Sports

Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma (ANI Photo) Not long ago, the first six overs in a T20, the Powerplay, merely set the tone of the game. Now, they deliver the verdict.What was once the phase when batters “got their eye in” has mutated into something far more decisive: a window where games are won, lost,…

Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (PTI Photo) Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who turned 15 today, is already being counted among the most destructive hitters in Indian cricket and the Indian Premier League. His stunning 35-ball century in last season’s tournament was just the beginning, as he has continued to produce big runs and impactful innings across…

Kolkata Knight Riders Captain Ajinkya Rahane (PTI Photo) Former India batter Aakash Chopra believes Ajinkya Rahane has a significant point to prove heading into IPL 2026, especially in addressing long-standing doubts about his game beyond the powerplay.Rahane led Kolkata Knight Riders from the front with the bat in IPL 2025, finishing as their top run-scorer….

NEW DELHI: Iga Swiatek, one of the world’s top tennis players, recently opened up about a tough phase in her career after an early exit from the Miami Open. She was visibly emotional after losing to Magda Linette in the round of 64 at the women’s singles event, even stepping aside briefly to wipe away…

R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja (AFP Photo) As India stands on the cusp of a transition in their storied spin-bowling legacy, former India left-arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni offers a timely and nuanced assessment of where things stand. In this wide-ranging conversation, Kulkarni reflects on the shifting demands of red-ball cricket, the looming void post the…

Lucknow Super Giants’s Mayank Yadav celebrates (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak) Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has made it clear that IPL 2026 could be a defining season for Mayank Yadav, urging the young pacer to justify the faith shown in him by Lucknow Super Giants. Mayank burst onto the scene in IPL 2024 with raw pace,…

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka with Rishabh Pant (PTI Photo) Sanjiv Goenka, owner of Lucknow Super Giants, has firmly shut down speculation surrounding Rishabh Pant’s captaincy ahead of IPL 2026, calling out what he implied were baseless reports doing the rounds.Pant had come under heavy criticism after a disappointing IPL 2025 campaign. Bought…

IPL trophy (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images) The BCCI has officially unveiled the schedule for the second phase of the Indian Premier League 2026, confirming fixtures from April 13 to May 24.The remaining league-stage fixtures, comprising 50 matches, will be staged across 12 venues in India. These include Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad,…

A view of the Olympic rings (AP Photo/Jennifer McDermott) NEW DELHI: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided that transgender women will no longer be allowed to compete in women’s events at the Olympics, starting from the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The move brings in a stricter eligibility rule, stating that only biological females can…

Hardik Pandya with MCA groundsmen NEW DELHI: Team India all-rounder and Mumbai Indians Hardik Pandya once again showed that his impact goes beyond cricket, winning hearts with a thoughtful gesture off the field. During his preparation for the T20 World Cup, Pandya spent long nights training at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, often practising till almost midnight….