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Hyderabad: Bangalore Royal Challengers registered a dramatic victory over Deccan Chargers with 6 balls to spare. Bangalore Royal Challengers took home the win by five wickets. It was B Akhil”s commendable batting towards the end that yeilded 27 runs off 7 balls that made the win look an easy target.

Earlier,Virat Kohli was caught by Ravi Teja on Chaminda Vaas’ ball. After 17.4 overs, Bangalore were 146/5. Rahul Dravid was caught behind by Gilchrist on Sanjay Bangar’s delivery. (more…)

BERLIN: German politician Willi Lemke, the United Nations’ (UN) new Special Representative for Sports and Development, will visit China “as soon as possible”, it was announced on Wednesday.

“UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon wants me to inform him how the Olympic Games can be used as a platform for peace,” Lemke said in a press conference.

“I want to see the situation for myself,” added the 61-year-old. Lemke, whose new UN position was announced on Tuesday, said the human rights issue and recent unrest in Tibet is the “main problem” which will occupy him during the forthcoming months.

But the German insists he is not in favour of a boycott of this summer’s Olympic Games in Beijing which take place from August 8-24.

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Chennai (PTI): Out of action due to a stomach injury, Sania Mirza hopes to improve her performance in the 2008 season and make the top 20 of the WTA rankings.

“I am playing my best and will strive to achieve a ranking of 20 before the end of the 2008 season,” Sania said at a function of the Deutsch Bank on the eve of her 21st birthday here on Wednesday.

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Port St Lucie (Florida) (PTI): Indian-born Swede Daniel Chopra claimed his maiden US PGA Tour title by winning the USD 4.5 million Ginn sur Mer Classic on an enthralling fifth day at Tesoro Club here on Monday.

Resuming at the 16th hole after the fourth day’s play was suspended due to rain, the 34-year-old returned a roller-coaster two-under 71 to clinch the title with a total of 19-under 273.

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Mohali (PTI): The sale of tickets for the second ODI cricket match between India and Pakistan here on November 8 would commence on November 1, the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) said here on Monday.

The tickets have been priced in four denominations of Rs 300 for General Block, Rs 1,000 for the VIP Block, Rs 5,000 for thtickets have been priced in four denominations of Rs 300 for General Block, Rs 1,000 for the VIP Block, Rs 5,000 for the Terrace Block and Rs 10,000 for the air-conditioned lounge, PCA Treasurer G S Walia said in a statement.

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Roger Federer won his seventh tournament of the season yesterday, beating the unseeded Finn Jarkko Nieminen 6-3, 6-4 to successfully defend his home-town title in Basle and ensure he finishes the season as world No1 for a fourth consecutive year.
Federer had not dropped a set in any of his previous seven meetings with the world No29 and the Swiss Indoors final proved predictably straightforward. “It’s been a fantastic week, having the support of my home crowd behind me all the way,” said Federer after receiving a standing ovation at the tournament where he once worked as a ballboy. “Securing the No1 ranking for the year and doing it here is particularly special.”

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South Africa took six Pakistan wickets for just 20 runs off 36 balls to achieve a sensational win and clinch the five match one-day series by 14 runs. Pacemen Albie Morkel finished with 4-44 and Makhaya Ntini grabbed 4-61 as the tourists pulled off a sensational victory from the jaws of defeat as Pakistan were dismissed for 219 in 46.3 overs.

“It is fantastic to win both Tests and one-dayers and this was an incredible win. We took huge catches and the ball swung in the end and helped us to take those last wickets,” Graeme Smith, the South Africa captain, said.

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Ranchi: Indian cricket team’s skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been nourishing hopes of setting up a cricket academy in Jharkhand but the busy cricket schedule ahead has put his project in limbo.
Clark predicts 4-0 whitewash over India

“Immediately it is very difficult, because there is Pakistan series. (And) next six months also, we are playing cricket,” Dhoni said when quizzed on his plans for the academy.

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NEW DELHI: The National junior football championship will be played at Gurgaon and Faridabad from November 14 to 30.

Teams will compete on a league basis and the topper from each of the eight groups will make it to the quarterfinals.

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Chennai (PTI): World No.2 and French Open Champion Rafael Nadal of Spain has set his eyes on the elusive Chennai Open ATP title to start the 2008 season on a winning note.

The 21-year old Nadal, who won his third straight title at the Roland Garros this year, had confirmed his participation for the South Asia’s premiere ATP tournament which is in its 13th edition, a release from IMG, the organisers, said on Tuesday.

On his third appearance in the Chennai Open in last five years, Nadal sounded confident of making a good start to the new year with a title win here.

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