Author: Ashok Namboodiri

Matchday 6 arrived like a reminder: nothing here is guaranteed, and the biggest results often hide deeper cracks. Across the weekend, we saw underdogs roar, giants stumble, and the margins between glory and regret shrink even further. This round didn’t just deliver drama; it started to reveal telling patterns about intent, belief, and vulnerability. The headline moment came at Selhurst Park, where Crystal Palace stunned Liverpool 2–1 thanks to Eddie Nketiah’s stoppage-time winner. Palace, passionate and sharp, dominated large stretches; Liverpool looked shaky in transitions and exposed in defence. Chelsea also found themselves unraveling. Facing Brighton at home, the Blues…

Ashok Namboodiri in Dubai The Asia Cup 2025 was a test of resilience, discipline, and passion, not just for the cricketers, but for me as a reporter on the ground for RevSportz. Every day was a 12-hour marathon stitched together by micro-planning, relentless hustle, and a constant readiness to pounce on stories as they unfolded. My day often began at six with a cup of strong coffee, scanning through news wires, social media chatter, and WhatsApp groups that hummed with speculation. The politically charged atmosphere of this tournament meant that nothing could be taken for granted. Press conferences were rescheduled…

Ashok Namboodiri in Dubai India’s victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final was historic. This win will go down in cricket’s annals for reasons beyond the game on the ground. Fans will sing praises for the manner in which Tilak Varma maintained composure as he steered the team to victory with that match-winning knock of 69. They will also talk about Kuldeep Yadav’s four-wicket haul. But the one player who acted as catalyst and guided the ship for India was Shivam Dube. Hardik Pandya’s absence was a blow to India’s all­-round depth. But the selectors’ faith in Dube,…

Ashok Namboodiri in Dubai Some matches may be about statistics. India versus Pakistan is about psychology, politics, and survival. It’s not merely a rivalry; it’s an emotional earthquake that rattles two nations and holds the cricketing world hostage. Every ball is magnified, every error exaggerated, every victory immortalised. The Asia Cup 2025 has made headlines for all the wrong reasons, with cricket taking a back seat. Mohsin Naqvi – who wears the hats of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief, Asian Cricket Council (ACC) head and Interior Minister – has become a character in this theatre, his words ricocheting across newsrooms…

Ashok Namboodiri Sanju called himself Sanju Mohanlal Samson in response to a question at the post-match presentation. He implied that he could be as versatile as the Malayalam superstar who recently won the Dadasaheb Phalke award. In Indian cricket, few stories have been as tantalising as that of Sanju Samson. From his earliest days, the Kerala batsman has been hailed as a prodigy with the ability to time the ball like a dream and dismantle attacks at will. Yet, for much of his international career, Sanju has been a cricketer of fleeting moments – brilliance in bursts, followed by stretches…

Ashok Namboodiri For a team that has completed 25 years in Test cricket, Bangladesh’s latest collapse against Pakistan in the Asia Cup was nothing short of a betrayal to its own fans. This wasn’t just another defeat; it was a surrender, a squandered opportunity that could have rewritten their regional cricketing narrative. What unfolded was an abject display of panic, indecision, and lack of temperament from a side that should by now have learned the hard lessons of international cricket. The match was in Bangladesh’s grasp. The bowlers had done the hard work, pegging Pakistan back at crucial intervals, keeping…

Ashok Namboodiri in Dubai Jasprit Bumrah’s return isn’t about one match or even the final. It’s about reclaiming the aura, the confidence, the reliability The second ball of his first over in Wednesday’s match against Bangladesh pitched just outside leg, and Tanzid Hasan tried flicking it, only for Shivam Dube to take the catch running in from mid-on. The few murmurs about India having scored 20 runs short of what they should have died down immediately as Jasprit Bumrah worked his usual magic with the Bangladesh batsmen. Bowling at speeds of around 138 kmph from there on, he had the…

Ashok Namboodiri For those of us who grew up on cricket in the eighties, the game wasn’t only about centuries and wickets; it was about characters. And one of the biggest characters in cricket, despite never batting or bowling, was Harold “Dickie” Bird. The lanky Englishman, with his flat cap and long strides was more than an umpire. He was part of cricket’s soul. As a boy in India, when TV broadcasts were still rare and every international game felt like a festival, I would wait to see Bird as much as the players. There was something comforting about him…

Ashok Namboodiri The fascination for the Naagin supernatural drama — a TV soap — has long worn out, but the sinuous Naagin dance of the Bangladesh Tigers still lives on. For decades, India-Pakistan has had monopolised the drama of Asian cricket. But in recent years, a different fixture has acquired its own spark, bite, and narrative muscle. India versus Bangladesh, scheduled next in Dubai on September 24 in the Asia Cup 2025 has quietly become the new Asian derby. The rivalry found its pop-culture hook in 2018, when Bangladesh’s snake-dance celebration, led by Mushfiqur Rahim, was met with Dinesh Karthik’s…

Ashok Namboodiri I was watching Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma playing a fearless brand of cricket at the Dubai International Stadium and had one eye on the big game at the Emirates. Five weeks into the Premier League season, the contours of the campaign are sharpening. Matchday 5 didn’t just serve up results; it offered drama, resilience, and moments that will echo through the months ahead. The table may still be fluid, but the themes are taking shape: pressure, adaptability, and the value of leaders who rise in decisive moments. The headline moment of the weekend came at the Emirates.…