Indian Sports Highlights, January 5: India takes a comfortable 9 wicket victory in the first T20I against Australia women

FIDE announces first-ever Chess World Cup for youngsters

In order to take the game to the youngsters, FIDE has announced the first-ever World Cup for the youngsters. The inaugural edition will be held in three age groups - Under-8, 10, and 12, in two categories - Open and Girls, each having 58 participants from June 22 to July 3, 2024, in Batumi, Georgia.

The tournament will have two stages - a seven-round Swiss System consisting of two groups of 24 players each. Stage two will be played in a Knockout format, similar to the regular World Cup.

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Pankaj Advani set to feature in All India Snooker Open in Mumbai

Multiple-time world champion Pankaj Advani will take part in the All India Snooker Open to be organized at the National Sports Club of India from January 6-19 in Mumbai.

The tournament, named Baulkline 3.0, has a prize money of Rs 18.5 lakhs and will also feature last year's winner Laxman Rawat, runner-up Aditya Mehta, and national champion Saurav Kothari, who won the inaugural edition in 2022.

Several other snooker players from across the country will also compete in the tournament.

The tournament will start with the qualifying draw with 32 players joining 32 direct participants in the main draw. The main draw will commence on January 13.

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UWW to recognize Wrestling Federation of India after confirmation from IOA

United World Wrestling clarified on Friday that the suspension would be revoked only if the Indian Olympic Association gives a 'formal confirmation' and all stakeholders cooperate for a safe environment.

UWW Chief Nenad Lalovic in his letter IOA ad-hoc committee running WFI said that UWW will give recognition only if the IOA and WFI co-operate with the wrestlers.

Several Olympic qualifying events are lined up this year with woman grappler Antim Panghal being the only one from India to have secured a Paris 2024 berth, while the others have disappointed because of a lack of training camps and competitions for more than a year due to protests by Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat.

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Aus Vs Ind T20I: India takes a comfortable 9 wicket victory in the first T20I

India has a powerful opening partnership of 137 runs between Shafali Verma & Smriti Mandhana which almost takes them to the winning point. Both the players completed their fifties and helps India to a 9-wicket partnership.

Smriti lost her wicket after playing an 54 run inning just 5 runs before the final total. Jemimah Rodrigues takes the final shot and gives India a 1-0 lead in the series.

Score: AUS -149 All-out in 19.2 overs (Phoebe Litchfield 49(32), Ellyse Perry 37(30), Titas Sadhu 4-17, Shreyanka Patil 2-19, Deepti Sharma 2-24)

IND:- 145-1 in 17.4 overs (Shafali Verma 64(44)*, Smriti Mandhana 54(52),  Georgia Wareham 1-20)

Aus Vs Ind T20I: Australia bundled out at the score of 141 in 19.2 overs

Indian team has stopped Australia to a decent total of 141 runs and caused an all out in 19.2 overs. Youngster Titas Sadhu is the star of the first innings taking four wickets in her spell of 4 overs and conceded just 17 runs.

Phoebe Litchfield continued the same momentum from the ODI series and again proved to be the highest score of the Australian team with her quickfire 49.

Indian batters needed 142 runs to take an early advantage in the series and tries to grab the opportunity given after the terrific performance from the spin bowling department.

Score: AUS -149 All-out in 19.2 overs

Key players: Phoebe Litchfield 49(32), Ellyse Perry 37(30), Titas Sadhu 4-17,  Shreyanka Patil 2-19, Deepti Sharma 2-24

Aus Vs Ind T20I: India women wins the toss and opts to bowl first

India women cricket team wins the toss and opts to bowl first in the opening encounter of the T20I series against Australia at the DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai.

Here is the line-up for this first encounter:

I League second division to kick-off from 20th January

The 2023-24 season of I-League 2 featuring eight teams is set to begin on 20th January, AIFF announced in a press release on Friday.

The league will be played on a home-and-away basis in a double round-robin format, with the top two teams being promoted to the 2024-25 I-League and the bottom two being relegated to the 2024-25 I-League 3.

The eight teams include two clubs relegated from the 2022-23 I-League (Mumbai Kenkre FC and Sudeva Delhi FC), three teams included from the 2022-23 I-League 2 Final Round (FC Bengaluru United, United SC and The Oranje FC, formerly known as Ambernath United Atlanta FC) and three teams qualified from the 2024-25 I-League 3 (Sporting Clube de Goa, Dempo SC and Sporting Club Bengaluru).

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Fans disappointed with Indian team's jersey initiate petition demanding change

Indian football fans are unhappy with the national men's team's jersey for the forthcoming AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.

The fans are aghast at the design of the jersey, with the pale blue home and orange away kits lacking any 'creativity'. Many fans also alleged that the jersey lacked any vision and failed to ignite the imagination of the spectators.

Performax, a sportswear brand of Reliance Retail, became the kit sponsor for the Indian football team in September 2023.

The fans even asked whether the All India Football Federation (AIFF) considered any top sponsor brands such as SIX5SIX, Nike, Adidas and Hummel as the team's kit sponsor.

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Odisha's athletes and para-athletes recognised with cash awards

Shri Tusharkanti Behera, Hon’ble Minister, Sports and Youth Services, Government of Odisha today felicitated and presented cash awards to various athletes from the state for their remarkable performances in December 2023 at the Kalinga Stadium. Also present at the occasion were Sports Director, Shri Siddhartha Das and officials of DSYS to congratulate and encourage the athletes.

Speaking at the occasion, Hon. Sports Minister, Shri Tusharkanti Behera said, "I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the athletes of Odisha for their remarkable performances and achievements in December 2023.

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IWL: Odisha FC jumps to the top of the table with third straight win

Odisha FC women team takes a 1-0 win against the Sethu FC at Bhuvneshwar Football Academy, Odisha. Indumathi scores the only goal of the match in the 66th minute from the penalty spot.

Odisha FC now jumps to the top of the league table with 9 points out of three matches and also the three back-to-back cleansheets in the season. Sethu on hind side, suffers their first defeat of the season.