From the electrifying victory of the Indian cricket team in the recent T20 series to the rising star power of young badminton sensations, India's sporting landscape is ablaze with action! This week alone saw record-breaking performances in the Pro Kabaddi League, showcasing the nation's unwavering passion for indigenous sports. The upcoming Asian Games are generating immense anticipation, with athletes across disciplines sharpening their skills and aiming for glory on the international stage. We delve into the crucial role of sports sponsorships in nurturing talent and boosting India's sporting infrastructure. Furthermore, debates rage on about the future of cricket's dominance in India's sporting ecosystem, with other sports like hockey and football vying for increased attention and investment. Stay updated on all the latest scores, match analyses, and exclusive interviews with your favorite athletes. Explore the dynamic world of Indian sports—from the bustling stadiums to the quiet dedication of rising stars—right here. Discover the stories that shape the nation’s sporting spirit and witness the unfolding drama of the sporting year.
Six men linked to Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba go on trial on Tuesday, accused of blackmail, attempted extortion of millions of euros and holding the player at gunpoint. The case at the Paris criminal court has shocked the French football world - all the more so because the perpetrators include three childhood friends and Pogba's own brother Mathias. The trial comes as Pogba battles professional woes, with Juventus this month cancelling his contract following his suspension until March 2025 for doping. The six men are accused of attempting to squeeze 13 million euros ($13.5 million) out of the player. ALSO READ | Napoli club and fans pay tribute to Maradona on 4th anniversary of his death Mathias was the one to go public in the case, publishing a video on social networks in August 2022 promising revelations about his younger brother that were "likely to be explosive". In a subsequent clip, Mathias accused Paul Pogba of casting an evil spell on his France teammate Kylian Mbappe. Paul Pogba's lawyers and his agent Rafaela Pimenta said in a statement later the videos "came on top of threats and attempts at extortion". He had already filed criminal complaints in Italy and France in July that year. Tricked by childhood friends Pogba told French investigators he had in March 2022 been "tricked by childhood friends" from the gritty Paris suburb where he and Mathias grew up. He accused them of snatching him before he was held at gunpoint by two hooded men with assault rifles, demanding 13 million euros for "services rendered" and blaming him for not helping them financially. Pogba said at the time that he had paid them only 100,000 euros. The footballer said he had also been pressured at the France national team's training centre in Clairefontaine, at one of his homes in Manchester, and at Juventus' training ground. Pogba added that he had also paid a bill of more than 57,000 euros that the same friends had racked up at the Adidas store on Paris' glitzy Champs-Elysees avenue. Paul Pogba's lawyer Pierre-Jean Douvier declined to comment ahead of the case when contacted by AFP. His friends have all denied the allegations. ALSO READ | UCL returns with Liverpool-Real Madrid and Bayern-PSG rematches of recent finals They had "a friendly relationship, with chats, joking around, and alongside that, yes, maybe Paul Pogba gave them a helping hand," said Karim Morand-Lahouazi, a lawyer for one of the accused. A police overview of the case seen by AFP calls the childhood friends and other acquaintances of Paul Pogba "a criminal team... with the objective of extracting 13 million euros from Paul, who had cut them off financially" early in 2022. The accused claim they themselves were also victims of the hooded men who held Paul Pogba at gunpoint, who have never been identified. Five of the accused face charges of extortion, kidnapping and forming a criminal gang. Mathias Pogba, who was not present the night his brother was snatched, is suspected of "pressuring his brother Paul and his family to ensure the payment of the sum of 13 million euros" and is charged with attempted extortion. Mathias Pogba's lawyer Mbeko Tabula said he would not comment until the end of the trial. Latest on SportstarZIM vs PAK, 2nd ODI LIVE Score Updates: Salman Agha picks third wicket as Zimbabwe struggles vs PakistanTeam SportstarPaul Pogba blackmail trial set to open in Paris AFPWorld Chess Championship LIVE Updates, Game 2: Ding Liren starts with e4 as Gukesh engages in Giuoco Piano Italian gameTeam SportstarIPL Auction 2025: New Zealander Bevon Jacobs left shocked by Mumbai Indians signing ReutersNBA roundup: Kristaps Porzingis returns as Celtics club Clippers ReutersREAD MORE STORIES
D Gukesh, a rising chess star, has secured a psychological edge over current champion Ding Liren in the ongoing World Chess Championship. After the first three games, both players are tied at 1.5-1.5, but Gukesh's meticulous preparation has clearly given him the upper hand. In their initial encounter, Gukesh's strategic progress in a French defense game allowed him a significant time advantage, despite losing the opener in a complex middle game. He redeemed himself in the second game, achieving an effortless draw in just 23 moves against Liren's solid Italian opening. Heading into the third ...Read More >
While world No 3 India had a disappointing T20 World Cup in October, failing to make it past the group stage, the sixth-ranked West Indies made their way to the semifinal where they lost to runner-up New Zealand. "They're the top four for a reason because they probably are a better team and have better records. But at the same time I feel like every team is really starting to compete now," Matthews said when asked if the gap between top-ranked teams and those in the bottom was big. "When you lo ...Read More >
