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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lucknow-super-giants" rel="dofollow">Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)</a> tearaway pacer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mayank-yadav" rel="dofollow">Mayank Yadav</a> returned to cricket for the first time in six months following a lengthy injury layoff, removing veteran Mumbai Indians (MI) opener Rohit Sharma in his comeback game in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a>, but it all came at a cost.&nbsp;
Mayank rose to the limelight since his IPL debut last year because of his unbelievable pace that bamboozled everyone. Although he played just a few games before suffering an injury that kept him out for a few months, the BCCI selectors fast-tracked him into the Indian Team later.
Mayank made his India debut during the home T20Is against Bangladesh but got ruled out midway through the series with a back injury, which kept him away from the entire 2024-25 domestic season. Mayank recovered at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE, formerly NCA) in Bengaluru, only to get infected after stubbing his toe against his bed, further delaying his return by two weeks.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bhangra-on-cricket-field-kids-break-internet-with-never-seen-before-celebration-watch-9007770" rel="dofollow">Bhangra on cricket field: Kids break internet with never-seen-before celebration &ndash; WATCH</a>
After all of this, Mayank got a green signal from the CoE, marking his return to the cash-rich league for the first time since his fourth IPL game last season.&nbsp;
<h2>Come back after six months</h2>
Mayank opened the innings for the second time in his T20 career, and what was shocking to learn was that his pace dipped. The lanky pacer clocked his highest speed of 156.7kph last season, but it dipped drastically this time, with his top speed against the Mumbai Indians being 142.7kph.&nbsp;
What&rsquo;s more worrying for the pace-loving enthusiasts was that he bowled around eight slower balls in his spell of four overs for 41 runs, including two wickets, more than ever.
The LSG quick removed Rohit first, caught at the short third man on 12 before accounting for Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya, bowled on five.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m9zpq78z-t19xr2mk-an4wvcr3">
CASTLED!💥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MayankYadav?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MayankYadav</a>'s pace proves too good for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MI</a> captain as he walked back before the death overs! Watch the LIVE action in BHOJPURI! 🔊<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLonJioStar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLonJioStar</a> 👉 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MIvLSG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MIvLSG</a> | LIVE NOW JioHotstar! <a href="https://t.co/L1xlQ4krFL">pic.twitter.com/L1xlQ4krFL</a>
&mdash; Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia/status/1916468457295564912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
Although he leaked runs at the beginning, going for 13 in his second over, Mayank tied up half-centurion Suryakumar Yadav and Naman Dhir, who remained unbeaten at 25 off 11 balls, with his slower ones during the fag end of the innings, not conceding any boundary in his last over.
Overall, LSG bowlers went for runs, conceding 215 in the first innings, with seamers Mayank and Avesh Khan returning with two wickets each.&nbsp;

He clocked his highest speed of 156.7kph last season, but it dipped drastically this time, with his top speed against the Mumbai Indians being 142.7kph. Sports, Cricket

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) tearaway pacer Mayank Yadav returned to cricket for the first time in six months following a lengthy injury layoff, removing veteran Mumbai Indians (MI) opener Rohit Sharma in his comeback game in IPL 2025, but it all came at a cost. Mayank rose to the limelight since his IPL debut last year because of his unbelievable pace that bamboozled everyone. Although he played just a few games before suffering an injury that kept him out for a few months, the BCCI selectors fast-tracked him into the Indian Team later. Mayank made his India debut during the home T20Is against Bangladesh but got ruled out midway through the series with a back injury, which kept him away from the entire 2024-25 domestic season. Mayank recovered at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE, formerly NCA) in Bengaluru, only to get infected after stubbing his toe against his bed, further delaying his return by two weeks. Also read | Bhangra on cricket field: Kids break internet with never-seen-before celebration – WATCH After all of this, Mayank got a green signal from the CoE, marking his return to the cash-rich league for the first time since his fourth IPL game last season. Come back after six months Mayank opened the innings for the second time in his T20 career, and what was shocking to learn was that his pace dipped. The lanky pacer clocked his highest speed of 156.7kph last season, but it dipped drastically this time, with his top speed against the Mumbai Indians being 142.7kph. What’s more worrying for the pace-loving enthusiasts was that he bowled around eight slower balls in his spell of four overs for 41 runs, including two wickets, more than ever. The LSG quick removed Rohit first, caught at the short third man on 12 before accounting for Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya, bowled on five. CASTLED!💥#MayankYadav's pace proves too good for the #MI captain as he walked back before the death overs! Watch the LIVE action in BHOJPURI! 🔊#IPLonJioStar 👉 #MIvLSG | LIVE NOW JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/L1xlQ4krFL — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 27, 2025 Although he leaked runs at the beginning, going for 13 in his second over, Mayank tied up half-centurion Suryakumar Yadav and Naman Dhir, who remained unbeaten at 25 off 11 balls, with his slower ones during the fag end of the innings, not conceding any boundary in his last over. Overall, LSG bowlers went for runs, conceding 215 in the first innings, with seamers Mayank and Avesh Khan returning with two wickets each.

IPL 2025: Mayank Yadav removes Rohit Sharma on return to cricket but loses pace after injury layoff

Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger apologised on Sunday after his red card for throwing an object at the Copa del Rey final referee. The centre-back was substituted in extra-time and the final stages of Barcelona's 3-2 Clasico victory, threw something at referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea in protest.<o:p></o:p>
Rudiger, who had to be held back from confronting the official by team-mates and staff, was shown a red card, with team-mates Lucas Vazquez and Jude Bellingham also dismissed at the end of the game.<o:p></o:p>
"There's definitely no excuse for my behaviour last night. I'm very sorry for that," said Rudiger in a post on Instagram. "Before the final whistle, I did a mistake. Sorry again to the referee and to everyone I have disappointed last night."<o:p></o:p>
<figure class="image"><img alt="Rudiger issues apology" src="https://img-cdn.publive.online/fit-in/1280x720/filters:format(webp)/wion/media/media_files/2025/04/27/JCE0qNWVESftySoG2kL2.jpg" style="width: 1280px;">
<figcaption>Rudiger issues apology Photograph: (Screengrab (Instagram))</figcaption>
</figure>
Rudiger could face a ban of between four and 12 matches for his actions, which could see him miss the upcoming La Liga Clasico on May 11.<o:p></o:p>
Vazquez and Bellingham's red cards are likely to lead to bans in next season's Copa del Rey for being less serious infringements of the rules.<o:p></o:p>
Before the final, the two main referees complained about attacks from Real Madrid's club television channel against officials this season.<o:p></o:p>
De Burgos Bengoetxea broke down in tears as he spoke about the impact on his family life of Real Madrid TV's criticism.<o:p></o:p>
Los Blancos responded furiously, pulling out of pre-match commitments on Friday and labelling the officials' comments "unacceptable".<o:p></o:p>
Barcelona have beaten Real Madrid in all three Clasicos this season, with Los Blancos' last chance of major silverware the league title, where they trail their rivals by four points.
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 the WION audience.

Rudiger could face a ban of between four and 12 matches for his actions, which could see him miss the upcoming La Liga Clasico on May 11. Sports, Football

Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger apologised on Sunday after his red card for throwing an object at the Copa del Rey final referee. The centre-back was substituted in extra-time and the final stages of Barcelona's 3-2 Clasico victory, threw something at referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea in protest. Rudiger, who had to be held back from confronting the official by team-mates and staff, was shown a red card, with team-mates Lucas Vazquez and Jude Bellingham also dismissed at the end of the game. "There's definitely no excuse for my behaviour last night. I'm very sorry for that," said Rudiger in a post on Instagram. "Before the final whistle, I did a mistake. Sorry again to the referee and to everyone I have disappointed last night." Rudiger issues apology Photograph: (Screengrab (Instagram)) Rudiger could face a ban of between four and 12 matches for his actions, which could see him miss the upcoming La Liga Clasico on May 11. Vazquez and Bellingham's red cards are likely to lead to bans in next season's Copa del Rey for being less serious infringements of the rules. Before the final, the two main referees complained about attacks from Real Madrid's club television channel against officials this season. De Burgos Bengoetxea broke down in tears as he spoke about the impact on his family life of Real Madrid TV's criticism. Los Blancos responded furiously, pulling out of pre-match commitments on Friday and labelling the officials' comments "unacceptable". Barcelona have beaten Real Madrid in all three Clasicos this season, with Los Blancos' last chance of major silverware the league title, where they trail their rivals by four points. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Real Madrid defender Rudiger issues public apology for throwing object at Copa final referee

Thank God for cricket, kids and bhangra.
Imagine putting all these things together - it's bliss, don&rsquo;t believe it? Watch it.
In a rare incident recorded on a cricket field, kids performed a Punjabi dance form called &lsquo;bhangra&rsquo; just before running a batter out. In a never-seen-before celebration, the bowling team affected a run-out, with the gloveman, the slip fielder, an outfielder and even the bowler were joyous over a mix-up between the batters in the middle, celebrating it by cutely performing bhangra.
The video of that whole episode went viral minutes after being posted on social media, gaining countless views.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, the incident occurred during an age-group cricket match in India, where the two teams of teenagers were up against each other.
As visible in the video posted online, a young batter named Sameer Singh Chauhan tried completing a second run, only for his partner at the other end, Vaibhav Sharma, to deny it, standing his ground; Sameer almost ran to the other end, with both batters standing clueless at the non-striker's end.
Though that was a usual mix-up that happens now and then on a cricket field worldwide, what caught everyone&rsquo;s attention was the bowling team&rsquo;s pre-wicket celebratory &lsquo;bhangra&rsquo; dance, winning the internet.
<h3>Watch Video &ndash;</h3>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m9zmkt7e-enlu03p2-i9sjw5o7">
Bowling team does 'Bhangra' before running out the batter. 🤣 <a href="https://t.co/5cXjCQp08T">pic.twitter.com/5cXjCQp08T</a>
&mdash; Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) <a href="https://twitter.com/mufaddal_vohra/status/1916347168882909685?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
<h2>Another teenager making headlines elsewhere</h2>
While these teenagers got their share of social media fame for the cutest never-seen-before celebration on a cricket field, there is a certain someone of almost a similar age group making headlines in world cricket, none other than the IPL franchise <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rajasthan-royals" rel="dofollow">Rajasthan Royals</a>' teen sensation, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/vaibhav-suryavanshi" rel="dofollow">14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi</a>.
Vaibhav&rsquo;s record-breaking IPL debut against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lucknow-super-giants" rel="dofollow">Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)</a> made everyone go bonkers.&nbsp;
Playing his first ball in the cash-rich league, the left-handed batter smashed India international seamer Shardul Thakur for a six straight at the deep covers, sending the cricket world into a frenzy.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m9zmlbrz-dwcl10jx-6ur5czc5">
𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆. 𝐀. 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 🫡 Welcome to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a>, Vaibhav Suryavanshi 🤝 Updates ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/02MS6ICvQl">https://t.co/02MS6ICvQl</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RRvLSG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RRvLSG</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/rajasthanroyals?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rajasthanroyals</a> <a href="https://t.co/MizhfSax4q">pic.twitter.com/MizhfSax4q</a>
&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1913626742176223437?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
However, his two outings thus far saw him hit 50 runs, and his team failed to win both matches, reeling at the bottom of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> points table.&nbsp;

The video of the kids performing bhangra just before affecting a run-out went viral minutes after being posted on social media, gaining countless views. Sports, Cricket

Thank God for cricket, kids and bhangra. Imagine putting all these things together - it's bliss, don’t believe it? Watch it. In a rare incident recorded on a cricket field, kids performed a Punjabi dance form called ‘bhangra’ just before running a batter out. In a never-seen-before celebration, the bowling team affected a run-out, with the gloveman, the slip fielder, an outfielder and even the bowler were joyous over a mix-up between the batters in the middle, celebrating it by cutely performing bhangra. The video of that whole episode went viral minutes after being posted on social media, gaining countless views. Meanwhile, the incident occurred during an age-group cricket match in India, where the two teams of teenagers were up against each other. As visible in the video posted online, a young batter named Sameer Singh Chauhan tried completing a second run, only for his partner at the other end, Vaibhav Sharma, to deny it, standing his ground; Sameer almost ran to the other end, with both batters standing clueless at the non-striker's end. Though that was a usual mix-up that happens now and then on a cricket field worldwide, what caught everyone’s attention was the bowling team’s pre-wicket celebratory ‘bhangra’ dance, winning the internet. Watch Video – Bowling team does 'Bhangra' before running out the batter. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/5cXjCQp08T — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 27, 2025 Another teenager making headlines elsewhere While these teenagers got their share of social media fame for the cutest never-seen-before celebration on a cricket field, there is a certain someone of almost a similar age group making headlines in world cricket, none other than the IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals' teen sensation, 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Vaibhav’s record-breaking IPL debut against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) made everyone go bonkers. Playing his first ball in the cash-rich league, the left-handed batter smashed India international seamer Shardul Thakur for a six straight at the deep covers, sending the cricket world into a frenzy. 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆. 𝐀. 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 🫡 Welcome to #TATAIPL, Vaibhav Suryavanshi 🤝 Updates ▶️ https://t.co/02MS6ICvQl#RRvLSG | @rajasthanroyals pic.twitter.com/MizhfSax4q — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 19, 2025 However, his two outings thus far saw him hit 50 runs, and his team failed to win both matches, reeling at the bottom of the IPL 2025 points table.

Bhangra on cricket field: Kids break internet with never-seen-before celebration – WATCH

Defending champions <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kolkata-knight-riders-kkr" rel="dofollow">Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/punjab-kings" rel="dofollow">Punjab Kings (PBKS)</a> shared a point each after rain forced this <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> first no result in Kolkata on Saturday. Chasing 202 for victory, Kolkata were seven for one when rain stopped play, and after about 90 minutes, officials called off the match at Eden Gardens.<o:p></o:p>
Punjab, still searching for their first title in the popular T20 tournament, climbed a place to fourth in the 10-team table with five wins, three losses and one no result.<o:p></o:p>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-theres-no-mercybut-he-will-be-used-to-it-ravi-shastris-bold-prediction-for-14-year-old-vaibhav-suryavanshi-9005640" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: &lsquo;There&rsquo;s no mercy&hellip;but he will be used to it,&rsquo; Ravi Shastri&rsquo;s bold prediction for 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi</a> 
Kolkata, who won their third title last season, stay at seventh with three wins, five defeats and one no result.<o:p></o:p>
Punjab reached 201-4 after Priyansh Arya, who hit 69, and Prabhsimran Singh, who top-scored with 83, laid the foundations for the total in an opening stand of 120.<o:p></o:p>
The left-right batting combination of Arya and Prabhsimran mixed the right dose of caution and aggression to keep the opposition bowling in the hunt for the first 11 overs. Arya changed gears and raised his fifty in 27 balls with a four, six and four off pace bowler Harshit Rana and kept up the attack until his departure in the 12th over.<o:p></o:p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m9yjgb8w-xqxd924r-dd1tf4s3">
Stylish and Audacious 😎 A brilliant 120-run opening partnership comes to an end 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PBKS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PBKS</a> 121/1 after 12 overs. Updates ▶ <a href="https://t.co/oVAArAaDRX">https://t.co/oVAArAaDRX</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvPBKS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvPBKS</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/PunjabKingsIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PunjabKingsIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/o6U9uzFrNJ">pic.twitter.com/o6U9uzFrNJ</a>
&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1916146102258094449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
West Indies pace bowler Andre Russell got the breakthrough when Arya mis-timed a pull to be caught deep mid-wicket.<o:p></o:p>
Prabhsimran remained unaffected by his partner's departure and smashed the bowlers for fours and sixes, but fell to pace bowler Vaibhav Arora after his second half-century of this season.<o:p></o:p>
Kolkata's bowlers attempted to check the surge with key wickets, including Glenn Maxwell bowled by spinner Varun Chakravarthy and Marco Jansen out to Arora.<o:p></o:p>
The run-flow also dipped after the 15th over, but skipper Shreyas Iyer smashed an unbeaten 16-ball 25 and, along with England's Josh Inglis, on 11, took the team past 200.<o:p></o:p>
Kolkata began their chase with a cautious first over before rain stopped play and consistent drizzle made officials call off the game.
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 the WION audience.

