<p>The Australian state of Victoria will host the 2026 Commonwealth Games across four regional hubs in a break from the traditional single-city model, the government said on Tuesday. With no other countries outside Australia making a bid, Victoria was granted an exclusive negotiating period to secure the Games in February.</p>

<p>"It’s a great honour to have Victoria chosen as the host venue for the 2026 Commonwealth Games -- we can’t wait to welcome the world to all of our state," Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said. Victoria capital Melbourne hosted the 2006 Games and will stage the 2026 opening ceremony at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but the sports will be spread far and wide. Each of the regional hubs in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Gippsland will have their own athletes` village.</p>

<p>Geelong, a port city an hour southwest of Melbourne, will host swimming, gymnastics, beach volleyball and other sports. Ballarat and Bendigo, goldfield cities in central Victoria, will have athletics, boxing, netball, squash and weightlifting. The Gippsland region in eastern Victoria will have rugby sevens, badminton and cycling. Twenty20 cricket has also been included in a core group of 16 sports.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/commonwealth-games-2022-indian-weightlifter-mirabai-chanus-entry-in-womens-55kg-category-rejected-470018"><strong>Commonwealth Games 2022: Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu's entry in women's 55kg category rejected</strong></a></p>

<p>Other sports may yet be added to the programme, which could mean other locations hosting events, the government said. "It is different,” Andrews told reporters in Melbourne on Tuesday. "I’m sure from (Commonwealth Games authorities`) point of view, it’s a bit riskier than just running it in the middle of a large city."But to do this and to do it well – and we will – there’s an opportunity here ... an opportunity like no other."</p>

<p><strong>RUNWAY FOR 2032</strong><br />
The quadrennial Games, a multi-sport gathering for mostly former British colonies, has struggled to remain relevant, with four of the last five editions held in Australia or Britain.<br />
Australia, however, relishes its athletes` dominance in a relatively weak pool of nations, and fans flocked to the well-organised Gold Coast Games in 2018.</p>

<p>Victoria will be used as a "runway" for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. "We now have a second major home Games in prospect," said Australian Olympic Committee chief Matt Carroll. "Commonwealth Games in 2026 is a major marker on that runway." Victoria estimated the Games would contribute more than A$3 billion ($2.22 billion) to its economy and create thousands of jobs.</p>

<p>The New Zealand Olympic Committee congratulated Victoria. "Bringing the 2026 Commonwealth Games to Victoria is fantastic news for New Zealand," the NZOC said in a statement. "New Zealand athletes will have a home advantage with better travel, training and performance opportunities, and only a quick flight for friends, whanau (family) and fans to support the team on the ground."</p>

<p>English city Birmingham will host the 2022 Commonwealth Games from July 28-Aug. 8, having replaced South Africa, who were stripped of them in 2017 over a lack of progress in preparations.</p>


The Australian state of Victoria will host the 2026 Commonwealth Games across four regional hubs in a break from the traditional single-city model, the government said on Tuesday.

The Australian state of Victoria will host the 2026 Commonwealth Games across four regional hubs in a break from the traditional single-city model, the government said on Tuesday. With no other countries outside Australia making a bid, Victoria was granted an exclusive negotiating period to secure the Games in February. "It’s a great honour to have Victoria chosen as the host venue for the 2026 Commonwealth Games -- we can’t wait to welcome the world to all of our state," Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said. Victoria capital Melbourne hosted the 2006 Games and will stage the 2026 opening ceremony at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but the sports will be spread far and wide. Each of the regional hubs in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Gippsland will have their own athletes` village. Geelong, a port city an hour southwest of Melbourne, will host swimming, gymnastics, beach volleyball and other sports. Ballarat and Bendigo, goldfield cities in central Victoria, will have athletics, boxing, netball, squash and weightlifting. The Gippsland region in eastern Victoria will have rugby sevens, badminton and cycling. Twenty20 cricket has also been included in a core group of 16 sports. ALSO READ | Commonwealth Games 2022: Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu's entry in women's 55kg category rejected Other sports may yet be added to the programme, which could mean other locations hosting events, the government said. "It is different,” Andrews told reporters in Melbourne on Tuesday. "I’m sure from (Commonwealth Games authorities`) point of view, it’s a bit riskier than just running it in the middle of a large city."But to do this and to do it well – and we will – there’s an opportunity here ... an opportunity like no other." RUNWAY FOR 2032 The quadrennial Games, a multi-sport gathering for mostly former British colonies, has struggled to remain relevant, with four of the last five editions held in Australia or Britain. Australia, however, relishes its athletes` dominance in a relatively weak pool of nations, and fans flocked to the well-organised Gold Coast Games in 2018. Victoria will be used as a "runway" for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. "We now have a second major home Games in prospect," said Australian Olympic Committee chief Matt Carroll. "Commonwealth Games in 2026 is a major marker on that runway." Victoria estimated the Games would contribute more than A$3 billion ($2.22 billion) to its economy and create thousands of jobs. The New Zealand Olympic Committee congratulated Victoria. "Bringing the 2026 Commonwealth Games to Victoria is fantastic news for New Zealand," the NZOC said in a statement. "New Zealand athletes will have a home advantage with better travel, training and performance opportunities, and only a quick flight for friends, whanau (family) and fans to support the team on the ground." English city Birmingham will host the 2022 Commonwealth Games from July 28-Aug. 8, having replaced South Africa, who were stripped of them in 2017 over a lack of progress in preparations.

CWG 2026: Australia's Victoria to spread showpiece event far and wide

<p>Tokyo Olympic silver medallist weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has bagged her berth to the upcoming Commonwealth Games by securing a gold medal in the 55kg category in the CWG qualification event.</p>

<p>The 27-year-old lifter from Manipur bagged the top spot in Singapore by lifting a total of 191kg that secured her a spot in Birmingham.</p>

<p>The Indian weightlifter, who secured a silver medal in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021 in the women's 49kg category, has moved up a weight division and is participating in 55kg now.</p>

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<p>"Happy to have qualified for the CWG 2022. My participation would not have been possible without the prompt response of @IndiaSports &amp; @meaMADAD in facilitating the Vaccinated Travel Lane Pass for me and my team, without which we couldn't have travelled to Singapore for the event," Mirabai tweeted on Friday.</p>

<p>Having secured the quota, Mirabai is looking forward to winning gold in CWG as it gives her good preparation for the Asian Games which are expected to be tougher.</p>

<p>The weightlifter was overjoyed with the qualification and said, "Seven months of intense training and my never-ending love for the sport continues to pay off. I would like to extend my thanks to our Ministry of Youth and Affairs, Weightlifting Federation of India, SAI and all the other stakeholders who have helped me reach here. I am determined to work harder and do everything I can to grab the gold medal again for my country in the CWG."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/poland-will-not-play-world-cup-qualifying-match-against-russia-says-polish-fa-head-cezary-kulesza-456742">Poland will not play World Cup qualifying match against Russia, says Polish FA head Cezary Kulesza</a></p>

<p>The qualification event allows the top eight lifters in each category to qualify for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham out of which Chanu has assured a spot not only in the 49kg category but also in the 55kg category for India.</p>


Tokyo Olympic silver medallist weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has bagged her berth to the upcoming Commonwealth Games by securing a gold medal in the 55kg category in the CWG qualification event.

Tokyo Olympic silver medallist weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has bagged her berth to the upcoming Commonwealth Games by securing a gold medal in the 55kg category in the CWG qualification event. The 27-year-old lifter from Manipur bagged the top spot in Singapore by lifting a total of 191kg that secured her a spot in Birmingham. The Indian weightlifter, who secured a silver medal in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021 in the women's 49kg category, has moved up a weight division and is participating in 55kg now. ALSO READ: Rafael Nadal beats World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev to enter Mexican Open final "Happy to have qualified for the CWG 2022. My participation would not have been possible without the prompt response of @IndiaSports & @meaMADAD in facilitating the Vaccinated Travel Lane Pass for me and my team, without which we couldn't have travelled to Singapore for the event," Mirabai tweeted on Friday. Having secured the quota, Mirabai is looking forward to winning gold in CWG as it gives her good preparation for the Asian Games which are expected to be tougher. The weightlifter was overjoyed with the qualification and said, "Seven months of intense training and my never-ending love for the sport continues to pay off. I would like to extend my thanks to our Ministry of Youth and Affairs, Weightlifting Federation of India, SAI and all the other stakeholders who have helped me reach here. I am determined to work harder and do everything I can to grab the gold medal again for my country in the CWG." ALSO READ: Poland will not play World Cup qualifying match against Russia, says Polish FA head Cezary Kulesza The qualification event allows the top eight lifters in each category to qualify for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham out of which Chanu has assured a spot not only in the 49kg category but also in the 55kg category for India.

Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu qualifies for Commonwealth Games 2022 with a golden lift

<p>Australia's Victoria state has been granted an exclusive negotiating period to secure hosting rights for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, officials said on Wednesday.</p>

<p>State capital Melbourne hosted the 2006 Commonwealth Games but premier Daniel Andrews said the 2026 edition would be focused on regional cities if the bid were successful.</p>

<p>"Victoria is Australia's sporting state, and, if awarded, the 2026 Commonwealth Games would demonstrate to the world a new way to deliver the competition," he said.</p>

<p>"We would hope to have the majority of events in our regional cities – to display the best of Victoria, create jobs and housing and infrastructure that will deliver for the long term."</p>

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<p>Australia most recently hosted the multi-sport gathering for mostly former British colonies on the Gold Coast in 2018.</p>

<p>The quadrennial Games have struggled to remain relevant, with four of the last five Games held in Australia or Britain.</p>

<p>The English city of Birmingham is due to host the 2022 edition from July 28 to Aug. 8, after replacing South Africa who&nbsp;were stripped of them in 2017 over a lack of progress in their preparations.<br />
<br />
Birmingham was to have hosted the 2026 Games but was asked to fast-track preparations for 2022.</p>

<p>Outside Australia, no other nations or cities expressed interest in taking the vacant 2026 slot.</p>

<p>Australian media have speculated the 92-year-old Games may be doomed if talks between the Victorian government and Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) fail.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/beijing-winter-olympics-indias-campaign-ends-as-sole-representative-mohammad-arif-khan-records-dnf-in-slalom-453679">Beijing Winter Olympics: India's campaign ends as Mohammad Arif Khan records DNF in slalom</a></p>

<p>Australia, however, bathes in its athletes'&nbsp;dominance in a relatively weak pool of nations and fans flocked to the well-organised Gold Coast Games in 2018.<br />
Australia's island state of Tasmania may offer a back-up solution if Victoria's bid is unsuccessful.</p>

<p>Though lacking infrastructure, Australia's smallest state wrote to CGA last week asking to be considered.</p>

<p>The Tasmanian government expressed surprise and disappointment over news of Victoria's exclusive negotiation period.</p>

<p>"I was a little disappointed in the way Commonwealth Games Australia dealt with this," Tasmania Premier Peter Gutwein told media on Wednesday.</p>

<p>"The first I heard that they were exclusively dealing with Victoria was through the media."</p>


Australia's Victoria state has been granted an exclusive negotiating period to secure hosting rights for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, officials said on Wednesday.

Australia's Victoria state has been granted an exclusive negotiating period to secure hosting rights for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, officials said on Wednesday. State capital Melbourne hosted the 2006 Commonwealth Games but premier Daniel Andrews said the 2026 edition would be focused on regional cities if the bid were successful. "Victoria is Australia's sporting state, and, if awarded, the 2026 Commonwealth Games would demonstrate to the world a new way to deliver the competition," he said. "We would hope to have the majority of events in our regional cities – to display the best of Victoria, create jobs and housing and infrastructure that will deliver for the long term." ALSO READ: Beijing Olympics: Russian Kamila Valieva had 3 drugs used to treat heart conditions in sample - Report Australia most recently hosted the multi-sport gathering for mostly former British colonies on the Gold Coast in 2018. The quadrennial Games have struggled to remain relevant, with four of the last five Games held in Australia or Britain. The English city of Birmingham is due to host the 2022 edition from July 28 to Aug. 8, after replacing South Africa who were stripped of them in 2017 over a lack of progress in their preparations. Birmingham was to have hosted the 2026 Games but was asked to fast-track preparations for 2022. Outside Australia, no other nations or cities expressed interest in taking the vacant 2026 slot. Australian media have speculated the 92-year-old Games may be doomed if talks between the Victorian government and Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) fail. ALSO READ: Beijing Winter Olympics: India's campaign ends as Mohammad Arif Khan records DNF in slalom Australia, however, bathes in its athletes' dominance in a relatively weak pool of nations and fans flocked to the well-organised Gold Coast Games in 2018. Australia's island state of Tasmania may offer a back-up solution if Victoria's bid is unsuccessful. Though lacking infrastructure, Australia's smallest state wrote to CGA last week asking to be considered. The Tasmanian government expressed surprise and disappointment over news of Victoria's exclusive negotiation period. "I was a little disappointed in the way Commonwealth Games Australia dealt with this," Tasmania Premier Peter Gutwein told media on Wednesday. "The first I heard that they were exclusively dealing with Victoria was through the media."

Australia's Victoria enters talks to secure hosting rights for 2026 Commonwealth Games

<p>Indian men's and women's hockey teams will compete at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022 in Birmingham, England as the previous decision to skip the event has been reversed.&nbsp;The Commonwealth Games will begin on July 28 and end on August 8 next year.</p>

<p>In the month of October, India had announced that they will not send teams for the event due to the restriction and quarantine rules imposed by the host nation owing to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is important to note that India wanter to give priority to the Asian Games 2022, which is the continental qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympics.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>The decision, however, has been reversed after negotiations between the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and Narinder Batra, the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the head of the International Hockey Federation (FIH).&nbsp;</p>

<p>"India's hockey men and women will, if they are invited and qualify, will be here. I am delighted," CGF president Dame Louise Martin told Inside the Games, which is an Olympic news website.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Martin added, "Hockey is a world-class event at the Commonwealth Games, and it will be a good competition. India is the biggest country in the Commonwealth. We need all their teams in every sport that they qualify for at these Games."</p>

<p>When we talk about India at the CWG, the Indian men's hockey team are two-time Commonwealth Games silver medallists as they had finished runners ups in 2010 and 2014.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On the other hand, the women's won the gold in 2002 and silver in 2006.</p>


Indian men's and women's hockey teams will compete at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022 in Birmingham, England as the previous decision to skip the event has been reversed.

Indian men's and women's hockey teams will compete at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022 in Birmingham, England as the previous decision to skip the event has been reversed. The Commonwealth Games will begin on July 28 and end on August 8 next year. In the month of October, India had announced that they will not send teams for the event due to the restriction and quarantine rules imposed by the host nation owing to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. It is important to note that India wanter to give priority to the Asian Games 2022, which is the continental qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympics. ALSO READ | BWF World Tour Finals: PV Sindhu trumps Akane Yamaguchi in semis, will play against An Seyoung in final The decision, however, has been reversed after negotiations between the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and Narinder Batra, the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the head of the International Hockey Federation (FIH). "India's hockey men and women will, if they are invited and qualify, will be here. I am delighted," CGF president Dame Louise Martin told Inside the Games, which is an Olympic news website. Martin added, "Hockey is a world-class event at the Commonwealth Games, and it will be a good competition. India is the biggest country in the Commonwealth. We need all their teams in every sport that they qualify for at these Games." When we talk about India at the CWG, the Indian men's hockey team are two-time Commonwealth Games silver medallists as they had finished runners ups in 2010 and 2014. On the other hand, the women's won the gold in 2002 and silver in 2006.

