Mumbai, June 24 (IANS) Indian Grandmasters Lalit Babu and Neelotpal Das scored impressive victories in the eighth round to jump into a joint three-player lead, along with GM Gharibyan Mamikon, in the Mumbai International Grandmaster Chess Tournament at the World Trade Centre, here on Tuesday.While Lalit Babu defeated GM Alexei Fedorov with white pieces in 39 moves, Neelotpal got the better of IM Arsen Davtyan. Gharibyan Mamikon delivered a major upset, defeating tournament leader GM Aleksej Aleksandrov with the black pieces to stake his claim among the leaders, with 7 points from 8 matches.Nine players — including GM Aleksandrov, GM Levan Pantsulaia, GM Manuel Petrosyan, GM Deepan Chakkravarthy, and GM Nguyen Duc Hoa — are right behind with 6.5/8.In the Junior Section, FM Aansh Nerurkar bounced back with a powerful win over CM Madhvendra Sharma, while CM Madhesh Kumar was held to a draw by Advik Agrawal. Both Aansh and Madhesh now lead jointly with 7/8 points. Hot on their heels are CM Vyom Malhotra, Advik Agrawal, and Shaunak Badole, all tied with 6.5/8.Earlier on Monday, the Mumbai International Grandmaster Chess Tournament witnessed a shift in momentum in the 7th round as veteran GM Aleksej Aleksandrov of Belarus surged to the top of the leaderboard with an emphatic victory at the World Trade Centre, here.In the junior section, Candidate Master Madhesh Kumar from Pondicherry emerged as the sole leader by defeating Ramanu Mishra to move to 6.5 out of 7. His consistent performance makes him the top contender for the title, especially as tournament favourite and top seed FM Aansh Nerurkar was held to a draw by Shaunak Badole on board.In the seventh round of the Grandmaster section, the top-board clash between Armenian compatriots GM Manuel Petrosyan and IM Arsen Davtyan ended in a quick 16-move draw, with both players opting for a cautious, safety-first approach. A similar outcome was seen on board 2, where GM Mamikon Gharibyan and Indian GM Lalit Babu settled for a 36-move draw in the Ruy Lopez.–IANSbsk/

Mumbai, June 24 (IANS) The Kalinga Black Tigers produced a clinical and dominant display against the Mumbai Dreamers, defeating them 33-5 in a Season 1 match of the Rugby Premier League at the Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex (Andheri Sports Complex), here on Tuesday.The Kalinga Black Tigers started well as they kept the Mumbai Dreamers at bay, and just before the end of the first quarter, Perry Baker scored a well-worked try, after which Maurice Longbottom converted easily. A little later, the Tigers doubled their lead when Baker scored yet another try, and Ethan Turner converted his kick with aplomb. At half-time, the Kalinga Black Tigers led 14-0.After the break, the Tigers continued their dominant display as Ethan Turner now had a try to his name. At the other end, though, the Dreamers finally managed to get on the scoresheet as Elias Hancock went over the line.Any hopes of a comeback for the Dreamers, though, were snuffed out by the Tigers as Lucas Lacamp scored a couple of quick tries and Longbottom polished off the conversions with ease.The RPL Season 1 is reaching the home stretch with Hyderabad Heroes becoming the first team to claim a spot in the playoffs. The Hyderabad team secured its place in the playoffs with a crucial win over Chennai Bulls in a crucial match on Monday.The Hyderabad Heroes produced a scintillating display of rugby, as they went back to the top of the points table, after swatting aside the challenge of the Chennai Bulls by a scoreline of 28-7.The Hyderabad Heroes were in fine form and dominated the Chennai Bulls, winning 28-7. The Chennai Bulls were out of the blocks at good speed and took the lead when Terry Kennedy scored a try, and Joaquin Pellandini added two more to the cause. However, after that, the Hyderabad Heroes cranked up the style – Javed Hussain and Motu Opetai scored a try each, and Manuel Moreno converted on both occasions. At the half-time break, the Hyderabad Heroes led 14-7.–IANSbsk/

