Category: Sports

Mohsin Naqvi, refused to present the Asia Cup 2025 trophy to Team India and left with it. Tilak Varma revealed that they waited in the ground for an hour. They eventually celebrated in a humorous manner.

India won their record-equalling 9th Asia Cup trophy in 2025, when they defeated Pakistan in the final. However, the team did not receive a trophy, because Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) president Mohsin Naqvi did a bizzarre thing that has never been done anywhere in sporting history. He refused to hand over the trophy and ran away with it to his hotel room, thus leaving India empty-handed. The Player of the Match in the final, Tilak Varma has revealed fresh details as to what exactly happened on that day, and how they celebrated despite not getting the trophy.
In the latest episode of Breakfast With Champions, Tilak Varma revealed that the Indian team was waiting at the ground for an hour to receive the trophy. He also revealed that he wAs lying on the ground, while pacer Arshdeep Singh was busy making reels. They had no idea about Mohsin Naqvi’s shameless act.
“We were actually waiting at the ground for one hour. If you look at the TV visuals, you’ll see that I was lying on the ground. The rest were also lying on the ground. Arshdeep Singh was busy making reels. We were just waiting, and we were thinking, ‘The trophy will come anytime now.’ It was one hour, and the trophy was nowhere to be found. We were looking around, but the trophy was nowhere to be found,” Varma said.

Virat Kohli – who now plays only ODIs in international cricket – was dismissed for zero in two consecutive matches in the ongoing series in Australia

Two straight ducks for Virat Kohli were unthinkable in his prime. Times have changed, and the Indian great – who now plays only ODIs in international cricket – was dismissed for zero in two consecutive matches in the ongoing series in Australia. This is Kohli’s first international assignment since the Champions Trophy 2025 in February-March, and he is yet to score. Kohli’s long-time teammate Irfan Pathan offered his analysis of what might be going wrong.

“Virat Kohli-two back-to-back ducks. I’ve never seen that. This might be the impact of pressure or rustiness. I think the social media pressure being put on the two greats-Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli-must be managed so it doesn’t affect Kohli. It’s important to persist with them when the runs aren’t coming. It’s tough. When the sword is hanging, it’s not easy to perform. I hope Virat Kohli isn’t feeling that pressure internally,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel.

In the second ODI, Kohli was dismissed while playing his favourite flick shot. So how does he bounce back? “I think Virat Kohli wants to take a single quickly, to get off strike, especially after getting out for ducks. It’s natural. But it must be ensured that there’s no desperation. He must continue enjoying his batting. If he spends time in the middle, the runs will come. He won’t look back from there,” Pathan added.

Pathan also expressed his disappointment after India opted to leave out left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the must-win ODI against Australia in Adelaide on Thursday. India’s bowling attack struggled to make breakthroughs as Australia chased down the target of 265, sealing the series.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/australia-vs-india-2025/sword-is-hanging-virat-kohlis-ex-teammate-irfan-pathan-decodes-whats-going-wrong-with-india-great-9505984

Star raider Ali Samadi paid tribute to the late assistant manager, Vedant Devadiga by inscribing his name on his headband during the October 21 game against U Mumba.

Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan gave a huge shoutout to Jaipur Pink Panthers team players and especially Iranian player Ali Samadi’s gesture for their late Assistant manager Vedant Devadiga during their recent Pro Kabaddi League match on October 21. Samadi paid tribute to the Vedant by inscribing his name on his headband. The Jaipur Pink Panthers chose to play U Mumba not for victory, but in honour of their beloved team member. However, the team ended up losing the match by 1 point on October 21.

Taking to x, Bachchan penned a special note for the team in which he said, “The Team JPP , we lost our asst Magr in a sudden tragic passing .. the team was given an option by us to not play and give walkover as a gesture for the departed .. But team Played in honour .. wearing his head band name in remembrance .. humans pass away .. not sportsmanship

The franchisee took to social media and paid tribute to their late assistant manager with a message which siad, “The Jaipur Pink Panthers family is deeply saddened by the untimely passing of our Assistant Manager, Vedant Devadiga. He was a beloved member of our family; his passion and dedication will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones during this difficult time.”

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/humans-pass-away-not-sportsmanship-amitabh-bachchan-acknowledges-special-gesture-by-jaipur-pink-panthers-player-ali-samadi 

India haven’t won a Women’s World Cup match against a SENA nation since Harmanpreet Kaur’s iconic 171 against Australia. They’ll have a chance to end that streak when they face New Zealand in Navi Mumbai on Thursday.

India’s road to the semifinals couldn’t be clearer — or more thrilling. A win against New Zealand on Thursday would punch their ticket to the Women’s World Cup semis and make their final league clash against Bangladesh almost academic. From there, it’s all about two knockout games, two steps to glory — no matter how the group stage went.

But there’s one big hurdle standing in their way — and it’s a stubborn one. To seal that semifinal berth now, India must break an eight-year-old curse. The Women in Blue have long struggled against SENA nations (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) on the World Cup stage.

Remember Harmanpreet Kaur’s jaw-dropping 171 not out against Australia at Derby in 2017? That innings wasn’t just iconic — it was historic. It also remains the last time India beat a SENA side at a World Cup. Since then, eight losses on the trot have haunted them.

Now, in what could be Harmanpreet’s final World Cup, the stage is set once again. Can the skipper summon that same fire and script another unforgettable chapter? Thursday could be the night India exorcise their SENA demons once and for all.

THE SIXTH BOWLER CONUNDRUM
Throughout the tournament, India have wrestled with one persistent concern — the missing sixth bowling option. Harmanpreet Kaur has often stepped in to fill the gap, but the balance hasn’t quite clicked. After their bowlers struggled to contain Australia, India made a bold call – benching one of their key batters, Jemimah Rodrigues, to bring in seamer Renuka Thakur.

Renuka, who’s been in and out of the side since her return last month, was drafted back to add depth to the bowling attack. It was a tough decision, one that head coach Amol Muzumdar acknowledged was dictated by the conditions.

Stay updated for complete coverage of Women’s World Cup 2025 with India Today! Get full schedule, team squads, live score, and the updated ICC women’s world cup points table.

“Well, to be fair, Jemi has been a very important player—an integral part of the side we’ve built. But sometimes, you have to make tough calls. As a team, we’ve decided to go match by match, and for that particular game against England, we felt the conditions in Indore required a sixth bowling option,” Muzumdar said in the pre-match press conference.

“Given the ground and the situation, we believed that was the better call on the day. It was undoubtedly a tough decision—one of the toughest—but sometimes, those are the calls you have to make,” Muzumdar added.

Heading into the crucial clash against New Zealand, there’s growing curiosity over whether Jemimah will reclaim her spot. A return could bolster India’s batting, but for now, her inclusion remains a matter of speculation.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/india-womens-world-cup-2025-break-sena-losing-streak-new-zealand-2806892-2025-10-23

Former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif made a bold claim about star batter Virat Kohli’s failure during the Perth ODI against Australia, saying that the legend is “not in his batting zone”

Former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif made a bold claim about star batter Virat Kohli’s failure during the Perth ODI against Australia, saying that the legend is “not in his batting zone” at the moment and lacks rhythm. Virat’s return to Indian colours after the ICC Champions Trophy in March fell flat, as he was caught fishing at an outside off-stump delivery for an eight-ball duck, handing a catch to Cooper Connolly at backward point. Now in Adelaide for the second ODI, he faces pressure to thrive at a venue where he has historically had a fantastic record. Each performance in this now less-frequent fixture in the cricketing calendar will be crucial for Virat in his journey toward the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif pointed out that a player is “only good till he has rhythm, batting form, and plays games regularly.”

“A player is only good till he has his rhythm, batting form, and is playing games regularly. The eyes are sharp when you’re playing every second or third day. When that happens, the player can tell from the hand whether the ball is an in-swinger or out-swinger, or whether it is a yorker or a slower one. That ability to pick deliveries comes from playing regularly… You are in your batting zone,” said Kaif.

“Virat is not in his batting zone at the moment, clearly… There was a lack of rhythm, and he was out of touch, which is why he got out in the last match,” he added.

At Adelaide Oval, he is India’s highest run-getter of all time, with 975 runs in 12 matches and 17 innings at an average of 65.00, including five centuries and four fifties, with a best score of 141. Notably, he is also the best visiting batter of all time at this venue, making it his home away from home. In eight innings this year, he has scored 275 runs in eight ODIs, averaging 39.28, with a century, two fifties, and a best score of 100*.

Kaif also said that both Rohit Sharma and Virat will need to spend time at the crease to score big, pointing out that Adam Zampa — expected to play in the Adelaide match — has a strong record against India and has dismissed Virat on several occasions. Virat has been dismissed six times by Zampa in 15 innings and averages 47.83 against him, making it a very healthy competition between the two.

“Zampa will also be playing in the second match; he will be making a comeback… He has a good record against India, having gotten Virat Kohli out on many occasions. In my view, Australia have become a stronger team in this game compared to the previous one… How do you play after the first spell? Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma can score big, but they need to spend some time at the crease,” cautioned Kaif.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/australia-vs-india-2025/out-of-touch-virat-kohli-not-in-his-batting-zone-mohammad-kaif-drops-truth-bomb-9499700

Naqvi has responded by suggesting a ceremony in the first week of November and asked India to bring one of their players to receive the trophy.

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has refused to send the Asia Cup trophy to India and has instead asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to hold a ceremony in the first week of November and bring one of the Indian players to take the Asia Cup trophy from him.

Naqvi’s reaction came after BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told India Today that BCCI has written an e-mail to Naqvi, who is also a minister in the Pakistani government, to hand over the Asia Cup trophy back to India.

According to Pakistani journalist Faizan Lakhani, after BCCI reached out to Naqvi for the Asia Cup, he responded by suggesting a ceremony in the first week of November and asking India to bring one of their players to receive the trophy.

“Asia Cup Trophy row: BCCI once again reached out to the ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi asking for the trophy. The ACC chief responded, suggesting a ceremony in the first week of November, “bring one of your players and receive the trophy,” Lakhani tweeted.

Later, news agency PTI also confirmed Naqvi’s reply by stating, “The BCCI secretary, BCCI’s ACC representative Rajeev Shukla and representatives of other member boards including Sri Lanka Cricket and Afghanistan had written to the ACC president last week over handing the trophy to India,” the ACC source said.

“But his response was that someone from BCCI should come to Dubai and take the trophy from him. So that matter has still not moved. BCCI has made its stance clear that it won’t be receiving the trophy from him. So the matter will most likely be decided in the ICC meeting,” he added.

Asia Cup trophy in Dubai

The Asia Cup trophy is currently at the ACC office in Dubai, and it was reported on October 10 that there are strict instructions that the Asia Cup trophy should not be moved or handed over without Naqvi’s approval.

According to a source close to Naqvi, the trophy remains in the ACC offices in Dubai with explicit instructions from Naqvi that it should not be moved or handed over to anyone without his approval and personal presence. Naqvi has indicated that he will personally hand over the trophy to the Indian team or the BCCI whenever that happens.

Source: https://www.news18.com/cricket/mohsin-naqvi-refuses-to-hand-over-asia-cup-trophy-to-india-ws-l-9649705.html

Marizanne Kapp’s all-round brilliance and Laura Wolvaardt’s elegant 90 helped South Africa Women continue their sensational run in the Women’s ODI World Cup, crushing Pakistan by 150 runs via DLS method in a rain-marred contest at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.

Marizanne Kapp’s all-round brilliance and Laura Wolvaardt’s elegant 90 helped South Africa Women continue their sensational run in the Women’s ODI World Cup, crushing Pakistan by 150 runs via DLS method in a rain-marred contest at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.

The commanding win, their fifth straight in the tournament, not only propelled them to the top of the points table but also sealed Pakistan’s exit from the competition. It also marked the first time South Africa have won five consecutive matches in an ODI World Cup, surpassing their previous best streak of four in 2022.

Pakistan’s decision to bowl first after winning the toss initially seemed to work when Fatima Sana removed Tazmin Brits for a duck in just the second over. But persistent rain interrupted play just as Sadia Iqbal began the third over, forcing multiple stoppages. After over two hours of delay, the match was first reduced to 42 overs per side and then further curtailed to 40.

Once play resumed, South Africa seized control through a superb 118-run partnership for the second wicket between Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus. The duo countered Pakistan’s spinners with smart placement and crisp strokeplay, both bringing up their fifties. Luus departed for 61 off Nashra Sandhu, and shortly after, Wolvaardt fell 10 short of a well-deserved century when Sandhu struck again to end her fluent 90. The left-arm spinner also dismissed Karabo Meso in the same over, capping a fine spell of 3 for 45.

While wickets fell at one end, Chloe Tryon chipped in with a quick 21 before being stumped by Sidra Nawaz. That set the stage for a brutal late flourish from Marizanne Kapp and Nadine de Klerk, who tore into the Pakistan attack. The pair added a blistering 52-run stand for the seventh wicket, taking South Africa past 300. Kapp hammered an unbeaten 68 off 43 balls, while de Klerk blazed 41 off just 16 deliveries, ensuring South Africa posted a formidable 312 for 9. After DLS adjustments, Pakistan were set a revised target of 306 in 40 overs.

Pakistan’s chase began on the worst possible note as Ayabonga Khaka removed Muneeba Ali for 5 in just the second over. Kapp then took charge with the ball, producing a devastating opening spell that tore through the top order. She removed Omaima Sohail (6), Sidra Ameen (13), and Aliya Riaz (3) within the first nine overs, leaving Pakistan in deep trouble at 35 for 4.

Any hopes of recovery were constantly interrupted by the weather, as rain once again played spoilsport. The match was halted for nearly an hour, with conditions fluctuating as showers repeatedly returned.

During the interruptions, the target was revised multiple times — first to 299 in 37 overs, then to 270 in 27 overs, and finally to 262 in 25 overs. Play briefly resumed for two overs before the rain returned for good, forcing yet another stoppage and eventually sealing Pakistan’s fate.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/womens-world-cup-2025-pakistan-crash-out-of-tournament-after-huge-150-run-loss-to-south-africa-in-colombo

Navjot Sidhu called out the fake news about he wanting the removal of Agarkar and Gambhir. The post was later delated after the veteran cricketer’s response.

Former India cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu, on Monday, fell victim to fake news after a user shared a post attributing a statement to him about BCCI’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir. Shocked by the claim, Sidhu called it out on X (formerly Twitter), asserting that it was “fake news.”

The development came after India lost the opening game of the three-match ODI series against Australia in Perth on Sunday. The Shubman Gill-led side suffered a seven-wicket defeat in the rain-curtailed game at the Optus Stadium, which marked the end of India’s winning streak which they had picked up during the victorious Champions Trophy campaign earlier this year.

After the loss, a social media user, named Jod Insane, posted a picture of Gambhir and Agarkar, on which it was written: “If India wants to win the 2027 World Cup, then BCCI should remove Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir as soon as possible and hand over the captaincy to Rohit Sharma again with full respect.” The post claimed that it was Sidhu’s comment.

However, the 62-year-old cleared the air on Monday as he lashed out at the user. He replied: “Never said it, don’t spread fake news, never imagined it. Shame on you.” The original post was later deleted after Sidhu’s response.

The buzz around the opening ODI match in Perth centered around the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to international cricket for the first time in seven months, having last played in India colours in the Champions Trophy tournament. However, while Kohli was dismissed for a duck for the first time in a game in Australia, Rohit did not fare better either, with Josh Hazlewood getting rid of him for just eight runs.

The remaining Indian batters too struggled on the bouncy Perth track amid the several rain interruptions, managing just 136 for nine. The Aussies chased down the revised target of 131 in just 21.1 overs, riding on stand-in captain Mitchell Marsh’s unbeaten 42.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/shame-on-you-navjot-sidhu-shocked-tears-into-fake-news-on-gautam-gambhir-and-ajit-agarkar-exit-post-101760968927593.html

On a day when the home crowd drummed, clapped, and chanted her name, India’s Tanvi Sharma walked into the National Centre of Excellence with history on her shoulders. Seventeen years after Saina Nehwal’s world junior medal, India had another finalist – a teenager who wasn’t even born when Saina stood on that podium in 2008.

But the dream run ended one step short. Tanvi, the top seed, went down 15-7, 15-12 to Thailand’s Anyapat Phichitpreechasak in the girls’ singles final of the BWF World Junior Championships on Sunday.

A nervy start, a stern word, and a spirited fightback

It wasn’t the start Tanvi had hoped for. Her trademark attacking flair never quite clicked early on. The Thai shuttler pinned her down with cross-court drives and quick net exchanges, exposing Tanvi’s nerves and forcing a string of unforced errors.

At the mid-game interval, coach Park Jae Tang – animated as ever – was seen scolding the young Indian, urging her to “play everything on the court.” The words seemed to have an effect.

As Tanvi later admitted, “I think there were a lot of unforced errors today. I was not able to play rallies when the game was about to end. Then my coach told me to just play everything on the court. So I tried, but couldn’t get the points.”

The change of side helped her find rhythm. She began the second game sharply, surging to a 6-1 lead with her smashes finding corners and deft touches at the net. But Anyapat clawed back, showing composure beyond her years. From 6-8 down, the Thai once again reeled off a string of points to silence the Guwahati crowd.

Silver with a shine

The final was over in 28 minutes, but Tanvi’s silver carried weight far beyond numbers. It was India’s first medal at the World Juniors in 17 years, and for the first time, the National Centre of Excellence – India’s new badminton nerve centre – hosted a global podium finish.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV after the match, the 17-year-old showed both maturity and gratitude. “Of course I am happy with my performance – a silver medal at my home ground means a lot. I practiced here, so it’s special. It was a great tournament for me, though today was a little disappointing. But I played my best.”

No pressure, only promise

When asked about the expectations that came with following in the footsteps of Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu, Tanvi smiled:

“I think there was no pressure at all. I was a little nervous before entering the court – this much crowd and playing the finals for the first time in World Juniors – it means a lot. I am very happy with my performance today.”

She also spoke about the significance of the new Guwahati centre:

“There is very good infrastructure here, very good coaches. I think it will help a lot to bring the young generation to the next level.”

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/badminton/bwf-world-junior-championships-tanvi-sharma-falls-short-in-final-but-marks-new-dawn-for-indian-badminton-9483502

Elena Rybakina powered into the Ningbo Open final with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Jasmine Paolini on Saturday that keeps her chances alive of qualifying for the WTA Finals.

Elena Rybakina powered into the Ningbo Open final with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Jasmine Paolini on Saturday that keeps her chances alive of qualifying for the WTA Finals. Paolini could have secured her ticket to next month’s season finale in Riyadh with success on Saturday. But the Italian’s defeat means the battle for the last two spots will be settled at next week’s Pan-Pacific Open in Tokyo, with Mirra Andreeva also still in contention. “I knew the match was going to be very tough,” said Rybakina, who improved her head-to-head record against Paolini to 3-3.

“Jasmine has played really well this season and she’s a really tough opponent, so I knew I would need to bring my best.

“I’m happy I stayed focused until the end and won it in straight sets.”

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/tennis/elena-rybakina-blasts-past-jasmine-paolini-to-reach-ningbo-open-final-9478341

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) thanked the ICC for its support, but also reminded the apex body about taking strong action against Pakistan.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) might have thanked the International Cricket Council (ICC) for showing solidarity after 3 cricketers lost their lives in the country due to airstrikes launched by Pakistan on Friday evening, but it was quick to remind the Jay Shah-led body to take “decisive measures” against the country that was responsible for such an “inhumane act.”

On Friday, Taliban officials claimed that Pakistan violated the 48-hour ceasefire by launching airstrikes, resulting in the death of 10 people, including 3 cricketers. The ACB confirmed the development and also withdrew from the upcoming Tri-Nation Series in Pakistan as a sign of protest.

The ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) then issued separate statements, condoling the demise of the three cricketers and expressing their solidarity with the ACB.

The Afghan board issued another tweet, thanking the apex body, but it was quick to remind the ICC that the major action still needs to be done.

“The Afghanistan Cricket Board extends its sincere gratitude to the @ICC for issuing its statement following the ACB’s appeal. This gesture genuinely reflects the ICC’s neutrality, compassion, and commitment to fairness in expressing its sorrow and sympathy over the tragic martyrdom of young domestic cricketers in Afghanistan,” the ACB wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

“The ACB has consistently upheld the principle of keeping sports separate from politics and has maintained this stance within the framework of the ICC. The Afghanistan Cricket Board once again strongly condemns this act of violence. While deeply appreciating the ICC’s expression of solidarity, the ACB urges the implementation of firm and decisive measures against those responsible for this inhumane attack,” it added.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/afghanistan-tells-icc-to-take-decisive-measures-against-pakistan-after-airstrikes-kill-3-cricketers-inhumane-attack-101760834302052.html

Rashid Khan’s removal of Lahore Qalandars from his social media bio reflects escalating tensions after recent Pakistani airstrikes that killed Afghan civilians.

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has removed the mention of Lahore Qalandars, his Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise, from his bio on X (formerly Twitter), following Afghanistan’s withdrawal from the upcoming tri-nation T20I series in Pakistan. The decision comes in protest against recent Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan that reportedly killed eight civilians — including three young cricketers.

Rashid, one of the most prominent voices in Afghan cricket, had listed the major teams he plays for across the globe in his X bio — the Afghanistan national team, Indian Premier League (IPL) side Gujarat Titans, Big Bash League (BBL) team Adelaide Strikers, and PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars. However, a recent update shows that Lahore Qalandars has been removed, leaving only his IPL and BBL affiliations intact alongside the national team.

The move came shortly after Rashid issued a strongly worded statement condemning the strikes and supporting the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s (ACB) decision to withdraw from the tri-series, which was set to be held in Lahore from November 17 to 29, featuring Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and now Zimbabwe.

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of civilian lives in the recent Pakistani aerial strikes on Afghanistan — a tragedy that claimed the lives of women, children, and aspiring young cricketers who dreamed of representing their nation on the world stage,” Rashid posted on X.

“These unjust and unlawful actions represent a grave violation of human rights and must not go unnoticed. In light of the precious innocent souls lost, I welcome the ACB’s decision of withdrawing from upcoming fixtures against Pakistan. I stand with our people at this difficult time — our national dignity must come before all else.”

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/rashid-khan-ramps-up-protest-against-pakistan-removes-lahore-qalandars-from-his-social-media-bio-after-afghans-killed-101760808956552.html

BCCI condemns Pakistan’s airstrikes on Afghanistan, mourns cricketers’ deaths and backs Afghanistan Cricket Board’s withdrawal.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has condemned Pakistan’s airstrikes on Afghanistan, which killed three cricketers, calling the attack ‘cowardly’. The Afghanistan cricket team decided to withdraw from the upcoming tri-nation T20I series involving Pakistan after the attacks.

The series involving Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka was scheduled to be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore from November 17.

In a statement, the Afghanistan Cricket Board said that it was saddened by the tragic martyrdom of the cricketers.

“The Board of Control for Cricket in India expresses its deep sorrow and condolences on the tragic loss of three young Afghan cricketers, Kabeer Agha, Sibghatullah and Haroon, who lost their lives in the cowardly cross-border airstrikes in Paktika province,” the board said in a statement.

“The BCCI stands in solidarity with the Afghanistan Cricket Board, the cricket fraternity and the families of the departed players during this moment of profound grief and condemns this ghastly and unwarranted attack,” BCCI added.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board said that its decision to pull out of the series was taken as a gesture of respect to the victims.

