Sports

The Gujarat High Court on Monday dismissed as withdrawn an appeal filed by former India cricketer and Lok Sabha MP Yusuf Pathan against a single-judge order that had described him as an “encroacher” on a piece of government land in Vadodara.Pathan’s lawyer, Shalin Mehta, sought permission to withdraw the plea before a division bench comprising…

Michael Atherton has questioned the authority of Babar Azam and the role Pakistan’s captains are allowed to play after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made sweeping changes to the Test squad midway through the England series.Pakistan suffered defeats in the opening two Tests and responded by sending seven players home. Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha…

Argentina began paying tribute to Lionel Messi after the football great announced his retirement from international football earlier this week.The first tribute came during the Copa Argentina match between Velez Sarsfield and Boca Juniors on Wednesday, when play was stopped in the 10th minute for a round of applause at the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes.Fans…

Anshuman Hooda picked up 22 wickets in the third edition of the Delhi Premier League and the 25-year-old is also an engineer by profession. (Special Arrangement) NEW DELHI: Anshuman Hooda bursts into laughter when asked to choose between his office laptop and his cricket ball. “My cricket ball is my best friend,” he tells TimesofIndia.com.His…

Naomi Osaka, of Japan (AP Photo) Naomi Osaka has called for better management of influencers attending the US Open, saying their presence can help grow tennis but should not come at the expense of respecting the sport’s rules and etiquette.The four-time Grand Slam champion spoke about the issue after advancing to the third round with…

Smriti Mandhana of India bats (Getty Images) Smriti Mandhana produced a record-breaking knock as India stormed into the Women’s Asia Cup semi-final with a 137-run win over Hong Kong on Thursday. The India opener smashed 124 off 64 balls, helping her side post 193 for five before Hong Kong were bowled out for 56 in…

Levon Aronian opens up about R Praggnanandhaa’s GCT title NEW DELHI: A year ago, American Grandmaster Levon Aronian beat Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa in their third-place match at the Grand Chess Tour (GCT) Finals in São Paulo, Brazil. Playing fast-paced chess, he gradually came to understand one thing. Blitz and rapid, the Armenian great had apprehended, were…

A houseful stadium during one of the Super League Kerala at Calicut. (Special Arrangement) NEW DELHI: For decades, Kerala has been the heartbeat of Indian football. Floodlit local tournaments draw packed crowds, school grounds produce gifted footballers, and the sport is woven into the state’s cultural identity. Yet translating that passion into a sustainable professional…

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka cut short a reporter’s question during her post-match press conference after being asked whether the events and brand appearances before the US Open had involved “parties and fun.“The exchange came after the defending champion Sabalenka’s 6-1, 6-1 win over Polina Iatcenko in the second round on Wednesday. It was the…

Commonwealth Games bronze medallist javelin thrower Yashvir Singh has replaced injured Neeraj Chopra in India’s athletics squad for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, while long-distance runner Abhishek Pal has been dropped after receiving a notice from the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) over an alleged doping offence.The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Thursday announced…