Right from the great Muhammad Ali, who was an influential figure during the African-American Civil Rights Movement to Cte d'Ivoire footballer Didier Drogba, who had a major hand in bringing peace to his country, sports personalities across the world have always played huge roles in social and geopolitical movements. The scenario is no different in India, as a lot of sporting stars have taken the political plunge. Take a look at the sports personalities contesting in elections 2019.
India are ready to host extra matches in the 2011 World Cup if Pakistan lose staging rights in the wake of the attack on the Sri Lankan team, the Board of Control for Cricket in India president Shashank Manohar said on Wednesday. Pakistan's hopes of jointly staging the World Cup with India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka appear bleak after gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore on Tuesday, injuring six players and killing seven Pakistanis.
Dhoni was once considered India's best finisher and no target was deemed out of reach with the boundary-hitting right-hander at the crease.
Sourav Ganguly survived a scare at his very own Eden Gardens when the club house lift of more than 29 years old malfunctioned.
The perfect buildup and distinct home advantage certainly gives India an edge heading into the World Twenty20 Championship but captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said his team cannot afford to take things for granted given the format's fickle nature. India blanked Australia in their own backyard, beat Sri Lanka at home before capturing the Asia Cup in Bangladesh. In the course of these triumphs, Dhoni's men lost just one game making it the near-perfect build-up campaign for the team which won the inaugural Championship back in 2007. "I think we are running on sixth gear. Technology has gone into the eighth gear but the kind of stuff we are doing on the field is adequate for any level of game. "We have to see the focus should be on from the very first ball. I think everything is set, there're not anymore gears to operate on. I am really quite happy with the progress," Dhoni said at the pre-tournament news conference where the main draw matches will start on March 15. India will be up against New Zealand in their opening match in Nagpur on March 15. "Let's not say it's happening in India so it belongs to us. Especially in the shorter formats, the difference becomes smaller and smaller. Every team has a chance, if we play to our potential and execute our plans then we definitely have a chance."
The marquee cricket World Cup match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan in Adelaide on February 15 will be the most watched in the history of the game as it is expected to attract more than a billion viewers, according to a report.
A serious remark made by Shoaib Akthar questioning Jofra Archer's sportsmanship over the bouncer incident in the second Ashes Test was met with a hilarious tweet by former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh on Monday.
Facing the stark reality of not being able to host any international teams at home, Pakistan Cricket Board is keen to make Dubai its neutral home venue with the tacit approval of the big guns behind the Dubai Sports City including Abdul Rehman Bukhatir. Sources in the PCB said Pakistan is now even pushing to get back its share of the 2011 World Cup matches and want to host them at the Dubai Sports City ground.
Call it pressure or whatever, the high-voltage clash between India and Pakistan during the 2003 World Cup in South Africa almost saw Harbhajan Singh and Mohammed Yousuf ready to tear into each other with forks in their hands.
Sachin Tendulkar celebrates his 36th birthday today. To mark the occasion, a book, titled 'If Cricket Is a Religion, Sachin is God', authored by two graduates of IIM (Ahmedabad), Vijay Santhanam and Shyam Balasubramaniam, was unveiled by billiards ace Geet Sethi and former India Test skipper Nari Contractor in Mumbai.
A look at the high points of his career during which he also put up a triumphant battle with cancer.
'Amrapali didn't gave us villas they announced after 2011 WC win'
Sachin Tendulkar is in the same league with Don Bradman and the batting maestro has it in him to become the first cricketer to hit 100 international centuries, former India coach John Wright said on Thursday.
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt said on Sunday his country could host an international team in the next six to nine months and will still co-host the 2011 World Cup.
In a three part series, Rajneesh Gupta highlights all the important numbers from Cricket World Cup held between 1975 to 2015.
The Government of India has firmed up its line of "No Cricket With Pakistan", in the wake of the attack on Sri Lankancricketers say highly placed sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
International Cricket Council chief Haroon Lorgat on Monday night made it clear that as of now the 2011 World Cup, to be jointly hosted by India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, will not be shifted out of Pakistan.
Afghanistan continued their remarkable rise in international cricket when they beat the Cayman Islands by 82 runs on Saturday to reach the final stage of the 2011 World Cup qualifying competition. Uganda also went through thanks to a 99-run win over hosts Argentina on the final day of world cricket league division three, a six-team tournament which also serves as part of the complex World Cup qualifying system.
The Australian team may have been on decline since he took over as the coach but Tim Nielsen continues to have the backing of the country's board, which today extended his contract until the 2011 World Cup. Nielsen's contract was due to expire after the 2009 Ashes tour of England and Cricket Australia (CA) said it is "delighted to have retained his services for the next three years".
Top Indian players like skipper Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah need to be careful not to get injured or pick up niggles during the Indian Premier League
Michael Jordan needed a Scottie Pippen, so did Lionel Messi with an Andres Iniesta by his side and Suresh Raina is that glue that admirably stuck around with Mahendra Singh Dhoni in highs, lows, and from Saturday, in retirement.
The crowds at Tuesday's IPL Qualifier 1 won't forget Faf's 67 in a hurry.
The Mumbai Cricket Association requested the Maharashtra government to allot it a plot of land for building a bigger stadium in the southern part of the metropolis.
Under fire Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson has no intention of quitting and is keen to extend his contract with the team until the 2011 World Cup. Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ejaz Butt has said he is not impressed with the team's performance over the last year, while former players have called for Australian Lawson to step down.
'Unmatchable' duo of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli could help India lift their third World Cup
Talking to ANI, Kirsten said that though winning a World Cup requires a lot of hard work, he believes the Kohli-led side have a bright chance to clinch the coveted trophy.
Srikkanth seemed pretty happy with the composition of the 15-member squad for the World cup, which he believes has all the ingredients to emerge victors.
Test cricket is all set to return after a long gap of 35 years to the Cricket Club of India's Brabourne Stadium.
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are set to strike a consensus on sending Pawar's name for the post for a second time.
International Cricket Council chief Haroon Lorgat on Monday made it clear that as of now the 2011 World Cup will not be shifted out of Pakistan and all the four host nations have been asked to have an alternate venue in hand.
The 37-year-old all-rounder would seek release from the Board of Control for Cricket in India to play in other, lower profile, Twenty20 leagues.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) cleared the way on Tuesday for a shorter 2011 World Cup.
Military officer Trilokchand Raina's mastery at making bombs in an ordnance factory was only getting him a measly salary of rupees ten thousand a month. Not enough to give wings to his son Suresh's cricketing dreams. But, more than two decades after those days of struggle, riding hard work, determination and luck, Raina ended his professional career as an international cricketer recently with plenty of success.
Sourav Ganguly confessed that he was considering retirement from the limited overs version in next 7-8 months.
Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara will retire from first-class cricket in September at the end of England's county championship season.
With a powerful batting lineup, power-hitting all-rounders and bowlers capable of taking early wickets and strangling sides through the middle and at the end of an innings it would not surprise if India did clinch their third World Cup title.
The Pakistan Cricket Board wants to repeat the format of 2003 World Cup in 2011 edition, which it will co-host with India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
When Dhoni arrived in Indian cricket, he wasn't a gym person but had an incredibly strong lower body as he played badminton and football regularly.
South Africa dropped fast bowlers Makhaya Ntini and Andre Nel from the one-day squad to play Kenya and Bangladesh later this month.
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly rubbished, as pure speculation, allegations that he would be vindictive towards chief coach Ravi Shastri.
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