Author: AsiaOne

India’s badminton chances at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris seem bright, and the country is predicted to send its largest-ever team. The top-seeded pair of Satwik and Chirag are considered India’s main competitors after showcasing their abilities at the French Open, which was recently held at the Olympic stadium.  Their coach, Pullela Gopichand, expresses confidence in their abilities.

Lakshya Sen’s comeback in the men’s singles has inspired hope thanks to his noteworthy wins at the All England and French Open. Sen, who is under Vimal Kumar’s coaching, is in good physical and mental health, which might help him perform well in Paris. Despite Prannoy’s early health problems in 2024, Gopichand’s guarantees indicate that he is recovering and preparing for future competitions.

Prakash Padukone is mentoring Sindhu, and she is improving, especially in terms of her physical conditioning and resilience. Padukone highlights that, to succeed in Paris, she must strengthen her mental toughness. Furthermore, Tanisha and Ashwini’s doubles partnership adds depth to India’s lineup, as Ashwini’s background and Tanisha’s chemistry maximise their potential.

India looks to have more promising badminton possibilities than ever before, with athletes peaking at the right time and a strong contingent set to compete.

Virat Kohli made history by notching his 100th fifty-plus score in T20 cricket, a feat unmatched by any other Indian player and achieved by only two others globally. During the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Kohli’s outstanding 77 off 49 balls, including 11 boundaries and two sixes, highlighted his return to form after a previous disappointing performance.

Throughout his brilliant 378-match T20 career, Kohli has accumulated 12,092 runs at an average of 41.26, adorned with eight hundred and 92 fifties. His best score to date is an undefeated 122. Australia’s David Warner (109) and the West Indies’ Chris Gayle (110) are two of the finest players with the most fifty-plus scores.

Batting first, PBKS failed to build on their beginnings and finished at 176/6. Glenn Maxwell (2/29) and Mohammed Siraj (2/26), of the RCB bowling team, made significant strides. Kohli’s starring performance and late-inning heroics from Dinesh Karthik (28*) and Mahipal Lomror (17*) saw RCB secure a four-wicket victory with four balls remaining, despite mistakes in their chase.

Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna, alongside his Australian partner Matthew Ebden, showcased their skill at the Miami Open, securing a hard-fought victory against Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski, propelling them into the men’s doubles quarterfinals. The formidable duo endured a challenging battle lasting one hour and thirty-nine minutes before clinching a 7-5, 7-6 (3) win over Monaco’s Nys and Poland’s Zielinski in the ATP Masters 1000 event on Monday night.

Despite facing formidable opposition, the 43-year-old Bopanna and Ebden exhibited remarkable resilience and skill throughout the match. With four aces and 84% first serve points won their partnership demonstrated their dominance on the court, highlighting their daunting presence in the men’s doubles circuit.

It was Bopanna and Ebden who seized a crucial opportunity, breaking Nys and Zielinski in the 11th game to claim a pivotal lead and subsequently secure the opening set. In the second set, neither team yielded serve until the match reached a climactic tiebreaker. A double blunder by Nys and Zielinski proved costly at an important point, allowing the Indo-Australian pair to take advantage of the mistake and win the set and the match.

John Patrick Smith of Australia and Sem Verbeek of the Netherlands will be their next opponents.

Dinesh Karthik has distinguished himself as one of the most effective finishers in the IPL, particularly in the crucial death-over phase. During IPL 2024, representing RCB, Karthik showcased his strength yet again, elevating himself to the esteemed position of the second-highest run scorer in the death overs since 2022.

In a gripping encounter against PBKS in Bengaluru, Karthik played a crucial role in RCB’s thrilling victory. His blistering cameo, characterised by an unbeaten 28 runs from a mere 10 deliveries, adorned with three boundaries and two towering sixes, highlighted his ability to accelerate the scoring rate under pressure. This remarkable inning escalated Karthik to a staggering strike rate of 280, solidifying his reputation as a formidable force in the late stages of innings.

Karthik’s cumulative tally of 372 runs in the death overs at an impressive strike rate of 203.27 firmly establishes his credentials among the elite in IPL cricket. While he currently trails behind the Rajasthan Royals’ Shimron Hetmyer, the slender margin reflects Karthik’s consistency and impact in crunch situations. Beyond his personal achievements, Karthik was beneficial in ensuring that RCB defeated PBKS by four wickets.

Virat Kohli’s exceptional performance earned him the Player of the Match accolade, yet Karthik’s invaluable contribution cannot be understated.