Second edition of Punjab games begins amid fanfare

Bathinda: The second edition of the Punjab state games — “Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan” — started amid much fanfare on National Sports Day here today. The two-month long event will have competitions from the block up to state levels in eight age groups.

New Delhi

Chhetri rested as Stimac names squad for King’s Cup

India will be without skipper Sunil Chhetri in the upcoming King’s Cup football tournament and leading the forward line in his absence will be Manvir Singh. Chhetri has been rested so that he could be present for the birth of his first child. The four-nation tournament will be held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on September 7-10.

New Delhi

Mandhana to skip WBBL for second year in row

Smriti Mandhana will skip the Women’s Big Bash League for the second year in a row as she has not put forward her name for the inaugural player draft, scheduled for September 3. Almost all the top India players, including Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma, figure in the draft.

Kolkata

East Bengal enter Durand Cup final after 19 years

East Bengal defeated NorthEast United FC 5-3 in a penalty shootout to enter the Durand Cup final after 19 years. With one minute left on the clock, Nandhakumar Sekar’s header (90 7th) helped East Bengal make a dramatic turnaround as they came back from being 0-2 down to make it 2-2 and force a penalty shootout.

Madrid

Morata scores twice as Atletico thrash Rayo 7-0

An inspired Atletico Madrid humiliated city rivals Rayo Vallecano with a 7-0 demolition job, with substitute Alvaro Morata scoring twice and midfielders Saul Niguez and Rodrigo de Paul giving two assists each. Agencies