Sports

India-Pakistan Match at World Championship of Legends Cancelled Following Player Withdrawals

India-Pakistan Match at World Championship of Legends Cancelled Following Player Withdrawals

Birmingham (National Times): The highly anticipated India vs Pakistan fixture at the World Championship of Legends (WCL) has been officially cancelled after several Indian players opted out of the game, citing geopolitical concerns. The WCL organisers issued a public apology for disappointing fans and unintentionally hurting sentiments. In an official statement, the WCL explained that the India-Pakistan match was scheduled with the intention of recreating joyful moments for cricket lovers, inspired by a recent friendly volleyball match between the two nations. However, the tournament acknowledged that this move unintentionally caused discomfort among the Indian cricket legends and their supporters. “As…
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New Sports Governance Bill Set to Usher in Reform Era, Says Kiren Rijiju

New Sports Governance Bill Set to Usher in Reform Era, Says Kiren Rijiju

New Delhi, July 17, 2025 — Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has expressed confidence that the upcoming National Sports Governance Bill, scheduled to be tabled in the monsoon session of Parliament, will mark the beginning of a transformative era for sports governance in India.Rijiju, who previously served as Union Sports Minister from 2019 to 2021, played a role in initiating dialogue around the bill. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for sports reforms and said the legislation is set to bring transparency, accountability, and a fresh structure to how sports bodies function in the country.The bill proposes a regulatory…
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Arjun Erigaisi’s Remarkable Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Run Ends in Semis; Niemann Reaches Final

Arjun Erigaisi’s Remarkable Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Run Ends in Semis; Niemann Reaches Final

Weissenhaus, Germany, July 19 — Arjun Erigaisi's historic march at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam came to a halt in the semifinals after a 0-2 loss to Levon Aronian. Despite the setback, the 20-year-old grandmaster etched his name in history as the first Indian to reach the final four of this elite event, highlighted by wins over Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura in earlier rounds.Erigaisi entered the semifinals high on momentum, having stunned Carlsen in a play-off and then dispatched Nakamura with confident play. Against Aronian, however, the Indian star faltered at critical moments. The first game saw Arjun fail…
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Arjun Erigaisi Powers Into Semis, Praggnanandhaa Falls to Caruana in Freestyle Grand Slam

Arjun Erigaisi Powers Into Semis, Praggnanandhaa Falls to Caruana in Freestyle Grand Slam

National Times Bureau, July 18, 2025: Chennai’s Arjun Erigaisi stormed into the semifinals of the prestigious USD 750,000 Freestyle Grand Slam Tour with a dominant victory over Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov. The 20-year-old Indian Grandmaster secured the match 1.5-0.5, displaying top form and clinical precision.In contrast, fellow Indian star R Praggnanandhaa bowed out of the title race after a marathon 3-4 loss to the USA’s Fabiano Caruana. The seven-game thriller saw Praggnanandhaa take the lead on three occasions, but Caruana’s resilience helped him snatch victory in the decider.Arjun was unstoppable against Abdusattorov, maintaining an edge from the opening in both games.…
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Praggnanandhaa Stuns Carlsen, Enters Freestyle Grand Slam Quarterfinals with Erigaisi

Praggnanandhaa Stuns Carlsen, Enters Freestyle Grand Slam Quarterfinals with Erigaisi

National Times Bureau, July 17: R Praggnanandhaa pulled off a stunning win against world number one Magnus Carlsen, advancing to the top-bracket quarterfinals of the USD 750,000 Freestyle Grand Slam Tour. Fellow Indian Arjun Erigaisi also secured a quarterfinal spot, marking a strong showing for India in the prestigious chess event.The 19-year-old Praggnanandhaa displayed precise tactical play from the outset, seizing the initiative and keeping the pressure on Carlsen. Despite the Norwegian getting some chances, the Indian teenager broke through with creative piece play, securing a memorable win.Carlsen’s defeat sparked a downward spiral. He lost to Wesley So in the…
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PV Sindhu Suffers First-Round Exit at Japan Open, Lakshya Sen and Doubles Pair Advance

