Mumbai, June 23 (IANS) The Mumbai International Grandmaster Chess Tournament witnessed a shift in momentum in the seventh 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 Puducherry 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 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.However, it was on board 3 that the day truly sparked to life. GM Aleksej Aleksandrov displayed his vast experience and sharp tactical acumen to defeat GM Sanikidze Tornike of Georgia in a complex and wild battle stemming from the Queen’s Pawn Opening.With this crucial win, Aleksandrov now leads the pack with 6.5 points out of a possible 7, positioning himself as the clear favourite with just two rounds to go.A formidable group of seven players is closely trailing the leader with six points each. This group includes GM Mamikon Gharibyan, GM Manuel Petrosyan, GM Nguyen Van Huy, GM Lalit Babu, GM Sergey Fedorov, Indian GM Neelotpal Das, and IM Arsen Davtyan. The seventh round has set the stage for an intense finish in this tournament, which has a total prize fund of Rs 25 lakh.Earlier on Sunday, overnight leaders, GM Lalit Babu (India) and IM Arsen Davtyan (Armenia) could gain no supremacy over the other and ended their match in a balanced draw, leaving the door open for others to climb into the lead after Round 6 of the Rs 40 lakh prize money Mumbai International Grandmaster and Junior Chess Tournament. After six rounds, five players are tied at 5.5/6, setting up a thrilling race to the finish.In one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, IM Nayaka Buddhidharma (Indonesia) held top seed GM Levan Pantsulaia (Georgia) to a well-earned draw.In other matches, GM Manuel Petrosyan (Armenia) took full advantage, winning a fine game with the White pieces against Alexander Slizhevsky (Russia), while GM Aleksej Aleksandrov (Belarus) also made a statement by defeating GM Luka Paichadze (Georgia) in convincing fashion.–IANSbsk/

New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) As Sri Lanka prepares for the second Test against Bangladesh at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo, head coach Sanath Jayasuriya has admitted that replacing the influence and experience of Angelo Mathews will not be an overnight task. Mathews retired from Test cricket last week after a remarkable 119-match career, leaving behind a formidable legacy and a gaping hole in Sri Lanka’s middle order.“Angelo was a tireless workhorse. He gave everything for the badge and never threw in the towel,” Jayasuriya told Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net). “Even after 100-plus Tests, he trained like a rookie, and his enthusiasm was superb. He set high standards, and his absence will be felt – on and off the field.”Mathews, who is Sri Lanka’s third-highest run-scorer in Test history, announced his retirement, citing the dwindling Test calendar — Sri Lanka are scheduled to play only four Tests in 2025. The decision marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new one filled with uncertainty but also opportunity.With Mathews gone, Sri Lanka are looking at one of three uncapped players — Sonal Dinusha, Pawan Rathnayake, or Pasindu Sooriyabandara — to step up and claim the vacant middle-order spot. Among them, the 24-year-old Sonal Dinusha, a left-handed batter and left-arm spinner, has emerged as the leading candidate to debut at No.6.If Dinusha is picked, Dhananjaya de Silva, who is also captaining the side, is likely to shift up to Mathews’ No.4 position. The expectation is high, but Jayasuriya was quick to temper it with a note of realism and patience. “These youngsters have the talent, no doubt,” he said. “But you can’t expect them to walk in and start punching above their weight straight away. They’ll need time to settle, and our job as coaches is to steer them patiently down the right path.”Dinusha has shown promise with both bat and ball in domestic cricket and for Sri Lanka ‘A’, and his all-round capabilities could provide balance to a side in transition.Sri Lanka are also making tweaks to their bowling combination for the Colombo Test. Left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage and seamer Vishwa Fernando have been drafted into the squad. Fernando, who impressed during his recent county stint with Warwickshire, is set to replace Milan Rathnayake, who misses out due to a side strain.With Prabath Jayasuriya struggling for form, Wellalage could be given a chance to prove his mettle in home conditions. However, considering the SSC pitch’s tendency to assist seamers early on, the selectors might opt for a three-pronged pace attack comprising Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, and Kasun Rajitha.After a rain-marred draw in the first Test at Galle, Sri Lanka will be eager to take control of the series at home. The second and final Test begins Wednesday at the SSC.–IANShs/bsk/

