Firstpost Spodcast Episode 188: RCB earn last-ball win over CSK, Vikas Krishan clinch second pro boxing fight and more

Welcome to Spodcast. Royal Challengers Bangalore won a thriller against traditional rivals Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, as they defeated the defending champions by one run off the very last ball. Chasing a target of 162 on a slow pitch, CSK needed a 26 runs off the last over bowled by Umesh Yadav. MS Dhoni, calm as ever, nearly pulled off the win, carting Umesh around the park. But Umesh bowled a slow off-cutter on the last ball that ended in a run out, giving RCB a much-needed morale-boosting win. Jonny Bairstow and David Warner continued their amazing run at the top of the batting order for Sunrisers Hyderabad. They powered Hyderabad to a nine-wicket win over the struggling Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday in just 15 overs. Chasing a target of 160, Warner struck 67 off 38 balls, hitting three fours and five sixes, while Englishman Bairstow punished the hapless KKR attack with seven boundaries and four maximums in his unbeaten 80 off 43 balls. The openers looked in complete command as they went about their 131-run partnership. It was the fourth time that the opening partnership of Warner and Bairstow paved the way for a Sunrisers victory this season. The duo had guided SRH to victories against Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals in similar fashion. In boxing news, Shiva Thapa is just one win away from securing a record fourth medal at the Asian Elite Boxing Championships 2019. Thapa qualified for the 60kg quarterfinals, along with four other Indians, on the third day of the Asian Championships on Sunday.He was at his destructive best as he outpunched Kyrgyzstan’s Seitbek Uulu 4-1 to march into the quarterfinals. Asian Games gold medallist Amit Panghal made it to the last eight with a 5-0 decimation of Taipei’s Tu Po-Wei in his first continental competitive bout in the 52 kg. In the 69kg event, Ashish continued his scintillating run of form with a strong 4-1 win over Abdurakhman Abdurakhmanov of Kyrgyzstan in a split verdict to book his quarterfinal berth. In the women’s draw, four-time Asian Championships gold medallist Sarita Devi began her hunt for a sixth medal from this elite event in impressive fashion. The 37-year-old blanked Korea’s Gwon Sujin to storm into the quarterfinals after an RSC (Referee Stop Contest) decision in Round 3 as she was too dominant for her opponent. Former world junior champion Nikhat Zareen, who is competing in the 51kg category, was at her imperious best in her opening match against Cambodia’s Srey Pov Nao. The Telangana boxer advanced to the quarterfinals by RSC in Round 2 as her rival could not contain the flurry of punches. Meanwhile, Vikas Krishan remained unbeaten while close friend Neeraj Goyat also notched up a victory, rounding off a fine outing for Indian boxers in the professional circuit Vikas, a Commonwealth and Asian Games gold-medallist in his amateur days, claimed a unanimous verdict against American boxer Noah Kidd in a six-round super welterweight bout at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York. Meanwhile, in Toronto, WBC Asia welterweight title-holder Neeraj defeated Mexico’s Carlos Lopez Marmolejo via a unanimous decision in a six-round contest at the Danforth Music Hall. Javelin thrower Annu Rani and 3000m steeplechaser Avinash Sable led the charge with a silver each as India won five medals on the opening day of the Asian Athletics Championships on Sunday. 26-year-old Annu, who won a bronze at the 2017 edition in Bhubaneswar, hurled the spear to a best distance of 60.22m to grab the silver. China’s Lyu Huihui won the gold with an effort of 65.83m at the Khalifa Stadium in Doha. Avinash Sable clocked 8 minute 30.19 seconds to win a silver in men’s 3000m steeplechase, his first international medal in his maiden international competition. Quarter miler MP Poovamma, 5000m runner Parul Choudhary, and 10000m runner Gavit Murali Kumar bagged a bronze each on a day that saw sprint sensation Hima Das suffer a lower back spasm during the 400m event. There was no such worry for Dutee Chand as she smashed her own national record in the 100m dash to qualify for the semi-finals. The Odisha runner, however, could not touch the 11.24-second qualification mark for the World Championships.