Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa could not really change his fortunes for the better and remained in the last spot going into the final day of the Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz chess tournament in the US. Praggnanandhaa scored two wins at the expense of pre-event favourites Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia and Hikaru Nakamura of Russia besides a lone draw with tournament leader Alireza Firouzja of France but lost the remaining six games in the first leg of blitz.
Aug 17, 2024
Vinesh's Petition Dismissed by CAS
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed the petition from wrestler Vinesh Phogat to be awarded a joint silver medal at the Paris Olympics. This move came just a day after the CAS had bought itself more time to decide the fate of Vinesh Phogat's silver medal.
After she was heartbreakingly disqualified from competing in the final of the 50kg weight class for being 100 grams over the permissible limit, Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from sport. But not before deciding to fight for her medal, this time in the court: assisted by the Indian Olympic Association, Vinesh Phogat knocked on the doors of the CAS to be awarded a shared silver medal.
Aug 16, 2024
Morne Morkel India's New Bowling Coach
Morne Morkel, former South Africa speedster, was appointed as India's men's cricket team's bowling coach. Morkel's appointment completes trio suggested by the new head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Morkel, after having been Gambhir's teammate at the Indian Premier League franchisee Kolkata Knight Riders, was roped in as the bowling coach by Lucknow Super Giants during Gambhir's stint as the mentor.
Besides his experience as bowling coach in franchise cricket across the globe, Morkel also worked as the bowling coach of Pakistan men's team during the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.
Zeeshan Ali Resigns as India's Davis Cup Coach
Zeeshan Ali announced his resignation as India coach, insisting that it was time to focus on the development of the National Tennis Centre (NTC). Zeeshan had replaced Nandan Bal as India's Davis Cup coach in 2013 when the country's top players had revolted against AITA, demanding better playing conditions, and refused to play against South Korea in New Delhi.
Zeeshan captained the country in the historic tie against Pakistan, which India won in Islamabad early this year (2024) with regular skipper Rohit Rajpal missing the assignment due to personal reasons.
During his tenure, Zeeshan worked with S. P. Mishra, Mahesh Bhupathi, Anand Amritraj and current captain Rohit Rajpal.
Prasar Bharati-BCL Sign Landmark Deal to Promote Cricket
The Big Cricket League (BCL) is set to make its debut, in September 2024 in Lucknow, on the Indian cricket landscape, promising a unique blend of local talent and cricketing legends. This franchise-based T20 event is poised to offer aspiring players an unprecedented opportunity to showcase their skills alongside established stars, potentially reshaping the future of Indian cricket.
The BCL forged a long-term partnership with Prasar Bharati, India's national public broadcaster. This collaboration marks a crucial step in ensuring the league's visibility and accessibility across the country.
The league will feature the following six teams, each representing different regions of India: Awadh Lions, Northern Challengers, Rajasthan Kings, Mumbai Marines, Southern Spartans and Bengal Rhinos.
Aug 15, 2024
Para Shuttler Pramod Bhagat Suspended for Breaching Anti Doping Regulations (15)
Para shuttler Pramod Bhagat was suspended by the Badminton World Federation for a period of 18 months for breaching the anti-doping regulations. Now, Pramod will miss the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. The Federation announced that Tokyo 2020 Paralympic gold medal winner Pramod Bhagat was suspended on account of where about failure.
Pramod Bhagat (born 4 June 1988) is an Indian professional Para-badminton player from Vaishali district, Bihar. He is currently ranked world number 2 in para-badminton men's singles SL3, and won a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Men's singles SL3.
P. R. Sreejesh New Head Coach of India's Junior Men's Hockey Team (15)
Hockey India (HI) officially announced that retiring goalkeeper P. R. Sreejesh is the new head coach for the Indian junior men's hockey team. This decision follows India's bronze medal victory at the 2024 Olympics.
Sreejesh had previously announced his retirement, emphasising his commitment to coaching. He reflected on his extensive experience with various coaches and his role as a communicator and organizer on the field. He expressed a deep passion for coaching and a desire to leverage his vast experience in this new role.
Aug 14, 2024
ICC Players of the Month for July 2024
The International Cricket Council (ICC) revealed the recipients of the ICC Players of the Month awards for July 2024. England's Gus Atkinson and Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu were crowned as the standout performers in men's and women's cricket, respectively, for their exceptional contributions to the sport during the month.
Gus Atkinson, the English fast bowler, made an unforgettable entrance into Test cricket during England's ICC World Test Championship series against the West Indies. His remarkable performance played a pivotal role in England's comprehensive 3-0 series victory on home soil.
Chamari Athapaththu, the influential captain of the Sri Lankan women's cricket team, continued to demonstrate her exceptional leadership and batting prowess in July. Her performance was instrumental in Sri Lanka's historic triumph in the Women's Asia Cup.
Pegula Beats Anisimova and Claim 2nd Straight Title
Jessica Pegula, the No. 3 seed and the sixth-ranked WTA Tour player, defended her National Bank Open women's singles title by defeating Amanda Anisimova 6-3 2-6 6-1 in all-American final. Pegula won last year's (2023) National Bank Open in Montreal and improved her all-time record at the Canadian tennis championship to 17-2 in picking up the sixth tournament victory of her career.
Pegula is the first woman to repeat at Canada's showcase event since Martina Hingis in 2000.
Duleep Trophy 2024
The 2024-25 senior men's Indian domestic cricket season will begin with the Duleep Trophy tournament in early September.
Played primarily as a preparatory event ahead of India's home Test series and the tour to Australia later this year (2024), the Duleep Trophy will see a revamp in its structure and overall system. Usually played in the zonal format, across six zones of the country, the Duleep Trophy served as a tournament that offered India's red-ball hopefuls a chance to shine. Last season, Hanuma Vihari-led South Zone won the title, beating West Zone by 75 runs in the final in Bengaluru.
However, the BCCI has decided to do away with the six-team zonal format and zonal selections this time. Instead, four teams, namely India A, India B, India C and India D will feature in the tournament this time. The teams will be selected by the senior national selection committee chaired by Ajit Agarkar.
The Duleep Trophy will be played in a round-robin league-based format with no knockout matches this year. The team at the top of the standings after three rounds will be declared the winner.
The upcoming Duleep Trophy will predominantly be played at two venues within the Anantapur Cricket Ground complex in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh. One match from the first round is also slated to be held at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The tournament will run from September 5 to 22 across three rounds.