Leeds, June 23 (IANS) India have set England a target of 371 to win the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy after being bowled out for 364 in 96 overs of the second innings at Headingley on Monday. For India, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant were standout batters with 137 and 118, respectively.While Rahul was at his calm and composed best to top-score with 137, his ninth Test hundred laced with 18 boundaries, Pant was at his scintillating best after being subdued to smash 118 – his eighth century in the format, aided by 15 boundaries and three sixes.Before the 195-run stand between Rahul and Pant happened in Headingley, the duo had previously hit centuries while being in a partnership previously at The Oval in 2018. Pant also smashed many records – becoming the first wicketkeeper and fifth batter from India to score two hundreds in the same Test match in overseas conditions.Pant is now just the second wicketkeeper-batter to score centuries in both innings of a Test after Andy Flower did so in 2001. Interestingly, instead of his trademark handspring celebration, he brought out the one that British footballer Dele Alli has made popular.But after Pant and Rahul fell, India suffered yet another batting collapse, as they lost their last six wickets for just 31 runs. Once again, Josh Tongue had a major impact in removing India’s tail and being England’s standout bowler with 3-72 in 18 overs, with all three of his scalps coming in an over.The final session began with KL Rahul and Karun Nair getting five quick boundaries collectively before Brydon Carse made the breakthrough as he managed to get some extra bounce and forced the former to chop onto his stumps. One brought two for England as Nair punched a full ball back to Chris Woakes for a simple return catch.After that, Tongue took over to quicken the end of India’s innings – Shardul Thakur nicked behind to first slip, Mohammed Siraj was dismissed for a golden duck through a well-directed bouncer, and Jasprit Bumrah missed a fuller ball while going for a slog and could only see his middle stump being uprooted.India’s innings ended when Prasidh Krishna holed out in the deep off Shoaib Bashir, as England went off in good spirits to take charge for the chase.Brief scores:India 471 and 364 in 96 overs (KL Rahul 137, Rishabh Pant 118; Josh Tongue 3-72, Brydon Carse 3-80) lead England 465 by 370 runs–IANSnr/bsk/

New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) India’s badminton hopes at the US Open 2025 rest on a blend of experience and youth, with veteran shuttler Kidambi Srikanth returning to competitive action to lead the charge in Iowa, as the tournament gets underway this Tuesday.Fresh off a runner-up finish at the Malaysia Masters — a historic feat as he became only the second male player ever to reach a BWF Super 500 final from the qualifiers — Srikanth is brimming with momentum. Seeded eighth at the US Open, the 50th-ranked Indian will begin his campaign against England’s Harry Huang, currently ranked 77th in the world.Joining Srikanth in the men’s singles are rising stars Ayush Shetty and Priyanshu Rajawat, seeded fourth and sixth, respectively. With Shetty ranked 34th and Rajawat just behind at 37th, both are looking to solidify their place among the world’s elite.The Indian men’s singles lineup is further bolstered by Tharun Mannepalli, Rithvik Sanjeevi, and qualifiers Chirag Sen, BM Rahul Bharadwaj, and Darshan Pujari.In the women’s draw, 49th-ranked Aakarshi Kashyap leads the Indian contingent, but all eyes are on 18-year-old Anmol Kharb. The teenager, currently world No. 63, continues to rise rapidly and is tipped as one of India’s most promising prospects. The women’s singles team also includes Tanvi Sharma, Tanya Hemanth, and Shriyanshi Valishetty, with Ira Sharma making the cut through qualifying.India’s best medal hopes in doubles could come from Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi, who are seeded third in men’s doubles. They are joined by multiple Indian pairs, including Dingku Singh Konthoujam-Amaan Mohammad and Abinash Mohanty-Ayush Pattanayak, while four more duos come in from qualifying.In the women’s doubles, India has a single pair: Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra, seeded eighth and carrying the weight of the nation’s expectations in the category.But the most exciting prospect lies in the mixed doubles, where top seeds Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto enter the draw as favourites. The pair reached the semifinals of the German Open earlier this year and have shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season. Their chemistry on the court and recent form make them strong contenders for the title.–IANShs/bsk/

