WCL: Legends Snub Pakistan, Why Ind V Pak At Asia Cup? First Sports With Rupha Ramani
India V Pakistan is cricket's biggest rivalry, but should it even happen anymore? After the horrific Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, public sentiment in India is crystal clear: no ties, no matches, no sports diplomacy with Pakistan. Yet, despite the outrage, the Asia Cup 2024 still features the high-voltage clash. So, why is the BCCI moving forward? Is it about money, contracts, or just being stuck in a system? Players from the World Championship of Legends set a bold example by refusing to face Pakistan in the semifinal. Rupha Ramani explores how other nations like Russia V Ukraine, Iran V Israel, and North V South Korea have taken firm geopolitical stands in sports. But when the stakes are about terrorism, is a cricket match ever just a game?
Also on the show, Pakistan is likely to miss the spot for the 2028 LA Olympics. ICC is reportedly considering a regional qualification system. With India being a higher-ranked nation, chances for Pakistan's qualification are low. The list also includes some of the other top-ranked nations. Has ICC failed to crack the global market? And China's pork obsession is threatening badminton's rise in Europe. France, which started loving the sport after the Paris Olympics, is the most affected party. What is the reason behind it?
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Hindustan Times
28 minutes ago
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Shubman Gill ‘ready to take over' ODI captaincy after England tour show: How long will Rohit Sharma continue?
India may have ended the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in a 2-2 draw — extending their 15-year wait for a Test series win in England — but the contest offered more positives and promise than many expected. Chief among them was Shubman Gill's captaincy. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill during the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year(PTI) Gill's appointment as Test captain ahead of more experienced names for a high-stakes England tour raised eyebrows. Neither head coach Gautam Gambhir nor chief selector Ajit Agarkar's backing could immediately quell the doubts. But all questions were put to rest after the Oval thriller, where India pulled off a dramatic six-run heist to level the series. Gill was named Player of the Series for leading India's batting charge, scoring 754 runs in 10 innings — the most ever by an Indian captain in a Test series and second only to Don Bradman's 810 runs in the 1936–37 Ashes. Following his heroics, former cricketer Mohammad Kaif backed Gill to take over India's ODI captaincy as well, even as questions grow around Rohit Sharma's international future. 'He will get the ODI captaincy as well because we don't know how long Rohit Sharma will continue as captain. Gill is ready to take over. He scores in white-ball. He has performed well as captain here in Tests and led from the front. When you go with a young team, you have to do both things – score with the bat and do well as captain. A brilliant tour for him overall,' he said on his YouTube channel. 'Shubman Gill, as captain, created opportunities with both hands in this series. When he became captain, there were many questions as to why he was made captain, looking at his Test record. A young captain reached England under a lot of pressure with a young team. He answered with his bat and it came to a point where he was compared to breaking Sir Don Bradman's record. Such a strong comeback with the bat,' Kaif said. The ODIs remain the only format in which Rohit remains active. He retired from the T20Is in June 2024 after leading India to the T20 World Cup win in Barbados and then announced his shock exit from Test cricket in May earlier this year, just weeks before the announcement of the India squad for the tour of England. Although the chatter around the future of Rohit in ODI cricket is slowly gathering pace, BCCI had confirmed upon his Test retirement that the 37-year-old will remain the skipper in the 50-over format. Earlier in May, Rohit's childhood coach Dinesh Lad said that the India great would like to bow out from international cricket by winning the ODI World Cup, which has eluded India since 2011 when the team led by MS Dhoni lifted the trophy. "His [Rohit's] aim is to win the 2027 ODI World Cup and then retire," Lad told PTI. "His target was the World Test Championship, but unfortunately we didn't qualify. Now, it's the 2027 World Cup... I also want him to win the 2027 World Cup and then retire." The 2027 Cricket World Cup is scheduled to be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in October and November. Rohit will next appear in the three-match ODI series in Australia, which will begin on October 19 in Perth.
