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Bengaluru, Dec 15 (IANS) Suryakumar Yadav's 48 and Suryansh Shedge's blistering 36 not out guided Mumbai to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title with a five-wicket win over Madhya Pradesh in the final at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.

Chasing 175, Mumbai reached the target with 13 balls to spare to lift their second Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy silverware.

Mumbai's chase didn't have an inspiring start with opener Prithvi Shaw (10) losing his wicket early to Tripuresh Singh in the second over. Captain Shreyas Iyer joined the in-form Ajinkya Rahane in the middle and the duo stitched a brief 32-run partnership before Tripuresh sent the former back to the pavilion for 16 in the fifth over.

Suryakumar came in to bat at No. 4 and shifted the momentum in Mumbai's favour with a 52-run stand with Rahane. The duo kept the scoreboard moving rapidly and played their shots freely, relieving the pressure from the side. The partnership was ended by Venkatesh Iyer in the 12th over with Rahane's dismissal and kept MP's hope alive in the summit clash. Rahane departed after scoring 30-ball 36 including four boundaries.

From the other end, India T20I captain continued his free-flowing innings with Shivam Dube failing to support his partner in the chase. Dube fell for spinner Kumar Kartikeya in the 14th over with Mumbai requiring 54 runs to win in 41 balls.

In the 16th over, Shivam Shukla got the all-important wicket of Suryakumar, who contributed 48 of 35 balls studded with three sixes and four fours, before cameos from Atharva Ankolekar and Suryansh Shedge sealed victory for Mumbai in the 18th over. The duo stitched a match-winning partnership of 51 runs in 19 balls.

Ankolekar smashed two sixes and remained unbeaten for 16 in six balls while Shedge smashed 36 not out laced with three sixes and as many boundaries.

Shedge was awarded Player of the Match for his late blitz while Rahane was named Player for the Series for scoring 469 runs - the most in the tournament.

Earlier, captain Rajat Patidar's unbeaten 40-ball 81 decored with six sixes and as many fours took Madhya Pradesh to 174/8 in 20 overs.

For Mumbai, Shardul Thakur and Royston Dias bagged two scalps apiece.

Brief scores: Madhya Pradesh 174/8 in 20 overs (Rajat Patidar 81*, Subhranshu Senapati 23; Shardul Thakur 2-41, Royston Dias 2-32) lost to Mumbai 180/5 in 17.5 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 48, Ajinkya Rahane 37, Suryansh Shedge 36 not out; Tripuresh Singh 2-34) by five wickets.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, Dec 15 (IANS) The defending champions of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), have reinforced their squad with a well-thought-out strategy in the WPL Auction on Sunday. With their four domestic picks, RCB have bolstered their roster with players who bring versatility, depth, and a competitive edge while staying true to their bold and fearless style of cricket.

Going into the auction RCB had Rs 3.25 crore in the purse and four slots to fill. All of these four slots have been filled with players who have shown promise in the domestic circuit and were carefully chosen to provide more edge to RCB’s established core, ensuring a more dynamic and balanced squad.

As highlighted by head coach Luke Williams, adaptability was central to RCB’s strategy heading into the auction, given the unpredictability of venues and match conditions.

"We’re delighted with the work our scouts have done throughout the season and during the camps we hosted, which gave us the chance to carefully evaluate players," said Williams.

He added that Prema's control as a wrist spinner is invaluable in the shortest format of the game.

"Prema brings great control as a wrist spinner, which is invaluable in T20 cricket, and strengthening our spin arsenal was a key priority. Additionally, the pace-bowling all-rounders provide the flexibility we need to handle various match scenarios."

He further emphasised the immediate focus of RCB’s selections: "We’ve built this squad with the upcoming tournament in mind, and we’re confident that these players can make an impact in the XI right away."

RCB’s 2024 title-winning season was highlighted by outstanding performances from players like Ellyse Perry, who won the Orange Cap with 347 runs, and Shreyanka Patil, who claimed the Purple Cap with 13 wickets. To further bolster their squad, RCB made a key move in October, trading in England’s star top-order batter Danni Wyatt-Hodge, renowned for her ability to deliver under pressure.

With a balanced mix of experienced internationals and fresh domestic talent, RCB are determined to maintain its dominance in the upcoming WPL season.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 15 (IANS) The Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) decision to accept to host the 2025 Champions Trophy in a hybrid format following India's refusal to travel across the border has caused discontent in the organisation with sources telling IANS that many members are unhappy with the way Pakistan has accepted the decision.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed a proposal for a hybrid model for the Champions Trophy 2025 in which India will play their matches in Dubai while Pakistan will host the rest of the tournament.

