Sania advantage, to marry in July

Hyderabad: Tennis sensation of India Sania Mirza is all set to start new life in July. According to media reports she will get marry soon. His bridegroom is reportedly named as Muhammad Sohrab Mirza, her friend and local of Hyderabad. Sohrab is a 23-year-old B.com graduate. They have known each other for a few years.

Their families have been friends. Sohrab is planning to go to the UK to pursue an MBA degree. Sania herself is away in Paris playing in the French Open, and it was her father Imran Mirza who confirmed the reports of her engagement. "This is to confirm that Sania Mirza is engaged to Mr. Muhammad Sohrab Mirza, whose family hails from the city of Hyderabad. Although not related, the two families have had friendly ties for several decades. However, the wedding is not expected to take place for a while," Imran Mirza said.

Zaheer Khan's participation is doubtful

MUMBAI: The ICC World Cup is to start in England from June 4 but the Indian pace bowler Zaheer Khan's status is doubtful so far. News reports quoted Zaheer to be in South Africa for his injured bowling shoulder treatment. On the other hand, the BCCI claimed all news to be rumours.

The team led by MS Dhoni is to leave for England on Friday. However, the team and the management claimed that these are merely speculation. It may be recalled that Zaheer was injured during Indian Premier League while playing for the Mumbai Indians in Johannesburg on May 3. Since then he didn't play any of the remaining match and taking treatment at there.

Though the team management said the injury was not as serious as was thought before the scan, the left-arm pacer did not play the remaining seven matches for his team in the IPL and has also stayed back in South Africa while his parents have joined him there.

Rajasthan need to put every effort for semifinal

BOLEMFONTEIN: Defending champions Rajasthan Royals will try hard to win the match against Delhi Daredevils on Sunday. The match is very important for Royals as the team want to make sure the semifinal berth. Whereas, Daredevils has nothing to loose except confidence and a good win before the semis'. In the points tally both the teams are on top ranks. Delhi is ruling the chart while Royals are on the third spot.

The Daredevils have already made it to the semifinals with 16 points from 11 matches.Delhi's strong batting line up crumbled against Brett Lee and Co. of Kings XI Punjab but that may not happen every match. Warne himself, who despite being injured led the team from the front in their victory against Mumbai Indians, can bring out something from his old bag of tricks but more than that he will have to inspire his other bowlers if his side thinks of restricting Delhi to a low total.

SMS contest withdrawn by IPL

CHENNAI: A controversial SMS based contest, started by Indian Premier league, was withdrawn after concerns registered by the sports minister M S Gill last week. IPL governing council member Rajeev Shukla told that the contest is closed. It may be recalled that sports minister MS Gill suggested BCCI to stop use of cricket for business gains.

In that SMS game a user has to predict ball by ball outcome for cash prizes in the ongoing Indian Premier League. According to a statement issued by the sports minister last week, Mr Gill is worried about the new idea of promoting sport. He declared it clearly gambling and betting. He advised the BCCI that it should take into notice of the match fixing case in year 2000 which made a big damage to the sport before launching this SMS game.

The minister urged the BCCI to take note of the apprehensions. He also suggest the BCCI to be responsible as they are the richest and most powerful sports body today. The cricket control body should bear in mind that the game should be protected for future generations. Refresh the structure by all means, but after grave and serious thinking, of the larger ethical and moral questions, and the long term interest of the game," he said.

Younus top ranked, Gambhir at fourth

NEW DELHI: Pakistani skipper Younus Khan is ruling on the top following his current form. He replaced West Indian batsman Shivnarain Chanderpaul in the latest ICC Test batsman rankings. Gautam Gambhir, successful in every format of cricket like Test, One-day and T20 cricket, continues to be India's highest ranked cricketer being firm at fourth spot in the tally. However, explosive opener Virender Sehwag is at number 20 far behind from other Indian batsmen. Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar and classy batsman VVS Laxman soared one place up at 13th and 15th positions respectively.

In the bowlers list, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has retained his sixth place while paceman Zaheer Khan got one place to be at 11th. Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka continues to supreme in the bowling chart followed by Dale Steyn of South Africa and Australia's Mitchell Johnson. Jacques Kallis reigns to top the all-rounders' list of ICC.

Warne cheers alone in a match

CENTURION: Rajasthan Royals skipper Shane Warne is no doubt a successful and talented coach, but he used to be in news mostly by wrong reasons. Sometime he is heard breaking up with wife and sometime partying with girls at night clubs, so on. Now he was caught sipping at beer in a cricket match which was being played between his own team Rajasthan Royals and Bangalore Royal Challengers on Thursday.

He was enjoying his team performance by sipping at beer while standing in the boundary lines of the field. Sources to the IPL management informed that the tv footage will be sent to the IPL commissioner, Lalit Modi. Warne's team Rajasthan Royals posted a seven-wicket victory over the Bangalore Royal Challengers. Action might be taken if he was consuming beer when match was in progress.

Women's T20 would happen: women cricketers

NEW DELHI: The BCCI would arrange a Twenty20 cricket tournament for women in future as the board encouraging women cricket. These are the views of Indian women cricketers. A veteran player Anjum Chopra said that the priority for the team is to win World Cup first as the win will provide required popularity of the women cricketers. Other two players, Amita Sharma and Reema Malhotra has also have the same opinion.

They suggested that women's cricket was improving with every passing day and tournament like Twenty20 may prove fruitful for them from every angle. They said that women cricketers were part and parcel of the cricket world so having a Twenty20 is required. Anjum Chopra said that the BCCI was supporting us very much and they felt Twenty20 might happen. When asked about upcoming Women's World Cup Chopra said that next World Cup would boost them and would brighten such a prospect.

Sachin is the best in 20 years: Warne

CENTURION: Australian spinner Shane Warne said that Sachin Tendulkar is the best batsman with in 20 years of playing international cricket. Warne preferred Sachin over West Indian Brian Lara. He made it clear that it was difficult to choose between Brain Lara and Sachin Tendulkar.

The deciding factor was the pressure which Sachin handled whenever he comes to bat including bad decisions. This is in the series of praise which Shane Warne used to deliver at times. Once he told that Sachin used to come in his dreams and hit for a six every time. Now he add the tally by saying 'Sachin is the best player of my era'. It is to be mentioned here that Warne named Tendulkar as the numero uno batsman of his era in his book 'Shane Warne's Century'.