Asif hoping for lady luck as he is set to marry officially

Mon, Sep 27 10 09:28 PM

Karachi, Sep 27 (PTI) Suspended Pakistan speedster Muhammad Asif is hoping that his marriage with Sana Hilal on Thursday will change his life and bring him luck and success. Asif, who is one of the three Pakistani cricketers suspended by the International Cricket Council for alleged spot fixing during the Lord''s Test against England, will officially get married Sana, a girl chosen by his parents on Thursday. The pacer and Sana had entered into Nikah few months back but the formal marriage ceremony (Rukhsati) could not take place due to Asif''s commitments with the Pakistan team. "I had postponed the marriage because of the busy schedule of the team but now I am formally going to bring my wife home and I a confident this new phase of my life will be for the best," Asif told Geo News channel. Asif had entered into Nikah with Sana soon after ending a long affair with actress and model Veena Malik, who has now accused him of match-fixing and claimed he has links with an Indian bookmaker. Asif said he had invited fellow cricketers, many former greats and leading personalities for his Valima on Friday in Lahore. The pace bowler has been dogged by controversies since the last four years. In 2006 he was suspended for testing positive in a dope test before the Champions Trophy in India. In 2007 he got into a brawl with fellow pacer Shoaib Akhtar in South Africa and in 2008 he was banned for one year for again failing a dope test in the Indian Premier League. In 2008, he also spent 19-days in detention in Dubai while returning from India for possession of small quantity of marijuana but was released without charge. "He has had a hectic lifestyle and hopefully he will now settle down in life after his marriage," Zahid, his close friend, said. Zahid played a big role in mediating a settlement between Asif and Veena Malik last year after the latter filed a case for recovery of over 13 million rupees from the pace bowler. PTI Corr AT

Source: Published>

South Africa optimistic of a 'memorable' Commonwealth Games

Published>Mon, Sep 27 10 09:22 PM

New Delhi, Sep 27 (ANI): With less than a week left for the Commonwealth Games, South African High Commissioner to India Harris Mbulelo Majeke on Monday expressing confidence said India will host a 'memorable' Commonwealth Games.

Majeke also announced the arrival of the South African team, a part of which had arrived earlier in the day.

"With only five days to go for the Commonwealth Games begin, we remain optimistic that India will deliver a memorable Commonwealth Games event. Today, we are proud to announce the arrival of Team South Africa," said Majeke.

"We were informed by the Chef de Mission, who is here with us today that all our athletes will be participating in the Commonwealth Games," he added, while interacting with the media here today.

Majeke had earlier on Sunday lambasted the organisers of the Commonwealth Games after a snake was found in an athlete's room.

"For South Africa, the Commonwealth Games symbolise a unifying power of sports. As a country that has just hosted the FIFA World Cup, we wish India, South Africa's friend for all seasons, success as host of this multi-sport Commonwealth showbiz," he added.

Earlier today, Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi on Monday said that all major problems in the Athletes Village have been sorted out and a majority of the flats were ready to be occupied.

"People are now happy with whatever they have got. Over a 1000 people have come now and they are very happy. Most of the athletes are happy. 80 per cent of the flats are fine. The sun is out and everything will be fine. All the athletes are happy," said Kalmadi.

The visiting delegates had initially dubbed the Games Village as filthy and there was more criticism when the South African High Commissioner Harris Mbulelo claimed that a snake was found in the one of the athletes' rooms.

Kalmadi further said all complaints have been addressed.

"We have done whatever that had to be done. Whatever problems were there earlier have been sorted out. I don't think they have seen a Games Village like this anywhere else. There is no more scope for improvement," said Kalmadi.

"Cleaning is not my job, it should have come clean to us when it was handed over. But everyone is happy now and there would be no further problems. We have some small issues but they will be sorted out," he added, when asked why the cleaning up of the Village was left to just a week before the Games. By Ankit Tyagi(ANI)

Source: Web Search

Yuki wins 1st round of Malaysian Open, may play Ferrer next

Mon, Sep 27 10 09:18 PM

Kuala Lumpur, Sep 27 (PTI) Making an impressive start at the ATP Malaysian Open, Indian teen Yuki Bhambri demolished fellow wild card Yew-ming SI of Malaysia 6-2 6-0 in the first round here today. Yuki may go on to play the biggest match of his career in the next round as he is likely to face world number 11 Spaniard David Ferrer. Ferrer is up against Australian wild card Bernard Tomic in his first round and barring an upset he will make thes second round. Yuki and Kei Nishikori have been given a wild card entry into the doubles event and they will are pitted against formidable Brazilian pair of Bruno Soares and Marcelo Melo, who are seeded third.

Source: Published>

Australia-BP XI match ends in tame draw

Published>Mon, Sep 27 10 09:12 PM

Chandigarh, Sep 27 (IANS) The three-day warmup match between the visiting Australian cricket team and the Indian Board President's XI ended in a tame draw at the Sector 16 cricket stadium here Monday.

Australia declared their second innings at 187 for six Monday afternoon and gave India a target of 516 runs. India, who were all out for 177 in their first innings in response to Australia's 505 declared, finished at 174 for no loss. Ajinkya Rahane remained unbeaten at 113 and Cheteswar Pujara 52.

Earlier, opener Shane Watson, who had hit a century in the first innings, followed it up with another century (104 not out) in the second innings. Spinner Piyush Chawla took three Australian wickets in their second innings.

