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Jalen Brunson powered the New York Knicks to their first NBA Cup final with a 132-120 win over the Orlando Magic in Las Vegas on Saturday. Star point guard Brunson scored a game-high 40 points to book a showdown in the mid-season tournament against the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Knicks' in-form offense proved too hot for injury-hit Orlando, claiming a semi-final clash that extended New York's recent streak to nine wins from 10 games.&nbsp;"We came out here and did exactly what we said we wanted to do, which was play Knicks basketball," said Karl-Anthony Towns, backed Brunson with 29 points.&nbsp;The Magic had led 36-33 after making a rapid start to a breathless opening quarter -- earning the Knicks players some harsh and fiery words from coach Mike Brown in an early timeout.&nbsp;"The way they came out, physicality-wise, we weren't ready for it," said Brunson. "We bounced back and responded to that, and the way we played the rest of the game is a testament that first timeout."&nbsp;New York went on a tear at the start of the second quarter, capitalizing on a missed floating jump shot from Desmond Bane to take the lead through Josh Hart.&nbsp;The Knicks briefly relinquished their advantage soon after half-time, when Bane put the Magic back ahead with a running layup.&nbsp;But Orlando ultimately could not keep pace with Brunson, who late in the third quarter left opposing guard Anthony Black sat helplessly on the floor before executing a three-point step-back jumpshot.&nbsp;Orlando's Jalen Suggs managed a team-high 26 points, but failed to complete the game after suffering with an apparent injury to his left side.&nbsp;The Magic also felt the absence of Franz Wagner, their leading scorer this season.&nbsp;The NBA Cup, a mid-season knockout tournament now in its third year, is proving a hit with audiences and players. It now offers an tantalizing opportunity for the Knicks to win their first overall trophy since 1973.&nbsp;The reigning NBA champions Thunder will face Victor Wembanyama's Spurs in the second semi-final later Saturday, before the tournament concludes Tuesday.&nbsp;As well as the Cup title, players are competing for cash -- some $530,000 for each member of the winning team -- adding spice to matchups just weeks after the season openers.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

The Knicks' in-form offense proved too hot for injury-hit Orlando, claiming a semi-final clash that extended New York's recent streak to nine wins from 10 games.

Jalen Brunson powered the New York Knicks to their first NBA Cup final with a 132-120 win over the Orlando Magic in Las Vegas on Saturday. Star point guard Brunson scored a game-high 40 points to book a showdown in the mid-season tournament against the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Knicks' in-form offense proved too hot for injury-hit Orlando, claiming a semi-final clash that extended New York's recent streak to nine wins from 10 games. "We came out here and did exactly what we said we wanted to do, which was play Knicks basketball," said Karl-Anthony Towns, backed Brunson with 29 points. The Magic had led 36-33 after making a rapid start to a breathless opening quarter -- earning the Knicks players some harsh and fiery words from coach Mike Brown in an early timeout. "The way they came out, physicality-wise, we weren't ready for it," said Brunson. "We bounced back and responded to that, and the way we played the rest of the game is a testament that first timeout." New York went on a tear at the start of the second quarter, capitalizing on a missed floating jump shot from Desmond Bane to take the lead through Josh Hart. The Knicks briefly relinquished their advantage soon after half-time, when Bane put the Magic back ahead with a running layup. But Orlando ultimately could not keep pace with Brunson, who late in the third quarter left opposing guard Anthony Black sat helplessly on the floor before executing a three-point step-back jumpshot. Orlando's Jalen Suggs managed a team-high 26 points, but failed to complete the game after suffering with an apparent injury to his left side. The Magic also felt the absence of Franz Wagner, their leading scorer this season. The NBA Cup, a mid-season knockout tournament now in its third year, is proving a hit with audiences and players. It now offers an tantalizing opportunity for the Knicks to win their first overall trophy since 1973. The reigning NBA champions Thunder will face Victor Wembanyama's Spurs in the second semi-final later Saturday, before the tournament concludes Tuesday. As well as the Cup title, players are competing for cash -- some $530,000 for each member of the winning team -- adding spice to matchups just weeks after the season openers. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

The Knicks' in-form offense proved too hot for injury-hit Orlando, claiming a semi-final clash that extended New York's recent streak to nine wins from 10 games.

New York Knicks reach maiden NBA Cup Final as Brunson sinks Magic

Raphinha hit a brace to give Barcelona a narrow 2-0 win over Osasuna on Saturday and take them seven points clear at the top of La Liga. The Brazilian winger broke the deadlock after 70 minutes with a fizzing strike from the edge of the box to earn Barca their seventh-straight top flight win. Second place Real Madrid visit Alaves on Sunday, aiming to cut the gap on the champions back down to four points.&nbsp;Barca lacked their usual sparkle but ground out their victory, keeping a first clean sheet in six matches across all competitions. They also recorded a fifth victory in five games at their partially reopened Camp Nou home.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-salah-sets-up-goal-on-return-as-liverpool-beat-brighton-2-0-chelsea-return-to-winning-ways-against-everton-1765649108986">Premier League: Salah sets up goal on return as Liverpool beat Brighton 2-0; Chelsea return to winning ways against Everton</a>&nbsp;"(The win) has a lot of merit, they were well organised, it was hard to find a way through. With patience and a lot of possession, we finally did it," Barca defender Gerard Martin told Movistar. "A clean sheet gives stability to the team and then the goals, they always come."&nbsp;Ferran Torres, chosen to start over Robert Lewandowski after his hat-trick last weekend against Real Betis, might have sent Barca ahead early on but hooked high over the bar from Lamine Yamal's dangerous cross.&nbsp;At the other end, Ante Budimir's low effort was fielded comfortably by Joan Garcia, with Osasuna looking to hit Barca on the counter.&nbsp;Yamal had a couple of drives beaten away in a mostly frustrating first-half for both the teenager and for Barca.&nbsp;Torres headed home from Marcus Rashford's cross but the goal was disallowed for an offside in the build-up. The Spain international sent an acrobatic overhead effort inches wide, and Garcia denied Budimir with another fine save before the break.<h3>Eventual breakthrough</h3>&nbsp;Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera tipped a Rashford free-kick to safety early in the second half as Barca sought to extend their winning run. They were having trouble breaking Osasuna down but found a way through when the excellent Pedri roamed forward and found Raphinha on the edge of the box to slam a shot into the bottom right corner.&nbsp;Osasuna's Jorge Herrando, who was sent off on his debut for the club at the old Camp Nou in 2023, had a strike ruled out after Alejandro Catena collided with Barca goalkeeper Garcia.&nbsp;Moments later, Raphinha tapped home at the back post after Alejandro Catena deflected Jules Kounde's cross into the Brazilian's path with four minutes remaining.&nbsp;Raphinha, who started the match out of position in a central attacking midfield role, was one of the club's key players last season as they won a domestic treble and, after a spell out injured, has made an impact on his return.&nbsp;"We've got a lot of good players and Rapha, or whoever else plays inside, in the end they give us a lot of solutions in that position," added Martin.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Barcelona is seven points clear of second place Real Madrid after win over Osasuna. 

Raphinha hit a brace to give Barcelona a narrow 2-0 win over Osasuna on Saturday and take them seven points clear at the top of La Liga. The Brazilian winger broke the deadlock after 70 minutes with a fizzing strike from the edge of the box to earn Barca their seventh-straight top flight win. Second place Real Madrid visit Alaves on Sunday, aiming to cut the gap on the champions back down to four points. Barca lacked their usual sparkle but ground out their victory, keeping a first clean sheet in six matches across all competitions. They also recorded a fifth victory in five games at their partially reopened Camp Nou home. Also read | Premier League: Salah sets up goal on return as Liverpool beat Brighton 2-0; Chelsea return to winning ways against Everton "(The win) has a lot of merit, they were well organised, it was hard to find a way through. With patience and a lot of possession, we finally did it," Barca defender Gerard Martin told Movistar. "A clean sheet gives stability to the team and then the goals, they always come." Ferran Torres, chosen to start over Robert Lewandowski after his hat-trick last weekend against Real Betis, might have sent Barca ahead early on but hooked high over the bar from Lamine Yamal's dangerous cross. At the other end, Ante Budimir's low effort was fielded comfortably by Joan Garcia, with Osasuna looking to hit Barca on the counter. Yamal had a couple of drives beaten away in a mostly frustrating first-half for both the teenager and for Barca. Torres headed home from Marcus Rashford's cross but the goal was disallowed for an offside in the build-up. The Spain international sent an acrobatic overhead effort inches wide, and Garcia denied Budimir with another fine save before the break. Eventual breakthrough Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera tipped a Rashford free-kick to safety early in the second half as Barca sought to extend their winning run. They were having trouble breaking Osasuna down but found a way through when the excellent Pedri roamed forward and found Raphinha on the edge of the box to slam a shot into the bottom right corner. Osasuna's Jorge Herrando, who was sent off on his debut for the club at the old Camp Nou in 2023, had a strike ruled out after Alejandro Catena collided with Barca goalkeeper Garcia. Moments later, Raphinha tapped home at the back post after Alejandro Catena deflected Jules Kounde's cross into the Brazilian's path with four minutes remaining. Raphinha, who started the match out of position in a central attacking midfield role, was one of the club's key players last season as they won a domestic treble and, after a spell out injured, has made an impact on his return. "We've got a lot of good players and Rapha, or whoever else plays inside, in the end they give us a lot of solutions in that position," added Martin. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Barcelona is seven points clear of second place Real Madrid after win over Osasuna.&nbsp;

Raphinha hits brace as Barcelona extend Liga lead in win over Osasuna

The five-match T20I series between India and South Africa is currently level at 1-1. India won the first match, while South Africa bounced back to win the second match. With the series evenly balanced, attention now turns to the third T20I, which will be held at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala on Sunday (Dec 14). Both teams will be eager to win the match and take the lead in the series.&nbsp;<h2>India vs South Africa, 3rd T20I - Live streaming details</h2>As the third T20I between India and South Africa approaching, here’s a look at the live streaming details for fans in India.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-to-meet-lionel-messi-star-indian-cricketer-lands-in-mumbai-on-eve-of-goat-tour-1765630004403">Virat Kohli to meet Lionel Messi? Star cricketer lands in Mumbai on eve of GOAT Tour</a><h2>When and where is India vs South Africa,3rd T20I?</h2>The third T20I between India and South Africa will take place on December 14 (Sunday), at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala. The match will start at 7:00 pm IST.<h2>Where to watch India vs South Africa, 3rd T20I live?</h2>The third T20I match between India and South Africa will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network in India.<h2>Where to livestream India vs South Africa, 3rd T20I?</h2>Fans can watch the live streaming of the third T20I between India and South Africa on the JioHotstar app and website in India.<h2>What time will the toss take place?</h2>The toss for the third T20I between India and South Africa will be held at 6:30 pm IST.<h2>India vs South Africa - Full Squads</h2>India Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana and Washington Sundar&nbsp;South Africa Squad: Aiden Markram (c), Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Quinton de Kock (wk), Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, George Linde, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Lutho Sipamla and Tristan Stubbs

As the third T20I between India and South Africa approaching, here’s a look at the live streaming details for fans in India.

The five-match T20I series between India and South Africa is currently level at 1-1. India won the first match, while South Africa bounced back to win the second match. With the series evenly balanced, attention now turns to the third T20I, which will be held at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala on Sunday (Dec 14). Both teams will be eager to win the match and take the lead in the series. India vs South Africa, 3rd T20I - Live streaming details As the third T20I between India and South Africa approaching, here’s a look at the live streaming details for fans in India. Also Read - Virat Kohli to meet Lionel Messi? Star cricketer lands in Mumbai on eve of GOAT Tour When and where is India vs South Africa,3rd T20I? The third T20I between India and South Africa will take place on December 14 (Sunday), at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala. The match will start at 7:00 pm IST. Where to watch India vs South Africa, 3rd T20I live? The third T20I match between India and South Africa will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network in India. Where to livestream India vs South Africa, 3rd T20I? Fans can watch the live streaming of the third T20I between India and South Africa on the JioHotstar app and website in India. What time will the toss take place? The toss for the third T20I between India and South Africa will be held at 6:30 pm IST. India vs South Africa - Full Squads India Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana and Washington Sundar South Africa Squad: Aiden Markram (c), Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Quinton de Kock (wk), Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, George Linde, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Lutho Sipamla and Tristan Stubbs

As the third T20I between India and South Africa approaching, here’s a look at the live streaming details for fans in India.

IND vs SA, 3rd T20I: When and where to watch India vs South Africa match live streaming in India?

