Bancroft scores 138 on first-class return after ban SYDNEY: Australian opening batsman Cameron Bancroft scored an unbeaten 138 on his return to first-class after a nine-month ball-tampering ban. Bancroft was suspended, along with then Australia SPORTS 13 Steve Smith and David Warner, after the incident during last year’s third Test against South Africa. His ban ended in December and he played in the Big Bash League but this was his red-ball return for Western FREE PRESS Australia. Australia travel to England for five Ashes Tests this summer. INDORE | TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 26, 2019

WGC-MEXICO CHAMPIONSHIP IT WAS DIFFICULT TRACK EVEN FOR A PLAYER LIKE DHONI: MAXWELL VISAKHAPATNAM: Mahendra Singh Dhoni once again drew flak for his slow strike-rate against East Bengal-Real Australia in the first T20 International but Glenn Maxwell feels that on a low and slow track, that was all the former India captain could have done. Dhoni managed 29 off 37 balls in India’s below-par 126 for 7 on a track where the ball was not coming onto the bat. To be fair to Dhoni, a clutch of Dustin Johnson wins Kashmir game shifted fell and he also had to stem the rot with Yuzvendra Chahal at the other end. to Delhi from Srinagar

AGENCIES their game in the region 20th PGA Tour title Kolkata despite AIFF’s security as- surances. AGENCIES Johnson, 34, becomes only the fifth East Bengal’s I-League Minerva had approached Mexico player in the last 50 years to reach 20 game against fellow title the high court challenging PGA Tour wins before the age of 35, put- aspirants Real Kashmir AIFF’s refusal to postpone American Dustin Johnson claimed his ting him in the company of only Woods, FC was on Monday shifted the February 18 match. 20th PGA Tour title with a five-shot vic- Phil Mickelson, Johnny Miller and Tom to New Delhi from Srina- East Bengal had request- tory at the WGC-Mexico Championship. Watson. gar due to security rea- ed the AIFF to shift the ’s Rory McIlroy Defending champion Mickelson, sons in the wake of the match to a later date until reduced Johnson’s lead to two Pulwama terror attack, normalcy is restored in early on and sunk six birdies on “This is a big win for the All India Football Fed- the valley, but the govern- the back nine as he shot a four- me. It gives me a lot of eration (AIFF) sources ing body stuck to their under 67 to finish 16 under. said. guns saying local authori- World No 3 Johnson, confidence for the rest “The match will take ties had assured of all four ahead of the year. I feel like place on February 28, but safety to the teams. overnight, re- in New Delhi due to secu- But on Sunday, security sponded the game is in good rity issues,” a source forces asked the AIFF to with five form right now.” said.The matter was dis- postpone a second division birdies in cussed at the League com- I-League match in Srina- seven holes mittee meeting in New gar saying it was “too to post a 66. - DUSTIN JOHNSON Delhi. risky” to play football. England’s “We have not heard from Lonestar Kashmir were Paul Casey the AIFF yet. We will slated to take on ARA FC and Ian Poul- who opened with make necessary arrange- at the TRC Football ter were tied a 79, rolled in a 12- ments once we get an offi- Ground, home to Real in third place foot birdie putt cial word,” East Bengal Kashmir also, on Sunday. on 11 under. at his final hole CEO Sanjit Sen said. Casey moved for a 68 and a East Bengal were origi- up 10 places on level par final nally scheduled to take on the leaderboard total. Round of Real Kashmir on February with a final the day be- 10, but saw their match round of 65, longed to postponed to February 28 with four Justin due to snowfall in the Val- birdies on the Thomas, ley. opening six who carded a But after the February 14 holes. He and nine-under Pulwama terror attack, in Poulter shared 62 to finish which 40 CRPF troopers third place with nine under were killed, there were Thai Kiradech overall. doubts whether the match Aphibarnrat. would take place in Srina- Tiger Woods carded a fi- gar with I-League defend- nal-round 69 with three US golfer Dustin Johnson poses with his Mexico Championship ing champions Minerva birdies to finish on eight trophy at the Chapultepec Golf Club in Mexico City on Sunday AP/PTI Punjab FC not playing under in joint 10th place.

