Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu overcame a strong challenge from her Chinese rival Han Yue in a battle lasting more than an hour to book her semifinal berth in the Singapore Open Super 500 Tournament here on Friday. The World No. 7 found the going tough early in the first game as Han was clinical with her placement and drew the first blood, but the Indian bounced back strongly to win the second and seal the issue 17-21 21-11 21-19 in a contest lasting 62 minutes. Sindhu now leads 3-0 against the Chinese head-to-head.

This was Sindhu's first semifinal entry since the Thailand Open in May and it remains to be seen if she is able to make it all the way in their last event before the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Sindhu will next face unseeded Saena Kawakami, the Japanese world No. 38 who caused an upset by eliminating sixth-seeded Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand 21-17 21-19.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/singapore-open-saina-nehwal-arjun-kapila-duo-enter-quarterfinals-497339">Singapore Open: Saina Nehwal, Arjun-Kapila duo enter quarterfinals</a>

Two other Indians -- veteran Saina Nehwal and HS Prannoy -- too are vying for a last-four berth in the tournament and will be in action later in the day. The world No. 19 had it easy in the first game after racing to 11-9 in the interval as Sindhu struggled with her defence. The Indian bounced back in the second and took a three-point lead in the mid-game interval.

Sindhu extended her lead with a perfect cross-court winner and clinched the second game with seven points on the trot. It turned out to be a thriller in the end as Sindhu, who found herself in familiar territory trailing 8-11 and then 9-14 in the decider, produced some fine rallies. Sindhu showed great resilience to come back and level it at 14-all with five points in a row. It became 19-all before Sindhu sealed it in her favour.

Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu overcame a strong challenge from her Chinese rival Han Yue in a battle lasting more than an hour to book her semifinal berth in the Singapore Open Super 500 Tournament here on Friday.

Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu overcame a strong challenge from her Chinese rival Han Yue in a battle lasting more than an hour to book her semifinal berth in the Singapore Open Super 500 Tournament here on Friday. The World No. 7 found the going tough early in the first game as Han was clinical with her placement and drew the first blood, but the Indian bounced back strongly to win the second and seal the issue 17-21 21-11 21-19 in a contest lasting 62 minutes. Sindhu now leads 3-0 against the Chinese head-to-head. This was Sindhu's first semifinal entry since the Thailand Open in May and it remains to be seen if she is able to make it all the way in their last event before the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Sindhu will next face unseeded Saena Kawakami, the Japanese world No. 38 who caused an upset by eliminating sixth-seeded Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand 21-17 21-19. ALSO READ | Singapore Open: Saina Nehwal, Arjun-Kapila duo enter quarterfinals Two other Indians -- veteran Saina Nehwal and HS Prannoy -- too are vying for a last-four berth in the tournament and will be in action later in the day. The world No. 19 had it easy in the first game after racing to 11-9 in the interval as Sindhu struggled with her defence. The Indian bounced back in the second and took a three-point lead in the mid-game interval. Sindhu extended her lead with a perfect cross-court winner and clinched the second game with seven points on the trot. It turned out to be a thriller in the end as Sindhu, who found herself in familiar territory trailing 8-11 and then 9-14 in the decider, produced some fine rallies. Sindhu showed great resilience to come back and level it at 14-all with five points in a row. It became 19-all before Sindhu sealed it in her favour.

Singapore Open: PV Sindhu edges past Han Yue in a thriller to enter semi-finals

Lawyers defending U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner told a Russian court on Friday she was prescribed medical cannabis in the United States for a chronic injury, a Reuters journalist at the courtroom reported. 
Griner pled guilty to drugs charges which carry a prison sentence of up to ten years after she was detained at a Moscow airport in February carrying vape cartridges with hashish oil.

The Women`s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star appeared in court wearing a Nirvana t-shirt on Friday for the fourth hearing in the trial. She has said she did not intend to break the law, and U.S. President Joe Biden has said the United States is doing everything it can to secure her release. The Kremlin has downplayed the idea of a prisoner exchange, saying it is premature to discuss the possibility of swapping Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, for a Russian imprisoned in the United States.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-athletics-championships-to-be-held-in-tokyo-in-2025-497528">World Athletics Championships to be held in Tokyo in 2025</a>

Griner`s defense team submitted documents on Friday to support her case that she did not intend to bring drugs into Russia illegally in the hopes of securing a more lenient sentence. In them, they said Griner suffered from chronic pain and that she had a permit issued in the state of Arizona for the use of medical cannabis.

In a hearing on Thursday, a Russian basketball club director gave evidence in support of Griner, speaking of her "outstanding ability" and "personal contribution to strengthening team spirit." Griner, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the United States was scheduled to play for Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg in the off-season - a common move for WNBA players. Griner first played in Russia in the 2014-15 season, and had prior stints in China.

Lawyers defending U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner told a Russian court on Friday she was prescribed medical cannabis in the United States for a chronic injury, a Reuters journalist at the courtroom reported.

Lawyers defending U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner told a Russian court on Friday she was prescribed medical cannabis in the United States for a chronic injury, a Reuters journalist at the courtroom reported. Griner pled guilty to drugs charges which carry a prison sentence of up to ten years after she was detained at a Moscow airport in February carrying vape cartridges with hashish oil. The Women`s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star appeared in court wearing a Nirvana t-shirt on Friday for the fourth hearing in the trial. She has said she did not intend to break the law, and U.S. President Joe Biden has said the United States is doing everything it can to secure her release. The Kremlin has downplayed the idea of a prisoner exchange, saying it is premature to discuss the possibility of swapping Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, for a Russian imprisoned in the United States. ALSO READ | World Athletics Championships to be held in Tokyo in 2025 Griner`s defense team submitted documents on Friday to support her case that she did not intend to bring drugs into Russia illegally in the hopes of securing a more lenient sentence. In them, they said Griner suffered from chronic pain and that she had a permit issued in the state of Arizona for the use of medical cannabis. In a hearing on Thursday, a Russian basketball club director gave evidence in support of Griner, speaking of her "outstanding ability" and "personal contribution to strengthening team spirit." Griner, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the United States was scheduled to play for Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg in the off-season - a common move for WNBA players. Griner first played in Russia in the 2014-15 season, and had prior stints in China.