Indian men's and women's hockey teams to compete at Commonwealth Games in Birmingham

<p>Queen Elizabeth II flagged off the Commonwealth Games 2022 Baton Relay wearing a diamond brooch gifted to her by the Nizam of Hyderabad in 1947 in celebration of her wedding.</p>

<p>The 95-year-old monarch was joined by her youngest son, Prince Edward, at Buckingham Palace on Thursday for the traditional ceremony dressed in a bright orange outfit adorned with the large rose brooch.</p>

<p>It originally belonged in a tiara, which was a gift from Asaf Jah VII, among the world's richest men at the time of her wedding to Prince Philip.</p>

<p>He famously told Cartier jewellers to let the Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, select anything from their collection as a wedding gift from him.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wasim-jaffer-hilariously-trolls-rohit-sharma-led-mi-who-face-improbable-task-for-playoffs-spot-419156"><strong>Wasim Jaffer hilariously trolls Rohit Sharma-led MI who face improbable task for playoffs spot</strong></a></p>

<p>Her choice of the brooch for the Commonwealth ceremony is also seen as a tribute to her late husband Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who passed away in April this year.</p>

<p>Her launch of the Baton Relay marked her first major in-person event at Buckingham Palace since the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.</p>

<p>"The Baton's epic journey will conclude at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony in July 2022, where Her Majesty will take the message from the baton and read it aloud," Buckingham Palace said.</p>

<p>The message within the baton is kept secret until that moment. The hi-tech equipment has been dubbed a "smart baton", with a 360-degree camera, a monitor that displays the heartbeats of bearers, LED lighting and GPS tracking and atmospheric sensors that use laser technology to analyse the environmental conditions.</p>

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<p>Its international route, which includes India, will span 269 days, spending between two and four days in each nation or territory, covering approximately 90,000 miles (140,000 kilometres), with over 7,500 Batonbearers given the opportunity to carry the Baton in their community.</p>

<p>The Birmingham 2022 Queen's Baton Relay will visit 72 nations and territories that fall within the Commonwealth but will travel almost half the distance than the previous Gold Coast Queen's Baton Relay in a bid to reduce the carbon footprint.</p>

<p>Flying out from Birmingham Airport, the first stop on the Relay is Cyprus on Saturday, shortly followed by Malta on October 9.<br />
Arriving in Africa on October 16, the Baton will take in all 19 Commonwealth countries on the continent, as well as a stop on the volcanic island of Saint Helena.</p>

<p>After three days in Pakistan, the Baton will spend New Year's Day in the Maldives, before visiting Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and spending four days in India between 12-15 January 2022.</p>


Queen Elizabeth II flagged off the Commonwealth Games 2022 Baton Relay wearing a diamond brooch gifted to her by the Nizam of Hyderabad in 1947 in celebration of her wedding.

Queen Elizabeth II flagged off the Commonwealth Games 2022 Baton Relay wearing a diamond brooch gifted to her by the Nizam of Hyderabad in 1947 in celebration of her wedding. The 95-year-old monarch was joined by her youngest son, Prince Edward, at Buckingham Palace on Thursday for the traditional ceremony dressed in a bright orange outfit adorned with the large rose brooch. It originally belonged in a tiara, which was a gift from Asaf Jah VII, among the world's richest men at the time of her wedding to Prince Philip. He famously told Cartier jewellers to let the Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, select anything from their collection as a wedding gift from him. ALSO READ | Wasim Jaffer hilariously trolls Rohit Sharma-led MI who face improbable task for playoffs spot Her choice of the brooch for the Commonwealth ceremony is also seen as a tribute to her late husband Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who passed away in April this year. Her launch of the Baton Relay marked her first major in-person event at Buckingham Palace since the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. "The Baton's epic journey will conclude at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony in July 2022, where Her Majesty will take the message from the baton and read it aloud," Buckingham Palace said. The message within the baton is kept secret until that moment. The hi-tech equipment has been dubbed a "smart baton", with a 360-degree camera, a monitor that displays the heartbeats of bearers, LED lighting and GPS tracking and atmospheric sensors that use laser technology to analyse the environmental conditions. ALSO READ | IPL 2021: How MS Dhoni prompted Deepak Chahar to prepone his proposal plan for his beloved Jaya Bhardwaj Its international route, which includes India, will span 269 days, spending between two and four days in each nation or territory, covering approximately 90,000 miles (140,000 kilometres), with over 7,500 Batonbearers given the opportunity to carry the Baton in their community. The Birmingham 2022 Queen's Baton Relay will visit 72 nations and territories that fall within the Commonwealth but will travel almost half the distance than the previous Gold Coast Queen's Baton Relay in a bid to reduce the carbon footprint. Flying out from Birmingham Airport, the first stop on the Relay is Cyprus on Saturday, shortly followed by Malta on October 9. Arriving in Africa on October 16, the Baton will take in all 19 Commonwealth countries on the continent, as well as a stop on the volcanic island of Saint Helena. After three days in Pakistan, the Baton will spend New Year's Day in the Maldives, before visiting Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and spending four days in India between 12-15 January 2022.

Commonwealth Games 2022: Queen Elizabeth II flags off Baton Relay wearing Nizam brooch

<p>The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) have announced the qualification process for cricket, which makes a historic appearance at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, scheduled from 28 July to 8 August.</p>

<p>In what is seen as a huge opportunity to turbo-charge the growth of the game, and take it to new fans, women’s cricket will be a part of the Commonwealth Games for the first time ever, and it will only be the second time that cricket will feature in it after a men’s competition was part of the Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.</p>

<p>The qualification process announced on Wednesday grants hosts England one spot while six other highest-ranked ICC Members in the&nbsp;CC Women’s T20I Team Rankings&nbsp;as of 1 April 2021 also qualify directly for the eight-team tournament, which will be held in a city that has an iconic cricket venue in Edgbaston.</p>

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<p>The remaining place will be allocated to the winner of a Commonwealth Games Qualifier, the format and details of which will be announced in due course. The deadline for the Qualifier is 31 January 2022.</p>

<p>Since athletes from the Caribbean will be representing their countries and not the West Indies (as they are affiliated with the ICC), the winner of a designated qualifying tournament will decide which country gets to compete if the West Indies get a slot.</p>

<p>CGF President Dame Louise Martin and ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney emphasized on the potential of cricket in the Commonwealth Games while captains of leading teams said they were thrilled at the prospect of women’s cricket featuring in the Games.</p>

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<p><strong>ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney:</strong>&nbsp;"Cricket at the Commonwealth Games is a fantastic opportunity for us to continue to grow the women’s game globally. We are committed to accelerating this growth and maintaining the momentum we have created over the past few years, which most recently saw 86,174 fans packed into the MCG for the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020.</p>

<p>"I thank the Commonwealth Games Federation for their support and for making this possible. We share with them the vision of greater equality, fairness and opportunity in sport and I am sure Birmingham 2022 will go a long way towards us achieving our common objectives."</p>

<p><strong>Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin:</strong>&nbsp;"We are absolutely delighted to have women’s T20 cricket debut at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.</p>

<p>"Cricket has always been one of the Commonwealth’s most popular sports and it is so special to have it back at our Games for the first time since the men’s competition at Kuala Lumpur 1998, where true greats of the game including Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Sachin Tendulkar were on show. Now is the turn of the women and I can’t wait to see the next generation of stars like Heather Knight, Harmanpreet Kaur and Meg Lanning take centre stage.</p>

<p>"Birmingham 2022 will be a fantastic showcase for the women’s game and the unveiling of the qualification criteria today is an exciting and important milestone as we head towards what will be a spectacular competition at the iconic Edgbaston Stadium."</p>

<p><strong>ICC Women’s Cricket Manager Holly Colvin:</strong>&nbsp;"We have worked closely with the CGF and ICC Members over the last year to confirm the qualification process. It’s fantastic that we are supporting opportunities for a Caribbean island and Commonwealth countries ranked outside the top seven to have the chance to qualify for this momentous event.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
"It is a watershed moment for our sport as women’s cricket takes centre stage for the first time at the Commonwealth Games. It is a huge opportunity to show the skills, strength and talent of these female athletes to sports fans across the Commonwealth and attract a new audience to continue to break boundaries for a bright future.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
"It is hugely exciting for cricket to be a central part of the sports programme where more medals are awarded to female athletes.&nbsp;Cricket will be staged in the heart of Birmingham, which is a vibrant, diverse city with a strong passion for cricket. We expect nothing less from the crowd supporting the women’s teams at Edgbaston."</p>

<p><strong>England captain Heather Knight:</strong>&nbsp;"It’s incredibly exciting that we’re going to be taking part in the Commonwealth Games on home soil. It’s an event I’ve often watched and I never really imagined I’d be taking part so it feels really special.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
"It’s another fantastic opportunity for the game of cricket, with coverage live on the BBC, and the chance to reach the thousands of fans who like attending multi-discipline events.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
"We can’t wait to be in Birmingham amongst all the other athletes, and we’re counting down towards 2022 – it’s going to be a huge year for us and for women’s cricket in general."</p>

<p><strong>Australia captain Meg Lanning:</strong>&nbsp;"The women’s game has gone to another level over the past few years and its inclusion at the Commonwealth Games is a huge opportunity to take it further.</p>

<p>"The announcement of the schedule and qualifying process is an exciting milestone and one that will no doubt create plenty of excitement among players across the globe.</p>

<p>"Winning the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in front of a record crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was absolutely incredible but we’re now looking to the future with some amazing events and challenges on the horizon including the Birmingham 2022&nbsp;Commonwealth Games."</p>

<p><strong>India captain Harmanpreet Kaur:</strong>&nbsp;"The inclusion of cricket at the Commonwealth Games is huge for all players and the game in general.</p>

<p>"Representing your country in a multi-discipline event is a different challenge and with it comes the responsibility of being emissaries of the game since it can get us new followers and fans.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
"I hope to be there at the games and wish that it is a great success with some engrossing matches and high quality of cricket."</p>


The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) have announced the qualification process for cricket, which makes a historic appearance at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, scheduled from 28 July to 8 August.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) have announced the qualification process for cricket, which makes a historic appearance at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, scheduled from 28 July to 8 August. In what is seen as a huge opportunity to turbo-charge the growth of the game, and take it to new fans, women’s cricket will be a part of the Commonwealth Games for the first time ever, and it will only be the second time that cricket will feature in it after a men’s competition was part of the Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998. The qualification process announced on Wednesday grants hosts England one spot while six other highest-ranked ICC Members in the CC Women’s T20I Team Rankings as of 1 April 2021 also qualify directly for the eight-team tournament, which will be held in a city that has an iconic cricket venue in Edgbaston. ALSO READ: First time in 16 years! England confirm Pakistan tour in 2021 The remaining place will be allocated to the winner of a Commonwealth Games Qualifier, the format and details of which will be announced in due course. The deadline for the Qualifier is 31 January 2022. Since athletes from the Caribbean will be representing their countries and not the West Indies (as they are affiliated with the ICC), the winner of a designated qualifying tournament will decide which country gets to compete if the West Indies get a slot. CGF President Dame Louise Martin and ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney emphasized on the potential of cricket in the Commonwealth Games while captains of leading teams said they were thrilled at the prospect of women’s cricket featuring in the Games. ALSO READ: BCCI announces new official kit sponsor for Indian cricket team ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney: "Cricket at the Commonwealth Games is a fantastic opportunity for us to continue to grow the women’s game globally. We are committed to accelerating this growth and maintaining the momentum we have created over the past few years, which most recently saw 86,174 fans packed into the MCG for the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020. "I thank the Commonwealth Games Federation for their support and for making this possible. We share with them the vision of greater equality, fairness and opportunity in sport and I am sure Birmingham 2022 will go a long way towards us achieving our common objectives." Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin: "We are absolutely delighted to have women’s T20 cricket debut at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. "Cricket has always been one of the Commonwealth’s most popular sports and it is so special to have it back at our Games for the first time since the men’s competition at Kuala Lumpur 1998, where true greats of the game including Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Sachin Tendulkar were on show. Now is the turn of the women and I can’t wait to see the next generation of stars like Heather Knight, Harmanpreet Kaur and Meg Lanning take centre stage. "Birmingham 2022 will be a fantastic showcase for the women’s game and the unveiling of the qualification criteria today is an exciting and important milestone as we head towards what will be a spectacular competition at the iconic Edgbaston Stadium." ICC Women’s Cricket Manager Holly Colvin: "We have worked closely with the CGF and ICC Members over the last year to confirm the qualification process. It’s fantastic that we are supporting opportunities for a Caribbean island and Commonwealth countries ranked outside the top seven to have the chance to qualify for this momentous event. "It is a watershed moment for our sport as women’s cricket takes centre stage for the first time at the Commonwealth Games. It is a huge opportunity to show the skills, strength and talent of these female athletes to sports fans across the Commonwealth and attract a new audience to continue to break boundaries for a bright future. "It is hugely exciting for cricket to be a central part of the sports programme where more medals are awarded to female athletes. Cricket will be staged in the heart of Birmingham, which is a vibrant, diverse city with a strong passion for cricket. We expect nothing less from the crowd supporting the women’s teams at Edgbaston." England captain Heather Knight: "It’s incredibly exciting that we’re going to be taking part in the Commonwealth Games on home soil. It’s an event I’ve often watched and I never really imagined I’d be taking part so it feels really special. "It’s another fantastic opportunity for the game of cricket, with coverage live on the BBC, and the chance to reach the thousands of fans who like attending multi-discipline events. "We can’t wait to be in Birmingham amongst all the other athletes, and we’re counting down towards 2022 – it’s going to be a huge year for us and for women’s cricket in general." Australia captain Meg Lanning: "The women’s game has gone to another level over the past few years and its inclusion at the Commonwealth Games is a huge opportunity to take it further. "The announcement of the schedule and qualifying process is an exciting milestone and one that will no doubt create plenty of excitement among players across the globe. "Winning the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in front of a record crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was absolutely incredible but we’re now looking to the future with some amazing events and challenges on the horizon including the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games." India captain Harmanpreet Kaur: "The inclusion of cricket at the Commonwealth Games is huge for all players and the game in general. "Representing your country in a multi-discipline event is a different challenge and with it comes the responsibility of being emissaries of the game since it can get us new followers and fans. "I hope to be there at the games and wish that it is a great success with some engrossing matches and high quality of cricket."

Cricket in Commonwealth Games: ICC announces qualification process

Gymnastics had always been on the margins of Indian sport and it was only Ashish Kumar's medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games that saw the sport being taken seriously. But within Indian Gymnastics it was all about the men and the female gymnasts were accorded step-motherly treatment. Dipa Karmakar harnessed that hurt and channeled it first to a Commonwealth Games medal in 2014 and then qualification for the Rio Olympics. Karmakar shocked the world by reaching the final of the Women's Vault and narrowly missed out on a medal. Karmakar looks back on her journey in this conversation with Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo and 2016 Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik

Wion Broadband Olympic Edition | The Small Wonder, Gymnast who stunned the world | Dipa Karmakar

Success at the Olympic Games isn't always about medals. Some performances act as a trigger and change mindsets. At the 2016 Rio Games Dipa Karmakar finished 4th in the Women's Vault and shocked the world. India had no history in Gymnastics to write home about but that did not deter the fiercely driven gymnast from Tripura. Sakshi Malik also broke barriers as she ended India's wait for that elusive medal in Rio. Wrestling was regarded as a male-bastion but Malik never allowed the criticism to come between her goal and inspired a new generation to come forward and take up female Wrestling.

