The sparks flew as expected at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Center as India survived a tough late fight from arch-rivals Pakistan to register a thrilling 4-3 win in their opening match of the FIH Pro League London leg. Meeting on the international stage for the first time in almost two years, the two Asian giants delivered an unforgettable spectacle that lived up to the rich, chaotic history of this age-old rivalry.

The win continues India’s remarkable decade-long unbeaten streak against their neighbors – extending their dominance to 18 matches without a defeat, which now extends to 3784 days.

IND vs PAK, FIH Pro League: Highlights

The defeat left Pakistan at the bottom of the table with no win in 13 matches this season, while India moved up to 7th after getting their third win in 13 matches and progressing to a good Dutch leg of the FIH Pro League.

The lopsided final figures tell a story of total Indian dominance, with the Men in Blue registering an astonishing 30 circles compared to Pakistan’s only nine. Nevertheless, the contest started with a shock for the pre-match favourites. Despite India dictating traffic with 19 circle penetrations and earning nine penalty corners in the first half alone, it was Pakistan who struck first during the game. Ahmed Nadeem took advantage of the rare start in the first quarter to pierce the Indian defense and give the weaker team a surprising lead.

Pakistan’s 22-year-old goalkeeper Ali Raza put up a heroic, lone resistance to keep the Indians at bay. Early in the second quarter, Dilpreet Singh found himself one-on-one with the young shot-stopper and launched a ferocious attack, only for Raza to pull off a brilliant block with his left foot outstretched.

But finally in the 23rd minute Pakistani resistance was broken. Dilpreet immediately regained possession and delivered a brilliant cross into the danger area for Abhishek, who ruthlessly fired a powerful open-play strike into the bottom right corner. A frustrated Pakistan review yielded nothing and the tie remained intact.

The changeover was completed barely 60 seconds later, via a chaotic penalty corner routine. Pakistan’s first rusher did brilliantly to stop the initial flick, but the ball came loose inside the D. Neelkanth Sharma reacted quickest and fired the loose ball towards the bottom left corner. Mandeep Singh effectively tested Raza’s vision as the ball went through several people and into the back of the net to score Nilkanth’s 19th international goal for the blue shirt.

The long struggle was in vain

After the intermission, India continued their relentless pressure and finished an impressive third place. Leading a decisive attack, Sukhjit Singh received a cross into the box with his back to goal. In one fluid motion, the forward turned his marker and delivered a powerful strike that left Raza with no chance.

India’s dominance was further rewarded with its tenth penalty corner in the final quarter. In a clever strategic shift, the informers deployed Captain Harmanpreet Singh as an impostor, allowing Rajinder Singh to take the lead. Rajinder fired a brilliant drag-flick at an awkward, uncomfortable height that eluded the stranded Raza to make it 4-1 with seven minutes left on the clock.

Yet, in line with the volatile nature of this fixture, the Green Shirts refused to surrender. Sensing complacency late on, Abu Bakar pulled one back by taking a deflection through the keeper’s legs to inspire confidence in the Pakistani dugout. With just 15 seconds remaining, Ghazanfar Shakeel took advantage of the desperate goalmouth situation to score Pakistan’s third goal.

Although the final whistle brought much relief to the Indian contingent after a nervy finish, the result reinforced the excellent form shown during the Rotterdam leg. India will look to address its defensive shortcomings before taking on hosts England on June 25, while a formidable Pakistan will be ready to immediately face the English team on Wednesday.

India and Pakistan will face each other again in the second leg on Friday in London.

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Cricketer Rishabh Pant (PTI photo)

IPL There’s never been a shortage of blockbuster contracts, but history shows that even the biggest stars aren’t immune to dramatic pay cuts. The latest example is Rishabh Pant, who has taken a huge pay cut following his return to Delhi Capitals after a disappointing two-year stint with Lucknow Supergiants.Pant was bought by LSG ahead of IPL 2025 for a record-breaking Rs 27 crore, making him the most expensive player in IPL history at that time. However, after two disappointing seasons as captain and batsman, the franchise decided to part ways with him. In a high-profile deal concluded ahead of IPL 2027, Pant returned to Delhi Capitals for Rs 15 crore, resulting in a massive cut of Rs 12 crore.The move highlights a recurring trend in the IPL, where player valuations can fluctuate rapidly depending on performance, team strategy and auction dynamics. Pant’s statistics with LSG never matched expectations. He scored 269 runs in IPL 2025 and followed it up with 312 runs in 2026 as the franchise slipped as low as seventh in the table under his leadership.Although Pant’s pay cut is one of the biggest in IPL history, he is not alone. Venkatesh Iyer’s salary drops from Rs 23.75 crore with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2025 to Rs 7 crore with Royal Challengers Bangalore a year later. Sam Curran suffered an even bigger drop in percentage after returning to Chennai Super Kings, falling from Rs 18.5 crore to Rs 2.4 crore at Punjab Kings.Fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, Kyle Jamieson and Jhye Richardson have also experienced sharp valuation improvement despite entering the auction with big reputations. Pant’s return to Delhi may offer a fresh start, but his move also serves as a reminder that in the IPL, prestige rarely guarantees long-term financial security.

