Indian cricketers play badminton match in Chandigarh

September 12th, 2009 KOLKATA - Indian badminton authorities need to lay greater stress on players' fitness and be as focussed as their counterparts from China to carry the country forward in the discipline, former all-England champion Pullela Gopichand Saturday said. Describing the country's badminton scene as "very encouraging", Gopichand said in each age group and gender category India now had a player figuring among the world's top 20.

September 8th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - The Players Championship presented by Chandigarh Golf Club, offering a total prize-money of Rs.3 million, will be played here Sep 9-12, under the aegis of the Aircel-Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI). The tournament boasts of a line-up that includes top professionals Gaurav Ghei, Mukesh Kumar, Ashok Kumar, Rahul Ganapathy, Vijay Kumar, Harendra Gupta, Shamim Khan, Harmeet Kahlon, Amandeep Johl and Gurbaaz Mann, to name a few.

September 1st, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Driving his dream Hummer landed Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh in trouble on Tuesday, when he was fined by Chandigarh traffic police for using the vehicle without a valid number plate. Singh had to pay a 3000-rupee fine for the offence, according to reports.

September 1st, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Cricketer Harbhajan Singh's Rs.10 million Hummer SUV has just got costlier. No sooner than the off-spinner in his SUV hit the Chandigarh roads, the traffic police slapped him with a penalty of Rs.3,000 for traffic rule violations.

September 1st, 2009 MOHALI - The inaugural Group A Corporate Cup cricket match between Air India (Blue) and ITC has been rescheduled after play was rained out at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) stadium here Tuesday. The 50-over match will now be played Friday.

August 31st, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh arrived here Monday to represent the 'Air India Blue' team in the Corporate Cup that begins here Tuesday. Leading international and domestic players will be seen in action in the eight-day tournament that will be held at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) stadium at Mohali.

August 25th, 2009 Reports: England regrets world badminton pulloutNEW DELHI — Britain's sports minister and a leading badminton official have expressed regret to India for the England team's sudden withdrawal from the world championships in Hyderabad earlier this month. Badminton England chief executive Adrian Christy and British Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe apologized for England pulling out on the eve of the tournament due to security concerns, Indian media reported Tuesday.

August 14th, 2009 HYDERABAD - India's Saina Nehwal put up a tough fight before going down 16-21, 19-21 to second-seeded Lin Wang of China in the women's singles quarterfinals of the World Badminton Championships here Friday. The scoreline was not the true reflection of world No.6 Saina's valiant efforts against the world No.2 Chinese at the Balayogi Indoor stadium.

August 10th, 2009 England blames security for badminton withdrawalLONDON —England badminton officials and players blamed what they said were inadequate security measures for their decision to pull out of this week's world championships in India. Badminton England chief executive Adrian Christy told a media conference on Monday that the team was not given "appropriate levels of security" for the tournament in Hyderabad.

August 10th, 2009 Badminton England to explain worlds withdrawalLONDON —England badminton officials and players will explain further their reasons for pulling out of the world championships in India. Badminton England chief executive Adrian Christy, performance director Ian Moss and Commonwealth Games champion Nathan Robertson will be among those speaking at a media conference Monday on the decision to fly home from Hyderabad — reportedly because of a terrorist threat from a Pakistan-based Islamic militant group.

August 8th, 2009 MELBOURNE - Australia's cricketers applauded the BCCI's stance this week to remove themselves from the World Anti Drug Agency's strict anti-doping code, and the Australian Cricketers' Association declared that it wanted an end to the controversial new code because it was too intrusive. Under the code, athletes must declare to WADA three months in advance where they will be for an hour each day.

August 5th, 2009 HYDERABAD - Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal has resumed practice for the World Badminton Championships. The championships will be held in Hyderabad this month.

July 18th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Indian challenge in the Asian Junior Badminton Championships ended Saturday with the 12-21, 15-21 loss of Pranav Chopra and Prajakta Sawant to China's Lu Kai and Bao Yixin in the mixed doubles semi-final at Kuala Lumpur. In the final, Kui and Yixin play compatriots Liu Peixuan and Xia Huan, who shocked top seed Thai pair Jongjit Maneepong and Chuthabunditkul Rodjana 21-18, 21-13.

June 21st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Saina Nehwal has put her name alongside the greatest of Indian sportspersons after her triumph in the Indonesia Super Series Sunday, feels her coach and former All England champion Pullela Gopichand. "She has achieved something remarkable for Indian badminton," an elated Gopichand told IANS from Hyderabad.

June 21st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Badminton Association of India (BAI) president V.K Verma has announced a cash award of Rs.2 lakh for Saina Nehwal for her title triumph in the Indonesia Super Series Sunday. "Saina Nehwal's title win in Indonesia is a moment to cherish for Indian badminton.