Chennai, June 24 (IANS) Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu takes on Chandigarh while Odisha take on Maharashtra in the semifinals in the men’s category, while Tamil Nadu play Odisha and Hockey Haryana take on neighbours Punjab in the last-four stage in the women’s section in the 1st Hockey India Masters Cup 2025 here on Wednesday.As the tournament reaches its knockout stage, these teams will be hoping to secure their places in the finals in both categories in the inaugural edition of the event.Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu, Hockey Association of Odisha, Hockey Haryana, and Hockey Punjab won their respective matches in the quarterfinals to move ahead in the competition and face each other in the last-four stage of the women’s category. In the first quarterfinal match in the women’s category on Tuesday, the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu defeated Hockey Karnataka 3-1. Chitra (18’), Rasna Suresh Babu (22’), and Saumya (39’) scored for the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu, whereas Rohini MR (57’) managed to score a consolation goal in the final minutes. With this win, the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu has secured its position in the semis.In the second Quarterfinal match, the Hockey Association of Odisha defeated Kerala Hockey 10-0. Sarita Lakra (14’, 32’, 36’, 46’, 50’) stood out to be the top goal scorer after scoring five goals in the match. Pratima Ekka (11’) scored one goal while MINZ Sarita Roshan (23’, 26’, 43’) netted a hat-trick to strengthen their position in the game. Captain Lucela Ekka (8’) also scored one goal to take the total of the goals scored in double digits, convincingly securing their berth in the last four stages.In the next QF, Hockey Haryana successfully got a step closer to lifting the trophy after entering the semifinals with an 8-0 victory against Hockey Himachal in the women’s category. Chingshubam Sanggai Ibemhal (2’, 12’, 26’, 33’) managed to score a sum of four goals throughout the first three quarters and took the game away from Hockey Himachal. Nishi Shivendra Singh (4’), Sonika Yadav (8’), Captain Pritam Siwach (27’), and Anchal Verma (54’) also scored one goal each to help their team reach the semis.In the fourth QF match of the women’s category, Hockey Punjab defeated Hockey Maharashtra 13-0. Captain Amandeep Kaur (2’, 7’, 19’, 20’, 54’) led from the front and stood out to be the goal scorer as she scored five goals in the match. Baljit Kaur Marar (3’, 31’, 44’, 46’) also scored four goals to take the game further away from the opponent. Sania Sharma (23’), Arun Bala (29’), Sangita Minz (37’), and Jaspreet Kaur (58’) also contributed with one goal each to enter the Semi-Finals.On the other hand, in the third quarterfinal match of the men’s category, Hockey Maharashtra defeated Hockey Karnataka 2-1. Paramesh KS (15’) opened the numbers on the scoreboard in the game for Hockey Karnataka. In response, Captain Dhananjay Mahadik (19) scored an equaliser for Hockey Maharashtra. Also, Sandesh Ganesh More (39) scored a match-winning goal to take his team to the Semi-Finals.In the last Quarterfinal match of the men’s category, Hockey Chandigarh defeated Hockey Haryana 2-2 (SO 3-1). Vivek Dahiya (29’) and Jitender Kumar (47’) scored one goal each for Hockey Haryana. On the opposite side, Ravinder Singh (43’, 58’) scored a brace to end the game in a draw, by the final whistle. In the shoot-out, goalkeeper Arundeep Sanghotra stood out to be a top performer for Hockey Chandigarh as he saved three out of the four chances. Virender Singh managed to score one goal for Hockey Haryana, whereas Ravinder Singh, Sanjiv Kumar, and Vikram Saini scored for Hockey Chandigarh to register the win.Line Up for semifinals:Men’s Category: June 25, 2025semis1: Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu vs Hockey Chandigarh – 1400 HRSSemifinal 2: Hockey Association of Odisha vs Hockey Maharashtra – 1600 HRSWomen’s Category: June 26, 2026 Semifinal 1: Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu vs Hockey Association of Odisha – 0600 HRSSemifinal 2: Hockey Haryana vs Hockey Punjab – 0800 HRS–IANSbsk/

