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India Cricket Team’s New Jersey: Aaquib Wani Designs Win Player Approval, Watch

July 16, 2024, 5:14 pm

Aaquib Wani, a self-taught designer who runs a design studio in Delhi, has had a momentous year, creating the new jersey for the Indian cricket team. Wani expressed his immense pride and excitement about this significant opportunity. Recounting the experience, Wani shared, “Back in 2022, while designing a festival in Goa, I received a call from Adidas. They hinted at an exciting project and invited me to discuss it further. The anticipation during those two weeks before the meeting was intense, as I sensed something big was coming.”

The project turned out to be the design of the Indian cricket team’s jerseys. “I had to sign an NDA before the meeting, and as soon as I entered the room, I had a feeling it was related to cricket. When I found out it was for the Indian cricket team, I was ecstatic. In India, cricket and Bollywood reign supreme. I had designed jerseys for Real Kashmir Football Club and Rajasthan Royals before, but this was on another level,” Wani, 30, reminisced.

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Aaquib Wani revealed that the selection process involved multiple designers, and he was thrilled to have even been considered. “We had a week to submit our designs, and they would choose one. When they were happy with our presentation, it was a huge relief, but we still didn’t know if we were chosen. Just being part of the process was a significant opportunity. As someone who grew up watching and playing cricket, it felt like doing something for the country,” he said emotionally.

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Describing the design process, Wani emphasized the importance of player comfort. “The main focus was the comfort of the players, who spend hours on the field. We created prototypes using software and 3D designs, selected the fabric, and decided on the shade of blue. We wanted the jersey to tell a story, not just feature random graphics. We chose Ikat, a textile technique, as it looked cool, sporty, and geometric. We incorporated the tiger stripes, symbolizing India’s national animal, using Ikat, which was seen in the World Cup last year.”

For the Test jerseys, Wani wanted to add colors while adhering to strict guidelines. “Test jerseys have always been white, but I wanted to introduce colors. There are many rules regarding buttons, collar colors, and more that one has to consider while designing these jerseys.”

Discussing this year’s T-20 World Cup jersey, Wani said, “After last year’s World Cup, we were asked to gear up for the Twenty Twenty World Cup. We presented our ideas, focusing on solid block colors and the tricolor, rather than prints. The management and players loved the design, and it was an incredible feeling to know that our heroes appreciated our work. Being called a lucky charm when we won was the icing on the cake.”

Wani has also designed the official Indian jersey for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. “It’s an indescribable feeling. The authorities could have chosen any renowned designer, but they picked us. We prepared multiple designs for different styles and sports, and the process was thorough and enjoyable. 2024 has truly been a blissful year!” Wani concluded.

Watch: R Ashwin’s Daughters Showcase Cricket Knowledge In T20 World Cup Quiz

May 31, 2024, 1:15 pm

Ravichandran Ashwin’s daughters showed off their cricket knowledge in an endearing quiz video. Ashwin shared a delightful quiz video featuring his two daughters on Instagram on May 30. The video quickly gained attention and impressed fans with the girls’ cricketing trivia. In the video, Ashwin quizzed his daughters about the upcoming T20 World Cup, asking them various questions about the tournament.

The girls correctly answered questions about the T20 World Cup’s venue and the host city for the India vs Pakistan match. They also identified the West Indies’ captain accurately.

Additionally, Ashwin’s daughters knew the name of India’s head coach and recognized cricketer Shimron Hetmyer’s affiliation. However, they were unsure about Hetmyer’s origin. The video became viral on social media, garnering over 300,000 likes on Instagram by Friday morning.

The only question they couldn’t answer was about the host city for the India vs Pakistan match during the group stage, to which Ashwin informed them it was New York.

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Regarding India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad, Ashwin didn’t make the cut. The team opted for four spinners – Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal. Despite debates about carrying four spinners, chief selector Ajit Agarkar defended the decision, citing the need for multiple combinations in the Caribbean’s slow pitches.

Most of the Indian team has arrived in New York for their warm-up match against Bangladesh before kicking off their group stage campaign against Ireland on June 5.

India’s Squad

Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Kohli and Jaiswal Should Open in T20 World Cup 2024: Wasim Jaffer

May 29, 2024, 2:20 pm

Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer suggests that Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal should open for India in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, with Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav following in the batting order. Jaffer praises Rohit’s ability to handle spin, advocating for him to bat at number four.

India’s T20 World Cup campaign begins on June 5 against Ireland at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. The highly anticipated India-Pakistan match is scheduled for June 9, followed by matches against tournament co-hosts USA and Canada on June 12 and 15, respectively.

