Indian Sports Wrap, April 7: Abhay Singh goes down against Youssef Ibrahim at El Gouna Open SQUASH
Top-ranked Indian Abhay Singh went down in a five-game thriller to Egyptian world No 7 Youssef Ibrahim in the men’s second round of the El Gouna Open squash, a PSA Platinum event, in El Gouna, Egypt, on Monday.
World No. 25 Abhay began strongly, winning the opening and third games, before the Egyptian wrested control to advance with a hard-fought 7-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 11-8 victory in 68 minutes.
-Team Sportstar
SURFING
The championship is aiming to expand India’s competitive surfing circuit.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The championship is aiming to expand India’s competitive surfing circuit.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The Surfing Federation of India, in association with the Department of Tourism, Andaman & Nicobar Administration, is set to host the national-level surfing championship ‘Little Andaman Pro 2026’ for the very first time in the islands.
Scheduled from April 9 to 12, the four-day championship will take place at Butler Bay Beach.
Speaking about the upcoming championship, SFI President Arun Vasu said, “The Little Andaman Pro marks an important milestone for Indian surfing. It not only strengthens our National Surf Series but also provides athletes the opportunity to compete in high-quality reef conditions, which is essential for their growth at the international level.”
-Team Sportstar
GOLF
Dhruv Sheoran leads by one on Day 1 of Andhra Open Golf Championship
Dhruv Sheoran, a winner on the DP World PGTI, posted an opening round of four-under 67 to set the pace in round one of the Rs 1 crore Andhra Open at the East Point Golf Club (EPGC) in Visakhapatnam.
The 31-year-old Dhruv soared to the top of the leaderboard with an eagle on the par-5 12th and a run of three consecutive birdies from the first through the third.
On the 12th, Dhruv hit a massive 372-yard drive followed by a gap wedge that left him two feet short of the hole, and he converted the putt for eagle on the par-71 course.
The Bengaluru-based duo of PGTI winners Chikkarangappa S. and Khalin Joshi were tied second, one shot back at three-under 68.
– PTI
HOCKEY
Odisha overpowers Kerala; Chandigarh and Haryana register win
Chandigarh, Haryana, Odisha, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu registered victories in their respective Division ‘A’ matches at the 16th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship in Rajgir.
In the first match of the day, Chandigarh staged a spirited comeback to defeat Maharashtra 5–3 in a pulsating Pool A match.
Maharashtra drew first blood through Pravin Patiyal Pratham (21’), but Chandigarh skipper Sahil Duhan (27’) responded swiftly to restore parity.
Rehan Shafi Khan (32’) put Maharashtra back in front soon after the break, yet Chandigarh showed resilience once again. Goals from Parambir Singh (46’) and Arjandeep Singh (53’) turned the tide in their favour, giving them a crucial one-goal lead.
Maharashtra refused to back down, with Rehan Shafi Khan (56’) scoring his second of the match to level proceedings. However, the momentum swung decisively in Chandigarh’s favour as Parambir Singh (56’) completed his brace moments later, before Afridi (57’) put the result beyond doubt
The second game of the day saw Hockey Haryana register a comfortable 3–0 win over Hockey Manipur in their Pool C clash. Aditya Kumar (11’) , Ashish (16’) and Rohit (42’) were the goal scorers.
Odisha delivered a dominant performance, thrashing Kerala 8–0 in their Pool D match with Deepak Prakash Toppo (13’), Mohan Majhi (18’, 48’), Amandeep Dang (38’), Manesh Naik (41’), Bikash Majhi (45’), Mithles Kerketta (52’) and Bipul Tirkey (57’) scoring.
In the fourth and final match of the day, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Hockey registered a commanding 6–0 victory over Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu in their Pool B encounter.
Dhiraj Pal (20’, 54’) and Abhishek Pal (31’, 60’) scored a brace each while Ajay Yadav (17’) and Pawan Yadav (47’) also resgistered their names on the scoresheet.
– PTI
CRICKET
Bengal Pro T20 League to get a ninth team in 2026 season
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) on Tuesday welcomed a ninth franchise, Novus Purulia Royals, for the third season of the Bengal Pro T20 League (BPTL) scheduled in June.
“BPTL has been a success, helping find talent. I am thrilled to announce the ninth franchise for the league,” said CAB president Sourav Ganguly in the presence of well known cricketers such as Jhulan Goswami, Ajinkya Rahane, Mohammed Shami and Rinku Singh in Kolkata.
-Team Sportstar
Published on Apr 07, 2026
#Indian #Sports #Wrap #April #Abhay #Singh #Youssef #Ibrahim #Gouna #Open
SQUASH
Top-ranked Indian Abhay Singh went down in a five-game thriller to Egyptian world No 7 Youssef Ibrahim in the men’s second round of the El Gouna Open squash, a PSA Platinum event, in El Gouna, Egypt, on Monday.
