Rohit Sharma bats in the nets. | Photo Credit: PTI Ahead of the final group game against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy, India trained for close to three hours here at the ICC Academy on Friday with the team opting to rest on the eve of the match. India has had a week-long break … Read more
Harsh Dubey set a new record for most number of wickets in a Ranji Trophy season. | Photo Credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN Harsh Dubey was going to be the biggest threat for Kerala. The third day would be crucial, and the wicket was getting increasingly spinner-friendly. Not that Dubey needs much assistance. He came into this … Read more
Services won an exciting final against Railways to clinch the 71st senior National kabaddi title at Cuttack on Sunday. After the teams were tied 30-30, Services prevailed 6-4 in the tie-breaker. Services was led by Pro Kabaddi League star Naveen Kumar. In the semifinals, Services registered an impressive 43-35 victory over Punjab while Railways eased … Read more
New Zealand has been clinical so far. | Photo Credit: Getty Images Though Sunday’s final Group A fixture between India and New Zealand is largely inconsequential considering both teams have qualified for the semifinals of the Champions Trophy, Kiwi all-rounder Michael Bracewell believes in approaching the game as a knockout tie. “I think it’s always … Read more
Heartbroken: Baby, who showcased patience and concentration, could not clear deep mid-wicket to get to his century. | Photo Credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN Sachin Baby did all the hard work in the toughest of conditions. He undid all that with a shot that might haunt him for a long time. With Kerala inching closer to the … Read more
Diya Chitale’s parents often went on vacations when she was a little girl. And almost always the place where they stayed had a table tennis table and her family and friends joined in the fun. That’s how Diya got hooked to the ping-pong game. She soon started playing at the Khar Gymkhana club in Mumbai. … Read more
Afghanistan’s Sediqullah Atal, right, plays a shot as Australia’s Josh Inglis watches during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Australia and Afghanistan, in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP In-form Afghanistan batsman Ibrahim Zadran fell prey to Adam Zampa, while Rahmat Shah was removed by Glenn Maxwell on Friday (February … Read more
Agus Dwi Santoso has a ruthless streak in him. The noted Indonesian badminton coach, who otherwise has a baby-faced charming look, comes from a school of thought that believes that a player should be ready to die – not quite literally – on court in the pursuit of excellence. Playing through pain is non-negotiable for … Read more
“You think we will come only to play with Maxwell? Do you think it will be like that?,” asked Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, as he addressed the media ahead of the Champions Trophy group league fixture against Australia. He paused for a moment, and added with a smile: “We have plans for the entire Australian … Read more
A file image of Australian cricketer Mitchell Starc | Photo Credit: Getty Images Australia left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc on Thursday (February 27, 2025) revealed the reason behind pulling out from the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which is taking place in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Starc was originally named in Australia’s preliminary … Read more
A file image of England’s Jos Buttler | Photo Credit: Reuters England had suffered a humiliating 69-run loss to Afghanistan in the group stage of the 2023 World Cup in New Delhi. Embattled England captain Jos Buttler will spend the next few weeks analysing whether he is a “part of the problem or the solution” … Read more
Australian top-order batter Georgia Voll will replace Chamari Athapaththu in UP Warriorz squad for the remainder of the Women’s Premier League after the Sri Lankan left for national duty. File | Photo Credit: Getty Images Voll will join UPW for ₹30 lakh Australian top-order batter Georgia Voll will replace Chamari Athapaththu in U.P. Warriorz squad … Read more
At the start of any men’s ICC tournament, when the exercise of favourite-picking is undertaken, the names of the usual suspects crop up. Australia. India. South Africa. Even England. With New Zealand, there is always an asterisk. They are labelled as perennial dark horses who punch above their weight in global events. Punch above their … Read more
Ash Gardner led Gujarat Giants to a facile win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru. | Photo Credit: K. BHAGYA PRAKASH Gujarat Giants (GG) cruised past a listless Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by six wickets in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Thursday. RCB’s horror run at home continued, with the … Read more
Rajput coached Afghanistan from 2016 to 2017. | Photo Credit: VIVEK BENDRE Afghanistan’s victory over England on Wednesday has given the side a real shot at qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions Trophy. One person who is not surprised by the team’s progress is its former coach, Lalchand Rajput. The ex-India cricketer, currently … Read more