Leeds, June 24 (IANS) India clawed their way back into the contest thanks to a game-changing double strike by Shardul Thakur, just as England seemed to be cruising in their record chase of 371, at Tea on Day 5 of the gripping first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy at Headingley here on Tuesday.With Shardul (2-28) and Prasidh Krishna (2-69) striking crucial blows, England were 269/4 and required 102 more runs with six wickets in hand, as dark clouds and light rain forced an early tea break on the fifth and final day of the match.The day began brightly for the hosts, with Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley extending their opening stand to 188 runs, the highest ever for England in the fourth innings at this venue. Duckett was the dominant force, racing to his sixth Test hundred — and first in the second innings — off just 121 balls, despite being handed a reprieve on 97 when Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped his third catch of the match at deep square leg. Crawley looked settled as well, pulling Prasidh Krishna to the fence to take England past 200. But Krishna struck immediately after, finding Crawley’s edge with a delivery that shaped away. KL Rahul held on safely at slip to end the 188-run stand. The quick double blow continued as Krishna then had Ollie Pope bowled via an inside edge for just 8.Duckett kept the pressure on, playing a stunning reverse slap for six off Ravindra Jadeja. But the match flipped again when Shardul Thakur, largely ineffective until that point, was brought back into the attack by captain Shubman Gill. He dismissed Duckett for a well-made 149 with a loose half-volley that was driven straight to substitute Nitish Kumar Reddy at extra cover. Thakur then removed Harry Brook with a leg-side strangle on the next ball — a golden duck — giving India a much-needed lifeline.Ben Stokes and Joe Root were watchful heading into the break, with the Indian bowlers keeping things tight. A failed review by India against Stokes for a short-leg catch added to the drama. With 102 runs still to chase and rain lingering, the final session is poised on a knife’s edge — a thrilling climax awaits. Brief scores: India 471 and 364 lead England 465 and 269/4 in 58.3 overs (Joe Root 14 not out, Ben Stokes 13 not out; Shardul Thakur 2-28, Prasidh Krishna 2-69) by 102 runs–IANShs/bsk/

Bad Homburg (Germany), June 24 (IANS) The top two seeds at the Bad Homburg Open both made it safely into the quarterfinals on Tuesday — but via contrasting routes.No. 2 Jasmine Paolini needed to navigate a host of set-point saves and match-point misses before overcoming Leylah Fernandez 7-6(8), 7-6(6) in 2 hours and 32 minutes, the joint second-longest two-set match of 2025 so far. No. 1 Jessica Pegula was thoroughly efficient in defeating qualifier Katerina Siniakova 6-3, 6-2 in 66 minutes.Paolini’s victory was a triumph of clutch play for the Italian. The tone was set in a seven-deuce opening game, which Fernandez eventually held, and from there, the momentum shifted back and forth between the pair. Paolini, volleying with panache, took a 4-2 lead, only for Fernandez to bounce back with a three-game run. At 6-5, the Canadian held her first set point, but Paolini came up with the shot of the match — a terrific lob on the run to end a lung-busting rally — to fend it off as per WTA.Another two set points for Fernandez came and went in the tiebreak before Paolini converted her second by coming out on top of another enthralling all-court exchange, foiling the former US Open runner-up with an unexpectedly short smash.Paolini rode her momentum to a 5-2 lead in the second set, but Fernandez had upped her baseline aggression, particularly off her forehand wing. This began to pay off as she started to mount a remarkable comeback. Down 5-2, she staved off a first match point with an ace, then clawed her way back to level at 5-5. Fernandez escaped triple match point down 6-5 as Paolini’s backhand let the Rome champion down, then was poised to force a third set as she held a double set point in the tiebreak.But Fernandez was unable to convert either, and a relieved Paolini escaped with the last four points of the match in a row. She will next face either No. 7 seed Elina Svitolina or Beatriz Haddad MaiaPegula and Siniakova have become frequent foes over the years, and their best battles have come on grass. Siniakova was a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 victor in the 2021 Bad Homburg second round, the year she made her first of two finals here; last year, Pegula defeated the Czech 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-3 in the Berlin quarterfinals en route to her first grass-court title.There was no such barnburner in their third encounter on the German lawns. Pegula was near-impenetrable on serve, dropping just four points behind her first delivery and facing just two break points all day. She advances to face either No. 5 seed Emma Navarro or wild card Naomi Osaka.–IANSaaa/