India aims to break their ICC trophy drought, last winning the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. Despite several strong performances in various ICC events, including reaching the T20 World Cup final in 2014, India has not secured a major ICC trophy since 2013.

The Indian squad for the T20 World Cup includes Rohit Sharma as captain, with Hardik Pandya as vice-captain. Other key players include Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, and Jasprit Bumrah. Reserves include Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, and Avesh Khan.

Kamran Akmal Backs India To Win Against Pakistan In T20 World Cup

May 28, 2024, 7:36 pm

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal has predicted an Indian victory in the much-anticipated clash between India and Pakistan at the upcoming T20 World Cup. The two Asian cricket powerhouses are set to face off in a highly anticipated match on June 9 at Nassau County Cricket Stadium in New York, with a capacity of 35,000 fans.

The tournament, hosted by the USA and the West Indies, kicks off on June 1. During a Q&A session on Instagram, Akmal was asked for his prediction for the India-Pakistan match, to which he confidently replied, “Definitely India.”

The rivalry between India and Pakistan in cricket is always charged with excitement and passion, drawing significant attention from fans around the world. The upcoming match is expected to be no different, especially after India’s thrilling victory over Pakistan in the previous edition of the tournament.

In their last encounter in 2022, Pakistan seemed poised for victory, needing only 28 runs off 8 deliveries. However, Virat Kohli’s heroics turned the game around. Facing Haris Rauf, Kohli hit two consecutive sixes, prompting commentator Gerard Whateley to famously describe it as “a shot of an emperor.” Kohli’s performance laid the foundation for India’s successful chase of 160 runs, making the match a memorable spectacle.

Before the high-stakes match against Pakistan, India will play their tournament opener against Ireland on June 5, while Pakistan will face the USA on June 6.

India Squad:

Pakistan Squad:

Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan.

As the T20 World Cup approaches, fans are eagerly awaiting what promises to be another epic chapter in the storied rivalry between India and Pakistan.

Record-Breaker! Virat Kohli Surpasses Sachin Tendulkar’s ODI Milestone

November 2, 2023, 6:13 pm

Virat Kohli, the Indian cricket icon, has surpassed the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s feat by becoming the batsman with the most runs scored in a single year in the ODI format. The former India captain’s remarkable feat happened during a match against Sri Lanka at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium during the ongoing World Cup.

Virat Kohli scored over a thousand runs in one-day international cricket for the eighth time in his illustrious career in 2023.Virat Kohli notched up over a thousand runs in ODI cricket during the year 2023, marking the eighth time he has achieved this milestone in his illustrious career. His previous entries into the four-digit club came during the periods of 2011–14 and 2017–19.

Sachin Tendulkar, the next-level cricketing legend, reached the four-digit mark in a single ODI year seven times: in 1994, 1996–1998, 2000, 2003, and 2007.While Kohli’s record-breaking performance was outstanding, it is worth noting that he fell short of matching Sachin’s record of 49 ODI centuries. Virat Kohli’s 88-run innings from 94 balls were crucial to India’s World Cup campaign, earning him his 118th ODI score of 50 or more runs.

Kohli’s 189-run partnership with Shubman Gill laid a solid foundation for India’s bid to set a substantial total against Sri Lanka and advance to the tournament’s semi-finals. The partnership was India’s second-highest against Sri Lanka in World Cup history, trailing only Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly’s spectacular 318-run partnership in 1999. The duo’s achievement was India’s second-highest partnership against Sri Lanka in World Cup history, trailing only the spectacular 318-run partnership by Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly in 1999. Kohli’s near-century against Sri Lanka was cut short when he was dismissed by Dilshan Madushanka, putting an end to his pursuit of equaling Sachin’s century record in ODIs.

Race for number one ODI ranking heats up ahead of World Cup

September 18, 2023, 6:22 pm

The race to be the top-ranked ODI side at the commencement of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup heats up in the coming days, as the Asia Cup concludes and India and Australia, two of the top three teams, participate in a bilateral series beginning September 22.

Despite their early elimination and India’s dominant victory against Sri Lanka in the final, Pakistan remained No. 1 at the conclusion of the Asia Cup 2023. With their series loss to South Africa, Australia, too, missed out on the top spot.

The Australians led the series 2-0 before the hosts staged an incredible comeback and won three straight games to win the series on Sunday. India’s prospects of reaching the top of the rankings were hampered by a loss to Bangladesh previous to the final, and even a record-breaking victory against Sri Lanka in just over six overs did not catapult them to the top.