While PBKS moved to the fourth spot following sharing a point with KKR, the hosts remained in the seventh position with seven points in nine games. Sports, Cricket

Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) shared a point each after rain forced this IPL 2025 first no result in Kolkata on Saturday. Chasing 202 for victory, Kolkata were seven for one when rain stopped play, and after about 90 minutes, officials called off the match at Eden Gardens. Punjab, still searching for their first title in the popular T20 tournament, climbed a place to fourth in the 10-team table with five wins, three losses and one no result. Also read | IPL 2025: ‘There’s no mercy…but he will be used to it,’ Ravi Shastri’s bold prediction for 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi Kolkata, who won their third title last season, stay at seventh with three wins, five defeats and one no result. Punjab reached 201-4 after Priyansh Arya, who hit 69, and Prabhsimran Singh, who top-scored with 83, laid the foundations for the total in an opening stand of 120. The left-right batting combination of Arya and Prabhsimran mixed the right dose of caution and aggression to keep the opposition bowling in the hunt for the first 11 overs. Arya changed gears and raised his fifty in 27 balls with a four, six and four off pace bowler Harshit Rana and kept up the attack until his departure in the 12th over. Stylish and Audacious 😎 A brilliant 120-run opening partnership comes to an end 👏#PBKS 121/1 after 12 overs. Updates ▶ https://t.co/oVAArAaDRX #TATAIPL | #KKRvPBKS | @PunjabKingsIPL pic.twitter.com/o6U9uzFrNJ — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 26, 2025 West Indies pace bowler Andre Russell got the breakthrough when Arya mis-timed a pull to be caught deep mid-wicket. Prabhsimran remained unaffected by his partner's departure and smashed the bowlers for fours and sixes, but fell to pace bowler Vaibhav Arora after his second half-century of this season. Kolkata's bowlers attempted to check the surge with key wickets, including Glenn Maxwell bowled by spinner Varun Chakravarthy and Marco Jansen out to Arora. The run-flow also dipped after the 15th over, but skipper Shreyas Iyer smashed an unbeaten 16-ball 25 and, along with England's Josh Inglis, on 11, took the team past 200. Kolkata began their chase with a cautious first over before rain stopped play and consistent drizzle made officials call off the game. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

IPL 2025: No revenge for KKR against PBKS as rain plays spoilsport at Eden Gardens

The 2nd Asian Yogasana Sport Championship officially kicked off on Friday at the K.D. Jadhav Indoor Wrestling Hall, Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi, amidst much enthusiasm and fervour. Organised by Yogasana Bharat in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the championship brings together top athletes from over 20 Asian nations to celebrate the spirit of Yogasana as a competitive sport.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Asian Yogasana Sport Championship officially kicks off</h2>
The inaugural ceremony was graced by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta as the Chief Guest and Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat as the Guest of Honour.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta lauded the efforts of Yogasana Bharat and Indraprastha Yogasana in hosting the championship. "Witnessing the energy of the 2nd Asian Yogasana Sport Championship fills me with joy, and I congratulate Yogasana Bharat for this path-breaking championship and recognise the efforts of Indraprastha Yogasana.
"I extend my heartfelt greetings to all the athletes from over 20 countries, the more than 200 players gathered here. This championship is not just an event; it marks a new beginning for India, Asia, and the world in celebrating Yoga as a global sport," Gupta said, according to a press release issued by SAI.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ms-dhoni-is-carrying-team-on-his-shoulders-what-are-other-10-players-doing-suresh-raina-rant-on-csks-slump-in-ipl-2025-9004907" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">ALSO READ | &lsquo;Dhoni is carrying team on his shoulders, what are other 10 players doing,&rsquo; Raina&rsquo;s rant on CSK&rsquo;s slump in IPL 2025</a>
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, while addressing the audience, said, "At a time when India's pride is moving forward on the global stage, witnessing international competitions like this championship has been an inspiring experience. The knowledge, science and rich cultural heritage of India are once again redefining our global identity.
"We support yogasana as a sport to grow and hold more international championships in India. I am confident that India's success in the upcoming championships will continue to reflect our deep-rooted culture and traditions. Whether national or international, every event will carry forward the spirit of India."
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.

Sports: The 2nd Asian Yogasana Sport Championship officially kicked off on Friday at the K.D. Jadhav Indoor Wrestling Hall, Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi.

The 2nd Asian Yogasana Sport Championship officially kicked off on Friday at the K.D. Jadhav Indoor Wrestling Hall, Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi, amidst much enthusiasm and fervour. Organised by Yogasana Bharat in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the championship brings together top athletes from over 20 Asian nations to celebrate the spirit of Yogasana as a competitive sport. Asian Yogasana Sport Championship officially kicks off The inaugural ceremony was graced by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta as the Chief Guest and Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat as the Guest of Honour. Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta lauded the efforts of Yogasana Bharat and Indraprastha Yogasana in hosting the championship. "Witnessing the energy of the 2nd Asian Yogasana Sport Championship fills me with joy, and I congratulate Yogasana Bharat for this path-breaking championship and recognise the efforts of Indraprastha Yogasana. "I extend my heartfelt greetings to all the athletes from over 20 countries, the more than 200 players gathered here. This championship is not just an event; it marks a new beginning for India, Asia, and the world in celebrating Yoga as a global sport," Gupta said, according to a press release issued by SAI. ALSO READ | ‘Dhoni is carrying team on his shoulders, what are other 10 players doing,’ Raina’s rant on CSK’s slump in IPL 2025 Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, while addressing the audience, said, "At a time when India's pride is moving forward on the global stage, witnessing international competitions like this championship has been an inspiring experience. The knowledge, science and rich cultural heritage of India are once again redefining our global identity. "We support yogasana as a sport to grow and hold more international championships in India. I am confident that India's success in the upcoming championships will continue to reflect our deep-rooted culture and traditions. Whether national or international, every event will carry forward the spirit of India." 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.

Asian Yogasana Sport Championship: Second edition officially kicks off as 20 nations take part

Ipswich were relegated from the Premier League after slumping to a 3-0 defeat against Newcastle, while Chelsea kept alive their hopes of a top-five finish with a 1-0 win over Everton on Saturday.<o:p></o:p>
Emblematic of the self-inflicted wounds that hampered Ipswich this season, Kieran McKenna's side had Ben Johnson sent off in the 37th minute for two bookings in quick succession at St James' Park.<o:p></o:p>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/celtic-win-fourth-successive-scottish-premiership-title-after-5-0-demolition-of-dundee-united-9005606" rel="dofollow">Celtic win fourth successive Scottish Premiership title after 5-0 demolition of Dundee United</a> 
Newcastle's Alexander Isak converted a penalty after Jacob Murphy was fouled by Julio Enciso in first-half stoppage time.<o:p></o:p>
Dan Burn's 56th-minute header doubled Newcastle's lead, and William Osula's 80th-minute goal left Ipswich with no chance of beating the drop.<o:p></o:p>
Third-bottom Ipswich are 15 points behind fourth-bottom West Ham with four games left, ensuring their first season in the top-flight for 22 years will end with an immediate return to the Championship.<o:p></o:p>
Out of their depth among the Premier League elite, Ipswich have won just four of their 34 league games.<o:p></o:p>
Their relegation alongside Southampton and Leicester, who were both already condemned to the drop, means all three promoted sides will be back in the second tier next season.<o:p></o:p>
Ipswich's fairytale rise to the Premier League had captured the hearts of football romantics after their successive promotions from League One and the Championship.<o:p></o:p>
McKenna, 38, had earned plaudits for Ipswich's attacking style during their surge up the divisions after his appointment in 2021.<o:p></o:p>
But the former Manchester United assistant coach was unable to preserve Ipswich's top-flight status.<o:p></o:p>
Newcastle climb to third place as the League Cup winners eye Champions League qualification.<o:p></o:p>
Enzo Maresca saluted Chelsea's "nasty" performance after a gritty success that kept them in the hunt for a Champions League berth.<o:p></o:p>
Nicolas Jackson struck for the first time since December to seal a vital victory at Stamford Bridge.<o:p></o:p>
The Senegal striker's first-half blast from 20 yards moved Chelsea into fifth place with four games left.<o:p></o:p>
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 the WION audience.

Ipswich are 15 points behind West Ham with four games left, ensuring their first season in the top-flight will end with an immediate return to the Championship. Sports, Football

Ipswich were relegated from the Premier League after slumping to a 3-0 defeat against Newcastle, while Chelsea kept alive their hopes of a top-five finish with a 1-0 win over Everton on Saturday. Emblematic of the self-inflicted wounds that hampered Ipswich this season, Kieran McKenna's side had Ben Johnson sent off in the 37th minute for two bookings in quick succession at St James' Park. Also read | Celtic win fourth successive Scottish Premiership title after 5-0 demolition of Dundee United Newcastle's Alexander Isak converted a penalty after Jacob Murphy was fouled by Julio Enciso in first-half stoppage time. Dan Burn's 56th-minute header doubled Newcastle's lead, and William Osula's 80th-minute goal left Ipswich with no chance of beating the drop. Third-bottom Ipswich are 15 points behind fourth-bottom West Ham with four games left, ensuring their first season in the top-flight for 22 years will end with an immediate return to the Championship. Out of their depth among the Premier League elite, Ipswich have won just four of their 34 league games. Their relegation alongside Southampton and Leicester, who were both already condemned to the drop, means all three promoted sides will be back in the second tier next season. Ipswich's fairytale rise to the Premier League had captured the hearts of football romantics after their successive promotions from League One and the Championship. McKenna, 38, had earned plaudits for Ipswich's attacking style during their surge up the divisions after his appointment in 2021. But the former Manchester United assistant coach was unable to preserve Ipswich's top-flight status. Newcastle climb to third place as the League Cup winners eye Champions League qualification. Enzo Maresca saluted Chelsea's "nasty" performance after a gritty success that kept them in the hunt for a Champions League berth. Nicolas Jackson struck for the first time since December to seal a vital victory at Stamford Bridge. The Senegal striker's first-half blast from 20 yards moved Chelsea into fifth place with four games left. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Ipswich relegated after one season in Premier League, Chelsea keep top-five hope alive with Everton win

Former India coach <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ravi-shastri" rel="dofollow">Ravi Shastri</a> is blown away by the young local talent emerging in the ongoing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a>, including Punjab Kings openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, CSK&rsquo;s Mumbai opener Ayush Mhatre and this tournament&rsquo;s teen sensation, 14-year-old Rajasthan Royals opener <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/vaibhav-suryavanshi" rel="dofollow">Vaibhav Suryavanshi</a>.&nbsp;
Given how the emerging kids on the block have taken this tournament by storm, especially Arya, who slammed his maiden IPL hundred against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) earlier, Shastri feels these youngsters are destined for greatness.
"The two Punjab openers (Arya and Singh) as well, they give it a smack," Shastri said while speaking on The ICC Review. "It's as if these youngsters, 14 years, 17 years of age, come in and see it, hit it in the first six overs."
While Arya&rsquo;s top-order exploits have already made headlines this season, CSK&rsquo;s rookie opener, Ayush Mhatre, who came in as Ruturaj Gaikwad&rsquo;s replacement, impressed one and all on his IPL debut against Mumbai Indians, hitting sixes and fours for fun.&nbsp;
"The shots Ayush Mhatre played against the Mumbai Indians were unbelievable," Shastri continued. "For a 17-year-old to come out and express himself that way, he caught everyone's eye. If he's handled properly and surrounded by the right people, he can go a long way."
<h2>Vaibhav&rsquo;s whirlwind IPL debut</h2>
After breaking the record for becoming the youngest cricketer to feature in an IPL game, aged 14, Rajasthan Royals opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi sent the cricket world into a frenzy after hitting his first ball in IPL for a massive clean six. Playing against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Jaipur, Vaibhav, a left-handed opener, smashed LSG&rsquo;s Shardul Thakur for a first-ball six, breaking the internet.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m9yeqnz6-8loj3snn-raepqs6q">
𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆. 𝐀. 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 🫡 Welcome to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a>, Vaibhav Suryavanshi 🤝 Updates ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/02MS6ICvQl">https://t.co/02MS6ICvQl</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RRvLSG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RRvLSG</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/rajasthanroyals?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rajasthanroyals</a> <a href="https://t.co/MizhfSax4q">pic.twitter.com/MizhfSax4q</a>
&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1913626742176223437?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
However, Shastri joined former India opener Virender Sehwag to warn the kid to stay humble and accept life as it comes. While <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2025-maybe-we-wont-see-him-virender-sehwag-on-rr-teen-vaibhav-suryavanshi-after-wonder-debut-9001361" rel="dofollow">Sehwag was blunt in his warning</a>, saying that should Vaibhav think of himself as a crorepati now for what he did on his IPL debut and get complacent about it, we might not see him again the next year, Shastri chose subtle words, adding he would endure failures, and all that matters would be how he handles them.
"The first shot he played would have taken everyone's breath away," Shastri said.
"But he's young. There will be failures. It&rsquo;s about how he handles them."
"People will come up with new things. Lots of short stuff will be thrown at him. When you tonk someone's first ball for six, there&rsquo;s no mercy. He'll have to get used to that,&rdquo; he continued.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Playing against LSG in Jaipur, Vaibhav, a left-handed RR opener, smashed LSG’s Shardul Thakur for a first-ball six, breaking the internet. Sports, Cricket

