Team India Champions ready for the World Championship of Legends
After the tremendous success of last year, the World Championship of Legends (WCL) gears up for its highly anticipated Season 2, with all eyes on the reigning champions - Team India Champions, once again led by World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh.
'It's been amazing to see how WCL has grown into something that truly connects with cricket fans around the world. I'm really excited to be back on the field, playing the game I love, and sharing it with some of the biggest legends," said Yuvraj.
Co-owned by Bollywood star Ajay Devgn, the World Championship of Legends (WCL) promises fierce competition as six big cricketing nations — India, Australia, England, South Africa, Pakistan, and the West Indies — go head-to-head, each represented by teams filled with marquee names.
At the heart of this high-octane tournament is Team India Champions, owned by UK-based Sports Merchants Ltd, led by Salman Ahmed, Jaspal Bahra, and Sumant Bahl. Deeply passionate about the game, the trio is committed to leading India Champions to the very top of the league.
Coming off a thrilling title win last year, Team India Champions return stronger than ever. The squad gets a massive boost with the inclusion of Shikhar Dhawan, who joins a powerhouse squad of match-winners and fan favorites. The team blends experience, power, and flair with veterans like Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, and Robin Uthappa, making it one of the most well-rounded line-ups this season.
The rest of the team includes Yusuf Pathan, Ambati Rayudu, Stuart Binny, Gurkeerat Mann, Siddharth Kaul, Abhimanyu Mithun, Vinay Kumar, Varun Aaron, Piyush Chawla, and Pawan Negi.
"Team India Champions is more than just a squad, it's a legacy. WCL is not just another cricket league, it's a grand celebration that brings legendary players together, rekindling the magic of the game and to remind everyone why they fell in love with cricket in the first place. With the talent and heart this team has, we're definitely aiming to bring the trophy home again,' said Yuvraj.
'This team represents more than just cricket - it stands for legacy, leadership, and pride," said Salman Ahmed, Co-owner of Team India Champions.
"Having legends like Yuvraj Singh lead the side brings not just experience but also immense inspiration for the entire team. We're not just defending a title - we're raising the bar for what this team stands for."
The season starts on July 18 (Friday) in Edgbaston with India's first game scheduled on July 20 and will be played in Birmingham, Leeds and and Leicester.
Star Sports and TNT Sports will broadcast the matches in India and the UK respectively.
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Gulf Today
3 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Weather sends gripping England-India Test into final day
Harry Brook and Joe Root both hit hundreds before England's series finale against India was left on a knife-edge after an Oval downpour cut short Sunday's fourth day. England were 339-6 when play was abandoned at 1703 GMT, with the hosts now needing a further 35 runs to reach a target of 374 on Monday's final day. India, meanwhile, require four wickets to end the five-match series level at 2-2. England were faltering at 106-3 following the loss of stand-in captain Ollie Pope. But the Yorkshire duo of Brook (111) and Root (105) turned the tide with a fourth-wicket stand of 195 that left England cruising to a 3-1 series win with more than a day to spare. But Brook's exit sparked a mini-collapse that saw England lose three wickets for 36 runs, with Root also unable to finish the job. Fans leave the stands as a big screen displays a message that play is abandoned for the day on Sunday. Reuters And when bad light halted play at 1630 GMT, England were 339-6, with Jamie Smith (two not out) and Jamie Overton (nought not out) on their Surrey home ground. A huge downpour then effectively prevented any hope of a resumption Sunday. The most any side have made in the fourth innings to win a Test at the Oval is England's 263 in a one-wicket victory over Australia back in 1902. England's Joe Root plays a shot on day four of their fifth Test match against India at The Kia But aggressive batting has been a cornerstone of England's approach to Test cricket since captain Ben Stokes, ruled out of this match with a shoulder injury, and coach Brendon McCullum joined forces in 2022. England started this series with the 10th highest successful run chase in Test history after they knocked off a target of 371 for a five-wicket win over India in the opener at Headingley in June. Brook made an immediate impact when he came out to bat on Sunday, at one stage hitting 27 runs in the space of eight balls. The talented 26-year-old charged down the pitch to loft Akash Deep for an extraordinary six over cover despite heavy cloud cover in London favouring India's quicks. Indian