Gwalior, June 23 (IANS) In what will go down as one of the most dramatic comebacks in this Madhya Pradesh League season, Bhopal Leopards pulled off a sensational three-wicket win over table-toppers Rewa Jaguars to become the first team to enter the MPL 2025 Final.The stunning finish came courtesy of an unbeaten 65-run partnership between Madhav Tiwari and Kamal Tripathi, who chased down a steep target of 177 in 18.5 overs at the Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium on Monday.Chasing 177, Bhopal were reeling at 115/7 in the 16th over. Their top order had collapsed under pressure with both openers dismissed inside two overs, and even their dependable middle order, including Aniket Verma, couldn’t withstand the challenge posed by Rewa’s disciplined attack.But from the ruins emerged two unlikely heroes.Madhav Tiwari, who hadn’t had many chances this season due to washed-out fixtures, stepped up when it mattered most. He began accelerating at just the right time before Kamal Tripathi walked in and changed the entire tempo of the game.Tiwari remained unbeaten on 65 off 31 balls (4 fours, 5 sixes), while Kamal blasted 40 not out in just 13 deliveries, including five sixes. Their counter-attack was brutal, calculated, and utterly fearless.Reflecting on his mindset, Madhav said, “I stayed positive throughout the season. I kept telling myself that whenever I got the chance, I had to win the game for my team. Thankfully, that opportunity came in the semi-final and I was able to contribute.”At the other end, Kamal Tripathi walked in and changed the game in a blink. His whirlwind knock stunned the Rewa bowlers and lifted the team into the final.“Honestly, I was just a spectator at the non-striker’s end,” Madhav added with a smile. “The way Kamal hit those shots was unreal. The pitch wasn’t easy at all, but he used his reach so smartly.”Earlier in the evening, Rewa Jaguars, opting to bat first, posted a solid 176/7, thanks to Prithviraj Singh Tomar’s 52 off 35 and some solid top-order partnerships. However, Bhopal bowlers showed great character in the latter stages. Gautam Raghuwanshi claimed two wickets, while Arshad Khan, Roshan Kewat, Shivang Kumar, and Kamal Tripathi took one apiece to keep the target within reach.Chasing that total, Bhopal’s innings unravelled quickly, and when they were seven down with more than 60 still needed, few would’ve believed in them. But Madhav and Kamal had other ideas.Captain Arshad Khan was proud of his team’s resilience. “We faced a big challenge since four of our league matches were washed out. But today, both our bowling and batting units came together brilliantly. Every player in our squad is capable of taking responsibility. We promoted Madhav today because we believed he could do the job, and he absolutely delivered. Kamal made it even easier for him with a phenomenal knock,” he said.Talking about the decision to send Madhav up the order, Arshad explained, “The coaching staff and I discussed that if Madhav can play around 30-35 balls, he could easily score at a strike rate of 200. That was the thinking behind promoting him, and the result spoke for itself. It was a huge positive for us.”Madhav, who has been part of the Delhi Capitals setup in the IPL, credited the experience for helping him prepare mentally for pressure situations.“Yes, IPL helped a lot. Sharing the dressing room with senior Indian and international players teaches you a lot. Even though I didn’t get to bat much during the league, I stayed mentally ready.”Asked about his inspiration as a finisher, Madhav said, “I really admired how Ashutosh Sharma finished games, but I also learned a lot from KL Rahul, especially the way he reads the game. That came in handy today.”Arshad echoed the sentiment about the IPL experience helping in crunch moments. “The pressure in IPL is on another level, but knockout games like this aren’t far behind. To see the way Kamal and Madhav batted, and how our bowlers like Shivang responded, it was top-class.”With this thrilling win, Bhopal Leopards have become the first team to reach the MPL 2025 Final, where they will look to carry this dream run all the way to the title.—IANSaaa/bsk/

Beijing (China), June 23 (IANS) On a fresh and promising morning in China’s capital, India’s Jhandu Kumar delivered an exceptional performance to secure a bronze medal in the Men’s 80kg weight category at the World Para-Powerlifting World Cup as India ended their campaign with five medals in all — one gold, one silver and three bronze medals.Jhandu impressed the judges and spectators alike with two powerful lifts of 187kg and 192kg in consecutive attempts. His performance added the final flourish to India’s overall campaign in the prestigious event.With this, India concluded their campaign with a total of five medals, marking one of its strongest performances in recent editions of the World Cup. Beyond the medal tally, several Indian athletes also delivered commendable efforts, achieving notable international rankings and further strengthening India’s presence in the global Para powerlifting circuit.JP Singh, Chief Coach of the Indian Para-Powerlifting Team, expressed pride in the team’s performance.“I am extremely proud of the way our athletes performed at this World Cup. Jhandu Kumar’s bronze today was the perfect conclusion to a strong campaign. Winning 5 medals at such a competitive international event reflects the dedication of our lifters and the entire support team. We’re steadily moving forward, and I’m confident that even bigger results are ahead for India in para powerlifting.”Among other bronze medal winners for India are Ramubhai B. Bambhava, who won bronze in Men’s up to 72 kg, and Gulfam Ahme,d who took bronze in the Men’s up to 59 kg category.The World Para-Powerlifting World Cup 2025-2028 season includes the World Cups, offering competition opportunities to athletes from all continents. The World Cups also distribute important ranking points, which will help determine the qualification slots for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.China topped the medals tally with 38 medals — 26 gold, five silver and seven bronze while Uzbekistan ended second with 24 medals — 15 gold, five silver and four bronze.–IANSbsk/