Wion Broadband Olympic Edition | The Trailblazers from Rio 2016 | Sakshi, Dipa shatter stereotypes

<p>The Commonwealth of Nations is a unique association of 54 free and equal member states, including India and the UK. It represents a network of over 2.4 billion people spanning six continents, a third of the World Trade Organisation, a quarter of the G20, and a fifth of all global trade. We may not always agree, but we always start from a position of strength – thanks to our intertwined history, shared values, common language, and similar legal systems.</p>

<p>At the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), in 2018, member states jointly committed to make our world more fair, secure, sustainable, and prosperous. Organised in London, it was the largest summit of its kind in UK history with participation from 46 world leaders, including Prime Minister Modi. The UK is committed to realising the full potential of this association and pledged £500m in support.</p>

<p>I cannot emphasise enough the vital role India has to play in realising these ambitions. &nbsp;It is the world’s largest democracy, 5th largest economy, and home to 60 per cent&nbsp;of the Commonwealth’s population. It will also host the G20 in 2022. India is already providing impressive support to the 32 ‘small states’ – those member states that are particularly vulnerable to external shocks as a result of their geographic positioning, inherent structural challenges, and deep integration into the global economy. India is at the forefront of furthering South-South development with Prime Minister Modi’s commitment at the London CHOGM to double India’s contribution to the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation.</p>

<p>The Commonwealth is a natural constituency for India. It gives India the appropriate platform to shape global debate, gives small states a voice at major international fora, and to share its expertise and know-how more widely. I’m delighted to note that Jadav Payeng from Assam, the ‘forest man of India’, has been awarded the 128th Commonwealth Points of Light Award for his work on environment conservation. One individual planting trees over decades to create an entire forest reserve is a powerful metaphor for what the UK and India can achieve together as a global force for good.</p>

<p>A distinguishing feature of the Commonwealth is that it not just a network of governments, but a family of interconnected networks. Architects, doctors, nurses, journalists, magistrates and judges are just some of the groups who have established a formal Commonwealth network. One example is the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, who under the leadership of Indian Supreme Court advocate Santhaan Krishnan brought together lawyers from across the Commonwealth, in Zambia, on the theme of: “The Rule of Law in Retreat? Challenges for the Modern Commonwealth.” At one session, Indian advocates shared their experience and learnings from the process that led to the Supreme Court ruled section 377 of the Indian Penal Code unconstitutional.</p>

<p>Sport is a common thread that binds us together. The Commonwealth Cricket Camp, announced by PM Modi, and run at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru under the expert eye of legend Rahul Dravid last October, brought together two vital elements of the Commonwealth, youth and cricket. I look forward to welcoming the Indian team to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, in 2022. The Games’ vision of building peaceful, sustainable and prosperous communities globally through Sport encapsulates the values of the modern Commonwealth. I am also very pleased that India will host Commonwealth shooting and archery events in Chandīgarh in January 2022, and that India is considering bidding to host the Commonwealth Games in 2026.</p>

<p>Having hosted the last CHOGM, the UK is Chair-in-Office until the next summit in Kigali this June. We are working with Commonwealth partners to tackle the great challenges of our time. One of these challenges is climate change. We know climate change will cause hardship, instability and conflict for the world. The most vulnerable will suffer first and hardest. This year, as co-hosts of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, the UK will look to India once again. And it’s almost poetic that COP26 President, Alok Sharma, so perfectly encapsulates the UK-India ’living bridge’.</p>

<p>I, too, am a part of this living bridge that connects our nations – a true citizen of the Commonwealth. As Minister for the Commonwealth, I’ve the good fortune of navigating this unique network, seeing first-hand the close bonds we share, and to marvel at what we have achieved when we have come together.</p>

<p>I hope you will share my ambition, and that of our Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab of strengthening our incredible ties. In doing so, I wish all of the 54 member states of the Commonwealth family that span the globe a very happy Commonwealth day.<br />
<br />
<em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;</em></p>


The Commonwealth of Nations is a unique association of 54 free and equal member states, including India and the UK. It represents a network of over 2.4 billion people spanning six continents, a third of the World Trade Organisation, a quarter of the G20, and a fifth of all global trade.

The Commonwealth of Nations is a unique association of 54 free and equal member states, including India and the UK. It represents a network of over 2.4 billion people spanning six continents, a third of the World Trade Organisation, a quarter of the G20, and a fifth of all global trade. We may not always agree, but we always start from a position of strength – thanks to our intertwined history, shared values, common language, and similar legal systems. At the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), in 2018, member states jointly committed to make our world more fair, secure, sustainable, and prosperous. Organised in London, it was the largest summit of its kind in UK history with participation from 46 world leaders, including Prime Minister Modi. The UK is committed to realising the full potential of this association and pledged £500m in support. I cannot emphasise enough the vital role India has to play in realising these ambitions. It is the world’s largest democracy, 5th largest economy, and home to 60 per cent of the Commonwealth’s population. It will also host the G20 in 2022. India is already providing impressive support to the 32 ‘small states’ – those member states that are particularly vulnerable to external shocks as a result of their geographic positioning, inherent structural challenges, and deep integration into the global economy. India is at the forefront of furthering South-South development with Prime Minister Modi’s commitment at the London CHOGM to double India’s contribution to the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation. The Commonwealth is a natural constituency for India. It gives India the appropriate platform to shape global debate, gives small states a voice at major international fora, and to share its expertise and know-how more widely. I’m delighted to note that Jadav Payeng from Assam, the ‘forest man of India’, has been awarded the 128th Commonwealth Points of Light Award for his work on environment conservation. One individual planting trees over decades to create an entire forest reserve is a powerful metaphor for what the UK and India can achieve together as a global force for good. A distinguishing feature of the Commonwealth is that it not just a network of governments, but a family of interconnected networks. Architects, doctors, nurses, journalists, magistrates and judges are just some of the groups who have established a formal Commonwealth network. One example is the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, who under the leadership of Indian Supreme Court advocate Santhaan Krishnan brought together lawyers from across the Commonwealth, in Zambia, on the theme of: “The Rule of Law in Retreat? Challenges for the Modern Commonwealth.” At one session, Indian advocates shared their experience and learnings from the process that led to the Supreme Court ruled section 377 of the Indian Penal Code unconstitutional. Sport is a common thread that binds us together. The Commonwealth Cricket Camp, announced by PM Modi, and run at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru under the expert eye of legend Rahul Dravid last October, brought together two vital elements of the Commonwealth, youth and cricket. I look forward to welcoming the Indian team to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, in 2022. The Games’ vision of building peaceful, sustainable and prosperous communities globally through Sport encapsulates the values of the modern Commonwealth. I am also very pleased that India will host Commonwealth shooting and archery events in Chandīgarh in January 2022, and that India is considering bidding to host the Commonwealth Games in 2026. Having hosted the last CHOGM, the UK is Chair-in-Office until the next summit in Kigali this June. We are working with Commonwealth partners to tackle the great challenges of our time. One of these challenges is climate change. We know climate change will cause hardship, instability and conflict for the world. The most vulnerable will suffer first and hardest. This year, as co-hosts of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, the UK will look to India once again. And it’s almost poetic that COP26 President, Alok Sharma, so perfectly encapsulates the UK-India ’living bridge’. I, too, am a part of this living bridge that connects our nations – a true citizen of the Commonwealth. As Minister for the Commonwealth, I’ve the good fortune of navigating this unique network, seeing first-hand the close bonds we share, and to marvel at what we have achieved when we have come together. I hope you will share my ambition, and that of our Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab of strengthening our incredible ties. In doing so, I wish all of the 54 member states of the Commonwealth family that span the globe a very happy Commonwealth day. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Commonwealth links and a wealth of knowledge

<p>India will participate in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) said on Monday, reversing earlier plans to boycott the event over the absence of shooting as a medal sport.</p>

<p>"The CGF and the entire Commonwealth Sports Movement are delighted India has confirmed their intent to participate at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games..." CGF president Louise Martin said in a statement.</p>

<p>"Following a useful and constructive CGF visit to India in November, we felt confident and reassured that the athletes and sports community of India places huge value and importance on the Commonwealth Games," she added.</p>

<p>The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had threatened to boycott the Games after shooting -- which supplied 16 of their 66 medals at last year's Gold Coast Games -- was dropped from the Birmingham programme as it is an optional sport for host cities.</p>


India will participate in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) said on Monday, reversing earlier plans to boycott the event over the absence of shooting as a medal sport.

India will participate in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) said on Monday, reversing earlier plans to boycott the event over the absence of shooting as a medal sport. "The CGF and the entire Commonwealth Sports Movement are delighted India has confirmed their intent to participate at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games..." CGF president Louise Martin said in a statement. "Following a useful and constructive CGF visit to India in November, we felt confident and reassured that the athletes and sports community of India places huge value and importance on the Commonwealth Games," she added. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had threatened to boycott the Games after shooting -- which supplied 16 of their 66 medals at last year's Gold Coast Games -- was dropped from the Birmingham programme as it is an optional sport for host cities.

In boycott reversal, India to participate in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham: CGF

<p><br />
India's Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has urged his British counterpart, Nicky Morgan, to have shooting included in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.</p>

<p>The Birmingham organising committee has dropped shooting from the programme because of no suitable space, prompting a threat from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to boycott the Games.</p>

<p>In a letter on Tuesday, Rijiju asked Morgan, secretary of state for sport, to intervene and bring back a sport that has been part of the Commonwealth Games since 1974.</p>

<p>"It seems the decision to exclude shooting is based on the premise that shooting had never been a compulsory sport and there is no venue available for holding shooting events," Rijiju wrote to Morgan.</p>

<p>"The Indian public takes a keen interest in shooting. In a constructive gesture, the International Shooting Federation (ISSF) has offered to share the cost for the inclusion of shooting in Birmingham CWG."</p>

<p>India topped the table for shooting at last year's edition in Australia, taking home 16 medals including seven gold for a total tally of 66 medals&nbsp;the third best performing nation in the games overall.</p>

<p>Rijiju noted that India makes up more than half of 2.4-billion-strong population of the 53-nation Commonwealth.</p>


India's Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has urged his British counterpart, Nicky Morgan, to have shooting included in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The Birmingham organising committee has dropped shooting from the programme because of no suitable space, prompting a threat from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to boycott the Games.

India's Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has urged his British counterpart, Nicky Morgan, to have shooting included in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The Birmingham organising committee has dropped shooting from the programme because of no suitable space, prompting a threat from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to boycott the Games. In a letter on Tuesday, Rijiju asked Morgan, secretary of state for sport, to intervene and bring back a sport that has been part of the Commonwealth Games since 1974. "It seems the decision to exclude shooting is based on the premise that shooting had never been a compulsory sport and there is no venue available for holding shooting events," Rijiju wrote to Morgan. "The Indian public takes a keen interest in shooting. In a constructive gesture, the International Shooting Federation (ISSF) has offered to share the cost for the inclusion of shooting in Birmingham CWG." India topped the table for shooting at last year's edition in Australia, taking home 16 medals including seven gold for a total tally of 66 medals the third best performing nation in the games overall. Rijiju noted that India makes up more than half of 2.4-billion-strong population of the 53-nation Commonwealth.

India pushes for inclusion of shooting in Commonwealth Games

<p>Commonwealth Games chief Louise Martin said shooting will not be part of the 2022 edition in Birmingham despite a threat by India to boycott the entire event in protest.</p>

<p>Martin, the Commonwealth Games Federation president, told Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper that the decision to exclude shooting from the programme for the first time since 1974 had come down to a question of logistics.</p>

<p>Shooting has been a high-yielding discipline for India with shooters accounting for 16 of the country's 66 medals, including seven golds, at last year's Gold Coast Games.</p>

<p>Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra suggested the country boycott the Birmingham Games in protest at the decision and last month sought approval from sports minister Kiren Rijiju for the move.</p>

<p>"A sport has to earn the right to be in the Games," Martin told the paper.</p>

<p>"Shooting has never been a compulsory sport. We have to work through it but shooting will not be in the Games. We have no space anymore."</p>

<p>The IOA could not immediately be reached for comment.</p>

<p>The Telegraph reported that Birmingham's offer to hold two shooting events had been turned down by International Shooting Sport Federation, which wanted a full programme.</p>

<p>The closest facility to Birmingham deemed capable by organisers of hosting a full shooting programme was in Bisley, Surrey, about 209 km (130 miles) away.</p>

<p>Martin, the report added, would try and meet officials on the Indian side and also intended to speak to Britain's sports minister, Nigel Adams.</p>


Commonwealth Games chief Louise Martin said shooting will not be part of the 2022 edition in Birmingham despite a threat by India to boycott the entire event in protest.

Commonwealth Games chief Louise Martin said shooting will not be part of the 2022 edition in Birmingham despite a threat by India to boycott the entire event in protest. Martin, the Commonwealth Games Federation president, told Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper that the decision to exclude shooting from the programme for the first time since 1974 had come down to a question of logistics. Shooting has been a high-yielding discipline for India with shooters accounting for 16 of the country's 66 medals, including seven golds, at last year's Gold Coast Games. Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra suggested the country boycott the Birmingham Games in protest at the decision and last month sought approval from sports minister Kiren Rijiju for the move. "A sport has to earn the right to be in the Games," Martin told the paper. "Shooting has never been a compulsory sport. We have to work through it but shooting will not be in the Games. We have no space anymore." The IOA could not immediately be reached for comment. The Telegraph reported that Birmingham's offer to hold two shooting events had been turned down by International Shooting Sport Federation, which wanted a full programme. The closest facility to Birmingham deemed capable by organisers of hosting a full shooting programme was in Bisley, Surrey, about 209 km (130 miles) away. Martin, the report added, would try and meet officials on the Indian side and also intended to speak to Britain's sports minister, Nigel Adams.

Commonwealths firm on shooting exclusion despite India threat

<p>India's threat to boycott the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham over shooting's absence in the programme has intensified after the country's Olympic association sought approval from the sports ministry for such a move.</p>

<p>Media reports have cited a lack of suitable facilities as the reason behind Birmingham's decision to axe shooting which has featured at every Games since 1966, with the exception of Edinburgh in 1970.</p>

<p>After the decision was announced last year, the country's shooting federation suggested boycotting the Games which would not feature what has been a high-yielding discipline for India.</p>

<p>Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra has written a letter to sports minister Kiren Rijiju seeking a meeting to explain the "proposed boycott".</p>

<p>"We want to express our protest by not taking part in 2022 CWG Games..." Batra wrote in his letter to the minister seen by Reuters.</p>

<p>"We have been noticing over a period of time that wherever India seems to be getting grip on the game and performing well... either the goal posts are shifted or rules are changed."</p>

<p>"We feel it is time for us in IOA/India to start asking tough questions and start taking tough positions," added Batra, also the president of the International Hockey Federation (FIH).</p>

<p>Indian shooters accounted for 16 of their 66 medals, including seven golds, at last year's Gold Coast Games where they finished third in the medals table.</p>

<p>In shooting's absence, India would slip to anywhere between fifth to eighth place in 2022, Batra wrote.</p>

<p>IOA have decided to boycott the General Assembly of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) in Rwanda, also withdrawing candidatures of two of its officials from the September elections there.</p>

<p>CGF officials were not immediately available for comment.</p>


India's threat to boycott the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham over shooting's absence in the programme has intensified after the country's Olympic association sought approval from the sports ministry for such a move.