Former India coach Ravi Shastri is blown away by the young local talent emerging in the ongoing IPL 2025, including Punjab Kings openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, CSK’s Mumbai opener Ayush Mhatre and this tournament’s teen sensation, 14-year-old Rajasthan Royals opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Given how the emerging kids on the block have taken this tournament by storm, especially Arya, who slammed his maiden IPL hundred against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) earlier, Shastri feels these youngsters are destined for greatness. "The two Punjab openers (Arya and Singh) as well, they give it a smack," Shastri said while speaking on The ICC Review. "It's as if these youngsters, 14 years, 17 years of age, come in and see it, hit it in the first six overs." While Arya’s top-order exploits have already made headlines this season, CSK’s rookie opener, Ayush Mhatre, who came in as Ruturaj Gaikwad’s replacement, impressed one and all on his IPL debut against Mumbai Indians, hitting sixes and fours for fun. "The shots Ayush Mhatre played against the Mumbai Indians were unbelievable," Shastri continued. "For a 17-year-old to come out and express himself that way, he caught everyone's eye. If he's handled properly and surrounded by the right people, he can go a long way." Vaibhav’s whirlwind IPL debut After breaking the record for becoming the youngest cricketer to feature in an IPL game, aged 14, Rajasthan Royals opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi sent the cricket world into a frenzy after hitting his first ball in IPL for a massive clean six. Playing against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Jaipur, Vaibhav, a left-handed opener, smashed LSG’s Shardul Thakur for a first-ball six, breaking the internet. 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆. 𝐀. 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 🫡 Welcome to #TATAIPL, Vaibhav Suryavanshi 🤝 Updates ▶️ https://t.co/02MS6ICvQl#RRvLSG | @rajasthanroyals pic.twitter.com/MizhfSax4q — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 19, 2025 However, Shastri joined former India opener Virender Sehwag to warn the kid to stay humble and accept life as it comes. While Sehwag was blunt in his warning, saying that should Vaibhav think of himself as a crorepati now for what he did on his IPL debut and get complacent about it, we might not see him again the next year, Shastri chose subtle words, adding he would endure failures, and all that matters would be how he handles them. "The first shot he played would have taken everyone's breath away," Shastri said. "But he's young. There will be failures. It’s about how he handles them." "People will come up with new things. Lots of short stuff will be thrown at him. When you tonk someone's first ball for six, there’s no mercy. He'll have to get used to that,” he continued. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: ‘There’s no mercy…but he will be used to it,’ Ravi Shastri’s bold prediction for 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/chennai-super-kings-csk" rel="dofollow">Chennai Super Kings (CSK)</a> are down in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a>, but not all out. The former five-time champions have endured a horrible run this season, winning just two of the nine contested matches played thus far, reeling at the bottom of the points table with just four points. However, despite that, they are still alive in the playoff race.
<h2>CSK playoff qualification scenario explained</h2>
On Friday (Apr 25), CSK lost their seventh IPL 2025 game, this time against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sunrisers-hyderabad" rel="dofollow">SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH)</a> at home by five wickets. Considering that the CSK-SRH game was a do-or-die for both teams, CSK losing it makes it tighter for them to make it through to the last four, but mathematically, it&rsquo;s still possible.
CSK has five matches remaining this season, and for them to give themselves any chance of doing the unthinkable, they should at least win all those matches with massive margins. That itself will not do it for them, as despite winning the remaining games, CSK can attain the maximum of 14 points, and this is where the problem lies.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ms-dhoni-is-carrying-team-on-his-shoulders-what-are-other-10-players-doing-suresh-raina-rant-on-csks-slump-in-ipl-2025-9004907" rel="dofollow">&lsquo;Dhoni is carrying team on his shoulders, what are other 10 players doing,&rsquo; Raina&rsquo;s rant on CSK&rsquo;s slump in IPL 2025</a>
For them to punch their playoff ticket, not more than three teams should finish more than 14 points, with the possibility of that remaining minute - know-how.
As things stand, three teams &ndash; Gujarat Titans, Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru- have secured 12 points each thus far, with every team having at least five games remaining. What mounts pressure on CSK&rsquo;s qualification scenario is that the next three teams &ndash; Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants are reeling at ten points each, with at least five games pending.&nbsp;
Should any of the top six teams win at least three of their remaining games, they will qualify, with CSK getting knocked out of the tournament. However, all this will go down the drain if CSK lose even just one of their five pending matches.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, CSK&rsquo;s next tie is against the Punjab Kings at Chepauk next Wednesday (Apr 30).&nbsp;
Dhoni&rsquo;s team will travel to Bengaluru and Kolkata, respectively, for their next two away matches before hosting the Rajasthan Royals in their final home game this season.
CSK&rsquo;s last IPL 2025 match will be an away tie against tournament favourite Gujarat Titans on Sunday (May 18). &nbsp;

Considering that the CSK-SRH game was a do-or-die for both teams, CSK losing it makes it tighter for them to make it through to the last four. Sports, Cricket

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are down in IPL 2025, but not all out. The former five-time champions have endured a horrible run this season, winning just two of the nine contested matches played thus far, reeling at the bottom of the points table with just four points. However, despite that, they are still alive in the playoff race. CSK playoff qualification scenario explained On Friday (Apr 25), CSK lost their seventh IPL 2025 game, this time against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at home by five wickets. Considering that the CSK-SRH game was a do-or-die for both teams, CSK losing it makes it tighter for them to make it through to the last four, but mathematically, it’s still possible. CSK has five matches remaining this season, and for them to give themselves any chance of doing the unthinkable, they should at least win all those matches with massive margins. That itself will not do it for them, as despite winning the remaining games, CSK can attain the maximum of 14 points, and this is where the problem lies. Also read | ‘Dhoni is carrying team on his shoulders, what are other 10 players doing,’ Raina’s rant on CSK’s slump in IPL 2025 For them to punch their playoff ticket, not more than three teams should finish more than 14 points, with the possibility of that remaining minute - know-how. As things stand, three teams – Gujarat Titans, Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru- have secured 12 points each thus far, with every team having at least five games remaining. What mounts pressure on CSK’s qualification scenario is that the next three teams – Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants are reeling at ten points each, with at least five games pending. Should any of the top six teams win at least three of their remaining games, they will qualify, with CSK getting knocked out of the tournament. However, all this will go down the drain if CSK lose even just one of their five pending matches. Meanwhile, CSK’s next tie is against the Punjab Kings at Chepauk next Wednesday (Apr 30). Dhoni’s team will travel to Bengaluru and Kolkata, respectively, for their next two away matches before hosting the Rajasthan Royals in their final home game this season. CSK’s last IPL 2025 match will be an away tie against tournament favourite Gujarat Titans on Sunday (May 18).

Explained | CSK playoff qualification scenario: It’s not all over for MS Dhoni’s men in IPL 2025

India has quickly become the hub of international yoga athletes as the second Asian Yogasana Sport Championship organised by Yogasana Bharat in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and Sports Authority of India (SAI), kick started in New Delhi on Friday (April 25). The event, highlighting India&rsquo;s legacy on the global stage has seen several athletes rise to prominence as the nation continues to endorse Yogasana as an Olympic sport. <o:p></o:p>
While Yogasana refers to subtle processes of manipulating energy in a certain direction and needing to be done with a certain level of awareness, India has pioneered it for centuries. Often playing a key role in the promotion of Yogasana as a sport, today it has reached different corners of the world with tremendous heights. WION exclusively caught up with Umesh Narang, Treasurer Asian Yogasana and Jury as he opened up on technical aspects of the sport at the international level. <o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; tab-stops: 125.55pt;">How do technical aspects and marking systems in Yogasana as a sport work?<o:p></o:p></h2>
&ldquo;We have a specific code of points for all the events of Yogasana. We have specified the Yogasana according to different positions. We have compulsory asanas and optional asanas. Optional asanas are 250 and compulsory asanas are five. So the player has to choose two asanas for traditional events and other events five asanas,&rdquo; Narang said while in conversation with WION&rsquo;s Aditya Pimpale.<o:p></o:p>
Further, he also opened up on how technology is playing a pivotal role in Yogasana when it comes to technical aspects. <o:p></o:p>
"We have a dedicated software for marking and in the code of points we have the judging points, then micro marking systems. So every player has to perform the asana as per the specifications provided in the code of points. So we give marks for any deviation from the asana postures, its mounting asana, or dismounting of asana.<o:p></o:p>
"Then we have some penalties for the wrong performance of asana. Then we have a sequence of asanas. So they have to perform in sequence. So we have penalties. So this marking is done in this way."<o:p></o:p>
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ms-dhoni-is-carrying-team-on-his-shoulders-what-are-other-10-players-doing-suresh-raina-rant-on-csks-slump-in-ipl-2025-9004907" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">&lsquo;Dhoni is carrying team on his shoulders, what are other 10 players doing,&rsquo; Raina&rsquo;s rant on CSK&rsquo;s slump in IPL 2025</a>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; tab-stops: 125.55pt;">How does the international marking system work?<o:p></o:p></h2>
We have only one marking system as per the code of points specified by the World Yogasana, our parent body for all the world events. That is being followed in Asia and that is being followed in nationals of India also. So that is clear that we have a very traditional system as well. <o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; tab-stops: 125.55pt;">Will the same marking system be used in the Olympics, if Yogasana becomes a global sport?<o:p></o:p></h2>
We started this marking system five years ago when the first time code of points was made. We have made a lot of improvements in that in the last five years and the present system we have evolved is for the Olympics, for the Asian Games, the coming Asian Games and step two Olympics. This code of points and the marking system has been duly approved by the sports authority of India and for the present we have made it to go for the Olympics also. So let's hope for the best.<o:p></o:p>

Sports: WION exclusively caught up with Umesh Narang, Treasurer Asian Yogasana and Jury as he opened up on technical aspects of the sport at the international level.

India has quickly become the hub of international yoga athletes as the second Asian Yogasana Sport Championship organised by Yogasana Bharat in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and Sports Authority of India (SAI), kick started in New Delhi on Friday (April 25). The event, highlighting India’s legacy on the global stage has seen several athletes rise to prominence as the nation continues to endorse Yogasana as an Olympic sport. While Yogasana refers to subtle processes of manipulating energy in a certain direction and needing to be done with a certain level of awareness, India has pioneered it for centuries. Often playing a key role in the promotion of Yogasana as a sport, today it has reached different corners of the world with tremendous heights. WION exclusively caught up with Umesh Narang, Treasurer Asian Yogasana and Jury as he opened up on technical aspects of the sport at the international level. How do technical aspects and marking systems in Yogasana as a sport work? “We have a specific code of points for all the events of Yogasana. We have specified the Yogasana according to different positions. We have compulsory asanas and optional asanas. Optional asanas are 250 and compulsory asanas are five. So the player has to choose two asanas for traditional events and other events five asanas,” Narang said while in conversation with WION’s Aditya Pimpale. Further, he also opened up on how technology is playing a pivotal role in Yogasana when it comes to technical aspects. "We have a dedicated software for marking and in the code of points we have the judging points, then micro marking systems. So every player has to perform the asana as per the specifications provided in the code of points. So we give marks for any deviation from the asana postures, its mounting asana, or dismounting of asana. "Then we have some penalties for the wrong performance of asana. Then we have a sequence of asanas. So they have to perform in sequence. So we have penalties. So this marking is done in this way." ALSO READ | ‘Dhoni is carrying team on his shoulders, what are other 10 players doing,’ Raina’s rant on CSK’s slump in IPL 2025 How does the international marking system work? We have only one marking system as per the code of points specified by the World Yogasana, our parent body for all the world events. That is being followed in Asia and that is being followed in nationals of India also. So that is clear that we have a very traditional system as well. Will the same marking system be used in the Olympics, if Yogasana becomes a global sport? We started this marking system five years ago when the first time code of points was made. We have made a lot of improvements in that in the last five years and the present system we have evolved is for the Olympics, for the Asian Games, the coming Asian Games and step two Olympics. This code of points and the marking system has been duly approved by the sports authority of India and for the present we have made it to go for the Olympics also. So let's hope for the best.

Exclusive: How India is helping pioneer Yogasana, know more about its marking system

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/chennai-super-kings-csk" rel="dofollow">Chennai Super Kings (CSK)</a> are almost done for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a>.
After&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2025-csk-on-the-cusp-of-playoffs-elimination-after-a-home-loss-to-srh-harshal-patel-pat-cummins-9002636" rel="dofollow">losing their seventh match this season against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH)</a> on Friday (Apr 25), CSK are on the cusp of playoff elimination, and their former batting star, Suresh Raina, is all but miffed about the situation. They sit at the bottom of the points table with just two wins from nine contested matches, staring at an early exit from the tournament.
In the absence of regular captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who got ruled out of the tournament with an elbow fracture, veteran <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/dhoni" rel="dofollow">MS Dhoni</a> filled in his shoes, captaining the side for the remainder of the season.&nbsp;
Speaking on CSK&rsquo;s batting woes in IPL 2025, Raina took a jibe at all players except MS Dhoni, saying if &lsquo;Thala&rsquo; has been carrying the team on his shoulders, what are the remaining ten players doing?
Meanwhile, of the 27 players picked for this season, CSK has already used 20 of them, failing to make a winning combination out of any. Raina pinpointed where CSK lost the tournament &ndash; at the auction. Detailing what happens behind the scenes and who takes the final call, Raina broke this notion around Dhoni calling out all the shots.
&ldquo;They always say MS Dhoni makes the final call. But to be very honest, I never attended any of the auctions. I was never a part of those discussions. I always talked about the players who were retained. MS might get a call about whether to go ahead with a player or not - but he's not that involved,&rdquo; Raina&rsquo;s shocking revelation in a chat with Star Sports after CSK&rsquo;s five-wicket loss at the hands of SRH.
&ldquo;The core group handles the auction - you can imagine, Dhoni can&rsquo;t have this type of auction. He would maybe name four or five players he wants, and out of them, a few would be retained. Even if an uncapped player is working hard, look at MS Dhoni&mdash;being a 43-year-old captain, still giving everything,&rdquo; he continued.
<h2>What are others doing?</h2>
Although Dhoni&rsquo;s performance with the bat has been below-par this season, having hit just 140 runs from nine innings, averaging 28, Raina backs the current CSK captain amid retirement talks, saying he&rsquo;s doing everything he can for the team at 43, but expressed shock over the others failing to offer any assistance.&nbsp;
&ldquo;He's playing just for the brand, for his name, for the fandom - and still putting in the effort. At 43, he's doing wicketkeeping, captaining, carrying the entire team on his shoulders. But what are the other ten players doing?
&ldquo;Those who are paid ₹18 crores, ₹17 crores, ₹12 crores - they're not responding to the captain. Especially when you've never lost to certain teams before - that needs to be rectified. You have to identify - is this player a match-winner? Can I trust this player in the next match? There are players who've been playing there for years - even the older ones. But what are the results? You're losing. The same mistakes are happening every time,&rdquo; Raina said.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

In the absence of injured captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, veteran MS Dhoni filled in his shoes, captaining the side for the remainder of the season. Sports, Cricket

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are almost done for IPL 2025. After losing their seventh match this season against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Friday (Apr 25), CSK are on the cusp of playoff elimination, and their former batting star, Suresh Raina, is all but miffed about the situation. They sit at the bottom of the points table with just two wins from nine contested matches, staring at an early exit from the tournament. In the absence of regular captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who got ruled out of the tournament with an elbow fracture, veteran MS Dhoni filled in his shoes, captaining the side for the remainder of the season. Speaking on CSK’s batting woes in IPL 2025, Raina took a jibe at all players except MS Dhoni, saying if ‘Thala’ has been carrying the team on his shoulders, what are the remaining ten players doing? Meanwhile, of the 27 players picked for this season, CSK has already used 20 of them, failing to make a winning combination out of any. Raina pinpointed where CSK lost the tournament – at the auction. Detailing what happens behind the scenes and who takes the final call, Raina broke this notion around Dhoni calling out all the shots. “They always say MS Dhoni makes the final call. But to be very honest, I never attended any of the auctions. I was never a part of those discussions. I always talked about the players who were retained. MS might get a call about whether to go ahead with a player or not - but he's not that involved,” Raina’s shocking revelation in a chat with Star Sports after CSK’s five-wicket loss at the hands of SRH. “The core group handles the auction - you can imagine, Dhoni can’t have this type of auction. He would maybe name four or five players he wants, and out of them, a few would be retained. Even if an uncapped player is working hard, look at MS Dhoni—being a 43-year-old captain, still giving everything,” he continued. What are others doing? Although Dhoni’s performance with the bat has been below-par this season, having hit just 140 runs from nine innings, averaging 28, Raina backs the current CSK captain amid retirement talks, saying he’s doing everything he can for the team at 43, but expressed shock over the others failing to offer any assistance. “He's playing just for the brand, for his name, for the fandom - and still putting in the effort. At 43, he's doing wicketkeeping, captaining, carrying the entire team on his shoulders. But what are the other ten players doing? “Those who are paid ₹18 crores, ₹17 crores, ₹12 crores - they're not responding to the captain. Especially when you've never lost to certain teams before - that needs to be rectified. You have to identify - is this player a match-winner? Can I trust this player in the next match? There are players who've been playing there for years - even the older ones. But what are the results? You're losing. The same mistakes are happening every time,” Raina said. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Dhoni is carrying team on his shoulders, what are other 10 players doing,’ Raina’s rant on CSK’s slump in IPL 2025