Biggest salary cut taken by players in IPL history

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Pitch Report – Ian Smith is pitchside and first warns that the temperature is going to rise into the mid 30s, but also notes that there is a good breeze on the field. Regarding dimensions, he explains that the square boundaries measure evenly at 59 metres, while the straight strike to the ground is 71 metres, with the pockets sitting at 69 and 70 meters respectively, making them a touch shallow for those looking to ramp up or scoop using the ball’s speed behind them. Alan Wilkins also joins in and says that the biggest change over the years has been the bounce, and he emphasizes that bounce is the story in this game as well. He referred to the West Indies vs Sri Lanka match where Hayley Matthews took three early wickets, all on the bounce. He recalls Vismi being caught and bowled, Mathews himself taking a brilliant catch, before he saw Athapaththu bowled over the off stump and Samarawickrama caught at backward point. Three wickets, a common formula, Allen underlines, with extra bounce resulting in a loss every time. With New Zealand winning the toss, Allen identified Amelia Kerr as the important person for her today. He believes that if Kerr hits the ball as well as Matthews and gets the ball to the right areas, he has the best chance of leading New Zealand to victory here in Bristol.

The hype surrounding the Women’s T20 World Cup was inevitable. India entered the tournament riding on the momentum of their historic first ICC title, having won the ODI World Cup last year. That win in the 50-over format was widely seen as a turning point for women’s cricket in the country, raising hopes that the team could build on their success and establish a period of sustained dominance. The result was that when the Women’s T20 World Cup started, all eyes were on India.

India started their campaign with two emphatic wins over Netherlands and Pakistan. However, everyone knew that those matches didn’t really test him. Both these matches were like a honeymoon phase for the Indian team.

But when was India brought back to reality South Africa gave them a crushing defeat by six wickets. The mistakes that India did not have to suffer against against Pakistan and Netherlands came back to haunt them against the Proteas.

It felt as if South Africa showed a mirror to Harmanpreet Kaur’s team, while Laura Wolvaardt’s team exposed its shortcomings and showed others the blueprint to defeat India. It seems that India have mastered the ODI format but they are still unable to find the right formula for success in T20.

India lost a good start

India were guilty of failing to get off to good starts during their South Africa tour, a problem that resurfaced repeatedly which led to them squandering a 3–0 lead and eventually suffering a 4–1 defeat. In the World Cup match against the Proteas, India again got off to a great start, scoring 59 runs in the first six overs, although they lost both openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana early.

However, with eight wickets remaining, India were expected to reach the 180-run mark, especially with a strong middle order and power-hitters like Richa Ghosh in prime form. Instead, they could only score 99 runs in the last 14 overs.

Most of the batsmen reached double figures and looked set to make meaningful contributions, but none could convert their starts into big innings. Richa provided the finishing kick against Pakistan and Netherlands, but failed to replicate that impact against stronger bowling attacks.

India still have two matches left, and will need their middle order to build on the platform set by the top order if they are to recover.

Spinners can’t save you every time

India’s spinners have been in excellent form throughout the tournament. Deepti Sharma conceded 16 runs in the final over of South Africa’s chase, but such occasional setbacks are part of the game and do not detract from their overall impact.

Sri Charani has emerged as the leading wicket-taker With 10 wickets at an exceptional average of 6.40, and her remarkable consistency, she could soon move up the ICC T20I rankings, and potentially overtake Lynsey Smith.

However, India’s pace attack has struggled to make a meaningful impact. The seamers have lacked both consistency and penetration with the ball since the South Africa tour.

Arundhati Reddy has given 50 runs at an economy rate of 10 without taking any wicket, while Kranti Goud did not get any wicket against Pakistan and Netherlands. Nandani Sharma showed early promise against the Dutch but faltered against South Africa.

With limited contributions from the fast bowling unit, India will need a lot of support from their pace attack to maintain balance when the spinners come under pressure.

catches win the match

India’s fielding has been a major concern in the World Cup and has played a key role in their struggles so far. On Sunday, Radha Yadav dropped Marizanne Kapp twice, and Kapp made India pay a heavy price. As one of India’s most reliable fielders, Radha is usually expected to set the standard, but she faltered at a crucial moment when India needed her most.

Against Pakistan, Richa Ghosh and Arundhati Reddy also dropped one catch each, giving Muniba Ali several lives. However, Muniba, unlike a player of Kapp’s calibre, failed to fully capitalize on those opportunities. Kapp, on the other hand, is a powerful batsman who has once again troubled India when given the opportunity.

