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Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar produced a match-winning spell after Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh scored smashing fifties as Punjab Kings inched closer to an IPL playoffs spot with a 10-run victory over Rajasthan Royals on Sunday (May 18).Brar, who replaced skipper Shreyas Iyer as a replacement -- was brought into the bowling in the fifth over and the left-arm spinner took 3/22 in four overs to lead PBKS to limit RR to 209/7 while chasing 220.The Punjab team had previously scored 219/5 on the back of an unbeaten 59 off 30 balls by Shashank and Wadhera (70 off 37 balls).The Shreyas Iyer-led team requires one additional point to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2014.Brar, who varied his angles, trajectories, and pace with accuracy, had a sizeable contribution in that.His wickets were Vaibhav Suryavanshi (40 off 15 balls) and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had opened a brutal attack at the top with his (50 off 24).They departed collectively off the blocks in a stand off 76 off 4.1 overs. Azmatullah Omarzai (2/44) then struck a double blow, removing skipper Sanju Samson (20 off 16) and Shimron Hetmyer (11 off 12), and RR's chase lost impetus.Dhruv Jurel (53 off 31 balls) struck form to register his second fifty of the season but in vain as Marco Jansen (2/41 from three overs) dismissed him and Wanindu Hasaranga in consecutive balls in the last over to cut short their pursuit.RR were 51 for no loss in only three overs -- 50 of those runs in boundaries, and one through a wide.Suryavanshi continued his fireworks by hitting two consecutive sixes off Arshdeep, and RR stormed to 76 in just 29 balls.Choosing to bat, PBKS began positively but lost opening batsman Priyansh Arya in the second over, caught by Hetmyer off Tushar Deshpande (2/37). Prabhsimran Singh kept the run rate going for a while, hitting Maphaka for a four and a six, but wickets kept falling.IPL debutant Mitchell Owen was bowled for a two-ball duck, holing out to Samson off Maphaka. Prabhsimran (22 off 12) quickly followed, edging Deshpande to Samson, who successfully reviewed after the on-field umpire denied it.Skipper Iyer (30 off 25) and Wadhera then added a 67-run partnership off 44 balls for the fourth wicket. Omarzai gave the finishing touches with an unbeaten 21 off nine balls, taking PBKS past the 200-run mark.

IPL 2025-Brar, Shashank, Wadhera star as PBKS beat RR by 10 runs

Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar produced a match-winning spell after Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh scored smashing fifties as Punjab Kings inched closer to an IPL playoffs spot with a 10-run victory over Rajasthan Royals on Sunday (May 18). Brar, who replaced skipper Shreyas Iyer as a replacement -- was brought into the bowling in the fifth over and the left-arm spinner took 3/22 in four overs to lead PBKS to limit RR to 209/7 while chasing 220. The Punjab team had previously scored 219/5 on the back of an unbeaten 59 off 30 balls by Shashank and Wadhera (70 off 37 balls). The Shreyas Iyer-led team requires one additional point to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Brar, who varied his angles, trajectories, and pace with accuracy, had a sizeable contribution in that. His wickets were Vaibhav Suryavanshi (40 off 15 balls) and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had opened a brutal attack at the top with his (50 off 24). They departed collectively off the blocks in a stand off 76 off 4.1 overs. Azmatullah Omarzai (2/44) then struck a double blow, removing skipper Sanju Samson (20 off 16) and Shimron Hetmyer (11 off 12), and RR's chase lost impetus. Dhruv Jurel (53 off 31 balls) struck form to register his second fifty of the season but in vain as Marco Jansen (2/41 from three overs) dismissed him and Wanindu Hasaranga in consecutive balls in the last over to cut short their pursuit. RR were 51 for no loss in only three overs -- 50 of those runs in boundaries, and one through a wide. Suryavanshi continued his fireworks by hitting two consecutive sixes off Arshdeep, and RR stormed to 76 in just 29 balls. Choosing to bat, PBKS began positively but lost opening batsman Priyansh Arya in the second over, caught by Hetmyer off Tushar Deshpande (2/37). Prabhsimran Singh kept the run rate going for a while, hitting Maphaka for a four and a six, but wickets kept falling. IPL debutant Mitchell Owen was bowled for a two-ball duck, holing out to Samson off Maphaka. Prabhsimran (22 off 12) quickly followed, edging Deshpande to Samson, who successfully reviewed after the on-field umpire denied it. Skipper Iyer (30 off 25) and Wadhera then added a 67-run partnership off 44 balls for the fourth wicket. Omarzai gave the finishing touches with an unbeaten 21 off nine balls, taking PBKS past the 200-run mark.

The Shreyas Iyer-led team requires one additional point to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2014

IPL 2025: Brar, Shashank, Wadhera star as PBKS beat RR by 10 runs

Sunrisers Hyderabad will be without their explosive opening batsman Travis Head in their next IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants, as the Australian star has been sidelined due to COVID-19 infection.&nbsp;Head, who has been instrumental in SRH’s top-order success this season, was unable to travel to India in time for the match due to health concerns.According to media reports, Head tested positive for COVID-19 in Australia, which delayed his scheduled return to India.While the Australian batter is reportedly recovering well and expected to rejoin the SRH camp soon, his absence in Sunday’s match comes as a major setback for the Hyderabad-based franchise, especially at a stage when playoff spots are still being contested.Head has been one of the standout performers for Sunrisers this season. His aggressive starts and consistent run-scoring have played a pivotal role in SRH's strong performances. With a strike rate well over 180 and several match-defining knocks, his absence is bound to impact the team’s momentum at the top of the order.A senior SRH official confirmed that Head’s travel plans were disrupted due to the infection, and that he would not be available for the match against LSG. “Travis is recovering well and will join the team shortly. However, due to testing positive, he couldn't travel as scheduled,” the official said.Sunrisers will now have to look for a temporary replacement at the top. The likes of Rahul Tripathi or Abhishek Sharma may be promoted to open the innings in Head’s absence. This shift might also prompt strategic reshuffling in the middle order, as SRH aim to maintain their offensive brand of cricket.Head is expected to be fit and available for the next match, subject to fitness clearance and travel arrangements. His return will be eagerly awaited by SRH fans and management alike, given the critical stage of the tournament.

Travis Head had COVID 19, Vettori reveals ahead of match against LSG

Sunrisers Hyderabad will be without their explosive opening batsman Travis Head in their next IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants, as the Australian star has been sidelined due to COVID-19 infection. Head, who has been instrumental in SRH’s top-order success this season, was unable to travel to India in time for the match due to health concerns. According to media reports, Head tested positive for COVID-19 in Australia, which delayed his scheduled return to India. While the Australian batter is reportedly recovering well and expected to rejoin the SRH camp soon, his absence in Sunday’s match comes as a major setback for the Hyderabad-based franchise, especially at a stage when playoff spots are still being contested. Head has been one of the standout performers for Sunrisers this season. His aggressive starts and consistent run-scoring have played a pivotal role in SRH's strong performances. With a strike rate well over 180 and several match-defining knocks, his absence is bound to impact the team’s momentum at the top of the order. A senior SRH official confirmed that Head’s travel plans were disrupted due to the infection, and that he would not be available for the match against LSG. “Travis is recovering well and will join the team shortly. However, due to testing positive, he couldn't travel as scheduled,” the official said. Sunrisers will now have to look for a temporary replacement at the top. The likes of Rahul Tripathi or Abhishek Sharma may be promoted to open the innings in Head’s absence. This shift might also prompt strategic reshuffling in the middle order, as SRH aim to maintain their offensive brand of cricket. Head is expected to be fit and available for the next match, subject to fitness clearance and travel arrangements. His return will be eagerly awaited by SRH fans and management alike, given the critical stage of the tournament.

Sunrisers Hyderabad opening batter batsman Travis Head will miss the IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants on Monday (May 19)

IPL 2025: Vettori confirms Travis Head’s comeback delayed due to Covid-19

Prior to the match, both players of Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings lined up for the Indian national anthem to pay tribute to the Indian armed forces ahead of their IPL 2025 clash at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, on Sunday (May 18).The RR-PBKS clash is the first proper match to happen after the resumption of the IPL 2025 on Saturday, following a one-week suspension due to the cross-border tensions with Pakistan. The Saturday clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders was washed out due to rain in Bengaluru without a toss, fading away the excitement of the IPL restart.In a tribute to the Indian armed forces, who displayed their impeccable valour to protect the countrymen from the enemy, players sang the national anthem together to honour their valuable contributions before the start of the match. "Thank you armed forces" was the message being displayed on the screens of the stadium when the Indian national anthem was played.During the toss, Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer thanked the Indian armed forces for safeguarding the borders of the country amid tensions with Pakistan."Kudos to the Army forces who have worked for the country and made sure that we're in a comfortable position," he said during the toss after electing to bat first.RCB announce ticket refunds after match against KKR washed out Royal Challengers Bengaluru have announced ticket refunds for their match against Kolkata Knight Riders at M. Chinaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which was abandoned without a ball being bowled, due to persistent rain on Saturday."As the game between RCB and KKR on 17th May 2025 was abandoned due to inclement weather, all valid ticket holders are eligible for a full refund, the franchise said in a statement."Digital ticket holders will be issued a refund within 10 working days to their original account used to book the tickets. In case you do not receive refund by May 31, kindly send an email to refund@ticketgenie.in with booking details to escalate the matter."Physical ticket holders are required to surrender their original ticket to the respective official source from where they purchased the tickets, in order to claim refund. Refunds are not applicable for complimentary tickets," it added.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Grateful to the Armed Forces. Jai Hind 🇮🇳<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RRvPBKS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RRvPBKS</a> <a href="https://t.co/OOid23RDuZ">pic.twitter.com/OOid23RDuZ</a>&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1924044082277421460?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

IPL 2025-Players pay tribute to Indian armed forces before match

Prior to the match, both players of Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings lined up for the Indian national anthem to pay tribute to the Indian armed forces ahead of their IPL 2025 clash at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, on Sunday (May 18). The RR-PBKS clash is the first proper match to happen after the resumption of the IPL 2025 on Saturday, following a one-week suspension due to the cross-border tensions with Pakistan. The Saturday clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders was washed out due to rain in Bengaluru without a toss, fading away the excitement of the IPL restart. In a tribute to the Indian armed forces, who displayed their impeccable valour to protect the countrymen from the enemy, players sang the national anthem together to honour their valuable contributions before the start of the match. "Thank you armed forces" was the message being displayed on the screens of the stadium when the Indian national anthem was played. During the toss, Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer thanked the Indian armed forces for safeguarding the borders of the country amid tensions with Pakistan. "Kudos to the Army forces who have worked for the country and made sure that we're in a comfortable position," he said during the toss after electing to bat first. RCB announce ticket refunds after match against KKR washed out Royal Challengers Bengaluru have announced ticket refunds for their match against Kolkata Knight Riders at M. Chinaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which was abandoned without a ball being bowled, due to persistent rain on Saturday. "As the game between RCB and KKR on 17th May 2025 was abandoned due to inclement weather, all valid ticket holders are eligible for a full refund, the franchise said in a statement. "Digital ticket holders will be issued a refund within 10 working days to their original account used to book the tickets. In case you do not receive refund by May 31, kindly send an email to refund@ticketgenie.in with booking details to escalate the matter. "Physical ticket holders are required to surrender their original ticket to the respective official source from where they purchased the tickets, in order to claim refund. Refunds are not applicable for complimentary tickets," it added.

In a tribute to the Indian armed forces, players sang the national anthem together to honour their valuable contributions before the start of the match

IPL 2025: Players pay tribute to Indian armed forces before RR-PBKS match

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has approved big plans for the first-ever Shooting League of India (SLI), with the launch of mixed team events in all the main shooting disciplines.&nbsp;The move was made during a Governing Board meeting on Saturday (May 17), which is a huge leap to restructure the shooting sport environment in India.The SLI will make its debut from November 20 to December 2, 2025, with the opening ceremony on November 20. Eight franchise teams will play a league system, split into two groups of four. There will be group matches from November 21 to 26 and knockout matches with the top two teams from each group.The tournament will have mixed team competitions in Pistol (10m, 25m), Rifle (10m, 50m 3-Position), and Shotgun (Trap &amp; Skeet) according to NRAI norms. The initiative is a step towards enhancing the competitiveness of the sport and replicating international patterns.For an effort to introduce both top Indian and international talent, the players will be placed into four categories:• Elite Champions • World Elite • National Champions • Junior &amp; Youth ChampionshipsThis tiered system is created to equalise experience with up-and-coming talent to facilitate mentorship and quick skill acquisition across ages.NRAI President Kalikesh Singh Deo highlighted the league's potential influence. "Combining elite sport with league-style drama, SLI looks to develop shooting as a sport and bring out future stars. It's a pathfinder model internationally, and the international shooting fraternity's reaction has been one of keenness," he said.The board also talked about governance, player recruitment, brand and marketing strategies. The launch of the formal logo is planned for June 4, 2025, in New Delhi, while information regarding league awards and prize money will be announced later.The SLI is positioning itself as a professionally run, franchise-type shooting league, with an aim to increase national interest in shooting sports and unlock private investment through a strong governance framework.With a combination of stardom, youth participation, and global visibility, the Shooting League of India is likely to be a game-changer in the world of shooting.

NRAI to launch Shooting League of India from November

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has approved big plans for the first-ever Shooting League of India (SLI), with the launch of mixed team events in all the main shooting disciplines. The move was made during a Governing Board meeting on Saturday (May 17), which is a huge leap to restructure the shooting sport environment in India. The SLI will make its debut from November 20 to December 2, 2025, with the opening ceremony on November 20. Eight franchise teams will play a league system, split into two groups of four. There will be group matches from November 21 to 26 and knockout matches with the top two teams from each group. The tournament will have mixed team competitions in Pistol (10m, 25m), Rifle (10m, 50m 3-Position), and Shotgun (Trap & Skeet) according to NRAI norms. The initiative is a step towards enhancing the competitiveness of the sport and replicating international patterns. For an effort to introduce both top Indian and international talent, the players will be placed into four categories: • Elite Champions • World Elite • National Champions • Junior & Youth Championships This tiered system is created to equalise experience with up-and-coming talent to facilitate mentorship and quick skill acquisition across ages. NRAI President Kalikesh Singh Deo highlighted the league's potential influence. "Combining elite sport with league-style drama, SLI looks to develop shooting as a sport and bring out future stars. It's a pathfinder model internationally, and the international shooting fraternity's reaction has been one of keenness," he said. The board also talked about governance, player recruitment, brand and marketing strategies. The launch of the formal logo is planned for June 4, 2025, in New Delhi, while information regarding league awards and prize money will be announced later. The SLI is positioning itself as a professionally run, franchise-type shooting league, with an aim to increase national interest in shooting sports and unlock private investment through a strong governance framework. With a combination of stardom, youth participation, and global visibility, the Shooting League of India is likely to be a game-changer in the world of shooting.

