Category: Sports

After months of discussions and excitement about the ICC Champions Trophy and where it will be held, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finally accepted a new plan. This plan allows India to play their matches in Dubai, while all other games will take place in Pakistan.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had previously told the International Cricket Council (ICC) weeks ago that they wouldn’t travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy due to lack of approval from the Indian government, mostly because of ongoing political issues between India and Pakistan. This situation led to talks about using a “hybrid model,” which was already tried during last year’s Asia Cup. In that tournament, only a few matches were played in Pakistan, while most took place in Sri Lanka. The ICC was also reportedly supportive of BCCI because of instability in Islamabad.

Initially, PCB was not willing to accept the hybrid model for the Champions Trophy. However, according to a report in Times of India, they were warned that they might lose the right to host the tournament. The ICC and BCCI were firm on this matter, so PCB decided to agree. “I don’t want to comment too much because that can ruin things. We have shared our views with the ICC, and the Indians have shared theirs. The goal is to find a solution that works for everyone,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Dubai. He added, “Cricket should win, and that’s the most important thing for us. We want to do what is best for cricket, and we will ensure that it is fair.”

In return, the PCB asked the ICC to use the hybrid model for all future ICC tournaments held in India until 2031. India is set to host four ICC tournaments in the next seven years, including the T20 World Cup in 2026 and the ODI World Cup in 2031. They will also hold the Champions Trophy in 2029 and the Women’s World Cup in 2025.

Additionally, the PCB requested a bigger share of the ICC’s revenue as compensation. Currently, they receive six percent less than the BCCI’s share of 38%. The ICC had offered compensation above the hosting fees, but it is unlikely they will meet PCB’s demands since other countries would not agree to lower their shares, which would put pressure on BCCI. So far, BCCI has not committed to any additional requests.

India’s cricket captain, Rohit Sharma, and his wife, Ritika Sajdeh, have welcomed their second child – a baby boy named Ahaan. Ritika shared the exciting news with a fun Christmas-themed post on Instagram. In the post, the family was depicted as cut-out figures with their names: Rohit and Ritika were called ‘Ro’ and ‘Rits,’ their daughter was named ‘Sammy’ for Samaira, and their newborn son was revealed to be Ahaan.

Rohit missed the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia because the baby was born on November 15. He joined the Indian team about a week later in Perth, where India won the match by a huge 295 runs.

As Rohit prepares for the second Test in Adelaide, he hinted at a position change. Normally, he bats at the top of the order, but due to KL Rahul’s impressive performance in the first Test, Rohit might bat at number 5 instead. This news came after the team list was shared for a practice match against the Prime Minister’s XI, showing Rohit’s name listed at number 5.

Interestingly, it’s been a while since Rohit batted at this position; the last time was in 2018, where he played 16 innings and scored 437 runs in 9 matches.

Mohammed Siraj made a strong start in India’s warm-up match against the Australian Prime Minister’s XI on Sunday. The match was delayed due to rain, but once the weather cleared up, the game began in Canberra.

Siraj, who has been doing great for India lately, started bowling before Jasprit Bumrah. His bowling was impressive right from the beginning, putting pressure on the Australian openers with his fast deliveries.

One funny moment happened when a security guard accidentally blocked Siraj’s view while he was ready to bowl. Siraj, feeling frustrated, jokingly asked the guard in Hindi, “Hey brother, are you wandering in a garden?” This line reminded everyone of a famous quote by Indian captain Rohit Sharma from a previous situation.

Despite the distraction, Siraj quickly refocused and soon took the important wicket of Matt Renshaw, who scored just five runs. Siraj’s powerful and disciplined bowling helped India start strong, as they prepare for the upcoming pink-ball Test against Australia. The warm-up match is being played in a 50 overs-per-side format. India chose to field first after winning the toss.

The 2025 IPL mega auction was full of surprises, with 577 players being sold over two exciting days in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. One of the biggest names on the move was Deepak Chahar, a top fast bowler in India. After having seven great years with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), he was let go before the auction and was picked up by the Mumbai Indians (MI) for a massive ₹9.25 crore!

Chahar joined CSK in 2018 and became a very important part of their bowling team. He did a great job, especially in the first few overs of the game, helping CSK win three IPL titles in 2018, 2021, and 2023 with his key wickets and strong performance.

Throughout 76 matches with CSK, he took 76 wickets, showing that he is one of the most dependable bowlers in the league. Chahar expressed his gratitude to MS Dhoni, the former captain of CSK, saying, “Mahi bhai has supported me from the start. That’s why I wanted to come here. However, my name came up during the second day of the auction, so I knew it would be hard for me to return to CSK.”

Chahar also shared a sweet memory from 2021 when he proposed to his girlfriend, Jaya Bharadwaj, in the stands after a match. This made his IPL journey very special!

Though it was tough for CSK to let go of Chahar, it turned out to be a big win for MI. With his talent and experience, Chahar will likely play a big role for MI in the upcoming season, adding even more strength to their strong bowling lineup.