Against top teams, dropped catches are often decisive, and they leave little room for recovery. After the match, Harmanpreet Kaur admitted that missed chances proved costly for India. Veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle also said that India’s fielding has been below standard throughout. If such lapses continue against strong teams like Australia, the consequences could be much more serious.

Time is running out for India

Even before the tournament began, Group A was widely seen as a virtual tri-series between India, Australia and South Africa. Bangladesh, Pakistan and Netherlands are also part of the group, but given their experience and firepower, it would be truly extraordinary for the lower-ranked teams to consistently challenge the top three. Australia has already defeated both India and South Africa, so are in a strong position to seal a place in the semi-finals.

As a result, India and South Africa are effectively competing for the remaining qualification spot unless Bangladesh performs exceptionally well in their final two matches. After South Africa’s win over India, the match between India and Australia at Lord’s on June 28 has become even more important.

If India wins, it will put itself in a strong position to advance, provided South Africa does not overtake them in terms of net run rate. However, a defeat would leave India with a strong chance of elimination. Beyond the results, what India needs most is to address the shortcomings exposed against South Africa.

If India can strengthen their fundamentals and avoid collapsing under pressure, they are capable of not only reaching the semi-finals but also winning the World Cup at Lord’s next month, a view already talked about by Shreyanka Patil, who was sad to miss out on the competition.

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Severe weather made its presence felt at the FIFA World Cup on Monday as the clash between France and Iraq became the first match of the tournament to be affected by adverse conditions. Concerns over the weather had emerged just hours before kick-off, with a flood watch issued at 2 p.m. Eastern time amid predictions of intense rain and thunderstorms in Philadelphia. Stadium officials temporarily barred entry of fans following rain, although conditions soon improved and the match began at 5 pm local time.

france vs iraq, FIFA World Cup 2026: Update

It started raining heavily about half an hour into the match, but play continued despite the deteriorating conditions. However, as storm activity approached the venue during the interval, supporters were instructed to move to designated shelter areas via the stadium’s giant screens.

France were leading 1–0 at the break, thanks to Kylian Mbappe’s third goal of the World Cup, when organizers announced that the second half would not start on time due to the threat of weather. Tournament rules require a minimum 30-minute suspension whenever lightning is detected within the designated safety zone around the stadium. The delay included the standard halftime interval, meaning players and fans faced long waits before any restart could be contemplated.

Weather concerns were not limited to Philadelphia. Elsewhere, forecasts of severe storms prompted officials in New York City to issue a travel advisory ahead of the evening’s Group I clash between Norway and Senegal, raising fears of further disruption at World Cup sites in the United States.

This is not the first time that football matches in America have been affected by weather. During last year’s Club World Cup, six games were stopped due to weather conditions and played for a total of eight and a half hours.

The biggest disruption was experienced in the Chelsea vs Dortmund clash, which ultimately lasted 4 hours and 38 minutes from start to finish at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium. England’s warm-up match against Costa Rica was pushed back an hour due to weather delays ahead of the tournament due to lightning in the area.

weather delay protocol

U.S. thunderstorm protocol states that play must be stopped whenever lightning or any electrical activity is recorded within an eight-mile radius of the stadium. In such situations, spectators are sent to designated shelter areas inside the venue, while players and match officials leave the field and return to the dressing rooms.

To restart the match, lightning cannot be detected in that area for at least 30 consecutive minutes. Any new strike during that period starts a new 30-minute countdown.

The same protocol applies before kick-off. If lightning is detected within a specified radius during the 30 minutes before kick-off, the match may not begin until conditions are deemed safe and the mandatory waiting period is completed.

It is worth noting that FIFA is not responsible for the protocol and they cannot overrule it.

FIFA World Cup | fifa world cup schedule | fifa world cup points table | football news

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James Coles (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

New Delhi: England have announced a 17-man squad for the five-match T20 series against India starting July 1, with 22-year-old all-rounder James Coles getting his first international call-up. Harry Brook will captain the team, while Jordan Cox, Sonny Baker and Saqib Mahmood will return after missing the T20 World Cup earlier this year. Brayden Carse and Jamie Overton are unavailable through injuries.Left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Coles has impressed in domestic cricket, SA20 and England Lions. He was also the most expensive signing in the 2026 Men’s Hundred and has scored over 1,300 runs in T20 cricket, taking 53 wickets.National selector Marcus North said that the young player has earned his opportunity with his consistently good performances last year.“James Coles is an exciting player and has earned his place with the England Lions following his performances in T20 competitions here and abroad over the last 12 months,” North said.“We have selected a larger squad to accommodate the fact that this series will start immediately after the Test series against New Zealand ends which allows us to be flexible.”England will have little time to rest ahead of the India series, with Harry Brook and Jacob Bethell potentially playing in the first T20I against New Zealand less than 48 hours after the conclusion of the third Test.The five-match series will begin in Durham on July 1 before moving to Manchester, Nottingham, Bristol and Southampton. Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Phil Salt, Will Jacques and Adil Rashid are among the prominent names included in the squad.England Team vs India T20I: Harry Brook (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethel, Jos Buttler, James Coles, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Josh Tong, Luke Wood.