The inaugural edition is planned for Delhi’s Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range. The competition will encompass all six Olympic shooting disciplines, with teams composed of six men and six women, including a maximum of four international athletes

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a> retired from Test cricket early this week, leaving the cricket world shell-shocked. His decision to do away with the format he loved and endorsed the most, broke a billion hearts worldwide, as fans, former cricketers, analysts and who’s who of the game continued talking about it. The latest to express thoughts on it was former India opener and Kohli’s ex-teammate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virender-sehwag">Virender Sehwag</a>. Sehwag feels Kohli retired from Tests a tad too early and probably could have played for two more years. Sehwag praised his game ethics and discipline, saying these are among several factors that made him the player he is today.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-ms-dhoni-has-real-fans-rest-everyone-has-social-media-paid-ones-harbhajan-1747561476285">‘Dhoni has real fans; rest everyone has social media, paid ones,’ Harbhajan</a> “His hunger for runs is what makes him different, sets him apart. He follows his routine, his hard work, whether or not he’s making runs," Sehwag said of Kohli, who finished with 9230 Test runs in 123 matches.&nbsp; Impressed by Kohli’s fitness that kept him ahead of the lot, Sehwag expressed shock over his ‘early retirement’, saying, considering how fit Virat has been, he could have easily played more, and that, even at this age, he is 90% better than most fielders around. “He will leave 90% of players behind in fitness, even at 36 years old. I would say because of that, he retired too early in Tests, he could comfortably have played two more years,” Sehwag continued. Kohli says goodbye to Tests Taking to his social media handle, Virat announced his Test retirement, sending shock waves in the cricketing fraternity. Although he admitted feeling heavy over calling time on his glorious yet proud Test career, Kohli takes immense pleasure in serving his country in the whites.&nbsp; "It's been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It's tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I'll carry for life. "There's something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever. "As I step away from this format, it's not easy - but it feels right. I've given it everything I had, and it's given me back so much more than I could've hoped for. I'm walking away with a heart full of gratitude - for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way. I'll always look back at my Test career with a smile,” Virat’s social media statement read.

Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket early this week, leaving the cricket world shell-shocked. His decision to do away with the format he loved and endorsed the most, broke a billion hearts worldwide, as fans, former cricketers, analysts and who’s-who of the game continued talking about it. The latest to express thoughts on it was former India opener and Kohli’s ex-teammate Virender Sehwag.
Sehwag feels Kohli retired from Tests a tad too early and probably could have played for two more years. Sehwag praised his game ethics and discipline, saying these are among several factors that made him the player he is today.
“His hunger for runs is what makes him different, sets him apart. He follows his routine, his hard work, whether or not he’s making runs," Sehwag said of Kohli, who finished with 9230 Test runs in 123 matches. 
Impressed by Kohli’s fitness that kept him ahead of the lot, Sehwag expressed shock over his ‘early retirement’, saying considering how fit Virat has been, he could have easily played more and that, even at this age, he is 90% better than most fielders around.
“He will leave 90% of players behind in fitness even at 36 years old. I would say because of that, he retired too early in Tests, he could comfortably have played two more years,” Sehwag continued.
Kohli says goodbye to Tests
Taking to his social media handle, Virat announced his Test retirement, sending shock waves in the cricketing fraternity. Although he admitted feeling heavy over calling time on his glorious yet proud Test career, Kohli takes immense pleasure in serving his country in the whites. 
"It's been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It's tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I'll carry for life.
"There's something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever.
"As I step away from this format, it's not easy - but it feels right. I've given it everything I had, and it's given me back so much more than I could've hoped for. I'm walking away with a heart full of gratitude - for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way. I'll always look back at my Test career with a smile,” Virat’s social media statement read.

Even at 36 he could leave 90 Sehwag on Virat Kohli Test retirement

Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket early this week, leaving the cricket world shell-shocked. His decision to do away with the format he loved and endorsed the most, broke a billion hearts worldwide, as fans, former cricketers, analysts and who’s who of the game continued talking about it. The latest to express thoughts on it was former India opener and Kohli’s ex-teammate Virender Sehwag. Sehwag feels Kohli retired from Tests a tad too early and probably could have played for two more years. Sehwag praised his game ethics and discipline, saying these are among several factors that made him the player he is today. Also read | ‘Dhoni has real fans; rest everyone has social media, paid ones,’ Harbhajan “His hunger for runs is what makes him different, sets him apart. He follows his routine, his hard work, whether or not he’s making runs," Sehwag said of Kohli, who finished with 9230 Test runs in 123 matches. Impressed by Kohli’s fitness that kept him ahead of the lot, Sehwag expressed shock over his ‘early retirement’, saying, considering how fit Virat has been, he could have easily played more, and that, even at this age, he is 90% better than most fielders around. “He will leave 90% of players behind in fitness, even at 36 years old. I would say because of that, he retired too early in Tests, he could comfortably have played two more years,” Sehwag continued. Kohli says goodbye to Tests Taking to his social media handle, Virat announced his Test retirement, sending shock waves in the cricketing fraternity. Although he admitted feeling heavy over calling time on his glorious yet proud Test career, Kohli takes immense pleasure in serving his country in the whites. "It's been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It's tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I'll carry for life. "There's something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever. "As I step away from this format, it's not easy - but it feels right. I've given it everything I had, and it's given me back so much more than I could've hoped for. I'm walking away with a heart full of gratitude - for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way. I'll always look back at my Test career with a smile,” Virat’s social media statement read.

Sehwag praised his game ethics and discipline, saying these are among several factors that made him the player he is today.

‘Even at 36, he could leave 90%...,’ Sehwag on Virat Kohli’s Test retirement

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/harbhajan-singh">Harbhajan Singh</a> has left the netizens fuming over his latest remarks. The former multi-time IPL winner took a sly dig at the fan bases of all players other than <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ms-dhoni">MS Dhoni</a>'s. Having played with and under Dhoni for India and the IPL franchise <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/chennai-super-kings">Chennai Super Kings (CSK)</a>, winning trophies everywhere, Harbhajan commented on rumours of Dhoni not putting in the towel at the end of this season.As <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025">IPL 2025</a> resumed on Saturday with a washed-out clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Harbhajan and former India opener Aakash Chopra expressed their thoughts on speculations of Dhoni playing another season - IPL 2026.CSK stand-in captain for this edition, MS Dhoni, was like a pale shadow of himself with the bat in hand, scoring just 180 runs from 12 outings and averaging above 25. Though he hit 11 sixes and 12 fours thus far, Dhoni failed to guide his team home on several occasions this time. CSK sits at the bottom of the points table with just two wins in 12 matches. Speaking on Star Sports on the sidelines of the RCB vs KKR game, Harbhajan backed Dhoni’s call to continue playing for as long as he wants and acknowledged Dhoni’s craze, saying he is perhaps the only one with a real fan base, while others rely on social media and paid fans. &nbsp; "He can play as long as he can. Had it been my team, I would have made a different decision. Fans will want him to continue playing. I feel he has a real fan base; the rest are all on social media, which are even paid fans. Leave them out because if we start discussing that, the discussion will go in a different direction," Harbhajan said. Meanwhile, sitting beside him, Chopra was left in splits over Harbhajan’s remarks, jokingly saying, “You weren't supposed to be this honest,” to which Harbhajan replied, “Someone had to.” Kohli’s RCB closer to playoff spot Led by Rajat Patidar, RCB gained a point thanks to a washed-out clash against KKR, with them sitting in first place with 17 points from 12 contested matches.&nbsp; For RCB to qualify for the IPL 2025 playoffs, they need just one point from the two remaining matches.&nbsp; On the other hand, the defending champions KKR are the fourth team to get knocked out of this edition after SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), Rajasthan Royals (RR) and CSK. &nbsp;

Dhoni has real fans rest everyone has social media paid ones Harbhajan

Harbhajan Singh has left the netizens fuming over his latest remarks. The former multi-time IPL winner took a sly dig at the fan bases of all players other than MS Dhoni's. Having played with and under Dhoni for India and the IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK), winning trophies everywhere, Harbhajan commented on rumours of Dhoni not putting in the towel at the end of this season. As IPL 2025 resumed on Saturday with a washed-out clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Harbhajan and former India opener Aakash Chopra expressed their thoughts on speculations of Dhoni playing another season - IPL 2026. CSK stand-in captain for this edition, MS Dhoni, was like a pale shadow of himself with the bat in hand, scoring just 180 runs from 12 outings and averaging above 25. Though he hit 11 sixes and 12 fours thus far, Dhoni failed to guide his team home on several occasions this time. CSK sits at the bottom of the points table with just two wins in 12 matches. Speaking on Star Sports on the sidelines of the RCB vs KKR game, Harbhajan backed Dhoni’s call to continue playing for as long as he wants and acknowledged Dhoni’s craze, saying he is perhaps the only one with a real fan base, while others rely on social media and paid fans. "He can play as long as he can. Had it been my team, I would have made a different decision. Fans will want him to continue playing. I feel he has a real fan base; the rest are all on social media, which are even paid fans. Leave them out because if we start discussing that, the discussion will go in a different direction," Harbhajan said. Meanwhile, sitting beside him, Chopra was left in splits over Harbhajan’s remarks, jokingly saying, “You weren't supposed to be this honest,” to which Harbhajan replied, “Someone had to.” Kohli’s RCB closer to playoff spot Led by Rajat Patidar, RCB gained a point thanks to a washed-out clash against KKR, with them sitting in first place with 17 points from 12 contested matches. For RCB to qualify for the IPL 2025 playoffs, they need just one point from the two remaining matches. On the other hand, the defending champions KKR are the fourth team to get knocked out of this edition after SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), Rajasthan Royals (RR) and CSK.

Harbhajan backed Dhoni’s call to continue playing for as long as he wants and acknowledged Dhoni’s craze, saying he is perhaps the only one with a real fan base.&nbsp;

‘Dhoni has real fans; rest everyone has social media, paid ones,’ Harbhajan

Nice romped to a six-goal win to secure Champions League qualification on the final night of the French season on Saturday, as Saint-Etienne were condemned to relegation back to the second tier.Champions League finalists Paris Saint-Germain had already clinched the title while Marseille and Monaco wrapped up qualification for Europe's elite club competition before the Ligue 1 campaign reached its climax.However, one more spot at the continent's top table remained up for grabs on the last day with fourth-placed Nice in pole position to take it if they could hold off the challenges of Lille, Strasbourg and Lyon.The Ineos-owned club made sure of a top-four place by crushing Brest 6-0 on the Cote d'Azur with Gaetan Laborde scoring twice.Ivorian international Evann Guessand put Nice in front with his 12th Ligue 1 goal this season, with Badredine Bouanani later netting a penalty before Terem Moffi and Ali Abdi also hit the target.Nice will enter next season's Champions League in the third qualifying round in early August and will have to win two two-legged ties to make the league stage.Lille finish fifth and go into the Europa League after substitute Chuba Akpom's late penalty secured a 2-1 win at home to Reims, while Strasbourg suffered a dramatic 3-2 loss against Le Havre in a result which created a stunning late twist in the relegation battle.Le Havre needed to win and hope one of Reims or Nantes lost in order to escape the drop zone, and the Normandy side showed remarkable resolve to come from behind twice before snatching victory in extraordinary fashion.Abdoulaye Toure's second penalty of the game, in the ninth minute of stoppage time, propelled Le Havre out of the drop zone and means Reims will go into a play-off against second-tier Metz for the right to play in Ligue 1 next season.Reims will now have to navigate the two legs of that tie either side of next weekend's French Cup final against PSG.Lacazette's 200th Lyon goal&nbsp;Strasbourg's defeat allowed Lyon to climb above them and take sixth place as they beat Angers 2-0 with Alexandre Lacazette scoring twice.The former Arsenal striker's brace saw him reach a double-century of goals for his boyhood club as he now prepares to leave Lyon, the side where he made his Ligue 1 debut in 2010.Rayan Cherki, another of Lyon's standout performers, later indicated that he would be leaving the club."I am going to remain prudent but I think that was my last game for Lyon," said Cherki.Lyon are guaranteed European football next season and will be in the Europa League if PSG win the French Cup, which would mean Strasbourg go into the Conference League.Saint-Etienne needed a positive result as well as favours from elsewhere in order to avoid being relegated but they slumped to a 3-2 loss at home against Toulouse.Yann Gboho scored what proved to be the winner for Toulouse, as 10-time champions Saint-Etienne make an immediate return to Ligue 2."I take full responsibility for our relegation," said Saint-Etienne coach Eirik Horneland."I think we could have done much better with this team but we can be optimistic about the future."PSG title party&nbsp;PSG warmed up for their upcoming finals, including the Champions League showdown with Inter Milan in Munich on May 31, by coming from behind to beat Auxerre 3-1.Lassine Sinayoko put Auxerre ahead as the visitors threatened to spoil PSG's title party, but Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored twice in the second half for the hosts either side of a Marquinhos header. Goncalo Ramos also had a penalty saved.Marseille made sure of finishing second as they beat Rennes 4-2 at the Velodrome with Mason Greenwood scoring twice, including once from the penalty spot, while Adrien Rabiot also grabbed a brace.Greenwood scored 21 goals in his debut Ligue 1 season to finish as the division's joint-top marksman alongside PSG's Ousmane Dembele.Third-placed Monaco slumped to a 4-0 loss at Lens. Neil El Aynaoui netted twice for Lens, whose coach Will Still later announced his departure from the club.Nantes ensured their safety by defeating relegated Montpellier 3-0.

Nice romped to a six-goal win to secure Champions League qualification on the final night of the French season on Saturday.

Nice romped to a six-goal win to secure Champions League qualification on the final night of the French season on Saturday, as Saint-Etienne were condemned to relegation back to the second tier. Champions League finalists Paris Saint-Germain had already clinched the title while Marseille and Monaco wrapped up qualification for Europe's elite club competition before the Ligue 1 campaign reached its climax. However, one more spot at the continent's top table remained up for grabs on the last day with fourth-placed Nice in pole position to take it if they could hold off the challenges of Lille, Strasbourg and Lyon. The Ineos-owned club made sure of a top-four place by crushing Brest 6-0 on the Cote d'Azur with Gaetan Laborde scoring twice. Ivorian international Evann Guessand put Nice in front with his 12th Ligue 1 goal this season, with Badredine Bouanani later netting a penalty before Terem Moffi and Ali Abdi also hit the target. Nice will enter next season's Champions League in the third qualifying round in early August and will have to win two two-legged ties to make the league stage. Lille finish fifth and go into the Europa League after substitute Chuba Akpom's late penalty secured a 2-1 win at home to Reims, while Strasbourg suffered a dramatic 3-2 loss against Le Havre in a result which created a stunning late twist in the relegation battle. Le Havre needed to win and hope one of Reims or Nantes lost in order to escape the drop zone, and the Normandy side showed remarkable resolve to come from behind twice before snatching victory in extraordinary fashion. Abdoulaye Toure's second penalty of the game, in the ninth minute of stoppage time, propelled Le Havre out of the drop zone and means Reims will go into a play-off against second-tier Metz for the right to play in Ligue 1 next season. Reims will now have to navigate the two legs of that tie either side of next weekend's French Cup final against PSG. Lacazette's 200th Lyon goal Strasbourg's defeat allowed Lyon to climb above them and take sixth place as they beat Angers 2-0 with Alexandre Lacazette scoring twice. The former Arsenal striker's brace saw him reach a double-century of goals for his boyhood club as he now prepares to leave Lyon, the side where he made his Ligue 1 debut in 2010. Rayan Cherki, another of Lyon's standout performers, later indicated that he would be leaving the club. "I am going to remain prudent but I think that was my last game for Lyon," said Cherki. Lyon are guaranteed European football next season and will be in the Europa League if PSG win the French Cup, which would mean Strasbourg go into the Conference League. Saint-Etienne needed a positive result as well as favours from elsewhere in order to avoid being relegated but they slumped to a 3-2 loss at home against Toulouse. Yann Gboho scored what proved to be the winner for Toulouse, as 10-time champions Saint-Etienne make an immediate return to Ligue 2. "I take full responsibility for our relegation," said Saint-Etienne coach Eirik Horneland. "I think we could have done much better with this team but we can be optimistic about the future." PSG title party PSG warmed up for their upcoming finals, including the Champions League showdown with Inter Milan in Munich on May 31, by coming from behind to beat Auxerre 3-1. Lassine Sinayoko put Auxerre ahead as the visitors threatened to spoil PSG's title party, but Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored twice in the second half for the hosts either side of a Marquinhos header. Goncalo Ramos also had a penalty saved. Marseille made sure of finishing second as they beat Rennes 4-2 at the Velodrome with Mason Greenwood scoring twice, including once from the penalty spot, while Adrien Rabiot also grabbed a brace. Greenwood scored 21 goals in his debut Ligue 1 season to finish as the division's joint-top marksman alongside PSG's Ousmane Dembele. Third-placed Monaco slumped to a 4-0 loss at Lens. Neil El Aynaoui netted twice for Lens, whose coach Will Still later announced his departure from the club. Nantes ensured their safety by defeating relegated Montpellier 3-0.

