Asian Games Air Pistol Team

Asian Games: Sarabjot, Narwal, Cheema Win Gold In Men’s 10M Air Pistol Team

India’s stellar performance in shooting events continues as  Sarabjot Singh, Shiva Narwal, and Arjun Singh Cheema bagged another gold medal for India in the Men’s 10m Air Pistol Team at the Hangzhou Asian Games here on Thursday. 

The Indian team finished one point ahead of silver medal holders China. This is the fourth gold medal in shooting and overall sixth in the ongoing Asian Games

The match up saw a comeback from Sarabjot Singh to qualify in fifth place for the final of the individual event. Arjun Singh Cheema qualified for the final in 8th place. Shiva Narwal failed to qualify for the individual final finishing 14th but the Indian team’s combined score was enough to edge out China by one point for Gold.

With 1734 points Indian team clinched the gold, China stood second with 1733 points and Vietnam secured the bronze with 1730 points. 

India have now 13 medals in shooting with four gold, four silver and five bronze. 

Earlier, India’s Sift Kaur Samra bagged a gold in the women’s 50 m rifle 3P individual final on Wednesday.

The Indian shooting trio of Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh and Rhythm Sangwan continued the country’s dominating run at shooting as they captured a Gold medal in the women’s 25 m pistol team event on Wednesday.

Earlier, team India’s shooting trio, Divyansh Panwar, Rudrankksh Patil, and Aishwary Tomar, clinched first gold in shooting in the men’s 10 m air rifle team event.

As of now India have 23 medals at the Asian Games which include 5 Golds. (ANI) 

Read More: https://lokmarg.com/

Dressage Team Asian Games

Modi Congratulates Dressage Team For Historic Asian Games Gold

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Indian equestrian team of Anush Agarwalla, Hriday Vipul, Divyakriti and Sudipti Hajela who created history by clinching a historic gold medal in Team Dressage in the ongoing Asian Games.

This medal marked India’s first-ever gold in this event at the Asian Games and their first gold medal in Equestrian after 41 years.

In a post on X the Prime Minister said ” It is a matter of extreme pride that after several decades, our Equestrian Dressage Team has won Gold in Asian Games! Hriday Chheda, Anush Agarwalla, Sudipti Hajela and Divyakriit Singh have displayed unparalleled skill, teamwork and brought honour to our nation on the international stage. I extend my heartiest congratulations to the Team for this historic achievement.”

After a competition that lasted for nearly 10 hours, with a host of athletes participating from all across Asia, it was the Indian Quartet of Anush Agarwalla, Hriday Chheda, Divyakriti Singh and Sudipti Hajela who delivered when it mattered the most.

Anush Agarwalla and his horse ETRO scored the maximum score at 71.088 while Hriday Chheda-Emerald scored 69.941. Divyakriti Singh-Adrenalin Firdod scored 68.176. Sudipti Hajela-Chinski scored 66.706.

India finished with a score of 209.205 which was significantly higher than second-placed China’s 204.882. Anush Agarwalla stole the show with a score of 71.088 while Hriday scored 69.941 and Divyakriti scored 68.176. Together, they have ensured that no team even comes close to their combined score. 

They defeated the likes of China and Japan, who were absolute favourites to win this.

Earlier Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah also congratulated the team for its historic Gold at the Asian Games. 

Shah took to X, formerly known as Twitter to laud the history-making team and wrote, “Congratulations to #SudiptiHajela, #DivyakritiSingh, #HridayChheda, and #AnushAgarwalla for scripting history and bringing home India’s first gold medal in the Equestrian Dressage Team Event in 41 years! This is a markable achievement, and we’re proud of your excellence.”

India have won 14 medals at Hangzhou 2023, three gold, four silver, and seven bronze. (ANI)

Read More: https://lokmarg.com/

Asian Games

Team India’s Air Rifle Triumph At Asian Games: Gold Medal Glory

Team India’s shooting trio, Divyansh Panwar, Rudrankksh Patil, and Aishwary Tomar, clinched gold in the men’s 10 m air rifle team shooting event at the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou on Monday. 

Their impressive score of 1893.7 not only secured the top spot but also shattered China’s world record of 1893.3 points set in August 2023. 

The silver medal was bagged by South Korea, with a total of 1890.1 points. 

China fell way behind to secure the bronze with 1888.2 points. 

This is India’s first gold in the Asian Games Hangzhou. 

