Category: Sports

Barcelona has opened a disciplinary proceeding against Marc-Andre ter Stegen saying the goalkeeper refused to sign a medical report about his back injury.

Barcelona has opened a disciplinary proceeding against Marc-Andre ter Stegen saying the goalkeeper refused to sign a medical report about his back injury, according to a person with knowledge of the proceeding. The person who spoke to the The Associated Press on Tuesday did not want to be named because they were not authorized to speak about it publicly. The club needed Ter Stegen to sign the report so it could be sent to the Spanish league in order to clear some salary-cap space and more easily register other players without breaching financial fair play rules.

But the club and the goalkeeper are at odds about the recovery time for the surgery that took place last week to deal with recurring lower back ailments.

Ter Stegen said ahead of the surgery that the recovery time would be about three months. The club did not give an official timetable for the recovery process, saying only that the operation was “successful” and that “his recovery will determine when he can return.”

Depending on the length of the recovery process, Barcelona could clear a percentage of Ter Stegen’s salary from its cap, making more room to add other players to the squad.

The club signed Espanyol goalkeeper Joan García in June. Its other goalkeepers are veteran Wojciech Szczęsny and Iñaki Peña.

The league has to evaluate the report before approving the official time of recovery.

Ter Stegen, one of the team’s captains, did not immediately speak publicly after Barcelona said it opened the disciplinary proceeding. He and the club had been expected to meet to discuss the situation in the coming days.

The 33-year-old German goalkeeper missed nearly all of last season because of a tendon rupture in his knee, and in 2023 he missed about two months because of another back operation. Peña and the 35-year-old Szczęsny started in place of Ter Stegen during his knee injury.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/football/barcelona-opens-disciplinary-proceeding-against-marc-andre-ter-stegen-reason-9023992

The Indian cricket team created history at the Oval with a six-run victory. The Shubman Gill-led team achieved an unprecedented feat to hit an all-time high while achieving a feat no team has done for 123 years.

The Indian cricket team’s victory at the Oval will not just go down as one of the greatest victories by the Asian giants in Test cricket history, but also saw them shatter the record books as they sealed a win over England by a narrow margin of just six runs.
After an exciting series which saw both teams play some fine cricket, the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy got the ending it deserved as the fifth Test, like the first four games, went into the final day. Chasing 374, England needed 35 runs at the start of play while India were four wickets away.
Mohammed Siraj completed a five-wicket haul while taking three wickets on Day

5 while Prasidh Krishna took four wickets in the fourth innings.

India defended just 35 runs on the final day of the 5th Test match at Oval. Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj broke down India’s plan coming into Day 5 and how they bowled an incredible set of 53 deliveries to demolish England.

India scripted an incredible comeback win at the Oval on Monday, August 4. Defending just 35 runs on the final day of the 5th Test match, India made life hell for the English batters, picked up 4 wickets to not only win the Test but also level the series.

India bowled a total of 53 balls on the final day of the 5th Test and picked up 4 wickets to script a sensational comeback win. Shubman Gill’s side was down and out even till the Tea break of Day 4. Harry Brook and Joe Root had hit twin hundreds and had taken the game out of India’s hands.

However, late on Day 4, India had scripted a mini-comeback, owing to a terrific spell of bowling from Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. Despite the mega comeback which saw the departure of Jacob Bethell and Joe Root, India were still left with much to do.

The Indian team, knowing well that the odds were stacked against them, turned up with great attitude on Day 5. India captain Shubman Gill and Prasidh Krishna came to the press conference. Both of them argued that India were the favourites to win today.

The conditions, and the quality of the fast bowling, were so good from the Indian side that they did not even opt for the new ball despite completing the quota of 80 overs. Shubman explained the decision and said that India knew that England batters were under tremendous pressure.

“We did have the option of the second new ball. But the way Siraj and Prasidh were bowling, we did not need it. They had to score boundaries to win the match, and we knew that they were under pressure. It was just a game of one ball, we were always the favourites to win today,” Shubman said at the press conference.

Shubman Gill’s India Make England Panic

Shubman Gill spoke about turning up with the correct attitude every single day. Gill said that one thing he learnt from this series was to never give up and keep fighting in every single session.

“When you have bowlers like Siraj and Prasidh, captaincy seems easy. They were making the ball talk. Yes, there was a bit of pressure on us but they were really bowling well. We were confident. We wanted them to feel the pressure throughout the 35 runs they scored,” Shubman said at the end of the match.

“He (Siraj) is a captain’s dream, every ball, every spell he bowled he came all out and gave it everything for the team. Both teams coming into Day 5 not knowing who would win shows how passionate both teams were and how hard everyone has played,” he added.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/india-vs-england-oval-test-series-shubman-gill-mohammed-siraj-2766205-2025-08-04

Harry Brook’s stunning century in the final Test vs India shifted the momentum, despite an early chance missed by Mohammed Siraj. Brook scored 111 runs off 98 balls, marking his 10th Test century and second of the series.

India is currently taking on England in a crucial must-win encounter in the final Test of the five-match series at the iconic Kennigton Oval in London. England needed 374 runs to win the match and seal the series, and for that they need to pull off the highest successful run chase in the history of the venue. India were bowling pretty well, until Harry Brook came into the crease and took the game away with his scintillating century. However, he could have departed early, had Mohammed Siraj not made a costly mistake off Prasidh Krishna’s bowling.
When Harry Brook skied a ball from Prasidh Krishna when he was on 19. The ball went straight to Mohammed Siraj at deep fine leg. He caught the ball, but his feet touched the rope and it was a six. At the stroke of lunch on Day 4, Siraj ran up to Krishna and then apologized to him for making a pretty costly mistake.

Joe Root, a maestro at work, with his robust technique and sublime drives, enchanted the spectators as his name reverberated throughout the stadium under London’s gloomy sky.

England’s talismanic batter Joe Root became the first player in the World Test Championship history to cross the 6000-run threshold after another clinical masterclass on the fourth day of the fifth Test against India at Kennington Oval. Root, a maestro at work, with his robust technique and sublime drives, enchanted the spectators as his name reverberated throughout the stadium under London’s gloomy sky. He left no stone unturned to frustrate India seamers, bereft of his regular tormentor’s company, Jasprit Bumrah.

He stayed unruffled during England’s pursuit of a 374-run target and added another feather to his cap by crossing 6,000 runs during his 69th Test appearance in the tournament. With 20 centuries and 23 fifties, Root sits at the summit as the top run-getter, followed by Steve Smith (4,278), Marnus Labuschagne (4,225), Ben Stokes (3,616) and Travis Head (3,300) in the WTC charts.

The 34-year-old brought up his fifty by pushing the ball towards deep backwards square leg for a single. He celebrated the landmark moment with a gentle raise of the bat towards the England dressing room. He continued to pile up runs on the board and levelled former South Africa cricketer Herbie Taylor’s record for most 50-plus scores against an opponent in home Tests.

The stylish right-handed star boasts a staggering tally of 16 fifty-plus scores against India, while Taylor also boasts the exact tally but against England. Australia’s legendary Don Brandman sits at the top with 17 fifty-plus scores against their arch-rival England.

Root has been on a record-shattering spree across the five Tests in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Root took a step closer to breaking ‘Master Blaster’ Sachin Tendulkar’s tally of 15,921, the most runs by a player in the format. He transcended to the second spot and left legendary Ricky Ponting and Rahul Dravid behind in the list.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/england-vs-india-2025/england-batter-joe-root-scripts-history-becomes-first-ever-to-9011443

WWE SummerSlam 2025 Night 2 Highlights: Brock Lesnar shocked the wrestling world after making his first WWE appearance in two years, attacking John Cena after the gruesome WWE Championship match against Cody Rhodes.

Brock Lesnar shocked the wrestling world after making his first WWE appearance in two years, attacking John Cena after the gruesome WWE Championship match against Cody Rhodes on Night Two of SummerSlam 2025. After Cody beat Cena in a Street Fight to regain the WWE Championship, Lesnar’s music hit for his first WWE appearance since 2023. He entered the ring and delivered an F-5 to Cena. After the match, Cena had given Rhodes the title before giving him some words that made the new champion emotional.

Asia Cup 2025 is poised to be a significant highlight in the international cricket calendar in 2025. Details of the matches and their venues have been attached.

The Asian Cricket Council officially announced the venues for the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 and revealed that it will be held in the United Arab Emirates from 9th to 28th September, 2025. The tournament will be played across the two venues of Dubai, which will host 11 matches, and Abu Dhabi, which will host eight games, making it a total of 19 T20 Internationals.
This year’s Asia Cup will feature eight teams: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong, China and will be played in a T20 format. The tournament is poised to be a significant highlight in the international cricket calendar in 2025. Details of the matches and their venues have been attached.
“The Asia Cup is more than just a tournament; it’s a celebration of Asian cricket. Hosting it in the UAE allows us to bring the excitement to one of the most vibrant cricketing hubs in the world. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are well equipped to deliver a seamless and world-class experience for players, fans, and broadcasters alike,” said Mohsin Naqvi, President of the Asian Cricket Council.

“We are confident that the 2025 edition will not only set new standards for excellence but also deepen the connection between the game and millions of passionate supporters across the continent.”
The highly anticipated India vs Pakistan will be played at the Dubai International Stadium.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/cricket/asia-cup-2025-venues-revealed-acc-confirms-hosts-article-152397512

FIDE Women’s World Cup gold medallist Divya Deshmukh believes her run at the tournament was a ‘test of resilience’.

FIDE Women’s World Cup gold medallist, who also became the 88th Grandmaster of the country and 4th Indian woman to become a Grand Master Divya Deshmukh, believes her run at the tournament was a ‘test of resilience’ and hopes it motivates young girls to dream and achieve more on a global level. Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Mansukh Mandaviya, felicitated Divya and her final opponent, Koneru Humpy in New Delhi on Friday. “I think this tournament has been the biggest task of resilience, and also it was such a long event, so it definitely tested my physical and emotional stamina and also how to handle my nerves in the crucial moments.

“It (resiliency) is definitely one of the things that has helped me come this far; that and always always fighting to the end because I think that even in this tournament that has helped me a lot,” Divya told IANS.

The 19-year-old Divya stunned the chess world by winning the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025, becoming the first Indian woman to claim the prestigious title. In the all-Indian final, Divya defeated legendary compatriot Koneru Humpy 1.5-0.5 in the rapid tiebreaks on Monday to script a fairytale ending.

“I would say it definitely helped chess in India and I’m hoping that it becomes motivation and inspiration for a lot of young girls that are out there and they are watching and are having big dreams, so I hope that they know that they can achieve them. I think it will hopefully play a small part,” she added.

The classical games played in the final had ended in tense draws, with both players showcasing resilience and elite-level play.

But the tie-breaks were where the young sensation flipped the script. After the first rapid game ended in a draw, the second saw Humpy crack under time pressure, making critical blunders that Divya pounced on. With nerves of steel, Divya closed out the win to become the 2025 Women’s World Cup champion, the fourth Indian woman to earn the Grandmaster title, and the country’s 88th GM overall.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/chess/divya-deshmukh-hopes-her-chess-world-cup-win-motivates-and-inspires-lot-of-young-girls-9001499

India pacer Akash Deep faced criticism for his friendly gesture towards Ben Duckett after dismissing him. The England opener took the send-off well.

Not always do you see a bowler getting severely criticised for his arm around an opposition batter, that too with a smile on his face. Then again, not often does a bowler do that immediately after dismissing him in a hard-fought series. The bowler in question here is India pacer Akash Deep. The batter to receive Akash Deep’s arm was Ben Duckett.

It happened in the 13th over of the England innings when Duckett, in his attempt to play another reverse ramp, got an outside edge to wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel. This was the fourth time Duckett was dismissed by Akash Deep but for the first time, it was after the left-hander had given a fair bit of tap to the Indian pacer. Duckett hit four fours and a six off Akash Deep in his blazing innings of 43 off 38 balls before getting dismissed.

Akash Deep had the last laugh for sure but what he did after getting the wicket of Duckett became a talking point. The Indian pacer wrapped his arm around Duckett’s shoulder and had a few words of wisdom, which were not received well by former cricketers Ricky Ponting, Michael Atherton and Dinesh Karthik.

Ponting, in fact, agreed that he wouldn’t have shied away from landing a right hook if Akash Deep had done something similar to him during his playing days.

“I can think of a few batsmen down the years that would take umbrage at this, and I’m looking very much in your direction. That would have been a Ponting right hook, wouldn’t it?” asked sports presenter Ian Warnd in a Sky Sports Lunch break show on Day 2.

“Probably yeah, probably,” replied Ponting.

Thankfully, Duckett didn’t see things like Ponting. The England opener took Akash Deep’s send-off rather sprotingly before walking off.

Ponting said his respect for Duckett grew after seeing how the attacking opener handled things after getting dismissed. “Although I mean, when I saw it, I just thought they must have been mates or played against each other somewhere or together. I would like to have something like that. I mean, you don’t see that every day, maybe in a local park game or not in a test match that’s been played as fiercely as this series has been played. I love the way that Ben Duckett plays his cricket. I think I like him more now to not to be able to react to that,” Ponting added.

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s fortuitous half-century turned India’s slender first-innings deficit into a 52-run lead on a dramatic second day of the fifth Test against England at The Oval.

On a pitch offering unpredictable bounce, 15 wickets fell on Friday as bowlers held sway. India, resuming at 219-7, added just five runs in the morning to be bowled out for 224. England responded with an explosive start, racing to 100 in just 13 overs, but collapsed to 247 all out, taking a slim 23-run lead.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/ricky-ponting-would-have-punched-akash-deep-had-india-pacer-given-him-a-ben-duckett-like-send-off-you-don-t-see-that-101754074133927.html

Yuzvendra Chahal broke silence on his divorce from Dhanashree Verma, revealing what went wrong and how cheating claims affected his mental health.

Senior India cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal, on Thursday, broke his silence on his divorce from Dhanashree Verma. He opened up about what went wrong in their five-year marriage and spoke about his mental health struggles after facing cheating allegations amid divorce rumours earlier this year.

Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhanashree Verma got divorced earlier this year, in May(dhanashree9/Instagram)
Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhanashree Verma got divorced earlier this year, in May(dhanashree9/Instagram)
Chahal and Dhanashree married in 2020, but cracks in the relationship began to show by the third year of marriage. Speaking to Raj Shamani on his YouTube channel, the 35-year-old revealed that the two had chosen to keep their separation process private until it was finalised.

“It was going on for a long while. We decided we do not want to show the people. Who knew if it did not happen? Maybe it will become a different scenario. We were like until we reached a point of no return, we are not going to say anything. We will be like a normal couple on social media,” said Chahal.

When pressed about whether he was faking it at that time, Chahal nodded his head, implying, ‘Yes.’

The Indian leg-spinner explained that both he and Dhanashree were deeply focused on their respective careers, making it difficult to prioritise the relationship, and hence, with time, the emotional disconnect grew. He added that relationships require compromise, but sometimes two people’s personalities or ambitions may not align.

“A relationship is like a compromise. If one gets angry, the other has to listen. Sometimes the nature of two people does not match. I was playing for India, she was also doing her. This was going on for 1-2 years.

“At that point, I was so much into it, I had to give time here, give time there. I was not able to think about the relationship. Then it happens every day, you think, leave it. Two ambitious people can stay together. Everyone has their own lives. Everyone has their own goals. As a partner, you have to support it. You are working for something for 18-20 years, you cannot leave it for a relationship,” Chahal added.

Chahal also opened up about being called a “cheater” during the divorce proceedings earlier this year.

“I think when my divorce happened, people alleged me of being a cheater. I have never cheated in my life. I am not that kind of a person. You won’t find anyone more loyal than me. I think from my heart for my closed ones, always. I do not demand, I always give. When people don’t know anything, but they keep blaming me, so you start thinking [otherwise],” the India bowler said.

“Because I have two sisters and have grown up with them since childhood, I know how to respect women, because my parents have taught me how to respect them. I’ve learnt my life lessons from people around me. It is not necessary that if my name is being linked to someone, people get to write anything about it, only for views,” the Haryana-born commented.

‘Suicidal thoughts’

Chahal admitted that facing public scrutiny and his personal struggles at the same time took a serious toll on his mental health. He revealed that he went through sleepless nights, slipped into depression, and even had suicidal thoughts.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/yuzvendra-chahal-breaks-silence-on-divorce-with-dhanashree-cheating-allegations-i-had-suicidal-thoughts-101753983094790.html

Kariun Nair and Washington Sundar were hailed for their sporting gesture after an injury to Chris Woakes. The Indian pair refused to take unfair sporting advantage to Woakes’ unfortunate state after he tried to save a boundary.

Karun and Washington Sundar were hailed by cricket fans on social media after they truly exemplified what ‘Spirit of Cricket’ means during the fifth Test between England and India at the Old Trafford Cricket Stadium in Manchester on Thursday (July 31), following an injury to Chris Woakes.
For those unversed, Woakes suffered a serious-looking injury in the 59th over after Nair played a straight drive on Jamie Overton’s delivery. The veteran England pacer ran hard to ensure the ball did not reach the boundary, but his dive proved costly as he appeared to have dislocated his shoulder.
Woakes recieved lengthy treatment on the field and walked off the ground, evidently in pain and with his shoulder covered.

In a major blow, Pakistan men’s cricket team is likely to not qualify for the upcoming Olympics.

In a major blow, Pakistan men’s cricket team is likely to not qualify for the upcoming Olympics that is set to take place in 2028 in Los Angeles. As per a report, the International Cricket Council, the apex ruling body of the sport, has decided to go with the regional qualifying format, which will see teams like Pakistan and New Zealand missing out on the event as cricket makes it return to Olympics after a long gap of 128 years.

As per the report, number 1 ranked men’s team in Asia, Oceania, Europe and Africa will earn an automatic qualification for the tournament along with hosts USA, who would represent the Americas.

“India and Australia to be awarded spots from Asia and Oceania respectively based on the ICC rankings. The International Olympic Committee favours regional qualifying to ensure all parts of the world are represented at the Games so it is a truly global event,” said The Guardian in a report.

With USA set to qualify on the basis of being the hosts, West Indies’ chances are also dim. “That would have implications for West Indian islands hoping to compete,” the report further stated.

A total of six teams will be selected for the event. While qualification for five spots has been finalised, the process for the sixth team is yet to be determined, said the report.

Cricket’s much-hyped return to the Olympics at LA Games will take shape at the Fairgrounds Stadium in the city of Pomena — about 50km from Los Angeles — from July 12 with the medal matches scheduled on July 20 and 29, 2028.

A total of six teams each in men’s and women’s sections and 180 players will compete in the T20 format in the quadrennial showpiece, which hosted cricket for the first and only time in 1900.

There are no matches scheduled on July 14 and 21 and most of the the matchdays will be double headers, according to the competition schedule released by the organisers.

The only time the gentleman’s game was played at the Olympics was in Paris way back in 1900. Only two teams, Great Britain and France, competed in a two-day match with the former winning the gold medal.

With a total of 90 athlete quotas allocated in the men’s and women’s sections, the 12 competing teams can name 15-member squads.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/no-pakistan-mens-cricket-team-in-2028-olympics-claims-report-india-qualify-on-the-basis-of-8986775

India Champions are scheduled to face Pakistan Champions on Thursday in the semifinal of the 2025 World Championship of Legends.

Amidst the diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan, a veterans’ T20 tournament is in the spotlight with the cricket teams of the two countries taking part in it. After their meeting earlier in the World Championship of Legends was cancelled with India players withdrawing their names, the two rivals are set to clash again after making it to the semifinals stage.

Pakistan Champions qualified after topping the group stage with four wins and one no result from five matches while India Champions finished fourth after one win, one no result and three defeats.

WCL 2025 Semifinal Lineups

The format of the tournament is such that the top-four teams after the end of the league stage will advance to the semifinals. The team at the top of the points table will take on the fourth-placed side in the first semifinal on Thursday. On the same day, the second and fourth placed teams will square off in the second semifinal.

As per the format, India will face Pakistan in the first semifinal while South Africa face Australia in the second semifinal.

Will India-Pakistan Semifinal Clash Be Cancelled?

Given the outrage over an Indian team comprising yesteryear stars like Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina facing Pakistan, their league stage contest was called off. Dhawan and Raina confirmed their withdrawal via social media following which the match was abandoned with the two teams receiving a point each.

Now, the big question: Will the semifinal match be called off too?

Given what’s riding on the outcome on this contest, it appears unlikely that it will be called off.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cricket/wcl-semifinals-scenarios-will-india-vs-pakistan-be-cancelled-again-9472297.html

The real reason behind Gautam Gambhir’s spat with Oval pitch curator Lee Fortis has been revealed, with the latter giving his thoughts on the incident, which took place on Tuesday, July 29.

The biggest news to come out of London heading into the fifth and final Test between England and India was the verbal spat between coach Gautam Gambhir and the Oval pitch curator Lee Fortis. Both men were seen going at it in a war of words on Tuesday, July 29, with Gambhir heard having some strong words to tell to Fortis.

