Category: Sports

Chakravarthy (4/53) removed the dangerous Aiden Markram and Donovan Ferreira off consecutive deliveries in the 13th over to take the fight out of the South Africans by reducing them to 135 for 5 from 118 for 1 in 10 overs.

Hard-hitting India batters Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya hammered fine half-centuries while spinner Varun Chakravarthy snared four wickets as India defeated South Africa by 30 runs to clinch the five-match T20I series 3-1 here on Saturday.

With Varma (73 off 42 balls) and Pandya (63 off 25 balls) in full flow, India scored a competitive 231 for 5 and then restricted the visitors to 201 for 8.

The Proteas were in the match till opener Quinton de Kock (65 off 35 balls) and Dewald Brevis (31 off 17) were at the crease, but the visitors lost wickets quickly once the two departed in successive overs.

Chakravarthy (4/53) removed the dangerous Aiden Markram and Donovan Ferreira off consecutive deliveries in the 13th over to take the fight out of the South Africans by reducing them to 135 for 5 from 118 for 1 in 10 overs.

Earlier, skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s poor run with the bat continued as he scored just five runs but India still put up a big total with Varma and Pandya sharing a 115-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/india-defeat-south-africa-by-30-runs-clinch-t20i-series-3-1-3837297

After the fourth T20I between India and South Africa was abandoned due to excessive fog and poor visibility, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said that the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) is the “competent authority” to oversee a full refund for ticket holders.

After the fourth T20I between India and South Africa was abandoned due to excessive fog and poor visibility, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said that the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) is the “competent authority” to oversee a full refund for ticket holders. The abandonment of the match sparked frustration among spectators, who are expecting a refund for their tickets. Under the BCCI’s refund policy, spectators are eligible for reimbursement (minus fees) if a match is cancelled or abandoned before a single ball is bowled. “That is under the domain of the state cricket association, which is UPCA. So, this game’s hosting state is the UPCA. So, they will be able to tell you about this, and they are the competent authority.

“Everything in ticketing is done by the state association, as the BCCI just gives them the hosting rights and all these things are taken care of and are under the domain of the state association,” Saikia told IANS on Thursday.

Repeated inspections by on-field umpires K.N. Ananthapadmanabhan and Rohan Pandit, along with reserve umpire J.R. Madanagopal, didn’t yield the desired outcome as the game was eventually called off at 9.30 pm.

Due to the match being abandoned at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, India holds a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, with the fifth and final game set to take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday.

The abandonment of the fourth T20I has reignited debate over the BCCI’s scheduling of international games in winter months, particularly with this series against South Africa seen as a part of vital preparation ahead of the Men’s T20 World Cup in February-March.

This was the first time a T20I was staged in Lucknow in December, and it now carries the unwanted distinction of hosting India’s first major international match abandoned due to excessive fog.

India’s seam-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya was even spotted wearing a mask in the middle, underscoring the severity of fog and the Air Quality Index (AQI), which remained hazardous. The scheduling of fixtures in North Indian winters has long been a contentious issue, and Saikia felt Wednesday’s game being abandoned in Lucknow was just an exceptional situation.

“No, it is a solitary weather situation. Normally we have this kind of weather in the month of January. This time it is quite early, number one, and number two, we had a match in Dharamsala also the other day. Dharamsala is a much colder place. So you cannot predict fog, and rain. Nowadays cricket is a throughout the year annual event for 12, and we have to have the matches.

“When we saw that there were big disturbances from fog in northern India in the month of January, we already restructured our domestic cricket matches. That’s why there is a big gap between Ranji Trophy matches in North India. If you look at our schedule, we have bifurcated the Ranji Trophy matches into two parts.

“During the first part of January, we are not scheduling any matches in North India from last year onwards, if you follow that. This Lucknow incident is an exceptional weather condition. We had three matches in North India – one in Chandigarh, Dharamshala and one in Lucknow – all are in the same build,” he elaborated.

Saikia also gave an example of how prior advice on smog affecting New Delhi after Diwali had led to the national capital hosting the second Test against the West Indies in October, instead of the originally decided series opener against South Africa.

“If we had got any sense that there will be something like this, you can take the example of rescheduling or swapping of the Test match in New Delhi. If you look at the West Indies match, the second Test was played in New Delhi. In fact, the second Test was scheduled to happen in Kolkata.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-south-africa-2025-india/bcci-breaks-silence-over-refund-demands-after-4th-sa-t20i-got-called-off-due-to-excessive-fog-9838371

Shubman Gill has not scored a half-century in his last 21 white-ball games for India.

Shubman Gill’s vulnerability against straight deliveries has emerged as an area of concern and the India opener needs to improve his footwork to counter the issue, former batting coach Sanjay Bangar said. Gill, India’s vice-captain in the T20 format, has managed 291 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 137.3, and Bangar pointed out that the opener’s scoring rate drops noticeably against deliveries pitched on a straight line. “In the beginning, his footwork was very positive. But if you remove three or four boundaries over 28 games, the issue has been on straighter lines. Against straight deliveries, his strike rate has fallen quite low,” Bangar said, urging the young opener to improve his footwork to counter this weakness,” Bangar said on Game Plan on JioStar.

“Outside the off stump, his strike rate is good, but there have been a few edges as well. Overall, he has scored runs, but straight-line play is something he will want to improve.

“In the second (T20) game (against South Africa), the ball that got him out was a very good delivery. It could have dismissed any batter. His footwork has improved, and if he continues to play with clear footwork, he will be able to hit the same shots consistently, like the three or four boundaries we’ve seen.” Abhishek’s attacking mindset is a key factor

Bangar praised young opener Abhishek Sharma for his attacking approach, particularly his ability to hit big sixes over the covers.

The former batting coach noted that Abhishek’s high backlift and powerful swing give him excellent reach, enabling him to clear the infield with ease.

“His attacking mindset is a key factor. He has the ability to strike the ball cleanly, especially over the covers, which is a special skill,” Bangar added.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-south-africa-2025-india/shubman-gill-major-weakness-28-game-issue-exposed-by-ex-india-batting-coach-sanjay-bangar-will-want-to-improve-9832075

Messi’s grand visit only underscored the harsh truth: India cheers for icons, not the sport itself, as domestic football crumbles under neglect, stalled leagues, and a system unwilling to reform.

Lionel Messi’s visit to India has been the flavour of the week. And yet, I found myself strangely unmoved.

Don’t get me wrong—I have been a devoted admirer of the diminutive Argentinian for years and would jump at the chance to see him up close. But under the circumstances, a self-imposed boycott felt more honest. Because how does one celebrate a footballer while the sport itself lies in the ICU in this country?

It is estimated that the promoters who brought Messi to India spent close to Rs 120 crore to make the trip happen. That figure reportedly includes Messi’s appearance fee, the cost of a private jet, and other operational expenses. The recovery plan was predictable: corporate sponsorships, government tie-ups, steep ticket prices (Rs 10,000– Rs 30,000), private meet-and-greets reportedly costing Rs 10 lakh per person, and television rights. A heady cocktail of money, power and glamour ensured that an ambitious nation could afford 72 hours of footballing royalty.

Now contrast that spectacle with the state of football back home.

The last year has arguably been the darkest phase in Indian football’s history. The country’s top league, the Indian Super League (ISL), is in limbo, with no takers for its commercial rights. The season remains stalled, leaving nearly 300 Indian footballers effectively jobless. The crisis has deepened to the point where icons like Sunil Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu have had to issue public SOS messages on social media, pleading for intervention.

Reliance ran the league for nearly a decade before pulling the plug, citing sustained losses and irreconcilable differences with the All India Football Federation (AIFF). Matters are no better lower down the pyramid. Even the tender to operate the I-League, India’s second-tier men’s competition, failed to attract a single bidder this year. While much of this reflects chronic mismanagement and incompetence within the AIFF, it also points to a deeper, more uncomfortable truth: widespread apathy towards the sport itself.

Here’s the stark arithmetic. While the total operating cost of one full season of ISL is 100 odd crores, currently the AIFF is demanding a minimum guarantee of around 37.5 crore from any entity that would like to own and market one season of the ISL— that’s marketing and controlling rights for three full seasons of India’s premier football competition for roughly the same amount spent on Messi’s three-day joyride through the country.

Yet, there are no corporates dipping into marketing budgets, no state governments offering “partnership” fees, no wealthy patrons paying for the sport, and not even a strong middle-class rush to buy tickets for domestic matches. Even the central government appears to have stepped away. A Times of India report quoted the sports ministry as saying in no uncertain terms that it “cannot help in funding and running the ISL” and that the responsibility lies entirely with stakeholders. This, even as India prepares to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030 and eyes a potential Olympic bid in 2036.

Then there’s the national team. The Indian men currently languish at 142 in the FIFA rankings—their worst position in over a decade. Recent defeats have come against Bangladesh and Afghanistan, teams that were once considered walkovers. From being regarded as Asian giants in an earlier era to struggling even at the SAFF level, Indian football’s decline has been steep—almost as steep as the rupee’s fall against the dollar.

Consider this: India has failed to qualify for next year’s AFC Asian Cup. So forget the FIFA World Cup. Indian football doesn’t even feature among the top 24 teams in Asia anymore—on a continent widely regarded as the weakest in the footballing universe. This marks a dramatic fall from a time when India featured in each of the last three editions of the same tournament.

All of which reinforces a belief I have long held about sports in this country: Indians don’t love sport; they love sportstars.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/football/story/lionel-messi-india-spotlight-isl-struggles-survival-indian-football-2838005-2025-12-18

The opening tie, on a sunny afternoon in Cubbon Park, saw VB Realty Hawks defeat Aussie Mavericks Kites 25-21.

For the Indian players in fray at the World Tennis League, it is a four-day crash course on ‘what you need to do to chase your dreams’ while rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s best.

For the international stars at the franchise-based event, it is four days of active rest sessions during off season and an opportunity to give back to the sport as mentors.

Such exchange of pro tips, light-hearted conversations in between some serious and some playful serves, backhands and forehands were on display at the decked-up SM Krishna Tennis Stadium as the fourth edition of the WTL got underway here on Wednesday.

The opening tie, on a sunny afternoon in Cubbon Park, saw VB Realty Hawks defeat Aussie Mavericks Kites 25-21. India’s young talent Maaya Revathi teamed-up with world No. 14 Elina Svitolina to get the Hawks to a winning start as the duo beat world No. 26 Marta Kostyuk and the country’s seasoned pro Ankita Raina of the Kites 7-5. Ukraine’s Svitolina extended Hawks’ lead by downing her fellow country-woman Kostyuk 7-5.

Nick Kyrgios and Dhakshineswar Suresh pulled one back for the Kites by beating Denis Shapovalov and Yuki Bhambri (6-4). Going into the fourth and final one-set tie with a tiny lead, world No. 23 Shapovalov got the better of Suresh (7-5) to help Hawks fly away with a win.

With the floodlights now lighting up the facility, AOS Eagles edged past third edition winners Game Changers Falcons 18-16. Even though Eagles’ and world No. 25 Paula Badosa lost the opener 4-6 to less fancied Magda Linette, the Spaniard joined forces with India’s top-ranked male singles player Sumit Nagal to win the mixed doubles 6-1 against Falcons’ former world No. 1 doubles specialist Rohan Bopanna and partner Linette.

Falcons then captured the men’s doubles ties (Daniil Medvedev/ Bopanna beat Gael Monfils/ Nagal 6-2) before 39-year-old Frenchman Monfils outclassed Medvedev 6-3.

In a tournament meant to entertain through tennis, there was also drama when a section of the crowd began protesting at the beginning of the first contest. The jazzed up player tunnel entry blocking their view of the court angered the ones seated behind it as play was suspended for a few minutes before moving the crowd to the adjacent centre stands.

As for on court theatrics, the normally poker-faced Medvedev flashed a beaming smile for the fans, chair umpire Jon Blom disciplined Kyrgios’ tantrums saying ‘Nick, please sit down!’

and Monfils bounced, danced and got the crowds on their feet. The ‘Tennis-tainment’ also had Bollywood stars offering their two cents on the sport during their two minutes stay at the stadium. Right!

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tennis/tennis-stars-shine-as-wtl-begins-3834780

Lionel Messi embraced Indian culture and performed various rituals during his visit to Vantara in Jamnagar. Clips have come out of the Argentine performing the Shiv Abhishek as well as chanting various mantras and praying.

Lionel Messi won hearts as he took up local traditions on his visit to India over the week alongside Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul, as the Argentina footballers visited four Indian cities with events at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium, Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, and Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium before visiting Jamnagar, where he visited Vantara, a wildlife rescue and conservation centre operated by Anant Ambani

In visuals released by Reliance Industries of the visit, Messi was seen taking a tour of the facility and having a fun interaction with the animals. Moreover, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner also visited temples in the city alongside Anant and his wife, Radhika, and performed religious rituals.

In visuals that have gone viral on social media, Messi was seen praying and chanting various mantras like ‘Jai Mata Di’ and ‘Har Har Mahadev’ while also performing Shiv Abhishek.

After Matchday 4, Mumba Masters and Triveni Continental Kings are both on nine match points but the former at the top of the leader board with 51 game points as against 43 for the defending champions. In the first clash of Matchday 4, Alpine SG Pipers once again chose to play white after winning the toss for the second straight match.

Alpine SG Pipers stormed their way into title contention by registering their second consecutive victory while leaders upGrad Mumba Masters and defending champions Triveni Continental Kings also registered comfortable wins to maintain their advantage in the Global Chess League (GCL), a joint initiative of Tech Mahindra and FIDE, on Wednesday.

The Pipers beat Fyers American Gambits 10-4, upGrad Mumba Masters registered a dominating 18-2 win over PBG Alaskan Knights while Triveni Continental Kings got the better of Ganges Grandmasters 11-6 at the Royal Opera House here on Wednesday.

After Matchday 4, Mumba Masters and Triveni Continental Kings are both on nine match points but the former at the top of the leader board with 51 game points as against 43 for the defending champions.

In the first clash of Matchday 4, Alpine SG Pipers once again chose to play white after winning the toss for the second straight match, looking to build on their victory over overnight leaders upGrad Mumbai Masters.

There was not much to separate the two teams on the top four boards but Mendonca came up with another clinical performance to beat World Rapid Champion Volodar Murzin on the prodigy board to give his team the advantage. Opting for a Closed Catalan, the GM from Goa gained the upper hand with a bishop sacrifice on the 18th move and maintained the pressure and his Russian opponent running out of time on move 46.

In the women’s clash between Nino and Injac Teodara, the former was under pressure for a major part of the 61 move clash but turned things around with three advancing pawns and forced Teodara to resign and take her team to the top of the table for a brief period.

Nina, who registered her third win in four matches, said, “I played all in and pushed my pawn and at some point (I had a chance to win).”

Later, upGrad Mumba Masters rode on wins from Koneru Humpy and D Harika to register a dominating win over PBG Alaskan Knights with black pieces to cement their place on the top of leader board. Humpy lived dangerously against Kateryna Lagno but pounced on her opponent’s mistake as the Russian failed to correctly follow up after sacrificing her queen and resigned after 33 moves.

On the adjacent board, Player of the Match Harika defeated Sara Khadem in 43 moves while Alaskan Knights Arjun Erigasi lost to Wesley So after running out of time. On the icon board, world champion D Gukesh’s wait for a win got longer after he was held to a draw by Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in 31 moves. Bardiya Daneshvar completed Mumba Masters tally with a win over Daniel Dardha.

In the last match of the day, Triveni Continental Kings defeated Ganges Grandmasters 11-6 after Alireza Firouzja defeated Viswanathan Anand in the icon clash and GM Wei Yi got the better of Vincent Keymer on the second board.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/gcl-alpine-sg-pipers-beat-fyers-american-gambits-leaders-upgrad-mumba-masters-and-holders-triveni-continental-kings-also-win-comfortably

Lionel Messi’s India tour moved through chaos and calm, heartbreak and joy. Across four cities, fans waited, erred, celebrated and found fleeting magic in the presence of football’s greatest.

Lionel Messi’s G.O.A.T Tour in India was more than just a visit. It was a rollercoaster journey that saw the many faces of the country. Across the four cities, the tour swung like a pendulum, hovering between disappointment, delight, missteps and moments that felt truly special.

For fans, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see one of football’s finest live and in the flesh. For organisers and political leaders, it became an opportunity to enhance their optics. For Messi, it was a short and intense visit filled with overwhelming affection, even when things did not always go according to plan.

Each city told a different story. Together, they formed a tour that will be remembered as much for its contrasts as for the presence of the GOAT himself.

Kolkata: Chaos in India’s footballing Mecca

Kolkata, often regarded as the footballing Mecca of India, was meant to be the blockbuster opener for Lionel Messi’s G.O.A.T India Tour. Instead, the city that has lived and breathed football for generations witnessed a shocking spectacle that left fans angry and heartbroken.

Thousands of supporters packed the Vivekananda Yuvabharati Krirangan in Salt Lake, many paying Rs 4500 and upwards for tickets. For some, it meant months of saving. For others, it meant travelling long distances. They came with hope to see the legendary Argentine up close rather than from a television screen. But what followed was confusion.

Messi stepped onto the field, but it did not take long for the moment to go sour. He was immediately surrounded by politicians, officials, celebrities, their families and photographers. Space disappeared within seconds. Security struggled to cope. The planned lap of the ground never happened. Within minutes, Messi was escorted away.

His time on the field lasted under ten minutes.

As the realisation sank in, frustration spread through the stands. Fans who had waited for hours felt cheated. Bottles were thrown. Hoardings were damaged. Security personnel rushed in as protests broke out inside the stadium. Videos of the unrest flooded social media, replacing the excitement that had surrounded Messi’s arrival earlier that day.

The anger ran deeper because of where it happened. In a city that prides itself on its football culture, fans felt ignored and sidelined. Many openly questioned why they were invited at all when access appeared reserved for VVIPs.

Earlier, Kolkata had welcomed Messi warmly. He arrived after midnight on December 13, greeted by fans outside the airport. That excitement carried through the day, only to collapse by night.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee later issued a public apology and announced an enquiry. The tour organiser was detained. Refunds were promised. A political blame game followed.

But none of it changed one truth. The fans lost. In India’s football heartland, the tour began with disappointment and national embarrassment.

Hyderabad: A fresh start with football in focus

After the chaos that ensued in Kolkata, the Hyderabad leg felt like a reset.

Fans arrived at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium with tempered expectations. They were not asking for perfection. They wanted visibility, order and respect. This time, they got it.

Crowd movement was controlled. Sightlines were clear. The atmosphere felt calm and planned.

The programme began with a friendly match involving Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. His enthusiasm was evident, even if his footballing skill was not. Clips of his misplaced passes during a kickabout with Messi went viral, with football fans poking fun online. Reddy took it in good spirit and did not try to steal the show.

What mattered more was what he did next. Unlike Kolkata, he ensured that Messi was not crowded. At one point, he asked people to move away so fans could see clearly. That simple act earned praise and set the tone for the evening.

When Messi arrived with Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, the stadium erupted. The difference was immediate. Messi was not swallowed by VIPs or layers of security. Fans enjoyed uninterrupted views as he walked onto the pitch smiling.

What followed were the moments supporters had hoped for. Light kickabouts, interactions with children, multiple laps of the ground and footballs kicked into the stands. Messi took his time acknowledging fans and soaking in the atmosphere.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was also present and struck a different note. He stayed in the background, allowing children to share the spotlight with Messi. When Messi later gifted him an Argentina jersey, it felt like a footnote rather than the headline.

Messi addressed the crowd briefly, thanking fans for their love. The applause reflected a crowd that finally felt heard.

Hyderabad did not erase Kolkata, but it steadied the tour. It showed that when egos step aside, even a tightly scheduled event can feel genuine.

Mumbai: Emotion, order and a night that worked

The December 14 event at the Wankhede Stadium felt like everything coming together. The organisation was sharp. Fans were disciplined. The mood was joyful.

There were no chaotic scenes. Messi had space. He moved freely. The event flowed naturally.

One of the most emotional threads involved Sunil Chhetri. Recently retired from international football and nursing an injury, the former India captain still showed up. The crowd responded instinctively, chanting his name with warmth and pride.

Messi spent time with Chhetri and exchanged jerseys with him. It was a quiet but powerful moment. Two footballers from different worlds acknowledge each other.

Mumbai also delivered one of the tour’s most unforgettable images. Lionel Messi and Sachin Tendulkar standing together at the Wankhede. Two icons from different sports sharing the same stage drew a roar that felt historic.

Messi played with children, took part in a friendly penalty shootout and interacted with youngsters from Project Mahadeva, a five-year, state-backed grassroots football initiative launched in Mumbai to identify and train 60 young boys and girls through a structured scouting and scholarship programme aimed at developing future international-level players. Suarez and De Paul joined in, keeping things light. Suarez getting nutmegged drew laughter and cheers.

There was a brief interruption when Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis addressed the crowd and faced boos. He sensed the mood quickly, used a familiar chant and restored calm.

Mumbai showed what the tour could be when planning, restraint, and respect guided the evening.

Delhi: Delayed arrival, brief magic and a fitting farewell

The final leg in Delhi began with uncertainty. Fog delayed Messi’s flight from Mumbai, pushing his arrival into mid-afternoon. The schedule shrank.

Fans waited anyway.

By the time Messi arrived at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, he had only about 30 minutes to give. It did not matter.

The stands were full. Chants were loud. Argentina jerseys were everywhere.

Messi walked out smiling. He waved freely. He took a lap of the ground. He kicked balls into the stands with Suarez and De Paul as confetti fell. He played briefly with children and felicitated the Minerva Academy team.

Then he spoke.

In Spanish, he thanked fans, described the visit as short but intense, and promised to return someday. Most did not understand the words, but everyone understood the feeling.

Jay Shah presented Messi with a ticket to India’s opener in the T20 World Cup 2026, an Indian cricket team jersey bearing No. 10. Suarez and De Paul received jerseys, too. Rekha Gupta’s arrival drew AQI chants, a reminder that Delhi crowds always speak their mind.

Fans waited nearly five hours for minutes of Messi. As they left, disappointment gave way to quiet fulfilment. Seeing Messi live was enough.

A missed football moment amid cricket’s familiar shadow

For all the emotion and spectacle, the tour also raised an uncomfortable question.

In a country where football is struggling for structure and stability, Messi’s visit was a rare opportunity to place the sport firmly at the centre. Instead, cricket once again found a way to share, and at times dominate, the narrative.

From symbolic jersey exchanges to the presence of cricketing icons and administrators at centre stage, several moments felt like crossover events rather than football first occasions. Cricket’s ecosystem remains so strong that it naturally draws attention, even during a football icon’s visit.

There were glimpses of what could have been. Interactions with children. Academy recognitions. Grassroots symbolism. But too often, football felt secondary to optics.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/football/story/lionel-messi-goat-tour-of-india-2025-kolkata-hyderabad-mumbai-delhi-rollercoaster-2836399-2025-12-15

Here’s what Suryakumar Yadav had to say about his lack of form for India in T20Is.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav admitted that he is “definitely out of runs” after failing to get going for the third game in a row against South Africa in Dharamsala on Sunday. The right-handed batter has had a horrid time in the Indian colours in 2025, failing to hit a single fifty and averaging less than 15. Suryakumar, known as India’s Mr.360, scored 717 runs for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL this year; however, his form for India has been woeful, and this is now becoming a significant concern for the team ahead of the all-important World Cup.

