Sports

New Delhi: Former Indian cricket star Yuvraj Singh recently shared candid insights about his international career and retirement during a conversation with ex-tennis ace Sania Mirza on her YouTube show “Serving It Up with Sania.” Yuvraj revealed that his decision to retire was driven by a lack of enjoyment and recognition in the sport. “I wasn’t enjoying playing anymore. I wasn’t getting the respect I felt I deserved. I thought I had given my best, and if there was nothing more I could offer, it was time to step away from the game,” he said. The former explosive middle-order batsman also praised Abhishek Sharma, whom he considers a player reminiscent of his own batting style. “Watching Abhishek bat takes me back to my own playing days. His style is very similar to what I used to play...

Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has made candid revelations about his international retirement, stating that he walked away from cricket when he felt he was no longer enjoying the game and was not receiving the respect he believed he deserved. Yuvraj shared these insights during a conversation with former tennis star Sania Mirza on her YouTube show “Serving It Up with Sania.” Reflecting on his decision to retire, Yuvraj said, “I had reached a stage where cricket started feeling like a burden. I wasn’t enjoying the game anymore, and I felt the respect I once had was no longer there. When you realise you have given your best and have nothing more—mentally or physically—to offer, it’s time to step away.” Praise for Abhishek Sharma During the interview, Yuvraj also spoke warmly ...

New Delhi: The latest ICC T20 rankings were announced on Wednesday, 28 January, with India’s star opener Abhishek Sharma continuing to dominate at the top. Meanwhile, captain Suryakumar Yadav has made a strong entry into the top 10 rankings, reflecting his outstanding recent performances. Both players have been in sensational form ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. In the ongoing T20 series against New Zealand, Sharma and Yadav have been dismantling the Kiwi bowling attack with clinical precision. Their performances have had a direct impact on the ICC T20 rankings, consolidating Sharma’s position as the number one opener and elevating Yadav into the elite top 10. With the World Cup just around the corner, India will be looking to these in-form stars to provide a strong platform at the ...

New Delhi: The T20 World Cup 2026, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is set to begin on 7 February. Ahead of the main tournament, several teams will play warm-up matches to get acclimated to the conditions and ensure peak performance. Most international teams are already engaged in limited-overs series to adapt to subcontinental conditions. New Zealand is currently in India for a T20 series, Australia is touring Pakistan, England is playing Sri Lanka, and West Indies is facing Afghanistan. Despite these ongoing series, warm-up matches have been scheduled to give all teams additional preparation time. India’s Warm-Up MatchesTeam India will play a warm-up match against South Africa on 4 February at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. The match will serve as an opportunity to test the f...

Dhaka: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has raised strong objections against the International Cricket Council (ICC) following the early exit of its team from the Under-19 World Cup. The board has accused the ICC of subjecting the team to unfair treatment during the tournament, claiming that excessive travel caused fatigue among players and negatively affected their performance. Travel Woes Blamed for Team’s ExitThis is not the first time tensions have flared between Bangladesh and the ICC. Previously, Bangladesh had withdrawn from the T20 World Cup after the ICC rejected their request to move matches out of India. Habibul Bashar, Bangladesh’s Sports Development Coordinator, elaborated on the current situation, stating that the team had a grueling travel schedule. Players were constan...

Islamabad: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) continues to threaten a boycott of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in protest against Bangladesh’s exclusion from the tournament. This threat, however, has put Pakistan’s own cricketing future at risk, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) warning of strict action against the board if such a step is taken. Despite the warnings, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi stated after meeting Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif that a final decision would be made by Friday or Monday. Meanwhile, Naqvi has continued to issue strong statements, drawing criticism from several former Pakistani cricketers. Legends such as Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, and Mohsin Khan have accused him of putting Pakistan’s cricketing future in jeopardy. Former captain Mohammad Hafeez, a...

Melbourne: Tennis legend Novak Djokovic has advanced to the semifinals of the Australian Open, breaking Roger Federer’s record for the most match wins at the Melbourne Grand Slam. Quarterfinal Drama Against Lorenzo MusettiDjokovic received a walkover in the quarterfinals against Italy’s fifth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti, who had won the first two sets and appeared on course to defeat the Serbian star. However, Musetti sustained a groin injury during the first service game of the third set, forcing him to retire from the match. With this unexpected win, Djokovic now holds 103 Australian Open match victories, surpassing Federer’s career total of 102. Djokovic’s ResponseShowing sportsmanship, Djokovic expressed his sympathy for Musetti, acknowledging the Italian’s dominant performance bef...

Mumbai: Maharashtra was left in shock on Wednesday morning following the untimely death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. Among those expressing grief was cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who described Ajit Pawar as a hardworking and dedicated leader. Tendulkar’s TributeSharing his condolences on X (formerly Twitter), Tendulkar wrote:"I am deeply saddened to hear about the demise of Ajit Pawar. We have suddenly lost a good leader, someone who worked tirelessly for Maharashtra. My condolences to the Pawar family. May God grant peace to his soul." Details of the Tragic AccidentAjit Pawar’s private aircraft crashed while attempting to land in Baramati, his hometown and the Pawar family’s political stronghold. All five people on board, including the flight crew, lost ...

Mumbai: Bollywood playback singer Arijit Singh announced his retirement from playback singing on Tuesday, leaving fans and the music industry in shock. Amid this news, former Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli’s old tweets praising Arijit have resurfaced and gone viral. Kohli’s Praise Gains Attention AgainFollowing Arijit Singh’s retirement announcement, fans quickly dug up Kohli’s 2016 tweet where he expressed his admiration for the singer. On 26 January 2016, Kohli had tweeted, “I might be one of Arijit Singh’s biggest fans. I am mesmerized by his talent and soul-stirring voice. Words cannot describe it.” Kohli’s appreciation for Arijit is not limited to this instance. In a later post on X, he shared a photo with Arijit Singh, captioning it: “For me, this was a pure fanboy moment. ...

Colombo/New Delhi: The participation of Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2026 remains uncertain, as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) continues to weigh its options amid the exclusion of Bangladesh from the tournament. Sources indicate that Pakistan is keeping the possibility of withdrawing from the event open, while assessing the political, legal, and financial implications of such a move. Early Matches Could Decide Pakistan’s StanceAccording to reports from Telecom Asia Sport, Pakistan will monitor the results of its first two matches against Netherlands (7 February) and USA (10 February). If Pakistan wins both matches, there is a growing possibility that they could skip their high-profile clash against India on 15 February in Colombo. A source stated, “If Pakistan wins both early games, ...