“In response to this tragic incident and as a gesture of respect to the victims, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has decided to withdraw from participating in the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series involving Pakistan,” the statement read.

As per reports, Pakistan held airstrikes in the Argun and Barmal districts of Paktika province, halting the ceasefire between the two countries as well.

Source: https://www.news18.com/cricket/bcci-makes-big-statement-against-pakistan-after-afghan-cricketers-die-in-strike-cowardly-ws-l-9645551.html

International Cricket Council chairman Jay Shah on Saturday expressed his condolences at the death of three promising Afghanistan cricketers, who lost their lives in an air-strike conducted in the Argun and Barmal districts of Paktika province.

International Cricket Council chairman Jay Shah on Saturday expressed his condolences at the death of three promising Afghanistan cricketers, who lost their lives in an air-strike conducted in the Argun and Barmal districts of Paktika province. According to reports, it is believed that Pakistan conducted airstrikes which have also halted the ceasefire between the two nations.

“Deeply saddened by the loss of three young Afghan cricketers, Kabeer Agha, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, whose dreams were cut short by a senseless act of violence,” Shah wrote on X.

“The loss of such promising talent is a tragedy not just for Afghanistan but for the entire cricketing world. We stand in solidarity with the Afghanistan Cricket Board and all those mourning this heartbreaking loss,” he added.

Afghanistan have already withdrawn from the tri-nation T20I series involving Pakistan and Sri Lanka. As per sources in the PCB, the hosts are trying to invite another nation for the said event.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/cricket/jay-shah-saddened-by-loss-of-afghanistan-cricketers-due-to-senseless-act-of-violence-article-153020491

Australian cricket team skipper Mitchell Marsh broke his silence on the promotional video that mocked India’s handshake snub during the Asia Cup 2025 against Australia.

Australian cricket team skipper Mitchell Marsh broke his silence on the promotional video that mocked India’s handshake snub during the Asia Cup 2025 against Australia. Ahead of the first ODI encounter between India and Australia in Perth on Sunday, Marsh was asked about the video which featured him along with some of his teammates. The promo, which was posted by Kayo Sports, led to criticism on social media as the Australia players appeared to mock India’s no-handshake policy against Pakistan by suggesting various other greetings that they can do with the India cricketers. During the Asia Cup, Indian cricketers did not shake hands with Pakistan players and even after winning the final by 5 wickers, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side refused the receive the trophy from PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi.

However, during the pre-match press conference, Marsh denied any recollection of the promo and even said that he has not even watched it. “I actually haven’t seen the ad, I don’t know if it’s blowing up. I don’t have much to comment on it,” Marsh said.

Marsh said the series promised to be a special occasion both for fans and players. With over 1,75,000 tickets already sold across the three matches, anticipation is high as two of India’s modern greats return to Australian shores.

“Had the privilege of playing against them quite a lot over the journey. They are obviously legends of the game,” Marsh said. “Virat, especially in this white-ball format, is the greatest chaser ever. I think you can see why the ticket sales are so high and why a lot of people are coming to watch them. And if it is their last time on Australian soil, I hope they enjoy it and I hope people can witness — not too much great cricket from them — but witness two of the greats playing in Australia.”

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/australia-vs-india-2025/mitchell-marsh-breaks-silence-on-promo-mocking-indias-handshake-snub-against-pakistan-9478643

In the next two months, the pace of preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad will start to quicken.

In the next two months, the pace of preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad will start to quicken. India has long expressed its intention to host the 2036 Olympics, and the successful hosting of the Commonwealth Games is being considered as a crucial milestone before this larger dream is realised. The race for Ahmedabad to host the Commonwealth Games actually started about eight months ago, but its preparation seemed to have begun at least four to five years prior.

Major events like the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and the IPL 2023 proved to be important steps in this direction. Ahmedabad has shown itself to be solid at the international level due to its sports infrastructure and organising ability, which allowed it to overtake Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, for the rights.

Ahmedabad – A New Sporting City

Ahmedabad has been presenting itself as a city ready for multi-sporting events for at least four to five years. The National Games were held in 2022, with Gandhinagar and Rajkot included as co-host cities.

In the last two to three years, many international games have been organised. Just last month, the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships were held at the Naranpura Sports Complex in Ahmedabad, where more than 350 players from 29 countries participated.

Multiple Sporting Events Planned Before 2030

The commitment to host large tournaments such as the Asian Aquatics Championship 2025, the AFC Under-17 Asian Cup Qualifier, the Asian Weightlifting Championship, the Archery Asia Para Cup-World Ranking Tournament 2026, the Women’s Volleyball World Championship 2027, and the World Police and Fire Games 2029, alongside the Ayuthan Marathon 2026 and the TCPL 2026 (Tourism Cricket Premier League), has firmly established Ahmedabad’s image as a premier sporting city.

The Main Target: Olympics 2036

India has successfully organised many multi-sporting events in the past. The 1951 and 1982 Asian Games and the 2010 Commonwealth Games were highly appreciated by experts globally. While the 2010 Commonwealth Games faced controversies, the event’s organisation was excellent, and Indian players made history by winning more than 100 medals, including 38 gold.

Hosting the Olympics in Ahmedabad will be a big challenge for India, but the 2030 Commonwealth Games will prove to be a crucial step in this direction.

Source :  https://sports.ndtv.com/othersports/indias-olympic-dream-takes-shape-with-2030-commonwealth-games-bid-9465159#pfrom=sports_morelisting_2025

Zorawar Singh Sandhu targeted and won a precious world championship shooting Bronze medal in trap shooting.

Athens, Greece, is a holy and lucky place for Indian shooting. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore became the first Indian shooter to win a silver medal in Double Trap shooting at the Athens Olympics in 2004. And now, 48-year-old Zorawar Singh Sandhu targeted and won a precious world championship shooting Bronze medal in Trap Shooting. Talking exclusively to NDTV, Zorawar Singh Sandhu said, “My hard work has ultimately paid off. I dedicate this medal to my country, and I would say that youngsters should keep working hard to achieve their goals. Nothing is impossible.”

Thirty-one years after his first junior world championship and 27 years after his first senior worlds, Zoravar Singh Sandhu of India, at the ripe age of 48, clinched the men’s trap bronze at the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Championship Shotgun 2025.

Shooting at the Malakasa Shooting Range in Athens, Greece, on Friday (Oct 17), Sandhu overcame rain, shadows, and an unsuitable bib number to hit 31 of the first 40 targets in the 50-shot final. He finished behind former Olympic champion and now world champion Josip Glasnovic of Croatia, who won gold with 44 hits, and junior world champion Andres Garcia of Spain, who won silver with a score of 39.

“It was a great experience,” said a visibly pleased and remarkably calm Zoravar after the final. “It was a tough range, tough conditions to shoot, but that’s how it is. I would like to thank my family, coaches, and teammates for their support.”

A thrilled National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) President, Shri. Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, said after the results came through, “It is yet another historic moment for Indian shooting with Zoravar helping us win only a third individual world championship medal in trap. It shows the level of confidence of our Shooting squad that with every international outing, new barriers are being breached. Full marks to Zoravar for his commitment and dedication and also to Peter Wilson and the entire coaching staff, who since coming on has helped our Trap squad get better and better.”

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/shooting/shooting-star-zoravar-singh-sandhu-wins-historic-bronze-at-48-proves-age-is-just-a-number-9476094#pfrom=sports_morelisting_2025

India, which first hosted the Games in Delhi in 2010, pledged an event reflecting the Commonwealth’s diversity and scale.

Ahmedabad was on Wednesday (October 15) recommended as the proposed host of the 2030 Commonwealth Games (CWG) by Commonwealth Sport’s Executive Board and a final decision will be taken on November 26 at the body’s General Assembly.

Ahmedabad and the Nigerian capital Abuja had submitted their proposals to host the 2030 edition of CWG.

The recommendation by Commonwealth Sport’s Executive Board follows an evaluation process of candidate cities.

The Board also said it would continue working with Nigeria to help realise its ambition of hosting future Games, including potential consideration for 2034.

“The Executive Board of Commonwealth Sport has confirmed that it will recommend Ahmedabad, India, as the proposed host city for the 2030 Centenary Commonwealth Games,” a press release from Commonwealth Sport said.

“Ahmedabad, in the Indian state of Gujarat, will now be put forward to the full Commonwealth Sport membership, with the final decision taking place at the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow on 26 November,” it added.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/ahmedabad-recommended-as-2030-commonwealth-games-host-3765403

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will have a spotlight on them with their place in the ODI side coming under the scanner ahead of hte 2027 World Cup. India’s big decision to remove Rohit from captaincy and media rumours have put the legendary duo under intense pressure.

Ahmedabad was on Wednesday recommended as the proposed host of the 2030 Commonwealth Games by Commonwealth Sport’s Executive Board, a decision that is set to pave the way for the big event’s return to India after two decades

Ahmedabad was on Wednesday recommended as the proposed host of the 2030 Commonwealth Games by Commonwealth Sport’s Executive Board, a decision that is set to pave the way for the big event’s return to India after two decades. A final decision will be taken on November 26 at the body’s General Assembly after the recommendation is sent to the full membership of Commonwealth Sport. Getting the Games’ hosting rights would also be significant in India’s quest to become an Olympic host in 2036, also in Ahmedabad.

“Amdavad (also known as Ahmedabad, in the Indian state of Gujarat) will now be put forward to the full Commonwealth Sport membership, with the final decision taking place at the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow on 26 November 2025,” a press statement stated.

India was facing competition from Nigerian city of Abuja in the 2030 bid but Commonwealth Sport has decided to “develop a strategy for supporting and accelerating” the African nation’s hosting ambitions for future Games, including consideration for 2034.

India last hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2010 in New Delhi.

“India, the most populous nation in the Commonwealth, has a proud sporting history and a strong record of Commonwealth Games success, finishing fourth on the medal table at Birmingham 2022. Amdavad’s proposal emphasises India’s commitment to the values of the Commonwealth and its capacity to stage a Games that reflects the scale and diversity of modern sport,” the press release added.

“In addition, given the impressive and ambitious submission from Nigeria, the Commonwealth Sport Executive Board has agreed to develop a strategy for supporting and accelerating Nigeria’s hosting ambitions for future Games, including consideration for 2034. This decision supports Commonwealth Sport’s strategic commitment to secure the future Games pipeline and to host a Games in Africa.”

Dr Donald Rukare, Interim President of Commonwealth Sport, said: “We are grateful to both India and Nigeria for the vision and commitment they have shown in developing proposals to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Both proposals were inspiring, reflecting the scale of opportunity within our Commonwealth family. The Executive Board has carefully considered the Evaluation Committee’s findings and is recommending Amdavad to our membership. This is a significant milestone for the Movement as we look to our Centenary Games, and we now look ahead to the General Assembly in Glasgow where our members will make the final decision.”

He added, “The Board were impressed with the vision and ambition of Nigeria’s proposal and were united in our commitment to continue working with their team to explore future hosting opportunities. This decision reflects our determination to take the Commonwealth Games to the African continent.”

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/othersports/ahmedabad-recommended-as-2030-commonwealth-games-host-final-decision-on-november-26-9461672

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla dismissed speculation that the upcoming ODI series against Australia would mark the final international appearance of batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla dismissed speculation that the upcoming ODI series against Australia would mark the final international appearance of batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, stating that the decision to retire lies solely with the players. Shukla was speaking to ANI after India secured a series win over West Indies by beating the visitors by seven wickets in the second Test at Arun Jaitley Stadium.

While Rohit and Virat have been selected for Australia tour keeping the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 in the mind, the promotion of Shubman Gill to ODI captaincy and presence/success of players like Abhishek Sharma, Prabhsimran Singh and Tilak Varma in the recent India A series against Australia at home have raised eyebrows over the future of ‘Ro-Ko’, who would be 40 and 39 respectively when the tournament comes in 2027.

He said, “This is very beneficial for us (Rohit and Virat being in the ODI squad). Because both of them are great batsmen, and in the presence of both of them, I think we will be successful in defeating Australia.”

“And as far as this being their last series is concerned, it is nothing like that. We should never go into these things. It is up to the players when they would retire. To say this would be their last series is absolutely wrong,” Shukla added.

Rohit is India’s fourth-highest run-getter in ODIs, with 11,168 runs in 273 matches and 268 innings, averaging 48.76, including 32 centuries, 58 fifties, and a best score of 264. This year in eight ODIs, Rohit has scored 302 runs at an average of 37.75 and a strike rate of 108.24, with a century and fifty each and a best score of 119.

Virat, on the other hand, is India’s second-highest run-getter in ODIs, with 14,181 runs in 302 matches and 290 innings at an average of 57.88, a strike rate of over 93, with 51 centuries and 74 fifties. His best score is 183. In seven ODIs this year, the superstar has made 275 runs in seven innings at an average of 45.83, with a century and two fifties to his name and a best score of 100*.

Both will be in action during the ODIs in Australia, starting from October 19, having retired from Tests and T20Is and now being exclusively ODI players.

Shukla also hailed the Shubman Gill-led unit for their series win against the Windies, marking their comeback to form at home after a rare whitewash series loss in 12 years against New Zealand by 0-3 last year. He also expressed optimism about India’s chances of winning the series in Australia.

“I want to congratulate Team India on winning the West Indies Series under the leadership of Shubman Gill. This was very important before going to Australia because there is always strong competition in Australia. Their team is also very good. So, playing the West Indies before that is going to make a big difference. And definitely we will win in Australia. I have full hope for that,” he concluded.

Coming to the match, India won the toss and opted to bat first. After the fall of KL Rahul (38 in 54 balls, with five fours and a six), Yashasvi Jaiswal stitched a 193-run stand with Sai Sudharsan (87 in 165 balls, 12 fours) and a 74-run stand with skipper Shubman Gill before being run out for 258-ball 175, with 22 fours. Gill continued his golden run in Tests, bringing his fifth ton of the year (129* in 196 balls, with 16 fours and two sixes) and had partnerships with Nitish Kumar Reddy (43 in 54 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) and Dhruv Jurel (44* in 79 balls, with five fours), taking India to 518/5 declared.

Jomel Warrican (3/98) was the pick of the bowlers for WI.

In their first innings, WI was skittled out for 248 runs as top-order knocks from Tagenarine Chanderpaul (34 in 67 balls, with four boundaries and a six), Alick Athaneze (41 in 84 balls, with five fours and a six) and Shai Hope (36 in 57 balls, with five fours) were barely starts which could not be the milestones.

Kuldeep Yadav (5/82) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/46) troubled WI with their spin on a slow track.

Forced to follow on, WI was once again down at 35/2, but a 177-run stand between John Campbell (115 in 199 balls, with 12 fours and three sixes) and Hope (103 in 214 balls with 12 fours and two sixes) helped WI fight back well. A fine 40 in 72 balls from skipper Roston Chase and a remarkable 10th wicket stand of 79 runs between Justin Greaves (50 in 85 balls, with three fours) and Jayden Seales (32 in 67 balls, with a four and six) frustrated India, as WI was bundled out for 390 and took a 120-run lead. Kuldeep and Bumrah, with their three wickets, topped the wicket charts.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/australia-vs-india-2025/bcci-breaks-silence-on-if-india-vs-australia-odi-series-is-virat-kohli-rohit-sharmas-last-9456353

After India’s win against West Indies, the focus has shifted straightaway to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s return. Ahead of the ODI series against Australia, head coach Gautam Gambhir might have just sent a subtle warning to the veteran duo.

Gautam Gambhir has once again got the cricket world talking. Right after the conclusion of the India vs West Indies Test series, his typically candid press conference caught everyone’s attention, especially the fans of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

When asked about Rohit and Kohli’s inclusion in the upcoming tour of Australia, Gambhir’s seemingly casual comment sent fans into a frenzy. Many interpreted it as a subtle warning to the superstars of Indian cricket. Rohit and Kohli, who have been out of the Test and T20I setup, are set to return to national colours for the first time since the Champions Trophy. What fans are anxious about, however, is whether this could be the last time they see the modern-day greats donning the India jersey.

Before jumping to conclusions, though, what did Gambhir actually say? Did he truly send a message to the two stalwarts of Indian cricket?

“They (Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli) are quality players, and their experience will be invaluable. With the 2027 World Cup still two and a half years away, it’s important to stay focused on the present. Kohli and Rohit are both exceptional players, and their return will be a big boost. Hopefully, they have a successful tour, and more importantly, the team comes out with a strong series performance in Australia,” Gambhir said in the post-match press conference.

At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be anything alarming in Gambhir’s words. Yet, India’s upcoming tour of Australia adds a layer of intrigue. A series Down Under has often been career-defining, and at times, career-ending, for several great players across generations. The last time Rohit and Kohli visited Australia, that series effectively marked the end of their Test careers.

Rohit had made an effort to salvage his red-ball career through an out-of-the-box media interview in Sydney during the final Test, but by then, the damage was done. Kohli, too, began that series brightly with a century in Perth, only to struggle for the remainder of it, looking like a shadow of his dominant self.

The question now is: what if history repeats itself? What if the three-match ODI series against Mitchell Marsh’s Australia once again proves too demanding for the veterans? What if Rohit and Kohli struggle to match the pace and intensity of top-level international cricket?

Are Rohit and Kohli on Notice?
The truth, as Gambhir pointed out, is that the 2027 World Cup is still two and a half years away. India have plenty of cricket to play until then – 24 ODIs (till 2026) against Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, England, West Indies, and Sri Lanka. That timeline offers the selectors and the management enough opportunities to assess whether Rohit and Kohli remain viable options for the next World Cup.

The duo, magnificent as ever, are undoubtedly under scrutiny, but not because of anything Gambhir said. Their biggest opponent now is time. Rohit, at 38, and Kohli, at 36, are no longer at their athletic peak. To enter the next World Cup with two near-40-year-old batters at the core might not be the smartest decision. The Indian management understands this reality well.

The best approach, therefore, is to continue testing them until at least mid-2026. That window provides enough time to make informed calls about their future and, if needed, to give potential replacements at least a year of international exposure before the global tournament.

Are the Captain and Coach on the Same Page?
If Gambhir’s remark stirred debate for its ambiguity, it’s worth recalling what India’s ODI captain Shubman Gill had to say when asked about Rohit and Kohli’s upcoming tour of Australia. Always respectful of the seniors, Gill expressed his hope that the two veterans would play freely and deliver the magic that has defined their careers.

“They are people who have won so many matches in the past. They have been playing for India for the past 10–15 years; the experience they bring to the table is something every captain and every team wants. That’s what we are looking forward to. We want them to go out there and do their magic,” Gill told broadcasters Star Sports after India’s seven-wicket win on Day 5 of the New Delhi Test.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/gautam-gambhir-rohit-sharma-virat-kohli-india-vs-australia-odis-2803274-2025-10-15

Athletes confront failure as often as success during competition.

For professional and Olympic athletes, those shortcomings can play out in singular and devastating fashion in front of worldwide audiences.

From seven-time Olympic gymnast Simone Biles’ bout with “the twisties” during the 2020 Tokyo Games, to former Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner’s infamous error in the 1986 World Series, fanbases never cease to dwell upon these painstaking moments.

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering joined that club when he mishandled a bases-loaded comebacker that led to his team’s elimination from the MLB playoffs.

“Just kind of keep going with it. It’s hopefully starting a long career,” the third-year pitcher said through blurry eyes when asked how he was coping after the game. “Just keep in the back of my head. … Get over this hump. Keep pushing.”

Moving past that kind of failure isn’t easy. It’s a subject even Pope Leo XIV addressed in a social media post earlier this year.

“In our competitive society, where it seems that only the strong and winners deserve to live, sport also teaches us how to lose,” the post said. “It forces us, in learning the art of losing, to confront our fragility, our limitations and our imperfections.”

Sports psychologists who work with amateur and professional athletes say it requires not only acceptance of the failure but coping tools to return to performing at a high level.

Here are some of the strategies used by athletes, who are in many ways great people for the general public to learn from as it pertains to overcoming adversity.

Prior preparation

While no one can predict future events, getting into the headspace for what could happen can be rehearsed.

Robert Andrews, the founder and director of The Institute of Sports Performance, has 30 years of experience in private practice as a mental training consultant and licensed therapist. During that time he’s worked with Biles and others Olympians in the last five Summer Games, as well as players from the NBA, NFL and MLB.

One of the components in the set of techniques Andrews uses to build confidence and belief is preparation.

“(Kerkering) got highly reactive on that play,” Andrews said. “The key playoff situation he found himself in, made him more vulnerable to rushing things and throwing off balance and all the things that he did that he’ll sadly remember for the rest of his life. But mental preparation is a huge part of that. … I call it being mentally and emotionally centered in a situation like that. So we would have done a lot of mental preparation work to prepare him for a situation like that.”

Alex Auerbach is a performance psychologist who currently works with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. He’s also worked with Olympians, NBA and MLB players, as well as elite military units and Fortune 500 companies.

He said the “release, reset, refocus” routine is one that athletes can practice “to quickly let go of mistakes in the games or during performance.”

“The biggest thing is learning to redirect your attention to the task at hand,” Auerbach said via email. “When we make a mistake and dwell on it, that rumination interferes with efficient motor execution. … If they can bring attention back to the present and the task at hand, they can minimize disruption to their performance.”

Adversity strikes, now what?

When the inevitable does strike and the game or competition is over, the work to repair mentally is just beginning.

Step one, Andrews said, is to avoid social media, where hateful messages — and in extreme cases even death threats — can often be waiting after failures in these situations.

“I’ve worked with a lot of baseball players and softball players who have missed the throw down to third base that cost them the game, and that catcher couldn’t throw the ball back to the pitcher,” Andrews said. “Their brain freaks out. They get the baseball version of ‘the twisties.’ So he’s going to need some days to do some work around this. … Get loved up, surround yourself with people that are going to support you through this.”

Andrews uses a protocol called EMDR — eye movement, desensitization, and reprocessing — which teaches the part of the brain that gets engaged in an event like that how to calm down and process the experience.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/athlete-setbacks-kerkering-biles-buckner-2adf7e44c4bd935f185db6edf2de23a0

The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has advised its national team players to avoid any confrontation with Indian players on the ground and just concentrate on their game during their Sultan of Johor Cup match

The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has advised its national team players to avoid any confrontation with Indian players on the ground and just concentrate on their game during their Sultan of Johor Cup match in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, on Tuesday. In the wake of ‘Operation Sindoor’, the Indian cricket team did not shake hands with Pakistani players during their recently-concluded Asia Cup matches, including the final, which sparked a row with Pakistan lodging a protest with the Asian Cricket Council as well as the ICC. And the same gesture is expected from the Indian junior men’s hockey team in its match against Pakistan on Tuesday.

A senior official of PHF said that the players had been told to be mentally prepared for a “no-handshakes” policy from the Indian team.

“The players have been told that if the Indian players don’t shake hands before or after the match, just ignore the gesture and move on. They have also been told to avoid any emotional tussles or signs during the game,” he said.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/handshake-row-to-return-this-time-in-india-vs-pakistan-hockey-federation-issues-clear-instruction-for-sultan-of-johor-cup-9448967

The triangular series, also involving Sri Lanka, is scheduled to be held from November 17-29.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has started working on an alternate plan as serious doubts have arisen over Afghanistan’s participation in an upcoming T20 Tri-Series amid military conflict between the two countries. The triangular series, also involving Sri Lanka, is scheduled to be held from November 17-29. “The PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, has asked the International Cricket Council to start working on an alternate plan as he wants the Tri-Series to go ahead,” a source said. The PCB has also invited Sri Lanka to play three T20 internationals between November 11 and 15, before they take part in the Tri-Series alongside Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Interestingly, the Pakistan and Sri Lankan boards are also holding talks for a hurriedly arranged three-match T20 series in Colombo between January 1-10.