Dehradun, June 24 (IANS) The opening day of competitions at the National Selection Trials 3&4 (Group ‘A’ Rifle/Pistol) saw Olympian Anish Bhanwala emerge on top of the leaderboard in the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol (RFP) T3 Men’s qualification Stage 1, held here at the Trishul Shooting Range, Maharana Pratap Sports College, Raipur.Anish delivered a solid and consistent performance, shooting a series of 99, 97, and 97, to finish with a total of 293 at the end of Round One of qualifications. His Paris Olympics teammate Vijayveer Sidhu (99,99,94) followed closely to take second spot with 292, while Anish’s teammate from Haryana, Mandeep Singh, stood third with 290.Rounding off the top five were Pradeep Singh Shekhawat (Navy) with 290 and Uttarakhand’s own Ankur Goel with 289.The top six shooters after Stage 2 of qualification will advance to the final of the event.The action continues tomorrow (Wednesday, June 25, 2025), with Stage 2 of the men’s RFP T3 qualifications, preceding the final. Also scheduled on Day 2 are two more finals, the 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women and the 10m Air Rifle Men.These trials will help in shaping the Indian shooting team for the 16th Asian Shooting Championships 2025 in Kazakhstan in August and the ISSF World Cup in Ningbo, China, in September.The country’s elite rifle and pistol shooters get into this selection phase following an encouraging run in the double-legged South American ISSF World Cup tour, which marked the beginning of the new international calendar, and the latest edition in Munich. Across both legs in Argentina and Peru, Indian shooters reached 32 finals, including mixed-team medal rounds, and brought home a total of 15 medals, six of them gold.As per the selection Criteria, only eligible shooters in Group “A” will be allowed to participate. The National Selection Trials 3 & 4 will cover all Olympic Rifle and Pistol events and will be limited to a select group of top-ranked shooters. This includes 50 slots each for 10m Air Rifle (Men & Women) and 10m Air Pistol (Men & Women), 30 slots each for 50m Rifle 3 Positions (Men & Women), 20 slots for 25m Rapid Fire Pistol (Men), and 30 slots for 25m Sport Pistol (Women).In Munich, India registered their third top-three finish this year in four World Cups, with two gold and two bronze medals. They not only improved their standing from joint third last year to sole this year but also doubled their medal count, including the gold count, from last year’s Munich World Cup.–IANSbsk/

Agartala (Tripura), June 24 (IANS) Smt. Raksha Khadse, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, stressed on Tuesday conducted a detailed tour and a thorough review of the training facilities and assessed the progress of the athletes at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) operated Sports Training Centre (STC) in Agartala on Tuesday.Minister Khadse is currently on a significant tour of Tripura. As part of the extensive ‘Poorvottar Sampark Setu’ dialogue initiative, and made an unannounced visit to STC Agartala.During her visit, the Minister conducted a thorough review of the training facilities, observed the dedicated work of the coaches, and assessed the progress of the athletes. She also meticulously inspected the modern amenities and overall readiness of the STC centre, which plays a pivotal role in the region’s sports landscape.The SAI-STC centre in Agartala is particularly renowned for its focus on gymnastics, with carefully selected young athletes currently undergoing intensive training. Established through a collaborative effort with the local government, this centre is widely recognised as a crucial pillar for sports development across North-East India.Smt. Khadse’s detailed assessment included a close look at the training equipment, the hostel facilities provided to the athletes, their dietary provisions, and the medical and psychological support services available, ensuring a holistic development environment.A highlight of her visit was the direct interaction with the athletes. The Minister engaged personally with the young trainees, taking the time to understand their motivations, the challenges they face, and their individual aspirations.Many of these budding talents openly shared their dreams of participating in national and international competitions. In a heartwarming response, Minister Khadse remarked, “The future of India lies with these young individuals. The central government stands firmly with them, committed to their success.”Her current tour is an integral part of ‘Poorvottar Sampark Setu’, an ambitious program spearheaded by the Government of India. Under this initiative, Union Ministers undertake direct public engagement tours across the Northeastern states to conduct on-ground reviews of development status and address local issues effectively.During her time in Tripura, the Minister engaged in extensive discussions covering various critical areas, including sports, youth policy, education, and science and technology projects.In line with India’s long-term development vision encapsulated in ‘India@2047’, the sports sector is earmarked to play an increasingly significant role.The overarching objective, as emphasised by the Minister, is to nurture and develop athletes from the grassroots level through SAI centres, preparing them for grand international competitions. Minister Khadse expressed a strong resolve to help young Indian athletes achieve global prominence and excel at major events, specifically targeting the Olympics in 2028 and 2032.Concluding her visit, Smt. Raksha Khadse extended her heartfelt commendation to the youth of Tripura for their boundless enthusiasm in both sports and science. She stated, “North-East India is not just geographically, but also in terms of human skill, talent, and energy, the backbone of India’s bright future.” She reassured everyone present of the central government’s unwavering commitment and full support for their endeavours.–IANSbsk/