In the 20 matches he has played this year, Suryakumar has gone past the 30-run mark just twice – once against Pakistan in the Asia Cup and then in the T20I against Australia in Canberra. His highest score so far in 2025 is 47 not out against Pakistan in the Asia Cup in Dubai.

Making matters worse, time and time again, Suryakumar has been falling prey to his favourite pick-up shot. This was once again his undoing in the third T20I against the Proteas in Dharamsala.

Speaking at the post-match presentation after India’s seven-wicket victory, Suryakumar emphatically stated that he’s “not out of form” but definitely “out of runs.”

“See, the thing is that I have been batting beautifully in the nets. I am trying everything that is in my control. When the game comes, when the runs have to come, they will definitely come. But yes, I am looking for runs,” Suryakumar said at the post-match presentation.

“Not out of form, but definitely out of runs,” he added.

‘Sport teaches you a lot of things’

His own form aside, Suryakumar’s captaincy record is quite impressive in 2025, and he is yet to lose a series ever since taking over the T20I captaincy last year. After a hammering in the second T20I, the hosts bounced back strongly in the Dharamsala match, registering a win by seven wickets.

Speaking about the victory, the 35-year-old said, “I think this sport teaches you a lot of things. How you come back into the series is more important. And we did the same thing, we wanted to go back to basics, do the same things we were doing in Cuttack, and the results were on our side.”

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/im-not-out-of-form-suryakumar-yadav-hits-back-as-talk-grows-over-lean-run-before-t20-world-cup-101765732374576.html

The city of Mumbai turned up in numbers to get a glimpse of Lionel Messi at the Wankhede Stadium. The event went smoothly, and produced several memorable moments, prompting the Maharashtra CM to tweet that Mumbai has the GOAT fans.

“Thank you Mumbai, you are the real GOAT crowd,” tweeted Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis after the successful completion of the GOAT Tour in Mumbai. On December 14, the iconic Wankhede Stadium hosted what turned out to be a near perfect event, as Lionel Messi, Sunil Chhetri, and Sachin Tendulkar came together on one stage. The evening was dedicated to celebrating one of the greatest footballers of all time, Lionel Messi, in front of an adoring Indian audience.

Unlike the event in Kolkata, where the crowd lost their cool and vandalised the Salt Lake Stadium, the Mumbai crowd and organisers displayed remarkable discipline and respect. Fans showered love and admiration on Messi, allowing the event to unfold smoothly as the football legend went about his appearances and interactions at the Wankhede Stadium without any disruptions.

During the event, Messi played a few passes with children, participated in a friendly penalty shootout, and exchanged jerseys with Indian football icon Sunil Chhetri and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. The crowd remained on their feet throughout the evening, cheering loudly for every moment involving the stars. Their energy and enthusiasm helped turn the event into a memorable night for fans, and for all the right reasons.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis appeared to take a subtle dig at the Kolkata crowd and the local administration following the smooth execution of the Mumbai event. He took to social media to praise the city, stating that Mumbai had shown why it deserved to be called the best crowd of all time.

“Thank You Mumbai, you are the Real G.O.A.T crowd!” the Chief Minister wrote on Sunday.

Earlier, chaos had ensued in Kolkata when fans grew angry with the organisers. With Lionel Messi surrounded by politicians and VIPs inside the stadium, large sections of the crowd were unable to get even a glimpse of their favourite star. Frustration soon boiled over, as fans left their seats and forcefully entered the pitch by breaking gates and toppling barricades. The angry crowd also ripped off seats inside the stadium, causing significant damage.

The unrest forced Messi to cut his Kolkata appearance short and leave the city earlier than planned. Despite the unpleasant experience, he went on to attend two subsequent events, honouring his commitment to fans across the country. The events in Hyderabad and Mumbai proceeded smoothly after the Kolkata incident, with improved security and crowd management. However, following the Kolkata disaster, the chief organiser of the tour, Satadru Dutta, was arrested by the police on charges of negligence in ensuring adequate security.

Fadnavis Booed

Amid what was otherwise a largely successful and well received event, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis found himself facing an unexpected backlash from a section of fans during the closing stages of the evening. Taking the microphone, he announced Project Mahadev, a grassroots initiative aimed at promoting and developing football across the country.

However, in the backdrop of the events that had unfolded the previous day and Maharashtra’s complex and often polarised political landscape, the announcement failed to strike a positive chord with everyone present. As Fadnavis began his address and attempted to greet the audience, loud and sustained boos rang out from parts of the stands, briefly disrupting the proceedings.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/football/story/lionel-messi-goat-tour-mumbai-kolkata-2835908-2025-12-15

December 13 was an unforgettable day for Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium, which hosted football icon Lionel Messi. Fans in huge numbers made it to the stadium, paying whopping ticket prices just to get a glimpse of the Argentine superstar, but left dejected over the turn of events at the venue. Messi could remain for only 20 to 25 minutes before being escorted out. As he appeared on the ground, Messi was swarmed by more than 100 people, including several politicians, dignitaries, and security personnel. As fans failed to see him, they turned violent, forcing the player to leave the ground.

Former India midfielder Lalkamal Bhowmick, who was one of the players in the exhibition match that took place between Mohun Bagan Messi XI and the Diamond Harbour Messi XI, revealed that the Argentine superstar got irritated and lost his cool over what traspired at the venue.

“Everything was going fine at the start as Messi walked into the stadium. He seemed relaxed, smiling, and shaking hands with all of us. He even gave autographs without hesitation,” Bhowmick told Sports Now.

“The moment too many people rushed onto the field and started clicking pictures, he became visibly uncomfortable,” he added.

As the situation turned from bad to worse, Messi failed to keep his cool.

“It got overcrowded very quickly, and we could see his reaction change as everyone around him started clicking pictures. He began showing signs of irritation, lost his cool, and everything went out of control,” Bhowmick said.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/football/lionel-messi-began-showing-signs-of-irritation-lost-his-cool-what-transpired-in-kolkata-stadium-9804914

Lionel Messi arrived in Kolkata to launch the GOAT India Tour 2025, drawing huge midnight crowds, ecstatic fans and heavy security as he begins a packed three-day schedule across four Indian cities.

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi arrived in Kolkata on Saturday to start the GOAT India Tour 2025, setting off a wave of excitement that swept through the City of Joy before dawn.

The Argentine legend touched down after travelling from Miami via Dubai, and even at the late hour, thousands of fans packed the airport perimeter for a glimpse of the World Cup winner.

Crowds chanted his name, waved Argentina flags and climbed onto barricades as police tightened a heavy security ring around the terminal. “There’s a great atmosphere of joy that Messi is coming to India after 14 years,” tour organiser Satadru Dutta said. “Football’s connection to India is growing again. Never before have so many sponsors come to Indian football.”

FANS WAIT FOR HOURS

Supporters who rushed to the airport long before his flight landed said the moment felt surreal. “We have been waiting for two hours. If needed, we will wait for even four. We can’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” one fan told ANI.

Another called the night “truly magical,” adding, “He’s a magician, the GOAT. We’re here just to catch a glimpse. Love you, Messi.”

Messi will travel to Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi during the three-day tour.

A PACKED DAY AHEAD

Messi’s Kolkata schedule begins with a private meet-and-greet from 9.30 to 10.30 am, an exclusive window for select guests and organisers. He will then switch online to virtually inaugurate a statue dedicated to him, a gesture marking the city’s deep affection for the World Cup winner.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/football/story/lionel-messi-arrives-in-kolkata-to-begin-goat-india-tour-as-fans-gather-to-welcome-the-argentine-star-2835300-2025-12-13

Eight years of love, partnership, and tiny moments that feel larger than sport – that’s the story of Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma.

Eight years of love, partnership, and tiny moments that feel larger than sport – that’s the story of Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma. And on December 11, 2025, as the two celebrated their eighth wedding anniversary, Royal Challengers Bangalore decided to gift fans a throwback that was impossible not to smile at. The franchise posted a short, emotional video on Instagram – a montage centred around their win moment from June 3 this year – the night RCB finally ended their wait for an IPL title. As the fireworks lit up the skies over the Narendra Modi Stadium, Anushka rushed to Virat, threw her arms around him, and held on like she never wanted to let go.

Story:

“Anniversary special, featuring Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli. Ishq hai,” RCB captioned the clip. The video shows Anushka’s eyes welling up as she plants a gentle kiss on Virat’s cheek, one hand on his back, steady and proud. Virat, who was visibly emotional, sunk into the moment – the pressure of a season giving way to the comfort of the one person who has been there through every high and low. Anushka seems to whisper, “So proud of you.”

A love story that never loses its glow

Virat and Anushka – or “Virushka,” as fans lovingly call them – tied the knot in a dreamy ceremony in Italy on December 11, 2017. It was intimate, pastel, and instantly iconic. Four years later, they announced they were expecting their first child, and in 2021, baby Vamika arrived, completing their world.

What has always stood out about this couple is how effortlessly they support and empower each other while handling two of the most high-pressure careers in the country. Earlier this year, in a chat with Dinesh Karthik for Sky Sports Cricket, Kohli spoke about how naturally he blended into Anushka’s family.

“The acceptance from day one was so beautiful,” he shared. “I never felt out of place.” He even revealed that he and his father-in-law, Ajay Kumar Sharma – a former Army officer – are “like friends.”

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/still-ishq-after-eight-rcbs-sweet-anniversary-tribute-to-virat-and-anushka-9793952

Most of Bhavani Thekkada’s competitors grew up on skis. She grew up on a coffee farm — in southern India.

So as a cross-country skier, she’s a little behind.

Thekkada has been hitting European tracks in recent weeks trying to keep her Olympic dream alive. She’s a longshot to qualify for the Milan Cortina Winter Games, but she’s reaching some other goals along the way.

“I will be really grateful and happy if even one person out there in India is inspired by my journey and wants to do skiing, which already people are — I’ve been getting a lot of messages,” the 30-year-old Thekkada told The Associated Press in an interview.

Thekkada is chronicling her journey on social media and making headlines back home. Her bronze medal in a 5-kilometer race in Chile in September, even though just a handful of athletes competed, was hailed as India’s first international medal in women’s cross-country skiing.

Last month’s 10-kilometer World Cup race in Finland was a reality check. In an elite field, Thekkada finished last among 81 athletes, more than 16 minutes behind the winner, Frida Karlsson of Sweden. U.S. star Jessie Diggins finished fifth.

“The top 80 girls who were competing with me had a whole team with them. They had coaches, they had wax technicians, they had managers,” said Thekkada, who has won several national titles in India. “I was standing there with a few years of skiing (experience)… a couple of hours of training with some coaches.”

Being an Olympic qualification season, eligibility is flexible enough that Thekkada could get on the start line. The goal is not beating opponents — rather it’s closing the time gap to improve her score.

“I may not be the best in the world but I’m really trying to be there,” she said. “I might be a couple of minutes behind the top athletes, but then I’m also a couple of years behind (in the) training they’ve had.”

Diggins cheers her on

Thekkada had a similar result at last weekend’s 10-kilometer World Cup race in Trondheim, Norway, which leaves the upcoming event in Davos, Switzerland, as her last chance to unlock an Olympic quota spot for India.

Largely self-funded, Thekkada operates mostly independently, so she was grateful when several national teams lent a hand in Trondheim. The Canadians and Chileans helped with waxing and training, and the Italians transported her equipment, she said.

And during the race, she heard from Diggins.

“Jessie was out there cheering the loudest for me during the race. It really meant a lot to me,” Thekkada said in an update on Instagram.

India takes notice

Besides media coverage in India, a member of Parliament from her Karnataka region, Tejasvi Surya, wrote on X: “Her feats make her an inspiration for the young generation.”

Thekkada has used her growing public profile to nudge Indian leaders. After her podium finish in Chile, she wrote on X: “I hope at least now the government starts noticing (and) supporting the winter sports athletes,” and tagged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Alpine skier Arif Khan was the only Indian to compete at the 2022 Beijing Games.

Only two Indian women — Shailaja Kumar and Neha Ahuja — have competed at the Winter Games, according to the Olympics’ website.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/olympics-india-cross-country-skiing-01380f72cf3b383e773da29007e08cd6

MICHIGAN head coach Sherrone Moore has been FIRED after an urgent investigation.

The football chief has been the leader of the team – who are 9-3 on the year – for two seasons.

Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement that “credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.

“The conduct constitutes a clear violation of University policy, and U-M maintains zero tolerance for such behavior,”

The announcement was made on Wednesday afternoon.

Michigan has now named Biff Poggi as their interim head coach.

Moore is married to his wife, Kelli.

The pair have been married since 2015.

They have three daughters together.

He is yet to comment on the announcement.

Moore has been head coach of Michigan since 2024.

That was after Jim Harbaugh left for the Los Angeles Chargers.

The team went 8-5 in his first season, and won the ReliaQuest Bowl.

The Wolverines have had a solid year at 9-3 throughout 2025.

However, they did lose to bitter rivals the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Moore has also been the team’s tight ends coach from 2018 to 2020.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15622260/michigan-sherrone-moore-fired-inappropriate-relationship/

Smriti Mandhana has gone through a lot in the past month. She played a pivotal role in India winning the Women’s World Cup but then had to overcome a tumultuous time in her personal life

Smriti Mandhana has gone through a lot in the past month. She played a pivotal role in India winning the Women’s World Cup but then had to overcome a tumultuous time in her personal life. The star batter, however, is now back to doing what she loves the most – playing cricket. Mandhana has been named vice-captain of the Indian T20I side that will play against Sri Lanka in a series starting December 21. It is India’s first bilateral contest since the Women’s World Cup final on November 2. On Wednesday, Mandhana reunited with India captain Harmanpreet Kaur for an event where she talked about her thought process.

“Well, to be fair, I mean, as Harman said, the love for the game, and I don’t think I love anything in life more than cricket. So, when you go out to bat or when you go out to represent your country, I don’t think any other thoughts are there in the mind. When you put on the Indian jersey, the only thing you want to do is represent India and win the match for the country,” Mandhana said at the event. Incidentally, this was Mandhana’s first public appearance since she called off her marriage with music composer Palash Muchhal.

“And yeah, I mean, the biggest motivation is that when you put on the jersey and India is written on it. I mean, I always tell everyone that once you put on the jersey, you just keep all your problems aside and just be on the field, because you have a responsibility and you are one among two billion people who are representing your country. And I mean, just the thought of that is enough for you to have that razor-sharp focus and do what you want to do.”

She was also asked about disagreements within the team. “Well, I think, firstly, I don’t look at it as issues because everyone is wanting to win the game for the country and everyone has their own opinion on how we will win the game for the country,” Mandhana said.

“But genuinely, if we don’t have those discussions or arguments, we aren’t winning on the ground. Because if we do not have those sorts of discussions where we are disagreeing about something, that means we are not passionate enough to win the match for the team. So, we definitely do have those sorts of discussions.”

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/smriti-mandhanas-1st-public-appearance-after-calling-off-wedding-with-palash-muchhal-dont-love-anything-more-than-cricket-9786780

Legendary India spinner Harbhajan Singh has made his stance clear on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma playing the 2027 World Cup.

Following a strong performance in the ODI series against South Africa, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh voiced out his support for senior stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli playing the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027, saying that the duo should be “first two names” on the list. ‘Ro-Ko had a blockbuster ODI series against South Africa. While Rohit produced two magnificent half-centuries in the first and final ODIs, Virat piled up two back-to-back tons at Ranchi and Raipur and followed it with an attacking, stroke-filled half-century at Visakhapatnam.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Harbhajan said the Indian team management, comprising of head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, should not “lose experience in pursuit of youth” as it could prove costly in big matches.

“Are there bigger and better players than Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli? So you shouldn’t sideline them, but instead think about how to build the team around them. If you lose experience in the pursuit of youth, then it can be a problem from time to time in big matches. So they must play, and this will be a big World Cup because after that, it’s possible they’ll never play another World Cup,” he said.

“The way Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are batting, and how the batting order looks with them, it looks so solid that they should play. They will maintain their fitness. But the questions about whether they will or should play the World Cup, it is okay to look towards the younger players but do not ignore the players who are already proven performers with the ability to deliver in big matches,” Harbhajan said.

“In the last World Cup also, they missed it in the final, with the pitch being very slow. If there was a bitter pitch, India would have won. There was a lot of pressure, which is why Australia played better than India and won. But the way India played under Rohit Sharma was unbelievable. So the first two names should be Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, and the rest of the team should be formed after that,” the former Indian spinner said.

Virat ended as the top run-getter in the series with 302 runs at an average of 151.00 and a strike rate of over 117, with two centuries and a fifty. Rohit also scored 148 runs in three innings at an average of 48.66, with an SR of over 110 and two fifties.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/can-be-a-problem-harbhajan-singhs-big-match-warning-to-gautam-gambhir-amid-virat-kohli-rohit-sharma-world-cup-saga-9779380

If there was one phrase that summed up the men’s tennis season, it was “Sincaraz”- the rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

And so we start our rewind of 2025 with the French Open Final…

This was the match of the year, a true epic that saw Carlos Alcaraz defeat Sinner after five hours and 29 minutes. The Spaniard was down two sets to love and faced a stunning three championship points against him. Yet, he rallied to win the title. That final encounter became the country’s most-watched final since 2011, drawing over 5.1 million viewers.

YANNICK SINNER’S REVENGE
Sinner got his revenge quickly, though, clinching the Wimbledon title later in the summer. It was a fantastic year for both men, Sinner played some top tennis, bringing his efficiency to the fore despite sitting out three months due to an accepted ineligibility stemming from positive tests for banned substances.
The coveted year-end ranking. Despite Sinner’s incredible win percentage (90.6%), Carlos Alcaraz claimed the year-end World No. 1 ranking. Alcaraz ended the season with 12,050 live points to Sinner’s 11,500, having played the whole year and secured a 4-2 head-to-head record over his rival.

MADISON KEYS HAD THE KEYS TO THE SEASON OPENER
On the women’s side of the court, Madison Keys started the season with a bang.
She defied expectations at the Australian Open, starting the year’s first slam with a win in Adelaide before the tournament. Her semifinal comeback against second-seeded Iga Swiatek was unforgettable. Iga broke Keys to take a 6-5 lead in the deciding set, but Keys turned the match on its head by winning the next game and then taking the 10-point tiebreak. Keys pocketed her maiden Grand Slam, beating the No. 1 and two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the final.

ANISIMOVA, THE BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR
Speaking of American breakthroughs, Amanda Anisimova, finished the year World No. 4 after a remarkable ascent. Her season included two WTA 1000 titles in Doha and Beijing, as well as consecutive Grand Slam finals. Outside of the Top 400 in 2024 after taking a break for mental health issues, she made a stunning comeback. However, her first Major final at Wimbledon was a tough moment: she lost 6-0, 6-0 to Iga Swiatek. Anisimova was moved to tears, admitting later that she had “ran out of gas”.

SABALENKA THE STATISTICAL LEADER
Aryna Sabalenka ended 2025 with one slam at the Flushing Meadows. But in 2025 season she was the undeniable statistical leader, finishing the year as world No. 1 for the second time in her career, with 10,870 points. Sabalenka’s successful 2025 season included reaching the Australian Open and French Open Final too, where she lost against American Madison Keys.

MILESTONES FOR VETERANS:
Novak Djokovic set a new record by becoming the oldest male player to reach the quarters at all four majors in a calendar year And Venus Williams competed in the US Open main draw at the age of 45

TENNIS BUZZ: HARASSMENT FOR WTA PLAYERS

Here are some of the moments that got the world of tennis and sports talking-

The fear of harassment unfortunately plagued the WTA tour. Emma Raducanu was visibly upset during her match in Dubai when she spotted a stalker in the crowd, causing her to report the presence and break down in tears.

BODY BETRAYS DIMITROV
Grigor Dimitrov was forced to retire from his fourth-round match against Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon due to a pectoral injury, despite leading two sets to none.

MEDVEDEV FINED AFTER MELTDOWN
Daniil Medvedev lived up to his reputation at the US Open after a dispute involving a photographer and the chair umpire led to him losing it on court. He was subsequently hit with a massive fine of $42,500.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/tennis/sincaraz-the-word-that-defined-tennis-in-2025-9780201

Shahid Afridi defended Indian veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, emphasizing their importance for the 2027 World Cup after impressive performances in ODIs against Australia and South Africa. He also criticized India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, for mixed results, noting that his initial confidence has not always translated into success.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi launched a fresh attack on India head coach Gautam Gambhir while backing veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the World Cup 2027. Afridi, while speaking to Telecom Asia, highlighted the duo’s strong performances in the recent ODI series against Australia and South Africa, and said they remain critical to India’s ODI plans. The Pakistan stalwart opined that India should use the greats efficiently, playing them in prominent series while allowing them to rest when up against lower-ranked teams.

“It’s a fact that Virat and Rohit are the backbone of the Indian batting line-up,” Afridi said. “The way they have played in the recent ODI series, it can confidently be said that they can play until the 2027 World Cup.

“You need to preserve both these stars. When India is playing against a weaker team, they can try some new players and rest Virat and Rohit.”

Afridi and Gambhir have shared a frosty relationship over the years, and the Pakistan all-rounder didn’t shy away from taking a sharp dig at the head coach. Notably, Gambhir has tasted mixed results with Team India. While the side has tasted success in the limited-overs cricket, having won the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup, the results in Tests have been equally poor, with series defeats to New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. “The way Gautam started his stint, it looked like he thought that what he thinks and says is right, but after some time, it was proved that you are not always right.”

Meanwhile, Afridi also praised Rohit Sharma for breaking his record for most sixes in ODIs. Afridi, who played with Rohit during his stint with Deccan Chargers in IPL 2009, said he knew Rohit would make it big in international cricket.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/cricket/shahid-afridi-fires-fresh-shot-at-gautam-gambhir-declares-rohit-sharma-virat-kohli-backbone-of-india-amid-doubts-over-world-cup-spot-article-153270305

A South Korean court has sentenced a woman who blackmailed football star Son Heung-min to four years in prison.

The woman in her 20s and her accomplice, a man in his 40s, were found guilty of blackmailing the former Tottenham captain by saying she was pregnant with his child.

The woman had approached Son sometime last year claiming she was carrying his child, when in fact she did not know whether that was the case, a Seoul district court heard, according to local media.

She extorted $300 million won ($200,000; £153,000) from him and threatened to go public with the allegation if he did not comply.

The woman spent the money on luxury and designer goods, AFP news agency reported.

“[The woman] insists she received the money as compensation and portrays herself as a victim,” prosecutors told the court on Monday. “But her claims do not fully match the facts,” they said, accusing her of planning the crime “thoroughly”.

The woman’s accomplice, who had threatened Son 15 times to get the money, was handed a two-year jail term for attempted blackmail.

When they demanded more money this year, Son went to the police.

The judge said the woman and her accomplice had abused Son’s celebrity for their crime, and that Son appeared to have gone through “intense mental anguish” after the case was reported in the media.

Son was in October named the second-highest paid footballer in Major League Soccer (MLS), North America’s top-tier football league akin to England’s Premier League.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clydrywxwkro

Wasim Akram is one of the few Pakistan players who have been part of the coaching set-up in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Wasim Akram is one of the few Pakistan players who have been part of the coaching set-up in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has also been a commentator in the league. So, when Akram took a veiled dig at the T20 league, the internet was stunned. Speaking at an event promoting the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Akram said the short duration of the PSL made it lucrative for foreign players. He added that leagues running for “two-and-a-half to three months” are boring. He even went on to mention the IPL in a different context and said the PSL was No. 1 in terms of talent on show.