Shooting their way to the top. First gold for India @RudrankkshP, @DivyanshSinghP7, and Aishwary Pratap Tomar have hit the bullseye and secured the st Gold for India in the 10m Air Rifle Men’s Team event at the #AsianGames2022. Their precision and teamwork are simply unmatched. Let’s celebrate this golden moment! Super proud of our shooting stars Let’s #Cheer4India and celebrate their remarkable achievement #Hallabol #JeetegaBharat #BharatAtAG22,” tweeted Sports Authority of India (SAI) Media. 

India so far has won seven medals at the ongoing Asian Games, consisting of one gold, three silver, and three bronze. 

The shooting events at the Asian Games Hangzhou will be conducted from September 24 to October 1. A total of 33 medal events will be taking place across rifle, pistol and shotgun categories at the Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre.

Olympian Manu Bhaker and former world champion Rudrankksh are some of the stars of the 33-member Indian contingent. 

*Asian Games 2023: Indian Shooting Squad

-Men

10m air rifle: Rudrankksh Patil, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Divyansh Singh Panwar

50m rifle 3 positions: Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Swapnil Kusale, Akhil Sheoran

10m air pistol: Arjun Singh Cheema, Shiva Narwal, Sarabjot Singh

25m rapid fire pistol: Anish, Vijayveer Sidhu, Adarsh Singh

Skeet: Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Gurjoat Singh Khangura, Angad Vir Singh Bajwa

Trap: Kynan Chenai, Prithviraj Toindaman, Zoravar Singh Sandhu

-Women

10m air rifle: Ashi Chouksey, Mehuli Ghosh, Ramita

50m rifle 3 positions: Sift Kaur Samra, Manini Kaushik, Ashi Chouksey

10m air pistol: Divya TS, Palak, Esha Singh

25m sports pistol: Manu Bhaker, Rhythm Sangwan, Esha Singh

Skeet: Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Ganemat Sekhon, Darshna Rathore

Women’s trap: Rajeshwari Kumari, Manisha Keer, Preeti Rajak

-Mixed team

Air rifle: Divyansh Singh Panwar, Ramita, Mehuli Ghosh, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar

Air pistol: Sarabjot Singh, Divya TS, Esha Singh, Shiva Narwal

Skeet: Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Ganemat Sekhon, Gurjoat Singh Khangura. (ANI)

Read More: https://lokmarg.com/

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli Turns Water Boy For Team India

India’s talisman batter Virat Kohli has been a source of entertainment in cricket and never fails to make people laugh with his varied antics on the pitch, even when he is not in playing XI, he never misses an opportunity to crack a wisecrack.

Kohli has been rested from the team India in a dead rubber match against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup Super Four clash. Other than this India many changes in their playing XI. Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya Mohammed Siraj, and Kuldeep Yadav have been given a rest.

While, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, and Prasidh Krishna have been included in the playing XI.

After Anamul Haque was dismissed, Kohli went to the pitch carrying water for his teammates, and his sprinting technique had the crowd in splits. With early breakthroughs, Mohammed Shami and Shardul Thakur gave India an amazing start to the game. 

Talking about the match, India won the toss and opted to field against Bangladesh in their last Super Four stage match of the Asia Cup. (ANI)

Read More: https://lokmarg.com/

India New Zealand final T20

India Wins Series Against NZ As Third T20I In Napier Ends In A Tie

Heavy rain interrupted play with Team India scoring just enough for a tie in the final T20 against New Zealand here and walking away with a series win in the three-match series.

The Duckworth-Lewis method was employed as the rain did not allow play after India had scored 75/4 in 9 overs chasing a target of 161 runs.
With the first match having been washed away due to rain and India having won the second match, the Hardik Pandya led-team clinched the series 1-0. This is the second time India has won a T20 series under the leadership of Pandya. India had earlier won a series against West Indies under his leadership earlier this year.

Chasing 161, the visitors did not get the best of starts losing opener Ishan Kishan dismissed by Adam Milne for 10 in the second over as they lost the first wicket with only 13 runs on the board.

Rishabh Pant looked dangerous in his short stay but was dismissed in the very next over by Tim Southee for 11 of 5 balls. In the very next ball, Shreyas Iyer was sent packing to leave India tottering at 21/3.

India desperately needed a partnership and skipper Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav did just that by taking India’s total beyond the 50-run mark in 4.4 overs.

India went on to score 58 runs with the loss of three wickets in six overs of powerplay. Ish Sodhi was introduced into the attack and he broke the 39-run partnership.

Deepak Hooda walked out to join his skipper Hardik Pandya and the duo took India’s total to 75/4 in 9 overs. Rain then interrupted the play and it started pouring heavily forcing the umpires to call off the match.

India’s score of 75/4 in 9 overs was on par with the Kiwis as per the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Mohammed Siraj was declared as ‘Player of the Match’ while Suryakumar Yadav was named ‘Player of the Series.

