Madrid, Aug 14 (IANS) FC Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia says he is not worried about whether the club will be able to register him in the squad in time for their La Liga season opener in Mallorca this weekend. Barca paid 25 million euros to Espanyol to sign Garcia at the start of the summer, but financial fair play rules mean he has still not been registered with the first team for the new season.Although Barca is scrambling for time to include him in the squad, Garcia told the El Mundo Deport…

Mumbai, Aug 14 (IANS) Over 220 players from across India are gearing up for one of the biggest chess battles of the year as Season 2 of the All-India Chess Masters, the Mumbai FIDE Classical Tournament, which kicks off here on Saturday (August 16). The prestigious event will run until August 21 and will have some of the top talent on the domestic circuit battling it out in an intense six-day contest under the FIDE rules and laws.Organised by the Mumbai Chess Centre (MCC) and conducted under the …

Port of Spain, Aug 14 (IANS) Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) have announced Nicholas Pooran as their new captain for the upcoming Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025. Pooran will take over the mantle of leadership from the legendary Kieron Pollard, who has led the side with distinction since 2019, guiding them to their record fourth title in 2020.“It means a lot, first and foremost, to represent Trinbago Knight Riders. It is a privilege that I’m getting the opportunity to lead this franchise. I w…

Mumbai, Aug 14 (IANS) Padel’s growing presence in India received a nod from Adv. Manikrao Kokate, Minister of Sports and Youth Welfare of Maharashtra, as he promised that he would speak to the Sports Ministry about developing infrastructure for padel in the state.Adv. Manikrao Kokate was attending the World Padel League in Mumbai on Wednesday, where he watched top international players in action.“I’ve seen padel before, and to me, it feels like a wonderful mix between tennis and squash, fa…

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) Former India captain Mithali Raj believes a maiden ICC Women’s ODI World Cup title is within the current team’s reach if they are able to seize key moments during the tournament starting on September 30. India head into the eight-team showpiece event as one of the favourites to win the title, though seven-time champions Australia and four-time winners England remain as formidable challengers.“I think (India) needs to seize those small moments during the big games. Th…

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) After a highly competitive Test series against India, England have turned their focus to the Ashes tour of Australia later this year, with pacer Chris Woakes providing an encouraging update on his fitness.Woakes, who dislocated his shoulder while fielding in the fifth Test at The Oval in London earlier this month, said his rehabilitation is progressing faster than expected, boosting his chances of being fit in time for the high-profile series.“Certainly good news for m…

Jalandhar (Punjab), Aug 14 (IANS) Hockey Chandigarh and Hockey Uttarakhand won their fixtures while Hockey Himachal and Jammu & Kashmir settled for a draw in their respective Division ‘B’ matches on Day 3 of the 15th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship here on Thursday.The day began with the Division ‘B’ match between Hockey Himachal and Jammu & Kashmir, which ended in a 5-5 draw as both sides shared a point. Captain Rajveer Singh (1′, 19′, 34′) was in scoring form for Jammu &a…

Mumbai, Aug 14 (IANS) Day 2 of the World Padel League delivered contrasting results – a nail-biting finish in the first match and a commanding sweep in the second. The Vedanta Leopards held their nerve to edge out the Hubtown Panorama Panthers in a tense battle, while the in-form Game Changers Lions powered past the Khan Tigers to maintain their perfect start.The opening men’s doubles set saw Daniel Santigosa and Enri Goenaga get the Panthers off to a fast start, with Santigosa’s sharp refle…

Mumbai, Aug 14 (IANS) Around 2000 volleyball players, representing leading CBSE Schools from Maharashtra, Goa, Daman, Diu and Dadra Nagar Haveli, will be in Mumbai to participate in the CBSE Cluster IX Volleyball Tournament, which will be organised by the MVM International School, Andheri, from August 20 to 22. The tournament will be concurrently held at the 5 indoor courts of Andheri Sports Complex, as well as at the MVM International School campus.The Mogaveera Vyavasthapaka Mandali (MVM) – …

Srinagar, Aug 14 (IANS) The organisers of the first-ever Khelo India Water Sports Festival released the Himalayan Kingfisher as the mascot of the upcoming Games, which will be held at the iconic Dal Lake from August 21-23, in Srinagar on Thursday. The water sports festival is part of the expanding Khelo India calendar. The first-ever Khelo India Beach Games were held in Diu in May this year. The KIWSF will be hosted by the J&K Sports Council in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Youth …