Mohamed Salah set up a goal in Liverpool's 2-0 win against Brighton on Saturday as he returned to action after an explosive outburst cast doubt over his future at the Premier League champions. The Egypt forward, the subject of intense scrutiny in the build-up to the game at Anfield, came off the substitutes' bench to huge cheers in the 26th minute, replacing injured defender Joe Gomez.&nbsp;The home team, whose title defence has collapsed after a shocking run of results, were leading 1-0 at the time, with France forward Hugo Ekitike&nbsp;on the scoresheet after just 46 seconds.&nbsp;Brighton squandered a number of opportunities to level and Ekitike scored his second with half an hour to go, heading home Salah's corner.&nbsp;The Egyptian superstar now has 277 goal involvements for Liverpool in the Premier League -- 188 goals and 89 assists -- a new record by a player for a single club in the competition, overtaking Wayne Rooney's mark for Manchester United.&nbsp;"Mohamed is a great, great professional," Ekitike told the BBC. "I look to him as an example. You can see how much he is involved in goals and assists.&nbsp;"He is a legend here. To share the pitch is a blessing. That's the kind of player who makes us like to watch football."&nbsp;Saturday marked a dramatic change of mood for Salah, who last week accused Liverpool of throwing him "under the bus" after he was left on the bench for the 3-3 draw at Leeds -- the third match in a row that he had been named among the replacements.&nbsp;The 33-year-old winger also said he had no relationship with manager Arne Slot in his extraordinary outburst and was omitted from the midweek Champions League trip to Inter Milan, which Liverpool won 1-0.&nbsp;Slot said at his pre-match press conference that he would hold talks with Salah and there was feverish speculation in the build-up to Saturday's match about what role the Egyptian would play.&nbsp;Liverpool made a lightning start, taking the lead in the first minute when Joe Gomez set up Ekitike, who thumped the ball past Bart Verbruggen.&nbsp;Brighton's Diego Gomez squandered a good chance and Brajan Gruda went close as the home crowd chanted Salah's name.&nbsp;Liverpool doubled their lead in the 60th minute when Ekitike headed home Salah's corner.The Egyptian himself went close in stoppage time after he was set up by Federico Chiesa but he blazed over.&nbsp;He was embraced by teammates at the final whistle and was applauded by fans.The win -- Liverpool's first at Anfield since November 4 -- lifts Slot's men to sixth in the table, easing the pressure on the beleaguered coach.<h2>Salah departure&nbsp;</h2>Salah,&nbsp;who signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool in April, will now depart for the Africa Cup of Nations.&nbsp;The length of his absence depends on how far Egypt go in the competition in Morocco, with the final on January 18.&nbsp;The forward, who has been linked with a move to the wealthy Saudi Pro League, had invited his family to the Brighton game as speculation swirled over his future.&nbsp;"I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go to the Africa Cup," he told reporters last week. "I don't know what is going to happen when I am there."&nbsp;Salah, third in Liverpool's all-time scoring charts with 250 goals, has won two Premier League titles and one Champions League crown during his spell on Merseyside.&nbsp;He scored 29 Premier League goals last season as Liverpool romped to a 20th English league title, but has managed just four league goals this season.<h2>Chelsea return to winning ways against Everton</h2>Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca insisted his side were a better team for having Cole Palmer back after the forward scored on his first Stamford Bridge start in almost four months as the Blues beat Everton 2-0 to move back into the Premier League's top four."We said many times with Cole (Palmer) we are a better team," Maresca told the BBC.&nbsp;"Unfortunately he was out for many games for us, but now he's back and for sure he will help us."&nbsp;The injury-plagued attacking midfielder missed Chelsea's loss away to Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday as part of his recovery from a two-month spell on the sidelines.&nbsp;Palmer was initially troubled by a groin problem and then fractured his toe after stubbing it on a door at home.&nbsp;The 23-year-old made his first start for the Blues since September in last weekend's goalless draw at Bournemouth.&nbsp;The England international broke the deadlock against Everton in the 21st minute at Stamford Bridge.&nbsp;Malo Gusto played in Palmer&nbsp;with a fine pass and he beat fellow England international Jordan Pickford at the goalkeeper's near post.&nbsp;Everton dominated possession, with Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez saving well from Jack Grealish.&nbsp;All of Everton's pressure failed to yield an equaliser and Chelsea, against the run of play, doubled their lead in first half stoppage-time when a counter-attack ended with Gusto turning in a cut-back from Pedro Neto.&nbsp;Everton, eighth in the table despite this loss, had a chance to make it 2-1 when Carlos Alcaraz curled in a cross to the back post only for the unmarked Grealish to divert the ball well wide.&nbsp;Chelsea almost added a third when Reece James's quick free-kick was only just tipped over the bar by Pickford.&nbsp;Everton nearly gave themselves a lifeline when Iliman Ndiaye burst into the box only for his shot to bounce off the inside of the post.&nbsp;"The game is never finished," said Maresca. "We had many chances, we missed. But overall I'm happy with the clean sheet and the performance."&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for&nbsp;WION&nbsp;audience.

Salah, who signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool in April, will now depart for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Mohamed Salah set up a goal in Liverpool's 2-0 win against Brighton on Saturday as he returned to action after an explosive outburst cast doubt over his future at the Premier League champions. The Egypt forward, the subject of intense scrutiny in the build-up to the game at Anfield, came off the substitutes' bench to huge cheers in the 26th minute, replacing injured defender Joe Gomez. The home team, whose title defence has collapsed after a shocking run of results, were leading 1-0 at the time, with France forward Hugo Ekitike on the scoresheet after just 46 seconds. Brighton squandered a number of opportunities to level and Ekitike scored his second with half an hour to go, heading home Salah's corner. The Egyptian superstar now has 277 goal involvements for Liverpool in the Premier League -- 188 goals and 89 assists -- a new record by a player for a single club in the competition, overtaking Wayne Rooney's mark for Manchester United. "Mohamed is a great, great professional," Ekitike told the BBC. "I look to him as an example. You can see how much he is involved in goals and assists. "He is a legend here. To share the pitch is a blessing. That's the kind of player who makes us like to watch football." Saturday marked a dramatic change of mood for Salah, who last week accused Liverpool of throwing him "under the bus" after he was left on the bench for the 3-3 draw at Leeds -- the third match in a row that he had been named among the replacements. The 33-year-old winger also said he had no relationship with manager Arne Slot in his extraordinary outburst and was omitted from the midweek Champions League trip to Inter Milan, which Liverpool won 1-0. Slot said at his pre-match press conference that he would hold talks with Salah and there was feverish speculation in the build-up to Saturday's match about what role the Egyptian would play. Liverpool made a lightning start, taking the lead in the first minute when Joe Gomez set up Ekitike, who thumped the ball past Bart Verbruggen. Brighton's Diego Gomez squandered a good chance and Brajan Gruda went close as the home crowd chanted Salah's name. Liverpool doubled their lead in the 60th minute when Ekitike headed home Salah's corner. The Egyptian himself went close in stoppage time after he was set up by Federico Chiesa but he blazed over. He was embraced by teammates at the final whistle and was applauded by fans. The win -- Liverpool's first at Anfield since November 4 -- lifts Slot's men to sixth in the table, easing the pressure on the beleaguered coach. Salah departure Salah, who signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool in April, will now depart for the Africa Cup of Nations. The length of his absence depends on how far Egypt go in the competition in Morocco, with the final on January 18. The forward, who has been linked with a move to the wealthy Saudi Pro League, had invited his family to the Brighton game as speculation swirled over his future. "I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go to the Africa Cup," he told reporters last week. "I don't know what is going to happen when I am there." Salah, third in Liverpool's all-time scoring charts with 250 goals, has won two Premier League titles and one Champions League crown during his spell on Merseyside. He scored 29 Premier League goals last season as Liverpool romped to a 20th English league title, but has managed just four league goals this season. Chelsea return to winning ways against Everton Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca insisted his side were a better team for having Cole Palmer back after the forward scored on his first Stamford Bridge start in almost four months as the Blues beat Everton 2-0 to move back into the Premier League's top four. "We said many times with Cole (Palmer) we are a better team," Maresca told the BBC. "Unfortunately he was out for many games for us, but now he's back and for sure he will help us." The injury-plagued attacking midfielder missed Chelsea's loss away to Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday as part of his recovery from a two-month spell on the sidelines. Palmer was initially troubled by a groin problem and then fractured his toe after stubbing it on a door at home. The 23-year-old made his first start for the Blues since September in last weekend's goalless draw at Bournemouth. The England international broke the deadlock against Everton in the 21st minute at Stamford Bridge. Malo Gusto played in Palmer with a fine pass and he beat fellow England international Jordan Pickford at the goalkeeper's near post. Everton dominated possession, with Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez saving well from Jack Grealish. All of Everton's pressure failed to yield an equaliser and Chelsea, against the run of play, doubled their lead in first half stoppage-time when a counter-attack ended with Gusto turning in a cut-back from Pedro Neto. Everton, eighth in the table despite this loss, had a chance to make it 2-1 when Carlos Alcaraz curled in a cross to the back post only for the unmarked Grealish to divert the ball well wide. Chelsea almost added a third when Reece James's quick free-kick was only just tipped over the bar by Pickford. Everton nearly gave themselves a lifeline when Iliman Ndiaye burst into the box only for his shot to bounce off the inside of the post. "The game is never finished," said Maresca. "We had many chances, we missed. But overall I'm happy with the clean sheet and the performance." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Salah,&nbsp;who signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool in April, will now depart for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Premier League: Salah sets up goal on return as Liverpool beat Brighton 2-0; Chelsea return to winning ways against Everton

The Kolkata event that was meant to celebrate Lionel Messi’s legacy instead became a cautionary tale. What should have been a carefully curated, high-security appearance by one of the world’s most recognisable athletes descended into confusion, overcrowding, and last-minute improvisation. Viral videos on social media platforms of fans breaching barricades, disorderly movement around venues, and organisers struggling to regain control quickly went viral. For a country that prides itself on sporting passion and scale, the Messi event in Kolkata was a failure of planning, coordination, and accountability, not enthusiasm.&nbsp;This was not an unforeseeable problem. Messi’s global appeal is unmatched; his mere presence guarantees mass turnout. Yet the event appeared to underestimate crowd behaviour, overestimate on-ground preparedness, and blur the lines between public celebration and controlled access. The result was not just embarrassment but a serious safety risk, to fans, staff, and the icon himself. When an event involving a global sports figure spirals into chaos, the implications stretch far beyond one city or one organiser.<h2>Kolkata was not an exception, it was a warning</h2>To dismiss the Kolkata chaos as a one-off would be convenient, but it would also be dishonest. India’s history of hosting major sporting events is dotted with moments where passion overwhelmed planning. From crowd surges outside stadiums to delayed starts, last-minute venue changes, and inadequate security cordons, similar red flags have surfaced repeatedly across sports and cities.&nbsp;The underlying issue is structural. Too often, event planning in India treats crowd size as a badge of honour rather than a variable to be managed. Bigger is equated with better, even when infrastructure and security capacity remain unchanged. This mindset leads to predictable outcomes: overwhelmed entry points, poor communication between agencies, and confusion on the ground. In Kolkata, those weaknesses were amplified by Messi’s presence, exposing just how fragile the system becomes under global scrutiny.&nbsp;Another recurring problem is fragmented responsibility. Events of this scale involve private organisers, state authorities, police, venue managers, and sponsors. When roles are unclear and accountability diluted, failures become inevitable. In Kolkata, the absence of a visible, unified command structure was striking. Decisions appeared reactive rather than planned, with authorities scrambling to control a situation that should never have spiralled in the first place. There is also a cultural hesitation to impose firm limits. Restricting access, enforcing barricades, or cancelling segments for safety reasons is often seen as anti-fan. But global sporting nations understand that fan experience begins with safety. In India, safety measures are still too often treated as negotiable, secondary to optics and hype.<h2>The cost of chaos</h2>The real damage from the Kolkata episode lies in perception. Global sports icons operate within tightly regulated ecosystems. Their teams, insurers, clubs, and federations assess risk with clinical precision. For them, viral visuals of chaos are not emotional moments; they are data points. Each mismanaged event feeds into a growing question: is India a reliable host for high-profile, non-cricket sporting engagements?&nbsp;This matters because global sport today is as much about image as infrastructure. Countries compete to host icons, exhibitions, and mega-events not just for ticket sales, but for soft power and global branding. India has invested heavily in projecting itself as a modern, capable host, from upgraded stadiums to international tournaments. But trust is fragile. One poorly handled event can undo years of effort.&nbsp;There is also a commercial cost. Sponsors and international partners seek predictability. They want assurance that timelines will be respected, access controlled, and reputational risk minimised. Chaos discourages investment. If India becomes associated with unpredictability outside the IPL’s tightly managed bubble, opportunities will shift elsewhere, to markets that may lack India’s scale but offer consistency.&nbsp;Crucially, this is not a question of capability. India has successfully hosted complex, high-security events, including cricket World Cups, G20 summits, and major international tours. The issue is uneven standards. While marquee, centrally managed events receive world-class planning, one-off exhibitions and celebrity appearances often fall through regulatory cracks. That inconsistency is what erodes trust.&nbsp;The lesson from Kolkata is uncomfortable but necessary. Passion alone cannot carry global sport. Admiration for icons like Messi must be matched by respect for the protocols that protect them. Without clear planning, enforceable limits, and single-point accountability, India risks turning celebration into chaos, and chaos into reputation damage.&nbsp;The question, then, is not whether India deserves to host global sports icons. It is whether India is willing to do the unglamorous work required to earn that trust every single time. Until that answer is an unequivocal yes, Kolkata will not be remembered as an anomaly, but as a warning India chose to ignore.

After the Kolkata chaos, can India be trusted to host global sports icons?

