U-5ft basketball

KATHMANDU: The first Kwik’s Greenland Inter-school Under-5 feet Basketball Tournament is scheduled for February 13-19 at the Greenland Int’l Secondary Boarding School. A totol of 24 teams, 12 each in girls and boys, are taking part in the league-cum-knockout event. According to the principal of the school, Thakin K Gurung, only those school from the northern belt of Kathmandu that have basketball coach and a court were invited for the tournament. — HNS

Karate team leaves

KATHMANDU: A 15-member karate team left for New Delhi to participate in the second All India Karate Championship and second South Asian Karate Championship slated for February 11-12. The team led by Balaju Dojo chief Dhurba Bikram Malla included Shyam Rai (40kg), Narayan Pant (50), Sunil Lama (55), Kulman Shrestha (60), Gyaneswor Dhamala (65), Gyan Ratna Malla (80), Ram Chandra Gurung (Kata), Krishna Raj Singh (70), Sharmila Lama (40), Kunti Rai (45), Kalpana Basnet (55) and Mamita Shrestha (Kata). Shyam Sherpa and Madhu Lama also accompanied the team as officials. — HNS

S Korea beat India

SEOUL: South Korea took a 2-0 lead against India with victories in both singles matches of their first round Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Zone Group I tie. India’s Rohan Bopanna took the first set 6-3 against 677th-ranked Chung Hee-Seok before the South Korean won 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4. In the second match, South Korean Lee Hyung-Taik beat Prakash Amritraj 6-2, 6-2, 6-0. South Korea’s Kwon Oh-Hee and Jun Woong-Sun will play India’s Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi in Saturday’s doubles. — AFP

Tushar Imran axed

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s cricket selectors dropped batsman Tushar Imran for an upcoming home one-day series against Sri Lanka. He was replaced with all-rounder Alok Kapali in a 15-member squad led by Habibul Bashar. Bangladesh will play three one-dayers against the visitors on February 19, 20 and 24. The sides will then clash in a two-Test series. — AFP

Safin out, Baghdatis in

MARSEILLE: Surprise Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis is set to play in the $600,000 ATP Marseille Open after Russian Marat Safin pulled out. Safin cited a knee injury and lack of form for his decision to skip the tournament, which runs from February 13-19. Baghdatis won an army of admirers and respect after he conquered fourth-seed David Nalbandian, second-seed Andy Roddick and seventh-seed Ivan Ljubicic in the last month’s Australian Open. — AFP

Udinese sack coach

ROME: Udinese sacked their coach Serse Cosmi after a string of poor results, the Serie A club confirmed. The 47-year-old, whose contract was due to expire in 2007, paid the price for the north-east outfit’s dire form which has seen them fall towards the relegation zone. Udinese’s veteran Argentine defender Nestor Sensini and former Como coach Loris Dominissini will take over the running of the team until the end of the season. — AFP