SPORTS

All England Open Badminton Championships 2023 highlights: Both the Indians in action on day 1 of the All England Championships sailed through to the second round without too much of drama. While World No 9 HS Prannoy beat Wang Tzu Wei 21-19, 22-20 in their opener to set up an encounter with Anthony Ginting, compatriot Lakshya Sen defeated fifth seeded Chou Tien Chen 21-18, 21-19. Lakshya was a finalist last year. The 21-year-old Lakshya won men’s singles gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham but has since been searching for form after nasal surgery disrupted his progress at the end of 2022.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi has questioned the BCCI, saying why India is concerned about security when other teams have no problem visiting Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023. 

Sethi, who is considering all options for this year's Asia Cup in Pakistan and ODI World Cup in India, stated that it is time to "take a clear position," and that he will raise these issues at the next Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and International Cricket Council (ICC) meetings.

"We have complex issues on hand but for me when I go to the ACC and ICC meetings, I have kept all options open for us and we have to take a clear position now," he said at a press conference here on Monday.

Australia were 3 without loss at stumps on Day 4 of the ongoing fourth and final Test. Travis Head and Matthew Kuhnemann will resume at their respective scores of 3 and 0 on Monday. Earlier, Virat Kohli scored 186 as India posted 571 runs, taking a first-innings lead of 91 runs against Australia. Resuming at 289 for 3 on Sunday, India rode on Kohli marathon knock and Axar Patel's 79. Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy picked three wickets apiece, while Matthew Kuhnemann and Mitchell Starc scalped one each.

Australia ended the fourth day at the score of 3 without loss. Their openers Matthew Kuhnemann and Travis Head remained unbeaten at the crease. The guests still trail India by 88 runs.  

Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green were both brilliant for Australia but a fan at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad emerged as the unlikely hero on Day 2 of the fourth Test encounter between India and Australia on Friday. Towards the end of day's play, Shubman Gill slammed Nathan Lyon for a massive six and the ball landed straight in the area covered by white sheets on the side of the sight screen. The ball seemed lost inside the sheets and the umpires decided to opt for a new ball in order to continue the game. However, a young fan had a different idea as he jumped inside the area and started searching for the ball. "The big fella has gone in," Ravi Shastri remarked in his commentary.

Former Australia cricketer Mark Waugh slammed the pitch used in Ahmedabad for the fourth Test between India and Australia, saying something needs to be done about it.

Waugh revealed that he was baffled to know that the pitch curator had not decided which track would be used for the fourth and final Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. 

Australia stand-in captain Steve Smith revealed that curator told him there was a 60 percent chance of playing on one nearer the eastern side of the ground that featured predominantly black soil, and a 40 percent chance of playing on another surface that consisted primarily of red soil.