Sports

File photo of Juan Pedro Benali of NorthEast United. (Image: X) On the eve of NorthEast United FC’s Indian Super League (ISL) opener against East Bengal FC, head coach Juan Pedro Benali struck a deeply emotional yet clear-headed note, calling on fans to rally behind their teams while keeping the bigger picture of Indian football…

Joji Varghese with Sanju Samson NEW DELHI: In 2017, Joji Varghese packed his luggage, left Thiruvananthapuram forever, and flew to Canada. He had obtained a Canadian PR — a challenging but necessary step to secure a bright future for his children. His wife had been working as a nurse in Italy, but language barriers made…

Abhishek Sharma (AP Photo) AHMEDABAD: Fresh from a morale-boosting 61-run win over Pakistan in Colombo, India will hope Abhishek Sharma rediscovers form ahead of the Super 8s when they face the Netherlands in their final World Cup league match at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday. The contest may not test the defending champions fully,…

Pakistan cricket team (AP Photo) As the afternoon flight to Chennai from Colombo was about to take off, there were a lot of Pakistan fans waiting in the queue. Two flights — one to Lahore and the other to Karachi — were scheduled around the same time and you could over-hear their conversations. It was…

Abhishek Sharma (AFP Photo) India opener Abhishek Sharma should not be burdened by expectations at the T20 World Cup despite yet to open his account in the tournament, with the team management backing his approach and clarity of thought.The defending champions have won all three of their Group A matches and will take on the…

Shoaib Akhtar and Mohsin Naqvi (Agency Image) Shoaib Akhtar made headlines again this week after appearing to backtrack on his scathing remarks about Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi. The former pacer, who had called Naqvi “incompetent and illiterate” during an appearance on an Indian news channel, attempted a delicate retraction less than 24…

Rohit Sharma and Wasim Akram (Image credit: X) A warm hug between Rohit Sharma and Wasim Akram stole the spotlight in Colombo — and it came amid the ongoing no-handshake row between India and Pakistan. As the two icons embraced and shared a laugh before Sunday’s high-voltage clash, the moment quickly went viral, standing in…

South Africa cricket team (AP) TimesofIndia.com in New Delhi: It was just past 3:15 PM (local time) here at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday when the cover on the pitch finally came off, and the curator customarily began the ritual of heavy rolling. South Africa’s preparations for their final Group D match had already…

Imran Khan (Image credit: AFP) NEW DELHI: Indian greats Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev are among 14 former international captains who have expressed “deep concern” over the reported decline in the health of jailed cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan. In a joint appeal, they have called on the Pakistan government to ensure he is provided adequate medical…

India’s Ishan Kishan (ANI Photo) Ishan Kishan has emerged as India’s standout performer with the bat in the ongoing T20 World Cup, playing a pivotal role in the team’s smooth progression to the Super 8s. The left-hander has struck consecutive half-centuries, underlining a dramatic resurgence in his career. Just six months ago, he was out…