Brittney Griner trail: Lawyers defending basketballer tell Russian court she was prescribed medical cannabis

While world cricket remains busy in comparing Virat Kohli and Babar Azam, undoubtedly two of the greatest batters in the modern era, Babar won hearts with his tweet for Kohli, who has been under-fire due to his low returns with the bat.&nbsp;

After Kohli got out for 16 (25) in Rohit Sharma &amp; Co.'s 100-run defeat versus England in the 2nd ODI, on Thursday (July 14) at Lord's, Babar took to his official Twitter handle and shared a sweet message for the former Indian captain. Here's what he wrote, "This too shall pass. Stay strong.&nbsp; 
#ViratKohli"

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This too shall pass. Stay strong. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ViratKohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ViratKohli</a> <a href="https://t.co/ozr7BFFgXt">pic.twitter.com/ozr7BFFgXt</a>
— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) <a href="https://twitter.com/babarazam258/status/1547657073587933190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/want-babar-azam-to-score-3000-4000-more-runs-than-virat-kohli-in-every-format-states-imam-ul-haq-497392">Want Babar Azam to score 3,000-4,000 more runs than Virat Kohli in every format, states Imam-ul-Haq</a>

For the unversed, Kohli hasn't been in form for a long time. While his century-drought continues, with his last triple-figure knock coming in late 2019, the 33-year-old hasn't crossed the fifty-run mark for India across formats since February 18, 2022. One can argue that India haven't played a lot and Kohli has also been rested several times, however, he has looked a pale shadow of himself for quite some time. In IPL 2022, he struggled for his 341 runs, at a strike-rate of 115.98, with only two fifties whereas in the ongoing England tour, he has so far had scores of 11, 20, 1, 11, and 16, respectively.

Thus, Babar -- who has been in terrific form in all formats of late -- extended support to Kohli, winning hearts on social media. The two will come against one another&nbsp;in the forthcoming India-Pakistan clash in&nbsp;Asia Cup, in Sri Lanka, and also in this year's T20 World Cup where the Asian neighbours will kick off their respective campaigns against each other, in October 24 at MCG, Melbourne.

While world cricket remains busy in comparing Virat Kohli and Babar Azam, undoubtedly two of the greatest batters in the modern era, Babar won hearts with his tweet for Kohli, who has been under-fire due to his low returns with the bat.

While world cricket remains busy in comparing Virat Kohli and Babar Azam, undoubtedly two of the greatest batters in the modern era, Babar won hearts with his tweet for Kohli, who has been under-fire due to his low returns with the bat. After Kohli got out for 16 (25) in Rohit Sharma & Co.'s 100-run defeat versus England in the 2nd ODI, on Thursday (July 14) at Lord's, Babar took to his official Twitter handle and shared a sweet message for the former Indian captain. Here's what he wrote, "This too shall pass. Stay strong. #ViratKohli" This too shall pass. Stay strong. #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/ozr7BFFgXt — Babar Azam (@babarazam258) July 14, 2022 × ALSO READ | Want Babar Azam to score 3,000-4,000 more runs than Virat Kohli in every format, states Imam-ul-Haq For the unversed, Kohli hasn't been in form for a long time. While his century-drought continues, with his last triple-figure knock coming in late 2019, the 33-year-old hasn't crossed the fifty-run mark for India across formats since February 18, 2022. One can argue that India haven't played a lot and Kohli has also been rested several times, however, he has looked a pale shadow of himself for quite some time. In IPL 2022, he struggled for his 341 runs, at a strike-rate of 115.98, with only two fifties whereas in the ongoing England tour, he has so far had scores of 11, 20, 1, 11, and 16, respectively. Thus, Babar -- who has been in terrific form in all formats of late -- extended support to Kohli, winning hearts on social media. The two will come against one another in the forthcoming India-Pakistan clash in Asia Cup, in Sri Lanka, and also in this year's T20 World Cup where the Asian neighbours will kick off their respective campaigns against each other, in October 24 at MCG, Melbourne.

'This too shall pass' - Babar Azam wins hearts with his tweet for Virat Kohli, backs him to end lean patch

A lot has been said and written about Cristiano Ronaldo's possible exit from Manchester United. Commencing his second innings at the Red Devils last year, Ronaldo's presence also couldn't help United finish the last EPL season on a high, ending at the sixth spot, and missing out on Champions League football as well.

While Ronaldo had made it clear that he is not going anywhere and will continue to be at the premier club, things have changed in the past few weeks. Since his agent has reportedly held discussions with several top clubs,&nbsp;which includes Chelsea, Bayern Munich, PSG, etc. (even though not much interest has been shown), a new twist has unfolded in Ronaldo's transfer saga.

As per reports, the Portuguese superstar has now&nbsp;received a mind-boggling offer from a club in Saudi Arabia. It has been reported by TVI and CNN Portugal, that the club has made a staggering and irresistible offer to rope in the Man United superstar with a transfer fee of £30 million and a salary of £105 million per year. Despite being 37, the Portuguese captain&nbsp;Ronaldo remains in huge demand across the footballing fraternity. He is one of the fittest athletes overall and bagged a total of 24 goals across competitions last season for the Red Devils.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/can-cristiano-ronaldo-join-lionel-messi-at-psg-man-utd-stars-agent-offer-cr7-to-french-club-report-497062">Can Cristiano Ronaldo join Lionel Messi at PSG? Man Utd star's agent offer CR7 to French club - Report</a>

The main reason for Ronaldo's willingness to reportedly leave the Old Trafford outfit is to continue chasing big titles at a club that can challenge for all major trophies. As United ended 6th in the Premier League last season, Ronaldo has even missed a chance of playing&nbsp;in the Champions League for 2022-23. Thus, he is reportedly keen to move on and join some other top club. However, the search is on.&nbsp;

Recently, ahead of Man United's friendly tie versus Liverpool in Bangkok, new manager Erik ten Hag had cleared the air regarding Ronaldo's future at the club. He had stated that the superstar hasn't mentioned anything about leaving the club to him. Hence, the drama regarding Ronaldo's future at the Red Devils is far from over.

