Sports Shorts: India hold Myanmar in Asian Cup

Already through to the main tournament, India played out a 2-2 draw against Myanmar in the return-leg match of the AFC Asian Cup qualifying Group A match in Margao on Tuesday.

The home side came back twice in the match to hold the visiting side and continue their unbeaten streak in 13 matches.

Myanmar scored through Yan Naing Oo (1st minute) and Kyaw Ko Ko (19th) while Sunil Chhetri (12th; penalty) and Jeje Lalpekhlua (69th) found the target at the Nehru Stadium.

India had beaten Myanmar 1-0 in the first leg in Yangon in March through a Chhetri winner.

With today's draw, India are on the top of the group with 13 points from five matches. Myanmar are placed second with five points from four matches.

India have already qualified for the AFC Asian Cup 2019 in UAE after beating Macau 4-1 in Bangalore last month.

Pankaj confirms medal, faces Russell in semis

Recently-crowned 17-time world champion Pankaj Advani overcame Singapore's Peter Gilchrist in the quarterfinals of the long-up format of the IBSF World Billiards Championship 2017.

Pankaj secured the semifinal berth and a medal for India with the help of a 391 break, highest of the tournament so far, to beat Gilchrist 1000-791.

The Indian ace's opponent in tomorrow's semis, Englishman Mike Russell, wrapped up proceedings in his Last-8 contest rapidly, overpowering his Myanmar opponent Aung Htay 1000-175.

Russell too had a big break of 344 to reach the required 1000-mark and advance to the next round.

Yuki, Ramkumar progress at KPIT-MSLTA Challenger

Ramkumar Ramanathan prevailed in a tense and excruciating battle against Australia's Marc Polmans while the country's top singles players Yuki Bhambri downed Kaichi Uchida to move to the second round of the KPIT-MSLTA Challenger in Pune.

In what turned out to be the match of the day, Ramkumar had to dig deep into his reserves before eking out a 6-7 (5), 7-6(5), 7-6(9) win in the opening round of the $ 50,000 hard
court event.

In the two-hour-56 minutes match, Ramkumar could convert only one of the 12 breakpoints as the Australian, ranked 322, came up with a stiff resistance.

Fourth seed Ramkumar, ranked 150 in the world, next faces Brydan Klien, who dumped Pedro Martinez 6-2, 6-3.

Third seed Yuki, who won the title here in 2015 and broke into top-100 for the first time, fought off Japanese qualifier Kaichi Uchida 6-2, 7-5.

Earlier, Sumit Nagal defeated Austria's Lucas Miedler 7-6(1), 6-0 and 'lucky loser' N Prashant made best use of the opportunity to end the campaign of wild card Aryan Goveas 6-3,
6-4 in an all-Indian clash.

Aditi is first Indian to qualify for LPGA Tour Championships

Aditi Ashok has qualified for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship on the LPGA, becoming the first from the country to play in the prestigious meet.

The 19-year-old prodigy is one of the eight rookies to make it to the Tour Championships in what is one of the strongest fields in women's golf.

Meanwhile, Aditi has succeeded in keeping her LPGA card for 2018 after a sterling rookie season.

With a string of creditable performances, including a Top-10 and starts at all five Majors, it has been a landmark year for the Bengaluru golfer, who won two LET events in 2016 and one in 2017.

Aditi got the news of her getting a spot soon after finishing the Hero Women's Indian Open. She has now rushed to Florida for the season-ending Finale. The 2016 Hero Women's Indian Open champion, was tied 13 in 2017.

This year Aditi has played 20 events on the LPGA and made cut in 13 of them with tied 8th at the Marathon Classic as her best result. She also had creditable results at Cambia Portland, where she was T-15 and Walmart, Arkansas, where she tied 25th.

The top 10 on the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings and 18 of the top 20 players are in the field.

While only three rookies made their way to the Tour Championships in 2016, this year as many as eight have made it, indicating how fast the strength has grown.

Apart from Aditi, Nicole Broch Larsen, Peiyun Chien, Nelly Korda , Olafia Kristensdottir, Sung Hyun Park, Madelene Sagstrom and Angel Yin are the other rookies in the field. 

FIH signs with YouTube to broadcast Hockey World League Finals

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) today announced a commercial partnership with YouTube to provide broadcast coverage of the Hockey World League Finals to be held in Bhubaneswar next month.

By engaging with Google-owned internet giants YouTube, fans in countries without broadcast agreements will be able to access matches via a Pay Per View YouTube system, a statement from the FIH said.

YouTube will work as a primary distribution platform in participating nations' markets where digital consumption has proven to be the primary method for consuming sport, and as a secondary platform giving fans access to matches not being shown by their local broadcaster.

The world's biggest provider of online video content will provide access to 1.5 billion unique monthly viewers.

"This unique partnership will give access to billions of sports fans looking to tune in to all the action from the Women's Hockey World League Final in Auckland (17-26 November) and the Men's Hockey World League Final in Bhubaneswar (1-10December) 2018." the FIH said.

Abraham assured of govt help in setting up football academy

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today assured Bollywood actor and proprietor of ISL franchise North East United FC John Abraham that support would be extended to him for setting up a world class football academy in Guwahati.

The state government has given top priority to development of sports in Assam and is working to make Guwahati the sports capital of the country, Sonowal told Abraham, who had called on him.

"Our government has given priority to strengthening sports infrastructure and organising international sports events," Sonowal said.

The football academy, to be set up by Abraham, would help aspiring footballers of the state and Assam government would provide all support and land for setting up the academy, he said.

Sonowal said the government has taken up steps to improve skills of talented sportspersons and urged Abraham to take forward Assam government's efforts to strengthen ties with the ASEAN countries through sports.