Leeds, June 24 (IANS) Rain halted England’s spirited pursuit of 371 on Day 5 of…

Mumbai, June 24 (IANS) Two teams from India will be representing the country in the inaugural NBA Rising Stars Invitational, the league’s first regional high-school basketball tournament that will feature boys’ and girls’ teams from 11 countries across Asia-Pacific.The event will tip off on Wednesday (June 25) at the Kallang Tennis Hub in Singapore as part of a multiday immersive basketball and entertainment festival.The two teams that will be representing India in the prestigious competition will be Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi Public School, Rajnandgaon.This will put 20 young players from the country, who will comprise these two teams, on the international stage, which will be watched by more than 50 basketball scouts and coaches, who will attend the NBA Rising Stars Invitational.In all, 220 high school players will participate in the NBA Rising Stars Invitational. The tournament will feature boys’ and girls’ teams from 11 countries across Asia-Pacific: Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.The players will also take part in skill development, social responsibility programming, and off-court activities promoting cultural exchange. Additionally, top individual performers from the event will have the opportunity to attend future NBA basketball development camps, showcases, and programs.Operated by NBA Singapore, the NBA Rising Stars Invitational is part of the league’s multiyear collaboration with Sport Singapore (SportSG) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). The five-day tournament will tip off with round-robin play from June 25-27 before advancing to single-elimination semifinals and final games on June 28 and 29.In addition to the NBA Rising Stars Invitational, the festival will feature a range of interactive experiences for fans of all ages, including player appearances and meet-and-greets, open court sessions, photo opportunities with authentic NBA memorabilia including the Larry O’Brien Trophy, official NBA merchandise for sale, and performances by the Los Angeles Lakers dance team, the Laker Girls, and Miami Heat mascot Burnie.The multi-day festival features 12 different events to engage fans, players, and the local community. Highlights include Basketball Without Borders Asia, the NBA, and the International Basketball Federation’s (FIBA) global basketball development and community outreach program that took place from June 19-22. Additional events include the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA and Her Time to Play clinics, culminated with the NBA Rising Stars Invitational.Six current and former NBA and WNBA players will participate in the NBA Rising Stars Invitational. They include three-time NBA All-Star Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings; Lithuania); two-time WNBA champion Lauren Jackson (Australia); current Phoenix Suns players Ryan Dunn (U.S.) and Oso Ighodaro (U.S.); and former NBA G League player and current B.LEAGUE player Keisei Tominaga (Japan).NBA legend Yao Ming (China) will make special appearances, including attending the opening ceremony on June 25. The players and legends will interact with youth participants off the court and make appearances at the NBA Fan Zone throughout the week.–IANSbsk/

London, June 24 (IANS) The All England Club have confirmed that Sir Andy Murray is set to be honoured with a statue at Wimbledon during the 2027 edition of the tournament, which will mark 150 years since the tournament began.Murray became the first British Grand Slam singles champion since Virginia Wade in 1977 at the 2012 US Open, where he battled past Djokovic in a thrilling five-set final. The following year, he became the first British male Wimbledon champion since Fred Perry in 1936, ending the nation’s 77-year wait for a home winner at the grass-court major.In 2016, he won his second Wimbledon title and became the first British player to reach World No. 1 in the ATP Rankings.”We are looking to have a statue of Andy Murray here [at Wimbledon] and we’re working closely with him and his team.”The ambition is that we would unveil that at the 150th anniversary of our first championship, which was 1877. He’s got to rightly be very involved in that, and he and his team will be,” said Debbie Jevans, chair of the All England Club, to the Ainslie + Ainslie Performance People podcast.As per the BBC, in 2018, former Wimbledon chief executive Richard Lewis had confirmed the club’s intentions to honour Murray with a statue when he eventually retired.A two-time Olympic men’s singles gold medallist, Murray called curtains on his illustrious playing career after the 2024 Paris Olympics.A bronze statue of Fred Perry was erected at Wimbledon in 1984 to commemorate 50 years since his first singles championship.”Now he’s retired, we’re very much looking at how we can embrace him, for him to be a part of the club in the long term. We looked at Rafa Nadal having that sort of plaque unveiled to him at Roland Garros, which was all very special. We thought, ‘What do we want for Andy? ‘,” Jevans added.–IANSaaa/bsk/