players watch on screen for third umpire's decision on day four at the Kia Oval in London. AP Brook escape: He almost holed out to fine leg off Prasidh Krishna but Mohammed Siraj was unable to stop himself stepping onto the boundary rope, which meant a six for Brook. India captain Shubman Gill let the game drift and it was not until the 43rd over, with England 190-3, that he introduced spin -- in the shape of Washington Sundar. But neither off-spinner Sundar or left-armer Ravindra Jadeja made much impact against two well-set batsmen, who took just 108 balls to complete a century partnership. Brook went to 98 when Deep misfielded a drive on the rope to concede a boundary. Next ball a two to third man took Brook to a 91-ball century, including 12 fours and two sixes, his second of the series. Joe Root celebrates his 100 on day four at the Oval. AFP Brook's innings ended in appropriately spectacular fashion when, going for another big hit off Deep, his bat flew out of his hands. As the blade soared towards square leg, the ball looped to mid-off where Siraj held the catch. Root's typically elegant straight-driven four off Siraj took him to 98 not out at tea, with the former England captain completing his 39th Test century following the interval, reaching the landmark in just 137 balls, including 12 fours. Agence France-Presse Scoreboard India 1st Innings 224 (K Nair 57; G Atkinson 5-33, J Tongue 3-57) England 1st Innings 247 (Z Crawley 64, H Brook 53; P Krishna 4-62, M Siraj 4-86) India 2nd Innings 396 (Y Jaiswal 118, A Deep 66, R Jadeja 53, W Sundar 53; J Tongue 5-125, G Atkinson 3-127) England 2nd Innings (target 374, overnight 50-1) Z Crawley b Siraj14 B Duckett c Rahul b Krishna54 O Pope lbw b Siraj27 J Root c Jurel b Krishna105 H Brook c Siraj b Deep111 J Bethell b Krishna5 J Smith not out2 J Overton not out0 Extras (b1, lb8, nb1, w11)21 Total (6 wkts, 76.2 overs, 378 mins)339 To bat: C Woakes, G Atkinson, J Tongue Fall of wickets: 1-50 (Crawley), 2-82 (Duckett), 3-106 (Pope), 4-301 (Brook), 5-332 (Bethell), 6-337 (Root) Bowling: Deep 20-4-85-1 (1nb, 2w); Krishna 22.2-3-109-3 (1w); Siraj 26-5-95-2; Sundar 4-0-19-0; Jadeja 4-0-22-0 Match position: England need 35 more runs to win with four wickets standing Agence France-Presse
The National
7 hours ago
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England v India: Harry Brook and Joe Root hit centuries but match and series on knife edge
England and India played out another enthralling day's play in what has been a rollercoaster series that will now go down to the wire at The Oval. The home side had started Day 4 one wicket down, still needing 324 runs to win and avoid a defeat that would mean India levelled the series at 2-2. Saturday had been a horrendous one in the field that had seen stand-in captain Ollie Pope's men drop six chances allowing India to set a tough victory target of 374. But thanks to brilliant centuries from Harry Brook and Joe Root, England batted themselves into what looked like a winning position, only for India to hit back with key wickets on Sunday. The tourists claimed the scalps of Brook, Jacob Bethell and then Root to put themselves back in the driving seat and leave England on 337-6, still with 37 runs to go. Jamie Smith (two off 17 balls) and Jamie Overton (nought off eight) managed to see off the Indian attack – led by a resurgent Prasidh Krishna – until bad light brought the players off and a sudden rain shower ensured they would not be coming back on. So the players will be return to action on Day five in south London with England needing 35 runs and India four wickets – but with Chris Woakes apparently ruled out having dislocated his shoulder while fielding on Thursday. 'It is quite fitting for how the rest of the series has gone,' Root said. 'It has ebbed and flowed all of the way through and this Test is exactly same. We are in for a cracker for tomorrow. It is a weird one going into the fifth day with the sun out now but it will be a great finish. 'We are in a good position. We have another heavy roller available. Things might happen quicker with new ball. It might be easier to score. A lot of things are in our favour. 'We have so much ability left in the dressing room. Clearly they have had a good passage of play but tomorrow could be a real good opportunity to get across the line.' When asked if Woakes could bat tomorrow, Root added: 'I assume so. He is desperate to do what it takes. There is a lot of things that have to happen before that.' One of the key moments in the day's play came with England on 137-3 after losing the wickets of Ben Duckett (54) and Pope (27) in the first session. And it will be one that will give Mohammed Siraj nightmares for years to come. Brook, on 19, hooked a big heave towards fine leg which was snaffled by Siraj, only for the Indian fielder to step over the boundary rope, cost his side a wicket and gift the England batter a further six runs. It would prove a costly error. Brook would go on to smash a stunning 111 off 98 balls which would help take England to within 73 runs of victory. His fourth-wicket partnership of 195 runs with Root had put England in a match-winning position and they needed only 57 runs to win after tea. 