The IPL, which consists of 10 teams, generally runs for a little over two months. The IPL 2024 lasted 65 days, while the IPL 2025 was scheduled to be held for almost the same duration. However, due to the Pahalgam terror attack, it ended on June 3 after starting on March 22.

“The best thing about the league is that it is played for only about 34-35 days, maybe a little more next year. It’s not like three months, like the other league. Bacchey bade ho jate hain, woh league khatam hi nahi hoti. Foreign players, when they come to Pakistan, prefer to be here for 35-40 days. More than that – two-and-a-half to three months – is a bit too long for everyone. Even I get bored,” Wasim Akram said at the event promoting the PSL.

“Prime example is the BBL. They started off with two-and-a-half months. They realised after four or five years it wasn’t working. Now their duration is about 40 days. That’s it. That’s the beauty of the PSL. Of course, the talent. Everybody overseas, when I talk to them, they talk about bowling in the IPL and other leagues. They say the PSL, as far as talent is concerned, is definitely No. 1 because we have quality, not quantity.”

Akram’s comments were not taken well by the internet.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/wasim-akram-gets-mocked-after-veiled-dig-at-ipls-duration-bacchey-bade-ho-jate-hain-calls-psl-no-1-9774694

The remarks came amid the BCCI is using Vijay Hazare Trophy appearances as a criterion for selecting Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for the World Cup

Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar delivered a pointed message to the BCCI, emphasising that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma deserve special consideration given their remarkable contributions over the years. He argued that their place in the ODI side should never have been questioned. Bangar’s remarks came in the wake of reports that the Indian board is using Vijay Hazare Trophy appearances as a criterion for selecting the senior players for the 2027 World Cup.

The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee, along with head coach Gautam Gambhir, has remained non-committal about including Rohit and Kohli in the World Cup plans for South Africa. Concerns revolve around whether the two veterans can maintain form and fitness over the next two years, given that they play only one international format. Consequently, the committee insists that if they are to be considered, both must prove their commitment by participating in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, India’s premier List A tournament, scheduled to begin later this month.

Kohli and Rohit have been the driving forces behind India’s success in four of their last six ODI matches, combining for three centuries (two by Kohli) and five half-centuries (three by Rohit). Rohit claimed the Player of the Series award during the Australia tour, while Kohli earned the same honour in the recently concluded home ODI series against South Africa.

“I don’t think the place of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the team should have been a question. Look at what they have done over so many years,” Bangar said while speaking to JioStar.

“They have retired from two formats, so it’s obvious they might take just a couple of sessions to get back into action, because they have done it so often. They don’t need to play as many matches as a younger player. Once they are there, once they are hungry and fit, you want players of that quality. You have to treat them differently and give them space,” the former India batter said, clear about why there needs to be a different yardstick for the two white-ball legends.

In the South Africa contest that ended on Saturday in Vizag with India winning 2-1, Rohit scored 57 and 75 in the first and third games, while Kohli notched up 135, 102 and 65 not out. “When they are on song, you see the difference. Their sheer presence changes the dressing room atmosphere.”

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/treat-virat-kohli-rohit-sharma-differently-give-them-space-bcci-hit-with-strong-message-after-their-odi-masterclass-101765093183182.html

In the just concluded series against South Africa, 38-year-old Rohit Sharma scored 57 and 75 in the first and third games while 37-year-old ‘Player of the Series’ Virat Kohli had stupendous scores of 135, 102 and 65 not out.

Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar has slammed those questioning Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s place in the ODI team, adding that the two deserve to be ‘given space’ considering their contribution to Indian cricket. His remarks came amid reports suggesting that the two stalwarts will have to play the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy to be selected in the team for the 2027 World Cup. With Rohit and Kohli no longer active in Test cricket and T20Is, the BCCI has reportedly raised concerns about whether they can maintain form and fitness till the showpiece in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Speaking on JioHotstar, Bangar urged the BCCI to give special exemptions to Kohli and Rohit, suggesting that players of their calibre shouldn’t be doubted.

“I don’t think the place of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the team should have been a question. Look at what they have done over so many years,” said Bangar.

“They have retired from two formats, so it’s obvious they might take just a couple of sessions to get back into action, because they have done it so often. They don’t need to play as many matches as a younger player. Once they are there, once they are hungry and fit, you want players of that quality. You have to treat them differently and give them space,” he added.

In the just concluded series against South Africa, 38-year-old Rohit scored 57 and 75 in the first and third games while 37-year-old ‘Player of the Series’ Kohli had stupendous scores of 135, 102 and 65 not out.

“When they are on song, you see the difference. Their sheer presence changes the dressing room atmosphere,” said Bangar

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/bcci-given-fitting-reply-on-vijay-hazare-trophy-diktat-for-virat-kohli-rohit-sharma-give-them-space-9766670

When asked if the two players would be considered for India’s ODI World Cup squad in 2027, head coach Gautam Gambhir came up with a blunt reply.

While Virat Kohli turned out to be the Player of the Series during India’s ODI contests against South Africa, two other players – Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal – also impressed with their respective centuries. Gaikwad scored 105 off 83 in the second game in Raipur, while Jaiswal shone in the series decider with an unbeaten 116, also bagging the Player of the Match award in the final. Interestingly, both are not ODI regulars for India and got their chance only because Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer missed out due to injuries.

When asked if the two players would be considered for India’s ODI World Cup squad in 2027, head coach Gautam Gambhir came up with a blunt reply.

“Look, first we have got to realise that ODI World Cup is two years away from now. The most important think is to stay in the present,” he said at the press conference after India’s nine-wicket win over South Africa in the deciding ODI in Visakhapatnam.

“It’s also important that young boys coming into the set-up are grabbing their opportunities. Someone like Ruturaj Gaikwad, who batted out of position. He is a quality player, we all know. We wanted to give him an opportunity in this series for the kind of form he was in with India A. He actually grabbed that opportunity with both hands, getting a hundred in the second game, when we were under pressure. We were 40 for 2 and then getting that kind of hundred was proper quality,” he added.

Gambhir also praised Jaiswal, who notched his first ODI century in his fourth game in the format.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-south-africa-2025-india/gautam-gambhir-shuts-up-all-world-cup-2027-squad-talks-with-brutal-statement-9764121

2026 FIFA World Cup Draw Highlights: Forty-two of the teams have been determined and 22 are competing in playoffs for six berths that will be decided March 31

FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw Highlights: Argentina and Lionel Messi will start their World Cup title defense against Algeria, while the U.S. was drawn Friday to open against Paraguay as soccer’s quadrennial championship returns to North America for the first time since 1994.Three-time champion Argentina also will play Austria and Jordan in Group J of the expanded 48-nation, 104-game festival, spread across 11 NFL stadiums plus three venues in Mexico and two in Canada. The ceremony included U.S. President Donald Trump receiving a peace prize awarded by FIFA, and balls with team names plucked famous North American athletes Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Aaron Judge and Wayne Gretzky. The U.S., which reached the semifinals at the inaugural World Cup in 1930 and the quarterfinals in 2002, starts Group D against Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, California. The Americans play Australia six days later at Seattle, then faces Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo on June 25 back at SoFi Stadium.

Former Asian Games gold-winning discus thrower Seema Punia has been handed a 16-month ban for failing a dope test.

Former Asian Games gold-winning discus thrower Seema Punia has been handed a 16-month ban for failing a dope test. The 42-year-old Punia’s suspension came into force on November 10 as per the updated list of dope offenders by the National Anti-Doping Agency. NADA, however, did not specify the substance for which she has tested positive. The latest offence adds to her checkered doping record, which includes two previous violations, one of them at the junior level. Her last major competition was the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023 where she won a bronze medal. She is also a four-time Commonwealth Games-medallist, three of them being silver medals.

Her first and only Asian Games gold came in 2014, Incheon edition. At the junior level, she won a bronze in the world championships in 2002.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/athletics/seema-punia-gets-16-month-ban-for-failing-dope-test-9759011

CEO of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Venky Mysore, has admitted that releasing the franchise’s star all-rounder Andre Russell was the decision of the team’s owner and superstar Shah Rukh Khan

CEO of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Venky Mysore, has admitted that releasing the franchise’s star all-rounder Andre Russell was the decision of the team’s owner and superstar Shah Rukh Khan, and appointing him as the team’s “power coach” was a “spur-of-the-moment” thought. Russell announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL) on November 30. The all-rounder confirmed that he will join KKR’s support staff as the franchise’s new “Power Coach” for the 2026 season. Russell added that he will continue playing in T20 leagues around the world and will remain part of other Knight Riders teams globally.

During his IPL career, Russell played 140 games, scoring 2,651 runs, including 12 fifties, and taking 123 wickets, with one five-wicket haul. He made his IPL debut in 2012 for Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) before joining KKR in the 2014 auction. He won two titles (2014 and 2024) for the Purple and Gold. Russell also won the IPL MVP award twice during this run, in 2015 and 2019.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Mysore spoke about the decision to release Russell, who was retained at Rs 12 crore ahead of the last IPL season. The CEO said that the team management was “grappling with all combinations, ideas,” and releasing Russell added Rs 18 crore to their purse. Although Russell cost KKR Rs 12 crore, releasing him gave the franchise Rs 18 crore since he was the ‘Player 1’ in the list of KKR’s retainees last year, worth Rs 18 crore, and that amount was credited to the team’s purse ahead of the auction on December 16.

“I wish there was no auction every year because this just becomes very nerve-wracking many times, and some things that you don’t want to do, you end up having to do. But no, it wasn’t like a last-minute thing; we were grappling with all combinations, ideas, what to do and all that. Finally, we said, okay, this release is what we have to do,” said Mysore.

“But some people missed the fundamental point, which is the [purse] deduction for us was Rs 18 crore, not Rs 12 crore by releasing Dre. So, although his contract value was Rs 12 crore, the deduction from our purse was Rs 18 crore in 2025. A lot of people missed that and said, oh, why would KKR not see value in a person who is at Rs 12 crore? Rs 18 crore, which would be deducted from our purse if we had retained him, is a lot of money in the context of an auction. That was the trigger.”

“And in mini-auctions, you want to go with as much as you can to have the flexibility to look at options that might come your way. So from that perspective, if it were Rs 12 crore, I think the decision would have been very different,” he concluded.

Mysore admitted that parting ways with Russell was a “strange feeling” for both parties, as he had never been put into an auction before. He described Russell as an “emotional” person and admitted that it later hit Russell how used to the Purple and Gold franchise he was.

“It is a strange feeling for both of us. And he is always a very sensible and sensitive guy, easy to communicate with. Very emotional, but not clinical, like a few players I have dealt with. It hit him after a couple of days after that conversation. He came back to me and said, ‘Oh, I have really had a lot of sleepless nights wondering about where all of this could go. I am so used to the Purple and Gold, Knight Riders, and relationships I have built with the franchise, you and the owners,'” said Mysore.

“We jokingly discussed, and many people know that over the last 11 years that he has been with us, I have probably spoken with Dre more than I have spoken with my wife. We sent him to Dallas [to train with a local NFL team] twice to help him become fitter and stronger. When he was handed the year-long anti-doping ban in 2017, I was very much in touch and sent our physio from TKR – Trinbago Knight Riders – to Jamaica to work with Dre and help him with his fitness and, more importantly, just to keep him in the right spirits. It was a tough year for him when a cricketer was unable to play. Imagine one year was a very long time, but then right after that was a retention year in 2018….

“…We did not know what form he was in, what fitness level he was in, but we retained him. But he always acknowledges that and always says, ‘I have tears in my eyes because I got a million-dollar contract and retention decision on him.’ All that kind of hit him after about 48 hours of the initial conversation on releasing him. Then the auction discussions started in a way, to say, how do we handle it? What happens? And all that,” he said.

Mysore admitted that over the years he has been running the franchise, he has rarely experienced cricketers feeling that “they are done.”

“They always feel like, oh yeah, I have got cricket left in me – one year, two years, three years… that is where his [Russell’s] head was also. And he’s probably right, but he also realised by the time the 2026 IPL comes around, he will be 38. And for someone who is an all-rounder like him, a pace bowler who comes in at death, has to smash, has to run a lot, field like he does, his instincts take over once he is on the field. He is a natural athlete, but body and age do catch up. But somewhere that conversation [retiring from IPL] did come up as an option, and he gave it more thought. For a variety of reasons, it appealed to him and he said, yeah, why not? Let’s do this,” he stated.

Mysore said that when he shared with SRK that Russell was giving IPL retirement a thought, the owner suggested that he retire.

“I could see he was agonising over it, and so when I shared this with SRK [Shah Rukh, KKR lead owner], it was actually SRK’s suggestion. Because, see, a player is thinking somewhere at the back of his mind, what happens after I hang up my boots? But I do not think they want to think about it also so much because professional athletes are like that. They believe I am still good, and Dre still is – he is fantastic and playing other leagues,” said Mysore.

“During the ILT20 match between Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Sharjah Warriorz also, he came in and straightaway smashed that six, which are trademark Dre sixes, which hit the sight screen and the ball comes back to the middle of the pitch literally. You start thinking, oh my God! And even with the ball, runs in first ball, clean bowled DK [Dinesh Karthik].”

“It just felt like he was very free in his mind after making the retirement decision. Because the guy took a couple of catches, was sliding, diving, and throwing. I sent him a note later, saying ‘What is going on here, Dre? How you doing power coach?’ I was kidding him. Everybody has started calling him a power coach, and I think he loves it. We are very happy. I think he is very happy. He has completely accepted it, come to terms with it,” he concluded.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/ipl-2026/kkr-ceo-admits-shah-rukh-khans-suggestion-behind-andre-russells-ipl-retirement-9759315

In Manipur, amidst ongoing conflict and division, two young footballers from different communities, Kuki and Meitei, exemplified unity by representing India in a significant AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifier against Iran.

As Manipur still scarred by conflict, division and displacement, two young footballers — one Kuki, one Meitei — have shown the country what unity truly looks like. At a time when the state remains separated by buffer zones, checkpoints and deep emotional wounds, the boys stood shoulder to shoulder in India’s colours, helping the national side script a historic 21 victory over Iran in the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers held in Ahmedabad.

The match, crucial for India’s qualification campaign, saw both youngsters play a key role in the team’s success.

Two goals for India, scored in a stadium hundreds of kilometres away from their troubled homeland, symbolised something larger than two communities at war back home, yet contributing together to one nation’s triumph.

In Manipur hills and valleys, where mistrust still lingers and people often look away from each other, these children are looking in the same direction as the goalpost. Their passion for football has bridged a divide that politics has failed to repair.

Their performance stands as a reminder that sport, especially football, carries the power to unite, heal and inspire.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/kuki-and-meitei-footballers-from-conflict-torn-manipur-help-india-qualify-for-afc-u17-asian-cup-2026-article-153244776

Ravi Bishnoi broke into his trademark celebration, spreading his arms wide, and Hardik Pandya playfully joined in before giving him a hug.

Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya delivered yet another strong performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, further lifting his confidence ahead of the upcoming T20I series against South Africa. After making an impact with the bat against Punjab, the all-rounder showcased his bowling skills on Thursday as Baroda faced Gujarat in Hyderabad. The seasoned campaigner sent down a miserly four-over spell, conceding only 16 runs and removing Gujarat captain and opener Urvil Patel at a key moment. His discipline, control, and ability to build pressure underlined the form he has steadily been building in the tournament.

Hardik’s showing was also a timely boost for the Indian camp ahead of the upcoming T20I series. With the current ODI bowling unit leaking runs in the first two games against South Africa, his sharp, disciplined spell in the SMAT came as a welcome reassurance for a side searching for stability and experience in the attack.

Meanwhile, a light-hearted moment from Pandya’s innings also went viral on social media during Baroda’s modest 74-run chase on Thursday. Looking to wrap up the match quickly, the all-rounder attempted a big hit off Ravi Bishnoi but ended up holing out to Arzan Nagwaswalla. Bishnoi broke into his trademark celebration, spreading his arms wide, and Hardik playfully joined in before giving him a hug, a gesture that instantly struck a chord online and had fans buzzing. He departed for 10, but it didn’t cause much of a problem for his team.

Baroda comfortably won the match by 8 wickets in just 6.4 overs, stamping their authority over Gujarat, who failed to match their intensity.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/hardik-pandya-hugs-ravi-bishnoi-post-dismissal-in-viral-moment-gives-india-big-boost-amid-bowling-crisis-vs-proteas-101764895751427.html

The main issue raised by the X user “@ragav_x” is that while Australia invests heavily in state-of-the-art equipment and skilled crews, India relies on older systems that limit picture clarity, motion smoothness and overall viewing quality.

An internet user has exposed the shocking quality gap between the BCCI’s broadcast standards and Cricket Australia’s production setup. The netizen has highlighted why Indian cricket telecasts often look outdated despite the country being one of the world’s biggest cricket market.

The main issue raised by the X user “@ragav_x” is that while Australia invests heavily in state-of-the-art equipment and skilled crews, India relies on older systems that limit picture clarity, motion smoothness and overall viewing quality.

According to the points shared, Cricket Australia (CA) broadcasts every home game in native 4K HDR, offering sharper visuals, richer colours and smooth 50p progressive motion.

In contrast, BCCI still transmits India’s home matches in older 1080i HD, which uses interlaced video that often appears soft, shaky and less detailed.

CA’s outside broadcast trucks run on modern 12G-SDI and IP infrastructure designed for high-resolution workflows, while BCCI is said to depend on decade-old HD flypacks.

Camera technology also shows a clear gap. Australia uses Sony HDC-4300 and 5500 true-4K cameras, high-speed slow-motion gear up to 300 fps and even 600 fps ultra-motion cameras. Meanwhile, many BCCI productions reportedly use older HD cameras with fewer capabilities and slower frame rates.

This affects not just visuals but also ball-tracking and replay analysis. CA uses a six-camera high-speed system for seam and swing tracking and even deploys 100-camera 360-degree replay setups, whereas India often relies on basic HD angles with limited sampling, leading to flat-looking ball-tracking and fewer replay perspectives.

Broadcast quality is also influenced by manpower. CA employs larger, specialised teams for camera operations, replay, shading and engineering, ensuring consistent colour grading and high-quality footage. BCCI’s smaller crews struggle to match this standard, especially in fast-moving match situations.

CA produces everything in HDR, maintaining clean colours and natural lighting. BCCI still works in SDR, which can crush shadow details and blow out highlights. Even before reaching TV channels or apps, BCCI’s compressed 1080i feed reportedly loses detail.

One of the strongest arguments made is the difference seen during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 – also held in India. When ICC handled the production using its own teams and equipment, the same stadiums suddenly looked sharper and more professional, proving the issue is not the venues but the production quality.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/indian-fans-deserve-better-netizen-exposes-shocking-quality-gap-between-bcci-and-cricket-australias-broadcast

The 37-year-old now has 751 ranking points, and trails former India skipper Rohit Sharma (783), who retained his top spot, New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell (766) and Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran (764).

Star Indian batter Virat Kohli on Wednesday moved up to No. 4 in the latest ICC rankings with a match-winning hundred against South Africa in the first ODI at Ranchi boosting his ascend.

Kohli made his 52nd hundred in the 50-over format, a 120-ball 135 that propelled India to a 17-run win over the Proteas on Sunday.

The 37-year-old now has 751 ranking points, and trails former India skipper Rohit Sharma (783), who retained his top spot, New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell (766) and Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran (764).

Kohli overtook India ODI captain Shubman Gill, who moved down to No. 5 after missing the ongoing three-match series against South Africa with a neck injury.

Shreyas Iyer, who is also recovering from an injury that he sustained during India’s recent white ball tour to Australia, stood firm on 9th position.

Meanwhile, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav gained one place to move to sixth after picking up four wickets in the first match against the Proteas.

In the Test batter’s list, India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal continued to station at No. 9, while Gill slid one place down to 12.

Wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant was also on a downward spiral, moving down from 12th to 14th.

In the rankings for Test bowlers, India’s premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah remained on top of the pile with 879 points, well clear of New Zealand pacer Matt Henry (846).

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/virat-kohli-moves-up-to-no-4-in-icc-odi-rankings-3818320

Virat Kohli delivered a more controlled knock this time around, with a 93-ball 102 consisting of seven fours and two sixes.

The Indian cricketing fraternity was once again united in joy as star batter Virat Kohli brought up his 53rd ODI century against South Africa and his second successive ton of the series. Continuing where he had left off at Ranchi with a scorching 135 in 120 balls consisting of 11 fours and seven sixes, Virat delivered a more controlled knock this time around, with a 93-ball 102 consisting of seven fours and two sixes. The attacking intent, his control against spin and pace alike and running/judgement while running between the wickets looked as impeccable as in his prime years. (India vs South Africa 2nd ODI Updates)

Taking to X, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag wrote, “Virat Kohli ko 100 ka nasha hi alag hai. Hum log centuries gin rahe hote hain, woh bas routine ka kaam samajh ke kar deta hai. Back-to-back 100’s for the King. 53rd ODI hundred. Virat hai toh mumkin hai. A brilliant century from Ruturaj Gaikwad as well making batting look very easy.”

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan also posted on X, “On Sunday king plays for sure but on weekdays he plays with your plans. Brilliant 100 by Virat Kohli.”

Reputed Indian broadcaster and commentator Harsha Bhogle also posted on X, “A diamond is forever #No53 #ViratKohli.”

Former Indian cricketer and Virat’s teammate in Delhi, Aakash Chopra, highlighted how Virat had his “beast mode activated”. “Back-to-back centuries. Beast mode activated #Kohli #IndvSA,” posted Aakash.

Former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif also wrote on X that without Virat, cricket is “nothing”. “Without Kohli cricket is nothing..pure vintage!,” posted Kaif.

India’s star opener and winner of the recently concluded ICC Women’s World Cup also posted, “Form is temporary. Kohli is forever”

Virat against South Africa in ODIs is a different beast, and that beast has gone notches above statistically against the Proteas. In 33 matches and 31 innings, Virat has scored 1,741 runs at an average of 69.64 against the Proteas at a strike rate of 88.51, with seven centuries and eight fifties. This is the most centuries against the Proteas in ODI format by a batter.

Also, with this second successive ton in ODIs, this is the 11th instance when Virat has had a streak of centuries in two or more successive ODI innings, with Proteas legend AB de Villiers being his distant rival with six such instances.

He has also had 13 different streaks of three or more successive innings with 50-plus scores in ODIs, the highest by any batter, and Rohit Sharma is second with 11 such streaks.

Notably, his last three ODI knocks against South Africa have been centuries, the 101* at Kolkata against them in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and two centuries in this series.

In 12 ODIs this year, Virat has scored 586 runs in 12 innings at an average of 58.60, with a strike rate of 92.72, including three centuries, three fifties and a best score of 135.

