by Abhishek Shukla

BFI’s REC Talent Hunt Programme heads to Guwahati with Eastern Open Talent Hunt

New Delhi, February 14, 2024: The Boxing Federation of India in association with REC Limited, a leading Maharatna Company under the Ministry of Power, has started the Talent Hunt Programme to discover and nurture India’s next boxing heroes. After three highly successful events, the programme now moves to Guwahati with the Eastern Open Talent Hunt scheduled to be held from March 2 to March 18, 2024 in Deshbhakta Tarun Ram Phookan Indoor Stadium.

This championship is part of the four open preliminary tournaments that the Boxing Federation of India planned to organise in all four corners of the country for elite, youth, junior and sub-junior categories for both men and women boxers.

The registration process for the REC Eastern Open Talent Hunt has already begun, with Junior/Sub-Junior registrations closing on February 24th, 2024, and Elite/Youth registrations closing on March 4th, 2024. The event will kickstart on March 2 with Junior and sub-junior events and will run until March 9, 2024, followed by the elite and youth events from March 11 to March 18, 2024.

These are open tournaments and anyone can participate and get themselves enrolled to showcase their skills. The winners will get a chance to be invited to participate in the pruning trials for inclusion in the BFI’s national camps and train under the guidance of experienced coaches and mentors as well as to represent the country.

The Khelo India Southern Open Talent Hunt Programme is ongoing at the SJPN National Youth Training Centre in Bengaluru and has seen the participation of over 841 boxers with 259 in the Junior/Sub-Junior category and over 582 in the Elite/Youth category.

Comparatively, the Western Open Talent Hunt which happened in January witnessed 213 participants in the Junior/Sub-Junior category and 299 participants in the Elite/Youth category, signifying a steady rise in engagements across different regions of India.

Following the Eastern Talent Hunt, a combined talent hunt program will take place that will feature the winners from all the Talent Hunt Programme.

by Abhishek Shukla

Sony Sports Network secures television broadcast rights for the 10th season of Celebrity Cricket League (CCL)

Celebrity Cricket League (CCL), India’s premier sportainment extravaganza, is set to enthrall fans once again as it embarks on its much-anticipated 10th season. Sony Sports Network, a leading sports broadcaster in India, has bagged the live telecast rights for the season, ensuring that fans across the nation can witness the thrilling action unfold.
 
The Celebrity Cricket League, now in its 10th season, is set to begin on 23rd February. It will feature some of the biggest names from India’s film industry, including Salman Khan, Kichcha Sudeepa, Sohail Khan, Akhil Akkineni, Indrajith Sukumaran, Sonu Sood, Manoj Tiwari, Aarya, Jisshu Sengupta, Riteish Deshmukh, and more. The tournament will be held at various venues, including Sharjah (UAE), as well as multiple cities in India, such as Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Trivandrum and Vizag, which will also host the playoffs and finals.
 
Comments:
 
Rajesh Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer – Distribution & International Business and Head – Sports Business, Sony Pictures Networks India:
 
“Celebrity Cricket League has carved its niche in the hearts of cricket and cinema enthusiasts alike and showcases great entertainment value. Sony Sports Network is pleased to partner with Celebrity Cricket League to bring star-studded moments straight from the pitch to the viewers.”
 
Vishnu Induri, Founder of CCL:
 
“We are pleased to announce our partnership with Sony Sports Network for the telecast of the Celebrity Cricket League on Indian television. Sony Sports Network is known for airing some of the best sports events throughout the year, and we are proud to have joined forces with a broadcaster that caters to millions of sports enthusiasts every day. Since its inception, the league has established itself as a prominent source of entertainment by offering high-quality cricketing action and has gained immense popularity. The previous season garnered an impressive cumulative TV and digital reach, exceeding 250 million viewers nationwide.”
 
The upcoming season promises 20 action-packed games, featuring eight teams representing major film industries. CCL, with over 200 film celebrities participating, continues to captivate audiences with its unique blend of sports and entertainment. Don’t miss out on the adrenaline-pumping moments, as CCL’s 10th season unfolds exclusively on Sony Sports Network, delivering unparalleled access to the heart of the action.

by Abhishek Shukla

UP Warriorz and Sisters in Sweat Join Hands to Help Inspire Women to Take Up Sport

Bengaluru, 14 February, 2024: The Women’s Premier League, one of the most watched cricket tournaments in the world, is going to kick off its second season very soon, and ahead of that, the UP Warriorz, who are owned by Capri Sports, are collaborating with Sisters in Sweat, with a focus towards opening more doors in sport for women in Bengaluru and New Delhi, and eventually the rest of India.
This partnership is built on a mutual mission by UP Warriorz and Sisters in Sweat to enhance the presence and participation of women in cricket. The collaboration aims to create accessible opportunities for women to engage with the sport, regardless of their experience level. Players from the UP Warriorz’s squad for WPL Season 2 will make their presence felt at games organised by this partnership, with Day 1 scheduled to be on 17th February in Bengaluru.
“We’re thrilled about our partnership with Sisters in Sweat. The initiative aligns perfectly with our values at UP Warriorz, where we strive to excel in the WPL and also to be game changers by fostering a vibrant community for women in sports. We’re excited about the potential of our joint efforts,” said Jinisha Sharma, Director – Capri Sports, UP Warriorz.
Swetha Subbiah, Co-founder and Performance Coach, Sisters in Sweat, stated,, “Partnering with UP Warriorz is a pivotal moment for us. Cricket has the power to bring people together and inspire action. We’re looking forward to seeing the positive effects of our work together in communities and beyond.”
UP Warriorz and Sisters in Sweat encourages everyone to support this cause. Whether you’re an experienced player, a newcomer, or a fan of women’s sports, you’re invited to take advantage of this opportunity to experience cricket and the multitude of benefits the sport brings with it.
The UP Warriorz, who finished third in the WPL’s inaugural season in 2023, will open their campaign this year against the Royal Challengers Bangalore on 24 February, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Keep an eye out for upcoming events and ways to get involved. For more information visit – https://sistersinsweat.in/