World No. 25 Abhay began strongly, winning the opening and third games, before the Egyptian wrested control to advance with a hard-fought 7-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 11-8 victory in 68 minutes.
-Team Sportstar
SURFING
The championship is aiming to expand India’s competitive surfing circuit. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The championship is aiming to expand India’s competitive surfing circuit. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The Surfing Federation of India, in association with the Department of Tourism, Andaman & Nicobar Administration, is set to host the national-level surfing championship ‘Little Andaman Pro 2026’ for the very first time in the islands.
Scheduled from April 9 to 12, the four-day championship will take place at Butler Bay Beach.
Speaking about the upcoming championship, SFI President Arun Vasu said, “The Little Andaman Pro marks an important milestone for Indian surfing. It not only strengthens our National Surf Series but also provides athletes the opportunity to compete in high-quality reef conditions, which is essential for their growth at the international level.”
-Team Sportstar
GOLF
Dhruv Sheoran leads by one on Day 1 of Andhra Open Golf Championship
Dhruv Sheoran, a winner on the DP World PGTI, posted an opening round of four-under 67 to set the pace in round one of the Rs 1 crore Andhra Open at the East Point Golf Club (EPGC) in Visakhapatnam.
The 31-year-old Dhruv soared to the top of the leaderboard with an eagle on the par-5 12th and a run of three consecutive birdies from the first through the third.
On the 12th, Dhruv hit a massive 372-yard drive followed by a gap wedge that left him two feet short of the hole, and he converted the putt for eagle on the par-71 course.
The Bengaluru-based duo of PGTI winners Chikkarangappa S. and Khalin Joshi were tied second, one shot back at three-under 68.
– PTI
HOCKEY
Odisha overpowers Kerala; Chandigarh and Haryana register win
Chandigarh, Haryana, Odisha, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu registered victories in their respective Division ‘A’ matches at the 16th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship in Rajgir.
In the first match of the day, Chandigarh staged a spirited comeback to defeat Maharashtra 5–3 in a pulsating Pool A match.
Maharashtra drew first blood through Pravin Patiyal Pratham (21’), but Chandigarh skipper Sahil Duhan (27’) responded swiftly to restore parity.
Rehan Shafi Khan (32’) put Maharashtra back in front soon after the break, yet Chandigarh showed resilience once again. Goals from Parambir Singh (46’) and Arjandeep Singh (53’) turned the tide in their favour, giving them a crucial one-goal lead.
Maharashtra refused to back down, with Rehan Shafi Khan (56’) scoring his second of the match to level proceedings. However, the momentum swung decisively in Chandigarh’s favour as Parambir Singh (56’) completed his brace moments later, before Afridi (57’) put the result beyond doubt
The second game of the day saw Hockey Haryana register a comfortable 3–0 win over Hockey Manipur in their Pool C clash. Aditya Kumar (11’) , Ashish (16’) and Rohit (42’) were the goal scorers.
Odisha delivered a dominant performance, thrashing Kerala 8–0 in their Pool D match with Deepak Prakash Toppo (13’), Mohan Majhi (18’, 48’), Amandeep Dang (38’), Manesh Naik (41’), Bikash Majhi (45’), Mithles Kerketta (52’) and Bipul Tirkey (57’) scoring.
In the fourth and final match of the day, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Hockey registered a commanding 6–0 victory over Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu in their Pool B encounter.
Dhiraj Pal (20’, 54’) and Abhishek Pal (31’, 60’) scored a brace each while Ajay Yadav (17’) and Pawan Yadav (47’) also resgistered their names on the scoresheet.
– PTI
CRICKET
Bengal Pro T20 League to get a ninth team in 2026 season
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) on Tuesday welcomed a ninth franchise, Novus Purulia Royals, for the third season of the Bengal Pro T20 League (BPTL) scheduled in June.
“BPTL has been a success, helping find talent. I am thrilled to announce the ninth franchise for the league,” said CAB president Sourav Ganguly in the presence of well known cricketers such as Jhulan Goswami, Ajinkya Rahane, Mohammed Shami and Rinku Singh in Kolkata.
