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16 JANUARY 2018 SPORTS www.theasianindependent.co.uk Cricket series unlikely till Pak stops terrorism: Sushma Swaraj NEWDELHI: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has hinted that any bilateral cricket series between India and Pakistan is unlikely till Pakistan stops terrorism and cross-border firing. Swaraj said at a parliament consultative committee meeting on external affairs. Responding to a query on India-Pakistan cricket series at a neutral venue, Swaraj hinted that it seemed unlikely until Pakistan stopped cross-border terrorism and firing, a member present at the meeting said. She clarified New Delhi, Former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja on Thursday hoped that the Indian blind cricket team returns with the silverware as the Ajay Kumar Reddy-led side ventures out to play in the fifth ODI World Cup, starting from January 8 in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. Jadeja, who was in the city to bid adieu to the Indian blind cricket squad, said the team has all the potential to lift the trophy in the final, which will be held on January 19 in Lahore or January 21 in Sharjah (if the Indian team reaches the final). The schedule has been made, keeping in mind the Indian government’s opposition to play in Pakistan due to the ongoing political tensions between the arch rivals. Reddy, however, felt that as players they are open to playing in any country besides hoping that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) finally recognises their governing body — Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI). “As players we don’t mind playing anywhere. The board is there to take care of our safety and security. As players our main focus is on the World Cup and winning it handsomely,” Reddy told IANS here. Jadeja echoed similar sentiments, saying the players can only play wherever their board wants them to play. Recalling his feud with the BCCI, Jadeja, however, said that he felt sad with the functioning of the current set up in the national cricket board. “I have had my own battles with the BCCI but feel sad that during the last couple of years we don’t know who is BCCI. Anything that goes wrong, we go back to all the old people who were part of this organisation and anything good probably goes to somebody who has just come a few days/months ago. “It’s an organisation that’s been around for a very long time, where mostly that terrorism and cricket can’t go hand in hand, the member added. India and Pakistan last played a bilateral series in 2012-13, when the hosted their neighbours for three ODIs and two T20s. The two teams have not played in a Test series since 2007-08, when Pakistan toured India. India won the three-Test series 1-0. In the last five years, the teams have met only in ICC tournaments. India beat Pakistan int he group stage of the 2015 World Cup in Jadeja wishes Indian blind cricket team for fifth ODI World Cup good things have been done and that’s the reason where we have our cricket today. It’s unfortunate that they have become the punching bags in the last few years,” he said. He further said: “It is nobody’s personal fiefdom than the players who play. If they were so wrong, the game should have been at the bottom in this country. “I still think they have many good things and other federations should be learning from them. I don’t think there is a better sporting body in the country than BCCI. “Yes, there is a lot of things that needs to change, many things they could have done better. That doesn’t mean they are the worst in the country,” he added. Mohun Bagan appoint Shankarlal Chakraborty as head coach Kolkata, City football giants Mohun Bagan on Wednesday announced the appointment of Shankarlal Chakraborty as the head coach for the rest of the I- League season after the previous incumbent, Sanjoy Sen, resigned on Tuesday night. Chakraborty was anointed from the assistant coach’s job to take the reins of the team struggling at fifth position in the points table after four games without a win. “The club management have decided to elevate Mr. Sankarlal Chakraborty, as the Head Coach for the remainder of the 2017-18 season. Mr. Chakraborty has been there with the team since July 2014,” a statement from the club said. Chakraborty was at the helm of affairs during Mohun Bagan’s Calcutta Football League (CFL) campaign as well. The green and maroon brigade finished second to arch-rivals East Bengal, who went on to win their record eighth title. Currently in the I-League, East Bengal lead the charts under coach Khalid Jamil and the challenge for Chakraborty would be to arrest the freefall his club is witnessing at the moment. Sen, who helped Mohun Bagan win the I-League in the 2014-15 season, stepped down from his position after Tuesday’s harrowing 1-2 defeat at the hands of lowly Chennai City FC. Despite having the numerical advantage for close to an hour, Mohun Bagan failed to score and were lacklustre to say the least in the second half. In the previous three home games also, Mohun Bagan have been winless, managing three back-to-back draws. Australia, going on to reach the semifinals. India, as hosts of the 2016 World T20, defeated Pakistan in a crucial group game with Virat Kohli scoring a brilliant, unbeaten 55. The teams last met in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. India defeated Pakistan in the group stage, but the defending champions were upstaged in the final. Pakistan cricket bosses have repeatedly complained about India not playing bilateral games despite an agreement for multiple series. Kolkata, Struggling Indian Super League (ISL) franchise NorthEast United FC have sacked their Portuguese coach Joao de Deus Pires, a day after fellow ISL club Kerala Blasters parted ways with Rene Meulensteen. “He and his assistant coach (Joao Pinho) have been shown the door. They are expected to come to Mumbai on Wednesday and do the final settlement with (owner) John Abraham,” an ISL official told IANS. Goalkeeping coach Joseph Siddy is slated to take charge. The club had appointed Joao de Deus Pires in July last year in INDIA AND PAKISTAN LAST PLAYED A BILATER- AL SERIES IN 2012-13, WHEN INDIA WERE HOSTS FOR THREE ODIS AND TWO T20S. NorthEast United sack coach de Deus, Siddy to take charge the hopes of overturning their fortunes this time around after failing to qualify for the knockout stages in the last three years since the tournament’s inception. This season, NorthEast have scored just twice in seven games and languish in ninth place. With only a win in their bag, the northeastern outfit once again look set to miss out on the top four unless they improve their form drastically.
