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‘Messi told us not to taunt anyone,’ says Rodrigo De Paul on Argentina’s racism allegations stained Copa America win

Argentina’s party after winning the 2024 Copa America has been cut short after the national team has been under scanner for allegations of racism. After a live video on midfielder Enzo Fernandez’s Instagram of a derogatory song being sung in the team bus became the subject of scrutiny, questions were raised on the involvement, if any, of team captain Lionel Messi in all of this. The Argentine talisman isn’t seen in the video alongside a group of other players. Rodrigo De Paul, also a member of the Copa America winning squad, recently said that Messi had told his teammates not to taunt the opposition after they won the final on Sunday. “When the final ended, Messi came and the first thing he said was, ‘nobody taunts anyone, let’s celebrate and enjoy our victory’,” De Paul told OLGA. “The...
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Explained: Why T20 captain SKY missed out on ODI team; How Riyan Parag got into both squads

The limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka beginning on July 27 was supposed to cast the net wider and scout the fringes. Instead with new head coach Gautam Gambhir coming in, India have set the ball rolling with a focussed eye on the future with their role-specific selections.Apart from Suryakumar Yadav taking over the reins of the T20I team ahead of Hardik Pandya, there were quite a few inclusions and exclusions from the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee which show which way the team is heading in the next three years. No Suryakumar and Hardik in ODIs In last year’s 50-over World Cup, the only player who struggled to make an impression was Suryakumar Yadav. In the 37 matches in the format, he averages just 25.76 with his ability to pace the innings in ODIs being a big cause for concern. A...
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Women’s Asia Cup: Asian domination on Hamanpreet Kaur’s radar as T20 World Cup looms

In a largely monotonous and Sri Lankan-dominated captains’ joint-press conference in Dambulla, one line from India skipper stood out. When asked about her expectations as seven-time champions of the Women’s Asia Cup, Harmanpreet said: “The challenge will be to keep doing the right things we have done throughout the history of this tournament. We want to keep playing our style of cricket, enjoy the games, and keep dominating the other teams…”There was no sense of over-confidence in her statement, though. It just pointed to the fact that the Women’s Asia Cup has been India’s domain. In the 8 editions of the tournament so far, the only time they didn’t win was in 2018 when they lost a thriller against Bangladesh in the final. The last time the tournament was played in Bangladesh, India’s r...
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Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic part ways after four years of marriage

India’s T20 World Cup winning vice-captain Hardik Pandya on Thursday took to his social media to state that he is parting ways with his partner Natasa Stankovic, whom he married in 2020. “After four years of being together, Natasa and I have decided to mutually part ways. We tried our best together and gave it our all, and we believe this is in the best interest for both of us. This was a tough decision for us to make, given the joy, mutual respect and companionship we enjoyed together and as we grew a family,” Pandya wrote on his Instagram. “We are blessed with Agastya, who will continue to be at the centre of both our lives and we will co-parent to ensure that we give him everything that we can for happiness,” he added. The pair had tied the knot in May 2020 and were blessed with a so...
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PV Sindhu: ‘I’m going all out for gold medal at 2024 Paris Olympics’

Two-time Olympics medalist PV Sindhu is going for the only color she hasn’t won yet at the Games. Speaking on JioCinema’s ‘The Dreamers’ series, the Badminton ace shared her big ambitions for Paris 2024, and how she was preparing for the same. “That third medal at Paris definitely motivates me, and I am going all-out to get that gold medal. For me, the Olympics is where I give my 200%,” said Sindhu, who won a silver in the women’s singles event at the Rio Olympics and a bronze in the previous edition in Tokyo. “I hope I can fulfil the hope of the nation and get the third medal because getting three consecutive medals is not a joke. My mindset is focused on winning the gold and this gives me a lot of motivation and confidence,” Sindhu added. On her preparations for the summer games, Sind...
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Suryakumar Yadav beats Hardik Pandya in T20 captaincy race