The India head coach was heard telling Lee Fortis: “You are just a groundsman here.” As the fight continued, Gambhir told Fortis to “go, report whatever you want to report, you are only a groundsman.” Gambhir also threw up a couple of expletives as well.

Later, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak came in and took the curator away and had a discussion with him, even as Gambhir was still arguing with Fortis from far away. The real reason for the altercation has been revealed now to India Today. The curator was unhappy with the fact that the Indians were doing throw-downs on the square area and objected to it. That was when Gambhir lost his cool and started arguing with the groundsman.

Fortis reacts to bust-up with Gambhir

Divya Deshmukh triumphed in a thrilling all-Indian final at the 2025 FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup, defeating Koneru Humpy after a tense tiebreaker.

Divya Deshmukh emerged victorious in a dramatic all-Indian final at the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup 2025, defeating compatriot Koneru Humpy after an intense tiebreak showdown that followed two gripping encounters.
The final began with a cautious and well-balanced game 1 between Grandmaster Humpy and rising star Divya, which ended in a 41-move draw. In the second game of the finale, Divya once again gave nothing away and held higher-ranked compatriot Humpy to an easy draw ( in 34 moves) on Sunday to force the final into a tie-breaker, where games of shorter duration were played to determine the winner.
The rapid tiebreaks kicked off with Divya taking the white pieces in the first game as she began with Petrov’s Defence. An early pawn trade set the tone as both players opted for a solid approach. After a flurry of tactical exchanges, with both having castled short, the game entered deep time trouble. Divya executed perpetual checks in the final stage, leading to a handshake and the game in the first tie-break ending in another draw.

The second game of the tiebreak started with both players battling nerves and pressure. This time, Humpy had the white pieces and opened with Queen’s Gambit Declined: Catalan Variation. But it was Divya who seized the initiative by gaining a crucial pawn advantage. She managed to control the clock better and pulled ahead on the evaluation bar. Her superior positional play tilted the momentum.
Soon enough, she had an 8-minute advantage on the clock, giving her a tactical edge. Then Humpy unnecessarily pushed her pawns in a dead-drawn position, and out of nowhere, Divya was in the driver’s seat. Under time pressure, the 38-year-old from Gudivada, Andhra Pradesh, committed another blunder, handing the title to Divya.

After the game, Divya, realising that she had created history, broke down in tears and sealed the title as the 2025 Women’s World Cup champion, in what will be remembered as a landmark moment for Indian chess.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/chess/divya-deshmukh-creates-history-breaks-down-in-tears-after-winning-womens-chess-world-cup-article-152362503

India vs England Highlights: Captain Shubman Gill and all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar slammed centuries on Day 5 of the 4th Test, as India secured a draw.

India batted more than five sessions to overturn a 311-run deficit and pull off an unprecedented draw against England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford. India were reduced to 0/2 in their second innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal and B Sai Sudharsan scoring ducks. However, captain Shubman Gill led India’s fightback, slamming his fourth century of the series. Gill and opener KL Rahul stitched a 417-ball partnership, with the latter scoring 90. After their dismissals, all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar completed centuries to take India to a draw, even refusing England captain Ben Stokes’ offer for a draw in order to reach their personal milestones. Stokes was named the ‘Player of the Match’ for scoring 141 runs and taking six wickets in the game. The draw leaves England with a 2-1 lead in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, heading into the final Test at the Oval.

India vs England : Thank you!

That’s a wrap for our coverage of the 4th Test between India and England at Old Trafford. The game ebbed and flowed, but ultimately, Shubman Gill’s India clawed back a draw from the jaws of defeat. They will fight to win the 5th Test and draw the series in 4 days’ time.

Join us on NDTV Sports as we bring you that match, and all the cricket and sports updates in between. Until then, Goodbye!

IND vs ENG 4th Test Day 5: One more to go!

Right then, we move on to the fifth Test at the Oval. England cannot lose the series, but India can still retain the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy if they draw the final Test, thereby drawing the series too. England lead 2-1, and after a heroic batting effort by India, there is still life in the series!

India vs England : Ben Stokes wins Player of the Match

Gautam Gambhir reacted aggressively to the drama during the final moments of the Manchester Test, when India turned down Stokes’ offer for a draw.

The final minutes of the Manchester Test between India and England saw a high-voltage drama between English players and India’s Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, after the duo turned down an offer for a draw from Ben Stokes. With both Indian batters nearing hard-earned centuries after a marathon effort, they refused to settle, prompting visible frustration from the England captain. What followed was a heated on-field exchange, capping off the intense final moments in the game.

Both batters reached their centuries after Jadeja was verbally targeted by English players, and the post-match handshakes also saw Stokes snubbing the Indian duo, igniting further controversy. While Indian captain Shubman Gill backed both players, stating it was within their right to reach the three-figure mark, Stokes insisted that he wanted to preserve his bowlers.

Gautam Gambhir, never one to mince words, backed Sundar and Jadeja unequivocally when asked about the handshake standoff during the post-match press conference. In his trademark blunt fashion, the Indian head coach flipped the question back at England, wondering aloud if their batters would’ve acted any differently had one of them been chasing a maiden Test hundred.

“If someone is batting on 90, and the other is batting on 85, don’t they deserve a hundred?” asked Gambhir.

“Would they have walked off? If someone from England would’ve been batting on 90 or 85, and had the opportunity to score their first Test hundred, wouldn’t you allow them to do it?”

Sundar reached his maiden Test century in the second innings. Immediately after the left-hander reached his three-figure mark, the handshakes took place between both teams.

“See, it’s up to them. If they want to play that way, it’s up to them. I think both of those guys deserved a hundred, and they got it,” Gambhir further said.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/gautam-gambhir-fires-back-at-english-reporter-after-question-on-no-handshake-drama-would-england-have-walked-off-101753637438452.html

India and Pakistan are in the same group in the Asia Cup 2025. The two arch-rivals are facing off in the group stage on September 14 (Sunday). There might be as many as 3 matches between the two nations in the tournament.

The Asia Cup 2025 was in limbo for a long amount of time due to the tensions that persisted between India and Pakistan. This was particularly due to the dastardly Pahalgam terrorist attack, followed by India’s subsequent retaliation in Operation Sindoor. There were speculations that India and Pakistan would not face each other on the cricket field, and this was the thing that put the tournament, which is to be held in the T20 format, under serious doubts. However, things have now been cleared as the tournament is confirmed to be held from September 9 to 28. In fact, sources close to the development have provided Times Now with the complete schedule of the tournament.
It is now confirmed to be held from September 9 to 28 in the UAE. India and Pakistan have been placed in Group A, with the arch-rivals facing off in the group stage on September 14 (Sunday). The other teams in the group A are Oman and UAE. In Group B, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong will fight it out.
India will begin their campaign against UAE on September 10 (Wednesday) followed by the clash on September 14 against Pakistan. Their final group game is against Oman on September 19.

The men’s Asia Cup will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 9 to 28, Asian Cricket Council chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced on Saturday

The men’s Asia Cup will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 9 to 28, Asian Cricket Council chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced on Saturday. As per the draft itinerary in possession of PTI, the marquee group match between India and Pakistan will be held at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday (September 14). The arch-rivals are clubbed in the same group and are expected to square off again in a Super Four game on next Sunday (September 21). India will start its campaign against UAE on September 10 and are likely to play all its matches in Dubai.

India, Pakistan, UAE and Oman are clubbed in group A, while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Hong Kong are in group B. The ACC will allow 17-member squads for the 19-match tournament and matches will be played in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Earlier, Naqvi, who is also the chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) took to ‘X’ to make a formal announcement. “I am delighted to confirm the dates of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 in UAE. The prestigious tournament will take place from September 9th to 28th. We look to a spectacular display of cricket. Details schedule will be out soon,” Naqvi posted.

The venue of the event was decided at an ACC meeting on July 24. All 25 member nations attended the meeting.

BCCI is the host of the tournament but it is being held in the UAE as India and Pakistan have mutually agreed to compete only at neutral venues till 2027 due to the prevailing cross-border tension between them.

As per ACC’s deal with the broadcasters, India and Pakistan will be clubbed in the same group and also get another shot at each other in the Super Four stage with a possibility of a third meeting if both teams reach the final.

This edition of the Asia Cup will be held in T20 format as is the convention with the next ICC global meet being T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/full-asia-cup-schedule-india-vs-pakistan-on-september-14-and-report-8956123

Rishabh Pant scripted history in the Indian Premier League last year after being bought for a massive sum of Rs 27 crore by LSG.

India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant scripted history in the Indian Premier League last year after being bought for a massive sum of Rs 27 crore by Lucknow Super Giants in the auction held in November. He became the costliest player ever in the history of the tournament. While heaping praises on Farokh Engineer, Sunil Gavaskar claimed that the former India wicketkeeper-batter too would have got a similar amount had he been playing IPL. Gavaskar said it while doing commentatory during the India vs England 4th Test at Old Trafford, Manchester.

“How much did Rishabh Pant go for (in IPL auction)? I think he’d go for something similar,” said Gavaskar on Sony Sports as quoted by Sportskeeda.

Farokh Engineer and legendary West Indies captain Clive Lloyd were on Wednesday honoured by the Lancashire County Cricket Club with stands named after them at the Old Trafford Stadium, on the opening day of the fourth Test between India and England.

Engineer, who represented Lancashire from 1968 to 1976, played 175 matches, amassing 5,942 runs, 429 catches, and 35 stumpings.

His arrival marked a turning point for the club, helping them win the Gillette Cup four times between 1970 and 1975 after a 15-year title drought.

Despite his deep ties to Indian cricket, including the memorable outings he had at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium, Engineer surprisingly does not have a stand named after him there.

Lloyd, a two-time World Cup-winning captain, joined Lancashire in the early 1970s as an overseas player. Lloyd’s two-decade-long association with the club was transformational as he played a crucial role in reshaping Lancashire’s cricketing fortunes.

The gesture immortalises the contributions made by both Engineer and Lloyd to the county, celebrating their legacies in English domestic cricket.

Engineer, now 87, has made Manchester his home post-retirement and continues to reside there.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/sunil-gavaskar-backs-india-legend-who-retired-in-1975-to-fetch-rs-27-crore-in-ipl-auction-8951597

The Undertaker, Sting and Triple H were among the wrestling legends who paid tribute to Hulk Hogan after his death on Thursday (July 24). The two-time WWE Hall of Famer was the most famous wrestler of his time.

Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan died aged 71. The two-time WWE Hall of Famer reportedly died due to a cardiac arrest in his Florida mansion on Thursday (July 24). The biggest wrestling name in the 1980s and 1990s, Hogan was a mainstay in WWE and WCW. He was the key figure in both companies’ success. Hogan enjoyed a legendary run as a babyface in WWE while his heel turn in WCW seemingly saved his career. He returned to WWE after it acquired WCW.
Social media is flooded with wishes for Hulk, who had a career spanning 35 years. The Undertaker, one of Hogan’s on-screen rivals, led tributes to the legend. “The wrestling world has lost a true legend. His contributions to our business are immeasurable and for that I am appreciative. Thank you, Hulk Hogan,” The Undertaker wrote on X. The Deadman defeated Hogan at Survivor Series 1991 to win his first world championship in WWE.

Sting, one of Hogan’s iconic rivals, called him the greatest of all and wrote: “HULK HOGAN – THE GREATEST OF ALL Can’t thank you enough for all that you did for me and for wrestling fans all over the world. I loved you and I will miss you. My friend, Terry Bollea, RIP.” Hogan’s last televised match was against Sting at TNA Bound for Glory pay-per-view in 2011.

Kurt Angle credited Hogan for opening the door in the business for him and many other people. “R.I.P Hulkster, thank you for opening up doors for so many people in the business including myself. There would not be a Kurt Angle, without the American Made, Hulk Hogan. My heart and prayers go out to his family. We lost a real icon today,” wrote the Olympic gold medalist.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/wwe/the-undertaker-leads-tribute-to-hulk-hogan-as-wrestling-legend-dies-aged-71-article-152342420

Rishabh Pant retired hurt and went for scans after copping a blow on his right foot while attempting a reverse sweep off England pacer Chris Woakes

India batter Rishabh Pant retired hurt and went for scans after copping a blow on his right foot while attempting a reverse sweep off England pacer Chris Woakes on the opening day of the fourth Test here on Wednesday. Pant was batting on 37 off 48 balls at that time. The wicketkeeper-batter first received on-field medical attention but had to be moved out of the field in a golf cart labelled as an ambulance.

“Rishabh Pant was hit on his right foot while batting on Day 1 of the Manchester Test. He was taken for scans from the stadium. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress.” the BCCI said after the end of the day’s play.

Woakes’ full-length ball crashed onto Pant’s toe, and the England players went up in appeal for leg before. But a tiny inside edge on the review saved the day for Pant. This was the second injury for Pant in this series as he had bruised his finger while keeping during the third Test at the Lord’s, which prevented him from guarding the stumps in England’s second innings.

India batter Sai Sudharsan, who hit his maiden Test fifty — 61 — on Wednesday, said if Pant is ruled out of the series, the visitors will definitely face severe consequences.

“Obviously, because he (Pant) was batting really well today as well. So, and plus we miss out, miss a batter if he doesn’t come back again,” Sudharsan said at the post-day press conference.

“So, it will definitely have consequences. But at the same time, the batters who are batting right now and there are a few more all-rounders inside. So, we’ll try and give our best and bat long so that we negotiate that loss very well.” Dhruv Jurel had kept the wickets then as a substitute in the absence of Pant.

In case Pant cannot keep wickets in this Test, then India can summon Jurel again for keeping but his effort at the Lord’s was underwhelming as he conceded 26 byes in England’s second innings.

In the unfortunate eventuality of Pant getting ruled out of the remainder of the series, the management can request the services of Ishan Kishan, who recently played two County matches for Nottinghamshire.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/england-vs-india-2025/bcci-breaks-silence-on-rishabh-pants-injury-that-forced-him-to-retire-hurt-vs-england-hit-on-his-8935935

Anshul Kamboj has emerged as a surprise pace option for the Indian cricket team ahead of the fourth Test match against England and the training session at Old Trafford provided a huge hint regarding his possible debut.

Anshul Kamboj has emerged as a surprise pace option for the Indian cricket team ahead of the fourth Test match against England and the training session at Old Trafford provided a huge hint regarding his possible debut. Kamboj was included in the squad after India suffered a massive injury crisis following the third Test. Arshdeep Singh was ruled out of the fourth Test match while Akash Deep also struggled during practice. According to a report, Kamboj bowled for more than 45 minutes in the nets with the new ball and was even spotted with multiple discussions with head coach Gautam Gambhir.

Big Debut For India In 4th Test Confirmed? Report Makes ‘Gautam Gambhir’ ClaimAnshul Kamboj has emerged as a surprise pace option for the Indian cricket team ahead of the fourth Test match against England and the training session at Old Trafford provided a huge hint regarding his possible debut.NDTV Sports DeskUpdated: July 23, 2025 07:20 am ISTRead Time: 2 min
Big Debut For India In 4th Test Confirmed? Report Makes ‘Gautam Gambhir’ Claim
File photo of Gautam Gambhir© AFP

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Anshul Kamboj is a surprise pace option for India in the fourth Test against England at Old TraffordKamboj trained with the squad after injuries to Arshdeep Singh and Akash Deep ruled them outHe bowled over 45 minutes with the new ball and interacted with coach Gautam Gambhir and senior pacers
Anshul Kamboj has emerged as a surprise pace option for the Indian cricket team ahead of the fourth Test match against England and the training session at Old Trafford provided a huge hint regarding his possible debut. Kamboj was included in the squad after India suffered a massive injury crisis following the third Test. Arshdeep Singh was ruled out of the fourth Test match while Akash Deep also struggled during practice. According to a report, Kamboj bowled for more than 45 minutes in the nets with the new ball and was even spotted with multiple discussions with head coach Gautam Gambhir.

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As per Times of India, Kamboj also constantly had conversations with senior pacers – Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah – during the training session. During his spell, Kamboj showed consistency with the new ball against top-order batters – Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul and Shubman GIll.

Former spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has endorsed uncapped Anshul Kamboj, who mirrors the traits of Zaheer Khan and Jasprit Bumrah, to earn a spot in the final XI ahead of Prashid Krishna for the fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England in Manchester.

Injury struck the India camp and left them bereft of the opportunity to field their balanced XI at Old Trafford. Akash Deep has potentially been ruled out of the contest as he is nursing a groin niggle while Arshdeep Singh will sit out of the fourth Test after sustaining an injury on his hand.

Realising the gravity of the situation, Kamboj was sent to Manchester to add depth to India’s depleted pace attack. Debates and discussions have sparked about India’s third seam bowling option, with Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah bound to spearhead the pace attack.

For Ashwin, Kamboj’s “cracking” form in the domestic circuit makes him a better fit to fill the vacant spot, despite Prasidh’s presence as India looks to turn around the 1-2 deficit in the series. The 24-year-old’s knack for bowling long spells, his wrist position, and impeccable seam movement make him ideal for the English surface.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/england-vs-india-2025/big-debut-for-anshul-kamboj-in-4th-test-confirmed-report-makes-gautam-gambhir-claim-8922191

Harmanpreet Kaur slammed 102 from 84 balls vs England in the third women’s ODI. This was her 7th century in ODIs, and her third on English soil. She becomes the first away player to hit three centuries on English soil.

The Indian women’s team are currently taking on England in the final match of the three-match ODI series at Chester-Le-Street. This is a must-win match for both teams, as the series is level 1-1. If India win this game, then they will clinch the series as well. A win against the English side will be a massive boost for the Indian team in year that the ODI World Cup 2025 will be held. The Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur took things into her own hands as India won the toss and batted first. She has now managed to create a massive record which no other woman has ever achieved.
Harmanpreet Kaur slammed 102 from 84 balls, in an innings studded with 14 fours. This was her 7th century in ODIs, and her third on English soil. She becomes the first away player to hit three centuries on English soil. She overtakes legendary India batter Mithali Raj and Australia captain Meg Lanning, both of whom have two ODI centuries in England.

Tensions are rising ahead of the fourth test between England and India at Old Trafford.

India captain Shubman Gill said Tuesday that England had acted against the “spirit of the game” by delaying play in last week’s heated third test at Lord’s.

Gill was not happy about England batsmen Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett being late to the crease on the third day of the test, which the host won by 22 runs to take a 2-1 series lead.

A flashpoint came when England’s openers had to bat out the final seven minutes, but India was only able to get through one over.

“A lot of people have been talking about it, so let me just clear the air once and for all,” Gill said. “The English batsmen on that day had seven minutes of play left, they were 90 seconds late to come to the crease. Not 10, not 20 — 90 seconds late.”

Gill went on to say England’s actions were “not something that comes in the spirit of the game.”

There were a number of clashes between players over the next two days of the test.

England can secure a series victory with a win in the fourth test, which starts Wednesday.

England captain Ben Stokes said his team would not look to antagonize India but would not back down, either.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/england-india-test-old-trafford-929e0c91fc08dc7ceb2d0096527361af

Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq has joined Yorkshire as an overseas signing for the remainder of the English domestic season.

Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq has joined Yorkshire as an overseas signing for the remainder of the English domestic season. The 28-year-old, who has scored three Test centuries and nine in ODIs, will be available immediately and is set to feature in Yorkshire’s upcoming County Championship match against Surrey at Scarborough. Imam replaces Indian batter Ruturaj Gaikwad, who withdrew from his planned stint due to personal reasons. Imam is no stranger to English conditions, having previously played for Somerset in 2022. Earlier this year, he helped Pakistan Television clinch the President’s Cup, Pakistan’s premier domestic tournament. Yorkshire hope his experience and form will boost their red-ball and 50-over campaigns through the end of the season.

“We’re delighted that Imam has joined us and that he will be available immediately,” said Gavin Hamilton, Yorkshire’s general manager of cricket. “Whilst we were naturally disappointed that Ruturaj couldn’t join up with the squad, in Imam, we have an exceptional player of proven international quality.

“Imam has an impressive record and is already familiar with domestic cricket in this country, which will stand us in good stead for a crucial block of fixtures. We are grateful for the speed at which he has arrived in the country, and everyone at the club is looking forward to working with him until the end of the season.”

Meanwhile, Derbyshire have confirmed that Australian batter Caleb Jewell will return to the club in 2026 after signing a new deal. Jewell has been one of the standout players in Division Two this season, scoring 821 runs at an average of 54.73, including a career-best 232 against Kent.

“Caleb has performed brilliantly in the first half of the season, despite adapting to new conditions, and we were keen to get a deal done quickly,” said Mickey Arthur, Derbyshire’s head of cricket. “He brings real grit and determination to our ranks, the exact qualities you want from an overseas signing.”

