TVS Tyres Cup

MADHYAPUR THIMI: Madhyapur Youth Association (MYA) is organising the TVS Tyres Cup second Inter-school Invitational Football Tournament here from Saturday. In all, 22 school teams are taking part in the tournament, said the organisers at a press meet on Friday. MYA President Upendra Man Singh exchanged the Memorandum of Understandings with chief sponsors Surya Distributors Pvt Ltd MD Gautam Shrestha and co-sponsor Mary Gold Foods Pvt Ltd MD Laxmi Prasad Poudel. Other sponsors of the tournament are Madhyapur Thimi Municipality, Adidas, Pepsi, Scot & Scotch and Attsh. — HNS

Maradona in England

MANCHESTER: Argentina coach Diego Maradona continued his trip to meet with his country’s Europe-based players on Friday with a visit to England. Maradona, who was confirmed as national team coach this week, briefly talked with Manchester United’s Carlos Tevez before leaving to visit Javier Mascherano of Liverpool. The former Argentina great, who led his country to the 1986 World Cup title, already met with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich pair Martin Demichelis and Jose Ernesto Sosa on Thursday. — AP

Alam backs Akhtar

KARACHI: Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam backed Shoaib Akhtar to keep his long run-up. Former coaches Bob Woolmer and Geoff Lawson had tried to convince Akhtar to bowl with a shortened run-up. “If you shorten his run-up, it might affect his rhythm,” Alam said. “He is a genuine fast bowler and his run-up is very important.” Akhtar refused to shorten his run-up, sometimes resulting in his overs taking longer than the usual four minutes to complete. “We will work on making sure he takes four minutes for an over,” Alam said. — AP