Inspired Divya Deshmukh takes down Harika in rapid
Making the most of her favourite chess format, World junior champion Divya Deshmukh made it to the FIDE Women's World Cup semifinals in Batumi, Georgia, on Monday.
Nagpur's 19-year-old International Master (IM) knocked down veteran Grandmaster D Harika in the first set of quarterfinal tiebreaks played in Divya's favourite rapid format.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
The win saw her take a bold step towards qualifying for the Women's Candidates tournament. Divya won both her games played with the white and black pieces to clinch the quarterfinal 3-1, a day after the compatriots drew two of their classical games. Divya was overwhelmed with emotions after winning the second tiebreak game, which at one stage was a losing contest for her.
She said, 'Happy with the way I played today. I think the preparation had a lot of role in the first rapid game today.
I would like to thank my coach for this. The last game didn't go the way I thought. In the second game, Harika played quite well, I am just glad it's over.'
In the day's opening game played in the rapid format, Divya utilised her opening advantage with white pieces well. Divya opted for the Giuoco Piano Game with Center attack, utilising her pawn. On the 22nd and 24th turns, Harika made a couple of dubious moves, and Divya found her attacking weapon.
On the 33rd move, Divya snatched Harika's queen by exchanging her rook to take a firm grip on the contest. She converted the queen vs rook endgame and took the lead by winning the contest in 57 moves. In the following game with black pieces, Divya chose the Slav Defense of Modern Line. After Divya played a couple of questionable moves, Harika made a mistake on the 18th turn. Despite that, the game remained equal with a couple of Harika's bishops and Divya's knight and bishop.
A 60th move by Divya confused Harika, and she made back-to-back blunders on the 61st and 63rd turns. Divya was severely low on time and on the verge of losing the contest, but she started making her moves fast and succeeded in going a pawn up. When Divya made her winning 76th move by advancing her pawn, Harika resigned.
From Tuesday, the semifinal battles will be played between India and China. Divya will face China's World No.
8 Tan Zhongyi, and Koneru Humpy will be up against top seed Lei Tingjie. With the top three finishers qualifiyng for the Women's Candidates tournament, both Humpy and Divya can earn the right to fight in the event from where the World Champion Challenger will be identified.
On her plans against Tan in the semifinals, Divya said, 'I always wanted to avoid tiebreaks, but it's not in my hands. I just want to forget everything and eat now. After that, I will start preparing.' On who was the toughest opponent in the World Cup so far, Divya said, 'Zhu was the toughest opponent. Winning against Zhu in tiebreaks gave me confidence, and today it reflected in my play.'
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
IND vs ENG Test: 'It was two against eleven – I loved it' - Zak Crawley opens up on Lord's firefight with Team India
England's Zak Crawley (L) and India's Shubman Gill (R) were involved in a heated exchange at Lord's. (AFP Photo) England opener Zak Crawley has shed light on the fiery confrontation with India captain Shubman Gill during the tense third day of the Lord's Test, calling it one of the most exhilarating moments of the series so far. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The drama unfolded late on Day 3, when Crawley and fellow opener Ben Duckett took 90 seconds longer than usual to walk out to bat. The delay drew immediate protest from Gill, who accused the duo of deliberately wasting time to face fewer deliveries before stumps. What followed was a heated exchange, with nearly the entire Indian team surrounding the batters in an intense verbal standoff. How and why Rishabh Pant's England tour could come to an abrupt end due to toe fracture Recalling the moment, Crawley said at the post-day press conference of the Manchester Test on Thursday: "I've always enjoyed that part of cricket, to be honest, especially when you're batting. There's two of you against eleven, and they're desperate to get you out, and they're chirping you... I loved that little eight-minute passage." Poll Do you think on-field confrontations enhance the excitement of a cricket match? Yes, they add to the drama No, they distract from the game Depends on the context He emphasised that the confrontation didn't cross any lines: "No one stepped over the line. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gold Is Surging in 2025 — Smart Traders Are Already In IC Markets Learn More Undo I thought everyone was in good spirits. It was just competitive cricket, and I really enjoyed it." The altercation fired up both teams. Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah came out steaming the next day, and by Day 5, England's response was equally fierce. Ben Stokes delivered a relentless 10-over spell, and Jofra Archer unleashed raw pace to help bowl India out for 170, sealing a dramatic 22-run win. Why Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah lost their cool in last five minutes of Day 3 vs England Addressing the delay, Crawley clarified: "No, no. Not at all. I sit in my spot until the umpires go out. I wasn't aware we were 90 seconds late, but fair enough." Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'Upwards of Rs ...' — Ravi Shastri reveals how much India's cricket stars really earn
