Lajong, Gokulam to play for pride

SHILLONG: Out of reckoning, Shillong Lajong and Gokulam Kerala will look to salvage pride and finish as high as possible in the points table when they clash in an I-league fixture here Friday. Both teams would be looking to get out of the relegation zone.

In their first clash this season, Shillong slumped to a 2-3 loss against Gokulam in Calicut.

Kerala would have the odds to their favour and they would look to capitalise on this psychological advantage to walk away with all the three points again. Lajong too would be eyeing a win to reduce the relegation pressure. The hosts are currently placed at the bottom of the table. MUMBAI: A few days after veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami called for a women’s Indian Premier League (IPL), England women’s cricket team skipper Heather Knight echoed similar sentiments on the eve of the opening ODI against India, saying it would provide a fillip to women’s cricket.

“I think for the growth of women’s cricket it is a good thing. The IPL has the potential to help women’s cricket go to next level.

“We have seen (Women’s Cricket) Super League and Women’s Big Bash League around the world — the success it had, the interest it had. It has seen players develop as well. It (the proposed IPL for women) could be a brilliant addition to the fandom,” she told reporters at the Wankhede Stadium here on Thursday.

Last year, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had organised an exhibition game for women’s cricketers during the IPL.

“I watched the exhibition match from back home last year and thought it was a very good idea. If it is organised with the right resources, it could be very successful,” she said.