Mumbai, June 23 (IANS) The Hyderabad Heroes produced a scintillating display of rugby, as they went back to the top of the points table, swatting aside the challenge of the Chennai Bulls 28-7 in a crucial clash of Season 1 of the Rugby Premier League (RPL) at the Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex (Andheri Sports Complex) here on Monday.In the other game of the day, the Delhi Redz won handsomely against the Bengaluru Bravehearts.In the first game of the day, the Delhi Redz have registered their third win of the tournament, after they defeated the Bengaluru Bravehearts with a scoreline of 22-12. The Delhi Redz were calling the shots in the game early on and scored important points to surge into the lead. Matteo Graziano and Rajdeep Saha scored a try each before Iowane Teba brought the Bengaluru Bravehearts right back into it with 7 points of his own.Minutes after the half-time break, Pol Pla finished off a fantastic move, which Philip Wokorach had started, with a try, to give the Bravehearts a slender lead. The Delhi Redz, though, weren’t giving in, as Sunil Chawan got on the scoresheet, and Matias Osadczuk converted his kick.After that, the Redz further extended the lead when Moritz Noll added five points to the cause. Eventually, the Redz walked off with a solid win.In the second game of the day, 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.Wolfram Hacker and Terio Tamani added a try each in the final quarter, and Tamani converted both his kicks as well, giving the Hyderabad Heroes a clinical win on the night. The win will see the Heroes move up to the top spot on the points table.–IANSbsk/

Leeds, June 23 (IANS) Outstanding centuries from KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant have put India in command of the first Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test as they ensured the lead went past 300 on Monday.At tea, India’s lead read as 304 runs, with their second innings scorecard reading as 298/4 in 75 overs, as 145 runs came off the second session, as Rahul and Pant pounced on the old ball and England looking very short on ideas.While Rahul was at his composed self to be unbeaten on 120, his ninth Test hundred laced with 15 boundaries, Pant was at his scintillating best to smash 118 – his eighth century in the format aided by 15 boundaries and three sixes.Before the 195-run stand between Rahul and Pant happened in Headingley, the duo had previously hit centuries while being in a partnership previously at The Oval in 2018. Pant also smashed many records – becoming the first wicketkeeper and fifth batter from India to score two hundreds in the same Test match in overseas conditions.Pant is now just the second wicketkeeper-batter to score centuries in both innings of a Test after Andy Flower did so in 2001. Interestingly, instead of his trademark handspring celebration, he brought out the one which British footballer Dele Alli has made popular. With Rahul and Karun Nair at the crease, India will be aiming to accelerate further and set England a steep target, especially with second new ball to be taken in third session.The post-tea session began with Pant getting three quick boundaries off Josh Tongue, with Rahul getting his runs off Shoaib Bashir. Pant then deliberately edged past a vacant second slip off Tongue, before reaching his fifty with a brace off the pacer.After flaying Tongue for another boundary, Pant struck Bashir for back-to-back sixes over the bowler’s head and long-on respectively. England called upon Brydon Carse to curb Pant’s scoring, but the keeper-batter pulled him for an authoritative four.Rahul kept his calm to feast on poor balls, before drilling Bashir through cover for two runs to bring up his ninth Test century off 202 balls, and held up his bat and helmet to soak in the applause from the crowd.Pant continued to strike boundaries, before taking 22 balls to get his century, as he didn’t give in to the outside off-stump bait by Bashir and Joe Root. Once he cut Bashir through deep point for a single, Pant brought out his more measured celebrations and soaked in the applause from the crowd, before hugging Rahul and thanking the Almighty.Though Sunil Gavaskar, watching in the media centre balcony, asked for a handspring celebration, a satisfied looking Pant gestured with a ‘next time’. Pant then smashed Root for four, six and four in the very next over, before failing to get the timing right on a slog-sweep and holed out to long-on off Bashir. Rahul and Nair then picked a boundary each to push India’s lead past 300, before tea break arrived.Brief Scores: India 471 and 298/4 in 75 overs (KL Rahul 120 not out, Rishabh Pant 118; Brydon Carse 2-62, Ben Stokes 1-40) lead England 465 in 100.4 overs (Ollie Pope 106; Jasprit Bumrah 5-83) by 304 runs–IANSnr/