If this series is finalized it will definitely put the PCB at odds with Cricket Australia, which has signed some Pakistan players for the Big Bash after being assured that they would be given NOCs for the whole tournament, which is scheduled in December and January.

Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Hassan Khan, Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali were all signed up by Big Bash teams with Babar,Rizwan and Shaheen set to make their first appearances in the T20 league.

“Obviously if the series with Sri Lanka is finalised, then either the selectors play without these players or the duration of their NOCs will have to be reconsidered by the PCB, meaning a disagreement with Cricket Australia,” the source said.

After the PCB announced recently it had suspended all NOCs issued to players for different leagues, Cricket Australia had got in touch to resolve the situation.

Another source said that CA officials had conveyed to the PCB that their teams had already spent millions on promo campaigns around the Pakistani players in the Big Bash.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/afghanistan-participation-in-tri-series-with-pakistan-in-doubt-amid-military-conflict-alternate-plan-in-the-works-9445996

Babar Azam becomes the first Asian batter to surpass the 3000-run mark in the World Test Championship (WTC).

Babar Azam might be going through a lean run in international cricket, with his last century coming in 2023 against Nepal in the Asia Cup. But the batter has scripted a special feat in the World Test Championship (WTC). The feat is all the memorable for the right-hander as he is the first Asian player to do so. Not even Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were able to achieve this feat; hence, Babar will truly be thanking his stars.

Owing to a 23-run knock against South Africa in the first innings of the first Test against South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Babar became the first Asian batter to surpass the 3000-run mark in the WTC. The former Pakistan captain now has 3021 runs in the premier Test championship, which got underway with the 2019 Ashes between Australia and England.

Babar is currently the eighth-highest run-scorer in the WTC history, with the list topped by England’s Joe Root with 6080 runs in 69 matches. Speaking of Babar, his 3021 runs have come in 37 matches and 67 innings with the help of 8 centuries and 18 half-centuries.

Speaking of Rohit and Virat, who announced their retirement from Tests earlier this year, scored 2716 (40 matches) and 2617 (46 matches) respectively in the WTC.

The top five run-getters in the history of WTC are Joe Rooy (6080), Steve Smith (4278), Marnus Labuschagne (4225), Ben Stokes (3616) and Travis Head (3300). The highest Indian run-scorer in the WTC is India captain Shubman Gill, with 2826 runs in 39 matches.

Babar fails to go big

The former Pakistan captain looked set for a big one against South Africa as he came out all guns blazing, hitting a few boundaries for fun. However, the batter lost his wicket in the final session on Day 1, walking back to the hut after scoring 23 runs off 48 balls with the help of four boundaries.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/babar-azam-achieves-what-virat-kohli-and-rohit-sharma-couldnt-in-world-test-championship-sets-new-asian-record-101760274612246.html

NOVAK DJOKOVIC was stunned by the world No204 in emotional scenes at the Shanghai Masters.

And that saw Valentin Vacherot become the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 finalist EVER.

Djokovic, 38, is a four-time champion at the event in China – one level below the four Grand Slams.

But as he struggled physically – hobbling Djokovic underwent several treatments, massages and a medical time-out for his back as well as vomiting – he suffered the surprise exit.

Vacherot, 26, secured a 6-3 6-4 semi-final victory over the 24-time Grand Slam winner.

The Monegasque tennis ace was muted in his celebrations given Djokovic’s injury woes – and the Serbian showed his class at the net with a warm embrace and some lovely words.

But as the magnitude of his win sank in, his team could not contain their excitement.

Girlfriend Emily Snyder did a gesture then clenched her fist before her man took in the adulation of the crowd.

Incredibly, Vacherot was not even in the main draw or qualifying for the Shanghai Masters initially – but got in as an alternate due to a late withdrawal.

And in an even more bizarre twist of fate, he will face his COUSIN in the final.

SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN

That is because the other semi-final saw Daniil Medvedev beaten by Vacherot’s relative Arthur Rinderknech, who plays under the French flag.

Vacherot wrote a supportive message for Rinderknech on the TV camera lens before speaking to the crowd.

The 6ft 4ins star – whose career-high is No110 but he could jump 146 places to 58th when the rankings are updated – said after the best win of his career: “I’m trying to pinch myself, is this real?

“I’m not realising [what’s happened], so I can’t give any words on it.

“This is just crazy. First of all, to just be on the other side of the court [from Novak] was an unbelievable experience.

“It was an hour and 40 minutes of pure joy, even though not many people wanted me to keep going.

“He’s really appreciated here. He has won four times. I got a bit lost in all his titles when they were announcing him, but it was an unreal experience.

“Now I’m probably just going to enjoy the win tonight and think about the final tomorrow.”

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15330137/novak-djokovic-loses-valentin-vacherot-shanghai-masters/

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has revealed the first interaction he had with captain Shubman Gill after the latter was named Test skipper.

The Shubman Gill era has begun in Indian cricket. The 26-year-old is now the India captain in both Tests and ODIs. Gill was given the responsibility ahead of a daunting five-Test tour of England earlier in 2025, following the sudden retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. India head coach Gautam Gambhir has now reflected on the decision to hand the captaincy to Gill. Gambhir also revealed his candid first message to Gill, who became the youngest Indian Test skipper in the 21st century.

“I remember that entire conversation,” Gambhir revealed when asked whether he remembered his first interaction with Gill after the latter became the captain.

“I told him one thing very clearly: ‘We have thrown you into a deep sea, and there are only two paths from here. Either you will drown or you will become a world-class swimmer’,” Gambhir said.

Gambhir also hailed Gill for the way the latter handled the immense pressure of being the captain of India.

“For me, those 750 runs don’t matter. If Shubman hadn’t made those 750 runs on the England tour, he would have made them on the next tour. Because of his quality. For me, the way a 25-year-old kid, with a young team, handled himself, his captaincy, handled the team, handled the pressure, against a quality England side (is what matters). I don’t think there is a test more difficult than that in captaincy,” Gambhir explained.

Gill slammed 754 runs in the five-match Test series – the most by an Indian captain in a single Test series. Gill led by example as India drew 2-2 against England away from home.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/weve-thrown-you-into-a-deep-sea-gautam-gambhir-reveals-first-message-to-shubman-gill-after-captaincy-change-9436608

Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 175 runs in the first innings of the 2nd Test and to no one’s surprise, Sunil Gavaskar was impressed quite a bit.

Over the course of his short career, 23-year-old Yashasvi Jaiswal has made a habit of scoring daddy hundreds. The left-handed batter was looking set for a double century against the West Indies in the first innings of the second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. However, an unfortunate mix-up with skipper Shubman Gill brought a premature end to his knock, with the youngster walking back to the dressing room after scoring 175 runs off 258 balls with the help of 22 boundaries.

After Stumps on Day 2, Jaiswal came up for a chat with the host broadcaster, and it was then that former India captain Sunil Gavaskar could not maintain his calm, and he ended up giving a small but simple advice to Jaiswal.

When the chat was drawing to a close, broadcaster Harsha Bhogle first said, “Well done. Absolutely enjoyed your batting. Don’t mind how it ended, but we love watching you bat.”

It was then that Gavaskar jumped into the chat, asking Jaiswal to keep scoring big hundreds, which could help his team win.

“I just want to add to that. Well done, keep it up. Keep getting the hundreds. Daddy hundreds, but because I am a grandfather, I’ll say keep getting granddaddy hundreds,” said Gavaskar.

Jaiswal was caught off guard, and he simply could not say, “Thank you, sir.”

Speaking of Jaiswal, this was the fifth time in his Test career that he went past the 150-run mark. He now has the joint-most hundreds alongside Graeme Smith before the age of 24.

If Jaiswal had scored a double century, then it would have been his third in Tests. He previously scored two double centuries in the 2024 Test series against England at home.

India bossing the Delhi Test

West Indies reached the score of 140/4 at Stumps on Day 2, with the visitors still trailing by 378 runs. Earlier, India posted 518/5 in the first innings owing to centuries by Jaiswal and Gill.

Gill remained unbeaten on 129 off 196 balls with the help of 16 fours and two sixes. This was his maiden Test century at home as a captain. Overall, this was his 10th ton in the longest format.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/sunil-gavaskar-cant-keep-calm-as-yashasvi-jaiswal-comes-for-chat-following-marathon-knock-youngster-caught-offguard-101760183356519.html

India’s legendary spinner Anil Kumble heaped praise on opener Yashasvi Jaiswal’s marathon knock of 173 not out on the opening day of the second Test against West Indies.

India’s legendary spinner Anil Kumble heaped praise on opener Yashasvi Jaiswal’s marathon knock of 173 not out on the opening day of the second Test against West Indies and asserted that the southpaw has a chance to raise his maiden triple hundred on Saturday. Jaiswal, in his 25-Test career so far, has amassed over 2000 runs in the format, including seven centuries and 12 half-centuries since making his debut in the West Indies two years ago. Of the seven centuries Jaiswal has scored so far, five have been innings of 150 runs or more.

Remarkably, each of his first four hundreds crossed the 150-run mark, making him only the second player after Graeme Smith to achieve this rare milestone. The only exceptions came during his two centuries in England earlier this year, both of which were scores below 150.

“Jaiswal is just getting better and better day by day. We’ve spoken about his hunger and his attitude toward building big innings, not just for himself but for the team. Even in the previous game, he got off to a good start but was dismissed early, so he’s certainly made up for that here,” Kumble said on JioHotstar’s ‘Amul Cricket Live’.

“Throughout his short career, he has shown that he doesn’t waste opportunities like these. Once he’s in, he makes it count, and that’s wonderful to see. He’s still out there, and he can go on to score big runs tomorrow.

“As Sai Sudharsan mentioned, they certainly want to bat as long as possible. Shubman Gill said at the toss that they want to pile on the runs, and that’s exactly what the Indian batters have done on Day 1. Jaiswal now has a great opportunity, not just for a double hundred, but maybe even a triple hundred tomorrow,” he added.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-west-indies-2025/300-loading-for-yashasvi-jaiswal-vs-west-indies-anil-kumbles-big-prediction-9434235

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are expected to feature in at least three, if not four, Vijay Hazare Trophy games before the New Zealand ODI series in January.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are expected to feature in at least three, if not four, Vijay Hazare Trophy games before the New Zealand ODI series in January, provided they are still aiming to play the 2027 World Cup. Between the conclusion of the South Africa ODIs and the start of the New Zealand leg, there will be at least six rounds of Vijay Hazare Trophy games for Delhi and Mumbai, and the national selectors would expect the ageing duo to play in the 50-over event. This aligns with the chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, making it clear that every centrally contracted player who is fit and available is expected to play domestic cricket.

“Between the last ODI against South Africa on December 6 at Visakhapatnam and the first ODI against New Zealand at Vadodara on January 11, there is a gap of five weeks.

“The Vijay Hazare Trophy starts on December 24. There will be six rounds of games for Mumbai (December 24, 26, 29, 31, Jan. 3, 6, 8). Rohit will be expected to at least play three rounds before linking up with the squad. Ditto for Virat,” a BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.

Even Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel had said that both of them might need to play a bit of domestic cricket to get into the groove and could have actually played the India ‘A’ series.

“If you need their services, you have to find a way. For example, the India ‘A’ series happened, so you need to ask them to play that series because there is not much 50-over cricket. They should have said that if you don’t play the series, I don’t think you fit in the plan.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/no-retirement-for-virat-kohli-rohit-sharma-after-australia-odis-report-reveals-vijay-hazare-trophy-plan-9427274

India vs South Africa, ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 Highlights: Nadine de Klerk smashed an unbeaten 84 off just 54 balls to help South Africa chase down a 252-run target vs India.

India vs South Africa, ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 Highlights: Nadine de Klerk’s fightback stunned India, sealing a three-wicket win for South Africa in their Women’s World Cup match in Visakhapatnam. Chasing 252, the Proteas were lagging behind but de Klerk smashed an unbeaten 84 off just 54 balls to take the side through. Earlier, Richa Ghosh fought back for India, helping the side post a respectable total of 251. India were struggling at 102/6 but Richa’s fiery 94 off just 77 balls helped the side make great recovery. She stitched a solid 51-run partnership with Amanjot Kaur for the 7th wicket and an 88-run stand with Sneh Rana for the 8th wicket. With the knock, Richa also became the player with the highest score batting at number eight or lower in a Women’s World Cup match. (Scorecard)

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/women-s-odi-world-cup-2025/india-women-vs-south-africa-women-live-score-icc-womens-odi-world-cup-2025-indw-saw-live-cricket-scorecard-updates-9423495

Malaysia’s Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail told parliament that the government had followed the law and naturalised the seven players based on a provision in Malaysia’s constitution.

A Malaysia minister has defended the government’s move in granting citizenship to seven foreign-born footballers, saying the matter is to be settled between the country’s football federation and world body FIFA, even as public sentiments remain negative over the brewing scandal.

FIFA said this week that it had found evidence indicating that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) used forged or falsified birth certificates of the seven players’ grandparents to secure their eligibility to play for the national team.

On Thursday (Oct 9), Malaysia’s Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail told parliament that the government had followed the law and naturalised the seven players based on a provision in Malaysia’s constitution.

He said that the birth certificates of the players’ grandparents were not needed for the naturalisation.

The players had met the relevant conditions to get citizenship, including having proficiency in Bahasa Malaysia based on a basic test by the National Registration Department (NRD).

He acknowledged he had used his ministerial discretion to relax some conditions – in particular a requirement for an applicant to have resided in Malaysia for a set period of time – adding that he has such powers under the constitution.

Saifuddin did not address allegations that officials had failed to verify the authenticity of the documents submitted.

“The issue of player eligibility is a matter between FAM and FIFA, which is currently being managed at the appeal stage,” he said.

He added that a total of 23 football players – including the seven – had been naturalised since 2018 and that athletes from other sports and professionals in the fields of science and technology had also similarly obtained citizenship.

This is the second time Saifuddin has spoken out on the scandal involving the seven players born in Brazil, the Netherlands, Spain and Argentina.

Following FIFA’s initial announcement on Sep 26 on its decision to fine FAM 350,000 Swiss franc (US$437,000) and ban the seven players for a year, Saifuddin had said the next day that the process of granting citizenship to these players had complied with the Federal Constitution.

Describing it as a “very thorough” process, he said his ministry examines all documents submitted to ensure they meet every requirement under the law.

He had also said then that the matter was under the purview of FIFA and FAM, and that the Home Ministry’s focus was “strictly on citizenship matters”.

Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, meanwhile, had said on Sep 27 that she was “saddened and angry” reading about FIFA’s decision.

After its disciplinary committee published its grounds of decision on Oct 6 and revealed the birth certificate forgery, she said that FAM must respond clearly to all the revelations made by FIFA, adding Malaysian football fans are “hurt, angry and disappointed”.

Indeed, the scandal has made waves in the football-mad country, with fans and critics who spoke to CNA calling for thorough investigations into how the players were granted citizenship.

They have also raised questions about how it has been handled and Malaysia’s policy to rely on foreign-born players.

Sports critic Pekan Ramli told CNA that Saifuddin’s explanation in parliament on Thursday lacked conviction, and he was unsure if football fans could accept it.

“There are still many unanswered questions about the whole issue,” he said.

Meanwhile, social media posts by FAM have been met with a wave of negative comments, while memes have proliferated, making fun of the situation.

One viral meme shows a map of Malaysia with its states humorously replaced by the European and South American countries, while another displays a map of South America, with the countries relabeled with the names of Malaysian states.

WHAT EX-PLAYER AND FANS SAY

A football fan who only wanted to be known as Khairul said he has read FIFA’s grounds of decision, and he feels disappointed after the euphoria of victory against Vietnam.

The civil servant had attended the game at the Bukit Jalil Nasional Stadium on Jun 10, where Malaysia had beaten its regional rival 4-0 in an Asian Cup qualifying game.

All seven players featured in the game, with two of them scoring one goal each.

“I was very happy that day. But with all the facts laid out, it was clearly a case of cheating. I am not sad or angry, but I feel betrayed,” said Khairul.

The seven players implicated are Argentina-born Facundo Tomas Garces, Rodrigo Julian Holgado and Imanol Javier Machuca; Spain-born Gabriel Felipe Arrocha and Jon Irazabal Iraurgui; Dutch-born Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano and Brazil-born Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo.

“It’s okay if we naturalise players but not by falsifying documents and cheating,” said Khairul, adding that he had no issues with the naturalisation of players such as Dion Cools or Matthew Davies, who were eligible to play for Malaysia because of their mothers’ Malaysian lineage.

“We are still not good enough for the World Cup. We should stick to our level. Playing against Indonesia is our World Cup. This is not championship manager or fantasy football, where you can buy players on your whim,” he added.

The FIFA decision has also triggered bewilderment and horror for James Wong Chye Fook, who for decades embodied the golden era of Malaysian football where the team could compete with the likes of Japan and South Korea.

Wong, 72, is best remembered for scoring the winning goal against South Korea in April 1980 in a qualifying match — a victory that secured a berth in the Moscow Olympics, which Malaysia subsequently boycotted.

In those days, all of his teammates were Malaysian-born. These days, critics suggest the national squad’s high number of naturalised players makes it resemble a European or South American team.

Wong, who is known as “King James” in Malaysia, said that times have changed but is puzzled why national teams go down this route instead of developing their own players to earn success.

“I know we want to build a better team, but do we have to go this far to do this?” said Wong, who described FIFA’s forgery findings as “horrifying”.

The days when Malaysia could go toe to toe with Japan and South Korea are a distant memory, with Malaysia experiencing many devastating lows over the last few decades. In 2018, it was placed 178th on FIFA’s rankings, its lowest ever.

That year, the FAM introduced a controversial policy of giving foreign-born players citizenship. It also called up more mixed-heritage players to the national team. This marked a major turning point, observers previously told CNA.

Naturalised players are foreign-born footballers who have no connection to the country but get citizenship, while mixed-heritage players have a bloodline connection with the country, be it through a parent or a grandparent who was a citizen.

As Malaysia’s use of naturalised and mixed-heritage players increased, it qualified for the 2023 Asian Cup, the first time it did so on merit since 1980.

It even managed a 3-3 draw with a strong South Korean side in its final group game, a result which was widely celebrated.

But the side experienced a blip in 2024 as it failed to qualify for the third round of the qualifiers of the 2026 World Cup.

In January this year, the regent of Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim said on social media that six to seven heritage players have been identified for the national team, as he expressed hope that the Malaysian government could assist in the process of obtaining Malaysian passports in order for them to play for Malaysia in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.

He did not name the players but added: “It’s crucial Harimau Malaya starts the campaign on a good note.”

Harimau Malaya is a nickname of the Malaysian national team.

The crown prince owns Johor Darul Ta’zim, the club that three of the seven players – Figueiredo, Irazabal and Hevel – play for.

WAKE-UP CALL

Fans and observers have also raised questions about a finding in FIFA’s report that said that Malaysia’s NRD – in a statement filed by FAM – confirmed that the Malaysian authorities “never received the original birth certificates” of the players’ grandparents.

Instead, the NRD issued its own copies based on secondary information and foreign documents from Argentina, Brazil and Spain.

FIFA said “this admission … indicates that the Malaysian government’s validation process may not have been based on original documents, which calls into question the thoroughness of FAM’s verification process”.

Sports critic Pekan Ramli said Malaysian authorities should investigate this further, especially as it pertains to the granting of citizenship and passports to the players.

“Was anyone pressured to do something they were not supposed to do,” he said.

“The person responsible should own up and take the blame. Don’t play the victim card and blame anyone else for this.”

FIFA said that disciplinary proceedings were opened against the FAM and the players on Aug 22 and Aug 28, respectively.

Then-FAM president Joehari Ayub resigned from his position on Aug 27, although no reasons were given for his move.

Just after FIFA came up with its initial decision on Sep 26, Tunku Ismail questioned why FIFA had approved the players’ eligibility and to reverse it now.

“What led to such a decision? Was there any external party that influenced FIFA’s decision?” he asked.

“We will not be afraid or surrender to individuals who fear the resurgence of Harimau Malaya,” he said in a posting on X on Sep 27.

Tunku Ismail has yet to comment on FIFA’s grounds of judgment.

Zulakbal Abd Karim, a sports science and coaching lecturer at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris in Malaysia, said that FIFA would not have come up with its decision lightly.

“After beating Vietnam 4-0, we thought that we had a good team, but this has turned out to be an ultimate disaster. It’s better to lose than to win by cheating. The image of the country has been badly tarnished,” he told CNA.

Khairul, the football fan, said he will still support the national team no matter what and will still tune in to the team’s away match against Laos on Thursday, as part of the Asian Cup qualifiers.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/fifa-malaysia-football-scandal-minister-fans-critics-answers-5391751

The PIL filed by a lawyer argued that the national cricket team is BCCI’s cricket team and does not represent the country.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea seeking directions to restrain the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from referring to the national cricket team as the Indian cricket team.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela pulled up the petitioner, advocate Reepak Kansal, for filing the public interest litigation (PIL).

“Are you saying the team doesn’t represent India? This team, which is going everywhere and representing India, you are saying they don’t represent India?. Is it not Team India? If it is not Team India, please tell us why is it not Team India,” Justice Gedela remarked.

Chief Justice Upadhyaya said that PIL was a sheer wastage of the court’s time.

“It is sheer wastage of the court’s time and your own time… Tell us about a national team, in a single sport which is selected by the government officials. Whether the Indian contingent taking part in the Commonwealth Games, Olympics… Are they selected by the government officials? Do they not represent India? Hockey, football, tennis, anything, any sport,” the Court remarked.

It said that just because the team used Indian flag does not mean it is in violation of the law.

“If you want to unfurl a flag in your house, are you prohibited from doing so?”

Further, the Court underscored that the international bodies have often been against government interference in sports.

“Are you aware as to how the entire exccosystem in sports function? Are you aware of the rules of IOC [International Olympic Committee]? Are you aware of the Olympic charter? Olympic movement? Are you aware that in past, wherever there has been government intervention in sports, the IOC has come down heavily,” the Court remarked.

Ultimately, the Court dismissed the PIL.

The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Kansal argued that the BCCI is a private entity registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act and is not a statutory body or State within the meaning of Article 12 of the Indian Constitution.

It said that the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has clarified through multiple Right to Information (RTI) replies that the BCCI is not recognised as a National Sports Federation (NSF) nor supported financially by the government as one.

Despite this, government media platforms continue to refer to the BCCI cricket team as “Team India” or the “Indian National Team” and use Indian national symbols such as the flag during cricket broadcasts, the plea argued.

“This practice amounts to misrepresentation and could potentially violate the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 and the Flag Code of India, 2002, which regulate the use of the national name, flag and symbols,” the plea stated.

Source : https://www.barandbench.com/news/delhi-high-court-junks-pil-seeking-name-change-for-indian-cricket-team

Beth Mooney struck a magnificent hundred and led a remarkable Australian fightback along with tailender Alana King to set up a crushing 107-run win over Pakistan.

