Harika settles for second consecutive draw

Lausanne: Harika Dronavalli pushed but could not break the defence of lower-ranked Marie Sebag and had to settle for a second consecutive draw in the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix here. At the end of the second round, the 29-year-old Indian Grandmaster has one point and faces world champion Ju Wenjun next.

Johannesburg
Sharmila lying seventh in Jabra Ladies in South Africa

Struggling at 3-over after eight holes, Sharmila Nicollet made a superb recovery on the back-nine and was lying tied-seventh at the end of the first round of the Jabra Ladies Classic on the Sunshine Ladies Tour. Sharmila, who had a top-10 finish last week, made five birdies and one bogey on the back-nine for a 1-under 71 in the first round. South African Ashleigh Buhai led by four shots after making eight birdies and an eagle against one bogey in a sizzling 9-under 63.

New Delhi
IPL champions’ prize money halved

The BCCI has decided to halve the prize money for this year’s IPL champions and the runners-up as part of its cost-cutting measures for the upcoming edition. In a circular sent to all IPL franchises, the BCCI has notified that the champion team will now receive Rs 10 crore.

New Delhi
Haryana runner Kiranjeet Kaur fails dope test

Long-distance runner Kiranjeet Kaur, who won the Tata Steel Kolkata 25K, has tested positive for a banned substance and has been provisionally suspended by World Athletics. “Presence of Prohibited Substances (SARM S22) (Article 2.1) — notice of allegation Issued,” the Athletics Integrity Unit said. The 31-year-old finished 11th overall and was first among the Indians in the Kolkata 25K in last December. She had won a bronze in the 10,000m at the Federation Cup National Championships in March last year, held in Patiala. Representing Haryana, she originally finished fourth but was upgraded to a bronze after Sanjivani Jadhav was stripped of her gold due to a doping offence.

Paris
4-year doping ban for Olympics champ Jebet

Olympics 3000m steeplechase champion Ruth Jebet has been banned for four years after testing positive for banned blood booster EPO, the Athletics Integrity Unit said today. Hit with a provisional ban in 2018 after a positive test on December 1, 2017, the Kenyan-born Bahraini has the right to appeal the four-year ban. As it stands, the 23-year-old will not be able to defend her title at the Olympics in Tokyo.

Bloemfontein
Magnificent Malan guides SA to series win over Oz

Opener Janneman Malan struck a sparkling unbeaten century to guide South Africa to a six-wicket win over Australia in the second ODI here today which sealed victory in the series. Malan and pacer Lungi Ngidi were both named the Players of the Match.

Brief scores: Australia: 271 (Finch 69, Short 69; Ngidi 6/58); South Africa: 274/4 in 48.3 overs (Malan 129*, Klaasen 51; Zampa 2/48)

London
FA Cup: Chelsea beat Liverpool to enter quarters

Jurgen Klopp insisted the best of Liverpool’s season is yet to come despite suffering a third defeat in four games which saw them crash out of the FA Cup 2-0 at the hands of Chelsea. Willian and Ross Barkley scored the goals. —Agencies