1 min, 2 goals: India stump England in thriller

Gold Coast: Varun Kumar and Mandeep Singh struck as the clock ticked down to help the Indian men’s hockey team pull off a thrilling 4-3 win over England to top Pool B in the Commonwealth Games here on Wednesday.

Varun Kumar (59th minute) scored the 3-3 equaliser through a well-struck penalty corner before Mandeep Singh (60’) deflected in the winner.

Rupinder Pal Singh (51’) and Manpreet Singh (33’) were the other scorers for India while David Condon (17’), Liam Ansell (52’) and Sam Ward (56’) struck for England.

India’s final league game also decided their semi-final opponents and they take on New Zealand while England will face defending champions Australia.

It was Manpreet’s fierce strike from the midfield that found a deflection off Mandeep’s stick and ensured the sensational win. “This kind of hard work on field is what we trained for, where we paid a lot of attention to discipline and winning mentality. I’m happy this has come in the right moment in the tournament after an average start,” said chief coach Sjoerd Marijne.

The women meanwhile, face a stiff test in their semi-final against world number five and favourites Australia on Thursday. Said captain Rani Rampal, “We need to make sure that we are efficient against Australia as we might not get too many chances,” said the skipper.

Boxers continue onward march

M.C. Mary Kom (left) in action against Sri Lanka’s Anusha Kodithuwakku in the women’s boxing 48kg semi-final at Gold Coast on Wednesday. (Photo: PTI )

The indomitable M.C. Mary Kom (48kg) stormed stayed was on course to deliver India’s maiden CWG gold in women’s boxing, while Vikas Krishan (75kg) along with two others entered the men’s semi-finals. Five-time world champion and Olympic bronze medallist Mary Kom defeated Anusha Dilrukshi Koddith-uwakku of Sri Lanka 5-0 to make the summit clash in her debut appearance at the Games.

Among the men, debutants Gaurav Solanki (52kg) and Manish Kaushik (60kg), and Worlds bronze medallist Vikas made the semi-finals. It took the number of men’s boxers in medal rounds to eight, a 100 per cent success rate in the event and one more compared to their best ever show at 2010 CWG.

However, another Indian veteran, L. Sarita Devi (60kg) failed to secure a medal after going down to Australia’s Anja Stridsman as also Pinki Jangra (51kg), who lost to England’s Lisa Whiteside in the quarters.

Shuttlers win
Fit-again top seed P.V. Sindhu led the charge as Indian shuttlers made short work of their rivals to enter pre-quarterfinals.

Sindhu took just 18 minutes to oust Fiji’s Andra Whiteside 21-6, 21-3 while second seed Saina Nehwal dispatched Elsie de Villiers of South Africa 21-3, 21-1 in the round of 32 match.

Ruthivika Gadde beat Ghana’s Grace Atipaka 21-5, 21-7, and in the men’s draw, K. Srikanth defeated Mauritian Aatish Lubah 21-13, 21-10.

In squash, defending champions Dipikal Pallikal and Joshna Chinappa entered the women’s doubles quarter-finals, outclassing Malta’s Dianne Kellas and Colette Sultana 11-5, 11-6. In the mixed doubles, Chinappa and Harinder Pal Sandhu sailed past Scotland’s Lisa Aitken and Kevin Moran 11-10, 11-8 and in the men’s doubles. 

On the track, India continued their search for a medal with high jumper Tejaswin Shankar and quarter-miler Hima Das both finishing sixth in their respective events.