Bopanna pulls out of Davis Cup tie against Pakistan

Kolkata

Veteran doubles player Rohan Bopanna pulled out of India’s Davis Cup tie against Pakistan due to a shoulder injury, which coach Zeeshan Ali feels is a setback but there were always plans to fall back on Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan who can now be included in the playing squad. “Bopanna has cited a shoulder injury as the reason for him pulling out. He underwent an MRI scan on Monday and shared the same with us,” Ali said. The 39-year-old was expected to play with Leander Paes for the doubles rubber during the November 29-30 tie. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s top doubles player Aisam ul Haq Qureshi refused to compete in the Davis Cup tie against India, protesting against ITF’s decision to shift the tie from Islamabad to a neutral venue.

Abu Dhabi

Lynn shatters Hales’ record of highest T10 score 

Days after being released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for next years edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Chris Lynn made a statement by scoring the highest-ever individual score in the T10 format. Playing for Maratha Arabians in the third edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 League, Lynn blasted 91 off just 30 balls against Team Abu Dhabi at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium. His record innings consisted of nine fours and seven sixes and helped Arabians put up 138/2 in their stipulated 10 overs. Arabians won the match by 24 runs as Team Abu Dhabi could only make 114/3. Earlier, the record for the highest individual score in T10 belonged to England batsman Alex Hales who had struck an unbeaten 87 from 32 balls last season.

New Delhi

Chandigarh’s Arjun in U-19 squad for series vs Afghans

Mumbai left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal, who recently hit a double century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, headlined a strong India U-19 squad that will take on Afghanistan in the first two games of the five-match One-day series. The Indian team, led by Priyam Garg, is preparing for next year’s U-19 World Cup and various combinations are being tried out currently. Chandigarh’s Arjun Azad has also made it to the squad for the first two matches. The five-match series will be played at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium on November 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30.

Brisbane

Paine says Stokes using Warner to boost book sales

Australia captain Tim Paine has blasted England all-rounder Ben Stokes for taking a “cheap shot” at David Warner, claiming he was using the controversial opening batsman to spike sales of his new book. In his book, which is being serialised in a British newspaper, Stokes claims Warner’s sledging motivated him during his match-winning heroics in the third Ashes Test this year. Stokes’s incredible unbeaten 135 at Headingley steered England to a record run chase and thrilling one-wicket win to square the five-match series at 1-1. “He just wouldn’t shut up for most of my time out there,” Stokes wrote about Warner, who insists he has reformed and is no longer the brash character who was banned for a year over a ball-tampering scandal. “I could accept it from just about any other opponent. Truly. Not from him, though,” Stokes added. — Agencies

Sao Paulo

Hamilton penalised, drops to seventh

Lewis Hamilton was handed a five-second penalty and relegated to a provisional seventh, after finishing third, following his clash with Alexander Albon in the final laps of Sunday’s dramatic Brazilian Grand Prix won by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. The newly-crowned six-time world champion in his Mercedes clipped the luckless Albon’s Red Bull, causing him to spin and costing the Thai driver his first career podium finish in his rookie season.

New York

Kings snap Celtics’ 10-game streak, Lakers beat Hawks  

Richaun Holmes hit a pair of go-ahead free throws with 13.3 seconds left as the host Sacramento Kings ended the Boston Celtics’ 10-game winning streak with a 100-99 victory Sunday afternoon. Buddy Hield led all scorers with 35 points and hit seven 3-pointers, as the Kings won for the fifth time in seven games. Meanwhile, LeBron James scored 33 points and Kyle Kuzma added 17 as host Los Angeles jumped out to a 25-point lead in the first quarter to finish off an easy victory over Atlanta to improve to an NBA-best 11-2.

Playa del Carmen (mexico)

Todd holds off Taylor for back-to-back wins

American Brendon Todd held his nerve to secure a one-shot victory in the rain-delayed Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico on Monday as he lifted his second trophy in as many US PGA Tour appearances.

Todd and Vaughn Taylor were locked at 20-under-par overall with four holes remaining when play was suspended because of darkness on Sunday. Todd becomes the first player to win consecutive Tour events since Bryson DeChambeau, who won the first two events of the 2018 FedEx Cup Playoffs at The Northern Trust. Agencies