Star batter Beth Mooney struck a magnificent hundred and led a remarkable Australian fightback along with tailender Alana King to set up a crushing 107-run win over Pakistan in their ICC World Cup match in Colombo on Wednesday. Sent in to bat, defending champions Australia suffered a top-order batting collapse as they were reduced to 76/7 in the 22nd over with Pakistan spinners, led by Nashra Sandhu (3/37), wrecking havoc. At one stage, it looked like the Australian innings would fold for less than 150, but Mooney (109 from 114 balls) resurrected their innings with her fifth ODI hundred and first World Cup ton.

She stitched a record 106 runs for the ninth wicket with King (51 not out off 49 balls) to lift Australia to 221 for 9.

After Mooney and King’s heroics, Australian bowlers, led by Kim Garth (3/14), Annabel Sutherland (2/15) and Megan Schutt (2/25), dismissed Pakistan for 114 in 36.3 overs for their second win in the tournament.

Australia beat New Zealand in their opening match while the second game against Sri Lanka was abandoned due to rain.

For Pakistan, this was their third loss on the trot, after defeats to India and Bangladesh.

Chasing 222, Pakistan began in the worst possible manner as they lost five wickets for 31 runs by the ninth over with pacers Kim Garth and Megan Schutt snapping three and two wickets respectively. They were never in the run chase against the experienced Australians and only four Pakistan batters could reach double-digit figures.

Garth made first the breakthrough by dismissing opener Sadaf Shamas (5) in the third over, and from there on, it was a procession for Pakistan batters to the dressing room.

One down Sidra Amin (35) gave a semblance of resistance. She and captain Fatima Sana survived for four overs before the latter got out for 11.

With six wickets down for 49 in the 13th over, the writing was on the wall for Pakistan. The departure of Sidra in the 22nd over all but ended Pakistan’s chase.

Earlier, the show belonged to Mooney after Australia’s batting collapse.

Coming to the crease when the score read 30 for two, Mooney saw wickets tumbling around her. Undeterred, she went about her business with composure and played one of her most memorable innings.

She hit 11 fours from 114 balls for her 109, and the second best Australian batter was No. 10 King.

It was the highest stand for the ninth or a lower wicket in women’s ODIs. The previous best was 76 between Ashleigh Gardner and Kim Garth of Australia for the ninth wicket against South Africa in 2024.

Australia were 83 for seven at the halfway mark and from there, they added 138 runs for the loss of two wickets.

On a slow and turning pitch, some of the Australian top-order batters were guilty of lack of application and poor shot selection, even as Pakistan did very well in fielding department, taking crucial catches with superb efforts.

Australia lost Healy in the seventh over while Phoebe Litchfield followed suit three balls later for the same score of 30 as Pakistan made a brilliant start.

Australia’s woes continued as the ball began to turn. Sandhu then accounted for the two big wickets of Ellyse Perry (5) and Annabel Sutherland (1).

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/icc-womens-world-cup-2025-beth-mooney-century-sets-up-australias-107-run-win-over-pakistan-9420333

The three-match series, starting on October 19, will be Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s first international assignment since the Champions Trophy 2025

Will Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retire soon after India’s ODI series against Australia? The three-match series, starting on October 19, will be Kohli and Rohit’s first international assignment since the Champions Trophy 2025. The two players have already retired from T20Is and Tests. With the next big ODI tournament – the 2027 World Cup – being almost two years away, there are question marks on whether Kohli and Rohit will be persisted with. Ravichandran Ashwin, who has played for a long time with the star duo, says Kohli and Rohit are at the back-end of their careers.

“On one side is selection, on the other side is Kohli and Rohit. These are two sides of the same coin. The selection and selectors have clearly shown that the team had decided to move forward. However, in this process, there are two players who are at the back end of their careers. You like it or not, they are at the back-end of their careers. However, one thing I would like to say, the way to deal with players at the back-end of their careers should be better. It is very easy to say from fans’ perspective, from an organisation’s perspective that they have grown old and should retire,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

“One of the reasons we feel this way is that we see many young players in the IPL performing well, and we believe they can replace these experienced players. However, during this process, one thing we often overlook is solid communication and knowledge transfer. I request that this be addressed in the future.”

Ashwin opined that the communication with Rohit and Kohli should have started right after the 2024 T20 World Cup.

“I really hope the conversation has happened with Virat and Rohit. But if the conversation has happened now, why did it not happen after they said they were retiring after the 2024 T20 World Cup? It could have happened then itself. Had it happened back then, they could have thought about whether to continue playing or not, because this is the direction the team is wishing to head towards,” Ashwin said.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/deal-better-with-them-r-ashwin-goes-blunt-amid-rohit-sharma-virat-kohli-retirement-speculation-9420243

Rohit Sharma gave his first reaction on the upcoming ODI series against Australia after he was replaced as the captain.

Rohit Sharma gave his first reaction on the upcoming ODI series against Australia after he was replaced as the captain. Ahead of the series, BCCI decided to appoint Shubman Gill as India’s new ODI captain with Shreyas Iyer serving as vice-captain. Rohit, along with fellow stalwart Virat Kohli, was included in the squad but he was not given any leadership role. The decision came as a shock for some fans as well as experts as India won the Champions Trophy title under his leadership back in March 2025. However, Rohit expressed his excitement regarding the series and said that he loves playing cricket in Australia because of the love that the people of the country have for the sport.

“I love playing against Australia, love going there, people in Australia love cricket a lot,” Rohit said on the sidelines of the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards in Mumbai.

Earlier, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar confirmed that Rohit had been communicated about the change in captaincy but kept it open-ended when asked if both him and Kohli will play the 2027 ODI World Cup.

“Yes. I mean that is the format they are playing at the moment and we have picked them. As far as the 2027 (ODI) World Cup is concerned, I don’t think we need to talk about it today, obviously with the captaincy change that’s generally the thought,” said Agarkar.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/rohit-sharmas-1st-reaction-on-australia-odi-series-after-captaincy-snub-9413842

FORMER NFL star Mark Sanchez has been captured on video bloodied and stumbling through the streets after he was stabbed in an alleyway brawl.

The 38-year-old quarterback-turned-commentator was arrested and accused of starting an unprovoked fight with a 69-year-old truck driver outside an Indianapolis bar early Sunday morning.

Surveillance video released by the New York Post shows Sanchez clutching a dark patch on his torso and walking on the street at 12:30 am.

The footage was released after a bartender who was working near the scuffle said that a mangled Sanchez pounded on his bar’s window and begged him for help after the attack.

Workers rushed to bring the ex-player inside and called 911 while holding rags over his gushing wounds and trying to ask him what happened.

He was taken to a hospital and treated for his wounds before he was hit with a felony battery charge.

HORROR ATTACK

Sanchez was allegedly reeking of alcohol when he started accosting the driver over his truck blocking an alleyway, an affidavit states.

The driver had backed into a hotel’s loading dock while he was replacing old grease for restaurants when Sanchez approached him.

According to the police docs, the driver told cops that he started to believe he was in danger during the confrontation and sprayed Sanchez with pepper spray.

When the ex-NFL player didn’t stop approaching the driver, he thought, “this guy is trying to kill me,” the affidavit alleges.

The driver whipped out a knife and stabbed Sanchez “two or three times” before the player allegedly threw him into a dumpster, and the driver started to believe he was in a life-or-death situation.

Soon after this, a “look of shock” came over the player’s face, and he “took off,” the driver told detectives.

When Sanchez stumbled into the nearby bar, he said that he’d been shot and didn’t identify himself, bartender Scott Bennett told Fox affiliate WXIN.

Sanchez told detectives who spoke with him in the hospital that he didn’t remember anything about the night until he grabbed “a window,” an affidavit states.

He has yet to release a statement or comment about the incident.

WITNESS SPEAKS

Bennett said that he couldn’t understand Sanchez or get his name when he stumbled into the bar.

“I didn’t recognize him at all,” he said.

Pictures of the alleged victim released by WXIN show an older man covered in blood with a grisly slash across his cheek.

“His family says he was cut in the fight and it went through his cheek and hit his tongue,” WXIN reporter Angela Ganote wrote on social media.

The driver turned his hearing aid off because his truck was too loud when he was confronted by Sanchez, the affidavit states.

The former player was reportedly acting erratically and doing wind sprints before the brawl, sources told WXIN.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15298831/mark-sanchez-nfl-stabbed-cctv-video-arrest/

Pakistan batter Sidra Amin was reprimanded and handed one demerit point by the ICC for breaching its Level 1 of Code of Conduct during the Women’s World Cup match against India

Pakistan batter Sidra Amin was on Monday reprimanded and handed one demerit point by the ICC for breaching its Level 1 of Code of Conduct during the Women’s World Cup match against India. Amin waged a lone battle for Pakistan in a one-sided contest with a knock of 81 before her team was bowled out for 159 in reply to India’s 247 at the R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday. Pakistan lost the match by 88 runs. “Sidra was found to have breached Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to ‘abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an International Match’,” the ICC said in a media release.

The incident occurred in the 40th over of Pakistan’s chase when she “forcefully hit her bat onto the pitch” after being dismissed by Sneh Rana.

“In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to her disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period,” the ICC said.

“Sidra admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Shandré Fritz of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing,” it added.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/women-s-odi-world-cup-2025/pakistans-sidra-amin-reprimanded-for-breaching-icc-code-of-conduct-during-loss-to-india-9404935

The family of a truck driver who was allegedly brutally assaulted by former football star Mark Sanchez outside an Indianapolis bar has given an update on his condition.

“He’s OK,” family members of the 69-year-old grease truck driver, identified solely by his initials PT, told The Post late Sunday.

“We are talking to lawyers first. We want to be careful what’s said. We appreciate that,” the family said, noting they were in shock that the former Jets quarterback attacked their loved one.

Grisly photos of the alleged victim showed him in a neck brace in his hospital bed with gnarly, deep wounds to his cheek and jaw.

“His family says he was cut in the fight and it went through his cheek and hit his tongue,” Fox59 anchor Angela Ganote said, sharing the pictures on social media.

The driver reportedly got into an altercation with Sanchez shortly after midnight on Saturday morning, when he had parked his truck in an alley to collect cooking oil from a nearby hotel, according to an affidavit seen by Fox59.

Sanchez, 38, allegedly approached him, smelling of “alcohol” and slurring his speech, according to the affidavit.

“PT did not have his hearing aids in because his truck is very loud when he is exchanging the frying oil for the hotel, so he had to lean in close to Mr Sanchez to hear him,” the affidavit said.

“When PT leaned in, he stated that Mr Sanchez smelled of alcohol and his speech was slurred,” the affidavit continued.

Source: https://nypost.com/2025/10/05/sports/family-of-grease-truck-driver-brutally-bashed-by-mark-sanchez-give-update-on-his-condition/

Pakistan batter Muneeba Ali was dismissed in a controversial manner during the Women’s World Cup 2025 clash against India.

Another India versus Pakistan clash on the global stage saw a controversy being triggered. The two teams squared off in the Women’s World Cup 2025 clash on Sunday, with the game producing some much-talked-about incidents. An unusual scene unfolded in the middle as Pakistan opener Muneeba Ali was run out in a bizarre fashion. Muneeba had wandered out of her crease, with a throw from Deepti Sharma hitting the stumps. The umpire decided to give the verdict in the Indian team’s favour, triggering a huge controversy that also saw the Pakistan captain take up the matter with the officials.

The incident happened on the last ball of the fourth over when Muneeba initially survived an LBW appeal off Kranti Gaud, as India chose not to review despite replays later showing three reds. Muneeba’s decision to wander out of the crease, however, cost her dearly.

Pakistan pacer Diana Baig, who attended the post-match press conference, was asked about the incident by a reporter. She decided to downplay it, saying whatever the issue was, it has been settled.

Reporter: Muneeba was run out, and the captain also raised some concerns regarding that incident. Has the management made any decision on this matter? Any comment on Muneeba’s run-out?

Baig: Muneeba’s run-out issue has already been settled, I believe. I don’t want to talk much about it now. Whatever happened and whatever the situation was, I think it has been resolved.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/women-s-odi-world-cup-2025/pakistan-break-silence-on-batter-muneeba-alis-controversial-run-out-against-india-9402084

India defeated Pakistan by 88 runs in their Women’s World Cup match in Colombo on Sunday.

The contrasting knocks of Harleen Deol and Richa Ghosh found ample support from the bowlers as India etched a commanding 88-run win over Pakistan in a drama-filled ICC Women’s World Cup match in Colombo on Sunday. Deol’s composed 46 off 65 balls and Richa Ghosh’s spirited 20-ball 35 lifted India to a competitive 247 on a sluggish track after the match referee erroneously ruled the toss in favour of Pakistan, who elected to bowl first. Pacer Kranti Gaud (3/20) dismantled Pakistan’s top order while the spinners cleaned up the middle-order and tail, bundling them out for 159, despite a valiant effort from Sidra Amin (81 off 106 balls).

With this win, India extended their perfect head to head record to 12-0 in ODIs.

The match moved on familiar lines and the expected hostilities were conspicuous by its absence, but the day was not entirely bereft of drama.

India continued their “no-handshake” policy at the toss or after the match, sticking to the precedent set during the men’s Asia Cup in the UAE.

The gaffe during the toss added to the list of amusements which later swelled through a bizarre run out and the 15-minute delay due to bugs invading the field.

Cutting back to cricketing matters, Pakistan’s chase of 248 began in chaos when opener Muneeba Ali (2) was sensationally run out.

Facing Gaud, she survived an initial leg-before appeal which was ruled not out, but as she momentarily wandered out of the crease with the ball still in play.

An alert Deepti Sharma swooped in with a direct hit to break the stumps with Muneeba’s bat still in the air, much to the disappointment of skipper Fatima Sana who argued with the umpire.

Gaud then struck twice in quick succession, first dismissing Sadaf Shamas (6), caught off her own bowling, and then removing Aliya Riaz (2), leaving Pakistan reeling at 26/3.

As the Indian bowlers tightened their grip, Sidra and Natalia Pervaiz (33) offered resistance with a 69-run stand, briefly steadying the innings before the inevitable collapse followed.

Earlier, Indian batters struggled to get going on a slow track but Deol’s knock provided some stability in the middle overs, during Richa’s cameo, pushing India near the 250-run mark.

Opener Pratika Rawal (31) gave India a brisk start, smashing Diana Baig for three consecutive fours, but star batter Smriti Mandhana (23) once again fell inside the power play, putting the top-order under early pressure.

After surviving an unsuccessful leg-before appeal off Baig, Mandhana was trapped in front of the wicket by Pakistan skipper Fatima.

The disciplined Pakistan bowlers kept the batters on a leash with tight lines and clever variations in pace, denying them any rhythm and chipping away at regular intervals.

Pacers Baig (4/69) and Sana (2/38) did the maximum damage, sharing six wickets between them.

Rawal was next to go, her attempted cut shot brushing the top of the off stump.

Deol showed composure, stitching together a 39-run stand with Harmanpreet (19) and then added 45 with Jemimah Rodrigues (32).

However, Harmanpreet fell to an inside edge just when she looked set, while Deol, after doing the hard work by playing herself in, squandered the chance to push on in an attempt to hit a boundary.

Jemimah, who had an early reprieve on two after being caught off a no-ball, was the next to depart for 32 as Pakistan maintained relentless pressure.

Thereafter, the experienced pair of Deepti) and Sneh Rana (20) steadied the innings with a 42-run partnership.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/women-s-odi-world-cup-2025/harleen-deol-kranti-goud-impress-as-india-thrash-pakistan-by-88-runs-in-womens-world-cup-9401239

Shubman Gill was handed the reins of the ODI team, replacing Rohit Sharma ahead of the three-match series against Australia later this month.

Star India batter Rohit Sharma was stripped of the ODI captaincy duties as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) didn’t want the team culture to get disturbed, according to a report. On Saturday, Test captain Shubman Gill was also handed the reins of the ODI team, replacing Rohit ahead of the three-match series against Australia later this month. On the decision to remove Rohit, BCCI’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar opined that it was ‘practically impossible’ to have three different captains across formats.

However, a report in the Times of India (TOI) has claimed that the selectors didn’t want Rohit to dictate things his own way, as they feared that it could have impacted the team culture in a negative way.

“A player of Rohit’s stature in a leadership role would have meant he would get to drive his philosophy in the dressing room. But with him playing only in ODIs, a format which is played the least, it could have disturbed the team culture,” the Times of India quoted a BCCI source as saying.

The report revealed that Gautam Gambhir took the backseat in his first six months as head coach and only started interfering in team matters following the Test series defeats to New Zealand (home) and Australia (away).

“Gambhir had taken a back seat in Tests and ODIs in the first six months of his assignment, but the debacles against New Zealand and Australia prompted him to take charge more firmly,” the source added.

Both Rohit and Virat Kohli will be playing under Gill’s captaincy in Australia. While it is not clear whether the two would be able to stick around till the 2027 ODI World Cup, Gambhir and Agarkar didn’t want to face a situation where both senior players’ form suddenly “dipped.”

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/rohit-sharma-as-odi-captain-wouldve-disturbed-team-culture-report-makes-staggering-claim-9399551

In a significant transition move, opener Shubman Gill was on Saturday named captain of the Indian ODI team for the upcoming tour of Australia, replacing senior batter Rohit Sharma at the helm.

In a significant transition move, opener Shubman Gill was on Saturday named captain of the Indian ODI team for the upcoming tour of Australia, replacing senior batter Rohit Sharma at the helm. Rohit, along with Virat Kohli, has been named in the 15-member squad announced by the BCCI, signalling a gradual shift in leadership without fully sacrificing the experience. Shreyas Iyer has been named vice-captain for the three-match series. Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the ODI leg of the tour to manage his workload, while promising left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal has been recalled to the 50-over setup after a string of consistent performances in T20 internationals.

The ODIs are scheduled to be played in Sydney, Adelaide, and Melbourne between October 19 and 25 and will be followed by a five-match T20 series.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/shubman-gill-replaces-rohit-sharma-to-become-indias-new-odi-captain-9394791

Former Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez was charged Saturday after a late-night brawl outside a downtown Indianapolis bar with a 69-year-old man — a clash that ended with the onetime NFL star stabbed in the chest, police said.

The fight broke out near Loughmiller’s Pub & Eatery just after midnight when Sanchez allegedly confronted the man in an alley and told him to move his vehicle, which was reported to be a truck hauling restaurant grease, according to FOX59/CBS4.

The driver told cops the ex–quarterback became aggressive, forcing him to fight back in self-defense with a knife after pepper spray failed to stop him, the outlet reported.

Police said Sanchez, 38, was taken to a local hospital in critical condition and later charged with misdemeanor counts of battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication.

He remains hospitalized and had not yet been booked into the Marion County Adult Detention Center as of Saturday night.

Investigators said both men were injured during the altercation. The delivery driver, who has not been publicly identified, also suffered “significant injuries,” according to police.

Sources told FOX59/CBS4 that Sanchez was uncooperative with responding officers and had to undergo surgery for stab wounds to the chest. His condition was later upgraded to stable.

Sanchez, a Fox Sports analyst, was in Indianapolis to call Sunday’s Colts–Raiders game at Lucas Oil Stadium. The network said in a statement that he is “recovering in the hospital in stable condition.”

“We are deeply grateful to the medical team for their exceptional care and support,” Fox Sports said.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark, and we ask that everyone please respect his and his family’s privacy during this time.”

Police said both Sanchez and the other man were not Indianapolis residents.

Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage and witness statements to determine whether additional charges will be filed.

Prosecutors will review the case to decide on formal charges.

According to FOX59/CBS4, the 69-year-old told investigators that Sanchez ordered the grease truck to leave and blocked his vehicle in the alley.

When the man tried to defuse the situation, Sanchez allegedly advanced on him. The driver said he sprayed Sanchez with pepper spray, and when that didn’t work, he pulled a knife and stabbed him once in the chest.

Police said Sanchez has not yet provided his account of what happened.

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett didn’t identify who the victims were but said that both men involved “do not appear to live in Indianapolis.”

“Our city takes pride in being a destination that draws people from near and far, but it’s important that everyone who visits or enjoys our community does so respectfully and peacefully,” Hogsett said.

“I’m grateful to the IMPD officers and Indianapolis EMS medical professionals who responded immediately to provide life-saving care.”

Sanchez, a first-round draft pick out of USC in 2009, spent eight seasons in the NFL and led the Jets to two AFC Championship appearances before finishing his career with the Eagles, Cowboys, Bears, and Washington.

He retired in 2019 and joined Fox Sports as an analyst.

As of Saturday evening, Sanchez remained hospitalized in stable condition following surgery.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/10/04/sports/ex-jets-qb-mark-sanchez-arrested-at-hospital-following-stabbing-incident-at-indianapolis-pub

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are set to make their returns to international cricket during the Australia tour. They haven’t played international cricket since March. Both now only play ODI cricket.

The fans’ wait to see Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma back in action will end soon. The future ICC Hall of Famers are now only active in ODI cricket. They haven’t played a competitive game since IPL 2025, which ended in the first week of June. They last represented Team India in the 2025 Champions Trophy final, which ended early in March. Nearly 8 months after the CT final, both star players are set to make their returns.
Cricbuzz has reported that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be named in the ODI squad for the Australia tour. The squad will be announced on Saturday (October 4), the report adds. The Ajit Agarkar-headed selection committee will meet on the third day of the India-West Indies Test match. The squad could be announced after the end of the day’s play.
Both Virat and Rohit now only play ODI cricket. They announced their retirements from T20I cricket after winning the 2024 World Cup. Rohit led India in the ICC event.

Rohit and Virat retired from Tests in May
Rohit and Virat announced shock retirements from Test cricket in May. They were expected to travel to England for the five-match Test series. Rohit, who was the Test captain, announced a shock retirement from Tests on May 7.
Rohit, who dropped himself from the playing XI for the fifth Test against Australia, had confirmed that he will continue to lead the team. But he changed his mind few weeks before the team selection.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/cricket/virat-kohli-rohit-sharma-set-for-return-as-bcci-to-announce-squad-for-australia-series-on-article-152936126

The BCCI had sought to remove PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi as the president of the Asian Cricket Council following the controversial conclusion to the 2025 Asia Cup, and has reportedly taken a major step in that direction with Sri Lanka lending them their support.

The fall out in the Asia Cup trophy controversy continues to rage on with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) seeking to remove Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi from the post of Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president.

According to a report on The Opinion, the BCCI is eyeing the possibility of a no confidence vote against Naqvi, hoping to gather enough support from the other member boards. The report adds that while Sri Lanka has lent its vote to India, Bangladesh is offering its support for Pakistan.

Afghanistan’s vote thus will be crucial and will decide whether Naqvi remains the ACC president, a post that he has been occupying since April this year, or not.

India boycott Pakistan during Asia Cup

The 17th edition of the Asia Cup had taken place just months after a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam and the subsequent military conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations, in which the Indian armed forces launched a series of precision strikes codenamed “Operation Sindoor”.

While the Men in Blue participated in the tournament and faced Pakistan on the field despite several fans and some former cricketers and politicians being against it, they refused to shake the hands of their opponents in each of their three meetings, with captain Suryakumar Yadav also ignoring his Pakistani counterpart Salman Ali Agha during the toss.

