Bengaluru, May 29 (IANS) India and Uzbekistan are no strangers when it comes to women’s football. The two sides are preparing to face each other for the 14th time when they play a FIFA International Friendly on Friday.
The senior Indian women’s national team faces Uzbekistan in the first of two FIFA International Friendlies on Friday at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence.India head coach Crispin Chettri said at the pre-match press conference, “We are moving in the right direction. The team have had almost 25 days of preparation, everything’s going as per the expectations.”Since Chettri took over as the head coach of the Blue Tigresses in February, the senior India women’s national team has seen a transition to a much younger squad, something that the coach has emphasised.“We are in a transition phase at the moment, and as a coach, I am willing to struggle and sacrifice for it,” said Chettri. “It’s a mixed bunch that we have. While there are many youngsters, we also have some very good seniors like Panthoi (Chanu Elangbam), Grace (Dangmei), Sweety (Devi Ngangbam), Anju (Tamang), and Ratan (Nongmaithem Ratanbala Devi).“We are without the likes of Ashalata (Devi Loitongbam), Dalima (Chhibber), Aditi (Chauhan), and Indu (Indumathi Kathiresan),” he continued.“What’s important for us right now is to prepare for the next generation. We must develop the younger generation of players for 2031. I think with the mix of experienced players around them, we are heading in the right direction.“The important thing is we have senior players in all the key positions like a goalkeeper, centre-back, midfield, and forward,” the coach said.With the Blue Tigresses set to play the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 qualifiers from June 23 to July 5, in Group B against Mongolia (June 23), Timor-Leste (June 29), Iraq (July 2), and hosts Thailand (July 5), the time for match-preparation is now. However, Chettri is willing to sacrifice results for development.“The Uzbekistan matches are ones where we want to explore and give opportunities to youngsters. We simply want to play proper football and keep possession whenever we can. Instead of the results, we are looking more at how the players fulfill their roles and responsibilities, and there’s no match better to do that than against a quality team like Uzbekistan,” he said.Defender Hemam Shilky Devi stressed the importance of the month-long camp in Bengaluru, as the team prepared with Asian qualification as the primary target.“We’ve had an extremely good camp so far. The facilities that we have been using are excellent, and we’ve been able to just focus on training all month long,” she said.Uzbekistan hold the upper hand in the head-to-head record against India, having won nine of the 13 matches played between the two teams so far, with three matches ending in draws. India, meanwhile, have only won once against Uzbekistan, back in 2003. The last time the two teams played each other was in June 2024, which ended in a stalemate in a friendly in Tashkent.“We played quite often against them, and they are a very good team. We’ve got a lot of respect for them. But our team is also improving, and with the preparation that we’ve had, I can only hope that we will do better than last year,” said Shilky.Uzbekistan senior women’s national team head coach Kotryna Kulbyte lauded the strides India have made in women’s football.“India are a very good opponent, and that is why we agreed to play them in these two friendly matches. They’ve been camping for a month now, so we are expecting a tough couple of matches,” said Kulbyte.“We know how fast women’s football is growing in India with increasing help from the government. I just hope both teams enjoy the game tomorrow.”Uzbekistan captain Diyorakhon Khabibullaeva said, “We could see when we played India a couple of times last year that they are a good team. We’re expecting a tough game.”–IANSab/bsk/

Pathum Thani (Thailand), May 29 (IANS) After completing the Kolkata leg of their training camp,…