Nice romped to a six-goal win to secure Champions League qualification on the final night of the French season on Saturday.

Nice take CL spot, Saint-Etienne relegated in French season finale

England and Wales Cricket Board have sacked their data analysts Freddie Wilde and Nathan Leamon, weeks before Test series against India as head coach Brendon McCullum would like to focus more on gut instinct and intuition.&nbsp;England's new World Test Championship cycle begins with a five-match series against refreshed Indian team, from June 20 at the Headingley. &nbsp;Two of England's most experienced cricket analysts, Nathan Leamon and Freddie Wilde, are exiting the set-up in a development that implies the national team will be less data-driven in the future," according to the The Daily Telegraph. &nbsp;“Leamon, England's senior data analyst, and Wilde, its white-ball analyst, are both retiring from their work with the national team.” &nbsp;"Neither will be part of England's white-ball tour of West Indies later this month, which will begin Harry Brook's captaincy in both limited-overs codes," the report further read. &nbsp;McCullum has not been a supporter of data-only approach, according to which he believes more is at home in T20 format rather than longer format. &nbsp;The England hierarchy feel that analysis is a more crucial aspect in franchise cricket than it is in the international game, where players will have fewer easily exploitable weaknesses," the report said. &nbsp;McCullum also opines that fewer support staff also means an easy environment. "Under this policy, England players are being asked to take greater control of their own preparation and performance and there has been a cutting back on the amount of support staff on match days to unclutter the dressing room," the report further read. &nbsp;Actually, England's policy has been to opposite of that of India where Rahul Dravid's time witnessed increasingly greater reliance on data. &nbsp;Although players are always welcome to check with the analyst themselves, the&nbsp;management stress that players should mostly trust their instincts. &nbsp;“Insiders who have worked between the IPL and the national team are convinced that franchise teams now deploy data much more prominently than England.”

Ahead of India series, ECB sacks data analysts Report

England and Wales Cricket Board have sacked their data analysts Freddie Wilde and Nathan Leamon, weeks before Test series against India as head coach Brendon McCullum would like to focus more on gut instinct and intuition. England's new World Test Championship cycle begins with a five-match series against refreshed Indian team, from June 20 at the Headingley. Two of England's most experienced cricket analysts, Nathan Leamon and Freddie Wilde, are exiting the set-up in a development that implies the national team will be less data-driven in the future," according to the The Daily Telegraph. “Leamon, England's senior data analyst, and Wilde, its white-ball analyst, are both retiring from their work with the national team.” "Neither will be part of England's white-ball tour of West Indies later this month, which will begin Harry Brook's captaincy in both limited-overs codes," the report further read. McCullum has not been a supporter of data-only approach, according to which he believes more is at home in T20 format rather than longer format. The England hierarchy feel that analysis is a more crucial aspect in franchise cricket than it is in the international game, where players will have fewer easily exploitable weaknesses," the report said. McCullum also opines that fewer support staff also means an easy environment. "Under this policy, England players are being asked to take greater control of their own preparation and performance and there has been a cutting back on the amount of support staff on match days to unclutter the dressing room," the report further read. Actually, England's policy has been to opposite of that of India where Rahul Dravid's time witnessed increasingly greater reliance on data. Although players are always welcome to check with the analyst themselves, the management stress that players should mostly trust their instincts. “Insiders who have worked between the IPL and the national team are convinced that franchise teams now deploy data much more prominently than England.”

England head coach Brendon McCullum has not been a supporter of data-only approach

Ahead of India series, ECB sacks data analysts: Report

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a> might have announced his Test retirement, but he could still play at the Lord’s this summer. Per the latest report, English County club Middlesex has shown interest in signing Virat for the upcoming summer; considering Virat hung up his Test boots and said nothing about not continuing to play First-Class cricket, Alan Coleman, director of cricket at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/middlesex">Middlesex</a>, confirmed open to conversing with India great over a potential deal.“Virat Kohli is the most iconic player of his generation, so, of course, we are interested in having that conversation,” Alan Coleman said as quoted in The Guardian.&nbsp; Kohli could play in either the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/county-championship">County Championship</a> or the One-Day Cup.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/squad-announcement-for-england-tests-delayed-bcci-appoints-new-india-a-coach-1747547446104">India squad announcement for ENG Tests delayed; BCCI appoints new India-A coach</a> Meanwhile, it’s not for the first time that Middlesex County has lured in several former and current greats to sign for their club for a season or so because of the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground (London), their home venue. Ex-South Africa batting great AB de Villiers starred for Middlesex in the T20 Blast in 2019, and former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is the last marquee player to feature for the second half this season for London Spirit in The Hundred competition. The Guardian report also states that MCC and Middlesex have come together to rope Virat Kohli in for the upcoming English summer, having worked on splitting the deal’s cost.&nbsp; “Officials there (MCC) have indicated they would be happy to similarly split the cost of any deal for Kohli,” the statement read.&nbsp; Should Kohli crack a deal with Middlesex for a stint in any of the two competitions, it would be his maiden County appearance, having come close to finalising one ahead of India’s last Test tour of England a few years ago. Kohli says goodbye to Tests After a horror show Down Under, perhaps his poorest one against Australia in their country, where Virat scored just 190 runs across five Tests, also included a Test hundred, the India batting giant decided against continuing in the red-ball format.&nbsp; Last week, Kohli shocked the cricket world with his Test retirement announcement, breaking the internet. Taking to his social media handles, Virat informed everyone of his decision.

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With Virat and former India captain Rohit Sharma saying goodbye to the Test format, the selectors have plenty on hand than just announcing the squad for the away five-match Test series starting June 20 in Leeds.&nbsp; Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee will now pick India’s new Test captain and the team he will lead in England.&nbsp; The decision is expected around the end of this month.&nbsp;

Virat Kohli could play at Lords this summer but not with Indian Team

Virat Kohli might have announced his Test retirement, but he could still play at the Lord’s this summer. Per the latest report, English County club Middlesex has shown interest in signing Virat for the upcoming summer; considering Virat hung up his Test boots and said nothing about not continuing to play First-Class cricket, Alan Coleman, director of cricket at Middlesex, confirmed open to conversing with India great over a potential deal. “Virat Kohli is the most iconic player of his generation, so, of course, we are interested in having that conversation,” Alan Coleman said as quoted in The Guardian. Kohli could play in either the County Championship or the One-Day Cup. Also read | India squad announcement for ENG Tests delayed; BCCI appoints new India-A coach Meanwhile, it’s not for the first time that Middlesex County has lured in several former and current greats to sign for their club for a season or so because of the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground (London), their home venue. Ex-South Africa batting great AB de Villiers starred for Middlesex in the T20 Blast in 2019, and former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is the last marquee player to feature for the second half this season for London Spirit in The Hundred competition. The Guardian report also states that MCC and Middlesex have come together to rope Virat Kohli in for the upcoming English summer, having worked on splitting the deal’s cost. “Officials there (MCC) have indicated they would be happy to similarly split the cost of any deal for Kohli,” the statement read. Should Kohli crack a deal with Middlesex for a stint in any of the two competitions, it would be his maiden County appearance, having come close to finalising one ahead of India’s last Test tour of England a few years ago. Kohli says goodbye to Tests After a horror show Down Under, perhaps his poorest one against Australia in their country, where Virat scored just 190 runs across five Tests, also included a Test hundred, the India batting giant decided against continuing in the red-ball format. Last week, Kohli shocked the cricket world with his Test retirement announcement, breaking the internet. Taking to his social media handles, Virat informed everyone of his decision.

Last week, Kohli shocked the cricket world with his Test retirement announcement, breaking the internet. Taking to his social media handles, Virat informed everyone of his decision.

Virat Kohli could play at Lord's this summer but not with Indian Team

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri delivered a stunning lap in the dying moments of Qualifying to clinch pole position for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix 2025 here on Saturday. The Australian upstaged Red Bull's reigning World Champion Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ George Russell in a chaotic and incident-packed session.Verstappen looked set to continue his dominant run after leading the initial Q3 laps, but Piastri produced a blistering 1m 14.670s on his final run, edging out the Dutchman by just three hundredths of a second.George Russell impressed by taking third, despite opting for medium tyres rather than the grippier softs for his final attempt. Lando Norris could only manage fourth in the other McLaren, while Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso rounded out the top five.There were surprises deeper in the field, with Williams’ Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon shining in sixth and seventh. Lance Stroll, Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar, and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly completed the top 10.It was a qualifying session to forget for Ferrari at their home race. Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, who reported persistent brake issues during practice, failed to make it to Q3 and will start 11th and 12th. Hometown favourite Kimi Antonelli couldn’t match teammate Russell and was 13th.Alpine’s Franco Colapinto advanced to Q2 on pace but was sidelined after a heavy crash in Q1, which brought out red flags and left his team with overnight repairs to deal with.Haas endured a difficult day as Esteban Ocon and rookie Ollie Bearman both exited in Q1. Bearman’s best lap came just seconds too late following Colapinto’s crash.The session’s biggest scare came from Yuki Tsunoda, who suffered a high-speed crash and barrel roll early in Q1. Thankfully, he escaped unscathed, though his Red Bull sustained significant damage.All eyes now turn to Sunday, with Piastri leading the grid into what promises to be a thrilling race at Imola.

F1: Piastri pips Max for pole in drama-filled Emilia-Romagna GP qualifying

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri delivered a stunning lap in the dying moments of Qualifying to clinch pole position for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix 2025 here on Saturday. The Australian upstaged Red Bull's reigning World Champion Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ George Russell in a chaotic and incident-packed session. Verstappen looked set to continue his dominant run after leading the initial Q3 laps, but Piastri produced a blistering 1m 14.670s on his final run, edging out the Dutchman by just three hundredths of a second. George Russell impressed by taking third, despite opting for medium tyres rather than the grippier softs for his final attempt. Lando Norris could only manage fourth in the other McLaren, while Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso rounded out the top five. There were surprises deeper in the field, with Williams’ Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon shining in sixth and seventh. Lance Stroll, Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar, and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly completed the top 10. It was a qualifying session to forget for Ferrari at their home race. Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, who reported persistent brake issues during practice, failed to make it to Q3 and will start 11th and 12th. Hometown favourite Kimi Antonelli couldn’t match teammate Russell and was 13th. Alpine’s Franco Colapinto advanced to Q2 on pace but was sidelined after a heavy crash in Q1, which brought out red flags and left his team with overnight repairs to deal with. Haas endured a difficult day as Esteban Ocon and rookie Ollie Bearman both exited in Q1. Bearman’s best lap came just seconds too late following Colapinto’s crash. The session’s biggest scare came from Yuki Tsunoda, who suffered a high-speed crash and barrel roll early in Q1. Thankfully, he escaped unscathed, though his Red Bull sustained significant damage. All eyes now turn to Sunday, with Piastri leading the grid into what promises to be a thrilling race at Imola.

Verstappen looked set to continue his dominant run after leading the initial Q3 laps, but Piastri produced a blistering 1m 14.670s on his final run

In the latest development surrounding the Indian team for the away England Tests starting June 20 in Leeds, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/bcci">BCCI</a> selectors will push back the squad announcement date. Per the latest report, the selectors planned to roll out the Test squad by May 23; however, following unprecedented circumstances that forced the BCCI to reshuffle <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025">IPL 2025</a> dates, the selectors will release the Test squad in the final week of May.Besides, the BCCI announced that former cricketer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/hrishikesh-kanitkar">Hrishikesh Kanitkar</a> is the new India-A head coach for the away England tour. Kanitkar will coach Abhimanyu Easwaran-led India-A side, which is scheduled to play three games in England, including one against the senior Indian Team. Assam’s Subhodeep Ghosh and Troy Cooley would accompany Kanitkar as fielding and bowling coaches, respectively.&nbsp;The 18-man India-A squad, announced earlier this week, would leave for England in batches on May 25 and May 26, respectively. Their first game on the shadow tour is against England Lions, starting May 30 in Canterbury. Per BCCI’s official release, touted new Test captain Shubman Gill, alongside uncapped Sai Sudharsan, will link up with the India-A squad ahead of their second tour game in Northampton beginning June 6. The India-A team will face the senior team in a four-day match in Beckenham (June 10-13).Meanwhile, the Indian Test squad for the away England series shall depart later (June 6), two weeks before their first Test in Headingley. Head coach <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/gautam-gambhir">Gautam Gambhir</a>, earlier reported to leave with the India-A squad in May, would now leave alongside the Test team on the same date.&nbsp;India’s remaining four matches in England are at Birmingham (from July 2), Lord's (from July 10), Manchester (from July 23) and at The Oval (from July 31).India-A Squad for the shadow England tour -Abhimanyu Easwaran (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (VC) (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan (wk), Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, Tushar Deshpande, Harsh Dubey

