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Mohun Bagan's Jason Cummings shows middle finger after losing to East Bengal

Mohun Bagan's Jason Cummings shows middle finger after losing to East Bengal

India Today21 hours ago
Mohun Bagan's Jason Cummings sparked a controversy with his middle finger gesture after losing 1-2 to East Bengal in the quarterfinal of the Durand Cup. In a heated moment reminiscent of former Australian cricketer Greg Chappell's infamous gesture at Eden Gardens in 2005, Jason Cummings showed the middle finger to supporters after the Kolkata Derby match at Yuva Bharati Krirangan on Sunday, August 17.advertisementThe incident occurred as Cummings boarded the team bus following East Bengal's 2-1 victory over Mohun Bagan in the Durand Cup 2025 quarterfinals. As East Bengal fans chanted "Jai East Bengal," Cummings reportedly flashed the obscene gesture, sparking widespread outrage on social media.Earlier, Dimitrios Diamantakos, who came on as a substitute in the 18th minute following the injury of Moroccan forward Hamid Ahadad, proved to be the game-changer for East Bengal. He scored a brace, including a penalty in the 38th minute and another in the 52nd minute, securing a 2-0 lead for East Bengal. Anirudh Thapa's stunning curling shot in the 67th minute narrowed the margin to 2-1.The match also had its fair share of controversy as Mohun Bagan fans were furious over a questionable penalty call that led to Diamantakos' second goal. East Bengal's coach, Oscar Bruzon, instilled confidence in his team's ability to control emotions and focus on the pitch.
In contrast, Mohun Bagan's coach, Jose Molina, faced a tough challenge with injuries to key players. The Kolkata Derby continues to be one of the most intense and unpredictable matches in Indian football, with this latest incident adding fuel to the fire.With this win, East Bengal has set up a highly anticipated semifinal showdown against fellow Kolkata team Diamond Harbour FC, scheduled for August 20. Debutants Diamond Harbour FC had earlier caused an upset by defeating ISL side Jamshedpur FC 2-0 in Jamshedpur.For East Bengal, 16-time champions, this victory was about more than just advancing in the Durand Cup—it also marked an end to a difficult streak against their fierce rivals. Since their 3-1 victory in the Super Cup on January 19, 2024, East Bengal had suffered four consecutive defeats in top-level derbies to Mohun Bagan.- Ends
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AFL: ‘It looked like a Mumbai cricket pitch out there…' Geelong Cats coach compares SCG surface to Mumbai pitch
AFL: ‘It looked like a Mumbai cricket pitch out there…' Geelong Cats coach compares SCG surface to Mumbai pitch

Indian Express

time12 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

AFL: ‘It looked like a Mumbai cricket pitch out there…' Geelong Cats coach compares SCG surface to Mumbai pitch

