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Australia to be Without Retired Marcus Stoinis in Champions Trophy

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Australia will be missing Marcus Stoinis for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, as the talented all-rounder has announced his immediate retirement from ODI cricket.

Cricket Australia revealed on Thursday that Stoinis aims to concentrate on T20 formats. He concludes his ODI career with 71 matches under his belt since his debut in 2015. Originally included in the Champions Trophy squad, a replacement will now need to be found.

“Playing ODI cricket for Australia has been an incredible journey, and I’m thankful for every moment spent in the green and gold. Representing my country at the highest level is a memory I’ll always treasure,” Stoinis expressed.

“This decision wasn’t easy, but I believe it’s the right time for me to step back from ODIs and focus entirely on the next phase of my career. I’ve developed a fantastic relationship with Ron (Andrew McDonald) and greatly appreciate his support,” he added.

Stoinis indicated that the choice to retire from ODIs was made to extend his T20I career, while he remains eager to support his teammates during the Champions Trophy.

“I’ll be cheering for the boys in Pakistan,” he stated.

Stoinis’ best performance with the bat came in just his second match, where he scored an unbeaten 146 against New Zealand in Auckland in 2017. His last appearance was during the tour of Pakistan last November, wrapping up his ODI career with 1,495 runs and 48 wickets.

He was also part of the Australian squad that won the World Cup in 2023 and earned the title of ODI cricketer of the year in 2018-19.

“Stoinis has been a crucial part of our ODI setup for the last decade. His value as a player is matched by his character. He is a natural leader, incredibly well-liked, and a wonderful individual. We congratulate him on his achievements in ODI cricket,” remarked Australian men’s head coach Andrew McDonald.

Australia’s preliminary squad includes: Pat Cummins (c), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa (with the squad yet to be finalized).

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India Secures 43 Medals at Asian U-15 and U-17 Boxing Championships

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Team India has secured a total of 43 medals at the inaugural Asian U-15 & U-17 boxing championships, organized by the newly recognized Asian Boxing body under World Boxing. On Day 7, four additional pugilists advanced to the semifinals, ensuring India will take home at least 25 medals in the U-15 category and 18 in the U-17 category, as all semifinalists automatically receive bronze.

Aman Siwach (63kg) and Devansh (80kg) made significant strides in the U-17 boys’ segment, both claiming Referee Stopped Contest (RSC) victories over opponents from the Philippines and Jordan, respectively, during the final quarterfinals.


In the girls’ division, Simranjeet Kaur (60kg) achieved a dominant 5-0 victory over Jordan’s Aya Alhasanat, while Himanshi (70kg) earned an RSC win against Palestine’s Farah Abou Layla in the very first round, advancing to the semifinals alongside her teammates.

Results:

Men’s U-17 – Quarterfinals

60 kg: Sahil Duhan (IND) lost to Amirali Mehrabi (IRI) – WP 2:3

63 kg: Aman Siwach (IND) def. Ziadrach James Cabrera (PHI) – RSC R2

66 kg: Anant Gaurishankar Deshmukh (IND) lost to Daniyal Shalkarbay (KAZ) – WP 0:5

75 kg: Priyansh Sehrawat (IND) lost to Khurshidbek Juraev (UZB) – WP 0:5

80 kg: Devansh (IND) def. Abdallah Aldabbas (JOR) – RSC R3

80+ kg: Loven Gulia (IND) lost to Farhoud Ghorbani (IRI) – WP 0:5

Women’s U-17 – Quarterfinals

60 kg: Simranjeet Kaur (IND) def. Aya Alhasanat (JOR) – WP 5:0

70 kg: Himanshi (IND) def. Farah Abou Layla (PLE) – RSC R1


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Fleming Acknowledges Auction Errors as CSK’s Playoff Chances Diminish

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Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming acknowledged that their player selections during the IPL 2025 mega auction might not have been ideal, following the team’s seventh defeat in nine matches. They lost by five wickets to Sunrisers Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk.

This loss marked their fourth consecutive defeat, contributing to CSK’s worst-ever home performance in the league, significantly diminishing their chances of playoff qualification.


“It’s difficult to say we got everything right given our recent performances,” Fleming remarked after another disappointing batting display at home. “We’ve been reviewing our style of play and how the game is evolving.”

“It’s a challenge, and that’s why we take pride in our past achievements. Consistency over the years is commendable, but it doesn’t take much for things to shift. Other teams have improved, which is the objective of the auction, but we have struggled to adapt,” he elaborated.

The former New Zealand captain emphasized the need for greater understanding and effort from the players. “Responsibility must be taken from the top down, and we must demand more from the players. We need to reflect on the auction outcomes; they didn’t meet our expectations.”

Describing the auction, Fleming referred to it as a “very fluid beast,” expressing confidence in the squad while noting the impact of injuries and unformed players.

“It’s not an exact science. The auction involves intense decision-making, which can be both mentally and physically draining. I still believe we have a good squad, and we’re close. Injuries and form issues have hindered us, and we’ve struggled to establish a consistent game plan,” he stated. “There’s a lot of responsibility and introspection, and I take that responsibility fully.”

In terms of team changes, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni showed reluctance towards frequent adjustments but may be compelled to make significant changes due to current player performances. After Sunrisers Hyderabad’s victory on Friday, which marked their first win at Chepauk, a visibly disappointed Dhoni reflected on the challenges when several key players underperform.

“In a tournament like this, if you can address one or two issues, it’s manageable. But when most players struggle, adjustments become necessary. You typically stick with performing players for a few games, but if several fail simultaneously, changes must be made to improve run production,” Dhoni noted.

Next, CSK will face the Punjab Kings on April 30 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.


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Shambhavi Clinches Double Gold at the 23rd KSSM Championship

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Shambhavi Kshirsagar from Maharashtra bested world championship medalists, Olympic finalists, and national champions to clinch the women’s 10m air rifle title at the 23rd Kumar Surendra Singh Memorial Shooting Championship (23rd KSSM) held at Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in Faridabad.

The 16-year-old, who placed fifth at the junior worlds in Lima last year, excelled in the qualifications with an impressive score of 633.5. She concluded the final with a remarkable 10.8 in her last shot out of 24, surpassing Haryana’s Ramita, an Olympic finalist. West Bengal’s Mehuli Ghosh, a bronze medalist at the world championship, secured the third position.


Shambhavi truly shined on Saturday at the Karni Singh range, later winning a silver in the junior women’s event and securing another gold in the youth women’s competition.

The senior women’s crown was particularly noteworthy, as Shambhavi competed alongside notable athletes like Mehuli, Ramita, Ananya Naidu (recently crowned national champion), and junior world championship medalist Shreya Agrawal.

As they approached the final two shots of the 24-shot final, Ramita held a narrow lead of 0.1. Both competitors recorded identical scores of 10.2 on their 23rd shots, but Shambhavi’s final shot landed her a score of 252.9, outpacing Ramita’s total of 252.1. Mehuli had exited after the 22nd shot with 231.0.

Ramita, however, avenged her earlier defeat by claiming victory over Shambhavi in the subsequent junior women’s final with a margin of 1.5. Manya Mittal from Uttar Pradesh secured third place.

Despite this setback, Shambhavi remained undeterred and showcased her resilience by winning the youth women’s title, finishing with a score of 253.6, ahead of Karnataka’s Nidhi Mittal by 1.8 points. Madhya Pradesh’s Gautami Bhanot claimed third place.

The senior qualification round attracted a diverse field of 411 shooters.


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