Ravi Shastri (Getty Images) NEW DELHI: Former India head coach and World Cup-winning all-rounder Ravi Shastri has lifted the lid on the staggering sums earned by India's cricketing superstars, whose status and popularity are similar to global icons like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo . Speaking on the 'Stick to Cricket' podcast with Michael Vaughan , Shastri didn't hold back when asked how much Indian cricketers make off the field. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! "They earn a lot. They earn a lot through endorsements, for sure," Shastri said, adding, "Upwards of Rs 100 crores. Which would say 10 million pounds." How and why Rishabh Pant's England tour could come to an abrupt end due to toe fracture The revelation left the panel in awe, as Shastri broke down the math: "I would say… you just calculate 100 rupees is a pound. So you work backwards and you calculate upwards of that because someone like MS Dhoni or a Virat Kohli or a Sachin Tendulkar at his pomp, they would do over 15, 20 ads." Poll Do you think Indian cricketers deserve their high earnings from endorsements? Yes, they work hard for it No, it's excessive It depends on their performance He further elaborated on how top Indian players manage their packed schedules: "It's per day. There's no time. They could easily do more because of the amount of cricket being played. So, you know, they'll do an ad for a year and give a day — just one day to shoot. That's all you'll get. And then you play it out as many times as you want." Shastri's comments reflect cricket's unmatched cultural impact in India — comparable to football's status in Brazil or Argentina. Players like Dhoni, Kohli, and Tendulkar enjoy not only nationwide adoration but also global commercial appeal, with brand deals and social media fanbases rivaling those of Messi or Ronaldo. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
IND vs ENG 4th Test: ‘Playing through pain' - Sachin Tendulkar lauds Rishabh Pant's gritty fifty in Manchester
India's Rishabh Pant comes down for the batting during the second day. (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: In a stirring display of courage and class, Rishabh Pant once again proved why he is India's heartbeat in Test cricket, battling through a toe injury to script a fighting fifty on Day 2 of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford. The left-hander walked out to bat with a visible limp after Shardul Thakur's dismissal, triggering a standing ovation from the Manchester crowd — and admiration from cricketing legends worldwide. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Pant, undeterred by pain, struck 54 off 75 balls, peppered with three boundaries and two sixes, matching Virender Sehwag's all-time Indian record of 90 sixes in Test cricket. His brave effort, however, was more than just numbers. How and why Rishabh Pant's England tour could come to an abrupt end due to toe fracture India's cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar led the chorus of praise, posting on X: 'Resilience is about playing through pain and rising above it. @RishabhPant17 showed tremendous character by walking back into the game with an injury and delivering a performance like that. His fifty is a powerful reminder of the grit and determination it takes to represent your country.' Former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh echoed the sentiment on Instagram, writing: 'True spirit shows up when the spirit is indomitable! Injury can shake the body but not the mind, good stuff @rishabhpant.' Veteran pacer Ishant Sharma also lauded Pant's grit in an interview with ANI: 'This shows how mentally strong he is. If someone does not give up in life, then they can make a comeback in life.' Poll What do you think of Rishabh Pant's performance despite his injury? Incredible display of courage Just a good innings Should have rested Pant's knock was not only inspirational but historic. He overtook Rohit Sharma to become India's leading run-scorer in the World Test Championship era, now sitting on 2731 runs in 38 Tests. The fifty in Manchester also pushed him past MS Dhoni in 50+ scores for Indian wicketkeepers — Pant now has 14, compared to Dhoni's 13. In pain, but never in doubt, Pant's innings was a celebration of resilience, a moment that left fans and legends alike in awe — and one that will be etched in the folklore of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
