Nepal take on Oman

KATHMANDU: Nepal will play against Oman at the Belfast grounds in Northern Ireland on Monday, in their first official practice match ahead of the ICC World Cup T20 Qualifier. Nepal travelled to Ireland from the Netherlands where they played four-match T20I series. Nepal avoided whitewash winning the fourth match in Rotterdam. After the Oman match, Nepal will take on the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday at the same venue in their second and final practice match. Nepal are in Group A alongside Ireland, Hong Kong, Jersey, Namibia, PNG and the USA. Group B features Afghanistan, Canada, Kenya, Netherlands, Oman, Scotland and the UAE. The top six teams will join 10 Full Members in the ICC World T20 slated for March 11 to April 3 next year in India.

Govt to award athletes

KATHMANDU: Ministry of Youth and Sports has announced the names of athletes and coaches to be awarded with the National Sports Talent Award. Players Bimala Tamang (karate), Sompal Kami (cricket), Gyani Chunara (taekwondo), Bikram Bahadur Rana (athletics), Keshari Chaudhary (athletics), Binita Budhathoki (volleyball), and Diwas Shrestha (kickboxing) will receive Rs 100,000 each, while athletes Sunil Chaudhary and Prativa Chaudhary along with coaches Sanju Maharjan (karate) and Rajani Maiya (badminton) will get Rs 50,000 each.

Carlos to manage DD

NEW DELHI: Former Brazil and Real Madrid defender Roberto Carlos will manage Delhi Dynamos (DD) in this year’s Indian Super League, the club announced on Sunday. “I’m coming to you and into the club which is mine now... I want to win together,” the 42-year-old said in a brief video message to the club’s fans. The league got off to a rousing start last year with Brazilian Zico headlining the managers’ list while marquee players included Italian duo Alessandro Del Piero and Marco Materazzi, and Frenchman Nicholas Anelka. Zico has returned for his second year at the helm of FC Goa. Anelka also returned to Mumbai City FC, this time as player-cum-coach. Carlos, famous for his free-kick prowess during his playing days, replaces Dutchman Harm van Veldhoven, under whom Delhi finished at fifth spot last year. The second season of the eight-team league, boasting of celebrity owners, kicks off on October 3.

Tomic dumped out

WELLINGTON: Bernard Tomic has been dumped from Australia’s Davis Cup team after a blistering tirade at Tennis Australia officials following his third round exit at Wimbledon. The 22-year-old had accused TA of neglecting him and his sister Sara, whose funding was cut by the national body because of an uncooperative attitude of their father John. “His behaviour was unacceptable,” TA President Steve Healy said in a statement that added Tomic would not be picked for the July 17-19 quarter-final tie against Kazakhstan in Darwin. Tomic had said on Friday that he had considered withdrawing from the team for the upcoming tie, but chose to play because it was Lleyton Hewitt’s last Davis Cup appearance for Australia. Tomic has had run-ins with TA in the past and was dropped by then Davis Cup captain Pat Rafter for a tie against Taiwan in 2013.