Kerala’s Eden Apple Tom celebrates the wicket of Vidharbha captain Akshay Wadkar on the second day of the Ranji Trophy final match in Nagpur. | Photo Credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN NAGPUR Even before Kerala established itself as a team to watch out for in the Ranji Trophy, it had a legacy in pace bowling. Men like … Read more
Manu Bhaker with her coach Jaspal Rana. File | Photo Credit: Ritu Raj Konwar Eyeing glory in next World Championship, double Olympic medallist shooter Manu Bhaker said Jaspal Rana will continue to be her “coach” despite the Dronacharya awardee being roped in as the High Performance trainer for pistol discipline by the National Rifle Association … Read more
The 23rd National Para Athletics Championship commenced at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here on Monday. This is the first time Chennai is hosting the event. The championship, which ends on Feb. 20, will have an impressive 1,476 para-athletes competing in 155 events under 30 teams, making it one of the largest para-athletics gatherings in the … Read more
There is something about Aditya Sarwate, Ranji Trophy final and the VCA Stadium. He was the player-of-the-match for Vidarbha in the 2018-19 final here. Six years later, he is playing an innings that could go some way in deciding another final. Except that he is playing against Vidarbha now. Sarwate, coming in at one-drop for … Read more
Shreyas Iyer cements his place at the crucial No. 4 spot
Pietersen | Photo Credit: File photo In a high-profile addition to its support staff ahead of the Indian Premier League’s 18th edition, which starts on March 22, Delhi Capitals (DC) announced the appointment of former England batter Kevin Pietersen as team mentor on Thursday. The 44-year-old will be part of a backroom contingent that includes … Read more
India’s Shreyas Iyer plays a shot 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 Six years ago, during the 2019 50-over World Cup, India’s journey ended in the semifinals when it lost to New Zealand. One … Read more
Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen is appointed as the team mentor for Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL. | Photo Credit: AP In a high-profile addition to its support staff ahead of the Indian Premier League’s 18th edition, which starts on March 22, Delhi Capitals (DC) announced the appointment of England great Kevin Pietersen as … Read more
Fans leave the enclosure due to rain before start of the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Pakistan and Bangladesh, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on February 27, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP Inclement weather delayed the start of Champions Trophy game between host Pakistan and Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Thursday (February 27, 2025). Both teams … Read more
David Boon has been an ICC match referee since 2011, and is also the chairperson of the Cricket Tasmania board. File | Photo Credit: Getty Images Former batter David Boon will relinquish his current position as an ICC match referee after the ongoing Champions Trophy to join Cricket Australia’s (CA) board from March 28. The … Read more
Vidarbha batter Danish Malewar celebrates after scoring a century on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy final against Kerala in Nagpur on February 26, 2025 | Photo Credit: Nirmal Harindran Danish Malewar put on a display worthy of the grandest of stages in domestic cricket. With his unbeaten 138 (259b, 356min, 14×4 2×6), he … Read more
Sachin Tendulkar at the unveiling of International Masters League (IML) 2025 Trophy, in Navi Mumbai, on February 19, 2025 | Photo Credit: PTI The legendary Sachin Tendulkar led the cricket world in showering praise on Afghanistan for their stunning eight-run victory over England in the Champions Trophy, saying their wins “can’t be termed as upsets … Read more
Making merry: It was Sciver-Brunt’s night out on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR An excellent all-round show from Natalie Sciver-Brunt (three for 18 and 75 n.o.) helped Mumbai Indians defeat UP Warriorz by eight wickets in the Women’s Premier League at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Wednesday. MI (six points) moved to … Read more
A file image of Morne Morkel | Photo Credit: Getty Images The Indian cricket team had a strenuous training session Dubai on Wednesday (February 26, 2025) with talismanic batter Virat Kohli spending a lot of time facing spinners even as bowling coach Morne Morkel rejoined the side after attending to a personal emergency back home. … Read more
A file image of India’s Captain Rohit Sharma plays a shot during a practice session | Photo Credit: ANI India, having enjoyed a well-deserved two-day break following its six-wicket win over Pakistan, returned to training at the ICC Academy grounds on Wednesday (February 26, 2025). The Men in Blue started their campaign with a win … Read more