India's threat to boycott the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham over shooting's absence in the programme has intensified after the country's Olympic association sought approval from the sports ministry for such a move. Media reports have cited a lack of suitable facilities as the reason behind Birmingham's decision to axe shooting which has featured at every Games since 1966, with the exception of Edinburgh in 1970. After the decision was announced last year, the country's shooting federation suggested boycotting the Games which would not feature what has been a high-yielding discipline for India. Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra has written a letter to sports minister Kiren Rijiju seeking a meeting to explain the "proposed boycott". "We want to express our protest by not taking part in 2022 CWG Games..." Batra wrote in his letter to the minister seen by Reuters. "We have been noticing over a period of time that wherever India seems to be getting grip on the game and performing well... either the goal posts are shifted or rules are changed." "We feel it is time for us in IOA/India to start asking tough questions and start taking tough positions," added Batra, also the president of the International Hockey Federation (FIH). Indian shooters accounted for 16 of their 66 medals, including seven golds, at last year's Gold Coast Games where they finished third in the medals table. In shooting's absence, India would slip to anywhere between fifth to eighth place in 2022, Batra wrote. IOA have decided to boycott the General Assembly of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) in Rwanda, also withdrawing candidatures of two of its officials from the September elections there. CGF officials were not immediately available for comment.

India firms up Commonwealth Games boycott threats over shooting exclusion

<p>Commonwealth and Asian Games champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has undergone surgery on the elbow of his throwing arm and faces a race against time to be fully fit before the World Championships in Doha at the end of September.</p>

<p>The 21-year-old Indian has not competed since picking up the injury to his right elbow late last year and was working extensively on his core strengthening and flexibility with an eye on the World Championships.</p>

<p>The former world junior champion underwent an arthroscopy procedure to remove bone fragments which were causing him discomfort on Thursday and was released from the Mumbai hospital on Friday.</p>

<p>"Undergone elbow surgery in Mumbai by Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala," Chopra said in a social media post, accompanied by a picture of him lying on a hospital bed with his right arm in an elbow brace.</p>

<p>"Will require some months of rehabilitation before I can start back with throwing. Hoping to return stronger.</p>

<p>"Every setback is a setup for a comeback. God wants to bring you out better than you were before."</p>

<p>Last year, Chopra became only the third man to win an athletics gold for India at the Commonwealth Games after sprinter Milkha Singh in 1958 and discus thrower Vikas Gowda in 2014.</p>

<p>A throw of 86.47 metres was enough to take the title on the Gold Coast and he followed that up with 87.43 metres at the Diamond League leg in Doha in May.</p>

<p>At the Asiad in Jakarta he threw even further, clearing a season's best distance of 88.06 metres for the title -- placing him sixth on the IAAF top list for 2018.</p>

<p>Hailing from the Northern Indian state of Haryana, which is better known for producing wrestlers and kabaddi players, Chopra is currently ranked fifth in the IAAF world rankings in javelin.</p>

<p>He was targeting a throw of 92 metres and finish in the top six at the World Championships in Doha.</p>

<p>"Neeraj went through consultations with doctors in India and his scans were sent to multiple international experts as well, who all suggested that the elbow arthroscopy would be the best alternative," said Manisha Malhotra, Head of Sports Excellence at JSW Sports, the organisation which manages the athlete.</p>

<p>"After considering all options and feedback, Neeraj decided to stay in India and undergo the procedure."</p>


Commonwealth and Asian Games champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has undergone surgery on the elbow of his throwing arm and faces a race against time to be fully fit before the World Championships in Doha at the end of September.

Commonwealth and Asian Games champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has undergone surgery on the elbow of his throwing arm and faces a race against time to be fully fit before the World Championships in Doha at the end of September. The 21-year-old Indian has not competed since picking up the injury to his right elbow late last year and was working extensively on his core strengthening and flexibility with an eye on the World Championships. The former world junior champion underwent an arthroscopy procedure to remove bone fragments which were causing him discomfort on Thursday and was released from the Mumbai hospital on Friday. "Undergone elbow surgery in Mumbai by Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala," Chopra said in a social media post, accompanied by a picture of him lying on a hospital bed with his right arm in an elbow brace. "Will require some months of rehabilitation before I can start back with throwing. Hoping to return stronger. "Every setback is a setup for a comeback. God wants to bring you out better than you were before." Last year, Chopra became only the third man to win an athletics gold for India at the Commonwealth Games after sprinter Milkha Singh in 1958 and discus thrower Vikas Gowda in 2014. A throw of 86.47 metres was enough to take the title on the Gold Coast and he followed that up with 87.43 metres at the Diamond League leg in Doha in May. At the Asiad in Jakarta he threw even further, clearing a season's best distance of 88.06 metres for the title -- placing him sixth on the IAAF top list for 2018. Hailing from the Northern Indian state of Haryana, which is better known for producing wrestlers and kabaddi players, Chopra is currently ranked fifth in the IAAF world rankings in javelin. He was targeting a throw of 92 metres and finish in the top six at the World Championships in Doha. "Neeraj went through consultations with doctors in India and his scans were sent to multiple international experts as well, who all suggested that the elbow arthroscopy would be the best alternative," said Manisha Malhotra, Head of Sports Excellence at JSW Sports, the organisation which manages the athlete. "After considering all options and feedback, Neeraj decided to stay in India and undergo the procedure."

Neeraj Chopra faces lengthy recovery after elbow surgery

<p>Virat Kohli continued to dominate the cricket chatter with his batting and brashness, the indomitable MC Mary Kom rolled back the years like very few can and, month after month, Indian sports also found new and younger heroes to raise a toast to.&nbsp;</p>

<p>PV Sindhu's perseverance on the badminton court, Neeraj Chopra's obsessive pursuit of perfection every time he hurled the javelin, and the teenage shooting stars who refused to take their eyes off the target, made 2018 a year in which highs easily outnumbered the lows for Indian sports.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There was a plethora of big-ticket sporting events this year and the country had lots to celebrate throughout. Whether it was the Commonwealth and the Asian Games or Youth Olympics, athletes pushed the boundaries and produced path-breaking performances.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There were the usual administrative mess-ups occasionally and odd cases of dope shame as well, but they couldn't make a dent to the overall sense of accomplishment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On the cricket field, the results weren't encouraging in South Africa and England but Kohli the batsman again ruled the roost, making his craft look ridiculously easy even on the most challenging tracks. It was only fitting that he was bestowed the nation's highest sporting honour - the Khel Ratna.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For 'Captain Kohli', however, it was far more challenging as he grappled to get the combinations right. But the team did find a degree of redemption against Australia by retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to close the year on a high.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Of course, it came against an Australian team weakened by the absence of banned batting mainstays Steve Smith and David Warner. The duo, along with Cameron Bancroft, combined for this year's biggest cricket scandal -&nbsp;the ball-tampering saga that forced a review of Australia's "win at all cost" culture.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The same Australia which had the world mesmerised by its near-perfect hosting of the Commonwealth Games within weeks of the drama.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Games were memorable for India too as the country logged its third-best ever medal haul, highlighted by a record-shattering weightlifting show. Spearheading it was the diminutive world champion&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mirabai Chanu, who later shared the Khel Ratna with Kohli.</p>

<p>Weightlifting also found another prospective star in Jeremy Lalrinnunga after the 16-year-old claimed an unprecedented gold at Youth Olympics.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It was a comeback of sorts for shooting, after their flop-show at the 2016 Olympics.&nbsp;</p>

<p>India's gold medal-winners at the CWG shooting range included a 16-year-old Manu Bhaker and a 15-year-old Anish Bhanwala. The shooters hit the bull's eye in the Asiad too and though Bhaker felt the pain of failure for the first time, new gold-winning stars emerged in 16-year-old Saurabh Choudhary and a 15-something Shardul Vihan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bhaker and Chaudhary also won gold medals at Youth Olympics.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If shooting was about youngsters, boxing became all about an ageing but incomparable superstar in Mary Kom. The 36-year-old mother-of-three, who is also a Parliamentarian, picked up four gold medals - including a record sixth world title and the CWG top honours.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"There won't be another Mary Kom," she declared and one look at her predominantly golden cabinet of medals would be enough to silence anyone who thinks otherwise.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Then there was Sindhu. She lost five big finals, quietly took the criticism that labelled her a 'choker', but had the last laugh with a season-ending World Tour Finals title, beating world No.1 and familiar foe Tai Tzu Ying on her way to the summit clash.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Not to be left behind was Saina Nehwal. The trailblazer started with a gold at CWG, picked up a bronze in Asian Games and began a new chapter in her personal life by marrying fellow shuttler P Kashyap.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On the wrestling mat, Vinesh Phogat became more than just a famous Phogat sister with gold medals at both the CWG and Asian Games and Bajrang Punia stepped out of the shadow of his mentor and London Olympics bronze-medallist Yogeshwar Dutt.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Punia won gold at CWG and Asiad before a silver at World Championships positioned him as the biggest star. However, double Olympic-medallist Sushil Kumar's stock fell due to a string of sub-par performances.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The big takeaway in table tennis was the rise of Manika Batra. The Delhiite claimed four medals, including two gold, in the CWG before combining with veteran Sharath Kamal for a historic mixed doubles bronze at the Asiad, where India delivered its best-ever medal haul.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Another star to make the year his own was Neeraj. The 21-year-old won both the CWG and Asian Games with records to boot and is giving Indian athletics audacious Olympic medal hopes for Tokyo 2020.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A sprint sensation also emerged in 18-year-old Hima Das, India's first ever woman track-and-field world champion at any level after her under-20 400m gold.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Away from the spotlight, it was business as usual for ace cueist Pankaj Advani as he added a 21st world title to his trophy cabinet.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A star rose on the golf course as well in Shubhankar Sharma, who won the Maybank Malaysia Open. He also bagged Asian Tour Order of Merit title and European Tour Rookie of the Year award.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There were disappointments too -&nbsp;the men's hockey team being the most prominent with no medal at CWG and an underwhelming third-place finish at Asiad.</p>

<p>CWG champion weightlifter Sanjita Chanu flunked a dope test.&nbsp;And there was no end to the administrative mess that the BCCI has become.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, none of the negatives was big enough to come in the way of a stronger India emerging on the competitive field.&nbsp;</p>


Virat Kohli continued to dominate the cricket chatter with his batting and brashness, the indomitable MC Mary Kom rolled back the years like very few can and, month after month, Indian sports also found new and younger heroes to raise a toast to.

Virat Kohli continued to dominate the cricket chatter with his batting and brashness, the indomitable MC Mary Kom rolled back the years like very few can and, month after month, Indian sports also found new and younger heroes to raise a toast to. PV Sindhu's perseverance on the badminton court, Neeraj Chopra's obsessive pursuit of perfection every time he hurled the javelin, and the teenage shooting stars who refused to take their eyes off the target, made 2018 a year in which highs easily outnumbered the lows for Indian sports. There was a plethora of big-ticket sporting events this year and the country had lots to celebrate throughout. Whether it was the Commonwealth and the Asian Games or Youth Olympics, athletes pushed the boundaries and produced path-breaking performances. There were the usual administrative mess-ups occasionally and odd cases of dope shame as well, but they couldn't make a dent to the overall sense of accomplishment. On the cricket field, the results weren't encouraging in South Africa and England but Kohli the batsman again ruled the roost, making his craft look ridiculously easy even on the most challenging tracks. It was only fitting that he was bestowed the nation's highest sporting honour - the Khel Ratna. For 'Captain Kohli', however, it was far more challenging as he grappled to get the combinations right. But the team did find a degree of redemption against Australia by retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to close the year on a high. Of course, it came against an Australian team weakened by the absence of banned batting mainstays Steve Smith and David Warner. The duo, along with Cameron Bancroft, combined for this year's biggest cricket scandal - the ball-tampering saga that forced a review of Australia's "win at all cost" culture. The same Australia which had the world mesmerised by its near-perfect hosting of the Commonwealth Games within weeks of the drama. The Games were memorable for India too as the country logged its third-best ever medal haul, highlighted by a record-shattering weightlifting show. Spearheading it was the diminutive world champion Mirabai Chanu, who later shared the Khel Ratna with Kohli. Weightlifting also found another prospective star in Jeremy Lalrinnunga after the 16-year-old claimed an unprecedented gold at Youth Olympics. It was a comeback of sorts for shooting, after their flop-show at the 2016 Olympics. India's gold medal-winners at the CWG shooting range included a 16-year-old Manu Bhaker and a 15-year-old Anish Bhanwala. The shooters hit the bull's eye in the Asiad too and though Bhaker felt the pain of failure for the first time, new gold-winning stars emerged in 16-year-old Saurabh Choudhary and a 15-something Shardul Vihan. Bhaker and Chaudhary also won gold medals at Youth Olympics. If shooting was about youngsters, boxing became all about an ageing but incomparable superstar in Mary Kom. The 36-year-old mother-of-three, who is also a Parliamentarian, picked up four gold medals - including a record sixth world title and the CWG top honours. "There won't be another Mary Kom," she declared and one look at her predominantly golden cabinet of medals would be enough to silence anyone who thinks otherwise. Then there was Sindhu. She lost five big finals, quietly took the criticism that labelled her a 'choker', but had the last laugh with a season-ending World Tour Finals title, beating world No.1 and familiar foe Tai Tzu Ying on her way to the summit clash. Not to be left behind was Saina Nehwal. The trailblazer started with a gold at CWG, picked up a bronze in Asian Games and began a new chapter in her personal life by marrying fellow shuttler P Kashyap. On the wrestling mat, Vinesh Phogat became more than just a famous Phogat sister with gold medals at both the CWG and Asian Games and Bajrang Punia stepped out of the shadow of his mentor and London Olympics bronze-medallist Yogeshwar Dutt. Punia won gold at CWG and Asiad before a silver at World Championships positioned him as the biggest star. However, double Olympic-medallist Sushil Kumar's stock fell due to a string of sub-par performances. The big takeaway in table tennis was the rise of Manika Batra. The Delhiite claimed four medals, including two gold, in the CWG before combining with veteran Sharath Kamal for a historic mixed doubles bronze at the Asiad, where India delivered its best-ever medal haul. Another star to make the year his own was Neeraj. The 21-year-old won both the CWG and Asian Games with records to boot and is giving Indian athletics audacious Olympic medal hopes for Tokyo 2020. A sprint sensation also emerged in 18-year-old Hima Das, India's first ever woman track-and-field world champion at any level after her under-20 400m gold. Away from the spotlight, it was business as usual for ace cueist Pankaj Advani as he added a 21st world title to his trophy cabinet. A star rose on the golf course as well in Shubhankar Sharma, who won the Maybank Malaysia Open. He also bagged Asian Tour Order of Merit title and European Tour Rookie of the Year award. There were disappointments too - the men's hockey team being the most prominent with no medal at CWG and an underwhelming third-place finish at Asiad. CWG champion weightlifter Sanjita Chanu flunked a dope test. And there was no end to the administrative mess that the BCCI has become. However, none of the negatives was big enough to come in the way of a stronger India emerging on the competitive field.

