Indian sports wrap, February 11: Ambrish, Deepesh felicitated by TNCA

CRICKET

Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) felicitated India cricketers R.S. Ambrish and Deepesh Devendran, who were part of the Under-19 World Cup winning squad.

The two players were given a cash award of Rs 5 lakh each in the presence of the TNCA office bearers.

India won its sixth title beating England by 100 runs in the final last Sunday in Harare.

Ambrish scored 73 runs in the tournament and claimed 11 wickets, while Deepesh accounted for six wickets.

GOLF

Diksha and Avani off to strong starts in PIF Saudi international

Indian golfers Diksha Dagar and Avani Prashanth were off to a good start, carding 3-under 69s in the opening round of the PIF Saudi Ladies International in Riyadh.

They were tied 21st and five shots behind Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi (64) as some players were yet to finish the round. Lying second was Japan’s Chizzy Iwai (65).

Three other Indians are playing in the 120-player field at the tournament which carried a huge prize purse of USD 5 million.

Aditi Ashok picked a birdie on her closing hole — the ninth to be 1-under 71 for the day and was T-70, while Pranavi Urs carded 1-over 73 and was T-86 and Hitaashee Bakshi was even par with five more holes to play.

Diksha, the top Indian on the LET Order of Merit in 2025, birdied the third, 12th and the 18th for a clean card.

Avani birdied the opening hole and even though she gave back that shot on the fourth she picked up momentum again with birdies on the fifth and eighth. She turned in 2-under.

On the back, birdies on the 12th and the 15th brought her near the Top-10, but a closing bogey on the 18th pulled her back and she finished at 3-under 69.

– PTI

Golfer Zara Anand to lead Indian team at Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific

Zara Anand will lead a four-member Indian team at the prestigious World Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) in Wellington beginning on Thursday.

Zara will be accompanied by Guntas Kaur Sandhu (world No. 545), Ananyaa Sood (581) and Jia Kataria (584).

The tournament is hosted by The R&A (Royal & Ancient, Scotland), the world governing body for the rules of golf, in association with the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC).

The winner of World Amateur Asia-Pacific earns invitations to play in three major championships – the AIG Women’s Open, the Amundi Evian Championship and The Chevron Championship.

The winner also features in elite championships such as the Hana Financial Group Championship, ISPS HANDA Women’s Australian Open, The Women’s Amateur Championship and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, making it the most sought-after event for women amateurs across the globe.

Zara has registered some impressive performances in the last two seasons, including a top-10 finish in the Queen Sirikit Cup last year. She was adjudged the best amateur player of the tournament, ultimately finishing tied 15th overall.

Guntas also had a remarkable domestic season winning four times on the IGU circuit. She finished third in the 2025 IGU All India Ladies & Junior Girls Amateur Championship.

Jia is a US Collegiate golf scholar and has been a consistent performer as she won four titles last season, including the LTU Spring Break Invitational, SSAC Women’s Golf Championship, Seahawk Shootout and Lady Roadrunner Fall Invite.

Ananyaa won the US Kids United Arab Emirates Championship last year along with four top-10 finishes in the UAE. She also won the Robert Rock Junior Golf Tour UAE Championship, and the Tommy Fleetwood International Pathway Series in the UAE.

– PTI

Anvitha takes over lead from Tvesa in WPGT

A day after a bogey-free card, Tvesa Malik endured a rocky outing in the second round of the Women’s Pro Golf Tour to slip to the second spot in Pune on Wednesday.

She shot 2-over 74 and slipped from the top spot to second behind Anvitha Narender (72).

Anvitha, who shot 71 in the first round added even par 72 in the second, moved to the top with one more round to go.

Riya Jadon rose to third place with a steady 72 that included three birdies against three bogeys, while Nayanika Sanga (71), who carded three birdies in the first seven holes, cooled off with just one more bogey.

Anvitha opened the round with a bogey but birdies on ninth and the 11th helped her recover before she dropped a shot on the 12th.

A birdie on the 16tth and a bogey on the 17th saw her finish at even par.

Tvesa had three birdies also had three bogeys and a double bogey in her card of 74.

Three players Ketaki Sood (71), Shagun Narain 74) and amateur Priya Kumari (75) were tied for the fifth place at 3-over 147.

Mannat Brar, one of the three players to shoot under par on the second day, and Ridhima Dilawari (73) were tied for eighth place.

Vani Kapoor (73), Khushi Khanijau (75), amateur Aradhana Manikandan (75), Karishma Govind (75), Durga Nittur (75) and Ananya Garg (76) were tied for the tenth place.

The cut fell at 154, and 24 pros and 4 amateurs made it to the final round.

– PTI

WEIGHTLIFTING

Bedabrat Bharali wins gold at National weightlifting c’hips

Teenage lifter Bedabrat Bharali beat Commonwealth championships gold medallist V. Ajaya Babu (327kg), who set a new snatch record (152kg), by two kg to take the men’s 79kg crown at the National weightlifting championships in Modinagar on Wednesday.

Published on Feb 11, 2026