Jannik Sinner Admits To 'Very Difficult Moment' Over Doping Case

World number one Jannik Sinner said on Monday that he was in "a very difficult moment" and enduring sleepless nights over his doping case. The 23-year-old is under the microscope anew after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said Saturday it was seeking a ban of up to two years after he twice tested positive for traces of the steroid clostebol in March. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) had cleared the Italian of wrongdoing in August, and weeks later he won the US Open for his second major title. The ITIA accepted Sinner's explanation that the drug entered his system when his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut, then provided massage and sports therapy to the player.

"First of all it's not a situation where I like to be in, it's a very delicate and difficult and also different situation," Sinner said in Beijing after defeating Jiri Lehecka in the quarter-finals 6-2, 7-6 (8/6).

"But what I know is that I always try to remind myself that I haven't done anything wrong.

"For sure I had sleepless nights during this time. Now again it's going to be not easy."

WADA has appealed the decision to clear him to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), reigniting the case.

"Obviously disappointed that I am again in this situation," said Sinner.

"I just try to stay somehow focused on my work and trying to do everything possible I can to be ready for each match I play. 

"But yes, this is a very difficult moment for me and also for my team." 

The ITIA found that Sinner "bears no fault or negligence" in the high-profile case and cleared him to carry on playing.

WADA on Saturday said: "It is WADA's view that the finding of 'no fault or negligence' was not correct under the applicable rules."

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Duleep Trophy Likely To Return To Zonal Format From Next Season

The Duleep Trophy is set to return to its traditional zonal from next year after the state units gave a thumbs down to the four-team concept introduced this season. The red-ball event featured four teams -- India A, India B, India C, India D. India A beat India C to win the competition earlier this month. Usually, six teams from as many zones -- central, east, west, north, south and north east -- take part in the tournament, providing more opportunities to the players from their respective zones. "The state units felt the format used this season did not give a fair representation to the players from their respective zones. The traditional zonal format gives players more opportunities zone wise and that is what was conveyed in the AGM today," a state unit official told PTI after the BCCI AGM in Bengaluru.

The BCCI had rebranded the Duleep Trophy this season and the tournament attracted plenty of eyeballs with some star India players being part of the first round.

Rishabh Pant marked his red-ball comeback in this tournament scoring a confidence-boosting half-century. Shubman Gill captained the India A side in the opening round before handing over the leadership duties to Mayank Agarwal to join the India Test squad for the ongoing series against Mayank Agarwal.

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, K L Rahul and Dhruv Jurel were the India players who were part of the tournament.

Akash's splendid effort in the opening round helped him retain his place in the India squad while it also gave opportunities to the next line of cricketers to make an impact ahead of a busy Test season.

Left-arm pacer Yash Dayal too was picked for the Tests after an impressive outing in the Duleep Trophy.

Shreyas Iyer, dropped for the Bangladesh series, captained India D and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is yet to play Test cricket, led India C.

Ishan Kishan, who like Iyer lost his central contract for not following BCCI's directive to play domestic cricket, made a memorable comeback with a fine hundred. The presence of India regulars and fringe players put fresh life into the event.

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Kylie Jenner and Ayo Edebiri Toast a Starry Crowd at Paris Fashion Week

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India Beat Laos 2-0 In Last Group Match In AFC U-20 Asian Cup Qualifiers

India pumped in two second-half goals to beat hosts Laos 2-0 in their concluding Group G match of the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2025 Qualifiers on Sunday. The Blue Colts squandered a series of scoring chances before finding the net through Gwgwmsar Goyary (69th minute) and Thanglalsoun Gangte (84th) to notch up full points. While India finished second in the four-team group with six points from three matches behind Iran (9 points), it remains to be seen whether this is enough for them to secure a spot in the final rounds of the competition. The top teams of the 10 groups, along with the five best second-place finishers, will qualify for the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2025 in China. India finished with 4 goal difference.

India spent most of the first 45 minutes lurking around the Laos area to find a goal but had to troop back to the dressing room without success.

While the home side rode their luck to keep the scoresheet clean, India missed a host of opportunities. The Blue Colts could have taken the lead in the first half itself, but they failed to avail the chances that came their way.

Kelvin Singh Taorem surprised everyone around when he couldn't find the target despite having the Laos goalkeeper at his mercy.

Kop Lokpathib, the Laos custodian, by far the busiest person on the pitch, looked more relieved than anyone around when Goyary ballooned over the bar from just outside the six-yard area.

There was no change in the pattern in the second session, except that Laos took advantage of India's frustration.

As India U20 side increased men in attack in search of goal, Laos seized the opportunity to go for the counter-attacks.

Twice the Indian goal were under attack but Sahil was alert under the bar on both occasions.

Barring these stray attacks from Laos, their goal was under constant siege by the Indian strikers.

At least three chances were missed by the Indians in quick succession before their relentless pursuit for a goal bore fruit in the 69th minute.

A long ball from Manglenthang Kipgen found Goyary inside the box, who beat the goalkeeper with a grounder.

In the 84th minute, substitute Thanglalsoun Gangte fired in the second goal from inside the box.

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Nasrallah’s death throws more uncertainty into Lebanon’s political disarray.

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IPL Retention Rules: No. Of Players Franchises Can Retain Is Not 5 But...

The Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council on Saturday announced the IPL player regulation 2025-27. Ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, the rules hold extra significance. All 10 franchises will be allowed to retain upto six players before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction. The IPL General Council, during its meeting in Bengaluru on Saturday,  decided that among those six retentions, one has to be an uncapped player. The auction purse for the franchises has been set at INR 120 Crore for IPL 2025.

"Following a constructive dialogue with the owners of the 10 franchises in July at the BCCI Headquarters, the Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council (GC) met in Bengaluru today to decide the TATA IPL Player Regulations 2025-2027," the BCCI said in a release..

The following decisions were taken in the IPL Governing Council meeting:

1. The IPL franchises can retain a total of 6 players from their existing squad. This can be either via retention or by using the Right to Match (RTM) option.

2. It is at the discretion of the IPL franchise to choose their combination for Retentions and RTMs. The 6 retentions / RTM's can have a maximum of 5 capped players (Indian & Overseas) and a maximum of 2 uncapped players.

3. The auction purse for the franchises has been set at INR 120 Crore for IPL 2025. The total salary cap will now consist of auction purse, incremental performance pay and match fees. Previously in 2024, the total salary cap (auction purse + incremental performance pay) was Rs. 110 Crs which will now be Rs. 146 Crs (2025), Rs. 151 Crs (2026) and Rs. 157 Crs (2027).

4. A match fee has been introduced for the first time in the history of the IPL. Each Playing member (Including the Impact Player) will get a match fee of INR 7.5 Lakhs per match. This will be in addition to his contracted amount. 

5. Any Overseas Player will have to register for the Big Auction. In case the overseas player doesn't register, then he will be ineligible to register in the following year's player auction.

6. Any player who registers in the player auction and after getting picked at the auction, makes himself unavailable before the start of the season, will get banned from participating in the tournament and player auction for 2 Seasons. 