Source : https://www.firstpost.com/firstcricket/bcci-mohsin-naqvi-acc-president-no-confidence-vote-asia-cup-trophy-row-13938780.html

Former Pakistan women’s team captain Sana Mir has issued a clarification after her ‘Azad Kashmir’ remark for a current player in the Women’s World Cup 2025 triggered a storm.

The Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 match between Pakistan and Bangladesh on Thursday triggered a huge controversy as former commentator Sana Mir referred to batter Natalia Pervaiz as being from ‘Kashmir’ before correcting herself to ‘Azad Kashmir’. Sana, who is a former captain of the Pakistan team herself, triggered outrage on social media by making a politically charged comment. While the International Cricket Council (ICC) is yet to issue a statement on the controversial matter, Sana took to social media and issued a clarification.

Sana had said while commentating during the match: “…captaining a very young side. Yes, they have won the qualifiers, but a lot of these players are new. Natalia who comes from Kashmir, Azad Kashmir, plays in Lahore a lot of cricket. She has to come to Lahore to play most of her cricket there.”

In a lengthy post on social media, Sana said that she only intended to highlight the struggles Natalia went through because of the region she grew up in. The former Pakistan women’s team captain asked for the issue not to be ‘politicised’ as there was no malice in her heart, nor did she intend to hurt sentiments.

“It’s unfortunate how things are being blown out of proportion and people in sports are being subjected to unnecessary pressure. It is sad that this requires an explanation at a public level. My comment about a Pakistan player’s hometown was only meant to highlight the challenges she faced in coming from a certain region in Pakistan and her incredible journey,” she said.

“It is part of the storytelling we do as commentators, as to where the players come from. I did that today for two other players coming from other regions, too. Please don’t politicise it. As a commentator on the World Feed, we are meant to focus on the sport, teams, and players, highlighting inspiring stories of grit and perseverance. There is no malice in my heart or any intention to hurt sentiments,” Sana added.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/women-s-odi-world-cup-2025/sana-mir-issues-breaks-silence-after-her-azad-kashmir-remark-in-womens-world-cup-triggers-row-9387158

By the skin of their teeth – and every last inch of Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s outstretched arms — the Yankees have lived to see another day.

In a game that often teetered on the edge of being a slow-motion train wreck, with the threat of their postseason ending in two short nights, the Yankees found an answer before they were sent packing for the offseason.

Austin Wells delivered the big hit the Yankees desperately needed, roping a line drive that just stayed fair down the right field line with two outs in the eighth inning.

Chisholm was off from first base on the full-count pitch and never stopped running, diving into home plate just ahead of the tag to send the crowd into a frenzy that shook the Stadium and lifted the Yankees to a 4-3 win in Game 2 of their AL wild-card series on Wednesday night.

“It would be a lot easier to win [the series] 2-0, but we get to play baseball tomorrow and that was our goal coming into today, to guarantee another day tomorrow,” Wells said. “It took everybody. The defense was unbelievable tonight. Great at-bats, great pitching on the mound. Just a really scrappy win. I think it literally took everyone.”

David Bednar secured the final three outs in the top of the ninth — following scoreless innings from a fired-up Fernando Cruz and Devin Williams — to set up a winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday night, with the Yankees sending Cam Schlittler to the mound against fellow rookie Connelly Early in hopes of surviving into the ALDS.

Since the playoffs expanded in 2022, the loser of Game 1 in the wild-card round has lost each of the 12 series. But the Yankees gave themselves a chance to buck that trend on Thursday, thanks in large part to two players who began Game 1 on the bench.

Long after Ben Rice had given the Yankees a shot in the arm with a two-run homer off Brayan Bello in the first, it was tied 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth.

Facing Garrett Whitlock with two outs, Chisholm battled for a full-count walk to bring up Wells, who worked another full count before shooting the go-ahead single down the line.

In a span of roughly 24 hours, Chisholm went from being outwardly frustrated about not being in the Game 1 Yankees lineup against Garrett Crochet to being one of their heroes.

The second baseman said he de-stressed Tuesday night by playing “MLB: The Show” and mercy-ruling his opponent, and by the time he arrived at the stadium on Wednesday, he had cleared his mind and was focused on winning.

“What do you expect? The guy’s a game-changer,” said Aaron Judge, who drove in a run in the fifth inning that temporarily put the Yankees ahead 3-2. “But it just shows you the maturity of not taking what happened the day before and bringing it into today’s game. He showed up ready to play today and ended up having the biggest plays for us.”

Aaron Boone had said before the game that he did not need Chisholm “to put a happy face on it,” but he did “need him to go play his tail off, which I know he’s going to do.” And it wasn’t just on offense, as Chisholm saved the Yankees in the seventh inning with his defense, even on a play when he did not record an out.

Carlos Rodón, who gave up three runs through six innings, threw eight straight balls to begin the seventh and end his night.

The spot due up in the order was the exact same one that Luke Weaver entered to face in the decisive seventh inning of Game 1. Except this time, Boone called on Cruz, who got an immediate gift when Ceddanne Rafaela popped up a bunt attempt before Nick Sogard flied out.

Masataka Yoshida, who delivered the go-ahead single in Game 1, pinch hit again and nearly did the exact same thing as he roped a grounder up the middle. But Chisholm made a diving stop on the ball, and while his throw to first was late, just stopping it from going into the outfield prevented at least one run from scoring. Chisholm, whose bouncing throw slipped slightly past Rice, was fortunate that Nate Eaton stopped at third instead of flying around and trying to score on a play that would have been close.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/10/01/sports/austin-wells-hit-sends-yankees-to-game-3-against-red-sox/

Salman Agha complained about the no-handshake row in a press conference after the Asia Cup 2025 final.

Pakistan captain Salman Agha has used every single opportunity he could to show India in a bad light. After the end of the Asia Cup 2025 final, Salman spoke about the handshake row, which started on September 14, once again in the press conference, criticising India for their unsportsmanlike conduct. He even claimed that India disrespected the entire sport by refusing to shake hands with the Pakistan team. Former India spinner Amit Mishra has responded to Salman’s claim, reiterating India’s stance that the players don’t want to be friends with him or others in the Pakistan team.

“What India has done this tournament is very disappointing. They’re not disrespecting us by not shaking hands; they’re disrespecting cricket. Good teams don’t do what they did today. We went to pose with the trophy on our own because we wanted to fulfil our obligations. We stood there and took our medals. I don’t want to use harsh words, but they’ve been very disrespectful,” Salman had said in the press conference after the final.

Mishra, in a chat with news agency ANI, asked if there’s a rule that mandated a handshake between two teams in a cricket match. The former spinner also said that there’s no ‘friendship’ between the two teams, hence, there’s no point complaining about the lack of such gestures.

“Is there any rule that we have to shake hands? We play cricket, we don’t want to be friends with you, we don’t want to shake hands, it’s our wish. Is there any rule in the rule book that we have to shake hands? We have played three matches, and we have defeated you in all three. After that, what do you want? Do you want us to be friends with you? Why should we? It’s our wish. We won’t do it,” Mishra said while speaking to ANI.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/asia-cup-2025/salman-agha-brings-up-handshake-row-again-gets-we-dont-want-to-be-friends-reply-9375332

Mohsin Naqvi rejected reports claiming that he, at the ACC AGM on Tuesday, apologised to BCCI officials for his actions at the presentation ceremony.

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday said the Indian team is “welcome” to collect the Asia Cup trophy from him at the continental body’s head office in Dubai as controversy around the champions being denied the top prize continued to rage. In a post on X, Naqvi rejected reports claiming that he, at the ACC AGM on Tuesday, apologised to BCCI officials for his actions at the presentation ceremony on Sunday when he walked away with the trophy after the Indians refused to accept it from him.

Naqvi is also the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and Interior Minister of his country with a pronounced anti-India political position.

“As ACC President, I was ready to hand over the trophy that very day and I am still ready now. If they truly want it, they are welcome to come to the ACC office and collect it from me,” he wrote.

“Let me make it absolutely clear: I have done nothing wrong and I have never apologised to the BCCI nor will I ever do so,” he added.

Ashish Shelar and Rajeev Shukla had represented the BCCI in the ACC AGM where they raised a strong objection over the trophy not being duly handed over to the Suryakumar Yadav-led side which beat Pakistan in the final.

Naqvi had told the BCCI officials on Tuesday that he was ready to give the trophy to the Indian team. However, no decision on that issue was taken in the AGM, upsetting the BCCI top brass further.

The BCCI will take the matter to the ICC, which will have its meeting in November.

The two teams played each other thrice in the tournament with India winning each time, including the final. India maintained a ‘no handshake policy’ with Pakistan players during the event, infuriating the PCB.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/mohsin-naqvi-sets-asia-cup-trophy-condition-but-will-never-apologise-9379216

Pakistan women’s cricket team expect that India will continue the handshake boycott when the sides meet in the 2025 ODI World Cup on Sunday.

The Pakistan women’s cricket team expects their Indian counterparts to carry on the ‘handshake boycott’ heralded by the Men in Blue in the 2025 Asia Cup. According to Telecom Asia Sport, Pakistan team manager Hina Munawar has taken guidelines from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on what the players’ stance should be for the group stage match scheduled for Sunday (October 5) in Colombo.

Other reports in India mention how neither the PCB nor the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) with a decision or even as much as a query about the issue. However, the ICC has no protocols about handshakes, and it has always been a tradition, which is usually (but not always) followed by team captains at the toss and the entire squads to mark the end of the match.

The BCCI is said to have not had any conversations about this with Harmanpreet Kaur. The skipper was nudged about the many Indo-Pak controversies in the Asia Cup at the pre-tournament ICC captains’ press meet but remained non-commital.

“Well, we can only control one thing which is playing cricket on the field and we are not thinking of other things,” Harmanpreet said. “Because as cricketers, we can only control the things we have in our hand. But in other parts, I have zero control, and I don’t even take those things into my mind. We don’t even discuss those things in the dressing room. We are only here to play cricket and our focus is only on cricket,” she added.

Deepti Sharma was asked more directly during India’s ODI series against Australia but the response was similar.

“That match is far away, and when it happens, we will see what to do,” the spinning all-rounder said on Tuesday. “We are not focusing on the Asia Cup at the moment.”

The Indian men reportedly took the stance in the light of the Pahalgam terror attack and once it was executed in the group stage game, it continued.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cricket/after-asia-cup-india-to-boycott-handshakes-with-pakistan-in-womens-odi-wc-report-ws-l-9606906.html

Amanjot Kaur created history by playing a key role in helping India win their opening game in the 2025 Women’s World Cup against Sri Lanka. The 25-year-old made a knock of 57 runs in just 45 balls as the Women in Blue went from 126-6 to 269-8.

Amanjot Kaur created history during India’s victory against Sri Lanka in their opening game of the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday (September 30) as the star all-rounder scored a vital knock of 57 in 56 balls while later taking a wicket with the ball in the Women in Blue’s massive victory.
The star all-rounder walked out to bat at number right after the hosts suffered a massive collapse. Sri Lanka took four wickets in the space of 11 balls, inspired by Inoka Ranaweera taking three wickets in one over as India went from 120-2 to 124-6. Amanjot joined Deepti Sharma in the middle, and the star duo put up a huge partnership of 103 runs to help the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side post a massive total of 269 on the board.

India were not awarded the trophy on Sunday after their refusal to take the silverware from Mohsin Naqvi, who is also a minister in the Pakistan government.

The BCCI on Tuesday raised “strong objection” in the Asian Cricket Council’s AGM over India not being presented the winner’s trophy of the Asia Cup but the body’s chairman Mohsin Naqvi remained defiant by “still not agreeing” to it. India were not awarded the trophy on Sunday after their refusal to take the silverware from Naqvi, who is also a minister in the Pakistan government and chairman of the country’s cricket board. He also has a pronounced anti-India political position.

BCCI vice President Rajeev Shukla and former treasurer Ashish Shelar were the Board representatives in the AGM in Dubai.

The Asia Cup trophy remains in the ACC office and it is still not clear when it will duly reach the members of the winning team.

“India raised strong objection in the ACC meeting today on not handing over of the trophy and the drama by ACC chairman (Naqvi) during the post-match award event,” an ACC source told PTI.

However, the source said Naqvi “still hasn’t agreed to give the trophy”.

“Shukla and Shelar categorically said that the trophy should be handed over to the winning team. It is an ACC trophy and doesn’t belong to an individual. Naqvi did not say no to it, he was passing the buck,” the source added.

“Naqvi insisted that the matter should not be discussed in the AGM and brought up separately at some other time. The single point agenda of the meeting was to elect a vice chairman but even that was deferred.” Naqvi, it is learnt, did not congratulate the BCCI members for India winning the Asia Cup but was forced by Shelar to formally praise the Suryakumar Yadav-led side’s unbeaten performance.

“When the meeting started, chairperson (Naqvi), in his brief opening remark, congratulated Nepal for winning against the West Indies and Mongolia for becoming an ACC member and concluded.

“That was when Shelar raised the point that ‘why are you not congratulating India for the Asia Cup title?’ He forced Naqvi to congratulate and the PCB chief agreed and duly congratulated,” the source went on.

The BCCI will take the matter to the ICC which will have its meeting in November.

“Shukla and Shelar argued that the ACC should keep trophy in the office and BCCI would get it collected. They said ‘we want the trophy as legitimate winners.’ Naqvi was passing the buck not saying no at the same time.

“It was made clear that the BCCI will complain to ICC and Shelar briefly left the meeting,” said the source who quoted Naqvi as saying that the latter felt “like a cartoon” and was embarrassed while waiting for the victorious Indian team at the dais.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/asia-cup-2025/bcci-raises-strong-objection-over-asia-cup-trophy-row-report-reveals-pakistan-ministers-stance-9372587

IT is strictly not on to open one’s trap when a golfer is mid-backswing or leaning over a putt.

There are ways to desport oneself during play, like a good old chap, and raised voices and bad language are certainly not par for the course.

But all that went out the clubhouse window at the Ryder Cup in New York this weekend, as Europe star Rory McIlroy might have thought he was among football hooligans, such was the abuse from fans.

On Saturday, as the Northern Irishman ran the gauntlet of boozed-up, baying team United States supporters dressed in stars and stripes, all kinds of insult were thrown at him — and a pint of beer at his wife.

The hate for five-time major champ Rory, 36, and New York-born wife Erica Stoll, 38, at this biennial event for the 12 top golfers from each of Europe and the US was so cruel she is said to have fled the course in tears at one point.

All of the Europe team had to put up with jeers from behind the roped barriers — and cheers when they missed a putt.

In scenes more akin to the worst excesses on the football terraces, than the clipped fairways of the Bethpage Black course on New York’s Long Island, armed police even had to be called in to haul fighting fans from the crowd.

But it was not just the supporters whose behaviour was as ugly as a hooked drive into the duck pond — even master of ceremonies Heather McMahan quit after joining in crowd chants of “F*** you, Rory!”

The abuse backfired on the hate brigade as team Europe held both lip and nerve to close out victory on the Sunday by 15 points to 13.

Afterwards, a clearly emotional Rory praised his wife for keeping her head held high.

The world No2 golfer told a press conference: “Erica is fine.

“She is a very, very strong woman.

“She handled everything this week with poise and dignity like she always has and I love her and we’re going to have a good time celebrating tonight.”

The other European players also praised Erica for the way she handled the intimidation.

Irish star Shane Lowry — who sank the putt that meant Europe retained the silverware they also won in Rome in 2023 — said: “I was out there for two days with Erica and the abuse she received was astonishing.

“The way she was supporting her husband and her team was unbelievable, and kudos to her for that.”

‘MARITAL TROUBLES’

As Europe’s No1 player, Rory was the boo-boys’ prime target — and he and Erica for their well publicised history of marital troubles.

The pair met at the 2012 Ryder Cup in Medinah, Illinois, at which Erica was an official tasked with escorting Rory to the course.

At the time, he was dating Danish tennis ace Caroline Wozniacki, who he got engaged to in late 2013 before the wedding was called off five months later.

Rory started seeing Erica in 2014 and they wed three years later.

Their apparently solid marriage seemed to have crashed in May last year when Rory announced they were getting divorced.

But a month later Rory, who has five-year-old daughter Poppy with Erica, said: “Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realised that our best future was as a family together.”

Sadly, though, the couple’s ups and downs were grist to the mill of those out to get them at Bethpage.

One spectator was overheard bawling, “How’s your divorce going?”, while another yelled at Rory, “Your ex is looking for you” and others called him “ugly.”

Perhaps another reason why Rory came in for extra flak is because he wears his heart on his sleeve.

As crazed American fans at the weekend played foul with golf’s centuries-old etiquette, in a bid to put the European players off their game, Rory did his best not to take the bait but at one point, before taking a shot, did yell at the gallery: “Guys, shut the f*** up.”

Rory, whose resurgence in form since mending his marriage saw him win the coveted US Masters earlier this year, was demanding respect where respect is due.

Meanwhile his 16st teammate Lowry — who famously won the Open at Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland in 2019 — also faced cruel comments, about his body shape, and looked ready to snap.

Matters got so bad that secret service officers were deployed to guard Europe’s embattled team and police sent the worst, most drunken thugs packing in a bid to restore order.

“I wish they had let the dogs off their leashes

Rory later quipped: “I wish they had let the dogs off their leashes.”

There were plenty of fist-pumping celebration from team Europe, as they finally took the spoils, but their equal triumph was not to have sunk to the depths of those who tried at every fairway, bunker and green to drag them down.

Team captain Luke Donald encouraged his players to turn the other cheek by happily signing autographs for fans, and chatting and smiling.

This was in contrast to US captain Keegan Bradley who grabbed an American flag and ran up the 18th fairway during a practice round on Thursday, to fire up the home crowd before the matches began.

As battle then got under way, US player Bryson DeChambeau strode up to the first tee draped in the stars and stripes.

US President Donald Trump’s visit on the first day of competition, and the sight of him pumping his fist, only stirred the cauldron further.

The Ryder Cup tradition began in 1927 as a friendly contest pitching best golfers from Great Britain and Ireland against their counterparts from the United States.

With the Americans all too often outpunching us Brits, from 1979 we called in our European friends for help.

After that, Europe fared far better — but this year the US were favourites because seven out of the ten top golfers in the world come from their side of the Atlantic.

So it was a shock that the US were so heavily beaten in the Friday and Saturday games of the three-day contest, with Europe heading into the Sunday singles matches with a record seven-point advantage.

‘SUPPORT YOUR PLAYERS’

Somehow, the US made a match of it, almost storming to the biggest Ryder Cup comeback of all time.

In the end, though, Europe secured the two-and-half points they needed to retain the trophy, as Lowry’s tie with Russell Henley delivered the crucial half-point.

Englishman Tyrrell Hatton then finished all square with Collin Morikawa to give Europe the outright win.

Truth be told, the US team were not helped by their own supporters, who often preferred to jeer the Europeans rather than cheer their own side.

After facing off against world No1 Scottie Scheffler on the Sunday, and narrowly losing, Rory said: “If I was an American, I would be annoyed

“I didn’t hear a lot of shouts for Scottie today, but I heard a lot of shouts against me.

“Support your players. That’s the thing.”

It is not the first time in Ryder Cup history that the American fans have come under the spotlight.

English golfer Matt Fitzpatrick revealed that his parents stayed away from the Ryder Cup this year because during the previous tournament held on US soil in 2021 they’d heard fans shout “slit his throat.”

Lowry told how his wife Wendy and dad Brendan had also been verbally abused four years ago, commenting: “They got dog’s abuse.”

But one of the lowest moments was when the US team itself invaded the 17th green in 1999 at Brookline, Massachusetts when the Europeans had yet to putt.

At the same event, Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie received such cruel jibes, comparing him to movie nan Mrs Doubtfire, that his dad left.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15267774/inside-ryder-cup-chaos-rory-mcilroy/

Dolphins star wide receiver Tyreek Hill suffered a gruesome injury when his left leg bent in the wrong direction after he was tackled along the sideline during Monday’s 27-21 win over the Jets.

The injury, later determined to be a dislocated knee according to Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, happened early in the third quarter after QB Tua Tagovailoa found Hill for a 10-yard pass along the sideline and Jets safety Malachi Moore grabbed him by the left leg to tackle him, and the leg twisted into an unnatural position.

Hill had been taken to a local hospital for imaging, evaluation and observation, the team had said, and McDaniel indicated that he would remain there overnight.

Medical personnel had immediately rushed to Hill’s side as they stabilized his leg, and carted him off the field during the third quarter.

Dolphins trainers focused on Hill’s knee as they worked to stabilize it — cutting off his cleats. Hill’s mother was able to come down to the field, ESPN’s Katie George reported on the broadcast.

Hill smiled and waved to the crowd as he was taken into the tunnel.

“He was probably in the best spirits of any player that I’ve ever seen [have] such a terrible experience,” McDaniel said after the game. “He immediately had wide eyes and was talking, ‘I’m good, just make sure the guys get this win.’ He was focused on the team.”

The Dolphins officially declared Hill out with a knee injury shortly after he was taken off the field.

“That’s my twin,” Jaylen Waddle said of the injury. “Anytime you see your brother — someone you have a great relationship with outside of the game of football — go down like that, it’s always tough. He wanted me to keep my head in it. We talked when he was on the cart a little bit.”

The reception at the time of his injury was Hill’s sixth of the game and had upped his total to 67 receiving yards on the night.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/09/29/sports/dolphins-tyreek-hill-carted-off-after-horrific-leg-injury-vs-jets/

The Nepal cricket team created history by beating the West Indies in a T20I series with one match left. This is the first instance of the Rohit Paudel-led side playing a bilateral series against a full-member nation. Nepal set multiple world records.

The Nepal Cricket team created history on Monday (September 29) at the Sharjah Cricket Ground by defeating West Indies by 90 runs in the second T20I of a three-match series. The Rohit Paudel-led side took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series to create history. Earlier, the Rohit Paudel-led side had defeated the two-time champions in the series opener on Saturday (September 27) by 19 runs.
The Asian team, which notably failed to qualify for the recently concluded 2025 Asia Cup, which had three associate teams for the first time in history, won the toss and chose to bat first. Despite losing three early wickets, they posted a total of 173 on the board with half-centuries from Asaif Sheikh and Sundeep Jora.
In reply, the West Indies were bowled out for 83, with Mohammad Aadil Alam taking four wickets and Kushal Bhurtel getting three scalps.

The Indian players waited for nearly an hour after they refused to receive the trophy from the Pakistan board and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also his country’s interior minister

“Trophy leke bhaag gaye woh (They ran away with the trophy).”

Speaking to The Indian Express, a day after leading his team to a thrilling Asia Cup final win over Pakistan, this was how Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav summed up the bizarre scenes that played out after the game in Dubai the previous night.

According to him, the Indian players waited for nearly an hour after they refused to receive the trophy from the Pakistan board and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also his country’s interior minister. In the end, they celebrated without the trophy.

“We didn’t close the door and sit inside the dressing room. We didn’t make anyone wait for the presentation ceremony. Trophy leke bhaag gaye woh (They ran away with the trophy). That’s what I saw. I don’t know, some people were making a video of us, but we were standing. We didn’t go inside,” Suryakumar said.

There was speculation that India didn’t accept the trophy from Naqvi because they were following instructions from the BCCI or from officials in the Government. But the Indian captain squashed such talk, saying it was a team decision taken at the ground.