The Kolkata event that was meant to celebrate Lionel Messi’s legacy instead became a cautionary tale. What should have been a carefully curated, high-security appearance by one of the world’s most recognisable athletes descended into confusion, overcrowding, and last-minute improvisation. Viral videos on social media platforms of fans breaching barricades, disorderly movement around venues, and organisers struggling to regain control quickly went viral. For a country that prides itself on sporting passion and scale, the Messi event in Kolkata was a failure of planning, coordination, and accountability, not enthusiasm. This was not an unforeseeable problem. Messi’s global appeal is unmatched; his mere presence guarantees mass turnout. Yet the event appeared to underestimate crowd behaviour, overestimate on-ground preparedness, and blur the lines between public celebration and controlled access. The result was not just embarrassment but a serious safety risk, to fans, staff, and the icon himself. When an event involving a global sports figure spirals into chaos, the implications stretch far beyond one city or one organiser. Kolkata was not an exception, it was a warning To dismiss the Kolkata chaos as a one-off would be convenient, but it would also be dishonest. India’s history of hosting major sporting events is dotted with moments where passion overwhelmed planning. From crowd surges outside stadiums to delayed starts, last-minute venue changes, and inadequate security cordons, similar red flags have surfaced repeatedly across sports and cities. The underlying issue is structural. Too often, event planning in India treats crowd size as a badge of honour rather than a variable to be managed. Bigger is equated with better, even when infrastructure and security capacity remain unchanged. This mindset leads to predictable outcomes: overwhelmed entry points, poor communication between agencies, and confusion on the ground. In Kolkata, those weaknesses were amplified by Messi’s presence, exposing just how fragile the system becomes under global scrutiny. Another recurring problem is fragmented responsibility. Events of this scale involve private organisers, state authorities, police, venue managers, and sponsors. When roles are unclear and accountability diluted, failures become inevitable. In Kolkata, the absence of a visible, unified command structure was striking. Decisions appeared reactive rather than planned, with authorities scrambling to control a situation that should never have spiralled in the first place. There is also a cultural hesitation to impose firm limits. Restricting access, enforcing barricades, or cancelling segments for safety reasons is often seen as anti-fan. But global sporting nations understand that fan experience begins with safety. In India, safety measures are still too often treated as negotiable, secondary to optics and hype. The cost of chaos The real damage from the Kolkata episode lies in perception. Global sports icons operate within tightly regulated ecosystems. Their teams, insurers, clubs, and federations assess risk with clinical precision. For them, viral visuals of chaos are not emotional moments; they are data points. Each mismanaged event feeds into a growing question: is India a reliable host for high-profile, non-cricket sporting engagements? This matters because global sport today is as much about image as infrastructure. Countries compete to host icons, exhibitions, and mega-events not just for ticket sales, but for soft power and global branding. India has invested heavily in projecting itself as a modern, capable host, from upgraded stadiums to international tournaments. But trust is fragile. One poorly handled event can undo years of effort. There is also a commercial cost. Sponsors and international partners seek predictability. They want assurance that timelines will be respected, access controlled, and reputational risk minimised. Chaos discourages investment. If India becomes associated with unpredictability outside the IPL’s tightly managed bubble, opportunities will shift elsewhere, to markets that may lack India’s scale but offer consistency. Crucially, this is not a question of capability. India has successfully hosted complex, high-security events, including cricket World Cups, G20 summits, and major international tours. The issue is uneven standards. While marquee, centrally managed events receive world-class planning, one-off exhibitions and celebrity appearances often fall through regulatory cracks. That inconsistency is what erodes trust. The lesson from Kolkata is uncomfortable but necessary. Passion alone cannot carry global sport. Admiration for icons like Messi must be matched by respect for the protocols that protect them. Without clear planning, enforceable limits, and single-point accountability, India risks turning celebration into chaos, and chaos into reputation damage. The question, then, is not whether India deserves to host global sports icons. It is whether India is willing to do the unglamorous work required to earn that trust every single time. Until that answer is an unequivocal yes, Kolkata will not be remembered as an anomaly, but as a warning India chose to ignore.

The Kolkata Messi event chaos exposed deep flaws in how India hosts global sports icons. Without transparency, safety, and accountability, hype turns dangerous

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met Argentine football icon Lionel Messi in Hyderabad on Saturday (Dec 13) during the second leg of Messi’s GOAT India Tour 2025. Messi also presented Gandhi with a signed jersey and the two shared small interaction at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium. Addressing fans, Messi thanked everyone "for the love I've received today and always".&nbsp;&nbsp;"The truth is that I've seen a lot of things before getting here, throughout this whole time, during the last World Cup, and honestly thank you so much for all this love. It's an honor for us to be able to share these days here in India with you, so I'm truly grateful," he said, as quoted by India Today.&nbsp;&nbsp;Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was also at the venue and was seen spending some time with Messi on the field, lightly kicking the football together before Rahul Gandhi arrived. &nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Watch: Lionel Messi having some on the pitch as fans erupt in joy 😍 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MessiInIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MessiInIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/86r0cbBaRn">pic.twitter.com/86r0cbBaRn</a>&mdash; Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) <a href="https://twitter.com/ddsportschannel/status/1999863410780217784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>What went wrong at the event in Kolkata</h2>Lionel Messi reached Salt Lake Stadium along with his Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez. State sports officials, event organisers and police were also present. Trouble started when Messi walked around the field to greet fans. The crowd pushed forward, making it hard for police to maintain the perimeter.&nbsp;&nbsp;A planned training session with children from across West Bengal was also cancelled as the number of people on the field kept rising. Due to safety concerns, Messi left the stadium earlier than scheduled.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lionel-messi-kolkata-visit-satadru-dutta-detained-by-police-confirms-fans-to-get-refund-1765620626307">Lionel Messi Kolkata visit: Organiser arrested by police, confirms fans to get refund</a>&nbsp;After his exit, angry fans broke into the ground and threw water bottles, damaged seats and tore posters. Many spectators were upset as some had paid up to INR 20,000 for tickets.<h2>What next for Messi on India GOAT Tour</h2>The GOAT tour will move to Mumbai on Sunday (Dec 14), where Messi will again play a charity match and later participate in a fashion event, which will also see him team up with Luis Suarez. The last day of the tour will be in New Delhi as the Argentine will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (Dec 15) before concluding his tour at an event in New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium.&nbsp;

The GOAT tour will move to Mumbai on Sunday (Dec 14), where Messi will again play a charity match and later participate in a fashion event, which will also see him team up with Luis Suarez. 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met Argentine football icon Lionel Messi in Hyderabad on Saturday (Dec 13) during the second leg of Messi’s GOAT India Tour 2025. Messi also presented Gandhi with a signed jersey and the two shared small interaction at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium. Addressing fans, Messi thanked everyone "for the love I've received today and always". "The truth is that I've seen a lot of things before getting here, throughout this whole time, during the last World Cup, and honestly thank you so much for all this love. It's an honor for us to be able to share these days here in India with you, so I'm truly grateful," he said, as quoted by India Today. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was also at the venue and was seen spending some time with Messi on the field, lightly kicking the football together before Rahul Gandhi arrived.

The GOAT tour will move to Mumbai on Sunday (Dec 14), where Messi will again play a charity match and later participate in a fashion event, which will also see him team up with Luis Suarez.&nbsp;

Lionel Messi meets Rahul Gandhi, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy in Hyderabad during India GOAT Tour

India will have a strong representation in the Odisha Masters finals as Isharani Baruah, women’s singles top seed Unnati Hooda, and men’s singles second seed Kiran George secured their spots after hard-fought semi-final matches on Saturday (Dec 13) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Cuttack. Isharani Baruah reached the final after defeating Tanya Hemanth in three games. She lost the first game 18-21 but made a strong comeback, winning the next two games 21-7, 21-7 to seal the match and booked her place in the finals. She will now take on Unnati Hooda in the final. &nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-lionel-messi-arrives-in-hyderabad-for-goat-tour-as-fans-cheer-wildly-amid-high-security-1765625890205">Watch: Lionel Messi arrives in Hyderabad for GOAT Tour as fans cheer wildly amid high security</a>&nbsp;While, Unnati Hooda booked her place in the title match with a calm and confident win over Tasnim Mir. Tasnim won the opening game 21-18, but Unnati made a comeback, taking the next two games 21-16, 21-16 to finish the match in 60 minutes.&nbsp;In men’s singles, Kiran George advanced to the final after beating fellow Indian Rounak Chouhan. Kiran won the first game 21-19 before Rounak fought back to claim the second 21-8. Kiran stayed calm in the deciding game and won 21-18 to complete the match in 53 minutes. He will face Indonesia’s Muhamad Yusuf in the final.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lionel-messi-kolkata-visit-satadru-dutta-detained-by-police-confirms-fans-to-get-refund-1765620626307">Lionel Messi Kolkata visit: Organiser arrested by police, confirms fans to get refund</a>&nbsp;However, India’s run in the doubles events ended in the semifinals. In mixed doubles, Sathwik Reddy and Reshika Uthayasooryan were knocked out, while Ashwini Bhat and Shikha Gautam also stunned in the women’s doubles by their opponents.

India’s run in the doubles events ended in the semifinals. In mixed doubles, Sathwik Reddy and Reshika Uthayasooryan were knocked out, while Ashwini Bhat and Shikha Gautam also stunned in the women’s doubles by their opponents.

India will have a strong representation in the Odisha Masters finals as Isharani Baruah, women’s singles top seed Unnati Hooda, and men’s singles second seed Kiran George secured their spots after hard-fought semi-final matches on Saturday (Dec 13) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Cuttack. Isharani Baruah reached the final after defeating Tanya Hemanth in three games. She lost the first game 18-21 but made a strong comeback, winning the next two games 21-7, 21-7 to seal the match and booked her place in the finals. She will now take on Unnati Hooda in the final. Also Read - Watch: Lionel Messi arrives in Hyderabad for GOAT Tour as fans cheer wildly amid high security While, Unnati Hooda booked her place in the title match with a calm and confident win over Tasnim Mir. Tasnim won the opening game 21-18, but Unnati made a comeback, taking the next two games 21-16, 21-16 to finish the match in 60 minutes. In men’s singles, Kiran George advanced to the final after beating fellow Indian Rounak Chouhan. Kiran won the first game 21-19 before Rounak fought back to claim the second 21-8. Kiran stayed calm in the deciding game and won 21-18 to complete the match in 53 minutes. He will face Indonesia’s Muhamad Yusuf in the final. Also Read - Lionel Messi Kolkata visit: Organiser arrested by police, confirms fans to get refund However, India’s run in the doubles events ended in the semifinals. In mixed doubles, Sathwik Reddy and Reshika Uthayasooryan were knocked out, while Ashwini Bhat and Shikha Gautam also stunned in the women’s doubles by their opponents.

India’s run in the doubles events ended in the semi-finals. In mixed doubles, Sathwik Reddy and Reshika Uthayasooryan were knocked out, while Ashwini Bhat and Shikha Gautam also stunned in the women’s doubles by their opponents.

Odisha Masters: Baruah, Hooda and Kiran George reach finals after tough semi-final wins

Lizelle Lee smashed an unbeaten 77 off 44 balls to steer the Hobart Hurricanes to their first-ever WBBL cricket title over the Perth Scorchers in Hobart on Saturday. The former South African international hammered four sixes and 10 fours to power the Hurricanes to a dominant eight-wicket victory with five overs to spare. Lee, who obtained Australian residency earlier this year, took the game away from the Scorchers with a 77-run partnership with Nat Sciver-Brunt as the Hurricanes cruised to victory before their home fans. Sciver-Brunt made 35 off 27 balls before falling with the finish line in sight.&nbsp;Player of the final Lee said: "The bowling has been incredible this whole season, I was just glad to back it up. I'm trying to have fun."&nbsp;It was another overwhelming victory for the Hurricanes over the Scorchers this season after they pulled off the biggest run chase in WBBL history, reeling in their target of 186 with five deliveries to spare.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-lionel-messi-arrives-in-hyderabad-for-goat-tour-as-fans-cheer-wildly-amid-high-security-1765625890205">Watch: Lionel Messi arrives in Hyderabad for GOAT Tour as fans cheer wildly amid high security</a>&nbsp;The Hurricanes women's triumph comes after their men's team won last season's BBL title in Hobart.&nbsp;The Hurricanes crowned a magnificent season in the WBBL, finishing on top of the table to qualify for the final for the first time.&nbsp;The Hurricanes, despite dropping seven catches, set up the win with the key wickets of Beth Mooney for 33 and Sophie Devine, who scored 34, to restrict the Scorchers to 137 for five off their 20 overs.&nbsp;The dangerous Mooney, who slammed a 55-ball 75 when the sides met earlier this season, and 76 in Thursday's Challenger, was bowled by Heather Graham in a big scalp for the Hurricanes.&nbsp;Devine, who was dropped in the deep on 28, was out soon after stumped by Lee off a wide delivery from Graham leaving the Scorchers 112 for five in the 17th over.&nbsp;Nicola Carey bowled four dot balls in the final over with Paige Scholfield not out 27 off 22 balls.&nbsp;Graham finished with 2-26 and Linsey Smith 2-8.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for&nbsp;WION&nbsp;audience.

The Hurricanes women's triumph comes after their men's team won last season's BBL title in Hobart.

