Indian sports wrap, March 8: India wins Asian Women’s Kabaddi Championship 2025

KABADDI

Asian Women’s Kabaddi Championship: India beats Iran 32-25 in final, clinches fifth title

India won its fifth title at the Asian Women’s Kabaddi Championship on Saturday.

The Indian team beat Iran 32-25 in the summit clash in Tehran to successfully defend its crown.

– Team Sportstar

GOLF

Sharma lies third; Ahlawat makes cut with brilliant 63 in Joburg Open

Shubhankar Sharma stayed in contention at the Joburg Open with a superb 6-under 65 in the second round, following his opening 66 to reach 9-under and sit tied third at the halfway stage at Houghton Golf Club in Johannesburg.

Shaun Norris (66-63) leads the field at 11-under despite battling an ear infection, with Frenchman Adrien Saddier (65-65) one shot behind in second. Sharma shares third place with Connor Syme (66-65).

There was further good news for India, as Veer Ahlawat, who got to the DP World Tour by topping the PGTI Order of Merit, shot 7-under 63, the day’s equal best to make the cut.

He jumped from tied-127th after first round to tied-30th.

Sharma, the 2017 Joburg Open winner, fondly remembered his win.

“Coming back to South Africa is always special, and the Joburg Open was my first win and which got me onto the DP World Tour. It was life changing,” he said.

Ahlawat was thrilled with the 7-under 63, which is his best on the DP World Tour.

“My game was feeling solid since the start of the week even in the practice round. I was hitting the ball really well. So I knew the game was pretty good. But in the last few tournaments I was struggling with my short game a little bit,” said Ahlawat.

“This week, even the short game was feeling solid. Yet during the first round, I didn’t hole a lot of putts. I was struggling to read the real lines well.

“But today (in the second round), I did strike the ball really well and I hit the shots to within a 10 feet circle a lot of times. The good thing was I was able to hole putts so that’s what helped me go low.

“I knew I needed a low round to make the cut. In my mind the cut was going at three-under par so I knew I would need to shoot at least a six-under par round to have a chance to make the cut. I’m feeling confident about the game. Ball striking is good and I’m giving myself a lot of birdie chances so that’s good,” he added.

– PTI

Teen star Guntas Sandhu top Indian at WAAP Championship in Vietnam

Teenage Chandigarh golfer Guntas Kaur Sandhu carded a second straight even-par round of 71 to move up four places to tied-35th in the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship in Da Nang, Vietnam on Saturday.

She is now the top Indian player with one more round to go. Guntas (73-71-71) was placed tied-39th overnight.

Mannat Brar (67-76-73), who was tied-ninth after the first day before slipping to tied-30th after the second, slid further to T-39th alongside Saanvi Somu (72-74-70). Saanvi was the only Indian to card under-par on the third day. After making the cut on the line, she has now improved from tied-50th to tied-39th.

Malaysian-born Jeneath Wong, 20, who shifted to Melbourne when she was 10 and is now in college in California, compiled a stunning 7-under 64 with eight birdies against one bogey to open a three-shot lead.

The winner will be invited to compete in three of this year’s major championships – the AIG Women’s Open, Amundi Evian Championship and the Chevron Championship – as well as the Hana Financial Group Championship, ISPS Handa Australian Open, the 122nd Women’s Amateur Championship and, by tradition, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

– PTI

Hero women’s pro tour: Vani Kapoor wins second successive title

Vani Kapoor won her second successive title, with a one-under 71 in the third round that led to her three-shot victory over Ridhima Dilawari and Rhea Jha in the fifth leg of the Hero Women’s Golf Tour at the Classic Golf and Country Club.

Kriti Chowhan came up with the best card of 3-under 69 in the final round, but settled for the tied sixth spot with Sneha Singh, the champion of the second and third legs, apart from Yaalisai Verma and amateur Ceerat Kang.