A lot has been said and written about Cristiano Ronaldo's possible exit from Manchester United. Commencing his second innings at the Red Devils last year, Ronaldo's presence also couldn't help United finish the last EPL season on a high, ending at the sixth spot, and missing out on Champions League football as well.

A lot has been said and written about Cristiano Ronaldo's possible exit from Manchester United. Commencing his second innings at the Red Devils last year, Ronaldo's presence also couldn't help United finish the last EPL season on a high, ending at the sixth spot, and missing out on Champions League football as well. While Ronaldo had made it clear that he is not going anywhere and will continue to be at the premier club, things have changed in the past few weeks. Since his agent has reportedly held discussions with several top clubs, which includes Chelsea, Bayern Munich, PSG, etc. (even though not much interest has been shown), a new twist has unfolded in Ronaldo's transfer saga. As per reports, the Portuguese superstar has now received a mind-boggling offer from a club in Saudi Arabia. It has been reported by TVI and CNN Portugal, that the club has made a staggering and irresistible offer to rope in the Man United superstar with a transfer fee of £30 million and a salary of £105 million per year. Despite being 37, the Portuguese captain Ronaldo remains in huge demand across the footballing fraternity. He is one of the fittest athletes overall and bagged a total of 24 goals across competitions last season for the Red Devils. ALSO READ | Can Cristiano Ronaldo join Lionel Messi at PSG? Man Utd star's agent offer CR7 to French club - Report The main reason for Ronaldo's willingness to reportedly leave the Old Trafford outfit is to continue chasing big titles at a club that can challenge for all major trophies. As United ended 6th in the Premier League last season, Ronaldo has even missed a chance of playing in the Champions League for 2022-23. Thus, he is reportedly keen to move on and join some other top club. However, the search is on. Recently, ahead of Man United's friendly tie versus Liverpool in Bangkok, new manager Erik ten Hag had cleared the air regarding Ronaldo's future at the club. He had stated that the superstar hasn't mentioned anything about leaving the club to him. Hence, the drama regarding Ronaldo's future at the Red Devils is far from over.

UNBELIEVABLE! Saudi club makes irresistible offer for Man United's Cristiano Ronaldo: Report

Russia&nbsp;has been dropped as a figure skating Grand Prix host and Russian and Belarusian skaters banned, the International Skating Union (ISU) said as it announced the 2022-3 programme on Thursday.&nbsp;

The Chinese event was also scratched from the calendar for the second straight year.&nbsp; "Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and the deteriorating Covid-19 sanitary situation in&nbsp;China, the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Rostelecom Cup (RUS) and the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Cup of&nbsp;China&nbsp;cannot be held as planned," said the ISU statement.&nbsp; "Replacement solutions are to be found."

The statement added that "following the IOC recommendation....no skaters belonging to the ISU Members in&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;and Belarus shall be invited or allowed to participate in International ice skating competitions." The Grand Prix events are the most important in figure skating outside the Olympics and the World and European Championships.

The Rostelecom Cup, formerly the Cup of&nbsp;Russia, had been held every year since 1996. It moved to Sochi for the first time last season. The&nbsp;China&nbsp;Cup was added to the Grand Prix schedule in 2003 in Beijing. Both the men's and women's events moved to Chongqing in 2019 and 2020 and were due to be held in the city last year.

The calendar announcement on Thursday contains seven slots, although the ISU is still searching for a host for the fourth event.

Figure Skating, 2022-23 Grand Prix Calendar

21-23 October, Skate America, Norwood, Massachusetts

28-30 October, Skate Canada, Mississauga, Ontario

4-6 November, French International, Angers (FRA)&nbsp;

11-13 November, city to be determined&nbsp;

18-20 November, NHK Trophy, Sapporo, Japan

25-27 November, Finnish Grand Prix, Espoo

8-11 December, Final in Turin, Italy

Russia has been dropped as a figure skating Grand Prix host and Russian and Belarusian skaters banned, the International Skating Union (ISU) said as it announced the 2022-3 programme on Thursday.

Russia has been dropped as a figure skating Grand Prix host and Russian and Belarusian skaters banned, the International Skating Union (ISU) said as it announced the 2022-3 programme on Thursday. The Chinese event was also scratched from the calendar for the second straight year. "Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and the deteriorating Covid-19 sanitary situation in China, the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Rostelecom Cup (RUS) and the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Cup of China cannot be held as planned," said the ISU statement. "Replacement solutions are to be found." The statement added that "following the IOC recommendation....no skaters belonging to the ISU Members in Russia and Belarus shall be invited or allowed to participate in International ice skating competitions." The Grand Prix events are the most important in figure skating outside the Olympics and the World and European Championships. The Rostelecom Cup, formerly the Cup of Russia, had been held every year since 1996. It moved to Sochi for the first time last season. The China Cup was added to the Grand Prix schedule in 2003 in Beijing. Both the men's and women's events moved to Chongqing in 2019 and 2020 and were due to be held in the city last year. The calendar announcement on Thursday contains seven slots, although the ISU is still searching for a host for the fourth event. Figure Skating, 2022-23 Grand Prix Calendar 21-23 October, Skate America, Norwood, Massachusetts 28-30 October, Skate Canada, Mississauga, Ontario 4-6 November, French International, Angers (FRA) 11-13 November, city to be determined 18-20 November, NHK Trophy, Sapporo, Japan 25-27 November, Finnish Grand Prix, Espoo 8-11 December, Final in Turin, Italy

Skating: Russia, China left out from 2022-23 Grand Prix calendar

Bangladesh pacer Shohidul Islam has been suspended for 10 months after pleading guilty to breaching Article 2.1 of the ICC Anti-Doping CodeThe 27-year-old pacer has represented Bangladesh in one T20I. After admitting the offence, Shohidul has been suspended from all forms of cricket for 10 months. The 10-month suspension has been backdated to May 28, the day he admitted to the offence, meaning the Bangladesh pacer will be eligible to play on 28 March 2023.

