NCC promises to be a Classic
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Time of India
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MLC 2025: San Francisco Unicorns come through in last-ball thriller, snap losing streak vs Texas Super Kings
San Francisco Unicorns captain Matthew Short scored a 63-ball 80 runs to take the Player of the Match award against Texas Super Kings. (Sportzpics) San Francisco Unicorns secured a thrilling one-run victory over Texas Super Kings in Lauderhill during the Major League Cricket 2025 match. The Unicorns successfully defended their total of 148/6, with Matthew Short 's innings of 80 runs and Hassan Khan's quick-fire 40 helping them overcome early setbacks to post a competitive score. The match went down to the final delivery, with the Unicorns snapping their losing streak in dramatic fashion. Matthew Short's resilient innings of 80 off 63 balls proved crucial as he guided the team from a precarious position of 25/3 in the powerplay. MLC: Venky Harinarayan on growing cricket in the USA, AI-driven teams and the Olympic boost Hassan Khan provided valuable support with his aggressive knock of 40 runs from just 25 balls, helping the Unicorns reach a fighting total. Akeal Hosein stood out among the Super Kings bowlers in the early stages, though other spinners struggled to maintain control as Short found ways to score on a challenging surface. The Super Kings' chase got off to a poor start, losing both openers early to Brody Couch. Marcus Stoinis and Saiteja Mukkamalla attempted to stabilise the innings, but the required run rate continued to climb. Calvin Savage: The Face of USA's Cricketing Revolution Donovan Ferreira's arrival at the crease marked a significant shift in momentum. His explosive innings of 39 runs from 20 deliveries kept the Super Kings in contention and reduced the equation to 23 runs required from the final two overs. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is your tinnitus getting worse? Do this immediately (Watch) Hearing Magazine Undo The 19th over proved decisive as Romario Shepherd dismissed both Ferreira and Shubham Ranjane in quick succession. With 13 runs needed from the final over, Mohammad Mohsin managed to hit two boundaries, keeping Texas's hopes alive. Xavier Bartlett bowled the crucial final over, utilising the angles effectively. The match came down to the last ball with three runs required, ending in a run-out as Calvin Savage attempted a desperate second run. Brief Scores: San Francisco Unicorns 148/6 (Short 80; Stoinis 3-32) beat Texas Super Kings 147/7 (Ferreira 39; Couch 2-26, Shepherd 2-26) by 1 run. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Neeraj Chopra Classic: A champion's gold class presentation
Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra during a training session. (PTI Photo) Neeraj Chopra Classic will get bigger and better says the two-time olympic medallist, who will be seen in the twin roles of organiser & participant BENGALURU: The countdown to the Neeraj Chopra Classic, a World Athletics Continental Tour gold event, is nearing its end and the stage is getting finishing touches for the spectacle, which will see the world's top javelin throwers compete for the top prize here on Saturday. Neeraj Chopra, who is here in a dual role as a competitor and organiser of the event, was at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Thursday evening. He addressed the media before hitting the track with fellow world beaters, including Germany's Thomas Rohler, to do a few laps on track as part of his training routine monitored by coach Jan Zelezny. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! On his twin roles, Chopra said: The toughest part of organising the event is that you get very little time to train. I have to arrange everything, and it's going well." Poll How excited are you for the Neeraj Chopra Classic event? Very Excited Somewhat Excited Not Excited Indifferent 'I've witnessed the passion for sports among the people of Karnataka, which is why we chose to hold the meet here. I want parents to bring their children to the event so athletics can grow in stature. In the future, we will add more events to this meet. We want to make this meet bigger so that our athletes, who are doing well on the global stage, will get an opportunity to compete with the top international athletes in India," the two-time Olympic medallist added. Bengaluru Days Recalling his training camps in Bengaluru as a young athlete, Chopra, who won the SAF Games gold in Guwahati before claiming the World U-20 gold in Bydgoszcz, Poland, in 2016, said he cherishes those memories. "I have trained at the SAI South Centre here for 5-6 months in 2016-17. In those days, we roamed around the city visiting malls, MG Road, etc. We had a lot of fun, and I have great memories from those days. It's a great city with lovely weather and friendly people.' On his maiden foray at the venue, the 27-year-old stated, 'This is the first time that I'm competing in Bengaluru and that too in an international event. I'm very happy with my preparation and I'm looking forward to Saturday.' Urging the city's sport enthusiasts to make the event a success, the world champion said, 'Although I'm far from home, with the kind of support I've received, I feel at home here. It's the first time such an event is happening in India. I invite all sports lovers in Bengaluru to come and support the event. The best athletes from around the world are here, and you will enjoy it," Chopra said. Neeraj also gave a vote of thanks to the state government for their support. "Initially, we planned the event in Haryana, but there were some technical problems, including that of lighting. Then we spoke to the Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah sir, through Govindraj sir and everyone here was very helpful. From the very first call, there was a positive response, and I was promised all support. I have visited the stadium, and they have changed the getting ready," Neeraj said in the presence of Karnataka Olympic Association president K Govindaraj and other top government officials. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
