes. At the change of ends, the American had built up a lead of seven points, leaving Lakshya with a huge amount to make up.

However, the Indian shuttler responded brilliantly by scoring six consecutive points, which reduced the deficit to just two points, 10 to 12, and gave a new impetus to his challenge.

When Tan was leading 17-15, he received medical attention for a possible concussion. The pause seemed to disturb Lakshya's flow, and the Indian was able to win only two of the next six points as the American secured a memorable win.

The defeat marks the end of Lakshya's campaign at an early stage and leaves India with only Ayush Shetty as its remaining interest in the men's singles section of the draw.

Earlier on Tuesday, Sen recovered from an early setback to launch his campaign with a 16-21, 21-8, 21-4 victory over Austria’s Collins Filimon. The Indian, seeded 14th, who needed 45 minutes to complete the comeback, found another gear after dropping the opening game and thereafter barely allowed his opponent into the contest.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) South Delhi Superstarz registered a thrilling four-wicket win over North Delhi Strikers in their Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2026 match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday. The victory earned South Delhi two important points.

Batting first, North Delhi Strikers posted an impressive 207/9 in 20 overs, thanks to strong contributions from captain Sarthak Ranjan and Yash Dabas.

Sarthak continued his fine form with a quick 45 off 23 balls, while Dabas smashed 78 off 38 balls. The duo got North Delhi off to a flying start, putting together a huge 107-run opening partnership.

Sarthak was eventually dismissed, and North Delhi began losing wickets at regular intervals. However, Arjun Rapria provided a late boost with a quick 27 off 11 balls, helping his side cross the 200-run mark.

Divansh Rawat was the standout bowler for South Delhi, finishing with 3/22 in four overs, while Ankit Dabas picked up two wickets for 18 runs.

Chasing 208, South Delhi Superstarz found themselves in trouble at 50/3. Captain Ayush Badoni then took charge and built the innings with Tejasvi Dahiya, who contributed a useful 28 off 19 balls.

South Delhi lost a few more wickets, but Badoni continued to keep the chase alive. The captain played a superb knock of 90 off just 47 balls, keeping his team within touching distance of the target.

However, Badoni’s dismissal created some late drama. He tried to slash a delivery from Ajay Yadav but only managed an edge through to the wicketkeeper, leaving South Delhi in a tricky position.

With nine runs needed from the final over, the pressure was firmly on the Superstarz. But Dabas produced a stunning finish, smashing a maximum off the very first ball of the over.

He then kept his composure to take the side over the line, finishing unbeaten on 26 off just 10 balls. The Superstarz completed the chase with three balls to spare.

--IANS

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Galle, Aug 19 (IANS) Sri Lanka head coach Gary Kirsten said his team needs to turn the progress made with more Test cricket into performances after India handed them a 165-run defeat in the opening Test in Galle on Wednesday.

The defeat extended Sri Lanka’s wait for their first Test victory under Kirsten, with the team losing two of their three matches since he took charge. Sri Lanka had also suffered a defeat against the West Indies in Antigua in June.

Kirsten pointed to the lack of regular Test cricket as one of the challenges facing his players, noting that the Galle Test was only their third match in the format in the space of a couple of months.

"It's sometimes tough when you don't play much Test cricket to understand how you need to play," Kirsten said after the loss.

"This is our third Test in the space of a couple of months, and I can see already the team developing. And we're starting to build some shape into the team, but we need to turn it into a performance at some point."

Sri Lanka were bowled out for 206 while chasing 372 in the fourth innings, with India’s young left-arm spinner Manav Suthar taking 6-55 to complete a match haul of 10 wickets.

Kirsten stressed the need for Sri Lanka to develop a bowling attack capable of taking 20 wickets consistently.

"You need to be able to get 20 wickets consistently, bowl teams out with your seam, and be able to bowl teams out with spin as well. It's really important that we develop that Test match squad," he said.