The results: 1. Vani Kapoor (70, 75, 71) 216; 2. Ridhima Dilawari (76, 73, 70), Rhea Jha (74, 72, 73) 219; 4T. Neha Tripathi (76, 72, 72), Amandeep Drall (71, 74, 75) 220; 6T. Kriti Chowhan (78, 75, 69), Sneha Singh (77, 75, 70), Yaalisai Verma (77, 72, 73), Ceerat Kang (76, 72, 74) 222; 10T. Lavanya Jadon (79, 72, 74), Durga Nittur (79, 71, 75), Gauri Karhade (77, 71, 7) 225.

-Kamesh Srinivasan

CRICKET

On Women’s Day, Rajasthan Royals launches ‘Pink Promise’ jersey for Mumbai Indians clash

Rajasthan Royals marked International Women’s Day by unveiling an all-pink jersey for its much anticipated ‘Pink Promise’ match against Mumbai Indians slated on May 1 in Jaipur during the upcoming Indian Premier League.

The Royal Rajasthan Foundation, the CSR arm of Rajasthan Royals, launched a campaign film, titled Aurat Hai Toh Bharat Hai (If there’s women, there’s India) to promote women-led initiatives.

The Royals will also contribute Rs 100 for every ticket purchased for the RR vs MI match toward women-led rural transformation in Rajasthan.

Additionally, all proceeds from the sale of the special all-pink Royals’ jersey will go directly to RRF to support its social impact initiatives.

Furthermore, for every six hit in the match by either team, Rajasthan Royals and RRF will commit to lighting up six homes in the Sambhar region with solar power.

– PTI

Indian team wins title in T20I Tri-series for Deaf

India beat Australia by seven wickets in the final to clinch the T20I Tri-series for the Deaf at the Karnail Singh Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday.

South Africa was the other team in the tournament hosted by the Indian Deaf Cricket Association (IDCA).

Kuldeep Singh of India was adjudged man of the match in the final for his five-wicket haul. He was also named the best bowler of series as well as player of the series. Abhishek Singh, also of India, was named best batter of the series.

The Indian deaf cricket team for the tournament was led by Virender Singh.

– PTI

TENNIS

 ITF women’s tennis tournament: Ekaterina Makarova beats Germany’s Antonia Schmidt

Second seed Ekaterina Makarova recovered from a slow start to beat Antonia Schmidt of Germany 7-6(3), 6-3 in the semifinals of the $30,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament at the Tennis Project, Baliyawas, on Saturday.

On a bright day, when the gusty winds had taken a breather, leading to stable conditions and high quality fare on court, the 29-year-old Makarova bounced back from being down 2-5 to scotch the hopes of the German who was serving and stroking with authority in the first half of the contest.

In the final, Makarova will challenge the former world No.2 junior, the 21-year-old Kristina Dmitruk who continued to impress by dismissing the challenge of qualifier Ikumi Yamazaki of Japan for the loss of four games.

For the third match in a row, the fluent-stroking Kristina won one set at 6-0, asserting her error-free game, composure and superb athleticism.

It was a splendid run by Yamazaki as she had won five matches, including two in the qualifying event. Her last match against compatriot Haruka Kaji had lasted four hours. Yet, Yamazaki was quite energetic right through the match, even though Kristina was able to assert her supremacy in clear terms.

Makarova joined hands with Ekaterina Reyngold and scripted a 2-6, 6-4, [10-7] victory in the entertaining doubles final against another Russian pair of Polina Iatcenko and Mariia Tkacheva.

While Makarova will be looking for her eighth singles title on the morrow, Kristina will be trying to win her sixth.

The results:

Singles (semifinals):Kristina Dmitruk bt Ikumi Yamazaki (Jpn) 6-4, 6-0; Ekaterina Makarova bt Antonia Schmidt (Ger) 7-6(3), 6-3.

Doubles (final): Ekaerina Reyngold & Ekaterina Makarova bt Polina Iatcenko & Mariia Tkacheva 2-6, 6-4, [10-7].

-Kamesh Srinivasan

Siddhant Banthia wins Challenger doubles title

Siddhant Banthia in partnership with Alexander Donski of Bulgaria beat Geoffrey Blancaneaux of France and Zdenek Kolar of Czech Republic 6-4, 5-7, [10-8] in the doubles final of the $160,000 Challenger tennis tournament on clay in KIgali, Rwanda, on Saturday.