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/punjab-kings" rel="dofollow">Punjab Kings</a> captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shreyas-iyer" rel="dofollow">Shreyas Iyer</a> will hog all the limelight ahead of his team&rsquo;s away <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> game against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kolkata-knight-riders-kkr" rel="dofollow">Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)</a> on Saturday (Apr 26). After winning perhaps the most exciting match of the season against the defending champions at their den earlier, PBKS will aim to complete a double this time; however, more so for their captain, who has more than a point to prove on his return to the Eden Gardens, per cricketer-turned-broadcaster Sunil Gavaskar.
Iyer was KKR's captain last season, helping them win their third IPL trophy, the third-most by any team in the tournament's history. Although the media and the fans hyped the then-team mentor, Gautam Gambhir, for the team&rsquo;s success with the BCCI rewarded him by replacing him with Rahul Dravid as Team India&rsquo;s all-format coach, Iyer&rsquo;s contribution failed to get the deserved acknowledgement.&nbsp;
It remained one of the reasons for a fallout between the KKR management and Iyer ahead of the mega IPL auction late last year, as the title holders decided against retaining him in the first place and later did not even bid for him. But as they say, one man&rsquo;s loss is another man&rsquo;s gain - someone took advantage of the situation and picked Iyer, with that team being none other than the Punjab Kings.
With the PBKS appointing Iyer&rsquo;s former Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting as the new franchise boss, he engineered Iyer&rsquo;s bid, successfully bagging his services for a whopping $3.13m (INR 26.75 crore) &ndash; making him the most expensive buy ever, only for Lucknow Super Giants to break the bank for Rishabh Pant later.
<h2>Iyer's run as PBKS captain</h2>
Meanwhile, Iyer made early inroads as PBKS' new captain, winning matches and putting his team ahead of others in the playoff race. As things stand, they are fifth on the points table with ten points from eight contested matches, needing another six at least to confirm their last-four berth. With six games remaining, with the next against KKR, PBKS will have plenty at hand to do.
"He will be fired up. And if he had been, you know, I've been out of form, if they had not done well, then one could understand. But the captain of a winning team not being retained will hurt. No question about it, that will hurt," Gavaskar said in a chat with the broadcasters, as quoted by India Today.
Continuing on this, Gavaskar argued that even though the massive IPL auction price might have softened the blow that Iyer took, it remains a consolation for a player of his calibre.&nbsp;
"Now he's got, he went for much, much more to PBKS, which is fine. That would have given him a little bit of consolation, but nobody wants to be left out, and that is the thing. So clearly, I think he will have a point to prove. Or maybe half a dozen points to prove," Gavaskar added.
Meanwhile, with six points from eight contested matches, KKR sits at the seventh spot on the points table.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Iyer was Kolkata Knight Riders' captain last season, helping them win their third IPL trophy, the third-most by any team in the tournament's history. Sports, Cricket

Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer will hog all the limelight ahead of his team’s away IPL 2025 game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Saturday (Apr 26). After winning perhaps the most exciting match of the season against the defending champions at their den earlier, PBKS will aim to complete a double this time; however, more so for their captain, who has more than a point to prove on his return to the Eden Gardens, per cricketer-turned-broadcaster Sunil Gavaskar. Iyer was KKR's captain last season, helping them win their third IPL trophy, the third-most by any team in the tournament's history. Although the media and the fans hyped the then-team mentor, Gautam Gambhir, for the team’s success with the BCCI rewarded him by replacing him with Rahul Dravid as Team India’s all-format coach, Iyer’s contribution failed to get the deserved acknowledgement. It remained one of the reasons for a fallout between the KKR management and Iyer ahead of the mega IPL auction late last year, as the title holders decided against retaining him in the first place and later did not even bid for him. But as they say, one man’s loss is another man’s gain - someone took advantage of the situation and picked Iyer, with that team being none other than the Punjab Kings. With the PBKS appointing Iyer’s former Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting as the new franchise boss, he engineered Iyer’s bid, successfully bagging his services for a whopping $3.13m (INR 26.75 crore) – making him the most expensive buy ever, only for Lucknow Super Giants to break the bank for Rishabh Pant later. Iyer's run as PBKS captain Meanwhile, Iyer made early inroads as PBKS' new captain, winning matches and putting his team ahead of others in the playoff race. As things stand, they are fifth on the points table with ten points from eight contested matches, needing another six at least to confirm their last-four berth. With six games remaining, with the next against KKR, PBKS will have plenty at hand to do. "He will be fired up. And if he had been, you know, I've been out of form, if they had not done well, then one could understand. But the captain of a winning team not being retained will hurt. No question about it, that will hurt," Gavaskar said in a chat with the broadcasters, as quoted by India Today. Continuing on this, Gavaskar argued that even though the massive IPL auction price might have softened the blow that Iyer took, it remains a consolation for a player of his calibre. "Now he's got, he went for much, much more to PBKS, which is fine. That would have given him a little bit of consolation, but nobody wants to be left out, and that is the thing. So clearly, I think he will have a point to prove. Or maybe half a dozen points to prove," Gavaskar added. Meanwhile, with six points from eight contested matches, KKR sits at the seventh spot on the points table. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: ‘He will be fired up,’ Gavaskar on Shreyas Iyer’s return to Eden Gardens against KKR

Paris Saint-Germain saw their unbeaten record in Ligue 1 this season finally ended in a 3-1 home defeat against Nice on Friday, just ahead of their Champions League semi-final showdown against Arsenal.<o:p></o:p>
PSG had been hoping to become the first team ever to complete a French top-flight season without losing a game, but Morgan Sanson scored twice for Nice as the visitors claimed all three points against the run of play.<o:p></o:p>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/real-madrid-boycott-copa-del-rey-final-build-up-amid-unacceptable-referee-statements-barcelona-el-classico-9004376" rel="dofollow">Real Madrid boycott Copa del Rey final build-up amid 'unacceptable' referee statements</a>
Fabian Ruiz had brought PSG level late in the first half, cancelling out Sanson's opener. However, Sanson scored again just 22 seconds into the second half, and Youssouf Ndayishimiye later headed in to make it 3-1.<o:p></o:p>
"For me, the result is not fair, but that's football, you have to accept it," said PSG coach Luis Enrique, who saw his side dominate the game with 76 per cent possession and over 30 shots on goal.<o:p></o:p>
PSG had been unbeaten in 30 Ligue 1 matches this season, and had not lost any of their last 41 games against French opposition since a 3-1 home loss against Toulouse on May 12 last year.<o:p></o:p>
The result means PSG, who had already secured a fourth consecutive Ligue 1 title at the start of this month, fall short of equalling the record for the longest unbeaten run from the beginning of a French season.<o:p></o:p>
That record is still held by Nantes, who went undefeated for 32 matches before suffering their sole defeat on the way to winning the title in 1994/95.<o:p></o:p>
PSG must now quickly put this defeat behind them as they head to London for the first leg of their Champions League last-four tie against Arsenal on Tuesday, before the return at the Parc des Princes on May 7.<o:p></o:p>
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 the WION audience.

PSG hoped to become the first team ever to complete a French top-flight season without losing a game, but Sanson's brace for Nice broke their dream. Sports, Football

Paris Saint-Germain saw their unbeaten record in Ligue 1 this season finally ended in a 3-1 home defeat against Nice on Friday, just ahead of their Champions League semi-final showdown against Arsenal. PSG had been hoping to become the first team ever to complete a French top-flight season without losing a game, but Morgan Sanson scored twice for Nice as the visitors claimed all three points against the run of play. Also read | Real Madrid boycott Copa del Rey final build-up amid 'unacceptable' referee statements Fabian Ruiz had brought PSG level late in the first half, cancelling out Sanson's opener. However, Sanson scored again just 22 seconds into the second half, and Youssouf Ndayishimiye later headed in to make it 3-1. "For me, the result is not fair, but that's football, you have to accept it," said PSG coach Luis Enrique, who saw his side dominate the game with 76 per cent possession and over 30 shots on goal. PSG had been unbeaten in 30 Ligue 1 matches this season, and had not lost any of their last 41 games against French opposition since a 3-1 home loss against Toulouse on May 12 last year. The result means PSG, who had already secured a fourth consecutive Ligue 1 title at the start of this month, fall short of equalling the record for the longest unbeaten run from the beginning of a French season. That record is still held by Nantes, who went undefeated for 32 matches before suffering their sole defeat on the way to winning the title in 1994/95. PSG must now quickly put this defeat behind them as they head to London for the first leg of their Champions League last-four tie against Arsenal on Tuesday, before the return at the Parc des Princes on May 7. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

PSG surrender unbeaten Ligue 1 run ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League showdown

Real Madrid lashed out at the Copa del Rey final referees on the eve of Saturday's match, labelling complaints about pressure from the club's television channel "unacceptable" and boycotting all planned pre-match activities in protest.<o:p></o:p>
"These statements... made in a premeditated manner 24 hours before the final against one of the participants, demonstrate, once again, a clear and manifest animosity and hostility of these referees towards Real Madrid," said Los Blancos in a statement.<o:p></o:p>
Madrid refused to take part in the usual press conference, the open training in front of the media, the traditional presidents' dinner and a pre-match photo-call.<o:p></o:p>
Spanish media reported Madrid were considering boycotting the final itself if the referees were not changed, but the reigning La Liga champions released another statement denying that.<o:p></o:p>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/copa-del-rey-final-referee-wells-up-over-real-madrid-tv-pressure-barcelona-el-classico-final-9001939" rel="dofollow">Copa del Rey final referee wells up over Real Madrid TV pressure this season</a>
"Our team has never considered not playing in tomorrow's final," said Madrid.<o:p></o:p>
This week, the club's television channel aired a new video attacking the referee for the final at La Cartuja in Seville, something they have done to various officials this season.<o:p></o:p>
The main match referee, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, welled up when speaking earlier Friday about pressure officials have faced from Madrid TV over the past few months.<o:p></o:p>
"Real Madrid considers the public statements made by the Copa del Rey final referees unacceptable," said the club in their initial statement.<o:p></o:p>
Madrid took particular issue with the final's VAR referee, Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes, suggesting referees were "united" and looking to take collective action against the pressure they had received from Real Madrid TV.<o:p></o:p>
Madrid said his words had "a threatening tone" and suggested action would be taken that was "far removed from the principles of fairness, objectivity and impartiality" necessary for the final.<o:p></o:p>
"In view of the seriousness of what has happened, Real Madrid hopes that those in charge of the RFEF and the refereeing profession will act accordingly, adopting the relevant measures in defence of the prestige of the institutions they represent," added Madrid.<o:p></o:p>
Los Blancos published an open letter in February claiming Spanish refereeing was "rigged" and "completely discredited".<o:p></o:p>
Real Madrid have form when it comes to boycotts: in October, they stayed away from the Ballon d'Or ceremony because their winger Vinicius Junior was not named the best player in the world.<o:p></o:p>
"Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected," the club said at the time.<o:p></o:p>
<h2>'It's totally messed up'<o:p></o:p></h2>
De Burgos Bengoetxea had spoken about the effect criticism from Real Madrid's television channel was having on his family life.<o:p></o:p>
"When a child of yours goes to school and there are kids telling him that his father is a 'thief' and comes home crying, it's totally messed up," De Burgos Bengoetxea told a news conference. "What I do is try to educate my son, to say that his father is honest, above all honest, who can make mistakes, like any sportsperson," he continued, becoming emotional.<o:p></o:p>
Wiping away tears, the 39-year-old called for deeper thought on the issue of referee abuse.<o:p></o:p>
"Everyone should reflect about where we want to go, about what we want from sport and from football," he added.<o:p></o:p>
Gonzalez Fuertes had suggested officials could take further action over Real Madrid TV's broadcasts in the coming weeks.<o:p></o:p>
"Have no doubt that we are going to have to start taking much more serious measures than we are taking," said Gonzalez Fuertes. "We will not continue to allow what is happening. Soon, you will hear from us.<o:p></o:p>
"We are going to make history, because we are not going to continue to bear what we are putting up with."<o:p></o:p>
Madrid's behaviour drew ire from La Liga chief Javier Tebas.<o:p></o:p>
"This is not football, this is about control of power," said Tebas. "(Madrid) leaks that they will not turn up at the cup final, what thin skin... they don't want to improve football, they want their own football."
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 the WION audience.

Spanish media reported Madrid were considering boycotting the final itself if the referees were not changed, but the reigning Liga champions denied it. Sports, Football

Real Madrid lashed out at the Copa del Rey final referees on the eve of Saturday's match, labelling complaints about pressure from the club's television channel "unacceptable" and boycotting all planned pre-match activities in protest. "These statements... made in a premeditated manner 24 hours before the final against one of the participants, demonstrate, once again, a clear and manifest animosity and hostility of these referees towards Real Madrid," said Los Blancos in a statement. Madrid refused to take part in the usual press conference, the open training in front of the media, the traditional presidents' dinner and a pre-match photo-call. Spanish media reported Madrid were considering boycotting the final itself if the referees were not changed, but the reigning La Liga champions released another statement denying that. Also read | Copa del Rey final referee wells up over Real Madrid TV pressure this season "Our team has never considered not playing in tomorrow's final," said Madrid. This week, the club's television channel aired a new video attacking the referee for the final at La Cartuja in Seville, something they have done to various officials this season. The main match referee, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, welled up when speaking earlier Friday about pressure officials have faced from Madrid TV over the past few months. "Real Madrid considers the public statements made by the Copa del Rey final referees unacceptable," said the club in their initial statement. Madrid took particular issue with the final's VAR referee, Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes, suggesting referees were "united" and looking to take collective action against the pressure they had received from Real Madrid TV. Madrid said his words had "a threatening tone" and suggested action would be taken that was "far removed from the principles of fairness, objectivity and impartiality" necessary for the final. "In view of the seriousness of what has happened, Real Madrid hopes that those in charge of the RFEF and the refereeing profession will act accordingly, adopting the relevant measures in defence of the prestige of the institutions they represent," added Madrid. Los Blancos published an open letter in February claiming Spanish refereeing was "rigged" and "completely discredited". Real Madrid have form when it comes to boycotts: in October, they stayed away from the Ballon d'Or ceremony because their winger Vinicius Junior was not named the best player in the world. "Real Madrid does not go where it is not respected," the club said at the time. 'It's totally messed up' De Burgos Bengoetxea had spoken about the effect criticism from Real Madrid's television channel was having on his family life. "When a child of yours goes to school and there are kids telling him that his father is a 'thief' and comes home crying, it's totally messed up," De Burgos Bengoetxea told a news conference. "What I do is try to educate my son, to say that his father is honest, above all honest, who can make mistakes, like any sportsperson," he continued, becoming emotional. Wiping away tears, the 39-year-old called for deeper thought on the issue of referee abuse. "Everyone should reflect about where we want to go, about what we want from sport and from football," he added. Gonzalez Fuertes had suggested officials could take further action over Real Madrid TV's broadcasts in the coming weeks. "Have no doubt that we are going to have to start taking much more serious measures than we are taking," said Gonzalez Fuertes. "We will not continue to allow what is happening. Soon, you will hear from us. "We are going to make history, because we are not going to continue to bear what we are putting up with." Madrid's behaviour drew ire from La Liga chief Javier Tebas. "This is not football, this is about control of power," said Tebas. "(Madrid) leaks that they will not turn up at the cup final, what thin skin... they don't want to improve football, they want their own football." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Real Madrid boycott Copa del Rey final build-up amid 'unacceptable' referee statements