SURYAKUMAR Yadav has been appointed captain of the Indian team for the T20 series in Sri Lanka. He pips Hardik Pandya, the vice-captain of the side that won the World Cup last month in the United States and the West Indies. Shubman Gill will be Surya’s deputy.Though the appointment itself is for one series right now, it provides an indication as to who the selectors prefer as the full-time successor to Rohit Sharma in the format. The selection committee arrived at this significant decision after a series of meetings over the last couple of days. Pandya was the deputy as well as one of the star performers as India ended an ICC trophy drought lasting more than a decade, and was considered the favourite to take over the leadership role, but The Indian Express had earlier reported that Sury...
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Virat Kohli: ‘I’ll sign the petition to name Jasprit Bumrah eighth wonder of the world’

At Team India’s felicitation in front of a packed Wankhede Stadium, Virat Kohli was asked if he would sign a petition to call Jasprit Bumrah a national treasure and the eighth wonder of the world. The former Indian captain and the player of the match of the T20 World Cup final was quick to respond, “I’ll sign the petition now.” Kohli heaped praise of India’s player of the tournament, who snapped 15 wickets to help architect India’s first ICC tournament win in 11 years. “Let him decide what he wants to do with his schedule. We want him to play as long as possible. He’s a once in a generation bowler and we’re so glad he plays for us,” Kohli said. India’s Jasprit Bumrah celebrates with the winners’ trophy after India won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final cricket match against South Africa...
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Rohit Sharma’s mother skips visit to doctor to attend special day on victorious son’s return

It was an emotional moment when Rohit Sharma walked up to the president’s box at the Wankhede Stadium to meet his parents, with his mother having skipped an appointment with the doctor to be present at the special moment. Being surrounded by hordes of selfie-hunters, Sharma had to request them for some privacy as he was meeting his parents after a long time. For his mother Poornima, it was a moment not to be missed. The family had waited for this day and she revealed how she skipped a visit to the doctor to come and see her son. “I have never thought I would see this day. Before going to the World Cup, he had come to meet us and said that he wanted to quit T20Is after this. I just said try to win. I was not feeling well today and had a doctor’s appointment, but I still came as I wanted ...
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Wheelchair-bound Maithili joins sea of cricket lovers at parade to celebrate Rohit, Virat, Bumrah and Co

With cricket stadia in India being largely inaccessible to wheelchair-bound people, 27-year-old Maithili Gaikwad knew that the one time she could fulfill her dream of seeing Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and the other Indian cricket stars up close would be during the T20 World Cup bus parade at Marine Drive on Thursday.Maithili suffers from Spina Bifida, a condition where the spinal cord does not develop properly in the womb. She does not have any sensation from waist down and had to depend on her colleagues — she’s an HR at Tata Power — to bring her to the Marine Drive promenade. With the roads being cordoned off because of the parade, Maithili and her colleagues just couldn’t arrange transport to get to Marine Drive. She remained undeterred though. Having faced countless obstacles all th...
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Hats off to Hardik Pandya for bowling last over, says Rohit Sharma as a packed Wankhede erupts

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma was all praise for his deputy Hardik Pandya, who bowled the last over in India’s nail-biting triumph against South Africa in the T20 World Cup final last week. Speaking at the team’s felicitation ceremony at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Rohit said, “Hats off to him to bowl that last over. No matter how many runs you need, there’s always so much pressure to bowl that over. Hats off to him.” Taking the cue from the skipper, as the giant screen showed Pandya on screen, a packed Wankhede crowd started chanting the all-rounder’s name. India, you mean the world to me! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all the love.. these are moments that I will never ever forget! Thank you for coming out to celebrate with us, despite the rains! We love you so much! Ce...
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Euro 2024: Dutch show glimpses of Total Football in charge to quarterfinal

