I’ll do what a footballer is expected to do for fellow footballers: Kalyan Chaubey

Whoever wins on September 2, 2022, will finally have a footballer as the President of the All India Football Federation (AIFF). While both the candidates, Bhaichung Bhutia and Kalyan Choubey, have political affiliations, they are better known for playing the game at the international level rather than their politics. The new president must finish his job trying to set up the home of Indian football. However, the immediate task will be to remove the negativity around AIFF and take the Under-17 Women’s World Cup to perfection. Choubey, however, is at the forefront of garnering support from a host of state associations, which is evident from the presence of 27 state bodies at a meeting in Delhi on August 24 in support of his candidature. Choubey talks to Boria Majumdar about the AIFF suspension, the road ahead for Indian football, the Under-17 Women’s World Cup and more. Part:

You should be relieved by FIFA’s decision to lift AIFF’s suspension with immediate effect. Absolutely. It is a welcome relief for every Indian football fan. It is the collective efforts that have helped us come out of FIFA’s suspension. Now we can focus all of our energy on the positive things going forward.

There has been a lot of negative publicity for Indian football lately. If you become the AIFF President, what are your plans to get things back on track? I have been a footballer all my life. He has given me my identity. When I was 15 years old, I remember traveling to Dharamsala for a competition. We were 14 players and we all had to live in one room with just one toilet, which was always dirty. Within a week of that I had the privilege of traveling to Amsterdam with the best of facilities on a KLM flight as part of the Tata Football Academy team. Again, playing professional football, I’ve traveled in unreserved railway coaches next to toilets, and at the end of my career I’ve lived in five-star hotels. I am trying to tell you that I have seen both ends of the spectrum. I have seen good and evil. I have seen challenges to become a professional footballer. If you are a woman please add more layers to it. So, I know what’s involved and so I won’t need to google the formulas to cut up and play Indian football. I will apply my 25 years of learning and do what a footballer is expected to do for fellow footballers.

But you won’t have much time for the U-17 Women’s World Cup just a few weeks away. The condition of state unions is not good. Hardly any facilities. I agree with you For a professional body, we need professional facilities. If I win, my priority will be to ensure that every state has 10,000 square feet of office space for the AIFF – professionally run offices in all state associations manage my professionals. Only if you have the basics right can you control the game properly. And I will focus equally for men and women and ensure that every need is met at the state level itself. We have the capability, it is beyond doubt. The time has come to convert potential into results and for that you have to create infrastructure which is still lacking in our country.

The U-17 Women’s World Cup was one of the reasons why the country’s top court passed the order made by her. Your thoughts on that. This is a very important tournament and a stepping stone for many others. We will put all our energy in showing India to the world. The mindset has changed a lot over the years and the U-17 World Cup will take that mindset forward. But the World Cup is not an end in itself. This is a step on the way. We need all round development. We need states for development. We need basic facilities for men and women. Therefore, the focus cannot be only on organizing the World Cup. Work has to be done at every level and on every front.

Originally published at Pen 18

Afghanistan stuns Sri Lanka by 8 wickets in Asia Cup opener

Dubai: Afghanistan defeated five-time champions Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the opening match of the Asia Cup on Saturday.

Sri Lanka were bowled out for 105 in the final over, then Rahmanullah Gurbaz (40) and Hazratullah Zazai (37 not out) scored 83 in the powerplay to help Afghanistan reach 106-2 in 10.1 overs of their 100th Twenty20.

After being sent to bat in the first over, Sri Lanka could not recover from the twin strikes of Fazlahaq Farooqui. The left-arm pacer dismissed Kusal Mendis and Charit Aslanka in successive deliveries to win 3-11.

Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi said, “The morale of the team is high.

Nabi successfully went for a televised referral against Mendis when on-field umpire Ahsan Raza ruled in favor of the batsman after he was hit on the pads. Aslanka made another vicious Farooqui delivery after the next delivery.

Sri Lanka’s dressing room was taken by surprise when pacer Naveen-ul-Haq, despite showing no lead in the replays, took a suspicious catch against Pathum Nishanka as Afghanistan reduced to 5-3 in the first two overs.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who top-scored with 38, added 44 runs with Danushka Gunathilaka (17) before Afghanistan struck through their spinners Nabi, 2-14, and Mujeeb ur Rahman, 2-24.

Gunathilaka did not take a dropped catch when the ball hit the hands of Karim Janat in the covers and the same fielder was dismissed in the deep in the eighth over.

Captain Dasun Shanaka dismissed Nabi on the first ball, while Rajapaksa and Mahesh Tekashana were run out in clumsy fashion, leaving Sri Lanka at 75-9 in the 15th over.

“Look, these things can happen in T20 cricket but we have to come out of this situation, win the next match and qualify for the next stage,” Shanaka said.