Just days ater <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shaili-singh">Shaili Singh</a> made a strong jump of 6.45m to breach the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/asian-athletics-championships" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Asian Athletics Championships</a> qualification mark of 6.41m, the young sensation from Uttar Pradesh rewrote the history books on Friday (April 26).
Shaili&nbsp;broke a 23-year-old meet record held by her trainer and a veteran long jumper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/anju-bobby-george">Anju Bobby George</a> in the National Federation Cup Athletics at the Maharaja's College Ground in Ernakulam. The 21-year-old Shaili jumped 6.64m to eclipse Anju's 6.59 m meet record set in 2002.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba/nba-orlando-magic-claw-back-against-boston-celtics-milwaukee-bucks-down-indiana-pacers-in-playoffs-9003117">NBA: Orlando Magic claw back against Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks down Indiana Pacers in playoffs</a>
Shaili produced a personal best of 6.76m in 2023. It was the second-best effort by an Indian woman, only behind Anju's long-standing National Record of 6.83m.
The occasion became even more memorable when Anju presented the gold medal to Shaili on the podium. &ldquo;I always knew that she would break my record. This is a perfect anniversary gift for me. Now I&rsquo;m waiting for Shaili to break my national record,&rdquo; a delighted Anju said was quoted saying in an interview.
Anju also put up a congratulatory post for Shaili Singh on Instagram. She wrote, "Congratulations @shailising for creating a new Federation Cup record by breaking my long-standing 23-year-old record. You made us both proud.&nbsp;@afiindia_official @media.iccsai @yasministryindia."
<h2>See the post below:</h2>
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"Breaking Anju ma'am's long-standing Federation Cup record is a moment of pride for me. Her achievements have always been my inspiration, and to follow in her footsteps means everything. This record has stood for 23 years because of how exceptional she was, and I'm honoured to now be part of this legacy. This is just the beginning of my journey, and I hope to continue making my country proud with many more milestones to come, " Shail said.
Meanwhile Anju Bobby George said, "Records are meant to be broken, and I'm thrilled to see Shaili accomplish this feat. When we first spotted her talent years ago, I knew she had what it takes to surpass even my best marks. Watching her growth has been like witnessing the next chapter of Indian athletics unfold. This record-breaking performance represents the bright future of Indian women in sports. I couldn't be prouder to pass this torch to someone so dedicated and gifted."

Sports: The 21-year-old has been training under the legendary jumper Anju and her husband and Dronacharya awardee Robert Bobby George for the last seven years

Just days ater Shaili Singh made a strong jump of 6.45m to breach the Asian Athletics Championships qualification mark of 6.41m, the young sensation from Uttar Pradesh rewrote the history books on Friday (April 26). Shaili broke a 23-year-old meet record held by her trainer and a veteran long jumper Anju Bobby George in the National Federation Cup Athletics at the Maharaja's College Ground in Ernakulam. The 21-year-old Shaili jumped 6.64m to eclipse Anju's 6.59 m meet record set in 2002. Also Read: NBA: Orlando Magic claw back against Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks down Indiana Pacers in playoffs Shaili produced a personal best of 6.76m in 2023. It was the second-best effort by an Indian woman, only behind Anju's long-standing National Record of 6.83m. The occasion became even more memorable when Anju presented the gold medal to Shaili on the podium. “I always knew that she would break my record. This is a perfect anniversary gift for me. Now I’m waiting for Shaili to break my national record,” a delighted Anju said was quoted saying in an interview. Anju also put up a congratulatory post for Shaili Singh on Instagram. She wrote, "Congratulations @shailising for creating a new Federation Cup record by breaking my long-standing 23-year-old record. You made us both proud. @afiindia_official @media.iccsai @yasministryindia." See the post below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anju Bobby George (@anjubgeorge) "Breaking Anju ma'am's long-standing Federation Cup record is a moment of pride for me. Her achievements have always been my inspiration, and to follow in her footsteps means everything. This record has stood for 23 years because of how exceptional she was, and I'm honoured to now be part of this legacy. This is just the beginning of my journey, and I hope to continue making my country proud with many more milestones to come, " Shail said. Meanwhile Anju Bobby George said, "Records are meant to be broken, and I'm thrilled to see Shaili accomplish this feat. When we first spotted her talent years ago, I knew she had what it takes to surpass even my best marks. Watching her growth has been like witnessing the next chapter of Indian athletics unfold. This record-breaking performance represents the bright future of Indian women in sports. I couldn't be prouder to pass this torch to someone so dedicated and gifted."

Long jumper Shaili Singh breaks Anju Bobby George's 23-year-old Federation Cup record

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sunrisers-hyderabad" rel="dofollow">SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH)</a> beat hosts <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/chennai-super-kings-csk" rel="dofollow">Chennai Super Kings (CSK)</a> at Chepauk by five wickets in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> to almost end their hopes of playoff qualification this season. Although mathematically, they could still push for an outside chance in the top four, CSK&rsquo;s slum form is unlikely to engineer that, putting MS Dhoni&rsquo;s team on the cusp of an early elimination. However, SRH climbed up the points table with eight points from nine contested matches, staying afloat for the top-four finish.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m9x3t36i-p30z9wqe-tu8s5upz">
A milestone victory 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SRH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SRH</a> register their first ever win at Chepauk with a strong performance against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSK</a> 🔝💪 Scorecard ▶ <a href="https://t.co/26D3UampFQ">https://t.co/26D3UampFQ</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvSRH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvSRH</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/SunRisers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SunRisers</a> <a href="https://t.co/lqeX4CiWHP">pic.twitter.com/lqeX4CiWHP</a>
&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1915828173620842953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
SRH won the toss and elected to bowl first - a tactical call from the game&rsquo;s perspective. They made the most amazing start, removing CSK opener Shaik Rasheed on a first-ball duck. Ayush Mhatre and Sam Curran stitched a 39-run stand for the second wicket before SRH picked two more wickets inside the Powerplay to dent CSK&rsquo;s run.&nbsp;
Ravindra Jadeja and CSK debutant Dewald Brevis carried the innings together, only for Kamindu Mendis to break the stand by removing Jadeja, bowled on 21. Brevis continued with his impressive touch, with Shivam Dube trying to offer a helping hand. Their dismissals exposed CSK&rsquo;s batting failure this season, with captain MS Dhoni also departing quickly on just six.
Deepak Hooda was poor with the bat but at least managed 22 off 21 balls to propel CSK to 154 in the first innings.&nbsp;
SRH seamer Harshal Patel picked up four wickets.
<h2 class="MsoNormal">Mendis, the hero for SRH</h2>
Like how the hosts lost a wicket inside the first over, SRH lost their dangerous opener Abhishek Sharma on a second-ball duck. His partner, Travis Head, hit four fours but got bowled off Impact Sub Anshul Kamboj on 19. Jadeja accounted for Heinrich Klaasen a couple of overs later, with SRH reeling at 54 for three at one stage.&nbsp;
Ishan Kishan returned among runs at the right time for SRH, with Aniket Verma providing the needed assist. The pair almost pulled SRH out of trouble but fell to Noor Ahmed, only to make the chase exciting.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m9x3tpsj-8pb13bpv-udbrngni">
Rapid response 💪 Another 🔝 catch brings about another twist in this clash 👏 Updates ▶ <a href="https://t.co/26D3UalRQi">https://t.co/26D3UalRQi</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvSRH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvSRH</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/rzWKUxhqmT">pic.twitter.com/rzWKUxhqmT</a>
&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1915816827596296230?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
That, however, turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the travelling side as Kamindu Mendis, who earlier made headlines with perhaps <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sports-ipl-2025-kamindu-mendis-clutches-catch-of-the-tournament-to-dismiss-dewald-brevis-watch-9002227" rel="dofollow">the catch of the tournament to dismiss Brevis</a>, scored an unbeaten 32, with Nitish Kumar Reddy an unbeaten 19 to help SRH complete the chase.

Harshal Patel was the star for the touring side, returning with four wickets in his quota of four overs, with Cummins and Unadkat returning with two each. Sports, Cricket

SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) beat hosts Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Chepauk by five wickets in IPL 2025 to almost end their hopes of playoff qualification this season. Although mathematically, they could still push for an outside chance in the top four, CSK’s slum form is unlikely to engineer that, putting MS Dhoni’s team on the cusp of an early elimination. However, SRH climbed up the points table with eight points from nine contested matches, staying afloat for the top-four finish. A milestone victory 👏#SRH register their first ever win at Chepauk with a strong performance against #CSK 🔝💪 Scorecard ▶ https://t.co/26D3UampFQ#TATAIPL | #CSKvSRH | @SunRisers pic.twitter.com/lqeX4CiWHP — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 25, 2025 SRH won the toss and elected to bowl first - a tactical call from the game’s perspective. They made the most amazing start, removing CSK opener Shaik Rasheed on a first-ball duck. Ayush Mhatre and Sam Curran stitched a 39-run stand for the second wicket before SRH picked two more wickets inside the Powerplay to dent CSK’s run. Ravindra Jadeja and CSK debutant Dewald Brevis carried the innings together, only for Kamindu Mendis to break the stand by removing Jadeja, bowled on 21. Brevis continued with his impressive touch, with Shivam Dube trying to offer a helping hand. Their dismissals exposed CSK’s batting failure this season, with captain MS Dhoni also departing quickly on just six. Deepak Hooda was poor with the bat but at least managed 22 off 21 balls to propel CSK to 154 in the first innings. SRH seamer Harshal Patel picked up four wickets. Mendis, the hero for SRH Like how the hosts lost a wicket inside the first over, SRH lost their dangerous opener Abhishek Sharma on a second-ball duck. His partner, Travis Head, hit four fours but got bowled off Impact Sub Anshul Kamboj on 19. Jadeja accounted for Heinrich Klaasen a couple of overs later, with SRH reeling at 54 for three at one stage. Ishan Kishan returned among runs at the right time for SRH, with Aniket Verma providing the needed assist. The pair almost pulled SRH out of trouble but fell to Noor Ahmed, only to make the chase exciting. Rapid response 💪 Another 🔝 catch brings about another twist in this clash 👏 Updates ▶ https://t.co/26D3UalRQi#TATAIPL | #CSKvSRH | @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/rzWKUxhqmT — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 25, 2025 That, however, turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the travelling side as Kamindu Mendis, who earlier made headlines with perhaps the catch of the tournament to dismiss Brevis, scored an unbeaten 32, with Nitish Kumar Reddy an unbeaten 19 to help SRH complete the chase.

IPL 2025: Chennai Super Kings on cusp of playoffs elimination after home loss to SRH

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/aryna-sabalenka" rel="dofollow">Aryna Sabalenka</a> kicked off her quest for a third Madrid Open title with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Anna Blinkova in second-round action at the Caja Magica on Friday. The world number one improved her record at the tournament to 18-4, having lifted the trophy in 2021 and 2023, alongside her runner-up showing to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/iga-swiatek" rel="dofollow">Iga Swiatek</a> last year.<o:p></o:p>
After racing to a double-break 5-0 advantage against Blinkova in the opening set, Sabalenka lost one of her breaks before taking the lead on her third set point on the 48-minute mark.<o:p></o:p>
The second set was a straightforward affair, with an early break of serve enough for Sabalenka to punch her ticket to the third round, where she awaits either her former doubles partner, Elise Mertens or Colombia&rsquo;s Camila Osorio.<o:p></o:p>
Sabalenka&rsquo;s three Grand Slam titles have all come on hard courts, but the Belarusian power-hitter has shown she can contend on clay, with two trophies clinched from nine finals reached on the surface.<o:p></o:p>
The 26-year-old admits the French Open has proven to be a "challenge" for he,r and she feels she has unfinished business there after losing in the 2023 semi-finals to Karolina Muchova and the 2024 quarter-finals to Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva.<o:p></o:p>
"Every time I go there, it's like a challenge for me, even though I love playing on clay and I feel really good," said Sabalenka of Roland Garros. "But I like to accept tough challenges. So I really hope that one year I'll be able to get that beautiful trophy in my collection."<o:p></o:p>
Earlier in the day, world number nine Paula Badosa delivered another blow to the tournament as she was forced to withdraw from her home event due to a lower back injury.<o:p></o:p>
Badosa joins her fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who pulled out of the Madrid Open on Thursday, citing a left hamstring issue and a right adductor injury.<o:p></o:p>
Meanwhile, Tunisian 2022 Madrid champion Ons Jabeur crashed out in her opener to Moyuka Uchijima 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 while Greece&rsquo;s Maria Sakkari took a positive step towards recapturing her form by dismissing 29th-seeded Magda Linette 7-6(5), 6-3.
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 the WION audience.

Sabalenka improved her record at the tournament to 18-4, having lifted the trophy in 2021 and 2023, alongside her runner-up showing to Swiatek last year. Sports, Tennis

Aryna Sabalenka kicked off her quest for a third Madrid Open title with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Anna Blinkova in second-round action at the Caja Magica on Friday. The world number one improved her record at the tournament to 18-4, having lifted the trophy in 2021 and 2023, alongside her runner-up showing to Iga Swiatek last year. After racing to a double-break 5-0 advantage against Blinkova in the opening set, Sabalenka lost one of her breaks before taking the lead on her third set point on the 48-minute mark. The second set was a straightforward affair, with an early break of serve enough for Sabalenka to punch her ticket to the third round, where she awaits either her former doubles partner, Elise Mertens or Colombia’s Camila Osorio. Sabalenka’s three Grand Slam titles have all come on hard courts, but the Belarusian power-hitter has shown she can contend on clay, with two trophies clinched from nine finals reached on the surface. The 26-year-old admits the French Open has proven to be a "challenge" for he,r and she feels she has unfinished business there after losing in the 2023 semi-finals to Karolina Muchova and the 2024 quarter-finals to Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva. "Every time I go there, it's like a challenge for me, even though I love playing on clay and I feel really good," said Sabalenka of Roland Garros. "But I like to accept tough challenges. So I really hope that one year I'll be able to get that beautiful trophy in my collection." Earlier in the day, world number nine Paula Badosa delivered another blow to the tournament as she was forced to withdraw from her home event due to a lower back injury. Badosa joins her fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who pulled out of the Madrid Open on Thursday, citing a left hamstring issue and a right adductor injury. Meanwhile, Tunisian 2022 Madrid champion Ons Jabeur crashed out in her opener to Moyuka Uchijima 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 while Greece’s Maria Sakkari took a positive step towards recapturing her form by dismissing 29th-seeded Magda Linette 7-6(5), 6-3. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Sabalenka kicks off her third Madrid Open title quest with straight-set win

