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IPL has become stronger than ever and doesn't see any threat from the growing number of T20 leagues globally, its chairman Arun Dhumal said on Saturday as he steered clear of the speculation swirling around an event backed by Saudi Arabia. Speaking to PTI as the league enters its 18th edition, Dhumal said the BCCI supports the rise in number of T20 leagues globally, especially in unchartered territories like Saudi Arabia, Europe and the USA. He feels the growth will eventually help the game ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics where cricket will be played. «There is no point discussing something on the basis of speculation. There is nothing on the table for discussion with everyone (all stakeholders). And as far as my knowledge goes, there is no infrastructure as of now in Saudi Arabia that can cater to a tournament of this scale. »So, there is no point discussing speculative stories," said the IPL chairman. Plenty has been reported in international media about the oil-rich Saudi Arabia foraying into cricket over the last two years but nothing concrete has come out of those speculations. Having said that, Saudi Arabia has been a sponsor in the IPL and hosted the mega auction last year.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Formula One cars snake around a racetrack track so blindingly fast that viewers need focal points — we need to know where to look, and to know what we’re looking for. F1 isn’t just a sport; it’s a high-octane obsession with perfection, where every bolt, every gear, every millisecond is tuned to scream excellence.

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: Indian Premier League season 18 is all set to begin with the opening match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Benglauru on Saturday. Ahead of the marquee clash, BCCI has also scheduled the IPL 2025 opening ceremony, which is expected to be graced by many notable stars, including Shreya Ghoshal, Disha Patani and Shraddha Kapoor.IPL 2025 opening ceremony will begin at 6 PM IST at Eden Gardens on Saturday, March 22.

It was a special moment for Blake Capps of Oklahoma as he marked his debut at one of the sport's largest stages.

Nike's turnaround effort is hitting snags as the company tries to clear out old inventory while feeling the effects of a growing trade war. The sportswear maker signaled further declines in revenue and profitability due to an ongoing merchandise reset that the company says is necessary to renew growth. Nike also expects gross margin to decline sharply in the current quarter from a year earlier, in part due to US tariffs on products from China and Mexico. Chief executive officer Elliott Hill, a longtime Nike executive who came out of retirement to take the top role in October, is looking to guide the company back to growth after a difficult year of falling sales and corporate layoffs. He's reshaping Nike by refocusing on sports and mending relationships with its retail partners. Nike is in the midst of clearing out stale merchandise through heavy discounting as demand fades for some of its biggest sneaker franchises, including Air Force 1s and Dunks. Inventory fell 2% in the period but Chief Financial Officer Matt Friend said those levels remain «elevated across all categories.» The company is trying to turn things around against a backdrop of weak consumer spending and fallout from President Donald Trump's escalating trade war. China also remained a weak spot, with sales missing analyst expectations amid a prolonged consumer slump in the market. But performance in North America and the region that includes Europe, Africa and the Middle East came in better than expected.

With a total watch time of approximately 250 billion minutes, including 137 billion minutes on Star Sports and 110 billion minutes on JioHotstar, the tournament’s success was driven by several matches to remember, particularly the grand finale between India and New Zealand on 9 March in Dubai. The final saw peak concurrent viewership reach 122 million on TV and 61 million on JioHotstar, setting a new benchmark for digital viewership in cricket. The final became the second highest-rated ODI in TV history outside of World Cup matches, drawing 230 million viewers and accumulating 53 billion minutes of watch-time across television and digital platforms. A key highlight of the tournament was the India-Pakistan league-stage clash in Dubai, which had the audience stuck to their seats and became one of the most-watched ODIs in India.

ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 has set new benchmarks in viewership, surpassing all previous multi-nation cricket tournaments in India, including the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. The tournament witnessed a staggering 23% increase in TV ratings, reaffirming cricket’s dominance in the country’s sports landscape.

Nitish Kumar allegedly «insulting» the national anthem rocked the assembly on Friday. As the proceedings began, opposition members trooped into the Well with placards and raised slogans, demanding an «unconditional apology» from Kumar. Some members also demanded the resignation of the CM, alleging that he insulted the national anthem at an event on Thursday. Despite repeated requests from Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav that they could raise the issue during the Zero Hour, the protests went on. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary also intervened, stating that the government can give its reply on the issue but it should be raised as per the existing provisions. As the opposition MLAs refused to budge, the speaker adjourned the House till 2 pm.

sports ministry source told PTI on Thursday, confirming a move that has been in the making for several weeks. The last date to submit the 'Expression of Interest' to host the Games is March 31 and India's letter was sent by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) a few days ago. «Yes, it is true, India's bid has been submitted by the IOA and the state of Gujarat,» the ministry source stated. Ahmedabad, the city that has been finalised to organise the 2030 CWG should the event come to India, is also the front-runner to be the Olympic host if the 2036 bid is successful. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), which has re-branded itself as Commonwealth Sport will now lead evaluation process and the final appointment of the host will be decided by the CGF General Assembly. The decision to submit the bid comes after sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya recently asserted that the country was interested in hosting the Games.

Boris Johnson, a longtime Donald Trump supporter in Britain, has abruptly reversed course, criticizing the US president's handling of negotiations with Vladimir Putin. Boris Johnson has expressed his rage following the breakdown of the US President's negotiations with Vladimir Putin.