Kerala Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman on Saturday asserted that Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will visit the state as announced by the government earlier, and that the sponsor has paid the match fee for the event. He said the World Cup winner is likely to come in October or November this year, and they would be treated as state guests. The government would meet their security, accommodation and other facilities. The news would come as a fresh ray of hope for football fans in one of India's surviving football hubs. Earlier, several media reports had claimed that Argentina's scheduled visit ...Read More >
Chennai, June 08: In a shocking case of blackmail, extortion and murder in Chennai, a 27-year-old doctor from Asthampatti near Salem, identified as Dr Santosh Kumar, has been arrested by the Kodungaiyur police for killing a 26-year-old woman who allegedly blackmailed him using his nude pictures. The victim, Nithya, a resident of Sattuma Nagar in Thiruvottiyur, reportedly posed as an IT professional working in Ambattur and extorted money from multiple men. She had befriended Dr Santosh online and gradually began blackmailing him, threatening to leak his nude photos to his family. Police said s ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Five men have been arrested for allegedly kidnapping a 30-year-old man in Munirka and attempting to extort money from him while posing as Delhi Police personnel, officials said on Thursday. The accused have been identified as Parvesh (25), a property dealer, Aryaman Chaudhary (22), Ritik Gauhar (23), a freelancer, Dev Anand Yadav (23), a driver and Sharman Rai (22), police said. According to officials, the incident took place around 1.20 am on June 16. The victim, Joshua Hmar (30), filed a complaint at Kishangarh police station, stating that he was abducted by four individuals nea ...Read More >
Chandigarh: Apart from stand-in skipper Smriti Mandhana, another India cricketer created a flutter with her performance against England in the first T20I at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on Saturday. Wearing a blue headband over her pixie haircut, left-arm spinner Shree Charani hogged the spotlight on T20I debut by claiming four wickets for 12 runs to help India hand England their heaviest defeat, by a comprehensive 97 runs. The 20-year-old, who had played five ODIs since her international debut in April, showed her mettle to announce her arrival in the shortest format for India with a bang. Indi ...Read More >
The result put France on 13 points at the end of the group phase, ahead of Italy on goal difference after the Azzurri had prevailed 3-1 at the Parc des Princes in September. Israel claimed their only win in the group as they beat Belgium 1-0 in Budapest to finish level on points with the Red Devils, but last due to their worse head-to-head record. After a lacklustre goalless draw against Israel at home on Thursday, Didier Deschamps's side showed their resilience in the absence of captain Kylian Mbappe, who was omitted from the squad. France got off to a dream start when Rabiot netted his fi ...Read More >
Mumbai Indians (MI) made strategic moves in the IPL 2025 mega-auction, securing New Zealand pacer Trent Boult for ₹12.50 crore. MI owner Akash Ambani praised Boult’s invaluable skill in swinging the new ball, acknowledging the team’s struggles when he wasn’t playing for them in recent years. The franchise also acquired England’s Reece Topley for ₹75 lakh and New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner for ₹2 crore. MI further strengthened their spin department by signing young Afghan talent Allah Ghazanfar for ₹4.80 crore, who has impressed with his performances in international cricket. ...Read More >
Kylian Mbappe has come under increased scrutiny after a difficult start to his Real Madrid career, with his underwhelming performance in the Champions League clash against Liverpool on Wednesday fueling criticism. The Frenchman missed a pivotal penalty in the second half, as Real Madrid fell to a 2-0 defeat, with many fans and pundits quick to question his adaptation to life at the Santiago Bernabeu. Several former football stars, including Bacary Sagna and Gareth Bale, have come forward to show their strong support for Kylian Mbappe. Sagna, in particular, drew comparisons between Mbappe and ...Read More >
NEW DELHI : Shreyas Iyer's off-field value is rising in tandem with his on-field success. Punjab Kings' second appearance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final after an eleven-year wait will likely boost Iyer's brand value by 20-25%, according to talent consultants. With his unbeaten 87-run captain's knock in the qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians on 1 June, Iyer achieved the rare feat of leading three different IPL teams into the final -- a first in the history of the world's second-richest sports league. Iyer led Kolkata Knight Riders to the title in 2024 and Delhi Capitals to their fir ...Read More >