Let’s take a look at the games that each team will play before the World Cup kicks off on October 5.

Australia: Current ranking:3, Current rating points: 113
India: Current ranking: 2, Current rating points: 115 (114.659)
Pakistan: Current ranking: 1, Current rating: 115 (114.889)

Race for top spot in ODIs hots up ahead of World Cup; India, Pak and Australia in the running

September 13, 2023, 4:11 pm

Less than a month before the ICC World Cup, the race for the top spot in ODIs is hotly contested, with three teams vying to win the cricketing championship. India’s chances of reclaiming the top spot in ODIs after March 22 this year have increased significantly as a result of Australia’s defeat to South Africa in the third ODI of the ongoing away series on Tuesday. Australia and Pakistan are currently tied for first place in the ICC ODI standings with 118 points each, closely followed by India in second place with 116 points.

Pakistan’s final Super Four match against Sri Lanka at the Asia Cup on Thursday will have a significant bearing on the former’s chances of holding on to the Numero Uno position in ODIs ahead of the World Cup.
Pakistan needs to beat Sri Lanka in the Super Four clash on Thusday to advance to the final of the Asia Cup against India.
A victory for the Men in Blue in the Asia Cup final would dent Pakistan’s hopes of holding on to the top spot.
Barring some 50-over practice matches against New Zealand and Australia going into the World Cup, which won’t be tagged as internationals, Pakistan won’t feature in any ODIs ahead of the showpiece event.

FIFA Women’s World Cup: France stun Brazil to move into top place in group F

July 30, 2023, 5:07 pm

France conquered Brazil 2-1 in the group stage match in the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday. In another encounter, Sweden outplayed Italy by a big margin, 5-0.

After this win, France have moved to the top of the group with four points, while Brazil are in third spot, Jamaica and Panama are the other two teams in group F.

France dominated the proceedings in the first half; they consistently attacked their opponent’s goal mouth, and the European nation scored twice in the match.

Eugenie Le Sommer broke the deadlock and scored in the 17^th minute of the match with a brilliant header. France kept pressure, which paid off when Wendie Renard stretched the lead for the winning side. Brazil tried their best to come back into the match. Debora Cristiane de Oliveira scored a consolation goal in the 58^th minute of the match.

In the second half, Brazil’s game plan changed, and they started taking more chances. However, the French defended superbly and never allowed the South American giant to move freely. In the end, France defeated Brazil 2-1 and grabbed the top position in group F.

The French women hit 19 shots on the Brazilian goal, out of which seven were on target, and their possession of the ball during the game was 54 per cent.

Meanwhile, Brazil took 11 shots, and only two were on target. Their ball possession in the match was 46 per cent.

Indian cricketers celebrates 40th anniversary of 1983 World Cup triumph

June 25, 2023, 5:40 pm

As India commemorates the 40th anniversary of its World Cup victory, stars such as Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman took to social media to honor the 1983 World Cup legends for motivating many to play for India someday.

Today, India commemorates the 40th anniversary of its first World Cup victory, led by famous all-rounder Kapil Dev.

In a tweet, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag stated, “The catch that changed Indian Cricket forever.” Kapil Paaji, with the Viv Richards catch, and his team of brilliant contributors, as well as a fervent dream, led India to World Cup success. What a wonderful day!”

“25th June, 1983 – 40 years since that historic day when Kapil Paaji and his boys won India the World Cup, inspiring an entire generation of youth to take up cricket and playing an important role in shaping cricket in India.” Former India batsman and current National Cricket Academy (NCA) chief VVS Laxman tweeted, “#WorldCup.”

Yuvraj Singh, a former Indian batter, tweeted, “They did it first! A group of legends who defied the odds with their bravery and resolve. Congratulations on #40Years to that special day, and thank you for an extraordinary journey that has enabled countless dreams to come true.”

India’s first World Cup in 83! Jai Hind ???? pic.twitter.com/sKca9ZVQLk

— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) June 25, 2023

The Indian Board of Control for Cricket also recognised the historic day, tweeting, #OnThisDay in 1983. A momentous day and a watershed moment in Indian cricket as #TeamIndia, headed by @therealkapildev, won the World Cup.”

40 years to India winning the World Cup for the first time! 25th June, 1983 was one of the defining moments that changed Indian cricket as well as my life forever. Paying tribute to all the members of that champion team. pic.twitter.com/ges194UAX1

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) June 25, 2023

World Cup 2023 schedule, venues to be revealed during World Test Championship final: Jay Shah

May 28, 2023, 2:36 pm

BBCI secretary Jay Shah cleared the air by saying that the schedule for the upcoming 2023 World Cup will be unveiled during the World Test Championship to be held at The Oval.