The coach also welcomed the opportunity for Sri Lanka to play more Tests in the coming months.

"I think the challenge for the modern players, especially in Sri Lanka, is you don't play much Test cricket," Kirsten said.

"At least now we've got another six to go within the next six months or so, so it's great to get into the Test match game a little bit and then to understand how to score runs and bat for long periods of time and have an influence on a game over a long period of time," he added.

--IANS

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Monaco, Aug 19 (IANS) AS Monaco and French midfielder Paul Pogba have mutually agreed to end their association, bringing an early close to a contract that was originally scheduled to run until June 2027, the Ligue 1 club announced on Wednesday.

The decision comes ahead of Monaco’s first match of the new season, with both parties concluding that the objectives set when Pogba joined the club were only partially achieved.

Pogba arrived at Monaco during the 2025 pre-season as he looked to rebuild his career and return to top-level football following a lengthy period away from the game.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner made his return to professional football with Monaco, and the club credited him for his professionalism, determination and attitude during his time in the Principality.

Although his playing opportunities were limited, Monaco said Pogba’s experience and contribution to the dressing room, particularly among younger players, were valuable.

AS Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro thanked the midfielder for his contribution and said Pogba’s return to club football should not be overshadowed by the fact that his spell did not develop as hoped. “On behalf of the Club, I would simply like to say thank you to Paul. We are very happy to have shared this journey,” Scuro said in an official statement.

“When he joined, we explained that this was a major challenge, that was audacious and ambitious. While the outcome is not what we had hoped for, it should not overshadow the enthusiasm that surrounded his return to club football, nor the fact that Paul was able to return to the pitch and to professional football during this period.”

Scuro also praised Pogba’s influence within the squad, particularly his work with younger teammates. “What he brought to the dressing room, particularly to the younger players with whom he constantly shared his vast experience and offered valuable advice, was precious. His attitude was exemplary throughout,” he added.

Pogba, meanwhile, expressed his gratitude to the club, his teammates, staff and supporters for their backing during his time in Monaco.

“I would like to thank the President and the management, my teammates, all the staff members and every supporter who believed in me. Representing this club and the principality was an incredible experience,” Pogba said.

“AS Monaco is an incredible club and although I did not play as many games as I had hoped, I will always be grateful for the opportunity to wear their colours.”

The 33-year-old now leaves Monaco after a spell in which his primary objective was to regain his fitness and return to competitive football following a prolonged absence.

AS Monaco wished the former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder success for the next chapter of his career.

—IANS

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New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) Unnati Hooda’s BWF World Championships debut came to an agonising end on Wednesday as the 18-year-old Indian let slip a match point and two other opportunities before losing 21-11, 9-21, 21-23 to Canada’s Michelle Li in a gripping Round-of-32 contest at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.

Unnati, who had entered the second round after overcoming Myanmar’s Thet Htar Thuzar in straight games, pushed the experienced Li into a deciding game and appeared within touching distance of a memorable victory. The Indian had match point at 20-19, but Li survived the scare and eventually edged the decider 23-21.

Reflecting on the contest, Unnati felt there was little to separate the two players for much of the match. She was particularly disappointed that she could not make the most of the chances that came her way late in the decider.

“I feel it was a good match, and she was also playing really well, and it was neck and neck, and in the end it was a bit of noise and a bit of how better we can control, and I had two advantages and couldn’t convert the match. I am happy with the way I played the whole match, but I am sad that I could have converted it into a really good win. So I’ll just take good points from here and work hard on whatever is next,” Unnati told the media after her loss.

The deciding game became a battle for control around the net, with both players repeatedly looking to seize the initiative in the front court. Unnati said the exchanges there became one of the defining features of the contest.

