Best photos of July 12: Traditional Kathakali dancer in Chennai to wildfire in Syria's Latakia
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Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- Khaleej Times
Team India Champions ready for the World Championship of Legends
In a country where cinema stirs hearts and cricket ignites souls, nothing captures India's collective passion quite like the exciting blend of the two. After the tremendous success of last year, the World Championship of Legends (WCL) gears up for its highly anticipated Season 2, with all eyes on the reigning champions - Team India Champions, once again led by World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh. 'It's been amazing to see how WCL has grown into something that truly connects with cricket fans around the world. I'm really excited to be back on the field, playing the game I love, and sharing it with some of the biggest legends," said Yuvraj. Co-owned by Bollywood star Ajay Devgn, the World Championship of Legends (WCL) promises fierce competition as six big cricketing nations — India, Australia, England, South Africa, Pakistan, and the West Indies — go head-to-head, each represented by teams filled with marquee names. At the heart of this high-octane tournament is Team India Champions, owned by UK-based Sports Merchants Ltd, led by Salman Ahmed, Jaspal Bahra, and Sumant Bahl. Deeply passionate about the game, the trio is committed to leading India Champions to the very top of the league. Coming off a thrilling title win last year, Team India Champions return stronger than ever. The squad gets a massive boost with the inclusion of Shikhar Dhawan, who joins a powerhouse squad of match-winners and fan favorites. The team blends experience, power, and flair with veterans like Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, and Robin Uthappa, making it one of the most well-rounded line-ups this season. The rest of the team includes Yusuf Pathan, Ambati Rayudu, Stuart Binny, Gurkeerat Mann, Siddharth Kaul, Abhimanyu Mithun, Vinay Kumar, Varun Aaron, Piyush Chawla, and Pawan Negi. "Team India Champions is more than just a squad, it's a legacy. WCL is not just another cricket league, it's a grand celebration that brings legendary players together, rekindling the magic of the game and to remind everyone why they fell in love with cricket in the first place. With the talent and heart this team has, we're definitely aiming to bring the trophy home again,' said Yuvraj. 'This team represents more than just cricket - it stands for legacy, leadership, and pride," said Salman Ahmed, Co-owner of Team India Champions. "Having legends like Yuvraj Singh lead the side brings not just experience but also immense inspiration for the entire team. We're not just defending a title - we're raising the bar for what this team stands for." The season starts on July 18 (Friday) in Edgbaston with India's first game scheduled on July 20 and will be played in Birmingham, Leeds and and Leicester. Star Sports and TNT Sports will broadcast the matches in India and the UK respectively.
Khaleej Times
5 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Prada team heads to Kolhapur: Making amends or PR stunt?
Called out for cultural appropriation, Italian fashion house Prada is trying hard to backtrack after its use of sandals that looked suspiciously like Kolhapuri chappals at a show but didn't acknowledge its Indian heritage went viral. It's latest move: A team trip to the land where the one-toed leather slippers were actually created and crafted for centuries. The group was spotted visiting Subhash Nagar factory and Papachi Tata's sandal line. Indian news agency ANI quoted one shopkeeper as saying: 'They had come to see authentic leather bags and liked our Kolhapur, especially the Kapashi Kolhapuri chappal.' And another vendor reportedly said that the group had flown down to India to inspect manufacturing units. "We offer authentic stitching and original quality Kolhapuri chappals," he said. Some netizens however found the trip a 'convenient' move and called it a PR stunt. 'So social media abuse made them realise', while another remarked, 'It's screaming PR.' 'I hope they don't learn the formula, apply on their brand and earn millions. Just outsource it to them and let them earn too,' said another user. Dubai-based PR professional Pavitra Rao said: "As someone in PR, this looks more like a smart move to fix their image than a truly honest apology. Prada showing up in Kolhapur feels more like a photo moment than real change. If they really care, we'll see it in what they do next — not just this one visit." Meanwhile, some Indians in Dubai couldn't help but dust off their old sandals and parade them, after all, they were suddenly in vogue again. Ad man Akheel Hassan said: "I bought my pair seven years ago, but haven't had much occasion to wear them. Now that they are trending though, it just made sense to dig them out and pair them up with an outfit." And celebrity fashionista Kareena Kapoor Khan took a slight dig at the brand, posting a photo of her feet in silver Kolhapuris on social media, captioning it: 'She wrote, "Sorry not Prada… (laughing and punching emoji) but my OG kolapuri (heart emoji).' Indian influencer Diipa Büller-Khosla , who is also the founder of ayurvedistry brand indē wild, weighed in on the debate, telling Khaleej Times: 'Ultimately, I'm glad Indian craftsmanship is finally being seen and valued on a global stage. But recognition without representation isn't enough. Brands have to go beyond inspiration; they need to give credit, collaborate, and create opportunities for the communities they're drawing from. Uplifting the craft means uplifting the craftsmen too.' So, what happened? The whole chappal saga began back in June at the spring/summer menswear show in Milan when the luxury brand featured open-toed sandals on the runway. Cool they might have been, but they sorely lacked any acknowledgment of Indian inspiration, resulting in a furore as A-listers (and those in the fashion business) made a quick connection between the two. The key difference seemed to be a) the brand and b) the price point. While one from a plush Indian brand will (even after all the Prada-row controversy) cost no more than Rs4,000 (Dh170, Dh46), Prada billed its fancy footwear at $1,200. Days later, Prada issued a statement on its social media platforms addressing the issue. 'At Prada Group, we have always celebrated craftsmanship, heritage and design traditions. Prada acknowledges that sandals inspired by traditional Indian footwear made in specific districts in Maharashtra and Karnataka, India, were featured in its Men's 2026 Spring Summer show in Milan. We are committed to responsible design practices, fostering cultural engagement, and opening a dialogue for a meaningful exchange with local Indian artisan communities as we have done in the past in other collections to ensure the rightful recognition of their craft. We are in contact with Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce on this topic.' The Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce was quoted by Reuters as saying that Lorenzo Bertelli, son of Prada's owners and head of its corporate social responsibility, joined the talks on Friday. Since then, the news of the international trip has been making rounds. Is it simply an acknowledgement of a legacy and tradition or a bald-faced PR stunt? You decide.
Khaleej Times
8 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Abhishek Bachchan calls dad Amitabh "boss" as he's excited about new season of 'KBC'
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan is gearing up for the new season of his popular game show Kaun Banega Crorepati. The makers recently shared an interesting promo for the show's 17th season. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sony Entertainment Television (@sonytvofficial) Amitabh and actor Abhishek reshared the promo and expressed excitement about the show. "Boss!! He's back," Junior B captioned the post. The new season of KBC will kickstart from August 11 on Sony TV. The show recently completed 25 years. The show first aired on July 3, 2000, and quickly became one of India's most popular TV programs. Marking this special occasion, Amitabh, who has been the face of the show since its beginning, shared an emotional message. Bachchan also took to his blog to speak about how the day began like any other, and he had no idea it was such a big milestone until the team informed him. "On July 3, 2000. the very first broadcast of KBC took place. goodness 25 years. just went by. Kuch pata hi nahi chala, aur 25 varsh, saal guzar gaye (Didn't even realise, and 25 years just went by), read his blog post. KBC started as the Indian version of the British show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? It was also Amitabh Bachchan's first TV appearance and gave new life to his career. Over the years, KBC became more than just a quiz show. With touching stories from contestants and Bachchan's famous line "lock kiya jaye," the show became a part of people's lives. (ANI)