Shohidul has played a solitary T20I for Bangladesh, where he picked up the wicket of Mohammad Rizwan in the third and final match of the series which Pakistan won 3-0. He has been part of Bangladesh`s travelling squads for series against New Zealand and South Africa but did not get any game time. He was also a part of the Bangladesh Test and T20I squad for the ongoing tour of the West Indies but missed out due to a side strain. Shohidul`s urine sample was positive for Clomifene, which is classified as a Specified Substance under WADA`s Prohibited List. It is prohibited both in-competition as well as out-of-competition.

Shohidul had provided the urine sample as a part of ICC`s out-of-competition testing programme. While handing out the suspension, the ICC confirmed that Shohidul had inadvertently ingested the prohibited substance in the form of medicine that he had been legitimately prescribed for therapeutic purposes. Shohidul also testified that he had no intention to use the prohibited substance for performance enhancement.

Bangladesh pacer Shohidul Islam has been suspended for 10 months after pleading guilty to breaching Article 2.1 of the ICC Anti-Doping CodeThe 27-year-old pacer has represented Bangladesh in one T20I.

Bangladesh pacer Shohidul Islam has been suspended for 10 months after pleading guilty to breaching Article 2.1 of the ICC Anti-Doping CodeThe 27-year-old pacer has represented Bangladesh in one T20I. After admitting the offence, Shohidul has been suspended from all forms of cricket for 10 months. The 10-month suspension has been backdated to May 28, the day he admitted to the offence, meaning the Bangladesh pacer will be eligible to play on 28 March 2023. Shohidul has played a solitary T20I for Bangladesh, where he picked up the wicket of Mohammad Rizwan in the third and final match of the series which Pakistan won 3-0. He has been part of Bangladesh`s travelling squads for series against New Zealand and South Africa but did not get any game time. He was also a part of the Bangladesh Test and T20I squad for the ongoing tour of the West Indies but missed out due to a side strain. Shohidul`s urine sample was positive for Clomifene, which is classified as a Specified Substance under WADA`s Prohibited List. It is prohibited both in-competition as well as out-of-competition. Shohidul had provided the urine sample as a part of ICC`s out-of-competition testing programme. While handing out the suspension, the ICC confirmed that Shohidul had inadvertently ingested the prohibited substance in the form of medicine that he had been legitimately prescribed for therapeutic purposes. Shohidul also testified that he had no intention to use the prohibited substance for performance enhancement.

Bangladesh speedster Shohidul Islam suspended for ten months for doping violation

Virat Kohli and Babar Azam are two of the biggest batters in modern-day cricket. While there's no doubting that Kohli's form has gone down considerably in the last few years, Babar has been making heads turn with his consistency across formats.

If overall numbers are compared, Babar is way behind Kohli due to the lesser number of years in international cricket. At present, Babar has 9,979 runs whereas Kohli's tally is 23,693 with 70 hundreds overall. Meanwhile, Babar has 24 centuries under his belt. However, the 27-year-old Pakistan captain is miles ahead of Kohli in terms of current form. Thus, Pakistan's opening batter Imam-ul-Haq made a glaring remark while comparing Kohli and Babar. The southpaw was quick to point out that Kohli is a legend, however, he wants his best friend and captain to end with 3,000-4,000 more runs than the Indian star batter after the end of his international career.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shaheen-is-ex-pakistan-skipper-responds-to-claims-of-jasprit-bumrah-being-best-bowler-across-formats-497276">'Shaheen is...': Ex-Pakistan skipper responds to claims of Jasprit Bumrah being best bowler across formats</a>

“Virat Kohli is a legend and there’s no doubt about that. If someone has played 240 plus matches and someone 80, then you can’t compare them. If you compare their careers right now, then Babar is way ahead, but as my best friend and captain of Pakistan, I want him to break plenty of Kohli’s records," pointed out the dashing opener during an&nbsp;interview&nbsp;on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wi-t20is-no-virat-kohli-and-jasprit-bumrah-as-r-ashwin-kl-rahul-return-in-rohit-sharma-led-squad-497285">WI T20Is: No Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah as R Ashwin, KL Rahul return in Rohit Sharma-led squad</a>

“But right now, I can’t understand the comparisons. One has more than 10,000 runs. Yes, at the end of their careers, I want Babar to score 3 to 4 thousand runs more than Kohli in every format,” Imam added.

At present, Babar-led Pakistan is gearing up for their two-match Test series versus Sri Lanka in the Island nation. On the other hand, Kohli-starrer India is playing a three-match ODI series versus hosts England.

Virat Kohli and Babar Azam are two of the biggest batters in modern-day cricket. While there's no doubting that Kohli's form has gone down considerably in the last few years, Babar has been making heads turn with his consistency across formats.