Notably, Virat stands just 90 runs away from joining Sachin Tendulkar and Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara in the 28,000-run club in international cricket. In 555 international matches, he has made 27,910 runs at an average of 52.46, with 84 centuries and 144 fifties in 622 innings and a best score of 254*. He is the third-highest international run-getter of all time, with Sachin (34,357 runs) at the top.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-south-africa-2025-india/virat-kohli-ko-100-ka-nasha-hi-alag-hai-cricket-fraternity-hails-indian-icon-for-back-to-back-tons-against-sa-9744526

South Africa defeated India by four wickets in a high-scoring second ODI to level the series 1-1 in Raipur on Wednesday

South Africa defeated India by four wickets in a high-scoring second ODI to level the series 1-1 in Raipur on Wednesday. Asked to bat, Virat Kohli (102, 93 balls) scored his 53rd ODI hundred and Ruturaj Gaikwad (105, 83b) notched his maiden ton in the format as India posted a strong 358 for five. In reply, SA overhauled the target, scoring 362 for six in 49.2 overs, riding on a century from Aiden Markram (110) and fifties by Matthew Breetzke (68) and Dewald brevis (54). For India, Arshdeep Singh (2/54) and Prasidh Krishna (2/85) snared two wickets. The series-deciding third and final ODI will be played in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.

This is the joint-highest target successfully chased down against India. South Africa matched the record of Australia (in Mohali, 2019) powered by Ashton Turner’s 84*(43). South Africa have now three successful run-chases of 350 or more, the joint-most in ODIs alongside India. This is also South Africa’s highest run-chase away from home.

Successful 350-plus run-chases for SA in ODIs

435 vs AUS, Johannesburg, 2006
372 vs AUS, Durban, 2016
359 vs IND, Raipur, 2025

India’s job was far from done even after putting a daunting total on board as heavy dew in the second half not only made spinners’ job tougher, but poor returns from Prasidh Krishna (2/79) did not help their cause. Prasidh, who had broken a second-wicket century partnership earlier by dismissing Temba Bavuma (46), got it right finally to pin Breetzke leg-before late in the game, and soon after, Arshdeep Singh (2/54) removed the dangerous Marco Jansen (2), but Corbin Bosch (29 not out off 15) and Keshav Maharaj (10 not out off 14) took the Proteas over the line with four balls to spare.

Markram was in his elements utilising a flat deck under lights to notch up his maiden century against India and providing South Africa a heavy contribution from the top to push on.

He took the initiative in the opening partnership and even though he lost Quinton de Kock (8) early with Arshdeep drawing first blood, Markram found a stable partner in Bavuma to put on 101 for the second wicket.

Markram had to remain the aggressor as Bavuma farmed the strike from the other end. Markram pierced gaps at will with brute force as well as some artistry.

He also hit through the line and over the bowlers’ head to clear the ropes while using the feet well against Indian spinners, with heavy dew making their job even more difficult as the innings progressed.

But the opener also had luck favouring him when a powerful hit off Kuldeep Yadav towards long on saw the ball going through Yashasvi Jaiswal’s hands for a six.

Had the catch been taken, Markram’s charge would’ve ended on 53.

Markram eventually fell off a short off-cutter from Harshit Rana (1/70) but his dismissal had Brevis and Breetzke teaming up, who waltzed to 92 off the next 64 balls to put South Africa in complete control.

While Brevis fell after his quick fifty which featured some massive sixes , Breetzke made a composed 68 for a second consecutive half-century.

Incidentally, it was only the second occasion where India lost an ODI despite scoring in excess of 350, with the first instance being against Australia in March 2019 when they lost by a similar margin of four wickets despite making 358/9 at Mohali.

Earlier, Kohli’s successive hundred, maiden century from Gaikwad (105) and KL Rahul’s quickfire 66 not out propelled India to a formidable 358 for five.

Kohli (102 off 93 balls, 7x4s, 2x6s) and Gaikwad (105 off 83 balls, 12x4s, 2x6s) reset the record for highest third-wicket stand for India in ODIs against South Africa as their 195-run association built the platform for the hosts to launch themselves into a big score.

And Rahul’s (66 not out off 43 balls, 6x4s, 2x6s) second fifty in a row ensured that, even as India continued to tinker with their batting line-up with the stand-in skipper coming in at No 5 ahead of Washington Sundar, who endured another failure.

Unlike at Ranchi where he did not look accustomed to batting in the middle order, Gaikwad emerged a perfect foil for Kohli as the two began racking up runs with ease.

With Ajinkya Rahane in tow, Kohli had put on 189 at Durban in February 2018 but perhaps on some counts, this partnership with Gaikwad was the one he may have enjoyed a little more as the Maharashtra batter matched his style of play.

The rotation of strike was deft, the singles were seamlessly converted into doubles and at times it was difficult for one to distinguish who had pierced the gap for those runs – not necessarily boundaries – as Gaikwad even appeared to be matching Kohli in terms of stroke-play.

If he was roughed up at the start, Gaikwad grew in confidence to post a fine half-century. Once past the milestone, he picked up pace.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-south-africa-2025-india/india-left-stunned-as-south-africa-complete-highest-odi-chase-vs-kl-rahul-and-co-to-level-series-1-1-9746333

Virat Kohli is returning to the Vijay Hazare Trophy for the first time since appearing against Services in February 2010.

Virat Kohli on Tuesday confirmed his availability to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, beginning on December 24, after initially refusing to participate in the domestic tournament. India coach Gautam Gambhir has laid down the condition that any player who wants to compete for the national team must play domestic cricket. A source informed NDTV on Tuesday that while Rohit Sharma has already confirmed his availability to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, Kohli had earlier declined to take part in the one-day tournament.

“The issue is with the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He (Kohli) simply doesn’t want to play. When Rohit [Sharma] is also playing, how can there be an exception for one player? And what do we tell the other players? That someone is different from all of you?” the source had told NDTV early on Tuesday.

However, the BCCI selectors have now convinced Kohli to play a few Vijay Hazare Trophy matches.

Kohli, now a one-format player for India, is currently busy with the ODI series against South Africa. After the ODIs, he will return to London, where his family resides, and then come back for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He is returning to the Vijay Hazare Trophy for the first time since appearing against Services in February 2010.

The 37-year-old racked up his 52nd hundred in the series opener at Ranchi, showing he remains as sharp as ever despite playing just one version of the game, having announced his retirement from Tests earlier this year.

Kohli had retired from T20 Internationals following India’s triumph in the 2024 World Cup in Barbados.

“He has confirmed his availability to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. How many games he will feature in is not clear yet. Obviously, his presence will be a massive boost to the Delhi dressing room,” Jaitley told PTI.

Delhi will open their Vijay Hazare campaign against Andhra in Bengaluru on December 24. In total, they will play six games.

Fans are expected to turn up in large numbers to watch the action when Kohli is around. Earlier this year, Kohli turned an otherwise drab Ranji Trophy game into a grand spectacle when he played his first first-class match in more than 12 years.

More than 12,000 people came to watch Kohli play-numbers unheard of for a domestic fixture in a long while.

He returned to the Ranji Trophy as part of his preparation for international duty but, in a surprise decision, announced his retirement from Test cricket ahead of the England tour.

The BCCI has made playing domestic cricket mandatory for contracted cricketers unless they are injured or on national duty.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/virat-kohlis-u-turn-after-refusing-to-play-vijay-hazare-trophy-bcci-selectors-manage-to-convince-him-9739314

Since Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma returned to the Indian ODI team for the three-match series against South Africa, which started on Sunday, the focus has been on whether the duo will be persisted with until the 2027 World Cup

Murmurs, rumours, and a lack of clarity surround the careers of two superstars: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. That has been the story of Indian cricket over the last few days. Since Kohli and Rohit returned to the Indian ODI team for the three-match series against South Africa, which started on Sunday, the focus has been on whether the duo will be persisted with until the 2027 World Cup. Form and fitness-wise, both are in top shape. Rohit was the Player of the Series in the ODIs against Australia in October. In the first ODI against South Africa, he slammed a half-century, while Kohli scored a fine ton-his 52nd in the ODI format.

Amidst this confusion, a report claimed that the relationship between Kohli and India head coach Gautam Gambhir has turned frosty. In fact, some reports also suggested that there would be a meeting between top BCCI officials and the Indian team management.

NDTV has learnt that BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar was supposed to meet Kohli ahead of the second ODI in Raipur on Wednesday. However, since the “situation was not good,” another selector, Pragyan Ojha, was sent as a mediator. Videos of the two having an intense chat at the airport have surfaced on social media.

Another clip emerged from the same setting in which Ojha could be seen speaking to Rohit Sharma while sitting alongside Gambhir. Kohli, however, was not part of this discussion. These visual cues, though open to interpretation, continue to intensify public focus on the alleged communication gap and discord among senior figures in the Indian dressing room.

The recent wave of speculation surrounding veteran players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma revolves around their relationship with head coach Gautam Gambhir. The players’ limited-overs future and a purported breakdown in communication have become a concern for Indian cricket’s well-wishers.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/situation-not-good-bcci-forced-to-change-ajit-agarkar-mediation-plan-between-virat-kohli-gautam-gambhir-9736797

Virat Kohli received an adorable welcome in Raipur ahead of the IND vs SA 2nd ODI. The 37-year-old was visibly moved as a group of small children greeted him with rose flowers at the team hotel. Kohli comes into the game after a player of the match performance in Ranchi, with his century handing India a 1-0 lead in the series.

Virat Kohli received an adorable welcome in Raipur ahead of the IND vs SA 2nd ODI. The 37-year-old was visibly moved as a group of small children greeted him with rose flowers at the team hotel. Kohli comes into the game after a player of the match performance in Ranchi, with his century handing India a 1-0 lead in the series.

India arrived in the Chhattisgarh capital city late on Monday evening. The Men in Blue received a grand welcome in Raipur. Kohli was mobbed by young fans at the team hotel, who gathered around to give the former India captain flowers. Kohli to his credit, collected as many as he could as he made his way through with his luggage. A few of the kids were seen sobbing, having met their idol in person.

India will have an optional training session on Tuesday afternoon at the venue before the game on Wednesday. Given the short turnaround time and travel, the session has been made optional. However, given recent trend, both Rohit and Virat will be expected to have a few hits in the nets in the build up to the game.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/video-adorable-virat-kohli-craze-in-raipur-reaches-peak-children-greet-india-star-with-roses-ahead-of-ind-vs-sa-2nd-odi

Jemimah Rodrigues has opened up about the overwhelming wave of calls, messages and social-media attention she received after her match-winning knock in the World Cup semi-final

Jemimah Rodrigues has opened up about the overwhelming wave of calls, messages and social-media attention she received after her match-winning knock in the Women’s World Cup semi-final and how it pushed her to uninstall WhatsApp just days before the final. The India batter said she was flooded with nearly a thousand messages from unknown numbers, leaving her unable to focus. With emotions already running high from the dramatic semi-final, Jemimah decided to disconnect completely to prepare for the biggest match of her career.

Recalling the chaotic night, Jemimah said her phone “kept buzzing and buzzing” after the semi-final, with congratulatory calls coming from every direction. “I don’t know how random people started getting my number. I’m not even over-exaggerating, but I had 1000 WhatsApp messages. I couldn’t take it because firstly, a lot had happened in that game. A lot of my emotions itself were there. I’m preparing for a final and the tournament is not over. Yes, I played a knock. Yes, we won. Yes, India was in the final. But, we still had a World Cup final to win,” Jemimah told Cricbuzz.

Realising the distraction was too much, she uninstalled WhatsApp altogether. Before doing so, she informed only “4-5 close ones” to call or message her normally if needed. “Even if I was not reading the message, it was just buzzing. And I just knew that people were messaging me and I just wanted to prepare for the finals. So, till the finals, I didn’t install WhatsApp.” she said. Jemimah stayed off social media too, except for a single post-match update, and remained disconnected until after the World Cup final.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/women-s-odi-world-cup-2025/jemimah-rodrigues-was-forced-to-uninstall-whatsapp-during-the-world-cup-random-people-got-my-number-9731732

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma turned back the clock in a vintage performance with the bat to help India to a 17-run win over South Africa in Ranchi.

The social media is inundated with congratulatory messages for two of India’s finest white-ball cricketers, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, following another match-winning partnership with the bat, culminating in an Indian victory. The two stalwarts continued their fine form from the final ODI of last month’s Australia tour and delivered another eye-catching performance, this time in Ranchi, as India beat South Africa to take a 1-0 lead in their ongoing three-match series.

There’s been plenty of chatter around the future of Kohli and Rohit, with the ageing superstars not a certainty in India’s 2027 ODI World Cup plans. Both have retired from Tests and T20Is and now only play one format at the international level.

However, the manner in which the pair has performed in India‘s last two ODIs means their backers can claim that, should they continue to deliver consistently, picking them in the World Cup squad should be a no-brainer.

Fans on social media have been attacking the critics of Rohit and Kohli. There are reports of BCCI calling for an urgent meeting to bridge the communication gap between senior players and the team management.

Amid this, Kohli’s sister, Bhawna Kohli Dhingra, has set social media ablaze with a cryptic post featuring both Virat and Rohit.

She captioned the picture ‘IYKYK’, which is an acronym for “If You Know, You Know” – an internet slang often used to indicate shared knowledge.

Social media users have picked up the Instagram Story and are running amok with wild theories.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cricket/iykyk-virat-kohlis-sister-sets-tongues-wagging-with-cryptic-post-featuring-rohit-sharma-ws-bkl-9741206.html

Virat Kohli notched up his 52nd century in the 50-over format to break the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s record.

Former India great Sunil Gavaskar lavished praise on Virat Kohli and rated him highly after the 37-year-old notched up his 52nd century in the 50-over format to break the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s record. Kohli achieved the feat during the first ODI between India and South Africa on Sunday at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi. Kohli’s dominant innings did more than just stabilise India’s score; it elevated him to a new level of batting greatness. His latest century not only solidified his status as one of cricket’s modern legends but also held significant historical importance. By surpassing Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI centuries, Kohli now stands at the top of the men’s ODI centuries list.

With his 52nd century in this format, he broke one of Tendulkar’s most renowned records, becoming the player with the most centuries scored in a single format. This milestone felt both inevitable and remarkable, further highlighting a career rich with achievements.

What followed was a flood of appreciation for the former India skipper, as Gavaskar was among those joining the bandwagon. Speaking on JioStar during the mid-innings break, the legendary cricketer said, “Those who’ve played with Virat Kohli and against him, they all agree that he’s the greatest of ODIs. Ricky Ponting also rated him as the GOAT. It’s very tough to get appreciation from Australians. When you pass Sachin, you know where this man stands.”

Having announced his retirement from Tests and T20Is, ODI is the only format Kohli plays internationally, and he looks to end his career with one more World Cup in the kitty, aiming high for the 2027 global event. However, the stalwart has faced several criticisms in recent times, with many experts and pundits suggesting he calls time on his career.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-south-africa-2025-india/you-know-where-this-man-stands-says-sunil-gavaskar-as-kohli-breaks-major-tendulkar-record-9726255

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami reached the MLS Cup final for the first time on Saturday after a 5-1 thrashing of New York City FC in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami reached the MLS Cup final for the first time on Saturday after a 5-1 thrashing of New York City FC in the Eastern Conference playoffs. A Tadeo Allende hat-trick and goals from Mateo Silvetti and Telasco Segovia ensured Miami advanced to Major League Soccer’s championship game next Saturday at their home field in Fort Lauderdale. Miami will host the winner of the Western Conference final, which is being played between San Diego FC and Vancouver Whitecaps later on Saturday.

Messi and his team-mates will head into that game bristling with confidence after another ruthless, high-scoring demolition job that followed on from their 4-0 drubbing of FC Cincinnati in the previous round.

Allende — who scored twice in the victory over Cincinnati — was once again the focal point of the Miami attack.

The 26-year-old Argentine forward opened the scoring in the 14th minute after cleverly springing the New York offside trap.

A perfectly weighted ball from Sergio Busquets sent Allende racing in on goal, and the winger shrugged off Raul Gustavo’s challenge to lash home and make it 1-0.

New York had barely had time to digest that early setback before it was 2-0.

Miami’s former Spanish international full back Jordi Alba found himself in acres of space on the left flank and lasered a pinpoint cross into the New York area.

Allende darted into a gap and timed his jump to perfection as he glanced in a superb header that left New York goalkeeper Matthew Freese rooted to the spot as the ball flew into the bottom corner.

Miami’s grip on the game was loosened though when New York scored against the run of play in the 37th minute, centre-back Justin Haak heading home from Maxi Moralez’s free-kick to make it 2-1 at half-time.

New York grew in confidence and might have equalized in the 66th minute when Nicolas Fernandez picked out substitute Julian Fernandez inside the area.

Fernandez’s curling shot was clawed away by Inter goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo and the miss was to prove crucial.

Miami immediately swept upfield and a flowing move saw Rodrigo De Paul and Alba combine before Messi slipped a pass to Silvetti who rifled home to make it 3-1 after 67 minutes.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/football/inter-miami-messi-beat-new-york-5-1-to-reach-first-mls-cup-9723568

With India being outplayed by South Africa in the just-concluded Test series, spin great Harbhajan Singh felt the hosts don’t have a specialist off-spinner for the five-day game.

With India being outplayed by South Africa in the just-concluded Test series, spin great Harbhajan Singh felt the hosts don’t have a specialist off-spinner for the five-day game, and called for an increased workload for Washington Sundar. In the first home series since the retirement of R. Ashwin, India spinners were overshadowed by the Proteas, who claimed 25 wickets across two Tests. “Looks like (India does not have a specialist right-arm off-spinner for Test cricket),” Harbhajan told PTI in response to a query.

Harbhajan opined that Tamil Nadu all-rounder Washington has a long way to go to establish himself as a specialist right-arm off-spinner and be a like-for-like replacement for Ashwin in terms of all-round skills.

“I think Washington Sundar is there, but we will have to bowl him more. He will have to be bowled for 30-35 overs in a Test match to make a bowler out of him,” said Harbhajan on the sidelines of the launch of 8JJ Sports India.

Harbhajan, the third-highest wicket-taker among Indian spinners, felt India will have to shun the habit of dishing out rank turners for home Tests.

“The kind of pitches we have been playing on, there is no requirement of making a bowler out of anyone because every delivery spins or some straightens,” he said.

“A bowler can (only) be considered good when he takes wickets on good pitches,” Harbhajan added.

Harbhajan said it is high time for India to start preparing good pitches as the growth of Test cricketers in the country had stalled due to playing on rank turners at home.

“We should play on good cricket pitches — it is high time,” he said.

“It has been more than a decade playing on those pitches where there has not been overall growth of (Indian) cricket.

“If you look at it, we are stuck at that one place and when we play on good wickets, it becomes a case of being required to look into the mirror,” he added.

Citing the example of the England tour earlier this year, where Shubman Gill scored 754 runs and led his team to a 2-2 draw in a five-Test series, Harbhajan said Indian batters must get better wickets at home as well.

“We did well in England. When we go outside of India, our batters get the opportunity to score runs.

“(But) if you don’t give chance to your batters, then how will it be possible for them to win matches (at home)? It is high time India start playing on good tracks.” Harbhajan felt India cannot talk about promoting Test cricket if they dish out wickets like the one in Kolkata where the Test ended inside three days on a dry, turning pitch.

“We keep on talking about saving and promoting Test cricket, but this is not the way to save Test cricket.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-south-africa-2025-india/india-doesnt-have-an-off-spinner-for-tests-harbhajan-singh-makes-big-remark-9721515

With India being outplayed by South Africa in the just-concluded Test series, spin great Harbhajan Singh felt the hosts don’t have a specialist off-spinner for the five-day game.

With India being outplayed by South Africa in the just-concluded Test series, spin great Harbhajan Singh felt the hosts don’t have a specialist off-spinner for the five-day game, and called for an increased workload for Washington Sundar. In the first home series since the retirement of R. Ashwin, India spinners were overshadowed by the Proteas, who claimed 25 wickets across two Tests. “Looks like (India does not have a specialist right-arm off-spinner for Test cricket),” Harbhajan told PTI in response to a query.

Harbhajan opined that Tamil Nadu all-rounder Washington has a long way to go to establish himself as a specialist right-arm off-spinner and be a like-for-like replacement for Ashwin in terms of all-round skills.

“I think Washington Sundar is there, but we will have to bowl him more. He will have to be bowled for 30-35 overs in a Test match to make a bowler out of him,” said Harbhajan on the sidelines of the launch of 8JJ Sports India.

Harbhajan, the third-highest wicket-taker among Indian spinners, felt India will have to shun the habit of dishing out rank turners for home Tests.

“The kind of pitches we have been playing on, there is no requirement of making a bowler out of anyone because every delivery spins or some straightens,” he said.

“A bowler can (only) be considered good when he takes wickets on good pitches,” Harbhajan added.

Harbhajan said it is high time for India to start preparing good pitches as the growth of Test cricketers in the country had stalled due to playing on rank turners at home.

“We should play on good cricket pitches — it is high time,” he said.

“It has been more than a decade playing on those pitches where there has not been overall growth of (Indian) cricket.

“If you look at it, we are stuck at that one place and when we play on good wickets, it becomes a case of being required to look into the mirror,” he added.

Citing the example of the England tour earlier this year, where Shubman Gill scored 754 runs and led his team to a 2-2 draw in a five-Test series, Harbhajan said Indian batters must get better wickets at home as well.

“We did well in England. When we go outside of India, our batters get the opportunity to score runs.

“(But) if you don’t give chance to your batters, then how will it be possible for them to win matches (at home)? It is high time India start playing on good tracks.” Harbhajan felt India cannot talk about promoting Test cricket if they dish out wickets like the one in Kolkata where the Test ended inside three days on a dry, turning pitch.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-south-africa-2025-india/india-doesnt-have-an-off-spinner-for-tests-harbhajan-singh-makes-big-remark-9721515

After beating the Eagles on the Super Bowl champions’ home turf, it was time for rookie Bears coach Ben Johnson to bare arms. Oh, and go bare-chested.

Johnson tore off his shirt inside a jubilant locker room and flexed like a professional wrestler as the victorious Bears danced, hollered and chanted in a circle around him.

“Good, better, best. Never let it rest till your good gets better and your better gets best,” the Bears and Johnson shouted.

One of the surprise teams in the NFL, the Bears had every reason to go wild following a vintage rushing performance that echoed their famous Super Bowl-winning 1985 squad.

No shuffling here. Playing like a contender suits these Bears just fine.

Kyle Monangai rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown, D’Andre Swift ran for 125 yards and a score, and Chicago finished with 281 yards on the ground to win its fifth straight game, 24-15 over reeling Philadelphia on Friday.

Led by Johnson, the Bears (9-3) are alone in first place in the NFC North heading into a Dec. 7 showdown at Green Bay.

“These guys just feel pretty good about what they just did,” Johnson said before video of his strip tease emerged. “It was hard to go on the road and beat a good team like that.”

The Bears had two players top 100 yards rushing in a game for the first time since Walter Payton had 107 yards and Matt Suhey had 102 on Nov. 10, 1985, against Detroit.

Last season, the Bears’ Thanksgiving loss at Detroit led to the firing of coach Matt Eberflus and was their sixth straight of what ballooned into a 10-game losing streak. A year later, the Bears bullied Philadelphia’s defensive line for a relatively easy win.

“They have a lot of belief in what we’re doing. They have a lot of belief in themselves,” Johnson said. “They have a lot of belief in this coaching staff. And so that confidence just starts to develop and continues to bubble over.”

Johnson’s exuberance bubbled over in the locker room — though there was an apparent method to his toplessness. The Wieners Circle, a Chicago hot dog stand, offered free hot dogs if Johnson took off his shirt after any victory this season.