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/pakistan-star-imam-ul-haq-replaces-ruturaj-gaikwad-in-this-team-naturally-disappointed-8918935

Rauf said that players roam and shop together, but they won’t play against each other, calling the World Championship of Legends boycott a showoff for the public.

The India-Pakistan match at the World Championship of Legends (WCL) was called off after a few top India players refused to play against Pakistan. The India-Pakistan ties are at an all-time low, and there are calls to boycott Pakistan at global events. It’s still not confirmed if India will play against Pakistan in the Asia Cup; thus, the WCL clash between the arch-rivals came as a surprise.
However, on the eve of the match, Shikhar Dhawan confirmed that he will not share the field with Pakistan cricketers. Reportedly, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan and Yusuf Pathan and Suresh Raina also pulled out of the match, forcing the organisers to call off the match.
Former Pakistan cricketer Abdur Rauf Khan didn’t mince words and slammed the India players for the cancellation of the WCL match . He claimed that their decision was just a show-off and questioned the disparities in their on-field and off-field stance.

“Public ke saamne yeh dikhate ho ki hum nahi khelenge, aur saath mein ghumoge and shopping karoge, yeh unfair hai. (They hang around together, eat together, party together — then when it comes to playing a match, why do they portray a different picture in front of the public? He told Times Of India.
“It’s not just Pakistani players — even Indian players feel it. We’ve played together, shared dressing rooms, eaten together, gone shopping on tours, stayed in each other’s hotel rooms — we’re friends off the field. To then portray such a hard divide to the public — like ‘we won’t play them’ — that creates unnecessary hype),” Abdur told the Times of India.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/cricket/sath-ghoomoge-par-kheloge-nahi-rauf-tears-into-india-pakistan-players-after-legends-blockbuster-called-off-article-152314118

The Pune League Kabaddi Spardha 2025 along with the Swa Shankarrao Urf Buwa Salvi Chashak Kabaddi Spardha is being held from 16th to 20th July at Belawadi, Pune. This grand kabaddi event has brought together top teams across regions to battle it out for kabaddi glory, displaying skill, strength, and sportsmanship.

The Pune League Kabaddi Spardha 2025 along with the Swa Shankarrao Urf Buwa Salvi Chashak Kabaddi Spardha is being held from 16th to 20th July at Belawadi, Pune. This grand kabaddi event has brought together top teams across regions to battle it out for kabaddi glory, displaying skill, strength, and sportsmanship.

In today’s girls’ matches, Raj Mata Jijau kicked off with a 36-25 win over Dr. Shirodkar. Mahesh Dada delivered another powerful performance by defeating M Gandhi Sports 39-18. Balladya Baramati maintained their form with a 33-27 victory against Chhaava Purandar, while Mahesh Dada continued their dominance with a second win, overpowering Kala Krida Vikas 41-23.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/sportvot-x-fpj-pune-league-kabaddi-spardha-swa-shankarrao-urf-buwa-salvi-chashak-kabaddi-spardha-continue-to-deliver-action-packed-matches

Shikhar Dhawan was among several players who reportedly refused to play against Pakistan in the World Championship of Legends tournament.

The India vs Pakistan match in the World Championship of Legends has been cancelled after Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan and many other players pulled out. The match, scheduled to take place in Birmingham (England), was to be held on Sunday (July 20), but the Indian players’ stance forced the organisers to call off the contest. The decision was announced by the organisers on social media after Shikhar Dhawan reiterated his stance of not playing against Pakistan. Ahead of the scheduled Indo-Pak showdown, Dhawan took to social media to share the letter he wrote to the organisers about his decision not to play against Pakistan in the tournament. The decision comes in the wake of the tensions between the two countries on the border, especially after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam that led to 26 tourists being killed.

While India and Pakistan have not been playing bilateral cricket against each other for more than a decade, the two sides do square off in multi-team events organised by the International Cricket Council and Asian Cricket Council. With the WCL being a private competition, however, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) neither controls the league nor its players.

“The event organisers of WCL have confirmed that tomorrow’s match between India and Pakistan (Sunday 20th July at 16.30) has been cancelled. Please do not attend as the stadium will be closed. All ticket holders will receive a full refund, please see below for further details,” the official X account of Edgbaston Stadium announced.

Taking to social media, Dhawan confirmed his stance on the eve of the contest He said: “Jo Kadam 11 May ko liya, uspe aaj bhi waise hi khada hoon. Mera desh mere liye sab kuch hai, aur desh see badhkar aur kuch nahi hota. (The decision I took on 11 May, I still stand by it. My country is everything to me, and nothing is greater than the country).”

Jo kadam 11 May ko liya, uspe aaj bhi waise hi khada hoon. Mera desh mere liye sab kuch hai, aur desh se badhkar kuch nahi hota.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/no-india-vs-pakistan-match-in-world-championship-of-legends-after-multiple-players-pulled-out-8909464

Harbhajan Singh and Yusuf Pathan have pulled out of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 encounter against Pakistan, according to sources.

Harbhajan Singh and Yusuf Pathan pulled out of a World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 match against Pakistan that is scheduled to take place on Sunday, according to sources. This match is supposed to be the first clash between any cricket team from the two nations after the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025 that claimed 26 lives. The participation of former India stars, some of whom are members of World Cup winning sides, against a Pakistan team created a furore on social media. While both cricketers have not officially declared that they are not playing, it is being perceived that the Pahalgam attack and what followed in the aftermath had a bearing in their decision.

While Harbhajan is a Rajya Sabha member for Aam Aadmi Party, Yusuf is currently a Member of Parliament from the Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency for Trinamool Congress. Reports claimed that Irfan Pathan also opted out of the match, but nothing official has been confirmed.

India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series for more than 10 years due to the political tensions between the two teams. Things got worse after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor as the relations between India and Pakistan worsened. In the past, the two teams faced each other in ICC tournaments but as of now, questions remain over whether that will continue to the norm.

The WCL 2025 is a tournament featuring retired cricketers and it is being held in England.

India Champions Squad: Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Piyush Chawla, Stuart Binny, Varun Aaron, Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun, Siddarth Kaul, Gurkeerat Singh Maan.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/harbhajan-singh-yusuf-pathan-boycott-wcl-2025-match-against-pakistan-sources-8908494

In an exclusive interview, Madhya Pradesh’s Sohail Khan reflects on his remarkable journey – becoming the first Indian male to reach a Kudo World Cup final, carrying not just a silver medal but also placing India on the global map of a sport still struggling for recognition back home.

Earlier this month, in a quiet corner of Sofia, Bulgaria, the Indian flag rose on unfamiliar ground. It wasn’t cricket. It wasn’t wrestling. There were no roaring crowds or primetime broadcasts. But inside a modest arena, on a blue mat far from the spotlight, a 25-year-old from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, did something no Indian man had ever done before.

Sohail Khan became the first Indian male fighter to reach the final of the Kudo World Cup.

When he returned home with a silver medal draped around his neck, it wasn’t just history—it was a statement. That even in the margins of Indian sport, in corners few care to explore, someone was still fighting. Still pushing boundaries. Still demanding recognition.

A SPORT THAT FOUND HIM

Team India has faced a shocking injury blow ahead of the fourth Test against England. The hosts are currently leading the five-match series 2-1 after winning the third Test by 22 runs at Lord’s, London. In the third Test, India need 193 runs to win when they started losing wickets in quick successions. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, along with pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj put up a strong fight but India got bundled out for 170, losing the match 22 runs.

To remain in the contention for winning the series, India need to win the last two Tests against England. However, their confidence has now faced a shocking blow as pacer Arshdeep Singh has picked up a hand injury during the net practice.

Arshdeep is yet to make his debut for Team India in the longest format and was highly likely to be in the Playing XI for the fourth Test.

Speaking to the media, India ‘s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate stated that the left-arm pacer was hit by a ball during the training session and was rushed to the doctor.

“He took a ball while he was bowling there. So he hit a ball, and he tried to stop it and it’s just a cut. So we have to see how bad the cut is. Obviously, the medical team have taken him off to see a doctor and obviously, if he needs stitches or does he not, that will be important to our planning for the next few days,” he said.

Bumrah, who is slated to play a maximum of three Tests in the series as part of a pre-determined plan, led the way with seven wickets at Lord’s but his availability for the next game is not confirmed yet.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/england-vs-india-2025/big-blow-to-india-star-pacer-may-need-stitches-after-suffering-injury-ahead-of-4th-test-team-selection-8895108

Sara has been linked with Shubman Gill on a romantic angle on numerous occasions. However, both haven’t commented officially regarding the same. A host of former and current cricketers were present for the momentous occasion, including Chris Gayle, Kevin Pietersen, Virat Kohli, Ravi Shastri and Darren Gough.

Team India’s batting star Shubman Gill and Sachin Tendulkar’s daughter Sara came face to face during a recent charity event held by ex all-rounder Yuvraj Singh. In a video now emerged on social media, Sara’s eyes reportedly be seen stuck on Gill, who was seen speaking to another woman, further hinting at a romantic connection.

Sara has been linked with Shubman Gill on a romantic angle on numerous occasions. However, both haven’t commented officially regarding the same. A host of former and current cricketers were present for the momentous occasion, including Chris Gayle, Kevin Pietersen, Virat Kohli, Ravi Shastri and Darren Gough.

Watch the below video:

Cole Palmer was left dumbfounded by Trump’s role in the celebrations as his teammates egged on the US President

THIS is the hilarious moment Donald Trump decides to get involved in Chelsea’s trophy lift after they smashed PSG in the Club World Cup final.

The beaming President ended up trapped within the celebrations as Reece James lifted the trophy with his jubilant teammates all seen partying with Don.

President Trump was joined by first lady Melania Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the stands as he took in the historic event.

They were seen eagerly watching on as Trump beamed with joy as Chelsea took an early lead through two Cole Palmer goals.

New signing Joao Pedro added a third before half time as Chelsea cruised to victory in the second half.

After Chelsea celebrated the win Trump came onto the pitch to hand out the medals.

Trump and Infantino were then tasked with handing over the first ever Club World Cup trophy to Reece James.

The English full back was all ready to lift up the award with his teammates but Trump didn’t leave the stage.

James even appeared to ask him at one point if he was going to move out the way but a gleeful Trump simply smiled at him.

Seconds later, the trophy lift took place – with Trump stuck beside all the players.

Even the Blues’ goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was seen wrapping his arm around the President and jumping around with him.

It took a slightly worried Infantino to come and rescue the US leader from the celebrations.

Despite the chaos, Trump kept a huge smile on his face the entire time.

Trump’s grand arrival at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey had already prompted a huge security operation to be put in place.

But even the dozens of snipers surrounding the packed out ground couldn’t have been prepared for the celebratory pile-on with the President.

Pictures from before kick off showed Don, Melania and Infantino all standing side-by-side as the US national anthem was performed.

When the Trump’s were shown on the big screen, a rapturous applause could be heard across the huge stadium.

Trump – standing in his traditional navy suit and long red tie – held a proud salute during the Star Spangled Banner performance

His wife Melania also held her hand up across her chest honouring America’s brave troops.

She stunned in a luxury white dress, thick Christian Dior sunglasses and a black coat which sat over her shoulders.

Infantino hosted the couple in the executive suit just weeks after he spoke with Trump in the White House about the 2026 World Cup.

The global tournament is set to take place across the United States, Mexico and Canada and will include a new expanded 48-team format.

MetLife Stadium is poised to host the FIFA World Cup final – marking the first time the US will hold the feted event since 1994.

Today’s game between two European cup winners has already been labelled as a dress rehearsal for soccer’s biggest game in less than 12 months time.

Melania and Don landed in New Jersey earlier in the day on Marine One.

They touched down at Teterboro Airport before getting a motorcade to the stadium.

Donald Trump Jr, his partner, and Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff were all also in attendance at the match.

Trump’s appearance came on the one-year anniversary of the assassination attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Lone gunman Thomas Crooks, 20, unleashed a volley of shots at Trump in an attack that pierced the top of his ear and left him with blood smeared on his cheek.

The shocking events sparked the biggest security crisis the US had faced since the shooting of Ronald Reagan in 1981.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/sport/14698509/trump-club-world-cup-security/

Rishabh Pant was run out for 74 at the stroke of Lunch. Pant’s dismissal left fans fuming and they took to X to trend ‘stupid, stupid, stupid.

Rishabh Pant played a brilliant innings of 74 at Lord’s in the first innings, but was unfortunately run out by Ben Stokes on the last ball before Lunch to tilt the match back in balance. India came out all guns blazing in the first session on Day 3 and added 103 runs before Pant’s run out. They were cruising towards England’s first innings score of 387, but Pant’s dismissal at 248, brought hosts back in the game.
Pant has been in great form in the series, and reached second in the list of most runs in the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy – 416, only behind Shubman Gill’s 601. Speaking about the dismissal, it was a poor judgment from Pant who tapped the ball to Ben Stokes on the off side and sat off for a run, which wasn’t there.

Fans React To Pant’s Dismissal

Meanwhile, fans on social media weren’t pleased with Pant’s act and lashed out at the southpaw and KL Rahul for poor game sense. Soon after his dismissal, ‘Stupid, Stupid, Stupid’ – a phrase that was first used by Sunil Gavaskar for Rishabh Pant- was trending on X. Fans speculated that Pant wanted to get KL Rahul on strike for his hundred and it cost India a crucial wicket.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/cricket/stupid-stupid-stupid-rishabh-pant-under-fire-kl-rahul-faces-heat-after-bizarre-run-out-stuns-fans-article-152269738

Iga Swiatek’s long-awaited Wimbledon triumph finally arrived as she captured the title on Saturday, July 12, at the All England Club, defeating Amanda Anisimova in emphatic fashion. Anisimova, who had stunned World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals, was no match for Swiatek, who needed just 57 minutes to complete a dominant 6-0, 6-0 victory on Centre Court.

The win marked Swiatek’s first Wimbledon title, her maiden triumph on grass, and her first Grand Slam title since completing a hat-trick of French Open wins last year. Remarkably, it was also the first time in the Open Era that a player failed to win a single game in a Wimbledon singles final – men’s or women’s.

Swiatek wasted no time asserting her dominance after taking an early 1-0 lead with a break of serve. She quickly raced to 40-0, and although Anisimova saved one break point with a winner, Swiatek closed out the game decisively and followed it with a commanding service game.

She continued to apply pressure, going up 3-0 with a double break as Anisimova struggled to find her footing. Swiatek gave her opponent no room to recover, breaking serve for a third time to take a 5-0 lead. She then wrapped up the set in just 25 minutes, holding Anisimova to love.

Anisimova’s first-set performance was marred by 14 unforced errors, in stark contrast to Swiatek’s two. The dominant showing marked Swiatek’s second consecutive 6-0 set – following her similar win over Belinda Bencic in the second semi-final.

Swiatek began the second set just as she had the first – securing an early break before holding serve to go up 2-0. The Pole continued to build momentum, extending her lead to 3-0 with a double break. Although Anisimova managed to save two break points in the third game, Swiatek capitalized on the third opportunity to firmly maintain control.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/tennis/story/wimbledon-2025-iga-swiatek-amanda-anisimova-final-title-2754917-2025-07-12

Sachin Tendulkar stole the spotlight at Wimbledon by posing between Roger Federer and Bjorn Borg, calling it a “Grand Slam sandwich” — a legendary crossover moment between cricket and tennis that fans won’t forget.

Cricket met tennis royalty in style on Friday as Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar found himself in the middle of a star-studded frame — flanked by Roger Federer and Bjorn Borg at the All England Club. The 50-year-old gave the moment a humorous twist by referring to the photograph as being at the centre of a “Grand Slam sandwich.” The post, shared across his social media handles, has since gone viral, sparking joy among fans of both sports.

The iconic picture features Sachin standing between Federer — the 20-time Grand Slam champion and eight-time Wimbledon winner — and Borg, the Swedish maestro who clinched 11 Grand Slam titles and five Wimbledon crowns. With 31 Grand Slam titles combined between the two tennis greats, Sachin’s caption offered a charming blend of wit and admiration.

“What’s sweeter than strawberries & cream at Wimbledon…Finding yourself in the middle of a Grand Slam sandwich.”Sachin wrote as caption.

Tendulkar was in attendance at Wimbledon along with his wife Anjali and daughter Sara to watch the highly anticipated men’s singles semi-final between defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and American star Taylor Fritz. Post-match, he was seen catching up with Federer and Borg in the Royal Box — a space reserved for sporting elites and dignitaries.

The viral post has brought together two global fanbases, with fans celebrating the rare crossover of cricket and tennis legends in a single frame.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/tennis/story/wimbledon-sachin-tendulkar-roger-federer-bjorn-borg-grand-slam-sandwich-2754672-2025-07-12

Najee Harris is the latest NFL player to get hurt in a Fourth of July fireworks fiasco.

The Chargers running back suffered a superficial eye injury at an Independence Day celebration “mishap,” Harris’ agent Doug Hendrickson told NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

Several other attendees were also injured in the incident.

Harris is still “fully expected” to be ready for the upcoming NFL season, according to Rapoport.

The accident took place during the early hours of July 5 in Antioch, Calif., Bay Area News Group reported, and Harris went to John Muir Hospital in Concord before going to Stanford Hospital.

Harris is from nearby Martinez and went to high school in Antioch.

After the incident, the Antioch Police Department posted on Facebook: “On July 5, at approximately 12:18 a.m., the Antioch Police Department dispatch center received multiple calls reporting an explosion on the 2200 block of Spanos Street. When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered the aftermath of an explosion caused by fireworks.”

Harris, the former Alabama star who spent his first four NFL seasons with the Steelers, signed a one-year, $5.25 million contract with the Chargers this offseason, which is worth up to $9.25 million with incentives.

The 27-year-old rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his four years in Pittsburgh, and he notched 1,043 yards with six touchdowns last season.

He was a Pro-Bowler in his rookie year, 2021, after rushing for 1,200 yards and totaling 10 touchdowns.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/07/10/sports/najee-harris-suffered-eye-injury-at-fourth-of-july-fireworks-mishap/

Shubman Gill already has 585 runs in two Test matches to his name, with three more games to go.

India captain Shubman Gill has started off the 5-match Test series against England on a fiery note, having scored over 585 runs already in the first two matches. With three games to go, Gill can etch his name in history for multiple reasons, provided he continues the same form that he has displayed in Leeds and Birmingham. With the next challenge awaiting Gill and Team India at Lord’s, the skipper has the opportunity to break multiple records held by none other than the GOAT, Sir Donald Bradman.

Most Runs In A Test Series As Captain: Shubman Gill has a brilliant opportunity to break Sir Don Bradman’s record for scoring the most runs in a Test series as captain. He aggregated 810 runs in a five-Test series 88 years ago during the 1936-37 Ashes. Gill has six more innings to add 225 runs to his total of 585, giving him a strong chance of making history.

Most Runs In A Single Test Series: Sir Donald Bradman also holds this record, at present, having scored 974 runs in five Tests during the 1930 Ashes assignment. Gill would need to add 390 runs to his total in the remaining six innings to break this record.

Fastest 1000 Runs As Test Captain: The Australia great holds the record for scoring the fastest 1000 runs in Test cricket history, having done so in 11 innings. Gill has so far scored 585 runs in just 4 innings. If he continues with the same scoring rate, Bradman’s record could be usurped.

Most Hundreds In A Single Test Series: While Sir Don Bradman holds the record for scoring the most tons in a Test series, as a skipper, West Indies batter Clyde Walcott has the No. 1 spot in the overall. List. Walcott had hit 5 centuries in a 1955 home Test series against Australia. Gill needs just one more hundred to equal Bradman’s record as a captain and two to equal Walcott’s tally.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/england-vs-india-2025/shubman-gill-set-to-break-4-world-records-against-england-3-of-them-are-held-by-sir-don-bradman-8852402

The 38-year-old slipped awkwardly at the back of the court on match point, prompting immediate concern from both Cobolli and the chair umpire, who rushed to check on him. However, Djokovic was able to get up and win the match 6-7(6), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 .

Novak Djokovic suffered a nasty fall during his Wimbledon quarterfinal clash against Italy’s Flavio Cobolli. While the seven-time champion recovered to win the match 6-7(6), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 on Centre Court, the incident has now raised questions over his fitness ahead of Friday’s high-stakes semifinal against Jannik Sinner.

The 38-year-old slipped awkwardly at the back of the court on match point, prompting immediate concern from both Cobolli and the chair umpire, who rushed to check on him. However,Djokovic was able to get up and complete the match.

Novak Djokovic on the nasty fall

Speaking after the match, Djokovic admitted the fall had left him shaken. “I did not fall so far this year. It is surprising because of the way I move on grass very aggressive you expect to fall and to have these situations.”

“Obviously, [my] body is not the same today like it was before, so I guess the real impact or effect of what happened I will feel tomorrow. So let’s see. I’m hoping the next 24, 48 hours, the severity of what happened is not too bad, that I’ll be able to play at my best and free of pain in two days.”