New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes left-arm fast-bowler Arshdeep Singh should be included in India’s playing eleven for their upcoming Test series against England, starting on June 20 in Leeds.Arshdeep has been a mainstay in India’s T20I team with 99 wickets in just 63 games. In first-class matches, Arshdeep has picked 66 wickets in 21 games. Ponting has also had a chance to have a close look at Arshdeep (18 scalps) by being his head coach at Punjab Kings, who are now in the playoffs of IPL 2025, and will face off against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 at Mullanpur on Thursday.“I’ve had a good chance to get to know him really well. He’s a great character to have around the team. He’s a fun-loving guy. He’s very laid-back around the group, which is great. Which is what we all like,” said Ponting on The ICC Review show.“As soon as the squad was announced the other day, the Test squad, the first thing I did in our team meeting was to make sure that I acknowledged that Arshdeep had been picked in front of everybody and just congratulated him in front of everybody.”“I think it’s well deserved. I think he’ll bowl well in England as well. I would actually have him in their Test team at the start. He’s very skillful. I think the Duke’s ball will help him in the UK as well. And I just think to have that point of difference, having a left-armer in your team, I think will be something that, if India don’t do it, then it’ll be a bit of a surprise to me,” added the former Australia captain.Arshdeep also had a stint in the County Championship with Kent in 2023, picking 13 wickets in five matches, with his best bowling figures being 3-58. “He’s played county cricket and he knows the conditions there as well.”“Arshdeep is close to six-foot-four, so he’s going to get decent bounce…as we know in England, the ball still swings when it is 30, 40 or 50 overs old. To have someone that’s got that swing bowling ability and a left-armer, I think is something that the Indian team should definitely look out for on that tour.”Quizzed on his process behind taking PBKS to the playoffs for the first time since 2014, in what is also Ponting’s first season as their coach, the legendary Australian batter elaborated on the three principles he brought to the franchise. “The three keywords that I brought this year were being different, being daring, and being dynamic.”“That’s not just the playing group, that’s through the whole organisation. The inclusion thing for me is always a big one. We’ve got not just about 25 players here. We’ve got over 100 people who are hopefully all on the same journey together. We’re heading in the same direction, and me making them feel a part of the journey is a bit of the reason why we’re all here.”“It’s just the end of the qualifying rounds and the big stuff is yet to come, but so far cricket’s been very, very good. It’s been a fun time to be around the team. And I’m looking forward to what the next few weeks bring,” he concluded.–IANSnr/bsk/

Mangaluru, May 29 (IANS) The surfing spotlight returns to Karnataka’s coastal city of Mangaluru as the sixth edition of the Indian Open of Surfing is set to get underway at the Tannirbhavi Eco Beach on Friday.Scheduled from May 30 to June 1, this is the second stop of the 2025 National Surfing Championship Series. Organised by the Surfing Swami Foundation and hosted by the Mantra Surf Club under the aegis of the Surfing Federation of India (SFI), this year’s edition continues to serve as a pivotal leg in the National Championship series, drawing India’s finest surfing talent for three days of high-stakes competition and valuable ranking points.Originally scheduled at Sasihithlu Beach, this year’s competition has been relocated to Tannirbhavi Eco Beach due to unfavourable weather and wave patterns at the former site. While Sasihithlu has been synonymous with the Indian Open of Surfing for years, the new venue promises comparable wave quality while ensuring better safety conditions for surfers and spectators alike.The three-day contest will see over 50 top surfers compete across four divisions: Men’s Open, Women’s Open, Groms (U-16) Boys, and Groms (U-16) Girls. Among the biggest highlights for this round is the return of defending National champion Ramesh Budihal and Kishore Kumar, two of India’s top-ranked surfers who missed the previous edition but are now ready to make a statement.They will join an elite lineup including Harish Muthu, Kamali P., Ajeesh Ali, Srikanth D., and Sanjay Selvamani, all of whom have impressed on the Asian circuit in 2024, including standout performances at the Asian Surfing Championship and the Maruhaba Cup. Their performances were key to India securing a 5th place rank in Asia last year and also securing two quotas for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.Adding a dramatic layer to this year’s edition is the surf forecast, with wave heights predicted between 10 to 12 feet across the competition dates. Due to cyclonic activity and unpredictable weather patterns over the Arabian Sea, the ocean may prove to be an unpredictable competitor and play a spoilsport to the event schedule.The heightened challenge will also have implications for national rankings, especially with the Asian Surf Championship 2025, a qualifier for the 2026 Asian Games, on the horizon.The event continues to enjoy unwavering backing from key partners. The New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) returns as the Title Sponsor for the second consecutive year, while Karnataka Tourism presents the championship for the sixth year running.“We’re excited to bring the sixth edition of the NMPA Indian Open of Surfing to the coast of Mangalore. With a strong field of athletes and a challenging forecast of 10–12 ft waves, we are in for an intense and exciting three days of competition,” said Rammohan Paranjape, vice president of the Surfing Federation of India and director at Mantra Surf Club.In the lead-up to the sixth edition of IOS, local Grom events have been underway, aiming to unearth the next wave of surfing talent in the region. These grassroots competitions not only build momentum ahead of the national championship but also set the stage for a sustainable pipeline of talent.–IANSbc/bsk/