As compensation, Pakistan has been allowed to play their matches in the 2026 T20 World Cup in Colombo. Pakistan has also been allotted the hosting rights for an ICC women's event after 2027.

With the PCB accepting this formula, fighting has started within the PCB over the hybrid model. Some members expressed displeasure, saying the PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi should not get carried away with ICC tactics, sources told IANS.

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif is one of those who are not happy with the way PCB has agreed to the hybrid model. He said being offered the women's cricket tournament after 2027 was no compensation for hosting CT 2025 in a hybrid model.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Dec 15 (IANS) Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir, who quit international cricket for a final time on Saturday, hung up his boots with two regrets -- not getting to bowl against India on home soil and hosting Virat Kohli at his Lahore residence. With a UK passport, Amir also hopes to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) if he can.

Amir, who had a fairytale international debut as a 17-year-old in the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup in the UK, said India's decision not to travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy 2025 has deprived him of the chance to bowl at the Indian cricketers like Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

"India not touring Pakistan has saddened me," Amir told Telecom Asia Sport from Sri Lanka where he is playing in a T10 league. "Had they (Indian players) come to Pakistan they would have realised their popularity in our country. Fans wanted to see Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Rishab Pant and Jasprit Bumrah," Amir told Telecom Asia Sport in an exclusive interview on Saturday.

Amir, who claimed the wicket of the legend Sachin Tendulkar in the Champions Trophy game in Centurion which led to Pakistan's first win over India in ICC events, has good memories of touring the neighbouring country.

"I have also toured India so I know how much love I got from the fans and players there. It would have been great had Indian players visited Pakistan. They have a huge following in Pakistan," said Amir, whose burgeoning career was halted due to a five-year ban because of his role in the spot-fixing scandal of 2010.

Amir made an immediate impact when he returned to the international stage after serving out the ban and starred in Pakistan's triumph in the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy against India, rocking them with wickets of Rohit Sharma, Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan.

He has a lot of respect for Virat Kohli and cherishes the bat that the Indian great gave him ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup match in Kolkata. "Virat is great and admires talent," said Amir. "For sure, I would have hosted him at my house."

"Virat gifted me his bat and I was overwhelmed by his action," Amir reminisces. "I have always been a great admirer of his batting and he is of my bowling. I played some good knocks with his bat."

His wish to host Kohli can come true in London where both spend time and are about to relocate in the future. "I have UK status now," said Amir whose wife Narjis is a UK citizen. "Insha'Allah I will get my UK passport in February 2025, so that wish can come true in the UK," Amir was quoted as saying by Telecom Asia Sport.

With a UK passport, Amir is also dreaming of featuring in the IPLas as an overseas player. "Why not?" said Amir when asked about the possibility. "Maybe in 2026, I will be able to play in the IPL as I am still playing leagues around the world."

Amir said he was satisfied with his international career, which he ended with 119 wickets in 36 Tests, 81 in 61 ODIs and 71 in 62 T20Is.

--IANS

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Chandigarh, Dec 14 (IANS) Varun Muthappa of Karnataka will take on Anshul Mishra in the final of the IGU 123rd All-India Amateur Golf Championship of India held in the Chandigarh Golf Club. The two young stars qualified for the championship laden with history by winning close matches.

Muthappa beat Ayaan Gupta on the 19th hole after both players were level at the end of 18 holes. In the other semifinal, Anshul Mishra beat Anant Ahlawat on the 18th hole. Muthappa was the eighth seed while Mishra was the 15th seed and now they will battle it out in the 36-hole final.

In the semis, Muthappa was 1-up over Gupta after three and nine, they were all square after thirteenth. Muthappa was again 1-over Gupta after fifteen but had an all-square after the eighteenth. Finally, Muthappa won over Gupta on the 19th hole.

In the other semifinal, Mishra and Ahlawat saw Mishra go 1 over Ahlawat. While they were at an all-square after eight and twelve, Ahlawat put up a tough competition, putting up 1-up over Mishra after thirteen. After having an all-square after the 16th hole, Mishra won over Ahlawat on the 18th hole.

A total number of 32 players came through the stroke play event for the match play segment. After the first round, it came down to 16 players in the pre-quarterfinals of the prestigious event.