7. A capped Indian player will become uncapped, if the player has in the last five calendar years preceding the year in which the relevant Season is held, not played in the starting XI in International Cricket (Test match, ODI, Twenty20 International) or does not have a Central Contract with BCCI. This will be applicable for Indian Players only.

8. The Impact Player Regulation will continue for the 2025 to 2027 cycle.

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Can Hezbollah Recover From the Death of Its Most Commanding Leader?

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Big Business Backed Mayor Eric Adams. Now It Waits to Learn His Fate.

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Watch: AUS Wicket-Keeper Booed By Crowd After Claiming Grounded Catch vs ENG

Australian cricket team wicket-keeper Josh Inglis was booed by the crowd at the Lord's Cricket Ground after he claimed a grounded catch during the fourth ODI encounter against England on Friday. During the 17th over of the England innings, Harry Brook edged a delivery from Mitchell Starc and the ball flew towards the wicket-keeper behind the stumps. Inglis dived to his left to complete the catch and the umpire raised his finger in a moment. However, the catch was referred to the third umpire and replays showed that the ball actually bounced just in front of Inglis before he took the catch. The crowd was not pleased as they saw the replay and they booed to show dissent at the unsportsmanlike behaviour.

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and elected to field as the world champions recalled three senior players in their quest for a series-clinching win.

No sooner had the toss taken place, however, in a match already shortened by rain, then a fresh downpour saw the pitch and square covered up again. 

pic.twitter.com/vqWktTaemm

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 27, 2024

But with the weather relenting, play was now due to start at 2:45 pm local time (1345 GMT) in a match reduced to 39 overs per side instead of the regulation 50. 

Australia welcomed back the fit-again World Cup winning trio of in-form opener Travis Head, wicketkeeper Josh Inglis and leg-spinner Adam Zampa as they looked to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in a five-match series.

Alex Carey, who had deputised behind the stumps for Inglis in the opening three games of this series, retained his place as a specialist batsman after a match-winning 74 in the second ODI at Leeds and an unbeaten 77 in defeat at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday.

England's decision to field the same side meant injury-plagued fast bowler Jofra Archer was playing in back-to-back matches, having taken an encouraging 2-67 at Chester-le-Street.

(With AFP inputs)

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Many Who Used to Stay Put in Florida’s Coastal Areas Are Leaving for Helene

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Sprint Legend PT Usha Involved In 'Heated Confrontation' With IOA Members

Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha had another heated confrontation with the body's Executive Council on Thursday after a majority of its members reiterated their opposition to Raghuram Iyer's appointment as CEO but the embattled track-and-field great refused to back down and rejected their demand for his removal. The main agenda of the meeting called by Usha was ratification of Iyer's appointment as CEO on January 5 but it ended in a deadlock. With both sides sticking to their earlier stands, the bitter feud is expected to worsen in the coming days.

"They want to re-initiate the whole process, they want to re-advertise afresh. It's like saying we don't want this person and let us start the process from the scratch," a furious Usha said after the meeting.

"This process (of appointment of CEO) took two years and now they want to start all over again. This is going to have repercussions (from the IOC). It can jeopardise India's chances of bidding for and hosting the 2036 Olympics," she warned.

"I am not going to accept this. I have told this to the IOC (International Olympic Committee). I am not a quitter, I am not going anywhere without cleaning the IOA," she asserted.

Interestingly, IOC Director Jerome Poivy joined the meeting online and watched the confrontation unfold.

Undeterred by Usha's warnings, 10 members of the EC, who attended the meeting in person, issued a statement, saying that they have decided to re-initiate the process of appointment of the CEO.

"The ratification of Mr lyer as the CEO was not approved. Further it was decided that process of the appointment of the CEO be re-initiated with new terms of reference," the statement said.

They stated that IOC representative called the entire fiasco "an internal matter of the IOA" and had "no specific views or interference" on the subject.

Before joining the IOA, Iyer had worked as EO of IPL sides Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants. He had also held administrative roles in football's Indian Super League and Ultimate Table Tennis.

"The Members further, in the presence of the IOC Director, stated that the process for the advertisement of the CEO should be initiated at the earliest where it was anticipated that the appointment can be concluded in the next two months," the statement from the revolting EC members read..

Senior vice president Ajay H Patel, vice presidents RajLaxmi Deo and Gagan Narang, Treasurer Sahdev Yadav, Joint Secretary Alaknanda Ashok, other Executive Council members Amitabh Sharma, Bhupender Singh Bajwa, Rohit Rajpal, Dola Banerjee, and Yogeshwar Dutt were present in person.

Joint Secretary Kalyan Chaubey and Executive Council member Harpal Singh joined online.

The members felt that while a "CEO is a must and should be appointed", but voted against the nomination of lyer for the position.

"...the agenda was to put to vote where the 10 physical members and 2 members who joined online expressed their dissent on the agenda and the vote was 12 against the ratification of the CEO." "...the acting CEO Kalyan Chaubey, who is the Joint Secretary of the IOA, shall continue to discharge the duties as per the provisions laid out in the Constitution," the statement of the majority EC members said.

Usha, on her part, said that the EC members have gone back on their word as they had agreed to the appointment of the CEO in the January meeting.

"The EC meeting held in January was video-recorded. I asked each one of them whether they agree to the appointment of Iyer as the CEO or not. All of them said Iyer is good and everything about him is all right. Only his salary will have to be negotiated," she stated.

"I asked them what is the lower rate (limit) and what is the higher limit of his salary. That (salary) they did not mention.

"Then his (Iyer's) appointment was done and I communicated it to IOC and OCA and everybody accepted it." The bone of contention is the Rs 20 lakh per month salary for Iyer, along with other perks.

Usha said she offered to renegotiate Iyer's salary in Thursday's meeting but the 12 EC members were adamant about starting the process afresh.

She said the latest development could jeopardise India's chances of bidding for the 2036 Olympics.

"Only after the appointment (of the CEO) was done, the Future Host Commission agreed to have a dialogue with us, otherwise they would not agree to it. The CEO will have to lead the negotiations, we have to show professionalism, otherwise how would we got to present our bid?" she asked.

She said the IOC could have taken a drastic step even before the Paris Olympics but desisted from that.

"I was there, that is why IOC was waiting for two years. It (IOC action) could have happened before Paris Olympics but they waited.

"Iyer was in the Co-ordination Committee and not the IOA president, that was why we could compete under Indian flag and not under the IOC flag." 

She said Iyer and her personal assistant Ajay Narang, whose appointment was "cancelled" by the majority EC members, have not got salary since their appointment. 

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Report Links Mark Robinson to Comment That Cops Should Have ‘Shot Al Sharpton’

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The Death of Outdoor Dining Is a Blow to New York’s Vitality

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Shafali Verma Praises Alyssa Healy Ahead Of WT20 WC, Says ""She Makes..."

Ahead of the highly anticipated ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024, India Women's opener Shafali Verma expressed her admiration for Australia's Alyssa Healy, praising her batting performance during the powerplay. India will kick off their T20 World Cup campaign against New Zealand on October 4 at Dubai International Stadium. Prior to the tournament, India will play warm-up matches against the West Indies and South Africa. "I would say Alyssa Healy, because whenever she is in good form, she makes the most of the powerplay and continues to build her innings afterward. She always looks to play the full 20 overs, so I would choose her," Shafali said in an interview with Star Sports.