Virat Kohli and Babar Azam are two of the biggest batters in modern-day cricket. While there's no doubting that Kohli's form has gone down considerably in the last few years, Babar has been making heads turn with his consistency across formats. If overall numbers are compared, Babar is way behind Kohli due to the lesser number of years in international cricket. At present, Babar has 9,979 runs whereas Kohli's tally is 23,693 with 70 hundreds overall. Meanwhile, Babar has 24 centuries under his belt. However, the 27-year-old Pakistan captain is miles ahead of Kohli in terms of current form. Thus, Pakistan's opening batter Imam-ul-Haq made a glaring remark while comparing Kohli and Babar. The southpaw was quick to point out that Kohli is a legend, however, he wants his best friend and captain to end with 3,000-4,000 more runs than the Indian star batter after the end of his international career. ALSO READ | 'Shaheen is...': Ex-Pakistan skipper responds to claims of Jasprit Bumrah being best bowler across formats “Virat Kohli is a legend and there’s no doubt about that. If someone has played 240 plus matches and someone 80, then you can’t compare them. If you compare their careers right now, then Babar is way ahead, but as my best friend and captain of Pakistan, I want him to break plenty of Kohli’s records," pointed out the dashing opener during an interview on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha ALSO READ | WI T20Is: No Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah as R Ashwin, KL Rahul return in Rohit Sharma-led squad “But right now, I can’t understand the comparisons. One has more than 10,000 runs. Yes, at the end of their careers, I want Babar to score 3 to 4 thousand runs more than Kohli in every format,” Imam added. At present, Babar-led Pakistan is gearing up for their two-match Test series versus Sri Lanka in the Island nation. On the other hand, Kohli-starrer India is playing a three-match ODI series versus hosts England.

Want Babar Azam to score 3,000-4,000 more runs than Virat Kohli in every format, states Imam-ul-Haq

Hardik Pandya has had a stellar time since IPL 2022. In the 15th IPL season, which saw him make a comeback at the competitive level after last year's T20 World Cup, Hardik returned with his best-ever tally as a batter (487 runs) and claimed eight scalps, including a match-winning three-fer in the season-finale as Gujarat Titans (GT) won their maiden championship on debut.

Hardik's stocks rose considerably after leading Gujarat to a historic title as captain. Making a comeback for India in the home T20Is versus South Africa, the all-rounder fulfilled both roles and was also Rishabh Pant's deputy. Further, he was appointed as the Indian captain during the second-stringed side's twin&nbsp;T20Is versus Ireland, in Dublin, which Men in Blue won 2-0. In the India-England T20Is, the 28-year-old scored his maiden fifty in the format. Hence, he is on a roll, however, question marks remain on his ability to bowl his full quota of overs in ODIs. So far, he has bowled regularly in T20Is, nonetheless, it remains to be seen if he can complete his full overs in the 50-over format.

In this regard, Hardik-led Gujarat franchise's head coach Ashish Nehra made an interesting remark. "Even Hardik won’t be able to answer that since you can plan but things don’t always fall into place. But so far so good. Hardik can be in any white ball team solely as a batter. On top of that, if he bowls, it will be a bonus. But you can’t keep him as your fifth bowler in T20 or 50 overs. He can only be your sixth bowler," Nehra was quoted as saying by Telegraph India.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-cant-be-dropped-straightaway-ashish-nehra-backs-under-fire-india-batter-amid-form-concerns-497041">Virat Kohli can't be dropped straightaway: Ashish Nehra backs under-fire India batter amid form concerns</a>

The 2011 ODI World Cup winner further&nbsp;added, "But looking at his fitness, you have to build it up slowly. He will not be going to the West Indies for ODIs, which is good in a way. When you are an out-and-out fast bowler, you don’t have a choice. You have to bowl, you have to be fit... But it’s not the case with Hardik. He has been doing well during the last 2-3 months."

Hardik bowled only four overs, conceding 22&nbsp;runs and being wicketless, in India's ODI series opener versus hosts England at The Oval, London. He is already among wickets in the ongoing second and penultimate ODI, on Thursday (July 14) at Lord's, and will slowly aim to regularly finish his full quota of overs in white-ball formats.

Hardik Pandya has had a stellar time since IPL 2022. In the 15th IPL season, which saw him make a comeback at the competitive level after last year's T20 World Cup, Hardik returned with his best-ever tally as a batter (487 runs) and claimed eight scalps, including a match-winning three-fer in the season-finale as Gujarat Titans (GT) won their maiden championship on debut.

Hardik Pandya has had a stellar time since IPL 2022. In the 15th IPL season, which saw him make a comeback at the competitive level after last year's T20 World Cup, Hardik returned with his best-ever tally as a batter (487 runs) and claimed eight scalps, including a match-winning three-fer in the season-finale as Gujarat Titans (GT) won their maiden championship on debut. Hardik's stocks rose considerably after leading Gujarat to a historic title as captain. Making a comeback for India in the home T20Is versus South Africa, the all-rounder fulfilled both roles and was also Rishabh Pant's deputy. Further, he was appointed as the Indian captain during the second-stringed side's twin T20Is versus Ireland, in Dublin, which Men in Blue won 2-0. In the India-England T20Is, the 28-year-old scored his maiden fifty in the format. Hence, he is on a roll, however, question marks remain on his ability to bowl his full quota of overs in ODIs. So far, he has bowled regularly in T20Is, nonetheless, it remains to be seen if he can complete his full overs in the 50-over format. In this regard, Hardik-led Gujarat franchise's head coach Ashish Nehra made an interesting remark. "Even Hardik won’t be able to answer that since you can plan but things don’t always fall into place. But so far so good. Hardik can be in any white ball team solely as a batter. On top of that, if he bowls, it will be a bonus. But you can’t keep him as your fifth bowler in T20 or 50 overs. He can only be your sixth bowler," Nehra was quoted as saying by Telegraph India. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli can't be dropped straightaway: Ashish Nehra backs under-fire India batter amid form concerns The 2011 ODI World Cup winner further added, "But looking at his fitness, you have to build it up slowly. He will not be going to the West Indies for ODIs, which is good in a way. When you are an out-and-out fast bowler, you don’t have a choice. You have to bowl, you have to be fit... But it’s not the case with Hardik. He has been doing well during the last 2-3 months." Hardik bowled only four overs, conceding 22 runs and being wicketless, in India's ODI series opener versus hosts England at The Oval, London. He is already among wickets in the ongoing second and penultimate ODI, on Thursday (July 14) at Lord's, and will slowly aim to regularly finish his full quota of overs in white-ball formats.