Pep Guardiola has vowed Manchester City will be back to their best next season after losing their "spirit" during a turbulent campaign that exposed an unexpected lack of hunger in his side. Currently third in the Premier League, City -- who had won the previous four English titles -- want to salvage a dismal year by winning the FA Cup and qualifying for the Champions League via a top-five finish.<o:p></o:p>
Guardiola's side face Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday, knowing defeat at Wembley would condemn them to finish without a major trophy for the first time since 2016-17. But Guardiola is already thinking about how to avoid a repeat of City's stunning struggles, and he believes he has found the solution.<o:p></o:p>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sports-premier-league-ange-postecoglou-aims-to-ruin-liverpool-title-party-despite-boyhood-fandom-9002131" rel="dofollow">Premier League: Ange Postecoglou aims to ruin Liverpool title party despite boyhood fandom</a> 
The City boss noticed the passion his players celebrated with after Bernardo Silva put them ahead in a crucial 2-1 win against top-five rivals Aston Villa on Tuesday.<o:p></o:p>
It was a display of unity that Guardiola didn't see earlier in the season, when he felt City took success for granted after winning six of the last seven Premier League titles.<o:p></o:p>
"We learn to do better. To create another bond with the team, to celebrate when we score a goal," he told reporters on Friday. "When Bernardo scored the first goal on Tuesday, we celebrated. The body language, the passion.<o:p></o:p>
"We didn't celebrate the same way when we scored in October. That stupid detail tells a lot.<o:p></o:p>
"We have to recover the spirit we had in the first nine years. This year we didn't have it."<o:p></o:p>
<h2>'We will be back'<o:p></o:p></h2>
Guardiola hopes his quest to reignite his players' fire will eventually close the gap on champions-elect Liverpool.<o:p></o:p>
"Next season will be better. Everybody learned the lesson. I think we will compete a bit better for the Premier League," he said. "I'm not saying we will win it, but we will be more who we are. I think the players understand. You have to fight to defend your club. I'm pretty sure we will be back again."<o:p></o:p>
Guardiola took heart from the way Rodri has been trying to inspire his team-mates as the Spain midfielder recovers from the knee injury that has sidelined him since September.<o:p></o:p>
"I love that," Guardiola said. "The guy doesn't play, and I allow him to be a manager.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>
"He will help the guys, and it is the way we create a team. It is something special."<o:p></o:p>
City are aiming to reach the FA Cup final for a third successive season after winning the competition in 2023 and losing last year's showpiece against Manchester United.<o:p></o:p>
They face a tricky test from Nuno Espirito Santo's team after losing 1-0 at the City Ground in the Premier League in March, a result that maintained Forest's unexpected push for a first Champions League campaign since 1980-81.<o:p></o:p>
"It would be good to make the final, but we have a serious and tough rival. Nuno has been incredible," Guardiola said.<o:p></o:p>
This is the seventh successive season that City have reached the FA Cup semi-finals, but they have only lifted the trophy twice in the Guardiola era.<o:p></o:p>
No matter the result at Wembley, Guardiola acknowledged the season has been a failure.<o:p></o:p>
"I said many times the season has not been good, regardless if we reach the final or go to the Champions League," he said. "Too many matches have not been good. We would avoid bigger damage for the club if we win the cup. But what will dictate the season is the Premier 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 the WION audience.

City aims to reach the FA Cup final for a third successive season after winning the competition in 2023 and losing last year's showpiece against United. Sports, Football

Pep Guardiola has vowed Manchester City will be back to their best next season after losing their "spirit" during a turbulent campaign that exposed an unexpected lack of hunger in his side. Currently third in the Premier League, City -- who had won the previous four English titles -- want to salvage a dismal year by winning the FA Cup and qualifying for the Champions League via a top-five finish. Guardiola's side face Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday, knowing defeat at Wembley would condemn them to finish without a major trophy for the first time since 2016-17. But Guardiola is already thinking about how to avoid a repeat of City's stunning struggles, and he believes he has found the solution. Also read | Premier League: Ange Postecoglou aims to ruin Liverpool title party despite boyhood fandom The City boss noticed the passion his players celebrated with after Bernardo Silva put them ahead in a crucial 2-1 win against top-five rivals Aston Villa on Tuesday. It was a display of unity that Guardiola didn't see earlier in the season, when he felt City took success for granted after winning six of the last seven Premier League titles. "We learn to do better. To create another bond with the team, to celebrate when we score a goal," he told reporters on Friday. "When Bernardo scored the first goal on Tuesday, we celebrated. The body language, the passion. "We didn't celebrate the same way when we scored in October. That stupid detail tells a lot. "We have to recover the spirit we had in the first nine years. This year we didn't have it." 'We will be back' Guardiola hopes his quest to reignite his players' fire will eventually close the gap on champions-elect Liverpool. "Next season will be better. Everybody learned the lesson. I think we will compete a bit better for the Premier League," he said. "I'm not saying we will win it, but we will be more who we are. I think the players understand. You have to fight to defend your club. I'm pretty sure we will be back again." Guardiola took heart from the way Rodri has been trying to inspire his team-mates as the Spain midfielder recovers from the knee injury that has sidelined him since September. "I love that," Guardiola said. "The guy doesn't play, and I allow him to be a manager. "He will help the guys, and it is the way we create a team. It is something special." City are aiming to reach the FA Cup final for a third successive season after winning the competition in 2023 and losing last year's showpiece against Manchester United. They face a tricky test from Nuno Espirito Santo's team after losing 1-0 at the City Ground in the Premier League in March, a result that maintained Forest's unexpected push for a first Champions League campaign since 1980-81. "It would be good to make the final, but we have a serious and tough rival. Nuno has been incredible," Guardiola said. This is the seventh successive season that City have reached the FA Cup semi-finals, but they have only lifted the trophy twice in the Guardiola era. No matter the result at Wembley, Guardiola acknowledged the season has been a failure. "I said many times the season has not been good, regardless if we reach the final or go to the Champions League," he said. "Too many matches have not been good. We would avoid bigger damage for the club if we win the cup. But what will dictate the season is the Premier 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 the WION audience.

Manchester City will be back to its best next season after losing ‘charm’ this time: Guardiola

Jammu and Kashmir ace quick <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/umran-malik" rel="dofollow">Umran Malik</a> has rejoined <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kolkata-knight-riders-kkr" rel="dofollow">Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)</a> for the remainder of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> but will not be part of their playing squad. Bought for INR 75 lakh at last year&rsquo;s December IPL auction, Umran got ruled out of the 18th edition due to an injury, with the franchise roping in seamer Chetan Sakariya as his replacement for the season.
Umran has joined the KKR squad to continue his rehabilitation and &lsquo;return to cricket&rsquo; programme for the remainder of the season. KKR&rsquo;s social media post confirmed it.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pahalgam-terror-attack-uncertainty-looms-over-psl-2025-after-pcb-deports-key-indian-broadcast-crew-report-9001867" rel="dofollow">Pahalgam terror attack: Uncertainty looms over PSL 2025 after PCB deports key Indian broadcast crew - Report</a>
&ldquo;⚡️#UmranMalik has joined the squad in Kolkata to continue his rehab and &ldquo;return to cricket&rdquo; programme with KKR for the remainder of the season.&nbsp; He&rsquo;s not joining as an official playing member of the squad, but will work with the team and support staff to get back to his best! Welcome to the family, Umran 💜,&rdquo; KKR&rsquo;s social media post read.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m9wxcjei-ic59vkgt-46cno204">
⚡️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UmranMalik?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UmranMalik</a> has joined the squad in Kolkata to continue his rehab and &ldquo;return to cricket&rdquo; programme with KKR for the remainder of the season. He&rsquo;s not joining as an official playing member of the squad, but will work with the team and support staff to get back to his best!&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/yAGcxhwTJX">pic.twitter.com/yAGcxhwTJX</a>
&mdash; KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KKRiders/status/1915753654868729926?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m9wxhpfv-ibfdffvs-sfdvl3xz">
<a href="https://t.co/Ojbig6h2he">pic.twitter.com/Ojbig6h2he</a>
&mdash; KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) <a href="https://twitter.com/KKRiders/status/1915753978308268102?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
Meanwhile, following an initial outburst of fame after his blockbuster IPL debut in 2021, Umran earned his maiden BCCI contract, only to fall apart in his quest to become a regular across formats. Though he played a handful of white-ball matches, even on the away tours, Umran failed to stick around with his fitness and injuries, causing trouble. His last India match was back in 2023.&nbsp;
Besides, his spell with SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) was fruitful for him and the franchise at the beginning, but it failed to convert into a long-term plan, as SRH decided against retaining him ahead of the IPL 2025 auction.&nbsp;
Since his debut, Umran has played 26 IPL matches, featuring in just one complete season &ndash; 2022
<h2>KKR in IPL 2025</h2>
As things stand, KKR has won three out of the eight contested matches, reeling at the seventh spot on the points table with just six points.
Their next game is a home tie against high-flying Punjab Kings at the Eden Gardens on Saturday (Apr 26).&nbsp;

Bought for INR 75 lakh at the mega auction, Umran got ruled out of the IPL 2025 due to an injury, with KKR roping in Chetan Sakariya as his replacement. Sports, Cricket

Jammu and Kashmir ace quick Umran Malik has rejoined Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the remainder of IPL 2025 but will not be part of their playing squad. Bought for INR 75 lakh at last year’s December IPL auction, Umran got ruled out of the 18th edition due to an injury, with the franchise roping in seamer Chetan Sakariya as his replacement for the season. Umran has joined the KKR squad to continue his rehabilitation and ‘return to cricket’ programme for the remainder of the season. KKR’s social media post confirmed it. Also read | Pahalgam terror attack: Uncertainty looms over PSL 2025 after PCB deports key Indian broadcast crew - Report “⚡️#UmranMalik has joined the squad in Kolkata to continue his rehab and “return to cricket” programme with KKR for the remainder of the season. He’s not joining as an official playing member of the squad, but will work with the team and support staff to get back to his best! Welcome to the family, Umran 💜,” KKR’s social media post read. ⚡️#UmranMalik has joined the squad in Kolkata to continue his rehab and “return to cricket” programme with KKR for the remainder of the season. He’s not joining as an official playing member of the squad, but will work with the team and support staff to get back to his best!… pic.twitter.com/yAGcxhwTJX — KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 25, 2025 pic.twitter.com/Ojbig6h2he — KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 25, 2025 Meanwhile, following an initial outburst of fame after his blockbuster IPL debut in 2021, Umran earned his maiden BCCI contract, only to fall apart in his quest to become a regular across formats. Though he played a handful of white-ball matches, even on the away tours, Umran failed to stick around with his fitness and injuries, causing trouble. His last India match was back in 2023. Besides, his spell with SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) was fruitful for him and the franchise at the beginning, but it failed to convert into a long-term plan, as SRH decided against retaining him ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. Since his debut, Umran has played 26 IPL matches, featuring in just one complete season – 2022 KKR in IPL 2025 As things stand, KKR has won three out of the eight contested matches, reeling at the seventh spot on the points table with just six points. Their next game is a home tie against high-flying Punjab Kings at the Eden Gardens on Saturday (Apr 26).

IPL 2025: Kashmir quick Umran Malik joins KKR but will not play this season, know why

Copa del Rey final referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea welled up on Friday when speaking about the pressure officials have faced from Real Madrid TV this season.<o:p></o:p>
Madrid take on rivals Barcelona on Saturday in the Spanish cup final in Seville, and this week the club's television channel launched a video attacking the official, which they have done to various referees this season.<o:p></o:p>
Los Blancos also published an open letter in February claiming Spanish refereeing was "rigged" and "completely discredited".<o:p></o:p>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sports-is-harry-kane-finally-ready-to-win-first-career-title-with-bayern-munich-heres-what-needs-to-happen-on-matchday-31-in-bundesliga-9001200" rel="dofollow">Is Harry Kane finally ready to win first career title? Here's what needs to happen on Matchday 31 in Bundesliga</a> 
"When a child of yours goes to school and there are kids telling him that his father is a 'thief' and comes home crying, it's totally messed up," De Burgos Bengoetxea told a news conference. "What I do is try to educate my son, to say that his father is honest, above all honest, who can make mistakes, like any sportsperson," he continued, becoming emotional.<o:p></o:p>
"This is really messed up... but the day I leave (the job), I want my son to be proud of what his father is, and what refereeing is, it has given us many values."<o:p></o:p>
Wiping away tears, the 39-year-old called for deeper thought on the issue of referee abuse.<o:p></o:p>
"It's not right what we are going through, many colleagues, and not just in professional football, but also at grassroots level," he added. "Everyone should reflect about where we want to go, about what we want from sport and from football."<o:p></o:p>
Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes, the referee in charge of VAR for the final, suggested officials could take further action over Real Madrid TV's broadcasts in the coming weeks.<o:p></o:p>
"Have no doubt that we are going to have to start taking much more serious measures than we are taking," said Gonzalez Fuertes. "We will not continue to allow what is happening. Soon, you will hear from us.<o:p></o:p>
"We are going to make history, because we are not going to continue to bear what we are putting up with."<o:p></o:p>
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 the WION audience.

Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes, the referee in charge of VAR for the final, suggested officials could take further action over Real Madrid TV's broadcasts soon. Sports, Football

Copa del Rey final referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea welled up on Friday when speaking about the pressure officials have faced from Real Madrid TV this season. Madrid take on rivals Barcelona on Saturday in the Spanish cup final in Seville, and this week the club's television channel launched a video attacking the official, which they have done to various referees this season. Los Blancos also published an open letter in February claiming Spanish refereeing was "rigged" and "completely discredited". Also read | Is Harry Kane finally ready to win first career title? Here's what needs to happen on Matchday 31 in Bundesliga "When a child of yours goes to school and there are kids telling him that his father is a 'thief' and comes home crying, it's totally messed up," De Burgos Bengoetxea told a news conference. "What I do is try to educate my son, to say that his father is honest, above all honest, who can make mistakes, like any sportsperson," he continued, becoming emotional. "This is really messed up... but the day I leave (the job), I want my son to be proud of what his father is, and what refereeing is, it has given us many values." Wiping away tears, the 39-year-old called for deeper thought on the issue of referee abuse. "It's not right what we are going through, many colleagues, and not just in professional football, but also at grassroots level," he added. "Everyone should reflect about where we want to go, about what we want from sport and from football." Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes, the referee in charge of VAR for the final, suggested officials could take further action over Real Madrid TV's broadcasts in the coming weeks. "Have no doubt that we are going to have to start taking much more serious measures than we are taking," said Gonzalez Fuertes. "We will not continue to allow what is happening. Soon, you will hear from us. "We are going to make history, because we are not going to continue to bear what we are putting up with." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Copa del Rey final referee wells up over Real Madrid TV pressure this season

