Gautam Gambhir Seeks Blessings as India Gear Up for Home T20 World Cup Title Defence
India head coach Gautam Gambhir began the build-up to the home T20 World Cup with a visit to Mumbai’s Shree Siddhivinayak Temple on Thursday. He offered prayers to Lord Ganesha ahead of the tournament. Batting coach Sitanshu Hargovindbhai Kotak accompanied him during the visit. The defending champions will open their title defence on Saturday. They face the United States of America at the Wankhede Stadium. The venue is one of the most iconic grounds in Indian cricket. Gambhir has followed a similar routine on recent tours. Earlier this season, he visited the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati before the third T20I of the five-match series against New Zealand. After that fixture, Gambhir and the Indian squad also sought blessings at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Temple in Simhachalam, Visakhapatnam, ahead of the fourth T20I. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India enter the tournament as one of the clear favourites. A successful campaign would see them become the first team to successfully defend a men’s T20 World Cup title. No host nation has ever lifted the trophy. India now have the opportunity to rewrite history. Preventing them from achieving both milestones will require something special. India’s strength lies in their depth and balance in the shortest format. This squad is widely considered stronger than the side that went unbeaten across the USA and West Indies two years ago. Their last T20I series defeat came in August 2023. Since the previous World Cup, they have maintained an outstanding win-loss ratio of 6.5, a remarkable feat in a format known for unpredictability. Preparation has been equally impressive. Under Suryakumar’s captaincy, India recently secured five-match T20I series wins against South Africa and New Zealand. Their dominance over the Proteas continued in the official warm-up match on Wednesday, where India registered a 30-run victory. With momentum firmly on their side, India now turn their focus to the opening clash against the USA.
Ronaldo To Boycott Second Consecutive Match in Saudi Pro League
Cristiano Ronaldo adamant to boycott his second consecutive Saudi Pro League match. The streak is coming after his reported frustrations with Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF). Sources told ESPN that Ronaldo is unhappy with the club’s management and level of investment. Cristiano Ronaldo did not feature in Al Nassr’s 1–0 win over Al Riyadh on Monday. The absence was a protest against what he believes is inadequate investment in the club. He also feels the imbalance gives rivals Al Hilal a clear competitive advantage. Sources told ESPN that Ronaldo’s future is now uncertain. If no changes are made in the coming weeks, he could leave the club as early as June. That would be well before the end of his contract, which currently runs until 2027. Cristiano Ronaldo trained with Al Nassr earlier this week. He shared photos on social media wearing the club’s colours on Wednesday. However, Al Nassr’s official X account only posted images of head coach Jorge Jesus and other players. Ronaldo did not feature in those posts. The veteran forward has made his position clear. His return to competitive action depends on the restoration of full decision-making powers to the club’s management. He also wants assurances that the interference seen in the recent transfer window will not be repeated later this year. Al Nassr currently sit second in the Saudi Pro League. They trail leaders Al Hilal by one point and have 46 points. The club is set to face sixth-placed Al Ittihad on Friday. Ronaldo’s frustration grew after key changes behind the scenes. Sporting director Simao Coutinho and CEO Jose Semedo were suspended by PIF in recent months. The decision disrupted transfer plans, blocked the arrival of top players, and led to a reduction in club spending. Sources told ESPN that Al Hilal, meanwhile, received a major financial boost from Saudi prince Alwaleed bin Talal Alsaud. The billionaire businessman is one of the club’s key backers. His funding was used to strengthen Al Hilal’s squad. All of Al Hilal’s signings in the recent transfer window were financed by Alwaleed, including the deal for Karim Benzema. He holds a 25 percent stake in the club. The remaining ownership lies with the Public Investment Fund. The situation has added to Cristiano Ronaldo’s frustration. He is yet to win a major title with Al Nassr. Sources say he has received interest from clubs in Europe and the United States. However, he is reluctant to move, fearing it could affect his preparation for the FIFA World Cup. The Saudi Pro League is keen to retain one of its biggest stars. According to sources, Al Nassr and PIF have assured Ronaldo of significant investment in the summer transfer window. One of the names discussed is Portugal teammate and Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes.
Bangladesh Officials Are Sceptical About Pakistan’s Boycott
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials are sceptical about Pakistan’s match ‘boycott’ row. The India-Pakistan turmoil is far from resolving rather, it is getting more complicated day to day. Interestingly, a part of BCB officials is not pleased with Pakistan’s decision. Given the geopolitics, arch-rivalry, and history, the Pakistan-India match is one of the most popular and highest revenue-generating matches, with the numbers touching a ceiling of USD 500 million (Rs 4,500 crore). PCB’s boycott will lead to hefty financial loss. In a recent interview with Prothom Alo, a senior BCB director stated, “If the India-Pakistan match does not take place, the entire cricketing world will face financial losses. Even our dividend will decrease. We did not want such losses.” The official, with the condition of anonymity, added that Pakistan’s strategy behind the step was very apparent. “Pakistan wanted to send a strong message to Indian cricket. They wanted to challenge India’s dominance. From that perspective, the decision may make sense.” Another official closely involved in the decision to exclude Bangladesh expressed concern, according to the same report, that the move would lead to a decline in ICC revenues. “This will directly affect the ICC’s central revenue pool. Like everyone else, we are also stakeholders in that fund. Take Kenya or Uganda, for example. They would be satisfied with USD 100,000-200,000. But given our infrastructure, how will we survive if ICC revenues decline?” the BCB director stated.