Results of the pre-quarterfinals:

32-Arjun Singh Bhatia beat 17-Sukhman Singh 4 & 3;

8-Varun Muthappa beat 24-Akshath Sharma 3 & 2;

4-Ayaan Gupta beat 13-Sagar Uppal 3 & 2;

5-Aaditya Gupta beat 12-Umed 4 & 3

2-Jaibir Singh Kang lost to 15-Anshul Mishra vs 2 UP;

7-Tushar Pannu 21 beat 23-Rakshit Dahiya on the 21st hole;

3-Jujhar Singh lost to 14-Anant S Ahlawat vs 3 & 2;

27-Ritesh beat 11-Deepak Yadav 3 & 2

Results of the quarterfinals:

32-Arjun Singh Bhatia lost to 8-Varun Muthappa 1-up;

4-Ayaan Gupta 20 beat 5-Aaditya Gupta 20th;

15-Anshul Mishra beat 7-Tushar Pannu 19th;

14-Anant S Ahlawat beat 27-Ritesh 6 & 5

Results of the semifinals:

8-Varun Muthappa beat 4-Ayaan Gupta 19th hole;

15-Anshul Mishra beat 14-Anant S Ahlawat 1-up

--IANS

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Gurugram, Dec 14 (IANS) Pritish Karayat and Shambhavi Chaturvedi were adjudged the overall winners in the fourth edition of the US Kids Golf Indian Championships at the Classic Golf and Country Club. Indians won most of the group titles with the exceptions being Rohin Patel (Boys 8) and Rayan Patel (Boys 10). Both Rohin and Rayan are from the United States.

In a competition dominated by local golfers, other international stars who did well were Shwaas Kurada of the US, who was second in Boys 12 and in Girls 11-12, Malaysia’s Woo Kay-Lin was third as another Swedish player Mahi Srivastava was fourth.

Pritish shot the best round of the week with 6-under 66 on the first day and that helped him keep his lead through the week as he beat Arshvant Srivastava, whose valiant attempt fell short. Pritish totalled 3-under 213, the best total among those playing 18-hole rounds. He was also adjudged the overall winner with World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points.

In the seniormost section, where WAGR points were on offer, Arshvant had two doubles and four other bogeys against five birdies for a 75 as Pritish played a steady round. It was his second under-par round in three days with four birdies and two bogeys for a 70 that gave him a 3-under 213 total. Arshvant shot 5-over 221.

Shambhavi Chaturvedi earned WAGR points as she totalled 16-over for three days in Girls 13-14, which was one shot better than Girls 15-18 winner, Ayesha Gupta, who won with 17-over. The most consistent performer of the week was young Nihal Cheema, who turned in three straight under-par rounds of 34-35-34 in his three nine-hole rounds for Boys 7 and under and he won by a big margin over his nearest rival, Shabd Agarwwal.

US golfer Rayan Patel (9-over), rallied from four shots behind to win by one over Jot Sarup Gupta (10-over) in Boys 10 with a fine come-from-behind victory. Jot Sarup led after the first two rounds, before losing because of three bogeys in the last five holes. Rayan had a very solid even par on the back nine.

Among girls, Ahana Shah was a consistent performer with 37-35-36 for an even-par total to finish ahead of second-placed Naasyha S Sinha, who dislodged Aahana Srivastava from the second place in the Girls 8 section. Naina Kapoor who opened the week with 2-under 70 had a big win over Aanya Dandriyal in Girls 11-12. Naina totalled 3-over. Kabir Goyal in Boys 9 had two fine rounds of 1-under 71 each while winning his section over Sahib Aujla, second, and Divjot Gupta, third.

Siddhant Sharma, leader after two rounds stayed ahead to beat a charging Adit Veeramachaneni in Boys 11, as Smyaan Gupta kept Sohang Singh Kantor at bay by one shot to win in Boys 13-14.

Among other winners were Vidit Aggarwal in Boys 12, Aaradhya Bhatnagar in Girls 9-10 and Ayesha won the Girls 15-18 section.

