Author: Gargi Raut

Gargi Raut in Dubai On September 24, one of the few drama-free days in the Asia Cup saw the India vs Bangladesh match. While the Bangladeshi fans buzzed for a glimpse of their team, India fans sat back and enjoyed another ‘Abhishek Sharma’ show. Most of India games at the Dubai International Stadium saw packed stands, but today was a rare case of it only being half-full, with a majority being Bangladeshi fans. Bangladesh’s first breakthrough came after a quick but painful 19-ball 29 from India’s vice-captain Shubman Gill. The opener, in an attempt to play another big shot, miscued…

The Hockey India League was restarted last year after a seven-year hiatus, with both the men’s and women’s league being inaugurated side by side. It was first launched in 2013 but failed to sustain itself over a period of time. The men’s league had eight teams whereas the women’s team had four. In the first edition of the tournament after its restart, it was Shrachi Rarh Tigers that won the title. Ahead of the 2026 season, UP Rudras have now pulled out of the tournament citing financial viability and sustainability of the league. The team included many Indian hockey stars,…

“I believe in living life on my own terms,” said a calm Sania Mirza with a certainty that only comes from years of doing the same. Sania, one of India’s greatest sporting icons, spent close to two decades rewriting the narrative around what it means to be a woman athlete – in a world that often prefers its women agreeable and apologetic. In an exclusive conversation with RevSportz, Sania opened up on Grand Slam titles to Olympic heartbreaks, from motherhood to retiring on her own terms. She has lived her life with resolve and a mantra: to stay true to…

Gargi Raut in Dubai In the Asia Cup 2025, the India-Pakistan clashes became contests where every ball felt heavier than a season’s worth of pressure. But Abhishek Sharma, with his fearlessness, found a way to cut through the tension with his bat. Twice now, in the most-awaited matches in the tournament, the 25-year-old opener has set a fiery tone in the most audacious way possible, by attacking from the very first ball. In the first match between the two teams, a packed stadium held its breath and Shaheen Afridi steamed in, only for Abhishek to dance down the track and…

Gargi Raut in Dubai Tension simmered on the morning of September 21, with India and Pakistan taking on each other for the second time in the Asia Cup. A series of dramatic plot twists, accusations and statements preceded the match. While Pakistan cancelled the pre-match press conference, Suryakumar Yadav took questions from the media head on. India won the toss and chose to bowl, with the match being played on the same track as the last India-Pakistan clash. Hardik Pandya took the new ball again, but while he produced a chance in the very second delivery as Sahibzada Farhan top-edged,…

Gargi Raut in Dubai India and Pakistan are all set to take each other on for the second time in the tournament. But the stakes are far higher this time around. While the first clash was overshadowed by calls for a boycott in the lead-up of the game, the second game involves drama never seen before. After the first encounter between the two nations, the Indian team refused handshakes at the end of the game. In the press conference, Suryakumar Yadav, the captain, dedicated the win to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and the armed forces. The move…

Gargi Raut in Dubai In the three games that India have played so far in the Asia Cup, opener Abhishek Sharma has been India’s best batter. Scoring quick-fire runs at the top that threw the opposition off their game. Abhishek has been in prime form since the last edition of the Indian Premier League, where he scored 484 runs in 16 matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad. In Friday’s fixture against Oman, the young opener showed no mercy to the bowlers, hitting them all around the park, scoring a blistering 38 off 15 balls at a strike-rate of 253.3. His innings included…

Gargi Raut in Dubai India versus Oman started off with the assumption that it would be just another inconsequential match. But as Kuldeep Yadav said at the pre-match press conference: “In T20s there are no big or small teams.” India won the toss and chose to bat first, and the Indian cricketing fraternity was of the assumption that the team would go in with a different playing XI. Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy made way for Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh. India’s innings got off to a decent start with 6 runs in 2 overs. Although, once again vice-captain Shubman…

Gargi Raut in Dubai After the drama that panned out ahead of the Pakistan-UAE game, it has now been reported that Sanjog Gupta, CEO of the International Cricket Council (ICC) is considering taking action against the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over multiple breaches of playing conditions and PMOA regulations during the Asia Cup. Pakistan’s conduct over the past few days has been shocking, to say the least. From refusing to address a press conference, one that was a part of regulations, to forcing a delay due to their decision to pull out of the match against UAE, which was then…

Gargi Raut in Dubai The Asia Cup started on a sour note here in Dubai, with the Indian fans divided on whether India should play against Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attacks and the pain it had caused the nation. Ryan Ten Doescathe, India’s assistant coach, ahead of the India-Pakistan game, mentioned about a certain “frustrating” waiting period where the management wasn’t sure about the team’s participation in the tournament. The tension had reached its peak on the morning of 14th of September, a typical scorching day in Dubai. While the city’s temperature dropped as the sun went down, the…