'Even he won’t......' - Ashish Nehra on whether Hardik Pandya can bowl 10 overs in ODIs

Phil Mickelson and Ian Poulter, two of the biggest names to join the rebel LIV Golf Invitational Series, played down suggestions they had received a hostile reception during the first round of the British Open on Thursday.

Briton Poulter was booed on the first tee before shooting a three-under-par 69 and Mickelson was unfazed by his decision not to attend the pre-tournament champions dinner. "The R&amp;A contacted me a couple weeks before and said, look, we don`t think it`s a great idea you go, but if you want to, you can," the American six-times major champion said.

"I just didn`t want to make a big deal about it, so I said fine. We both kind of agreed that it would be best if I didn`t." The 52-year-old Mickelson, who started with a level-par 72 at St Andrews, was delighted to be at the home of golf.

"I love being here. Everybody here loves golf, and we find this place to be very spiritual," he said. "It`s just a special place." Mickelson said he was very comfortable with his decision to join the LIV series. "I couldn`t be more excited and ecstatic with where I`m at," he said. "I love the events. I get to have competitive golf in my life on a scale that is fun, exciting, different, and lets me play and compete but still do the things outside that I want to do."

He did bristle when asked again about the champions dinner. "Let it go, dude. Let it go," he said. "That`s three times you`ve asked the same question. I don`t know what to tell you. I couldn`t be happier." 
Poulter, revered in European golf for his inspirational Ryder Cup performances, was booed by a few spectators, although the Englishman appeared not to notice.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/issf-shooting-world-cup-prithviraj-vivaan-bhowneesh-secure-silver-medal-in-trap-team-event-497363">ISSF Shooting World Cup: Prithviraj, Vivaan, Bhowneesh secure silver medal in Trap team event</a>

"I actually thought I had a great reception on the first tee, to be honest," he said. "All I heard was clapping." 
Poulter reacted with indignation to suggestions he was heckled around the course. "Oh, my gosh, I have heard not one heckle. In three weeks, I`ve heard nothing," he said. "You lot can write whatever you like about being heckled and booing."

Poulter said his relationship with other players had not been affected by his decision to join the LIV breakaway. "We might have a difference of opinion, but they`re my friends," he said. "You play golf with these guys for 20-plus years or 10, 15 years, you`ve been part of many teams with them. "We`re still friends, whatever the landscape is and wherever you`re playing golf."

Poulter, 46, will not allow himself to be distracted as he bids to win his first major title. "I`m here to play golf. This could probably be my last Open Championship at St Andrews. So I`m trying to enjoy it despite the questioning," he said. "I shot three under. I was quite happy. I was nice and relaxed."

Phil Mickelson and Ian Poulter, two of the biggest names to join the rebel LIV Golf Invitational Series, played down suggestions they had received a hostile reception during the first round of the British Open on Thursday.

Phil Mickelson and Ian Poulter, two of the biggest names to join the rebel LIV Golf Invitational Series, played down suggestions they had received a hostile reception during the first round of the British Open on Thursday. Briton Poulter was booed on the first tee before shooting a three-under-par 69 and Mickelson was unfazed by his decision not to attend the pre-tournament champions dinner. "The R&A contacted me a couple weeks before and said, look, we don`t think it`s a great idea you go, but if you want to, you can," the American six-times major champion said. "I just didn`t want to make a big deal about it, so I said fine. We both kind of agreed that it would be best if I didn`t." The 52-year-old Mickelson, who started with a level-par 72 at St Andrews, was delighted to be at the home of golf. "I love being here. Everybody here loves golf, and we find this place to be very spiritual," he said. "It`s just a special place." Mickelson said he was very comfortable with his decision to join the LIV series. "I couldn`t be more excited and ecstatic with where I`m at," he said. "I love the events. I get to have competitive golf in my life on a scale that is fun, exciting, different, and lets me play and compete but still do the things outside that I want to do." He did bristle when asked again about the champions dinner. "Let it go, dude. Let it go," he said. "That`s three times you`ve asked the same question. I don`t know what to tell you. I couldn`t be happier." Poulter, revered in European golf for his inspirational Ryder Cup performances, was booed by a few spectators, although the Englishman appeared not to notice. ALSO READ | ISSF Shooting World Cup: Prithviraj, Vivaan, Bhowneesh secure silver medal in Trap team event "I actually thought I had a great reception on the first tee, to be honest," he said. "All I heard was clapping." Poulter reacted with indignation to suggestions he was heckled around the course. "Oh, my gosh, I have heard not one heckle. In three weeks, I`ve heard nothing," he said. "You lot can write whatever you like about being heckled and booing." Poulter said his relationship with other players had not been affected by his decision to join the LIV breakaway. "We might have a difference of opinion, but they`re my friends," he said. "You play golf with these guys for 20-plus years or 10, 15 years, you`ve been part of many teams with them. "We`re still friends, whatever the landscape is and wherever you`re playing golf." Poulter, 46, will not allow himself to be distracted as he bids to win his first major title. "I`m here to play golf. This could probably be my last Open Championship at St Andrews. So I`m trying to enjoy it despite the questioning," he said. "I shot three under. I was quite happy. I was nice and relaxed."

'Let it go dude', reacts Phil Mickelson as star golfer plays down LIV switch

The Indian shooting trio of Prithviraj Tondaiman, Vivaan Kapoor and Bhowneesh Mendiratta clinched a silver medal for the country at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun stage in Changwon, Korea on Wednesday. They lost to Slovakia`s Adrian Drobny, Michal Slamka and Hubert Andrzej Olejnik in the battle for the top prize at Trap men`s team event.

