Hosts UP shuttlers aim big at junior nationals
LUCKNOW: Hosts Uttar Pradesh would be aiming for a top finish at the 43rd Junior National Badminton Championship, beginning December 16, at the UP Badminton Academy here.
But Asian Junior Championship gold medalists Lakshya Sen is unlikely to participate. Uttar Pradesh, which had their maiden gold medal in the team championship at Udaipur Nationals in 1990, had a bronze medal at the last year’s nationals at Guwahati.
Allahabad’s Sushant Saxena and Sanjay Mehrotra own the pride of winning the individual gold medals in the boys section in the past.
This is for the second time when UP Badminton Association is hosting the junior national championship after conducting it for the first time in 1972 at Gorakhpur. Abhyansh Singh, Amolika Singh, Shruti and Samriddhi are the key shuttlers to be watched for UP at this nationals, which offers Rs 15 lakh as prize money.
The first two-day of the championship is meant for the InterState Team Championship, whereas the main draw of the singles event begins on December 18. Singles events in under-19 category in boys, girls and mixed doubles would be played during the seven-day championship.
FINE SHOW
Hosts Uttar Pradesh with 16 gold, 10 silver and 12 bronze medals emerged overall champions in the two-day Thighyogasport Championship, at the KD Singh ‘Babu’ Stadium here on Tuesday. Madhya Pradesh with five gold, seven silver end 10 bronze medals finished runners-up.
AHUTSOH EXCELS
Ashutosh Mishra took 6/23 as Panthers Cricket Club scored a convincing 82-run win against Kalpana Cricket Foundation to make it to the semi-finals of the BB Gupta Memorial Cricket Tournament here on Tuesday. Before Ashutosh’s bowling, KF collapsed for 103 in 31.3 overs while chasing 186 in 40 overs. In other quarterfinal of the day, Microlit Cricket Club beat Aryavart Cricket Academy by 22 runs.
10 FROM UP FOR IPL PLAYERS AUCTION
As many as 10 young cricketers, including 2016 Under-19 World Cupper Zeeshan Ansari, are among the 346 players, who would go under the hammer at IPL 2019 player auction in Jaipur on December 18. With a base reserve prize of Rs 20 lakh, all the UP cricketers have been listed among the uncapped players. They include, Priyam Garg, Saurabh Kumar, Yash Dayal, Rajat Goel, Aryan Juyal, Upendra Kumar Yadav, Mohit Jangra, Kartik Tyagi and Shiva Singh.