The Eagles (8-4) seemingly had the NFC East wrapped up two weeks ago, only to suffer consecutive defeats that have them looking little like a Super Bowl contender. Perhaps still feeling the sting of turning a 21-0 lead at Dallas on Sunday into a 24-21 loss, the Eagles’ offense showed few signs of snapping out of its funk. Fed-up Philly fans spent the game booing and calling for the team to fire offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo.

Not this week. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said after the loss he was sticking with Patullo.

Philadelphia’s season has taken such a turn that even the beloved tush push doomed the Eagles in this one.

With Philly trailing 10-9 late in the third quarter, Jalen Hurts fumbled on the usually reliable play deep in Chicago territory and the Bears recovered.

The Bears — who have a knack for winning one-score games — turned the turnover into the drive of the day. Monangai ripped off a 31-yard run on the first play and Caleb Williams — who was 17 of 36 for 154 yards and a touchdown — completed a 7-yard pass to Colston Loveland on fourth down that extended the drive.

Monangai ran for a 4-yard TD that made it 17-9 early in the fourth, and Williams added the insurance score with a 28-yard TD pass to Cole Kmet for a 24-9 lead.

“We haven’t hit our pinnacle yet, in the sense of a team and execution on offense, and we’re still winning these games,” Williams said. “So that’s really important and that’s why I’m extremely excited.”

Fans who had been chanting “Fire Kevin!” began flocking toward the exits — and the Eagles will face even more questions about the sorry state of their offense.

Hurts and his teammates backed the beleaguered Patullo.

“I have confidence in him. I have confidence in this team,” Hurts said. “I have confidence in us when we’re collaborative. I have a lot of confidence when we have an identity, so I think that’s the first thing that we have to establish that we’ve talked about.”

Source : https://apnews.com/article/bears-eagles-score-0d10d7c95029fc4cea765664939c3f0e

The members of the Indian women’s cricket team for the blind expressed their happiness at the warm welcome received at home following their win at the first-ever Women’s T20 World Cup for the Blind in Sri Lanka. The title-winning team was ecstatic to have met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence.

Chandu, the head coach of the team and Sunita and Kavya, two players from the winning squad, spoke to ANI at a felicitation event for the team in Delhi.

Chandu, while speaking to ANI, said, “It was a very good experience (being welcomed in India). Especially when we went to Bangalore, we met the CM sir (Siddaramaiah) there. All the kids are very happy.”

‘Dream Come True’ Meeting with PM Modi

Kapil Dev criticizes India’s top players for lacking sufficient domestic cricket experience, which hinders their ability to handle spin.

India’s 408-run implosion against South Africa at home has triggered the usual noise about technique, pitches, and IPL hangovers. But Kapil Dev isn’t interested in buzzwords. He’s asking one simple, old-school question: “Are India’s best batters even playing enough domestic cricket to know how to survive spin anymore?”

The 1983 World Cup-winning captain, speaking to Sportstar, drew a sharp contrast between previous generations and the current crop.

“That was because they had individual style, footwork, and the fact that they played good domestic cricket on a variety of pitches. I just want to know how many of today’s top players are playing domestic cricket. That’s the most crucial thing. If you don’t play domestic cricket and don’t face quality bowlers, you are going to struggle,” Kapil said.

With India having lost the home series to New Zealand and South Africa, and bowled out for sub-200 totals on helpful surfaces, his concerns seem to have enough logic.

Kapil Dev cannot understand India’s selection of pitches

Kapil didn’t spare the pitches either, but not in the usual “make it flatter” way. His gripe is about extreme, two-and-a-half-day finishes becoming the norm. “The pitches are very, very important. Not the type where the game ends in two and a half days. You lose the toss and lose the game. What is the point of having a pitch where no team crosses 200? It is not good for the state of the five-day game.”

That flows straight into his biggest worry: India’s batting muscles for tough red-ball conditions have atrophied in a white-ball obsessed calendar.

“We are more occupied with T20s and ODIs, which means that batters hardly encounter bowler-friendly pitches. On surfaces offering a lot of help to spin and seam, you need patience and a different set of skills to thrive. Once you are ready to play on those pitches, your mindset affects how you tackle them. You do not have batters like Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, who knew how to stay at the wicket. Batting in Tests is about staying in the middle,” said Kapil.

It’s a pointed throwback. Dravid and Laxman routinely stacked full Ranji seasons early in their careers; many current stars have played only a handful of first-class games in recent years as international and IPL commitments have exploded.

Spin needs more skill than pace – and different temperaments

Kapil is clear that playing spin well is a higher art than handling fast bowling. “You need better skills to tackle spin than to play pace, but it depends on the state of the pitch. If the turn or bounce is vicious, it becomes very difficult. Remember, footwork plays an important role.”

He also makes room for different batting personalities, using Rishabh Pant as the obvious example of a modern outlier. “If your temperament is to go and hit like Rishabh Pant, it is different. You cannot as Pant to defend. He is a genuine match-winner. He will go and hit the ball. He is not going to bat 100 balls and make 20. When he hits a six, we all go gaga. Do you tell him not to hit them? He is a batter who can demolish the opposition.”

For Kapil, the real solution is not to change Pant-like batters, but to rebuild the ecosystem that once produced Shastri, Amarnath and Gavaskar. “I was surprised that India lost to New Zealand and South Africa at home, but we should have prepared better. Test cricket is different. You ask a person like me to defend, it will not work. But you ask someone like Ravi Shastri to bat the whole day, he will do it. Jimmy Amarnath and Sunil Gavaskar could stay in the middle for the entire day. They had the temperament because they played a lot of domestic cricket.”

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/kapil-dev-explodes-at-team-india-openly-calls-out-batters-occupied-with-t20s-don-t-have-players-like-laxman-dravid-101764383274120.html

Suniel Shetty shared a heartfelt message for Indian women’s team star Jemimah Rodrigues after she decided to opt out of the ongoing season of the WBBL.

Veteran Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty shared a heartfelt message for Indian women’s team star Jemimah Rodrigues after she decided to opt out of the ongoing season of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) to be with her close friend and teammate Smriti Mandhana during this tough phase. Mandhana’s wedding was postponed last week after her father was hospitalised due to heart related health complications. On Thursday, Jemimah’s WBBL franchise, Brisbane Heat, announced that the player requested to remain in India to support her friend Smriti.

Shetty highlighted the gesture on social media, calling it the purest form of friendship.

“Bumped into this article first thing in the morning and my heart felt full. Jemimah leaving the WBBL to be by Smriti’s side. No big statements, just quiet solidarity. This is what real teammates do. Simple. Straight. Genuine,” Shetty wrote on X (formerly Twitter) while sharing a newspaper clipping as well.

Jemimah had returned a few days back to attend Mandhana’s wedding and was scheduled to fly back to complete her Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) assignment for Brisbane Heat.

“The Brisbane Heat have agreed to a request to release Jemimah Rodrigues from the remainder of the Women’s Big Bash League,” said Brisbane Heat in a statement.

“Rodrigues returned home to India after the Heat’s match against the Hobart Hurricanes 10 days ago as part of a pre-arranged commitment where she was to be involved in Indian teammate Smriti Mandhana’s wedding last weekend.

“However, the celebrations were subsequently postponed due to a health issue with Mandhana’s father,” the statement added.

The club said they had agreed to Jemimah’s request for release. She was the Heat’s No.1 pick at the ‘International Player’ draft earlier this year.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/suniel-shetty-heartfelt-post-for-jemimah-rodrigues-after-her-big-gesture-for-smriti-mandhana-9715260

A heartwarming reunion took place in Ranchi as Indian cricketers Virat Kohli, Pant, and Gaikwad visited MS Dhoni before the ODI series against South Africa.

As India prepares for the three-match One-Day International series against South Africa, which begins on Sunday at the JSCA International Cricket Stadium, a heartwarming reunion in Ranchi stole the spotlight. Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant and Ruturaj Gaikwad were among the Indian players who visited MS Dhoni at his residence on Thursday, setting social media abuzz and adding an emotional layer to the team’s build-up for the series.

Kohli’s arrival at Dhoni’s home drew the loudest cheers, and for good reason. The two have shared one of Indian cricket’s most iconic partnerships — from Kohli thriving under Dhoni’s nurturing leadership to Dhoni trusting him in decisive moments across formats. Their camaraderie was on full display again in Ranchi, where visuals of the former captain greeting Kohli and welcoming him inside quickly went viral.

What truly delighted fans, however, was Dhoni personally driving Kohli in his car after the get-together. The clip — Dhoni at the wheel and Kohli seated beside him, waving to ecstatic supporters thronging the streets — flooded social platforms within minutes, evoking nostalgia for an era defined by their combined on-field brilliance. Many fans called it the “moment of the year,” celebrating the enduring bond between two of India’s most influential cricketers.

Pant and Gaikwad also visited the former India skipper, continuing a tradition of players dropping by whenever the national team plays in Dhoni’s hometown. Pant, who has long regarded Dhoni as a mentor figure, was seen arriving with teammates, while Gaikwad — a key part of Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings setup — shared an easy familiarity with his IPL captain.

The gathering came at a key moment for the Indian side. With KL Rahul leading the ODI squad in the absence of Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, the team is looking to reset quickly after a disappointing Test series. Kohli, returning to the ODI setup and expected to anchor India’s batting stability, is central to that effort. His presence at Dhoni’s residence not only sparked excitement among fans but also symbolised renewed energy and togetherness within the squad.

The Indian players, who reached Ranchi earlier this week, temporarily paused their training schedule for the reunion. Outside Dhoni’s residence, crowds lined up through the day, cheering as each star arrived. Photos and videos continued to circulate widely, capturing moments that blended nostalgia, warmth and anticipation ahead of a crucial white-ball assignment.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/ms-dhoni-drops-virat-kohli-in-personal-car-after-reunion-at-his-ranchi-residence-with-rishabh-pant-and-ruturaj-gaikwad-101764293059440.html

Gautam Gambhir left it to the BCCI when asked about his future as the coach of India’s Test team.

India head coach Gautam Gambhir didn’t plead for more chances as India’s Test graph under him hit an all-time low as South Africa secured a 2-0 series sweep, their first in 25 years in the country. Gambhir, understandably, had to face some tough questions in the press conference, including one about his future as the coach of the Indian team in the longest format. When asked about his future, Gambhir said it is for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to decide whether he deserves to stay at the helm or not.

“It is for the BCCI to decide. I have said this before as well, Indian cricket is important, I am not important. I am the same guy who got results in England, won the Champions Trophy, and the Asia Cup. This is a team which is learning,” Gambhir said in the press conference after India’s 408-run defeat in Guwahati.

At the start of the press conference, Gambhir said that every single person in the Indian team should be held responsible for the 0-2 series defeat, but the blame starts with him. “Blame lies with everyone, starts with me,” he said in the presser.

Gambhir Not Keen On Blaming Individuals

“We need to play better. From 95/1 to 122/7 is not acceptable. You don’t blame any individual or any particular shot. Blame lies with everyone. I never blamed individuals and won’t do it going forward,” he added.

Under Gambhir, India have lost 10 of the 18 Tests. After the whitewash against New Zealand last year, the team underwent a complete overhaul before the next home assignment. Despite fresh faces in the team, the result against South Africa was similar to the one against the Kiwis.

Gambhir has, of late, attracted criticism for frequent changes in the team and his inclination to focus more on all-rounders than specialists in the traditional format. But, when asked about the kind of players that excel in Test cricket, Gambhir said the team needs ‘tough characters’.

“You don’t need the most flamboyant and talented cricketers to play Test cricket. What we need is tough characters with limited skills. They make good Test cricketers,” he said.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-south-africa-2025-india/gautam-gambhir-asks-bcci-to-take-call-on-his-future-indian-cricket-is-important-i-am-not-9702507

Mohammed Siraj publicly called out Air India Express for the 4-hour delay in departure from Guwahati to Hyderabad and the lack of communication regarding it.

India national cricket team fast-bowler Mohammad Siraj on Wednesday night publicly expressed his frustration with Air India Express after a troublesome travel experience with the airline.

In a social-media post, Siraj said his Air India Express flight (IX 2884) from Guwahati to Hyderabad, scheduled to depart at 7.25 pm but failed to take off as planned. He claimed the airline provided no clear explanation despite repeated enquiries, leaving passengers stranded for four hours.

“Air India flight No. IX 2884 from Guwahati to Hyderabad was supposed to depart at 7:25pm, yet there has been no communication from the airline. Even after repeated follow-ups, they’ve only delayed the flight without giving any proper reason. It’s extremely frustrating, and this is the basic expectation of any passenger,” Siraj wrote on X.

“Flight delayed by 4 hours and still no update has left us stranded. Worst airline experience,” Siraj added, cautioning travellers against booking with the carrier unless it “can take a stand.”

Just minutes after Siraj’s post, Air India Express issued a public response on X, apologising to the cricketer for the inconvenience. The airline said the flight had been cancelled “due to unforeseen operational reasons” and assured that its airport staff were assisting all passengers with necessary arrangements.

“We understand how difficult this situation is, and we truly appreciate your patience and understanding,” the airline wrote, adding that it would continue to provide updates and extend all possible support.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/story/mohammad-siraj-air-india-express-flight-delay-complaint-guwahati-hyderabad-2826648-2025-11-27

FIFA cited its disciplinary rules that allow for parts of a sanction to be probationary, though it is rare in cases of a three-game ban for two of them to be deferred.

Cristiano Ronaldo will likely avoid missing any Portugal games at the World Cup despite his red card in a qualifying game for elbowing an Ireland opponent. FIFA published a disciplinary verdict on Tuesday that imposed a three-game ban, which judged Ronaldo’s action as “violent conduct” or “serious foul play,” but with two of those games deferred for a one-year probation period. Ronaldo served a mandatory one-game ban when Portugal played its final qualifying game last week — a 9-1 win over Armenia that sealed its place at the World Cup in North America.

The superstar had been expected to be banned for at least one more game and start what will be his record sixth World Cup on the sidelines.

FIFA cited its disciplinary rules that allow for parts of a sanction to be probationary, though it is rare in cases of a three-game ban for two of them to be deferred.

In two cases judged by FIFA this month, players from Armenia and Burundi were banned for three games after getting red cards for acts of aggression in World Cup qualifying games and neither got a reduction on probation.

“If Cristiano Ronaldo commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period,” FIFA said in a statement, then the remaining two games will be activated.

FIFA has disciplinary authority over national-team games and Portugal is scheduled to play two friendly matches in March, then likely one or two warmup games in late-May or June. The World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico starts June 11.

Ronaldo swung an arm and struck Ireland defender Dara O’Shea with an elbow during a 2-0 loss in Dublin two weeks ago.

The FIFA verdict comes one week after Ronaldo met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House for a formal dinner with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. FIFA president Gianni Infantino also attended the event and posed for a selfie photo with Ronaldo.

Ronaldo has played in the Saudi league for three years at one of the clubs majority owned by the kingdom’s sovereign wealth Public Investment Fund that the prince chairs. Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup and has been a major financial backer of FIFA in the past two years.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/football/cristiano-ronaldo-set-to-avoid-ban-at-world-cup-after-fifa-red-card-verdict-offers-probation-9700404

Smriti Mandhana has removed all wedding-related posts from social media after her wedding to Palash Muchhal was postponed due to her father’s health issues.

A day after her wedding with music composer Palash Muchhal was postponed indefinitely, Indian cricket star Smriti Mandhana removed every wedding-related post from her social media accounts, shifting public attention from celebration to concern.

The wedding, which was scheduled to take place on Sunday in Mandhana’s hometown of Sangli, was abruptly put on hold after her father, Shrinivas Mandhana, suffered a sudden health scare. According to her manager Tuhin Mishra, Mandhana’s father began showing symptoms of a possible heart issue early Sunday morning while having breakfast. His condition did not improve, prompting the family to call an ambulance and rush him to a hospital, where he remains under observation.

Mishra confirmed that Mandhana, who shares a close bond with her father and credits him as a key pillar in her cricketing journey, immediately decided to postpone the wedding until he recovers. “Smriti is very clear — she wants her father to be okay first, and later she will get married,” Mishra said, requesting privacy for the family during the difficult time.

The couple had been in the midst of a week-long celebration, with pre-wedding rituals such as the Mehendi, Haldi and Sangeet already completed. Several of Mandhana’s India teammates — including Jemimah Rodrigues, Radha Yadav, Shafali Verma, Arundhati Reddy, Shivali Shinde, and Richa Ghosh — attended the festivities. A friendly “Bride Team vs Groom Team” cricket match and viral clips of Mandhana dancing with teammates had given fans a rare glimpse into her otherwise guarded personal life.

However, Mandhana’s decision to remove all photos and videos from the celebrations — including engagement posts and behind-the-scenes moments she had shared earlier — has drawn immediate attention. While some observers noted the timing and wondered about the abrupt social-media cleanup, the overwhelming reaction online has been one of empathy, with fans urging her to focus on family and wishing her father a speedy recovery.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/smriti-mandhana-deletes-all-wedding-related-posts-with-palash-muchhal-after-event-postponed-indefinitely-101764036084930.html

Iceland Cricket trolled Gautam Gambhir, stating he won’t coach their team. This jab highlights India’s struggles under Gambhir’s leadership.

Iceland Cricket has never needed an excuse to troll world cricket, but Gautam Gambhir’s India stint has just handed them fresh material. On Sunday, the European associate’s X handle decided to clear “fan doubts” with a deadpan update: Gambhir, they insisted, will not be invited to coach Iceland – that job is already taken, and the team has won 75% of their matches in 2025.

The numbers were tongue-in-cheek, the target anything but. Coming from an account built in snark and satire, the post lands a sharp reminder that India’s Test problems under Gambhir are now global meme currency, not just a domestic talking point.

Iceland’s barb arrives at a time when Gautam Gambhir’s red-ball record is under relentless scrutiny. Since taking over as India’s Head Coach in mid-2024, his side has lurched from a 0-3 home whitewash to New Zealand – India’s first home series defeat in 12 years – to a 1-3 loss in Australia that surrendered the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. A recent analysis of his tenure pegged India’s Test returns at seven wins, nine defeats, and two draws from 18 matches, with the team still trailing in the current series against South Africa.

The pattern has fuelled questions about muddled selections, mixed messaging, and an over-aggressive batting approach that has produced collapses at home and abroad. India’s red-ball performances under Gambhir have been inconsistent, and there has been a lack of steady results.

All of this sits awkwardly alongside Gambhir’s undeniable high points. India’s white-ball numbers under him remain stellar, with a Champions Trophy win and Asia Cup to show as the ultimate result. The two title wins clinched in a nine-month burst briefly shifted the narrative towards redemption.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/no-vacancy-for-gambhir-india-head-coach-will-not-be-invited-due-to-poor-win-percentage-iceland-crickets-brutal-dig-101764037413602.html

The Indian women’s kabaddi team on Monday secured its second consecutive World Cup title with a 35-28 win over Chinese Taipei here. India emerged on top in a tournament involving 11 countries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the many who lauded the women’s team for the remarkable achievement.

The Indian women’s kabaddi team on Monday secured its second consecutive World Cup title with a 35-28 win over Chinese Taipei here. India emerged on top in a tournament involving 11 countries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the many who lauded the women’s team for the remarkable achievement.

“Congratulations to our Indian Women’s Kabaddi Team for making the nation proud by winning the Kabaddi World Cup 2025! They have showcased outstanding grit, skills and dedication. Their victory will inspire countless youngsters to pursue Kabaddi, dream bigger and aim higher,” the Prime Minister wrote on X.

Unbeaten India were in sublime form throughout the tournament. They had beaten Iran 33-21 to enter the summit clash. Chinese Taipei, on the other hand, beat hosts Bangladesh 25-18 in the semifinals. Home Minister Amit Shah too was quick to congratulate the victorious outfit.

“Moment of immense pride as our women’s Kabbadi team scripts history. Congratulations to the entire team for lifting the Women’s #KabaddiWorldCup2025. Your stupendous victory reiterates why India’s sporting talent is second to none. All my best wishes for your future endeavors,” Shah wrote on X.

Former India captain Ajay Thakur added: “Their dominant run to the final and then the trophy shows how much women’s kabaddi has progressed in the last few years. It is also a testament to the global appeal of the sport, with Bangladesh hosting the World Cup, and I hope that this momentum continues in the years to come,” he said.

In the league stage, India displayed their dominance with wins over Thailand, Bangladesh, Germany and Uganda.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/indian-womens-kabaddi-team-clinches-second-consecutive-world-cup-title-pm-narendra-modi-lauds-players-article-153199426

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru wicket-keeper batter Shreevats Goswami believes that Virat Kohli should have continued playing Tests and retired from ODIs instead.

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru wicket-keeper batter Shreevats Goswami believes that Virat Kohli should have continued playing Tests and retired from ODIs instead. He further said that the current Indian cricket team missed the energy and belief that they used to enjoy under Kohli’s captaincy. The comments came after India’s disappointing show in the ongoing Test encounter against South Africa in Guwahati. India were handed an embarrassing Test series defeat by New Zealand last year and if the Rishabh Pant-led side loss the second Test, they are starting at another home series loss against South Africa.

“Ideally, Virat should have left playing ODIs & continued playing test cricket until he had nothing to give. Test cricket misses him. Not just as a player but just the energy he brought, the love & passion playing for India where he made the team believe that they can win in any condition,” he posted on X.

Coming to the match, after taking a 288-run first innings lead, South Africa were 26 for no loss in their second essay at stumps on Day 3 as the visitors took control of the second Test against India.

Openers Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram were batting on 13 and 12 respectively at the end of the day’s play. South Africa faced eight overs in the final session after dismissing India for 201 in 83.5 overs in their first innings.

The Proteas, who had made 489 in their first innings, are now 314 runs ahead overall with two days left in the Test. The visitors had won the first Test by 30 runs in Kolkata.

In India’s first innings, only Yashasvi Jaiswal (58 off 97 balls) and Washington Sundar (48 off 92 balls) could contribute substantially as the home team suffered a batting collapse after starting the day at 9 for no loss.

Four Indian wickets tumbled in the opening session, reaching 102 for 4 at tea. Three more Indian batters fell in the second session.

Washington and Kuldeep Yadav (19 off 134 balls) gave a stubborn resistance after India were reduced to 122 for 7 in the second session, stitching a 72-run partnership for the eighth wicket before the former was out.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-south-africa-2025-india/virat-kohli-sent-big-comeback-message-amid-indias-dismal-show-against-south-africa-9693822

Deep into stoppage time, Ronaldo latched onto a pinpoint cross from Nawaf Boushal and executed a remarkable overhead kick, sealing the victory and extending Al Nassr’s lead at the top of the Saudi Pro League to four points over rivals Al Hilal.

Cristiano Ronaldo once again reminded the world of his brilliance at the age of 40, producing a sensational bicycle kick goal that echoed one of the most iconic moments of his career. On Sunday, November 23, the Portuguese superstar found the net in stunning fashion as Al Nassr defeated Al-Khaleej 4-1 at the Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh.

Deep into stoppage time, Ronaldo latched onto a pinpoint cross from Nawaf Boushal and executed a remarkable overhead kick, sealing the victory and extending Al Nassr’s lead at the top of the Saudi Pro League to four points over rivals Al Hilal. The strike instantly drew comparisons to his unforgettable overhead goal for Real Madrid against Juventus in the 2017 UEFA Champions League.

Renowned TV presenter, journalist and author Piers Morgan also can’t keep calm as he tweeted about Ronaldo’s goal. He wrote, “Just when I thought my night couldn’t get any better, my mate @Cristiano scores another worldie bicycle kick goal. He’s 40! Ridiculous.”