www.theasianindependent.co.uk JAN ‘18 NUMEROLOGY FORECAST MONTHLY MINDFULNESS WITH FARZANA SURI ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 2018 17 ‘I DON’T FEEL ANYSENSE OF Fight for what’s yours in the first place. Be not bullied or bully. Stand tall in truth and the chances of victory are high. Logic and sharp thinking work better than fearful emotions. Step away from any toxic situation, if you feel overwhelmed. Tact and quiet assertiveness are recipes for peace in a relationship. Things may not seem all that great right now but yes, all will be well. The choices you make today are vital for that to happen. Family matters, property, inheritance traditions and conventions take precedence in love and business. You are on a journey that spells security, joy and prosperity. If regret or guilt due to missed opportunities is causing stress, it’s time to re-evaluate your priorities. Optimism will win over any situation. Count your blessings and reach out for support. It isn’t as bad as it seems. Prepare to let go, and move on. Relationships need extra care so don’t take love for granted. This month brings with it creativity, adventure, and excitement. Display courage and assertiveness to seize the opportunities coming your way. A new relationship or renewed energy in an existing one, is likely. Romance can spice up things. Pack your bags for unexpected travels. ACTOR VIDYA BALAN FEELS ‘THE MOST ALIVE’ WHEN SHE’S ON A FILM SET. HOWEVER, SHE HAS A FRESH APPROACH FOR EVERY NEW FILM ENTITLEMENT’ It’s been nearly a month since Tumhari Sulu released, but the adulation for Vidya Balan’s performance just doesn’t seem to end. And if endless calls and congratulatory messages on social media weren’t enough, the actor recently bagged the Best Actor award for Tumhari Sulu and she calls it the ‘perfect’ icing on the cake.” Compliments from fans and appreciation from critics notwithstanding, Vidya says that getting an award is an entirely different feeling. “It’s gratifying, fulfilling, and humbling. I only dreamt of being an actor and I’m living that dream every single day of my life. When I look at these awards, I just feel gratitude,” says Vidya, who debuted with Parineeta in the year 2005. However, the 38-yearold, who is celebrating her 5th anniversary with husband, producer Siddharth Roy Kapoor today, confesses that she doesn’t really get to see all her awards she has won in her 12-year career, regularly. “As I won most of these awards before I got married, they are all sitting at my family home. Sometimes, when I go there, my six-year-old niece and nephew ask me questions about them — if it’s made of gold or who the lady there is — that makes me smile, and of course, I feel grateful,” says Vidya. With several hits to her credit, such as The Dirty Picture (2011) and Kahaani (2012), one wonders if it ever made Vidya complacent. She reacts, “I’m the most alive when I am on a film set and that’s what I thrive on. I love creating another persona — living another person’s life, and when fans react to it in a positive way, it’s a joyous feeling. It makes you feel good, and yes, you feel that you are safe, [that] your belief has been validated, but I don’t think there is any sense of entitlement. When I step into another film, I will still approach it as a completely new one.” Asked if she has gotten used to success - from films and box office numbers to fans’ response and awards, Vidya says, “I don’t know if I have become used to, but every time, it’s a new feeling, a new experience, and each time, it’s a new something that you are presenting to people. Thus, the reaction to each film, each story, is different, but Tumhari Sulu has, in a way, hit the ball out of the park. And I feel that both success and failure push me equally.” Open yourself to the good fortune heading your way. Ask yourself, “Am I doing what I love?” You will be benefited when you do. Expand your abundance quotient by sharing your prosperity to create more. There is harmony and flow in giving and receiving. Love relationships are supportive and nurturing. A time to raise your head from the hard work you’ve been doing. Take stock of your goals and re-calibrate the plan for the future. Focus on what gives results. Patience and faith will be rewarding though frustrating. Work-life balance may bode well in strengthening your relationship or looking for a new one. Don’t lose out on the chance of love and happiness by being fearful of rejection. Act on your feelings and follow your heart. Keep your eyes open for opportunities that might be offered to you or come your way. Vet the options. Enjoy and leverage the phase of creative ideas. Intuition, compassion and diplomacy are your allies. The cup of joy overflows however, are you feeling fulfilled? Being in gratitude for the zillion things or people that create joy in your