Lizelle Lee smashed an unbeaten 77 off 44 balls to steer the Hobart Hurricanes to their first-ever WBBL cricket title over the Perth Scorchers in Hobart on Saturday. The former South African international hammered four sixes and 10 fours to power the Hurricanes to a dominant eight-wicket victory with five overs to spare. Lee, who obtained Australian residency earlier this year, took the game away from the Scorchers with a 77-run partnership with Nat Sciver-Brunt as the Hurricanes cruised to victory before their home fans. Sciver-Brunt made 35 off 27 balls before falling with the finish line in sight. Player of the final Lee said: "The bowling has been incredible this whole season, I was just glad to back it up. I'm trying to have fun." It was another overwhelming victory for the Hurricanes over the Scorchers this season after they pulled off the biggest run chase in WBBL history, reeling in their target of 186 with five deliveries to spare. Also Read - Watch: Lionel Messi arrives in Hyderabad for GOAT Tour as fans cheer wildly amid high security The Hurricanes women's triumph comes after their men's team won last season's BBL title in Hobart. The Hurricanes crowned a magnificent season in the WBBL, finishing on top of the table to qualify for the final for the first time. The Hurricanes, despite dropping seven catches, set up the win with the key wickets of Beth Mooney for 33 and Sophie Devine, who scored 34, to restrict the Scorchers to 137 for five off their 20 overs. The dangerous Mooney, who slammed a 55-ball 75 when the sides met earlier this season, and 76 in Thursday's Challenger, was bowled by Heather Graham in a big scalp for the Hurricanes. Devine, who was dropped in the deep on 28, was out soon after stumped by Lee off a wide delivery from Graham leaving the Scorchers 112 for five in the 17th over. Nicola Carey bowled four dot balls in the final over with Paige Scholfield not out 27 off 22 balls. Graham finished with 2-26 and Linsey Smith 2-8. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The Hurricanes women's triumph comes after their men's team won last season's BBL title in Hobart.

Lizelle Lee stars with unbeaten 77 as Hobart Hurricanes crush Perth Scorchers to win first WBBL title

Indian batting stalwart Virat Kohli returned to India from London on Saturday (Dec 13) drawing a lot of attention from fans. His arrival comes 11 days before he is expected to play for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Kohli was spotted landing in Mumbai with his wife, Anushka Sharma. He had earlier returned to London after the three-match ODI series against South Africa. His early return has led to talk about a possible meeting with football legend Lionel Messi, who is currently on his India tour.&nbsp;&nbsp;Messi arrived in India on Dec 13 and is scheduled to travel to Mumbai on Sunday (Dec 14), where he will interact with fans at the Wankhede Stadium. Messi’s much-awaited appearance at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday was not very long and last only about nearly 22 minutes. This short visit raised questions about poor planning and weak management by the organisers.&nbsp;This is Messi’s second trip to Kolkata and part of a four-city tour that also includes Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi. His visit comes at a difficult time for Indian football, with the national team slipping to 142nd in the latest FIFA rankings.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lionel-messi-india-visit-we-paid-we-didn-t-even-see-him-here-s-how-netizens-react-1765622744267">Messi India visit: ‘We paid, we didn’t even see him’. Here's how netizens react</a><h2>Messi arrives in Hyderabad</h2>After the troubled note in Kolkata, where chaos broke out at the Salt Lake stadium during the event. Lionel Messi arrived at the Hyderabad airport with his Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez. In Hyderabad, Messi is going take part in the event organised by the Telangana government and is also expected to play an exhibition match with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. Fans were seen cheering at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad (Hyderabad) with high security measures in place.

Messi arrived in India on Saturday (Dec 13) and is scheduled to travel to Mumbai on Sunday (Dec 14), where he will interact with fans at the Wankhede Stadium. 

Indian batting stalwart Virat Kohli returned to India from London on Saturday (Dec 13) drawing a lot of attention from fans. His arrival comes 11 days before he is expected to play for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Kohli was spotted landing in Mumbai with his wife, Anushka Sharma. He had earlier returned to London after the three-match ODI series against South Africa. His early return has led to talk about a possible meeting with football legend Lionel Messi, who is currently on his India tour. Messi arrived in India on Dec 13 and is scheduled to travel to Mumbai on Sunday (Dec 14), where he will interact with fans at the Wankhede Stadium. Messi’s much-awaited appearance at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday was not very long and last only about nearly 22 minutes. This short visit raised questions about poor planning and weak management by the organisers. This is Messi’s second trip to Kolkata and part of a four-city tour that also includes Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi. His visit comes at a difficult time for Indian football, with the national team slipping to 142nd in the latest FIFA rankings. Also Read - Messi India visit: ‘We paid, we didn’t even see him’. Here's how netizens react Messi arrives in Hyderabad After the troubled note in Kolkata, where chaos broke out at the Salt Lake stadium during the event. Lionel Messi arrived at the Hyderabad airport with his Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez. In Hyderabad, Messi is going take part in the event organised by the Telangana government and is also expected to play an exhibition match with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. Fans were seen cheering at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad (Hyderabad) with high security measures in place.

Messi arrived in India on Saturday (Dec 13) and is scheduled to travel to Mumbai on Sunday (Dec 14), where he will interact with fans at the Wankhede Stadium.&nbsp;

Virat Kohli to meet Lionel Messi? Star Indian cricketer lands in Mumbai on eve of GOAT Tour

India’s sporting landscape is poised for a historic moment as the country prepares to host its first-ever UCI 2.2 Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 – a Continental Team’s Men’s Elite Road Cycling Race. Scheduled from 19 to 23 January 2026 in the vibrant Pune District, this groundbreaking event is set to kick-start the international cycling calendar with a four-stage, multi-day challenge that promises to be a truly global spectacle.&nbsp;The Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 is expected to witness participation of 28 competitive teams from across the globe, including 4 national teams representing some of the world’s best cycling nations. India will field 2 national teams’ namely, ‘India A’ and ‘India B’.&nbsp;This historic sporting initiative was conceptualised and led by Pune District Administration, with the steadfast support of the Government of Maharashtra. The four-stage road race will traverse a 437-kilometer route, winding through Pune’s urban landscapes, heritage rich locations, and its scenic rural expansion. The event aims not only to showcase world-class cycling action, but also to promote the region’s tourism, environment, and infrastructure development.&nbsp;Reflecting on the response received from global cycling community, Mr. Jitendra Dudi (IAS), Collector Pune District and Officer In-charge of Pune Grand Tour, stated: “We are extremely happy and honoured to see the magnitude of world’s response for the inaugural year of Pune Grand Tour. Major cycling countries like United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Germany, Netherland, Australia, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand etc have shown keen interest with many having confirmed participation.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Union Cycliste International is very keen to help promote the sport in India. This is Pune’s moment to establish itself as an international cycling destination and we are confident to deliver a world class event,”&nbsp;he added.&nbsp;Four sages, one grand challenge&nbsp;The Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 will feature four exhilarating four stage routes, designed to push the limits of world’s seasoned cyclists. Covering 437-km, the routes passes through diverse terrains, from the bustling cityscape to the serene Sahyadri foothills, to push riders through toughest climbs, fastest flats, iconic landmarks to test stamina, strategy, and skill in equal measure.&nbsp;The routes include:-&nbsp;<ul><li>Stage 1: Mulsi-Maval Miles (91.8 km, 956 m Elevation): Weaving through Pune’s IT hub Hinjewadi, this opening stage combines flat sprints with sharp urban turns, focusing on landmarks and scenery, blending tech with nature.</li><li>Stage 2: Maratha Heritage Circuit(109.15 km, 1466 m Elevation): Cyclists will ascend the challenging ghats, facing steep gradients and breathtaking views of Purandar Fort, Sinhagad and Khadakwasla Lake, making this stage a true test of endurance and climbing ability.</li><li>Stage 3: Western Ghats Gateway(137.07 km, 820 m Elevation) : Stretching across the Deccan plateau from Purandar to Baramati, this stage favours speed and tactical prowess, with crosswinds and rolling terrain to keep competitors on edge.</li><li>Stage 4: Pune Pride Loop&nbsp;(99.15 km, 560 m Elevation) : The concluding stage winds through the urban sprawls of Pune city, passing through modernity and historic relevance like Shaniwar Wada, featuring technical sections and a dramatic finish in the heart of city.</li></ul>With the eyes of the sporting world firmly set on Pune coming January, Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 not only hopes to elevate India’s status on the global cycling map but also inspire a new generation of sports enthusiasts and position the country as a premier destination for future UCI events.

The Pune Grand Tour 2026 is expected to witness participation of 28 competitive teams from across the globe, including 4 national teams representing some of the world’s best cycling nations. India will field 2 national teams’ namely, ‘India A’ and ‘India B’.

India’s sporting landscape is poised for a historic moment as the country prepares to host its first-ever UCI 2.2 Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 – a Continental Team’s Men’s Elite Road Cycling Race. Scheduled from 19 to 23 January 2026 in the vibrant Pune District, this groundbreaking event is set to kick-start the international cycling calendar with a four-stage, multi-day challenge that promises to be a truly global spectacle. The Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 is expected to witness participation of 28 competitive teams from across the globe, including 4 national teams representing some of the world’s best cycling nations. India will field 2 national teams’ namely, ‘India A’ and ‘India B’. This historic sporting initiative was conceptualised and led by Pune District Administration, with the steadfast support of the Government of Maharashtra. The four-stage road race will traverse a 437-kilometer route, winding through Pune’s urban landscapes, heritage rich locations, and its scenic rural expansion. The event aims not only to showcase world-class cycling action, but also to promote the region’s tourism, environment, and infrastructure development. Reflecting on the response received from global cycling community, Mr. Jitendra Dudi (IAS), Collector Pune District and Officer In-charge of Pune Grand Tour, stated: “We are extremely happy and honoured to see the magnitude of world’s response for the inaugural year of Pune Grand Tour. Major cycling countries like United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Germany, Netherland, Australia, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand etc have shown keen interest with many having confirmed participation. “Union Cycliste International is very keen to help promote the sport in India. This is Pune’s moment to establish itself as an international cycling destination and we are confident to deliver a world class event,” he added. Four sages, one grand challenge The Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 will feature four exhilarating four stage routes, designed to push the limits of world’s seasoned cyclists. Covering 437-km, the routes passes through diverse terrains, from the bustling cityscape to the serene Sahyadri foothills, to push riders through toughest climbs, fastest flats, iconic landmarks to test stamina, strategy, and skill in equal measure. The routes include:- Stage 1: Mulsi-Maval Miles (91.8 km, 956 m Elevation): Weaving through Pune’s IT hub Hinjewadi, this opening stage combines flat sprints with sharp urban turns, focusing on landmarks and scenery, blending tech with nature. Stage 2: Maratha Heritage Circuit(109.15 km, 1466 m Elevation): Cyclists will ascend the challenging ghats, facing steep gradients and breathtaking views of Purandar Fort, Sinhagad and Khadakwasla Lake, making this stage a true test of endurance and climbing ability. Stage 3: Western Ghats Gateway(137.07 km, 820 m Elevation) : Stretching across the Deccan plateau from Purandar to Baramati, this stage favours speed and tactical prowess, with crosswinds and rolling terrain to keep competitors on edge. Stage 4: Pune Pride Loop (99.15 km, 560 m Elevation) : The concluding stage winds through the urban sprawls of Pune city, passing through modernity and historic relevance like Shaniwar Wada, featuring technical sections and a dramatic finish in the heart of city. With the eyes of the sporting world firmly set on Pune coming January, Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 not only hopes to elevate India’s status on the global cycling map but also inspire a new generation of sports enthusiasts and position the country as a premier destination for future UCI events.

The Pune Grand Tour 2026 is expected to witness participation of 28 competitive teams from across the globe, including 4 national teams representing some of the world’s best cycling nations. India will field 2 national teams’ namely, ‘India A’ and ‘India B’.

Pune Grand Tour 2026 set to host 28 International teams, including four national squads

From Royal Challengers Bengaluru to Tottenham Hotspur here is a look at five teams that ended their title droughts in 2025. The illustrious list also features the likes of Crystal Palace, South Africa and Paris Saint-Germain. 