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/wimbledon-2025-novak-djokovics-nasty-fall-raises-fitness-concerns-ahead-of-semi-final-final-match-against-jannik-sinner-video

MMA star Ben Askren made a tearful health admission in a new video that he shared from the hospital bed, after undergoing a double lung transplant.

MMA icon Ben Askren shared an emotional video from the hospital bed after he underwent a double lung transplant. The two-time NCAA wrestling champion was hospitalised due to a severe case of pneumonia. He even had to be placed in a medically-induced coma as the doctors looked to replace both of his lungs. Askren’s family reportedly had to seek help from a crowdfunding campaign called Help Hope Live in order to arrange funds for Askren’s procedure. After one of the donors made a staggering contribution of £368,000, Askren could go through the procedure that saw both of his lungs replaced.

In his first public reaction after the procedure, Askren explained how he no longer remembers anything from May 28 to July 02. He further said that he ‘only died four times’.

“Whenever this is all the way over, I actually just read through my wife’s journal ’cause I don’t remember anything from May 28 to July 2.”

“It’s like a movie, it’s ridiculous. So I only died four times. The ticker stopped for about 20 seconds,” the 40-year-old said.

Ben even said that he has “no recollection, no idea” of what happened in that one month period.

The MMA athlete said that he weighs 147 pounds at present, and he hasn’t seen his weight dip that much since he was 15 years old.

“I was actually on a scale yesterday and I was weighing 147 pounds. I haven’t been 147 pounds since 15 years old.”

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/othersports/i-only-died-4-times-ufc-icon-ben-askren-after-rare-double-lung-transplant-8852191

At Lord’s, Bumrah bowled for close to an hour without a pause, testing the likes of Nair, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, and Dhruv Jurel. He had missed the Edgbaston Test as part of his workload management.

After missing the Edgbaston Test due to workload management, India’s ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah is raring to bowl at Lord’s, the venue for the third Test against hosts England. The Lord’s Test will start on July 10. Bumrah picked up a fifer in the Leeds Test but went wicketless in England’s second innings as they chased down a 371-run target. However, India bounced back in the series, clinching a massive 336-run win at Edgbaston – their first ever at the ground after 7 losses in 9 Tests – with Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj dazzling on that occasion. Akash picked up 10 wickets, while Siraj ended the match with a 7-wicket haul.
As the stage is now set for the high-octane Lord’s Test, all eyes are back on Bumrah. And the pacer cannot wait to bowl at the Mecca of Cricket. In India’s first net session since their historic win at Edgbaston on Tuesday, bowling coach Morne Morkel posed a question to him: old ball or new ball? Bumrah had no doubt about his choice. “I will definitely take the new ball,” he told Morkel. Moments later, Bumrah bowled a vicious delivery that took an outside edge from Karun Nair after hitting the good length spot.
Bumrah last bowled on June 24 at Headingley, Leeds. He ended that match having bowled 43.4 overs. His workload management is a pre-planned activity. As announced earlier, he will play three out of the five Tests in England. Although the Indian team management received a lot of flak for not considering him at Edgbaston, especially when India were trailing the series 0-1, that criticism died down after Akash Deep and Siraj ensured his absence was not felt.

At Lord’s, Bumrah bowled close to an hour without a pause, even though several Indian batters – including captain Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant – chose not to hit the nets. Bumrah tested the likes of Nair, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, and Dhruv Jurel.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/cricket/jasprit-bumrah-fired-up-for-lords-test-ill-definitely-take-the-new-ball-article-152248656

Wimbledon 2025: Novak Djokovic came back from a set down to beat 11th seed Alex de Minaur on Monday. Roger Federer watched the Serb’s win from the Royal Box on Center Court.

Novak Djokovic may not have been at his rhythmic best on Centre Court during his fourth-round Wimbledon match, but he was certainly at his eloquent best after clinching a hard-fought victory. Acknowledging Roger Federer’s presence in the Royal Box on Monday, Djokovic reminded his great rival that he had finally broken a long-standing curse.

And what was that curse? According to Djokovic, he had never won a match when Federer was in the stands watching him. That changed on Monday, as Djokovic booked his place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the 16th time in his career.

The so-called curse looked set to continue when Djokovic was completely outplayed in the opening set, losing 1-6 to 11th seed Alex de Minaur of Australia. However, the Serbian star fought back to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in a match lasting three hours and 19 minutes.

“I mean, it’s probably the first time he’s actually watching me-and I ended up winning the match. I’d lost the previous couple, so it was good to break that curse. It’s fantastic to have Roger here: a huge champion, someone I’ve admired and respected deeply,” Djokovic said, drawing loud cheers from the Centre Court crowd.

Federer responded with a warm smile, acknowledging Djokovic’s humour as the crowd revelled in the camaraderie between two of the sport’s greatest icons.

“We’ve shared the stage for so many years, and it’s wonderful to have him back at his favourite tournament, and in this setting. He’s by far the most successful player here-without question,” Djokovic added.

ANOTHER NOD TO FEDERER
The match was far from straightforward. De Minaur moved superbly and made Djokovic work hard for every point. After taking the opening set 6-1, the Australian looked in complete control until he was broken. He had been using his high, loopy backhand to great effect, successfully disrupting Djokovic’s rhythm and creativity.

After sealing the win, Djokovic made another nod to Federer, joking about his own lack of finesse at the net.

“Sometimes I wish I had a serve-and-volley and nice touch from the gentleman that’s standing there. That would help,” he quipped, glancing towards Federer.

Nonetheless, Djokovic found his groove and raced through the second and third sets. Just when it seemed he would wrap up the match in four, De Minaur broke early in the fourth and rediscovered the level he had shown in the opener. The Australian once again used his variety to keep Djokovic on the defensive.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/tennis/story/novak-djokovic-breaks-federer-curse-wins-wimbledon-fourth-round-de-minaur-2752245-2025-07-07

India’s seamer Akash Deep’s childhood friend, Vaibhav Kumar, said that the cricketer’s sister, Akhand Jyoti Singh — who has been battling cancer for the past two months — is now doing well.

India’s seamer Akash Deep’s childhood friend, Vaibhav Kumar, said that the cricketer’s sister, Akhand Jyoti Singh — who has been battling cancer for the past two months — is now doing well. He also expressed gratitude to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Lucknow team management for their support during the difficult time. Speaking to ANI about Jyoti’s health, Vaibhav said, “It was first-stage cancer…Team management in Lucknow was very helpful. Doctors were called from outside, and she received treatment in Lucknow. Doctors came from Mumbai too. BCCI, the Lucknow team management, and even the Bengal, where he (Akash) played, helped a lot. Now, she is fine. There are no issues now.”

Akash Deep played a crucial role in India’s victory over England in the second Test at Edgbaston, claiming a 10-wicket haul. He took 4/88 in the first innings and 6/99 in the second, showcasing a match-winning performance.

After the match, Akash revealed that he had kept his sister’s illness private and had dedicated the game to her.

“The biggest thing is that I have not told anyone yet. My elder sister has been suffering from cancer for the last two months. She is stable now. She is fine. She will be the happiest. She has been going through this mentally for the last two months,” Akash said in a heartfelt conversation with Cheteshwar Pujara, who is currently on broadcasting duty.

“I was playing this match for her. I have to make her happy with this match,” he added.

Coming to the match, England once again opted to field first. After getting KL Rahul (2) early, an 80-run stand between Yashasvi Jaiswal (87 in 107 balls, with 13 fours) and Karun Nair (31 in 50 balls, with five fours) helped India gain some footing in the match. Skipper Shubman Gill had valuable partnerships of 203 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (89 in 137 balls, with 10 fours and a six) and a 144-run stand against Washington Sundar (42 in 103 balls, with three fours and a six), helping India towards 587, scoring 269 in 387 balls himself, with 30 fours and three sixes.

Shoaib Bashir (3/167) was the pick of the bowlers for England, while Chris Woakes and Josh Tongue also managed two each.

In England’s first innings, India had them on the ropes with 84/5. However, a 303-run stand between Harry Brook (158 in 234 balls, with 17 fours and a six) and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith (184* in 207 balls, with 21 fours and four sixes) sent India on an endless hunt for leather and answers. However, Siraj (6/70) and Akash Deep (4/88) got something out of the new ball and tumbled down the last five wickets for 20 runs, bundling them down for 407 runs, gaining a 180-run lead.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/england-vs-india-2025/akash-deeps-childhood-friend-reveals-bccis-role-in-sister-jyotis-cancer-treatment-8838424

An FIR has been registered against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fast bowler Yash Dayal for sexually exploiting a woman on the pretext of marriage. According to the complaint, the woman alleged that she was in a five-year relationship with Dayal, during which he mentally, physically, and financially exploited her under the false promise of marriage.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and India fast bowler Yash Dayal has been booked under Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) after a woman from Ghaziabad levelled serious allegations of sexual harassment and exploitation against him. The FIR was registered at Indirapuram police station following a preliminary investigation into a complaint filed via the Chief Minister’s grievance portal, IGRS.

Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita deals with sexual acts committed on the basis of deceitful promises, such as false assurances of marriage or employment. It treats such acts as a form of fraud and exploitation, punishable by up to ten years in prison.

According to the complaint, the woman alleged that she was in a five-year relationship with Dayal, during which he mentally, physically, and financially exploited her under the false promise of marriage. She claimed that Dayal introduced her to his family and behaved as though they were a married couple, further deepening her trust. However, when she confronted him about his intentions, he allegedly became violent and continued to harass her.

The complainant also stated that Dayal took money from her during the course of their relationship and has reportedly behaved similarly with other women in the past. She said she possesses chat records, screenshots, video call recordings, and photographs as evidence to support her claims.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/fir-registered-against-rcb-cricketer-yash-dayal-in-sexual-harassment-case-2752239-2025-07-07

England vs India, 2nd Test: Akash Deep played a match-winning role in India’s 336-run victory over England in Birmingham. He dedicated his 10-wicket haul to his sister, who has been battling cancer for two months.

Fast bowler Akash Deep dedicated his match-winning performance in the 2nd Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England in Birmingham to his elder sister, revealing she has been battling cancer over the last two months. In an emotional post-match chat with broadcasters, Akash said he wanted to put a smile on her face, and he was reminded of her struggles every time he had the ball in his hand.

Mohammed Shami was asked by the Calcutta High Court to pay Rs 4 lakh per month as maintenance expenses to Hasin Jahan and daughter Aaira

From the time Indian cricket team star Mohammed Shami was asked by the Calcutta High Court to pay Rs 4 lakh per month as maintenance expenses to Hasin Jahan and daughter Aaira, the cricketer has come under verbal attack from his estranged wife. According to the order, Hasin Jahan will have to be paid Rs 1.50 lakh per month while the daughter will get Rs 2.50 lakh per month. This amount will be levied from a back date of seven years. The lower court has been ordered to dispose the case within six months. The case was filed under ‘Protection Of Women From Domestic Violence’ act.

In an Instagram post on Friday, Hasin Jahan tagged Mohammed Shami, and used strong words like “greedy, mean-minded” against the cricketer. Following is the Instagram post that Hasin Jahan shared, that started with the line: “I love you so much jaanu.” However, what followed was a rant.

Earlier, Hasin Jahan had called Shami a person with ‘wrong mindset’.

“A person with a wrong mindset, who has crime in his mind, and who pushes his own family, wife and children towards trouble, and who was never anything and suddenly a lot happens, these people get arrogance and attitude. They develop such an attitude that they themselves do not know which path they are standing on, what they are doing and why they are doing it. Right now, he (Shami) is completely consumed by pride. The day that pride fades, he will remember his wife, his daughter, and all his wrongdoings. As of now, because of that arrogance, he has made no effort to contact me or our daughter. In fact, the last time he met our daughter was only because of Hon’ble Justice Tirthankar Ghosh’s fear,” said Hasin.

Jahan had moved the high court against a district sessions court’s order directing the cricketer to pay Rs 50,000 to his wife and Rs 80,000 to her daughter in 2023.

“In my considered opinion, a sum of Rs 1,50,000 per month to the petitioner no.1 (wife) and Rs 2,50,000 to her daughter would be just fair and reasonable to ensure financial stability for both the petitioners, till disposal of the main application,” the order passed by Justice Ajoy Kumar Mukherjee on Tuesday stated.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/mohammed-shami-targeted-by-estranged-wife-hasin-jahan-again-in-social-media-rant-greedy-mean-minded-8828441

Novak Djokovic of Serbia continues his quest for a record 25th Grand Slam title after storming into the fourth round of the Wimbledon 2025 men’s singles event.

Novak Djokovic achieved his 100th win at Wimbledon with a commanding victory over Serbian Davis Cup team-mate Miomir Kecmanovic on Saturday, maintaining his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title. Before this year’s tournament began, Djokovic expressed that Wimbledon offered his best chance to surpass the 24 majors won by the retired Australian, Margaret Court.

A seven-time champion in south-west London, Djokovic is proving to be a strong contender for his first Slam victory since 2023. At 38 years old, he has lost just 12 games in his last two matches, following a 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 win in under two hours on court.

Djokovic’s 100 wins place him behind only Roger Federer’s 105 victories in the men’s game and nine-time winner Martina Navratilova’s all-time record of 120.

“Wimbledon is the dream tournament of most players. I’ve been blessed to win here many times and any history I make at my favourite tournament, I am blessed,” said Djokovic, who secured his first match win at the All England Club 20 years ago.

“I try not to take anything for granted, especially at this age. Still going strong, trying to compete with the young players, doing some slides and splits, and pushing myself to the limit.”

With his children Stefan, 10, and Tara, seven, watching, Djokovic celebrated by pumping his arms in a manner that has become customary during the tournament’s opening week.

“It’s a little tradition we have now, so hopefully, we can keep going and keep pumping more at Wimbledon,” added Djokovic as Tara showcased her dance moves from the players’ box.

Source : https://www.news18.com/sports/novak-djokovic-wins-100th-match-at-wimbledon-to-enter-4th-round-9423614.html

Neeraj Chopra NC Classic 2025 Event Highlights: Neeraj Chopra has won the Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025 javelin event at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, claiming top spot with a best throw of 86.18m amid extremely windy conditions. In what is the first-ever international javelin competition in India, two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj claimed top spot in the tournament named after him. 2016 Olympic silver medalist, Kenya’s Julius Yego, also finished second here, with a best throw of 84.51m. Former Sri Lankan under-16 fast bowler Rumesh Pathirage settled for third with 84.34m. India’s Sachin Yadav narrowly missed out on the rostrum, finishing fourth with a best throw of 82.33m.

Gukesh has a three-point lead heading into the Blitz event of the SuperUnited, which is the third event of the 2025 Grand Chess Tour. The 19-year-old started the competition with a defeat before going on an unbeaten run with six wins and two draws.

Gukesh created history by clinching the top spot and the rapid title at the Grand Chess Tour’s SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz in Zagreb, Croatia and is part of the Grand Chess Tour 2025. The 19-year-old achieved the feat with a three-point margin to complete a stunning display.
The Classic World Champion has emerged as the top favourite to clinch the overall tournament trophy. The winner will be determined following the Blitz event, which will take place over the weekend on July 5 and 6. The player with the most points after both events will be declared the winner.
As things stand, Gukesh is leading the chart with 14 points and has a three-point lead over second-placed Poland’s Jan-Krzysztof Duda, who has 11 points. Magnus Carlsen is in third place with a tally of 10 points, while Indian star Praggnanandha is joint-fourth with nine points to his name.

Gukesh had a remarkable campaign despite being dismissed by competitors most notably Magnus in the rapid format. The teenager started the competition with a defeat to Duda before going on a winning run and winning five games in a row on the second day to come into the final day with a lead of two points. The fifth victory came over Magnus, which marked his second win over the legendary Norwegian in as many months and the first in a shorter time control format.

On the third day, he started with two draws in a row against Anish Giri and Ivan Saric but sealed his victory with a win over Wesley So.
While Gukesh has proved his supremacy in the classic chess, there were several questions over him in Rapid and Blitz as he also missed the World Championship of the format last year and did not have much to show.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/chess/gukesh-reigns-supreme-wins-rapid-event-at-superunited-on-course-for-title-win-at-grand-chess-tour-article-152223643

Esther González scored twice and world champion Spain delivered a strong statement by routing Portugal 5-0 in their Women’s European Championship opener on Thursday.

The 32-year-old González became the oldest player to play for Spain at the tournament and she scored minutes before the youngest, 18-year-old Vicky López, added the second goal.

Spain captain Alexia Putellas also scored for La Roja, showing she’s ready to lead the team to success after missing Euro 2022 with a knee injury. Spain lost to eventual winner England in the quarterfinals of that tournament.

“We’ve been talking about how motivated we are for this (Euro) for so long, and now we had to show it. We have reason to be pleased,” Putellas told Spanish broadcaster TVE.

Substitute Cristina Martin-Prieto completed the scoring with a header in stoppage time.

González wasted little time before opening the scoring after 87 seconds with a flick past Inês Pereira. It quickly became apparent the Portugal goalkeeper would have a busy game. She did.

Pereira did well to clear a cross but was unable to stop Mariona Caldentey giving López a tap-in minutes later.

Only 24 minutes were played when the fans started a Mexican wave around the nearly 30,000-capacity Wankdorf Stadium, normally home to Swiss Super League team Young Boys. The club also has a women’s team, which is also called Young Boys.

Spain dominated possession in a textbook first-half display. Teammates’ work off the ball ensured there was always a passing option. No player had the ball for long as it zipped around and the Portuguese players were left to chase it.

Putellas went close, Pereira denied Clàudia Pina, and it was no surprise when Putellas finally got the third goal after she displayed some brilliant control to evade a defender in the 41st.

The fourth came two minutes later when González tucked in the rebound after Pina’s cross came back off the post.

But Spain coach Montse Tomé may have concerns about her team’s second-half performance as her players’ level of control dropped. Martin-Prieto’s late goal was the only addition.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/euro2025-spain-portugal-e0d6a64806fe7caa0099525336e43168

Although KL Rahul did all the talking at India’s huddle, it was confirmed that Rishabh Pant, the designated vice-captain, has taken over the captaincy duties.

Rishabh Pant took over the captaincy from Shubman Gill as India began their defence of a mammoth 587 on Day 2 of the second Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Gill, who scored a historic double century after batting for nearly five sessions, did not take the field at the start of England’s innings. He was receiving some treatment on his back that had been troubling him a bit since the Headingley Test.

Although senior pro KL Rahul did all the talking at India’s huddle, like he has been doing in this Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, it was confirmed that Rishabh Pant, the designated vice-captain, has taken over the captaincy duties when he was seen ringing in the changes in the first over bowled by Akash Deep.

Pant did not have to do the captaincy for long, though, as Shubman Gill was back on the field after the second over. And as soon as Gill was back on the field, India got success. He has been India’s lucky charm in this Test match.

Akash Deep got one to straighten from around the wicket off a good length to Ben Duckett, who played at it with hard hands. The ball took the outside edge and flew towards the slip cordon where Gill was stationed. He moved very quickly to his left and held on to a sharp catch.

England’s No.3 Ollie Pope was then guilty of closing his bat face way too early. The ball took the outside and KL Rahul took the catch, albeit in two attempts. India got off a dream start through Akash Deep, who sent back previous match centurions Duckett and Pope for a duck.

Skipper Shubman Gill’s classic maiden double hundred carried India to a formidable 587 all out in their first innings. Gill (269 off 387 balls) led India’s batting charge as there were two other notable run-makers in Yashasvi Jaiswal (87) and Ravindra Jadeja (89). Gill also became the first Indian and Asian captain to score a double hundred in a Test match in England. The skipper also posted the highest individual score by an Indian batter on English soil, surpassing Sunil Gavaskar’s 221 scored at the Oval in 1979.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/rishabh-pant-becomes-indias-new-test-captain-briefly-shubman-gill-takes-back-control-quickly-by-plucking-a-sharp-catch-101751559632490.html

Novak Djokovic crushed British wildcard Dan Evans in the Wimbledon second round as he stepped up his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title, while defending women’s champion Barbora Krejcikova battled into the third round. After three days of stunning upsets at Wimbledon, Djokovic avoided becoming the latest star to crash out in second-round action. The Serb needed just one hour and 47 minutes to dispatch Evans with a ruthless 6-3, 6-2, 6-0 victory on Centre Court. “It means I’ve been playing quite a long time!” Djokovic said when told he had just secured his 99th Wimbledon match victory.

“I still enjoy it. This court has given me so much. Wimbledon has a special place in my heart. Any history made here is obviously extra special.”

Djokovic is dreaming of putting an exclamation point on his incredible career by becoming the most successful singles player in tennis history.

The 38-year-old has been tied with Margaret Court on 24 Grand Slam titles since winning his most recent major prize at the 2023 US Open.

And despite losing the last two Wimbledon finals against Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic believes the lawns of south-west London provide his best chance to win that elusive 25th major.

“I’m aware of the history on the line. I’m thinking about the big things I can do in this tournament,” he said.