Virat Kohli, Mary Kom make 2018 their own; India discovers new stars too

<p>Indian table tennis earned the world's respect in a watershed 2018 when the country won a historic two medals at the Asian Games after Manika Batra's unprecedented showing at the Commonwealth Games.</p>

<p>Sharath Kamal, arguably India's finest player who is still going strong at 36, summed up the year aptly.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"At the start of the year, if anyone would have said we will win one, let alone two medals at the Asian Games, I would have laughed it off. It has been that kind of year. Best ever year for me and best ever for Indian table tennis," the veteran told PTI.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Sharath-led men's team exceeded its own expectations by winning a bronze at the Asian Games in Jakarta after stunning mighty Japan in the quarter-finals.&nbsp;</p>

<p>His younger teammate G Sathiyan delivered under pressure by winning both his singles against higher-ranked opponents.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The dream run did not end there as Sharath and Manika landed a mixed doubles bronze which has given them the belief that they are good enough to win an Olympic medal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To put the achievement in perspective, it was the first time that India returned home with an Asian Games medal ever since table tennis was introduced in the mega event's program in 1958. The stellar performance forced even the 'invincible' Chinese to take notice.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While the sport took giant strides, a star too was born with Manika pocketing as many as four medals including two historic gold medals in women's team and women's singles.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She beat the then world number four and Olympic medallist, Feng Tianwei of Singapore, twice to step on the top of the podium.</p>

<p>She later added a doubles silver and mixed doubles bronze to her kitty to become the most successful Indian athlete at the Gold Coast Games.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Considering the bar she has set for herself, the world number 52 will have to keep improving to compete with the global best. It was only fitting that she ended the year by becoming the first Indian to win the Breakthrough Star award at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) awards in Incheon.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sharath and Sathiyan too ended 2018 on a high as they attained their best ever rankings. Sharath is 30th in the latest list and a place below him is Sathiyan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Considering the kind of year we have had, we have to keep performing to maintain the momentum we have got. It is all about preparing for the 2020 Olympics now. Our best chance is in mixed doubles and Manika and I have already planned the roadmap leading up to the Tokyo Games," said Sharath.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Next year will see the players featuring in 14 to 16 events as they aim for the Olympic qualification.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Italian coach Massimo Costantini, who guided India to a record showing in Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, has joined the ITTF and the players need a new coach at the earliest.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"While the TTFI is looking for the best available coach, we are losing momentum. 2019 is an important year ahead of the Olympics and whoever comes in will need at least three months to understand the Indian system. So, it is imperative that the coach is appointed as soon as possible," Sharath added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While India can now aim for an Olympic medal, it got really close to winning one at the Youth Olympics in Argentina where the young Archana Kamath went down fighting in the bronze medal play-off.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Otherwise, it would have been another historic moment in a truly historic year.&nbsp;</p>


Indian table tennis earned the world's respect in a watershed 2018 when the country won a historic two medals at the Asian Games after Manika Batra's unprecedented showing at the Commonwealth Games.

Indian table tennis earned the world's respect in a watershed 2018 when the country won a historic two medals at the Asian Games after Manika Batra's unprecedented showing at the Commonwealth Games. Sharath Kamal, arguably India's finest player who is still going strong at 36, summed up the year aptly. "At the start of the year, if anyone would have said we will win one, let alone two medals at the Asian Games, I would have laughed it off. It has been that kind of year. Best ever year for me and best ever for Indian table tennis," the veteran told PTI. The Sharath-led men's team exceeded its own expectations by winning a bronze at the Asian Games in Jakarta after stunning mighty Japan in the quarter-finals. His younger teammate G Sathiyan delivered under pressure by winning both his singles against higher-ranked opponents. The dream run did not end there as Sharath and Manika landed a mixed doubles bronze which has given them the belief that they are good enough to win an Olympic medal. To put the achievement in perspective, it was the first time that India returned home with an Asian Games medal ever since table tennis was introduced in the mega event's program in 1958. The stellar performance forced even the 'invincible' Chinese to take notice. While the sport took giant strides, a star too was born with Manika pocketing as many as four medals including two historic gold medals in women's team and women's singles. She beat the then world number four and Olympic medallist, Feng Tianwei of Singapore, twice to step on the top of the podium. She later added a doubles silver and mixed doubles bronze to her kitty to become the most successful Indian athlete at the Gold Coast Games. Considering the bar she has set for herself, the world number 52 will have to keep improving to compete with the global best. It was only fitting that she ended the year by becoming the first Indian to win the Breakthrough Star award at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) awards in Incheon. Sharath and Sathiyan too ended 2018 on a high as they attained their best ever rankings. Sharath is 30th in the latest list and a place below him is Sathiyan. "Considering the kind of year we have had, we have to keep performing to maintain the momentum we have got. It is all about preparing for the 2020 Olympics now. Our best chance is in mixed doubles and Manika and I have already planned the roadmap leading up to the Tokyo Games," said Sharath. Next year will see the players featuring in 14 to 16 events as they aim for the Olympic qualification. Italian coach Massimo Costantini, who guided India to a record showing in Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, has joined the ITTF and the players need a new coach at the earliest. "While the TTFI is looking for the best available coach, we are losing momentum. 2019 is an important year ahead of the Olympics and whoever comes in will need at least three months to understand the Indian system. So, it is imperative that the coach is appointed as soon as possible," Sharath added. While India can now aim for an Olympic medal, it got really close to winning one at the Youth Olympics in Argentina where the young Archana Kamath went down fighting in the bronze medal play-off. Otherwise, it would have been another historic moment in a truly historic year.

Landmark 2018 fuels Olympic medal hopes for Indian table tennis

<p>Teen shooting sensation Manu Bhaker says her aim is to secure a quota place for the 2020 Olympics.</p>

<p>Having left her mark in almost all the top events, the 16-year-old Bhaker is now focussed on making the cut for the Tokyo Games.</p>

<p>Bhaker, who started the year with gold medals in her maiden senior World Cup, added two more yellow metals at the Commonwealth Games and the Youth Olympics, the first by an Indian shooter.</p>

<p>"My aim now is to win Olympic quota," Bhaker told PTI.</p>

<p>The year saw a string of young shooters including Saurabh Chaudhary and Bhaker scale great heights in the sport. The youngsters came out on top at the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, the Youth Olympics and the Senior Nationals.</p>

<p>"We saw the youth power this year, it feels really good that teenagers are doing so well and achieving their goals. We have set our goals and are working hard, it is very surprising that suddenly all of us are doing so well. I feel very nice when I see youngsters performer," Bhaker said.</p>

<p>Indian shooting has a bright future with the abundance of young talent at its disposal. The recently-concluded National Shooting Championship saw 13-year-old Esha Singh upstage big names like Bhaker and Heena Sidhu in the women's air pistol events to win three gold medals.</p>

<p>Unlike other sports, shooting allows the youngster to participate in both the senior and junior events. Such exposure has benefitted the younger generation.</p>

<p>"Even in the senior events most of the competitors are from juniors and it helps us. In shooting we juniors get the opportunity to participate in the senior events that is not the case in wrestling and boxing," the World Cup gold medallist said.&nbsp;</p>


Teen shooting sensation Manu Bhaker says her aim is to secure a quota place for the 2020 Olympics. Having left her mark in almost all the top events, the 16-year-old Bhaker is now focussed on making the cut for the Tokyo Games.

Teen shooting sensation Manu Bhaker says her aim is to secure a quota place for the 2020 Olympics. Having left her mark in almost all the top events, the 16-year-old Bhaker is now focussed on making the cut for the Tokyo Games. Bhaker, who started the year with gold medals in her maiden senior World Cup, added two more yellow metals at the Commonwealth Games and the Youth Olympics, the first by an Indian shooter. "My aim now is to win Olympic quota," Bhaker told PTI. The year saw a string of young shooters including Saurabh Chaudhary and Bhaker scale great heights in the sport. The youngsters came out on top at the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, the Youth Olympics and the Senior Nationals. "We saw the youth power this year, it feels really good that teenagers are doing so well and achieving their goals. We have set our goals and are working hard, it is very surprising that suddenly all of us are doing so well. I feel very nice when I see youngsters performer," Bhaker said. Indian shooting has a bright future with the abundance of young talent at its disposal. The recently-concluded National Shooting Championship saw 13-year-old Esha Singh upstage big names like Bhaker and Heena Sidhu in the women's air pistol events to win three gold medals. Unlike other sports, shooting allows the youngster to participate in both the senior and junior events. Such exposure has benefitted the younger generation. "Even in the senior events most of the competitors are from juniors and it helps us. In shooting we juniors get the opportunity to participate in the senior events that is not the case in wrestling and boxing," the World Cup gold medallist said.

Aim is to secure 2020 Olympic quota place: Manu Bhaker

<p>The International Cricket Council (ICC) has submitted a bid for the inclusion of women's Twenty20 in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the governing body said on Monday.</p>

<p>Cricket has not featured in the quadrennial Games since its maiden appearance in 1998 when the South African men's team won the gold medal in Kuala Lumpur.</p>

<p>"Cricket and the Commonwealth are inextricably linked and almost perfectly aligned with 910 million of cricket's one billion plus adult fans from Commonwealth countries," ICC chief executive David Richardson said in a statement.</p>

<p>"Creating a new partnership between women's cricket and the Commonwealth Games demonstrates the commitment both organisations have to growing women's sport..."</p>

<p>Birmingham is the perfect place to launch this partnership as 23 percent of its residents have links to cricket-playing nations outside the United Kingdom, Richardson said.</p>

<p>"If cricket were to be staged in these Games, we know every team competing would be guaranteed 'home' support. There’s a ready-made audience and ready-made infrastructure in the local vicinity," he added.</p>

<p>Cricket Australia (CA) were quick to support the bid two days after their women's team won the World Twenty20 crown in West Indies.</p>

<p>"It's exciting to think that cricket could potentially feature at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham," CA chief executive Kevin Roberts said in a statement.</p>

<p>"We are committed to cricket being a sport of choice for women and girls in Australia, and with the ICC T20 World Cup in our backyard in 2020, we know the popularity of the women’s game will continue to rise in the coming years," he said.</p>

<p>Cricket, which has struggled to grow beyond its traditional bases, was last played at the Olympics in the 1900 Paris Games.</p>

<p>The ICC has been pushing for the game's Olympic return with the 20-over format but the powerful Indian board has not been very keen on it, fearing it might lose its autonomy and be answerable to the country's Olympic committee.</p>


The International Cricket Council (ICC) has submitted a bid for the inclusion of women's Twenty20 in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the governing body said on Monday.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has submitted a bid for the inclusion of women's Twenty20 in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the governing body said on Monday. Cricket has not featured in the quadrennial Games since its maiden appearance in 1998 when the South African men's team won the gold medal in Kuala Lumpur. "Cricket and the Commonwealth are inextricably linked and almost perfectly aligned with 910 million of cricket's one billion plus adult fans from Commonwealth countries," ICC chief executive David Richardson said in a statement. "Creating a new partnership between women's cricket and the Commonwealth Games demonstrates the commitment both organisations have to growing women's sport..." Birmingham is the perfect place to launch this partnership as 23 percent of its residents have links to cricket-playing nations outside the United Kingdom, Richardson said. "If cricket were to be staged in these Games, we know every team competing would be guaranteed 'home' support. There’s a ready-made audience and ready-made infrastructure in the local vicinity," he added. Cricket Australia (CA) were quick to support the bid two days after their women's team won the World Twenty20 crown in West Indies. "It's exciting to think that cricket could potentially feature at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham," CA chief executive Kevin Roberts said in a statement. "We are committed to cricket being a sport of choice for women and girls in Australia, and with the ICC T20 World Cup in our backyard in 2020, we know the popularity of the women’s game will continue to rise in the coming years," he said. Cricket, which has struggled to grow beyond its traditional bases, was last played at the Olympics in the 1900 Paris Games. The ICC has been pushing for the game's Olympic return with the 20-over format but the powerful Indian board has not been very keen on it, fearing it might lose its autonomy and be answerable to the country's Olympic committee.

ICC bids for women's T20 in Birmingham Commonwealth Games

<p>Pooja Dhanda became only the fourth Indian woman grappler to win a medal at the World Championship, grabbing a bronze with a stunning 10-7 win over the 2017 European champion Grace Jacob Bullen.</p>

<p>One of the two wrestlers in a medal contention, the 24-year-old Pooja executed a four-point throw in each of the two periods in the 57kg contest to deliver the best performance of her career.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is India's second medal at the ongoing championship after Bajrang Punia's silver medal performance in the men's freestyle 65kg category.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is second big medal for Pooja this season, having won a silver the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Only Alka Tomar (2006), Geeta (2012) and Babita Phogat (2012) have won bronze medals for India at the Worlds before Pooja's memorable medal victory.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She opened up a 4-1 lead with a throw, which she found on counter-attack. She consolidated it with a roll and took a 6-1 lead after the end of first period.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After conceding a point for a step out, Pooja Stunned the Norwegian with another four-point throw, to zoom to a 10-2 lead.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Grace reduced the gap with a takedown and a couple of push outs to put pressure on the Indian, who was cautioned twice. She somehow managed to avoid a third caution, holding off to lead.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She had earlier erased a three-point deficit to win her repechage round 8-3 against Alyona Kolesnik from Azerbaijan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before Pooja's bout Ritu Phogat lost her bronze medal bouts and none of the four Greco Roman grapplers could win even a single match.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ritu had a chance to emulate her elders sister -- Geeta and Babita -- to win a Worlds medal but she lost the 50kg bronze play-off 5-10 to Ukraine's Oksana Livach.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Coming from behind, she had beaten Romania's Emilia Alina Vuc in the repechage but the Ukrainian proved too strong for her.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik yet again failed to reach the medal round at a big-ticket event, losing the repechage round 2-3 to Hungary's Marianna Sastin. Sakshi had a 2-1 lead but failed to defend it for last seven seconds, playing too defensive.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Greco Roman competition began today but none of the four wrestlers could win a match.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Vijay (55kg), Gaurav Shar,a (63kg), Kuldeep Malik (72kg) and Harpreet Singh (82kg) all crashed out after losing their Qualification rounds.&nbsp;</p>


Pooja Dhanda became only the fourth Indian woman grappler to win a medal at the World Championship, grabbing a bronze with a stunning 10-7 win over the 2017 European champion Grace Jacob Bullen.

Pooja Dhanda became only the fourth Indian woman grappler to win a medal at the World Championship, grabbing a bronze with a stunning 10-7 win over the 2017 European champion Grace Jacob Bullen. One of the two wrestlers in a medal contention, the 24-year-old Pooja executed a four-point throw in each of the two periods in the 57kg contest to deliver the best performance of her career. It is India's second medal at the ongoing championship after Bajrang Punia's silver medal performance in the men's freestyle 65kg category. It is second big medal for Pooja this season, having won a silver the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. Only Alka Tomar (2006), Geeta (2012) and Babita Phogat (2012) have won bronze medals for India at the Worlds before Pooja's memorable medal victory. She opened up a 4-1 lead with a throw, which she found on counter-attack. She consolidated it with a roll and took a 6-1 lead after the end of first period. After conceding a point for a step out, Pooja Stunned the Norwegian with another four-point throw, to zoom to a 10-2 lead. Grace reduced the gap with a takedown and a couple of push outs to put pressure on the Indian, who was cautioned twice. She somehow managed to avoid a third caution, holding off to lead. She had earlier erased a three-point deficit to win her repechage round 8-3 against Alyona Kolesnik from Azerbaijan. Before Pooja's bout Ritu Phogat lost her bronze medal bouts and none of the four Greco Roman grapplers could win even a single match. Ritu had a chance to emulate her elders sister -- Geeta and Babita -- to win a Worlds medal but she lost the 50kg bronze play-off 5-10 to Ukraine's Oksana Livach. Coming from behind, she had beaten Romania's Emilia Alina Vuc in the repechage but the Ukrainian proved too strong for her. Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik yet again failed to reach the medal round at a big-ticket event, losing the repechage round 2-3 to Hungary's Marianna Sastin. Sakshi had a 2-1 lead but failed to defend it for last seven seconds, playing too defensive. The Greco Roman competition began today but none of the four wrestlers could win a match. Vijay (55kg), Gaurav Shar,a (63kg), Kuldeep Malik (72kg) and Harpreet Singh (82kg) all crashed out after losing their Qualification rounds.

