Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar (ANI Photo) Sunil Gavaskar has strongly defended the IPL and the BCCI amid renewed criticism from former players and commentators over the growing influence of franchise cricket on the international calendar.The debate intensified during and after the 2026 IPL season, particularly in England, where concerns were raised about players prioritising…
MUMBAI: Fresh from an impressive Test debut against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh, young left-arm spinner Manav Suthar is set for his first stint in county cricket after signing a short-term deal with Warwickshire.The 23-year-old made an immediate impact in his maiden Test, returning match figures of seven for 62 — including six for 33 in…
Referee Omar Artan, center, of Somalia (AP Photo) Somalian referee Omar Artan received an emotional welcome on Wednesday after returning to Mogadishu, days after being denied entry into the United States despite being selected to officiate at the FIFA World Cup.Artan had been on course to make history as the first referee from Somalia to…
Subhi Gupta (Special Arrangements) NEW DELHI: Imagine it is your first international chess tournament on your own. Your parents have burned a hole in their pockets to take you to the scenic country of Uzbekistan. There, you are supposed to play the toughest of opponents from across the globe. You reach the venue, and you…
Vaishali’s mother Nagalakshmi, Pranesh M, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, and Vaibhav Suri (Photo by Michal Walusza) NEW DELHI: A visa issue has cast uncertainty over Indian chess prodigy Pranesh Munirethinam’s participation in the upcoming FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Hong Kong, prompting an urgent appeal from coach RB Ramesh.Taking to X on Tuesday,…
The FIFA World Cup Trophy (AP) There is no sporting event in the world that enjoys such a feverish build-up to the main event. Such is the global appeal of the ‘beautiful game’ and the FIFA World Cup. However, the 2026 edition, the first to feature as many as 48 teams, has struggled to adhere…
NEW DELHI: A heartwarming moment involving India captain Shubman Gill has gone viral following India’s dominant victory over Afghanistan in the one-off Test at the New PCA Stadium in Mullanpur. In a video that has been widely shared on social media, a young ball boy stationed near the boundary ropes was seen touching Gill’s feet…
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has arrived. This time it will have 48 nations, 104 matches and a thousand storylines but nothing like the arrival of a new generation of players announcing themselves through their talent on the world’s biggest stage of the game. These are the players who watched the 2022 Qatar finals as…
FIFA World Cup 2026: What Needs to Go Right for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to Meet A record-breaking sixth FIFA World Cup for both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could finally produce the one meeting football has never had: a World Cup clash between the sport’s defining rivals. Both Argentina and Portugal arrive in…
Star batter Virat Kohli once again proved why he remains the heart of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), leading the team to a second straight IPL title and then celebrating the achievement with an emotional message that quickly went viral.Almost a week after RCB’s five-wicket win over Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 final, the former…