NEW DELHI: National champion Aparna Popat today bowed out of the women's singles of the $1,50,000 Malaysian Open badminton championships at Kuala Lumpur, losing her second round match 11-6, 6-11, 7-11 to fifth seed Kelly Morgan of Wales.

Popat reached the second round Wednesday brushing aside Denmark's Anu Weckstrom 11-1, 11-4, according to reports reaching here.

National champion Pullela Gopi Chand and India No two Abhinn Shyam Gupta tumbled out of the men's singles losing their second round matches on Wednesday. Gopi Chand lost 12-15, 9-15 to Malaysian Lee Tsuen Seng, while Gupta was thrashed 5-15, 2-15 by third seed Peter Rasmussen.

ICC Cup in 2000

CALCUTTA: The second ICC Cup cricket tournament, aimed at raising funds for development of cricket worldwide, would be held in October 2000. The venue of the tournament has not yet been finalised, International Cricket Council (ICC) president, Jagmohan Dalmiya said.

The inaugural edition of the championship washeld in Bangladesh last year.

Coach squashed

MUMBAI: The Squash Rackets Federation of India has bypassed renowned former women champion Bhuvenshwari Kumari and appointed a novice Cyrus Poncha as coach of the Indian girls team for the World Junior Squash championship to be held in Antwerp, Belgium from July 25. Bhuvneshwari Kumari, 16-time National champion, was appointed women's coach couple of seasons ago and under her the young girls showed remarkable improvement. Poncha will be at a distinct disadvantage in dealing with girls problems.