'It is typical of China's strategic deception of making virtue out of necessity,' observes Rup Narayan Das.
Here's a look at the biggest disappointments of IPL 2025 -- the players who've cost crores but delivered crumbs.
Authorities in Kashmir have launched a massive crackdown on terrorists and their sympathisers in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, razing homes of the ultras, raiding their safe havens and detaining hundreds of overground workers for questioning, officials said on Saturday.
'Had Haji Pir and/or Skardu been taken, the message would have gone out not just to General Asim Munir and his cohort in the Pakistan army but to the Pakistani people that every terrorist incident in India would lead to substantial loss of territory in PoK.'
'If Pakistan has fired one bullet at us then we have to respond by firing 10 bullets at them. It is our right to do so.'
India's new jersey for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, unveiled on Monday, has sparked discussion due to the inclusion of 'Pakistan' as the host nation.
'Wait for six months, and you'll see Gill's jersey become the most sought after one.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday made it clear that it has made no proposal to play an offshore T20I series against India.
The Border Security Force has ordered mobilisation of additional manpower at posts along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab and Jammu as part of its measures to strengthen the anti-infiltration grid and check the intrusion of drones carrying ammunition or drugs, official sources said Monday.
Imran Khan also questioned the cricketing credentials of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
The fervour for the India-Pakistan match is so intense that for many beating Pakistan in Dubai seems even more important than winning the Champions Trophy itself, observes K R Nayar, the veteran cricket writer.
'Pakistan's only concern has been while they were on the FATF watch list was to distance their State institutions and organs from any direct connection with the actual execution of militancy inside Kashmir.'
'It could be the Pakistan army's commercial interest, tactical or strategic interest or one of their leaders.' 'Even if you send a message that we have attempted to kill one of the Pakistani generals, that itself will serve the purpose.'
Virat Kohli and Babar Azam shared a brief yet significant exchange before Pakistan began their innings.
Disney Star creates new viewership record in high-voltage India Pak match
A 15-year-old boy in Malvan, Maharashtra, has claimed he was falsely accused of raising anti-India slogans during a cricket match. His family alleges he was trapped by people who beat him up and instigated a fight. The family's shop, godown, and home were subsequently demolished, while the boy and his parents were arrested. The teen maintains he doesn't watch cricket and was returning from prayers when the incident occurred.
BCCI could opt for a neutral venue with Pakistan unlikely to travel to India.
The Pakistan cricket team left for Dubai for the marquee Champions Trophy clash against arch-rivals India without opener Fakhar Zaman, who suffered an injury during the opening match against New Zealand in Karachi on February 19. The left-handed batter has been replaced by Imam-ul-Haq in Pakistan's squad.
Ahead of Saturday's India-Pakistan World Cup 2023 game at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi stadium, cricket fans in the city show their support by painting their bodies in the colours of the national flags of both nations.
The Supreme Court has directed a Maharashtra authority to respond to a man's plea for initiating contempt action against it after his properties were demolished for allegedly raising anti-India slogans during a cricket match. The petitioner, who hails from Sindhudurg district in the state, claims his house and shop were demolished on February 24 following an FIR against him, his wife, and his 14-year-old son for allegedly raising anti-India slogans during the India-Pakistan Champions Trophy match. The plea argues that the demolition violated the Supreme Court's November 13, 2024 verdict on demolition of properties, which barred demolition without a prior showcause notice and 15 days' time for the aggrieved party to respond. The petitioner seeks directions for initiating contempt proceedings against the chief officer and administrator of the Malvan Municipal Council.
'The India-Pakistan clash is not about match-winners alone; it's about playing in the moment, adapting to the situation, and not letting expectations overwhelm you.'
What? No one's calling them anti-national, no trolling, no abuses or threats, no FIRs??
'Arshdeep, Shami can make impact in Bumrah's absence'
Bumrah receives his ICC awards for 2024 during India-Pakistan match in Champions Trophy
The family of Param Vir Chakra awardee Abdul Hamid has expressed outrage after his name was removed from the main gate of a primary school in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, where he once studied. The school, which was renamed "PM Shri Composite School" after a recent painting work, previously bore the name "Shaheed Hamid Vidyalaya." Despite the family's complaints, the school authorities have yet to reinstate Hamid's name on the main entrance, leaving the family deeply hurt. Abdul Hamid was a war hero who displayed extraordinary bravery during the 1965 India-Pakistan war, destroying three Patton tanks and forcing the enemy to retreat.
The Kasaragod Municipal Stadium Road will now be known as Sunil Gavaskar Municipal Stadium Road.
The chief priest of the biggest Hanuman temple in Pakistan, Sant Ram Nath Mishra, has said that the Pakistani Army has always supported Hindus in their struggle against extremist groups in the country. Mishra, who is currently on a visit to Hindu religious sites across India, recounted the struggle of the Panch Mukhi Hanuman Mandir in Karachi, which was encroached upon over the decades but was restored following a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2018. He said that the Pakistani Army and government swiftly implemented the Supreme Court's decision to return the temple land, despite opposition from hardline groups. Mishra also highlighted the need for easing visa restrictions between India and Pakistan, allowing Hindus on both sides to visit religious sites in each other's countries.
'International cricket is incomplete without Pakistan.'
The school, located in Dhamupur village under Jakhanian tehsil, about 35 km from the district headquarters, was originally named after Param Vir Chakra awardee Abdul Hamid, who studied there during his childhood.
Pakistan has the upper hand in the Champions Trophy, winning three of the five matches against India.
India has strongly condemned Pakistan's remarks on Jammu and Kashmir at the UN Human Rights Council, calling it a "failed state" that spreads falsehoods and relies on international handouts. India's delegate, Kshitij Tyagi, highlighted the progress made in Jammu and Kashmir and said Pakistan is in no position to lecture anyone on human rights, given its own record of abuses and support for terrorism.
The 34,000-seat Nassau County international cricket stadium in New York is expected to be filled to the brim when India take on Pakistan on June 9.
'As players, you need to stay calm, try and block that noise out, and just play with the same intensity as you would play Australia or any other team.'
Badar Khan Suri, an Indian postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University, is facing deportation after US authorities accused him of "spreading Hamas propaganda" and having "close connections to a suspected terrorist." The Department of Homeland Security claims Suri has been actively promoting antisemitism on social media and is connected to a senior Hamas advisor. Suri's lawyer, Hassan Ahmad, argues that his client is being targeted due to his wife's Palestinian heritage and their opposition to US foreign policy towards Israel. The incident follows the self-deportation of another Indian student from Columbia University who was also accused of supporting Hamas.
India pacer Harshit Rana credited seasoned speedster Jasprit Bumrah for shaping his consistency and adaptability at the highest level.
Viewers and fans across the country will be treated to a highly entertaining encounter on Wednesday between India (A) and Pakistan (A), in the prestigious ACC Men's Emerging Asia Cup 2023.
Following the Board's instruction, the likes of Rohit Sharma, Kohli, and Yashasvi Jaiswal played at least a match for their state teams before the Champions Trophy.
In his petition, Suri's lawyer said that he is being punished as his wife, who is a US citizen, is of Palestinian heritage and because the government suspects that he and his wife are against the US foreign policy towards Israel.
Syed Firdaus Ashraf offers a ready reckoner on Javed Akhtar's great great grandfather Fazl e Haq Khairabadi who fought the British empire during the 1857 Mutiny and was imprisoned in the Cellular Jail in Port Blair.
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