Manchester United midfielder Casemiro has made candid admissions about how challenging it was for him to tackle Lionel Messi. The Brazilian star, who had numerous on-field encounters with the former Barcelona icon during his time at Real Madrid, called Messi one of the greatest players in football history. Casemiro, known for his defensive ability, shared insights into his experiences facing Messi while also acknowledging Cristiano Ronaldo’s legendary status in the game.The two footballers frequently crossed paths during their time in La Liga, with Messi being the focal point of Barcelona’s attack. Speaking to Diario AS, Casemiro reflected on his struggles
ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Full Schedule, Format, Venues & FixturesThe ICC Champions Trophy is making a comeback after eight years, with Pakistan set to host the tournament starting February 19. However, the Indian team has opted out of travelling to Pakistan and will play all their matches in Dubai. The competition will feature the top eight teams from the 2023 ODI World Cup.Dates and Match TimingsThe group stage will feature 12 matches, followed by two semi-finals and the final. The opening match will see Pakistan facing New Zealand in Karachi. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Lahore but
Indian chess Grandmaster R Vaishali is determined to achieve consistent performances and qualify for the prestigious Candidates Tournament this year. The 23-year-old has already made history by becoming the third Indian woman to earn the Grandmaster title. She played a vital role in India’s gold-medal-winning run at the Chess Olympiad and secured a bronze medal at the World Blitz Championship.Vaishali acknowledges that maintaining consistency is crucial for her career progress. “My main goal is to show consistent performance and play some good games. By the end of the year, I aim to qualify for the Candidates Tournament,” she said. Having
Australia's preparations for the 2025 Champions Trophy have been dealt a major blow with skipper Pat Cummins and key pacer Josh Hazlewood officially ruled out due to injuries. This adds to their woes, as all-rounder Marcus Stoinis recently retired from ODIs, and Mitchell Marsh has withdrawn due to a back injury.Chief selector George Bailey confirmed the news, stating that while the absences are disappointing, they provide opportunities for other players to step up in a global event. Hazlewood has been dealing with hip and calf strains, while Cummins is still recovering from an ankle injury sustained during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.With
After weeks of tension with FIDE, world No.1 Magnus Carlsen is eager to return to competitive play at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour. The tournament’s Weissenhaus leg, starting today at a luxury nature resort, will feature a stellar lineup, including reigning classical world champion D. Gukesh.Speaking to ChessBase India, Carlsen expressed excitement about competing against Gukesh, emphasizing the challenge posed by the young Indian grandmaster. He also mentioned his desire to face Hikaru Nakamura again, referring to their previous generational battle. The tournament will also feature World No. 2 Fabiano Caruana, No. 3 Nakamura, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Alireza Firouzja, Levon
After submitting a Letter of Intent to host the 2036 Olympics last October, India has initiated an informal dialogue with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) to host the centenary edition in 2030. This would mark 20 years since the country last hosted the event in 2010. Unlike the previous edition held in New Delhi, Ahmedabad has emerged as the frontrunner, with Bhubaneswar also being considered.Over the past week, CGF President Chris Jenkins and CEO Katie Sadlier visited multiple Indian cities, meeting with central and state government officials, including ministers and bureaucrats in Gandhinagar, Bhubaneswar, and New Delhi. They also inspected
In a groundbreaking move, a consortium of top tech leaders, including Microsoft head Satya Nadella, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Times Internet VC Satyan Gajwani, and billionaire Nikesh Arora, has successfully acquired a 49% stake in London Spirit for GBP 295 million. This consortium outbid Sanjiv Goenka, owner of the Lucknow Super Giants, in a four-hour-long online auction.This acquisition is part of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) ambitious plan to privatize The Hundred. With the sale of four teams, including Oval Invincibles and Birmingham Phoenix, the ECB has already secured over GBP 300 million, surpassing its initial GBP 350
Travis Head has secured his first-ever Allan Border Medal at the 2025 Australian Cricket Awards after a stellar year across all formats. He accumulated 208 votes, finishing well ahead of Josh Hazlewood (158) and Pat Cummins (147). Head's consistency saw him amass 1427 runs in the year, including four centuries, earning him the Men's ODI Player of the Year award as well.Josh Hazlewood was honored with the Shane Warne Test Player of the Year award for his exceptional performance, taking 30 Test wickets at an average of 13.17. Adam Zampa was recognized as the Men's T20I Player of the Year
A packed Wankhede Stadium witnessed a masterclass from Abhishek Sharma as he powered India to a crushing 150-run victory over England in the final T20I of the series. Abhishek’s sensational 135 off 54 balls, the highest individual T20I score by an Indian, propelled the hosts to a massive total of 247/9. His innings was laced with 13 sixes—the most by an Indian in a T20I—alongside seven boundaries.Despite losing Sanju Samson early, Abhishek launched a brutal counterattack, dismantling England’s bowling attack. His onslaught started in the third over with aggressive strokes against Jofra Archer and intensified in the fifth over when