Paris, May 29 (IANS) Ten months after Ashlyn Krueger had knocked her out of the US Open in straight sets, the 18-year-old Russian, Mirra Andreeva, found her moment of redemption on the clay courts of Roland Garros. Andreeva overcame a slow start to outplay Krueger 6-3, 6-4 in the second round on Thursday, advancing to the third round in Paris for the third consecutive year.Andreeva once again showcased her resilience in a match that mirrored her gritty opening-round comeback. Down 3-1 in the opening set, she turned the tide against the hard-hitting Krueger with smart shot selection and unshakable nerves. From 3-1 down, Andreeva reeled off six consecutive games to take the set and the momentum.“This match wasn’t easy,” Andreeva said in her post-match interview. “I lost to her at the US Open, so I knew it would be tough. She’s powerful and aggressive, so I had to stay calm and find a way.”Krueger, who had bested Andreeva 6-1, 6-4 in New York and reached her first WTA 500 final in Abu Dhabi earlier this year, started strongly. Her depth and accuracy troubled Andreeva early, and she seemed in control through the first five games. But a lapse in concentration while serving at 3-2, including three unforced errors and a double fault, opened the door, and Andreeva marched right through.The match turned once the teenager found her rhythm, especially off her backhand wing and with crafty drop shots. Her run of six straight games flipped the script and put her a set and a break ahead.The second set turned scrappy. Both players struggled with their serves, combining for 10 double faults, and there were four consecutive breaks of serve in the middle phase. But as the set wore on, Andreeva’s variety and movement shone. In the eighth game, she thrilled the Court Simonne-Mathieu crowd with a deft defensive drop shot and followed it up in the next game with brilliant retrieving and a sprinting forehand winner that earned her the decisive break.She closed the match confidently, sealing a straight-sets win that underlined just how far she has come in 2025. Now ranked inside the Top 10 after claiming her first two WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells, Andreeva is maturing fast — mentally and tactically.Awaiting her in the third round is either No. 32 seed Yulia Putintseva or qualifier Joanna Garland, as the former Roland Garros semifinalist continues her quest to reach the second week of a major for the fifth time in just her ninth Grand Slam main-draw appearance.–IANShs/bsk/

Munich, May 29 (IANS) Bayern Munich have signed defender Jonathan Tah on a free transfer from Bayer Leverkusen. The 29-year-old, who has been given a contract until June 30, 2029, will wear the number four shirt at FC Bayern.
“Traditionally, the four is the number of uncompromising centre-halves. It stands for sturdiness, tackling strength and leadership skills – qualities that characterise Tah. It is the symbol of stability in defence, worn by the player who holds everything together at the back and, when in doubt, goes where it hurts,” the Bundesliga club said in a release.Hamburg-born Tah undertook his first steps in professional football when he joined the Hamburger SV academy in 2009, aged 13. He made his first-team debut in August 2013 at the age of 17 years, five months and 23 days, making him the youngest debutant in the Hanseatic club’s history at the time.After 20 senior appearances, the centre-back joined Fortuna Dusseldorf on a season-long loan, where he made 23 appearances, before signing for Bayer Leverkusen ahead of the 2015/16 campaign. He played 402 times for the Werkself (18 goals, 13 assists) and won the double of the Bundesliga and DFB Cup in 2024 as well as the Supercup.For Germany, Tah made his debut in March 2016 and has since taken part in the European Championships in 2016 and 2024, earning 35 caps in total. He previously captained both the U19 and U21 national teams.”I’m very happy to be at FC Bayern. I want to take on responsibility here and work hard every day so that we’re successful as a team and win lots of trophies together,” Tah said.Christoph Freund, sporting director said, “In Jonathan Tah we’ve acquired a player with international experience and quality, who won’t need much time to establish himself in our defence. He’ll be a good and important addition for us with his technical qualities as well as his manner and the way he leads.”–IANSab/bc