Hyderabad: In a significant boost for 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbharta' in the aerospace and defence sector, and Hyderabad's growing stature as a global aerospace hub, the complete fuselage of the Rafale fighter jet will now be made in India at Hyderabad. This move marks the first time that these Rafale components will be manufactured outside France for the Indian as well as global markets.French aerospace major Dassault Aviation has signed four production transfer agreements with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) for manufacturing key sections of the Rafale fighter jet, including the lateral ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram, June 7 (UNI) Amid swirling speculation over the possible cancellation of an exhibition match involving global football icon Lionel Messi, Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman on Saturday reaffirmed that the much-anticipated event is very much on. "World Champion Argentina football team will visit Kerala," the minister said in a social media post, adding that Messi -- fondly known as King Leo -- is confirmed to participate in the match. His clarification comes in the wake of reports suggesting uncertainty around the event, prompting concern among fans and stakeholders. The ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 2 (SocialNews.XYZ) The All India Football Federation have mutually parted ways with national team head coach Manolo Marquez after his tenure saw India fall down to 127 in FIFA rankings. The AIFF executive committee met on Wednesday and approved the decision as per reports. His exit follows after AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey had confirmed that Marquez's tenure will be under review at the said meeting. Despite a poor run of results, concerns finally arose after India's poor start to the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers as the men in blue played out a draw against Bangladesh in the ope ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 4 (ANI): The India tour of Bangladesh, which was scheduled to take place in August, is likely to be cancelled because of the situation prevailing in the country over the last few months, as per sources in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Also Read | Who Is The Current WWE Universal Champion? Does The Title Still Exist?. India is supposed to play a three-match ODI series from August 17, which will then be followed by a three-match T20I series, which will begin from August 26. Speaking about the India tour of Bangladesh, a BCCI source told ANI, "India ...Read More >
India's D. Gukesh is set to face reigning World Chess Champion Ding Liren in Game 3 of the 2024 World Chess Championship at Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore. After losing the first game, Gukesh managed to hold Ding to a draw in the second round while playing with Black. In Game 3, Gukesh, now with White, aims to reduce Ding's lead and fight for an equal footing in the series. The match will be streamed live on platforms like FIDE's YouTube and Chess.com, with live updates available on Sportstar’s match blog. Fans can follow all the exciting action as it unfolds. ...Read More >
Tasmanian all-rounder Beau Webster is on the brink of making his Test debut, with reports indicating he has been included in Australia's squad for the second Test against India at the Adelaide Oval. Webster's call-up comes in the wake of Australia's crushing 295-run defeat in the series opener at Perth Stadium, with selectors drafting him as injury cover for Mitchell Marsh. The veteran all-rounder has been managing lingering fitness concerns and was reportedly "sore" following the Perth Test. "(Marsh) has been battling a couple of little niggles since the UK tour," Australian captain Pat Cum ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 11 (ANI): Launched to bring the excitement of street cricket to a professional platform and showcase the country's cricketing talent, the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) became an instant success during its inaugural season earlier this year. According to a press release, the league's second season is scheduled to be held in Mumbai from January 26 to February 15, 2025. "Indian Street Premier League is a great platform for India's cricket talent, and the inaugural season highlighted the immense potential of this tournament. ISPL not only created oppor ...Read More >
Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], February 10 (ANI): New Zealand's former white-ball maestro Martin Guptill recalled his days of opening the batting alongside current Indian skipper Rohit Sharma following his stunning unbeaten 160* off just 49 balls in the Legend 90 League on Monday. Guptill, who single-handedly demolished Big Boys Unikari with his brutal hitting, in a quick-fire round gave some candid answers on the field. Interestingly Guptill had played for Mumbai Indians in 2016 IPL and had a chance of batting alongside Rohit Sharma. Speaking after his electrifying performance, Guptill was ...Read More >
New Delhi: Delhi Police has arrested three fraudsters from Rajasthan's Mewat for running a sextortion racket that extorted Rs 14 lakh from a man in the capital. The accused posed as Crime Branch officers, manipulated the victim into a compromising situation during a WhatsApp video call, and then used the footage to blackmail him over several days.According to police, the accused contacted the complainant via WhatsApp video call and played a pre-recorded obscene video featuring a woman. "The complainant told police officers that he was manipulated into getting nude, and subsequently, his video ...Read More >
New Delhi: Three Indian citizens vanished mysteriously in Tehran. Darkness closed in as hope seemed lost. A ruthless Pakistani gang with potential links to ISI snatched them away, casting a shadow of fear. But relentless Indian diplomats refused to back down. Against all odds, a daring rescue mission ignited. Now, the captives are free, and a chilling game of espionage comes to light. The Punjab-based trio - Amritpal Singh from Hoshiarpur, Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar and Hushnapreet Singh from Sangrur - had landed in Iran on May 1. Promised a clandestine route to Australia via Dubai and Tehra ...Read More >