Leading scores: after the third and final Round of the 2024 US Kids Golf Indian Championship:

Boys 7&U: 1. Nihal Cheema 34-35-34; 2. Shabd Agarwwal 48-50-55;

Boys 8: T-1. Rohin Patel (US) 46-38-40 2. Samar Singh 46-43-40;

Boys 9: 1. Kabir Goyal 71-74-71; 2. Sahib Aujla 75-75-74;

Boys 10: 1. Rayan Patel (US) 77-77-71; 2. Jot Sarup Gupta 71-79-76;

Boys 11: T-1. Siddhant Sharma 75-70-72; 2. Adit Veeramachaneni 76-71-73;

Boys 12: 1. Vidit Agarwal 78-80-85; 2, Shwaas Kurada 92-85-92;

Boys 13-14: 1. Smyaan Gupta 74-80-80; 2. Sohang Singh Kantor 78-79-78;

Boys 15-18: 1. Pritish Singh Karayat 66-77-70; 2. Arshvant Srivastava 74-72-75

Girls 8 & U: 1. Ahana Shah 37-35-36; 2. Naaysha S Sinha 41-36-36

Girls 9-10: 1. Aaradhya Bhatnagar 92-86-85; 2. Aaliyah Kalra 94-88-84;

Girls 11-12: 1. Naina Kapoor 70-75-74; Aanya Dandriyal 81-78-84;

Girls 13-14: 1. Shambhavi Chaturvedi 75-79-78; 2. Kriti Parekh 80-79-80

Girls 15-18: 1. Ayesha Gupta 80-72-81; 2. Nayonika Kapoor 85-92-85.

--IANS

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Liverpool, Dec 14 (IANS) Ten-man Liverpool rescued a point in a dramatic 2-2 draw with Fulham thanks to a late goal from the returning Diogo Jota in the Premier League 2024-25 at Anfield here on Saturday afternoon.

Andreas Pereira opened the scoring for the visitors in 11 minutes by acrobatically converting a deep cross at the back post following a counter-attack.

Andy Robertson was then shown a red card soon after having brought down Harry Wilson when the winger looked to break through on goal. Cody Gakpo drew the 10-men level shortly after half-time when he headed in Mohamed Salah’s cross at close range to give Arne Slot’s side hope; however, Rodrigo Muniz touched in a second for Fulham with 14 minutes of normal time remaining. Nevertheless, Jota came off the bench to sweep in an equaliser on his first appearance since October 20 to make sure Liverpool took something for their endeavours.

Fulham took the lead when Pereira stretched at the back post to hook in a centre from Antonee Robinson, finding the net via a deflection off Robertson in the 11th minute.

The start to the game would go from bad to worse for Liverpool when Robertson was shown a red card on 17 minutes after Wilson had pounced on his attempt to control a ball in behind and gone down under his attempt to recover.

A lengthy VAR check followed, but the punishment was allowed to stand, deeming the incident a denial of a goalscoring opportunity and leaving the Reds with plenty of work to do.

The Reds didn’t have to wait long to draw themselves level after the restart. Indeed, Gakpo dove to head in a sublime Salah delivery from the left inside the opening two minutes and equalise.

Fulham regained the lead with 14 minutes remaining when Muniz turned in Robinson’s cut-back from close range after a raid down the left.

The Reds pressed to find a second leveller and Nunez played a ball to Jota on the edge of the area, who side-stepped Jorge Cuenca and found the back of the net to tie the game and secure a point on the night.

--IANS

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Madrid (Spain), Dec 14 (IANS) Real Madrid have the chance to go to the top of La Liga all be it for just 24 hours when they make the short trip to play Rayo Vallecano on Saturday. Carlo Ancelotti's side plays after a morale-boosting win away to Italian side, Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday night, which eased fears that may not make the knockout phase in that competition.

The win came at a price, however, with Kylian Mbappe suffering a hamstring injury, that will stop him from travelling to the Vallecas Stadium and make him a doubt for the Intercontinental Cup final that Madrid plays in Qatar on December 18.

Mbappe joins left-back Ferland Mendy, Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, and Eduardo Camavinga on the injury list.

Alaba and Camavinga are back in training, with Ancelotti saying in his pre-game press conference that the French international could return on Saturday.

With the Intercontinental Cup on the horizon, Ancelotti will also have to decide whether to rest Jude Bellingham. Bellingham has been vital to Madrid with six goals in his last seven matches, but he has also shown signs of fatigue, such as in last weekend's 3-0 win in Girona.

"He is a very important figure, as well as quality, he gives a lot of commitment to the team and that is something that the players value in a leader - the commitment he has," commented Ancelotti, who added that Mbappe would travel to the Intercontinental Cup in case he recovers in time.