Shah’s remarks on the schedule of the World Cup came after the conclusion of the Board’s Special General Meeting (SGM) held on Saturday in Ahmedabad. A decision regarding the fate of the Asia Cup 2023 will be made in the coming days.

Shah, who is also the current president of the Asian Cricket Council, stated that an emergent ACC meeting will be conducted to determine whether the PCB’s hybrid format for the 2023 Asia Cup is possible.

Shah will meet with his counterparts on Sunday from Sri Lanka Cricket, the Bangladesh Cricket Board, and the Afghanistan Cricket Board to discuss the Asia Cup informally.

The Asia Cup is slated for September in Pakistan, but with India reluctant to travel there, the ACC has been seeking alternatives. The PCB recently proposed a hybrid approach for the six-team competition, with four of the 13 matches taking place in Pakistan. India, Pakistan, and Nepal are all grouped together. Meanwhile, the second group includes Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.

In his capacity as ACC chairman, Shah stated that the Asia Cup should take place this year. Due to political difficulties between the two nations, the tournament has not been held in Pakistan or India since 2008.

Indian compound archers confirm medal in World Cup Stage 2

May 19, 2023, 6:02 pm

India’s compound archery team once again brought cheers, confirming its first medal from World Cup Stage 2, as recurve archers continued to falter here on Friday. The new-look pair of Ojas Deotale and Jyothi Surekha Vennam remained on course for a second successive World Cup gold when they defeated their Italian rivals 157-157 (19*-19) in a dramatic finish to make the final.

As expected, the sixth-seeded Indian duo will run into top-seed Korea in the final on Saturday, in what would be their biggest test since they paired up for the first time, winning the Stage 1 World Cup gold in Antalya last month. The Indians started off by eliminating Bangladesh 158-151 in a lopsided pre-quarterfinal, while in the next round they overcame a strong challenge from Turkey to emerge 157-156 winners.

Italy’s Elisa Roner and Elia Fregnan had a one-point lead after shooting a perfect 40 in the first half. The Italians once again shot a 40 in the third quarter to extend their lead by two points (117-119). But Ojas and Jyothi showed remarkable composure to drill in two Xs en route to shooting 40 in the fourth end to force a shoot-off, where the Indians sealed the issue with their arrows landing near the centre.

However, in the Olympic category, the fifth-seeded recurve duo of Dhiraj Bommadevara and Simranjeet Kaur failed to live up to expectations and lost to Indonesia 2-6 (39-35, 37-39, 37-38, 34-35) in their opening match.

The Indian duo, who got a bye into the second round (prequarterfinals) by virtue of their rankings, squandered a 2-0 lead against the lower-ranked Indonesians. They had a chance in the fourth end, but they were wayward and shot in the outer seven-point ring to make an early exit.

Craig Fulton eyes to dominate Asian hockey, qualify Olympics

May 17, 2023, 3:10 am

Barely two weeks into his new role as head coach of the Indian men’s hockey team, Craig Fulton is pretty clear about his goals: to make the side number one in Asia and qualify for next year’s Olympics in Paris.
Fulton, who has witnessed the rise of Belgium hockey since 2018, wants India to first dominate Asian hockey and then gradually translate it onto the world stage. “What I have in my head is to be the No. 1 team in Asia. Definitely, it is one of the goals that we want to achieve and be there consistently and then push because if we are sitting on world rankings 4 and 5, you need to consistently try to reach the podium,” Fulton said in his first media interaction, held virtually.
“When you have built enough experience and have a game plan that suits all the individuals, then you can definitely push on to get into the finals and win them. The priority is to qualify for the Paris Olympics through the Asian Games. This is our number-one priority. By using the FIH Pro League, the four-nation tournament in Spain, and then the Asian Champions Trophy, we want to really set us up to be strong and be in a position to qualify straightaway,” he added. Fulton has achieved exemplary success in his previous stints as a coach. His rise to fame began with a stint as Irish men’s team head coach from 2014 to 2018, when the team qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics. That was the Irish team’s first Olympic qualification in 100 years. The historic feat also won him the FIH Coach of the Year award in 2015. Fulton also worked as an assistant coach with the reigning Olympic champions, Belgium, en route to the gold medal in Tokyo. He was also part of the Belgian coaching staff during their 2018 World Cup win in Bhubaneswar. The South African was candid about his assessment of the current Indian team, saying there is a gap between it and the top two or three teams in the world. “We are not the best team, but we are a good team.