India reached their first-ever T20 World Cup final in 2020 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a night filled with hope for clinching the elusive title. However, Harmanpreet's side was bowled out for 99 while chasing 185 against Australia.

In the previous edition of the T20 World Cup in 2022, India once again came close to making history, reaching the semi-finals. However, Australia once more proved to be an obstacle in the final four.

In the lead-up to the T20 World Cup, India has had mixed results. They lost the T20I series against Australia and England earlier this year, but Harmanpreet's side rebounded with two consecutive series wins against Bangladesh.

In July, India's T20I series against South Africa ended in a draw. In the Asia Cup 2024, India lost the final to Sri Lanka, who remained unbeaten throughout the tournament.

Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Sajana Sajeevan.

Travelling reserves: Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Saima Thakor.

Non-travelling reserves: Raghvi Bist, Priya Mishra.

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Shoaib Akhtar "Is That You"? Bowler's Action Reminds World Of Pak Speedster

Pakistan pace great Shoaib Akhtar was one of the most lethal fast bowlers of his time. Known as the "Rawalpindi Express", Akhtar terrorised opposition batters with his raw pace, bounce and toe-crushing yorkers for nearly two decades. Akhtar, who played 46 Tests, 163 ODIs and 14 T20Is for Pakistan, retired from international cricket after the 2011 World Cup, owing to knee related issues. However, a video of Akhtar's lookalike, Imran Muhammad, has gone viral on social media. His reaction reminded fans of Akhtar, who is now enjoying a successful career in cricket punditry.

For the unversed, the video is from a Oman D10 League match between IAS Invincibles and Yallah Shabab Giants. The viral clip, which was posted by a user, highlighted the the uncanny similarity between the two cricketers.

He's more Shoaib Akhtar than Shoaib Akhtar himself... pic.twitter.com/cXKQGgNgbn

— Prashanth S (@ps_it_is) September 19, 2024

Here's how internet reacted:

@shoaib100mph that you?

— Aamer J. (@aamer2300) September 20, 2024

Easily the first choice to play Shoaib Akhtar in his biopic

— Cricmatic Insights Zone (@CIZblogs) September 20, 2024

He is from Dera ismail khan
Kpk

— i dont want u...... (@IWantyoumano) September 20, 2024

Imran was 18 when he left for his village in Dera Ismail Khan district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Now 30, he fixes CCTV cameras in Muscat for a living, and also plays franchise league cricket in Oman.

After drawing curtains on his illustrious international career, Akhtar started a YouTube channel, where he gives reviews on International and league matches and Pakistani cricket.

Akhtar, who made his international debut in 1997, took 178 wickets in 46 Tests, the last of which was against India at Bangalore in 2007.

He bagged 247 wickets in 163 one-day internationals and also took 19 wickets in 15 T20Is.

"One of the main reasons for my retirement was that I am not able to wake up early anymore. I have been waking up at 6 am for the past 25 years. And then to bowl to the likes of Sachin and Dravid, they used to tire me all day. So this was one of the main reasons for my retirement - that I can't wake up early," Akhtar recently revealed.

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Arizona Court Allows 98,000 to Vote in State and Local Races Despite Database Glitch

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Jamshedpur FC Eke Out 3-2 Fighting Win Over Mumbai City FC

Spaniard Javi Hernandez struck a brace as Jamshedpur FC eked out a hard-fought 3-2 win over Mumbai City FC after falling a goal behind to secure their first home victory of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season on Saturday. Hernandez scored in the 44th and 50th minutes while Jordan Murray (36th minute) got the other goal for the home side at the JRD Tata Sports Complex. In the process, Hernandez became the third player in the ISL to score for five different clubs.

Nikolaos Karelis (18th) and Yoell van Nieff (77th) found the target for Mumbai City Mumbai City FC started the game on a dominating note. In the fifth minute, they got their first opportunity when Yoell van Nieff snatched the ball from Javi Hernandez and glanced an attempt from distance. His shot took a curl but went inches wide.

Three minutes later, Jamshedpur FC earned their first chance after a corner was headed down by Pratik Chaudhari onto the path of Javier Siverio who laid it down for Jordan Murray. The latter's shot, however, was deflected out for a corner.

The corner by Imran Khan was met by Tiri, whose clearance almost cost Mumbai City FC a goal as the ball deflected off the crossbar.

The action intensified in the eighth minute when Thaer Krouma won a header against Stephen Eze. The ball was collected by Nikolaos Karelis, whose shot disrupted the calmness of the net, going past goalkeeper Albino Gomes.

A minute later, Karelis once again got a chance to score. He collected a cross inside the Jamshedpur FC penalty box and tried to go past Gomes, but the keeper succeeded in clearing it, only to see the ball fall on Lallianzuala Chhangte's feet.

However, the winger's feeble attempt was once again saved by Gomes and then cleared off by Eze.

In the 44th minute, Jamshedpur FC earned the lead after Javi's free-kick caressed the back of the net. The set-piece which was taken by the midfielder from the right flank landed directly into the back of the net after some confusion and misjudgement from the Mumbai City FC defenders and Lachenpa.

Jamshedpur FC started the second half from where they left the first. They could have extended the lead in the 46th minute when Javi Hernandez chipped a ball onto Jordan Murray's path. Murray was free on goal and glanced straight but Valpuia's timely intervention averted the danger for the Islanders.

The very next minute, Stephen Eze could have scored his first goal of the season for the Men of Steel. Imran Khan confused and went past van Nieff to send in a delightful cross into the 18-yard-area. However, Eze's header from the same was flickered away by Lachenpa.

Three minutes later, Jamshedpur FC's efforts paid off as Seiminlen Doungel set it up for Javi for his second goal of the evening.

Doungel outwitted the Islanders' defence and went inside the penalty box to send in a pitch-perfect cross to Hernandez's feet. The Spaniard didn't shy away from trying his luck and saw the ball land inside the framework, leaving a fully stretched Lachenpa devastated on the ground.

Mumbai City FC slowly started clawing back into the game. And finally, in the 77th minute, they found an answer.

Yoell van Nieff tried some dribbling dynamics just outside the Jamshedpur penalty area and lodged a curling effort on goal, which ultimately went past Albino Gomes to reduce the lead.

In the next minutes, Petr Kratky's side kept on piling the pressure for an equaliser but Jamshedpur FC's disciplined backline seemed too tough to breach.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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The Deserter

By Sarah A. Topol from NYT Magazine https://ift.tt/rLnGEji

India Have An Advantage At T20 WC Due to UAE's Similar Conditions: Mithali

Former captain Mithali Raj reckons that India will enjoy a significant edge over other teams, as the conditions in the UAE resemble those found on home soil. The women's T20 World Cup is set to be played in the UAE -- Dubai and Sharjah -- from October 3. The ICC moved marquee event from Bangladesh owing to the political unrest in that nation. "The UAE is, again, in very similar conditions, so we can say that, you know, our team has the advantage," Mithali told Star sports.

However, the former batter warned against complacency, emphasising that every team will arrive fully prepared for showpiece event.