India squad announcement for ENG Tests delayed BCCI appoints new India A coach

In the latest development surrounding the Indian team for the away England Tests starting June 20 in Leeds, the BCCI selectors will push back the squad announcement date. Per the latest report, the selectors planned to roll out the Test squad by May 23; however, following unprecedented circumstances that forced the BCCI to reshuffle IPL 2025 dates, the selectors will release the Test squad in the final week of May. Besides, the BCCI announced that former cricketer Hrishikesh Kanitkar is the new India-A head coach for the away England tour. Kanitkar will coach Abhimanyu Easwaran-led India-A side, which is scheduled to play three games in England, including one against the senior Indian Team. Assam’s Subhodeep Ghosh and Troy Cooley would accompany Kanitkar as fielding and bowling coaches, respectively. The 18-man India-A squad, announced earlier this week, would leave for England in batches on May 25 and May 26, respectively. Their first game on the shadow tour is against England Lions, starting May 30 in Canterbury. Per BCCI’s official release, touted new Test captain Shubman Gill, alongside uncapped Sai Sudharsan, will link up with the India-A squad ahead of their second tour game in Northampton beginning June 6. The India-A team will face the senior team in a four-day match in Beckenham (June 10-13). Meanwhile, the Indian Test squad for the away England series shall depart later (June 6), two weeks before their first Test in Headingley. Head coach Gautam Gambhir, earlier reported to leave with the India-A squad in May, would now leave alongside the Test team on the same date. India’s remaining four matches in England are at Birmingham (from July 2), Lord's (from July 10), Manchester (from July 23) and at The Oval (from July 31). India-A Squad for the shadow England tour - Abhimanyu Easwaran (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (VC) (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan (wk), Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, Tushar Deshpande, Harsh Dubey

Assam’s Subhodeep Ghosh and Troy Cooley would accompany Kanitkar as fielding and bowling coaches, respectively.&nbsp;

India squad announcement for ENG Tests delayed; BCCI appoints new India-A coach

Gujarat Titans pacer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ishant-sharma">Ishant Sharma</a> on Saturday (May 17) opened about his relationship with star India batter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a>, who recently announced his retirement from the Test cricket.
"I think Virat Kohli is for outside people. I can't see him like that because we played in the U-17s. He is a childhood friend to me," Ishant said on Star Sports Press Room with Gujarat Titans around the race to the play-offs.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-will-be-more-kohlis-not-like-we-dont-have-talent-aimim-chief-asaduddin-owaisi-9079354">There will be more Kohli's, not like we don't have talent: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi</a>
"When we were in the U-19s, we used to count how much money we had. We used to eat food. When we used to go to the U-19s, we used to save our travel allowances and take them with us. So, Virat Kohli is different for everyone. He is different for me," he added.
<h2>'We always talked about funny jokes'</h2>
Ishant went on to say that their interactions rarely involve talks about cricket but it's all about humour and banter.&nbsp;"When we meet, we never talk about how we played so many Test matches. We never talk about it. We talk about funny jokes. This is happening, that is happening, look at this, look at that. Funny jokes," he remembered.
"I have never felt that he is Virat Kohli. For us, he is Cheeku. We have always seen it like this. He has also seen me like this. We shared rooms and so many memories," he added.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans will play against Delhi Capitals on Sunday (May 18) at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium. Gujarat are currently at top of the table with 16 points from 11 matches and need just one win to secure their spot in the playoffs.
The pacer also talked about his relationship with team's head coach <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ashish-nehra">Ashish Nehra</a>. He said, "If I talk about my relation, like that, I have played with him, we used to play together when I made my debut. Not only international debut, but even in my first-class debut, he was bowling, and I bowled a lot. So we know each other in many ways. We have meetings in the corridor, we discuss batters in the bus, that this batter can do this, or that, and this or that can happen.&rdquo;
&ldquo;So we never actually formally talk about meetings. In our meetings, we drink tea and coffee. So our meeting is not a formal meeting where we discuss batters, that we will do this, we will do that. It's a very chill atmosphere, and it&rsquo;s not just with me, but with everyone,&rdquo; he signed off.

Sports: During the ongoing IPL season, playing for Gujarat Titans, Ishant Sharma has taken on more of a mentorship role, particularly under guidance of Ashish Nehra

Gujarat Titans pacer Ishant Sharma on Saturday (May 17) opened about his relationship with star India batter Virat Kohli, who recently announced his retirement from the Test cricket. "I think Virat Kohli is for outside people. I can't see him like that because we played in the U-17s. He is a childhood friend to me," Ishant said on Star Sports Press Room with Gujarat Titans around the race to the play-offs. Also Read: There will be more Kohli's, not like we don't have talent: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi "When we were in the U-19s, we used to count how much money we had. We used to eat food. When we used to go to the U-19s, we used to save our travel allowances and take them with us. So, Virat Kohli is different for everyone. He is different for me," he added. 'We always talked about funny jokes' Ishant went on to say that their interactions rarely involve talks about cricket but it's all about humour and banter. "When we meet, we never talk about how we played so many Test matches. We never talk about it. We talk about funny jokes. This is happening, that is happening, look at this, look at that. Funny jokes," he remembered. "I have never felt that he is Virat Kohli. For us, he is Cheeku. We have always seen it like this. He has also seen me like this. We shared rooms and so many memories," he added. Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans will play against Delhi Capitals on Sunday (May 18) at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium. Gujarat are currently at top of the table with 16 points from 11 matches and need just one win to secure their spot in the playoffs. The pacer also talked about his relationship with team's head coach Ashish Nehra. He said, "If I talk about my relation, like that, I have played with him, we used to play together when I made my debut. Not only international debut, but even in my first-class debut, he was bowling, and I bowled a lot. So we know each other in many ways. We have meetings in the corridor, we discuss batters in the bus, that this batter can do this, or that, and this or that can happen.” “So we never actually formally talk about meetings. In our meetings, we drink tea and coffee. So our meeting is not a formal meeting where we discuss batters, that we will do this, we will do that. It's a very chill atmosphere, and it’s not just with me, but with everyone,” he signed off.

IPL 2025: For me, Virat will always be 'chiku': Gujarat Titans pacer Ishant Sharma on bond with Kohli

Former India captain and batting great Sunil Gavaskar has pointed out how <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mumbai-indians" rel="dofollow">Mumbai Indians</a> captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/hardik-pandya" rel="dofollow">Hardik Pandya</a> made the home crowd cheer for him just one season after they tore into him by booing him throughout. While Mumbai Indians stood last on the points table in IPL 2024 when Hardik led the team for the first time, they are sitting in fourth place thus far and in touching distance of making the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> playoffs.
It all began when Hardik rejoined Mumbai (from Gujarat Titans) last year, with the MI management appointing him as the new captain, replacing Rohit Sharma. However, the manner of that transition didn&rsquo;t seem to sit too well with the MI fans, with everyone jeering him at almost every venue he played at. Though Pandya kept his cool, considering his team&rsquo;s results haven&rsquo;t helped the cause, he made everyone cheer for him and the franchise this season.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-gets-underway-with-blockbuster-rcb-vs-kkr-in-bengaluru-heres-what-we-know-9077582" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025 gets underway with blockbuster RCB vs KKR in Bengaluru. Here&rsquo;s what we know</a>
&ldquo;What we saw from last year to this year has been the fact that he also got the support of the crowd backing him. Last year, he would have been a little bit unsettled by the fact that the Mumbai crowd and the Mumbai supporters were not really backing him so much. But this year, they are all behind him. And they are all urging him to go on to win. They have got one game at home on the 21st,&rdquo; Sunil Gavaskar said on Star Sports, as quoted by the Indian Express.
<h2>Backing Pandya helped him and the team</h2>
Pandya receiving crowd backing has done wonders for him and the team, and the results are there for everyone to see. While the fans seem to have put everything behind them, their support helped Pandya fine-tune his leadership skills and help put them on the pedestal.&nbsp;
Gavaskar also praised Pandya&rsquo;s calm head for not overreacting to misfields or errors during the games.&nbsp;
&ldquo;And that is where we will see how they come back. And the way they have come back, we are talking about his thinking, and we are talking about how his calming influence is. That is because he has not shown any emotions on the field.&nbsp;
&ldquo;When there has been a misfield, when there has been a drop catch, he has just turned on his back, and he has gone back to his fielding position. A lot of times, when the captain has a little bit of gesticulations, then the fielder also gets a little bit nervous. But he hasn&rsquo;t done that. And so that&rsquo;s the reason why Mumbai have come back so well. They normally do that. And once again, this year, I am hoping, as a Mumbai Indians fan, that they will continue to go on to win,&rdquo; he added.
Meanwhile, Mumbai will play their next game against Delhi Capitals in a home game on Wednesday (May 21).&nbsp;

While MI stood last on the points table in IPL 2024, they are sitting in fourth place thus far and in touching distance of making the IPL 2025 playoffs. Sports, Cricket

Former India captain and batting great Sunil Gavaskar has pointed out how Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya made the home crowd cheer for him just one season after they tore into him by booing him throughout. While Mumbai Indians stood last on the points table in IPL 2024 when Hardik led the team for the first time, they are sitting in fourth place thus far and in touching distance of making the IPL 2025 playoffs. It all began when Hardik rejoined Mumbai (from Gujarat Titans) last year, with the MI management appointing him as the new captain, replacing Rohit Sharma. However, the manner of that transition didn’t seem to sit too well with the MI fans, with everyone jeering him at almost every venue he played at. Though Pandya kept his cool, considering his team’s results haven’t helped the cause, he made everyone cheer for him and the franchise this season. Also read | IPL 2025 gets underway with blockbuster RCB vs KKR in Bengaluru. Here’s what we know “What we saw from last year to this year has been the fact that he also got the support of the crowd backing him. Last year, he would have been a little bit unsettled by the fact that the Mumbai crowd and the Mumbai supporters were not really backing him so much. But this year, they are all behind him. And they are all urging him to go on to win. They have got one game at home on the 21st,” Sunil Gavaskar said on Star Sports, as quoted by the Indian Express. Backing Pandya helped him and the team Pandya receiving crowd backing has done wonders for him and the team, and the results are there for everyone to see. While the fans seem to have put everything behind them, their support helped Pandya fine-tune his leadership skills and help put them on the pedestal. Gavaskar also praised Pandya’s calm head for not overreacting to misfields or errors during the games. “And that is where we will see how they come back. And the way they have come back, we are talking about his thinking, and we are talking about how his calming influence is. That is because he has not shown any emotions on the field. “When there has been a misfield, when there has been a drop catch, he has just turned on his back, and he has gone back to his fielding position. A lot of times, when the captain has a little bit of gesticulations, then the fielder also gets a little bit nervous. But he hasn’t done that. And so that’s the reason why Mumbai have come back so well. They normally do that. And once again, this year, I am hoping, as a Mumbai Indians fan, that they will continue to go on to win,” he added. Meanwhile, Mumbai will play their next game against Delhi Capitals in a home game on Wednesday (May 21).

Gavaskar explains how MI captain Pandya made Mumbai fans cheer for him after booing throughout last season

In a worst-possible-case scenario on Saturday (May 17), the rain could play spoilsport in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> return leg&rsquo;s opener between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/royal-challengers-bengaluru" rel="dofollow">Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)</a> and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Bengaluru. As per AccuWeather, thunderstorms, heavy on occasion, could headline Saturday&rsquo;s blockbuster. Beginning in the afternoon, the showers could continue till late evening, potentially interrupting the game.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) further predicts one or two spells of rain during the game time.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-gets-underway-with-blockbuster-rcb-vs-kkr-in-bengaluru-heres-what-we-know-9077582" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025 gets underway with blockbuster RCB vs KKR in Bengaluru. Here&rsquo;s what we know</a>
Meanwhile, rain also had to do with both teams deciding on their training session timings before the marquee clash. While the hosts held their training session from 2 PM to 5 PM on the match-day eve, a decision team director Mo Bobat said, was taken considering the patchy weather conditions in the city, the travelling side began their practice from 5 PM onwards but ended at around 6:30 PM.
Rain, however, continued to pour in abundance since Friday night at around 9:30 PM when both teams completed their practice sessions. It didn&rsquo;t stop for at least three to four hours, while it was the same case the previous night.
<h2>What happens if rain plays spoilsport?</h2>
If rain causes no result on Saturday, with each team bagging one point, it&rsquo;s going to be curtains for KKR, who will, at best, finish at 14 points in as many games (should they win their last league match) while it will put RCB in the playoff spot.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-sunil-gavaskar-explains-how-mi-captain-hardik-pandya-made-mumbai-fans-cheer-for-him-after-booing-him-last-season-9078115" rel="dofollow">Gavaskar explains how MI captain Pandya made Mumbai fans cheer for him after booing throughout last season</a>
Even in case of a washout, RCB can finish in the top two and thus qualify for Qualifier 1, the winner of which reaches the final, while the loser would get another chance to reach the summit clash in Qualifier 2.
<h3>&lsquo;Not much you can do&rsquo;</h3>
Bobat reflected on the outcome of a washout at the venue on Saturday, adding that outside of wanting the players to feel calm and relaxed about the game, there are things one cannot control, and rain and results are part of them.
"When you get to game day, you can't control it," Bobat said on match eve. "So, actually you want your players to feel as clear and relaxed as possible. You trust them to make decisions in the moment, regardless of what happens.
"We don't overthink any of those things really. If the game's rain-affected, it's rain-affected. It's not something any of us control. So, we don't really think too much about that, but it might influence our preparation,&rdquo; he continued.&nbsp;

As per AccuWeather, thunderstorms could headline Saturday’s blockbuster. Beginning in the afternoon, the showers could continue till late evening, potentially interrupting the game. Sports, Cricket

In a worst-possible-case scenario on Saturday (May 17), the rain could play spoilsport in the IPL 2025 return leg’s opener between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Bengaluru. As per AccuWeather, thunderstorms, heavy on occasion, could headline Saturday’s blockbuster. Beginning in the afternoon, the showers could continue till late evening, potentially interrupting the game. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) further predicts one or two spells of rain during the game time. Also read | IPL 2025 gets underway with blockbuster RCB vs KKR in Bengaluru. Here’s what we know Meanwhile, rain also had to do with both teams deciding on their training session timings before the marquee clash. While the hosts held their training session from 2 PM to 5 PM on the match-day eve, a decision team director Mo Bobat said, was taken considering the patchy weather conditions in the city, the travelling side began their practice from 5 PM onwards but ended at around 6:30 PM. Rain, however, continued to pour in abundance since Friday night at around 9:30 PM when both teams completed their practice sessions. It didn’t stop for at least three to four hours, while it was the same case the previous night. What happens if rain plays spoilsport? If rain causes no result on Saturday, with each team bagging one point, it’s going to be curtains for KKR, who will, at best, finish at 14 points in as many games (should they win their last league match) while it will put RCB in the playoff spot. Also read | Gavaskar explains how MI captain Pandya made Mumbai fans cheer for him after booing throughout last season Even in case of a washout, RCB can finish in the top two and thus qualify for Qualifier 1, the winner of which reaches the final, while the loser would get another chance to reach the summit clash in Qualifier 2. ‘Not much you can do’ Bobat reflected on the outcome of a washout at the venue on Saturday, adding that outside of wanting the players to feel calm and relaxed about the game, there are things one cannot control, and rain and results are part of them. "When you get to game day, you can't control it," Bobat said on match eve. "So, actually you want your players to feel as clear and relaxed as possible. You trust them to make decisions in the moment, regardless of what happens. "We don't overthink any of those things really. If the game's rain-affected, it's rain-affected. It's not something any of us control. So, we don't really think too much about that, but it might influence our preparation,” he continued.