Ronaldo’s latest goal has already been tipped as a strong contender for the 2026 FIFA Puskas Award. The veteran forward, notably, was the award’s first-ever winner in 2009 for his long-range strike for Manchester United against Porto, and finished runner-up in 2018 for the famous Juventus goal.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/watch-cristiano-ronaldo-recreates-iconic-bicycle-kick-goal-vs-juventus-during-al-nassral-khaleej-clash

They got up to staggering speeds during the lap

THE stars were out in force as Formula One rolled into Las Vegas.

And uber celebs such as Beyonce and Jay Z were among the A-listers taking in the events as motorsport’s most glamorous racing series visited town.

Beyonce, 44, was given a special treat as she was taken around F1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for a hot lap in a scarlet red Ferrari.

She was certainly dressed for the occasion in a custom-made Louis Vuitton red, white and black leather suit with a gold crystal LVM logo and black aviator-style sunglasses, red gloves and black boots.

The Single Ladies singer appeared out of breath after reportedly reaching speeds of 200mph.

A video shared on F1’s social media pages showed Hamilton, 40, and Beyonce embrace in a hug after the lap.

Meanwhile, she shared a video of herself getting in the car to her Instagram page alongside the caption: “Give it to mama”.

Reacting on social media, one fan said: “HOT THANG!!!!!!”

A second said: “We got the green light.”

The official F1 account added: “LOVE.”

Hamilton, Beyonce and Jay Z, 55, were all seen enjoying a chat after the hot lap.

They also posed for pictures on the grid alongside Travis Scott and Michael Rubin.

As the evening arrived for Hamilton and Co to go racing full-throttle behind the wheel of their F1 cars, Beyonce arrived alongside husband Jay Z sporting a striking red Ferrari outfit.

Hamilton qualified dead last for the first time in his F1 career before enjoying an impressive start in the race to get himself into the points.

He finished P10 in the original order, but thanks to disqualifications for McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri who had finished P2 and P4, Hamilton moved up to P8.

After the race he bemoaned his “worst ever season” in F1 during what is his first term with Ferrari – F1’s most iconic and successful team.

With just two races to go the Brit is facing down the unwanted record of failing to score a podium in a season for the first time in his career, which started in 2007.

He will have the race weekends in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to prevent that from coming to pass, but with Ferrari often looking way off the pace of rivals it could prove to be a tall order.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15536748/beyonce-racing-suit-hot-lap-hamilton-las-vegas-f1/

Shubman Gill suffered an injury during the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata and is currently undergoing further assessment in Mumbai.

KL Rahul is likely to lead Team India in the upcoming three-match One Day International (ODI) series against South Africa starting from November 30, given Shubman Gill’s unavailability due to a neck injury, as per a BCCI source. Rahul is likely to lead the Indian team in the upcoming ODI series against South Africa, as India will be without their captain, Shubman Gill. Gill, India’s ODI captain, suffered the injury during the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata and is currently undergoing further assessment in Mumbai.

The 26-year-old had sustained a neck injury on Day 2 during India’s first Test against South Africa. Gill was taken to the hospital after Day 2 of the Kolkata Test, shortly after retiring hurt in the first innings, having faced just three balls.

Gill has not regained full fitness for the second Test and will proceed to Mumbai for further assessment.

Shreyas Iyer, who was appointed his deputy in ODIs for the recently concluded Australia series in October, is also out of action due to an injury. Iyer suffered the injury during the third ODI against Australia.

With Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer out of action, Rahul emerges as the likely stand-in captain. Rahul boasts impressive ODI stats, having scored 3092 runs in 88 matches at an average of 48.31 and a strike rate of 88.41.

India is set to face South Africa in a three-match ODI series, starting with the first match on November 30 in Ranchi, followed by fixtures in Raipur on December 3 and Vizag on December 6. The much-anticipated series also marks the international comeback of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in home conditions.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-south-africa-2025-india/not-rishabh-pant-or-rohit-sharma-this-star-to-replace-shubman-gill-as-india-odi-captain-vs-south-africa-9683164

Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana is set to marry music director Palash Muchhal on November 23, with vibrant pre-wedding festivities shared widely on social media.

Indian cricketing stalwart Smriti Mandhana is all set to tie the knot with music director Palash Muchhal on November 23. Over the past few days, social media has been flooded by the couple’s pre-wedding festivities. From the videos of Haldi celebrations to a friendly cricket match between the teams led by the groom and the bride, some mesmerising scenes have unfolded ahead of the big day. Now, a stunning video has emerged on social media, showcasing Smriti and Palash performing a perfectly choreographed dance.

In the video, Smriti could be seen putting a garland around Palash’s neck, with the latter bowing in front of the Indian women’s team opening batter. Seeing Smriti, usually considered an introvert, own the stage in such a manner, the Indian cricketing spectrum was left scratching its heads.

Members of the Indian women’s cricket team also performed on the occasion.

The pre-wedding festivities continue:

The Engagement: The couple officially confirmed their engagement in a fun and unconventional manner last week. Smtiti shared a viral Instagram reel featuring her and teammates like Jemimah Rodrigues and Shreyanka Patil dancing, subtly revealing her ring in the final frame. Muchhal followed up with a heartfelt video of his surprise proposal at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, the same venue where India won the Women’s ODI World Cup recently.

Haldi and Mehendi: The pre-wedding rituals were full of energy and colour. The Haldi ceremony saw Smriti, dressed in a bright yellow outfit, dancing and celebrating with her ‘team bride’ teammates, including Shafali Verma, Renuka Singh Thakur, and Radha Yadav. The Mehendi ceremony featured Smriti in a stunning purple ensemble.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/smriti-mandhana-ditches-shy-avatar-for-pre-wedding-dance-with-palash-muchhal-internet-stunned-9684436

The ongoing inaugural Blind Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup has put the spotlight on visually impaired Indian women who have overcome immense challenges to reach this stage.

They come from villages, farming families and small-town hostels, with many learning the sport only in the past few years.

The T20 tournament – a six-team event featuring India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia and the USA – began on 11 November in Delhi. After a few matches in Bengaluru, the venue for the knockouts has now moved to Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo.

The 16-member Indian squad represents nine states – Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Delhi, Assam, and Bihar. Many players were introduced to the sport through schoolteachers, disability organisations, or community camps.

“Most of the players are from rural backgrounds,” said team manager Shika Shetty. “Language and culture were barriers, families and teachers were often unwilling to let them pursue the sport, and even introducing the rules of blind cricket took time. But now they are all competing with pride.”

Blind cricket uses a plastic ball with metal bearings that makes a sound, and players are classified depending on their level of visual impairment. Players are classified as B1, B2 or B3, based on vision, and teams must include a mix of all three. The ball jingles and is bowled underarm along the pitch. B1 players, who are fully blind, bat with runners for safety, and each run they complete counts as two.

The World Cup features six teams in a single round-robin. India won all five matches and were the first side to qualify for the semi-finals.

South Africa’s G20 priorities include debt sustainability, energy transition, disaster resilience, and critical minerals for growth, ahead of PM Modi’s visit.

Debt sustainability for low income countries, mobilising finance for just energy transition, strengthening disaster resilience and response, and harnessing critical minerals for inclusive growth and sustainable development are among the four key priority areas identified by South Africa for its G20 presidency, secretary (economic relations) Sudhakar Dalela said at a special briefing on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Johannesburg for the 20th G20 Summit.

These areas, he said, were identified under the theme for South Africa’s G20 Presidency — Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.

The summit will be important for India to ensure continuity of its priorities in the G20 after it hosted a successful presidency in 2023, he said. “The G20 has emerged as a premium forum for international economic cooperation as well as for discussing matters of global significance. These include accelerating progress on sustainable development goals, reform of global institutions of governance, tackling environmental and climate challenges, debt sustainability, bridging the digital divide, energy transition, emerging technologies, underscoring the importance of international coordination and cooperation, and addressing contemporary global challenges,” Dalela said.

Modi will head for Johannesburg on Friday to attend the summit taking place on November 22-23 at a time when President Donald Trump has announced that the US will boycott the summit, accusing the host country of discriminating against its white minority.

Asked if the PM will raise the issue of terrorism, Dalela said, “The issue of terrorism is a very important subject for us but G20, as you know, is a forum where economic issues and related matters are discussed. We are discussing the declaration for the summit. Our colleagues and teams are in Johannesburg, and all such issues are being discussed. So I will not try to prejudge what will come in the declaration, but all important matters that are relevant from our perspective, from the Global South’s perspective will be highlighted by our leadership.”

Various countries that are developing or are less developed are referred to as the Global South.

The PM will put forth India’s perspectives on the G20 agenda, and is expected to speak in all the three sessions of the summit, Africa’s first.

The sessions include Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth Leaving No One Behind: Building our economies; the role of trade; financing for development and the debt burden; A Resilient World — the G20’s Contribution: Disaster Risk Reduction; Climate Change; Just Energy Transitions; Food Systems, and A Fair and a Just Future for All: Critical Minerals; Decent Work; Artificial Intelligence.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/g20-to-focus-on-debt-sustainability-just-energy-transition-top-official-101763666969000.html

According to police, the incident took place during a wedding ceremony in Sardhana, where the firing took place from a double-barreled gun during the jaimala ceremony.

International javelin thrower Annu Rani and her husband, national kickboxer Sahil Bhardwaj, were booked on Wednesday after they were found firing celebratory shots during their wedding, in a video that went viral on social media, police said.

“An FIR has been lodged against Annu Rani and Sahil under the Arms Act and an investigation has been initiated,” Sardhana Station House Officer Dinesh Pratap Singh told PTI.

The viral video clearly shows the couple engaging in celebratory firing, he said.

According to police, the incident took place during a wedding ceremony in Sardhana, where the firing took place from a double-barreled gun during the jaimala ceremony.

The video, which surfaced online, purportedly shows the bride and groom, Annu Rani and Sahil, firing from the stage, they said.

Technical verification of the video and details of the firearm are being examined, Singh added.

Rani, a resident of Meerut’s Bahadarpur village, is an international-level javelin thrower, while Sahil Bhardwaj from Rohtak is a national kickboxing champion.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/up-javelin-thrower-annu-rani-husband-charged-for-celebratory-firing-9673135

Head coach Gautam Gambhir has been facing backlash after the Indian team failed to chase down 124 on a tricky surface at the Eden Gardens.

India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has defended Gautam Gambhir following the team’s debacle last week in the 1st Test against South Africa in Kolkata. Head coach Gambhir continues to face backlash after the Indian team failed to chase down 124 on a tricky surface at the Eden Gardens. Kotak, who was appointed India’s batting coach in January 2025, suggested that Gambhir isn’t the only one to blame for the loss, adding that the players and the support staff could have done things differently.

“Everyone is talking about Gautam Gambhir. No one is saying that the batsmen, the bowlers or the support staff could have done things differently,” Kotak said during a press conference on Thursday.

Kotak also defended the chief curator at Eden Gardens, Sujan Mukherjee, over the criticism of pitch, adding that even the management didn’t expect the ball to grip that much, that too on the second day.

“When we play a Test at home or travel abroad, every home team plays to its strengths. Ever since I became the batting coach, we have opted for spin-friendly tracks in India. We always hoped that a match goes on four days at least, and the ball should turn a bit since spin is our strength. In the last match, as well all saw, the pitch was a dusty and was also crumbling a bit. That was unexpected. We thought that the spinners would come into play properly from the third day. Even the curators didn’t expect that. Seeing that much turn on the second day is not normal. It probably happened because the top layer was dry and the pitch underneath was hard since it was rolled a lot,” he added.

The former Saurashtra head coach also shared his views on Gambhir’s defending Sujan after the loss in Kolkata.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-south-africa-2025-india/india-coach-gives-fresh-twist-to-pitch-row-everybody-talking-about-gautam-gambhir-9669129

In a fun and light-hearted moment, Smriti Mandhana confirmed her engagement by flashing her ring in a playful dance video with her teammates. The video featuring many of the India World Cup winners, has gone viral on social media.

India batter and World Cup winner, Smriti Mandhana chose a fun and refreshing way to share a special moment from her personal life, confirming her engagement to music composer Palash Muchhal through a playful Instagram reel. Surrounded by her teammates and set to a classic Bollywood track, the India batter turned a simple dance video into a memorable announcement.

Joined by Jemimah Rodrigues, Shreyanka Patil Radha Yadav, and even Arundhati Reddy, Mandhana featured in a neatly choreographed routine to “Samjho Ho Hi Gaya” from the 2006 film Lage Raho Munna Bhai. The video has since gone viral on social media. However, in the closing frames, Mandhana subtly lifted her hand towards the camera, flashing her engagement ring and confirming the long-rumoured news.

Muchhal had earlier offered a hint about their relationship during an event at the State Press Club in Indore in October. While refraining from making a direct confirmation, he had quipped that Mandhana would soon become the “daughter-in-law of Indore” — a remark that sparked speculation but stopped short of revealing concrete plans.

Away from the joyous personal milestone, Mandhana’s on-field numbers continue to tell an equally impressive story. Fresh from India’s historic ICC Women’s ODI World Cup victory, the elegant left-hander delivered a remarkable campaign with the bat. She finished with 434 runs in nine innings at an average of 54.22, including a match-winning century against New Zealand.

In the process, Mandhana became the highest run-scorer by an Indian in a single edition of the Women’s ODI World Cup, surpassing the previous record of 409 runs set by Mithali Raj during the 2017 tournament in England. Her consistency and attacking intent at the top of the order proved vital to India’s title-winning run.

Her impact was also evident in the final against South Africa, where she and Shafali Verma provided India with a blistering start. The opening pair stormed past a fifty-run partnership inside the first seven overs, putting the Proteas bowlers under immediate pressure. Although South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt still tops the overall chart with 470 runs this edition, Mandhana’s dominant presence remained one of the defining forces of the tournament.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/smriti-mandhana-palash-muchal-engagement-funny-video-jememah-rodrigues-2823261-2025-11-20

Gill is a doubtful starter for the second Test against South Africa due to a neck injury that he suffered on Day 2 of the first Test at Eden Gardens.

Shubman Gill is doubtful for the second India-South Africa Test, which will be played at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati from November 22 to 26. The 26-year-old right-handed batter from Punjab, who is also the captain of India’s Test and ODI team, suffered a neck injury on Day 2 of the first Test at Eden Gardens, and due to that, he didn’t come out to bat as well in the second innings. Gill, who was taken to the hospital for treatment, will reportedly travel to Guwahati for the match, but there is no clarity about his participation.

If Gill misses, then Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal could get a game in place of him. But according to former India opener Aakash Chopra, who has now donned the hat of an expert and commentator, if Gill is not there, then Indian selectors should consider including Ruturaj Gaikwad.

According to Chopra, Gaikwad is in red-hot form these days, and it will be wise to bring a right-handed in-form batter in the XI, as there are already six left-handed batters, and Sudharsan and Padikkal also are lefties.

“Should Ruturaj Gaikwad be selected in the Test team? You might be wondering how he can be selected, as the team is already selected, and no one has gone out. There is still no clarity on Shubman Gill’s participation. He has been discharged from the hospital, but there is still a question mark over his participation,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“Just in case he doesn’t become available, you will have to play someone. You have Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal sitting outside – two more left-handers. You have six left-handers in the XI at the moment. Do you want to go with seven left-handers? You want to change that, maybe,” he added.

Gaikwad, who is yet to play a Test match for India, has registered scores of 91, 55*, 116 and 36* in four innings of three Ranji Trophy matches for Maharashtra this season, and in the two unofficial ODIs for India A against South Africa A in Rajkot last week, he hammered 117 and 68* to win back-to-back Player Of The Match (POTM) awards.

Source: https://www.news18.com/cricket/aakash-chopra-wants-ruturaj-gaikwad-to-replace-shubman-gill-for-2nd-test-against-south-africa-ws-l-9716872.html

The 40-year-old was seen in a black tuxedo as he took his seat alongside the likes of Elon Musk and Vice President JD Vance. The video of the event has gone viral on social media.

Cristiano Ronaldo joined Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at a dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump in the East Room of the White House on Tuesday. The 40-year-old was seen in a black tuxedo as he took his seat alongside the likes of Elon Musk and Vice President JD Vance. The video of the event has gone viral on social media.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who currently plays for Saudi club Al Nassr, shares close ties with the Saudi Crown Prince after moving to Riyadh in 2023. Ronaldo has since become the face of the Saudi Pro League, recently extending his contract with Al Nassr for another two years, and now serves as a sporting ambassador for Saudi Arabia. He has publicly referred to bin Salman as his “boss.”

Donald Trump rerveals youngest son a big Cristiano Ronaldo fan

Trump revealed during the evening that his youngest son, Barron , is a “big fan” of Ronaldo. The Portuguese forward’s visit to the White House marked his first trip to the United States, having not played a football match in the country since 2014, following sexual assault allegations made against him in 2009, which he has always denied.

Ronaldo, who praised Trump during a previous interview with journalist Piers Morgan, once said, “[President Trump] is one of the guys who can help to change the world. One of the most important guys is the U.S. President. He is one of the guys I wish to meet to sit and have a nice talk. If it is here, or in the U.S., wherever he wants. I know he was here in Saudi with our boss MBS. I wish one day to meet him because he is one of the guys who can make things happen and I like people like that.”

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/watch-cristiano-ronaldo-joins-dinner-hosted-by-us-president-donald-trump-amid-saudi-crown-princes-visit

Sourav Ganguly has dismissed calls to sack Gautam Gambhir after India’s Eden Gardens defeat. He believes better pitches, patience and clearer planning are the real priorities as India look to correct recurring Test-match flaws.

Former India captain and current Cricket Association of Bengal president Sourav Ganguly has strongly backed head coach Gautam Gambhir amid the rising noise after India’s loss to South Africa in the opening Test at Eden Gardens. The defeat has sparked scrutiny over India’s preparation and approach, but Ganguly insists that any talk of removing Gambhir is premature and unwarranted.

In an exclusive interaction with India Today’s Rajdeep Sardesai, the Cricket Association of Bengal President stressed that India must look at the broader picture instead of resorting to extreme reactions. He argued that the team needs to realign its mindset and focus on playing on better, more balanced pitches in the future while trusting the coach–captain combination to turn things around.

“No, no, there’s no question of sacking out of Gautam Gambhir at this stage, but I think as a team, they need to get together and say to themselves that we will work hard to win Test matches because on flat pitches, it’s a lot harder because the opposition will pad, there’ll be big runs scored on the first innings of each team. And in India, surprisingly, you’ll see how the game changes quickly on day four, day five.”

Ganguly added that India have the personnel to compete on proper Test surfaces and have shown they can take 20 wickets even abroad.

“So they have to be patient on that. As I said, they have the bowling attack to get 20 wickets as you saw at the Oval on the last day, as you saw in Edgbaston during that series (vs England), so they can do that as well. Swing comes into play in India with the ball getting old. So it’s just a mindset change.”

He reiterated his belief in Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill, pointing to their recent success in England.

“And you know, Gautam as a coach and Shubman as a captain did exceptionally well in England on good batting pitches. And I firmly believe that they can do well in India as well.”

Ganguly’s remarks also align with what he told India Today shortly after the loss, when he acknowledged that the Eden Gardens pitch “was far from perfect” but insisted that the bigger focus for India must be balance, execution and clarity of plans rather than finger-pointing.

India’s defeat also marked their second-lowest failed chase at home, sharpening focus on a pattern that has now seen India lose 9 of 18 Tests under Gambhir’s tenure — many of them shaped by batting collapses on helpful bowling surfaces. After restricting South Africa to a chaseable 124, India’s batting imploded again, bowled out for 93 and unable to handle the turn and variable bounce with the control required.

Proteas captain, Temba Bavuma’s gritty half-century stood out as the clearest template for how to survive and score on that pitch, while India’s top and middle order folded under sustained pressure — a collapse that echoed their struggles in New Zealand last year, where slow, turning surfaces exposed the same technical frailties.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/india-vs-south-africa-gautam-gambhir-sacking-no-question-sourav-ganguly-better-pitches-2822155-2025-11-18

Bangladesh women’s captain targeted Harmanpreet Kaur as she responded to the physical assault allegations made by Jahanara Alam.

Bangladesh women’s captain Nigar Sultana Joty has finally responded to the allegations of physically assaulting junior cricketers within the team. The wicketkeeper-batter took a dig at the Women’s World Cup-winning captain Harmanpreet Kaur during the same time as she seemingly referenced the row involving the Indian skipper during India’s tour of Bangladesh in 2023. It is worth mentioning that in that series, Harmanpreet had smashed the stumps with her bat in frustration after being adjudged leg before wicket.

She later labelled the umpiring “pathetic” during the post-match presentation and even taunted the Bangladesh players during the trophy photo session.

Returning to Sultana, the Bangladesh captain finds herself in the midst of a huge controversy after pacer Jaharanara Alam claimed that Joty misbehaved with junior players in the team, even going so far as to hit them.

“Why would I hit anyone? I mean, why would I strike the stumps with my bat? Am I Harmanpreet, that I would go around hitting the stumps like that? Why would I do it? In my personal space, if I’m cooking or something, I might bang my bat around, I might hit my helmet — that’s my own business,” Joty said in an interview with Daily Cricket.

“But why would I do something like that to someone else? Why would I get physical? Just because someone says so? You can ask the other players or anyone else whether I’ve ever done anything like that,” she added.

Serious allegations against Joty

Joty had recently led in the Women’s World Cup 2025, where India eventually won the tournament by beating South Africa in the summit clash at the Dr DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. Bangladesh managed just a solitary win in the tournament, defeating Pakistan in Colombo.

In her interview with Riasad Azim, Jahanara, who is currently residing in Australia, revealed that junior cricketers had called her, claiming they had been hit by Joty. However, this claim was denied by the Bangladesh captain, who said that juniors would have reported the incident to higher officials if it had actually happened, rather than phoning someone living abroad.

“The way I’ve been described in front of everyone — I’m not that kind of girl at all. First, I heard that Jahanara apu has made an allegation about me, saying that someone called her in Australia and said, ‘Please save us, Jyoti apu is beating us and finishing us off.’ What I’m trying to say is: someone who hasn’t been here for six or seven years and has gone off to Australia — if I really beat someone or harmed someone in any way, is there no team management, no manager, no coaching staff? Am I the ultimate authority then?” she questioned.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/bangladesh-womens-captain-breaks-silence-on-physical-assault-allegations-am-i-harmanpreet-kaur-101763426881099.html

India are placed 4th in the World Test Championship standings at present, with a PCT of 54.17.

The Indian cricket team finds itself in a precarious situation after the defeat in the Kolkata Test. In the 2025-2027 cycle, the Shubman Gill-led side has already lost three matches, while one ended in a draw. In the cycle so far, the team has mustered up just 4 wins, a number that has made their World Test Championship final qualification race an uphill battle. Yet, all hope is not lost yet. The Indian team, to reach the title-decider from hereon, needs to put on a near-perfect show.

At present, Gill’s Team India sits mid-table in the standings with a points percentage (PCT) of just over 54. As history has taught us, the qualification threshold usually hovers between 64 to 68 percent. This means India must win the majority of their remaining matches to climb into the top two. The margin for error is slim, and every defeat from here on will make qualification increasingly difficult.