"But again, the World Cup means every team comes well prepared," she added.

Despite reaching the finals of ICC events, including a couple of senior World Cups, the Indian women's team is yet to grab its maiden global title.

"The Indian women's team, so far, hasn't won, other than the Under-19 World Cup," Mithali said.

"I think I will definitely want the team to do well because, like everybody else, when we get into the World Cup, we want our team to win." "As a broadcaster, I think I've just done the first stint for women's cricket in the Asia Cup, and India lost the Asia Cup. I don't know whether that's lucky or not in that way!" she added.

India will open their campaign against New Zealand on October 4 in Dubai.

Harmanpreet and Co have been clubbed alongside Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Group A.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Hardik Pandya May Return For Mushtaq Ali Trophy; Likely To Play Ranji Too

With a big tour of Australia on the horizon, India's white-ball expert Hardik Pandya looks set to return to action after a big break with an appearance in the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy to gear up for the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The India all-rounder has also expressed a desire to play red-ball cricket of his state in the Ranji Trophy. Although results have gone their way, Real Madrid have ridden their luck in recent matches, with Real Sociedad hitting the post three times against them last week, while in the Champions League, Stuttgart created more chances, before two goalkeeping errors gifted Madrid a 3-1 win.

Asked about his side's lack of balance in midfield and defense ahead of Saturday's match at home to Espanyol, Ancelotti insisted he was more interested in the results, reports Xinhua.

"It doesn't bother me that people say Madrid plays badly because I see our fans delighted with what we're doing," he replied. "I think Real Madrid fans are used to rock and roll football and not to a lot of passes. And above all they like winning more than playing well," commented the coach.

The Italian also rejected claims that his side looks unbalanced, with players such as Jude Bellingham, Vinicius, Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo more attack-minded, while they lack a holding midfielder due to Eduardo Camavinga's ankle injury.

"Balance is collective work that I can do with two forwards or with three. Putting in a new midfielder doesn't mean you have more balance. The debate could be what Bellingham is: Forward or midfielder? We don't know," added Ancelotti.

"I like to see my team defend well, not waste time in possession and be vertical. It is difficult to define what beautiful football is," he concluded.

Ancelotti has both Jude Bellingham and Aurelien Tchouameni available to face Espanyol, who travel to Madrid in good form after Javi Puado's hat-trick saw them win 3-2 at home to Alaves last weekend.

Espanyol are a team that traditionally does badly in Madrid and anything other than a comfortable home win would be a surprise.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"From Despair...": Tendulkar, Kumble's Ultimate Tribute To Ashwin, Jadeja

Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar lauded all-rounders Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja for taking India from "despair to domination" with their counter-attacking partnership during the first Test against Bangladesh. Ashwin and Jadeja's rearguard performances salvaged India in the first innings of the first Test against Bangladesh, with both allrounders unbeaten at the end of the first day's play at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here. At stumps on day one, Team India were at 339/6, with Ashwin (102*) and Jadeja (86*) looking strong after an unbeaten 195-run partnership.

Tendulkar took to X and wrote, "From despair to domination! @ashwinravi99 and @imjadeja's knocks have turned the tide for India once again. This all-round brilliance is invaluable. Super partnership boys. #INDvBAN."

From despair to domination! @ashwinravi99 and @imjadeja's knocks have turned the tide for India once again. This all-round brilliance is invaluable.
Super partnership boys. #INDvBAN pic.twitter.com/eZNW6yOr8V

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) September 19, 2024

"@ashwinravi99's century paired with @imjadeja's inning turned the tide for India. Their determination and partnership were vital after that shaky start," wrote Anil Kumble.

.@ashwinravi99's century paired with @imjadeja's inning turned the tide for India. Their determination and partnership were vital after that shaky start.#INDvBAN

— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) September 19, 2024

"Serious cricketers .. @ashwinravi99 & @imjadeja .. How often at home in India do they produce magic with the Bat .. !! They will no doubt follow with the Ball as well … #INDvBAN," wrote Vaughan.

Serious cricketers .. @ashwinravi99 & @imjadeja .. How often at home in India do they produce magic with the Bat .. !! They will no doubt follow with the Ball as well … #INDvBAN

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) September 19, 2024

Coming to the match, Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bowl first. The top-order collapsed and India was left at 34/3. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (56 in 118 balls, with nine fours) and Rishabh Pant (39 in 52 balls, with six fours) stitched a 62-run partnership for the fourth wicket, bringing India into the game. After India was reduced to 144/6, Ashwin and Jadeja (86* in 117 balls, with 10 fours and two sixes) stitched a 195-run partnership, ending the day at 339/6.

Hasan Mahmud (4/58) was the top bowler for Bangladesh, destroying the Indian top order, removing skipper Rohit Sharma (6), Shubman Gill (0) and Virat Kohli (6).

Teams:

Bangladesh (Playing XI): Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto(c), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das(w), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (w), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj.

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Sourav Ganguly Lodges Police Complaint Alleging Cyberbullying

Kolkata Police on Wednesday started a probe after receiving a complaint from former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly, accusing a person of defamation and cyberbullying, a senior officer said. In an email to Kolkata Police's cyber section on Tuesday night, Ganguly's secretary lodged the complaint, while sharing a link to a video. "We have received an email and are looking into it," the officer said. In the email, Ganguly's secretary wrote, "I am writing to bring to your attention a case of cyberbullying and defamation involving a person named Mrinmoy Das. This individual has posted a video on a social media platform that targets Sourav Ganguly, using abusive language and making derogatory remarks, which are harmful to his reputation."

"The context of the video constitutes not only an attack on Ganguly but also violates the dignity and respect that every individual is entitled to. We request your intervention in this matter and kindly ask that appropriate legal action be taken against Das for defaming and bullying Ganguly in this manner. We trust that the cyber department will take swift and necessary steps to address this issue and ensure that justice is served," she added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Most Rounded Team That's Produced From Ban: Coach Ahead Of India Series

Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha believes that his team will take a lot of belief from their first-ever 2-0 Test series win against Pakistan to challenge India on its home turf in the two-match series. He asserted that the current team is the most balanced red-ball side that the country has ever produced. Former Sri Lankan all-rounder mentioned that both victories came from behind for them, giving them a morale boost ahead of the high-stake series against the World Test Championship (WTC) toppers.

"It (the win in Pakistan) certainly gives us a lot of confidence coming into this series. Not because of the outcome of the series, it's the way we played that series where we handled certain situations. We were behind the game in both Tests and then how we came back and how different people who contributed at different times. A lot of belief in this series. I think this is probably the most rounded team that's produced from Bangladesh," Hathurusingha said in the press conference.

The visiting head coach detailed that they have all the required firepower in their arsenal in three departments to outclass any opponent, adding that playing against India will give them a clear picture of their strengths.

"We have got good fast bowlers, we got a really experienced spin attack. And then in batting, we actually have good batting depth because of two reasons. One is that two of our spinners are genuine batters who have got Test hundreds and then two of our wicketkeepers are our main batters. So the batters in our team for this series are really good and that gives us a lot of confidence that we can be competitive in this series," he said.