“First of all, let me make it clear, no one from the Government or the BCCI told us anything throughout the tournament that if someone gives a trophy, we won’t take it. We took that decision on our own on the ground. They (ACC officials) were standing there on the stage and we were standing below. I saw them talking on stage and I don’t know the details of their chat. Some in the crowd started booing. And then we saw someone who was their representative taking the trophy and running away,” he said.

Suryakumar said his players didn’t go inside the dressing room to even take their phones immediately after the match; it was the team’s support staff and masseur who got their phones to the field.

“Everyone was enjoying the moment on the ground. The entire team was celebrating those who got the awards like Abhishek Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma. They were all standing for them, clapping, whistling. That’s the culture of our team,” he said.

When Naqvi didn’t budge from the protocol of the ACC president giving away the trophy, Simon Doull, the former New Zealand player now in charge of presentations, announced: “Ladies and gentlemen, I have been informed by the Asian Cricket Council that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight. So that does conclude the post-match presentation.”

Earlier, during the official pre-tournament events, Suryakumar was seen shaking the hands of Naqvi and Pakistan’s captain Salman Agha, visuals of which were splashed on the Internet at the time. Things turned once the tournament began. First, Suryakumar didn’t shake hands with Agha at the toss before their first game, and neither did the rest of the team at the end of the game — a routine that was followed through the tournament against Pakistan. Suryakumar had also dedicated the win in the first game to the martyrs of the terror attack at Pahalgam.

At the end of the tournament, in the post-match presser, Yadav announced that he would be donating his entire Asia Cup match fees to Indian Armed Forces.

“When I went to the dressing room after we won, I was sitting there. A lot was going on in my mind on what I can do. I spoke to a friend who suggested that I can do this (donate the money). So I said okay. I think it’s a perfect moment also. And I have love for my country. So if it’s a small bit and if I can do it, then why not. It comes from inside me. I will definitely do as much as I can whenever I get the opportunity. People put so much effort everywhere. This is our bit, which is nothing actually. People who do so much, who do it selflessly, about whom no one knows,” Suryakumar said.

Source : https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/trophy-leke-bhaag-gaye-woh-suryakumar-yadav-on-the-bizarre-asia-cup-award-presentation-10278838/

Suryakumar Yadav’s men beat Salman Ali Agha-led Pakistan in the final on Sunday to clinch their ninth Asia Cup title across formats.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha announced that he and his teammates have decided to donate their Asia Cup match fees to the “civilians and children” affected during India’s Operation Sindoor. This comes after India skipper Suryakumar Yadav pledged to donate his entire match fee from the tournament to the country’s armed forces and the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. Suryakumar’s men beat Salman Agha-led Pakistan in the final on Sunday to clinch their ninth Asia Cup title across formats.

“As a team, we have decided to donate our match fees to the civilians and children affected by India’s attack,” said Agha during the post-match press conference.

Speaking on India’s repeated refusal to shake hands with them, Salman termed the actions as “disappointing,” accusing Suryakumar and others of disrespecting the sport.

“What India have done this tournament is very disappointing. They’re not disrespecting us by not shaking hands, they’re disrespecting cricket.”

“Good teams don’t do what they did today. We went to pose with the trophy on our own because we wanted to fulfill our obligations. We stood there and took our medals. I don’t want to use harsh words but they’ve been very disrespectful,” he added.

The Indian team, after the final, also refused to receive the trophy from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Interior Minister of Pakistan.

Naqvi then walked away with his entourage, taking away the trophy and the official medals with them. India, however, did not let that dissuade them, posing with an imaginary trophy even as fireworks signalled another loss at ICC tournaments for Pakistan.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/asia-cup-2025/after-suryakumar-yadavs-pahalgam-match-fee-gesture-pakistan-team-makes-huge-announcement-9367038

Asian Cricket Council chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, left the stadium with the trophy and winners’ medals after India refused to accept them from his hands.

The nail-biting Asia Cup 2025 final ended on a dramatic note, with India securing a 5-wicket victory in Dubai on Sunday to clinch the title. However, the Indian team had to do the post-match ceremonies without the Asia Cup trophy, as the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief, Mohsin Naqvi, left the stadium with the trophy and the winners’ medals. While it was expected that the Indian team would not be accepting the trophy from Naqvi’s hands, the ACC chief’s decision to not give the trophy to the winning team at all left everyone stunned.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia expressed his astonishment at Naqvi’s act, slamming him for leaving the stadium with the trophy and the medals. Saikia also explained why India refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who also heads the Pakistan Cricket Board.

“India is fighting a war with a country, and a leader belonging to that country was supposed to hand over the trophy to us… We cannot accept a trophy from a person who represents a country that is waging a war against our country. So we have refused to take that trophy, but that does not mean that the gentleman will take the trophy and the medals, which are to be given to our country, to his own hotel room. That is totally unexpected, and we hope that his good sense will prevail, and he will send back the trophy to India as soon as possible, which will restore some semblance of morality. At least we are expecting that from him,” Saikia said in a chat with ANI after the game.

The entire Asia Cup campaign saw the Indian team snub friendly gestures with their Pakistani counterparts. In fact, in the final, two different presenters-Ravi Shastri and Waqar Younis-were arranged by the broadcaster to speak with Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha at the toss, respectively.

Saikia further said that the BCCI will lodge a strong protest against this act by the Asian Cricket Council chief.

“We are going to lodge a very strong protest against the behavior of the gentleman in today’s prize distribution ceremony,” he said.

The BCCI also announced a prize money of Rs 21 crores for the Indian team and support staff after an impressive Asia Cup title run.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/asia-cup-2025/bcci-breaks-silence-on-asia-cup-trophy-acceptance-row-slams-acc-chief-for-post-match-act-9362324

Asia Cup 2025 final, Ind vs Pak: In one of the most bizarre scenes in cricket history, the victorious Indian team celebrated without the trophy on the dais in Dubai. Suryakumar Yadav said India were denied the trophy after it emerged that the team refused to collect it from Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi.

In one of the most bizarre sights on a sporting field, India celebrated their Asia Cup triumph on the dais without the traditional symbols of victory. None of the players wore their medals around their necks, and captain Suryakumar Yadav did not hold the trophy in his hands. Wondering why?

India had refused to collect the Asia Cup from Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as the president of the Asian Cricket Council. It was widely speculated that India would take this stand amid tensions between the two countries, particularly given Naqvi’s dual role as a government minister in Pakistan and his provocative social media post during the tournament.

Incidentally, the Asia Cup marked the first meeting between India and Pakistan on a cricket field since the Pahalgam terror attack in April and the cross-border hostilities that followed in May.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that the team had decided not to receive the trophy from Naqvi, adding that nobody had forced them to take this stand. He later explained that the trophy was not awarded to them as a result of their decision.

“We as a team decided not to take the trophy (from Mohsin Naqvi). Nobody told us to do so. But I feel a team that that wins the tournament deserves the trophy,” captain Suryakumar said during his interaction with the press after the final.

India informed the officials that they were willing to receive the trophy from Emirates Cricket Board vice-chairman Khalid Al Zarooni, who was sharing the stage with Naqvi. However, Naqvi did not permit this to happen.

INDIA WERE DENIED THE TROPHY: SURYAKUMAR

“Operation Sindoor on the games field. The outcome is the same – India wins! Congrats to our cricketers,” PM Modi said in a post on X

India’s ninth Asia Cup title, following a five-wicket win over arch-rivals Pakistan in a thrilling final on Sunday, drew massive cheers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a reference to Operation Sindoor.

“Operation Sindoor on the games field. The outcome is the same – India wins! Congrats to our cricketers,” PM Modi said in a post on X.

The reference to Operation Sindoor and connecting it with Pakistan’s loss to India in the Asia Cup title alluded to a fact – sports or military, India defeated Pakistan.

India’s devastating airstrikes at Pakistan’s terror infrastructure and military installations in May had left that country’s airspace defenceless in a very short time. The pounding eventually led a top Pakistani military officer to dial India and request for a ceasefire.

The supersoldiers of a different kind of Operation Sindoor on the field today were Tilak Varma and his useful partnerships with Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube. Varma’s well-compiled half-century by working in tandem with Samson and Dube helped Team India secure their second T20I Asia Cup title and overall the ninth title, including the ODI editions.

India packed up Pakistan by five wickets at the edgy match in Dubai.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/operation-sindoor-on-the-games-field-pm-modis-post-after-india-beat-pak-in-thrilling-asia-cup-final-9361605?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

With this selfless act, Suryakumar Yadav has once again shown why he is admired not just as a cricketer, but as a role model and leader beyond the boundary ropes.

Following India’s thrilling victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final, captain Suryakumar Yadav made an emotional and patriotic gesture that has won hearts across the nation. Speaking at the post-match press conference, the Indian skipper announced that he would be donating his match fees from all games of the tournament to the Indian Army.

“I personally want to give my match fees of all the games which I played in this tournament to the Indian Army,” Suryakumar said, his voice filled with emotion.

India won the final by five wickets, successfully chasing Pakistan’s target of 147 in 19.4 overs, with standout performances from Tilak Varma (69) and Shivam Dube (33). Earlier, Kuldeep Yadav’s four-wicket haul had helped restrict Pakistan to 146 in 19.1 overs.

While the victory was sweet for Indian fans, it was Suryakumar Yadav’s post-match dedication that became the moment of the evening. His announcement was met with applause from the press room and later celebrated widely on social media. Many users praised the Indian captain not only for leading the team with poise and grit throughout the tournament but also for using his platform to honor the armed forces.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/i-personally-want-suryakumar-yadav-dedicates-his-tournament-earnings-to-indian-army-after-indias-win-at-asia-cup-2025-video

Nepal captain Rohit Paudel dedicated the team’s historic victory over West Indies to the martyrs of the Gen Z protest.

The entire cricket world stood up and lauded Nepal as the Asian minnows secured a generational victory over West Indies, a Test playing nation, in a T20 international on Saturday. It was the first-ever victory for Nepal against a full-member of the International Cricket Council (ICC). After securing a result that will go down as a landmark moment in cricket history books, Nepal skipper Rohit Paudel dedicated the result to the martyrs of his country who lost their lives in the recent Gen Z protests that shook the entire Nepal and even sent shockwaves in the neighbouring countries.

With their bowlers striking blows at regular intervals against a West Indies side which was without some of its big guns, Nepal surged to a historic 19-run victory. As a result, Nepal took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, with the second T20I scheduled for September 29.

After the game, Nepal skipper Rohit Paudel praised the all-round show by his team that helped them secure a memorable triumph over West Indies.

“It’s feeling great, a long wait to beat a Test-playing country, that too it has come in a series we have hosted in the UAE. 150-160 was par here, looking at the previous series here, teams were winning after scoring 150-160. 80-90 per cent, we have matched our skills, the spinners were great today, as well as the experienced Karan and Sompal,” said Paudel at the post-match presentation ceremony.

“Want to dedicate this award to the martyrs back home who participated in the protest. The last month has not been great for us, so if we can give a little bit of happiness to the people of Nepal, I think that would be great. It’s just the beginning, a lot more to come,” the 23-year-old added, dedicating the result to those who lost lives in the country’s Gen Z protests against the government.

In a match played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, the West Indies won the toss and elected to field first against the Associate Member team. They restricted Nepal to a modest score of 148/8, which the side from the Himalayas compiled riding on vital contributions by their middle order.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/nepal-script-history-with-victory-over-west-indies-send-blunt-gen-z-protests-message-9357398

While opener Abhishek Sharma has done bulk of the scoring, the other batters have struggled for rhythm and consistency.

Sunil Gavaskar has backed the Indian batters to come out good against Pakistan in the Asia Cup final on Sunday. While opener Abhishek Sharma has done bulk of the scoring, the other batters have struggled for rhythm and consistency. Speaking to India Today ahead of the final, the former India captain, however, backed the likes of Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson and Hardik Pandya to step up, adding that big runs could come from any of them.

“There are several key players who can make a difference. Suryakumar Yadav is due for runs, as are Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, and Hardik Pandya. Shubman Gill has batted well but hasn’t yet delivered the big scores we’ve come to expect from him recently. There’s plenty of batting firepower left, so there’s no need to be overly concerned,” said the batting great.

Gavaskar also backed Abhishek to push for a century in the final, having missed out on the milestone a couple of times already.

“Abhishek Sharma, in particular, won’t let opportunities slip by. He’s been in good form with three half-centuries and, despite an unfortunate run-out that cost him a potential century, he’s likely to aim for another big innings-possibly even a three-figure score,” he added.

After a relatively quiet group stage, Abhishek has struck 74 (vs Pakistan), 75 (vs Bangladesh) and 61 (vs Sri Lanka), playing his brand of belligerent cricket.

Ahead of the final, India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel expressed its excitement over the “edge of the seat” battle between Abhishek and Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi. It was Abhishek who won the battle when the two teams met in the Super Four.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/asia-cup-2025/sunil-gavaskars-serious-warning-to-pakistan-ahead-of-india-clash-in-asia-cup-2025-final-9355194

The two arch-rivals will face off for the third time in the tournament, having already met once in the group stage and again in the Super Fours.

Having pulled off a thrilling win over Bangladesh, Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha said such victories make him believe it is a “special team” and added his side has the quality to beat anyone, including India, in the Asia Cup final. Pakistan’s bowlers rose to the occasion, defending a modest 135 with all their might to carve out an 11-run win in the Super 4s clash here on Thursday and book a maiden Asia Cup title showdown with arch-rivals India.

“If you win these kind of games, then we must be a special team. Everyone played really well. There is some improvement needed in batting. But we will work on that,” Agha said at the presentation.

The two arch-rivals will face off for the third time in the tournament, having already met once in the group stage and again in the Super Fours.

“Very excited. We know what we need to do, and we are a good enough team to beat anyone, and we will come on Sunday and try to beat them,” the skipper added.

Agha made special mention of Shaheen Shah Afridi, who bagged the Player-of-the-Match award for his all-round show.

“Shaheen is a special player. He does what the team needs of him. Very happy for him. We were 15 runs short. The way we bowled up front, we will create pressure. We bowled well with the new ball. More often than not you will win games if you bowl like this,” he said.

“We have been fielding well… We have been having extra sessions. Mike Hesson said if you can’t field, you won’t be in the team.” Afridi had earlier smashed a 13-ball 19 to help Pakistan post a fighting score before returning with figures of 3/17.

“Early on, as a team, we need breakthroughs and I go for that. In a small total, you need early breakthroughs and we planned that. Three overs in the powerplay – that is the difference,” Afridi said.

On his batting, he added: “After early wickets, team decided (to let me go) and take on bowlers. Those sixes turned momentum to our end.” Looking ahead to the final against India, Afridi said: “We are ready.”

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/asia-cup-2025/pakistan-captain-salman-agha-sends-blunt-message-to-india-after-setting-up-asia-cup-final-clash-9345876

Haris Rauf has been fined 30 per cent of his match fees for his provocative gestures during the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four match against India.

Pakistan cricket team fast bowler Haris Rauf has been fined 30 per cent of his match fees for his provocative gestures during the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four match against India on September 21, reported news agency PTI citing sources. Haris made the controversial ‘6-0’ gesture towards Indian fans and also mimicked a plane falling from the air. BCCI lodged a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the gestures and the decision was taken after an official hearing which was presided over by match referee Richie Richardson. On the other hand, Sahibzada Farhan was let off with a warning for his ‘gunshot’ celebration during that match.

“Match referee Richie Richardson had completed his hearing on Friday afternoon at the team hotel. Haris Rauf has been fined 30 percent of his match fees for aggressive behaviour and Farhan has been let off with a warning,” a tournament source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

Earlier, both Rauf and Farhan pleaded not guilty during the ICC hearing.

Both the players appeared before Richardson in person even though the responses given to the ICC were in writing. They were accompanied by team manager Naveed Akram Cheema.

According to tournament sources, Farhan claimed that his ‘gunshot celebration’ was a “traditional way of celebrating in his ethnic Pakhtun tribe” in Pakistan.

Farhan also reportedly mentioned that Virat Kohli has celebrated in a similar way.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had also filed a complaint against India skipper Suryakumar Yadav after he dedicated the win in the group stage to the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/asia-cup-2025/icc-punishes-haris-rauf-with-fine-after-provocative-gesture-reprimands-sahibzada-farhan-9349977

India and Pakistan will meet in the Asia Cup 2025 final for the first time ever. Pakistan qualified for the final with an 11-run victory over Bangladesh in their last Super 4 clash.

India and Pakistan are set to lock horns in the final of the Asia Cup for the first time ever in the 41-year-long history of the tournament. Pakistan sealed their berth in the Asia Cup 2025 final with an 11-run victory over Bangladesh in their last Super 4 fixture on Thursday, September 25 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Fast bowler Shaheen Afridi (3/17) and Haris Rauf (3/33) helped their team defend a low total of 135/8 as they restricted Bangladesh to 124/9. As a result, they set their third meeting with India in the ongoing edition of the continental event on Sunday, September 28. In cricketing history, India and Pakistan have met in the final five times in a multinational tournament involving more than three teams.

Out of those five finals, Pakistan managed to get the better of India thrice. The first time two teams locked horns in a tournament final was in 1985 during the final of the World Championship of Cricket, where India emerged victorious by eight wickets. On the other hand, their last meeting in a final came during the Champions Trophy 2017, when Pakistan stunned India with a 180-run victory. Here’s a recap of all five India vs Pakistan finals in multi-national tournaments (more than 3 teams involved):

World Championship of Cricket final, 1984

Batting first, Pakistan scored 176/9 riding on captain Javed Miandad’s innings of 48 (92). For India, Kapil Dev (3/23) and Laxman Sivaramakrishnan (3/35) emerged as the top wicket takers. Later, Ravi Shastri (63*) and Kris Srikkanth (67 off 77) helped India chase down the target in 47.1 overs, helping India win by eight wickets.

Austral-Asia Cup final, 1986

The last time these teams met was in March in the Champions League last 16, when Atletico were eliminated after Julian Alvarez’s controversially disallowed shoot-out penalty.

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone famously hates to deviate from the here and now but when his team host Real Madrid on Saturday in a La Liga derby clash it is difficult not to look both forwards and backwards. The last time these teams met was in March in the Champions League last 16, when Atletico were eliminated after Julian Alvarez’s controversially disallowed shoot-out penalty. The Rojiblancos seethed for weeks about the incident, with Alvarez ruled to have double-kicked the ball, and their season rapidly flew off the rails. Perhaps they have never fully recovered since.

Atletico arrive at the Madrid derby, six games into the season, already trailing their league-leading opponents by nine points.

If they fall to a defeat by Xabi Alonso’s Los Blancos, who boast a 100 percent record thus far, a title challenge already looks unlikely.

Atletico spent big in the summer, signing Alex Baena, David Hancko and Thiago Almada among others, for a total of more than 175 million euros ($204 million).

“We want to recover in the best way we can,” said Simeone after his team came from behind to beat Rayo Vallecano 3-2 in a thrilling clash on Wednesday.

“We will have a really hard, difficult game against a side that has been winning all their games and who have a tonne of very good players in their squad.”

Simeone this week became the coach who has spent the longest time in charge of a La Liga club, having arrived in December 2011.

Helping Atletico to reach two Champions League finals — both lost against Real Madrid in 2014 and 2016 — as well as winning two La Liga titles, Simeone has taken the club to their very best moments.

Unfortunately over the past few seasons, since they won La Liga in 2021, the team have fallen from their peak.

“The team needs to evolve to the height the club has,” admitted Simeone in August.

Rivals Real Madrid are looking for evolution too, with Alonso arriving in the summer to replace Carlo Ancelotti.

The Spaniard can match Vanderlei Luxemburgo’s record of seven straight league wins at the start of a season set in 2005 if Los Blancos emerge on top this weekend.

The main force behind Madrid’s excellent results is superstar striker Kylian Mbappe, who leads the scoring charts with seven. The France international ended last season in rich form and has continued that into the new campaign.

Atletico, by contrast, lacked finesse in front of goal until Alvarez netted the first hat-trick of his career against Rayo to climb to four league goals.

“Julian is the best player that we have. We need to look after him, so he stays many years here at Atletico,” said Simeone.

“He has to help us and we have to help him, so he gets even better than he currently is. Each time he scores he makes the difference, he helps us so much.”

Second-placed Barcelona host Real Sociedad on Sunday at the Olympic stadium, hoping Real Madrid drop points so they can close the two-point gap to the top.

Player to watch: Georges Mikautadze

The Georgian striker is starting to find his footing at Villarreal following his move at the end of the summer transfer window.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/football/diego-simeones-atletico-face-early-real-reckoning-in-madrid-derby-9346381

CHICAGO Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw has come under fire for missing a game to go to Charlie Kirk’s memorial.

Shaw drew criticism from fans and broadcasters for missing the game.

Shaw was absent for a 1-0 loss to Cincinnati on Sunday that has turned out to be crucial for the team’s playoff seeding.

“I don’t want to talk about any of the politics of it, but the thought of leaving your team in the middle of a race for any reason other than a family emergency, really strikes me as weird,” opposing broadcaster Gary Cohen said.

The third baseman said he was invited to the memorial by Kirk’s wife and that he was given permission to attend the event.

He said that Kirk’s widow, Erika, texted him and asked him to go.

Shaw further said hat he was “not concerned at all” about any backlash.

He said that Kirk lived in the same apartment complex as him in Arizona and that they connected through their faith.

“Whatever backlash comes is OK,” Shaw said.

“I feel strongly in my faith that was meant to be.

“I felt as though it was something that was really important for me to do.”

Kirk was a native of the Chicago are and would text Shaw after Cubs games.

He posed with Shaw for a picture on the Cubs’ dugout in August.

The game that Shaw missed was part of a five-game skid that the Cubs are currently on.

While Chicago already clinched a spot in the postseason, they are at risk of dropping in the seeding.

As things currently stand, the Cubs have home field advantage for the Wild Card round.

However, the Cubs now hold just a 1.5-game advantage over the San Diego Padres for the top Wild Card spot.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15244918/mlb-rookie-matt-shaw-chicago-cubs-charlie-kirk-memorial/

Abhishek Sharma’s scintillating 75 was beautifully complemented by Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy as India comfortably hammered Bangladesh to enter the Asia Cup final.

Abhishek Sharma’s scintillating 75 was beautifully complemented by Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy as India comfortably hammered Bangladesh by 41 runs to enter the Asia Cup final in Dubai on Wednesday. Despite a mediocre batting show that limited India to 168 for six in their second Super 4 match, Bangladesh’s batting never had the wherewithal to chase down a gettable total and were bowled out for 127 in 19.3 overs. Thursday’s Super 4s game between Bangladesh and Pakistan is a ‘virtual semi-final’ and will decide India’s opponent in the summit clash. If Bangladesh’s batting show is any indicator, a third mouth-watering India versus Pakistan contest for the biggest continental prize is very much on the cards.

Opener Saif Hassan (69 off 51 balls) did his bit with some lusty hitting but most of the other batters failed to even reach double digits. Having said that, Saif was lucky to get as many as five reprieves.

Kuldeep Yadav’s (3/18 in 4 overs) craft was too much for them to decode while Varun Chakravarthy (2/29 in 4 overs) also got his share of wickets on a day when Axar Patel (1/37 in 4 overs) was blasted for four sixes.