IPL 2025: Will rain play spoilsport in Bengaluru? Check out weather forecast for RCB-KKR game

Former India coach <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ravi-shastri" rel="dofollow">Ravi Shastri</a> is the latest to talk about Team India&rsquo;s next Test captain. After veteran opener <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit-sharma" rel="dofollow">Rohit Sharma</a> announced his Test retirement, the BCCI selectors and the coach are working on zeroing in on his successor, with plenty of options discussed; ace seamer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jasprit-bumrah" rel="dofollow">Jasprit Bumrah</a> is one of them, but Shastri feels his selection as the Test captain would come with some repercussions.
Bumrah led India in Tests thrice before, winning one and losing two matches. In Rohit&rsquo;s absence from two games on India&rsquo;s previous away tour (against Australia in Down Under), Bumrah was the captain for the series opener in Perth and in the final one at the SCG. While India won in Perth, they lost three of the four remaining matches, including in Sydney, where Bumrah left the field early on day two due to back stiffness.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/eng-vs-ind-2025-cricket-no-gill-rahul-or-pant-as-ravi-ashwin-throws-weight-behind-seasoned-duo-for-indias-test-captaincy-ravindra-jadeja-jasprit-bumrah-9074186" rel="dofollow">No Gill, Rahul or Pant as Ravi Ashwin throws weight behind &lsquo;seasoned duo&rsquo; for India&rsquo;s Test captaincy</a>
It, however, remains the biggest worry for the selectors should they pick Bumrah to lead the side in the whites.&nbsp;
Shastri also echoed the exact sentiments.&nbsp;
&ldquo;See, for me, Jasprit would have been the obvious choice after Australia,&rdquo; Shastri said, speaking on the ICC Review.&nbsp;
&ldquo;But, I don&rsquo;t want Jasprit to be made captain, and then you lose him as a bowler.&rdquo;
Shastri added that Bumrah should take one game at a time, and with India due to face England in the five-match away Tests, expecting Bumrah to play all five games would be harsh on him.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think he (Bumrah) has to take his body one game at a time. He's coming back now after a serious injury," Shastri noted. &ldquo;He'll have played IPL cricket, which is four-over cricket. Now will come the test of bowling 10 overs, 15 overs. And the last thing you want is some pressure on his mind being captain as well.&rdquo;
<h2>If not Bumrah, then who else leads India's Test captaincy race?</h2>
Bumrah was the obvious choice, at least, until the BGT ended in January this year; however, growing concerns about his regular injuries and thoughts of prolonging his Test career and somewhere restricted the selectors in naming him as Rohit&rsquo;s replacement straight away.
Reflecting on who could be Rohit&rsquo;s successor, if not Bumrah, Shastri said, &ldquo;You groom somebody, and I would say Shubman&rsquo;s looked very good. Give him the opportunity. He's 25, 26 years of age, even give him time.&nbsp;
&ldquo;There's Rishabh as well. I think these two are the obvious ones I'm looking at because of their age, and they have a decade ahead of them. So, let them learn,&rdquo; he continued.&nbsp;

Shastri said Bumrah should take one game at a time, and with India due to face England in the five-match away Tests, expecting Bumrah to play all five games would be harsh on him. Sports, Cricket

Former India coach Ravi Shastri is the latest to talk about Team India’s next Test captain. After veteran opener Rohit Sharma announced his Test retirement, the BCCI selectors and the coach are working on zeroing in on his successor, with plenty of options discussed; ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah is one of them, but Shastri feels his selection as the Test captain would come with some repercussions. Bumrah led India in Tests thrice before, winning one and losing two matches. In Rohit’s absence from two games on India’s previous away tour (against Australia in Down Under), Bumrah was the captain for the series opener in Perth and in the final one at the SCG. While India won in Perth, they lost three of the four remaining matches, including in Sydney, where Bumrah left the field early on day two due to back stiffness. Also read | No Gill, Rahul or Pant as Ravi Ashwin throws weight behind ‘seasoned duo’ for India’s Test captaincy It, however, remains the biggest worry for the selectors should they pick Bumrah to lead the side in the whites. Shastri also echoed the exact sentiments. “See, for me, Jasprit would have been the obvious choice after Australia,” Shastri said, speaking on the ICC Review. “But, I don’t want Jasprit to be made captain, and then you lose him as a bowler.” Shastri added that Bumrah should take one game at a time, and with India due to face England in the five-match away Tests, expecting Bumrah to play all five games would be harsh on him. “I think he (Bumrah) has to take his body one game at a time. He's coming back now after a serious injury," Shastri noted. “He'll have played IPL cricket, which is four-over cricket. Now will come the test of bowling 10 overs, 15 overs. And the last thing you want is some pressure on his mind being captain as well.” If not Bumrah, then who else leads India's Test captaincy race? Bumrah was the obvious choice, at least, until the BGT ended in January this year; however, growing concerns about his regular injuries and thoughts of prolonging his Test career and somewhere restricted the selectors in naming him as Rohit’s replacement straight away. Reflecting on who could be Rohit’s successor, if not Bumrah, Shastri said, “You groom somebody, and I would say Shubman’s looked very good. Give him the opportunity. He's 25, 26 years of age, even give him time. “There's Rishabh as well. I think these two are the obvious ones I'm looking at because of their age, and they have a decade ahead of them. So, let them learn,” he continued.

‘Bumrah would have been an obvious choice but then you lose…’ Shastri on India’s new Test captain

AIMIM leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/asaduddin-owaisi">Asaduddin Owaisi</a>, who was once better remembered for his aggressive medium paced bowling than for aggressive oratory, remembers beating future India paceman Venkatesh Prasad in an inter-university final game during the early 90s.
Owaisi took 6/79 and on Saturday (May 17), he remembered with delight that Prasad was wicketless in the game. For the record Prasad's Bengaluru University side defeated the future Hyderabadi politician's Osmania University.
"We lost the game but I did take six wickets and Venkatesh took none," the Hyderabad constituency MP said in an interview to PTI.
Proudly, Owaisi presented on his phone the photograph of a big write-up in the local Deccan Chronicle newspaper after the day's play, with the score card. The report included a small photograph of the then clean-shaven Owaisi, his hair pasted on the scalp.
Then he was chosen to represent South Zone inter-university Under-25 team, and participated in Vizzy Trophy, a country-wide level one-day competition for university sides, in 1994.
But fate had it otherwise that he traveled to London to read law at Lincoln's Inn and "the cricketing chapter ended right there."
He humbly rejects speculation that he might have achieved the top league if he had continued to play cricket, like other Hyderabadis <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mohammad-azharuddin" rel="dofollow">Mohammad Azharuddin</a>, Abid Ali, ML Jaisimha, Ghulam Hussain and VVS Laxman. To him, they were all-time greats and he was merely an average bowler
"No no no! My name can't be compared with Azharuddin. He is a man who played 99 Tests. You can't compare me with Azharuddin. As a cricketer I salute him. As a politician I have quite a few differences with him," said Owaisi.
He concurred with the argument that Indian cricket today has made the game democratic and provided opportunities for players from all sorts of backgrounds to reach the top, referencing the tale of pacer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mohammed-siraj">Mohammad Siraj</a>. But it has to be made more democratic, he added.
"See Mohammad Siraj today. Mashallah. Poor background boy. Through sheer hard work he made it and has achieved 100 Test wickets. Excellent journey. inspirational!. Hope that he plays extensively for India and brings many wins to India.
<h2>'We will miss his cover drive'</h2>
He made rich tributes to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a> who this week dropped a bombshell by announcing his Test retirement.".
"Astonishing player he is. We will always miss his cover drive. On the rise the manner in which he pulled over the head of the bowler! Arey great player is. Astonishing player is.
"But there will be more Kohlis. It's not that we don't have talent in India," he signed off.

Sports: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday paid high tributes to India star batter Virat Kohli who this week announced his retirement from Test cricket

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, who was once better remembered for his aggressive medium paced bowling than for aggressive oratory, remembers beating future India paceman Venkatesh Prasad in an inter-university final game during the early 90s. Owaisi took 6/79 and on Saturday (May 17), he remembered with delight that Prasad was wicketless in the game. For the record Prasad's Bengaluru University side defeated the future Hyderabadi politician's Osmania University. "We lost the game but I did take six wickets and Venkatesh took none," the Hyderabad constituency MP said in an interview to PTI. Proudly, Owaisi presented on his phone the photograph of a big write-up in the local Deccan Chronicle newspaper after the day's play, with the score card. The report included a small photograph of the then clean-shaven Owaisi, his hair pasted on the scalp. Then he was chosen to represent South Zone inter-university Under-25 team, and participated in Vizzy Trophy, a country-wide level one-day competition for university sides, in 1994. But fate had it otherwise that he traveled to London to read law at Lincoln's Inn and "the cricketing chapter ended right there." He humbly rejects speculation that he might have achieved the top league if he had continued to play cricket, like other Hyderabadis Mohammad Azharuddin, Abid Ali, ML Jaisimha, Ghulam Hussain and VVS Laxman. To him, they were all-time greats and he was merely an average bowler "No no no! My name can't be compared with Azharuddin. He is a man who played 99 Tests. You can't compare me with Azharuddin. As a cricketer I salute him. As a politician I have quite a few differences with him," said Owaisi. He concurred with the argument that Indian cricket today has made the game democratic and provided opportunities for players from all sorts of backgrounds to reach the top, referencing the tale of pacer Mohammad Siraj. But it has to be made more democratic, he added. "See Mohammad Siraj today. Mashallah. Poor background boy. Through sheer hard work he made it and has achieved 100 Test wickets. Excellent journey. inspirational!. Hope that he plays extensively for India and brings many wins to India. 'We will miss his cover drive' He made rich tributes to Virat Kohli who this week dropped a bombshell by announcing his Test retirement.". "Astonishing player he is. We will always miss his cover drive. On the rise the manner in which he pulled over the head of the bowler! Arey great player is. Astonishing player is. "But there will be more Kohlis. It's not that we don't have talent in India," he signed off.

There will be more Kohli's, not like we don't have talent: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi

Indian Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/narendra-modi" rel="dofollow">Narendra Modi</a> congratulated <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/neeraj-chopra-crosses-90m-mark-at-doha-diamond-league-2025-9076886" rel="dofollow">javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra for breaching the elusive 90m mark</a> during the Doha Diamond League 2025 on Friday (May 16). Taking to his X handle on social media, Modi posted a morale-boosting message for Neeraj, writing that India is elated and proud of his efforts.
&ldquo;A spectacular feat! Congratulations to Neeraj Chopra for breaching the 90 m mark at Doha Diamond League 2025 and achieving his personal best throw. This is the outcome of his relentless dedication, discipline and passion. India is elated and proud. @Neeraj_chopra1,&rdquo; Indian PM Modi&rsquo;s message for Chopra.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-maru8to6-62qxbltn-ozulha5b">
A spectacular feat! Congratulations to Neeraj Chopra for breaching the 90 m mark at Doha Diamond League 2025 and achieving his personal best throw. This is the outcome of his relentless dedication, discipline and passion. India is elated and proud. <a href="https://twitter.com/Neeraj_chopra1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Neeraj_chopra1</a> <a href="https://t.co/n33Zw4ZfIt">pic.twitter.com/n33Zw4ZfIt</a>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1923577967067922918?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
For the first time in his professional career, Neeraj breached the 90m mark in javelin throw, creating history for himself and India, and becoming the 25th man in this event history to achieve this feat.
The two-time Olympic medallist began the competition with his first throw of 88.44m. While his second throw was invalid, he achieved his personal-best (PB) throw of 90.23m in this third attempt, looking elated following taking the shot. Neeraj was visibly satisfied with his throw, celebrating in his Neeraj style.
Chopra, however, continued with an 80.56m throw in this fourth attempt before sending his third-best throw of the evening in his final attempt on 88.20m; his fifth throw, however, was not valid.
Although he and Germany's Julian Weber broke their PB records with 90m-plus throws in this event, Neeraj stood second; Weber with a 91.06m throw stood at the top. Grenadian javelin thrower Anderson Peters settled for the third spot with a throw of 85.64m.
<h2>Watch Video &ndash;</h2>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-maru9nek-jcfsmr42-t30wf5vy">
Neeraj Chopra joins the 90M 𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐁 🔥 👏 🇮🇳 Neeraj Chopra finally broke the 90m barrier for the first time in his career, with a throw of 90.23 at the Doha Diamond League. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NeerajChopra?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NeerajChopra</a> <a href="https://t.co/zopYfa45Xk">pic.twitter.com/zopYfa45Xk</a>
&mdash; Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) <a href="https://twitter.com/ddsportschannel/status/1923437027296481686?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
Meanwhile, on the past Wednesday (May 14), the President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, conferred Neeraj Chopra with the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army, recognising his mighty contributions to Indian sports and helping bring glory to India on the international stage.&nbsp;
The ceremony, however, took place in a formal setting, reflecting the prestige associated with the honorary military title.&nbsp; Besides, with his title, Chopra has joined an elite list of distinguished sports stars from the country, including former cricket World Cup-winning captains <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ms-dhoni" rel="dofollow">MS Dhoni</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kapil-dev" rel="dofollow">Kapil Dev</a>, who previously were honoured with similar honorary ranks in the armed forces.

Taking to his X handle on social media, Modi posted a morale-boosting message for Neeraj, writing that India is elated and proud of his efforts. Sports

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra for breaching the elusive 90m mark during the Doha Diamond League 2025 on Friday (May 16). Taking to his X handle on social media, Modi posted a morale-boosting message for Neeraj, writing that India is elated and proud of his efforts. “A spectacular feat! Congratulations to Neeraj Chopra for breaching the 90 m mark at Doha Diamond League 2025 and achieving his personal best throw. This is the outcome of his relentless dedication, discipline and passion. India is elated and proud. @Neeraj_chopra1,” Indian PM Modi’s message for Chopra. A spectacular feat! Congratulations to Neeraj Chopra for breaching the 90 m mark at Doha Diamond League 2025 and achieving his personal best throw. This is the outcome of his relentless dedication, discipline and passion. India is elated and proud. @Neeraj_chopra1 pic.twitter.com/n33Zw4ZfIt — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 17, 2025 For the first time in his professional career, Neeraj breached the 90m mark in javelin throw, creating history for himself and India, and becoming the 25th man in this event history to achieve this feat. The two-time Olympic medallist began the competition with his first throw of 88.44m. While his second throw was invalid, he achieved his personal-best (PB) throw of 90.23m in this third attempt, looking elated following taking the shot. Neeraj was visibly satisfied with his throw, celebrating in his Neeraj style. Chopra, however, continued with an 80.56m throw in this fourth attempt before sending his third-best throw of the evening in his final attempt on 88.20m; his fifth throw, however, was not valid. Although he and Germany's Julian Weber broke their PB records with 90m-plus throws in this event, Neeraj stood second; Weber with a 91.06m throw stood at the top. Grenadian javelin thrower Anderson Peters settled for the third spot with a throw of 85.64m. Watch Video – Neeraj Chopra joins the 90M 𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐁 🔥 👏 🇮🇳 Neeraj Chopra finally broke the 90m barrier for the first time in his career, with a throw of 90.23 at the Doha Diamond League. #NeerajChopra pic.twitter.com/zopYfa45Xk — Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) May 16, 2025 Meanwhile, on the past Wednesday (May 14), the President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, conferred Neeraj Chopra with the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army, recognising his mighty contributions to Indian sports and helping bring glory to India on the international stage. The ceremony, however, took place in a formal setting, reflecting the prestige associated with the honorary military title. Besides, with his title, Chopra has joined an elite list of distinguished sports stars from the country, including former cricket World Cup-winning captains MS Dhoni and Kapil Dev, who previously were honoured with similar honorary ranks in the armed forces.

