PR Sreejesh has done it for India time and again. The 35-year-old India custodian was the saviour for the hosts one more time as they beat The Netherlands in their second match of the FIH Pro League at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar. Sreejesh’s heroics in the shootout saw India pull off a thrilling 4-2 shoot-out win against the defending champions after the game was locked 2-2 at the end of 60 minutes. He made two stunning saves while Harmanpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Upadhyay and Shamsher Singh converted their chances to help India bag a bonus point. Hardik Singh and Harmanpreet Singh scored a goal each for India while Jip Janssen and Koen Bijen got on the scoresheet for the Dutch in a 2-2 draw in regulation time.
Disability cricket: England win final T20
England managed to score a consolation win when they beat India by 22 runs in the fifth and final T20 match of the Mukul Madhav Foundation Physical Disability Trophy at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. India, though, clinched the series 3-2. After winning the toss, England decided to bat first and made 152 for six in 20 overs. Callum Flynn (53 off 43 balls) and Liam O Brien (45 off 28 balls) were the main run-getters for them, while Ravindra Sante (2-28 in four overs) did well with the ball for India. They then restricted India to 130 for seven in 20 overs. Skipper Vikrant Keni (45 off 49 balls) was the top run-scorer for India. Daniel Ricky Hamm (3-23) and Callum Flynn (2-13) were the main wicket-takers for the visitors. Incidentally, India had beaten England by 22 runs in the last match.
Rishabh is confident of playing the entire IPL
Rishabh Pant is confident of playing the entire IPL but the flamboyant cricketer could only be available as a batter and not behind the stumps, according to Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting. “Rishabh is very confident that he’s going to be right to play. In what capacity we’re not quite sure yet,” Ponting said. “You would have seen all the social-media stuff, he’s up and about and running well. But in saying that we’re only six weeks away from the first game as well. So we’re not sure if we’ll get wicket keeping out of him this year. We’ll just keep our fingers crossed and hope that he can be out there and play. Even if it’s not all the games, if we can manage him through 10 of the 14 games or whatever that might be then whatever games you can get out of him will be a bonus.”
Messi vows Tokyo fans after HK no-show
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi played 30 minutes of a friendly match in Japan, days after his no-show in a similar match sparked fury in Hong Kong. The Argentine superstar came in for the tail end of a goalless draw with Vissel Kobe in Tokyo, which his team lost 4-3 on penalties. He started on the bench for the pre-season game against J-League side Kobe, worrying 28,614 spectators at the National Stadium, who chanted “Messi, Messi” in sporadic attempts to coax out the 36-year-old. They began to sense their good fortune early in the second half, when the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and other substitutes began warming up. After the game, Miami coach Gerardo Martino said the decision to use Messi was made the previous day.