Ligue 1: Messi and Mbappé broke records

February 27, 2023, 3:52 pm

Social media platforms is flooded with the congratulatory messages as the fans of Mbappé and Messi are going gaga after witnessing the PSG vs Marseille game.

For those who are unversed, let us tell you, the World Cup final stars Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi are making headlines after PSG won 3-0 against Marseille. The pro player, Mbappé tops the league’s scoring charts as he outright with 17 goals to came into the club-record tally of 200 in Sunday’s game.

Lionel Messi scores 700 club goals in his incredible career — 28 goals with PSG & 672 with Barcelona ⭐️?? #Messi

Messi has also two assists for Mbappé tonight…

…and Leo’s also gonna win “The Best” FIFA Award on Monday in Paris ? pic.twitter.com/ylyQXbQrgh

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 26, 2023

After this amazing victory of PSG, Mbappé becomes the second player to score a hat trick in a World Cup final since France lost on penalty kicks to Argentina last December.

Meanwhile, Messi scored his 700th goal and came into his rival Cristiano Ronaldo’s club. Now after achieving this milestone, Messi, now will set his eyes upon completing 400 assists and 800 goals for club and country.

India to face arch-rival Pakistan in high-voltage women’s T-20 World Cup encounter today

February 12, 2023, 2:34 pm

Any form of cricket between India and Pakistan raises tension and draws a large crowd from both countries. India is gearing up to take on arch-rival Pakistan in a high-profile encounter on Sunday in the Women’s T20 World Cup at Cape Town in South Africa.

It will be the seventh clash between the two neighbouring nations in the T20 World Cups. Overall, India is ahead in the head-to-head contest against Pakistan, winning four out of six matches. In fact, India has emerged victorious 10 times out of 13.

The batting coach of the women’s team, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, said that his team is ready for the challenge. Every cricketer wants to participate in the World Cup and play against top teams. “Most of our players have played against Pakistan, so they have the experience of high-voltage games,” Kanitkar said.

India will take the field later today without its star opener Smriti Mandhana, as she was declared unfit due to a finger injury. But she is expected to be available for the second match, Kanitkar said.

Harmanpreet Kaur, the team’s captain, has recovered from a shoulder injury sustained during the T20 tri-series in South Africa. She is expected to play in today’s match.

The Indian team is clubbed alongside England, Pakistan, the West Indies, and Ireland in Group B.

India’s recent performance was not astonishing, as the girls in blue lost the Tri-Series final against South Africa. Apart from this, India lost to Australia in a warm-up match before beating Bangladesh.

Messi believes he can play in 2026 World Cup, depending on his fitness

February 5, 2023, 4:13 pm

The World Cup-winning captain of Argentina, Lionel Messi, has not ruled out his participation in the 2026 event, which will be held in three nations: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Before the start of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Messi announced that this would be his last appearance in the mega event.

His mind-set appears to have changed, and he is considering representing Argentina again in 2026, but age may interfere with his desire. Currently, the Argentine skipper is 35, and playing competitive football at the age of 39 is a herculean task.

“I like to play football,” Messi said. “The next World Cup is a long way away, and by then it will depend on how my fitness is shaping up.”

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has expressed his desire to see the mercurial forward at the next World Cup. If it happens, then Messi would be the sixth player in history to take part in five world cups.

Messi surpassed Germany’s Lothar Matthaus and became the most capped player in the World Cup, while he was playing his 26^th match in the epic 2022 final against France.

If Messi represents Argentina in 2026, then he would have a chance to become the leading goal scorer in the history of World Cups. He netted the ball three times in the recently concluded World Cup in Qatar, helping the South American nation lift the coveted trophy for the third time. He has 13 goals in his kitty and is just three goals behind Miroslav Klose of Germany, the highest goal scorer in World Cup football.

HARMANPREET, ABHISHEK NET BRACES AS INDIA BLANK JAPAN 8-0

January 27, 2023, 2:02 pm

Sublime Team India defeated Japan 8-0 in their first match of the 9-16 classification round at the ongoing FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup here at Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela on Thursday.

After playing goalless draws in the first two quarters, Harmanpreet Singh’s team trounced Japan by scoring back-to-back goals in the last two sessions. India will next play South Africa in the 9-12th classification match on Saturday.

Mandeep Singh (32’), Abhishek (35’, 43’), Vivek Sagar Prasad (39’) and Harmanpreet Singh (45’, 58’), Manpreet Singh (58’) and Sukhjeet Singh (59’) scored the goals for India.