PM Modi congratulates Neeraj Chopra on breaching 90m mark in Doha Diamond League

Cricket is back as fans gear up for the business end of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a>, resuming Saturday (May 17) evening. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/royal-challengers-bengaluru" rel="dofollow">Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)</a> hosts <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kolkata-knight-riders" rel="dofollow">Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)</a> in a repeat of the tournament opener in Bengaluru. After being suspended for a week over escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/bcci" rel="dofollow">BCCI</a> resumed the tournament, with M Chinnaswamy staging the first game of the return leg.
The RCB and KKR will face off with plenty on the line. While the RCB sits at the second spot on the points table with 16 points from 11 contested matches, winning eight and losing three thus far, same as table-toppers Gujarat Titans (GT), KKR is languishing at the sixth place, with 11 points from 12 matches. Given their positions on the table, the RCB is well-placed to reach another playoff, this time under a new captain in Rajat Patidar.
On the other hand, KKR must win this game and the next to give themselves any chance of making the last four this year.
<h2>IPL 2025 resumes</h2>
After the Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals game was halted midway last Thursday (May 8) in Dharamsala, dark clouds began hovering over this edition&rsquo;s future, knowing what was happening near the border. Looking at everyone&rsquo;s safety and the prevailing tensions between the two countries, the BCCI suspended it for a week on May 9 (Friday).
Although India and Pakistan &lsquo;agreed to an understanding&rsquo; soon after, the whole episode gripped the foreign contingent with panic, with all leaving for their homes immediately.&nbsp;
After the situation eased out, the Indian Cricket Board released the revised schedule early this week, announcing that IPL 2025 will resume this Saturday and that all teams are requested to assemble their squads by Tuesday (May 13). The IPL 2025 final date also got pushed back to June 3 (Tuesday).&nbsp;
While most teams managed to do it by asking their overseas players to return, plenty decided against returning for several reasons.
<h3>Who is missing RCB-KKR match?</h3>
A few players across both camps decided against returning, including KKR&rsquo;s overseas pair of Moeen Ali and Rovman Powell. RCB seamer Josh Hazlewood also remains unavailable for selection because of a shoulder niggle, while his participation for the remainder of the tournament remains unclear due to international commitments.
However, in a massive boost for the hosts, RCB captain Rajat Patidar recovered from the finger injury he sustained earlier and is available for the side&rsquo;s marquee game against KKR.
<h3>Here are the predicted XIs of both teams &ndash;</h3>
RCB - Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar (captain), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Lungi Ngidi, Yash Dayal and Suyash Sharma
KKR - Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy and Harshit Rana

After being suspended for a week over escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the BCCI resumed the tournament, with RCB hosting KKR in first game of the return leg. Sports, Cricket

Cricket is back as fans gear up for the business end of IPL 2025, resuming Saturday (May 17) evening. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) hosts Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a repeat of the tournament opener in Bengaluru. After being suspended for a week over escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the BCCI resumed the tournament, with M Chinnaswamy staging the first game of the return leg. The RCB and KKR will face off with plenty on the line. While the RCB sits at the second spot on the points table with 16 points from 11 contested matches, winning eight and losing three thus far, same as table-toppers Gujarat Titans (GT), KKR is languishing at the sixth place, with 11 points from 12 matches. Given their positions on the table, the RCB is well-placed to reach another playoff, this time under a new captain in Rajat Patidar. On the other hand, KKR must win this game and the next to give themselves any chance of making the last four this year. IPL 2025 resumes After the Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals game was halted midway last Thursday (May 8) in Dharamsala, dark clouds began hovering over this edition’s future, knowing what was happening near the border. Looking at everyone’s safety and the prevailing tensions between the two countries, the BCCI suspended it for a week on May 9 (Friday). Although India and Pakistan ‘agreed to an understanding’ soon after, the whole episode gripped the foreign contingent with panic, with all leaving for their homes immediately. After the situation eased out, the Indian Cricket Board released the revised schedule early this week, announcing that IPL 2025 will resume this Saturday and that all teams are requested to assemble their squads by Tuesday (May 13). The IPL 2025 final date also got pushed back to June 3 (Tuesday). While most teams managed to do it by asking their overseas players to return, plenty decided against returning for several reasons. Who is missing RCB-KKR match? A few players across both camps decided against returning, including KKR’s overseas pair of Moeen Ali and Rovman Powell. RCB seamer Josh Hazlewood also remains unavailable for selection because of a shoulder niggle, while his participation for the remainder of the tournament remains unclear due to international commitments. However, in a massive boost for the hosts, RCB captain Rajat Patidar recovered from the finger injury he sustained earlier and is available for the side’s marquee game against KKR. Here are the predicted XIs of both teams – RCB - Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar (captain), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Lungi Ngidi, Yash Dayal and Suyash Sharma KKR - Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy and Harshit Rana

IPL 2025 gets underway with blockbuster RCB vs KKR in Bengaluru. Here’s what we know

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mohamed-salah" rel="dofollow">Mohamed Salah</a> has slammed "harsh" <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/liverpool" rel="dofollow">Liverpool</a> fans for booing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/trent-alexander-arnold" rel="dofollow">Trent Alexander-Arnold</a> in his first appearance after announcing he will leave the Premier League champions at the end of the season.
Alexander-Arnold is widely expected to join Real Madrid once his contract expires in June.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cucurella-steers-chelsea-towards-the-champions-league-in-manchester-united-win-premier-league-9077125" rel="dofollow">Cucurella steers Chelsea towards the Champions League in Man Utd win</a>
The England right-back, who revealed his decision to quit his boyhood club last week, was jeered by Liverpool supporters when he came on as a second-half substitute in Sunday's 2-2 draw against Arsenal at Anfield.
Salah said on Friday that he was saddened by the taunts aimed at Alexander-Arnold, who has two games left as a Liverpool player against Brighton on Monday and Crystal Palace on May 25.
"Absolutely. I was surprised because this is not how we act as Liverpool fans," the Egypt forward told Gary Neville in a Sky Sports interview.
"I think somehow the fans were being harsh with him. I think he didn't deserve it at the time, he deserved the fans to treat him the best way possible because he gave it all to the fans."
Salah was also involved in a prolonged contract saga this season, but eventually committed his future to the Reds by signing a new two-year deal.
Calling for Liverpool fans to give Alexander-Arnold a more respectful farewell in his last two games, Salah said: "Imagine someone who gives you his all for 20 years. It's shouldn't be like this.
"I hope that will change next game, against Brighton or in the last game of the season, because he deserves the farewell."
Liverpool-born Alexander-Arnold, who made his first-team debut in 2016, has made 353 senior appearances for Liverpool in all competitions, scoring 23 goals.
The 26-year-old has won two Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FA Cup and the League Cup with the Reds.
Salah admitted it will be emotional to say goodbye to one of his close friends when the season ends.
"I told him yesterday don't give me eye contact in your farewell. I really love him. I think he deserves the best farewell leaving the club," he said.
"He has done a lot for the city and done a lot for the club and he's one of probably the best players in the club's history. He gave it all.
"I think he needed a new challenge. He spoke to me about it. It's his decision for sure. He's 25, 26 years old and won it all twice or three times. What more can he have done?"
Disclaimer:&nbsp;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.

Arnold, who revealed his decision to quit his boyhood club last week, was jeered by Liverpool supporters in Sunday's 2-2 draw against Arsenal at Anfield. Sports, Football

Mohamed Salah has slammed "harsh" Liverpool fans for booing Trent Alexander-Arnold in his first appearance after announcing he will leave the Premier League champions at the end of the season. Alexander-Arnold is widely expected to join Real Madrid once his contract expires in June. Also read | Cucurella steers Chelsea towards the Champions League in Man Utd win The England right-back, who revealed his decision to quit his boyhood club last week, was jeered by Liverpool supporters when he came on as a second-half substitute in Sunday's 2-2 draw against Arsenal at Anfield. Salah said on Friday that he was saddened by the taunts aimed at Alexander-Arnold, who has two games left as a Liverpool player against Brighton on Monday and Crystal Palace on May 25. "Absolutely. I was surprised because this is not how we act as Liverpool fans," the Egypt forward told Gary Neville in a Sky Sports interview. "I think somehow the fans were being harsh with him. I think he didn't deserve it at the time, he deserved the fans to treat him the best way possible because he gave it all to the fans." Salah was also involved in a prolonged contract saga this season, but eventually committed his future to the Reds by signing a new two-year deal. Calling for Liverpool fans to give Alexander-Arnold a more respectful farewell in his last two games, Salah said: "Imagine someone who gives you his all for 20 years. It's shouldn't be like this. "I hope that will change next game, against Brighton or in the last game of the season, because he deserves the farewell." Liverpool-born Alexander-Arnold, who made his first-team debut in 2016, has made 353 senior appearances for Liverpool in all competitions, scoring 23 goals. The 26-year-old has won two Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FA Cup and the League Cup with the Reds. Salah admitted it will be emotional to say goodbye to one of his close friends when the season ends. "I told him yesterday don't give me eye contact in your farewell. I really love him. I think he deserves the best farewell leaving the club," he said. "He has done a lot for the city and done a lot for the club and he's one of probably the best players in the club's history. He gave it all. "I think he needed a new challenge. He spoke to me about it. It's his decision for sure. He's 25, 26 years old and won it all twice or three times. What more can he have done?" 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 slams 'harsh' Liverpool fans for jeering Alexander-Arnold

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/chelsea" rel="dofollow">Chelsea</a> ensured that qualification for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-league" rel="dofollow">Champions League</a> remains in their own hands as Marc Cucurella's winner beat <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/manchester-united" rel="dofollow">Manchester United</a> 1-0 to climb to fourth in the Premier League.
United are gearing up for next week's Europa League final against Tottenham but ran the Blues close as Ruben Amorim named a stronger line-up than expected.&nbsp;However, the Red Devils ultimately slipped to an 18th league defeat of the season and remain 16th in the table.
Chelsea and Aston Villa, who beat Spurs 2-0 in Friday's other Premier League match, both leapfrog Manchester City into the top five.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mikel-arteta-ready-to-smash-arsenal-transfer-budget-to-sign-striker-9077121" rel="dofollow">Mikel Arteta ready to smash Arsenal transfer budget to sign striker</a>
City have a game in hand at home to Bournemouth on Tuesday as they face Crystal Palace in Saturday's FA Cup final.
But Chelsea will be assured of a return to Europe's top competition after a two-year absence should they beat Nottingham Forest on the final day of the season.
And they could also end the campaign with a trophy as they face Real Betis in the Europa Conference League final on May 28.
"Now only two games left to achieve something special," said Cucurella.
"Today is a moment to enjoy because we work all season for these moments so now we have ambitions to achieve these things."
United's miserable season can only be saved by victory in Bilbao in five days' time but Amorim resisted the temptation to rest his key men at Stamford Bridge.
"Today was a really good game to prepare the final," said Amorim. "Almost 10 days without playing for me would be a mistake.
"It was a good thing for them to play, to feel that they can do it. We can control the game, we can have possession, we can push the opponent.
"But in the end, in this club and any club you need to win and we are not winning."
Chelsea were without a recognised striker due to Nicolas Jackson's suspension and the continued absence due to injury of Christopher Nkunku.
Teenager Tyrique George, a natural winger, was forced to lead the line up front and the Blues' lack of a focal point saw them easily snuffed out.
United's bright start was nearly rewarded when Harry Maguire fired in Bruno Fernandes' inviting cross only for a VAR review to show the centre-back had strayed centimetres offside.
<h2><hl2>Full backs combine</hl2></h2>
Chelsea's best effort before half-time saw Reece James' long-range effort come back off the post.
United started strongly again in the second period but failed to make it count as Mason Mount fired wide on his return to Stamford Bridge, before Fernandes blasted over.
On the hour mark a VAR review came to the visitors' aid when referee Chris Kavanagh initially pointed to the penalty spot after a challenge between George and Andre Onana.
However, replays showed the goalkeeper clearly played the ball and the spot-kick was overturned.
With Chelsea's forward players lacking inspiration, the match-winning moment was created and converted by their full-backs 20 minutes from time.
James turned nearly on the edge of the box and clipped in a cross that Cucurella met perfectly to head in his seventh goal of the season.
Noni Madueke should have doubled the lead within seconds when he skewed wide after a slick pass from Cole Palmer.
That miss could have been costly had Robert Sanchez not denied Amad Diallo at his near post with United's only shot on target.
But Chelsea held their nerve to edge towards the brink of a return to the riches and glamour of the Champions League.
Disclaimer:&nbsp;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.

Chelsea and Aston Villa, who beat Tottenham Hotspurs 2-0 in Friday's other Premier League match, both leapfrog Manchester City into the top five. Sports, Football

Chelsea ensured that qualification for the Champions League remains in their own hands as Marc Cucurella's winner beat Manchester United 1-0 to climb to fourth in the Premier League. United are gearing up for next week's Europa League final against Tottenham but ran the Blues close as Ruben Amorim named a stronger line-up than expected. However, the Red Devils ultimately slipped to an 18th league defeat of the season and remain 16th in the table. Chelsea and Aston Villa, who beat Spurs 2-0 in Friday's other Premier League match, both leapfrog Manchester City into the top five. Also read | Mikel Arteta ready to smash Arsenal transfer budget to sign striker City have a game in hand at home to Bournemouth on Tuesday as they face Crystal Palace in Saturday's FA Cup final. But Chelsea will be assured of a return to Europe's top competition after a two-year absence should they beat Nottingham Forest on the final day of the season. And they could also end the campaign with a trophy as they face Real Betis in the Europa Conference League final on May 28. "Now only two games left to achieve something special," said Cucurella. "Today is a moment to enjoy because we work all season for these moments so now we have ambitions to achieve these things." United's miserable season can only be saved by victory in Bilbao in five days' time but Amorim resisted the temptation to rest his key men at Stamford Bridge. "Today was a really good game to prepare the final," said Amorim. "Almost 10 days without playing for me would be a mistake. "It was a good thing for them to play, to feel that they can do it. We can control the game, we can have possession, we can push the opponent. "But in the end, in this club and any club you need to win and we are not winning." Chelsea were without a recognised striker due to Nicolas Jackson's suspension and the continued absence due to injury of Christopher Nkunku. Teenager Tyrique George, a natural winger, was forced to lead the line up front and the Blues' lack of a focal point saw them easily snuffed out. United's bright start was nearly rewarded when Harry Maguire fired in Bruno Fernandes' inviting cross only for a VAR review to show the centre-back had strayed centimetres offside. Full backs combine Chelsea's best effort before half-time saw Reece James' long-range effort come back off the post. United started strongly again in the second period but failed to make it count as Mason Mount fired wide on his return to Stamford Bridge, before Fernandes blasted over. On the hour mark a VAR review came to the visitors' aid when referee Chris Kavanagh initially pointed to the penalty spot after a challenge between George and Andre Onana. However, replays showed the goalkeeper clearly played the ball and the spot-kick was overturned. With Chelsea's forward players lacking inspiration, the match-winning moment was created and converted by their full-backs 20 minutes from time. James turned nearly on the edge of the box and clipped in a cross that Cucurella met perfectly to head in his seventh goal of the season. Noni Madueke should have doubled the lead within seconds when he skewed wide after a slick pass from Cole Palmer. That miss could have been costly had Robert Sanchez not denied Amad Diallo at his near post with United's only shot on target. But Chelsea held their nerve to edge towards the brink of a return to the riches and glamour of the Champions 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.