"Pressure is a privilege. I mean it gives us a lot more belief and something to look forward as well. But then we really understand where we stand and our strengths and limitation, we understand that. But we are really encouraged by playing the best team in the world. Like coming to India and playing against India, that's the best challenge you get nowadays in cricket. So playing against the best always gives you the perception of where you stand," Hathurusingha added.

While both teams acknowledge that facing spinners will be the bigger challenge, neither side would deny that their pacers will also play a crucial role. Hathurusingha credits Bangladesh's current pace attack as the result of significant effort and gave special praise to rising speedster Nahid Rana.

"The point of difference is the fear factor. I mean when a ball comes at 150kph, it's very human to require a certain reaction time, so it challenges your reaction and decision-making. So, that's an advantage when you have someone who can bowl that quickly," said Hathurusingha.

"The speciality of Nahid is that he can bowl at 145-plus for a longer (period of time). But he's played very little cricket, so we have to look after him. That's an advantage regardless of the pitch and situation that he brings the fear factor to the opposition and especially when the tailenders come, you can wipe them out faster. It's a long process. It just didn't happen overnight. Previous coaches before me have done a lot of work and even the board invested in programmes at finding fast bowlers.

"I know the domestic cricket had some rules that you have to keep an amount of grass (for pacers). They changed the ball (in domestic cricket). So all these factors, I think, helped the fast bowlers to enjoy their cricket and have success. And we have a few fast bowlers back home and actually one of our best bowlers is still injured. So, when all of these guys are available, it's really pleasing to see the depth we have in fast bowling," he added.

The first Test between India and Bangladesh will be played at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai from Thursday.

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La Liga: Lamine Yamal Bags Brace As Barcelona Take Girona Revenge

Teenage star Lamine Yamal struck twice as La Liga leaders Barcelona thrashed Girona 4-1 on Sunday. Hansi Flick's side have now won all five of their opening matches and avenged two humiliating Catalan derby defeats by Girona last season with an emphatic victory at Montilivi. Yamal's first-half double sent Barcelona on their way with Dani Olmo and Pedri Gonzalez adding further goals after the break. Cristhian Stuani pulled one back for the hosts, last season's surprise package who finished third in only their fourth season in the top flight.

Girona lost several key players in the summer with coach Michel Sanchez forced to rebuild.

Barcelona have new momentum under former Bayern Munich and Germany coach Flick and produced their best performance of his reign to date.

"I think you can see the confidence we have, and when we have the ball, we have the quality to play and to create chances," Flick told reporters.

"I think today we had a lot of chances to score one or two goals more, but in the end I'm very happy with the performance of the team."

Yamal and striker Robert Lewandowski came close in the opening exchanges before the teenage star, who led Spain to Euro 2024 victory in the summer, broke the deadlock.

The winger picked the pocket of David Lopez as he tried to bring the ball out of defence, before finishing with aplomb past Paulo Gazzaniga after 30 minutes.

"We started very concentrated, very focussed, we pressed them -- we know when we give them the space they need for combinations we get in trouble," said Flick.

"You saw the first goal, it was unbelievably good (pressing) from Lamine."

Yamal grabbed his second before the break with a fine guided finish from the edge of the box after a free-kick was cleared into his path.

Bryan Gil fired straight at Marc-Andre ter Stegen from close range at the other end, before Girona were awarded a penalty when Inigo Martinez handled the ball.

However after a VAR referral the referee annulled his decision, seeing that it had bounced on to Martinez's arm off team-mate Alejandro Balde.

Olmo expanded Barcelona's lead early in the second half with a sublime finish from a tight angle, leaving the new arrival from RB Leipzig on three goals from three La Liga matches.

Gazzaniga denied Lewandowski as he ran through on goal and tried to finish with a dink, as Barcelona maintained control.

Their fourth came through Pedri when midfielder Marc Casado cleverly played him through and the Canary Islander took his time to sidestep Gazzaniga and finish.

"We had to start (the season) well, other years we didn't start it as we would have liked, above all the coach told us that," Pedri told Movistar.

"(He told us) that from the first game we should push, that the league is won above all in these first games if you keep building the distance up, let's continue in the same way."

'Turn the page'

Former Espanyol striker Stuani finished from close range with 10 minutes remaining to give Girona a consolation, before Barcelona substitute Ferran Torres was sent off for a high tackle on Yaser Asprilla.

They were the only blots on Barcelona's otherwise pristine copybook as they maintained their 100 percent record at the start of the campaign.

On Saturday champions Real Madrid earned a 2-0 win at Real Sociedad to move second, four points behind Flick's side.

Girona are seventh after the defeat, with their next match a Champions League debut away at Paris Saint-Germain.

"It feels bad, it was a tough defeat today, for how we were preparing for the game and the excitement of facing Barca again at home," Stuani told Movistar.

"We have to try and forget about it as quickly as possible, this week we have a very special game, we have to face that with as much excitement as possible because for us it's an historic match.

"We have to turn the page on today and try to compete in the best way (we can)."

Later Sunday Atletico Madrid host Valencia and Athletic Bilbao visit Las Palmas.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Diamond League Final Live: Neeraj Aims To Breach 90m Mark, Eyes 2nd Title

Neeraj Chopra, Diamond League Final 2024 LIVE Updates: Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Neeraj Chopra will compete in the men's javelin throw event in the Diamond League Final in Brussels. Neeraj has had a successful history in the Diamond League, winning the Final in 2022 and securing second place in 2023. In the 2024 season, he qualified for the final after accumulating 14 points over two meets, finishing fourth in the overall standings. He placed second in both the Doha leg in May and the Lausanne event last month. This will be also be a perfect chance for Neeraj to bounce back after losing the gold medal at the Paris Olympics 2024.

Here are the LIVE Updates of Neeraj Chopra Men's Javelin Throw, Diamond League Final 2024 from King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels

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PSG Refuse League Order To Pay Kylian Mbappe Disputed 55 Million Euros

Paris Saint-Germain refused Thursday to pay departed striker Kylian Mbappe a disputed 55 million euros ($60.6m) despite a French league (LFP) order to do so earlier in the day. The LFP oversees all matters concerning the top two tiers of football in France, but PSG said they would seek a legal ruling elsewhere. The 25-year-old striker says PSG owe him 55 million euros in wages and bonuses, but the Parisians say Mbappe agreed to waive the money in August 2023.

On Thursday, the LFP commission told PSG to pay, reportedly within a week, sparking a response from the Qatari-backed club.

"Given the limits of the Commission's legal scope to make a full decision on this matter, the case must now be pursued before another court."

"PSG will look forward to presenting all the facts over the coming months and year."

Lawyers representing the two parties met early on Wednesday after Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid this summer, had referred his case to the LFP's legal committee.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Atmosphere Gets Created Against Him": Ex-India Star On Rahul's Struggles

Star India batter KL Rahul earned a recall to the side for the upcoming first Test against Bangladesh, starting September 19. The veteran batter, who last played a Test earlier this year on home conditions against England, is likely to reclaim his place from domestic stalwart Sarfaraz Khan, despite the latter impressing on his first-ever India call-up. For the unversed, Rahul only lost his place to Sarfaraz due to an injury. While analysing the squad, former India batter Aakash Chopra suggested that Rahul will have a point to prove.