“I don’t reflect on it for now. I think that will come when I sip a margarita on the beach with (Roger) Federer and (Rafael) Nadal!”

– Krejcikova’s relief –

Eight top 10 seeds in the men’s and women’s singles were beaten in the first round, which ranks as the most at a Grand Slam in the Open era.

Only one of the top five women’s seeds — world number one Aryna Sabalenka — is still standing.

But Krejcikova and five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek avoided joining the big name casualties with hard-fought three set wins.

Krejcikova has had a miserable time with injuries this year and arrived at Wimbledon with just six matches under her belt in 2025.

Despite not feeling 100 percent, she overcame American Caroline Dolehide 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 to set up a meeting with Emma Navarro.

“Definitely a huge relief,” said the Czech. “I wasn’t feeling that well but I was fighting for every ball. I’m really happy I won the third set.”

Swiatek has previously struggled on Wimbledon’s lush lawns despite being a former junior champion at the All England Club.

The former world number one dropped the first set to American Caty McNally before roaring back to win 5-7, 6-2, 6-1.

Elena Rybykina, Wimbledon winner in 2022, was in fine form as she demolished Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-1.

Russian seventh seed Mirra Andreeva, aged just 18, beat Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) on Court One.

Jack Draper is the new figurehead of British men’s tennis, taking on a role filled for a generation by the now-retired Andy Murray.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/tennis/novak-djokovic-routs-dan-evans-to-step-up-history-bid-at-wimbledon-8821632

Reigning world champion D Gukesh has stunned chess great Magnus Carlsen once again. He defeated the Norwegian chess grandmaster in the sixth round of Grand Chess Tour SuperUnited Rapid 2025 in Zagreb, Croatia on Thursday. With the victory, Gukesh took the top spot individually at the ongoing competition. The Indian grand master shared the top spot at the end of play on Day 1 and he continued his good form on the second day as well. Gukesh started the second day with a win over Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov in the fourth round and then defeated American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana in the fifth round.

After this came his match with Carlsen and Gukesh triumphed in that as well with black pieces. This was Gukesh’s fifth win in a row at the tournament. Interestingly, this victory came after Carlsen termed Gukesh ‘one of the weaker players’ at the event.

“Gukesh hasn’t done anything to indicate that he’s going to do well in such a tournament,” Carlsen had said in an interview before the tournament.

“Gukesh actually played quite well here last time. But it remains to be proven that he’s one of the best players in such a format. This is a very, very strong field that we have here. Players like Gukesh and Anish Giri… they have a lot to prove because there aren’t a lot of players you can feast on. In the course of 27 rounds, things usually show. I hope for Gukesh’s sake that he can play better, but playing him in this tournament I will sort of approach it as I’m playing one of the presumably weaker players in the tournament actually,” he had added.

Starting the tournament with a loss against Duda, Gukesh overpowered a reckless Alireza Firouzja of France before defeating compatriot R Praggnanandhaa to reach on four points out of a possible six.

Carlsen beat Wesley So and drew his remaining two games against local star Ivan Saric and Duda to match Gukesh on points, while Wesley was the only other player involved in all decisive games, apart from Gukesh, as he put it across his US compatriot Fabiano Caruana and Anish Giri of Holland.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/chess/d-gukesh-stuns-magnus-carlsen-defeats-chess-great-yet-again-this-time-in-grand-chess-tour-8821741

State gold medallist Brijesh Solanki, a Pro Kabaddi League hopeful, had not taken the rabies vaccine; symptoms appeared just days before his death.

Brijesh Solanki, a 22-year-old state-level Kabaddi player from Uttar Pradesh, reportedly died of rabies weeks after he was allegedly bitten by a stray puppy he had rescued from a drain.

A gold medallist in state championships and a hopeful for the Pro Kabaddi League, Brijesh had not received an anti-rabies vaccine after the stray puppy bit him, the Times of India reported on Wednesday, quoting officials. Symptoms of the disease began showing only a few days before he passed away.

The youngest of three siblings, Brijesh lived in Farana village.

Following his death, health officials visited the village on Monday. They vaccinated 29 residents and started a campaign to spread awareness about rabies prevention.

A video of Brijesh in a deteriorating state circulated on social media on Sunday, a day after his death.

Speaking to news agency ANI, his brother Sandeep Kumar said, “He went to practice in the village and got a little bite from a dog after pulling it out of a drain. He did not pay attention to it. We had not heard of a rabies case… The illness after the bite was confirmed in Aligarh Hospital after I reported that he was hesitating in drinking water… I demand from the government that we be provided a job because my brother was the sole breadwinner of the family…”

Brijesh ignored the bite, mistook it to a kabaddi injury

Quoting Brijesh Solanki’s coach, Praveen Kumar, TOI reported that the Kabaddi player mistook his symptoms for a routine sports injury.

“Brijesh mistook the pain in his arm for a regular kabaddi injury. The bite seemed minor and he didn’t think it was serious, so he didn’t take the vaccine,” he told the outlet.

On June 26, Brijesh began experiencing numbness during practice. He was first taken to a district hospital, but as his condition deteriorated, he was shifted to a private hospital in Noida.

His brother, Sandeep Kumar, shared, “All of a sudden, he was afraid of water and was showing symptoms of rabies, but we were denied treatment at govt hospitals in Khurja, Aligarh and even Delhi. It was only in Noida that doctors confirmed he was likely infected with rabies. Brijesh died on Saturday while we were taking him to a faith healer in Mathura.”

Rabies: all you need to know

Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system and can be prevented through vaccination, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Rabies is generally not curable once symptoms appear and is almost always fatal in humans once symptoms appear.

It is a zoonotic disease, meaning it spreads from animals to humans. In up to 99 per cent of human rabies cases, dogs are the primary source of transmission. Children aged 5 to 14 are among the most commonly affected.

The virus can infect mammals such as dogs, cats, livestock, and wild animals. It typically spreads through the saliva of infected animals, most often via bites, scratches, or when it comes into contact with mucous membranes like the eyes, mouth, or open wounds.

Symptoms

Rabies typically has an incubation period of two to three months, though it can range from as little as a week to up to a year. This depends on factors like the site of infection and the amount of virus introduced. Early symptoms are often general and may include fever, pain, or unusual sensations such as tingling, pricking, or burning around the wound. As the virus reaches the central nervous system, it causes severe and ultimately fatal inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. While clinical rabies can sometimes be managed, it is almost never cured and usually leaves serious neurological damage.

Rabies appears in two forms:

• Furious rabies is marked by hyperactivity, extreme agitation, hallucinations, poor coordination, and fear of water (hydrophobia) or air (aerophobia). The condition rapidly worsens, with death typically occurring within a few days due to heart and respiratory failure.
• Paralytic rabies, seen in around 20% of cases, progresses more slowly and subtly. Muscle paralysis begins near the bite area and gradually spreads, leading to coma and ultimately death. This form is often misdiagnosed, which contributes to rabies being under-reported.

Prevention

Dog vaccination: Mass vaccination of dogs, including puppies, is the most cost-effective way to prevent rabies in humans, as it targets the virus at its primary source. Simply culling stray dogs does not help control the spread of rabies.

The Calcutta high court has ordered Indian pacer Mohammed Shami to pay ₹4 lakh every month to his estranged wife, Hasin Jahan, and daughter.

A bench of Justice Ajoy Kumar Mukherjee passed the order on a plea filed by Hasin Jahan and directed the Indian cricketer to pay ₹1.5 lakh to her wife and ₹2.5 lakh to her daughter monthly.

“In my considered opinion, a sum of Rs. 1,50,000/- per month to the petitioner no.1(wife) and Rs. 2,50,000/- to her daughter would be just fair and reasonable to ensure financial stability for both the petitioners…” the court said in its order on July 1.

The court also noted that Shami is free to voluntarily contribute to educational or other expenses beyond what has been specified for her daughter.

Jahan had approached the high court against a district sessions court’s order directing Shami to pay ₹50,000 to her wife and ₹80,000 to her daughter in 2023.

She had sought a compensation of ₹7 lakh per month for herself and ₹3 lakh for her daughter before the court.

Jahan worked as a model and cheerleader for the Kolkata Knight Riders before marrying Shami in 2014. The couple gave birth to their daughter in 2015.

In 2018, Jahan accused Shami of domestic violence, dowry harassment and match-fixing. She claimed that the pacer had received money from a Pakistani woman. Jahan had also alleged that her husband stopped payment to her to run her family expenses.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/calcutta-high-court-orders-mohammed-shami-to-pay-rs-4-lakh-monthly-to-estranged-wife-hasin-jahan-and-daughter-101751378793776.html

Former Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s bid to trademark the phrase “Captain Cool” for entertainment and sports-related services has cleared a key regulatory hurdle, with the Trade Marks Registry formally accepting the application and publishing it in the official journal on June 16, 2025.

Filed under Class 41, the application covers services related to education, entertainment, sporting and cultural activities including coaching and training.

The application, filed in June 2023, initially attracted an objection from the Registry under Section 11(1) of the Trade Marks Act, 1999, which deals with relative grounds of refusal. Such objections are raised when the proposed mark is identical or deceptively similar to an existing registered trademark for the same or similar goods or services, and is likely to cause confusion in the minds of the public.

In Dhoni’s case, the Registry noted a prior registration of the same mark “Captain Cool” by Prabha Skill Sports (OPC) Private Limited for gaming services in Class 41.

However, during a hearing held under Rule 115 of the Trade Marks Rules, Dhoni’s legal team submitted that the term “Captain Cool” is inextricably linked to Dhoni’s identity as a public figure, particularly in the realm of cricket and entertainment.

Accepting this argument, the Senior Examiner of Trade Marks noted:

“The applicant Mr. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a renowned public figure and former captain of the Indian national cricket team, is widely recognized…by the sobriquet ‘CAPTAIN COOL’. The phrase ‘CAPTAIN COOL’ is closely and uniquely associated with the applicant’s persona and has acquired a distinct secondary meaning in reference to him in the context of sporting and entertainment services.”

The Registry concluded that the applicant’s use of the term was unlikely to create confusion among the public due to its well-established association with Dhoni. Accordingly, the objection under Section 11(1) was waived, and the mark was accepted for advertisement under Section 20(1) of the Trade Marks Act, 1999.

The publication of the mark in the Trade Marks Journal on June 16 triggers a four-month opposition period. During this window, third parties may file a formal notice of opposition if they believe the registration would infringe their existing rights or create marketplace confusion.

Source : https://www.barandbench.com/news/ms-dhoni-bid-to-trademark-captain-cool-accepted-opposition-window-open

Rishabh Pant’s surgeon Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, who treated him after his near-fatal car accident in 2022, called the summersault celebration ‘unnecessary’.

Rishabh Pant’s surgeon Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, who treated him after his near-fatal car accident in 2022, called the somersault celebration ‘unnecessary’. Following his century against England in the first Test match, Pant performed a brilliant summersault leaving both fans and experts stunned. However, during an interview with The Telegraph, Dr Pardiwala said that although Pant has trained as a gynmast and possesses the training and agility to perform it, the somersault celebration may not be necessary. “Rishabh trained as a gymnast. Although he looks large, he is quite agile, and he does have a lot of flexibility.” “And, that’s why he’s been doing those somersaults of late.”

“It’s a well-practised and perfected move – unnecessary though!” he added.

When India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was brought into a hospital in Mumbai following grievous injuries suffered in a car crash in December 2022, the first question he asked the attending doctor was “will I be able to play again?” recalled renowned orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, who treated the superstar cricketer following the horrific incident.

Pant, while driving from Delhi to his hometown, Roorkee, on December 30, 2022 lost control of his car which crashed into a divider and caused him severe injuries.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/england-vs-india-2025/rishabh-pants-somersault-celebration-called-unnecessary-by-his-surgeon-reason-8792363

Keshav Maharaj, who has been playing Test cricket for the past nine years, has gradually grown into the South Africa’s lead spinner in the five-day format.

Stand-in skipper Keshav Maharaj on Sunday became the first spinner from South Africa to take 200 Test wickets, reaching the landmark on the second day of the first match against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. The 35-year-old, who has been playing Test cricket for the past nine years, has gradually grown into the team’s lead spinner in the five-day format. Maharaj achieved the feat when he dismissed his Zimbabwe counterpart Craig Ervine in the 34th over, stumped by Kyle Verreynne. Maharaj has been South Africa’s highest wicket-taker among slow bowlers since going past former off-spinner Hugh Tayfield’s tally of 170 scalps.

Left-arm spinner Maharaj now has 202 wickets from 59 Tests, with 11 five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket match haul.

Maharaj also has 631 wickets from 166 matches in First-Class cricket.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/keshav-maharaj-scripts-history-becomes-first-south-africa-spinner-to-8792843

Smriti Mandhana’s hundred and Shree Charani’s sensational bowling effort on debut helped India secure a crushing win over England in the first women’s T20I on Saturday, June 28.

The men’s team may have suffered a heartbreaking loss at Headingley during the recent Test match but the Indian women’s team stepped up to hand England a massive 97-run loss in the first T20I between both sides at Trent Bridge on Saturday, June 28. Stand-in skipper Smriti Mandhana led the way with her record-breaking hundred that allowed India to post a mammoth total of 210 for five in their 20 overs.

Chasing the target, the England batters, apart from Nat Sciver-Brunt, were blown away by the Indian bowlers as the hosts suffered their biggest loss in the T20I format. Sciver-Brunt scored 66 but it was Sree Charani, who was making her debut, who was the star of the show in the second innings, picking up four for 12 as England were bundled out for just 113 runs in 14.5 overs.

No Harmanpreet, no problem
India were dealt a heavy blow before the toss as captain Harmanpreet Kaur was ruled out of the contest. Harmanpreet was hit on the head during a warm-up game and the team management decided to give the star batter some rest. This meant Mandhana had to come in as the skipper for the game on a wicket that seemed like an absolute delight for the batters.

India were put into bat by England and Mandhana was the aggressor early on. She got a few boundaries going while Shafali Verma at the other end struggled for momentum. Despite Mandhana’s 31 off 19 balls in the powerplay, India got just 47 runs in the first six.

Something needed to change and it was Mandhana, who led the charge. The turning point of the match was the seventh over when the stand-in skipper decided to take Sophie Eccelstone to the cleaners with a couple of sixes and a boundary as 19 came from the ace spinner’s first six balls.

Mandhana got to her 31st T20I fifty soon after, but Shafali’s struggle in the middle came to an end, bringing in Harleen Deol to the middle. The right-handed batter was probably going to sit out the game had it not been for Harmanpreet’s niggle and she made full use of the chance.

Harleen started with some confidence and four boundaries and this helped Mandhana also to switch gears easily. Harleen got a lifeline as Wyatt-Hodge dropped a sitter and the duo cashed in on it, getting their fifty-run stand in quick time.

Mandhana was always eyeing a hundred in this format after her many attempts and finally decided Saturday was the day for her to be in the history books. The run-rate kept increasing and so was the elegance in the shots from the skipper as two boundaries were enough for her to get to the landmark and become the second Indian batter to reach the feat.

Soon after, Harleen fell for a well-made 43 off 23 balls as the wickets started to tumble. Mandhana added some more runs and was dismissed in the final over, but the damage was already done.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/england-vs-india-1st-t20i-smriti-mandhana-hundred-shree-charani-trent-bridge-2747757-2025-06-28

RCB and Indian pacer, Yash Dayal, has been accused of exploitation on the pretext of marriage by a woman from Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Indian pacer, Yash Dayal, has been accused of exploitation on the pretext of marriage by a woman from Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad. The woman has lodged a complaint through the Chief Minister’s online grievance portal, IGRS. In her complaint, the woman alleged that she had been in a relationship with the cricketer for the past five years, during which she was emotionally, mentally, and physically exploited. “For the last five years, the complainant was in a relationship with a cricketer. The man emotionally, mentally and physically exploited her by misleading her with the promise of marriage. He introduced the complainant to his family as their daughter-in-law, which made her trust him completely,” the complaint stated.

India pacer Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to feature in the 2nd Test against England, starting July 2 at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Before Team India’s departure to England, head coach Gautam Gambhir had confirmed that Bumrah will only play three of the five Tests, citing workload issues. With India 0-1 down in the five-match series, following the loss in Leeds earlier this week, Bumrah’s likely absence in Birmingham could significantly impact their chances of making a comeback in the series.

However, former India opener Aakash Chopra has questioned Gambhir for the lack of secrecy surrounding Bumrah’s workload. Chopra feels that Gambhir and management could have kept England guessing about Bumrah’s availability.

“Bumrah said he will play three matches only, and I am thinking whether it was required to publicise it. Why was it not kept a secret? We don’t announce our team as well. So why was it necessary to reiterate it repeatedly before the start of the tour that he would play three matches only? Let them guess. You play whichever Tests you wish,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“You have played one, and you know you can play only two of the remaining four matches, which is not a good thing. If you play the second as well, you will play one of three. So, suddenly, the opposition gets into a great frame of mind that Bumrah, your biggest strength, is also not there. You can prepare pitches accordingly,” he added.

Chopra highlighted the importance of producing new crop of fast bowlers as uncertainty looms large over Bumrah and co.

“The next generation of Indian fast bowlers will have to be prepared. It’s a serious issue. There were two important pillars of India’s good performance away from home. One was batters starting to score runs, but it doesn’t work out with that, as you need to pick up 20 wickets. So Mohammad Shami and Mohammed Siraj were outstanding with Jasprit Bumrah,” said Chopra.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/england-vs-india-2025/gautam-gambhir-faces-heat-over-revealing-big-team-secret-after-1st-test-defeat-8775896

Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa became India’s top-ranked chess player in the live ratings after winning the UzChess Cup Masters 2025 in Tashkent on Friday. The win took Praggnanandhaa’s live rating to 2778.3, making him World No.4 — up three places — as he achieved his highest career ranking. The 19-year-old leapfrogged world champion D Gukesh (2776.6) and Arjun Erigaisi (2775.7), who was India’s top-ranked player until Thursday but has now slipped to world No.6. Magnus Carlsen (2839.2) remains No.1, followed by Hikaru Nakamura (2807.0) and Fabiano Caruana (2784.2).

Praggnanandhaa started the final day a point behind local favourite Nodirbek Abdusattorov and half a point behind Javokhir Sindarov.

A crucial win over Abdusattorov in the final round helped him join both players at 5.5 points at the end of the round-robin stage.

Erigaisi missed a chance to make it a four-way tie after drawing with Aravindh Chithambaram.

In the first round of tiebreaks, a double round-robin blitz, all three players finished with two points.

Abdusattorov and Sindarov drew both their games, while Praggnanandhaa beat both with white but lost with black.

In the second tiebreak, Praggnanandhaa drew with Abdusattorov with white and beat Sindarov with black.

Sindarov’s win over Abdusattorov sealed the title for the Indian.

This was Praggnanandhaa’s third title of the year, after wins at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament and the Grand Chess Tour Superbet Classic in Romania.

He was also runner-up at the Stepan Avagyan Memorial earlier this month. Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand congratulated Praggnanandhaa on social media, posting: “Congrats to @rpraggnachess for winning the Uzbekistan Chess Cup.” “Third major classical victory this year. Of all his wins this year, this one seemed the least likely with just two rounds to go.” He continued: “However, he defeated Arjun Erigaisi and today in the crucial match defeated Nodirbek Abdusattorov to tie for first place.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/chess/r-praggnanandhaa-becomes-top-ranked-indian-and-world-no-4-after-winning-uzchess-cup-masters-8778769

Peter England, a leading menswear brand from Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd., raises the bar with a campaign unlike any other. Titled ‘The League of Legends’, the campaign is a stirring tribute to the timeless spirit of cricket and its enduring legacy, brought to life by cricketing icons Sir Vivian Richards, Kapil Dev and the voice of international cricket himself, Harsha Bhogle.

The brand has taken a bold step by uniting cricket lovers with a dash of fashion -not for sports jerseys, but to create a cricket-inspired collection, “The League of Legends” Collection- an extension to the brands existing “The Gentleman’s League” Collection.

At the heart of the campaign are four cinematic films that blend nostalgia, mentorship, and personal legacy. Two of these brand films feature cricketing icons Kapil Dev and Sir Vivian Richards as they step in to guide young players through moments of doubt and pressure, offering wisdom and quiet strength drawn from their own legendary careers. Clad in key pieces from the collection, the legends embody timeless grace and strength. Harsha Bhogle’s evocative commentary ties the scenes together, elevating the emotional impact.

Complementing these are the third and fourth heartfelt reaction films, where the legends first lay eyes on their tribute tees-the ’83’ and ’79’ T-shirts with their iconic poses-designed to honour their World Cup triumphs. The emotion is raw and real, capturing just how much the game-and its legacy-continues to mean to them.

Kapil Dev, India’s legendary World Cup-winning captain, shared: “This campaign brought back so many emotions. To see the spirit of ’83 captured in a design-it’s very special and I’m grateful to Peter England for making this. I’ve always believed cricket teaches you how to carry yourself. This collection does exactly that-with style and pride.”