England have named a 17-player squad led by Harry Brook for the T20 series against India, with uncapped all-rounder James Coles included in the squad for the first time after strong performances for the England Lions and across all domestic T20 leagues. In 71 T20 matches, Coles has scored 1,373 runs at an average of 28.60 and has also taken 53 wickets at an economy rate of 8.27.

Earlier this month, Coles further strengthened his claim by scoring 224 not out for Sussex in a County Championship match against Glamorgan in Hove. National selector Marcus North praised Coles as a standout inclusion, highlighting his consistent performances across multiple formats and competitions over the past 12 months.

Also read: It will be done: Suryakumar Yadav compares men’s T20 World Cup win to inspire India women

“James Coles is an exciting player and has earned his place with the England Lions following his performances in T20 competitions here and abroad over the last 12 months,” North said.

Cox, Baker, Saqib returns

The selection reflects a mix of youth and experience, with Jordan Cox, Sonny Baker and Saqib Mahmood returning to the set-up after missing the Men’s T20 World Cup earlier this year. However, England will be without Brydon Carse and Jamie Overton, both ruled out through injury, leading to adjustments to the team’s balance and overall depth.

Jofra Archer and Sam Curran add firepower with ball and bat, while Jos Buttler, Phil Salt and Tom Banton strengthen the wicketkeeping and top-order options. Rehaan Ahmed, Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson provide depth to the spin along with Will Jack and Jacob Bethel.

North, who is also a former Australian cricketer, said the larger team size offers greater flexibility, especially as the series against New Zealand begins soon after the conclusion of England’s Test commitments.

North said, “We have selected a larger squad to accommodate the fact that this series will start immediately after the Test series against New Zealand ends, which allows us to be flexible.”

The five-match T20 series between England and India will be played in Chester-le-Street, Manchester, Nottingham, Bristol and Southampton. The series begins on July 1 and concludes on July 11 at the Utility Bowl.

England team for T20 series against India

Harry Brook, Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethel, Jos Buttler, James Cole, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Will Jaques, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Josh Tongue, Luke Wood.

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Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Ex-Cricbuzz)

Vaibhav Suryavanshi continues to be praised by some of the biggest names in cricket, and the latest support comes from the legendary former West Indies captain. clive lloydWho believe that the teenage sensation has what it takes to have a bright future at the highest level.Lloyd, one of the most revered figures in cricket history and the man who led West Indies to World Cup wins in 1975 and 1979, was recently asked how the 15-year-old Indian batsman would have coped with the fearsome pace attacks that dominated world cricket during his era.The 81-year-old led a team that included some of the most dangerous fast bowlers in the game michael holding, joel garner, andy roberts And Colin Croft. Reflecting on a hypothetical contest between Suryavanshi and those legendary fast bowlers, Lloyd felt it would have been an interesting battle.“Well, he’ll be a great test (laughs), and we’ll test his character, his skills, etc. He’s got good vision. He’s a good striker of the ball. Yeah, so it will be a good test for him and a good test for our bowlers. The reason we had the bowlers we had was to understand what they were doing, because they all did different things. They didn’t do the same thing. So, it would have been a great test,” Lloyd said in an interview with RevSportz. Said in the interview.While praising the young player’s talent, Lloyd also gave important advice regarding his development. The former West Indies great believes that as he moves up the ranks, Suryavanshi’s natural approach should be preserved rather than changed.He said, “I think this guy has potential, and I’m sure if he continues to play the way he’s been playing, and they don’t try to change, you know, his style of play, I think we’ve got a young player that we’re going to be looking at for a long time.”Lloyd’s comments come hot on the heels of another standout performance from the teenager. Representing India A in the tri-series final against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla on Sunday, Suryavanshi played a breathtaking innings that rewrote the record books.The left-handed batsman scored the fastest half-century in List A cricket history and achieved the feat in just 11 balls. He was headed for an equally remarkable century and could have equaled the fastest century in List A cricket, but his innings ended on 94 runs from just 29 balls. A six off the last ball he faced would have taken him to the milestone.After his exploits in Sri Lanka, Suryavanshi is set to travel to Ireland for India’s upcoming two-match T20I series later this month. With his international debut widely expected to take place during the tour, the teenager’s rapid development is gathering pace, and Lloyd’s vote of confidence adds to the growing excitement around one of cricket’s hottest young talents.