Chopra pointed out that Rahul has been dropped too many times from the team, hinting that if the 50-Test veteran fails to score runs, an 'atmosphere will be created' to get him out of the team yet again.

"I personally like KL Rahul as a player. He will have to score runs. If he keeps scoring runs, he will keep moving forward. His fate is that he will always be in the shadows of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. These are the big guys. I feel Rahul is super talented, super skilled. He will keep playing until he keeps scoring runs. Although the team rates him very highly, an atmosphere gets created against him very quickly in Indian cricket," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

Chopra added if he was the selector, he'd back someone like Rahul for a longer run considering the amount of "difficult runs" he has scored for the team.

"There are plenty of people who go after him. So he won't get as long a rope as you would give to anyone else with the same caliber or pedigree. If it's up to me, I would definitely give it because he has scored a lot of runs and difficult runs," he added.

Meanwhile, India's long Test season begins with the first of the two Tests against Bangladesh in Chennai, starting on September 19.

India's squad for the 1st Test of the Bangladesh Test series: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Dayal.

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Gambhir Calls Himself "Angry Young Man", Calls This Star 'Shahenshah'

Gautam Gambhir will face a stern Test as Indian cricket team when the side begins a long Test season, starting with a match against Bangladesh on September 19. Gambhir took charge from a short Tour of Sri Lanka last month. After that the Indian cricket team is long break. However, starting from the third week of September, India will play Bangladesh, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia in back-toback series. Ahead of the series, Indian cricket team coach Gautam Gambhir had a fun interaction on the sidelines of Delhi Premier League T20. 

In a video posted by Delhi Premier League, Gambhir was asked to name cricketers based on one word.  

Here are Gambhir's answers…

Badshah: Yuvraj Singh.

Angry Young Man: Me, Myself.

Dabang: Sachin Tendulkar.

Shahenshah: Virat Kohli.

Khiladi: Jasprit Bumrah. One more thing, 'Khiladi' is more important than all these.

Mr. Perfectionist: Rahul Dravid.

Tiger: Sourav Ganguly 

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A post shared by Shefali Bagga (@shefalibaggaofficial)

Recently, South Africa cricket legend Jonty Rhodes said the Indian team will only become stronger under new head coach Gautam Gambhir, and said the former opener has the ability to make an instant impact in any side. "Wherever GG (Gautam Gambhir) goes he makes an impact, we saw this when he left the Lucknow Super Giants and went to the Kolkata Knight Riders the impact that he had," Rhodes told PTI videos at the Pro Cricket League launch event.

"He is very much a hands-on guy and is certainly somebody who knows what he wants and speaks his own mind.

"Gambhir leaves no stone unturned, and now that he has taken over the reigns of the Indian team, they will go from strength to strength," he added.

Rhodes, who is the fielding coach of Lucknow Super Giants, also lauded Zaheer Khan's appointment as mentor of the IPL side.

He said Zaheer's calm head will help the side get through tense situations during a game.

"A calm cricketing mind is what you need at the IPL level, especially in the dugout scenario. You need people with calm heads because it gets very tense.

"If emotions start to get the better of you it impacts everybody sitting in the dug-out or on the field. In such situations, it is great to have someone like Zak (Zaheer), because he brings the skills and the knowledge, and he also brings the mojo," he said.

"We have worked together at Mumbai Indians and he is technically very sound indeed." Rumours are doing rounds that Rohit Sharma is set to replace KL Rahul in LSG.

"I spent a lot of time with Rohit Sharma at the Mumbai Indians and I am just so grateful that had I had an opportunity to watch him play there. The changes, if there are, will not be my decision and I am not worried about them right now," Rhodes said.

With PTI inputs

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Steve Smith Says Virat Kohli Is Australian. Explains Why

Veteran batter Steve Smith described Virat Kohli's approach on the field in a unique way, saying the Indian batting stalwart is Australian in his thoughts and action. India and Australia will renew their intense rivalry at the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which will see the two nations squaring off in the all-important five-match series at Perth, Adelaide (pink-ball game), Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, respectively. India have won the last two editions of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy held in Australia in 2018/19 and 2020/21 respectively.

"I believe Virat Kohli is Australian in thoughts and action. The way he gets into a battle, the way he gets into the challenge and tries to get on top of the opposition. He's probably the most Australian of the Indian players, I'd say," Smith said in a video posted by Star Sports on 'X', formerly Twitter.

Kohli, who has 80 international centuries, including 29 Test tons, has scored 8,846 runs across 113 Tests with a 49.16 average while Smith has 9,685 runs in 109 Tests at an average of 56.97 with 32 centuries.

"There's no real, you know, I need to beat him or anything like that. It's just about going out and playing and trying to score as many runs as I can and helping Australia have success and that's what it's all about," he added.

Smith further revealed that the two players share messages often and expressed excitement to face Kohli in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, starting from November 22.

"We get on quite well, share messages every now and then and look, he's a great guy and obviously a wonderful player. It's going to be nice to come up against him again this summer," said Smith.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Captain Babar To Be Sacked Again? Kirsten, Gillespie Convey Verdict To PCB

Pakistan's white and red ball head coaches Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie have advised the country's cricket board against changing the captains in haste after recent shoddy performances across formats. Babar Azam was sacked from white ball captaincy after 2023 ODI World Cup round robin exit in India and his replacement Shaheen Shah Afridi was removed after one bad series. Similarly in Tests, after Babar resigned, Shan Masood was named captain but after 0-2 Test series defeat to Bangladesh, there are calls for his immediate ouster.

A PCB source however told PTI that recent media speculations about Masood and Babar's sacking is nothing more than kite flying.

“There has been no discussion on changing the captains as the PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has left it up to the two coaches and selectors to decide on the captaincy,” he said.

“And Kirsten and Gillespie are very clear that Shan and Babar both need to be given a proper run before judging their leadership abilities,” the source added.

He said that both coaches wanted continuity in captaincy and have conveyed this to the board very clearly.

He also made it clear that the captaincy or team selections would not be up for discussion when the board holds its one-day workshop titled cricket connection later this month in Lahore.

“That workshop is being held to hear the views of all stakeholders, mainly the domestic team coaches, selectors and contracted players so that the board is able to bridge the gap between domestic cricket and international cricket standards,” he said.

The source also informed that Gillespie who would join via video link and Kirsten who would be present himself at the workshop had told the PCB chief that patience and continuity in policies was required to get long term results from the team across formats.

“The workshop is basically being held because both the coaches want the domestic team coaches to have a clear picture of what is required from them to ensure a flow of players who can be considered for selection for the national teams in all formats,” he said.

Asked who would be appointed captain for the ODI series later this year in Australia and South Africa or for the Champions Trophy, the source said it would probably be Babar to maintain continuity in white ball formats.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Powerlifter Kasthuri Rajamani Finishes 8th At Paralympic Games

India's Kasthuri Rajamani equalled her personal best lift but failed to make an impact, finishing eighth among nine competitors in the women's 67kg powerlifting event at the Paralympic Games in Paris on Friday. The 40-year-old from Tamil Nadu lifted 106kg in her second attempt after failing in the first and again faltered in her third and final bid to heave 110kg. Kasthuri, who had finished fifth at the Hangzhou Para Games in 2023, had taken up powerlifting at the insistence of a para shooter friend and had won gold at the Khelo India Para Games last year in the 67kg category.