Japan held possession in the beginning and created a brilliant opportunity to take the lead. However, Varun Kumar interjected and averted the imminent threat from the corner. India showcased an attacking game and made many attempts to score. However, Japan’s strong defence averted the coming threat and at the end of the first quarter scores were level at 0-0.

In the first few seconds of the second quarter, Japan won a penalty corner but India goalkeeper Krishna Kumar Pathak made a brilliant save. India also bagged a penalty corner but failed to capitalize.

Despite India exchanging many passes, Japan seemed to have possession of ball for more time in the initial part of the game. However, India came up with scoring opportunities later. Lalit Kumar unleashed a shot towards the target but the Japanese goalkeeper made a brilliant save.

Later, Abhishek perfectly dribbled the ball inside Japan’s circle and produced a scoop shot but the goalkeeper stood like a wall and India failed to take a lead.

Mandeep Singh provided Team India with their first breakthrough after he slammed the first goal of the night. Shamsher Singh took a penalty corner, after which Mandeep deviated it towards the target as India take a 1-0 lead. Abhishek gave Team India their second goal shortly after they scored their first. Abhishek scored on a reverse shot after receiving a soft feed inside the circle. Vivek Sagar Prasad also rose to the challenge and took two touches before taking a stunning shot toward the goal from an India penalty corner. The goalkeeper failed to stop the ball.

Abhishek scored once more as Team India took 4-0 lead. Abhishek made a wonderful try with a reverse stick and neatly placed the ball in the net after failing to take advantage of the penalty corner.

Within the first few seconds of the fourth quarter, skipper Harmanpreet Singh joined the party and register his first goal of the night. India received a penalty corner and Harmanpreet unleashed a drag-flick as India took a 5-0 lead over Japan. Manpreet Singh then netted a stunning goal for Team India in the last few minutes of the match. India took 6-0 lead against Japan. Harmanpreet struck again as Team India took a 7-0 lead over Japan and Sukhjeet Singh took the margin to 8-0.

India vs Wales Hockey Match: Do-or-Die match for India

January 19, 2023, 11:45 am

The Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 is underway in the Indian state of Odisha, and on Thursday, India will play against Wales.

Meanwhile, for Harmanpreet Singh’s India, its game against Wales is nothing less than a do-or-die match. The match will be played at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

Moreover, India won the first match against Spain and drew the second match against England in Pool D.

When it comes to table points, India and England are now tied at 4-4, with India in second place and England in first.

However, there are 16 teams competing in the 2023 Hockey World Cup that is taking place in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.

Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 groups

Pool A: Australia, South Africa, France, Argentina

Pool B: Belgium, Japan, Korea, Germany

Pool C: Netherlands, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand

Pool D: India, Wales, Spain, England

‘No I’m not going to retire’, says Messi

December 19, 2022, 9:18 am

In the FIFA World Cup 2022 finals on Sunday, it was a battle between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) teammates Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in which Messi’s FIFA World Cup dream was fulfilled, and won the title in a penalty shootout.

Now millions of football fans across the world will get some relief as Argentine talisman Lionel Messi has announced that he will continue to play football for Argentina.

Talking to the media Messi said, “No, I’m not going to retire from the Argentina national team. I want to continue playing as a champion.”

The 35-year-old legend made crucial goals, converting penalties and assisting his teammates in scoring, and end up winning the finals.

Earlier on Sunday, a great match was seen between Argentina and France. In the first half, Argentina was leading by 2-0 and in the second half, both the teams were on 2-2.

Meanwhile, Messi ended up as the second-highest goal scorer in the tournament.

Moreover, Argentina’s ambassador to India HJ Gobbi expressed his happiness after his country’s win over France in the FIFA World Cup final.

However, Argentina’s win was also celebrated in India as an event organized by Argentina’s embassy at a hotel in New Delhi.

“It is an emotional moment. I hope this is not Messi’s last World Cup, I want to see another one,” HJ Gobbi, the Ambassador of Argentina said.

Furthermore, in Kolkata hundreds of fans erupted in celebrations on the streets as in 1986 Argentina won it’s first World Cup and this is the third World Cup.

France or Argentina, who will grab the trophy ?

December 18, 2022, 2:22 pm

France and Argentina will face off in the FIFA World Cup final, making it the largest football game to take place at the Lusail Stadium in Doha, Qatar, in the past four years. France and Argentina will square off in their second straight FIFA World Cup final. Kylian Mbappe will play for France. Last time, the opposition to Les Blues was Luka Modric’s Croatia; this time, it is Messi and his teammates, who have won the Ballon d’Or seven times.