Jasprit Bumrah (2/18 in 4 overs) also had a good day in office. While some of the other Bangladeshi batters didn’t measure up, right-handed Saif muscled the likes of Axar and Chakravarthy for five huge sixes to keep his team interested but had no support at the other end.

Earlier, Abhishek Sharma blended power with copious amount of grace to smash a 37-ball-75 before indiscreet cricket from the other batters restricted India to a par 168 for six. Abhishek, who is in the middle of a dream phase, hit six fours and five huge sixes in his sizzling effort.

He looked good for a century but a fantastic one handed stop and quick action throw from Rishad Hossan stationed at short third-man sent him back to the dugout.

At the other end, Indian batters played some poor strokes– whether it was Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma or skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who was caught brilliantly down the leg-side by stand-in captain and keeper Jaker Ali.

Team management’s inability to fit Sanju Samson was apparent as he couldn’t be fitted into the top seven.

Having scored 96 in first 10, India managed only 72 in next 10 overs with Axar Patel (10 off 15 balls), promoted ahead of Samson, looking out of place.

For Bangladesh, pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib (1/29 in 4 overs) looked quicker than what the speedometer displayed and Mustafizur Rahaman (1/33 in 4 overs) as usual used his change of pace deliveries to good effect.

But leg-spinner Rishad Hossain (2/27 in 3 overs) should be given a lot of credit for giving the ball air and getting the prized scalps of Gill and Shivam Dube, usually a fine player of wrist spinners, bringing Bangladesh back in the game after a poor Powerplay.

When India started batting, the first three overs of the Powerplay was uneventful but in the fourth over, Gill and Abhishek took 21 runs off left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed with a six each in their kitty.

Bangladesh’s most experienced T20 bowler Mustafizur was greeted by Abhishek with a six over long-on that landed near the Indian dugout and bounced into the middle tier.

The over ended with innings 50 completed and Abhishek’s third six — a slashed six over backward point.

India were cruising at 72 for no loss in the powerplay with last three overs costing 56 runs.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/asia-cup-2025/abhishek-sharma-spinners-shine-as-india-storm-into-asia-cup-2025-final-9338532

Pakistan duo of Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan courted plenty of criticism for their on-field gestures during the Asia Cup Super 4 match against India.

The India vs Pakistan Super 4 contest in the Asia Cup 2025 last Sunday turned out to be a battle that wasn’t just limited to the bat and the ball on the cricket field. The gestures by the Pakistan duo of Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan drew plenty of reactions on social media, with several pundits and fans criticising the pair over the immature actions. On the eve of Pakistan’s final Super 4 match of the Asia Cup, against Bangladesh, the team’s pacer Shaheen Afridi was asked about the gestures from Rauf and Farhan on the field.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Shaheen admitted that on-field celebrations really shouldn’t be the focus of the team as they are out their to play cricket.

“Look, our job is to play cricket. Honestly, everyone has the right to express the way they want to,” Shaheen said when asked about the criticism that Haris and Sahibzada have received for their acts against India.

Shaheen looked to downplay the uproar that Pakistan’s on-field behaviour caused, saying “Everyone has their own thoughts”.

“Everyone has their own respect. Everyone thinks the way they think. But our job is to play cricket. And we have come to win the tri-nation Series. We have come to win the Asia Cup. And we, God willing, as a team, are doing our best,” he further said.

Pakistan have already suffered two consecutive defeats against India in the ongoing Asia Cup. The two teams can potentially square off again in the final of the tournament, on September 28. While none of the finalists has been confirmed yet, Shaheen expressed confidence on his team’s ability to finally defeat India if the two teams meet in the title-decider on the coming Sunday.

“They have not reached the final yet. We will see when they reach the final. We have come here to win the final and win the Asia Cup. We are ready for any team that comes. We will defeat them,” he said.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/asia-cup-2025/shaheen-afridi-breaks-silence-on-haris-raufs-provocative-gestures-against-india-9334398

Afghanistan has not played an official women’s competitive game since 2018.

The Afghanistan national women’s soccer team of refugee players has its first official games next month at a four-team tournament in Dubai, FIFA said Wednesday. The FIFA-supported team — which cannot yet officially represent Afghanistan in World Cup qualifying — will face the host United Arab Emirates, Chad and Libya in the Oct. 23-29 event. Afghanistan has not played an official women’s competitive game since 2018, and the return to power of the Taliban regime in 2021 shut down women’s sport. The Afghan soccer federation has obligations under FIFA statutes to avoid discrimination though has not been suspended from international soccer.

The tournament “reinforces FIFA’s efforts to promote and protect the right of all women and girls to play the sport, pursue their footballing dreams and thrive through the game,” the soccer body said.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/football/afghanistan-womens-soccer-team-of-refugees-to-play-first-official-games-at-fifa-backed-event-9335320

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar was extremely critical of the antics shown by the PCB in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar was extremely critical of the antics shown by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025. It all started after the Indian team, led by captain Suryakumar Yadav, decided to skip the customary handshake with the Pakistan players. India’s stance left Pakistan scratching the wall, with the PCB lodging an official complaint to the International Cricket Council (ICC) seeking the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft. In its official mail, the board alleged that Pycroft failed to uphold the spirit of cricket.

While their request was rejected by the global body, the PCB maintained their stance, and even threatened to pull out of their must-win game against the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which was eventually delayed by an hour.

Gavaskar said he didn’t understand the logic behind the PCB’s demand, since handshakes are not mandatory in the lawbook.

“The PCB complaining about it was hard to understand, as there is nothing in the rule books that says handshakes are mandatory. There are many previous instances in different sports where opponents who have clashed have not shaken hands after their match has ended. The ICC quite rightly ignored the protest, if indeed there was one made as per media reports,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar.

Gavaskar also suggested that the PCB should be questioned for skipping the mandatory press conference.

“What needs to be looked at is the avoiding of the mandatory media meet on the eve of the match by the Pakistani contingent. They did not have to send the captain, players or the coach. Anyone among the large support staff could have met the media. That did not happen, and it will be interesting to see if any action is taken for avoiding what is mandatory,” he added.

Gavaskar also lashed out at the PCB for causing a delay to their clash against the UAE, saying that no one has the right to hold the game to ransom.

“The other thing that left a sour taste in the mouth is holding up the game and starting it one hour late. If the PCB had any issues to discuss with and about the match referee Andy Pycroft, then it had two full days after their loss to India and before the game against the UAE in which to do so. By keeping everybody in suspense and not even turning up at the ground until almost the toss time, they held the game to ransom,” he wrote.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/asia-cup-2025/sunil-gavaskar-demands-action-after-pakistans-media-act-needs-to-be-looked-at-9329520

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar minced no words and harshly criticised head coach Mike Hesson for the team’s struggle in the ongoing Asia Cup.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar minced no words and harshly criticised head coach Mike Hesson for the team’s struggle in the ongoing Asia Cup. Pakistan faced a big six-wicket defeat against India in the Super Four match against India on Sunday in Dubai. Asked to bat first, Pakistan posted a total of 171/5 in 20 overs with Sahibzada Farhan hitting 58 off 45 balls. Later, India chased down the target with seven balls to spare, courtesy of Abhishek Sharma (74) and Shubman Gill’s (47) 105-run partnership.

After the game, Akhtar slammed Hesson’s strategy and even question the inclusion of captain Salman Ali Agha in the Playing XI.

“The coach should be asked the questions – where are his brains? It is just senseless coaching and senseless selection of the team. It is beyond me – it feels like I am the one who is a fraud, who doesn’t understand a thing after playing 15 years of cricket,” said Akhtar on Tapmad.

“For the last 5-6 matches, we have been saying to pick a certain team, but no. What was Hussain Talat going to do in such a pressure game? What is Mohammad Nawaz’s utility? What is the captain’s utility?” he added.

Talking about the match, Gill and Abhishek put 105 runs together for the first wicket. While Abhishek scored a 74-run knock from 39 balls, Gill added 47 runs from 28 to India’s total.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/asia-cup-2025/shoaib-akhtar-tears-into-senseless-pakistan-coach-mike-hesson-feels-like-i-am-the-fraud-9320911

Amidst a high-octane India-Pakistan clash, Abhishek Sharma and Haris Rauf were involved in a heated exchange.

India opener Abhishek Sharma was involved in a heated altercation with Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf as tensions rose during their Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash on Sunday. Rauf and Abhishek were involved in a war of words throughout the fifth over of India’s run chase, which ultimately led to umpire Gazi Sohel requiring to intervene as the two went face to face. Even Shubman Gill got involved, saying something to Rauf after slamming a boundary on the final ball of the fifth over. Earlier, Gill was also in the thick of an on-field squabble with Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi.

Abhishek and Haris had already exchanged words during the over, but tensions reached fever pitch after the final ball of the over.

As Gill smashed a classy jab through mid-wicket for four on the final ball, Abhishek Sharma appeared to say something to Haris Rauf. Haris didn’t seem too pleased at Abhishek’s gesture, pointing a figure at the Indian opener, as the argument heated up.

On-field umpire Gazi Sohel had to intervene, while Shubman Gill could also be seen saying something to Haris after hitting the boundary.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/asia-cup-2025/india-star-abhishek-sharma-clashes-with-pakistan-pacer-haris-rauf-in-heated-spat-as-tensions-flare-watch-9318705

Fakhar Zaman was given out controversially during the Asia Cup Super Four match between India and Pakistan.

Veteran Pakistan batter Fakhar Zaman was left fuming after being dismissed for 15 runs off nine balls against India in their Asia Cup 2025 Super Four match. Fakhar was given out caught behind, despite doubts surrounding the legality of the catch taken by India wicket-keeper Sanju Samson. The third umpire had a long check to confirm whether the ball had hit the ground or not before being taken by Samson, and ultimately ruled Fakhar out. This left Fakhar in disbelief and shock, and he appeared to be making a verbal gesture to someone while leaving the pitch.

Legendary former Pakistan pacer Waqar Younis echoed Fakhar’s sentiment, expressing his uncertainty over whether it was a clean catch.

“I’m not sure whether the ball carried to Samson. I would want to see another replay,” Waqar said.

Fakhar could barely believe he had been given out, and was evidently angry at the decision, even appearing to say something to someone while walking off. It is unclear who exactly Fakhar was gesturing to.

Visuals showed Fakhar expressing his disapproval of the decision to head coach Mike Hesson before even walking back into the dressing room.

Fakhar had been promoted up the order to open the batting given the indifferent form of regular opener Saim Ayub. Fakhar appeared to justify the decision, hitting a couple of boundaries with authority.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/asia-cup-2025/controversy-strikes-india-pakistan-game-once-again-as-fakhar-zaman-left-completely-livid-over-dismissal-9318113

Caitlin Clark might be on the sidelines during the Fever’s playoff run, but that is not stopping her getting into it with the referees.

Clark, 23, said the WNBA fined her $200 over a comment that she made on Instagram which was seemingly directed at the referees during Indiana’s 77-60 win over the Dream in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.

The Fever’s official account posted photos of the team’s bench celebrating their victory with the caption “the bench was ROCKIN’ tonight.”

Caitlin Clark might be on the sidelines during the Fever’s playoff run, but that is not stopping her getting into it with the referees.

Clark, 23, said the WNBA fined her $200 over a comment that she made on Instagram which was seemingly directed at the referees during Indiana’s 77-60 win over the Dream in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.

The Fever’s official account posted photos of the team’s bench celebrating their victory with the caption “the bench was ROCKIN’ tonight.”

“Got fined $200 for this lol,” Clark wrote. “BENCH MOB WILL BE EVEN MORE ROWDY TOMORROW LETS GOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Fever teammate Sophie Cunningham also poked fun at Clark’s penalty.

Clark posted two replies under the photos, saying “Refs couldn’t stop us” and “Elite bench mob” referring to the two-time All-Star and her teammates on the sidelines.

The 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year then took to X once she learned of the fine, where she ultimately laughed it off.

“That’s gonna really break the bank for her,” Cunningham posted on X in reference to the amount of Clark’s fine. “Starting a GoFundMe now!”

Both Clark and Cunningham have been ruled out for the season, with the Iowa alum being sidelined with a groin injury since July.

After attempting to make a comeback through August, Clark was ultimately ruled out for the year on Sept. 4.

“I had hoped to share a better update, but I will not be returning to play this season,” Clark wrote on X following the news. “I spent hours in the gym every day with the singular goal of getting back out there, disappointed isn’t a big enough word to describe how I am feeling. I want to thank everyone who had my back through all the uncertainty. This has been incredibly frustrating, but even in the bad, there is good.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/09/20/sports/caitlin-clark-mocks-200-fine-over-social-media-posts-targeting-referees/

Former Chennai Super Kings and Delhi batter Mithun Manhas is set to be named the new BCCI president, multiple reports have confirmed.

First ever from Jammu and Kashmir to play in the Indian Premier League, Mithun Manhas is set to take a big leap forward in Indian cricket by becoming the new Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president. As per a report, Manhas has emerged as the top candidate for the post in the recent meeting in the BCCI. He was previously the convener of the North Zone for Duleep Trophy and he has also worked as a support staff member in the IPL franchise Gujarat Titans. At present, Manhas works as the administrator of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA).

Manhas never got the opportunity to make his India debut but was a known figure in First Class Cricket. He also played for three IPL franchises – Delhi Daredevils, Pune Warriors and Chennai Super Kings – over the course of his career. His First Class career saw him score 9,714 runs over 157 matches.

As per a report in the Indian Express, Manhas is is the front-runner for the post vacataed by Roger Binny. The report also claims that Karnataka veteran Bhatt is the top candidate for the treasurer’s post while Prabhtej Singh Bhatia from Chhattisgarh Cricket Sangh is likely to get the joint secretary’s post.

However, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh, who has been nominated as Punjab Cricket Association’s representative for the AGM, was not a part of Saturday’s meeting.

It was not immediately clear as to whether former India skipper Sourav Ganguly, who is representing Cricket Association of Bengal in the AGM, attended the meeting in the national capital.

Former India stumper Kiran More too could be in the fray for one of the posts as the ruling BJP is quite keen to have sportspersons in key slots, even though the political party rarely involves itself actively in the affairs of a sports body.

At present, the BCCI is looking to appoint a successor to president Roger Binny and a new IPL chairman as incumbent Arun Dhumal is likely to go for a mandatory cool-off period after completing a cumulative period of six years.

Meanwhile, it has been decided that Pragyan Ojha will replace S Sharath in the national senior men’s selection committee headed by Ajit Agarkar.

Sharath will replace VS Thilak Naidu as the junior selection committee chairman.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/mithun-manhas-former-csk-batter-set-to-be-named-bcci-president-report-9314704

Once a cricket-loving teenager from a small village, Sachin Yadav now competes with the world’s best. After making a statement with a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo World Championships, the 25-year-old is being tipped for Olympic success in Los Angeles. His former coaches highlight what makes him special and why he draws comparisons to Pakistan’s Olympic champion, Arshad Nadeem.

At the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, a name not many outside Indian athletics had marked as a contender shook up the javelin world. Sachin Yadav, just 25, finished fourth — ahead of reigning champion Neeraj Chopra, Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan, and world leader Julian Weber of Germany — three of the pre-event favourites.

It was the kind of performance that forces a sport to sit up and take notice. And for those watching closely, it was not entirely out of the blue. Observers had long pointed to his tall frame and whiplash release, often likening him to Arshad Nadeem. Those comparisons only sharpened in Tokyo, where Sachin stood shoulder to shoulder with the best — and looked entirely at home.

Training under reputed coach Naval Singh in New Delhi, Sachin, 25, crossed his personal best not once but three times at the World Championships, proving he was not overawed by the occasion in his maiden world final. On a humid Tokyo day where several big names faltered, he opened with a statement throw of 86.27m and went past 85m on three occasions. In the end, he missed a historic medal by just 40 centimetres, finishing behind American Curtis Thompson.

What has stood out is his consistency, separating him from the growing assembly line of Neeraj Chopra-inspired throwers across India. Nine of his 10 throws over 80m have come since the start of the 2024 season.

A strong frame. Broad shoulders. Natural athleticism. And now, potential meeting performance.

Sachin’s journey began far from the spotlight, in a small village in Uttar Pradesh. Like many teenagers in the region, cricket was his first love. He bowled fast, and on dusty village pitches, his rhythm was hard to miss. One afternoon, during a casual match, a neighbour — athlete Sandeep Yadav — spotted something others hadn’t.

Sandeep urged Sachin to try javelin. It was an unusual switch for a teenager who had never trained seriously in athletics, but under Sandeep’s guidance, Sachin took his first steps into a discipline that would soon redefine his life. What started as curiosity quickly turned into results. The arm that once delivered cricket balls began hurling javelins over remarkable distances.

MENTORS WHO SAW A SPARK
By the time he was 21, Sachin was throwing respectably but lacked the refinement and exposure needed to climb higher. It was then he reached out to Michael Musselmann, a coach from Peru who had become an unlikely lifeline for Indian javelin through his Facebook page.

“Sachin is a real talent. I first heard about him in 2019. He approached me and asked if I could coach him a little bit. He was throwing 75 then. It was difficult to coach him virtually. But, at 21, he didn’t take it very seriously. And then Samarjeet, who is a friend of mine, took care of him for two years and this is when he really made the jump,” Musselmann recalls in an exclusive chat with IndiaToday.in.

Musselmann’s page had already become something of a hub — a space where aspiring throwers could seek advice, technical feedback, or even financial support. Sachin was one of many who leaned on him, but few with the same natural gifts.

In 2022, Sachin came under the wing of Samarjeet Singh, who was already building a reputation after working with Kishore Jena, Asia Games 2022 silver medallist. For Samarjeet, Sachin was raw but brimming with capacity.

“I am very happy for him. He trained with me for two years, going from 74m to 81m. He stayed at my place for two years. He was very dedicated,” Samarjeet says.

The work was hands-on and intensive. Samarjeet began with the basics: correcting coordination issues, stabilising Sachin’s body through the throw, and building his diet and strength.

“At the start, he had a bit of an issue with his coordination. But, he is getting better at that now. When he came to me first, he had issues with falling over a bit too much. We worked on his block leg extensively. We got good results. When he was staying at my place, he was focusing on his diet and upper body. We worked on the block leg. He was not distracted at all. He is firmly focused on his goal,” he explains.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/athletics/story/world-athletics-championships-michael-musselmann-on-sachin-yadav-neeraj-chopra-arshdad-nadeem-2790148-2025-09-19

Arshdeep bowled four overs for India against Oman on Friday and picked up 1 wicket for 37 runs.

Arshdeep Singh entered his name in the history books on Friday, September 19, by becoming the fastest pacer in the world to take 100 wickets in T20Is. The 26-year-old left-arm pacer from Punjab broke Rizwan Butt’s record. Butt picked up his 100th T20I wicket for Bahrain in his 66th match.

Arshdeep opened his wicket account for India against Oman on the first ball of the 20th over. Rinku Singh completed Vinayak Shukla’s catch to help Arshdeep break the record.

The overall record of being the fastest bowler in the world to take 100 wickets in T20Is is in the name of Rashid Khan. Rashid picked up his 100th T20I wicket in the 53rd match.

The wicket of Vinayak also helped Arshdeep become the first Indian bowler in the world to take 100 wickets in T20Is.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cricket/arshdeep-singh-becomes-fastest-pacer-in-the-world-to-take-100-wickets-in-t20is-ws-l-9584446.html

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are set to face the wrath of the ICC over a video they posted of match referee Andy Pycroft’s interaction with a key member of the Pakistan team. Earlier, the Men in Green had called for Pycroft’s removal, which was rejected.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) are set to come hard at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after they posted a video on social media of Andy Pycroft talking to the Pakistan team before their game against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday (September 17) at the Dubai International Stadium in the 2025 Asia Cup 2025.
It has emerged that the ICC’s CEO, Sanjog Gupt, has written an email to the PCB over repeated violations before the game. The world cricket governing body has stated that they are reviewing the action over the incident. The issue has emerged in the Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA), with Pakistan accused of unauthorised filming inside and also allowing access to unauthorised individuals.
It has further emerged that Pakistan were told not to take media manager Naeem Gilani into the match referee’s room. However, they did not listen to the request and threatened to boycott the game if he was not allowed.

PCB’s statement before the match claiming Pycroft apologised to them has also been objected to by ICC. The world cricket governing body has stated that he ‘merely conveyed regret about a miscommunication.’

Defending champion Neeraj Chopra crashed out of the World Championships’ men’s javelin throw final after the fifth round with a best of effort 84.03m that left him eighth overall in Tokyo

Defending champion Neeraj Chopra endured a nightmarish outing at the World Championships’ men’s javelin throw finals to end a disappointing eighth, outperformed by debutant compatriot Sachin Yadav who logged a personal best performance to finish a creditable fourth in Tokyo on Thursday. On a day when no thrower managed to cross 90m, Chopra was ousted after the fifth and penultimate round with a best effort of 84.03m that left him eighth overall.

The 27-year-old fouled the fifth attempt to exit the competition at the same venue where he won a history-making Olympic gold back in 2021.

Only the top six athletes compete in the sixth and final round and it was surprisingly Yadav who ended up being India’s representative.

His best throw of 86.27m, which came in the very first attempt, was a personal best performance and he bested not just Chopra but also German star Julian Weber (86.11m), and Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem (82.75m) among others.

The gold went Keshorn Walcott (88.16m) of Trinidad and Tobago, followed Grenada’s Anderson Peters (87.38m) and Curtis Thompson (86.67m).

Nadeem, a silver-medallist in the previous edition, was among the first set of throwers to exit in the fourth round.

Chopra, a two-time Olympic medallist, began with 83.65m which put him at fifth place and improved upon it with 84.03m before fouling his third throw.

He dropped to eighth after the second round and remained there at the halfway stage.

His fourth throw measured 82.86m, which meant that he had to better 85.54m and Kenya’s Julius Yego in his fifth throw to remain in competition.

But Chopra fouled his fifth attempt to end the day in disappointment.

After releasing his spear, he fell down sideways and crossed the curved line to see the red flag from the official. He removed his waist belt and buried his face in it for a while before regaining composure.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/athletics/neeraj-chopra-fails-to-defend-world-championship-title-finishes-8th-arshad-nadeem-10th-9301065

Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Highlights, Asia Cup 2025: With the defeat, Afghanistan crashed out of the tournament, allowing Bangladesh to join Sri Lanka in the Super Four stage from Group B.

Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, Asia Cup 2025 Highlights Kusal Mendis slammed an unbeaten 74 as Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan by six wickets in their pool match in Abu Dhabi. With the defeat, Afghanistan crashed out of the tournament, allowing Bangladesh to join Sri Lanka in the Super Four stage from Group B. Chasing 170, Sri Lanka needed to score just 101 to qualify, which they did in the 13th over. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, following Thursday’s result, joined India and Pakistan in the Super Four stage, which gets underway on Saturday. Earlier, Mohammad Nabi slammed a 22-ball 60 to steer Afghanistan to 169/8 in their must-win match. Struggling at 137/7 after 19 overs, Nabi went berserk in the final over as he slammed Dunith Wellalage for five sixes.

Asia Cup 2025 : Thanks for tuning in!

The Asia Cup Super Four lineup is now complete. Sri Lanka march on undefeated. India will be in action tomorrow against Oman in the final game before the Super Four stage. They also have the chance to enter the next phase as undefeated. Do join us tomorrow for the live coverage of that game. That’s it from us!

Asia Cup 2025 : Afghanistan are eliminated!