Leeds, June 23 (IANS) Sunil Gavaskar and Rishabh Pant continued to serve up viral social media moments during Day 4 of the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Headingley on Monday. The left-handed batter followed his brilliant 134 in the first inning with a 118 in the second, becoming the first wicket-keeper batter to score a century in both innings.He is also the only Indian to score centuries in both innings of a Test in England.Pant’s iconic somersault celebration has garnered a lot of views and eyeballs in recent days, especially after his first innings ton. However, the vice-captain did not pull out the same celebration after reaching his eighth Test ton. Cameras panned towards Gavaskar in the stand, gesturing towards Pant to do the somersault flip when he raised his century.It further added to the special chemistry between the duo. During the 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy, Gavaskar had remarked ‘Pant’s dismissal as ‘Stupid. Stupid. Stupid’ before labelling his first innings hundred against England at Headingley as ‘Superb. Superb. Superb.’Pant made his way to the crease after India skipper Shubman Gill was dismissed in the opening over of the day by Brydon Carse. The 27-year-old started his innings in the usual aggressive and unorthodox fashion, but understood and respected the conditions.After scoring 31 off 59 deliveries before lunch, he took the attack to English bowlers, especially Shoaib Bashir, and raised his century in 130 balls.After reaching his century milestone, Pant was dismissed to ramp up India’s score to 118, off Joe Root.Former India player Deep Dasgupta applauded Pant’s ability to bat like one of India’s most resilient batters, Cheteshwar Pujara, and then shift gears when he wants to ramp up the Indian innings.“The first phase of Pant’s innings was entertaining — he was trying to use the strong wind in his favour, playing those big shots. But he wasn’t quite convincing in the way he did it. Then he decided to switch gears completely. And, this is the beauty of Pant — his cricketing mind is sharp. He abandoned the aggressive shots, went all-out defense, and did not play a single aerial shot after that.“It reminded me of how versatile he is. This is the same guy who, early in his Test career, once got a 29-ball duck. He can bat like Pujara for an hour or two. We’ve seen him play at a strike rate of 30 for over an hour during hundreds that he has scored. It was fascinating to see the contrast — two very different versions of Rishabh Pant in one session,” said Deep on Jio Hotstar’s ‘Match Centre Live.’–IANSaaa/bsk/

Leeds (UK), June 23 (IANS) Rishabh Pant etched his name in the record books yet again, becoming the first Indian wicketkeeper to score centuries in both innings of a Test match. The historic feat came during the fourth day of the first Test against England at Headingley, as Pant continued his dazzling run with the bat, bringing up his second hundred of the match in just 130 balls.Pant, who had scored a fluent 134 in the first innings, followed it up with another masterclass under pressure, helping India stretch their second innings lead with a counter-attacking 118. With this, he joins an elite list of just 10 Indian cricketers—including Sunil Gavaskar, Rahul Dravid, and Virat Kohli—to have registered centuries in both innings of a Test match.More notably, he also became only the second wicketkeeper in the history of Test cricket to achieve this rare feat, after Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower did so back in 2001.This was Pant’s 8th Test century, and he now stands tall as India’s most successful wicketkeeper in terms of Test hundreds. The milestone is all the more significant as it came at a time when India were in a precarious position on Day 4. Walking in with the match in the balance, Pant absorbed the pressure with ease and turned the tide with his trademark aggression.Displaying fearless strokeplay, Pant was especially severe on young spinner Shoaib Bashir, dispatching him to all parts of the ground with cheeky paddles, authoritative sweeps, and fearless charges down the pitch. His innings was laced with innovation and intent, as he stayed true to his attacking brand of cricket, regardless of the match situation.Adding to his growing legend, Pant—playing just his 44th Test—has now also surpassed MS Dhoni to become the highest-scoring Indian wicketkeeper in Tests on English soil.–IANShs/