Melbourne: Aryna Sabalenka’s shoes told the story long before the scoreboard did. Their silver, star-like sparkles glittered under the lights of the Rod Laver Arena as she stamped her authority on the Australian Open semi-finals. There was nothing restrained about the world No.1’s performance as the 27-year-old quelled the challenge of Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina 6-2, … Read more
Irfan Pathan celebrate with team-mates (X-ICC) On this day, 20 years ago, Karachi witnessed one of the strangest and most unforgettable opening days in the long, combustible history of India vs Pakistan Test cricket.It began in disbelief. The very first over of the match, on the opening morning of a series decider, and Irfan Pathan … Read more
India’s Sanju Samson (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has delivered a blunt assessment of Sanju Samson’s prolonged dip in form, insisting that pressure cannot be cited as a justification for the wicketkeeper-batter’s repeated failures. Samson’s struggles continued in the fourth T20I against New Zealand in Visakhapatnam, further clouding his prospects ahead of the … Read more
Michael Nobbs. (Photo credit: X/@HockeyAustralia) MELBOURNE: Former Australian hockey player Michael Nobbs, who coached the Indian men’s team at the 2012 London Olympics, has died after a prolonged illness. He was 72 years old and is survived by his wife Lee Capes, a former Australian women’s international and daughter Kaitlin, who is a current Hockeyroos … Read more
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh said the short turnaround from the Big Bash League (BBL) final to the T20I series against Pakistan will not affect his team’s readiness.Marsh and seven other players in the squad featured in the BBL final on Sunday and arrived in Lahore around 24 hours before the first T20I, which begins on … Read more
Ishan Kishan, right, arrives to bat as Sanju Samson walks off the field. (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel has made a strong case for a selection shake-up ahead of the fifth and final T20I against New Zealand, urging the team management to back Ishan Kishan over Sanju Samson as preparations intensify … Read more
Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley at Melbourne Park. (Getty Images) Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley has broken his silence on the growing debate around player privacy at the Grand Slam, admitting it is “a fine line” after several top stars complained about backstage camera access — with Iga Swiatek likening the experience to being … Read more
PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi with Pakistan cricketers. (Image credit: PCB) NEW DELHI: Pakistan’s Twenty20 World Cup plans have taken a dramatic turn, with the team already booked to fly out to Colombo on Monday even as uncertainty continues over their participation in the tournament, scheduled from February 7 to March 8. According to a report, … Read more
Vihaan Malhotra (ICC Photo) NEW DELHI: “Mujhe Virat Kohli jaisa banna hai. Main unke saath khelna chahta hoon [I want to become like Virat Kohli and want to play with him],” a nine-year-old Vihaan Malhotra told his coach Kamal Sandhu when he joined his Cricket Hub Academy in Patiala. Back then, the kid had no … Read more
NEW DELHI: On Wednesday, Shivam Dube didn’t just dismantle New Zealand’s bowling attack — he delivered a statement about his evolution as a T20 cricketer ahead of the much-awaited T20 World Cup at home. The India all-rounder’s explosive 65 off 23 balls was powered as much by a sharpened mindset as brute force, with Dube … Read more