In Messi and company’s opening game of the Qatar tournament, Saudi Arabia ended Argentina’s 36-game unbeaten record. However, they made a stunning comeback and are now just one victory away from winning the World Championship. Argentina must defeat the defending champions, who are aiming for a historically high number of consecutive World Cup victories for their nation, in order to claim the title. Notably, France has participated in more FIFA World Cup finals than any other country over the past 24 years.

This will be Argentina’s fifth game at the Lusail Stadium in this tournament (out of a total of seven games). The Albicelestes’ opening match against Saudi Arabia was lost at the same location. Additionally, Lionel Scaloni’s guys have continued to win there ever since. With the exception of the World Cup, which is the biggest of them all, Messi has accomplished nearly every item on his football bucket list.

In this competition, Les Bleus will play in the Lusail Stadium for the first time, and they’ll want to make a lasting impression. Thanks to their 2-0 victory over Morocco, they will be the first defending champions in 24 years to play in a World Cup final. The best thing for France is that its two main players, Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud, have both been in excellent form and have a chance to win the Ballon d’Or by scoring in the championship game.

27-year old Iranian man shot dead for celebrating team’s exit from the World Cup

December 1, 2022, 3:29 pm

An Iranian activist was shot dead by the authorities in the city of Bandar-e Anzali for celebrating the team’s loss to the United States and exit from the World Cup, said a rights group.

According to the human rights group, Mehran Samak, 27, was shot dead while he was honking his car horn in Bandar Anzali, a city on the Caspian Sea coast. Since the country has been facing mass protest following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custordy, there has been mixed response regarding the country’s exit from World Cup. In order to fight for justice, many people have refused to support their team against the government’s crackdown on the protest which also resulted in the death of 448 people.

Samak “was targeted directly and shot in the head by security forces … following the defeat of the national team against America”, said the Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR). However, no official statement by the authorities in this matter has been released yet.

Few hours after the incident, Iranian international midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi, who played for US posted a picture of him Samak and describing him as his “childhood teammate”. Saeid took to his instagram and expressed his sorrow by the Iranian officials. He shared that Samak had played in the US match and was from Bandar Anzali.

“After last night’s bitter loss, the news of your passing set fire to my heart,” said Ezatolahi on Instagram. “Some day the masks will fall, the truth will be laid bare. “This is not what our youth deserve. This is not what our nation deserves.” He further said.

The players in their first clash against England in the support of protestors did not sing the national anthem. However they did sing it while playing against Wales and USA clashes.

‘It will be a good exposure for the young players’, says Shikhar Dhawan

November 24, 2022, 9:50 am

Indian stand-in skipper Shikhar Dhawan the ODI series against New Zealand would be an excellent exposure for the young players.

Meanwhile, the ODI series is starting on 25 November and team India will play three-match ODI series against the Blackcaps.

Moreover, from 18 November to 30 November the series will hold between the two teams, and in January 2023, New Zealand will return to India for the white-ball series.

During the pre-match conference, Shikhar Dhawan said, “To play good cricket and win this series, that’s what we are looking for. It will be a good exposure for the young players to come and play in New Zealand. To test their skills in different conditions. It’s a good opportunity for us to show our skills.”

“This preparation is all about the upcoming World Cup. The players are forming really well. It’s good to see that they are doing well and we have a really good idea…. who will get a chance to claim a spot in the World Cup squad,” Dhawan added.

Talking about the role of the captaincy Dhawan said, “I am really fortunate to get the captaincy of the Indian team. It is very nice to have this challenging opportunity. We have won a good series too. I was not hurt when the captaincy was taken back from me. I don’t feel bad if something didn’t go the way we wanted.”

However, the chance has been given to large numbers of young players as many senior players rested. Deepak Chahar also returns after missing the T20 World Cup due to a back injury.

India squad:

Shikhar Dhawan (C), Shubman Gill, Deepak Hooda, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (VC and WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Shahbaz Ahmed, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Deepak Chahar, Kuldeep Sen, Umran Malik

New Zealand squad:

Kane Williamson (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway (wk), Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Henry Nicholls.

Qatar’s stadium guidelines for FIFA fans

November 18, 2022, 1:21 pm

The fans visiting the Middle-Eastern country for FIFA World Cup 2022 have to cover their shoulders, knees said the Qatar government guidelines.

The guidelines have garnered criticism from across the world for asking the fans flocking to the country to wear appropriate clothes.