It was gorgeously simple football — the hardest thing there is, to reproduce Johan Cruyff. From the Dutch side of the centre circle, Jerdy Schouten rolled a pass to Xavi Simons. A pass with neither power nor pace, but it immaculately split two Romanian shirts, the referee and found Xavi Simons in the space.The playmaker cushioned the ball on his left instep, spun to his right, took a couple touches, and released Cody Gakpo, ferreting on the left flank. He cut away, then cut in, leaving his marker in the wake, took a touch to gather himself and slammed the ball net-wards, a low and ferocious shot inside goalkeeper Florin Nita’s near post. It was a throwback goal from a throwback display, bursting with a blend of flair and finesse (except in front of the goal), pace and precision, transpo...
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Why Lakshya Sen brought back two-time Olympic men’s doubles medallist Yoo Yong Sung to his coaching team

Sometime after the Indian Open in January, where he suffered his latest in a series of first-round exits, Lakshya Sen sat down for a chat with former All England champion and his mentor Prakash Padukone. Trying to get out of the slump in form dating back to the backend of 2023, Lakshya’s chances of going to Paris for the Olympics were hanging by the proverbial thread. Padukone asked then, “Are you just looking for a place in the Olympics, or are you trying to have a realistic chance of winning a medal?” Lakshya responded: “I want to win a medal. So Prakash sir said, ‘then first you have to show us that you can win a tournament. You don’t have to go everywhere and try to reach the quarterfinals’. Even though I didn’t win a tournament in Europe, I managed to pull off two really good weeks...
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Euro 2024: Germany condemn Turkey’s Merih Demiral’s racist celebration in win over Austria

Turkey centre-back Merih Demiral has coped flak from German Interior Minister Nancy Faesar over his goal celebration in his team’s win over Austria in the Euro 2024 Round of 16 fixture on Tuesday. Demiral’s gesturing the shape of a wolf’s head is linked to ‘Grey Wolves’, an ultra-nationalist youth branch of Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), an ally of President Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AK Party. “The symbols of Turkish right-wing extremists have no place in our stadiums,” the German minister Faeser wrote in a post on X. “Using the European Football Championship as a platform for racism is completely unacceptable.” The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) said it would look into “the alleged inappropriate behaviour” of Demiral. Speaking on his celebration, player of the...
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David Miller opens up on the heartbreak of losing T20 World Cup final to India: ‘We have endured pain’

South Africa batter David Miller, whose dismissal in the last over of the T20 World Cup final turned the tide in India’s favor, has opened up for the first time since the loss. Taking to his Instagram, Miller wrote, “I am gutted!! Really tough pill to swalllow after what transpired 2 days ago. Words don’t explain how I am feeling. One thing I do know is how proud I am of this unit.” It was only the first time that South Africa men’s team had made it to a World Cup final, but not the first heartbreak time they’d suffered a loss in the knockout stages of a big tournament. The Proteas have made it to seven ICC tournament semifinals before. Miller himself was part of the team that lost to Australia in the ODI World Cup semifinal last year in India, as well as the side that was bested by New...
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Cristiano Ronaldo reveals why he cried after missed penalty in Euro 2024: ‘I was at rock bottom when my team needed me the most’

Portugal may have progressed through to the quarterfinals of the Euros but it wasn’t a cakewalk for the 2016 winners. In fact, in the lead up to the penalty shootout, they looked lost for answers – unable to score against Slovenia, who were playing in their first European Championships in 24 years. A critical moment in the contest came late in the first half of the extra time when Cristiano Ronaldo was denied from the penalty spot by Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Shortly after, the Portuguese captain was seen in tears as the team huddled ahead of the second half of the extra time. Opening up on his emotions, Ronaldo conceded afterwards, “Even the strongest people have their bad days. I was at rock bottom when the team needed me most. I was sad at first but now I’m happy. That’s what f...
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Virat Kohli responds to PM Modi’s tribute on T20I retirement after World Cup win: ‘A privilege to be a part of this team’

Former India skipper Virat Kohli on Monday responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tribute to him. After Kohli announced his T20I retirement after India’s World Cup win on Saturday, PM Modi took to his social media to congratulate the second-highest run scorer in the format’s history. “Glad to have spoken to you. Like the innings in the Finals, you have anchored Indian batting splendidly. You’ve shone in all forms of the game. T20 Cricket will miss you but I am confident you’ll continue to motivate the new generation of players,” Modi wrote. Dear @narendramodi sir, thank you so much for your very kind words and your support and encouragement always. It has been a privilege to be a part of this team which has brought the cup home. We are deeply touched & overwhelmed with the hap...
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After Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma also announces retirement from T20Is: ‘No better time to say goodbye’