Indian shooter Sift Kaur Samra recently won the gold medal in women's 50m 3P Rifle event at the ISSF World Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She was one of the medal hopes for India in Paris Olympics but unfortunately finished 31st in her event.&nbsp;
She defined her win in season's first event as "amazing and very relaxing at the same time."
She has started the new season with a bang and looks confident to continue her streak - one event at a time starting from next World Cup in June 2025 in Peru.
She recently spoke to WION about her training, importance of mental strength while in an event, her come-from-behind win in Argentina and more.
How important this win is given that the Paris Olympics didn't go as per plan and there must have been some pressure on you?
It was not like like that (pressure situation). You have to pay attention and do well. Paris was a different thing and this is totally a different thing. So I never had a thought to decide like for this World Cup. It was being like into the new season for 2028 and starting from the first World Cup winning, the first goal of the first World Cup. That was really good and really meant a lot. So that was the thing I enjoyed a lot.
 What was going through your mind during the finals? You were behind after the first round. What was the process that you focused on?
First of all, I was like it's over. I will be at 8 (position) but then after that I had a thought I can push it and bring it to like somewhere in the middle. I don't want to get out at 8 position. And after that when I had Prone, I though how much I can cover and need to cover it. And Prone was pretty good and then Standing was pretty good too. So after that I decided I just have to focus on Kneeling when I will be back to the training sessions. And now so I think for this year I have to focus on Kneeling.
 How important is the mental aspect and the strength required for shooting. For an outsider it might look like an easy game. But what are your thoughts? How much mental strength is required to stay focused in the game, stay in the moment?
I think mentally you have to be very, very strong. We always feel like shooting is just aim it and shoot but people don't know that it's about not only shooting, it's about mentally how you are taking it and how you are thinking of the process. For me, it always like keep talking to me - as in okay, this shot is not perfect, what is the thing that I've missed in my process or if this series is not perfect, that match has not been good, how I can make it better and how I can make it or push myself as 'no, I have to do it.' So all of the stuff is done mentally only.
My sister is also going to start the shooting. I just always tell her, it's not just about the shooting, it's about your mind and how you are going to play with your mind. So mind plays very, very important role in shooting.
During practice, do you have certain exercises to keep the mental strength up there or just be in the prime shape mentally as well as physically?
In tournaments, you can build it up or make it very clear but during training, because already you are in a relaxed state of mind. You think, okay, this is just a training &nbsp;so you play that thing at a certain level of relaxation - Like it's just a training only so why to think a lot about it.
But some athletes do keep a check like this is a training then also we have to speak to ourselves. We don't play a mind game during training. We just always focus on the process during the training. So I never had a thought while training. I always had a thought while shooting a competition only.
How different is this atmosphere for an event like ISSF World Cup and Olympics. How different is the pressure, expectations of yourself, of the fans?
It's totally opposite. Because I think now after winning a medal, people would know that there was a World Cup also going on. But before Olympics, people always knew because of the advertisement that okay, Olympics is there. So the kind of pressure and the kind of atmosphere is totally different.
Do you imply different tactics to deal with those pressures in different tournaments or it is just the same process with you?
The Olympics (Paris 2024) was the first time for me - and that's one thing that I need to focus on for the next Olympics. I was not used to it and I was not knowing also that directly people are going to come and say to me that tomorrow is your tournament, we will come to see.&nbsp;
In other competitions, no one just come and say to you, you have a tournament, we will come to see.
I didn't know that these things are going to happen (at Olympics). I was a bit nervous for that. In other tournaments, like this World Cups and Asian Championships or World Championships, I never had that kind of a conversation with someone. It's always like you have a tournament, all the best, that's it.&nbsp;
So for next Olympics, I am definitely going to work on that. I have to be more into myself. I have to be just away from the social media.&nbsp;

Sift Kaur Samra has started the new season with a gold medal in women's 50m 3P Rifle event at the ISSF World Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Olympics Sports

Indian shooter Sift Kaur Samra recently won the gold medal in women's 50m 3P Rifle event at the ISSF World Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She was one of the medal hopes for India in Paris Olympics but unfortunately finished 31st in her event. She defined her win in season's first event as "amazing and very relaxing at the same time." She has started the new season with a bang and looks confident to continue her streak - one event at a time starting from next World Cup in June 2025 in Peru. She recently spoke to WION about her training, importance of mental strength while in an event, her come-from-behind win in Argentina and more. How important this win is given that the Paris Olympics didn't go as per plan and there must have been some pressure on you? It was not like like that (pressure situation). You have to pay attention and do well. Paris was a different thing and this is totally a different thing. So I never had a thought to decide like for this World Cup. It was being like into the new season for 2028 and starting from the first World Cup winning, the first goal of the first World Cup. That was really good and really meant a lot. So that was the thing I enjoyed a lot. What was going through your mind during the finals? You were behind after the first round. What was the process that you focused on? First of all, I was like it's over. I will be at 8 (position) but then after that I had a thought I can push it and bring it to like somewhere in the middle. I don't want to get out at 8 position. And after that when I had Prone, I though how much I can cover and need to cover it. And Prone was pretty good and then Standing was pretty good too. So after that I decided I just have to focus on Kneeling when I will be back to the training sessions. And now so I think for this year I have to focus on Kneeling. How important is the mental aspect and the strength required for shooting. For an outsider it might look like an easy game. But what are your thoughts? How much mental strength is required to stay focused in the game, stay in the moment? I think mentally you have to be very, very strong. We always feel like shooting is just aim it and shoot but people don't know that it's about not only shooting, it's about mentally how you are taking it and how you are thinking of the process. For me, it always like keep talking to me - as in okay, this shot is not perfect, what is the thing that I've missed in my process or if this series is not perfect, that match has not been good, how I can make it better and how I can make it or push myself as 'no, I have to do it.' So all of the stuff is done mentally only. My sister is also going to start the shooting. I just always tell her, it's not just about the shooting, it's about your mind and how you are going to play with your mind. So mind plays very, very important role in shooting. During practice, do you have certain exercises to keep the mental strength up there or just be in the prime shape mentally as well as physically? In tournaments, you can build it up or make it very clear but during training, because already you are in a relaxed state of mind. You think, okay, this is just a training so you play that thing at a certain level of relaxation - Like it's just a training only so why to think a lot about it. But some athletes do keep a check like this is a training then also we have to speak to ourselves. We don't play a mind game during training. We just always focus on the process during the training. So I never had a thought while training. I always had a thought while shooting a competition only. How different is this atmosphere for an event like ISSF World Cup and Olympics. How different is the pressure, expectations of yourself, of the fans? It's totally opposite. Because I think now after winning a medal, people would know that there was a World Cup also going on. But before Olympics, people always knew because of the advertisement that okay, Olympics is there. So the kind of pressure and the kind of atmosphere is totally different. Do you imply different tactics to deal with those pressures in different tournaments or it is just the same process with you? The Olympics (Paris 2024) was the first time for me - and that's one thing that I need to focus on for the next Olympics. I was not used to it and I was not knowing also that directly people are going to come and say to me that tomorrow is your tournament, we will come to see. In other competitions, no one just come and say to you, you have a tournament, we will come to see. I didn't know that these things are going to happen (at Olympics). I was a bit nervous for that. In other tournaments, like this World Cups and Asian Championships or World Championships, I never had that kind of a conversation with someone. It's always like you have a tournament, all the best, that's it. So for next Olympics, I am definitely going to work on that. I have to be more into myself. I have to be just away from the social media.

'One event at a time': Shooter Sift Kaur wins gold in Argentina World Cup, eyes LA28 Olympics

Batting great Virender Sehwag puts Rajasthan Royals teen sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi on notice, warning him against getting too complacent about his wonder IPL 2025 debut. Earlier this season, Vaibhav, 14, created history by becoming the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rr-vs-lsg-meet-vaibhav-suryavanshi-14-the-youngest-ipl-debutant-8980215" rel="dofollow">youngest IPL debutant</a>. Against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in his first IPL outing, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/cricket-ipl-2025-14-year-old-vaibhav-suryavanshi-smashes-six-off-first-ball-on-ipl-debut-joins-this-elite-club-8981120" rel="dofollow">Vaibhav smacked a first-ball six off Shardul Thakur</a>, sending the cricket world into a frenzy.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m9wprpke-yqf62p42-1dtjsp5h">
𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆. 𝐀. 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 🫡 Welcome to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a>, Vaibhav Suryavanshi 🤝 Updates ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/02MS6ICvQl">https://t.co/02MS6ICvQl</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RRvLSG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RRvLSG</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/rajasthanroyals?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rajasthanroyals</a> <a href="https://t.co/MizhfSax4q">pic.twitter.com/MizhfSax4q</a>
&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1913626742176223437?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
He scored a quick-fire 34 against the travelling LSG but got out early on 16 in his second game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Thursday night (Apr 24), hitting two sixes during his brief stay; RR lost both matches, currently reeling at the eighth spot on the points table.
Sehwag, however, had something to say about the RR teen making headlines worldwide. Having played for over two decades and alongside countless cricketers across all levels, Sehwag feels Vaibhav must have the hunger inside him should he wish to scale his cricketing career, or else he will suffer the same fate as many talented ones who lost their way in line following blockbuster debuts.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2025-ms-dhoni-on-cusp-of-t20-history-as-csk-host-srh-in-do-or-die-face-off-chennai-super-kings-csk-playoffs-9001146" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: MS Dhoni on cusp of T20 history as CSK host SRH in do-or-die face-off</a>
<h2>Sehwag warns Vaibhav</h2>
Speaking on Cricbuzz after RR&rsquo;s fifth straight loss this season, Sehwag said Vaibhav must aim at playing 20 years in the IPL, taking inspiration from cricket great Virat Kohli.&nbsp;
However, he warned the youngster too, saying should if he thought of himself as a crorepati now, who has had a great IPL debut, and that the fans would remember him for this, he would be nowhere to be seen from the coming season onwards.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-quite-baffling-says-gavaskar-after-rr-botch-third-consecutive-chase-9000528" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025 | 'Quite baffling,' says Gavaskar after RR botch third consecutive chase</a>
&ldquo;Suryavanshi must aim to play for 20 years in the IPL. Look at Virat Kohli; he started playing when he was 19 years old, and now he has played all 18 seasons. That is what he should be trying to emulate. But, if he is happy with this IPL, thinking that he is now a crorepati, had a great debut, hit a six off the first ball, maybe we won't see him next year," Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.
"If you step out knowing that you will get praised for doing well and criticised for not doing well, you will remain grounded. I have seen many players who come and get fame from one or two matches, then do not do anything because they think that they have become a star player," he continued.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, RR bagged Vaibhav&rsquo;s services for INR 1.1 crore at the mega IPL auction late last year, breaking the record for the youngest player to be picked in an IPL auction.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Vaibhav scored 34 against the travelling LSG but got out early on 16 in his second game against RCB on Thursday, hitting two sixes during his brief stay. Sports, Cricket

Batting great Virender Sehwag puts Rajasthan Royals teen sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi on notice, warning him against getting too complacent about his wonder IPL 2025 debut. Earlier this season, Vaibhav, 14, created history by becoming the youngest IPL debutant. Against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in his first IPL outing, Vaibhav smacked a first-ball six off Shardul Thakur, sending the cricket world into a frenzy. 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆. 𝐀. 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 🫡 Welcome to #TATAIPL, Vaibhav Suryavanshi 🤝 Updates ▶️ https://t.co/02MS6ICvQl#RRvLSG | @rajasthanroyals pic.twitter.com/MizhfSax4q — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 19, 2025 He scored a quick-fire 34 against the travelling LSG but got out early on 16 in his second game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Thursday night (Apr 24), hitting two sixes during his brief stay; RR lost both matches, currently reeling at the eighth spot on the points table. Sehwag, however, had something to say about the RR teen making headlines worldwide. Having played for over two decades and alongside countless cricketers across all levels, Sehwag feels Vaibhav must have the hunger inside him should he wish to scale his cricketing career, or else he will suffer the same fate as many talented ones who lost their way in line following blockbuster debuts. Also read | IPL 2025: MS Dhoni on cusp of T20 history as CSK host SRH in do-or-die face-off Sehwag warns Vaibhav Speaking on Cricbuzz after RR’s fifth straight loss this season, Sehwag said Vaibhav must aim at playing 20 years in the IPL, taking inspiration from cricket great Virat Kohli. However, he warned the youngster too, saying should if he thought of himself as a crorepati now, who has had a great IPL debut, and that the fans would remember him for this, he would be nowhere to be seen from the coming season onwards. Also read | IPL 2025 | 'Quite baffling,' says Gavaskar after RR botch third consecutive chase “Suryavanshi must aim to play for 20 years in the IPL. Look at Virat Kohli; he started playing when he was 19 years old, and now he has played all 18 seasons. That is what he should be trying to emulate. But, if he is happy with this IPL, thinking that he is now a crorepati, had a great debut, hit a six off the first ball, maybe we won't see him next year," Sehwag said on Cricbuzz. "If you step out knowing that you will get praised for doing well and criticised for not doing well, you will remain grounded. I have seen many players who come and get fame from one or two matches, then do not do anything because they think that they have become a star player," he continued. Meanwhile, RR bagged Vaibhav’s services for INR 1.1 crore at the mega IPL auction late last year, breaking the record for the youngest player to be picked in an IPL auction. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: ‘…Maybe we won’t see him’ – Sehwag on RR teen Vaibhav Suryavanshi after wonder debut

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/chennai-super-kings-csk" rel="dofollow">Chennai Super Kings (CSK)</a> captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/dhoni" rel="dofollow">MS Dhoni</a> is on the cusp of creating a T20 history during his side&rsquo;s do-or-die <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> game against the travelling <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sunrisers-hyderabad" rel="dofollow">SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH)</a> at Chepauk. Leading CSK in place for injured Ruturaj Gaikwad, captain Dhoni will play his 400th T20 game on Friday (Apr 25), a massive achievement for perhaps the most decorated Indian captain ever. Dhoni&rsquo;s appearance against the SRH will make him the first wicketkeeper and the fourth Indian to achieve this feat.
<h3>Indians with the most T20 appearances -</h3>
<ul>
<li>Rohit Sharma &ndash; 455*</li>
<li>Dinesh Karthik &ndash; 412</li>
<li>Virat Kohli &ndash; 407</li>
<li>MS Dhoni &ndash; 399*</li>
<li>Ravindra Jadeja &ndash; 340*</li>
</ul>
Having made his shortest format debut against South Africa during India&rsquo;s inaugural T20I game in December 2005, Dhoni later led the Men in Blue to their maiden T20 World Cup title in 2007 in South Africa. Though India never won another T20 WC title under him, despite India playing the 2014 final and reaching the semis two years later in the home edition, Dhoni helped CSK taste enormous success in the cash-rich league, winning five IPL titles during his captaincy tenure from 2008 till 2023.
Dhoni&rsquo;s success rate as CSK captain goes beyond just numbers, as, for the longest time in IPL history, CSK at least managed to make the playoffs consecutively, if not winning it every time. However, as cricket and life had it, Dhoni&rsquo;s CSK suffered turmoil on the way, from getting banned for two years over match-fixing charges to losing five IPL finals to date.
<h2>Dhoni&rsquo;s CSK in IPL 2025</h2>
Shrugging off retirement rumours ahead of the 18th edition, Dhoni appeared in IPL 2025 as an uncapped CSK player under an IPL rule; regardless of that, his performances dipped this season compared to the last one, resulting in CSK&rsquo;s failure in eight contested matches thus far.&nbsp;
Although he remained CSK's leader despite Gaikwad captaining the team, his elbow injury saw MS Dhoni fill in the captaincy boots for the remainder of the season.&nbsp;
Chennai won their tournament opener against Mumbai Indians (MI) at home but went down in six matches since and won just one, with just two wins thus far. Though they are low on confidence and form, CSK management and Dhoni himself are motivated to turn the tables around by aiming to win their remaining six matches and push for a playoff spot in IPL 2025, the journey of which begins against SRH in Chennai.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

For CSK to reach the IPL 2025 playoffs, Dhoni's side must win their remaining six matches this season, starting with the home game against SRH on Friday. Sports, Cricket

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni is on the cusp of creating a T20 history during his side’s do-or-die IPL 2025 game against the travelling SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Chepauk. Leading CSK in place for injured Ruturaj Gaikwad, captain Dhoni will play his 400th T20 game on Friday (Apr 25), a massive achievement for perhaps the most decorated Indian captain ever. Dhoni’s appearance against the SRH will make him the first wicketkeeper and the fourth Indian to achieve this feat. Indians with the most T20 appearances - Rohit Sharma – 455* Dinesh Karthik – 412 Virat Kohli – 407 MS Dhoni – 399* Ravindra Jadeja – 340* Having made his shortest format debut against South Africa during India’s inaugural T20I game in December 2005, Dhoni later led the Men in Blue to their maiden T20 World Cup title in 2007 in South Africa. Though India never won another T20 WC title under him, despite India playing the 2014 final and reaching the semis two years later in the home edition, Dhoni helped CSK taste enormous success in the cash-rich league, winning five IPL titles during his captaincy tenure from 2008 till 2023. Dhoni’s success rate as CSK captain goes beyond just numbers, as, for the longest time in IPL history, CSK at least managed to make the playoffs consecutively, if not winning it every time. However, as cricket and life had it, Dhoni’s CSK suffered turmoil on the way, from getting banned for two years over match-fixing charges to losing five IPL finals to date. Dhoni’s CSK in IPL 2025 Shrugging off retirement rumours ahead of the 18th edition, Dhoni appeared in IPL 2025 as an uncapped CSK player under an IPL rule; regardless of that, his performances dipped this season compared to the last one, resulting in CSK’s failure in eight contested matches thus far. Although he remained CSK's leader despite Gaikwad captaining the team, his elbow injury saw MS Dhoni fill in the captaincy boots for the remainder of the season. Chennai won their tournament opener against Mumbai Indians (MI) at home but went down in six matches since and won just one, with just two wins thus far. Though they are low on confidence and form, CSK management and Dhoni himself are motivated to turn the tables around by aiming to win their remaining six matches and push for a playoff spot in IPL 2025, the journey of which begins against SRH in Chennai. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: MS Dhoni on cusp of T20 history as CSK host SRH in do-or-die face-off

Has Carlos Alcaraz already reached the level of the legendary big three in tennis? Well Novak Djokovic certainly thinks so and the 24 time Grand Slam champion believes that Alcaraz has already achieved more at 21 than he and his fellow legends Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer had at that age. Watch in for more details!