India’s Remaining Fixtures In the WTC 2025-27 Cycle:

Home series against South Africa – 1 Test (Guwahati)

Away series against Sri Lanka – 2 Tests

Away series against New Zealand – 2 Tests

Home series against Australia – 5 Tests

If India go on to win these 10 Tests, their total points tally would go up to 120 points. The team has already played 8 of the total 18 matches it was to in the ongoing cycle.

India’s potential PCT, depending upon the number of wins the team achieves in the remaining games:

5 Wins: India’s final points would be 112, resulting in a Final PCT of 51.85%.

6 Wins: India’s final points would be 124, resulting in a Final PCT of 57.41%.

7 Wins: India’s final points would be 136, resulting in a Final PCT of 62.96%.

8 Wins: India’s final points would be 148, resulting in a Final PCT of 68.52%.

9 Wins: India’s final points would be 160, resulting in a Final PCT of 74.07%.

10 Wins: India’s final points would be 172, resulting in a Final PCT of 79.63%.

For India to confidently secure a spot in the World Test Championship final, they will likely need to target at least 8 wins in their remaining 10 matches to achieve a PCT above the historical qualification threshold (around 65%).

WTC Finals History:

New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa are the winners of the three ICC WTC cycles that have been completed so far. Here’s what the PCT of the six teams in the previous three finals were:

1. 2019-2021 Cycle (Winner: New Zealand)

India (Rank 1): 72.2%

New Zealand (Rank 2): 70.0%

2. 2021-2023 Cycle (Winner: Australia)

Australia (Rank 1): 66.7%

India (Rank 2): 58.8%

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-south-africa-2025-india/with-3-losses-in-8-matches-how-india-can-qualify-for-world-test-championship-final-9653949

Apart from his gold medal, Dhanush Srikanth also set a new Deaf Final World Record of 252.2.

Dhanush Srikanth on Sunday opened the account for India with a gold medal in the men’s air rifle event at the Deaflympics in Tokyo.

India’s Mohammed Murtaza Vania finished with a final score of 250.1 to grab the silver medal while Korea’s Baek Seunghak settled for bronze with a score of 223.6.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/indias-dhanush-wins-air-rifle-gold-murtaza-settles-for-silver-in-deaflympics-3799898

Incident happened early Sunday morning in Midtown Manhattan

NEW York Jets player Kris Boyd is fighting for his life in hospital after being shot.

The New York Post reported that the defensive back was involved in a shooting in Midtown Manhattan and is in a critical condition.

The incident happened at around 2am ET Sunday morning on West 38th Street near Seventh Avenue.

Police did not identify Boyd as the victim.

But the New York Post cited sources and reported that it was the 29-year-old.

He was critically wounded in the incident and is fighting for his life in Bellevue Hospital.

An investigation is underway but no arrests have been made, the New York Post added.

The New York Jets said in a statement, “We are aware of the situation involving Kris Boyd and will have no further comment at this time.”

ABC7 reported that first responders found Boyd with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

The report adds that police are looking for a man who fled the scene in a blue vehicle in connection with the shooting.

Boyd was a seventh round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

He played for the Minnesota Vikings from 2019 to 2022.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15500371/kris-boyd-new-york-jets-shot-manhattan/

Sourav Ganguly defended the Eden Gardens pitch after India and South Africa struggled, with Morne Morkel surprised by its rapid deterioration in the first Test of the series.

Cricket Association of Bengal president Sourav Ganguly on Saturday came to the defence of the crumbling Eden Gardens pitch being used in the first Test of the two-match series between India and South Africa.

After India was dismissed for 189 in response to South Africa’s first innings total of 159, the Proteas struggled against the spin, particularly Ravindra Jadeja’s deliveries, sinking to 93/7 with a lead of just 63 runs.

India vs South Africa: 1st Test, Day 3 –

“The pitch is what the Indian camp wanted. This is what happens when you don’t water the pitch for four days. Curator Sujan Mukherjee can’t be blamed,” Sourav Ganguly told News18 Bangla.

This is after the CAB president himself had claimed earlier in the week that Gautam Gambhir and the Indian team management had not requested a rank turner.

India head coach Gautam Gambhir, who arrived late on Sunday with the team members from the white-ball series in Australia, inspected the Eden pitch on Monday morning along with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak.

Ganguly also inspected the wicket later in the evening, after which the entire square was covered to protect it from dew or any possible showers.

“They haven’t asked for it yet, so I can’t answer that question. It looks like a very good one,” Ganguly had told PTI on Monday when asked if the Indian team management had requested a turning wicket.

India Coach ‘Surprised’
On Saturday, India bowling coach Morne Morkel admitted that his side was “surprised” by how quickly the Eden Gardens surface “deteriorated” after a dramatic second day in which 15 wickets fell, shifting the opening Test sharply in India’s favour.

Morkel said the team had not expected such rapid wear and tear on the pitch.

Source: https://www.news18.com/cricket/sourav-ganguly-defends-cab-blames-india-for-kolkata-pitch-indian-camp-wanted-ws-l-9711171.html

Shubman Gill Medical Update: India skipper Shubman Gill was admitted to the ICU after being stretchered off due to a neck injury he sustained in the Kolkata Test against South Africa.

The Indian team has been dealt a huge blow ahead of the start of play on Day 3 of the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata, with skipper Shubman Gill ruled out for the remainder of the match. Gill was admitted to the Woodlands hospital in Kolkata due to a neck injury he sustained during the second day’s play on Saturday. Sources have confirmed to NDTV that Gill has been kept in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) since the beginning, but only for observation.

Gill is set to remain in the hospital on Sunday and has been declared unavailable for the remainder of the match. In fact, his participation in the next Test in Guwahati is also uncertain. The batter has been admitted under the supervision of Dr. Saptarshi Basu, with a medical board formed as a precautionary measure, as per RevSportz. The panel includes a critical care specialist, neurosurgeon, neurologist, and cardiologist, ensuring that every aspect of his condition is closely monitored.

Officials have stated that his participation in the upcoming Guwahati Test will depend entirely on the speed of his recovery. At present, it is impossible to predict whether he will be fit in time, though there remains cautious optimism that he could recover faster than expected.

During the second day’s play, Shubman Gill retired hurt after facing just three balls. He appeared in visible discomfort after playing a sweep shot off Simon Harmer, clutching his neck before calling for medical assistance. He was subsequently taken to a hospital in Kolkata for scans and observation.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) later confirmed that Gill was suffering from a neck spasm. He was seen wearing a cervical collar and is being monitored by the medical staff. His sudden exit forced India to send in Rishabh Pant, marking Pant’s first appearance since the Oval Test against England.

BCCI Confirms Shubman Gill Out Of Kolkata Test

The BCCI, in an update before the start of play on Day 3, confirmed that Gill will play no part in the remainder of the Kolkata Test.

“Captain Shubman Gill had a neck injury on Day 2 of the ongoing Test against South Africa in Kolkata. He was taken to the hospital for examination after the end of day’s play. He is currently under observation in the hospital. He will take no further part in the Test match. He will continue to be monitored by the BCCI medical team. Gill’s injury has raised doubts about his continued participation in the series, though the team management has emphasised that no risks will be taken with his fitness. His absence leaves India facing significant challenges in terms of leadership and batting depth,” the BCCI update read.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-south-africa-2025-india/shubman-gill-admitted-to-icu-concerns-arise-over-participation-in-remaining-test-series-9643813

The weeks-long streaming stalemate between YouTube TV and Disney is finally over, with the two sides reaching a deal Friday evening.

With the deal now in place, Disney-owned channels like ESPN and ABC, among others, are now restored on YouTube TV.

“As part of the new deal, Disney’s full suite of networks and stations — including ESPN and ABC — have already begun to be restored to YouTube TV subscribers,” ESPN’s PR team said in a statement Friday.

This new deal is also expected to give YouTube TV subscribers access to ESPN’s newly released direct-to-consumer app alongside the $80-per-month service, The Athletic reported.

YouTube TV’s 10 million subscribers have been without ESPN’s college football and “Monday Night Football” games since Oct. 30.

The deal came just a day after Disney CFO Hugh Johnston had some rather pessimistic comments on the negotiations.

“We’re in the middle of negotiations right now,” Johnston said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Thursday. “Things are live, they’re happening. Obviously, as we entered the year, we knew this was going to be a challenging battle, and we prepared ourselves for it. And we’re ready to go as long as they want to.”

According to The Athletic, Disney had a quarterly earnings call with Wall Street analysts on Thursday that acted as a de facto deadline for the negotiations.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/11/14/sports/youtube-tv-disney-agree-to-deal-to-bring-espn-back-to-streaming-platform-after-long-stalemate/

England have cruised through World Cup qualifying, winning all seven of their games and scoring 20 unanswered goals, setting several records and leaving them on the cusp of another.

If Thomas Tuchel’s team beat Albania in Sunday’s final qualifier (17:00 GMT) and keep a clean sheet, they will become the first European side to play at least six qualifiers and win them all without conceding.

A clean sweep of victories – regardless of goals conceded – is also a rare achievement. Excluding the early years of the World Cup, when teams often played just a handful of preliminary matches, only four European countries have finished with a 100% winning record.

Germany were the last side to do so on the way to the 2018 tournament, though they went on to suffer a shock early exit in Russia. Spain and the Netherlands, who met in the 2010 final, both qualified for South Africa in perfect style, as did West Germany for the 1982 tournament.

England are not the only side on the verge of joining this exclusive list – Spain and Norway have likewise won all their 2026 qualifiers, with Luis de la Fuente’s team yet to concede a goal.

Pakistan was fined 20% of its match fees for a slow over-rate against Sri Lanka after winning their first one-day international.

Match referee Ali Naqvi imposed the sanction on Thursday after Pakistan was found four overs short of the target on Tuesday after time allowances were considered.

Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi pleaded guilty to the offense, the ICC said.

Pakistan won by six runs to open the three-match series.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-sri-lanka-fine-a2537b07e71e9d1bc27ba8e79e9e31a2

Sania Mirza has revealed she suffered panic attacks after her divorce from Shoaib Malik. The tennis star credited her close friend, Bollywood director Farah Khan, for helping her through one of her lowest emotional moments.

Former tennis ace Sania Mirza has opened up about one of the most emotional moments of her life, sharing how Bollywood director and choreographer Farah Khan stood by her during a panic attack that struck after her divorce from former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik.

The revelation came during the first episode of Sania’s newly launched YouTube talk show, Serving It Up With Sania, where Farah appeared as her debut guest. During their candid and heartfelt chat, Sania reflected on how her best friend’s timely intervention helped her hold herself together before a live show on one of her most difficult days.

“I don’t want to mention it on camera, but there was a moment that was one of the lowest moments when you (Farah Khan) showed up on my set and I had to go on a live show after that,” Sania said. “If you had not come there I was shivering. And if you would not have come there I wouldn’t have done that show. You told me, ‘No matter what, you are doing this show.’”

Farah, recalling the same day, said she was alarmed to see Sania in distress. “I got so scared. I had to shoot that day, but I just left everything and came there in my pyjamas and chappals,” she said, adding that she simply wanted to be by her friend’s side at that moment.

The conversation also saw Farah applauding Sania for managing single parenthood with strength and grace. “For you to do it alone you have to work, raise your son, and give him time. It’s double the effort, and you’re doing it beautifully,” she said.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/tennis/story/sania-mirze-single-mother-panic-attacks-shoaib-malik-divore-farah-khan-support-2818449-2025-11-12

Last year’s finalist Fritz played the tennis of his life, as both men served up the best encounter of the season-ending championships so far, but the American ran out of steam as Alcaraz turned on the style and took the deciding set with ease.

World number one Carlos Alcaraz came under extreme pressure before overcoming American Taylor Fritz 6-7(2) 7-5 6-3 in a thrilling round-robin match at the ATP Finals on Tuesday, leaving the Spaniard on two wins from two.

Last year’s finalist Fritz played the tennis of his life, as both men served up the best encounter of the season-ending championships so far, but the American ran out of steam as Alcaraz turned on the style and took the deciding set with ease.

Alcaraz and Fritz had won their opening Jimmy Connors Group matches, and the Spaniard looked in real trouble when the American took the opening set in a tiebreak. Alcaraz faced break points in the second set but rallied back to draw level.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tennis/alcaraz-stays-perfect-at-atp-finals-with-thrilling-win-over-fritz-3794827

The T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka in February-March next year. India are the defending champions.

The Indian cricket team is not where it “wants to be” in terms of its preparations for next year’s T20 World Cup yet but head coach Gautam Gambhir says there is enough time in hand to get there.

In a brief teaser of his interview with ‘bcci.tv’, Gambhir also stressed on the importance of fitness.

“It has been a very transparent dressing room, it has been a very honest dressing room and that is how we want this dressing room to be. I think we still aren’t where we want to be come the T20 World Cup,” he said in the 46-second clip which will be followed by the full interview later in the day.

“Hopefully guys know the importance of being fit. We still have three months to be where we want to be,” he added.

The T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka in February-March next year. India are the defending champions.

He reiterated his philosophy of handing out tough assignments to individuals to understand the depth of their character.

“Throw guys in the deep sea, as simple as it can get. We did the same with Shubman (Gill) as well when he was appointed as Test captain,” he said.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/we-still-have-three-months-to-get-where-we-want-to-be-gautam-gambhir-on-t20-world-cup-3792667 

Manvinder Bisla slammed critics for targeting Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir and fast bowler Harshit Rana.

Former Kolkata Knight Riders wicket-keeper batter Manvinder Bisla slammed critics for targeting Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir and fast bowler Harshit Rana. Bisla said that a narrative of ‘favouritism’ has been created on social media considering the fact that both Rana and Gambhir were part of the KKR setup. Most recently, Gambhir was criticised for including Harshit in the ODI as well as T20I squad against Australia. Bisla went on to say that the criticism is mainly from ‘non-KKR fans’ and even claimed that there is not truth to the allegations of ‘bias’ against Gambhir.

“The ones opposing Harshit Rana must be non-KKR fans. I am saying this honestly. Everyone relates it this way that Gautam has a KKR background, that’s why he is supporting Harshit. Koi mama chacha ka rishta to hai nahi (Gambhir is not his uncle or something). Everyone thinks there might be a KKR angle,” Bisla said on ‘Indian Cricket Canteen’ YouTube channel.

Harshit was India’s leading wicket-taker in the ODI series against Australia and in the T20I series, he even showed his prowess with the bat during the 2nd match where he scored 35 off 33 balls.

The young fast bowler was instrumental in India’s victory over Austraia in the 3rd ODI as he took four wickets. However, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli dominated the headlines for their brilliant batting performances. Bisla said that Harshit was overshadowed by the two star batters but pointed out that the victory would not have been possible without Harshit’s heroics with the ball.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/mama-chacha-ka-rishta-to-hai-nahi-gautam-gambhir-harshit-rana-critics-brutally-slammed-9617776

Samrat, who hails from Karnal, shot 243.7 in the final to beat back the challenge of China’s Hu Kai, who took the silver in a nerve-wracking medal round with a score of 243.3.

Young Indian shooter Samrat Rana came up with breathtaking show of marksmanship to clinch the men’s 10m air pistol gold at the prestigious ISSF World Championships, here on Monday.

Samrat, who hails from Karnal, shot 243.7 in the final to beat back the challenge of China’s Hu Kai, who took the silver in a nerve-wracking medal round with a score of 243.3.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/other-sports/samrat-rana-becomes-world-champion-in-10m-air-pistol-3793380

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly wants to see Mohammed Shami back in the Indian team across formats, as he reckons the skillful pacer is “fit and is bowling exceptionally well.”

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly wants to see Mohammed Shami back in the Indian team across formats, as he reckons the skillful pacer is “fit and is bowling exceptionally well.” The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee, however, appears to have moved on from the 35-year-old, who has been ignored for the upcoming two-Test series against South Africa and last played in the Champions Trophy in March. “Shami is bowling exceptionally well. He is fit, and we saw that in the three Ranji Trophy matches, where he won games for Bengal on his own,” Ganguly said on Monday after being announced as the global brand ambassador of Kabuni, a UK-based AI-driven sports coaching platform.

Shami has so far claimed 15 wickets to help Bengal secure successive wins in their first two Ranji Trophy matches before going wicketless against Tripura. He has bowled 91 overs in three matches this season.

The veteran pacer underwent ankle surgery following the 2023 World Cup, where he finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 24 scalps at an average of 10.70.

“I’m sure the selectors are watching, and there is communication between Mohammad Shami and the selectors. But if you ask me, in terms of fitness and skill, it’s the Mohammad Shami we know. So, I really don’t see any reason why he can’t keep playing Test matches, One-Day cricket, and T20 cricket for India. Because that skill is enormous,” Ganguly said.

With no red-ball assignments for India over the next six months, it remains to be seen if Shami has already played his last Test – the World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval in June 2023.

In the longer format, Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep have become integral parts of the pace attack. With the 2027 ODI World Cup still two years away, Shami’s recurring injury concerns could influence the selectors.

Ganguly wants Jurel in playing XI for first Test

Turning his focus to the upcoming two-Test series beginning with the Eden Gardens match on Friday, Ganguly hoped that wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel finds a place purely on batting merit.

“He’s playing well, isn’t he? Rishabh is back, and I don’t know what the selectors are thinking. Basically, the spots are taken – two openers, (Shubman) Gill at 4, Pant at 5, KL (Rahul), (Ravindra) Jadeja are there. Players have performed. How easy will it be to open up a slot for Dhruv Jurel at this stage, I wouldn’t know,” Ganguly said.

He suggested that the No. 3 spot could be an option, with Sai Sudharsan being the incumbent.

“But it depends on whom they want to send at No. 3 – whether they want to go with Sai Sudharsan or bring in our in-form Dhruv. We’ll find out,” Ganguly said.

The South Africa series will also mark the return of Pant, who has recovered from the foot fracture he sustained during the fourth Test against England in Manchester in July.

Jurel, meanwhile, has been in red-hot form, scoring centuries in both innings against South Africa ‘A’ in the second unofficial Test that concluded in Bengaluru on Sunday. Ganguly tipped India as overwhelming favourites at home.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-south-africa-2025-india/sourav-gangulys-clear-message-to-bcci-selectors-on-mohammed-shami-after-south-africa-series-snub-9610650

Pakistan’s Muhammad Shahzad copied India star Hardik Pandya’s signature celebration after winning the Hong Kong Sixes 2025 title.

Pakistan recovered from their defeat against India to win three games on the trot and clinch a record sixth Hong Kong Sixes title on Sunday. Led by Abbas Afridi, Pakistan defeated South Africa in the quarter-final, Australia in the semi-final and Kuwait in the final of the 2025 edition. Upon winning the final, Pakistan star Muhammad Shahzad mimicked the trophy celebration that India all-rounder Hardik Pandya had done after winning the T20 World Cup 2024 title. His post on social media went viral.

“Fun end to the Hong Kong Sixes. Business as usual,” posted Shahzad on X, as he posed with a shrug next to the trophy, much like Pandya had done after winning the T20 World Cup.

The tournament victory makes Pakistan the outright record-holders of the most Hong Kong Sixes titles. Pakistan have now won the tournament six times, one more than England and South Africa.

In the grand final, Pakistan delivered a dominant all-round performance to defeat debutants Kuwait by 43 runs. Batting first, Pakistan posted a commanding 135/3, led by Abdul Samad’s explosive 42 (13) and captain Abbas Afridi’s powerful 52 (11). Kuwait’s Meet Bhavsar continued his fine form, claiming three wickets in a standout spell.

Kuwait began their chase in spectacular fashion, as Adnan Idrees smashed five sixes in the opening over to give his side a glimmer of hope with a rapid 30 (8). However, Pakistan’s disciplined bowling attack tightened the grip, eventually bowling Kuwait out for 92/6, sealing a memorable win and another crown in their illustrious Sixes legacy.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/pakistan-star-mimics-hardik-pandyas-t20-world-cup-celebration-goes-viral-after-winning-hong-kong-sixes-2025-9604472

Kranti Gaud’s outstanding performance in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 has led to her father’s reinstatement in the police force. Kranti’s father, Munna Singh Gaud, served as a constable in the police force before being dismissed in 2012, which pushed the family into financial turmoil.

India fast bowler Kranti Gaud’s World Cup heroics have helped her father, Munna Singh Gaud, rejoin police force following his dismissal in 2012. Kranti was one of the key members of India’s successful campaign in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, having scalped nine wickets from eight matches. Following India’s historic triumph, Kranti was felicitated upon her return to home state Madhya Pradesh by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.

During the felicitation programme held at the chief minister’s official residence in Bhopal, Kranti was honoured in front of her parents and coach. During the ceremony, CM Mohan Yadav also assured to resolve issues related to Kranti’s father, Munna Singh Gaud’s job in the police department.

Munna Singh was a police constable and was dismissed from the job in 2012, which left his family in financial turmoil. As a result, Kranti grew up in difficult circumstances but never let her situation come in the way of her dreams. During an interview, Kranti had expressed her wish to see her father in police uniform again and retire with dignity.

At times we only have one meal a day: Kranti Gaud

Her wish is finally going to come true soon after receiving an assurance from Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. During the ceremony, CM Yadav and Madhya Pradesh Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Vishwas Sarang also honoured Gaud’s parents and coach.

“If you ever feel like giving up, think about your dreams. At times we only have one meal a day. Even then, I didn’t give up. Today, I have brought honour to my family and Bundelkhand. I am very happy,” said Kranti during the felicitation ceremony recalling her days of struggle.

The Madhya Pradesh government has announced a cash reward of 1 crore for Kranti Gaud. Additionally, a world-class stadium will be constructed in her hometown of Chhatarpur to train and nurture local athletes.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/kranti-gaud-world-cup-heroics-help-father-regain-police-job-madhya-pradesh-2816268-2025-11-09

Out of the 10 Indians in the third round, four have advanced, three are knocked out and three of them will play the tie-break.

In the most sensational third round of the FIDE World Cup, reigning World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh was eliminated by Frederik Svane of Germany in Goa.

Fourth-seed Dutchman Anish Giri was also knocked out by Alexander Donchenko and eighth-seed Nodirbek AbduSattorov was also sent packing by Jose Martinez. This was one of the most brutal rounds where the top seeds succumbed to players rated much below them.

Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, Pranav Venkatraman and Pentala Harikrishna brought some cheer to the Indian camp by advancing to the fourth round of the 206-player knock-out event. Pragg, who had so far been struggling for survival since his entry in the second round, found his rhythm on the day playing a neat game to defeat Shamsiddin Vakhidov.

Out of the 10 Indians in the third round, four have advanced, three are knocked out and three of them will play the tie-break.

SL Narayan will feature in his third consecutive tie-break against Yu Yangyi of China as will Vidit Gujrathi and Karthik Venkataraman, all three Indians having drawn both their classical encounters.

Diptayan Ghosh and M Pranesh ended on the losing side after holding fancied players in the round before and were eliminated. Both of the Indians had a good run in this event.

Gukesh, however, has been in poor form in the last few events and on Saturday too was far from impressive with the white pieces in the Italian opening game. Svane, in severe time pressure, handled the situation rather well and showed ambition in a knight and pawn ending to win after 55 moves.

“This is the first time that I have played such a tough player and to defeat the World Champion Gukesh is something which I had never even thought of,” said Svane.

Pranav drew against Titas Stremavicius to advance to the fourth courtesy of Friday’s victory. The draw was signed after 41 moves of a Queen’s Gambit Declined game. After the victory, Pranav played patiently without taking any risk, his pieces venturing out of his territory only to initiate exchanges.

