Indian sports wrap, December 15: US, England, Germany, Australia among confirmed teams for inaugural Kho Kho World Cup

KHO KHO

US, England, Germany, Australia among confirmed teams for inaugural Kho Kho World Cup

The inaugural Kho Kho World Cup is scheduled to feature 41 teams, including 20 women’s teams, from around the world.

England, Germany, Holland, Poland, Kenya, South Africa, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Iran, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Peru, Australia and host India are expected to field both men’s and women’s teams in the league cum knock-out competition to be played at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium and the Noida Indoor Stadium from January 13 to 19.

Ghana, USA, Argentina and Brazil will field only men’s teams. Uganda, Indonesia and New Zealand will be fielding only the women’s teams.

“We will be hosting 615 players and 125 support staff, apart from technical officials,” said the president of the Kho Kho Federation of India, Sudhanshu Mittal.

The teams have confirmed their travel plans and are set to arrive on January 10 and 11.

The host will take care of the accommodation, food and transport requirements of all the teams and officials.

While the technical arrangements are being made, volunteers are also being trained to take care of various logistics.

-Kamesh Srinivasan

GOLF

Brijinder Singh re-elected unopposed as IGU president for second term in controversial polls

The two factions of the Indian Golf Union (IGU) led by Brijinder Singh and Harish Shetty, went through the process of having the elections in the purported Annual General Meetings in different parts of the Capital on Sunday.

The two elections in which the candidates got elected unopposed to the governing council, were conducted by Returning Officers, Justice (Retd.) Rameshwar Singh Malik and Justice (Retd.) OP Garg.

The Delhi High Court had allowed the conduct of the elections, stating in its order on December 10, by Justice Prateek Jalan, “the rights of the petitioner, or any other party, to challenge the election, inter-alia, on the ground that it was wrongly excluded from the electoral college, will remain reserved. All rights and contentions of the parties in this regard are left open for adjudication in accordance with law at the appropriate stage.”

One of the factions claimed a majority of 21 out of the 31 members. The government observer was present in one election, and the representative of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in the other.

The IGU has been in a lot of turmoil in recent weeks, even though the game itself has been flourishing in the country and reaching new heights, both in terms of the performance of players and the conduct of the big events.

As the court order had observed while disposing of the writ petition, along with the pending applications, the concerned parties would be free “to take appropriate legal remedy after the result of the election is declared.”

-Kamesh Srinivasan

ATHLETICS

Over 6,000 runners participate in Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders’ marathon on its 250th anniversary

More than 6,000 running enthusiasts on Sunday took part in the second edition of the Mazdock Marathon, organised by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd to celebrate its 250th anniversary.

A total of Rs 5.5 lakh was given away as prize money to the podium finishers in the 10K Challenge, which had six age groups for male and female participants.

-PTI

FOOTBALL

Railways back on track after creditable win over West Bengal in Rajmata Jijabai Trophy

Railways bounced back into contention in Group B of the 29th Senior Women’s National Football Championship for the Rajmata Jijabai Trophy 2024-25, when it defeated West Bengal 2-1 at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground on Sunday, December 15, 2024.

With Haryana edging out Sikkim 1-0 in the day’s first match, Group B turned interesting with three teams – Haryana, Railways and Bengal – in with a chance to make the semifinals.

In a match in which Haryana held the upper hand, but couldn’t turn its supremacy to more than one goal, the decisive moment came in the 41st minute when Poonam capitalised on a defensive lapse, slotting a composed left-footed strike into the bottom left corner from the edge of the box.

Meanwhile, in the other game, Railways returned strongly in the second half, not only to erase West Bengal’s lead in the first half but also to add another through Jabamani Tudu to take home full points.

West Bengal opened the scoring in the 24th minute through Priya Rui Das. A precise grounded cross by Mousumi Murmu from the left edge of the box went past the Railways’ defence to the far post. As the Railways goalkeeper fumbled to grab the ball, Priya timed her run perfectly and executed a sliding finish into the bottom-right corner.