Novak Djokovic believes Carlos Alcaraz has reached the big 3 level

India batting stalwart Virat Kohli surpassed Pakistan batter Babar Azam for most T20 fifties while batting first during the IPL 2025 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). Kohli scored a brilliant 70 - his 62nd T20 fifty-plus score while batting first - as RCB beat RR by 11 runs at Chinnaswamy stadium on Thursday (Apr 24). Virat is now on the top of the list for most T20 fifty-plus score while batting first while Babar's on second place with 61 fifty-plus scores.
Meanwhile, the win against RR was also RCB's first at home this IPL season - after losing three games on trot. Overall, RCB have won six games out of nine played and lost just three. They are currently third on the 10-team points table with 12 points from nine games.
Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pahalgam-terror-attack-neeraj-chopra-statement-on-inviting-pakistan-arshad-nadeem-for-nc-classic-says-after-what-happened-in-pahalgam-8999632">Pahalgam terror attack: Neeraj Chopra breaks silence on inviting Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, says 'after what happened in Pahalgam...'</a>
Gujarat Titans (GT) and Delhi Capitals (DC) are above RCB with as many points as Bengaluru but in eight games each. Gujarat sits atop on the basis of better net run rate than DC.
Rajasthan, on the other hand, have lost their third consecutive game from a winning position. They had lost previous two games in Super Over and two runs respectively, from a commanding position before losing the plot against RCB on Thursday.
Rajasthan currently sit at eighth position on the points table with seven losses in nine games - they also also lost last five games in addition to losing the first two games of this season as well.
Royals are currently above only Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on the points table. Five-time winners CSK and SRH have managed to win only two games each from eight games played and have lost six apiece.
Both the teams face off on Friday (Apr 25) and winner will surpass RR on the points to be at eighth position at least.

Kohli scored a brilliant 70 - his 62nd T20 fifty while batting first - as RCB beat RR by 11 runs at Chinnaswamy stadium on Thursday (Apr 24). Cricket Sports

India batting stalwart Virat Kohli surpassed Pakistan batter Babar Azam for most T20 fifties while batting first during the IPL 2025 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). Kohli scored a brilliant 70 - his 62nd T20 fifty-plus score while batting first - as RCB beat RR by 11 runs at Chinnaswamy stadium on Thursday (Apr 24). Virat is now on the top of the list for most T20 fifty-plus score while batting first while Babar's on second place with 61 fifty-plus scores. Meanwhile, the win against RR was also RCB's first at home this IPL season - after losing three games on trot. Overall, RCB have won six games out of nine played and lost just three. They are currently third on the 10-team points table with 12 points from nine games. Also Read - Pahalgam terror attack: Neeraj Chopra breaks silence on inviting Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, says 'after what happened in Pahalgam...' Gujarat Titans (GT) and Delhi Capitals (DC) are above RCB with as many points as Bengaluru but in eight games each. Gujarat sits atop on the basis of better net run rate than DC. Rajasthan, on the other hand, have lost their third consecutive game from a winning position. They had lost previous two games in Super Over and two runs respectively, from a commanding position before losing the plot against RCB on Thursday. Rajasthan currently sit at eighth position on the points table with seven losses in nine games - they also also lost last five games in addition to losing the first two games of this season as well. Royals are currently above only Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on the points table. Five-time winners CSK and SRH have managed to win only two games each from eight games played and have lost six apiece. Both the teams face off on Friday (Apr 25) and winner will surpass RR on the points to be at eighth position at least.

Virat Kohli surpasses Pakistan's Babar Azam for THIS T20 record

The Tennessee Titans took University of Miami quarterback Cam Ward as the first pick in Thursday's NFL Draft while the Jacksonville Jaguars pulled a surprise move, trading up to take two-way star Travis Hunter.
The annual allocation of NFL rights for top college talent was held in front of thousands of fans gathered outside Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the Green Bay Packers.
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/2025-kentucky-derby-entries-field-horses-trainers-date-time-prize-money-purse-and-all-you-need-to-know-8998118" aria-label="2025 Kentucky Derby: Date, Time, Prize Money, Purse, Entries, Field and all you need to know">2025 Kentucky Derby: Date, Time, Prize Money, Purse, Entries, Field and all you need to know</a>
The Titans were handed the top draft spot ahead of Cleveland at second and the New York Giants picking third after all three finished an NFL-worst 3-14 last season.
Ward, a 22-year-old from Texas, completed 305 of 454 passes for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns with only seven interceptions and ran 60 times for 204 yards and four touchdowns for the Hurricanes last season.
"The hard work that I put myself through, just the unbelievable work ethic that I have, I just always had faith," Ward told ESPN.
But that pick, widely expected, was quickly overshadowed by the Jaguars trading for Cleveland's number two pick in order to secure Hunter.
The cornerback and wide receiver won the Heisman Trophy last year after his outstanding performances on offense and defense for the University of Colorado.
Such two-way players are rare in the NFL and in college Hunter was coached by one of the best known, former Dallas Cowboys star Deion Sanders.
"There are players that you can target and acquire who alter the trajectory of a game. There are players that you can target and acquire that alter the trajectory of a football team," Jaguars general manager James Gladstone told a news conference.
"There are very few, and it's rare to be able to target and prioritize a player, who can alter the sport itself. And Travis is somebody that we view has the potential to do that.
"Obviously, there's a lot for him to learn as he steps into the NFL, but we view him through the lens of unique and it's exciting for us to be able to add someone to this organization who by being nothing more than who he is, elevates the space around him," he added.
In order to get Hunter, Jacksonville handed the 2025 number five overall pick and a 2026 first-round pick in a trade which also involved a number of lower round picks.
The New York Giants used the third pick to take Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter and then traded back into the first round to snap-up Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart at number 25.
Giants coach Brian Daboll said after the pick that 36-year-old Russell Wilson will be their starting quarterback when they begin off-season workouts.
The New England Patriots took Louisiana State University's offensive tackle Will Campbell with the fourth pick.
The Browns used the fifth pick they gained from Jacksonville to grab defensive tackle Mason Graham out of Michigan.
Colorado quarterback Shadeur Sanders, son of Deion, was tipped by many media outlets to be a high pick but was not taken in the first round.
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.

The annual allocation of NFL rights for top college talent was held in front of thousands of fans gathered outside Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the Green Bay Packers. Sports

The Tennessee Titans took University of Miami quarterback Cam Ward as the first pick in Thursday's NFL Draft while the Jacksonville Jaguars pulled a surprise move, trading up to take two-way star Travis Hunter. The annual allocation of NFL rights for top college talent was held in front of thousands of fans gathered outside Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the Green Bay Packers. Also Read: 2025 Kentucky Derby: Date, Time, Prize Money, Purse, Entries, Field and all you need to know The Titans were handed the top draft spot ahead of Cleveland at second and the New York Giants picking third after all three finished an NFL-worst 3-14 last season. Ward, a 22-year-old from Texas, completed 305 of 454 passes for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns with only seven interceptions and ran 60 times for 204 yards and four touchdowns for the Hurricanes last season. "The hard work that I put myself through, just the unbelievable work ethic that I have, I just always had faith," Ward told ESPN. But that pick, widely expected, was quickly overshadowed by the Jaguars trading for Cleveland's number two pick in order to secure Hunter. The cornerback and wide receiver won the Heisman Trophy last year after his outstanding performances on offense and defense for the University of Colorado. Such two-way players are rare in the NFL and in college Hunter was coached by one of the best known, former Dallas Cowboys star Deion Sanders. "There are players that you can target and acquire who alter the trajectory of a game. There are players that you can target and acquire that alter the trajectory of a football team," Jaguars general manager James Gladstone told a news conference. "There are very few, and it's rare to be able to target and prioritize a player, who can alter the sport itself. And Travis is somebody that we view has the potential to do that. "Obviously, there's a lot for him to learn as he steps into the NFL, but we view him through the lens of unique and it's exciting for us to be able to add someone to this organization who by being nothing more than who he is, elevates the space around him," he added. In order to get Hunter, Jacksonville handed the 2025 number five overall pick and a 2026 first-round pick in a trade which also involved a number of lower round picks. The New York Giants used the third pick to take Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter and then traded back into the first round to snap-up Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart at number 25. Giants coach Brian Daboll said after the pick that 36-year-old Russell Wilson will be their starting quarterback when they begin off-season workouts. The New England Patriots took Louisiana State University's offensive tackle Will Campbell with the fourth pick. The Browns used the fifth pick they gained from Jacksonville to grab defensive tackle Mason Graham out of Michigan. Colorado quarterback Shadeur Sanders, son of Deion, was tipped by many media outlets to be a high pick but was not taken in the first round. 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.

NFL Draft 2025: Titans take QB Cam Ward as first overall pick, Jaguars take two-way star Travis Hunter

Harkrishan Wadia and Kunal Kashyap are set to headline the latest edition of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), scheduled from April 25 to 27 at the Madras International Circuit. With 21 entries this is a record for India in the Asia Pacific Championship APRC Asia Cup, which will be held alongside the FMSCI Indu Chandhok Memorial Indian Rally Championship (INRC), which is organised by Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC).
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Harkrishan Wadia, Kunal Kashyap to headline latest edition</h2>
Defending champions of the APRC India leg, Harkrishan Wadia and Kunal Kashyap of Arka Motorsports, and the reigning National champions Karna Kadur and Musa Sherif will spearhead the competition. They will be given a tough challenge by former INRC champion and ERC round winner Amittrajit Ghosh, 2019 INRC champion Chetan Shivram and co-driver E Shivaprakash and Hyderabad&rsquo;s Naveen Puligilla, who has entered with co-driver Santhosh Thomas.
Naveen recently won the RC3 class of the Kenyan Rally Championship, part of the World Rally Championship circuit. Arnav Pratap Singh along with co-driver Rohit N and Janson Saldanha along with PVS Murthy, will be the other drivers to watch out for.
Anushriya Gulati of Shimla will be the only lady entry while Hyderabad&rsquo;s Jeet Jhabhak will debut the Hyundai i20 in the INRC.
Vicky Chandhok, President of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship working group, said, &ldquo;Continuing his unstinted support from two years ago, for the FIA APRC, VamcyMerla has been involved in backing the event in Indonesia, New Zealand and of course in India. He continues to back the event as the promoter of the Indian round. Further, he has spontaneously always agreed to support the event in the interest of the sport without expecting anything in return. This is the kind of spirit and support that the MMSC enjoys with VamcyMerla as the promoter of the FIA APRC event in India and the InduChandhok Memorial South India Rally 2025.&rdquo;
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pahalgam-terror-attack-bcci-vice-president-rajeev-shukla-shuts-door-for-india-pakistan-series-says-we-will-not-play-8997703" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Pahalgam terror attack: BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla shuts door for India-Pakistan series, says 'we will not play...'</a>
Speaking on his involvement in the APRC, promoter of the APRC India round and the title sponsor of the INRC VamcyMerla, who also backing the InduChandhok Memorial South India Rally and most of the drivers in the APRC segment said, &ldquo;I am so glad to continue my relationship with the FIA APRC. I am absolutely thrilled to see a record number of entries in the FIA APRC segment. I am coming in as a contributor to support this round and I am also extending my support for a couple of other rounds.&rdquo;
The first round was held in New Zealand early this month and after the second round in Chennai, three more rounds will take place, with the final and title-deciding round taking place alongside the World Rally Championship event from November 6 to 8 in Japan.

Sports: Harkrishan Wadia and Kunal Kashyap are set to headline the latest edition of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), scheduled from April 25 to 27 in Chennai.

Harkrishan Wadia and Kunal Kashyap are set to headline the latest edition of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), scheduled from April 25 to 27 at the Madras International Circuit. With 21 entries this is a record for India in the Asia Pacific Championship APRC Asia Cup, which will be held alongside the FMSCI Indu Chandhok Memorial Indian Rally Championship (INRC), which is organised by Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC). Harkrishan Wadia, Kunal Kashyap to headline latest edition Defending champions of the APRC India leg, Harkrishan Wadia and Kunal Kashyap of Arka Motorsports, and the reigning National champions Karna Kadur and Musa Sherif will spearhead the competition. They will be given a tough challenge by former INRC champion and ERC round winner Amittrajit Ghosh, 2019 INRC champion Chetan Shivram and co-driver E Shivaprakash and Hyderabad’s Naveen Puligilla, who has entered with co-driver Santhosh Thomas. Naveen recently won the RC3 class of the Kenyan Rally Championship, part of the World Rally Championship circuit. Arnav Pratap Singh along with co-driver Rohit N and Janson Saldanha along with PVS Murthy, will be the other drivers to watch out for. Anushriya Gulati of Shimla will be the only lady entry while Hyderabad’s Jeet Jhabhak will debut the Hyundai i20 in the INRC. Vicky Chandhok, President of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship working group, said, “Continuing his unstinted support from two years ago, for the FIA APRC, VamcyMerla has been involved in backing the event in Indonesia, New Zealand and of course in India. He continues to back the event as the promoter of the Indian round. Further, he has spontaneously always agreed to support the event in the interest of the sport without expecting anything in return. This is the kind of spirit and support that the MMSC enjoys with VamcyMerla as the promoter of the FIA APRC event in India and the InduChandhok Memorial South India Rally 2025.” ALSO READ | Pahalgam terror attack: BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla shuts door for India-Pakistan series, says 'we will not play...' Speaking on his involvement in the APRC, promoter of the APRC India round and the title sponsor of the INRC VamcyMerla, who also backing the InduChandhok Memorial South India Rally and most of the drivers in the APRC segment said, “I am so glad to continue my relationship with the FIA APRC. I am absolutely thrilled to see a record number of entries in the FIA APRC segment. I am coming in as a contributor to support this round and I am also extending my support for a couple of other rounds.” The first round was held in New Zealand early this month and after the second round in Chennai, three more rounds will take place, with the final and title-deciding round taking place alongside the World Rally Championship event from November 6 to 8 in Japan.

FIA Asia Pacific Championship: Harikrishan Wadia, Kunal Kashyap to headline latest edition

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