It was the maiden Challenger doubles title for the 24-year-old Siddhant, and his 11th career doubles title in the professional circuit.

The fourth seeded Indo-Bulgarian pair won 100 ATP points and $7,960.

The third seeded runner-up team got 60 points and $4,600.

The results:

$160,000 Challenger, Kigali, Rwanda

Doubles (final): Siddhant Banthia & Alexander Donski (Bul) bt Geoffrey Blancaneaux (Fra) & Zdenek Kolar (Cze) 6-4, 5-7, [10-8].

-Kamesh Srinivasan

WRESTLING

Federation Cup: Jaglan, Kalkal, Freedom take gold

As Railways wrestlers returned to the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) competitions, some prominent Haryana athletes, such as Vishal Kaliraman (70kg), Sagar Jaglan (86kg) and Ankush (women’s 50kg), claimed gold medals on the opening day of the Federation Cup at the Lovely Professional University (LPU) on Saturday.

The medallists

Men: Freestyle: 57kg: Gold: Ankush (Del), Silver: Shubham Hari (Mah), Bronze: Sumit Malik (Har), Vikash Vishnoi (Raj); 61kg: Gold: Udit (Har), Silver: Anuj Kumar Vishnoi (Raj), Bronze: Lalit Kaushal (MP), Nikhil (Del); 65kg: Gold: Sujeet Kalkal (Har), Silver: Rinku (Del), Bronze: Manish Bangar (Mah), Sachin Bhati (UP); 70kg: Gold: Vishal Kaliraman (Har), Silver: Sagar (Del), Bronze: N.Nilesh Singh (Tel), Sagar (Utk); 74kg: Gold: Naveen Kumar (HP), Silver: Vikas Kumar (Har), Bronze: Yash (Del), Akash (Chd); 86kg: Gold: Sagar Jaglan (Har), Silver: Ashish (Del), Bronze: Nishant Gurjar (UP), Arjun (Mah); 79kg: Gold: Suraj (Har), Silver: Mohit Kumar (UP), Bronze: Abhisek (Guj), Sunny Rana (Del); 92kg: Gold: Sandeep Singh (Pun), Silver: Aryan (Har), Bronze: Sushant (Mah), Abhisek Manan (Del); 97kg: Gold: Sahil Jaglan (Har), Silver: Saurabh (Mah), Bronze: Basavaraj Patil (Kar), Abhisek Nagar (UP); 125kg: Gold: Jaspooran Singh (Pun), Silver: Ronak (Del), Bronze: Mayank Tomar (UP), Anirudh Kumar (Har). Women: 50kg: Gold: Ankush (Har), Silver: Aarti Gurjar (Raj), Bronze: Neelam (UP), Rakaben Gohil (Guj), 55kg: Gold: Nishu (Har), Sliver: Gayathri (Del), Bronze: Chaya Patel (MP), Samman Preet Kaur (Pun); 59kg: Gold: Soniya Oad (Raj), Silver: Muskan (Har), Bronze: Tanvi Magdum (Mah), Deeksha Tomar (UP); 62kg: Gold: Freedom Yadav (UP), Silver: Kajal (Har), Bronze: Sapna Kumari (Pun), Vaishnavi Patil (Mah); 68kg: Gold: Manshi Lathar (Har), Sliver: Mansi Bhadana (Del), Bronze: Vedanta (Mah), Anjali (Chd).

-Y.B Sarangi

Para Sports

India to field 145 competitors in World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Delhi

India will be fielding 145 competitors in the World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2025, which is set to take place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here from March 11 to 13.

Another 105 para athletes from the other 19 countries will take part in the event.

The three-day event will feature over 90 competitions, bringing together top para-athletes from across the globe.

This Grand Prix is expected to serve as a crucial preparatory event ahead of major international championships later this year, including the World Para Athletics Championships to be held here.

– PTI