From Royal Challengers Bengaluru to Tottenham Hotspur here is a look at five teams that ended their title droughts in 2025. The illustrious list also features the likes of Crystal Palace, South Africa and Paris Saint-Germain.&nbsp;

Yearender: From Royal Challengers Bengaluru to Tottenham Hotspur, 5 Teams that ended their title droughts in 2025

After the troubled note in Kolkata, where chaos broke out at the Salt Lake stadium during the event. Lionel Messi arrived at the Hyderabad airport with his Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez. In Hyderabad, Messi is going take part in the event organised by the Telangana government and is also expected to play an exhibition match with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. Fans were seen cheering at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad (Hyderabad) with high security measures in place.&nbsp;<h2>Messi arrives in Hyderabad - Watch</h2>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Telangana | Star footballer Lionel Messi arrives in Hyderabad. He is in India for his G.O.A.T India Tour 2025. <a href="https://t.co/dNBNxJRybX">pic.twitter.com/dNBNxJRybX</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1999822057639760174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">🚨⚽ BREAKING | HYDERABAD 🇮🇳🔥 🐐 Messi has arrived in Hyderabad! 🌟 The GOAT touches Hyderabad soil, fans go crazy! 🔥🔥 Historic moment for Indian football<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOATIndiaTour?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GOATIndiaTour</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Messi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Messi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LionelMessi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LionelMessi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MessiInHyderabad?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MessiInHyderabad</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BreakingNews?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BreakingNews</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Messi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Messi</a> <a href="https://t.co/3WbThVHzAU">pic.twitter.com/3WbThVHzAU</a>&mdash; mamtesh manohar (@DataIsKnowldge) <a href="https://twitter.com/DataIsKnowldge/status/1999818407923921402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Messi’s schedule in Hyderabad</h2><ul><li>19:50 – Match Kick-Off</li><li>20:06 – Cue for Honourable CM’s entry on the pitch</li></ul>CM to take position as per markings<ul><li>20:07 – Cue for Mr. Lionel Messi’s entry on the pitch</li></ul>Messi to take position as per markings<ul><li>20:08 – Cue for entry of Mr. Rodrigo De Paul and Mr. Luis Suárez to take position as per markings</li><li>20:10 – HARD STOP</li><li>20:11 – Mr. Lionel Messi &amp; Honourable CM dribble with the ball</li><li>20:13 – Penalty Shootout: 3 shots per team to determine winner of the GOAT Cup</li><li>20:18 – Cue for entry of Mr. Rahul Gandhi</li><li>Kids on stand by</li><li>20:16 – Kids arrive at their respective zones for Tiki Taka</li></ul>Stage &amp; Closing events<ul><li>20:33 – Penalty Shootout with Messi – Mr. Anuttam Reddy (Organiser) is the goalkeeper</li><li>20:38 – Parade walk around stadium acknowledging and waving to fans Mr. Lionel Messi, Hon’ble CM, Mr. Rahul Gandhi, Mr. Suárez, Mr. De Paul</li></ul>Stage on ground<ul><li>20:48 – Introduce guests on stage (Protocol team guides guests)</li></ul>Positions<ul><li>Lionel Messi in the middle</li><li>Honourable CM to his right</li><li>Mr. Rahul Gandhi to his left</li><li>Followed by Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suárez on the left of Honourable CM</li><li>Mr. Parvathigaru next to Mr. Rahul Gandhi</li><li>Mr. Vinay Kotra next to Luis Suárez</li><li>Mr. Sainath next to Parvathigaru</li><li>20:51 – Mr. Lionel Messi greets and takes photographs with organisers and team owners</li><li>20:53 – GOAT Cup presented by Mr. Lionel Messi to the winning team</li></ul><h2>Rahul Gandhi will hand over the cup to the other participating team</h2><ul><li>20:54 – Hon’ble CM felicitates Mr. Lionel Messi (gift + shawl)</li><li>20:55 – Mrs. Parvathi Reddy felicitates Mr. Luis Suárez</li><li>20:56 – Mr. Vinay Kotra and Mr. Sainath Goud felicitate Mr. Rodrigo De Paul</li><li>20:57 – Final sign-off</li><li>20:58 – Hon’ble CM: Final remarks</li><li>20:59 – Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s remarks</li><li>21:00 – All dignitaries exit the stadium</li><li>21:05 – Dispersal announcements</li><li>21:10 – Final sign-off</li></ul><h2>Hyderabad Ticket Prices (RGI Stadium, Uppal)</h2>General Tickets: INR 2250 to INR 30,000<h2>Sports authority of Telangana chairman Shiva Sena Reddy assures fans</h2>Sports authority of Telangana chairman Shiva Sena Reddy assured fans that Lionel Messi’s Hyderabad appearance will be conducted smoothly, following the chaos reported during the Kolkata leg of the India tour.&nbsp;&nbsp;He said, “Today there will be a small 20-minute friendly game between Messi and CM's XIs. It will be followed by Messi holding a football clinic for young players. I would like to assure that what happened in Kolkata earlier in the day will not happen here in Hyderabad, we have enough police force deployed to manage things and a small request to the fans that they should also be calm," as quoted by TOI.

Sports authority of Telangana chairman Shiva Sena Reddy assured fans that Lionel Messi’s Hyderabad appearance will be conducted smoothly, following the chaos reported during the Kolkata leg of the India tour. 

After the troubled note in Kolkata, where chaos broke out at the Salt Lake stadium during the event. Lionel Messi arrived at the Hyderabad airport with his Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez. In Hyderabad, Messi is going take part in the event organised by the Telangana government and is also expected to play an exhibition match with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. Fans were seen cheering at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad (Hyderabad) with high security measures in place. Messi arrives in Hyderabad - Watch

Sports authority of Telangana chairman Shiva Sena Reddy assured fans that Lionel Messi’s Hyderabad appearance will be conducted smoothly, following the chaos reported during the Kolkata leg of the India tour.&nbsp;

Watch: Lionel Messi arrives in Hyderabad for GOAT Tour as fans cheer wildly amid high security

Lionel Messi’s much-awaited visit to India began on a troubled note in Kolkata, after chaos broke out at the Salt Lake stadium during the event. The situation became serious enough for authorities to step in and question the event organisers. The main organiser of the GOAT India Tour 2025, Satadru Dutta, was stopped at Kolkata airport on Saturday (Dec 13) while travelling to Hyderabad. West Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar confirmed that Dutta was detained and later submitted a written assurance that money will be refunded to all the fans who bought tickets and came to watch Messi. However, Jawed Shamim, ADG Law and Order, later confirmed that Dutta had been arrested.<h2>What went wrong at the event</h2>Lionel Messi reached Salt Lake Stadium along with his Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez. State sports officials, event organisers and police were also present. Trouble started when Messi walked around the field to greet fans. The crowd pushed forward, making it hard for police to maintain the perimeter.&nbsp;A planned training session with children from across West Bengal was cancelled as the number of people on the field kept rising. Due to safety concerns, Messi left the stadium earlier than scheduled.&nbsp;After his exit, angry fans broke into the ground and threw water bottles, damaged seats and tore posters. Many spectators were upset as some had paid up to INR 20,000 for tickets.&nbsp;<h2>Social media anger towards organisers</h2>In video clips shared by news agencies, fans were seen blaming the organisers for focusing more on VIP guests than regular crowd. One fan said that only politicians and actors were close to Messi, adding that despite paying ₹12,000, they could not even see him properly.&nbsp;Another supporter called the event poorly managed, saying Messi appeared only for a few minutes. Fans felt they were promised much more, but got no proper view and no football action.&nbsp;On X, one person said that, “If Messi stayed for 10 minutes, blame the organisers, not the stadium seats. Vandalism just proves why big stars avoid public events here.” Another one said that, "We paid, we didn’t even see him”.&nbsp;Netizens also complained about long waiting hours, lack of proper entry management and confusion over ticket verification, with many saying the situation gets out of control due to inadequate planning.&nbsp;<h2>What next for Messi on India GOAT Tour&nbsp;</h2>Messi and Suarez will now head to Hyderabad, where they will be take part in another event organized by the Telangana government. He expected to play an exhibition match with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.&nbsp;The GOAT tour will then move to Mumbai on Sunday, where Messi will again play a charity match and later participate in a fashion event, which will also see him team up with Luis Suarez. The last day of the tour will be in New Delhi as the Argentine will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday before concluding his tour at an event in New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Messi and Suarez will now head to Hyderabad, where they will be take part in another event organized by the Telangana government. He expected to play an exhibition match with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.

Lionel Messi’s much-awaited visit to India began on a troubled note in Kolkata, after chaos broke out at the Salt Lake stadium during the event. The situation became serious enough for authorities to step in and question the event organisers. The main organiser of the GOAT India Tour 2025, Satadru Dutta, was stopped at Kolkata airport on Saturday (Dec 13) while travelling to Hyderabad. West Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar confirmed that Dutta was detained and later submitted a written assurance that money will be refunded to all the fans who bought tickets and came to watch Messi. However, Jawed Shamim, ADG Law and Order, later confirmed that Dutta had been arrested. What went wrong at the event Lionel Messi reached Salt Lake Stadium along with his Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez. State sports officials, event organisers and police were also present. Trouble started when Messi walked around the field to greet fans. The crowd pushed forward, making it hard for police to maintain the perimeter. A planned training session with children from across West Bengal was cancelled as the number of people on the field kept rising. Due to safety concerns, Messi left the stadium earlier than scheduled. After his exit, angry fans broke into the ground and threw water bottles, damaged seats and tore posters. Many spectators were upset as some had paid up to INR 20,000 for tickets. Social media anger towards organisers In video clips shared by news agencies, fans were seen blaming the organisers for focusing more on VIP guests than regular crowd. One fan said that only politicians and actors were close to Messi, adding that despite paying ₹12,000, they could not even see him properly. Another supporter called the event poorly managed, saying Messi appeared only for a few minutes. Fans felt they were promised much more, but got no proper view and no football action. On X, one person said that, “If Messi stayed for 10 minutes, blame the organisers, not the stadium seats. Vandalism just proves why big stars avoid public events here.” Another one said that, "We paid, we didn’t even see him”. Netizens also complained about long waiting hours, lack of proper entry management and confusion over ticket verification, with many saying the situation gets out of control due to inadequate planning. What next for Messi on India GOAT Tour Messi and Suarez will now head to Hyderabad, where they will be take part in another event organized by the Telangana government. He expected to play an exhibition match with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. The GOAT tour will then move to Mumbai on Sunday, where Messi will again play a charity match and later participate in a fashion event, which will also see him team up with Luis Suarez. The last day of the tour will be in New Delhi as the Argentine will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday before concluding his tour at an event in New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Messi and Suarez will now head to Hyderabad, where they will be take part in another event organized by the Telangana government. He expected to play an exhibition match with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.

Lionel Messi India visit: ‘We paid, we didn’t even see him’. Here's how netizens react

Lionel Messi’s much-awaited visit to India began on a troubled note in Kolkata, after chaos broke out at the Salt Lake stadium during the event. The situation became serious enough for authorities to step in and question the event organisers. The main organiser of the GOAT India Tour 2025, Satadru Dutta, was stopped at Kolkata airport on Saturday (Dec 13) while travelling to Hyderabad. West Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar confirmed that Dutta was detained and later submitted a written assurance that money will be refunded to all the fans who bought tickets and came to watch Messi. However, Jawed Shamim, ADG Law and Order, later confirmed that Dutta had been arrested.&nbsp;According to Kumar, a government committee will investigate every aspect, including whether mismanagement contributed to the breakdown at the venue.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We have persuaded the organiser; he has given in writing that the tickets which have been sold will be refunded. The situation is now under control. We have detained the main organiser and ensured that this mismanagement does not go unpunished and that the fans are adequately compensated,” he said, as quoted by Sportstar.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-lionel-messi-luis-suarez-meet-bollywood-icon-shah-rukh-khan-at-yuva-bharati-1765606544602">Watch: Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez meet Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan</a>&nbsp;The Kolkata event was scheduled to last about four hours starting at 9 am. Actor Shah Rukh Khan was expected to attend the event, but he had already met Messi earlier during an online event to unveil a large statue of the football star.&nbsp;&nbsp;Messi later arrived at Salt Lake Stadium with his Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo de Paul and Luis Suarez, along with state sports officials, event organisers and police security.&nbsp;Problems began when Messi walked around the field to greet fans. The crowd pushed forward, making it hard for police to maintain the perimeter.&nbsp;&nbsp;A planned training session with children from across West Bengal was cancelled as the number of people on the field kept rising. Messi eventually left the stadium early for safety reasons.&nbsp;After his exit, angry fans broke into the ground and threw water bottles, damaged seats and tore posters. Many spectators were upset as some had paid up to INR 20,000 for tickets.&nbsp;Messi and Suarez will now head to Hyderabad, where they will be take part in another event organized by the Telangana government. He expected to play an exhibition match with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.&nbsp;&nbsp;The GOAT tour will then move to Mumbai on Sunday, where Messi will again play a charity match and later participate in a fashion event, which will also see him team up with Luis Suarez. The last day of the tour will be in New Delhi as the Argentine will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday before concluding his tour at an event in New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Messi and Suarez will now head for Hyderabad, where they will be take part in another event organized by the Telangana government. He expected to play an exhibition match with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. 