Indian captain Rohit Sharma has announced that the T20 World Cup final triumph against South Africa was his last in the format. Rohit confirmed the same in the post-match press conference. “This is my last game as well, no better time to say goodbye to this format. I’ve loved every moment of this. I started my career for India playing this format and this is what I wanted, I wanted to win the World Cup,” Rohit said. Emotional on the back of India’s first ICC tournament win in 11 years, Rohit added, “I am completely lost and can’t say what kind of emotions I am going through. Can’t explain it in words. Let this sink in. Last night, I couldn’t sleep as I was desperate and wanted it so badly. But I managed myself well inside the ground.” The 37-year-old becomes only the third Indian capta...
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How Rohit Sharma re-tuned his batting strategy to make a gem of a half-century in big win over England

Once the covers came off after a rain-delayed start to reveal a dry low-skidding track, it was clear that India were favourites. Nothing changed during the entire course of the game as India trounced defending champions England by 68 runs. As easy as it appeared, especially during the chase when England capitulated meekly, the win was set up by a crafty knock from Rohit Sharma, skilful exhibition from Suryakumar Yadav, and momentum-seizing cameos from Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja.Above all, it was Rohit who led the way. With his thought and skill. For a short while, say the first four overs, Rohit Sharma hadn’t got used to the pace and (low) bounce of the pitch. Or rather he was trying to see if he can get away batting in his usual attacking manner. An intended cut burst through th...
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Fight with family, financial struggles and injuries: Quartermiler Kiran Pahal overcomes hurdles to qualify for Paris Olympics

There was almost a sense of disbelief on Kiran Pahal’s face as her 400m timing flashed on the big screen at the Tau Lal Devi Stadium, Panchkula, where the Interstate Athletics Meet is underway. Kiran’s reaction was fully justified. The Haryana athlete, competing in her first competition after a break of over a year, clocked a solid 50.92s – the second-best quarter-mile run ever by an Indian after Hima Das’s 50.79s. “I was nervous since I was competing after a long break but a good performance in the heats (52.33s) definitely eased my nerves a bit. I wasn’t really expecting to clock such a good time. It’s a surprise for me as well. But I am really happy to earn a spot for Paris,” said Kiran, whose previous best was 51.84s. Kiran was head and shoulders above the rest, finishing almost thr...
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Rohit Sharma becomes fifth Indian to score 5000 international runs as captain

Indian captain Rohit Sharma on Thursday became only the fifth Indian captain to score 5000 international runs while leading the side across formats. Rohit, who already has over 19,000 runs to his name across the three formats, has now scored 5013 runs from 122 matches he’s led India in. He crossed the milestone while batting against England in the 2024 T20 World Cup semifinal. The 37-year-old joins the Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Mohammed Azharuddin, and Sourav Ganguly in the exclusive club. Kohli, who leads the charts, scored 12883 runs from the 213 games he had skippered India in. This, to go with another 13926 runs he has from when he hasn’t captained the side account for a mammoth 26808 runs across formats. MS Dhoni is the only other Indian skipper to have crossed the five-digit run mark...
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IND vs SA, one-off Test: Harmanpreet Kaur looks forward to the Chennai experience as international women’s cricket returns to city

Since December 2022, the Indian women’s cricket team’s home assignments were largely in and around Mumbai. All 11 T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests at home in that period were played across DY Patil, Brabourne, and Wankhede. The WPL’s inaugural edition in 2023 was played entirely in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. But slowly but surely, “home” is starting to take on a wider meaning for Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. Bengaluru and Delhi witnessed packed stands during WPL 2024, and the former hosted the recent ODI series against South Africa. And starting Friday, the Indian women will add another iconic name to that list: Chennai. They may be playing one Test and three T20Is at Chepauk over the next few days, but the importance of experiencing different venues before the ODI World Cup athome next year is...
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Paris Olympics: Mixed Relay team hoping against hope at Interstate Athletics Meet