Pragg won after 42 moves, getting an advantage in the middle-game. In the end, he had a bishop pair for a rook with queens gracing the board and Pragg’s pawn which had marched all the way to the 7th rank.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/fide-world-cup-world-champion-dommaraju-gukesh-eliminated-by-frederik-svane-3791560

Mohun Bagan Super Giant has indefinitely suspended all football activities due to the lack of bids for the Indian Super League’s (ISL) commercial rights, leaving the future of domestic football uncertain.

Reigning Indian Super League champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant on Saturday suspended all their football activities indefinitely a day after the AIFF failed to receive a single bid for ISL’s commercial rights, and said they will review contracts of players and support staff next month. Late on Friday, the AIFF announced that it had not received any bid for the commercial rights of the already delayed ISL, leaving the future of the country’s domestic football in disarray.
“Our players were to assemble on Monday for the camp from next day. But now our camp has been suspended indefinitely till there is clarity on the Indian Super League,” a Mohun Bagan official told PTI.
“Now that the season is delayed with uncertainty on ISL, we will review all contracts next month. But we have not stopped anybody’s salary, everyone is paid,” the official added.

The AIFF had floated the Request for Proposals on October 16 for a 15-year contract to monetise the league’s commercial rights. The submission deadline was November 7, with bids scheduled to be opened on November 11. The Bid Evaluation Committee, headed by (retired) Justice Nageswara Rao and appointed on the orders of the Supreme Court, will meet later in the day to discuss the future course of action.

The Mohun Bagan official also said that the club would not suspend the salary of head coach Jose Molina, who is on a “break” following his outburst against the team management after their Super Cup exit. Molina had criticised the club management, saying he does not have any say in team selection after the group stage exit from the Super Cup on goal difference after playing out a draw against arch-rivals East Bengal.
The club management had earlier said a decision on his future would be taken only after there was clarity on the status of I-League. “His contract runs till the end of the season, around April–May in a normal year. Now that the season is delayed with uncertainty on ISL, we will also review his contract next month. But we have not stopped his salary.”
Business As Usual For EB
In contrast, East Bengal, who made the Super Cup semifinals after edging out Mohun Bagan on goal difference, have not suspended their operations and will resume training on Monday to prepare for the knockout leg scheduled for December 4.
As per the fixtures announced on Friday, East Bengal are slated to face Punjab FC in the semifinals, while FC Goa will meet Mumbai City FC. The final is scheduled for December 10.
“We have not yet suspended our operations. I personally feel ISL will go on. Indian football cannot stop like this. I strongly believe the Union Sports Ministry, AIFF and former officials will definitely not let it happen,” East Bengal senior executive committee member Debabrata (Nitu) Sarkar told PTI.
“The Super Cup will also happen. Maybe there will be some changes or delay, but the knockouts will take place. I cannot talk about other clubs, but at East Bengal, our stakeholders have not taken any such decision to stop facilities or salaries. We will resume our camp from November 10 as per my information,” Sarkar added.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/football/isl-crisis-mohun-bagan-stops-football-activities-east-bengal-pleads-to-bcci-for-financial-help-article-153121314

5th T20i: India, 52-0 (4.5), wash out. India win series 2-1
Storm scuppers final match to ruin Australia hopes

India have won the T20 international series against Australia 2-1 after the fifth and final match was washed out at the Gabba. The sold-out crowd will receive a full refund as the fixture did not reach the stipulated cut-off of six overs.

Lightning in the vicinity of the ground initially forced the players off after India made the most of shocking fielding by Australia to race to 0-52 in the opening 4.5 overs. A storm then rolled in, accompanied by steady rain, to ensure there was no further play.

Australia v India: fifth men’s T20 international washed out to give tourists series victory
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Shubman Gill, with 29 off 13 deliveries, and Abhishek Sharma, with 23 off 13, tore into the Australia attack. Abhishek, who made 163 runs across the five matches, was dropped twice and rode his luck.

“I’ve been waiting for this tournament,” Abhishek said. “We had a plan and we executed it really well.”

It was the second washed-out match of the series with the opening game in Canberra abandoned after India had scored 1-97 in 9.4 overs.

The Australia captain, Mitch Marsh, said: “I can’t remember the last time we had so many rain interruptions but it was a great series with two really good teams going at it. India won the games when it mattered, so congratulations to them.

“There were a lot of learnings, a lot of positives. The adaptability and the flexibility of our group, and the squad that we’re trying to build in a World Cup year has been amazing.”

Gill was a man on a mission before the players left the field. His timing for six boundaries was immaculate.

The unlucky Ben Dwarshuis had a sense of deja vu in the opening over when Abhishek was dropped at mid-off by the usually reliable Glenn Maxwell. Abhishek had also been dropped in the first over, off the same bowler, two days earlier on the Gold Coast, when India secured a 48-run win.

Dwarshuis then spilled a sitter himself at fine leg when Abhishek had made 12, this time off the bowling of Nathan Ellis. The world’s No 1-ranked T20 batter then dispatched Ellis for six over midwicket.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/nov/08/cricket-australia-india-fifth-mens-t20-report

Elena Rybakina clinched her biggest title since Wimbledon in 2022 by defeating world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 7-6(7/0) at the WTA Finals in Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia:
Elena Rybakina clinched her biggest title since Wimbledon in 2022 by defeating world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 7-6(7/0) at the WTA Finals in Riyadh on Saturday. The world number six put on yet another serving masterclass and was at her returning best as she became the first Kazakh and the first player representing an Asian country to lift the WTA Finals singles trophy. Having gone 3-0 in round-robin play, Rybakina earned a record $5.235 million and will finish the year ranked number five in the world. The ace leader on tour with 516 struck this season, Rybakina fired 13 against Sabalenka on Saturday, and finished the week with a total of 48 in Riyadh.

Rybakina was the last of the eight players in the singles field to qualify for the WTA Finals in Riyadh, and she did it by winning the 500-level title in Ningbo and reaching the semi-finals in Tokyo before withdrawing from the tournament.

Her winning streak now stands at 11 matches and she improved her head-to-head record against Sabalenka to 6-8.

Squaring off for the 14th time, Sabalenka and Rybakina form one of the most gripping rivalries of the WTA, dating back to 2019.

Rybakina entered the final carrying a 10-match winning streak. The last player to beat her was Sabalenka, who knocked out the Kazakh in the Wuhan quarter-finals four weeks ago.

Both players brought their A-game from the start, showcasing their signature brand of boom-boom tennis to stay neck and neck through the first five games.

It was Rybakina’s defence though that paid off in game six, her desperate lob drawing the error from Sabalenka, who netted the overhead to get broken.

That one break was all Rybakina needed to secure the opening set in 44 minutes.

Rybakina was untouchable on serve in the second set, dropping just two points on serve through four service games.

Sabalenka was more vulnerable in that department, feeling the pressure on her own serve but still finding ways to save four break points, including two crucial ones at 4-4.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/tennis/elena-rybakina-downs-world-no-1-aryna-sabalenka-to-win-wta-finals-9600990

Abhishek Sharma, mentored by Yuvraj Singh, shone as top run-getter in the Australia T20I series, but is known for never parting with his bats, even hiding how many he owns.

Abhishek Sharma has been in a rich vein of form lately. The Punjab batter, mentored by former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, had a terrific T20I series in Australia, finishing as the highest run-getter. Abhishek accumulated 163 runs in 5 matches and bagged the Player of the Series award.

Recently, Yuvraj disclosed a secret about the young batter, sharing that anyone can take anything from Abhishek except his bats. The former cricketer mentioned that the youngster is unwilling to part with his willows and often provides inaccurate information about the number of bats he owns.

“You can take anything from Abhishek Sharma, but nobody can take a bat from him,” Yuvraj said in an interaction where Abhishek was also present.

“Ye mar jayega, pit jayega, ro dega par apna bat nahi dega (He will fight for it, even cry, but won’t give away his bat). Even if he has 10 bats, he’ll still say, I only have two. He took all my bats, but he gives his own,” Yuvraj added.

India pocketed the 5-match T20I series 2-1 against Australia on Saturday. The visitors blazed their way to 52 for no loss in 4.5 overs when inclement weather put paid to the proceedings. Praising Abhishek’s camaraderie with Shubman Gill, captain Surykumar Yadav said they put smiles on the faces of everyone and are learning the different facets of dealing with various match situations in the shortest format

Source : https://www.news18.com/cricket/ye-mar-jayega-pit-jayega-lekin-yuvraj-singh-reveals-abhishek-sharmas-biggest-secret-watch-ws-dkl-9694127.html

She has levelled allegations of domestic violence against him. The trial court had ordered him to pay ₹1.3 lakh as monthly maintenance, which was enhanced to ₹4 lakh by the High Court in July.

The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the Indian cricketer Mohammed Shami and West Bengal government on a petition moved by his wife for a monthly interim maintenance of ₹10 lakh for herself and for their daughter.

Shami’s wife has challenged a Calcutta High Court order directing the cricketer to pay an interim maintenance of ₹4 lakh per month to wife and their minor daughter. The High Court in July directed that ₹1,50,000 be paid to the wife and ₹2,50,000 to the daughter till the disposal of the case relating to domestic violence against Shami.

She has now sough enhancement of the said amount to ₹10 lakh.

The appeal was listed before a bench of Justices Manoj Misra and Ujjal Bhuyan which sought responses from Shami and State.

However, the Bench also asked the petitioner whether ₹4 lakh ordered by the High Court was not sufficient for her.

Senior Advocate Shobha Gupta and advocates Deepak Prakash, Sriram Parakkat and Divyangna Mallik appeared for the wife.

Shami married the petitioner-wife in April 2014 and a girl child was born to them in July 2015. This was her second marriage and she had two daughters from the previous marriage.

In 2018, she accused the cricketer of domestic violence, following which an FIR was registered against him.

She then filed an application before the magistrate under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDV Act), seeking interim maintenance of ₹10 lakh – ₹7 lakh for herself and ₹3 lakh for her daughter.

The trial court ordered him to pay ₹1.3 lakh as monthly maintenance, which was enhanced to ₹4 lakh by the High Court in July.

She has now approached the Supreme Court seeking ₹10 lakh.

As per the petition, the High Court failed to consider the settled law that maintenance must reflect the husband’s income and wife’s accustomed lifestyle during marriage.

“The Petitioner herein is a victim of grave mental and physical cruelty, at the behest of the Respondent No. 2, who is an A-listed national cricketer and a high-net worth Individual, estimated to over 500 Crores. There exists a stark financial disparity between the parties, wherein the Respondent No. 2 despite having all the means to provide a reasonable lifestyle to the Petitioner and his daughter, is deliberately and tactfully failing to do the same, insofar as to avoid his lawful liability of maintaining the Petitioner and minor daughter,” the plea states.

Source: https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/mohammed-shamis-wife-moves-supreme-court-for-10-lakh-monthly-maintenance

Kuwait secured a 27-run victory against India in the Pool C match of Hong Kong Sixes.

The Pool C encounter between India and Kuwait took an unexpected twist as Dinesh Karthik’s men were beaten convincingly by 27 runs in the Hong Kong Sixes 2025 match on Saturday. Kuwait showed incredible grit, flair, and tactical brilliance in the six-a-side format. The match saw explosive batting, dramatic wickets, and a standout performance from Yasin Patel, who was named Player of the Match, thanks to his all-round show.

Batting first, Kuwait posted a formidable total of 106/5 in 6 overs, capitalising on the 6-over-per-side format with aggressive strokeplay. Their innings was marked by quick boundaries and smart running between the wickets, keeping the Indian bowlers under pressure throughout.

For the most part of the innings, it looked like Kuwait wouldn’t even cross the 90-run mark but Yasin hammered 5 consecutive sixes in the final over of the innings to help his team put 106 runs on the board.

Big win for Kuwait against India in the Hong Kong Super Sixes!

They beat India by 27 runs. #HongKongSixes pic.twitter.com/09l5VyIje2

— ICC Asia Cricket (@ICCAsiaCricket) November 8, 2025
India’s reply was expected to start with promise but was an absolute disaster. Robin Uthappa departed for a golden duck while the likes of Dinesh Karthik and Stuart Binny also departed without contributing much with the bat. Despite a spirited effort from Abhimanyu Mithun, who smashed 26 off just 9 balls, India could only manage 79/6 in 5.4 overs, falling 27 runs short of the target.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/dinesh-karthik-led-team-india-embarrassed-by-kuwait-in-hong-kong-sixes-9597095

Shivam Dube excelled in the Gold Coast T20I, scoring 22 runs and taking two wickets, helping India secure a 48-run victory against Australia.

Former India batting coach Abhishek Nayar heaped praise on Shivam Dube, saying the all-rounder has stepped up admirably to fill the void left by Hardik Pandya, who was ruled out of the entire Australia tour because of an injury he picked up during the Asia Cup, with his consistent performances with both bat and ball.

Speaking on JioStar’s post-match show Cricket Live after India’s 48-run win over Australia in the fourth T20I, Nayar said Dube’s growing maturity and versatility have made him an invaluable asset for the team.

“We always say that Hardik Pandya is the kind of all-rounder that India requires. But game after game, Shivam Dube has shown that he can be that all-rounder as well,” Nayar said. “You don’t really feel the absence of Hardik Pandya because Shivam bowls important overs, takes key wickets, and contributes with the bat in different situations.”

Dube produced another match-winning all-round performance in the Gold Coast T20I, scoring 22 off 18 balls at No. 3 and taking two crucial wickets — those of Australian captain Mitchell Marsh and the in-form Tim David — to derail the hosts’ chase of 168. His figures of 2 for 20 complemented Washington Sundar’s 3 for 3 as India bowled out Australia for 119 to clinch an unassailable 2–1 series lead.

“Today again, he scored crucial runs and took two big wickets when Australia were looking to accelerate,” Nayar added. “Whenever he has been challenged by this Indian team management, he has come up with flying colours. He may not be tagged as ‘the all-rounder’, but he does everything that an Indian all-rounder needs to do.”

“Morne and Gauti bhai gave me clear plans”: Dube
Dube, meanwhile, credited India’s disciplined bowling plans and the confidence shown by the coaching staff — led by head coach Gautam Gambhir and bowling coach Morne Morkel — for his success.

“167 on this ground is definitely a good score because of the quality bowling we have — both spinners and pacers,” Dube said after the match. “The plan was to bowl on the sides which had bigger boundaries because it’s difficult to hit there. Morne and Gauti bhai gave me clear plans and backed me to execute them.”

Promoted up the order in recent games, Dube has impressed with his composure against pace and his ability to adapt to match situations.

“In the nets, I’ve worked a lot on playing short balls because of the extra bounce here,” he said. “The plan was to rotate strike against fast bowlers and attack the spinners when they came on.”

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/shivam-dube-has-shown-he-can-do-what-hardik-pandya-can-india-all-rounder-race-heats-up-101762443053527.html

Sunil Chhetri says his India career is definitely over and may also retire from professional football if Bengaluru FC don’t qualify for continental tournaments.

Sunil Chhetri has said his India career is over after making a surprising return earlier this year for the final round matches of the AFC Asian Cup 2027. Chhetri, widely recognised as one of India’s finest footballers, retired from international football in June last year before being persuaded by former head coach Manolo Marquez to make a U-turn.

With India unable to qualify for the continental event, Chhetri has decided this is the end of the road for him as far as international football is concerned. Additionally, it’s likely that the 42-year-old veteran may end up quitting professional football altogether, depending on how Bengaluru FC fare in the upcoming season of the Indian Super League (ISL).

“If we win the ISL, it will give me a chance to wear national (winning) club colours and play in international competitions again. At 42, it’s not easy. I want to score 15 goals this season and retire,” Chhetri told The Times of India.

Marquez was replaced by Khalid Jamil as the head coach of the Indian men’s football team in August this year. Chhetri says he had informed Jamil of his decision, citing he returned only for the qualifiers.

“It was easy telling Khalid sir about my decision. When I joined the national team, my only goal was to help as much as possible in the qualifiers. There was nothing else. If there were no qualifiers, I probably wouldn’t have come back. Once it was clear we couldn’t qualify, I was happy to tell the coach and he understood,” Chhetri said.

Chhetri’s ISL form was the primary reason why Marquez was compelled to recall him. He had scored 14 goals in the ISL, which was the second-best tally to Alaaeddine Ajaraie – the winner of the Golden Boot.

Initially hesitant, Chhetri agreed, but his comeback was far from memorable as he managed just one goal in six appearances. He now retires with 95 goals in his international career.

Source: https://www.news18.com/sports/sunil-chhetri-confirms-india-retirement-may-quit-professional-football-next-year-report-ws-bl-9686047.html

Suryakumar Yadav is known for his composed demeanour on the field, but India’s fourth T20I vs Australia saw the player lose his cool at one point.

India’s T20I captain and star batter Suryakumar Yadav is known for his composed demeanour on the field, but the side’s fourth T20I vs Australia saw the player lose his cool at one point. It was a tight affair at the Carrara Oval, Queensland, but India ended up winning the must-win game by a margin of 48 runs. The incident took place on the final ball of the 12th over of the Australia innings. The hosts were going well in the chase of 168 when Shivam Dube dismissed Tim David and provided India a slight edge. He bowled two dot balls to new batter Marcus Stoinis in the same over.

But what happened on the final ball saw Suryakumar blast Dube. The medium-pacer gifted a short ball way outside off-stump to Stoinis, and the batter smashed it for a boundary over backward point.

As the four took pressure off Stoinis and gave Australia an easy four, Suryakumar lashed out at Dube for the loose delivery.

Talking about the game, Washington Sundar took three wickets in five deliveries as India beat Australia by 48 runs.

India spinners claimed six wickets in all to usher an Australia collapse from 91 for 4 in 11.3 overs to 119 all out in 18.2 overs in the chase.

Australia lost its last seven wickets for 28 runs across 41 deliveries and were bowled out for their second-lowest T20 total on home soil after 111 versus New Zealand in Sydney in 2022.

India have an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the series, which ends on Saturday in Brisbane.

Sundar took 3-3 from 1.2 overs, left-arm spinner Axar Patel grabbed 2-20 in four overs, and Varun Chakravarthy picked 1-26.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/australia-vs-india-2025/suryakumar-yadav-blasts-shivam-dube-over-loose-delivery-vs-australia-in-4th-t20i-9588688

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian cricket team, which won the Women’s World Cup 2025, at his residence on Wednesday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian cricket team, which won the Women’s World Cup 2025, at his residence on Lok Kalyan Marg, New Delhi, on Wednesday. PM Modi congratulated the team on their victory and praised their remarkable comeback in the tournament after a string of three defeats and the trolling they had faced on social media. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur recalled meeting the Prime Minister in 2017, after India lost the Women’s World Cup final to England. The skipper added that they now hope to meet him more often. The team also gifted the PM a jersey bearing their autographs. It was a special jersey featuring the name ‘NAMO’.

Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana said the PM had motivated them and has been an inspiration to all of them. She also spoke about how girls are excelling in all fields today and credited the Prime Minister for that progress.

Star all-rounder Deepti Sharma, who was adjudged ‘Player of the Tournament’, said she had been waiting to meet PM Modi. She recalled their meeting in 2017, when he had encouraged them to keep working hard.

The PM mentioned that Deepti Sharma has written “Jai Shri Ram” on her Instagram account and has a tattoo of Lord Hanuman on her arm. She said it gives her strength. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur asked the Prime Minister how he manages to always remain in the present. He said that being present has been a part of his life and has become his habit. He also discussed how Harmanpreet pocketed the ball after the final match against South Africa. She said she was lucky that the ball came to her, so she kept it.

The now-famous catch by Amanjot Kaur that helped India dismiss South African centurion Laura Wolvaardt at a crucial juncture was also praised by PM Modi. Another important player in the squad, Kranti Gaud, mentioned how her brother is a big fan of the Prime Minister, to which he immediately extended an open invitation to meet them.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/women-s-odi-world-cup-2025/womens-world-cup-winning-team-india-gifts-pm-narendra-modi-autographed-namo-jersey-9581837

R Praggnanandhaa also had to settle for a hard-fought draw while Anish Giri, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Wesley So, Hans Nieman, Vidit Gujrathi were some of the top guns whose encounters ended in deadlock.

Most of the top-rated players, including World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh and other Indians, struggled to exert their supremacy, having to stay content with draws against lesser fancied opponents in the first game of the second round of the FIDE World Cup in Goa.

Reigning World Junior Champion Pranav Venkatesh brought some cheer to the Indian camp by defeating higher-rated GM Aryan Tari of Norway while Arjun Erigaisi began his campaign with a victory.

R Praggnanandhaa also had to settle for a hard-fought draw while Anish Giri, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Wesley So, Hans Nieman, Vidit Gujrathi were some of the top guns whose encounters ended in deadlock.

Gukesh played the English Opening against Nogerbek and there were times when he appeared in better position. Nogerbek defended stubbornly to finally earn half a point after 84 moves with just both the Kings gracing the board.

Child prodigy 12-year-old Oro Faustino of Argentina, dubbed the ‘Messi of Chess’ held higher-rated Vidit Gujrathi to a draw.

In other important results Sam Shankland defeated former World Championship finalist Vassily Ivanchuk with the black pieces.

Aryan Tari opened the English way against Pranav and his knight moved many times during the Opening stages. The Indian showed patience and pounced on a blunder by his opponent on the 40th turn. Pranav’s pieces suddenly came to life, breaking through the castle barriers and with his queen, rooks and bishops gunning fire, Tari resigned after 41 moves.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/other-sports/pranav-erigaisi-post-wins-3786605

After what the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian cricket team achieved in Navi Mumbai on November 2, women’s cricket in the country will get a boost unlike anything that has been seen so far.

The 2025 Women’s World Cup win is a watershed moment for Indian cricket. After what the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian cricket team achieved in Navi Mumbai on November 2, women’s cricket in the country will get a boost unlike anything that has been seen so far. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar feels that this win will send a message that other teams’ era of domination is over. However, Gavaskar had an interesting take on the women’s team being compared with the men’s World Cup-winning team of 1983.

“There were some who tried to compare this win with the men’s team winning the World Cup in 1983. The men had never progressed beyond the group stage in earlier editions, and so everything from the knockout stage onward was new to them, while the women already had a better record, having been in two finals before this magnificent triumph,” Gavaskar wrote in Sportstar.

“Just as the ’83 win galvanised Indian cricket and gave it a voice that was heard around the world, this victory will make the countries that started women’s cricket long before India did realise that their era of domination has been shaken.

“The ’83 win also encouraged parents of aspiring cricketers to let their children take up the game. The IPL took it to another level, of course, and that’s why today’s Indian men’s team includes players not just from the metros but from across the country.”

During the pulsating final on Sunday, India posted a daunting total of 298/7 on the board, courtesy of Shafali Verma’s blistering 87 (78) and Deepti Sharma’s fiery run-a-ball 58. In reply, skipper Laura Wolvaardt singlehandedly led the fight with a rollicking 101 (98), while the rest of her compatriots crumbled against India’s spin attack. Player of the Tournament Deepti Sharma delivered the final blow, and India experienced a wave of euphoria.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/women-s-odi-world-cup-2025/some-tried-to-compare-it-with-1983-world-cup-sunil-gavaskars-epic-analysis-of-womens-world-cup-win-9574406