Pooja Dhanda lights up day for India at Worlds with bronze medal

<p>Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar, who has recovered well following a knee injury that forced her to withdraw from the 21st edition of the Commonwealth Games, on Thursday said that she is looking forward to give her absolute best and stand on people's expectation in the upcoming Asian Games.</p>

<p>Karmakar suffered a knee injury while practising for the trails of Asian Championships 2017.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She immediately underwent an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) surgery in April last year and has been out of action since then.</p>

<p>She also opted to skip 2018 edition of the Commonwealth Games, where she bagged a bronze medal in 2014.</p>

<p>Talking to ANI regarding the same, the 24-year-old said that she is absolutely fit now and that she and her coach Bishweshwar Nandi are looking for a good show in the upcoming events."I am absolutely fit. I will try my best to give a good performance. I and coach are working hard for the same. We are practicing vault. We are hopeful to perform well and do something good at the Asian Games. Injury is a part and parcel of the sport, especially in Gymnastic. I have recovered well following an injury and now I am concentrating entirely on my practice," Karmakar said.</p>

<p>When asked why she opted to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games, Karmakar reiterated that she didn`t want to risk her injury knowing that there are many other crucial events coming in."I did not play in Commonwealth Games because I did not want to risk my injury. I might have bagged the medal, had I participated in the event. However, it was important to recover from my injury first. I did not want to spoil upcoming important events like 2020 Olympic qualification and Asian Games as well as World Championship in 2019 because of one tournament. That is why I withdrew from Commonwealth Games," she said.</p>

<p>Karmakar, who also won a bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Championships, missed the bronze medal at last year`s Rio Olympics by 0.150 points as American gymnast Simone Biles won her third gold medal.</p>

<p>She, however, had created history when she became the first Indian gymnast to enter the final on her debut at the quadrennial multi-discipline games after finishing eighth in the qualifying round.</p>

<p>And Karamakar admitted that people have had high hopes from her since making a fourth-place finish at the Rio Olympics."After making a fourth-place finish at the Olympics, many people have high hopes that I would perform well wherever I go. Now, it is also my responsibility to stand on people`s expectation. I am getting good support. So, I and coach are hoping to give our best," she said.</p>

<p>Karmakar, however, insisted that she couldn`t assure anyone of winning a medal in the upcoming Asian Games."I can't assure of clinching a medal. Anything can happen in sports. If I get injured just two minutes prior to the event, then my performance can get affected. But I will try my level best to put a good show," she said.</p>

<p>Karmakar is one of the only five women who has successfully landed the `Produnova`, which is regarded as the most difficult vault currently performed in women`s gymnastics.</p>

<p>On a related note, the Asian Games is slated to be held from August 18 and will run till September 2 in Indonesia.</p>


Karmakar suffered a knee injury while practising for the trails of Asian Championships 2017

Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar, who has recovered well following a knee injury that forced her to withdraw from the 21st edition of the Commonwealth Games, on Thursday said that she is looking forward to give her absolute best and stand on people's expectation in the upcoming Asian Games. Karmakar suffered a knee injury while practising for the trails of Asian Championships 2017. She immediately underwent an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) surgery in April last year and has been out of action since then. She also opted to skip 2018 edition of the Commonwealth Games, where she bagged a bronze medal in 2014. Talking to ANI regarding the same, the 24-year-old said that she is absolutely fit now and that she and her coach Bishweshwar Nandi are looking for a good show in the upcoming events."I am absolutely fit. I will try my best to give a good performance. I and coach are working hard for the same. We are practicing vault. We are hopeful to perform well and do something good at the Asian Games. Injury is a part and parcel of the sport, especially in Gymnastic. I have recovered well following an injury and now I am concentrating entirely on my practice," Karmakar said. When asked why she opted to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games, Karmakar reiterated that she didn`t want to risk her injury knowing that there are many other crucial events coming in."I did not play in Commonwealth Games because I did not want to risk my injury. I might have bagged the medal, had I participated in the event. However, it was important to recover from my injury first. I did not want to spoil upcoming important events like 2020 Olympic qualification and Asian Games as well as World Championship in 2019 because of one tournament. That is why I withdrew from Commonwealth Games," she said. Karmakar, who also won a bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Championships, missed the bronze medal at last year`s Rio Olympics by 0.150 points as American gymnast Simone Biles won her third gold medal. She, however, had created history when she became the first Indian gymnast to enter the final on her debut at the quadrennial multi-discipline games after finishing eighth in the qualifying round. And Karamakar admitted that people have had high hopes from her since making a fourth-place finish at the Rio Olympics."After making a fourth-place finish at the Olympics, many people have high hopes that I would perform well wherever I go. Now, it is also my responsibility to stand on people`s expectation. I am getting good support. So, I and coach are hoping to give our best," she said. Karmakar, however, insisted that she couldn`t assure anyone of winning a medal in the upcoming Asian Games."I can't assure of clinching a medal. Anything can happen in sports. If I get injured just two minutes prior to the event, then my performance can get affected. But I will try my level best to put a good show," she said. Karmakar is one of the only five women who has successfully landed the `Produnova`, which is regarded as the most difficult vault currently performed in women`s gymnastics. On a related note, the Asian Games is slated to be held from August 18 and will run till September 2 in Indonesia.

Dipa Karmakar looking to give her best in Asian Games

<p>CWG Gold medalist weightlifter Sanjita Chanu has been&nbsp;tested positive for a banned substance and provisionally suspended for the same.</p>

<p>According to the official statement released by International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), she tested positive for testosterone.</p>

<p>"IWF reports that the sample of Ms. Sanjita Chamu KHUMUKCHAM (IND) has returned an Adverse Analytical Finding for Testosterone (S1.1 Anabolic Agents). As a consequence, the Athlete is provisionally suspended in view of a potential anti-doping rule violation," said the official statement of International Weightlifting Federation.</p>

<p>Recently, Chanu won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) at Gold Coast in Australia.</p>

<p>24-year-old Sanjita Chanu lifted 192 kgs to clinch the gold at CWG&nbsp;Gold Coast.</p>


CWG Gold medalist weightlifter Sanjita Chanu tests positive for a banned substance, provisionally suspended

CWG Gold medalist weightlifter Sanjita Chanu has been tested positive for a banned substance and provisionally suspended for the same. According to the official statement released by International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), she tested positive for testosterone. "IWF reports that the sample of Ms. Sanjita Chamu KHUMUKCHAM (IND) has returned an Adverse Analytical Finding for Testosterone (S1.1 Anabolic Agents). As a consequence, the Athlete is provisionally suspended in view of a potential anti-doping rule violation," said the official statement of International Weightlifting Federation. Recently, Chanu won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) at Gold Coast in Australia. 24-year-old Sanjita Chanu lifted 192 kgs to clinch the gold at CWG Gold Coast.

CWG Gold medalist Sanjita Chanu fails dope test; suspended

<p>A number of African athletes who went missing from the Commonwealth Games last month have resurfaced seeking advice on gaining asylum in Australia, refugee advocates said Tuesday.</p>

<p>More than a dozen were suspected of fleeing during the showpiece event on the Gold Coast.</p>

<p>Among them were competitors from Rwanda, Uganda and Sierra Leone, while authorities have also been seeking to verify the whereabouts of eight athletes from conflict-hit Cameroon -- one third of the central African country's 24-strong team.&nbsp</p>

<p>The Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS) group in Sydney said it had received enquiries from several of them but declined to reveal the exact number or the countries of origin.</p>

<p>"Every person who seeks asylum in Australia should be subject to the same thorough investigation of their claims, be they students, visitors, workers or athletes," RACS solicitor Sarah Dale said in a statement.</p>

<p>"The men, women and families who are recognised as needing protection in Australia are allowed to remain only after a complex and difficult process."</p>

<p>The athletes' visas were due to expire at midnight on Tuesday and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton warned anyone who overstayed would be forcibly removed from the country. &nbsp</p>

<p>"If people have claims to make, or they have submissions to put to the department, then we'll consider all of that in due course," Dutton told reporters Tuesday.&nbsp</p>

<p>"But if people have breached their visa conditions -- like anyone else, they're expected to operate within the law, and enforcement action will take place to identify those people and to deport them if they don't self-declare."</p>

<p>Those seeking to stay in Australia can apply for bridging visas to remain in the country while their claim for asylum is being heard.&nbsp</p>

<p>&nbsp</p>


A number of African athletes who went missing from the Commonwealth Games last month have resurfaced seeking advice on gaining asylum in Australia

A number of African athletes who went missing from the Commonwealth Games last month have resurfaced seeking advice on gaining asylum in Australia, refugee advocates said Tuesday. More than a dozen were suspected of fleeing during the showpiece event on the Gold Coast. Among them were competitors from Rwanda, Uganda and Sierra Leone, while authorities have also been seeking to verify the whereabouts of eight athletes from conflict-hit Cameroon -- one third of the central African country's 24-strong team. The Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS) group in Sydney said it had received enquiries from several of them but declined to reveal the exact number or the countries of origin. "Every person who seeks asylum in Australia should be subject to the same thorough investigation of their claims, be they students, visitors, workers or athletes," RACS solicitor Sarah Dale said in a statement. "The men, women and families who are recognised as needing protection in Australia are allowed to remain only after a complex and difficult process." The athletes' visas were due to expire at midnight on Tuesday and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton warned anyone who overstayed would be forcibly removed from the country. "If people have claims to make, or they have submissions to put to the department, then we'll consider all of that in due course," Dutton told reporters Tuesday. "But if people have breached their visa conditions -- like anyone else, they're expected to operate within the law, and enforcement action will take place to identify those people and to deport them if they don't self-declare." Those seeking to stay in Australia can apply for bridging visas to remain in the country while their claim for asylum is being heard.

Missing Commonwealth Games athletes resurface, want asylum in Australia

<p>Indian men's hockey captain Manpreet Singh was recommended for this year's Arjuna Award by the national federation on Thursday.</p>

<p>Singh, who led the team at last month's Commonwealth Games, is among the three players recommended for the great award. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Dharamvir Singh, another experienced mid-fielder, and Indian women's team goalkeeper Savita have also been recommended for the same.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Sanggai Ibemhal Chanu and former men's captain Bharat Chettri have been recommended for the Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement," Hockey India said in a statement.</p>

<p>Hockey India also recommended Coach BS Chauhan for the Dronacharya Award.</p>

<p>Speaking on the recommendations, Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad, Secretary General, Hockey India said, "They have proven their worth with significant performances that has elevated the Indian team to new heights."</p>

<p>"They have donned the India colours with pride and have given it their all to help the team win several accolades within the country and internationally. We at Hockey India are proud of their achievements and are happy to recommend their names for the National awards," he added.</p>

<p>Manpreet captained the Indian team in the absence of PR Sreejesh who was injured last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Manpreet was part of the Asia Cup success where India beat Malaysia to lift the title.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Singh led the team at last month's Commonwealth Games,

Indian men's hockey captain Manpreet Singh was recommended for this year's Arjuna Award by the national federation on Thursday. Singh, who led the team at last month's Commonwealth Games, is among the three players recommended for the great award. Dharamvir Singh, another experienced mid-fielder, and Indian women's team goalkeeper Savita have also been recommended for the same. "Sanggai Ibemhal Chanu and former men's captain Bharat Chettri have been recommended for the Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement," Hockey India said in a statement. Hockey India also recommended Coach BS Chauhan for the Dronacharya Award. Speaking on the recommendations, Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad, Secretary General, Hockey India said, "They have proven their worth with significant performances that has elevated the Indian team to new heights." "They have donned the India colours with pride and have given it their all to help the team win several accolades within the country and internationally. We at Hockey India are proud of their achievements and are happy to recommend their names for the National awards," he added. Manpreet captained the Indian team in the absence of PR Sreejesh who was injured last year. Manpreet was part of the Asia Cup success where India beat Malaysia to lift the title.

Indian men's hockey captain Manpreet Singh recommended for Arjuna Award

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi met and felicitated the medal winners of recently concluded Commonwealth Games. India finished the Games with 66 medals, including 26 gold medals, 20 silver and 20 bronze medals.</p>

<p>Indian contingent met the expectations of the nation and bettered their tally of medals from 2014 Glasgow Games.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Monday, PM Modi congratulated the medal winners and also complimented those who could not win medals but had performed creditably.</p>

<p>The felicitation ceremony was held at PM's residence and Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Rajyavardhan Rathore was present at the event.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi: PM Narendra Modi interacted with medal winners of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CommonwealthGames2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CommonwealthGames2018</a> at Lok Kalyan Marg. PM said that accomplishments in the sporting arena inspire everyone. <a href="https://t.co/plSGzKqv6Q">pic.twitter.com/plSGzKqv6Q</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/990882201553309696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>While interacting with the players, PM Modi said, "Accomplishments in the sporting arena inspire everyone. Their sporting feats have raised India`s stature. Whenever an Indian sportsperson wins on the global sporting stage, it is the Indian flag that rises."</p>

<p>PM Modi gave the example of Mary Kom, five-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist who clinched her first CWG gold medal in 45-48 kg boxing event.</p>

<p>He mentioned Pullela Gopichand, who is mentoring many badminton players after an immensely successful career as a player.</p>

<p>Modi said that besides talent, training, concentration and hard work, mental toughness was also important for sportspersons. In this context, he mentioned the benefits of yoga.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Thank u so much for felicitating us sir .. <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PMOIndia</a> ...<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CommonwealthGames2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CommonwealthGames2018</a> ..<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Indianbadmintonteam?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Indianbadmintonteam</a> ?? <a href="https://t.co/Je4aXrO7CP">pic.twitter.com/Je4aXrO7CP</a></p>
— Saina Nehwal (@NSaina) <a href="https://twitter.com/NSaina/status/990893002150170625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi met and congratulated the medal winners of recently concluded Commonwealth Games

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met and felicitated the medal winners of recently concluded Commonwealth Games. India finished the Games with 66 medals, including 26 gold medals, 20 silver and 20 bronze medals. Indian contingent met the expectations of the nation and bettered their tally of medals from 2014 Glasgow Games. On Monday, PM Modi congratulated the medal winners and also complimented those who could not win medals but had performed creditably. The felicitation ceremony was held at PM's residence and Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Rajyavardhan Rathore was present at the event. Delhi: PM Narendra Modi interacted with medal winners of #CommonwealthGames2018 at Lok Kalyan Marg. PM said that accomplishments in the sporting arena inspire everyone. pic.twitter.com/plSGzKqv6Q — ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2018 × While interacting with the players, PM Modi said, "Accomplishments in the sporting arena inspire everyone. Their sporting feats have raised India`s stature. Whenever an Indian sportsperson wins on the global sporting stage, it is the Indian flag that rises." PM Modi gave the example of Mary Kom, five-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist who clinched her first CWG gold medal in 45-48 kg boxing event. He mentioned Pullela Gopichand, who is mentoring many badminton players after an immensely successful career as a player. Modi said that besides talent, training, concentration and hard work, mental toughness was also important for sportspersons. In this context, he mentioned the benefits of yoga. Thank u so much for felicitating us sir .. @narendramodi @PMOIndia ...#CommonwealthGames2018 ..#Indianbadmintonteam ?? pic.twitter.com/Je4aXrO7CP — Saina Nehwal (@NSaina) April 30, 2018 ×