CEC MEET ICC to apprise Indian board of security arrangements during WC

AGENCIES Dubai

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will clear In- dia’s “doubts” about security at the upcoming World Cup but the world body is unlike- ly to even discuss a possible boycott of Pakistan when its Chief Executives Committee (CEC) meets here on Wednes- day. More than 40 CRPF person- nel were killed in the Pulwa- ma terror attack which led to demands that India should boycott the Pakistan game in the World Cup in Manchester on June 16. Responding to the outrage, Shooters during the men’s 10m air rifle event of ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol at Dr Karni Singh Shooting the Committee of Adminis- Range in New Delhi on Monday PTI trators running Indian crick- et wrote a letter to the ICC urging it boycott countries from where “terrorism em- anates” but did not specifi- Rashid takes 4 wkts in four balls as cally name Pakistan. The quarterly meeting of the ICC will start in Dubai on Wednesday with the Chief win against Ireland Executives (CEC) meeting meeting where BCCI CEO AGENCIES game was a dead rubber, while becoming just the Rahul Johri’s letter will be Dhera Dun Ireland came into the fourth Irishman to reach tabled and the matter will be match hoping to restore 1,000 runs in the format. discussed. took four some pride having been on The Dubliner became the The BCCI had expressed its wickets in four balls as the receiving end of a first batsman to fall to concern about the safety of Afghanistan beat Ireland to record T20 international Khan with the last ball of the players and officials dur- secure a 3-0 series win in score of 278-3 in the second the 16th over, driving at a ing the World Cup which the final interna- game. wide with the bot- starts May 30 in England. tional in India. Hazratullah Zazai scored tom edge just carrying to “The ICC will provide all The world’s top-ranked a stunning 162 in wicketkeeper Shafiqullah the details of the security bowler in the game’s short- that game and once again Shafuq. arrangements made for the est format ended the match set off at a quick pace, rac- Khan, who took 4-25 a day World Cup. It will be same for with 5-27 after Ireland be- ing to 31 after four overs. earlier, had his second all the participating nations gan their chase of 211 Two quick wickets from courtesy of a stunning and England and Wales brightly. Boyd Rankin helped check catch over the Cricket Board have always hit sev- the Afghan innings but from Nabi before Shane provided top notch arrange- en sixes as his 81 drove Nabi’s 36-ball blitz ensured Geftake and Simi Singh fell ments,” a senior BCCI offi- Afghanistan over the 200 that Ireland were set anoth- in the next two deliveries. cial privy to the ICC’s func- mark for the second time in er daunting run chase. The five-match ODI series tioning said on conditions of two days. Ireland opener Khan brilliance overshad- between the countries be- anonymity. “But since there Kevin O’Brien top-scored ows O’Brien’s landmark gins on Thursday before has been an apprehension, for his side with 74. ‘Brien spearheaded the they play a Test match at the doubts will be cleared,” Although Afghanistan’s 2- chase for Ireland and the same Dehradun venue the official added. 0 lead meant Sunday’s reached his half- starting on 15 March. Controversial Serena’s cartoon didn’t breach press standards AGENCIES award-winning cartoonist, Canberra Mark Knight, was pub- lished shortly after the bad- Australia’s media watchdog on tempered final, in which Monday ruled that a widely Williams had a dispute with criticised cartoon showing ten- the umpire over his alleged- nis legend Serena Williams ly sexist treatment. jumping next to a broken rack- The press watchdog re- et and a pacifier which she had ceived a number of com- spat, did not breach press stan- plaints about the image, dards. which drew international The Australian Press Council condemnation. ruled that the drawing, pub- The Press Council said the lished by the Melbourne-based newspaper “was depicting Herald Sun newspaper, was in- the moment when, in a stead capturing Williams’ “on- highly animated tantrum, court tantrum” at the 2018 US Williams smashed a racquet Open final “using satire, cari- and loudly abused the chair cature, exaggeration and hu- A photo illustration shows the front page of the Herald Sun newspaper in umpire, calling him a thief, mour”, news agencies report- Australia, featuring a cartoon of U.S. tennis player Serena Williams (lower R), a liar and threatening that ed. he would never umpire her The cartoon by the daily’s on sale at a newsstand in Melbourne on September 12, 2018. matches again”.