U-19 National Cricket

KATHMANDU: The Wai Wai Under-19 National Cricket Tournament is beginning here at the Tribhuvan University (TU) Stadium in Kirtipur and Birendra Sainik Awashiya Mahavidhyalaya (BSAM) grounds in Bhaktapur from Tuesday. The tournament was originally scheduled to kick off on March 5. Region No 1 (Biratnagar) will take on Region No 3 (Kathmandu) at the TU Stadium while Region No 2 (Birgunj) will play against Region No 4 (Bhairahawa) at the BSAM grounds on the opening day, said Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) in a release on Monday. Meanwhile, CAN also formed the three-member National Selection Committee

under the convenorship of Arun Kumar Aryal. Other members of the committee are Damodar Gautam and Raju Khadka. — HNS

Klose battles fitness

MUNICH: Bayern Munich will be without Germany striker Miroslav Klose for at least two weeks after undergoing surgery on his right ankle on Sunday. The forward had to be helped off after 31 minutes of his side’s 3-0 win over Bochum on Saturday having damaged ankle ligaments and faces a race against time to be fit for Bayern’s Champions League quarter-final next month. Klose is out of Bayern’s clash against Karlsruhe this weekend and is highly doubtful for Germany’s World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein on March 28 and Wales on April 1. — AFP

Footballer shot dead

HILLA: An Iraqi footballer was killed by a stray bullet on Sunday when one of his team’s supporters fired off several rounds to celebrate their victory, police said. The game had just ended in a 1-0 home win for Annana over Sinjar, neighbouring village teams west of Hilla city, police lieutenant Ali al-Khafaji said. “A stray bullet hit Annana player Haider Hakem in the chest and he died,” Khafaji said. Police arrested the suspected killer from Annana. Fans often launch into a blaze of triumphal gunfire in Iraq when major league teams clash. — AFP