life, will help. Your thoughts veer around your family and the world per se. A fine time for new beginnings. Your relationship and money situation, could do with a new and creative outlook. A time to reinvent and start over in any aspect of your life that needs attention. Changing those rigid beliefs will help. The possibility of entering into a contract, is likely – job, business or marriage. Forgive and seek forgiveness. Rely on your judgment. A relationship which was over could be resurrected. Choices and an active and illusory imagination may add to confused decision-making. Pause and listen to your intuition. Be discerning and prioritise. Attachments may hurt, be it in relationship, ideas or money. Remember, what’s yours will always stay. Go with your intuition. New opportunities, projects and travel beckons. It could be the end of worries for those struggling with finances. An acquisition is on the cards. Balance the energies around you to remain secure and content. A relationship that is grounded in reality, is likely and, money may be an important consideration, here. Self-belief, confidence, passion, hard work, enthusiasm will place you in the limelight. Think and dream big, you have the ability to manifest it. An opportunity for a new project, job or a business venture, is likely. Take the lead in the area of love. Be bold but not forceful; timing is everything. ‘Hollywood is setting fantastic precedent on sexual predators’ We never knew that we’d become actors, says Tabu Despite working with a number of co-stars in a career spanning two decades, actor Tabu’s closeness to and personal rapport with actor Ajay Devgn is widely known. The two recently teamed up one more time for Golmaal Again that released in October this year, and the actor can’t stop gushing about him. “Ajay and I go a really, really long way back, from the time we were 13 or 14. He is my brother’s childhood friend and because we all grew up together in a locality in Juhu, he was always a part of the whole boys’ gang while we were just giggling girls, hanging around and trying to get some attention (laughs),” recalls Tabu. “Then we worked together. For me, working with Ajay really defies so many other norms of working with different people. He’s one of the very few people, working with whom, work doesn’t feel like work. We’ve known each other since we were so young. We didn’t know we would Actor Dia Mirza has always spoken her heart out on major issues. In her usual straightforward manner, she says that the backlash against sexual predators is a “fantastic precedent”. The scandal over sexual harassment / assault that erupted in Hollywood, following a New York Times report, has felled huge names such as producer Harvey Weinstein and actor Kevin Spacey. Bollywood has not been untouched by the furore, with actors Priyanka Chopra, Kalki Koechlin, Vidya Balan, and producer Ekta Kapoor speaking up on this. Dia says that women speaking up against men who dared to violate them is “a very important and healthy thing”. She adds, “For too long, women have kept quiet about the way become actors — not me for sure,” the actor muses. Tabu and Ajay have shared screen space in films such as Vijaypath (1994), Haqeeqat (1995), Thakshak (1999), Drishyam (2015), and most recently in Golmaal Again — their seventh film together. “I remember when I did Drishyam, it had been 18 years since I [last] worked with him. And it made me realise how your journeys can take you to so many different directions, even away from the people who have been closest to you in our growing up years. We are in the same industry, we work with almost the same people but we never worked with each other. And then we came back to working together again. He is the co-star that I have done maximum films with. He is like family.” Looking back at her journey, Tabu feels that both she and Ajay have evolved as people and as actors over time. “Both of us have grown in our respective crafts, and in the films that we’ve done. they have been treated.” She also believes that Hollywood is “exemplifying” the punishment that sexual predators deserve. “Contracts are being terminated, people have stopped working with such people, which is a fantastic precedent!” she says. However, Dia points out that sexual harassment is allpervasive — “it’s not just about the film industry” — and men can be victimised, too. “I don’t believe this is a narrative reduced to one gender.” Besides being vocal about women’s rights, Dia has also been an environmental crusader. The actor is now the UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador for India. She says, “I’ve been working for environmental conservation for almost 11 years now... that qualifies me for the job.”
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January 2018

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