Saina loses

Hyderabad: World No. 2 Saina Nehwal suffered a crushing defeat to Han Li in Awadhe Warriors' 'trump' match as Mumbai Rockets stormed into the finals with an emphatic 3-0 win in the second semi-finals of the Premier Badminton League (PBL).

AITA move

Calcutta: The All India Tennis Association (AITA) has yet again accepted a request from Pakistan to host two junior ITF tournaments allotted to them because of the 'prevailing unrest' there. 'We have been hosting the two tournaments since last year on a request from Pakistan as the players and officials find it unsafe to travel there because of the prevailing unrest,' AITA management committee member, Hironmoy Chatterjee, said on Friday. Meanwhile, DKS will host the ITF Junior Tennis meet from January 18 to 23.

Lahiri, SSP lose

Shah Alam: Anirban Lahiri and SSP Chowrasia lost their respective matches as Europe out-putted Asia to grab a three-point lead, on the opening day of the second EurAsia Cup, at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club, here on Friday.

James out

Calcutta: James Pattinson will not be available for the Melbourne Renegades' match against the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League cricket match on Monday, a Cricket Australia release said on Friday.

Officials named

Calcutta: India's C. Shamshuddin will be one of the on-field umpires in the Under-19 World Cup opener on January 27, featuring Bangladesh and South Africa in Chittagong. Tim Robinson will be the other on-field umpire, with Phillip Jones as the TV umpire. Graeme La Brooy will be the match referee, the ICC said in a release.

PIL heard

Calcutta: A PIL moved by Kamal Dey came up for hearing on Friday before the division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. The petitioner alleged that CAB plans to add a company's name before Eden Gardens for its financial benefit. The Chief Justice ordered both the state government and CAB to file an affidavit by six weeks.

Staff reporter & agencies