The World Athletics Championship saw a fascinating contest in the men’s javelin qualification round. After struggling for months to reach his peak, Neeraj got the job done in just one throw. Arshad Nadeem, the Olympic champion, nearly got knocked out in the first round.

It was a tale of the first and the last throw in the men’s javelin qualification on September 17, as defending champion Neeraj Chopra and Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem booked their places in the final of the World Athletics Championships. But between those two throws – the first from Neeraj and the last from Nadeem – there was plenty of drama that kept the crowd on their feet in Tokyo.

Twelve athletes qualified for the final out of a 37-member field. Seven – Anderson Peters, Julian Weber, Julius Yego, Dawid Wegner, Arshad Nadeem, Neeraj Chopra and Curtis Thompson – achieved direct qualification. The seven, seemingly gifted with strength from the gods, breached the automatic qualification mark of 84.50 metres, while the remaining five had to fight their nerves in a tense qualification round in hot and humid Tokyo.

Amid the palpable tension of the men’s 200m heats, where the competition was fierce, the Tokyo crowd gave a rousing reception to reigning world champion Neeraj Chopra.

One and Done: Neeraj Chopra

Asia Cup 2025 was witness to huge drama on Wednesday, as at one point it looked like Pakistan might pull out of the continental event

Asia Cup 2025 was witness to huge drama on Wednesday, as at one point it looked like Pakistan might pull out of the continental event. This was because they did not leave their hotel at the scheduled time for the game against the UAE. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had been threatening a boycott after Indian players, led by Suryakumar Yadav, did not shake hands with the Pakistan side on September 14, leaving them in an embarrassing situation. The PCB was unhappy with the role of match referee Andy Pycroft, alleging him to be biased. The PCB even complained to the International Cricket Council (ICC), seeking the removal of Pycroft from the Asia Cup.

However, the ICC gave a six-point rebuttal to the PCB, maintaining that the Board’s complaints were baseless. In fact, Pycroft was the match referee for the Pakistan vs. UAE Asia Cup 2025 match.

PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Asian Cricket Council Chief, explained the decision behind the team not pulling out.

“As you all know, there has been a crisis going on since September 14. We had objections about the role of the match referee. Just a short while ago, the match referee had a conversation with the team coach, captain, and manager. He said that the incident (no handshakes) should not have happened. We had also requested the ICC earlier to set up an inquiry into the code violation during the match,” Naqvi told reporters on Wednesday.

“We believe that politics and sports can’t go together. This is sport, and let it remain a sport. Cricket should be separate from all this. I requested Sethi Saab and Rameez Raja Saab. If we had to go for a boycott, which was a very big decision, the prime minister, government officials, and many other people were also involved, and we got their full support. We were monitoring the issue.”

The ICC, in its letter to the PCB, said: “The ICC’s investigation was conducted on the basis of the information provided in the report lodged by the PCB. We took the report at face value and note that no supporting documentation or evidence was provided with it.

“The PCB had every opportunity to submit statements from its team members alongside the initial report but chose not to do so.” The world body said that there was “no case to answer” on the part of the match referee.

“The actions that the match referee took, following clear directions from the ACC (Asian Cricket Council) Venue Manager, were consistent with how a match referee would deal with such an issue, communicated as it was with no time for him to do anything else (minutes before the toss).”

The ICC was clear that Pycroft was committed to “preserving the sanctity of the toss and avoiding any potential embarrassment that might have arisen.”

“The Match Referee was not at fault in any of this. It is not the role of the Match Referee to regulate team or tournament-specific protocols which have been agreed upon outside of the area of play; that is a matter for the tournament organizers and relevant team managers,” the ICC added.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/asia-cup-2025/pcb-chief-mohsin-naqvi-explains-why-pakistan-did-not-pull-out-of-asia-cup-despite-icc-rejecting-its-demands-9296887

THE Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles faced off in a Super Bowl rematch on Sunday, and the Eagles once again won the matchup.

However, this time the game was much closer, with the Eagles just edging out the win 20-17.

There were some big swings in the game, including a massive error from Travis Kelce and some deep balls from both Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts.

On top of that, the Eagles went to work with the Tush Push once again, with many fans calling for the play to be banned.

Should the NFL stop the Eagles from running the Tush Push? Did Kelce cost the Chiefs a win?

Those questions and more were answered on the latest episode of The U.S. SunSport’s Football Xs and Os.

KELCE’S TIP DRILL

After Suryakumar Yadav’s no-handshake following the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 Group A game, reactions have been coming in thick and fast. However, former Pakistan player Mohammad Yousuf did the unthinkable

After Suryakumar Yadav’s no-handshake following the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 Group A game, reactions have been coming in thick and fast. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and its players were miffed by what Yadav did, but none stooped to the level of former Pakistan player Mohammad Yousuf. The batting great, with over 17,000 international runs, repeatedly called Suryakumar Yadav a “pig” during a discussion about the handshake row on a Pakistani TV channel. Even the anchor was shocked and kept correcting him, but Yousuf continued to abuse Suryakumar Yadav.

“India are unable to get out of their filmy world. India should be ashamed of the way they are trying to win—using umpires, torturing (Pakistan) through the match referee. It is a high note,” said Yousuf on Samaa TV. He then began referring to Suryakumar as a “pig.”

Social media users fumed over the comment made by Yousuf, who played 288 ODIs, 90 Tests, and 3 T20Is for Pakistan between 1998 and 2010.

Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is expected to reject the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) demand for the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft following the India-Pakistan Asia Cup clash in Dubai, ICC sources have revealed.

The PCB had lodged a complaint against Pycroft, accusing him of violating the ICC Code of Conduct and the MCC laws relating to the spirit of cricket. The complaint came after Team India refused to shake hands with Pakistan players following their match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The flashpoint occurred when no handshakes were exchanged either before or after the game—a decision that left the Pakistan camp upset. According to Suryakumar Yadav, India’s T20I captain, the team had taken this decision in consultation with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Indian government, opting to forgo the customary gesture of goodwill.

However, ICC sources have indicated that the PCB’s request will be denied.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) request to remove Andy Pycroft (India-Pakistan match referee) is set to be officially rejected. If the ICC accepts their demand, it will set a wrong precedent. PCB will be informed by the ICC. Expect no official statement,” an ICC source told ANI.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/asia-cup-2025/pakistan-cricket-stoops-to-pathetic-low-mohammad-yousuf-targets-suryakumar-yadav-with-pig-jibe-after-handshake-row-9286913

PCB had written a letter to the ICC holding match referee Andy Pycroft responsible for the no-handshake fiasco in the Asia Cup Group A match against India.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly expected to reject the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) demand to remove Andy Pycroft from the panel of match referees for the ongoing Asia Cup 2025. PCB had earlier written a letter to the apex body holding the 69-year-old responsible for the no-handshake fiasco that sparked fresh tensions between the two arch-rivals.

Indian players’ refusal to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts after their Asia Cup win on Sunday at the Dubai International Stadium snowballed into quite a controversy. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav justified the act, saying that it was meant to show solidarity with the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack, which had occurred earlier this year, where 26 civilians were gunned down by terrorists.

PCB was left fuming at India’s act. Firstly, Pakistan team manager Naved Cheema filed a complaint with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), headed by Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the PCB chief, alleging that it was Pycroft who initiated the no-handshake storm at the toss. Later, PCB sought ICC’s intervention, threatening to pull out of the tournament if their demand to remove Pycroft from the panel of referees was not met. “The PCB has lodged a complaint with the ICC regarding violations by the Match Referee of the ICC Code of Conduct and the MCC Laws pertaining to the Spirit of Cricket. The PCB has demanded an immediate removal of the Match Referee from the Asia Cup,” Naqvi said on ‘X’.

Although the ICC has yet to issue an official response, Cricbuzz reported that the governing body is unlikely to heed PCB’s demand as it found no sufficient grounds to act on it. In fact, the report added that the ICC saw a minimal role in the entire handshake fiasco.

“The dominant view within the ICC is that Pycroft had only a minimal role in the handshake episode, and that all he may have done was convey a message to the Pakistan captain to avoid the public embarrassment of one captain refusing to shake hands with the other at the toss. The general view is that it would set a wrong precedent to change a match official at the demand of one member when, prima facie, he had no serious role in the controversy that arose after Indian players refused to shake hands with their Pakistan counterparts following an Asia Cup league fixture on Sunday (September 14) night at the Dubai International Stadium,” the report read.

What has ICC got to do with it? Someone from ACC got in touch with Pyrcroft

A separate report in the Times of India revealed that Pycroft is speculated to have followed instructions from someone in the ACC and urged the two captains not to shake hands at the toss.

“What has ICC got to do with it? The role ends when the officials are appointed. Someone from the ACC had a chat with Pycroft before the game and what happened at the toss was a result of the chat. About time PCB chief finds out what happened at the toss was a result of the chat. About time PCB chief finds out what that chat was, who did it and why. Instead of pointing fingers at ICC to further fuel fire,” a source tracking the developments told TOI.

It is yet to be seen what PCB does next, having threatened to pull out of the tournament if their demands are not met. “All this talk and posting on social media is good for the optics and narrative back home, but it makes very little sense. If they had a problem with India not shaking hands, even that’s mandatory,” added the source.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/icc-to-shut-door-on-pcb-s-andy-pycroft-plea-amid-pakistans-asia-cup-boycott-threat-referee-acted-on-accs-message-101757958436557.html

Mondo Duplantis completed a hat-trick of World Championships medals, reaffirming his peerless status in men’s pole vault. And he did it in breathtaking fashion — breaking the world record for the 14th time, and for a staggering fourth time this year, by soaring over 6.30m in Tokyo on Monday, 15 September.

A generational athlete in the company of Usain Bolt, Simone Biles and Michael Phelps, Duplantis once again turned sport into theatre, delivering a spectacle that only he and the pole vault fraternity can conjure.

It seemed as though Duplantis was determined not to leave Tokyo — the city where he first claimed Olympic gold in 2021 — without yet another world record. He roused the crowd, transformed rivals into cheerleaders, and produced moments of magic that will live long in memory.

The atmosphere was in stark contrast to when he won the gold in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 when there were only limited fans due to Covid-19 pandemic.

He cleared 6.30m with his third and final attempt, ending Day 3 of the championships on a rousing, almost cinematic note.

The quality of the 12-man field was unprecedented: seven athletes cleared 5.90m — a first in World Championships history. Yet, the battle for gold quickly distilled into a two-man showdown: Duplantis versus Emmanouil Karalis.

Karalis, the Greek star, was magnificent in his own right. He cleared the 6m mark, attempted 6.10m — which would have been a personal best — and then, inspired by Duplantis, raised the bar to 6.20m. He was unable to conquer the improbable, though, and settled for silver at 6m, having run out of attempts after misses at 6.10m and 6.15m.

Duplantis, having already secured gold, turned his sights to history. On the eve of the event, he had promised to chase the world record and better his 6.29m mark set just last month in Budapest.

He came agonisingly close on his first try, his fingertips clipping the bar on the way down. His second attempt missed by a whisker too. With five minutes on the clock for his third, the National Stadium was brimming with tension.

SILVER MEDALIST TURNS CHEERLEADER

In one of the evening’s most touching moments, Karalis — rival and friend — sat beside Duplantis, holding a fan to help him cool down. Moments later, Karalis was leading the cheers, orchestrating the crowd as Duplantis prepared for his final run-up. It was sport at its purest: competition, camaraderie, and shared theatre.

And then it happened. Duplantis ran hard, soared, and cleared 6.30m — his fourth world record of the year. The stadium erupted.

He sprinted straight into Karalis’s arms, embracing the man who had cheered him on in the moment of truth. In the stands, his father wept with joy. On the track, Duplantis sealed the moment with a passionate kiss to his girlfriend.

“It’s better than I could have imagined. To give you guys this world record is amazing. The crowd was so loud. Thank you so much. I’m just so happy,” Duplantis said, beaming.

Tokyo has already provided track and field fans with unforgettable moments — Melissa Jefferson-Wooden stunning a star-studded field to win 100m gold, Noah Lyles finally losing his crown in the 100m to Jamaica in front of Usain Bolt, and a photo-finish marathon.

But on Monday night, Duplantis’s love story with Tokyo may just have eclipsed them all.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/athletics/story/world-athletics-championships-mondo-duplantis-pole-vault-world-record-2787812-2025-09-15

Anandkumar Velkumar made history by clinching India’s first-ever World Championship title in the senior men’s 1000m speed skating event in China. Krish Sharma also secured gold in the junior 1000m sprint, marking a memorable day for Indian speed skating.

India scripted a historic moment in global skating as Anandkumar Velkumar clinched the country’s first-ever gold at the Speed Skating World Championships in China. The 22-year-old speedster powered to victory in the senior men’s 1000 m sprint with a timing of 1:24.924, becoming India’s first world champion in the sport.

The triumph came just a day after Velkumar had secured a historic bronze in the 500m sprint at the same championships in Beidaihe, clocking 43.072s to claim India’s first senior Worlds medal. Adding to the historic evening, Krish Sharma claimed the junior 1000 m sprint gold, completing a remarkable double for India at the championships.

Earlier this year, he had also made his mark at the World Games in Chengdu, earning a bronze in the 1000m sprint, India’s first medal in roller sports at the Games. Velkumar’s meteoric rise has been defined by a series of landmark achievements that have steadily put India on the global skating map.

In 2021, he won silver in the 15 km elimination at the Junior World Championships, signalling his potential at the international stage. Two years later, he helped India win bronze in the 3000m team relay at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.

His World Games bronze in Chengdu in 2025 marked India’s first medal in roller sports at that prestigious event. Just days later, he added two more feathers to his cap with a bronze in the 500m sprint and a gold in the 1000m sprint at the World Championships, becoming India’s first-ever World Champion in speed skating.

Velkumar’s consistency and world-beating performances have shattered barriers in a sport traditionally dominated by European, Latin American, and East Asian athletes. His victories are already being hailed as revolutionary, signalling a turning point for Indian roller sports.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/athletics/story/india-speed-skating-golds-anandkumar-velkumar-krish-sharma-world-championships-2787831-2025-09-15

Amid PCB’s demand to remove match referee Andy Pycroft, a report has claimed that he was following instructions from a member at the Asian Cricket Council, whose chief is Mohsin Naqvi, the Pakistan board chairman.

The India vs Pakistan ‘no handshake’ row has snowballed into a big controversy, with the Pakistan Cricket Board demanding the removal of the match referee Andy Pycroft, over what transpired in the Asia Cup 2025 match on Sunday. Team India’s decision to not shake hands with the members of the Pakistan team remained intact from the toss to the end of the contest. At the start of the match, Pycroft informed the Pakistan skipper, Salman Ali Agha, that he should avoid approaching Suryakumar for a handshake. However, such an ‘unsportsmanlike’ request from the match referee infuriated the Pakistan Cricket Board.

PCB even threatened to boycott its upcoming match against the UAE, informing the International Cricket Council (ICC) that it wants Pycroft removed immediately. However, a report in the Times of India has claimed that the match referee was following instructions from the Asian Cricket Council, whose chief is Mohsin Naqvi (also the PCB chairman), before the match.

“What has ICC got to do with it? Their role ends when the officials are appointed. Someone from the ACC had a chat with Pycroft before the game, and what happened at the toss was a result of that chat. It’s about time the PCB chief finds out what that chat was, who did it, and why-instead of pointing fingers at the ICC to further fuel the fire,” a source tracking developments told the news outlet.

In its official protest on the matter, Pakistan also labelled India’s decision not to shake hands with Pakistan players as ‘non-sporting’. However, no rule in the book of MCC’s laws states that shaking hands with the opponent team is mandatory for players. It isn’t considered anything more than a goodwill gesture.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/asia-cup-2025/big-twist-in-no-handshake-row-asian-body-headed-by-pak-cricket-chief-gave-message-says-report-9284320

Legendary footballer Lionel Messi has sent his signed Argentina 2022 FIFA World Cup jersey for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday on September 17.

Legendary footballer Lionel Messi has sent his signed Argentina 2022 FIFA World Cup jersey for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday on September 17. Messi is scheduled to tour India later this year from December 13-15. As per his tour’s itinerary, the striker will first land in football-crazy Kolkata on December 13 before heading to Mumbai the next day. The Argentine great will conclude his visit in New Delhi on December 15, where he is likely to meet PM Modi. “Messi has sent a signed jersey for PM Modi’s 75th birthday. When he comes to India, we will try to arrange his meeting with the PM. He has wished well for the Indian fans, and he is happy to come to New Delhi and Mumbai for the first time and meet his fans there,” Satadru Dutta, the sports entrepreneur and promoter of Messi’s tour, told IANS on Monday.

“He will come to India on December 13, first in Kolkata and then head to Mumbai on December 14 before leaving for New Delhi on December 15. He will have events in Salt Lake Stadium, Wankhede Stadium and Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium,” he added.

According to the Argentine Football Association (AFA), the world champions will are scheduled to play a friendly in November in Kerala. If things go as planned, Messi is likely to lead that side for a friendly match during the FIFA international match window, the Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman had confirmed.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/football/lionel-messi-sends-signed-world-cup-jersey-for-pm-narendra-modis-75th-birthday-9282053

Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir expressed his solidarity with the families of the Pahalgam terrorist attack victims

After India’s thumping 7-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 on Sunday, head coach Gautam Gambhir expressed his solidarity with the families of the Pahalgam terrorist attack victims. Speaking with the broadcasters, the Indian head coach also thanked the Indian armed forces for successfully executing Operation Sindoor.

“As a team, we wanted to show solidarity to victims of the Pahalgam attack. Thanks to our soldiers for Operation Sindoor,” Gambhir said.

Gambhir’s statement came after skipper Suryakumar Yadav dedicated India’s Asia Cup win against Pakistan to the Indian Armed Forces. Speaking at the post-match presentation, Suryakumar said the Indian cricket team stands in solidarity with the victims of the unfortunate terrorist attack that happened earlier this year, in April.

“Just wanted to say something. Perfect occasion, taking the time out, we stand by the victims of the families of the Pahalgam terror attack. We express our solidarity. Want to dedicate the win to all our armed forces who showed a lot of bravery. Hope they continue to inspire us all and we give them more reasons on the ground whenever we get an opportunity to make them smile,” the Indian captain said.

India Beat Pakistan By 7 Wickets

Earlier, Sahibzada Farhan scored a valiant 40 off 44 balls, but the rest of the Pakistani batters cut a sorry figure on a docile track. Shaheen Afridi hit a 16-ball 33 not out towards the end to take Pakistan past 125. Spinners Kuldeep Yadav (3/18) and Axar Patel (2/18) helped India restrict Pakistan to 127 for nine after Salman Agha opted to bat first.

In reply, India completed the chase in 15.5 overs with skipper Suryakumar Yadav (47 not out off 37 balls), Abhishek Sharma (31 off 13) and Tilak Varma (31 off 31) making significant contributions.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cricket/this-ones-for-pahalgam-victims-gautam-gambhir-breaks-silence-dedicates-indias-asia-cup-win-over-pakistan-to-soldiers-ws-l-9571946.html

Indian cricket team skipper Suryakumar Yadav dedicated their win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 to the Indian armed forces and also said that they stand by the victims of the families of the Pahalgam terror attack.

Indian cricket team captain Suryakumar Yadav dedicated the team’s win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 to the Indian armed forces and said that they also stand by the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. India were extremely dominant, as the Suryakumar-led side registered a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Pakistan in the Group A encounter.

“Perfect occasion, taking the time out – we stand by the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. We express our solidarity. Want to dedicate the win to all our armed forces who showed a lot of bravery. Hope they continue to inspire us all, and we give them more reasons on the ground whenever we get an opportunity to make them smile,” said the India captain at the post-match presentation.

There was a lot of chatter surrounding the India-Pakistan match due to the rising political tension between the two nations. Things escalated after the terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 tourists were killed in April. In May, India retaliated with Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan, which led to a tense military standoff that eventually de-escalated following Pakistan’s request for a ceasefire.

Yadav added that the match was “just another game” for the team.

“Great feeling and a perfect return gift to India. Human tendency that it keeps running in your mind when you think about it (his earlier line about the win being a return gift). You definitely want to win it, and when you win it, you have it ready. One box that I always wanted to tick – stay there and bat till the end,” Yadav said.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/asia-cup-2025/suryakumar-yadav-dedicates-indias-asia-cup-win-vs-pakistan-to-armed-forces-stand-by-families-of-pahalgam-victims-9277117

Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Asia Cup: Sri Lanka registered an excellent victory over Bangladesh in their opening Asia Cup 2025 match.

Sri Lanka have sealed a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in their crucial Asia Cup 2025 clash, in Abu Dhabi. Sri Lanka pacers Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera and spinner Wanindu Hasaranga bowled brilliantly, as Bangladesh managed 139/5 in 20 overs. Thushara and Chameera bowled wicket maidens to start their spells, helping Sri Lanka become only the second-ever T20I team to bowl two maidens to start an innings. Bangladesh were tottering at 53/5 at one stage, before a record 86-run sixth-wicket stand between Shamim Hossain (42*) and Jaker Ali (41*) rescued them. In response, Pathum Nissanka slammed a half-century and Kamil Mishara took advantage of a dropped to chance to guide Sri Lanka to victory with 5.2 overs to spare. As a result, Sri Lanka clinch victory in their opening Group B match of the Asia Cup.

Asia Cup 2025: Tickets for the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan clash remain unsold, contrary to expectations. In an unprecedentedly slow uptake, seats are still available in nearly half the stands of the 25,000-capacity Dubai International Cricket Stadium for Sunday’s game.

Despite the historic hype surrounding India-Pakistan cricket encounters, tickets for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 group-stage clash in Dubai remain unsold more than ten days after going on sale. The match, scheduled for September 14 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, was expected to sell out rapidly, especially given the precedent of the Champions Trophy 2023 at the same venue, which saw all tickets snapped up in under four minutes. Yet, as of Thursday evening, tickets were still up for grabs.

Ticktes in nearly 50 percent of the stands at the Dubai stadium remained available as of 9 pm IST on Thursday. Prices for those available started from USD 99, with premium seats costing USD 4,534 (Rs 4 lakh approximatley).

Ticket sales began on 29 August through the official partner, Platinumlist. With the base price for group-stage matches of the Asia Cup set at USD 13, lower-priced stands were sold out for the India-Pakistan clash. A special package, which included seven matches with the marquee fixture, was also offered for approximately AED 14,000.

An Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) official expressed surprise at the tepid response, noting that tickets for the previous India-Pakistan Champions Trophy meeting in February had sold out in under four minutes. Another ECB official maintained that “bookings were encouraging” and dismissed concerns about slow sales. Yet, the reality of unsold seats more than 10 days after sales opened marks a stark departure from previous high-profile fixtures.

BOYCOTT CALLS PLAYING A ROLE?

India’s D Gukesh’s struggles at the FIDE Grand Swiss continued on Thursday. The Indian Grandmaster lost his third match in a row, sparking major concerns in the chess community.

World champion D Gukesh fell to his third loss in a row at the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament on Thursday, September 11. The Indian Grandmaster lost to 16-year-old Turkish GM Ediz Gurel in the seventh round of the tournament. Having lost to USA’s Abhimanyu Mishra and Nikolas Theodorou of Greece, Gukesh was not able to make the most of his rest day at the tournament. The 19-year-old blundered a bishop in the endgame to extend his losing streak.