Lucknow: Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, who was part of India's two World Cup-winning campaigns, on Friday announced his retirement from all forms of cricket after a career spanning more than two decades.The Aligarh-born UP player was a member of India's T20 and ODI World Cup-winning squads in 2007 and 2011 under the captainship of MS Dhoni. He represented India in three Tests, 25 ODIs, and seven T20Is, taking 43 wickets across the three formats of the game. The 36-year-old Chawla is also the joint t ...Read More >
Kowloon (Hong Kong), June 8 (UNI) India and Hong Kong, China's meeting on Matchday 2 of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers Final Round on June 10 is billed as the highest-stakes clash of Group C as they are the top two ranked sides in the four-team group, and are aiming for the first win of their campaign. Placed in Pot 1 for the qualifiers, India, ranked 127th, got off to a slow start with a draw against Bangladesh in March. Meanwhile, Pot 2 side Hong Kong, ranked 153, could also only manage a point in Singapore, meaning there is still nothing to separate the four sides after th ...Read More >
New Delhi [India] June 6 (ANI): Former Indian cricketer Piyush Chawla has announced his retirement from all formats of cricket on Friday. Chawla posted on his Instagram account to announce his retirement. 'Closing this chapter with Gratitude !! Retiring from all formats of the game , thank you everyone for your support throughout this beautiful journey.' Piyush Chawla is known for his early impact. As a 15-year-old, he represented India Under-19 and Uttar Pradesh U-22. In his first first-class season, he took 35 wickets and scored 224 runs to help Uttar Pradesh (UP) win their first Ranji Tro ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jun 7 (PTI) A 26-year-old man allegedly beheaded his wife following a heated argument on the outskirts of Bengaluru after he suspected her of having an extra-marital affair, police said on Saturday. After killing Manasa, Shankar travelled with her severed head on his scooter to the nearest police station and confessed to the crime, they said. The man was later arrested, police said, adding that the incident occurred at Heelalige village, near Chandapura, Anekal taluk late on Friday. According to the police, the couple were married for over five years and have a four-year-old daug ...Read More >
Bhadohi: A shocking incident of forced religious conversion, sexual exploitation, extortion, blackmailing and humiliation of a woman came to light in Uttar Pradesh's Bhadohi district on Friday, June 27, a senior police official said. A 35-year-old Muslim woman had filed a complaint against Nitish Chaubey, a resident of Jayarampur under Aurai Police Station in Bhadohi district, he said. The official said that a case was registered on the basis of the complaint at the Mahila Police Station on Thursday under sections 74 (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modes ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 3 (ANI): Argentina's World Cup-winning legend Lionel Messi paid tribute to Liverpool striker Diogo Jota following his demise in a car accident. Liverpool and Portugal forward Jota died in a car accident on Thursday in Spain at the age of 28. At the time of the accident, Jota was with his brother in the car, as reported by Sky Sports. Premier League and Liverpool Football Club took to their official social media and paid their condolences to the footballer. Also Read | Shubman Gill Records: Here's List of Achievements of Team India Test Captain During His Record-Breaki ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jul 4 (PTI) Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist defender Varun Kumar is eyeing a comeback to the Indian men's hockey team with some good performances with the India 'A' squad in the upcoming tour of Europe. Varun, a potent defender, failed to make the Paris Olympics squad, and has been out of the the senior side for over a year. He was last seen in India colours during the friendly match against Germany in New Delhi in June last year. The dragflicker has set his sights on next month's Asia Cup to be held in Rajgir to make his comeback, and is aware that a good outing in the Europe tou ...Read More >
Chris Silverwood has been appointed as Essex's new Director of Cricket, completing a return to the Club with whom he won the 2017 County Championship title. Silverwood, 49, succeeds Anthony McGrath after seven years away, and will begin the role in mid-December. He previously spent eight seasons on the Eagles coaching staff, two of which were as Head Coach, before departing to become England Men's fast bowling coach after the 2017 title triumph. Silverwood was initially appointed as bowling coach at The Cloud County Ground in 2010, and six years later, oversaw promotion to Division One in h ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 11 (ANI): The case of Bengaluru Techie Atul Subhash who died by suicide citing alleged harassment by his estranged wife has opened up a debate on misuse of ant--dowry lawy. Mumbai-based lawyer Abha Singh described the case as a 'gross misuse of law,' stating that false charges and harassment led to the death of the victim, suffering from harassment from his wife and in-laws. Lawyer Abha Singh also emphasized that the misuse of dowry laws could ultimately deny justice to those who genuinely need protection. Also Read | Atul Subhash Suicide Case: 4 People ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, who was a member of Indian team winning 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. The 36-year-old announced his decision to retire from cricket through his Instagram account. "After more than two decades on the field, the time has come to bid adieu to the beautiful game. From representing India at the highest level to being part of the victorious 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup squads, every moment in this incredible journey has been nothing short of a blessing. Th ...Read More >