Earlier in the day, New Zealand won the toss and opted to bat first. New Zealand faced a jolt in the second over as pacer Arshdeep Singh trapped Finn Allen leg-before-wicket for just three runs off four balls. NZ was 9/1 in 1.3 overs.

Mark Chapman joined Devon Conway, the other opener. Both started to hit Indian bowlers with some clean strikes. Conway in general looked aggressive, smashing Arshdeep for two fours and a six in the fourth over.

The duo was slowly building a good partnership but Chapman found Arshdeep at mid-on on Mohammed Siraj’s second delivery of the spell. Chapman was back for 12 off 12 balls. Kiwis were reduced to 44/2 in 5.2 overs.

Glenn Phillips joined Conway. At the end of six overs, NZ was at 46/2, with Phillips (1) and Conway (23) unbeaten.

Phillips and Conway brought up their fifty-run stand in 43 balls. In the second half of the innings, Phillips upped his run rate, smashing Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Harshal Patel for fours and sixes. Conway brought up his half-century in 39 balls, while Phillips brought up his eighth T20I fifty in just 31 balls.

At the end of 15 overs, the Kiwi’s scorecard was much healthier at 129/2, with Phillips (53) and Conway (54) still on the crease.

The 86-run partnership between the duo came to an end as Siraj dismissed Phillips for 54 off 33 balls. New Zealand was at 130/3 in 15.5 overs.

Arshdeep also took another wicket quickly, sending back Conway for 59 off 49 balls. Kiwis were at 146/4 in 16.4 overs.

India continued to make a comeback in the match. As the pair of Siraj and Pant dismissed a dangerous James Neesham for a duck. In 17.1 overs, NZ had lost five wickets for 147 runs.

Mitchell Santner was Siraj’s fourth wicket, he was back in the pavilion for just one.

Kiwis’ collapse continued as all-rounder Daryl Mitchell was dismissed for 10 off five balls and Ish Sodhi was also dismissed. Arshdeep got both wickets, taking his wicket tally to four. NZ was at 149/8.

Adam Milne was run out by Siraj for zero. Kiwis finished their innings 160 all out, with Harshal Patel taking the last wicket, dismissing Tim Southee for six.

Mohammad Siraj was the pick of the bowlers, taking four wickets for 17 runs in four overs. Arshdeep also took 4/37. Harshal took a wicket.

Brief Scores: New Zealand: 160 in 19.4 overs (Devon Conway 59, Glenn Phillips 54, Mohammad Siraj 4/17, Arshdeep Singh 4/37) vs India 75/4 in 9 overs (Hardik Pandya 30*, Suryakumar Yadav 13; Tim Southee 2/27). (ANI)

Read More: http://13.232.95.176/

T20I IND-NZ Match

T20I: IND-NZ Match Abandoned Due To Rain

The first game of the three-match T20I series between India and New Zealand officially has been abandoned due to heavy rain at Sky Stadium in Wellington without a single ball being bowled on Friday.

India’s tour of New Zealand starts with a washout, with both teams eager to move on from their World Cup exits. Both teams will move to Mount Maunganui for Sunday’s second T20I of the three-match series.
The play was eventually called off just after 20:51 (Local Time). Following the three-match T20I series, New Zealand and India will be squaring off against each other for a three-match ODI series, starting from November 25. The 2nd T20I between New Zealand and India will be held at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui on Sunday while the 3rd T20I will take place on Tuesday at Mclean Park, Napier.

There was approx a 90 per cent of chance at 7 PM Wellington Time that the match was scheduled to begin at 12:00 PM IST. The rain gets significantly increased as the day progressed and left no option for the umpires to call off the match.

Team India were hoping to put the disappointment of their departure from the T20 World Cup behind them against New Zealand in the first of three T20 Internationals on Friday. Like India, New Zealand too were eliminated in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup after bagging the top spot in their group.

New Zealand’s transition into a new era as their selectors opted against picking two of their stalwarts in Martin Guptill and Trent Boult, the latter because he no longer has a central contract.

There have been opportunities for people like Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, and Umran Malik, among others in Indian team. Shubman Gill is another young person who has been selected for the team.

India squad for New Zealand T20Is: Hardik Pandya (C), Rishabh Pant (vc & wk), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson (wk), W Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umran Malik.

New Zealand squad for T20Is: Kane Williamson (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee and Blair Tickner. (ANI)

Read More: http://13.232.95.176/

Paternity Over Fraternity

Virat Kohli’s decision to return to India on paternity leave at a time when the team needs him most during the Test series in Australia, has come in for intense scrutiny.