In the Gold medal match, the Indian trio lost to their Slovakian opposition by 6-2. "Many congratulations to the Indian trio of Prithviraj Tondaiman, Vivaan Kapoor &amp; Bhowneesh Mendiratta on winning in Trap Men`s team event at the ongoing @ISSF_Shooting 2022 World Cup, Changwon On Day- 3 `s medal stands at with 2, 1 &amp; 1 #IndianSports #Shooting," tweeted SAI Media.

India finished the third day of the event with four medals, two of them being gold. Besides this, India also captured a silver and bronze each.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/singapore-open-saina-nehwal-arjun-kapila-duo-enter-quarterfinals-497339">Singapore Open: Saina Nehwal, Arjun-Kapila duo enter quarterfinals</a>

Earlier, India continued its good show at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun stage in Changwon, Korea, with the duo of Mehuli Ghosh and Tushar Mane Shahu winning the gold medal on Wednesday by defeating Hungary`s Eszter Meszaros and Istvan Peni in the finals of 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team. The Hungarian mixed duo had to settle for a silver, losing by a margin of 17-13. On the other hand, the duo of Shiva Narwal and Palak also clinched a bronze medal in 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team category by defeating Kazakhstan`s duo of Irina Loktionova and Valeriy Rakhimzhan.

Earlier, India`s Arjun Babuta had won his first International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup stage gold, beating Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Lucas Kozeniesky of the USA by margin of 17-9 in the gold medal match early on Monday morning. The Changwon Shooting World Cup will take place in Changwon, South Korea from July 9 to July 21, 2022.

The Indian shooting trio of Prithviraj Tondaiman, Vivaan Kapoor and Bhowneesh Mendiratta clinched a silver medal for the country at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun stage in Changwon, Korea on Wednesday.

The Indian shooting trio of Prithviraj Tondaiman, Vivaan Kapoor and Bhowneesh Mendiratta clinched a silver medal for the country at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun stage in Changwon, Korea on Wednesday. They lost to Slovakia`s Adrian Drobny, Michal Slamka and Hubert Andrzej Olejnik in the battle for the top prize at Trap men`s team event. In the Gold medal match, the Indian trio lost to their Slovakian opposition by 6-2. "Many congratulations to the Indian trio of Prithviraj Tondaiman, Vivaan Kapoor & Bhowneesh Mendiratta on winning in Trap Men`s team event at the ongoing @ISSF_Shooting 2022 World Cup, Changwon On Day- 3 `s medal stands at with 2, 1 & 1 #IndianSports #Shooting," tweeted SAI Media. India finished the third day of the event with four medals, two of them being gold. Besides this, India also captured a silver and bronze each. ALSO READ | Singapore Open: Saina Nehwal, Arjun-Kapila duo enter quarterfinals Earlier, India continued its good show at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun stage in Changwon, Korea, with the duo of Mehuli Ghosh and Tushar Mane Shahu winning the gold medal on Wednesday by defeating Hungary`s Eszter Meszaros and Istvan Peni in the finals of 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team. The Hungarian mixed duo had to settle for a silver, losing by a margin of 17-13. On the other hand, the duo of Shiva Narwal and Palak also clinched a bronze medal in 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team category by defeating Kazakhstan`s duo of Irina Loktionova and Valeriy Rakhimzhan. Earlier, India`s Arjun Babuta had won his first International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup stage gold, beating Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Lucas Kozeniesky of the USA by margin of 17-9 in the gold medal match early on Monday morning. The Changwon Shooting World Cup will take place in Changwon, South Korea from July 9 to July 21, 2022.

ISSF Shooting World Cup: Prithviraj, Vivaan, Bhowneesh secure silver medal in Trap team event

Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal advanced to the quarterfinals of the ongoing Singapore Open 2022, defeating China`s He Bingjiao in the second round of the women`s singles category. Nehwal defeated her Chinese counterpart by 21-19, 11-21, 21-17. She was off to a good start and won her first game. But Bingjio defeated her by a huge margin in the second game. Nehwal prevailed in the closely-contested decider, booking her slot in the final eight of the competition.

The star Indian shuttler had reached the second round by defeating compatriot Malvika Bansod in their round one game by 21-18, 21-15, in a match that lasted 34 minutes.On the other hand, the Indian duo of Arjun MR and Dhruv Kapila won their second-round match in the men`s doubles category against the Malaysian duo of Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin and confirmed their slot in the quarterfinals. In a match that lasted for one hour and five minutes, Arjun-Kapila reigned supreme over their opponents by 18-21, 24-22, and 21-18. The Indian duo lost their first game, but they bounced back to win their second and third games.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/singapore-open-pv-sindhu-hs-prannoy-progress-ahead-into-the-quarter-finals-497270">Singapore Open: PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy progress ahead, into the quarter-finals</a>

Earlier on Thursday, Indian Olympic medalist PV Sindhu defeated Vietnam`s Nguyen Thuy Linh in the second round of the women`s singles category to reach the quarterfinals of the ongoing Singapore Open 2022.Playing on court 1, Sindhu won her match 19-21, 21-19, 21-18. She got off a bad start, losing the first game closely. The Indian however kept her calm in the next two games and won them. The match was an extremely close-contested one and lasted one hour, six minutes.

The action continued on court 2, where Prannoy HS also won his first-round match against Taiwan`s Chou Tien-Chen and proceeded to the quarterfinals on Thursday. Prannoy won 21-14, 20-22, 18-21. He lost the first game but bounced back to win the next two games and seal the match which lasted one hour and nine minutes.

Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal advanced to the quarterfinals of the ongoing Singapore Open 2022, defeating China`s He Bingjiao in the second round of the women`s singles category.

Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal advanced to the quarterfinals of the ongoing Singapore Open 2022, defeating China`s He Bingjiao in the second round of the women`s singles category. Nehwal defeated her Chinese counterpart by 21-19, 11-21, 21-17. She was off to a good start and won her first game. But Bingjio defeated her by a huge margin in the second game. Nehwal prevailed in the closely-contested decider, booking her slot in the final eight of the competition. The star Indian shuttler had reached the second round by defeating compatriot Malvika Bansod in their round one game by 21-18, 21-15, in a match that lasted 34 minutes.On the other hand, the Indian duo of Arjun MR and Dhruv Kapila won their second-round match in the men`s doubles category against the Malaysian duo of Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin and confirmed their slot in the quarterfinals. In a match that lasted for one hour and five minutes, Arjun-Kapila reigned supreme over their opponents by 18-21, 24-22, and 21-18. The Indian duo lost their first game, but they bounced back to win their second and third games. ALSO READ | Singapore Open: PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy progress ahead, into the quarter-finals Earlier on Thursday, Indian Olympic medalist PV Sindhu defeated Vietnam`s Nguyen Thuy Linh in the second round of the women`s singles category to reach the quarterfinals of the ongoing Singapore Open 2022.Playing on court 1, Sindhu won her match 19-21, 21-19, 21-18. She got off a bad start, losing the first game closely. The Indian however kept her calm in the next two games and won them. The match was an extremely close-contested one and lasted one hour, six minutes. The action continued on court 2, where Prannoy HS also won his first-round match against Taiwan`s Chou Tien-Chen and proceeded to the quarterfinals on Thursday. Prannoy won 21-14, 20-22, 18-21. He lost the first game but bounced back to win the next two games and seal the match which lasted one hour and nine minutes.

Singapore Open: Saina Nehwal, Arjun-Kapila duo enter quarterfinals

Over the past week or so, news had&nbsp;been circulating about fake IPL being conducted in Gujarat. Now, the culprit behind the fake IPL racket has finally been nabbed. As per the Gujarat police, the mastermind behind the fake IPL is a Russian and not an Indian.&nbsp;

As per a report in the Times of India, a Russian named Efimov is behind the whole scam.&nbsp;Till now, it was believed that Asif Mohammed and Ashok Chaudhary were behind the racket, however, a new twist came into the picture as a Russian citizen&nbsp;by the name of 'Efimov' had plotted the whole scam.&nbsp;It was confirmed via the sleuths of Gujarat's Mehsana police.

For the unversed, the fake IPL-like&nbsp;league&nbsp;was not only conducted&nbsp;in Molipur but also in other places such as&nbsp;Meerut,&nbsp;Pune, and Jalandhar. A Mehsana police officer said, "The scrutiny of Telegram chats of the accused persons has revealed that Efimov is the mastermind. Asif Mohammed and Ashok Chaudhary were working for Efimov, and they planned the fake IPL in Molipur and other places. Asif is a Pakistani citizen while Ashok is an Indian."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wi-t20is-no-virat-kohli-and-jasprit-bumrah-as-r-ashwin-kl-rahul-return-in-rohit-sharma-led-squad-497285">WI T20Is: No Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah as R Ashwin, KL Rahul return in Rohit Sharma-led squad</a>

After a&nbsp;probe commenced with regard to the fake cricket league, a similar racket came into the scene after being reported&nbsp;by Hapur police in Meerut (in Uttar Pradesh). As per the Mehsana SOG sources, it was revealed that the gang focused on conducting matches&nbsp;to ensure the regular cash inflow from Russian punters who frequent pubs in Tver, Voronezh and Moscow.

"Shoeb Davda, one of the accused who was caught from Molipur, had lived in Russia for eight months. He had returned to India only recently. Mohammed and Chaudhary had instructed him to organize a T20 cricket tournament to accept bets. It is he who had suggested that the matches be held in Molipur since it was an ideal location to pull off the con," pointed out a police officer.

"They held at least 20 matches in Meerut. In case of any suspicion that their match venue was under scanner, they would leave the venue and choose another. Some matches were also played in Pune and Jalandhar. We are investigating them,"&nbsp;the officer further added.

Over the past week or so, news had been circulating about fake IPL being conducted in Gujarat. Now, the culprit behind the fake IPL racket has finally been nabbed.

Over the past week or so, news had been circulating about fake IPL being conducted in Gujarat. Now, the culprit behind the fake IPL racket has finally been nabbed. As per the Gujarat police, the mastermind behind the fake IPL is a Russian and not an Indian. As per a report in the Times of India, a Russian named Efimov is behind the whole scam. Till now, it was believed that Asif Mohammed and Ashok Chaudhary were behind the racket, however, a new twist came into the picture as a Russian citizen by the name of 'Efimov' had plotted the whole scam. It was confirmed via the sleuths of Gujarat's Mehsana police. For the unversed, the fake IPL-like league was not only conducted in Molipur but also in other places such as Meerut, Pune, and Jalandhar. A Mehsana police officer said, "The scrutiny of Telegram chats of the accused persons has revealed that Efimov is the mastermind. Asif Mohammed and Ashok Chaudhary were working for Efimov, and they planned the fake IPL in Molipur and other places. Asif is a Pakistani citizen while Ashok is an Indian." ALSO READ | WI T20Is: No Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah as R Ashwin, KL Rahul return in Rohit Sharma-led squad After a probe commenced with regard to the fake cricket league, a similar racket came into the scene after being reported by Hapur police in Meerut (in Uttar Pradesh). As per the Mehsana SOG sources, it was revealed that the gang focused on conducting matches to ensure the regular cash inflow from Russian punters who frequent pubs in Tver, Voronezh and Moscow. "Shoeb Davda, one of the accused who was caught from Molipur, had lived in Russia for eight months. He had returned to India only recently. Mohammed and Chaudhary had instructed him to organize a T20 cricket tournament to accept bets. It is he who had suggested that the matches be held in Molipur since it was an ideal location to pull off the con," pointed out a police officer. "They held at least 20 matches in Meerut. In case of any suspicion that their match venue was under scanner, they would leave the venue and choose another. Some matches were also played in Pune and Jalandhar. We are investigating them," the officer further added.

Mastermind behind fake IPL matches in Gujarat nabbed: Report

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