Lionel Messi’s much-awaited visit to India began on a troubled note in Kolkata, after chaos broke out at the Salt Lake stadium during the event. The situation became serious enough for authorities to step in and question the event organisers. The main organiser of the GOAT India Tour 2025, Satadru Dutta, was stopped at Kolkata airport on Saturday (Dec 13) while travelling to Hyderabad. West Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar confirmed that Dutta was detained and later submitted a written assurance that money will be refunded to all the fans who bought tickets and came to watch Messi. However, Jawed Shamim, ADG Law and Order, later confirmed that Dutta had been arrested. According to Kumar, a government committee will investigate every aspect, including whether mismanagement contributed to the breakdown at the venue. “We have persuaded the organiser; he has given in writing that the tickets which have been sold will be refunded. The situation is now under control. We have detained the main organiser and ensured that this mismanagement does not go unpunished and that the fans are adequately compensated,” he said, as quoted by Sportstar. Also Read - Watch: Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez meet Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan The Kolkata event was scheduled to last about four hours starting at 9 am. Actor Shah Rukh Khan was expected to attend the event, but he had already met Messi earlier during an online event to unveil a large statue of the football star. Messi later arrived at Salt Lake Stadium with his Inter Miami teammates Rodrigo de Paul and Luis Suarez, along with state sports officials, event organisers and police security. Problems began when Messi walked around the field to greet fans. The crowd pushed forward, making it hard for police to maintain the perimeter. A planned training session with children from across West Bengal was cancelled as the number of people on the field kept rising. Messi eventually left the stadium early for safety reasons. After his exit, angry fans broke into the ground and threw water bottles, damaged seats and tore posters. Many spectators were upset as some had paid up to INR 20,000 for tickets. Messi and Suarez will now head to Hyderabad, where they will be take part in another event organized by the Telangana government. He expected to play an exhibition match with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. The GOAT tour will then move to Mumbai on Sunday, where Messi will again play a charity match and later participate in a fashion event, which will also see him team up with Luis Suarez. The last day of the tour will be in New Delhi as the Argentine will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday before concluding his tour at an event in New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Messi and Suarez will now head to Hyderabad, where they will be take part in another event organized by the Telangana government. He expected to play an exhibition match with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.&nbsp;

Lionel Messi Kolkata visit: Organiser arrested by police, confirms fans to get refund

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered a probe after star footballer Lionel Messi’s event in Kolkata was met with chaotic scenes on Saturday (Dec 13). Messi, who landed in Kolkata in the wee hours of Saturday for his four-city GOAT tour, was at the Salt Lake Stadium when chaos erupted from the fans. The incident saw fans hurling water bottles and chairs in the stand after Messi’s visit lasted for less than 10 minutes, as he was not in action despite fans paying a big sum for his glimpse.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I was on my way to the stadium to attend the event along with thousands of sports lovers and fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite footballer, Lionel Messi. I…&mdash; Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/MamataOfficial/status/1999748228070408420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The incident was met with huge chaos later on as fans showed their anger at the venue. Police took control into their hands, but anger was evident from a section of the fans. In the meantime, CM Mamata had to cancel her trip to the Salt Lake Stadium while she was on her way, with Messi already leaving for the airport. She later issued an apology and also ordered a probe committee, which consists of Justice (Retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray, with the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs Department, as members.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a><h2>Mamata issues apology and orders probe</h2>“I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake Stadium. I was on my way to the stadium to attend the event along with thousands of sports lovers and fans who had gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite footballer, Lionel Messi,” CM Mamata wrote on her X handle.&nbsp;“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;“I am constituting an enquiry committee under the chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray, with the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs Department, as members. The committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.&nbsp;“Once again, I extend my heartfelt apologies to all sports lovers,” she added in her statement.

Lionel Messi, who landed in Kolkata in the wee hours of Saturday for his four-city GOAT tour, was at the Salt Lake Stadium when chaos erupted from the fans.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered a probe after star footballer Lionel Messi’s event in Kolkata was met with chaotic scenes on Saturday (Dec 13). Messi, who landed in Kolkata in the wee hours of Saturday for his four-city GOAT tour, was at the Salt Lake Stadium when chaos erupted from the fans. The incident saw fans hurling water bottles and chairs in the stand after Messi’s visit lasted for less than 10 minutes, as he was not in action despite fans paying a big sum for his glimpse.

Lionel Messi, who landed in Kolkata in the wee hours of Saturday for his four-city GOAT tour, was at the Salt Lake Stadium when chaos erupted from the fans.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee orders probe after fan chaos dampens Messi's Kolkata visit

Lionel Messi, one of the best football players of all time, is in India, and on the very first day of his visit, the world witnessed the ‘’moment of the year'' when the legendary footballer met Bollywood royalty Shah Rukh Khan.&nbsp;In the moment that's surely going to be the viral moment, Khan and his younger son, AbRam are seen meeting Messi, giving the world a moment that's hard to forget.<h2>Messi and Shah Rukh Khan shake hands</h2>Lionel Messi landed in Kolkata in the wee hours of Saturday (Dec 13), and within a few hours of touching down, his events began in Kolkata with a meet-and-greet programme.&nbsp;To meet the legendary footballer, Khan was accompanied by his son, and surely this meeting seems to be the wish of little AbRam.&nbsp;Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-lionel-messi-luis-suarez-meet-bollywood-icon-shah-rukh-khan-at-yuva-bharati-1765606544602"> Watch: Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez meet Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan at Yuva Bharati</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Historic Moment Is Here 😍<a href="https://twitter.com/iamsrk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iamsrk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/pooja_dadlani?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pooja_dadlani</a> King Shah Rukh Khan Meets GOAT Messi in Kolkata 🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Messi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Messi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOAT2025?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GOAT2025</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShahRukhKhan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShahRukhKhan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SRK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SRK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamShahRukhKhan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamShahRukhKhan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AbRamKhan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AbRamKhan</a> <a href="https://t.co/g2Q70BjGq7">pic.twitter.com/g2Q70BjGq7</a>&mdash; Team Shah Rukh Khan Fan Club (@teamsrkfc) <a href="https://twitter.com/teamsrkfc/status/1999710936404504977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In the video that's gone viral, Khan is accompanied by his son AbRam, manager Pooja Dadlani, who is also with her daughter. They are seen getting into the crowded hall as they meet the legendary footballer. In the jam-packed crowd, Khan meets Messi and another legendary figure, Luis Suarez.&nbsp;They shake hands with each other and pose for a picture together. The meeting was short and was done quickly, obviously, as Messi and Shah Rukh both have a tight schedule.&nbsp;Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-lionel-messi-luis-suarez-meet-bollywood-icon-shah-rukh-khan-at-yuva-bharati-1765606544602">&nbsp;Lionel Messi to virtually unveil his 70-foot statue as part of GOAT India tour</a>&nbsp;AbRam also posed with Messi, and then the father-son duo posed with the footballer. The photos have gone viral across the internet, with netizens going crazy over the meeting.&nbsp;One user wrote,''When Bollywood meets Football Royalty 🐐✨ Shah Rukh Khan meets Lionel Messi — pure star power, one frame.''

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">When Bollywood meets Football Royalty 🐐✨ Shah Rukh Khan meets Lionel Messi — pure star power, one frame 🇮🇳⚽️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/goattourindia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#goattourindia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SharuhkKhan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SharuhkKhan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MessiInIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MessiInIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Messi%F0%93%83%B5?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Messi𓃵</a> <a href="https://t.co/5rIz9TMl0i">pic.twitter.com/5rIz9TMl0i</a>&mdash; Nadhvi Irfan (@nadhvi_irfan) <a href="https://twitter.com/nadhvi_irfan/status/1999714443769606525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Another user wrote,"LEGENDARY MEETING❤️ Shah Rukh Khan &amp; Messi together! King of Cinema meets Football’s GOAT (sic)."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The world’s biggest movie star Shah Rukh Khan meets the world’s biggest sports icon Lionel Messi in Kolkata. History written. ✨⚽🎬<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShahRukhKhan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShahRukhKhan</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LionelMessi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LionelMessi</a> <a href="https://t.co/wDmsoboXL2">pic.twitter.com/wDmsoboXL2</a>&mdash; Javed (Fan) (@JoySRKian_2) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoySRKian_2/status/1999714304485175464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Apart from Khan, Messi is also scheduled to meet Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Sourav Ganguly at the stadium before he plays in a match in Kolkata. He will also be visiting Hyderabad with Suarez, where they will be taking part in another event and meet Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.

Lionel Messi has officially kick-started his GOAT India tour as he landed in Kolkata in the wee hours of Saturday (Dec 13).

Lionel Messi, one of the best football players of all time, is in India, and on the very first day of his visit, the world witnessed the ‘’moment of the year'' when the legendary footballer met Bollywood royalty Shah Rukh Khan. In the moment that's surely going to be the viral moment, Khan and his younger son, AbRam are seen meeting Messi, giving the world a moment that's hard to forget. Messi and Shah Rukh Khan shake hands Lionel Messi landed in Kolkata in the wee hours of Saturday (Dec 13), and within a few hours of touching down, his events began in Kolkata with a meet-and-greet programme. To meet the legendary footballer, Khan was accompanied by his son, and surely this meeting seems to be the wish of little AbRam. Also read: Watch: Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez meet Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan at Yuva Bharati

Lionel Messi is in India for the GOAT India tour, and during his short visit, he will be travelling to Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Delhi, and will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Sourav Ganguly, and others.&nbsp;

Iconic meeting! Shah Rukh Khan meets Lionel Messi In Kolkata with son AbRam: Watch video

Chaos erupted at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday (Dec 13) during Lionel Messi’s visit to India as angry fans hurled water bottles and chairs in the stands. The chaotic incident happened just minutes after legendary footballer Messi arrived at the venue where he was supposed to be felicitated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the presence of former India cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly. However, the chaotic scenes meant Messi had to leave the venue in 10 minutes.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Chaos erupted at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium as angry fans hurled bottles and chairs from the stands. Legendary footballer Lionel Messi has left the stadium. More details are awaited Source: ANI<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LionelMessi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LionelMessi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Messi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Messi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MessiInIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MessiInIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kolkata?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kolkata</a> <a href="https://t.co/SfedNuIJTp">pic.twitter.com/SfedNuIJTp</a>&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1999733415508345218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Chaos erupts at Salt Lake Stadium</h2>Having spent thousands of rupees to witness Lionel Messi, fans were left disappointed as the iconic footballer gave less than 10 minutes. With a huge crowd thronging the stadium, the situation was out of control, while fans spending thousands of rupees were unable to see the footballer in action. In a stern response, angry fans started hurling bottles and chairs in the stands to showcase their anger.&nbsp;The situation went out of control as fans quickly stormed the playing area where thye folecitation ceremony was supposed to be held. Fans accused politicians and local leaders of stealing the spotlight while alleging organisers made fake promises of Messi playing and taking penalties.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;“Absolutely terrible event. He came for just 10 minutes. All the leaders and ministers surrounded him. We couldn't see anything. He didn't take a single kick or a single penalty. They said they would bring Shah Rukh Khan too. They didn't bring anyone. He came for 10 minutes and left. So much money, emotions, and time wasted. We couldn't see anything,” said one of the fans.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;"It was really disappointing. We came all the way from Darjeeling for this. We couldn't even see him properly, and that was the most disappointing thing I have ever witnessed," said another fan.&nbsp;"Only leaders and actors were surrounding Messi. Why did they call us then? We have got a ticket for 12 thousand, but we were not even able to see his face," an angry fan said.

Chaotic scenes happenned just minutes after legendary footballer Lionel Messi arrived at the Salt Lake Stadium where he was supposed to be felicitated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the presence of former India cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly.

Chaos erupted at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday (Dec 13) during Lionel Messi’s visit to India as angry fans hurled water bottles and chairs in the stands. The chaotic incident happened just minutes after legendary footballer Messi arrived at the venue where he was supposed to be felicitated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the presence of former India cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly. However, the chaotic scenes meant Messi had to leave the venue in 10 minutes.

Chaotic scenes happenned just minutes after legendary footballer Lionel Messi arrived at the Salt Lake Stadium where he was supposed to be felicitated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the presence of former India cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly.

Watch: Chaos erupts at Salt Lake Stadium as fans hurl bottles, chairs in stands, Lionel Messi leaves in 10 mins

It was a day of iconic meets at the Yuva Bharti in Kolkata on Saturday (Dec 13) as legendary football figure Lionel Messi landed in Kolkata on his three-day GOAT India tour. The football legend set to be the talk of the town in Kolkata was spotted with Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan, breaking the internet in the process. The duo was also joined by another legendary figure, Luis Suarez, as they posed for an iconic picture while Messi unveiled hi 70-foot tall statue.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">VIDEO | Kolkata: Football icon Lionel Messi to virtually unveil his 70-foot statue from Salt Lake stadium, with West Bengal Minister Sujit Bose and Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan present at the event.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LionelMessi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LionelMessi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kolkata?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kolkata</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Football?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Football</a> (Full VIDEO available on PTI Videos –… <a href="https://t.co/dqISIwMgl4">pic.twitter.com/dqISIwMgl4</a>&mdash; Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/1999706007308554701?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Messi, Suarez meet Shah Rukh Khan</h2>Having arrived in Kolkata in the wee hours of Saturday (Dec 13), the iconic footballer was in attendance at the Yuva Bharti, where he virtually unveiled his 70-foot statue in Salt Lake. However, the biggest highlight was when Shah Rukh Khan came to Messi and Suarez. Messi and SRK were spotted shaking hands along with Suarez, who had accompanied them to the Argentine legend on his India trip. Shah Rukh has a big fan following in Kolkata and remains a popular figure as he also co-owns the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;Messi is later scheduled to meet Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Sourav Ganguly at the stadium before he plays in an exhibition match in Kolkata. Messi and Suarez will later depart for Hyderabad, where they will be taking part in another event organized by the Telangana government. He expected to play an exhibition match with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;The GOAT tour will then head to Mumbai on Sunday, where Messi will again play a charity match and later participate in a fashion event, which will also see him team up with Luis Suarez. The last day of the tour will be in New Delhi as the Argentine will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday before concluding his tour at an event in New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Lionel Messi who is set to be the talk of the town in Kolkata was spotted with B-town icon Shah Rukh Khan, breaking the internet in the process. The duo was also joined by another legendary figure of Luis Suarez as they posed for an iconic picture while Messi unveiled hi 70-foot tall statue.