It’s literally a race against time for the country’s elite track and field athletes who are still hoping to make the cut for the Paris Olympics. The Interstate Athletics Meet, which kicks off on Wednesday in Panchkula, Haryana, will be the last major competition for athletes to attempt to make the cut for the mega event before the qualification cycle closes at the end of this month. As things stand, 18 athletes have achieved the direct qualification marks from various events including the relay and race walk and 16 will finally board the flight to Paris. The tally is expected to reach at least 31 considering the current ranking placement.This Interstate meet, being a B-level tournament, gives an opportunity for those on the fence to accumulate some valuable ranking points before this mo...
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‘Find it hard to let my children win,’ says Lionel Messi on his fierce competitiveness

Argentina’s World Cup winning captain, who turned 37 earlier this week, still finds it hard to tone down his competitiveness, even within the confines of his home. Speaking to Clank in a sit down interview, Lionel Messi called his competing nature a ‘gift’ he was born with. “My competitiveness will never go away, it’s a gift. That’s just who I am, I was born this way, and it’s very difficult for it to fade. I even find it hard to let my children win,” Messi said. Messi, who is currently leading Argentina at the 2024 Copa America in the USA, also opened about his perception of data in football and why it doesn’t bother him. This, despite his otherworldly numbers, for club and country. “I don’t pay attention to statistics, data, assists, or goals. And sorry to the coaches, but even less ...
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Afghanistan vs Bangladesh: Moments of incredible drama, from Gulbadin Naib playacting to Rashid Khan doing a Pollard

The Super 8 match, a virtual knockout, between Afghanistan and Bangladesh transcended beyond a game of cricket and entered the realm of supreme entertainment, worthy of blockbuster cinema. Right from the moment Rahmanullah Gurbaz put in a full-length dive off the first ball of the night at Arnos Vale Ground in St Vincent, just to complete a single, this match had all the elements of an all-time classic. Over 15.4: Craziest single of the tournament How much are you willing to work for a single? Gurbaz tapped the ball to backward point and set off, then stopped halfway to turn back. But at this point, Omarzai also decided to keep going and both batters ended up running together towards the striker’s end. Rishad Hossain, however, missed the direct hit, and then both batters start to run – ...
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2024 Women’s T20 Asia Cup schedule announced, India to play Pakistan in first match

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on Tuesday announced the schedule for this year’s Women’s T20 Asia Cup set to begin on July 19 and to be played in Dambulla, Sri Lanka. India will embark on their defence of the Asia Cup title against Pakistan in their first game. While UAE will play Nepal in the tournament opener. The tournament will feature top eight teams of the continent divided into two groups of four. While India – in Group B – are slotted alongside Pakistan, UAE and Nepal, hosts Sri Lanka are in Group A with Bangladesh, Thailand and Malaysia. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semifinals, subsequently setting up the summit clash. The final shall be played on July 28. India, the most successful team in the competition’s history with seven titles, had got the bett...
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T20 World Cup: Bumrah’s big wicket of Head, Axar’s all-round brilliance, Kuldeep’s spin – how India broke Australia’s chase

A broad smile spread over Jasprit Bumrah’s face when his teammates gathered around him after India scored a 24-run win over Australia and push them to the brink of elimination. It’s an unusual spot of bother for Australia — wait and watch the Afghanistan-Bangladesh game with sweaty fingers, and pray the latter defeat the Rashid Khan-led history makers (but not too heavily). This seemed the destiny once Rohit Sharma reeled out an otherworldly 92 off 41 balls to set up a target of 206.Bumrah was not the only star performer among India’s bowlers — Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Arshdeep Singh all put in spirited shifts — but as is often the case Bumrah stole the thunder. Bumrah delivers In several junctures of the game, hope teased and trickled the champions of 2021, but they couldn’t de...
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