Ahmedabad, May 29 (IANS) The inaugural edition of the UTT Juniors Table Tennis tournament kicked off on Thursday. U Mumba and Dempo Goa Challengers secured big victories of 7-2 in their respective ties while the Kolkata ThunderBlades edged past Stanley’s Chennai Lions 5-4 in the U-15 tournament. Kolkata ThunderBlades emerged victorious in the first tie of the tournament against Stanley’s Chennai Lions, winning a total of 5 sets while the Lions managed to win 4. Ritvik Gupta began Kolkata’s success tale as he beat Chennai’s Siddhanth Dhariwal by 3-0 (11-6, 11-9, 11-9) in the boys’ singles category.This was followed by the team’s victory in the mixed doubles event as Ritvik and Swara got the better of Siddhanth and Divyanshi by 2-1 (11-10, 6-11, 11-10). The girls’ singles event went in Chennai’s favour as Divyanshi Bhowmick beat Swara Karmakar by 3-1 (11-10, 11-7, 11-9).In the second tie, U Mumba TT registered a dominating victory over Dabang Delhi T.T.C. by 7-2. In the boys’ singles event, Delhi’s Akash Rajavelu beat Prateek Tulsani by 2-1 (11-9, 11-5, 7-11) while the mixed doubles event saw U Mumba taking the front seat as Prateek and Ananya won 3-0 (11-5, 11-7, 11-5) against Delhi’s Akash and Dhaani. With Ananya Muralidharan securing a 3-0 (11-5, 11-6, 11-4) win over Dhaani Jain in the girls’ singles event, U Mumba TT confirmed their victory.In the final tie of the day, Dempo Goa Challengers beat Ahmedabad SG Pipers by 7-2. While Goa’s Sahil Rawat beat Abheek Kashyap by 3-0 (11-4, 11-5, 11-7) in the boys’ singles event, the mixed doubles event also saw Goa emerging victorious with Sahil and Aarya defeating Abheek and Mouboni by 3-0. The final match, however, went in Ahmedabad’s favour with Mouboni Chatterjee defeating Arya Redkar by 2-1.The second day of the tournament will see three ties with U Mumba TT taking on PBG Pune Jaguars in the first clash, followed by a contest between Ahmedabad SG Pipers and Kolkata ThunderBlades. The final match of the day will take place between Jaipur Patriots and Dabang Delhi T.T.C.–IANSbc/ab

New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer opened up about the team’s renewed mindset and his motivation to end the team’s title drought and bring the IPL trophy home and give fans a reason to celebrate. Iyer, the IPL 2024 winning captain for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), was acquired by PBKS in last year’s mega auction for a whopping Rs 26.75 crore. PBKS’ move to break the bank for Iyer has paid off as the side has secured a top-two finish and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2014.”From the start, ever since I was picked in the auction, my desire has been clear — Punjab hasn’t won the trophy yet, and my goal is to help the team lift it for the first time. I want to make the fans proud and give them a reason to celebrate — because in the end, we all want to see that iconic Punjabi celebration,” said Iyer on Star Sports.Under the captaincy of Iyer and the guidance of head coach Ricky Ponting, PBKS have reinvented its approach. Iyer and coach Ponting had worked together at Delhi Capitals previously, where they managed to enter the playoffs in the 2019 season, before becoming runners-up in the 2020 edition. Now reunited at the PBKS set-up, the Iyer-Ponting partnership has resurrected the side’s fortunes and have their eyes set on a maiden IPL title.Ponting reflected on the culture shift he’s driving within the team and the collective hunger to achieve more this season, saying, “When I first took the job, the one thing I told the owners was — things are going to be different. But saying that is one thing, getting the players to buy in is another. They’re the ones who actually bring change, not me. I can share ideas, create a culture, but we all have to be in it together. That’s been my message from day one — from our baggage guys to our captain — we’re all on the same page, working toward the same goal.””It feels like the boys have bought into that, and they’re enjoying themselves. You see it around the team hotel and in the team room — there’s a lot of fun and energy. But we need to keep enjoying it and stay focused. There are still a few weeks left in the tournament. We’ve played good cricket, but we haven’t achieved anything yet. There’s still a lot more to accomplish as a team,” he added.Punjab Kings will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 at home stadium in Mullanpur on Thursday. The team will eye to book a direct berth for the final with a win in front of home fans. The loser of the match will get another chance to aim for title clash through Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad on Sunday. –IANSbc/ab

