TENNIS
Sumit Nagal becomes most expensive player at Tennis Premier League season five auction
In preparation for the fifth season of the Tennis Premier League (TPL), the eight franchises came out of the auction after assembling competitive rosters with a mix of from across the globe during the event conducted at the Sahara Star Hotel in Mumbai.
Sumit Nagal, who is the current All-India Tennis Association (AITA) No. 1 men’s singles player was brought into the league ahead of Season 5 of the TPL as the marquee player and was the most expensive pick at the auction. Despite stiff competition from other franchises for the signature of India’s star tennis player, he was picked up by Gujarat Panthers for Rs 18.5 lakhs.
Additionally, Gujarat picked up Karman Kaur Thandi for Rs 8.5 lakhs. The Panthers also added Mukund Sasikumar to their roster.
Defending champions Hyderabad Strikers, looking for its third consecutive title, picked Ellen Perez at Rs 14 lakhs as its most expensive pick. It successfully retained the services of Nikki Poonacha. The Strikers’ roster was complete when it brought Saketh Myneni, who was conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2017 and represents India in the Davis Cup.
The Bengaluru SG Mavericks secured the services of Arina Rodionova for Rs 17.1 lakhs as the Russian-Australian became the most expensive female player at the auction. Along with Rodionova, the Mavericks picked up Ramkumar Ramanathan for Rs 8.6 lakhs. Ramanathan secured the Silver Medal for India at the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou in the Men’s Doubles Category.
The Pune Jaguars picked up Lukas Rosol and Indian tennis star Rutuja Bhosale. Manish Sureshkumar was the last player brought by the Jaguars at the auction.
Delhi Binny’s Brigade bought Dennis Novak for Rs 15.2 lakhs. Delhi also picked up Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vaidehi Chaudhari.
Punjab Tigers’ most expensive pick was Conny Perrin who was brought alongside in two extremely sought-after Indian tennis talents – Arjun Khade and Digvijay Pratap Singh.
Last season’s finalists, the Mumbai Leon Army’s most expensive pick-up was the Latvian professional tennis player Ernest Gulbis for Rs 14 lakhs. The Mumbai Army also secured the services of Sowjanya Bavisetti. Its last pickup at the auctions was Vijay Sundar Prashanth.
The newest team to become part of the TPL, the Bengal Wizards was able to secure the services of Maria Timofeeva for Rs 15.5 lakhs. It also picked up Sriram Balaji and Anirudh Chandrasekar.
– Team Sportstar
CRICKET
Cricket Association for Blind in India and Samarthanam to organize 6th edition of Nagesh Trophy from November 25, 2023
The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) in association with the Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled on Tuesday announced that the 6th edition of the Men’s National T20 Cricket Tournament for the Blind 2023-24 also known as IndusInd Bank Nagesh Trophy will be held from November 25, 2023 to January 30, 2024.
The league matches of the 6th edition of the Nagesh Trophy will be played across seven venues namely, Jammu, Dehradun (Uttarakhand), Kochi (Kerala), Chandigarh, Tripura, and Kota (Rajasthan).
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The league matches of the 6th edition of the Nagesh Trophy will be played across seven venues namely, Jammu, Dehradun (Uttarakhand), Kochi (Kerala), Chandigarh, Tripura, and Kota (Rajasthan).
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The league matches of the 6th edition of the Nagesh Trophy will be played across seven venues namely, Jammu, Dehradun (Uttarakhand), Kochi (Kerala), Chandigarh, Tripura, and Kota (Rajasthan). The Super 8 stage venue will be decided in the coming days. A total of 28 Teams (State /UT’s and an Indian Railways team which is represented by the Visually Impaired working in Railways) will play the T20 format Tournament with the round robin league basis. 28 teams are divided based on the last year’s ranking into 6 groups. The first 4 groups have 5 teams each and the last 2 teams have 4 teams each.
“New Season with New Talents. 6th edition of Nagesh Trophy will be another milestone for CABI Samarthanam to identify the new emerging players who will be picked to the Indian Team. Let me thank IndusInd Bank for their continuous support in promoting cricket for the Blind,” Chairman of Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) Dr Mahantesh G Kivadasannavar said in a statement. “This edition is the beginning for the Men’s Team to prepare themselves for the upcoming 4th T20 World Cup Cricket for the Blind which will be held in Pakistan 2024,” he added.
The President of CABI Mr Buse Gowda said that the last five editions have been fulfilling with the growth and the new learnings. My team is all set to bring in the new energy to make the Nagesh Trophy to reach to millions across India.
The Chairman of the Nagesh Trophy Mr Yogesh Taneja said that there is so much do to promote Cricket for the Blind at the grassroots. The National Tournament is a platform to pick the best of Best to represent India in the coming tournaments. Our aim is to identify the best new talent and nurture the talent.
The fifth edition had the joint winners (Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka) due to the rain. Odisha has won the Nationals once while Andhra Pradesh has emerged victorious in the finals of the tournament 3 times.
“Nothing has stopped us from reaching the milestones in the last 13 years since CABI’s inception. There have been a lot of struggles and difficulties but promoting Cricket for the Blind is the utmost priority and every game that we play we want to make the country proud in all capacities,” said Mr Shailender – General Secretary CABI.
Group A
Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
Group B
Karnataka, Delhi, Maharashtra, Pondicherry, and Uttarakhand.
Group C
Odisha, Jharkhand, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar
Group D
Gujarat, Chandigarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana.
Group E
Jammu & Kashmir, Railway, Punjab, and Goa
Group F
Manipur, Assam, Tripura, and Chhattisgarh
Nagesh Trophy was launched in the memory of SP Nagesh, Founder President, Cricket Association for the Blind in India and Founder Trustee, Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled. The launch of the tournament brought together the entire blind cricket community into one huge platform, by creating a milestone in the blind cricket history.
– Team Sportstar
HOCKEY
Asma Khatun shines at Nehru girls tournament
Asma Khatun scored ten goals to help Malickpur Girls High School, Baruipur, West Bengal, to a 21-0 victory over Modern School, Barakhamba Road, in the league phase of the Charanjit Rai 29th Nehru girls hockey tournament at the Shivaji Stadium on Tuesday.
The results (league):
Mallickpur Girls HS, Baruipur, West Bengal, (Asma Khatun 10, Tuhina Khatun 5, Pinky Adhikary 3, Anisha Khatun 2, Afrin Khatun) bt Modern School, Barakhamba Road, 21-0.
Sri Gurunanak HSS, Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, (Dubee Rawat, Shyamlee Ray) bt SR HS, Dahod, Gujarat, 2-0.
St. Anthony HS, Monte-De Guirim, Goa, (Deantha Peppy Pacheco 2, Rachel Ann Flora Coelho, Riddhi Hadfadkar) bt Motilal Nehru School of Sports, Rai, Sonipat, (Renuka) 4-1.
One Thousand Hockey Legs (Isha Kumari 3, Geeta 2, Sakshi) bt Government SSS, Kalpi, Mandla, 6-0.
-Kamesh Srinivasan
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