Sir Vivian Richards, a two-time World Cup winner and one of cricket’s most fearless and iconic batsmen, said: “Style is about confidence. And cricket-well, that’s a game of confidence. It’s amazing to see a collection that reflects both. That ’79 tee? That’s not just a t-shirt. That’s history. And I’m honoured that Peter England chose me.”

Harsha Bhogle, the celebrated commentator whose voice has become synonymous with the spirit of cricket, added: “This is my second season with Peter England, and I’ve enjoyed being a part of the brand’s journey in creating fashion for the cricket lover. Cricket is a narrative-a beautiful, unpredictable story. Lending my voice to these films was about celebrating those stories. I think every cricket lover will feel that same emotion when they watch this campaign.”

Anil S Kumar, Chief Business Officer, Peter England said, “Cricket is not just a sport-it’s a legacy. With legends like Kapil Dev, Sir Vivian Richards on board, we’re paying our humble tribute to the game and everything it stands for. We love how the voice of international cricket, Harsha Bhogle himself has added passion and a real feel of commentary to our films. The League of Legends is about inspiring individuals to carry that same spirit-on and off the field.”

Building on the success of its 2023 debut, The Gentlemen’s League collection returns with a brand-new drop, featuring polos and graphic tees inspired by iconic moments of Kapil Dev and Sir Vivian Richards on the field. The limited-edition line embodies timeless style fused with cricket’s unapologetic boldness.

The campaign is currently live across 240+ storesand a series of on-ground activations, amplified through strategic content collaborations and immersive experiences.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/peter-england-unites-cricketing-icons-kapil-dev-sir-vivian-richards-harsha-bhogle-for-the-league-of-legends-campaign-8429201

A FORMER college football star has died after being struck by a vehicle over the weekend.

Chandler Jones, a former running back at San Jose State University, was killed on Sunday after being hit by a Toyota RAV4 near an off-ramp on State Route 90 in Los Angeles at around 2 am.

Jones, 33, was pronounced dead at the scene, the city’s medical examiner’s office told MyNewsLA.

Details about what caused the fatal accident are unknown.

Jones arrived at San Jose State University in 2009 after graduating from Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance, Los Angeles County.

Bishop Montgomery High School announced Jones’ death on Facebook, mourning their former standout player.

“It is with great sadness that we share the passing of alum, Chandler Jones ’09,” the school wrote.

“Jones was a standout player on Bishop’s football team and still holds the record for longest kick-off return (97 yards) and longest fumble recovery (98 yards).”

Meanwhile, the San Jose State University football team’s X account posted, “Forever in our hearts, #89.

“In loving memory of Spartan wide receiver and coach, Chandler Jones.”

Brent Brennan, the former head coach of the San Jose State Spartans, said on X, “From his freshman year as a WR, to coaching on our staff, he made @SanJoseStateFB better everyday.

“The Jet was special. Love you brother.”

Jones finished his collegiate career with the Spartans as the school’s all-time leader in receptions (248) and touchdown catches (31).

“I coached for 50 years and I’ve coached a lot of people and there’s some really special ones, and he’s at the top of the deal,” former San Jose State receivers coach Terry Malley told the San Francisco Chronicle.

“He brought a vibrancy to every day, he was passionate about it, and he was a great teammate. Chandler was a really, really good human being.”

In 2014, the Spartans’ star running back joined several practice squads in the NFL, including for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, and Cleveland Browns.

Despite never making the active roster on an NFL team, Jones took his talents north, joining the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League.

He played on the Alouettes’ active roster in 2016 before being released.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/sport/14552578/chandler-jones-dead-san-jose-state-university-football/

His finest hour was getting five wickets in India’s Test win at the MCG in 1981 when the visitors defended a paltry target.

Former India left-arm spinner Dilip Doshi, who carved out a niche for himself despite being in the shadows of Bishan Singh Bedi, died due to cardiac arrest in London on Monday, the Saurashtra Cricket Association said.

He was 77 and is survived by his wife Kalindi, son Nayan, who has also played first- class cricket, and daughter Vishakha.

Doshi made his Test debut in 1979 after Bedi’s retirement and played his last of his 33 games in 1983.

In those matches, he took 114 wickets with six five-wicket hauls and was exceptional at home during the first three seasons, completing 100 scalps in just 28 Tests.

His finest hour was getting five wickets in India’s Test win at the MCG in 1981 when the visitors defended a paltry target.

Doshi bowled with a fractured toe and was literally unplayable on an up-and-down MCG track. Doshi, Karsan Ghavri and the peerless Kapil Dev won that game for India.

He was also a stalwart in English county circuit having plied his trade for more than a decade there. He represented Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire.

“Dilip bhai suffered a heart attack in London. He is no more,” Saurashtra CA president Jaydev Shah told PTI.

“Dilip’s passing away is a personal loss to me. He was like a family. He was one of the finest human beings,” former BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah said.

In the Indian domestic circuit, he played for Bengal and Saurashtra. In all he had a staggering 898 first-class scalps with 43 five-fors.

He was Bengal’s go-to man in Ranji Trophy for years.

While Bedi remains India’s greatest left-arm spinner, Doshi was one of the most accurate bowlers who would flight the ball when required and was very accurate for the better part of his career.

The touring Australian, English and West Indies teams found it difficult to handle his arm balls, and it was Javed Miandad, who actually hastened his exit from international cricket during the 1982-83 series against Pakistan.

The bespectacled cricketer was a gentleman to the core.

Miandad would often tease him by enquiring about his room number in the middle of the game.

“Ae Dilip tela loom number kya hai,” Miandad would ask in a slurry tone.

His batting and fielding in those days wasn’t top notch but in that era he could survive because his bowling was from top drawer.

He was a close friend of Sunil Gavaskar and the legend was first introduced to his wife Marshaniel by Doshi.

After retirement, he had migrated to London where he became a successful businessman.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/former-india-cricketer-dilip-doshi-passes-away-3599363

While Alcaraz will be seeded number two at Wimbledon behind Jannik Sinner as he bids for a hat-trick of titles there, he will arrive in red-hot form and as overwhelming favourite.

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz edged powerful Czech Jiri Lehecka 7-5 6-7(5) 6-2 to claim his second Queen’s Club title and send out a powerful statement ahead of his Wimbledon defence on Sunday.

Spaniard Alcaraz, who triumphed at Queen’s a few weeks before claiming his first Wimbledon title in 2023, extended his winning streak to 18 matches but was pushed hard by Lehecka who underlined his own credentials as a rising force.

Alcaraz (22), pounced at 5-5 to break the Lehecka serve and duly bagged the opening set in 45 minutes.

Lehecka, bidding to become the first Czech to win the Queen’s title since Ivan Lendl in 1990, continued going toe-to-toe with the five-times Grand Slam champion and edged the second-set tie-break with some clinical tennis.

Alcaraz had more in his locker though and forged 4-1 ahead in the decider as Lehecka’s level finally began to drop on a breezy Andy Murray Arena in west London.

He then broke the 23-year-old Lehecka’s serve again to complete victory, letting out a roar of a delight as Lehecka struck a backhand into the net.

While Alcaraz will be seeded number two at Wimbledon behind Jannik Sinner as he bids for a hat-trick of titles there, he will arrive in red-hot form and as overwhelming favourite.

He has won 27 of his 28 matches since April, his lone loss coming against Holger Rune in the Barcelona final, and Sunday’s win was his fifth title this year.

“This is really special this trophy and this tournament for me,” Alcaraz said on court as he clutched the huge piece of silverware. “Jiri had an incredible week and his level is very high and it’s a nightmare to play against you.”

Lehecka, whose ball-striking and physique are not dissimilar to Lendl’s, beat home favourite Jack Draper in the semi-finals on Saturday and began full of confidence against Alcaraz whom he beat at the start of the year in Doha.

With serve dominating on the slick lawn, there was nothing between the players until Lehecka made a couple of errors at 5-5 and Alcaraz needed no second invitation to take the set.

The second set followed a similar pattern but it was Lehecka who raised his game in the tiebreak to get a mini-break ahead.

Alcaraz replied to win a sensational point at 3-4, sprinting to retrieve a drop shot and then back to chase down a lob.

But Lehecka did not flinch and banged down an ace. Alcaraz double-faulted at 5-5 and then Lehecka levelled the final.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tennis/alcaraz-beats-lehecka-in-queens-final-to-send-wimbledon-statement-3597865

Jasprit Bumrah gave a powerful reply to his critics while being asked about the constant speculation over his fitness. The Indian cricket legend claimed that he has had hearing people predicting the end of his career since he started playing.

Jasprit Bumrah fired back at his critics after his heroic display for India in the Leeds Test match against England, as he took a five-wicket haul against England in the first innings of the series opener in the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
The 31-year-old was a class apart from his peers, with bowlers from both sides looking out of sorts on a placid track with a record-breaking display. Despite four catches being dropped from his bowling, and also a wicket on a no-ball, Bumrah not just got the milestone but also ensured India got a vital first innings lead of six runs.
Bumrah finished with figures of 5-83 and addressed the media in the post-day press conference. On being asked about him being the subject of intense speculation over recent months, Bumrah gave an emotional reply stating that people have been telling him that his career will finish soon for more than a decade.

“Log jo likhte hai vo toh mere haath main hai nahi. Main kisiko seekh dene ki koshish toh kar nahi raha ki mere baare main aaise likho. (What people are writing is not in my hands. I am not trying to teach anyone what to write about me) Everybody is free to write whatever they want. I understand that in our country, cricket is very popular. I understand with my name, viewership will increase. I do understand, but at the end of the day it does not matter.

A THREE-YEAR-OLD has been killed in a tragic accident at a harness horse racing event in Canada.

The horror incident happened when the boy was hit by a starting gate.

The gate was being towed by a pickup truck at Connell Park Raceway in Woodstock, New Brunswick.

Footage of the race was posted on YouTube and the chilling moment the incident occurred could be heard.

The truck towing the starting gate was leading horses round the track.

The method is used to begin races in harness events.

And just when the announcer said, “there they go,” a loud noise was heard.

Audio briefly cut out while jockeys turned to see what had happened.

Screams could be heard in the background as the race started.

The announcer then said, “We need an ambulance, call an ambulance please to the grandstand folks.

“If there’s a doctor on the grounds anywhere to the grandstand please right away.”

Reports in Canada said the three-year-old was rushed to hospital but couldn’t be saved.

He was named as Gunnar Dickison, and Connell Park Raceway sent a tribute on Facebook saying, “Love you always Gunnar.”

Deputy chief Simon Watts from Woodstock Police issued a statement at a press conference.

He said, “It does appear, based on the initial information from some people that we’ve got, that it is a tragic accident.

“We know nowadays, everyone’s got a cellphone camera.

“So if we can obviously get clarification on where the incident actually took place and the details of it.

“And there’s a few questions with regard to closeness of the gate.”

It’s unclear if anyone will face charges over the tragic accident.

But an investigation has been launched by the New Brunswick Coroner’s Service and the Atlantic Provinces Harness Racing Commission.

Horse racing New Brunswick president Mitchell Downey said, “The entire racing community is deeply saddened by the tragic events of June 14.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/sport/14524874/harness-racing-death-connell-park-raceway-woodstock/

Lionel Messi urled home a fine free-kick in a man-of-the-match performance, scoring the winning goal in Inter Miami’s 2-1 win over FC Porto in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano admitted he is surprised at Lionel Messi’s desire to win after the MLS side shocked Porto at the Club World Cup on Thursday. Veteran playmaker Messi curled home a fine free-kick in a man-of-the-match performance at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the winning goal in Miami’s 2-1 Group A victory over their Portuguese opponents. Mascherano said his Argentine compatriot’s competitive spirit at 37 was more surprising to him than the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s quality.

“Beyond his goal… he’s a player who shows us how to compete, his hunger, his desire to continue competing at whatever level it is,” Mascherano told reporters.

“In a footballing sense, what else is there to say? He’s the best player that has played this sport in its history, but what is surprising is his will to win.

“Today, even in the last minutes, tired, with a knock, he kept helping the team in any way he could, in attack, in defence, to get the result…

“We know having him gives us an advantage, but above all, through his contagious spirit, the winning spirit that he has.”

Many expected Porto to beat Inter Miami but the American side recorded a first ever victory in a competitive match for an MLS team against European opposition and the first shock at the Club World Cup.

“I think that we understood that in football there are obviously hierarchies, and we were facing against a team at a high level, with international players,” said Mascherano.

“But we were convinced that if we did what we had to do, if we had a plan, if we supported each other, if we were together, but above all, if we dared to play, we could compete.”

Samu Aghehowa netted a first-half penalty for Porto but Telasco Segovia and Messi’s strikes after the break earned Inter Miami victory which puts them level on four points with Palmeiras at the top of the group.

“What I told them (at half-time) was… to raise their spirits, because we had clearly showed we could compete, and that we had reached a moment where I didn’t care about the result,” added Mascherano.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/fifa-club-world-cup/best-player-in-history-lionel-messi-hunger-at-age-37-stuns-inter-miami-coach-javier-mascherano-8712370

Neeraj Chopra Men’s Javelin Throw Highlights, Paris Diamond League 2025: Neeraj Chopra finished on top in the Paris Diamond League with a best throw of 88.16m, that came in his first attempt

Sachin Tendulkar sat with Hindustan Times as he spoke about India’s upcoming Test series in England, and his own experiences of playing in the country.

Sachin Tendulkar caught the imagination wherever he played, right when he started off as a baby-faced 16-year-old on his first Test tour of Pakistan. But in Leeds, and other parts of Yorkshire, they positively adore him. After all, in 1992, he became the first non-Yorkshire-born cricketer to represent the side in the English County Championship.

Tendulkar didn’t have a roaring stint, making one century and seven fifties in 16 games that fetched him 1,070 runs, but as a 19-year-old, he charmed audiences, sent membership numbers soaring and was quickly accepted as one of the ‘locals’. A decade on, he made a magnificent 193 in the third of four Tests against England, one of the prime movers behind India’s series-levelling innings victory in 2002.

“That time, the weather was completely different,” Tendulkar tells Hindustan Times from London, the voice coming through clear as crystal. “Now it’s scorching heat there (in Leeds) but that time I remember, before the Test, we couldn’t even have proper practice sessions because it had rained. The game also didn’t start on time, I think it started half an hour late or something like that because it was raining. And it was a damp pitch, a green-top. We won the toss and batted first…”

That move by Sourav Ganguly baffled onlookers because everything cried out for a ‘bowl-first’ decision, but through Sanjay Bangar, Tendulkar, Ganguly himself and Player of the Match Rahul Dravid, India defied all predictions to post 628 for eight declared and troop out commanding victors.

“It was something that, as a team, we decided – to take up this challenge. We had gone in with two seamers (Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar) and Sanjay Bangar, and we played with two spinners – Harbhajan (Singh) and (Anil) Kumble. The decision to bat first was obviously a collective decision and we felt that okay, we will put up a total on the board and we will put pressure on them. We were able to do that, we were able to execute our plans and put a lot of pressure on them and beat them by an innings. It was possibly one of the sweetest victories ever for us.”

India were shored up a 170-run second-wicket stand between Dravid and Bangar, after which Tendulkar and Dravid put on 150. India slammed the door on England’s face when Tendulkar realised 249 for the fourth wicket in a powerhouse batting display that flattened Nasser Hussain’s men. “Rahul and Bangar had that crucial partnership, and then there was that partnership between me and Sourav. I had two big partnerships, one with Rahul and the other with Sourav,” Tendulkar recalls, then adds with a chuckle. “On the second evening, the batters (himself and Ganguly) wanted to continue but the umpires said the light was too bad and we need to walk off! They took the third new ball. It was the only time in my career where the umpires said, ‘We can’t see the ball, we need to go away’!”

India’s five-Test series against England, beginning at Headingley on Friday, will be played for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, as the Pataudi Trophy has been rebranded. The move has raised hackles, displeasing many – including the great Sunil Gavaskar – about the legacy of the Pataudi family being tarnished.

Having maintained a steadfast silence thus far, Tendulkar observes, “It’s a huge honour (that he is one half after whom the trophy has been named). When the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) and the ECB (Emirates Cricket Board) decided to retire his trophy, it was completely their decision, I think I was travelling somewhere. And then after a couple of months, I got this surprise that they have decided to name the trophy after me and (James) Anderson. My initial impression was that it was a nice way to recognise two players – one has played 24 years for the country, Test cricket, and the other one has played 21 years of Test cricket for his nation. I thought it was a good way to recognise that.

“I picked up the phone and I spoke to the Pataudi family. I told them about this and also in the same breath, I said that I have always respected my seniors and their contributions, and I will do everything possible to keep that legacy alive. ‘Let me come back to you’. After that, I spoke to Mr Jay Shah (the ICC independent chair), the BCCI and the ECB. We had a few calls, I shared a few ideas and later on, they were all on the same page and they graciously accepted a few suggestions — the outcome of that was very good. The Pataudi Medal of Excellence for the winning captain – it’s a good match because he was known for his leadership. I felt by introducing this, we are keeping the legacy alive, which is important. I feel very happy about the outcome. The phone calls that I made ended up in a result that we have been able to keep the legacy alive.”

As for the reactions that have accompanied the renaming, he says, “To be honest, I have not followed (that) at all. I know a few people have reacted, but I really don’t want to think about that because those are only reactions without knowing what the reality is. The reaction is there, the statement is there, without knowing what is happening. The thing is that I have not taken the decision to retire the trophy. But I did make an effort to introduce the medal in his honour. By me doing this, I feel that a positive outcome was there from all this because the trophy was anyways retired.”

Tendulkar on transition and Gill’s captaincy

There is excitement, but also a little trepidation, among Indian fans with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s retirements having plucked a chunk of experience out of the Test side, to be now led by Shubman Gill. “There are going to be multiple challenges and it’s something that everyone looks forward to because it’s not going to be a smooth ride all the way in a five-Test series. There are going to be ups and downs, some challenging moments,” Tendulkar agrees, with a rider. “But that is what all the players work hard for — to prepare themselves for those difficult moments. I think the team has the firepower to counter whatever the England team is going to do. We have the experience also of players like KL Rahul, (Ravindra) Jadeja, (Jasprit) Bumrah… Rishabh (Pant) is experienced now, Shubman is experienced now. We have got these guys. We have Karun (Nair), who has been around. At the international level, he has tasted success and also played a lot of first-class cricket, county cricket here. Yashasvi (Jaiswal). All these guys are there. Sai Sudharsan has looked good. I feel we are very much there. It will be a close encounter.”

In many ways, the Rohit-Kohli retirements spark a stroll down memory lane to 2012, when Dravid and VVS Laxman retired within months of each other, after India’s tour of Australia and before the start of the home season, with a two-Test series against New Zealand. Tendulkar was still around then to oversee that period of change. Who does the Indian team look up to to reprise that role, one wonders.

“This transitional phase is there for us,” Tendulkar concurs. “And along with those two (Rohit and Kohli), I would also add one more name, which is (Ravichandran) Ashwin, who also has retired. (But) I feel the players are capable of handling the pressure. This transitional period, it happens to all teams. This time, it is KL Rahul who is one of the senior most guys. There is Jadeja, Bumrah — they will take that responsibility. Gautam (Gambhir, the head coach) is there to guide the team and overall, I feel that the guys, they are not coming straight into the Test team from the Under-19 team. They have been around. It’s a nice blend. Karun, though he is coming back to the Test team, he has been around. He is 33, has a lot of experience. Not an absolute youngster as such, which kind of helps, you know. This is the phase where those kinds of cricketers will come and guide youngsters. It will surely help someone like Sai Sudharsan to have experienced players around them. I feel the players are talented. If they were not skilled, then one could have said it’s worrying. But the players are skilled and I don’t see it as a problem as such.”

Tendulkar was first made India’s captain when he was only 23, and one of his earliest assignments, a little over two months into the role, was leading the team on a three-Test tour of South Africa in December 1996. Gill, 25, starts his baptism by fire with this five-Test outing of England, but Tendulkar was swift in saying, “I wouldn’t compare the two eras because the way everything functioned at that point of time was completely different to the way it is functioning today. Multiple things happened during that period; the less we talk about that, the better it is.

“My message to him (Gill) would be to shut off from the outside world because there will be a lot of opinions. There will be a lot of discussions – was he being more aggressive or too defensive and all those kinds of things will happen. But he can’t be thinking of what X, Y, Z is saying about what is happening. When you sit in the dressing room, you have plans and there is an end goal at the end of the Test match — how do you get to the destination? They would have planned all those things. The outside world will say a lot of things. But he should not worry too much about that and do what is best for them to do in the interests of the team and the nation. So long as he knows that whatever decisions are being made, are being made in the interest of the team, interest of our country, then that is what matters.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/sachin-tendulkar-refuses-to-draw-own-captaincy-parallel-with-shubman-gill-the-less-said-about-it-the-better-101750383545669.html

The Bombay High Court dismisses BCCI’s challenge to arbitration awards, directs it to pay over Rs 538 crore to the defunct Kochi IPL franchise over wrongful termination of agreements.