Karunaratne struck till the last five overs and Farooqui clean bowled Karunaratne for 31 runs. Only three Sri Lankans reached double digits.

Afghanistan’s Gurbaz and Zazai both batted aggressively against debutant pacers Dilshan Madushanka and Mathisha Pathirana, while Karunaratne was dismissed for 20 in his lone over.

Gurbaz was stumped by veteran spinner Wanindu Hasaranga soon after the batting powerplay, but not before the batsman hit four sixes and three fours in his strong knock of just 18 balls.

“We batted like this to ensure that we have a good net run rate,” Zazai said. “Gurbaaz and I had an understanding. When he was hitting it well, I was taking a back seat. We aim to go to the finals.”

Group B consists of Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh while Group A consists of Pakistan, India and Hong Kong. The top two teams in each group advance to the Super 4 stage.

Originally published at Pen 18

Venus and Serena Williams handed US Open doubles wild card

New York: Serena and Venus Williams will return to court for the first time in four years after receiving wild cards in doubles at the US Open, organizers confirmed on Saturday.

Serena Williams, who is expected to retire after the US Open, has not partnered with older sister Venus in the doubles event, as the pair lost in the last 16 at the 2018 French Open.

He hasn’t played doubles at the US Open since 2014.

Playing together, the Williams sisters were a major force in Grand Slam doubles tennis, winning 14 titles as well as three Olympic gold medals.

Their last of 14 Grand Slam doubles victories was at Wimbledon in 2016, 17 years after their first title together at the 1999 French Open.

Serena Williams, who turns 41 next month, is expected to confirm her retirement from tennis after the US Open, signing off a career winning 23 Grand Slam singles titles.

Venus Williams, 42, has not yet announced any plans to retire.

Originally published at Pen 18

fifa: FIFA lifts All India Football Federation ban, U-17 Women’s World Cup 2022 to go ahead as planned

FIFA on Friday lifted its suspension from the All India Football Federation (AIFF), which was imposed earlier this month due to undue influence of third parties.

FIFA said in a statement that the decision was taken after the international governing body received confirmation that the mandate of the Committee of Administrators established to assume the powers of the AIFF Executive Committee had been terminated and the AIFF administration achieved a full refund. Had done Control over daily affairs of AIFF.

FIFA and AFC will continue to monitor the situation and support AIFF in conducting its elections on time, it added.

FIFA’s decision also means that India can now host the U-17 Women’s World Cup, which is scheduled to take place from October 11-30.

Originally published at Pen 18

fifa: FIFA lifts suspension of AIFF; U-17 Women’s Football World Cup to be held in India – The Economic Times Video

World football’s governing body FIFA on Friday lifted the ban on the AIFF after the Supreme Court struck down the Committee of Administrators (CoA) order paving the way for India to host the Women’s U-17 World Cup in October. . FIFA on 15 August suspended the AIFF for “undue influence of third parties” and said that the Under-17 Women’s World Cup “cannot be held as planned in India at present”.

Originally published at Pen 18

india pakistan: Asia Cup begins tonight; chance for teams to test preparedness for T20 World Cup

The unpredictability of the T20 format and the development of the game in the region could make the 2022 Asia Cup the closest match ever, starting tonight.

Barring the lone qualifier Hong Kong, five other teams, including record seven-time champions India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, could beat each other on their day.

The tournament, which is being staged in the T20 format after six years, had to be moved to the UAE after hosts Sri Lanka expressed their inability to hold it back home amid the economic crisis facing the island nation.

Although conditions in the UAE will be different from the World Cup in Australia in October-November, all competing sides will be looking to identify their final squad for the ICC event over the course of the next two weeks.

There is also a lot at stake for the participating teams. India will look to execute their aggressive stance with the bat in a high-pressure environment starting with the opener against Pakistan on Sunday.

All eyes will be on Kohli, who will be expected to come out of the long thin patch. The focus will be on the performance of the top three, including Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, while injured pacer Jasprit Bumrah will be sorely missed.

Pakistan will be aiming to win the tournament which it last won in 2012 when it was played in the ODI format. With star pacer Shaheen Afridi ruled out of the tournament, he has had to back down with some injury concerns.

With a relatively inexperienced middle order, there will be more reliance on the opening pair of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.

Originally published at Pen 18

virat kohli: Asia Cup 2022 India vs Pakistan: KL Rahul says Virat Kohli isn’t affected by what people are saying – The Economic Times Video

India will begin their Asia Cup campaign on Sunday with a high-voltage encounter against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Just as skipper Rohit Sharma has defended all questions on Virat Kohli’s prolonged bad patch, his deputy KL Rahul has answered the clear blueprint saying it is all “noise outside”. The last time the two sides met in the T20 World Cup in October last year, Pakistan defeated India by 10 wickets.

Originally published at Pen 18