Author: Gargi Raut

Following Bangladesh’s ouster from the T20 World Cup hosted by India, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi said at a press conference that Pakistan’s participation in the tournament was subject to government approval. On Sunday evening, a tweet from the official handle of the Government of Pakistan confirmed the country’s participation in the marquee tournament, but with a caveat: “The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026; however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15 February…

At the Australian Open, ahead of the semi-final clash between Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, a message flashed on the stadium screens: “At the conclusion of the match, there will be no handshake between the players. We appreciate your respect for both athletes during and following the match.” There is no “long story short” when it comes to histories shaped by geopolitical tension. However, to summarise the strained relationship between Ukraine and Belarus: relations have sharply deteriorated since 2022. Russia used Belarusian territory as a key staging ground for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Belarus allowed…

India and New Zealand have faced each other in four T20Is in the final leg of the white-ball series. With the first match of the T20 World Cup less than a fortnight away, India would want to lock in their best XI. They cruised to victory in the first three T20Is of the series owing to some blockbuster performances, especially from the bat, chasing down totals of 208 and 153 in 15.2 overs and 10 overs respectively. When we look at the top order, quite naturally, Abhishek Sharma is the standout. His exploits from the get-go, coupled with his fearless…

Over the course of the past 12 months, as India faced England in England, South Africa at home, Australia down under in white-ball cricket, and New Zealand on home soil across ODIs and T20Is, we’ve learnt something crucial: contrary to popular belief, the Men in Blue can survive without Jasprit Bumrah. The batting order can be reshuffled if Suryakumar Yadav misfires. In the Asia Cup final, we learnt that the middle-lower order can adapt even if Abhishek Sharma doesn’t fire at the top. But India cannot function without Hardik Pandya – not only because he is one of India’s most…

If there’s anything we learn from Savita Punia, one of the finest goalkeepers produced by Indian hockey, it is to never give up. The sport and unfortunate circumstances in life handed her reason after reason to quit, but Savita never stopped trying. Today, she has been honoured with India’s fourth-highest civilian award, the Padma Shri. In an exclusive interview with RevSportz, an emotional Savita looks back on her journey – the ebbs and flows – and the dream ahead. Q: What was running through your mind when you got the phone call that you had been honoured with the Padma…

American cricket is reaching new heights with each passing day, and the USA cricket team is set to participate in another ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after co-hosting the last edition. Their squad includes three players who have represented India at the U19 World Cup — Saurabh Netravalkar, Harmeet Singh and Smit Patel — and is largely made up of players of Indian origin. The USA U19 squad, too, consists entirely of players of Indian origin. In recent years, there has been a notable influx of Indian-origin talent in American cricket, with Indian players increasingly choosing to relocate to the…

“Due to recent developments” is what the Board of Control for Cricket in India Secretary, Devajit Saikia, stated when the board asked IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release the sole Bangladeshi player picked up in the mini-auction. A day later, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) retaliated by saying that they would ban IPL’s streaming in the country and on January 4, BCB wrote to the International Cricket Council that the team would not travel to India owing to security concerns, after consulting with the government. What followed was days of back and forth between the Bangladesh Cricket Board and the…

India went 2-0 up in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand. After the ODI series defeat against the same opponent and ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup, India will welcome the new-found and explosive form displayed by the batters in Raipur. Chasing 208, it was not a day for the usual Abhishek Sharma fireworks. The two openers fell in the first two overs. Ishan Kishan, who got a rare entry into the playing XI in the absence of Tilak Varma, scored an impressive 76 (32 balls), consisting of four sixes and 11 fours. Ishan and Suryakumar Yadav stitched…

November 19, 2023 is a memory fresh in every Indian cricket fan’s mind – the night when, alongside the eleven on the field, a million other dreams shattered. That night, KL Rahul bore the brunt of criticism. He was blamed for the loss, called “weak”, and accused of “crumbling under pressure”, among other things. His 66 off 107 balls became the reason for India’s inability to put up a competitive total. And what no one will forget is the look on his face when Virat Kohli was bowled by Pat Cummins. Standing at the non-striker’s end, Rahul was wide-eyed, realising…

Over the last six months, whenever the country spoke of football, it was often in a morose tone. The dire state of Indian football, attempts to revive the Indian Super League, the Lionel Messi event failure in Kolkata, the narrative was largely bleak. But amid the gloom, a faint silver lining has emerged for the future of Indian football, and it is the U17 women’s team that is responsible for it. The FIFA World Cup Trophy is currently on a global tour, and on January 10, the world’s most coveted sports trophy graced the streets of the Indian capital, Delhi.…