In its 17-year history, the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) remains one of the few Australian cricket venues that does not use drop-in pitches. The iconic stadium, which has also hosted the Australian Football League (AFL) side Sydney Swans since 1982, sees AFL matches take over every March. However, due to the tight schedule between cricket and AFL, the transitions have not been seamless. On Sunday, the SCG surface drew criticism again for its soft patches in the middle, with Geelong Cats coach Chris Scott comparing it to a Mumbai cricket pitch. Scott was filmed inspecting the surface ahead of his side's match against the Swans. The Cats' coach appeared unhappy with the center wicket area, which he described as excessively hard compared to the softer rye grass surrounding it. 'The actual surface looks beautiful. The rye grass is quite soft. I know there's been a lot of rain up here, but it's the contrast between the quite soft area outside the center square and then the pretty rock-hard center wicket area that's just not conducive to AFL football. And so the strange part—with so much rain—is that it's covered all the time, and you've got this baked… you know, it looked like (a) Mumbai (cricket pitch) out there,' Scott told Australian media. 'It looked like Mumbai out there.' 🗣️ Chris Scott on the SCG's centre wicket — 7AFL (@7AFL) August 17, 2025 The visitors secured a 43-point win over the Swans, but Scott's remarks about the SCG surface resembling a Mumbai pitch even prompted Australian pacer Mitchell Starc to react. 'I wish Mumbai had that much grass coverage…' Starc wrote on Instagram. Earlier this year, the Domestic One-Day Cup final between New South Wales (NSW) and Western Australia had to be moved from the SCG to Cricket Central due to pitch preparations for the Swans' AFL season opener on March 7. While other major venues like the MCG, Adelaide Oval, and Perth's Optus Stadium use drop-in pitches for easier transitions, the SCG has resisted the change. NSW skipper Moises Henriques had expressed frustration over losing home-ground advantage. 'We just don't have access to the ground (as long as we'd like). It'd be nice to have a home-ground advantage,' Henriques had said. Chris Scott shaking his head at the surface pre-game 😂#AFLSwansCats — 7AFL (@7AFL) August 17, 2025 Discussions between Cricket NSW and AFL authorities about introducing drop-in pitches at the SCG have stalled, despite Swans chairman Andrew Pridham advocating for the move. 'If they can land a man on the moon in 1969, they can certainly get a drop-in wicket onto the SCG in 2024. They can do it in pieces. It's purely politics… the arguments about technological barriers are not substantiated,' Pridham had said earlier this year. Before the AFL season, the SCG hosted an Andrea Bocelli concert, and heavy rains in Sydney left parts of the ground—particularly the Paddington End—unstable and slippery during some matches. However, the area Scott referred to on Sunday was different. 'So that's, again, for them to work through. But I mean, my position would be—if you think that's optimal for AFL football, you don't understand what's optimal for AFL football. But again, not my concern really. Well, it was my concern today, but I wouldn't read too much into my body language, if there was someone filming me and I didn't know. Well, I guess it's my chance to explain it—I wasn't that worried. It was exactly what we expected. We rocked up here yesterday, and the center wicket's covered. Not sure there's much point having a training session the day before when the pitch is covered. It's pretty much the reason we're here,' Scott added.

Ajit Agarkar To Announce India's Asia Cup 2025 Squad At 1:30 PM On August 19
Ajit Agarkar To Announce India's Asia Cup 2025 Squad At 1:30 PM On August 19

News18

timean hour ago

  • News18

Ajit Agarkar To Announce India's Asia Cup 2025 Squad At 1:30 PM On August 19

Last Updated: According to the BCCI release, the Chairman of the Senior Men's Selection Committee, Ajit Agarkar, and the India captain will address the media at BCCI Headquarters on Tuesday. India's squad for the upcoming 2025 edition of the Asia Cup will be picked in Mumbai on Tuesday (August 19), and after the selection committee's meeting at BCCI Headquarters, Ajit Agarkar, who is the chairman of the senior men's selection committee, will address media persons along with the India captain. As per the release shared by the BCCI, 'The Senior Men's Selection Committee will meet at the BCCI HQ, Mumbai, on Tuesday, August 19, to pick India's squad for the upcoming ACC Men's Asia Cup. The selection meeting will be followed by a press conference, which will be attended by the captain and the chairman of the Senior Men's Selection Committee." Suryakumar Yadav is all set to continue as India captain, but it will be interesting to see if star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah returns to the squad for the eight-team tournament in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The 31-year-old fast bowler from Ahmedabad has reportedly confirmed his availability for the Asia Cup set to be played from September 9 to 28. Also there are question marks over the selection of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer and Rinku Singh among others. The senior women's selection committee is also scheduled to meet on Tuesday at BCCI Headquarters in Wankhede Stadium to pick India's squad for the upcoming series against the Australian team as well as the 2025 edition of the Women's ODI World Cup. 'The Women's Selection Committee will also meet at the BCCI HQ, Mumbai, to pick India's squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia and the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup. The selection meeting will be followed by a press conference, which will be attended by the captain and the chairperson of the Women's Selection Committee," the mail read. The 2025 edition of the Women's ODI World Cup will be played across four venues in India and one in Sri Lanka from September 30 to November 2. A total of eight teams – India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Australia, England, New Zealand, and South Africa – will take part in this year's mega event. Harmanpreet Kaur is all set to captain India in the 50-over mega event for the first time in her career, and Smriti Mandhana will be her deputy. It will be interesting to see if Shafali Verma manages to secure a comeback in the Indian team. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...