Cucurella steers Chelsea towards the Champions League in Man Utd win

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mikel-arteta" rel="dofollow">Mikel Arteta</a> is willing to break <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/arsenal" rel="dofollow">Arsenal</a>'s transfer budget in a bid to land a star striker to spearhead their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/premier-league" rel="dofollow">Premier League</a> title challenge next season.
Arteta's side have now gone five years without a trophy as they approach the end of a frustrating campaign marred by injuries to key forwards Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-goodison-park-goodbye-worth-it-for-better-everton-future-says-david-moyes-9076919" rel="dofollow">Premier League: Goodison Park goodbye worth it for 'better' Everton future, says David Moyes</a>
That trio, as well as influential midfielder Martin Odegaard, all missed substantial chunks of the season as Arsenal failed to keep pace with Premier League champions Liverpool before losing the Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain.
A new striker is top of Arteta's wish-list with Havertz, who has not played for almost four months, still the club's top scorer in the league with just nine goals.
Arsenal are believed to have at least &pound;100 million ($132 million) at their disposal for new players and have been linked with RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokeres and Newcastle's Alexander Isak.
After failing to lure England striker Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa during the January transfer window, Arteta is willing to do whatever it takes to get a new striker in the summer.
"The thing is that the budget is like when you have your wedding, you plan your wedding with your wife and you give her a budget and never less, and it's always more," Arteta told reporters on Friday.
"When you build a house it's always more. Normally this happens. And you prepare for different scenarios. Then unfortunate things happen. Sometimes we want a player and suddenly we have an injury or that player gets injured.
"There are so many variables that can happen but there is a budget. There is always an idea of what we can do, what we can improve, what the priorities are going to be and then let's see if we can do it."
Amid speculation this week that Arteta and Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta, who replaced Edu in March, have disagreed over which striker to pursue, the manager insisted their relationship is fine.
"Well, if that happens, that means that we cannot explain ourselves well enough, and we are not clear enough on what we want, and I guarantee you that hasn't happened," he said.
"It didn't happen in five and a half years with Edu, and I guarantee you it hasn't happened with Andrea.
"We have learned a lot and some of them (transfers) have worked really well and others have not. So we have to make sure that we make the right calls.
"But we are all human beings and unfortunately, nobody has got a crystal ball here.
"But Andrea is someone who is very driven, very clear in his ideas, in his vision and how we want to achieve it."
Second-placed Arsenal, who host third-placed Newcastle on Sunday, head into the final two matches of the season needing just two points to be assured of Champions League qualification.
However, with their superior goal difference, one point should be enough for Arsenal to secure a top-five finish.
Disclaimer:&nbsp;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.

A new striker is top of Arteta's wish-list with Havertz, who has not played for almost four months, still the club's top scorer in the league with just nine goals. Sports, Football

Mikel Arteta is willing to break Arsenal's transfer budget in a bid to land a star striker to spearhead their Premier League title challenge next season. Arteta's side have now gone five years without a trophy as they approach the end of a frustrating campaign marred by injuries to key forwards Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus. Also read | Premier League: Goodison Park goodbye worth it for 'better' Everton future, says David Moyes That trio, as well as influential midfielder Martin Odegaard, all missed substantial chunks of the season as Arsenal failed to keep pace with Premier League champions Liverpool before losing the Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain. A new striker is top of Arteta's wish-list with Havertz, who has not played for almost four months, still the club's top scorer in the league with just nine goals. Arsenal are believed to have at least £100 million ($132 million) at their disposal for new players and have been linked with RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokeres and Newcastle's Alexander Isak. After failing to lure England striker Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa during the January transfer window, Arteta is willing to do whatever it takes to get a new striker in the summer. "The thing is that the budget is like when you have your wedding, you plan your wedding with your wife and you give her a budget and never less, and it's always more," Arteta told reporters on Friday. "When you build a house it's always more. Normally this happens. And you prepare for different scenarios. Then unfortunate things happen. Sometimes we want a player and suddenly we have an injury or that player gets injured. "There are so many variables that can happen but there is a budget. There is always an idea of what we can do, what we can improve, what the priorities are going to be and then let's see if we can do it." Amid speculation this week that Arteta and Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta, who replaced Edu in March, have disagreed over which striker to pursue, the manager insisted their relationship is fine. "Well, if that happens, that means that we cannot explain ourselves well enough, and we are not clear enough on what we want, and I guarantee you that hasn't happened," he said. "It didn't happen in five and a half years with Edu, and I guarantee you it hasn't happened with Andrea. "We have learned a lot and some of them (transfers) have worked really well and others have not. So we have to make sure that we make the right calls. "But we are all human beings and unfortunately, nobody has got a crystal ball here. "But Andrea is someone who is very driven, very clear in his ideas, in his vision and how we want to achieve it." Second-placed Arsenal, who host third-placed Newcastle on Sunday, head into the final two matches of the season needing just two points to be assured of Champions League qualification. However, with their superior goal difference, one point should be enough for Arsenal to secure a top-five finish. 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.

Mikel Arteta ready to smash Arsenal transfer budget to sign striker

Everton boss David Moyes said an emotional farewell to the club's Goodison Park home will be worth it for a "bigger and better" future in a new 53,000-capacity stadium.
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Toffees bid farewell to Goodison Park</h2>
The Toffees men's side will play for the final time at Goodison, which has been Everton's home since 1892, on Sunday against Southampton.
However, the stadium in Liverpool has been saved from demolition with the news this week it will become the new home of Everton women.
"It will be a sad day, I think it will be an emotional day for a lot of people. I've got to keep the players focused on the game and try to do the best we can in the game," said Moyes at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
"Obviously there have been great managers and players who have all performed here. I'm just the one that's going to shut the door on the way out, certainly on the way out for the men. We're looking forward to the ladies joining us.
"It will be sad when it goes, but we're moving into something which we think will give us a bigger and better future."
One of England's historically most successful clubs, Everton have not won a trophy in 30 years and have spent recent seasons battling against relegation.
But there is optimism among the Toffees' faithful that a combination of increased revenues from the new stadium at Liverpool's Bramley-Moore Dock and a change in ownership since a takeover by the US-based Friedkin Group will spark an upturn in their club's fortunes.
Everton have also struggled to meet financial sustainability rules, which saw them twice docked points last season.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-misery-mounts-for-delhi-capitals-as-star-overseas-players-continue-to-opt-out-of-ipl-2025-faf-du-plessis-starc-dc-mustafizur-rahman-9075167" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Misery mounts for Delhi Capitals as star overseas players continue to opt out of IPL 2025</a>
But Moyes is hoping new deals can be arranged with out-of-contract stars Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, while he confirmed captain Seamus Coleman has agreed an extension to his deal.
"We're down the road with quite a few situations," Moyes added. "There's a lot going on behind the scenes. We're just not quite there with announcements but we're not too far away."
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.

Everton boss David Moyes said an emotional farewell to the club's Goodison Park home will be worth it for a "bigger and better" future in a new 53,000-capacity stadium. Football | Sports

Everton boss David Moyes said an emotional farewell to the club's Goodison Park home will be worth it for a "bigger and better" future in a new 53,000-capacity stadium. Toffees bid farewell to Goodison Park The Toffees men's side will play for the final time at Goodison, which has been Everton's home since 1892, on Sunday against Southampton. However, the stadium in Liverpool has been saved from demolition with the news this week it will become the new home of Everton women. "It will be a sad day, I think it will be an emotional day for a lot of people. I've got to keep the players focused on the game and try to do the best we can in the game," said Moyes at his pre-match press conference on Friday. "Obviously there have been great managers and players who have all performed here. I'm just the one that's going to shut the door on the way out, certainly on the way out for the men. We're looking forward to the ladies joining us. "It will be sad when it goes, but we're moving into something which we think will give us a bigger and better future." One of England's historically most successful clubs, Everton have not won a trophy in 30 years and have spent recent seasons battling against relegation. But there is optimism among the Toffees' faithful that a combination of increased revenues from the new stadium at Liverpool's Bramley-Moore Dock and a change in ownership since a takeover by the US-based Friedkin Group will spark an upturn in their club's fortunes. Everton have also struggled to meet financial sustainability rules, which saw them twice docked points last season. ALSO READ | Misery mounts for Delhi Capitals as star overseas players continue to opt out of IPL 2025 But Moyes is hoping new deals can be arranged with out-of-contract stars Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, while he confirmed captain Seamus Coleman has agreed an extension to his deal. "We're down the road with quite a few situations," Moyes added. "There's a lot going on behind the scenes. We're just not quite there with announcements but we're not too far away." 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.

Premier League: Goodison Park goodbye worth it for 'better' Everton future, says David Moyes

Carlos Alcaraz set up a potential blockbuster Italian Open final with Jannik Sinner after coming through Friday's semi-final with home hope Lorenzo Musetti a straight-sets winner, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).
Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz overcame Musetti and windy conditions in just over two hours to reach his fourth final of the season ahead of the French Open which gets underway later this month.
Alcaraz now awaits the result of Sinner's last-four clash with Tommy Paul later on Friday to see if he will get the showdown tennis fans around the world want to see.
World number one Sinner is red-hot favourite to beat American Paul after dumping out Madrid Open champion Casper Ruud on Thursday with an astonishing display of tennis.
"Both players are playing great. Everybody saw the game against Casper," said Alcaraz, who might again have to face down a partisan centre court crowd on Sunday.
"Let's see. If I'm going to play against Tommy Paul, I have to be ready for that. If I play against Jannick, I have to be ready for that battle, and obviously deal with the crowd."
Musetti was beaten by Alcaraz in the Monte Carlo final last month and fell to his fifth straight defeat to the Spaniard after a frustrating display.
The 23-year-old gave up three breaks of serve and made 29 unforced errors in the first set, and he was warned by umpire Renaud Lichtenstein after slamming his racket into the clay as his gave up his serve to go a set behind.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-misery-mounts-for-delhi-capitals-as-star-overseas-players-continue-to-opt-out-of-ipl-2025-faf-du-plessis-starc-dc-mustafizur-rahman-9075167" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Misery mounts for Delhi Capitals as star overseas players continue to opt out of IPL 2025</a>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Musetti outbursts</h2>
Alcaraz gave Musetti an opening when he fired long at break point in the first game of the second set, before the Italian then did the exact same thing in the next game to level it up.
But Musetti fought back with another break of Alcaraz's serve and then held his with more disciplined tennis to go to 4-3 in the set, even drawing applause from Alcaraz for one spectacular backhand volley he plucked out of the sky.
But Alcaraz broke back in game eight to level the set, sparking a furious reaction from Musetti who was punished with a point for the following game for smashing the ball into the stands.
Alcaraz served that game to love as Musetti continued to fume, and he ended the crowd's hopes of an all-Italian final by coming through the decisive tie-break.
Earlier, Jasmine Paolini continued her bid to win the women's singles and doubles titles in Rome after reaching her second final of the week, this time alongside fellow Italian Sara Errani.
Reigning doubles champions Paolini and Errani easily beat Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider 6-4, 6-4 to book a second straight final in front of delighted fans at the Foro Italico.
The pair will meet either Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens or Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez in the final on Sunday, before which Paolini could already be crowed singles champion.
Late bloomer Paolini takes on Coco Gauff on Saturday aiming for her second 1000 series title at the age of 29 and to become the first Italian women to win in Rome since Raffaella Reggi in 1985.
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.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz overcame Musetti and windy conditions in just over two hours to reach his fourth final of the season ahead of the French Open. Tennis | Sports

Carlos Alcaraz set up a potential blockbuster Italian Open final with Jannik Sinner after coming through Friday's semi-final with home hope Lorenzo Musetti a straight-sets winner, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4). Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz overcame Musetti and windy conditions in just over two hours to reach his fourth final of the season ahead of the French Open which gets underway later this month. Alcaraz now awaits the result of Sinner's last-four clash with Tommy Paul later on Friday to see if he will get the showdown tennis fans around the world want to see. World number one Sinner is red-hot favourite to beat American Paul after dumping out Madrid Open champion Casper Ruud on Thursday with an astonishing display of tennis. "Both players are playing great. Everybody saw the game against Casper," said Alcaraz, who might again have to face down a partisan centre court crowd on Sunday. "Let's see. If I'm going to play against Tommy Paul, I have to be ready for that. If I play against Jannick, I have to be ready for that battle, and obviously deal with the crowd." Musetti was beaten by Alcaraz in the Monte Carlo final last month and fell to his fifth straight defeat to the Spaniard after a frustrating display. The 23-year-old gave up three breaks of serve and made 29 unforced errors in the first set, and he was warned by umpire Renaud Lichtenstein after slamming his racket into the clay as his gave up his serve to go a set behind. ALSO READ | Misery mounts for Delhi Capitals as star overseas players continue to opt out of IPL 2025 Musetti outbursts Alcaraz gave Musetti an opening when he fired long at break point in the first game of the second set, before the Italian then did the exact same thing in the next game to level it up. But Musetti fought back with another break of Alcaraz's serve and then held his with more disciplined tennis to go to 4-3 in the set, even drawing applause from Alcaraz for one spectacular backhand volley he plucked out of the sky. But Alcaraz broke back in game eight to level the set, sparking a furious reaction from Musetti who was punished with a point for the following game for smashing the ball into the stands. Alcaraz served that game to love as Musetti continued to fume, and he ended the crowd's hopes of an all-Italian final by coming through the decisive tie-break. Earlier, Jasmine Paolini continued her bid to win the women's singles and doubles titles in Rome after reaching her second final of the week, this time alongside fellow Italian Sara Errani. Reigning doubles champions Paolini and Errani easily beat Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider 6-4, 6-4 to book a second straight final in front of delighted fans at the Foro Italico. The pair will meet either Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens or Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez in the final on Sunday, before which Paolini could already be crowed singles champion. Late bloomer Paolini takes on Coco Gauff on Saturday aiming for her second 1000 series title at the age of 29 and to become the first Italian women to win in Rome since Raffaella Reggi in 1985. 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.