The 33-year-old Yujiao Tan, China's two-time Paralympics champion and winner of four world championship gold medals besides a top-podium finish at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year, made it a hat-trick of titles at the global showpiece in style, smashing the world and Paralympic record with a heave of 142kg.

Egypt's Fatma Elyan clinched silver with a best lift of 139kg, while Brazil's Fatima de Maria heaved 133kg for the bronze medal.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Fashion Me Lag Gaya": Ex-Pakistan Star On Kishan's Absence From Team India

Gautam Gambhir's reign as head coach of Indian cricket team has been off to a brilliant start with the Suryakumar Yadav-led side taking an unassailable 2-0 in a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. Both teams will square off in the series finale on Tuesday, ahead of a three-match ODI rubber, starting August 2. India will be boosted by the presence of their big stars, including captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who both announced their T20I retirements last month. The ODI series, however, will also mark the return for star batter Shreyas Iyer into the Indian team set up.

Iyer will be back in Indian colours after being dropped from England Test squad earlier this year, before also being left out of his central contract by the BCCI.

However, there was no place in the team for wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who like Iyer was also left out his central contract.

Speaking on Kishan's lengthy absence from the team, former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has put the blame on the player, saying that he got into fashion and got a bit distracted.

"Ishan Kishan has fallen down the pecking order. Woh bhi thoda sa fashion mein lag gaya tha (He too got into fashion a bit)," Basit said on his YouTube channel.

Kishan last played for India during the third T20I of a five-match series against Australia in November last year. 

He was then named in the subsequent tour of South Africa, but opted out of the Test series due to personal reasons. 

After taking a short break, Kishan also decided to skip Ranji Trophy matches, which led to the BCCI removing him from the central contracts list.

If sources are to be believed, Kishan will only be back in reckoning after a full season of domestic cricket, and playing IPL to IPL is harming his cause. Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Sanju Samson are the first three designated keepers in two white-ball formats.

(With PTI Inputs)

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Brazilian Footballer, Once Teammates With Ronaldo, Joins OnlyFans

In what is the first venture into the industry by a prominent footballer, former Brazil international winger Douglas Costa has put up his own account on the website 'OnlyFans'. Costa, 33, announced his decision to join the website primarily used by adult content creators just days after joining Australian A-League club Sydney FC. Costa cited the platform's potential for global reach in his new decision. Once a serial league winner with European giants like Bayern Munich and Juventus, Costa was teammates with Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo for two seasons at the latter.

"As an OnlyFans creator, I will create exclusive content for my fans that they won't be able to see on any other social media, and it will make a great difference," said Costa through a press release sent to Australian news organisation The Sydney Morning Herald.

"I decided to join OnlyFans because I believe in the company's credibility and potential for global reach," he added.

Days after his former teammate Ronaldo shattered records on YouTube, gaining over 50 million subscribers in three days, Costa is trying his luck in another social media arena.

In fact, Ronaldo has been followed to YouTube by modern football stars like Jude Bellingham as well.

"The segment in which OnlyFans seeks to have athletes as brand ambassadors greatly impacts the market, and I am more than happy to be part of it, especially as one of the pioneers in the soccer segment," he said.

"I hope this partnership will be lasting and I can make my fans happy with my content," he stated.

In his prime, Costa was a dazzling winger who won three Bundesliga titles for Bayern Munich and three Serie A titles for Juventus. He also boasts 31 international caps for Brazil, for whom he has scored three goals. He was a part of his nation's 2018 FIFA World Cup squad.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Was In Coma For Six Months, Kapil Parmar Now Wins Paralympic Judo Medal

Kapil Parmar bagged India's first-ever Paralympic medal in judo, winning a bronze in the men's 60kg (J1) after convincingly defeating Brazil's Elielton de Oliveira in the play-off in Paris on Thursday. Parmar produced a superlative performance, dominating his opponent from start to finish to record a 10-0 win in the bronze medal contest. He had earlier lost to S Banitaba Khorram Abadi in the semifinals, beaten 0-10 by his Iranian opponent.

The J1 class in para judo is for the athletes who suffer from no to very low visual activity. Athletes in this category wear red circles to indicate that they may need guided support before, during and after a contest.

Parmar, who won the silver medal at the 2022 Asian Games in the same category, had earlier beaten Venezuela's Marco Dennis Blanco 10-0 in the quarterfinals.

Parmar was, however, handed a yellow card in each of the two contests on Thursday.

Yellow cards in judo are given for minor violations such as passivity or using a technique that might hinder the opponent or cause injury.

Parmar hails from a small village named Shivor in Madhya Pradesh. As a child, Parmar had a life-altering accident when he was playing in the fields of his village and accidentally touched a water pump, resulting in a severe electric shock.

He was found unconscious by a villager and taken to the hospital, where he remained in coma for six months.

He is the youngest of four brothers and a sister. His middle brother, who is also into judo, often trains with him. Parmar's father works as a taxi driver, while his sister runs a primary school.

Despite the setback, Parmar never gave up his love for judo. He continued to pursue his passion in blind judo, thanks to his mentor and coaches Bhagwan Das and Manoj.

It was not end of the struggle for Parmar who used to run a tea stall with his brother Lalit to make ends meet.

Lalit, his source of inspiration, even now remains his main source of financial support.

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Pak Coach Unhappy With Stars' Fitness, 'Contract Condition' Set To be Imposed

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will conduct stringent fitness tests before awarding central contracts for the next 12 months, bringing currently contracted players and other international and domestic performers into the ambit. The fitness test will be carried out between September 6 and 8 at Lahore and the process will be supervised by white ball head coach Gary Kirsten and the team's physiotherapist and trainer. The players will then leave for Faisalabad for the Champions Cup.

“The fitness tests will basically decide which players make the contracts this year while performances would also be given priority,” a reliable source in the board said.

“Both the foreign coaches (Kirsten and Jason Gillespie) have made it clear to the selectors and PCB that their first criteria for selecting players will be their fitness status,” he added.

“Gillispie was not happy with the fitness of some players in the recent Test matches against Bangladesh and felt they were not able to sustain their intensity and endurance during all sessions of the Tests,” the source added.

He said Kirsten had also expressed similar feelings about the fitness level of some players when he met with the selectors and board officials.

“The fitness tests will comprise everything to determine how fit a player is, gym training, stamina and endurance runs, yo yo and other tests would also be held,” he added.

Presently, the PCB has awarded central contracts to around 27 players but indications are the number would be reduced this time given the performances of the national team in the last one year in all formats.

Pakistan were swept aside 2-0 in a recent Test series by Bangladesh leading to a lot of criticism of players and board officials.

