Author: WebDesk

By Bhaskar Ganguly I’m a little sad that this Mohun Bagan Super Giant versus East Bengal FC game is going to be played away from home, in Guwahati. The home fans miss out. But the local administration said they couldn’t make adequate security arrangements due to the Gangasagar festival, and we have to accept that. Without a full house, though, the ‘Boro Match’ (big game) loses its fervour. The All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) ineptitude continues to damage Indian football. That, however, is a different issue and we will discuss it in a separate column. As for the Kolkata derby,…

The Vedanta Kalinga Lancers registered their maiden victory of the Hero Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-25 with a commanding 6-0 win over the table-toppers Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela. Thierry Brinkman (3’, 47’), Sanjay (6’), Alexander Hendrickx (9’), Nicolas Bandurak (29’), and Boby Singh Dhami (49’) found the back of the net for the Lancers. The Lancers, who entered the match winless in three games, stunned the undefeated Tigers with a blistering start, scoring three goals in the opening six minutes. Brinkman’s opener and subsequent penalty corner win set the tone for the…

The Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2025, a part of the BWF World Tour Super 750 series, will see India fielding its largest-ever squad, with 21 players competing from January 14-19 at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall in New Delhi. With Olympic champions Viktor Axelsen and An Se Young, as well as world No. 1 Shi Yuqi participating, the event promises to showcase exceptional badminton action. Since its elevation to Super 750 status in 2023, the India Open has become one of the most awaited tournaments on the global badminton calendar. This year’s event boasts a prize pool of USD 950,000 and…

UP Rudras secured an impressive 3-0 win over Soorma Hockey Club in the Hero Hockey India League 2024-25 at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, Rourkela. Sudeep Chirmako opened the scoring in just the second minute with a powerful half-turn strike, giving the Rudras an early advantage. Despite Soorma’s efforts to counter, the Rudras maintained control, forcing their opponents to defend deep. Soorma managed to earn a couple of penalty corners late in the first quarter but failed to capitalize. The second quarter saw Soorma grow into the game, creating more chances and earning multiple penalty corners. However, the Rudras’ defensive…

The JSW-GMR co-owned Delhi Capitals entered the TATA WPL 2025 Mini Auction with a budget of INR 2.5 crore, aiming to fill four slots. They successfully secured wicketkeepers Nandini Kashyap and Sarah Bryce, all-rounder N Charani, and young talent Niki Prasad. Reflecting on the auction, Sourav Ganguly, Director of Cricket for Delhi Capitals (WPL), expressed satisfaction: “It was a very good auction for us. I’ve been with this team for two seasons, closely watching and participating in the auction process. Compared to last year, we now have a stronger squad. Adding Nandini and Sarah gives us a really balanced lineup.”…

In a major fillip for pickleball, tennis legend Andre Agassi kicked off the PWR DUPR India League at a grand event in Mumbai earlier today. Union Sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya lauded the initiative to launch the league and congratulated Times Group Managing Director Vineet Jain for his effort in growing the new age sport. Agassi, the eight-time Grand Slam champion, spoke about his journey into the fast-growing sport and why he feels Pickleball is gaining popularity amongst the masses. After a press conference, Agassi took on Indian tennis champion Rohan Bopanna in a friendly exhibition match. The two ace tennis…

In a heartwarming turn of events, Ajay Thakur has made a remarkable comeback to the Puneri Paltan, rejoining the team in the role of assistant coach. Thakur brings with him a wealth of experience and a deep emotional connection to the squad with whom he spent two seasons. Speaking about his return, Thakur expressed his excitement by saying, “I feel really good because when I was playing, I was also part of this team. Now, in the third phase of my career, I’ve returned to the same team.” The timing of his return is particularly significant. With the team at…

Pune, December 4, 2024: In a stunning display of leadership, Sunil Kumar has emerged as the most successful captain in Pro Kabaddi League history after U Mumba’s resounding 43-29 victory over Puneri Paltan at the Badminton Hall in Balewadi Sports Complex on Tuesday. What made the victory even sweeter was that the side beat the home team by a margin of 14 points despite the massive support for the Puneri Paltan in the stadium. “I am very happy to have achieved this feat in PKL. I learned all about captaincy from Anup Kumar and Ajay Thakur and hence I dedicate…

Will the Champions Trophy schedule be out on Thursday? There’s reportedly a meeting between the International Cricket Council (ICC) top brass and the tournament broadcasters on Thursday, leading to speculations that finally the imbroglio might be resolved. But there’s a new deadlock. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has softened its stand and agreed to a hybrid model – they are rephrasing it as a partnership model – demanding a similar arrangement for the future ICC events in India also. It has been refused by the BCCI. The Indian cricket board’s standpoint is that unlike Pakistan, there are no security issues…

Mohun Bagan Super Giant secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Chennaiyin FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium in Kolkata tonight. Jason Cummings delivered the decisive strike for the home team, in a match where Chennaiyin FC came close to scoring on several occasions. The first half was an exciting contest, with the Marina Machans taking the fight to their opponents. Head coach Owen Coyle had emphasised before the game that his team had the ability to shine in high-pressure situations, and they proved his words true early on. Lalrinliana Hnamte and…