Italian Open: Carlos Alcaraz reaches final as potential Jannik Sinner clash awaits

Portugal footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has topped the 2025 Forbes list of highest paid athletes. Ronaldo topped the list with whopping estimated earning of $275 million from his salary at Saudi club Al-Nassr and endorsements. This is the fifth time overall and third year in a row that Ronaldo has topped the prestigious list.
This is also the third best earnings ever by an athlete to feature in the Forbes list behind only boxer Floyd Mayweather, who earned $300 million in 2015 and $285 million in 2018.
While there's no Indian in the list, Ronaldo's rival on the field Lionel Messi is fifth on the list with total earnings of $135 million. He earned $60 million of the total by playing for the USA's Major League Soccer (MLS) and remaining $75 million from other endorsements.
Also Read -&nbsp;<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/cricket-west-indies-asks-for-fair-representation-at-la28-olympic-games-9075026" aria-label="Cricket West Indies asks for 'fair' representation at LA28 Olympic games">Cricket West Indies asks for 'fair' representation at LA28 Olympic games</a>
<h2>Here's the list of top 10 richest athletes by Forbes 2025</h2>
Cristiano Ronaldo: The Portuguese national topped the list with $275 million in earnings.
Steph Curry: Golden State Warriors' basketball player is second on the list with a total earning of $156 million.
Tyson Fury: The UK-based boxer is third on the list with a total earning of $146 million.
Dak Prescott: The Dallas Cowboys quarterback earned $137 million and is fourth on the list.
Lionel Messi: The Argentine footballer is fifth on the list with a total earning of $135 million.
LeBron James: The Los Angeles Lakers star is sixth on the list with a total of $133.8 million.
Juan Soto: The MLB player is seventh on the list with a total earnings of $114 million.
Karim Benzama: The French footballer is eighth on the list with net earnings of $140 million.
Shohei Ohtani: The Japanese national and two-way star in USA's MLB is ninth on the list with total earnings of $102.5 million.
Kevin Durant: The American basketball players is tenth on the list with total earnings of $101.4 million.

This is also the third best earnings ever by an athlete to feature in the Forbes list behind only boxer Floyd Mayweather, who earned $300 million in 2015 and $285 million in 2018.

Portugal footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has topped the 2025 Forbes list of highest paid athletes. Ronaldo topped the list with whopping estimated earning of $275 million from his salary at Saudi club Al-Nassr and endorsements. This is the fifth time overall and third year in a row that Ronaldo has topped the prestigious list. This is also the third best earnings ever by an athlete to feature in the Forbes list behind only boxer Floyd Mayweather, who earned $300 million in 2015 and $285 million in 2018. While there's no Indian in the list, Ronaldo's rival on the field Lionel Messi is fifth on the list with total earnings of $135 million. He earned $60 million of the total by playing for the USA's Major League Soccer (MLS) and remaining $75 million from other endorsements. Also Read - Cricket West Indies asks for 'fair' representation at LA28 Olympic games Here's the list of top 10 richest athletes by Forbes 2025 Cristiano Ronaldo: The Portuguese national topped the list with $275 million in earnings. Steph Curry: Golden State Warriors' basketball player is second on the list with a total earning of $156 million. Tyson Fury: The UK-based boxer is third on the list with a total earning of $146 million. Dak Prescott: The Dallas Cowboys quarterback earned $137 million and is fourth on the list. Lionel Messi: The Argentine footballer is fifth on the list with a total earning of $135 million. LeBron James: The Los Angeles Lakers star is sixth on the list with a total of $133.8 million. Juan Soto: The MLB player is seventh on the list with a total earnings of $114 million. Karim Benzama: The French footballer is eighth on the list with net earnings of $140 million. Shohei Ohtani: The Japanese national and two-way star in USA's MLB is ninth on the list with total earnings of $102.5 million. Kevin Durant: The American basketball players is tenth on the list with total earnings of $101.4 million.

Forbes 2025: Cristiano Ronaldo is world's highest paid athlete with total earnings of $275 million. Check others in top ten

As the IPL 2025 comes to its business end, anticipation is at an all-time high. Seven teams are still in contention to make it to the playoffs. As the IPL 2025 resumes after a delay, Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on Kolkata Knight Riders in a bid to resume their race to the play-offs on Saturday (May 17).
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's turnaround has made them genuine title contenders, and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/suresh-raina">Suresh Raina</a> believes this might finally be their year. "They have hit 137 sixes at Chinnaswamy, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a> has been in phenomenal form, and they have beaten CSK both home and away &ndash; that hasn&rsquo;t happened in 17 years. There&rsquo;s something different about them this season," he said. The combination of a fresh leadership setup and a vintage Kohli, playing with freedom, has changed the mood in the dressing room. &ldquo;With the way they are playing, I think the trophy could come to Bangalore,&rdquo; Raina added.
JioStar experts <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sunil-gavaskar">Sunil Gavaskar</a> and Suresh Raina spoke on Star Sports Press Room around the race to the play-offs and resumption of IPL 2025.
One player that has been the gamechanges for the RCB is Krunal Pandya. Sunil Gavaskar lauded him as and called him as a 'thinking cricketer' &ndash; someone who doesn&rsquo;t rely only on turn but uses his awareness of aspects of the game to outplay batters. "He&rsquo;s calm, tactical, and has played a key role, especially in games like the win over KKR at Eden Gardens. This is his best IPL season with the ball."
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sports-ipl-2025-mustafizur-rahman-granted-noc-by-bangladesh-cricket-board-set-to-join-delhi-capitals-9075976">IPL 2025: Mustafizur Rahman granted NOC by Bangladesh Cricket Board, set to join Delhi Capitals</a>
The playoffs race is as tight as ever, with seven teams still in contention. Gujarat leads the table, followed closely by RCB. MI, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, KKR, and LSG remain in the hunt, while CSK, SRH, and RR have all been eliminated. With net run rates likely to decide the final positions, teams are expected to play more aggressively in the final overs. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not a marathon anymore &ndash; it&rsquo;s a 400-meter sprint,&rdquo; said Gavaskar. &ldquo;You&rsquo;ll see sides trying to finish games in 15 or 16 overs to boost their net run rates. The top two spots are gold dust.&rdquo;
<h2>'Hardik is more calmer now'</h2>
Mumbai Indians&rsquo; season has been a story of revival. After a sluggish start, Mumbai have stormed back into contention with six straight wins. Gavaskar observed a notable change in Hardik Pandya&rsquo;s demeanor: &ldquo;He&rsquo;s calmer now. His body language is positive. Even when catches are dropped, you don&rsquo;t see his frustration. That&rsquo;s made a difference in the team&rsquo;s atmosphere.&rdquo;
Punjab Kings have also surprised many with their fearless cricket, led by the Rickey Ponting-Shreyas Iyer duo. Raina credited the environment in the camp: &ldquo;Players like Prabhsimran, Priyansh Arya, and Shashank Singh are playing like seasoned pros. This is their best campaign since 2014.&rdquo;
Weather interruptions in the last couple of weeks have slightly altered the rhythm of the tournament. Gavaskar admitted that extended rain breaks can disrupt a player&rsquo;s momentum. &ldquo;Sometimes a batter is in the zone, and then there&rsquo;s a 30-minute delay. That can affect focus. But it also gives teams like Delhi or MI a chance to mentally regroup. So it&rsquo;s a double-edged sword.&rdquo;
As the 2025 season approaches its end, one emotional subplot has been MS Dhoni&rsquo;s possible farewell. With CSK eliminated, fans are bracing for what could be the final two appearances of &lsquo;Captain Cool&rsquo; in yellow. While Ruturaj Gaikwad has officially taken over the reins, Raina pointed out that Dhoni&rsquo;s influence remains as strong as ever. &ldquo;He might not be the official captain, but every field placement, every bowling change has his fingerprint on it.&rdquo;

Royal Challengers Bengaluru are second in the table with 16 points from 11 matches played so far. The team has won eight matches and lost three | Sports, Cricket

As the IPL 2025 comes to its business end, anticipation is at an all-time high. Seven teams are still in contention to make it to the playoffs. As the IPL 2025 resumes after a delay, Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on Kolkata Knight Riders in a bid to resume their race to the play-offs on Saturday (May 17). Royal Challengers Bengaluru's turnaround has made them genuine title contenders, and Suresh Raina believes this might finally be their year. "They have hit 137 sixes at Chinnaswamy, Virat Kohli has been in phenomenal form, and they have beaten CSK both home and away – that hasn’t happened in 17 years. There’s something different about them this season," he said. The combination of a fresh leadership setup and a vintage Kohli, playing with freedom, has changed the mood in the dressing room. “With the way they are playing, I think the trophy could come to Bangalore,” Raina added. JioStar experts Sunil Gavaskar and Suresh Raina spoke on Star Sports Press Room around the race to the play-offs and resumption of IPL 2025. One player that has been the gamechanges for the RCB is Krunal Pandya. Sunil Gavaskar lauded him as and called him as a 'thinking cricketer' – someone who doesn’t rely only on turn but uses his awareness of aspects of the game to outplay batters. "He’s calm, tactical, and has played a key role, especially in games like the win over KKR at Eden Gardens. This is his best IPL season with the ball." Also Read: IPL 2025: Mustafizur Rahman granted NOC by Bangladesh Cricket Board, set to join Delhi Capitals The playoffs race is as tight as ever, with seven teams still in contention. Gujarat leads the table, followed closely by RCB. MI, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, KKR, and LSG remain in the hunt, while CSK, SRH, and RR have all been eliminated. With net run rates likely to decide the final positions, teams are expected to play more aggressively in the final overs. “It’s not a marathon anymore – it’s a 400-meter sprint,” said Gavaskar. “You’ll see sides trying to finish games in 15 or 16 overs to boost their net run rates. The top two spots are gold dust.” 'Hardik is more calmer now' Mumbai Indians’ season has been a story of revival. After a sluggish start, Mumbai have stormed back into contention with six straight wins. Gavaskar observed a notable change in Hardik Pandya’s demeanor: “He’s calmer now. His body language is positive. Even when catches are dropped, you don’t see his frustration. That’s made a difference in the team’s atmosphere.” Punjab Kings have also surprised many with their fearless cricket, led by the Rickey Ponting-Shreyas Iyer duo. Raina credited the environment in the camp: “Players like Prabhsimran, Priyansh Arya, and Shashank Singh are playing like seasoned pros. This is their best campaign since 2014.” Weather interruptions in the last couple of weeks have slightly altered the rhythm of the tournament. Gavaskar admitted that extended rain breaks can disrupt a player’s momentum. “Sometimes a batter is in the zone, and then there’s a 30-minute delay. That can affect focus. But it also gives teams like Delhi or MI a chance to mentally regroup. So it’s a double-edged sword.” As the 2025 season approaches its end, one emotional subplot has been MS Dhoni’s possible farewell. With CSK eliminated, fans are bracing for what could be the final two appearances of ‘Captain Cool’ in yellow. While Ruturaj Gaikwad has officially taken over the reins, Raina pointed out that Dhoni’s influence remains as strong as ever. “He might not be the official captain, but every field placement, every bowling change has his fingerprint on it.”

IPL 2025: 'There is something different about Royal Challengers Bengaluru this season', says former CSK all-rounder

Misery continues to rain on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/delhi-capitals" rel="dofollow">Delhi Capitals (DC)</a> in the Indian Premier League as several overseas players opt out of the ongoing season. After BCCI announced the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> resumption plan, starting this Saturday (May 17) and ending on June 3 (Tuesday) following its suspension, the revised schedule clashed with the international calendar.
Among the boards whose most players featured in IPL 2025, Cricket Australia, Cricket South Africa, the ECB and CWI have their respective matches lined up during or around the IPL 2025 final date, putting plenty of those in a tight spot over abiding national and franchise commitments. However, those not part of any squad picked for the upcoming series have begun opting out due to security concerns.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-mitchell-johnson-slams-bcci-for-forcing-overseas-players-to-play-remainder-of-ipl-2025-psl-indian-board-9074905" rel="dofollow">Mitchell Johnson slams BCCI for &lsquo;forcing&rsquo; overseas players to play remainder of IPL 2025</a>
The list continues to grow, mainly for the Delhi-based franchise.&nbsp;
After Australian seamer <a href="Mitchell%20Starc%20opts%20out%20of%20remainder%20of%20IPL%202025%20as%20Delhi%20Capitals%20resume%20training%20&ndash;%20Report" rel="dofollow">Mitchell Starc decided against playing the remainder of the season</a> to stay fresh for the WTC Final 2025 (against South Africa starting June 11 at Lord&rsquo;s), the South African duo of opener and vice-captain Faf du Plessis and all-rounder Donovan Ferreira followed the same path, not returning for the remainder of IPL 2025.
Opener Jake Fraser-McGurk had said no to returning to India for the tournament, with DC replacing him with Bangladesh seamer Mustafizur Rahman; his participation, however, remains unclear as he is currently in the UAE for the two-match T20Is against the hosts.
Though Rahman could land in India any day beyond May 21, DC batter Tristan Stubbs would depart after May 25 to link up with the South African squad to prepare for the WTC Final 2025.
<h2>More on Aussie players</h2>
On the other hand, several Australian players, including SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) pair Pat Cummins and Travis Head, have decided to rejoin their IPL franchise for the remainder of the tournament.&nbsp;
As SRH is already out of the Playoffs race, both would get free by May 25, having ample time to be ready for the South Africa tie.
While RCB sweats over Josh Hazlewood&rsquo;s availability, who is nursing a shoulder niggle, Punjab Kings gloveman Josh Inglis would not be returning to India. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) opener Mitchell Marsh will be back for the franchise.&nbsp;

DC opener Jake Fraser-McGurk had said no to returning to India for the tournament, with the franchise replacing him with Bangladesh seamer Mustafizur Rahman. Sports, Cricket

Misery continues to rain on Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Indian Premier League as several overseas players opt out of the ongoing season. After BCCI announced the IPL 2025 resumption plan, starting this Saturday (May 17) and ending on June 3 (Tuesday) following its suspension, the revised schedule clashed with the international calendar. Among the boards whose most players featured in IPL 2025, Cricket Australia, Cricket South Africa, the ECB and CWI have their respective matches lined up during or around the IPL 2025 final date, putting plenty of those in a tight spot over abiding national and franchise commitments. However, those not part of any squad picked for the upcoming series have begun opting out due to security concerns. Also read | Mitchell Johnson slams BCCI for ‘forcing’ overseas players to play remainder of IPL 2025 The list continues to grow, mainly for the Delhi-based franchise. After Australian seamer Mitchell Starc decided against playing the remainder of the season to stay fresh for the WTC Final 2025 (against South Africa starting June 11 at Lord’s), the South African duo of opener and vice-captain Faf du Plessis and all-rounder Donovan Ferreira followed the same path, not returning for the remainder of IPL 2025. Opener Jake Fraser-McGurk had said no to returning to India for the tournament, with DC replacing him with Bangladesh seamer Mustafizur Rahman; his participation, however, remains unclear as he is currently in the UAE for the two-match T20Is against the hosts. Though Rahman could land in India any day beyond May 21, DC batter Tristan Stubbs would depart after May 25 to link up with the South African squad to prepare for the WTC Final 2025. More on Aussie players On the other hand, several Australian players, including SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) pair Pat Cummins and Travis Head, have decided to rejoin their IPL franchise for the remainder of the tournament. As SRH is already out of the Playoffs race, both would get free by May 25, having ample time to be ready for the South Africa tie. While RCB sweats over Josh Hazlewood’s availability, who is nursing a shoulder niggle, Punjab Kings gloveman Josh Inglis would not be returning to India. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) opener Mitchell Marsh will be back for the franchise.

Misery mounts on Delhi Capitals as star overseas players continue to opt out of IPL 2025

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