The BP-XI side, which was bundled out for just 177 runs Monday morning in their first innings, fared better in the second.

Rahane's 113 came in 111 balls. This included 18 fours and a six. His opening partner Shikhar Dhawan retired hurt, scoring five runs.

Pujara, who had failed to impress in the first innings of the BP-XI, remained unbeaten on 52 runs in the second innings. Pujara has been included in the Test squad that plays two Tests against Australia next month.

BP-XI skipper Gautam Gambhir, who scored only eight runs in the first innings, did not come out to bat in the second innings owing to a minor injury.

Australian fast bowler Ben Hilfenhaus ran through the BP-XI innings with a haul of five wickets, including that of the host side skipper Gambhir (8). Bowlers Mitchell Johnson and Peter George bagged two wickets each.

Resuming their innings Monday, after tottering at 143 for six at the close of the second day's play, the BP-XI side lasted for only 10.5 overs. The side was bowled out for 177 runs Monday morning in their first innings.

Chawla, who was the only batsman to put up a fight and was caught for 82 runs.

Source: Web Search

Delhi Development Authority to organize junior golf coaching camp

Published>Mon, Sep 27 10 08:38 PM

New Delhi, Sep.27 (ANI): Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is organizing a 10-day 'Junior Golf Coaching Camp' between October 4 to 13 at Qutab Golf Course, Lado Sarai area here.

Being provided coaching at an affordable fee by classified top professionals in two sessions i.e., morning and evening, it is open to all and registration for the same has been opened.

This basic level camp will involve talent hunting, besides teaching the fundamentals of the game of golf to participants.

Selected children will undergo junior training programme for three days in a week i.e., on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday throughout the year.

There were 120 participants in the Golf Clinic that was organized last May.

The Qutab Golf Course is in excellent condition with lush green fairways and strategically placed bunkers and water-bodies posing a challenge to the best of golfers.

It is an ideal platform to hone in ones skills to be able to compete professionally overseas. In addition, the practice facilities are some of the best in the country. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Scotland hoists flag at Games Village

Mon, Sep 27 10 08:28 PM

New Delhi, Sep 27 (PTI) Scotland today became the second Commonwealth nation, after Norfolk Island, to officially hoist its flag at the Games Village in a colourful ceremony here. Members of the Scottish contingent clad in their blue and white team jerseys enjoyed the brief but powerpacked programme, organised to welcome them, and applauded after every performance. Students from two city schools welcomed the guests in style. Dressed in traditional attires, they came up with an impressive display of colour, music and dance, enthralling the 125-member Scottish contingent. The Scottist athletes and officials clapped rapturously when one of the school bands produced a riveting instrumental. A woman hockey player from Scotland, Leigh Fawcett termed the show as "amazing" and said that she enjoyed the use of gulaal (colours) by the performers. "It was a brilliant ceremony and I really enjoyed it," another athlete Caroline Brown, who is part of the Scotland Lawn Bowls team, told PTI. The Mayor of the Village, Dalbir Singh officially welcomed the athletes and assured them that the Village would be a "home away from home" for them. The Scots on their part presented the mayor with a bottle of the famous Scottish Whisky as a token of their love. The athletes who arrived in the Village over the past two days, took rounds of the swanky international zone and visited many shops and outlets. The Scots were not the only ones who enjoyed the show, as a group of Nigerian boxers also joined them and shook a leg on a peppy Punjabi number. "I like the music very much," said Sogamu Waheed Adeola, a Nigerian pugilist. Earlier, Norfolk Island were the first nation to be officially welcomed on the first day of the ceremonies. Several visiting delegations from different participating nations had criticised the Village''s under-preparedness and termed it as "filthy" and "unlivable". But these lively ceremonies, however, injected some excitement in the Village. PTI OWS CM

Source: Published>

Negative CWG publicity has hurt tourism: Selja

Published>Mon, Sep 27 10 08:12 PM

New Delhi, Sep 27 (IANS) The negative publicity about the Commonwealth Games has affected the prospects of tourism, Tourism Minister Kumari Selja said Monday.

'We are fully prepared to host the Games and our people are monitoring the Games venues round-the-clock to address any inconvenience,' she said on World Tourism Day after signing a pledge at Hotel Ashok here.

The 'negative publicity' of the Games Village has hurt tourism prospects, Selja said. Travel and tour operators feared that this would hit tourist inflow.

The minister urged the media to stop negative publicity and asked the people not to have any misgivings about the Oct 3-14 Games.

'We should present a positive face to the tourists together and forget the negative publicity,' she pleaded.

The Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), a premier travel and tourism grouping, has warned that only 10,000 tourists would visit India during the Games.

'We have lost a lot of potential business owing to delays by the authorities in completing the venues and meeting other deadlines. We are very disappointed,' Rajji Rai, president of TAAI, told IANS

Until June this year, 2.63 million foreigners had visited the country. In 2008, 5.28 million tourists came to India, compared to 5.11 million in 2009.

Selja said her ministry 'has ordered an inquiry into complaints about furniture imported from China at the Games venues'. The ITDC was in charge of the furnishings at the venues.

'We have owned responsibility for the flaws,' she said. 'The irregularities have been sorted out.'

The mood at The Hotel Ashok, where the minister addressed the media, was festive.

The premises overflowed with visitors, Commonwealth delegates, contingents from the member countries, piles of baggage and more than 100 young Games volunteers -- mostly students attired in Commonwealth T-shirts and caps -- manning the flow of visitors.

Source: Web Search