England’s Mark Wood celebrates after taking the wicket of Australia’s Steven Smith. | Photo Credit: Reuters Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi opted to bat first against England in a must-win Champions Trophy match for both teams on Wednesday (February 26, 2025). England have made just one change, bringing Jamie Overton in place of injured Brydon Carse, … Read more
Bharath Reddy (left), captain of Chemplast, and T.E. Srinivasan, captain, India Pistons, joint winners, receiving the trophy from Kelappan Thampuran during the 34th Annual Pooja Knock-Out Cricket Tournament at Thrippunithura, Kerala. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives As a schoolboy, when I visited grandparents in Kerala, there was a running joke provoked by my love … Read more
Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed, left, celebrates the wicket of India’s Shubman Gill, left, with his teammates during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and Pakistan at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan is upset with the performance of … Read more
Pakistan paid the price for fielding mistakes and a rather timid batting show. | Photo Credit: AP The stage was set perfectly for Pakistan. The country was hosting its first ICC tournament since the 1996 World Cup and was the defending champion. Yet, six days into the event, Mohammad Rizwan’s men’s campaign came to a … Read more
Matthew Mott has been appointed assistant coach of IPL franchise Delhi Capitals for the upcoming season. File | Photo Credit: Reuters Former England white-ball coach Matthew Mott was on Tuesday (February 25, 2025) appointed assistant coach of IPL franchise Delhi Capitals for the upcoming season. The 51-year-old Mott will assist former India cricketer Hemang Badani, … Read more
As a schoolboy, when I visited grandparents in Kerala, there was a running joke provoked by my love for cricket. Relatives would tell me with much merriment that cricket was a game played by royalty and madmen — “usually the same people,” they added — and berate me for not playing football or volleyball. Most … Read more
Jess Jonassen guided DC home. | Photo Credit: K. BHAGYA PRAKASH Delhi Capitals (DC) moved to the top of the Women’s Premier League points table with a comfortable six-wicket win over Gujarat Giants (GG) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Tuesday. DC (six points) recorded a third win in five outings, while GG (two … Read more
Kerala captain Baby will be playing his 100th First Class game. | Photo Credit: P.K. Ajith Kumar The excitement is palpable in the Kerala camp at the VCA Stadium on this humid afternoon. The team manager, Nazir Machan, is in great demand with the multiple television crews that have come from Kerala. He tells one … Read more
Karun Nair at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur. | Photo Credit: P.K. Ajith Kumar Karun Nair has perhaps known the glorious uncertainties of cricket, and life, more than most players. He scored a triple hundred in only his third Test, was dropped for the next (because he had only stepped in for an injured Ajinkya … Read more
Kerala team during a training session ahead of the final. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Far from the madding crowd lies the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium. It is the last stop for a maddeningly thrilling journey for Kerala in India’s premier domestic cricket tournament. An 81-run partnership by the last pair against Jammu & Kashmir … Read more
It was a disappointing end for the fans. | Photo Credit: AFP Relentless rain led to the abandonment of the Champions Trophy group stage fixture between Australia and South Africa at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday. As it rained since early morning, the groundstaff had little scope to get the playing arena ready. … Read more
Seeking new vistas: Karthik is upbeat about starting a fresh chapter in his career. | Photo Credit: File Photo Former UAE leg-spinner Karthik Meiyappan, bought by Siechem Madurai Panthers for ₹9.2 lakh in the 2025 TNPL auction, shifted base to Chennai last February. This was after the Jolly Rovers CC (TNCA I div league) coach … Read more
Tourists are seen at snow-covered ski resort, Gulmarg, on February 11, 2025. | Photo Credit: IMRAN NISSAR The second leg of the 5th Khelo India Winter Games, scheduled to begin in Gulmarg on Saturday (February 17, 2025), has been postponed due to insufficient snowfall in the region. The new dates for the event will be … Read more
After striking an $8.5-billion media merger with Walt Disney, billionaire Mukesh Ambani is targeting small businesses and promoting unconventional neuroscience studies to boost its revenues from the IPL, the world’s most valuable cricket league. The pricey broadcast rights for the Indian Premier League (IPL) and other cricketing events which cost Disney and Reliance nearly $10 … Read more
Groundsmen cover the pitch and field area due to low rain fall before start of the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and South Africa, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on February 25, 2025 | Photo Credit: AP Rain delayed the toss in the Champions Trophy Group B game between South Africa and two-time winner Australia … Read more