“There is not one particular point I would say but there were a few good net shots, a few good taps from my side and a few good taps she also hit so yeah it was good competition going on on the front court so whosoever was taking on the front court was getting good chance to attack so it was more competition on the front court who can get more chance to hit. It was a good match I got today, and I’ll take learning from today’s match and next Asian Games, so I’ll prepare for that,” she added.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) Unnati Hooda’s BWF World Championships debut came to an agonising end on Wednesday as the 18-year-old Indian let slip a match point and two other opportunities before losing 21-11, 9-21, 21-23 to Canada’s Michelle Li in a gripping Round-of-32 contest at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.

Unnati, who had entered the second round after overcoming Myanmar’s Thet Htar Thuzar in straight games, pushed the experienced Li into a deciding game and appeared within touching distance of a memorable victory. The Indian had match point at 20-19, but Li survived the scare and eventually edged the decider 23-21.

Reflecting on the contest, Unnati felt there was little to separate the two players for much of the match. She was particularly disappointed that she could not make the most of the chances that came her way late in the decider.

“I feel it was a good match, and she was also playing really well, and it was neck and neck, and in the end it was a bit of noise and a bit of how better we can control, and I had two advantages and couldn’t convert the match. I am happy with the way I played the whole match, but I am sad that I could have converted it into a really good win. So I’ll just take good points from here and work hard on whatever is next,” Unnati told the media after her loss.

The deciding game became a battle for control around the net, with both players repeatedly looking to seize the initiative in the front court. Unnati said the exchanges there became one of the defining features of the contest.

“There is not one particular point I would say but there were a few good net shots, a few good taps from my side and a few good taps she also hit so yeah it was good competition going on on the front court so whosoever was taking on the front court was getting good chance to attack so it was more competition on the front court who can get more chance to hit. It was a good match I got today, and I’ll take learning from today’s match and next Asian Games, so I’ll prepare for that,” she added.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Aug 19 (IANS) Vivaan Vishal and Shohradova Lala emerged champions in the Open and Girls' sections as India and Turkmenistan shared the top honours in the Asian Junior Rapid Chess Championship 2026 at the ITC Maratha Sheraton, Mumbai, on Wednesday.

The Open Championship witnessed a dramatic turnaround on the final day, with halfway leaders, Akhilbay Imangali of Kazakhstan and Madhavendra Pratap Sharma of India, suffering crucial defeats in the concluding rounds, throwing the title race wide open.

Capitalising on the opportunity was India's Vivaan Vishal, who registered a hat-trick of victories in the final three rounds to clinch the Asian Junior Open Rapid Championship title outright with an impressive score of 6 points from 7 rounds.

The triumph was particularly noteworthy as Vivaan, rated 2149, finished ahead of a strong field that included several International Masters, underlining his immense potential and establishing him as a force to reckon with in the future.

International Masters (IM) Akshay Borgaonkar and Apoorv Kamble also finished strongly, both scoring 5 points from seven rounds. However, superior tie-break scores enabled Akshay to secure the silver medal, while Apoorv had to settle for the bronze medal.

In the Girls' Rapid Championship, the battle for the title ultimately came down to a thrilling contest between Shohradova Lala of Turkmenistan and Pratitee Bordoloi of India. Both players produced consistent performances throughout the tournament and finished with identical scores of 6 points from 7 rounds.

With scores level, the championship was decided on tie-breaks, where Shohradova edged ahead to claim the coveted Asian Junior Girls Rapid Championship crown. Pratitee Bordoloi earned the silver medal after a commendable performance, while India's Prishita Gupta secured the bronze medal.

The prizes were distributed by Dr. Parinay Fuke, President of the Maharashtra Chess Association, who congratulated the winners and participants for their spirited performances.

The focus now shifts to the Classical Championship, which commences tomorrow and is expected to witness another exciting battle among Asia's leading junior chess talents.

The championship is being organised by the Maharashtra Chess Association at the ITC Maratha Sheraton, Mumbai, under the aegis of the All India Chess Federation and the Asian Chess Federation.

--IANS

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