Pardeshi stuns Pawar to clinch men`s carrom title

Pune`s Yogesh Pardeshi, the current world and national champion, was shocked by Mumbai`s Pankaj Pawar in the final of the 1st Swami Vivekananda Memorial tournament.

Mumbai: Pune`s Yogesh Pardeshi, the current world and national champion, was shocked by Mumbai`s Pankaj Pawar in the final of the 1st Swami Vivekananda Memorial state ranking carrom tournament on Wednesday.

The unseeded Pawar rose to the challenge with a confident performance to record a creditable victory against the top seed from Pune in a tense encounter at the tournament organsied by Bengal Club. Pawar showed solid concentration and steely nerves to sideline his fancied opponent Pardeshi in straight games, 25-15, 25-17 to clinch the top honours. In the semi finals, Pardeshi outplayed Sandeep Deorukhkar of Mumbai 25-5, 25-12, while in the other match which was an all-Mumbai contest, Pawar rallied to overcome Hidayat Ansari 9-25, 25-19, 25-17. The women`s final went according to expectations with top seed Sangeeta Chandorkar of Mumbai emerging champion with a 25-19, 25-6 win over city mate Preeti Khedekar. Champions Chandorkar and Pawar were presented with the winners` rolling trophies and a cash award of Rs 11,000 each. The runners-up Khedekar and Pardesi received the cash prize of Rs, 5,500 each. Sandeep Deorukhkar, who produced a white slam in the quarter-finals was also rewarded with a cash award. Results: Women`s final: Sangeeta Chandorkar (Mumbai) bt Preeti Khedekar (Mumbai) 25-19, 25-6. Men`s semi-finals: Yogesh Pardeshi (Pune) bt Sandeep Deorukhkar (Mum) 25-5, 25-12; Pankaj Pawar (Mum) bt Hidayat Ansari (Mum) 9-25, 25-19, 25-17. Final: Pankaj Pawar (Mumbai) bt Yogesh Pardesi (Pune) 25-15, 25-17. PTI