Nilankur Das, who heads the Delhi sports team, has reported on cricket, football and archery for 16 years.
Articles by Nilankur Das
A quiver full of sorrow
Once a triple Champion and the toast of Bengal, Tira Samanta is now poor, cynical and quite forgotten, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Aug 10, 2009 12:36 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Kolkata
Now, Sahara adopts archery for four years
The Sahara Group announced on Wednesday it would sponsor the senior India archery teams for the next four years. Already the sponsors of the India senior cricket and hockey teams, the group adopted boxers and wrestlers in February, report Sharad Deep & Nilankur Das.
Updated on Jul 22, 2009 11:20 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Sharad Deep & Nilankur Das, Lucknow/ Kolkata
More than just a way of life here
A long ride through a narrow, bumpy road that plays hide and seek with the river Sankh till it meets another called the Koyel to form the Brahmani, is where India’s national sport, hockey, is not just a way of life — it is a means to an end, writes Nilankur Das.
Updated on Jul 12, 2009 11:17 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das
Tribal art
In the tribal districts of Orissa, hockey is both succour and salvation. By word of mouth, from generation to generation, the tale of how Christian missionaries introduced hockey to Sundargarh in the mid 19th century has been told countless times, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Jul 12, 2009 11:15 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Orissa
Affiliates miss BCCI stadium deadline
Kanpur, Guwahati, Jamshedpur, Pune, Goa and Kochi would be off the international cricket radar from September having failed to meet a BCCI deadline.
Updated on May 01, 2009 12:57 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das & Sharad Deep, Kolkata/lucknow
Grant grinds Hisham for title
Third-seeded Adrian Grant won the second Indian Challenger 3-star PSA meet defeating Hisham Mohd Ashour of Egypt 11-8, 11-5, 11-8 in the final at the Calcutta Racket Club on Saturday
Updated on Mar 22, 2009 12:52 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Kolkata
Family’s pride & joy
The Sri Lanka team leaves for Pakistan for a warm-up match and two Tests on Saturday and this is an Ajantha Mendis ritual, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Feb 10, 2009 11:17 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Colombo
Yusuf and Irfan lead India to a three-wicket victory
India completed a victorious tour with a three-wicket win against Sri Lanka in a Twenty20 international, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Feb 11, 2009 01:24 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Colombo
Over to Twenty20
On Tuesday evening, India take on Lanka in a one-off T20 match at the Premadasa and the oganisers hope to get a much better response from the crowds that has stayed away in most of the One-day matches, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Feb 10, 2009 01:56 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Colombo
Nets gain: Yuvraj exorcises Mendis ghost
More than the trophy and the cheque of $2500, Yuvraj Singh carries back home a load of 274 runs from five matches, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Feb 08, 2009 11:25 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Colombo
Sri Lanka end India's winning streak
Tillakaratne Dilshan top-scored with a solid 97 as Sri Lanka prevented an Indian clean sweep with an emphatic 68-run win in the fifth and final one-day international in Colombo on Sunday, reports Nilankur Das. Full Scorecard
Updated on Feb 09, 2009 01:01 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Colombo
‘No India team has ever played so well here’
Arjuna Ranatunga, in a session of scathing criticism of the current Sri Lanka cricket administrators and sports minister Gamini Lokuge, said that corruption has taken centrestage in the country’s cricket management, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Feb 07, 2009 11:18 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Colombo
India look to make it ten in a row
Standing on the verge of back-to-back 5-0 series wins, India will be charged up and look to hold on to the second spot in the ICC ODI rankings by winning the tour's final one-dayer on Sunday, reports Nilankur Das.The top three in the Last Six years
Updated on Feb 08, 2009 01:15 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Colombo
Wary Lanka celebrates I-Day
Except for police and army personnel after every 100 yards and on roof tops of hotels and buildings which overlook the Galle Face Road through which the parade passed, hardly anyone ventured out, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Feb 05, 2009 12:13 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Colombo
Let’s get the party started
Play hard, party harder. That seemed to be the motto of the India team after wrapping up the series . The spontaneity with which every member, led by MS Dhoni, came to the party at the team hotel pub was reflective of the team-effort the boys showed on the field, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Feb 05, 2009 12:13 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Colombo
