Eight years is a long time in the life of an athlete. But just like Messi, Di Maria has preserved and persisted towards his childhood dream, points out Deepti Patwardhan.
Earlier on Wednesday, teenage archer Bhajan grabbed a top-10 finish in the recurve women's qualification round to brighten up an otherwise lacklustre show.
The early overs used to be all about Smriti Mandhana but India's star opener says she feels relieved of pressure thanks to the emergence of teenage prodigy Shafali Verma. There's been no hesitation from Verma in making a name for herself on the global stage, the 16-year-old having scored 68 runs across two games, including five sixes and seven fours, at an impressive strike rate of 212.
Raised by his mother Karen-Anne, Corbin and his younger brother Eathan, who also plays for South Africa, pursued cricket in honour of their late father's legacy.
The sesquicentenary of 'Vande Mataram' was the overriding theme of the ceremonial event held at the Vijay Chowk and presided over by President Droupadi Murmu, who arrived at the venue in a traditional buggy to the sound of bugles, adding a ceremonial grace to the occasion.
The big hitters of Asian soccer got their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaigns off to a flying start, with Australia, Japan and South Korea securing sizable wins. But there were sluggish starts for the top Gulf teams, with Iran held to a disappointing goalless draw with part-timers Syria and Asian Cup holders Iraq sharing the points in their home Group One match with China.
Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah returned to India's T20 squad for next month's Asia Cup, but IPL star performers Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal missed out.
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar will make his debut as an on-air expert in the ICC ODI World Cup, starting Thursday, in the United Kingdom.
Hosts United Arab Emirates will look to shake off the drubbing from India when they face debutants Oman in a Group A Asia Cup match in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Father Time finally caught up with poor old Italy on Thursday when they were deposed as world champions after suffering a dramatic and shocking 3-2 defeat at the hands of World Cup debutants Slovakia.
Referees at next year's World Cup will use goalline technology for the first time to settle some of the disputes that have marred past tournaments.
India medium-pacer Jhulan Goswami became the most successful bowler in ICC Women's Cricket World Cup history when she dismissed Anisa Mohammed of the West Indies, in Hamilton on Saturday, for her 40th wicket at the tournament.
The system, featuring three centre backs and aggressive wing backs, marked a significant departure from the traditional 4-3-3 formation and appeared to address Real's defensive frailties from a disappointing, trophyless 2024-25 campaign.
Unheralded Mohan Bhardwaj also shared the limelight as he stunned reigning World champion Nico Wiener en route to winning a dream World Cup individual silver medal as Indian compound archers outshone their much-fancied recurve teammates.
'Following successful live operation in the Emirates FA Cup, the Premier League will look to implement the system later this season.'
Reigning Asian Games champion Palak and Paris Olympics stars Manu Bhaker and Swapnil Kusale headline the 23-member Indian squad for the Munich leg of the Rifle/Pistol ISSF World Cup, beginning June 8.
Mithali Raj has predicted an India-New Zealand final in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
Spain and Japan have six points and will play each other on Monday for top spot in the group
Players from the other teams who could push the Men in Blue to the limit.
Indian top-order's strike-rate not a concern but big scores are expected in next matches: Muzumdar
Alyssa Healy scored a remarkable 158 in her final ODI match, leading Australia to a dominant victory over India and securing a 3-0 series win. Healy's performance, combined with Beth Mooney's century, highlighted Australia's strength, while India struggled with repeated mistakes.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz marked his return to action following his Wimbledon triumph with a battling 4-6, 6-4 (10-8) win over David Goffin in their Hopman Cup clash on Friday but could not prevent Spain from losing 2-1 to Belgium.
Savita said the Tokyo Games had instilled a belief that they can match the best in the business on the biggest stage.
The nerves were all too familiar for the former world No 1 Deepika who has failed to win a medal despite qualifying for multiple Olympic Games.
Ishan Kishan's return to the Indian T20 setup is a story of timing, perseverance and a domestic season that selectors simply could not overlook.
Japan soccer great Kazuyoshi Miura, 58, said on Friday he had all but given up on a return to the J-League before signing for Fukushima United, adding that he hopes to contribute with goals and assists in the latest chapter of his age-defying career.
With New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson set to miss the ODI World Cup in all likehood, he may don the mentor's hat.
Deepika Kumari will yet again chase an elusive World Championship medal as India are set to showcase their next generation, led by 15-year-old Gatha Khadake, at the prestigious tournament
Images from the World Cup match between South Africa and England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.
On World Cup game days, many Brazilians get time off work to pack into bars and restaurants or gather for home barbecues to watch the games, rooting for a national team seeking its sixth world champion title in Qatar.
Head coach Rahul Dravid has called for patience as the Indian team goes through a rebuilding phase for the next cycle of the T20 World Cup.
India's men's compound archery team created history, winning its maiden gold medal at the World Championships, beating France in the final, in Gwangju, South Korea.
England pacer bowler Jofra Archer finally found his World Cup winner's medal after he had earlier said he was "going mad" as it got misplaced while he moved into a new house.
Kane Williamson is unavailable for ODI selection due to his commitments in the SA20 league.
Chhetri had made his 150th appearance for India in March and scored on the occasion against Afghanistan in Guwahati. India, though, lost that game 1-2.
'Against Spain we are going for the win and that's what we need to focus on'
None other than India skipper Virat Kohli acknowledged Afghanistan's rapid rise in the last four years.
Assam's largest city Guwahati is set to make its debut as the newest Test centre on Saturday when India take on South Africa in the second and final game of the two-match series.
Rinku Singh has built his reputation as a fearless six-hitter in T20 cricket, but the 27-year-old insists he doesn't want to be boxed into that label. For him, the ultimate dream lies not under floodlights but in the whites of Test cricket.
'Ishan is a floater, he can open the innings. He bats regularly in the middle order in domestic cricket and he is brilliant against the spinners. Importantly, it is important to have a left-hander in your team who is explosive, because he can take on the leg-spinners.'
