Indian sports wrap, April 12: Pankaj Advani wins silver medal at WBL World Matchplay Billiards Championship

BILLIARDS

Pankaj Advani wins silver medal at WBL World Matchplay Billiards Championship

Pankaj Advani, India’s most decorated cueist, settled for a silver medal after a narrow defeat against David Causier in the final of the WBL World Matchplay Billiards Championship in New Delhi.

In a best-of-15 contest, where fortunes swung from one side to another, Advani started off with a 2-0 lead but his opponent clawed his way back in the summit clash played at Carlow, Ireland.

Both the players fought intensely but the Briton clinched the decider to win the game 8-7 (19-100, 0-100, 100-47, 100-52, 19-100, 100-0, 49-100, 100-3, 34-100, 4-100, 100-85, 31-100, 100-53, 100-43, 100-28).

Advani will now look to defend his IBSF World Billiards title, which he has been winning since 2016, from Sunday here.

The upcoming world championship will be conducted in the timed format in which big breaks are expected from players from all over the world.

-PTI

HOCKEY

Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Punjab and Uttar Pradesg through to Senior Men’s Hockey Championship semifinals

Madhya Pradesh, Manipur and Punjab won their quarterfinal ties to progress ahead in the 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2025 taking place in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.

In the first match of the day, after a 1-1 draw over four quarters, Madhya Pradesh emerged victorious over Maharashtra in the shootout.

Pratap Lakra (6’) converted a penalty corner and opened the scoring for Madhya Pradesh early in the game. Three minutes later, Maharashtra promptly replied courtesy of a field goal from Aakib Rahim (9’). Madhya Pradesh goalkeeper Sanjay B made crucial saves in the shootout to help his side win 4-2.

Manipur and Tamil Nadu played out a goalless draw and battled it out in the shootout, which the former won 4-1.  In the shootout, Manipur’s goalkeeper Ankit Malik was in incredible form, making two crucial saves.

In the third match, Punjab defeated Haryana 3-2 to seal its spot in the semifinal. Punjab’s Araijeet Singh Hundal (15’) opened the scoring for Punjab before scored Sanjay (32’) equalised for Haryana. But Punjab scored two goals in quick succession thanks to Jugraj Singh (33’) and Pardeep Singh (34’) to steal the lead. Kuldeep (56’) got one goal back in the dying minutes of the game however, Punjab prevailed over the four quarters.

In the last quarterfinal, Uttar Pradesh enjoyed a 3-1 win over Karnataka. Although Rahul C. J (24’) scored the first goal to take the lead in the second quarter for Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh’s Manish Yadav (45’), Pawan Rajbhar (52’) and Sharda Nand Tiwari (59’) helped seal the win.

-Team Sportstar

GOLF

Baisoya trumps Mane in playoff to clinch Indorama Ventures Open Golf Championship crown

Delhi’s Sachin Baisoya fired the day’s best card of four-under 68 to script a classic come-from-behind victory at the Indorama Ventures Open Golf Championship in Ahmedabad, edging past Pune’s Udayan Mane in the playoff on Saturday.

The 29-year-old Baisoya (68-71-70-68), who had earlier decided not to play this week’s event due to his father’s ill health, began the final day seven shots behind the leader in tied fifth place.

However, Baisoya was tied at the top along with 34-year-old Mane (69-65-68-75) at a total of 11-under 277 at the end of the regulation 72 holes.

Mane, the overnight leader by two shots, returned a last round of 75 after dropping five strokes on the last six holes that also saw Baisoya rise into contention.

Baisoya fared better in negotiating the tricky pin position on the playoff hole (Par-4 18th) as he made par with a two-putt even as Mane conceded a bogey on the same hole.

Baisoya, who has so far won both playoffs he has been a part of, thus recorded his fourth professional victory, pocketing the winner’s cheque of Rs 30 lakh which catapulted him from 11th place to second in the PGTI Order of Merit. His earnings for the season now read Rs 44,65,650.

Khalin Joshi of Bengaluru carded a 74 on Saturday to finish third at 10-under 278. Faridabad’s Abhinav Lohan struck a fourth round of 72 to secure fourth place at nine-under 279.

Abhinav was a prime contender for the title when he joined Udayan in the lead on the back-nine in round four. However, a late bogey and double-bogey put him out of contention.

Local lad Varun Parikh (69) of Ahmedabad and Chandigarh’s Ajeetesh Sandhu (71) finished tied fifth at eight-under 280.

Mane, a winner of 12 titles and former PGTI Order of Merit champion, was well on course to victory after making three birdies and a bogey over the first 12 holes. However, in a dramatic late twist, Mane conceded two double-bogeys and a bogey over the last six holes that took the match into a playoff.

-PTI

Diksha Dagar, Pranavi Urs in tied-20th place in SA Women’s Open

India’s Diksha Dagar played a bogey-free 3-under 69 as she rose to top-20 after three rounds in the Investec SA Women’s Open golf tournament here on Saturday. Also tied at T-20 is Pranavi Urs who shot a 73 on day three.

Diksha now has rounds of 72-71-69 and is 4-under, while Pranavi has cards of 72-67-73.

Another Indian, Avani Prashanth, who is tied-44th, has 68-73-74 and is one-under, while Tvesa, the fourth Indian to make the cut, has shot 70-71-76 to be one-over. She is currently tied-57th.

Two-time LET winner Diksha birdied the third, sixth and 16th and had no bogeys, while the multiple-time winner on the Hero Women’s Pro Tour, Pranavi, had one birdie against two bogeys. A day earlier, Pranavi had five birdies and no bogeys in a 67.

-PTI

TENNIS

India beats Singapore, to face Indonesia for 9th to 12th place in Asia-Oceania WJT U-14 boys

India beat Singapore 3-0 in the play-off match for the minor placings in the Asia-Oceania WJT under-14 boys tennis championship in Kuching, Malaysia, on Saturday.

India will next play Indonesia in the match for the 9th to 12th place.

Korea, Japan, Kazakhstan and Hong Kong reached the semifinals and booked their berth in the World Group competition to be played later in the season.

-Kamesh Srinivasan

FOOTBALL

DSC Football 2025 National Finals: Mohun Bagan to face Punjab FC in summit clash

Punjab FC beat Norwich City to secure a spot in the final.
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Mohun Bagan Super Giant will face defending champion Punjab FC in the final of the Dream Sports Championship Football 2025 National Finals after both teams secured impressive victories in their respective final group matches in Goa on Saturday.

The Kolkata giant became the first team to secure its place in the final of the ongoing U-17 football tournament with a convincing 3-0 win over Dempo Sports Club, while PFC overcame English side Norwich City FC in a thrilling 2-1 contest that went down to the wire.

Punjab took an early lead when Vishal Yadav found the net in the 12th minute. Norwich City responded in the 27th minute through Khalil Steele, who equalized with a well-taken goal. With the teams battling hard, PFC’s Lalgousem Tuboi became the hero of the day, scoring a dramatic winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time (90+4’) to send his team through to the final.

Earlier in the day, Mohun Bagan continued its impressive run in the tournament, dominating its match against Dempo from the opening whistle. Thangngaisang Haokip wasted no time making an impact, scoring in the very first minute to give the Mariners an early advantage. Khaiminlal Khongsai extended the lead in the 61st minute before Jetlee Singh added a third just seven minutes later.

The final is scheduled to take place at the RAIA Football Ground on Tuesday, April 15.

-Team Sportstar