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Etihad Airways And Mumbai City FC Join Hands In A New Landmark Partnership

Etihad Airways has signed on to be the Official Front of Shirt Sponsor of Mumbai City FC in a multi-year partnership starting from the 2024-25 season. The move demonstrates Etihad's continued commitment to the Indian market and Mumbai City's profile as one of the top-performing professional sports teams in India having won two Indian Super League titles and two Indian Super League Cups. The deal, which is a record in Indian football in terms of duration, coincides with Etihad celebrating 20 years of flying to India and will see the Etihad Airways logo feature prominently on the front of shirt of Mumbai City FC's first and youth team match shirts and training kits from the 2024-25 season.

The partnership builds upon the decades-long connection between the home countries of the two organisations and reinforces the shared values of teamwork and excellence. Both club and airline aim to bring people together and give flight to ambition.

Kandarp Chandra, CEO of Mumbai City FC commented, "We are incredibly happy to bring Etihad on board as our Official Front of Shirt Sponsor. Their endorsement is a testament to the brand of football Mumbai City plays - one that is committed to performance and the pursuit of excellence on and off the field. Both Etihad and Mumbai City are proud to represent resilient global cities that balance tradition with modernity."

Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways, said, "We strive to enrich our presence in the Indian market through relevant and meaningful partnerships, and we're thrilled to welcome Mumbai City FC to the Etihad family. India continues to be a strategically important market for Etihad and we remain committed to serving the Indian community with convenient connections from 11 destinations across India to the Middle East, Europe and North America."

Etihad will celebrate 20 years of flying to India this month, and from 1 September, Etihad's A380 will be flying between Mumbai and Abu Dhabi to demonstrate its commitment to growth in India. Guests will have the chance to experience the iconic superjumbo on this popular route for four months.

The airline flies to 11 destinations across India, with flights to Mumbai four times per day, offering convenient connections to Abu Dhabi and onwards. In total, Etihad operates 175 flights per week between Abu Dhabi and India.

"Through our partnership with Mumbai City FC, we hope to bring joy to the football-loving community across Mumbai," continued Neves.

About Mumbai City FC

Mumbai City FC, formed in August 2014, is a club competing in the Indian Super League (ISL) - the top-tier of Indian football. The club also participates in Super Cup (since 2017) and the Durand Cup (since 2022). The Islanders, as the club is fondly known, is the only club in India to have won the unique 'double', that is, winning the ISL League and the ISL Cup in the 2020/21 season. The club has also won the ISL League Shield in 2022/23 and the ISL Cup in 2023/24, winning an enviable four trophies for the club.

In Asia, Mumbai City FC competed in the AFC Champions League in 2022 and in the 2023/24 seasons becoming the first Indian club to register wins in the continent's premier club competition.

In November 2019, Mumbai City FC became part of the City Football Group (CFG) when the group acquired a majority stake in the club joining Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor and businessman Bimal Parekh, as co-owners. The club joined the likes of Manchester City FC, New York City FC, Melbourne City FC and others in the CFG family.

Mumbai City FC plays its home games at the Mumbai Football Arena located in Andheri, Mumbai. The club's crest houses key elements that represent the city of Mumbai and is a reflection of the city's dynamism and relentless attitude while also reflecting the modern values that define the city and the club.

About Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, was formed in 2003 and quickly went on to become one of the world's leading airlines. From its home in Abu Dhabi, Etihad flies to passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and North America. Together with Etihad's codeshare partners, Etihad's network offers access to hundreds of international destinations. In recent years, Etihad has received numerous awards for its superior service and products, cargo offering, loyalty programme and more. Etihad sees tackling the climate crisis as the most important issue of our time and was named the Airline Ratings Environmental Airline of the Year for the third consecutive year in 2024. It has invested billions in fuel-efficient aircraft. Through strategic partnerships with major global aviation brands and OEMs, Etihad is relentless in its pursuit of industry decarbonisation.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)

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The Political Rage of Left-Behind Regions

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Putin es recibido con alfombra roja en Mongolia a pesar de su orden de detención

By Valerie Hopkins from NYT En español https://ift.tt/iD5PbjM

Olympic Runner Suffers 75 Per Cent Burns After Partner 'Sets Her On Fire'

A Ugandan Olympian is in intensive care in a Kenyan hospital after being doused with petrol and set on fire allegedly by her partner, officials said Tuesday, the latest horrific incident of gender-based violence in the East African country. Long-distance runner Rebecca Cheptegei, 33, was assaulted after her Kenyan partner Dickson Ndiema Marangach reportedly snuck into her home in Endebess in the western county of Trans-Nzoia at around 2:00 pm on Sunday while she and her children were at church, police said. "Dickson, who had procured petrol, began pouring (it) on Rebecca before he set her ablaze," a police report said late Monday, adding that he was also injured by the flames.

It said that neighbours had rescued the pair and taken them to nearby Kitale County Referral Hospital where they were admitted with "multiple burns".

They were transferred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), where Cheptegei was admitted to the intensive care unit on Monday.

"Her condition looks serious with facial burns and bandages," a MTRH staff member told AFP, requesting anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media.

The police report did not mention if Cheptegei's children were hurt in the attack.

The Ugandan athlete and Marangach were a couple who "constantly had family wrangles", the police report said.

Local media said the athlete had sustained burns over 75 percent of her body, and that her parents were travelling from Uganda to visit her.

They said their daughter had bought land and built a house in the Trans-Nzoia area which lies on the border with Uganda, according to local media.

Cheptegei placed 44th in the marathon at the Paris Olympics.

The Ugandan Athletics Federation expressed its regret over the incident, saying Cheptegei had "suffered severe injuries".

"This follows an incident involving her Kenyan boyfriend pouring petrol and setting fire on her," it said in a statement on X.

A report by the Kenyan Bureau of National Statistics published in January 2023 found that 34 percent of women in Kenya have experienced physical violence since the age of 15.

It said women who had "been married are much more likely to have experienced violence", noting that 41 percent of such women reported incidents compared to 20 percent of unmarried women.

The assault on Cheptegei comes two years after Kenyan-born athlete Damaris Mutua was found dead in Iten, a world-famous running hub in the Rift Valley in the west of the country.

Her death followed the murder of record-breaking runner Agnes Tirop, 25, who was found stabbed to death at her home in Iten in 2021.

Tirop's estranged husband Emmanuel Ibrahim Rotich went on trial over her murder in 2023. He has denied the charges. His trial is ongoing.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Indian Duo Of Sheetal Devi And Rakesh Kumar Wins Bronze At Paralympics 2024

The Indian duo of Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar staged a remarkable comeback after the heartbreak in the semifinals to claim the bronze medal with a close 156-155 win over Italy's Eleonora Sarti and Matteo Bonacina in the mixed team compound archery competition at the Paralympics on Monday.

It is only the second time that India has won a medal in Paralympics in archery. Harvinder Singh bagged a bronze at the Tokyo edition of the Games three years ago.

India won after the 17-year-old Sheetal's shot was upgraded following a revision.

With just four arrows left, the Indians were trailing by a point with Sarti displaying awesome form even as her partner Bonacina struggled a bit. But the Indian pair held on to emerge winners in the end.

It was a great comeback by the Indians after they went down in shoot-off following a dramatic semifinal clash against Iran's Fatemeh Hemmati and Hadi Nori.

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The Cass Report: Biased or Balanced?

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