It was a day of iconic meets at the Yuva Bharti in Kolkata on Saturday (Dec 13) as legendary football figure Lionel Messi landed in Kolkata on his three-day GOAT India tour. The football legend set to be the talk of the town in Kolkata was spotted with Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan, breaking the internet in the process. The duo was also joined by another legendary figure, Luis Suarez, as they posed for an iconic picture while Messi unveiled hi 70-foot tall statue.

Lionel Messi who is set to be the talk of the town in Kolkata was spotted with B-town icon Shah Rukh Khan, breaking the internet in the process. The duo was also joined by another legendary figure Luis Suarez as they posed for an iconic picture while Messi unveiled hi 70-foot tall statue.

Watch: Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez meet Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan at Yuva Bharati

Lionel Messi has officially kick-started his GOAT India tour as he landed in Kolkata in the wee hours of Saturday (Dec 13). Messi, considered one of the best football players of all time, will be on a four-city tour of the nation where he will participate in charity events and matches. However, Messi received a special 70-foot statue that was the highlight reel of his Kolkata tour. The statue was unveiled at the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town in Kolkata.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Kolkata, West Bengal: Star footballer Lionel Messi will virtually unveil his 70-foot statue installed at the Sreebhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town today during the first leg of his G.O.A.T. Tour India 2025. <a href="https://t.co/hKJ389f16B">pic.twitter.com/hKJ389f16B</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1999670060026347913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Messi to unveil his 70-foot statue</h2>The Sree Bhumi Sporting Club completed the installation of a towering 70-foot iron statue in admiration of the Argentine football legend at Lake Town in South Dum Dum, Kolkata. The statue portrays Messi holding the FIFA World Cup trophy, symbolising his historic World Cup triumph and has drawn significant attention from football fans across the city and beyond. The statue will be virtually unveiled by Messi himself, adding to the excitement surrounding his visit on Saturday.&nbsp;Speaking to ANI, Sree Bhumi Sporting Club President Sujit Bose said that Messi and his team had given their consent for the statue and expressed their happiness after seeing it. He added that the club has been in constant touch with Messi's management and that further interaction with the footballer is expected.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;"We have talked to his manager, and today we will talk to Messi... He gave his consent for the statue and they are also happy...," told ANI.The West Bengal minister had earlier stated that the massive structure was completed in a record time of just 40 days.&nbsp;"This is a very big statue, 70 feet in height. There is no other statue of Messi this big in the world. Messi is coming to Kolkata, and there are a lot of fans of Messi," he had told ANI.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a><h2>Messi’s schedule in Kolkata</h2><ul><li>9:30 am to 10:30 am: Meet-and-greet programme</li><li>10:30 am to 11:15 am: Virtual inauguration of Messi’s statue</li><li>11:15 am to 11:25 am: Arrival at Yuva Bharati</li><li>11:30 am: Shah Rukh Khan arrives at Yuva Bharati</li><li>12:00 pm: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Sourav Ganguly arrive at the stadium</li><li>12:00 pm to 12:30 pm: Friendly match, felicitation and interaction</li><li>2:00 pm: Departure for Hyderabad</li></ul>

The Sree Bhumi Sporting Club completed the installation of a towering 70-foot iron statue in admiration of the Argentine football legend at Lake Town in South Dum Dum, Kolkata.

Lionel Messi has officially kick-started his GOAT India tour as he landed in Kolkata in the wee hours of Saturday (Dec 13). Messi, considered one of the best football players of all time, will be on a four-city tour of the nation where he will participate in charity events and matches. However, Messi received a special 70-foot statue that was the highlight reel of his Kolkata tour. The statue was unveiled at the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town in Kolkata.

The Sree Bhumi Sporting Club completed the installation of a towering 70-foot iron statue in admiration of the Argentine football legend at Lake Town in South Dum Dum, Kolkata.

Lionel Messi virtually unveils his 70-foot statue in Kolkata as part of GOAT India tour

Mohamed Salah has been included in Liverpool's squad for their Premier League match at home to Brighton on Saturday following talks with manager Arne Slot, according to several British media reports.&nbsp;Both the BBC and Sky said the decision was made with Slot, who had made it clear he would have the final say on whether to recall Salah, wanting to act in the best interests of the club.&nbsp;The Dutchman had previously said he would speak to Salah on Friday morning following the Egypt striker's outburst last weekend that raised doubts about his Anfield future and saw him omitted from the squad that travelled to Italy for a Champions League win over Inter Milan in midweek.&nbsp;Salah accused Liverpool of throwing him "under the bus" after he was left on the bench for last week's 3-3 draw at Leeds -- the third match in a row that he did not start.&nbsp;He also said he had no relationship with Slot when he spoke to reporters after the match at Elland Road.&nbsp;On Tuesday, Liverpool won 1-0 at Inter Milan, while the 33-year-old Salah posted a picture on social media of himself alone in a gym at the club's training ground.&nbsp;"I will have a conversation with Mo this morning -- the outcome of that conversation determines how things will look tomorrow," Slot told his pre-match press conference.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;"I think the next time I speak about Mo should be with him and not in here. You can keep on trying but there is not much more to say about it.&nbsp;"After the Sunderland game (a 1-1 draw on December 3 in which Salah came on as a second-half substitute) there were a lot of conversations between his representatives and ours, between him and me."&nbsp;Slot batted away further questions from reporters about the forward, but said: "I have no reasons not wanting him to stay, and that is a little bit of an answer to your question."&nbsp;Salah, who signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool in April which made him one of the highest paid players in the Premier League, is due to join the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations after Saturday's Brighton game at Anfield.&nbsp;The length of his absence depends on how far Egypt go in the competition in Morocco, with the final taking place on January 18.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;Salah, third in Liverpool's all-time scoring charts with 250 goals in 420 appearances, has won two Premier League titles and one Champions League triumph during his spell on Merseyside.&nbsp;He scored 29 Premier League goals last season as Liverpool romped to a 20th English league title but has managed just four league goals in 13 appearances this season.&nbsp;Liverpool are 10th in the table after a shocking run, with two wins in their past 10 Premier League games.&nbsp;Salah has been linked with a move to the lucrative Saudi Pro League.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Mohamed Salah accused Liverpool of throwing him "under the bus" after he was left on the bench for last week's 3-3 draw at Leeds -- the third match in a row that he did not start.

Mohamed Salah has been included in Liverpool's squad for their Premier League match at home to Brighton on Saturday following talks with manager Arne Slot, according to several British media reports. Both the BBC and Sky said the decision was made with Slot, who had made it clear he would have the final say on whether to recall Salah, wanting to act in the best interests of the club. The Dutchman had previously said he would speak to Salah on Friday morning following the Egypt striker's outburst last weekend that raised doubts about his Anfield future and saw him omitted from the squad that travelled to Italy for a Champions League win over Inter Milan in midweek. Salah accused Liverpool of throwing him "under the bus" after he was left on the bench for last week's 3-3 draw at Leeds -- the third match in a row that he did not start. He also said he had no relationship with Slot when he spoke to reporters after the match at Elland Road. On Tuesday, Liverpool won 1-0 at Inter Milan, while the 33-year-old Salah posted a picture on social media of himself alone in a gym at the club's training ground. "I will have a conversation with Mo this morning -- the outcome of that conversation determines how things will look tomorrow," Slot told his pre-match press conference. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes "I think the next time I speak about Mo should be with him and not in here. You can keep on trying but there is not much more to say about it. "After the Sunderland game (a 1-1 draw on December 3 in which Salah came on as a second-half substitute) there were a lot of conversations between his representatives and ours, between him and me." Slot batted away further questions from reporters about the forward, but said: "I have no reasons not wanting him to stay, and that is a little bit of an answer to your question." Salah, who signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool in April which made him one of the highest paid players in the Premier League, is due to join the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations after Saturday's Brighton game at Anfield. The length of his absence depends on how far Egypt go in the competition in Morocco, with the final taking place on January 18. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes Salah, third in Liverpool's all-time scoring charts with 250 goals in 420 appearances, has won two Premier League titles and one Champions League triumph during his spell on Merseyside. He scored 29 Premier League goals last season as Liverpool romped to a 20th English league title but has managed just four league goals in 13 appearances this season. Liverpool are 10th in the table after a shocking run, with two wins in their past 10 Premier League games. Salah has been linked with a move to the lucrative Saudi Pro League. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Mohamed Salah accused Liverpool of throwing him "under the bus" after he was left on the bench for last week's 3-3 draw at Leeds -- the third match in a row that he did not start.

Premier League: Mohamed Salah in Liverpool squad for Brighton after Arne Slot talks - Report

Legendary Argentina star Lionel Messi arrived in India’s Kolkata in the early hours of Saturday (Dec 13) morning as he begins his GOAT tour. Messi, who is considered by many to be the greatest player to play football, arrived in India for his second tour, having last played in 2011 in a friendly match. Fans were seen thronging the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata with high security measures in place.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | West Bengal | Star footballer Lionel Messi arrives in Kolkata, officially kicking off his G.O.A.T India Tour 2025. Visuals from outside the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport. <a href="https://t.co/dzMK00Z5OP">pic.twitter.com/dzMK00Z5OP</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1999601822026334655?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Messi arrives in India</h2>The much-anticipated tour will kick off on Saturday, where Messi will be seen meeting former India cricketer Sourav Ganguly, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who will also be in attendance. Fans were seen cheering for Messi, who arrived in Kolkata in the early hours, before he was escorted to his hotel by high security. Fans were seen singing Messi’s name, while the Argentine’s posters and banners were also a highlight reel in the early hours.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a><h2>Messi’s schedule in Kolkata</h2><ul><li>9:30 am to 10:30 am: Meet-and-greet programme</li><li>10:30 am to 11:15 am: Virtual inauguration of Messi’s statue</li><li>11:15 am to 11:25 am: Arrival at Yuva Bharati</li><li>11:30 am: Shah Rukh Khan arrives at Yuva Bharati</li><li>12:00 pm: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Sourav Ganguly arrive at the stadium</li><li>12:00 pm to 12:30 pm: Friendly match, felicitation and interaction</li><li>2:00 pm: Departure for Hyderabad</li></ul>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a>&nbsp;The 2022 World Cup winner will be in Kolkata until 2 pm before he leaves for Hyderabad, where he is scheduled to play a charity match that involves Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. The GOAT tour will then head to Mumbai, where Messi will again play a charity match and later participate in a fashion event, which will also see him team up with Luis Suarez. The last day of the tour will be in New Delhi as the Argentine will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi before concluding his tour at an event in New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Lionel Messi, who is considered by many to be the greatest player to play football, arrived in India for his second tour, having last played in 2011 in a friendly match. 

Legendary Argentina star Lionel Messi arrived in India’s Kolkata in the early hours of Saturday (Dec 13) morning as he begins his GOAT tour. Messi, who is considered by many to be the greatest player to play football, arrived in India for his second tour, having last played in 2011 in a friendly match. Fans were seen thronging the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata with high security measures in place.

Lionel Messi, who is considered by many to be the greatest player to play football, arrived in India for his second tour, having last played in 2011 in a friendly match.&nbsp;

Watch: Lionel Messi arrives in Kolkata for GOAT tour, fans throng airport with tight security measures in place

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has recently released the list of 350 players set to participate in the upcoming mini-auction on December 16. All teams are prepared with their purses to bid for players to fill 77 available slots including 31 foreign players. Each team can sign up a maximum of 25 players and 18 minimum. All 10 franchises have already announced the list of retained players. Last year's runners up Punjab Kings have chosen to keep 21 players back while five-time winners Mumbai Indians as well Gujarat Titans have retained 20 players each. Have a look at list of retained players, remaining purse and slots available for each team:&nbsp;<h2>Kolkata Knight Riders (INR 64.30 crore)</h2>Retained players (12): Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun ChakravarthySlots available: 13 (6 foreign)&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/back-to-back-tons-and-ready-to-play-domestic-cricket-what-more-kohli-needs-to-do-to-be-in-india-s-plans-for-2027-odi-world-cup-1764850662028">Back-to-back tons and ready to play domestic cricket: What more Kohli needs to do to be in India's plans for 2027 ODI World Cup?</a><h2>Chennai Super Kings (INR 43.40 crore)</h2>Retained players (16): MS Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brewis, Shivam Dube, Urvil Patel, Noor Ahmad, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Khaleel Ahmed, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Mukesh Choudhary, Jamie Overton, Gurjapneet Singh, Anshul KambojSlots available: 9 (4 foreign)<h2>SunRisers Hyderabad (INR 25.5 crore)</h2>Retained players (15): Abhishek Sharma, Aniket Verma, Brydon Carse, Eshan Malinga, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel, Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan, Jaydev Unadkat, Kamindu Mendis, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins, R Smaran, Travis Head, Zeeshan AnsariSlots available: 10 (2 foreign)<h2>Lucknow Super Giants (INR 22.95 crore)</h2>Retained players (19): Abdul Samad, Aiden Markram, Akash Singh, Arjun Tendulkar, Arshin Kulkarni, Avesh Khan, Ayush Badoni, Digvesh Rathi, Himmat Singh, Manimaran Siddharth, Matthew Breetzke, Mayank Yadav, Mohammed Shami (traded in from SRH), Mitchell Marsh, Mohsin Khan, Nicholas Pooran, Prince Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Shahbaz AhmedSlots available: 6 (4 foreign)<h2>Delhi Capitals (INR 21.80 crore)</h2>Retained players (17): Nitish Rana, Abishek Porel, Ajay Mandal, Ashutosh Sharma, Axar Patel, Dushmantha Chameera, Karun Nair, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Madhav Tiwari, Mitchell Starc, Sameer Rizvi, T Natarajan, Tripurana Vijay, Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj NigamSlots available: 8 (5 foreign)<h2>Royal Challengers Bengaluru (INR 16.40 crore)</h2>Retained players (17): Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Jitesh Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Bethell, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Dar, Swapnil SinghSlots available: 8 (2 foreign)<h2>Rajasthan Royals (INR 16.05 crore)</h2>Retained players (16): Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Dhruv Jurel, Jofra Archer, Kwena Maphaka, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Nandre Burger, Riyan Parag, Sandeep Sharma, Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Tushar Deshpande, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Yudhvir SinghSlots available: 9 (1 foreign)<h2>Gujarat Titans (INR 12.90 crore)</h2>Retained players (20): Anuj Rawat, Glenn Phillips, Gurnoor Brar, Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav, Jos Buttler, Kagiso Rabada, Kumar Kushagra, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Arshad Khan, Nishant Sindhu, Prasidh Krishna, R Sai Kishore, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, B Sai Sudharsan, M Shahrukh Khan, Shubman Gill, Washington SundarSlots available: 5 (4 foreign)<h2>Punjab Kings (INR 11.50 crore)</h2>Retained players (21): Arshdeep Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harnoor Pannu, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson, Marco Jansen, Marcus Stoinis, Mitch Owen, Musheer Khan, Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Shashank Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Suryansh Shedge, Vishnu Vinod, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Yuzvendra ChahalSlots available: 4 (2 foreign)<h2>Mumbai Indians (INR 2.75 crore)</h2>Retained players (20): Shardul Thakur, Sherfane Rutherford, Mayank Markande, AM Ghazanfar, Ashwani Kumar, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Mitchell Santner, Naman Dhir, Raghu Sharma, Raj Bawa, Robin Minz, Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, Will JacksSlots available: 5 (1 foreign)

