CRICKET
India beat Sri Lanka by 20
India fast bowler Irfan Pathan’s second five-wicket haul helped his team beat Sri Lanka by 20 runs in the fifth and final one-day international (ODI) at Pallekele, Sri Lanka, on Saturday. Pathan took two crucial wickets in the 43rd over as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 274 just three overs later in reply to India’s total of 294 for seven. Pathan finished with figures of five for 61 to take the man of the match award. The win gave India a 4-1 triumph in the five-match series and lifted them to second place in the International Cricket Council ODI rankings behind Australia. India’s total after they won the toss and batted first was based largely on two fine partnerships that prevented the home team from breaking through. Gautam Gambir (88 off 99 balls) and Manoj Tiwary (65 off 68 balls) put on 110 off 121 balls for the fourth wicket after India had lost their first three wickets for 87. Following that stand, Sri Lanka once again broke through, capturing three wickets in two overs to reduce India to 213-6, but Mahendra Singh Dhoni, joined by Pathan, grabbed back the initiative with a partnership of 77 off 59 balls. Dhoni slammed eight fours and a six in his 38-ball half century before providing Lasith Malinga with his 200th ODI wicket. Pathan’s contribution was an unbeaten 29.
GOLF
Jim Furyk maintains lead
Jim Furyk, who is chasing his 17th USPGA Tour title, fired an even-par 70 in the third round to maintain his lead at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, on Saturday. Furyk reached 11-under 199 and has a one-shot lead over former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, who shot a two-under 68 at the Firestone Country Club course. Keegan Bradley shot a 67 and was four shots behind. He was to be in the final group yesterday, as tee times were moved ahead because weather forecasters were predicting thunderstorms yesterday morning. Tiger Woods broke par for the first time this week, shooting a two-under 68. Woods, a seven-time winner of this event, however, has a lot of ground to make up, as he is 11 shots back. Rory McIlroy shot a 67 and shares fourth place at minus-six with Steve Stricker, who carded his third-straight 68. Justin Rose and Bo Van Pelt both shot four-under 66. They were joined in sixth place at five-under-par 205 by John Senden, who had a 69. Last year’s winner Adam Scott managed a one-over 71 to finish three rounds at two-over par-212.
GOLF
Henry leads Reno-Tahoe
American J.J. Henry opened up a three-point lead over Brazilian Alexandre Rocha after the third round of the Reno-Tahoe Open, being played under Modified Stableford scoring, in Nevada. Henry, looking for his second career win on the USPGA Tour, shot himself into contention for yesterday’s showdown with five birdies and an eagle on the par-four 14th. The only blemish on his scorecard was a bogey at the par three 16th at the Montreux Golf and Country Club. Under the scoring system, at the only tournament using the method, an eagle brings five points, while a birdie brings two, a bogey minus one and a double bogey or worse is minus three points. Rocha, the overnight leader, was solid with five birdies and a bogey leaving him just a point ahead of American John Mallinger. Argentine Andres Romero continued his good week with 10 points from his six birdies and two bogeys and at just five points behind Henry he was in with a shout for yesterday’s final round.
Five-time champion Novak Djokovic on Saturday tumbled out of the Indian Wells ATP Masters, falling in his first match to lucky loser Botic van de Zandschulp as two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz advanced. “No excuses for a poor performance,” 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic said after 37 unforced errors in a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 defeat. “It doesn’t feel great when you play this way on the court,” he said. “But congratulations to my opponent — just a bad day in the office, I guess, for me.” Djokovic is just the latest in Van de Zandschulp’s string of superstar victims. He
Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday held their nerve to beat Liverpool 4-1 on penalties and reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals after their tie finished one-apiece on aggregate, while Bayern Munich saw off Bayer 04 Leverkusen to complete a 5-0 win over both legs. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha fired Barcelona into the next round as the Catalans bested SL Benfica 3-1, and Inter booked a last-eight meeting with Bayern by seeing off Feyenoord 2-1. At Anfield, Ousmane Dembele netted the only goal of the night as PSG bounced back from Liverpool’s late winner last week to force the tie to extra-time and penalties. Maligned
Taiwanese badminton player Lin Chun-yi had to settle for silver in the men’s singles at the Orleans Masters in France on Sunday after losing in the final to his French opponent. The 25-year-old Lin, ranked world No. 14, lost to Alex Lanier 13-21, 18-21 in a match that lasted 42 minutes at the Palais des Sports arena. It was the first time that the two players were facing each other in their professional careers. In the opener, Lin was slow to warm up, which gave the 20-year-old Lanier an opportunity to take an early lead with seven consecutive points. Despite
Taiwan’s Lin Chun-yi on Wednesday inflicted a first-round defeat on former badminton world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen at the All England Open. Lin came out of top after a back-and-forth first game before Axelsen dominated the second, but the Dane was not able to keep that form in the decider as Lin reeled off six points in a row on the way to a 21-19, 13-21, 21-11 victory. “If I don’t play my best, everyone can win against me,” said Axelsen, the world No. 4. “Today’s opponent played a fantastic game; it was disappointing, but that is how it is.” “I just tried
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