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First Post
4 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
Former Pakistan cricketer slams Ravindra Jadeja for lacking intent during chase in Lord's Test: 'No batter tried to make runs'
Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja's batting has been questioned by a former Pakistan cricketer for lacking intent as he said that India could have won the Lord's Test if they were more proactive. read more Former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal has questioned Ravindra Jadeja's cautious batting, holding it responsible for India's heartbreaking loss to England in the third Test at Lord's. India needed just 193 runs in the final innings to clinch the match and take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. However, Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes took three wickets each to turn the game on its head as India were reduced to 112/8 on Day 5. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Nonetheless, a valiant knock from Ravindra Jadeja and some stubborn batting from tailenders Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj gave India a glimmer of hope before it was dashed in the most heart-wrenching manner. Jadeja and Bumrah added 35 runs in 22 overs, while the all-rounder stitched a thrilling 23-run stand with Siraj in little over 13.2 overs as India started to dream about a memorable win at Lord's. Also Read | Sunil Gavaskar highlights striking factors that led to India's defeat at Lord's The dream was crushed most cruelly as the ball rolled down to hit the stumps after Siraj defended a Shoaib Bashir delivery. Akmal blasts Jadeja's batting in Lord's Test Analysing India's narrow loss, former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal accused India of lacking intent during the chase and said that England would have completed the small target in less than 30 overs. The Indian innings lasted for 74.5 before they were bowled out on 170. 'If they had tried, runs would have come. Against this bowling, they scored so many runs in the first two Tests, so 192 (193) was not such a difficult target,' Akmal said on YouTube channel The Game Plan. 'The pitch was a bit difficult, but the uneven bounce that was there during England's innings wasn't there during India's chase. England would have completed the chase by lunch. 'In batting, the planning was not right. When Jadeja was getting to play the final two balls of the over and the fielders were up, he should have taken his chances. He wanted to take the match deep. No batter tried to make runs.' Also Read | Mohammed Shami exposes Indian batters' mistakes in Lord's Test heartbreak vs England Akmal was specifically critical of Jadeja, who scored 61 not out of 181 balls at a strike rate of 33.7, as he felt Jadeja needed to be more aggressive in his approach. 'Bumrah and Siraj defended very well and provided partnerships. But the balls that Jaddu got. The runs that he could have scored, had he got them, India could have won by Tea,' he added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India will aim to level the series when they face England in the fourth Test at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground from 23 July.
NDTV
5 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
"Had Ravindra Jadeja Shown Bit Of Courage...": Ex-Pakistan Star On India's Loss In Lord's Test
Ravindra Jadeja fought a lone battle during India's chase of 193 runs against England in the third Test at Lord's, London. The visitors lost the game by 22 runs after being bundled out for 170. Jadeja stayed not out at the score of 61 off 181 balls but failed to win the game for India as he kept running out of partners from the other end. Mohammed Siraj was the last wicket to fall as India succumbed in the tricky chase. While Jadeja's fighting knock has been hailed by many cricket experts, former Pakistan players Basit Ali and Kamran Akmal pointed out what went wrong in the innings. "In batting, the shot selection was not right. When Jadeja was getting to play the final two balls of the over, he should have taken his chances. You should have that confidence to hit it down the ground despite fielders on the boundary line. So there was a bit of less courage. He didn't take his chances when Joe Root and Shoaib Bashir gave flight to the ball. Had he shown a bit of courage and game awareness, he could have won the game for India," said Kamran on YouTube channel ' The Game Plan '. Basit too had a similar review of the Jadeja knock. "Were the fielders close to the (imaginary) circle? Then there isn't much he could have done. However, Javed Miandad once said that when you are batting with the tail and the field comes in, go for boundaries in the last two balls of the over." England won the toss and opted to bat first in the game. They posted 387, a score that India too registered in their first essay. In their second innings, England got bundled out for a low score, setting a 193-run target for the visitors. What seemed a small and gettable target was turned into a tough one as England bowlers fired in unison. The deteriorating pitch at Lord's too helped their cause as the Three Lions managed to script a narrow 22-run win.