A battered England will hope to keep their Champions Trophy hopes alive when they face a dangerous Afghanistan in a crucial group B match in Lahore on Wednesday (February 26, 2025). A defeat would severely dent both the teams’ dreams of a semifinal berth in the tournament, as South Africa and Australia have already notched … Read more
Pakistan’s cricket team continued to invite scathing criticism a day after being knocked out of the Champions Trophy with the great Sunil Gavaskar saying that it would struggle to beat even a second-string Indian team. | Photo Credit: AP Pakistan’s cricket team continued to invite scathing criticism a day after being knocked out of the … Read more
Jaspal Rana. | Photo Credit: File Photo: RITU RAJ KONWAR A coach of exceptional ability, Dronacharya awardee Jaspal Rana, returns to the coaching panel of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) as the High Performance Coach for pistol, in a long list of coaching experts ratified by the Governing Body of the NRAI on … Read more
Vidarbha will be making their fourth appearance while Kerala are making their maiden appearance in the Ranji Trophy final. The Ranji Trophy final will be played in Nagpur on February 26, 2025. | Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini Former winners Vidarbha will rely on their red-hot form to stake claim for a title that they last … Read more
India’s Hardik Pandya with captain Rohit Sharma and teammates celebrates a wicket during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025- Group A match against Pakistan, at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Sunday, February 23, 2025. | Photo Credit: ANI Injured Australia captain Pat Cummins believes India have a “huge advantage” to be based in Dubai … Read more
Pakistan’s Saud Shakeel plays a shot during a One Day International (ODI) cricket match of the ICC Champions Trophy between India and Pakistan, at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, in Dubai, UAE, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. | Photo Credit: PTI Top-order batsman Saud Shakeel said Pakistan must be better in every facet after a six-wicket defeat … Read more
Vidarbha’s players after winning the Ranji Trophy Semi-Final 2 against Mumbai | Photo Credit: ANI Vidarbha on Monday (February 24, 2025) retained their 17-member squad to take on Kerala in the final of the Ranji Trophy which will be played at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur in Jamtha from Wednesday (February 26, 2025). “VCA’s senior … Read more
The architect: Ecclestone tied the game with a whirlwind knock before bowling a sensational Super Over. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR UP Warriorz edged out Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a dramatic Super Over finish in the Women’s Premier League at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Monday. With 18 runs needed in the final … Read more
Hardik Pandya loves a laugh. He loves laughing at himself too, a rare trait in a world where, increasingly, people take themselves too seriously. He is the maverick every team needs, a free spirit that is here, there and everywhere. Like everyone else with an immense gift that many others feel is not being made … Read more
South Africa would be keen to dismiss Carey early in the marquee contest. | Photo Credit: AP Temba Bavuma is bullish about South Africa’s chances in the Champions Trophy despite the team sweating over Heinrich Klaasen’s fitness ahead of Tuesday’s marquee fixture against Australia. Having missed out on the tournament opener last week with an … Read more
Rachin and Latham forged a match-winning stand. | Photo Credit: ANI A fortnight ago, when Rachin Ravindra was struck by the ball on his forehead during the tri-series in Lahore, there were doubts over his availability for the Champions Trophy. He missed out on the tournament opener against Pakistan last week, but returned to action … Read more
Rachin Ravindra en route his fourth ODI ton. | Photo Credit: AFP A large number of spectators turned up at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday, hoping for Bangladesh to pull off a stunner against New Zealand and keep Pakistan alive in the Champions Trophy semifinals race. A defeat against India had dented Pakistan’s hopes … Read more
With two wins in two matches, both India and New Zealand entered the semifinals of the ICC Champions Trophy knocking out Pakistan and Bangladesh from Group A. | Photo Credit: AP/PTI Title contenders India’s slot in the semifinals of ICC Champions Trophy was confirmed on Monday (February 24, 2025) following New Zealand’s victory over Bangladesh, … Read more
Paes presents the ‘Inspirational Icon’ award to Sindhu. | Photo Credit: R.V. MOORTHY Tennis stalwart Leander Paes joined badminton ace P.V. Sindhu on stage in the 2025 Sportstar Aces Awards at the Taj Mahal Palace here on Friday. Sindhu, the ‘Inspirational Icon’ award winner, was asked by Paes what it will take for India to … Read more
D. Vasu. | Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO: K. PICHUMANI When Kerala stunned Tamil Nadu in a South Zone Ranji Trophy match at Palakkad in 1994-95, D. Vasu was part of the strong visiting side. The win helped Kerala qualify for the knock-out stage of the Ranji Trophy for the first time. Vasu now has reasons … Read more