-Team Sportstar
Published on Apr 07, 2026
![Why NFL’s Proposed 18-Game Schedule Doesn’t Make Sense | Deadspin.com Before the NFL turned its attention to the upcoming draft, the offseason chatter was heavy on whether or not the league should expand its schedule from 17 to 18 regular season games. That subject was a popular topic at the annual league meeting in March.There’s no doubt an 18-game regular season schedule is what NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wants. That would increase revenue – remember, it’s always about money – and allow the league to move the Super Bowl to Presidents’ Day weekend. It would likely mean the NFL would add international games (one for each team) and perhaps another streaming service as well.It would also mean reducing the preseason from three games to two, and (hopefully) adding a second bye week.“I like it for the long-term growth and development of the league – to keep our league healthy and grow revenue,” New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft told reporters at the league meeting. “I think preseason games have not been what (they) used to be.“It would allow us to also grow the game internationally,” Kraft continued. “Every team in the league would play a game overseas. I think it would be a lot more exciting to the fans to have an extra game rather than the way our preseason games stack up.”Why NFL’s 18th game is a bad ideaTypically, more football is a good thing. In terms of adding an 18th regular season game, however, more would be less.Of the four major sports the NFL has the most meaningful regular season. Why? Because it plays the fewest regular season games. Each NFL contest carries more weight than a game in the NBA, NHL or MLB.The NFL went from 16 to 17 regular season games in 2021. Lengthening the season in any way would be adding to an already saturated product.Don’t fall for the talk that eliminating a preseason game and adding a game to the regular season is an even trade, since key players typically see little playing time during the preseason. That’s like comparing apples to dump trucks.Another strong argument against going to an 18-game schedule is player health. NFL bodies are already being pushed to the limit. The fear here is that adding to the regular season would be the tipping point that leads NFL players to start taking games off, like you see in today’s NBA.NFL load management? No thanks.“From playing in the league, and I played 16 [games], it was a long season,” Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “So to play 17 is long, 18 is just adding more games. It’s definitely harder on the players. You think about the guys, and if you see what guys go through on a day-to-day basis, week-to-week basis, just to get ready for football games, adding another game is definitely going to be hard on the players.“It’s not my decision to make, but just my perspective and what these guys have to go through and what they put their bodies through, it’ll be really tough to ask the guys to go do another one.”Like having an extra dessert, an 18-game regular season schedule would be too much of a good thing. #NFLs #Proposed #18Game #Schedule #Doesnt #Sense #Deadspin.com](https://i3.wp.com/lineup-publishing.s3.amazonaws.com/1775918065280?ssl=1 "Why NFL’s Proposed 18-Game Schedule Doesn’t Make Sense | Deadspin.com Before the NFL turned its attention to the upcoming draft, the offseason chatter was heavy on whether or not the league should expand its schedule from 17 to 18 regular season games. That subject was a popular topic at the annual league meeting in March.There’s no doubt an 18-game regular season schedule is what NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wants. That would increase revenue – remember, it’s always about money – and allow the league to move the Super Bowl to Presidents’ Day weekend. It would likely mean the NFL would add international games (one for each team) and perhaps another streaming service as well.It would also mean reducing the preseason from three games to two, and (hopefully) adding a second bye week.“I like it for the long-term growth and development of the league – to keep our league healthy and grow revenue,” New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft told reporters at the league meeting. “I think preseason games have not been what (they) used to be.“It would allow us to also grow the game internationally,” Kraft continued. “Every team in the league would play a game overseas. I think it would be a lot more exciting to the fans to have an extra game rather than the way our preseason games stack up.”Why NFL’s 18th game is a bad ideaTypically, more football is a good thing. In terms of adding an 18th regular season game, however, more would be less.Of the four major sports the NFL has the most meaningful regular season. Why? Because it plays the fewest regular season games. Each NFL contest carries more weight than a game in the NBA, NHL or MLB.The NFL went from 16 to 17 regular season games in 2021. Lengthening the season in any way would be adding to an already saturated product.Don’t fall for the talk that eliminating a preseason game and adding a game to the regular season is an even trade, since key players typically see little playing time during the preseason. That’s like comparing apples to dump trucks.Another strong argument against going to an 18-game schedule is player health. NFL bodies are already being pushed to the limit. The fear here is that adding to the regular season would be the tipping point that leads NFL players to start taking games off, like you see in today’s NBA.NFL load management? No thanks.“From playing in the league, and I played 16 [games], it was a long season,” Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “So to play 17 is long, 18 is just adding more games. It’s definitely harder on the players. You think about the guys, and if you see what guys go through on a day-to-day basis, week-to-week basis, just to get ready for football games, adding another game is definitely going to be hard on the players.“It’s not my decision to make, but just my perspective and what these guys have to go through and what they put their bodies through, it’ll be really tough to ask the guys to go do another one.”Like having an extra dessert, an 18-game regular season schedule would be too much of a good thing. #NFLs #Proposed #18Game #Schedule #Doesnt #Sense #Deadspin.com")
Post Comment