PM Modi felicitates CWG medal winners, tells them benefits of yoga

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Passing by a game of cricket while driving, <a href="https://twitter.com/sachin_rt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sachin_rt</a>'s friends dared him to get out and face a few balls.<br />
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(Video courtesy: Atul Ranade) <a href="https://t.co/JG2Khrqh9g">pic.twitter.com/JG2Khrqh9g</a></p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">How to stop <a href="https://twitter.com/ABdeVilliers17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ABdeVilliers17</a> <a href="https://t.co/DivGdgh36Q">pic.twitter.com/DivGdgh36Q</a></p>
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<h5 title="Pliskova and Kvitova give Czechs commanding lead over Germany"><a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/sports/petra-kvitova-outplays-kerber-to-send-czechs-into-fed-cup-final-132120">Petra Kvitova outplays Kerber to send Czechs into Fed Cup final</a></h5>

<h5 title="Pliskova and Kvitova give Czechs commanding lead over Germany"><a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/photos/in-pics:-meet-the-next-australia-cricket-coach-possible-contenders-132151">In pics: Meet the next Australia cricket coach possible contenders</a></h5>

<p><a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/sports/yuvraj-singh-to-retire-after-2019-world-cup-132182">Yuvraj Singh to retire after 2019 World Cup?&nbsp</a> ​​​​​</p>


Weekly compilation of sports and other related news (April 16 to April 22)

WION'S PICK OF THE WEEK Opinion: Why Arsene Wenger deserves a farewell that matches his feat at Arsenal? Watch: Preity Zinta shouts at fans during Punjab's match against Chennai in IPL, reveals truth Hasan Ali gatecrashes Wagah ceremony, faces flak from twitterati BSF to lodge protest Hasan Ali being Hasan Ali during the flag-lowering ceremony at the Wagah border pic.twitter.com/sQuiwthVLb — ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) April 21, 2018 × Watch: Bear 'performs' at soccer match, causes worldwide outrage Watch: How Antonio Conte's wife interrupts press conference Watch: Sachin Tendulkar's comeback in 'gully cricket' Passing by a game of cricket while driving, @sachin_rt's friends dared him to get out and face a few balls. The result: a few lucky ones ended up having the night of their lives playing gully cricket with the Master. (Video courtesy: Atul Ranade) pic.twitter.com/JG2Khrqh9g — ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) April 17, 2018 × IPL 2018 Happy birthday IPL: 2008 to 2018 Pollard seeks advice from media to outdo Mumbai's current form IPL 2018: Watch, DJ Bravo impresses again with his dance moves Opinion: Curious case of Bangalore and IPL IPL 2018: Hardik Pandya apologises to Mumbai teammate Ishan Kishan Why IPL superstar Gayle is world's most valuable T20 player IPL 2018: How to stop AB De Villiers from scoring, reveals Ben Stokes How to stop @ABdeVilliers17 pic.twitter.com/DivGdgh36Q — Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) April 21, 2018 × FOOTBALL Manchester City win EPL. Start of a dynasty? How Pep Guardiola's signings turned Manchester City from nearly men into champions Throwback: This is what Lionel Messi did 11 years ago for FC Barcelona Ibrahimovic says he is going to World Cup but won't say if he will play Arsene Wenger to step down as Arsenal manager Salomon Rondon's 88th-minute goal helps West Brom to draw against Liverpool Barcelona thrash Sevilla to win King's Cup for record 30th time FC Barcelona: Star kids add cuteness to King's Cup FC Barcelona: Star kids add cuteness to King's Cup Alexandre Lacazette shines in concluding minutes as Arsenal thrash West Ham Fans did not give image of unity, that was hurtful: Arsene Wenger OTHERS Commonwealth Games: India's champion shooters speak to WION Blog: Virat Kohli is new leading run-scorer in IPL, surpasses Raina Not insulted, I sat on the ground on my own: CWG gold medallist Manu Bhaker BCCI should come under RTI, recommends Law Commission of India Minor tweaks to team culture needed for Australia: Tim Paine, Australia's test captain Coach to be named 'in coming weeks': Cricket Australia Cricket Australia blooper: Banned Steve Smith, David Warner still on official Twitter handle 'Informed Ganguly about Greg Chappell's mail to BCCI,' reveals Sehwag Petra Kvitova outplays Kerber to send Czechs into Fed Cup final In pics: Meet the next Australia cricket coach possible contenders Yuvraj Singh to retire after 2019 World Cup?

WION Sports News: Top sports results this week

<p>Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday announced two per cent reservation in state government jobs for sportspersons.&nbsp</p>

<p>The announcement came on the same day when Rao facilitated the 18 Indian athletes who participated in the recently concluded Commonwealth Games at the Pragati Bhavan in Hyderabad.</p>

<p>A senior official of the State government said currently two per cent seats in educational institutions were reserved for sportspersons.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hyderabad: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Telangana?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Telangana</a> Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao met Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Pranav Chopra and 15 other players who participated in the recently concluded <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CommonwealthGames2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CommonwealthGames2018</a>, at Pragathi Bhavan earlier today <a href="https://t.co/0vV9BvSTVq">pic.twitter.com/0vV9BvSTVq</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/987606542483705857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>"A file pertaining to the two per cent reservation for sportspersons in government jobs is with the Chief Minister. Once he clears it, GO will be issued," the official said.&nbsp</p>

<p>The athletes including members from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra and Karnataka - Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Srikanth Kidambi, Rankireddy Satwik Sairaj, N Sikkireddy, HSK Prannoy, Pranav Chopra, Chirag Shetty, Ashwini Ponnappa and G Ruthvika Shivani (all badminton players), Hasamuddin Mohammed (boxing), Aruna Budda Reddy and Meghana Gundlapally (gymnastics), Kynan Darius Cheni and Gagan Narang (shooting), Sharath Kamal Achanta (table tennis) and Ragala Venkat Rahul (Weightlifting).</p>

<p>He praised the sportspersons for bringing laurels to the country and state, the release added.</p>


The announcement came on the same day when Rao facilitated the 18 Indian athletes who participated in the recently concluded Commonwealth Games at the Pragati Bhavan in Hyderabad

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday announced two per cent reservation in state government jobs for sportspersons. The announcement came on the same day when Rao facilitated the 18 Indian athletes who participated in the recently concluded Commonwealth Games at the Pragati Bhavan in Hyderabad. A senior official of the State government said currently two per cent seats in educational institutions were reserved for sportspersons. Hyderabad: #Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao met Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Pranav Chopra and 15 other players who participated in the recently concluded #CommonwealthGames2018, at Pragathi Bhavan earlier today pic.twitter.com/0vV9BvSTVq — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2018 × "A file pertaining to the two per cent reservation for sportspersons in government jobs is with the Chief Minister. Once he clears it, GO will be issued," the official said. The athletes including members from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra and Karnataka - Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Srikanth Kidambi, Rankireddy Satwik Sairaj, N Sikkireddy, HSK Prannoy, Pranav Chopra, Chirag Shetty, Ashwini Ponnappa and G Ruthvika Shivani (all badminton players), Hasamuddin Mohammed (boxing), Aruna Budda Reddy and Meghana Gundlapally (gymnastics), Kynan Darius Cheni and Gagan Narang (shooting), Sharath Kamal Achanta (table tennis) and Ragala Venkat Rahul (Weightlifting). He praised the sportspersons for bringing laurels to the country and state, the release added.

Telangana announces 2% quota for sportspersons in government jobs

<p>India finished third at the recently concluded 21st Commonwealth Games with 66 medals, including 26 gold medals, 20 silver and 20 bronze medals. There were many moments during&nbsp;the Games which will be cherished forever&nbsp;like Mary Kom, five-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist, won her first CWG medal by claiming gold in the women's 45-48kg boxing event and young champs like Anish, Mehuli and Manu Bhakar earned glory and made the nation proud.</p>

<p>However,&nbsp;shooters displayed an outstanding performance by bagging a total of 16 medals in different categories. 27 shooters took part in the event and clinched 16 medals out of which seven are gold.</p>

<p>Young shooting sensation Mehuli Ghosh won a silver medal in the 10m air rifle event at the Commonwealth Games. In an exclusive interview with WION.com, Mehuli said, "I don't remember when was the last time I went to school."</p>

<p>With a smile on her face, she also said, "I am missing those (school) days but I wanted this life. I wanted&nbsp;to take part in all these competitions and I wanted all these things to happen."&nbsp;She further&nbsp;added that sports and&nbsp;success at the&nbsp;CWG has changed her life being a teenager.</p>

<p>Mehuli&nbsp;told WION.com about her preparations for CWG. She said,&nbsp;"It's about mental, technical and physical strength, so you have to work on these three things." She clearly mentioned that the performance is mainly depended on the mental, technical and physical strength of the athlete.</p>

<p>She also added, "I just go there to give my best and what I will get from there I don't think that." 17-year old shooting star&nbsp;feels, "It's about putting in the hard work and not thinking about the medals."</p>

<p>Another shooter, Heena Sidhu became the first Indian double medalist at the Commonwealth Games. She clinched gold in the women's 25m pistol (with a CWG record 38) and silver in the 10m air pistol. In an exclusive interaction with WION.com, she told about her ambition&nbsp;to take on world champions in the future events.</p>

<p>Heena said that practice and hard work&nbsp;are the most necessary elements&nbsp;before entering such big events. She further added, "We realise our mistakes from every match and we work on it and we hope that in next match we will be able to deliver better results."</p>

<p>Heena revealed her plans to take on the world champions and said she is "working on it," she further added, "It is about how you are improving every day, and if you are improving every day it means you are on the right track."</p>

<p>She also mentioned, "With all these medals we now feel confident in going into an important year with ASIAN games and World Championship."</p>

<p>Confident double medallist Heena said, "We have learned a lot of lessons, we have done few things right and few things wrong and as an athlete, we know where we went wrong."</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/cwg-2018:-meet-gold-medallists-of-india-130569#photo-130566">In photos: Meet India's CWG gold medallists</a></p>

<p>The shooting contingent stole the show by creating some game records. Sanjeev Rajput, who won the gold medal in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions event with a games record said, " changing colour of the medal was the motive."</p>

<p>He talked about the struggles that he had made since 2006 when won the bronze medal in the Men's 50m Rifle Prone at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Also at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Sanjeev won a silver medal.</p>

<p>He also mentioned how he prepared to convert his bronze medal to silver and silver&nbsp;to gold.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em><strong>Here is the video, watch it again:</strong></em></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>


17-year-old shooting sensation Mehuli Ghosh won a silver medal in the 10m air rifle event at the 21st Commonwealth Games

India finished third at the recently concluded 21st Commonwealth Games with 66 medals, including 26 gold medals, 20 silver and 20 bronze medals. There were many moments during the Games which will be cherished forever like Mary Kom, five-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist, won her first CWG medal by claiming gold in the women's 45-48kg boxing event and young champs like Anish, Mehuli and Manu Bhakar earned glory and made the nation proud. However, shooters displayed an outstanding performance by bagging a total of 16 medals in different categories. 27 shooters took part in the event and clinched 16 medals out of which seven are gold. Young shooting sensation Mehuli Ghosh won a silver medal in the 10m air rifle event at the Commonwealth Games. In an exclusive interview with WION.com, Mehuli said, "I don't remember when was the last time I went to school." With a smile on her face, she also said, "I am missing those (school) days but I wanted this life. I wanted to take part in all these competitions and I wanted all these things to happen." She further added that sports and success at the CWG has changed her life being a teenager. Mehuli told WION.com about her preparations for CWG. She said, "It's about mental, technical and physical strength, so you have to work on these three things." She clearly mentioned that the performance is mainly depended on the mental, technical and physical strength of the athlete. She also added, "I just go there to give my best and what I will get from there I don't think that." 17-year old shooting star feels, "It's about putting in the hard work and not thinking about the medals." Another shooter, Heena Sidhu became the first Indian double medalist at the Commonwealth Games. She clinched gold in the women's 25m pistol (with a CWG record 38) and silver in the 10m air pistol. In an exclusive interaction with WION.com, she told about her ambition to take on world champions in the future events. Heena said that practice and hard work are the most necessary elements before entering such big events. She further added, "We realise our mistakes from every match and we work on it and we hope that in next match we will be able to deliver better results." Heena revealed her plans to take on the world champions and said she is "working on it," she further added, "It is about how you are improving every day, and if you are improving every day it means you are on the right track." She also mentioned, "With all these medals we now feel confident in going into an important year with ASIAN games and World Championship." Confident double medallist Heena said, "We have learned a lot of lessons, we have done few things right and few things wrong and as an athlete, we know where we went wrong." In photos: Meet India's CWG gold medallists The shooting contingent stole the show by creating some game records. Sanjeev Rajput, who won the gold medal in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions event with a games record said, " changing colour of the medal was the motive." He talked about the struggles that he had made since 2006 when won the bronze medal in the Men's 50m Rifle Prone at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Also at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Sanjeev won a silver medal. He also mentioned how he prepared to convert his bronze medal to silver and silver to gold. Here is the video, watch it again: ×

Commonwealth Games: India's champion shooters speak to WION

<p>Manu Bhaker clinched gold in the women’s 10m air pistol event after she shot a qualifying CWG record score of 388/400 in her first appearance at the Games.</p>

<p>Bhaker was recently invited to a felicitation ceremony in Haryana and was insulted there. The images from the event clearly displayed that she was made sit on the floor.</p>

<p>Recently, Manu Bhaker made it absolutely clear that she made the gesture of sitting on the floor on her own. While interacting with media, she said that few elders were present at the event so she offered her seat to them and preferred to sit on the floor.</p>

<p>"During the felicitation ceremony, I sat on the ground on my own. There was space but I preferred to sit on the ground as few elders present at the event: Manu Bhaker," said CWG gold medallist Manu Bhaker.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">During the felicitation ceremony I sat on ground on my own. There was space but I preferred to sit on ground as few elders present at the event: Manu Bhaker, gold medal winner at Commonwealth Games 2018 on felicitation ceremony incident <a href="https://t.co/pqjyY0kSEm">pic.twitter.com/pqjyY0kSEm</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/986499513216065536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat who won silver in women's freestyle 50 kg and Babita Kumari who bagged silver medal in women's freestyle 62 kg were also invited to the ceremony. The event was organised by Phogat Khap in the town of Charkhi Dadri.</p>


Manu Bhaker said that few elders were present at the event so she offered her seat to them and preferred to sit on the floor

Manu Bhaker clinched gold in the women’s 10m air pistol event after she shot a qualifying CWG record score of 388/400 in her first appearance at the Games. Bhaker was recently invited to a felicitation ceremony in Haryana and was insulted there. The images from the event clearly displayed that she was made sit on the floor. Recently, Manu Bhaker made it absolutely clear that she made the gesture of sitting on the floor on her own. While interacting with media, she said that few elders were present at the event so she offered her seat to them and preferred to sit on the floor. "During the felicitation ceremony, I sat on the ground on my own. There was space but I preferred to sit on the ground as few elders present at the event: Manu Bhaker," said CWG gold medallist Manu Bhaker. During the felicitation ceremony I sat on ground on my own. There was space but I preferred to sit on ground as few elders present at the event: Manu Bhaker, gold medal winner at Commonwealth Games 2018 on felicitation ceremony incident pic.twitter.com/pqjyY0kSEm — ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2018 × Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat who won silver in women's freestyle 50 kg and Babita Kumari who bagged silver medal in women's freestyle 62 kg were also invited to the ceremony. The event was organised by Phogat Khap in the town of Charkhi Dadri.