Mohun Bagan outright refuses to send players for Indian national camp, slams AIFF for 'negligence'
Mohun Bagan outright refuses to send players for Indian national camp, slams AIFF for 'negligence'

First Post

time2 hours ago

  • First Post

Mohun Bagan outright refuses to send players for Indian national camp, slams AIFF for 'negligence'

A total of 13 players, including seven from Mohun Bagan, are yet to report at the Indian senior men's national camp that is being conducted by newly-appointed head coach Khalid Jamil in Bengaluru and got underway on 15 August. Mohun Bagan Super Giant are set to compete in the AFC Champions League Two after winning the ISL League Winners Shield earlier this year. PTI Reigning Indian Super League (ISL) champions Mohun Bagan on Monday bluntly refused to release their players for the ongoing national camp, stressing that it is 'not mandatory' outside a FIFA window and accusing the All India Football Federation of 'negligence' over player welfare. The on August 15 ahead of next month's CAFA Nations Cup, but 13 players, including seven from Mohun Bagan, are yet to join the camp. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Initially, their absence was attributed to the club's Durand Cup commitments. But even after the in the quarter-finals in Kolkata on Sunday, the club has stood firm, citing their upcoming AFC Champions League Two opener against Turkmenistan's Ahal FC at Salt Lake Stadium on 16 September. More from Football Hitting out at the federation, a Mohun Bagan official pointed to the case of skipper Subhasish Bose, who has been sidelined since suffering an injury during India's Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh in March this year. 'Every time they take our players, three-four of them return injured, and the AIFF is least bothered to communicate, compensate, or even check on them,' the official told PTI. 'Look at Bose… He is under rehab, has missed the entire season so far, we are paying his salary, and yet the federation hasn't even called once to inquire about him.' He further added: 'Unless it is a FIFA international window, it is not mandatory for the club to release its players as there is no compensation in case of injury. Hence, we are not releasing anyone for this camp.' The seven Mariners missing from the camp include Anirudh Thapa, Deepak Tangri, Lalengmawia, Liston Colaco, Manvir Singh, Sahal Abdul Samad and Vishal Kaith. Forward Manvir is already nursing an injury. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Mohun Bagan have also denied the release of four youngsters – Dippendu Biswas, Suhail Bhat, Priyansh Dubey and T Abhishek Singh – who are with the India U-23 side preparing for next month's AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers in Qatar. 'Abhishek is a vital cog in our defence in the absence of Bose, and so are Dippendu, Suhail and Priyansh. We will not release them either,' the official said. Bhat also has a niggle. Mohun Bagan's defiance comes even as the AIFF, in its statement, thanked Jamshedpur FC for releasing coach Khalid Jamil 'in the national interest' despite the ongoing season, and appealed for 'cooperation' from all clubs. The Mariners earned a direct entry to the AFC Champions League Two group stage by winning the ISL League Shield last season. Following their September 16 opener at home, they face Sepahan SC (Iran) and Al Hussein (Jordan) in successive away fixtures, before hosting Al Hussein again on November 4. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Their campaign concludes with away and home ties against Ahal (November 25) and Sepahan (December 23). FC Goa, who made the cut to the group stage after a 2-1 victory over Omani champions Al Seeb in the preliminary stage fixture, are in Group C and open their group campaign against Al-Zawrra of Iraq at home on September 17. But four of their players – Hrithik Tiwari (goalkeeper), defenders Boris Singh and Sandesh Jhingan and midfielder Udanta Singh – have reported at the camp.

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