NC Classic: Neeraj Chopra ready for his dream event – between worrying about spice levels in food, finding time to train
Sitting alongside two greats of men's javelin, Thomas Rohler and Julius Yego, Neeraj Chopra on Friday narrated a pinch-himself-moment from the previous evening. When at the gym in the Kanteerava Stadium, Neeraj saw Rohler and others training on the field. That's when it struck him that the Neeraj Chopra Classic, his dream project, was just 48 hours away. The two-time Olympic and World Championship medallist was overwhelmed. 'I was telling them that I was in the gym, and saw you and the others throwing. It was my dream that it would happen in India and now finally it is here. So thank you,' Neeraj said looking towards Rohler and Yego. In a new role as the face of the World Athletics Category A event, Neeraj has knuckled down and got to work ensuring that everything is in the best order. That includes worrying about the spice in the food at the official team hotel, another example of him being a good host. 'I was telling them about the food, I was thinking of you guys hoping it is not too spicy,' Neeraj said. For the benefit of Rohler and Yego, he kept translating into English after answering questions in Hindi. Neeraj, his sponsors and backers, have shelled out money for appearance fees, travel and accommodation for some of the top javelin throwers in the world, a ball-park figure of Rs 4 crore is being talked about as the entire cost of hosting the NC Classic. Till early last week, they were still some way from breaking even with major sponsors on board. But the inaugural edition of the NC Classic is not about the bottomline. When asked about the funding and business model, Neeraj sounded like a parent conducting the first wedding in a family. Burning a small hole in the pocket didn't matter at this stage. 'If I talk about the business side, for me right now the only aim is to make this event a success. That is my focus. That the NC Classic is happening, that in itself is a big thing. Rest of the things don't matter now. I want to promote the sport,' he said. The current world champion has had a lot on his plate. He's been in Bengaluru for a week, going the extra mile to ensure a glitch-free event. Being on the other side, he's already spoken about having 'new-found respect for people who put an event together'. 'One of the toughest parts was to think and plan about such a big event and then also having to compete in it. The mind of an athlete is a bit slow. For me, so far it has been about just competing,' Neeraj said. He also spoke like a serious sports administrator with a long-term vision for the growth of the sport. 'As we see, there are so many international competitions in Germany and other nations almost every week. So, this is what I want in India, as there should be at least four-five competitions which are world-class. The athletes should get a chance and people should see them play. That will be very good for our sport,' the Tokyo Olympics gold medallist said. Sachin Yadav, 25, sitting beside Neeraj and sharing the dais with Rohler and Yego, is one of the five Indian athletes in the fray. There's been talk of Sachin, an Asian Championship silver medallist, being the one to carry Neeraj's legacy forward. Sachin, a man of few words, said he was looking forward to sharing the field with some of the greats. He remembers the day Neeraj got in touch with him. 'I couldn't believe that I got a message from Neeraj bhai. Thanks so much to Neeraj bhai for inviting me to this competition. I am very happy to be here. There are throwers from all over the world, some of the best. I can compete with everyone and that too in India,' Sachin said. Rohler, the 2016 Olympic gold medallist, said the inaugural NC Classic was a step forward for the sport in India. 'Neeraj being on the top of the world in the sport… this is like the logical step to bring the sport to the people, not only on TV but in person,' Rohler said. The German, however, said quality coaches are key to tap the potential of the next generation. 'There are talented athletes, but who will coach them? So I am looking forward to seeing the whole development of the sport to make it something sustainable and not just a small trend,' he said. Yego, who like Neeraj in India, was the javelin trend-setter in Kenya, a country famous for its long-distance runners. The emergence of world-class throwers from outside the traditional powerhouse countries has warmed his heart, Yego said. 'Who would have thought that India would have a competition featuring only javelin. So we might see next year, or years to come, more countries deciding to host javelin competitions. This is a good initiative and coming from one of our friends, Chopra. So the sport is growing,' Yego said. Back in the official hotel, there were fans waiting to click selfies with Neeraj. He had a final training session in the evening, followed by a pre-event dinner for the athletes, officials and guests. On the eve of the big day, Neeraj had a hundred things on his mind. He was hard-pressed for time but seemed to have things under control. Like he does, more often than not, once a competition begins.