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday dismissed two petitions filed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), challenging arbitration awards that directed it to pay over Rs 538 crore to the now-defunct IPL franchise Kochi Tuskers Kerala.

The judgment comes as a major setback for the cricket board, which has been contesting the award for nearly a decade.

Justice RI Chagla, while pronouncing the verdict, said there was no patent illegality in the 2015 arbitration order that warranted interference from the High Court. However, the court granted BCCI two more weeks to appeal against the ruling.

The court noted that the awards had been under conditional stay for several years and extended the time to allow the Kochi Tuskers to initiate recovery of the awarded amount.

The case dates back to disputes arising from franchise agreements that Kochi Cricket Private Limited (KCPL) and Rendezvous Sports World (RSW) had entered into with the BCCI. RSW had won the bid for the Kochi IPL franchise in 2010, submitting a bank guarantee of Rs 153.34 crore.

While an interim franchise agreement was signed in April 2010, it was later transferred to KCPL in November that year following the creation of the joint venture.

Disputes began after KCPL allegedly failed to deliver the requisite bank guarantee by March 2011. BCCI subsequently terminated the franchise agreements with KCPL and RSW on September 19, 2011. In response, the Kochi franchise owners invoked arbitration in 2012.

In June 2015, the arbitrator directed BCCI to pay KCPL Rs 385.5 crore along with 18 percent annual interest. In RSW’s case, BCCI was ordered to pay Rs 153.34 crore with similar interest terms, beginning from the date of the alleged wrongful termination of the agreement.

BCCI, represented by senior advocate Rafiq Dada, argued that the arbitrator had overlooked key clauses related to deadlines for submission of guarantees and changes to contract terms. However, the High Court said the arbitrator had correctly interpreted the evidence and contractual terms.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/law-news/story/bcci-loses-rs-538-crore-arbitration-case-defunct-ipl-team-kochi-tuskers-2742830-2025-06-19

Former BCCI selector Saba Karim believes that KL Rahul is ‘ideal’ to replace Virat Kohli at No. 4 for the Indian cricket team in Tests. Virat announced his retirement ahead of the Test series against England and since then, there has been a lot of conversations surrounding India’s batting order. In an interview with NDTV, Karim explained that the absence of Kohli presents a ‘monumental’ opportunity to Rahul. Rahul is currently one of the senior members of the side and can provide a ‘dual role’ to the team at No. 4.

“Well, in the absence of Kohli, Rahul’s role is monumental. And I look at him, as a batter who can bat a number four. Many people have suggested different batting positions, but I feel that KL is ideal to replace or take over, the role of Virat Kohli at number four, because that number four, he can play a dual role of negotiating the early setback if that happens in the Indian side, and then he can carry the innings forward. He does have the right kind of technique. He has done well in England,” he said.

“He has a temperament. And I think with the past season, season and a half, there is a lot of maturity that has come in. So I think that’s the kind of responsibility with Indian team management.”

“It is not going to be easy because things have changed. The game itself has evolved. Strategies have evolved. So for someone who’s making a comeback after so many years, he will need lot of backing from the Indian side to do well in England. Experience of playing domestic cricket, experience of scoring tons of runs in domestic cricket and also on this, couple of matches that India played, from a couple of practice matches that India played, all that should come in handy.”

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/england-vs-india-2025/ex-bcci-selector-picks-india-star-ideal-to-replace-virat-kohli-not-shubman-gill-or-sai-sudharsan-8693160

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the schedule of the Women’s World Cup 2025, which will take place from September 30 to November 2 in India. Four Indian cities will host matches, while 11-13 matches will be played in Colombo.

India and Sri Lanka will play the opening match of the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup in Bengaluru on September 30, while the Women in Blue will face Pakistan outside Indian shores at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium on October 5. A total of five cities, including four in India will host the event.
While India is the sole host nation of the tournament, a special agreement struck between India and Pakistan ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy means that both will not travel to each other’s shores for any ICC event, and a hybrid model will be followed.
Pakistan will play all their matches in Colombo. The final is scheduled to take place on November 2 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. However, if Pakistan qualifies for the mega clash, it will take place in Colombo. A similar arrangement is in store for the first semi-final, which has been awarded to Guwahati but will be shifted to the Sri Lankan city if the Women in Green qualify.

Alongside Bengaluru and Colombo, Guwahati, Indore, and Visakhapatnam will also host matches.

Shardul Thakur, representing India A, smashed an unbeaten 122 off 68 balls and claimed 4 wickets in a brilliant all-round show during the intra-squad match against India at Beckenham on Sunday.

Shardul Thakur, the seam-bowling all-rounder of India, made a big statement ahead of the first Test of the five-match Test series against England, starting June 20 at Leeds. The 33-year-old, representing India A, smashed an unbeaten 122 off 68 balls and claimed 4 wickets in a brilliant all-round show during the intra-squad match against India at Beckenham on Sunday.
Thakur became the second player to reach the three-figure mark in India A’s innings after Sarfaraz Khan, who played a quickfire 101 from 76 balls, including 15 boundaries and two sixes.
Notably, Thakur’s blitzkrieg came against a bowling attack that featured India’s top-rated pacers, including Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Arshdeep Singh.

However, the intra-squad match between India and India A was called off by the management midway through Day Three. The game was supposed to last until Monday, June 16, but the management decided to end the match after two and a half days.

“Team India’s intra-squad game has ended. A complete day off on 16th June. The team will leave for Leeds on 17th June,” the BCCI stated on Sunday.
The match was not telecast live, nor were the scores made available to the media officially.
However, for Shardul—who last played for India in the 2023 Boxing Day Test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town—it was a bright performance that strengthened his case for selection.
Shardul was considered for the England series owing to his superb performances for Mumbai in the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy. He finished as the second-leading run-getter for the most successful team in Ranji Trophy history and took 35 wickets in nine matches.
The all-rounder, however, failed to make a mark in the two unofficial Tests for India A against the England Lions. Notably, the centuries by Shardul and Sarfaraz came in front of chief selector Ajit Agarkar and BCCI’s Centre of Excellence head VVS Laxman.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/cricket/shardul-thakur-shines-bright-ahead-of-leeds-test-blasts-122-off-68-balls-bags-4-wickets-article-151986667

Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh congratulated South Africa on winning the World Test Championship against Australia at Lord’s.

The cricketing fraternity could not keep calm after South Africa’s win in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia. Temba Bavuma and his brave men chased down 282 in the fourth and final innings to win the third edition of the WTC final against Australia by five wickets. Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma played out of their skins to help South Africa end their trophy drought and win an ICC title after a 27-year gap.

Former India batter Sachin Tendulkar, who holds the record for scoring the most runs in Tests and ODIs, congratulated the Proteas on winning the contest against a high-profile Australian lineup.

Markram and Bavuma played knocks of 136 and 66, respectively, as South Africa chased down 282 at the Lord’s Cricket Ground. The duo put on 147 runs for the third wicket. On Day 4, Australia gave it their all but in the end, it did not prove enough as Proteas got over the line in the first session.

“Test cricket continues to weave its magic. In a final where every session had its own story, @ProteasMenCSA found calm in the storm. Markram’s composure and Bavuma’s grit under pressure stood tall in the fourth innings,” Tendulkar wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

“A century that will be remembered, a partnership that turned hope into history. Congratulations to South Africa on becoming World Test Champions! #WTC25,” he added.

‘Okay, to let go of one trophy’

Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh too congratulated South Africa on winning the WTC. He also gave a shoutout to Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen for bowling well and restricting Australia in the entire game.

Rabada returned with nine wickets in the contest, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings to go with four more in the second. Yuvraj also tipped his hat to Australia’s knack of winning ICC events but told Pat Cummins and it’s “okay to let go of one trophy.”

“The class of 2025 ends a 27-year wait and lifts the ICC World Test Championship Trophy in style! Huge congrats to the @ProteasMenCSA on a historic win at Lord’s. I’ve always believed there’s no greater measure of resilience and character than Test cricket and South Africa rose to the occasion! #AidenMarkram’s century was pure class,” wrote Yuvraj.

“”@KagisoRabada25, @marcojansen2000 and @NgidiLungi brought relentless intensity and #TembaBavuma led with calm and courage. A final worthy of the format. Tough luck #Australia! You know It’s okay to let go of one trophy,” he added.

Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan too was elated as the Bavuma-led side lifted the Test mace riding on the stunning performance from Markram. Irfan’s brother, Yusuf and India legend Harbhajan Singh too reacted to South Africa ending their 27-year wait for an ICC trophy.

This is Australia’s first defeat in the ICC finals since 2010 when they lost the T20 World Cup summit clash against England in Barbados.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/sachin-tendulkar-cant-keep-calm-after-south-africa-win-wtc-yuvraj-singh-tells-australia-okay-to-let-go-of-one-trophy-101749907861089.html

The Indian cricket team pay tribute to the victims of the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad ahead of the start of play on the first of day of a four-match intra-squad match at the Kent Cricket Ground in Beckenham.

The Indian cricket team paid tribute to the victims of the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday (June 12) during their intra-squad match in England. Ahead of the start of the fixture at the Kent Cricket Ground in Beckenham on Friday (June 13), the players and support staff of the national team observed a minute’s silence and also wore a black armband.
“The players and members of the support staff involved in the intra-squad game in Beckenham are wearing black armbands. A minute’s silence was also observed today to pay homage to the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash, as a mark of respect for the lives lost and solidarity with the affected families,” wrote BCCI in a post on X.

The four-day fixture, which is India’s sole warm-up game ahead of the Test series against England is a closed doors event and is not being telecasted or live streamed as cameras are barred from the venue.

Meanwhile, the Australian and South African players also observed a minute’s silence and wore black armbands at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in London on the third day of play in the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final.

For those unversed, Air India Flight A171, which was travelling from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport to London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed seconds after it took off from a campus building of the BJ Medical College in the city.
The plane had 242 people on board, which included Passengers and crew members, including 169 Indian citizens, 53 British Nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian. 241 people lost their lives while one survivor emerged.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/cricket/indian-team-pays-tribute-to-ahmedabad-plane-crash-victims-during-intra-squad-match-in-england-article-151907924

India have named a youthful squad for the high-profile series following the Test retirements of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

England vice-captain Ollie Pope believes the young Indian side, led by a “fantastic” Shubman Gill, has plenty of depth and talent, but it will miss the aura of Virat Kohli during the upcoming five-Test series starting in Leeds on June 20.

India have named a youthful squad for the high-profile series following the Test retirements of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

“It’s a young team, but these Indian players they have got so much depth and talent,” Pope told talkSPORT Cricket.

“So they’ve got a lot of young guys coming through; a lot of good players. Shubman Gill, their new captain, is a fantastic player. They will miss the aura of Virat Kohli standing at slips and chirping away.

“But they have got some good talent, so they will feel confident. But our players are ready for it.” India have not won a Test series in England since 2007, having lost in 2011, 2014 and 2018, while the 2021-22 series ended in a draw.

“It’s a great time for us to play India”

Pope emphasised the importance of the upcoming India series for England, calling it vital preparation in the lead-up to the Ashes later this year.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/india-have-depth-and-talent-but-will-miss-kohlis-aura-ollie-pope-3581638

Shreyas Iyer opened up about captaincy, and the thrills and joy that leadership brings him.

Shreyas Iyer, despite making his India debut in 2017, remains an enigma. The guy’s got everything: charisma, talent and the right attitude. The one factor he lacks, however, is luck. Every time Iyer is destined to do anything good, something comes along the way that derails his progress. Iyer was India’s marathon man in the 2023 World Cup. You thought he would be there forever. But a back injury, followed by BCCI’s decision to strip him from the Central Contracts, spiralled him down in the pecking order. This, when he’s hardly put a foot wrong. Yes, short balls seemed to be his undoing, but he’s worked hard on that aspect and looks a lot more assured against them.

Nonetheless, as always, Shreyas Iyer has once again risen from the ashes. So much so that if a senior BCCI official is to be believed, he has joined India’s captaincy race, officially challenging Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill as India’s next in command in white-ball formats. Iyer is hot on the heels of a mighty successful season with Punjab Kings, and with Rohit pushing 40, Iyer could well replace him as India’s next ODI captain. In 2020, he led Delhi Capitals to the final of the IPL for the first time, and four years later, shepherded Kolkata Knight Riders’ third title win before taking PBKS one step short of glory.

Such is Iyer’s form that he is likely to be part of India’s T20I and Test set-up, and once he does, the leadership group promises to become that much stronger. Currently captaining in the Mumbai T20 League, Iyer is on the money right away, leading his team, Sobo Mumbai Falcons, to the semi-final of the tournament. Opening up on the importance of captaincy and what it means to him, Iyer went candid, saying he loves the challenge.

“It (captaincy) brings in a lot of maturity and responsibility. You are always expected to perform and contribute in the best way possible for the team because whenever there is a hurdle or some kind of adversity you face as a team, they always come to the captain. I think I have got a lot of experience as I have been captaining since I was 22. I have enjoyed the moments and also embraced it. I love the fact to come out and lead, ” Iyer said on the sidelines of the T20 Mumbai League.

“I just keep telling myself…”

Shreyas, 30, has joined Indian stars such as Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube in the T20 Mumbai League, a prominent domestic franchise-based tournament. Iyer shared that he thrives in high-pressure situations, drawing motivation to deliver his best performances and also expressed joy in playing alongside familiar teammates from his childhood cricketing days, which adds a special sense of camaraderie to the tournament.

The referee awarded Hong Kong the penalty after India custodian Vishal Kaith came out of the goalline and tried to palm the ball to safety, only to end up hitting Michael Udebuluzor.

Kowloon (Hong Kong): A profligate Indian football team suffered a calamitous 0-1 defeat to hosts Hong Kong after an injury-time goal by Stefan Pereira in a crucial 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualifier match here on Tuesday.

The referee awarded Hong Kong the penalty after India custodian Vishal Kaith came out of the goalline and tried to palm the ball to safety, only to end up hitting Michael Udebuluzor.

Pereira (90+4) stepped up to take the spot kick and shot the ball to the right of Kaith, who was also shown a yellow card for his injury-time foul.

Earlier, India coach Manolo Marquez kept out veteran striker Sunil Chhetri from the starting XI.

A sea of red packed the stands at the newly built Kai Tak Stadium but despite the strong home support, India did pretty well to create a few chances in the first half, even though Hong Kong enjoyed more possession.

But, as has been the trend with them in recent times, the lack of finishing has again let the Blue Tigers down in the first 45 minutes.

Among the opportunities that came their way before the half time break, the Indians came closest in the 35th minute but Ashique Kuruniyan shot the ball wide from a close range after Liston Colaco ran down the left to provide him a nice cross.

Meanwhile, after having received medical attention after getting injured, Colaco unleashed a powerful long-range shot but it went straight into the keeper’s gloves.

Hong Kong also grew in confidence as the game approached the half time. The home team could have taken the lead from a free-kick had it not been for a timely clearance by Asish Rai from goal-mouth after custodian Vishal Kaith was beaten.

Both India and Hong Kong have had their moments but neither side could convert in a tightly contested first half of this crucial 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualifier.

Kuruniyan, who has otherwise performed his job admirably on the flanks, looked to have got another chance to break the deadlock some minutes into the second half, but could not.

Soon after, coach Manolo Marquez brought on India’s all-time highest goal-scorer Sunil Chhetri alongside Naorem Singh in place of Kuruniyan and Brandon Fernandes.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/football/india-go-down-0-1-to-hong-kong-in-crucial-2027-asian-cup-qualifier-match-3579567

The King and Queen of the Ring tournaments kick off with high-stakes matches, and John Cena makes his final appearance in Phoenix on his farewell tour. Plus, WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella returns, and Jey Uso defends the World Heavyweight Championship against the dominant Gunther

Tonight’s RAW features the return of R-Truth, now reborn as Ron Killings, in a powerful new persona. The King and Queen of the Ring tournaments kick off with high-stakes matches, and John Cena makes his final appearance in Phoenix on his farewell tour. Plus, WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella returns, and Jey Uso defends the World Heavyweight Championship against the dominant Gunther.Let’s check out the results

Gunther defeats Jey Uso WWE World Heavyweight Championship

Despite the early fire, Jey’s injured ribs slowed him down. Gunther relentlessly targeted the injury and eventually made Jey pass out in a submission hold to become the new champion.

R-Truth Reinvents Himself as Ron Killings

Indian cricketer Rinku Singh officially got engaged to Samajwadi Party MP Priya Saroj in Lucknow on Sunday. The couple held an engagement ceremony that was attended by some of the biggest names in the cricketing and political spectrum. Some beautiful videos and pictures have surfaced on social media in which Priya and Rinku are flaunting their engagement rings. Rinku, who plays for the Indian cricket team in the T20I format and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL, couldn’t have many of his international teammates at the ceremony due to cricketing commitments.

In the pictures that have surfaced on social media, politician Akhilesh Yadav and the BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla could also be seen. Here are some other videos and pictures form the ceremony:

A few months ago, Priya’s father, Tufani Saroj, had made the relationship status of the two clear. Tufani, who’s also a sitting MLA from the Samajwadi Party, spoke to ANI and said that both Rinku Singh and Priya Saroj sought their parents’ permission. He also confirmed that the engagement has not taken place yet, and only the initial talks have taken place.

“Both the children have expressed their desire to get married and have sought our permission for the same. The engagement has not taken place yet. Initial talks have taken place in this regard,” Tufani Saroj had told ANI.

Rinku had quite an ordinary IPL 2025 campaign with KKR, scoring 206 runs at an average of 29.42 and a strike-rate of 153.73. The Knight Riders had a forgettable season that saw them finish eighth in the table with 12 points and a net run rate of -0.305, winning just 5 out of 14 matches.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/rinku-singh-gets-engaged-to-politician-priya-saroj-pictures-and-videos-out-8617091

Carlos Alcaraz saved three championship points and became the ninth man in the Open Era to rally from two sets down in a major final.

Carlos Alcaraz saved three championship points as he produced an astonishing fightback from two sets down to beat Jannik Sinner in a French Open final for the ages on Sunday. Reigning champion Alcaraz rallied from the brink of defeat to overcome world number one Sinner 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (10/2) to clinch his fifth Grand Slam title after five hours and 29 minutes. The 22-year-old Spaniard is now unbeaten in five Grand Slam finals after snapping Sinner’s 20-match winning run at the majors.

Alcaraz pulled off his first ever comeback from two sets down to stun Sinner in the longest Roland Garros final in history. It easily eclipsed the 1982 final in Paris when Mats Wilander triumphed in four sets over Guillermo Vilas in 4hr 42min.

Alcaraz becomes the third youngest man to win five Grand Slams — after Bjorn Borg and compatriot Rafael Nadal — following an incredible duel between the two stars of a new generation.

Sinner fell agonisingly short of a third successive Grand Slam crown after last year’s US Open title and back-to-back Australian Open triumphs.

He suffered his fifth straight loss to Alcaraz in what was their first meeting in a Grand Slam final — and the first championship match at a major between two men born in the 2000s.

Alcaraz leads 8-5 overall having also beaten Sinner to win in Rome, where the Italian returned to competition in May after a three-month doping ban.

Alcaraz put the pressure on Sinner by carving out three break points to start Saturday’s final, but the Italian resisted and soon had a chance of his own.

He couldn’t take advantage and found himself having to fend off two more break points at 1-1, producing clutch serves to grind out another tough hold.

Alcaraz’s persistence paid off in the fifth game when he broke to nudge 3-2 ahead, only for the Spaniard to immediately hand the lead back.

The unshakeable Sinner threatened to break again at 4-3, with a brief lapse from Alcaraz eventually enabling Sinner to snatch the first set.

Sinner hit the accelerator to start the second set, surging 3-0 in front. After facing seven break points in the opener, he tightened up considerably on serve.

But Alcaraz brought up his first break point of the second set with Sinner serving for a two-set lead, duly pouncing on the opportunity to check his rival’s momentum.

With the swagger back in his step at a crucial juncture, Alcaraz sought to bring the crowd into the contest but Sinner remained unflustered in the tie-break.

The first five points went with serve before Sinner whipped a forehand down the line and Alcaraz then steered an attempted drop-shot wide.

A tame return into the net presented Sinner with four set points. Alcaraz saved two before Sinner unleashed a blistering cross-court forehand to move to within a set of the trophy.

Alcaraz pulls off miraculous comeback

It all looked to be going his way when he broke Alcaraz to begin the third set, but the Spaniard refused to surrender his title quietly and rattled off four games on the bounce to lead 4-1.

Alcaraz lost serve at 5-3 but promptly broke to love to force a fourth set, lapping up the roars of the Court Philippe Chatrier crowd.

That ended Sinner’s run of 31 consecutive sets won at Grand Slams.