The Wire
10-07-2025
- Business
- The Wire
Sports Startups Get Direct VC Pitch Access with IAMGAME 2025's ‘The Game Plan'
New Delhi, 10th July 2025: IAMGAME Sports Conclave 2025, scheduled for July 18–19 at Andaz Delhi by Hyatt, Aerocity, will bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to explore the emerging business models shaping India's sports economy. This year's conclave places a strong emphasis on the convergence of sports, technology, and venture capital, with curated sessions that highlight grassroots innovation, scalable revenue pathways in sports and esports, and forward-looking infrastructure solutions. A key feature of the conclave is The Game Plan a closed-door investor pitch session that will offer selected startups a chance to present their ventures to a panel of respected investors, including Apurva Chamaria (Google), Lloyd Mathias (Angel Investor), and Pawan Raj Kumar (Zeca Ventures). Each startup will get 15 minutes to pitch, followed by an interactive dialogue with the panel. The session is designed to provide visibility and feedback to early-stage ventures contributing to the growth of India's sports sector. The event will also feature high-level discussions on public-private collaborations, digital media's expanding role in fan engagement, and emerging opportunities in sports financing. Prominent speakers include Sudhanshu Mittal, President of the International Kho Kho Federation; Krishnan Chatterjee, Google Cloud India; Vinit Karnik, GroupM; Darshana Bhalla, D'Artist Sports Ventures; and Arjun Singh, Grant Thornton Bharat, among others. Sessions will also explore how athlete-led ventures, esports platforms, and data-driven tools are creating new value in the industry. Legal frameworks, fan engagement models, and investment strategies will be central to these discussions. In addition, the conclave will feature a dedicated segment on women-led sports businesses, spotlighting inspiring journeys and entrepreneurial innovation. Other panels will look at how technology and media are enabling the rise of regional sports content and helping expand reach across demographics. Karan Singh Chettri, Founder & CEO, IAMGAME, shared his thoughts on the vision behind the conclave:"India's sports economy is evolving with exciting momentum, driven by the efforts of athletes, entrepreneurs, and institutions alike. At IAMGAME, our focus is on creating spaces for genuine collaboration and exchange. 'The Game Plan' is an initiative that brings promising startups closer to those who can help them refine their ideas, expand their networks, and shape impactful journeys within the sports space.' Mandeep Malhotra, Co-Founder & Director, IAMGAME, added: "We see IAMGAME as more than an event; it's a platform for building future-facing conversations around sports entrepreneurship. With 'The Game Plan', we're creating a space where ventures can connect with enablers and decision-makers in meaningful ways.' By convening voices across the spectrum from athletes and startups to investors and policymakers IAMGAME 2025 aims to catalyze innovation, foster dialogue, and contribute to a vibrant, forward-looking sports ecosystem in India. About IAMGAME: IAMGAME is India's definitive platform focused on the business of sports, launched to address the systemic gaps in India's sports ecosystem. It fosters dialogue, collaboration and innovation by uniting all stakeholders from players and coaches to investors, media and policymakers. With a vision to make India a global sporting force, IAMGAME is the launchpad for tomorrow's sports innovators and leaders. (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with NRDPL and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.).
