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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016
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Favourites India under pressure to win Asian Champions Trophy Winners of the inaugural Asian Champions Trophy at Ordos five years ago, India have since then been indifferent in fielding their best squad for this competition, which suffered from lack of enthusiasm among the continent’s hockey elite
KUANTAN: Asian Games gold medalists India start as the overwhelming favourites to reclaim the Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) men’s hockey tournament featuring continent’s top six nations, starting here on Thursday. Winners of the inaugural Asian Champions Trophy at Ordos five years ago, India have since then been indifferent in fielding their best squad for this competition, which suffered from lack of enthusiasm among the continent’s hockey elite. After two editions of the annual event were not conducted in 2014 and 2015, the Asian Champions Trophy got a boost from the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) decision to include it in the qualification system for future Olympics and World Cups. The FIH decision has attracted the top Asian hockey talent to the Malaysian post city of Kuantan which will quality action from Oc-
CONFIDENT BUNCH: A file photo of captain Sreejesh and his team members. India will open against Japan in the opening match at Kuan-
tang on Thursday.
tober 20 to 30. Fielding their bestavailable squad that was marred by a spate of injuries, India’s billing as the hot favourites could put them under pressure. Twice defending champions Pakistan, who are the best performing team in the Asian Champions Trophy’s short history, and former Asian champions South Korea will be eager to pull off a surprise against the higher-ranked opponents. Indian team coach Roelant Oltmans has implored his side for positive results in this outing. “Our quarterfinal ouster in the Olympics was a disappointment, but it has instilled a belief in the players that they can match the best in the world. Now, Indian hockey fans will be looking for some good results,” says Oltmans. Ranked number six in the world and way ahead of the other teams competing in this tournament, the Indian players are aware that nothing less than the title will be deemed as a positive result. By virtue of their Asian Games gold medal, India were the only Asian team to feature in the Olympic Games and their preliminary pool victory over eventual Olympic gold medalists Ar-
gentina was the spotlight for PR Sreejesh-led side. Memory of his penalty strokesaving deeds of the 2011 Asian Champions Trophy final still fresh, captain Sreejesh is keen to give a thanksgiving present to the Indian hockey supporters who have kept the belief even in times of despair such as India’s bottom spot in the 12-team Olympic competition in 2012 and the failure to even qualify for the Olympic Games four years earlier. “Showcase your strike-power” is the message that’s gone out to the Indian team from its skipper. After their 1-3 Rio Olympic quarterfinal loss to Belgium, who went on to win a silver medal behind Argentina, India are looking for a winning start to the next Olympic cycle, during which they will again host the World Cup in 2018. India are eager to prove that injury-caused absence of their playmaker Manpreet Singh and livewire right winger S V Sunil has not blunted their strike-power. Also missing from the squad is seasoned defender V R Raghunath. Manpreet’s absence will see the return of former captain Sardar Singh to the centre-half postion, while the experienced Birender
Lakra will return from his injuryforced absence to step into Raghunath’s position. Akashdeep Singh and Ramandeep Singh, who were originally rested, were recalled to the squad after Sunil failed to recover from the wrist injury he sustained during the Olympics. The performance of young strikers Lalit Upadhyay and Affan Yousuf will also be under scrutiny. It was in this year’s Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia that junior team captain Harmanpreet Singh impressed the coach so much that he got picked for the Olympic squad. India launch their campaign against Japan on Thursday, while defending champions Pakistan take on hosts Malaysia on the opening day. South Korea and China, the other two participants, get into action on Friday. The feature of the round-robin league competition will be the India-Pakistan encounter on Sunday, where the defending champions will be eager to avenge their loss at the Incheon Asiad title encounter. The loss in the 2014 Asian Games final at Incheon led to Pakistan’s ouster from the Olympic
Games lineup for the first time. It was a big blow of Pakistan hockey, soon after they failed to qualify for the 12-team World Cup at The Hague earlier in 2014. Pakistan’s campaign here had a tottering start with captain Mohammad Irfan failing to make it to Kuantan. Reportedly unable to retrieve his passport from another embassy, Irfan was not with the Pakistan team that landed in Malaysia and now he has been left out of the tournament altogether. Irfan has now been replaced as captain by Fareed Ahmed, the highest capped member of the squad with 207 appearances for Pakistan. Pakistan has won the Asian Champions Trophy twice after being runners up in the inaugural edition. Pakistan defeated India 5-4 in the final in 2012 and then retained the title in 2013 by prevailing 3-1 over Japan in the title encounter. In 2013, when India sent their under-21 side, they did not even feature in the final. India have one gold and one silver medal, beside the fifth-place in 2013. Hosts Malaysia have consistently got the bronze medal in all three editions. - PTI
BADMINTON
Kennedy upsets Prabhu MUSCAT: Dominic Kennedy came up with a brilliant display to upset second seed Prabhu AR in men’s singles at the Dalma Energy-ISC annual badminton tournament organised by the Indian Social Club (ISC). Kennedy enjoyed court superiority and played with his usual cool to wrap the first game. The second game was no different with both players exhibiting delightful drops and aggression. Kennedy started off well but Prabhu managed to keep at level taking second game in his favour. Prabhu then stepped up on his smashes but Kennedy managed to put these back and win some crucial points to keep his nose in front. Closer to the end, Kennedy held his nerve to win the match at 21-16, 13-21, 21-7. In another men’s A singles, Ameenuddin showed some extra ordinary acrobatic movements to claim victory Shaiju Vethottil. Ameen faced stiff resistance before wrapping the game against Shaiju scoring 21-16, 17-21, 21-19. In men’s singles, Niyaz Nirar with his cross court smashes and swift movements took the first game 22-20 against Gireesh but succumbed to a surprising injury at the beginning of second game and opted out of contention. Top seed Percy Pereira faced stiff resistance from young Yash Deshpande before winning 21-13, 19-21, 21-19. In another match, Jay Deshpande eased to a 21-18, 21-13 victory of Sudheer M. Leon D’souza also claimed a victory when he defeated Manoj MV 21-13, 21-17 in the same category. In combined boys and girls event, Niketan, Arush Uniyal, Krithika Gupta entered the second round along with talented sisters Piha and Pahi Himanshu. In boys under-15, Prayag defeated Tarun 15-7, 15-7 and Jeswin Mathew won 15-7, 15-9 against SM Jeeva. In girls under-15, Shreya Krishnan and Jaanavi Gundupalli booked their berths in the semifinals. Shreya defeated Muthu Abhirami 15-8, 15-10 while Jaanavi beat Shama Fatima 15-7, 15-9 respectively. Shama Nayaz moved to quarterfinals in girls under-13 defeating Aiman Habib and in boys under-13, B. Arjun moved up after defeating Akash Muthu. NEW BEGINNING
WBO accepts Indian Boxing Council NEW DELHI: The Indian Boxing Council, a licensing body for the country’s professional boxers, has been inducted into the World Boxing Organisation with voting rights in the WBO’s annual convention at Puerto Rico.IBC President Brig. PKM Raja attended the meet in which the Indian body was welcomed into the fold by WBO founder Chairman Luis Batista Salas. “I am extremely delighted that Indian Boxing Council has been formally welcomed into the WBO fold. This paves the way for Indian Boxers to participate in WBO Events and be eligible to compete for WBO Asia Pacific as well as WBO World Titles,” Brig. Raja told PTI over phone. “It was a momentous occasion for me as President of IBC, when many prominent Boxing Promoters from Asia, Europe. — PTI