Alcaraz saved a break point in the third game amid a series of holds as Sinner doubled down. The Italian appeared to be closing in on victory when he broke at 3-3 as the finish line neared.

But Alcaraz had other ideas as he staved off three championship points at 3-5 and then broke Sinner when he tried to seal the title on his serve.

Successive aces spurred a reinvigorated Alcaraz on in the tie-break and into a decisive fifth set.

A despairing Sinner lost his serve right away and his gloom deepened as Alcaraz saved two break points to pull 3-1 ahead, but incredibly there was another twist.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/french-open-2025/carlos-alcaraz-saves-three-match-points-against-jannik-sinner-to-win-french-open-8620325

The Aragon Grand Prix has historically been a favorable track for Honda riders, with the manufacturer securing multiple victories since the circuit’s introduction to the MotoGP calendar in 2010. Mir’s familiarity with the track and past performances had set expectations for a strong showing this weekend.

Honda HRC Castrol rider Joan Mir experienced a crash at Turn 2 of the Ciudad del Motor de Aragon circuit in Spain during the free practice session for the Aragon Grand Prix. The incident occurred as Mir was navigating the early stages of the session, leading to a temporary halt in proceedings while marshals ensured the track was safe for continuation.

Mir was able to walk away from the crash unaided, and initial assessments suggest that he did not sustain any serious injuries. This crash adds to a challenging season for the 2020 MotoGP World Champion, who has faced multiple setbacks, including a recent incident at the French Grand Prix where he suffered a fracture to his right hand following a collision with Francesco Bagnaia. Despite these hurdles, Mir has shown resilience, aiming to capitalize on circuits like Aragon, where he has previously enjoyed success.

The Aragon Grand Prix has historically been a favorable track for Honda riders, with the manufacturer securing multiple victories since the circuit’s introduction to the MotoGP calendar in 2010. Mir’s familiarity with the track and past performances had set expectations for a strong showing this weekend.

Australian MotoGP rider Jack Miller suffered a setback at the Thailand Grand Prix, crashing in the Tissot Sprint. The Prima Pramac Yamaha rider’s impressive qualifying effort was undone when he suffered a disappointing crash on lap seven, forcing him to retire from sixth position.

In a previous crash at the Valencia Grand Prix, Miller slid off while leading the race, ultimately losing control of his bike. He also had a close call at the Malaysian Grand Prix, where he was involved in a scary crash with Brad Binder and Fabio Quartararo.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/motogp-joan-mir-walks-away-unhurt-after-high-speed-crash-ahead-of-aragon-gp-qualifying-video

KL Rahul started the England tour on a high by scoring a century for India A against England Lions on the first day of the second unofficial Test. Rahul justified his special request to the BCCI after not being named in the squad.

KL Rahul kick-started his England tour on a high by scoring a century on the first day of the second unofficial Test between India A and England Lions on Friday (June 6) at the County Ground in Northampton.
Rahul replaced Sarfaraz Khan in the playing XI despite the latter scoring a fine knock of 92 in the first game, which ended in a draw. Skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran demoted himself as Rahul walked out to open the batting with Yashasvi Jaiswal.
After the Lions won toss and chose to bowl first, Rahul looked at ease despite a green pitch and cloudy conditions. The home team fielded a strong bowling unit consisting of Chris Woakes and Josh Tongue, who will play for England in the Test series against India.

Rahul made a knock of 111 in 168 balls before being dismissed by George Hill. No other Indian player in the top six managed a half-century.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/cricket/kl-rahul-justifies-special-request-to-bcci-ends-gautam-gambhirs-headache-sends-england-big-warning-article-151805021

This comes in the wake of heightened emotions across Bengaluru, following both the team’s iconic victory and the tragic stampede that marred the celebrations outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The chilling video highlights a darker side of fanaticism, where admiration for cricketers crosses into self-harm and ceremonial extremes.

A disturbing video has surfaced online showing an overly zealous Virat Kohli fan applying a blood tilak on the cricketer’s poster to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) long-awaited IPL 2025 title win. The video, which has gone viral, has left netizens both stunned and concerned, with many questioning the extremes of fan devotion in modern sports culture.

The footage depicts a visibly distressed fan slicing his wrist and using the blood to ceremonially mark Kohli’s forehead on a poster he’s clutching. Social media users questioned whether such extreme acts of devotion are prompted by Kohli’s influence or the broader fan culture at RCB.

This comes in the wake of heightened emotions across Bengaluru, following both the team’s iconic victory and the tragic stampede that marred the celebrations outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The chilling video highlights a darker side of fanaticism, where admiration for cricketers crosses into self-harm and ceremonial extremes.

Here’s how the netizens reacted to the video:

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/ajeeb-pagalpan-hai-netizens-react-as-fanatic-virat-kohli-fan-applies-blood-tilak-on-his-poster-after-ipl-2025-triumph-video 

Gautam Gambhir, Indian cricket team head coach, has said that Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2025 title celebration victory parade road show should never have taken place

Gautam Gambhir, Indian cricket team head coach, has said that Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2025 title celebration victory parade should never have taken place. He added that such events must take place in a closed-door environment. Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s joy of winning a first IPL title in 18 years turned tragic as 11 people lost their lives in stampede at a planned victory parade on Wednesday. The RCB team members, including Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar, were felicitated at the Vidhan Soudha by Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah at around 5 PM IST after which there was a planned open bus parade. Lakhs of people gathered around the area where it was supposed to take place. It turned tragic as 11 died and close to 50 people got injured in the event.

“I was never a believer that we need to have roadshows. Never. When I was playing, I had the same statement, even after winning the 2007 T20 World Cup that we should not have road shows. The lives of people are far more important and I will continue to say that. In future we can be little bit aware about not holding these kind of road shows and probably have it in a closed door environment. What has happened is very tragic. My heart goes out to the families who have lost their loved ones,” Gautam Gambhir said at a pre-departure press conference ahead of India vs England Test series.

Asked if the nature of fandom had changed over the years, Gambhir spoke about being responsible in every aspect of life.

“I can’t say whether the fan base has increased or all that kind of stuff. All I can say is that we need to be responsible. We need to be responsible in every aspect of whether being a franchise or everything (else) because every life matters.” Gambhir also questioned the need to hold a road show when they were simply not prepared.

“If you were not ready to hold a road show, you shouldn’t have done that. (It is) as simple as it can get,” he couldn’t be more blunt.

He said he understands the excitement of fans but what happened in Bengaluru was beyond tragic.

“I know fans do get excited. Everyone gets excited. The fan base gets excited. But nothing compared to what has happened recently. You cannot at any point of time lose 11 people,

Earlier, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia talked to NDTV and admitted ‘some lapses’ were there on the part of the organisers.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/ipl-2025/lives-of-people-far-more-important-than-roadshows-gautam-gambhir-attacks-rcb-title-celebration-organisers-8596591

Second seed Coco Gauff beats Lois Boisson 6-1, 6-2 to set up French Open women’s singles final against No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka

For the first time in over a decade, the French Open women’s final will feature the top two players in the world, as World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and World No. 2 Coco Gauff set up a blockbuster clash for the Roland Garros title. Sabalenka and Gauff are set to clash for the Roland Garros title after Sabalenka defeated Swiatek and Gauff beat Lois Boisson in the semifinals. Gauff eyes her second Grand Slam title after reaching the final for the second time.

Sabalenka booked her spot in the final by ending Iga Swiatek’s reign in Paris. In a gripping semifinal showdown, the Belarusian defeated the three-time defending champion in three sets, halting Swiatek’s dominance on clay and securing her first-ever appearance in a French Open final.

Shortly after, Gauff kept her dream run alive with a commanding 6-1, 6-2 win over French wildcard Lois Boisson, whose surprise journey to the semifinals had captured hearts across the tennis world. For Gauff, this will be her second Roland Garros final, having reached the title match in 2022, where she lost to Swiatek.

Now, two years later, the American returns more experienced and with a Grand Slam title already under her belt—her breakthrough win at the 2023 US Open, where she defeated Sabalenka in a memorable three-set final.

The upcoming championship clash marks the 11th meeting between Sabalenka and Gauff. Since Gauff’s US Open triumph, the two have split their last four encounters, setting the stage for an evenly matched and high-stakes battle.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/french-open-2025/coco-gauff-beats-lois-boisson-to-set-up-french-open-final-against-aryna-sabalenka-8597828

18 years in the making. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Virat Kohli overcame years of heartbreak to finally lift the Indian Premier League (IPL) title on Tuesday. In a final of close margins, RCB edged out Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 6 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. For Kohli, however, meant a lot much more. After all, he gave every ounce of his energy for the franchise. Friends and former colleagues were in attendance to witness Kohli finally get his hands on the trophy.

An emotional Kohli was thronged by his teammates after the final ball was bowled. Kohli’s wife, Anushka Sharma, was also present inside the stadium to support her husband and RCB. After bathing in glory, alongside his teammates, Kohli went to hug Anushka, who was seen wiping her husband’s tears.

After embracing each other for a few seconds, Kohli planted a kiss on the forehead of Anushka, who has been coming to support the team even before the two got married. Since 2014, to be precise.

After the match, Kohli spoke candidly about his loyalty to the team and his motivation to keep pushing himself even at this stage of his career.

“I’ve stayed loyal to this team, and they’ve stayed loyal to me. My heart is with Bangalore, my soul is with Bangalore. There were other moments, but I stuck with RCB because it means everything to me,” he added.

Kohli also hinted at the approaching end of his career but made it clear that he intends to give his all until the very last day.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/ipl-2025/anushka-sharma-wipes-virat-kohlis-tears-after-he-hugs-her-post-ipl-triumph-rcb-icon-then-does-this-8580746

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 6 runs in the final to clinch their first-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) title. The Rajat Patidar-led side, that has cricketing icon Virat Kohli, ended its 18-year long wait for a maiden IPL trophy. Opting to bowl first, PBKS restricted RCB to 190 for 9, with Arshdeep Singh (3 for 40) and Kyle Jamieson (3 for 48) being the major contributors. Virat Kohli was top-scorer for RCB with 43 off 35. RCB never got going in the innings and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. In reply, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2 for 38) and Krunal Pandya (2 for 17) bowled magical spells to stop PBKS at 184 for 7 in 20 overs.

RCB vs PBKS : Thank you!

IPL 2025 comes to an end. The festival will come again next year. That’s a wrap for our coverage. 74 matches, a week’s break in between, and at the end, history made by RCB. Thank you for joining us along the way on NDTV Sports.

Stay tuned, as we bring you live coverage of the French Open, the Club World Cup, and very soon, India’s tour of England!

Thank you! Goodnight.

RCB vs PBKS LIVE: RCB LIFT IPL 2025 TROPHY!

Three-times champion Novak Djokovic reached a century of wins at the French Open in a straight sets victory against Cameron Norrie on Monday and top seed Jannik Sinner produced another masterclass to also blaze into the quarter-finals.
Men’s fifth seed Jack Draper bowed out though, as did women’s third seed Jessica Pegula who was stunned by world France’s world number 361 Lois Boisson.

Serbian Djokovic, the sixth seed, looked serene in outclassing Britain’s Norrie 6-2 6-3 6-2 to edge closer to a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title.

Djokovic became the second man to win 100 matches at the Paris Grand Slam after retired 14-times champion Rafael Nadal (112), to set up a last-eight clash against Alexander Zverev.
“It’s a number which is very good and nice, but a 101st win is even better,” Djokovic, who won the Olympic gold medal last year in Paris to complete his trophy cabinet, told the appreciative crowd in fluent French.
“It’s not finished for me here the tournament and I feel very good and good to make history here. I hope there will be another win here in two days.”
His German opponent in the last eight spent even less time on the court, third seed Zverev punching his ticket when Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor retired midway through the second set with an abdominal injury.

Zverev has reached his seventh French Open quarter-final in the last eight years and is still looking to secure a maiden Grand Slam title.
“From now on I have the toughest draw in the tournament,” Zverev said. “I’m looking forward to the battles ahead, and I’m looking forward to playing the best in the world.”

SUBLIME SINNER

World number one Sinner lit up the night session with a sublime display to beat Andrey Rublev 6-1 6-3 6-4 and stretch his winning streak in Grand Slam play to 18 matches.
Italian Sinner, the U.S. and Australian Open champion, has won all 12 sets he has played this year on Parisian clay and looks in ominous form as he closes on a first French Open title.
While Djokovic, Sinner and Zverev were all smiles, Britain’s dark horse Draper was heading for home after succumbing to a mesmeric display by Kazakh Alexander Bublik , who a few months ago questioned his future having dropped down the pecking order.

The 27-year-old, among the most naturally gifted players on tour who has admitted to lacking the commitment of other top professionals, seized his moment to drop shot his way past young gun Draper to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final.
Bublik, who had never got past the second round in Paris, hit a staggering 37 drop shots in his 5-7 6-3 6-2 6-4 win.
“Standing here is the best moment of my life, period,”, Bublik, in tears, told the crowd.
“I’m standing here like I won the thing. I can’t cry here, let me be in peace, I’m a professional tennis player, I’ve got one more match, I’ve got to get ready.”
Bublik’s victory was the second upset of the day after unheralded Boisson shook up the women’s draw with a shock 3-6 6-4 6-4 win over Pegula .
Wild card Boisson outplayed the American favourite with the aid of a fierce forehand that had the Chatrier crowd on their feet.

As if that was not enough for the home crowd, they also got to see the Champions League soccer trophy minutes later, after Paris St Germain’s victory over Inter Milan on Saturday.
PSG forward Ousmane Dembele carried it onto the court to ear-splitting cheers as his team became the second French outfit to lift the European Cup after Olympique de Marseille in 1993.
Second seed Coco Gauff was in no mood for surprises, however, as she brushed aside Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-0 7-5 to stay on course for her first title in Paris.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/sports/tennis/gauff-speeds-past-alexandrova-book-french-open-last-eight-spot-2025-06-02/

A video of when D Gukesh sealed a win against Magnus Carlsen is going viral on social media. It shows the moment Carlsen banged a table in frustration after losing to the 18-year-old Indian in Norway Chess 2025. However, some social media users, instead of just celebrating the Indian champion, have flooded the comments section with racist remarks. Many users targeted Gukesh’s nationality with xenophobic and derogatory comments, sparking outrage online.

An NRI pointed it out in an X post and wrote, “Can I ask why isn’t @NorwayChess moderating its TikTok account, despite repeated racist comments targeting Gukesh? These comments are visible, liked by thousands, and consistently appear at the top.” The individual further shared a screenshot of a remark under the video that reads, “Magnus was distracted by the curry scent (sic).”

How did social media react?

People had a lot to say about this post. An individual remarked, “West hates Indians, they always did.” Another added, “They encourage racism against Indians.”

A third expressed, “No worries. The whole world hates India’s rise. Who cares about trolls? Let them waste their time and mind.” A fourth wrote, “They can’t accept the fact an Indian talent got over the top. Nobody from the West is complaining about Magnus’ attitude, saying it’s all. It’s pure jealousy.”

The 18-year-old sealed a surprising win against the World No. 1 in their Round 6 face-off. Initially, Gukesh was in a losing position. However, after a blunder by Carlsen, the Indian clinched a win against the Norwegian.

Gukesh’s grandfather on Carlsen’s table banging:

Gukesh’s grandfather, Shankar Rajesh, defended Carlsen by saying, “That is natural.” He continued, “He will be relaxed, and he will be practising.”

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/trending/magnus-was-distracted-by-curry-scent-instead-of-applause-d-gukesh-s-win-video-draws-racist-hate-on-tiktok-101748913292494.html

Shreyas Iyer is leading Punjab Kings in IPL 2025, and he played a match-winning knock for the Mohali-based franchise in Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians.

Shreyas Iyer is leading Punjab Kings in IPL 2025, and on Sunday (June 1), he entered his name in the history books by becoming the first captain in the world to lead three different teams to the IPL final.

Iyer played a super knock for the Mohali-based franchise in the second qualifier of IPL 2025 against Mumbai Indians at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. He remained unbeaten on 87 runs from 41 balls and, during his stay at the crease, hammered five fours and eight sixes.

His memorable knock helped PBKS chase down the 204-run target in 19 overs for the loss of five wickets and book a place in the IPL 2025 final.

Iyer made his captaincy debut in the IPL for Delhi Capitals during the 2018 edition and led them to the IPL final in the 2020 edition, where they finished as runner-up. He captained Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2022 and 2024 and won his maiden IPL title as captain with the Kolkata-based franchise last year.

By leading PBKS to the IPL 2025 final, Iyer also becomes the fourth captain in the world after MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya to play back-to-back IPL finals and the first captain to play back-to-back finals with two different teams.

Captains to play back-to-back IPL finals

• MS Dhoni – Chennai Super Kings (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) and (2018, 2019)
• Rohit Sharma – Mumbai Indians (2019 2020)
• Hardik Pandya – Gujarat Titans (2022 2023)
• Shreyas Iyer – Kolkata Knight Riders (2024) and Punjab Kings (2025)

Shreyas Iyer’s record as captain

• 2019: Delhi Capitals (Playoffs)
• 2020: Delhi Capitals (Final)
• 2022: Kolkata Knight Riders (7th)
• 2024: Kolkata Knight Riders (Champion)
• 2025: Punjab Kings (Final*)

In the Qualifier 2 of IPL 2025, Iyer came out to bat at No. 4 and added 84 runs for the fourth wicket with Nehal Wadhera (48 runs) and 38 runs for the sixth wicket with Marcus Stoinis (2 runs).

Iyer’s super knock with the bat also helped Punjab Kings become the first team in IPL history to chase down a target of more than 200 runs against Mumbai Indians.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cricket/shreyas-iyer-creates-history-becomes-1st-captain-in-the-world-to-ws-l-9363386.html

It looked like Magnus Carlsen would extend his lead in Norway Chess 2025 by another three points, with a second win against reigning World Champion D Gukesh. But the 18-year-old, who was in a losing position in the endgame, scripted a massive comeback, taking advantage of a blunder by the World No. 1 and sealing his first classical win against Carlsen.

Such was the style in which Gukesh won, that fans and experts are calling it the ‘turnaround of the year’. Carlsen was equally shellshocked by the win, and banged the table in frustration as the pieces also fell off. It also left the commentators and fans in shock, with the video going viral online. After Carlsen slammed the table, he also shook hands with Gukesh, who was also shocked that he finally bagged his first classical win vs the Norwegian, and the Indian GM stood up, looking dazed and confused. Carlsen then on his way back, patted Gukesh on his back, and walked off.

For Gukesh, it was the perfect revenge, as he had lost to Carlsen in the opening round. Gukesh has now climbed to third spot with 8.5 points and is behind Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana by just one point. It was also a big comeback by Gukesh, who didn’t look like he was in good form in the opening round loss to Carlsen. But on Sunday, he turned things around to seal a win against Carlsen, in 62 moves and over four hours.

Full video of Magnus Carlsen’s reaction to D Gukesh’s epic revenge:

With this victory, MI advances to face Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2, vying for a spot in the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. As the tournament progresses, moments like Pandya’s serenade underscore the team’s cohesion and the spirited environment that fuels their pursuit of the title.

In a delightful post-match moment that captured the camaraderie within the Mumbai Indians (MI) camp, captain Hardik Pandya serenaded teammate Jonny Bairstow following their victory over Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2025 Eliminator. The light-hearted gesture not only showcased the team’s unity but also highlighted Bairstow’s impactful debut performance for MI.

Following the match, MI’s official X handle shared a video capturing Pandya’s playful tribute to Bairstow. In the clip, Pandya is seen singing, “Jonny! Jonny! Jonny baby! teri meri… hai kahani!” The unexpected serenade left Bairstow momentarily puzzled before both players burst into laughter, reflecting the joyous atmosphere within the team.

Jonny Bairstow, recently acquired by MI as a replacement for Will Jacks, made an immediate impression by scoring a rapid 47 off 22 balls. His explosive innings, featuring a formidable opening partnership with Rohit Sharma, propelled MI to a commanding total of 228-5. This formidable score laid the foundation for MI’s 20-run victory, keeping their championship aspirations alive.

With this victory, MI advances to face Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2, vying for a spot in the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. As the tournament progresses, moments like Pandya’s serenade underscore the team’s cohesion and the spirited environment that fuels their pursuit of the title.

The IPL 2025 Eliminator clash between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Gujarat Titans (GT) featured tense interactions between former teammates Hardik Pandya and Shubman Gill.

Before a ball was even bowled, the spotlight was on the captains. At the toss, MI skipper Hardik Pandya and GT captain Shubman Gill shared a visibly awkward moment. After winning the toss, Pandya appeared to move toward Gill, perhaps to shake hands. Gill, simultaneously unsure, mirrored the motion. Both then pulled back in a split second of hesitation, resulting in an odd exchange.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/teri-meri-hai-kahani-hardik-pandyas-funny-song-leaves-jonny-bairstow-confused-after-ipl-2025-eliminator-win-video