Harmeet claims Indonesia Open TT Championship

Mumbai

Paddler Harmeet Desai staved off a strong challenge from compatriot Anthony Amalraj to win the ITTF Challenge Indonesia Open in Batam, Indonesia. In an all-Indian men’s singles final, it was Desai who started on a positive note winning the opening game 11-9 but lost the next game 9-11, allowing Amalraj to draw level. World No. 104 Desai won the next two games by an identical margin of 11-9 to go 3-1 up in the match. Amalraj reduced the lead by winning the next game 12-10, but the reigning Commonwealth TT champion won the sixth game 11-9 to seal the match 4-2 and win his second international title of the year.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s Lee wins title as protests rage

Home favourite Lee Cheuk-yiu battled to victory over Indonesia’s Anthony Ginting to secure a shock Hong Kong Open win as the city’s pro-democracy protests raged nearby. Lee, 23, came from a game behind and then saw off championship point in a thrilling decider before winning 16-21 21-10 22-20 to lift his first major trophy. China’s Chen Yufei fought to a hard-won 21-18 13-21 21-13 win over Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand to win the women’s singles title. — Agencies

Lucknow

Gurbaz guides Afghanistan to series win over WI

Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz slammed a strokeful 52-ball 79 as Afghanistan claimed the three-match T20I series 2-1 with a comprehensive 29-run win over the West Indies in the third game. Batting first after winning the toss, Afghanistan posted a competitive 156/8, courtesy Gurbaz’s superb innings. Shai Hope then made a 46 ball off 52 but he didn’t get enough support from the other end as Afghanistan restricted West Indies to 127/7 to complete the win. Brief scores: Afghanistan: 156/8 (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 79; S Cottrell 2/29); West Indies: 127/7 (S Hope 52; Naveen-ul-Haq 3/24).

Valencia

Marquez wins in Valencia to hand Honda triple crown

World champion Marc Marquez won the Valencia GP on sunday with a superb performance for his 12th victory of the season to ensure that the Repsol Honda team won the teams’ world title. The 26-year-old finished the race in 41 minutes, 21.469 seconds. Petronas Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo finished second, 1.026 seconds behind him. Jack Miller of Australia finished third for the non-works Pramac Ducati team.

New York

Rockets blast past Wolves, Nets tame Chicago Bulls

James Harden recorded his fifth 40-plus point scoring effort during Houston’s seven-game winning streak, posting 49 in a victory over Minnesota in Minneapolis on Saturday night. Harden took a career-high 41 shots. He finished 8 of 22 on 3-pointers and added five rebounds and six assists over 39 minutes. Meanwhile, Spencer Dinwiddie had a team-high 24 points, Joe Harris added 22 points and eight assists, and Brooklyn Nets rallied for a win over host Chicago Bulls. Agencies