Sports

Mumbai, December 22: National cricket selectors will meet here tomorrow to pick the Indian squad for the limited-overs series against Pakistan amid speculation that struggling senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar has made himself available for ODI selection. The panel, headed by Sandeep Patil, will be meeting for the first time after the humiliating Test debacle against England. The T20 matches against

Mumbai, December 22: If Yuvraj Singh has been looking for a clue about charting the remainder of his cricketing career, the first T20 against England at Pune offered it. There was Yuvraj Singh scything through the England top order with a three-wicket burst and tearing the visitors’ bowlers apart with a powerful cameo. He was the guiding force behind India’s comfortable five-wicket victory at the

Bangalore, December 21: Cricket fans turned up in large numbers as the sale of tickets for the first Twenty20 match between India and Pakistan to be played here on December 25, opened today. The first bilateral series between the two neighbours since 2007 has generated a lot of hype with the ticket seekers queueing up in front of the counters since midnight, police said. Online sale of tickets had

Pune, December 21: Yuvraj Singh on Thursday showed his humane side as he dedicated his man-of-the-match award against England to the girl, who was gang raped and is now battling for her life in a hospital in New Delhi. A budding 23-year-old physiotherapist was gang raped and manhandled in a moving bus on Sunday, an incident which shook the nation, leading to angry outburst across the country

Pune, December 21: India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said he was worried when England were cruising at one stage and lauded his bowlers, especially Yuvraj Singh for turning the tide for them in the first Twenty20 match. England were off to a flying start, reaching 76 in just eight overs. "The pressure was on the bowlers and it was important from the eighth over onwards that we were on top. Yuvraj

New Delhi, December 20: Former skipper Kapil Dev came to the defence of underfire Indian captain MS Dhoni, saying that there was no one in the current Test team who could replace him at the helm, mostly because most of the claimants are out of form. Kapil also dismissed the talk of pitch-forking Virat Kohli into the job. "Virat is undoubtedly a very good cricketer and doing exceedingly well for

Pune, December 20: As the Indian team went through its rigours on the eve of the first T20 against England, one couldn't stop thinking if India are gradually going the English way. Parvinder Awana and Ambati Rayudu, if they get to play on Thursday, at 26 and 27 respectively, won't be the youngest of debutants for India. Ashok Dinda, 28, has played only five T20s so far. And we thought the

Pune, December 20: India have a chance to go top of the ICC T20 International rankings if they win all four matches against England and Pakistan scheduled later in the month. India play England in a two-match series starting here Thursday and then square off against traditional rivals Pakistan -- also in a two-match series starting Dec 25 in Bangalore. India are currently ranked third on the table

Lucknow, December 20: It came as no surprise that Saina Nehwal chose to make only a token appearance at the Syed Modi International Grand Prix at the BBD Academy on Wednesday. After 29 minutes of uninspired play, she clutched her right knee and conceded her opening match against Ksenia Polikarpova of Russia on matchpoint, leading 21-17, 20-18, much to the surprise and disappointment of all present

Islamabad, December 19: Dropped all-rounder Shahid Afridi might be reconsidered for Pakistan's one-day international series against India, limited-overs captain Misbah-ul-Haq said on Wednesday. Afridi was picked only for the two Twenty20s against India this month, but left out of the three one-dayers because he's scored only 182 runs in his last 16 ODIs with only one half century. But Afridi has