The statement issued by Qatar Tourism reads, “Attitudes towards dressing in Qatar are relaxed, but visitors (men as well as women) are expected to show respect for the local culture by avoiding excessively revealing clothes in public. It is generally recommended for men and women to ensure their shoulders and knees are covered.”

Meanwhile, the guidelines have requested fans to respect the decision including its restrictions on drinking, drugs, sexual activity, and attire.

However, from 20 November 2022 FIFA World Cup will begin and will go on till 18 December. The first match will be played between the Ecuadorian team and the host team.

However, Qatar (Hosts), Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, The Netherlands, Uruguay, Croatia, Denmark, Mexico, the United States, Senegal, Wales, Poland, Australia, Japan, Morocco, Switzerland, Ghana, Korea Republic, Cameroon, Serbia, Canada, Costa Rica, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Ecuador qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Furthermore, in 8 different stadiums across the middle-eastern nation of Qatar the World Cup 2022 will be played at Lusail Iconic Stadium, Al Bayt Stadium, Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, Stadium 974, Al Thumama Stadium, Education City Stadium, Al Wakrah Sports Complex.

‘Team is yet to play its best game’, says Ben Stokes

November 8, 2022, 3:43 pm

Ahead of the semi-final clash with India in the ongoing T20 World Cup England all-rounder Ben Stokes made a statement and said the England team is yet to play at its best game.

While speaking at the press conference in Adelaide Stokes talked about the preparations ahead of the semi-final clash.

“We have not played our best game so far but we have reached here and improved game by game to be here. Preparations are all about doing the same stuff again and again, getting into the game, and making sure that you have done everything that you need to do, to win the game,” Stokes said.

Talking about difficulties and challenges faced by players on different grounds England’s test captain said, “Would love to see what the wicket is like on Thursday. It’s about adapting and assessing whatever the situation presents. Adelaide is different from the grounds that we have played on, with different dimensions. We have played on grounds with bigger square boundaries, where we have looked to get the batters hit to the long boundaries but here we will have to change our plans a bit.”

“In terms of big-game situations, I like to just look at the scoreboard and try and simplify the game to take the pressure off,” the player said talking about handling the pressure.

Meanwhile, Stokes also talked about the team’s chances of going ahead in the World Cup and also praised team India’s performance.

“I hope so. We have two games to win and first up against a very strong India lineup whom no one will ever take lightly. We are a team who likes to focus on ourselves and not think too much about the opposition. Just did what needed to be done. The situation was not too much of an ask, it was just run a ball to get, the wicket was slowing down so I assessed that I need to be there till the end and get the job done. It will be great for the people in India and Pakistan. But I honestly don’t know. We are here to win and play our best game,” Stokes said.

“He is being looked after and monitored on a day-to-day basis so I don’t have any updates or news about him,” Stokes informed.

However, on Thursday the semi-final match will take place between England and India at the Adelaide Oval.

Former Scotland skipper Kyle Coetzer announces retirement from T20 International

July 22, 2022, 4:33 pm

Former Scotland captain Kyle Coetzer announced his retirement from T20 cricket on Friday. Coetzer recently resigned from the captaincy after the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series match against the United Arab Emirates.

ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Decade, Coetzer has also now decided to step back from the shortest format of the game. He captained Scotland in the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman.

On his decision to retire, Coetzer said in a statement, “I have made this decision only after consultation with Cricket Scotland and the head coach. In the upcoming T20 series and the subsequent T20 World Cup, someone else would be playing in my place.”

It was a pleasure to participate in the last World Cup and lead my country and help Scotland qualify for this year. It was a real driving force for me to continue helping the team in any way I could. Coetzer further added that he is looking forward to spending more time with his family.

Coetzer added that from a personal standpoint, I’m looking forward to spending a little more time with my family to spend time with my two young daughters and focus on my coaching career.

Moreover, Coetzer played 70 T20Is for Scotland, scoring 1495 runs with 6 fifties. He led Scotland in 41 of those matches. In which he registered 20 victories for his team.

However, Scotland will also host New Zealand for two T20Is. Scotland has announced an 18-man squad for the series, which will start with T20 on July 27. All matches will be played in Edinburgh.

Scotland’s team

Richie Berrington (c), Matthew Cross (wk), Kyle Coetzer, Ali Evans, Chris Greaves, Oliver Heyers, Michael Jones, Michael Leask, Callum McLeod, Gavin Maine, Chris McBride, George Munsey, Adrian Neal, Safyan Sharif, Chris Soul, Hamza Tahir, Craig Wallace, Mark Watts