Sports
Gujarat Open Golf: Yuvraj Sandhu Maintains Lead After Round Three

Yuvraj Sandhu from Chandigarh is in a strong position to secure consecutive victories on the PGTI Tour, maintaining a one-shot lead at 10-under 134 after the third round of the INR 1 crore Gujarat Open 2025, held at Glade One Golf Resort & Club on Thursday.
Sandhu (32-34-68), who triumphed in the season opener in Kolkata last week, recorded a steady four-under 68 on Thursday, despite struggling with his putting. The 27-year-old held onto his overnight lead, although his advantage was narrowed from two shots to just one.
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Delhi golfers Kshitij Naveed Kaul and Arjun Prasad achieved the day’s best scores of seven-under 65, moving into a tie for second place at nine-under 135. The pair jumped eight spots from their previous tied 10th position.
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Defending champion Abhinav Lohan improved his standing with a 68, climbing four spots to tied sixth place at six-under 138. Varun Parikh from Ahmedabad finished tied 39th at one-over 145 after a round of 75.
The tournament format consists of the first two rounds played over nine holes each, followed by the third and fourth rounds of 18 holes each, totaling 54 holes. The par for the course during the final rounds is 72, with different pin positions on the 9-hole layout used for the third round.
Sandhu’s performance was marked by impressive ball striking, missing only one green. He notched five birdies by the 11th hole before carding his only bogey of the day on the 13th. Sandhu achieved birdies on three of the four par-5 holes and made an excellent tee shot for a simple tap-in birdie on the par-3 fourth hole.
After completing his round, Sandhu commented, “I had a strong start today, but a cold putter made for a quiet back nine. Leading the pack despite not being at my best with the putter for two days feels great. I’m excited about the possibility of playing alongside my good friend and roommate Arjun Prasad. I’ve never been in the leader group with him, so it will be enjoyable.”
Kshitij Naveed Kaul impressively chipped in for an eagle on the 14th and made several good up-and-downs for birdies during his 65 to move into contention. Meanwhile, Arjun Prasad made excellent recoveries from the bunker to also close in on the leader with his own 65.
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Sports
India Secures 43 Medals at Asian U-15 and U-17 Boxing Championships

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.
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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.
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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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Sports
Fleming Acknowledges Auction Errors as CSK’s Playoff Chances Diminish

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.
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“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.”
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“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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Sports
Shambhavi Clinches Double Gold at the 23rd KSSM Championship

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.
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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.
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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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