All 10 franchises have already announced the list of retained players. Last year's runners up Punjab Kings have chosen to keep 21 players back while five-time winners Mumbai Indians as well Gujarat Titans have retained 20 players each.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has recently released the list of 350 players set to participate in the upcoming mini-auction on December 16. All teams are prepared with their purses to bid for players to fill 77 available slots including 31 foreign players. Each team can sign up a maximum of 25 players and 18 minimum. All 10 franchises have already announced the list of retained players. Last year's runners up Punjab Kings have chosen to keep 21 players back while five-time winners Mumbai Indians as well Gujarat Titans have retained 20 players each. Have a look at list of retained players, remaining purse and slots available for each team: Kolkata Knight Riders (INR 64.30 crore) Retained players (12): Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy Slots available: 13 (6 foreign) Also Read - Back-to-back tons and ready to play domestic cricket: What more Kohli needs to do to be in India's plans for 2027 ODI World Cup? Chennai Super Kings (INR 43.40 crore) Retained players (16): MS Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brewis, Shivam Dube, Urvil Patel, Noor Ahmad, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Khaleel Ahmed, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Mukesh Choudhary, Jamie Overton, Gurjapneet Singh, Anshul Kamboj Slots available: 9 (4 foreign) SunRisers Hyderabad (INR 25.5 crore) Retained players (15): Abhishek Sharma, Aniket Verma, Brydon Carse, Eshan Malinga, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel, Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan, Jaydev Unadkat, Kamindu Mendis, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins, R Smaran, Travis Head, Zeeshan Ansari Slots available: 10 (2 foreign) Lucknow Super Giants (INR 22.95 crore) Retained players (19): Abdul Samad, Aiden Markram, Akash Singh, Arjun Tendulkar, Arshin Kulkarni, Avesh Khan, Ayush Badoni, Digvesh Rathi, Himmat Singh, Manimaran Siddharth, Matthew Breetzke, Mayank Yadav, Mohammed Shami (traded in from SRH), Mitchell Marsh, Mohsin Khan, Nicholas Pooran, Prince Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Shahbaz Ahmed Slots available: 6 (4 foreign) Delhi Capitals (INR 21.80 crore) Retained players (17): Nitish Rana, Abishek Porel, Ajay Mandal, Ashutosh Sharma, Axar Patel, Dushmantha Chameera, Karun Nair, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Madhav Tiwari, Mitchell Starc, Sameer Rizvi, T Natarajan, Tripurana Vijay, Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam Slots available: 8 (5 foreign) Royal Challengers Bengaluru (INR 16.40 crore) Retained players (17): Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Jitesh Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Bethell, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Dar, Swapnil Singh Slots available: 8 (2 foreign) Rajasthan Royals (INR 16.05 crore) Retained players (16): Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Dhruv Jurel, Jofra Archer, Kwena Maphaka, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Nandre Burger, Riyan Parag, Sandeep Sharma, Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Tushar Deshpande, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Yudhvir Singh Slots available: 9 (1 foreign) Gujarat Titans (INR 12.90 crore) Retained players (20): Anuj Rawat, Glenn Phillips, Gurnoor Brar, Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav, Jos Buttler, Kagiso Rabada, Kumar Kushagra, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Arshad Khan, Nishant Sindhu, Prasidh Krishna, R Sai Kishore, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, B Sai Sudharsan, M Shahrukh Khan, Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar Slots available: 5 (4 foreign) Punjab Kings (INR 11.50 crore) Retained players (21): Arshdeep Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harnoor Pannu, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson, Marco Jansen, Marcus Stoinis, Mitch Owen, Musheer Khan, Nehal Wadhera, Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Shashank Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Suryansh Shedge, Vishnu Vinod, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal Slots available: 4 (2 foreign) Mumbai Indians (INR 2.75 crore) Retained players (20): Shardul Thakur, Sherfane Rutherford, Mayank Markande, AM Ghazanfar, Ashwani Kumar, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Mitchell Santner, Naman Dhir, Raghu Sharma, Raj Bawa, Robin Minz, Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, Will Jacks Slots available: 5 (1 foreign)

All 10 franchises have already announced the list of retained players. Last year's runners up Punjab Kings have chosen to keep 21 players back while five-time winners Mumbai Indians as well Gujarat Titans have retained 20 players each.

IPL 2026 auction: Check full list of retained players, slots available and purse left for each franchise

As the IPL 2026 auction is fast approaching, here's a look at the top five players Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) can bid for. This probable set of players includes Matheesha Pathirana, Cameron Green and Akash Deep

As the IPL 2026 auction is fast approaching, here's a look at the top five players Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) can bid for. This probable set of players includes Matheesha Pathirana, Cameron Green and Akash Deep

IPL 2026 auction: 5 players Sunrisers Hyderabad can go for ft Cameron Green, Akash Deep

The International Cricket Council (ICC) and JioStar issued a joint statement on Friday (Dec 12)to dismiss recent reports claiming that their media rights deal in India was in trouble. Both sides made it clear that nothing has changed and the agreement is still active. The statement said that the current media rights contract between ICC and JioStar ‘remains fully in force,’ and that JioStar continues to be the ICC’s official media rights partner in the Indian market. Some media reports had suggested that JioStar had walked away from the agreement, but the organisations said these claims were not true. JioStar also said it is fully committed to meeting all its responsibilities. The statement added that the company will follow every part of the agreement ‘in letter and spirit.’ Both sides stressed that all planning for the upcoming ICC events is moving ahead without any issues.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-2026-ticket-shocker-fifa-faces-fan-backlash-over-sky-rocketing-prices-1765536244829">World Cup 2026 ticket shocker: FIFA faces fan backlash over sky-rocketing prices</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ICC</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/JioStar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JioStar</a> reaffirm that their media rights agreement in India remains fully in force. Details of joint statement: <a href="https://t.co/YILwLJORl5">https://t.co/YILwLJORl5</a> <a href="https://t.co/HTdN7y4eCQ">pic.twitter.com/HTdN7y4eCQ</a>&mdash; ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1999499173855678469?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This includes the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, one of the biggest cricket tournaments in the world. The broadcast and digital plans for the event are already in progress, and both organisations said that preparations are going smoothly. The statement was released to end confusion after certain reports raised doubts about the future of the partnership. By confirming that the contract is still active, ICC and JioStar tried to send a clear message to fans, broadcasters, and the wider cricket industry. With this clarification, the focus now returns to the busy ICC calendar ahead. JioStar will continue handling both television and digital coverage in India as planned. For fans, this means there will be no changes in how they watch major ICC events next year. The ICC and JioStar did not share more details beyond the clarification. But their strong response shows they want to keep the partnership steady as the sport enters a packed season.

 JioStar will continue handling both television and digital coverage in India as planned. For fans, this means there will be no changes in how they watch major ICC events next year.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) and JioStar issued a joint statement on Friday (Dec 12)to dismiss recent reports claiming that their media rights deal in India was in trouble. Both sides made it clear that nothing has changed and the agreement is still active. The statement said that the current media rights contract between ICC and JioStar ‘remains fully in force,’ and that JioStar continues to be the ICC’s official media rights partner in the Indian market. Some media reports had suggested that JioStar had walked away from the agreement, but the organisations said these claims were not true. JioStar also said it is fully committed to meeting all its responsibilities. The statement added that the company will follow every part of the agreement ‘in letter and spirit.’ Both sides stressed that all planning for the upcoming ICC events is moving ahead without any issues. Also read | World Cup 2026 ticket shocker: FIFA faces fan backlash over sky-rocketing prices

&nbsp;JioStar will continue handling both television and digital coverage in India as planned. For fans, this means there will be no changes in how they watch major ICC events next year.

ICC–JioStar media rights chaos? The two giants respond with a stunning clarification

England Test great James Anderson has been named as Lancashire's captain for next season's County Championship at the age of 43. The country's all-time leading Test wicket-taker made his first-class debut for Lancashire in 2002 and has continued to play for the county since his international retirement in 2024. He stepped in as skipper on an interim basis last season and will now lead the red-ball side in Division Two permanently, having signed a new one-year contract in November.&nbsp;"Captaining Lancashire for the first time last season was a huge privilege and I'm honoured to take on the role full-time heading into the new season," Anderson said.&nbsp;"We've got a fantastic group of players, a great blend of youth and experience and I'm excited about what we can achieve together, with promotion back to Division One our number one priority."&nbsp;Also Check - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/5-batters-with-most-odi-sixes-in-2025-george-munsey-rohit-sharma-dewald-brevis-harry-brook-daryl-mitchell-1765537783551">From Rohit Sharma to Harry Brook, 5 batters with most ODI sixes in 2025</a>&nbsp;Anderson took 704 wickets in 188 Tests, the highest number for a pace bowler in cricket history.&nbsp;Head coach Steven Croft hailed the bowler as an example to the rest of his squad."Jimmy is an outstanding leader whose influence on the squad is immense," he said.&nbsp;"His experience in cricket is second to none, and the way he stepped into the captaincy during the second half of last season showed exactly why he's the right person for the job."&nbsp;Also Check - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2026-mini-auctions-5-top-pick-players-at-inr-1-crore-base-price-1765454871500">IPL 2026 mini auctions: 5 top-pick players at INR 1 crore base price</a>&nbsp;Anderson's first match at the helm will be away at Northamptonshire on April 3, 2026.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WIONaudience.

Anderson's first match at the helm will be away at Northamptonshire on April 3, 2026.

England Test great James Anderson has been named as Lancashire's captain for next season's County Championship at the age of 43. The country's all-time leading Test wicket-taker made his first-class debut for Lancashire in 2002 and has continued to play for the county since his international retirement in 2024. He stepped in as skipper on an interim basis last season and will now lead the red-ball side in Division Two permanently, having signed a new one-year contract in November. "Captaining Lancashire for the first time last season was a huge privilege and I'm honoured to take on the role full-time heading into the new season," Anderson said. "We've got a fantastic group of players, a great blend of youth and experience and I'm excited about what we can achieve together, with promotion back to Division One our number one priority." Also Check - From Rohit Sharma to Harry Brook, 5 batters with most ODI sixes in 2025 Anderson took 704 wickets in 188 Tests, the highest number for a pace bowler in cricket history. Head coach Steven Croft hailed the bowler as an example to the rest of his squad. "Jimmy is an outstanding leader whose influence on the squad is immense," he said. "His experience in cricket is second to none, and the way he stepped into the captaincy during the second half of last season showed exactly why he's the right person for the job." Also Check - IPL 2026 mini auctions: 5 top-pick players at INR 1 crore base price Anderson's first match at the helm will be away at Northamptonshire on April 3, 2026. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WIONaudience.

Anderson's first match at the helm will be away at Northamptonshire on April 3, 2026.

Retired England great James Anderson named Lancashire captain

Five players with a ₹2 crore base price are set to spark major bidding battles at the IPL 2026 auction, with teams eyeing power hitters, all-rounders and strike bowlers who can change games instantly.

Five players with a ₹2 crore base price are set to spark major bidding battles at the IPL 2026 auction, with teams eyeing power hitters, all-rounders and strike bowlers who can change games instantly.

IPL 2026 auction: Top 5 players with INR 2 crore base price who might start bidding war

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Retired England great James Anderson named Lancashire captain

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