Indian Express
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Social media accounts of Pakistani cricketers, actors blocked again
The YouTube channels of former Pakistani cricketers Shoaib Akhtar and Rashid Latif, and the Instagram accounts of actresses Saba Qamar and Mawra Hocane became inaccessible in India again on Thursday, days after they were restored. The lifting of the ban on these accounts had come nearly three months after the central government blocked several Pakistani social media accounts following the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The YouTube channel, 'The Game Plan', by former Pakistani cricketers Basit Ali and Kamran Akmal, however, remains available. Akhtar's profile on Instagram and X remain banned, as does that of former Pakistani skipper Shahid Afridi. The latter's YouTube channel has also been banned again. The YouTube accounts of the former Pakistani cricketers display the message: 'This content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order. For more details about government removal requests, please visit the Google Transparency Report.' The Instagram accounts of the actresses state: 'Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.' On April 28, the government had banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels–with about 63.08 million subscribers in total–for disseminating 'provocative content, false narratives and misinformation' against India, its Army and security agencies. The decision was based on recommendations made by the Ministry of Home Affairs. 1. Dawn News TV: Considered among the leading platforms in Pakistan with 1.96 million followers, the channel uses the handle @dawnnewspakistan. 2. Irshad Bhatti: His YouTube channel has 827,000 followers. The channel's handle is @IrshadBhatti01. 3. Samaa TV: Samaa TV has 12.7 million followers. The channel goes by the handle @Samaatv. 4. ARY News: ARY News has 14.6 million followers. The channel's handle is @ArynewsTvofficial. 5. BOL News: BOL News has 7.85 million followers. The channel uses the handle @BOLNewsofficial. 6. Raftar: Raftar has 804k followers. The channel's handle is @raftartv. 7. The Pakistan Reference: The channel has 288,000 followers. The channel's handle is @ThePakistanExperience. 8. Geo News: It has 18.1 million followers. The channel uses the handle @geonews. 9. Samaa Sports: Samaa Sports has 73,500 followers. The channel's handle is @SamaaSports. 10. GNN: It has 3.54 million followers. The channel's handle is @gnnhdofficial. 11. Uzair Cricket: Uzair Cricket has 288,000 followers. The channel's handle is @UzairCricket786. 12. Umar Cheema Exclusive: It has 125,000 followers. The channel's handle is @UmarCheemaExclusive. 13. Asma Shirazi: Her channel has 133,000 followers. The handle is @AsmaShiraziofficial. 14. Muneeb Farooq: His channel has 165,000 followers. The handle is @muneebfarooqofficial. 15. SUNO News HD: It has 1.36 million followers. The channel uses the handle @SUNONewsHD. 16. Razi Naama: The channel has 270,000 followers. The handle is @razinaama.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Pakistan cricket: What's the point? Ex-cricketer rips PCB apart for appointing Azhar Mahmood as interim Test coach
Pakistan Test cricket finished last in 2023-25 WTC cycle. Former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal has made a scathing attack on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for appointing Azhar Mahmood as interim coach of the Test team. 'I just don't understand the logic behind this decision," Akmal said on the YouTube show 'The Game Plan' podcast. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! " It's exactly like the time PCB made Mickey Arthur director of cricket while allowing him to continue working with a county team. "I couldn't understand it then, and I can't understand it now," he added. Azhar Mahmood, former Pakistan all-rounder is Pakistan's seventh Test head coach since 2021. He will take over from Aaqib Javed . Poll How do you feel about the frequent changes in Pakistan's Test team coaching staff? It's good for bringing fresh ideas. It's unstable and concerning. I don't have an opinion on this. "That role (Arthur's) has continued, and it has brought many issues into Pakistan cricket. The same thing is now happening with the interim coaching setup. Before this, it was Aaqib Javed, then Mohammad Hafeez and now Azhar,' said Akmal. 'These decisions reflect a lack of seriousness. When the PCB starts thinking seriously and acting professionally, it won't have to make such compromises or temporary appointments," he added. Since Azhar's appointment is only interim, Pakistan will begin the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle under somewhat unstable circumstances. In the previous WTC cycle, they ended at the bottom of the table, managing only five victories in 14 matches. Following the series against Sri Lanka, their next challenge will be a three-Test tour of England — their sole three-match series in this WTC cycle and their first Test tour of England since 2020. 'Everyone has been appeased, and now Azhar has also been rewarded. If you've made him head coach, then give him the full time and responsibility. Otherwise, what's the point?' said Akmal. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