As the strong Aussies host the Ajinkya Rahane-led side in the second Test at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) from Saturday, there are sharp comments. Sunil Gavaskar, India’s greatest opening Test batsmen of all times and the former India captain has taken more than a pot-shot at Kohli for returning home on paternity leave.

Writing a column for a well-known sports magazine, Gavaskar pointed out how there are different yardsticks for different players of Team India. It is well known that T Natarajan, the sensational left-arm fast bowler who created waves during the IPL in UAE and also the T20 and ODI series with his yorkers has still not seen his newborn child, born in October.

Mind you, Natarajan is now just a nets bowler but has not been spared by the Indian cricket board (BCCI). It is also on this premise, Gavaskar has slammed Kohli for getting special treatment.

To be sure, this is not the first time Gavaskar has criticized Kohli. The last time when Kohli and Anushka Sharma broke the big news on social media, they were expecting a third member in their family, Gavaskar made a very spicy comment. He had talked of what Kohli had been doing during the lockdown. His comments drew huge flak from fans of Bollywood celebrity Anushka.

There is a difference between what Gavaskar said then and now. The Indian team was battered in the first Test in Adelaide and call of duty demanded Kohli stayed back with the team. However, as Kohli had already applied for paternity leave in October, before the team was selected for the tour to Australia, the “yes men” in the BCCI granted him leave.

It is well known, leave of any nature in any professional organisation is subject to approval and can be cancelled at the last minute. What is surprising is that not only has the BCCI granted him leave, they are not even talking about a possible revision.

The concern of the BCCI is IPL alone, and the latest decision to include 10 teams from 2022 shows they do not care for what happens in national interest – playing for India.

ALSO READ: IPL Organisers Are Shameless

Gavaskar is not alone to question Kohli. There are a few more like former left-arm spinner Dilip Doshi and AN Sharma, coach of Virender Sehwag, who have also expressed surprise at Kohli neglecting national duty.

Modern day sport is all about being professional. Kohli is not an amateur cricketer. When he leads IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore, he is a pro who is paid big bucks and makes billions more through endorsements. When Kohli plays for India, he is again a professional who gets paid on an annual contract basis.

It is not as if deducting Kohli’s match fees for the three Test matches which he will be missing will suffice. A leader like Kohli, already under flak for being captain in all three formats, should not have proceeded on leave.

The job of the Indian cricket captain is a very prestigious one. The world wishes he and Anushka are blessed with a healthy baby but as a professional he has got his priority wrong this time. Those who advocate a man being by the side of his wife during delivery are all praise for Kohli’s decision.

But above all this comes the pride and feeling of leading Team India. It is very much akin to a fauji doing national duty on the battle front where he has to forget personal life. Life and death, near and dear ones being ill, for the soldiers and officers of Indian Armed Forces, serving the nation comes first.

That is why what Gavaskar is saying has huge traction. Just imagine, Kings XI Punjab player Mandeep Singh lost his father during the IPL in October. He stayed back, wiped, his own tears, and continued to play. This was just club cricket, but Mandeep showed that being a professional meant his loyalty was first towards work.

ALSO READ: Has BCCI Lost Its Thinking Cap?

There are many more instances as well. In fact, a few years ago, even during a Ranji Trophy game, Wasim Jaffer, former India Test captain, stayed back and played despite being informed that he had lost his mother. Jaffer won the match for Mumbai then and the bonus points, making him a big hero.

In women’s hockey, in January 2019, Lalremsiami from Mizoram played on the FIH series semi-finals after her father’s death. She was then given the option by the team management to fly back home from Hiroshima but chose to stay back.

The job of any athlete representing the country is a very prestigious one. Indian athletes are known to play with passion and from their hearts. The josh and dil se attitude quite often makes the difference in a team sport.

This is the time Team India needs Captain Virat Kohli in Australia. His batting form is good and he is now accepted as a strong leader. In the absence of a few key players like Rohit Sharma, Mohd Shami and Ishant Sharma, Kohli should have led like a true General from the front.

Should India lose the series badly, brickbats will be hurled at stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane and other players. Had Kohli changed his mind and played on, he could have become a bigger hero.

Sadly, at this point of time in Indian cricket administration, such is the power equation, Kohli is treated as someone who can do no wrong. If Kohli is to be blamed by so many people, then the incompetent BCCI is also to be blamed. BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has led Team India and knows what it is to play with josh.

He is the same man who dared to take off his shirt in the Lord’s balcony. How come Ganguly did not speak to Kohli and guide him on National Interest, playing for the country. If the Commander is making a wrong move, should not the General have stepped in?

The coming few weeks will see more news on Kohli returning home prematurely. One wonders how he can go to sleep at night without any guilt.