Not insulted, I sat on the ground on my own: CWG gold medallist Manu Bhaker

<h3 title="Opinion: India should look beyond 'British Empire Games' to achieve greatness in sport"><u><strong>WION'S PICK OF THE WEEK</strong></u></h3>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Raikkonen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Raikkonen</a> takes out pit crew!? <a href="https://t.co/yhVnpbR3bq">pic.twitter.com/yhVnpbR3bq</a></p>
— Simon (@quicktweetaway) <a href="https://twitter.com/quicktweetaway/status/983018335561506817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<h3><u><strong>COMMONWEALTH GAMES</strong></u></h3>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p title="In photos: Meet India's CWG gold medallists"><a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/cwg-2018:-meet-gold-medallists-of-india-130569">Meet India's CWG gold medallists</a></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a> finished at 3rd position with 26 gold medals at the 21st <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CommonwealthGames2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CommonwealthGames2018</a>.<a href="https://t.co/CXkHoOTitF">https://t.co/CXkHoOTitF</a></p>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/985497970148720641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics:-meet-silver-medallists-of-cwg-2018--130583">Meet the winners of India's 20 silver medals at CWG 2018</a></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a> won a total of 20 silver medals at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CommonwealthGames2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CommonwealthGames2018</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/GC2018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GC2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/GvwXsx1NuM">https://t.co/GvwXsx1NuM</a></p>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/985509673833971712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<h3 title="In pics: Meet India's bronze medal winners at CWG 2018"><strong><u>IPL 2018</u></strong></h3>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0 padding:0 4px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bhiw-D9n4wW/" style=" color:#000 font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px font-style:normal font-weight:normal line-height:17px text-decoration:none word-wrap:break-word" target="_blank">Shooting gun is so much more fun than shooting ads</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px line-height:17px margin-bottom:0 margin-top:8px overflow:hidden padding:8px 0 7px text-align:center text-overflow:ellipsis white-space:nowrap">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mahi7781/" style=" color:#c9c8cd font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px font-style:normal font-weight:normal line-height:17px" target="_blank"> M S Dhoni</a> (@mahi7781) on <time datetime="2018-04-14T07:55:03+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px line-height:17px">Apr 14, 2018 at 12:55am PDT</time></p>
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<h3><u><strong>Football</strong></u></h3>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-united-lose-to-bottom-placed-west-brom-city-win-title-130652">Manchester City win Premier League after United lose to bottom-placed West Brom</a></p>

<p><img alt="Manchester City.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/sports/Manchester%20City.jpg" width="770" /></p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-draw-defending-champions-real-madrid-to-clash-bayern-in-semis-liverpool-face-roma-130300">Champions League draw: Defending champions Real Madrid to clash Bayern in semis Liverpool face Roma</a></p>

<p><img alt="FC Bayern.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/sports/FC%20Bayern.jpg" width="770" /></p>

<p title="Video: Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen runs over own pit stop crew member"><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-liverpools-salah-firmino-outlast-manchester-city-129724">Champions League: Liverpool's Salah, Firmino outlast Manchester City</a></p>

<p title="Champions League: Roma crush Barcelona, enter semi-final"><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-roma-crush-barcelona-enter-semi-final-129717">Champions League: Roma crush Barcelona, enter semi-final</a></p>

<p title="Champions League: Ronaldo's penalty ensures Juventus exit, Real Madrid enter semi-final"><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-ronaldos-penalty-ensures-juventus-exit-real-madrid-enter-semi-final-129946">Champions League: Ronaldo's penalty ensures Juventus exit, Real Madrid enter semi-final</a></p>

<p title="Barcelona beat Valencia, set new LaLiga record of 39 games unbeaten"><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/barcelona-beat-valencia-set-new-laliga-record-of-39-games-unbeaten-130534">Barcelona beat Valencia, set new LaLiga record of 39 games unbeaten</a></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">? The boss and his players on Saturday's vital win in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bar%C3%A7aValencia?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BarçaValencia</a> <a href="https://t.co/macpxhIXaX">pic.twitter.com/macpxhIXaX</a></p>
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/985341313636683776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Weekly compilation of sports and other related news (April 9 to April 15)

WION'S PICK OF THE WEEK Opinion: India should look beyond 'British Empire Games' to achieve greatness in sport Opinion: Leander Paes - A tireless crusader Scientific fact: When Messi, Neymar score a goal, the Earth moves × IPL: Rajasthan's ROI on Ben Stokes against Hyderabad was Rs 1,785,714 per ball Video: Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen runs over own pit stop crew member #Raikkonen takes out pit crew!? pic.twitter.com/yhVnpbR3bq — Simon (@quicktweetaway) April 8, 2018 × Usain Bolt arrives at Commonwealth Games COMMONWEALTH GAMES In pics: Closing ceremony of 21st Commonwealth Games Meet India's CWG gold medallists #India finished at 3rd position with 26 gold medals at the 21st #CommonwealthGames2018.https://t.co/CXkHoOTitF — WION (@WIONews) April 15, 2018 × Meet the winners of India's 20 silver medals at CWG 2018 #India won a total of 20 silver medals at the #CommonwealthGames2018 in @GC2018 https://t.co/GvwXsx1NuM — WION (@WIONews) April 15, 2018 × Meet India's bronze medal winners at CWG 2018 IPL 2018 IPL 2018: Debutant Roy's 91 helps Delhi defeat Mumbai by 7 wickets IPL 2018: Bangalore fail to climb 218-run mountain posted by Rajasthan, lose by 19 runs IPL 2018: In last-over thriller, Chennai lose to Punjab by 4 runs CWG fever grips Dhoni, says, 'shooting gun is so much more fun...' Shooting gun is so much more fun than shooting ads A post shared by M S Dhoni (@mahi7781) on Apr 14, 2018 at 12:55am PDT × Football Manchester City win Premier League after United lose to bottom-placed West Brom Champions League draw: Defending champions Real Madrid to clash Bayern in semis Liverpool face Roma Champions League: Liverpool's Salah, Firmino outlast Manchester City Champions League: Roma crush Barcelona, enter semi-final Champions League: Ronaldo's penalty ensures Juventus exit, Real Madrid enter semi-final Barcelona beat Valencia, set new LaLiga record of 39 games unbeaten ? The boss and his players on Saturday's vital win in #BarçaValencia pic.twitter.com/macpxhIXaX — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 15, 2018 ×

<p>India may have finished 3rd in the 21st Commonwealth Games but it finished way behind hosts Australia who seized 80 gold medals bagging 198 medals to finish on top.</p>

<p>The Commonwealth though does not have a "world standing" since only countries who were once the colony of Her Majesty take&nbsppart in the event, there is, of course, no China or US to threaten the top contenders.</p>

<p>The Commonwealth Games actually came into existence in the 1930s, it was aptly titled "British Empire Games", post-1950 it was called &nbspBritish Empire and Commonwealth Games, later in the 1970s British Empire was dropped and it was called "Commonwealth Games".</p>

<p>The former "colonies" take great pride in participating in the Games. There are over 70 countries which participate in the Games.</p>

<p>India, Australia and England mostly top the medals tally in most games, however, a look at India's performance in the Olympics is an altogether different story.</p>

<p>The Indian contingent is happy with 26 golds with sports analysts calling it a "gold rush" and gushing over how the team has topped its previous tally at Glasgow. However, in the rush to prove its credentials it must be noted that the Indian hockey team - both men & women- failed to win a single medal.</p>

<p><strong><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/india-finish-with-66-medals-including-26-gold-at-21st-commonwealth-games--130531">Commonwealth Games: India finish third with 26 gold medals</a></strong></p>

<p>In shooting, India has been faring poorly against the Chinese at the Olympics(barring Abhinav Bindra's gold medal exploits at London in 2008).</p>

<p>With just two years to go for the Olympics in Russia, India must get over its "gold haze" quickly if it wants to challenge the best in the world.</p>

<p>A point to be noted: India's total medals tally is 66, Australia meanwhile has won 80 golds in all, a startling fact which best exemplifies how far the Indian team has fallen behind in world sports.</p>

<p>Add to this 2 Indian athletes were embroiled in the "no needle" policy and were sent back home embarrassing the Indian contingent.</p>

<p>It is time India looks beyond "Commonwealth" and devises a policy to win at the "real" game because the Empire no longer exists and the sun has set over the British long time ago, Brexit notwithstanding!</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp</p>


India may have finished 3rd in the 21st Commonwealth Games but it finished way behind hosts Australia who seized 80 gold medals bagging 198 medals to finish on top

India may have finished 3rd in the 21st Commonwealth Games but it finished way behind hosts Australia who seized 80 gold medals bagging 198 medals to finish on top. The Commonwealth though does not have a "world standing" since only countries who were once the colony of Her Majesty take&nbsppart in the event, there is, of course, no China or US to threaten the top contenders. The Commonwealth Games actually came into existence in the 1930s, it was aptly titled "British Empire Games", post-1950 it was called &nbspBritish Empire and Commonwealth Games, later in the 1970s British Empire was dropped and it was called "Commonwealth Games". The former "colonies" take great pride in participating in the Games. There are over 70 countries which participate in the Games. India, Australia and England mostly top the medals tally in most games, however, a look at India's performance in the Olympics is an altogether different story. The Indian contingent is happy with 26 golds with sports analysts calling it a "gold rush" and gushing over how the team has topped its previous tally at Glasgow. However, in the rush to prove its credentials it must be noted that the Indian hockey team - both men & women- failed to win a single medal. Commonwealth Games: India finish third with 26 gold medals In shooting, India has been faring poorly against the Chinese at the Olympics(barring Abhinav Bindra's gold medal exploits at London in 2008). With just two years to go for the Olympics in Russia, India must get over its "gold haze" quickly if it wants to challenge the best in the world. A point to be noted: India's total medals tally is 66, Australia meanwhile has won 80 golds in all, a startling fact which best exemplifies how far the Indian team has fallen behind in world sports. Add to this 2 Indian athletes were embroiled in the "no needle" policy and were sent back home embarrassing the Indian contingent. It is time India looks beyond "Commonwealth" and devises a policy to win at the "real" game because the Empire no longer exists and the sun has set over the British long time ago, Brexit notwithstanding! (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: India should look beyond 'British Empire Games' to achieve greatness in sport

<p>Mahendra Singh Dhoni believes that shooting for commercials is a bit boring but "shooting gun is so much more fun." In his recent Instagram post, he was found shooting point-blank at the shooting range.</p>

<p>He shared the video on Instagram with the caption, "Shooting gun is so much more fun than shooting ads."</p>

<p>It seems that Chennai's skipper Dhoni is still under the influence of 21st Commonwealth Games that summarised on April 15, Sunday in which Indian shooters made the nation proud by bagging 16 medals&nbsp;including seven gold medals, four silver and five bronze medals in different shooting categories.</p>

<p>India finished third at the recently concluded 21st Commonwealth Games 2018 in Gold Coast, Australia with a total of 66 medals.</p>

<p><em>Watch here the video where MS Dhoni is practicing at the shooting range:</em></p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0 padding:0 4px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bhiw-D9n4wW/" style=" color:#000 font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px font-style:normal font-weight:normal line-height:17px text-decoration:none word-wrap:break-word" target="_blank">Shooting gun is so much more fun than shooting ads</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px line-height:17px margin-bottom:0 margin-top:8px overflow:hidden padding:8px 0 7px text-align:center text-overflow:ellipsis white-space:nowrap">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mahi7781/" style=" color:#c9c8cd font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px font-style:normal font-weight:normal line-height:17px" target="_blank"> M S Dhoni</a> (@mahi7781) on <time datetime="2018-04-14T07:55:03+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px line-height:17px">Apr 14, 2018 at 12:55am PDT</time></p>
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<p>During his hectic schedule of Indian Premier League, Dhoni has taken out time for his love for army and guns.</p>

<p>Recently, Colonel (Hony) Dhoni received Padma Bhushan award in his territorial army uniform.</p>

<p>After receiving the award he posted on Instagram, "An honour to get the Padma Bhushan and receiving it in Uniform increases the excitement ten folds.thanks to all the Men and Women in Uniform and their families for the Sacrifices they make so that all of us could enjoy our Constitutional Rights.Jai Hind."</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0 padding:0 4px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BhGTXC-nhqJ/" style=" color:#000 font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px font-style:normal font-weight:normal line-height:17px text-decoration:none word-wrap:break-word" target="_blank">An honour to get the Padma Bhushan and receiving it in Uniform increases the excitement ten folds.thanks to all the Men and Women in Uniform and their families for the Sacrifices they make so that all of us could enjoy our Constitutional Rights.Jai Hind</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px line-height:17px margin-bottom:0 margin-top:8px overflow:hidden padding:8px 0 7px text-align:center text-overflow:ellipsis white-space:nowrap">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mahi7781/" style=" color:#c9c8cd font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px font-style:normal font-weight:normal line-height:17px" target="_blank"> M S Dhoni</a> (@mahi7781) on <time datetime="2018-04-03T06:36:52+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px line-height:17px">Apr 2, 2018 at 11:36pm PDT</time></p>
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<p>Till now, Chennai has managed to win both its previous matches against Mumbai and Kolkata.&nbsp;</p>


MS Dhoni believes that shooting for commercials is a bit boring but "shooting gun is so much more fun

Mahendra Singh Dhoni believes that shooting for commercials is a bit boring but "shooting gun is so much more fun." In his recent Instagram post, he was found shooting point-blank at the shooting range. He shared the video on Instagram with the caption, "Shooting gun is so much more fun than shooting ads." It seems that Chennai's skipper Dhoni is still under the influence of 21st Commonwealth Games that summarised on April 15, Sunday in which Indian shooters made the nation proud by bagging 16 medals including seven gold medals, four silver and five bronze medals in different shooting categories. India finished third at the recently concluded 21st Commonwealth Games 2018 in Gold Coast, Australia with a total of 66 medals. Watch here the video where MS Dhoni is practicing at the shooting range: Shooting gun is so much more fun than shooting ads A post shared by M S Dhoni (@mahi7781) on Apr 14, 2018 at 12:55am PDT × During his hectic schedule of Indian Premier League, Dhoni has taken out time for his love for army and guns. Recently, Colonel (Hony) Dhoni received Padma Bhushan award in his territorial army uniform. After receiving the award he posted on Instagram, "An honour to get the Padma Bhushan and receiving it in Uniform increases the excitement ten folds.thanks to all the Men and Women in Uniform and their families for the Sacrifices they make so that all of us could enjoy our Constitutional Rights.Jai Hind." An honour to get the Padma Bhushan and receiving it in Uniform increases the excitement ten folds.thanks to all the Men and Women in Uniform and their families for the Sacrifices they make so that all of us could enjoy our Constitutional Rights.Jai Hind A post shared by M S Dhoni (@mahi7781) on Apr 2, 2018 at 11:36pm PDT × Till now, Chennai has managed to win both its previous matches against Mumbai and Kolkata.

CWG fever grips Dhoni, says, 'shooting gun is so much more fun...'

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