'Me and Brooky have contrasting games which works really well for us,' added Root. That is such an important part of it. 'The way he played, how destructive he was, putting bowlers under pressure can really upset the rhythm of the opposition and swung things massively in our favour.' With Brook gone, it was down to England's Mr Dependable to take over the reins. Root's century would come off a more sedate 137 balls and was his third ton in the fourth innings of a Test – no England batter has more. But after surviving a tight lbw call and losing another partner in Bethell – bowled by Krishna – Root's luck deserted him as he wafted at one by the same bowler, edging through to the wicketkeeper. The second highest run scorer in Test history was out for 105, following his 39th Test ton, with England still needing 37 runs to win. Krishna (3-109) had turned the game back in India's favour. It left Smith and Overton fresh at the crease and struggling to score a run with the tourists sensing a late twist in a series already full of them. But much to their disappointment, that twist turned out to be the British weather as first bad light and then rain brought a sudden end to yet another breathless day's action.
Khaleej Times
7 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Oval downpour leaves England-India series on knife edge
Harry Brook and Joe Root both hit hundreds before England's series finale against India was left on a knife edge after an Oval downpour cut short Sunday's fourth day. England were 339-6 when play was abandoned at 1703 GMT, with the hosts now needing a further 35 runs to reach a target of 374 on Monday's final day. India, meanwhile, require four wickets to end the five-match series level at 2-2. England were faltering at 106-3 following the loss of stand-in captain Ollie Pope. But the Yorkshire duo of Brook (111) and Root (105) turned the tide with a fourth-wicket stand of 195 that left England cruising to a 3-1 series win with more than a day to spare. But Brook's exit sparked a mini-collapse that saw England lose three wickets for 36 runs, with Root also unable to finish the job. And when bad light halted play at 1630 GMT, England were 339-6, with Jamie Smith (two not out) and Jamie Overton (nought not out) on their Surrey home ground. A huge downpour then effectively prevented any hope of a resumption Sunday. The most any side have made in the fourth innings to win a Test at the Oval is England's 263 in a one-wicket victory over Australia back in 1902. But aggressive batting has been a cornerstone of England's approach to Test cricket since captain Ben Stokes, ruled out of this match with a shoulder injury, and coach Brendon McCullum joined forces in 2022. England started this series with the 10th highest successful run chase in Test history after they knocked off a target of 371 for a five-wicket win over India in the opener at Headingley in June. Brook made an immediate impact when he came out to bat on Sunday, at one stage hitting 27 runs in the space of eight balls. The talented 26-year-old charged down the pitch to loft Akash Deep for an extraordinary six over cover despite heavy cloud cover in London favouring India's quicks. He almost holed out to fine leg off Prasidh Krishna but Mohammed Siraj was unable to stop himself stepping onto the boundary rope, which meant a six for Brook. India captain Shubman Gill let the game drift and it was not until the 43rd over, with England 190-3, that he introduced spin -- in the shape of Washington Sundar. But neither off-spinner Sundar or left-armer Ravindra Jadeja made much impact against two well-set batsmen, who took just 108 balls to complete a century partnership. Brook went to 98 when Deep misfielded a drive on the rope to concede a boundary. Next ball a two to third man took Brook to a 91-ball century, including 12 fours and two sixes, his second of the series. Brook's innings ended in appropriately spectacular fashion when, going for another big hit off Deep, his bat flew out of his hands. As the blade soared towards square leg, the ball looped to mid-off where Siraj held the catch. Root's typically elegant straight-driven four off Siraj took him to 98 not out at tea, with the former England captain completing his 39th Test century following the interval, reaching the landmark in just 137 balls, including 12 fours. Root, however, fell soon afterwards, when caught behind flicking at a Krishna delivery to leave England 337-6. England resumed Sunday on 50-1 after Siraj yorked Zak Crawley with the last ball of Saturday's play. Ben Duckett, 34 not out overnight, fell for 54 after edging an intended drive off Krishna to KL Rahul at second slip before Pope was plumb lbw for 27 to Siraj.