PV Sindhu Suffers First-Round Exit at Japan Open, Lakshya Sen and Doubles Pair Advance

Tokyo, July 16: India’s star shuttler and two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu’s struggles in 2025 continued as she crashed out of the Japan Open in the first round on Wednesday, losing in straight games to South Korea’s Sim Yu Jin.Playing her first match since the Indonesia Open in June, Sindhu, currently ranked 16th in the world, fell 15-21, 14-21 to the world number 14 Sim, marking her first-ever loss in four meetings against the Korean opponent.Sindhu began the match on a shaky note, quickly trailing 3-9 in the opening game. Although she clawed back to narrow the gap at 13-12,…
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Virat Kohli Becomes First Batter to Cross 900 Rating Points in All Formats of Cricket

Virat Kohli Becomes First Batter to Cross 900 Rating Points in All Formats of Cricket

New Delhi, July 16, 2025: Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli has scripted yet another chapter in cricketing history, becoming the first batter ever to cross the 900-point mark in ICC Men’s Cricket Rankings across all formats of the game, following an update to his T20I rating on Wednesday.The International Cricket Council (ICC) revised Kohli’s all-time T20I best rating from 897 to 909 points, according to Wisden. This places him third on the list of highest T20I ratings ever, behind compatriot Suryakumar Yadav (912) and England’s Dawid Malan (919).With this milestone, Kohli has now achieved the rare feat of breaching the…
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Fauja Singh Death Case: Accused NRI Amritpal Dhillon Remanded to 14-Day Judicial Custody

Fauja Singh Death Case: Accused NRI Amritpal Dhillon Remanded to 14-Day Judicial Custody

Jalandhar, (National Times): In a significant development in the Fauja Singh death case, the accused NRI Amritpal Dhillon has been remanded to 14 days' judicial custody by the CJM Court on Wednesday. Dhillon was produced before Hon’ble Judge Mr. Manik Koda, who ordered his judicial custody following the hearing. The accused is alleged to have hit 114-year-old marathon legend Fauja Singh with his vehicle while the latter was crossing a road in Jalandhar on Monday. The collision left the centenarian runner grievously injured. Despite immediate efforts to provide medical care, Fauja Singh tragically succumbed to his injuries, sparking national mourning.…
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Allahabad High Court Stays Arrest of Cricketer Yash Dayal in Sexual Exploitation Case

Allahabad High Court Stays Arrest of Cricketer Yash Dayal in Sexual Exploitation Case

Prayagraj, July 15, 2025: The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday stayed the arrest of cricketer Yash Dayal in connection with an FIR accusing him of sexually exploiting a woman under the pretext of marriage.The bench of Justices Siddhartha Varma and Anil Kumar passed the interim order while hearing Dayal’s plea challenging the FIR registered against him on July 6 at Indirapuram police station in Ghaziabad district. Dayal, 27, currently plays for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).The FIR has been lodged under Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to sexual intercourse by…
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England Clinch Thriller at Lord’s, Beat India by 22 Runs to Lead Series 2-1

England Clinch Thriller at Lord’s, Beat India by 22 Runs to Lead Series 2-1

London, July 14, 2025: Ravindra Jadeja’s valiant unbeaten 61 proved insufficient as England sealed a nerve-jangling 22-run win over India on the final day of the third Test at Lord’s, taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Chasing 193 for victory, India were bowled out for 170 despite a spirited lower-order resistance. England’s pace duo of Jofra Archer (3/55) and captain Ben Stokes (3/48) led the charge, dismantling India’s batting order in crucial spells. Starting Day 5 needing 135 runs with six wickets in hand, India lost momentum early. Jofra Archer set the tone, producing a peach that knocked…
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