Kirsty Coventry became the first woman and African to be elected president of the International Olympic Committee on Thursday, declaring it to be an «extraordinary moment». At 41, the two-time Olympic swimming champion is also the youngest person ever to be elected to the most powerful position in sports governance. The Zimbabwean Sports Minister succeeds Thomas Bach, who steps down after 12 years, and said she would work with the six other heavyweight rivals she beat. «This is an extraordinary moment. As a nine-year-old girl I never thought that I would be standing up here one day, getting to give back to this incredible movement of ours,» Coventry said. «This is not just a huge honour but it is a reminder to every single one of you that I will lead this organisation with so much pride, with the values at the core.

Concacaf Nations League semi-finals will get underway on Thursday, March 20, with three-time reigning champion United States (USMNT) looking forward to its fourth consecutive final. The United States is pitted against Panama, while the other match will see Canada eying its first major trophy in nearly 25 years if at all it manages to overcome the challenge of Mexico.

Olympics 2028 after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) member states unanimously voted for it during the governing body's 144th session here. When IOC president Thomas Bach asked for a show of hands from all in favour of boxing's inclusion in the LA Games all the members duly obliged with no one abstaining or voting against. «I thank you for the approval of having boxing back in the Olympic programme. We can look forward to a great boxing tournament,» Bach said. «It doesn't happen often that the proposal for programmes happen unanimously but this commission is breaking record after record.» Boxing was not included on the LA 28 initial sports programme approved by the IOC Session in February 2022 because of the concerns that had gripped the then federation, the International Boxing Association (IBA). The IOC had suspended the IBA following long-running disputes over governance, its finances and the integrity of bouts and judging.

Accenture raised the lower end of its annual revenue forecast on Thursday, betting on growing demand for its services to help clients integrate AI-powered tools into their operations. Strong demand for large-scale projects in cloud migration, artificial intelligence-led digital transformation and data security has helped companies such as Accenture.

University of Pennsylvania over its inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s college sports. The University of Pennsylvania’s campus, nestled in the heart of Philadelphia, is known for its academic excellence but now it is embroiled in a political showdown with the White House. On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced the suspension of $175 million in federal funding to the university over its policies regarding transgender athletes. ALSO READ: Why Trump did not meet Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore after they returned to Earth

ADGM, Abu Dhabi’s leading international financial centre. This significant milestone marks the fund’s official establishment in ADGM, positioning Yashaa Global Capital as a catalyst for driving global investments in the rapidly evolving sports sector. The fund, a unique initiative, helmed by General Partners Shikhar Dhawan, Mohammed Sirajuddin, Arif Padaria and Victor Tay, combines a pedigreed investment team with elite athletes. This collaboration leverages their expertise and extensive networks in the sports ecosystem, aiming to provide unparalleled value to portfolio companies through mentorship, strategic partnerships, and growth opportunities. Previously known as Da One Global Ventures, the fund has been rebranded to reflect its global ambitions and sharpened focus on innovation and wealth generation. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, Yashaa Global Capital has a targeted $75M corpus (including a $25M greenshoe option), and is set to deploy capital globally across SportsTech, Fitness & Wellness, Esports & Gaming, MediaTech, Leagues & Teams. Leveraging ADGM’s status as a premier financial hub, the athlete-backed fund bridges global investors, startups, and sports entrepreneurs, fostering innovation and scalability. Its unique network ensures that its portfolio companies gain strategic insights and connections, delivering exceptional value to all stakeholders.

Lionel Messi bid adieu to Barcelona. However, he might be having an unfinished business with the La Liga club, which is now eying to sign its greatest-ever player back to the side. Messi, 37, left Barcelona in 2021 on a free transfer as the financial situation at that time prevented the highly popular club from renewing the Argentina star's contract.

Roman Reigns is set to face off against Seth Rollins and CM Punk on WWE Wrestlemania 41. The upcoming fight could play host to a range of plot twists. Fans anticipate several developments surrounding Roman Reigns’ next fight. There is speculation that several WWE wrestlers may make a comeback at the event.

Happiness is ever elusive, yet, ever present — that's a dichotomy. One could just as easily be happy as sad. All it takes is a mental habit, a shift in attitude that begins with gratitude, capacity to perceive how we are placed even if we are suffering. While we are unhappy and sobbing, the tear ducts are working, air is available for gasps; 99% of our life is working fine. The 1% deprivation has caused pain. Once we realise that there is so much to be grateful for, it dawns on us that our job is to serve our fellow beings. Ask not what others can do for you, ask what you can do for others. This attitude of service is what brings unimaginable joy to our lives. Even if our daily actions are just the same, getting up, commuting, working, spending time with family or playing a sport, our joy is vastly enhanced by the sense of service. Asking others 'how I may help, what I could do for you, or suggesting we are all in this together to lift an individual's spirits' brings joy.

Joe Rogan has waded into the escalating diplomatic friction between the U.S. and Canada, calling for cooler heads to prevail amid heated rhetoric from politicians and sports fans alike. The controversy, fueled by former President Donald Trump’s threats of tariffs and jokes about annexing Canada as the “51st state,” reached a boiling point recently as viral videos showed American athletes being met with boos during the national anthem at NHL and NBA games in Canadian cities.

Shohei Ohtani, who won the third BBWAA Most Valuable Player Award of his career last year, kicked off the 2025 MLB season in style as Los Angeles Dodgers secured a 4-1 win against Chicago Cubs in the opening game of the Tokyo Series on Tuesday. Reigning World Series champion Dodgers are among the favourites this time as well. The game in Tokyo started early for MLB fans in the US, who had to get up early to catch the first pitch that was through shortly after 5 AM ET, Sports Illustrated reported.