Sagar joins Amit Panghal, Jasmine in boxing semi-finals to ensure 6 medals

Birmingham: Sagar Ahlawat continued India's medal rush in boxing, joining Amit Panghal and Jasmine in the semi-finals with a dominating win over Seychelles' Keddy Evans Agnes in the men's +92kg competition at the Commonwealth Games here on Thursday.

The 22-year-old from Haryana notched up a 5-0 win over Agnes in the super heavyweight quarter-final to take India's medal count in boxing to six at the showpiece.

Earlier, Jasmine beat New Zealand's Troy Garton by a 4-1 split verdict in the women's lightweight (60kg) quarter-final, while Panghal too won his flyweight (48-51 kg) quarter-final against Scotland's Lennon Mulligan to assure two more medals for India.

In the men's bout, it was a unanimous verdict in favour of the Indian southpaw, who had won a silver medal during the last edition in Gold Coast.

The bout wasn't of great quality, but Panghal prevailed over his younger Scottish opponent, tiring him out with his solid defence. He gained points with an occasional ferocious counter-attack.

In the first two rounds, the 26-year-old Indian employed a guard-down approach to invite Mulligan to go on the offensive but swayed away from his reach with some nimble footwork.

In between, he did land a couple of left jabs to rattle the 20-year-old Scot, and in the final round, unleashed a barrage of 'one-two' combination (a left-jab followed by a right cross).

Mulligan, in fact, got a standing count and by the end of round two the writing was on the wall, and Panghal was assured of a second CWG medal.

Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Nitu Ganghas (48kg) and Mohd Hussamudin (57kg) have also reached the semi-final stage to be assured of medals in their respective categories.

Ace Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth sailed into the pre-quarterfinals of their respective singles events after scoring comfortable victories at the Commonwealth Games here on Thursday.

While two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu routed Maldives' Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq 21-4, 21-11 in the women's singles first round, Srikanth outclassed Daniel Wanagaliya of Uganda 21-9 21-9 in the men's singles event.

Vice-captain Harmanpreet Singh slammed a hat-trick as the Indian men's hockey team beat Wales 4-1 in its final Pool B match to qualify for the semi-finals on Thursday.Harmanpreet (19th, 20th, 40th minutes) converted two penalty corners and scored one from the spot while Gurjant Singh struck a field goal in the 49th minute for India.

Wales' lone goal was scored by drag-flicker Gareth Furlong in the 55th minute from a set piece.

Star Indian sprinter Hima Das qualified for the women's 200m semi-finals after winning her heat with a timing of 23.42s at the Commonwealth Games here on Thursday.

The 22-year-old Hima led the five-woman field from the start with Rhoda Njobvu of Zambia clocking 23.85s to finish second while Jacent Nyamhunge of Uganda finished third with a timing of 24.07. There are six heats lined up in the women's 200m and the top 16 will qualify for the semi-final.

Hima won heat 2 but Favour Ofili of Nigeria (22.71s in Heat 1) and the formidable Elaine-Thompson-Herah (22.80s in heat 5) had superior timings.

Top seeds Dipika Pallikal and Saurav Ghosal sailed into the mixed doubles quarterfinals with a clinical 11-8, 11-4 win over the Wales pair of Emily Whitlock and Pater Creed at the CWG here on Thursday.

The combination of Pallikal's powerful forehand and Ghosal's skilful backhand proved too good for the duo from Wales.

The first game was intensely fought with teams locked at 6-6. With four players on the court, the referees also had a busy time adjudicating the calls for no let and stroke.

With India trailing 3-4, a stroke was awarded to the opposition and Pallikal did not seem pleased about it.

Pallikal's forehand was even more lethal in the second game. From 2-2, the Indians raced to a 9-4 lead and Pallikal hit a forehand winner to complete the job.

Ghosal too had a spring in his steps a day after creating history by winning the first-ever singles medal for India in CWG history.

The Indians won the world doubles title earlier this year and are expected to win the gold here.

Gurdeep Singh rounded off India's weightlifting campaign with a bronze medal in the +109kg event at the Commonwealth Games here on Wednesday.

The-26-year-old Singh, son of a farmer, had the best effort of 390kg (167kg+223kg) for a podium finish and India's first-ever medal in the heavyweight category.

With his 223kg clean and jerk effort, Singh bettered his personal best and also rewrote his own national record.