Jaipur, May 29 (IANS) Former Indian spinner Pragyan Ojha has joined the tennis ball cricket league ‘The Legenz T10’ as League Commissioner. The League will get underway on June 25.
Each match will follow the T10 format (10 overs per side), ensuring high-intensity cricket. Ojha, who has played 24 Tests, 18 ODIs 6 T20Is for India, will oversee the League’s operations, ensuring smooth execution and growth of the innovative competition.”I am thrilled to be part of The Legenz T10 and contribute to this dynamic platform that bridges grassroots cricket with big stage. I look forward to working with passionate players and creating something special,” Ojha said in a statement.The Legenz T10 vision is to bring India’s street cricketers into the limelight. Built on the slogan ‘Gali Se TV Tak,’ The Legenz T10 offers a direct path from raw passion to real recognition.Venkatesh Prasad, chairman of The Legenz T10 said, “We’ve all seen amazing talent in our local parks and gullies – young boys and men with unmatched skill and fierce hunger to perform. The Legenz T10 is for them. We’re building a platform that will transform tennis ball cricket forever.”Adding excitement to the league is the involvement of former international cricketers such as Irfan Pathan, who will mentor and share the field with players. Fans can look forward to watch all T10 action live on Sony Sports Network.Aspiring players can register by submitting a video of themselves either facing six balls or bowling six balls, accompanied by an entry fee. As a token of appreciation, every registrant will receive a custom The Legenz T10 cricket bat.From these entries, the top 5,000 players will be shortlisted and awarded a Silver Ticket, giving them the opportunity to attend physical trials in five major cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Indore. Additionally, these players will gain exclusive access to a one-year online cricket training module.The best 150 players from the trials will progress to the next stage, earning the prestigious Golden Ticket. Of these, 72 players will advance to the final selection round with a Diamond Ticket through auction and will play in The Legenz T10 League.The remaining 78 players will retain their Golden Ticket and secure a guaranteed spot in the next season of the league.–IANSbc/

Mumbai, May 29 (IANS) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday confirmed that the Australian women’s team will tour India for a three-match ODI series in September serving as crucial preparation ahead of the Women’s ODI World Cup.
The first ODI of the series will be played on September 14 followed by second and third matches on September 17 and 20 respectively. Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium will host all three matches of the series.The Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian team will begin their World Cup preparations with a white-ball tour of England, starting on June 28. India are scheduled to face England in five T20Is and three ODIs before playing Australia in a three-match ODI series in September.The board also announced that the India A men’s team will host Australia and South Africa in two multi-format series, starting in late September. Lucknow will host both multi-day games against Australia while Kanpur will play host to three limited-overs matches.Interestingly, the BCCI’s recently inaugurated Centre of Excellence will host the two multi-day matches of the South Africa series, marking the first major matches to be held at the venue. The three limited-overs matches between India A and South Africa A will be played at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.The senior men’s Proteas team will also be in India from November 14, engaging in an extensive tour, featuring two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is.Ahead of the all-important five-match Test series against England, Abhimanyu Easwaran-led India A will play two first-class matches against the England Lions at Canterbury and Northampton on June 2 and June 9 respectively. The tour will conclude with an intra-squad match against Shubman Gill-led senior side.–IANSab/