Vinicius Jr forced his recovery from a hamstring to play in Italy on Tuesday and Ancelotti also has to decide whether to risk another player, who is vital for the cause, with Brahim Diaz and Arda Guler both offering reliable alternatives, although the coach didn't seem to be in favour of making changes.

"I can rotate the team if I have players, but with a squad of 14 or 15, it's complicated, we have some very young players and it's not always positive to put them in the team," said Ancelotti.

--IANS

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Hangzhou (China), Dec 13 (IANS) Paris Olympic champion An Se-young of South Korea booked her spot in the women's singles semifinals of the 2024 BWF World Tour Finals here on Friday. After losing to Japanese ace Akane Yamaguchi on Thursday in Group B, An enjoyed a comfortable 21-11, 21-15 win over China's Han Yue to progress. The latter also qualified for the semis with two wins.

Japan's Aya Ohori and China's Wang Zhiyi also reached the last four from Group A, reports Xinhua.

In the men's singles, Denmark's Anders Antonsen and Chinese Taipei's Chou Tien Chen progressed to the semifinals from Group A, while home favourite Shi Yuqi and Indonesia's Jonatan Christie made the last four from Group B.

Elsewhere, Olympic champions Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong of China secured a semifinal place in the mixed doubles event, while Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan cruised to the women's doubles semifinals.

"I've kept my promise to get into semis. I hope all my fans could enjoy 'our last dance'," said Zheng, who announced in November that he would retire from international competition after the BWF World Tour Finals.

China had clinched both women's doubles and mixed doubles titles at the 2023 BWF World Tour Finals while Tai Tzu-ying of Chinese Taipei and Viktor Axelsen of Denmark took the women's and men's singles.

In the women's doubles final, defending champions Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan of China encountered little challenge from South Korean duo Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee before claiming their 21-16, 21-16 victory.

Mixed doubles world No. 1 Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong of China defended their title with a straight-game victory 21-11, 21-18 over compatriots Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping.

--IANS

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Madrid (Spain), Dec 13 (IANS) The top three teams in La Liga all play rivals in the bottom half of the table this weekend, while Valladolid host an absolutely vital match in the relegation zone.

Here are four things to look out for this weekend in Spain:

1. Bellingham on fire for Real Madrid

Jude Bellingham has sprung to life at Real Madrid in recent weeks when the team needed him most, with Kylian Mbappe struggling for form and Vinicius Jr injured. The England midfielder has scored six goals in the last seven games, emphatically putting behind him a start to the season where he looked flat and jaded after the UEFA European Championship, reports Xinhua.

Mbappe looked to be recovering his best form, with a vital goal in Madrid's UEFA Champions League win in Atalanta on Tuesday, but missed Saturday's short trip to play a spirited, but limited Rayo Vallecano with a hamstring problem. Vinicius is also back after forcing his return from injury, but with the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final on December 18, coach Carlo Ancelotti may not want to risk him in his starting 11, meaning Bellingham will again lead from the front.

2. Araujo back as Barca need to tighten up

FC Barcelona all but assured their place in the knockout stage of the Champions League with a 3-2 win away to Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, but coach Hansi Flick will have been worried that the defence twice allowed the rival to get back into the game.

Although Raphinha and Lamine Yamal continue to dazzle in attack, Barca's defence is looking tired at the moment, which is why Ronald Araujo is available at the right time. The Uruguayan has missed the entire season through injury but was in Wednesday's squad and his return should allow Flick to rotate his central defence with Pau Cubarsi or Inigo Martinez getting a rest against a well-worked, but limited Leganes.

3. Two teams on the up in San Sebastian

Real Sociedad entertain Las Palmas on Sunday in a game between two in-form teams, with Real Sociedad climbing up to sixth after four wins in their last five league games, while also assuring at least a place in the playoffs for the last-16 in the Europa League.

Las Palmas travel to the Anoeta Stadium after winning five out of seven league games since Diego Martinez took over as coach to move from rock bottom to five points clear of the relegation zone. Sandro Ramirez has been excellent for Las Palmas, while Ander Barrenetxea and Mikel Oyarzabal have led the Real Sociedad attack to good effect.

4. Drama in Valladolid

The weekend gets underway with bottom side Valladolid at home to second-bottom Valencia, with Valencia coach Ruben Baraja in danger of losing his job if his side fails to win. "Nobody has more to play for at Valencia than I do," said Baraja in Thursday's press conference, showing he is well aware of his current situation.

Baraja has done a good job at the club, but this season he hasn't been able to inspire his players as he did in the last 18 months.

--IANS

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