Bengal Warriors start PKL home leg with thrilling win over Tamil Thalaivas
KOLKATA: Bengal Warriors started their home leg with a bang, defeating Tamil Thalaivas 27-24 in a Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) match here on Friday. Incidentally, this was the 500th match in the history of PKL.
Jang Kun Lee was the star performer for Warriors and top scored with 12 points. Ran Singh marshaled the defence for the Warriors and scored four tackle points. In the absence of Manjeet Chhillar, Thalaivas’ defence couldn’t contain the Warriors raiders and scored just six tackle points. While Bengal Warriors remain in contention for place in the play-offs, Tamil Thalaivas were knocked out earlier.
AAKARSHI TO FACE PURVE IN GIRLS’ FINAL
LUCKNOW: The only mission for Aakarshi Kashyap, defending champion in under-19 girls, is to win her third title at the Junior National Badminton Championships as she knows how important this could be for her future career. Last year, she won both the under-17 and under-19 titles at Guwahati, and on Friday she moved within one win of retaining the U-19 title.
Despite finding the flight of the shuttle a bit slow at the UP Badminton Academy courts here, top seeded Aakarshi brushed aside 13th seed Deepshikha Singh of Delhi 21-13, 21-12 in 35 minutes to enter the final. Aakarshi, who is from Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, will face team mate and third seed Purve Barve, who surprised second seed Malvika Bansod of Maharashtra 21-15, 21-19 in the other semi-final.
Boys’ top seed, Kiran George of Kerala, too made it to the final, brushing aside third seed Orijit Chaliha of Assam 21-14, 21-18 in 36 minutes. He will face second seed Alap Mishra of Madhya Pradesh, who beat Rahul Bhardwaj of Air India 21-19, 9-21, 21-19.\
AAI ELECTIONS TODAY
NEW DELHI: The elections of the Archery Association of India (AAI) will be held here on December 22 after Delhi High Court refused to entertain a petition filed by Arjun Munda, former chief minister and patron of Jharkhand Archery Association, to postpone the elections. Delhi High Court appointed AAI administrator SY Quraishi is the returning officer. Meanwhile, Indian Olympic Association has decided not to send its observer.