NDTV
an hour ago
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Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli Included As AB De Villiers Picks His All-Time IPL XI
Indian Premier League is a tournament that started in 2008. Since its inception, the mega event has produced many star cricketers. The fact that young talents get an opportunity to compete with and against international stars and veteran players makes IPL a crucial part of India's cricketing set-up. One of the IPL legends AB de Villiers, in a podcast recently, picked his all-time XI. The ex-Royal Challengers Bengaluru star picked a total of 7 Indian players and four overseas. In the picked team, de Villiers named himself at the fifth spot. " Rohit Sharma, Matthew Hayden, Virat Kohli at three, Suryakumar Yadav, myself at five, at six let's go Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni seven, Bumrah at eight, Yuzi Chahal nine, Lasith Malinga ten, I'll just throw a little spin in the works, Daniel Vettori at eleven," said de Villiers on Shubhankar Mishra's YouTube channel. AB de Villiers' All-Time IPL XI: Rohit Sharma, Matthew Hayden, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, AB de Villiers, Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni (captain and wicketkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Lasith Malinga, Daniel Vettori. De Villiers was part of the South Africa Champions team in the recently-concluded World Champinship of Legends 2025. He played a crucial role in the side lifting its first-ever WCL title. The right-handed batter scored three centuries in the T20 tournament, one of them came in the final. De Villiers shone with his sensational century as South Africa Champions outplayed Pakistan Champions by 9 wickets to clinch their maiden WCL title at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Pakistan Champions captain Mohammad Hafeez won the toss and opted to bat first. Sharjeel Khan scored 76 runs, helping Pakistan post 195 for 5 in the alloted 20 overs. Wayne Parnell (2 for 32) and Hardus Viljoen (2 for 38) picked two wickets apiece for South Africa. In the chase, the Proteas reached home without breaking a sweat, thanks to AB de Villiers' 120 not out off 60 balls. Earlier in the season, de Villiers scored 116 not out against England Champions and then followed it up with 123-run knock vs Australia Champions.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Asia Cup Squad To Be Out Soon; Gill, Jaiswal And Sudharsan In Contention: Report
Last Updated: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan are contenders in India's Asia Cup squad, to be announced in the third week of August. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Sai Sudharsan are contenders for selection in India's Asia Cup squad, which is expected to be announced in the third week of August. Jaiswal and Test captain Gill have not participated in recent T20 matches due to a packed schedule, but their one-month break following the five-Test series against England should make them available for the continental tournament. According to BCCI sources, the national selectors are keeping their options open even as the Test series against the West Indies at home begins in less than a week. Should India qualify for the final of the continental T20 event, scheduled for September 28, the selectors will make their decisions accordingly. The first Test against the West Indies in Ahmedabad starts on October 2. It is worth noting that Jaiswal scored 559 runs at a strike rate of 160 in the last IPL edition, while Gill amassed 650 runs in 15 games with a healthy strike rate of over 155. Gill's opening partner at Gujarat Titans, Sudharsan, was the 'Orange Cap' winner with 759 runs at a strike rate of 156. 'There is a five week break and with no cricket around, these three should walk into any T20 squad despite stupendous show by Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. In 21 days in Asia Cup, if one plays till final, there are 6 T20 games and that's not much of a workload. But obviously with 17 member squads allowed for the Asia Cup, selectors will weigh options carefully," a BCCI source was quoted as saying by PTI on conditions of anonymity. Will Jaiswal, Gill & Sudharsan Play In Asia Cup? Considering the UAE pitches and the upcoming T20 World Cup in six months, Jaiswal, Gill, and Sudharsan should logically form the core of the top order. Sudharsan, who made his ODI debut in late 2023, has been in excellent T20 form. Another important point is the availability of pace spearheads Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Both bowlers have been carefully managed after a heavy workload across formats and are expected to undergo fitness assessments before the selection meeting. 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.