India thrash Sri Lanka by 147 runs, clinch series
The win gives India a historic series win in Sri Lanka as the visitors take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five match series, reports Nilankur Das. See special: India in Sri Lanka
Updated on Feb 04, 2009 08:58 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Colombo
India batsmen no longer in a spin
Murali and Mendis, in particular, caught Indians on the wrong foot in 2008, but the visitors seem better prepared against the spin duo this time around, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Feb 03, 2009 12:20 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Colombo
Lankans hope halt India's winning run
For Sri Lanka, it's a fight to stay alive against an Indian team that's brimming with confidence after winning seven matches on the trot. For India, it's about keeping the momentum going and wrapping up the five-match series on Tuesday, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Feb 03, 2009 12:14 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Colombo
When Captain Cool became autocratic
Mahendra Singh Dhoni rarely loses his cool and composure. But one saw the Indian skipper getting worked up a bit during India's win over Sri Lanka on Saturday. Nilankur Das reports.
Updated on Feb 02, 2009 01:24 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Colombo
‘Ranatunga had issues with one and all’
Sri Lanka Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge spoke exclusively to Hindustan Times at his Kattawa Road residence and justified the decision to sack the World Cup-winning skipper Arjuna Ranatunga and dissolve the cricket body. Excerpts...
Updated on Feb 02, 2009 01:20 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Colombo
Gritty India steal a thriller
India fended off a spirited challenge by Sri Lanka to snatch a thrilling 15-run victory in the second one-dayer and take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series held in Colombo, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Jan 31, 2009 11:38 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Colombo
Seeking perfection
The spin department in the absence of Harbhajan Singh is a touch shaky as Pragyan Ojha did not have an exceptional match on Wednesday, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Jan 30, 2009 10:31 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Colombo
Power equation
The new Powerplay rule, where the batting side gets to choose one of the two five-over sets with field restrictions, has forced captains to think on their feet, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Jan 29, 2009 10:45 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Colombo
India win 1st ODI by six wickets
India won the 1st ODI against Sri Lanka by 6 wickets as Dhoni and Gambir scored half-centuries to durb the host in Dambulla, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Jan 29, 2009 01:23 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Dambulla
Anakatwa to Dambulla: A bridge too far
Anakatwa village is a five-minute drive from the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. But the journey takes longer as the scenic beauty forces one to disembark and click feverishly, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Jan 28, 2009 11:16 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Dambulla
Dambulla ready to rock
With seaming conditions on the cards and Murali & Mendis to follow, India have their work cut out, Nilankur Das explores.
Updated on Jan 27, 2009 11:46 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Dambulla
Murali all set to top ODI list
The most successful bowler in cricket is three wickets away from toppling Wasim Akram from the top of the ODI charts. The five-match one-day series will surely see that milestone, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Jan 27, 2009 11:51 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Dambulla
‘No room for friendship’
Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene and his Indian counterpart Mahendra Singh Dhoni dismiss talk of the teams taking the hurriedly-arranged tour lightly, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Jan 27, 2009 02:34 PM IST
None | Nilankur Das, Colombo
Huge responsibility, won’t sleep well: Limba
National coach Limba Ram believes a slight technical flaw in Mangal Singh Champia’s action during the knockout stages of the Beijing Olympics led to his early exit, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Jan 11, 2009 12:07 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Kolkata
El Diego effect: Charm & chaos
The match between the Chief Minister's XI and the External Affairs Minister's XI that was part of the felicitation ceremony package for Diego Maradona brought the Argentina coach on his feet every now and then, reports Nilankur Das.
Updated on Dec 07, 2008 12:54 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Nilankur Das, Kolkata