Railways equalised in the 49th minute off Mamta and took the lead A long-range shot forced West Bengal’s goalkeeper Manju into a full-stretch save. Attempting to punch the ball over the crossbar, Manju’s effort deflected off the bar, falling kindly for Mamta, who was unmarked in front of goal. Reacting instinctively, Mamta guided the ball into the net with a header.

The winning goal came in the 78th minute when Jabamani Tudu made the most off a set-piece opportunity. A corner delivered to the far post caught West Bengal’s defence napping as Tudu, left unmarked, calmly struck the ball with her left foot, sneaking past the near post to put Railways ahead.

As the points table stands, Haryana is top of the group with six points from two matches, followed by Railways (six points from three matches) and West Bengal (three points from two matches).

-Team Sportstar

Kerala beats Goa 4-3; Meghalaya draws 202 with Tamil Nadu

Kerala rallied to beat Goa 4-3 while Meghalaya fought from two goals down to draw Tamil Nadu 2-2 in the Santosh Trophy National Football Championship at the Deccan Arena in Hyderabad on Sunday.

Nigel Fernandes (2’) put last year’s runners-up Goa in the lead very early on in the match, as he turned his marker and slotted it low and hard.

Muhammed Riyas, Muhammed Ajsal and Naseeb Rahman all scored in the first half, to put the seven-time champions in a commanding position.

Christy Davis (69’) produced a mazy run from just outside the box, as he beat two defenders, and then sidestepped the onrushing Goa custodian Antonio Da Silva, to score in an empty net.

Goa did mount a late surge, as substitute Shubert Joanus Pereira (78’, 86’) scored two, but Kerala maintained the lead to take home the points.

Meghalaya midfielder Damanbhalang Chyne produced a brilliant strike in the 50th minute to find the top corner from outside the box, before he slotted home a 69th minute penalty, to draw his side level.

-V. V. Subrahamanyam

TENNIS

ITF Women’s Tennis Tournament: Shrivalli Bhamidipaty beat Bunyawi Thamchaiwat to clinch trophy in Solapur

Champion Shrivalli Bhamidipaty in the ITF women’s tennis tournament in Solapur on Sunday.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Fifth seed Shrivalli Bhamidipaty beat Bunyawi Thamchaiwat of Thailand 7-5, 6-3 in the final of the $25,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament at the District Sports Complex on Sunday.

It was the second singles title in the professional circuit for the 23-year-old Shrivalli who had won her maiden title in Bengaluru last year.

The champion collected Rs.2,99,000 and the runner-up got Rs.1,74,000.

Shrivalli was not at her fluent best, but fought hard to tilt the match in her favour. She saved a set point in the tenth game of the first set to eventually take it with an ace in the 12th game. She did lead 4-0 in the second set, but Bunyawi made it 3-4. Facing two breakpoints in the eighth game, Shrivalli unleashed her best game to race away with the match, dropping only one point thereafter.

Shrivalli had five aces and six double faults in the match. She converted seven of 11 break points.

As luck would have it, Shrivalli will face Bunyawi in the first round of the next tournament, the $40,000 event to be played in Navi Mumbai from Monday.

The results (final): Shrivalli Bhamidipaty bt Bunyawi Thamchaiwat (Tha) 7-5, 6-3.

-Kamesh Srinivasan

BADMINTON

Inter-Ministry tournament: Sachin Rawat beat Saurabh Sharma in men’s final

Sachin Rawat of Ministry of Finance beat Saurabh Sharma of Ministry of Finance 19-21, 21-18, 26-24 in the men’s final of the Inter-Ministry badminton tournament at the AIIMS Gymkhana.

Namita Pathania of Delhi Audit won the women’s singles title and the doubles title in partnership with Mayuri Yadav of the Ministry of Communication.