by Abhishek Shukla

Badminton Asia Team Championships: Indian women upset mighty China, men beat Hong Kong to book quarterfinals berth

New Delhi, February 14: Indian women’s team upset the mighty Chinese while the men got the better of Hong Kong to march into the quarterfinals of the Badminton Asia Team Championships being played at Selangor, Malaysia, on Wednesday.

The women, led by two-time Olympic medallists PV Sindhu, defeated China for the first time in a team event with 17-year-old Anmol Kharab coming up with an inspired performance to ensure a 3-2 score line in the Indian’s favour in the Group W clash.

Later, the men defeated Hong Kong 4-1 to assure themselves of a top-two finish from Group A.

But the talking point of the day was definitely the women’s team upset of China. Sindhu, coming back from a long injury lay-off, showed that she was not just regaining her form but also her confidence as she won the opening game against Han Yue comfortably and then turned around a 10-13 deficit by winning 11 of the next 13 points to give India the lead.

Though the doubles combination of Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa and singles player Ashmita Chaliha put up a brave fight, they could not avoid India falling back 1-2 behind.

However, All England semi-finalists Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand then fought back from a game down against world no. 22 combination Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min to win 10-21, 21-18, 21-17 in an hour and nine minutes to restore parity.

All eyes were then on national champion Anmol, who was playing in the competition for the first time. In a closely contested opening game, the 17-year-old kept her nerves under pressure from Wu Luo Yu to convert her second game point and draw first blood.

It looked like the pressure was getting to the teenager as she lost the second game and trailed 1-5 at the start of the third. However, she stuck to her game plan of keeping the shuttle in play and wrapped up the match the rubber with three straight points, 22-20, 14-21, 21-18.

With just two teams in Group W, India will qualify for the quarterfinals as the top team.

Reacting to the team’s victory, Badminton Association of India General Secretary Sanjay Mishra said, “It is a special feeling to see the team beating China. More importantly, we showed faith in the youngsters while selecting the team and I am happy they delivered the goods.”

In the men’s team event, the Indian team put behind the reversal of HS Prannoy’s loss in the opening men’s singles match to beat Hong Kong quite easily. They will face China to decide the group winners on Thursday.

Results:
Women: India bt China 3-2 (PV Sindhu bt Han Yue 21-17, 21-15; Ashwini Ponnappa/Tanisha Crasto lost to Liu Sheng Shu/Tan Ning 19-21, 16-21; Ashmita Chaliha lost to Wang Zhi Yi 13-21, 15-21; Treesa Jolly/Gayatri Gopichand bt Li Yi Jing/Luo Xu Min 10-21, 21-18, 21-17; Anmol Kharab bt Wu Luo Yu 22-20, 14-21, 21-18)

Men: India bt Hong Kong 4-1 (HS Prannoy lost to NG Ka Long Angus 18-21, 14-21; Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty bt Lui Chun Wai/Yeung Shing Choi 21-16, 21-11; Lakshya Sen bt Chan Yin Chak 21-14, 21-9; MR Arjun/Dhruv Kapila bt Chow Hin Long/Hung Kuei Chun 21-12, 21-7; Kidambi Srikanth bt Jason Gunawan 21-14, 21-18)

by Abhishek Shukla

Squash: Leung Fights Back to Beat Tandon on Day One of HSC 2024 Houston Men’s Squash Open

Leung Chi Hin Henry staged an impressive fightback to beat Ramit Tandon in five games, as action got underway at the PSA World Tour Gold event HSC 2024 Houston Men’s Squash Open. 

Tandon had won the pair’s only two previous matchups on the PSA Tour without dropping a game, but it was a different story on the glass court at the Houston Squash Club, as Leung battle back from 2-1 down to reach round two. 

It was Tandon who took game one, but Leung – playing his first match since getting married a fortnight ago – increased his tempo in game two, playing at a higher pace and showing off some impressive retrieval skills to level the score. 

The Indian regained control in game three, winning it with a forehand drive that sent Leung the wrong way, but just as he done in game two, Leung upped the pace in game four, sending the match into a decider with a deep squeeze on the backhand side. 

Perhaps feeling the physical strain, Tandon let Leung out to an early lead in game five, and while he threatened to stage a comeback of his own, it was too little, too late, as the 28-year-old wrapped up victory on a forehand smash down the line. 

“I’m very happy to get a win today,” Leung said after his victory. 

“My opponent, Ramit, is a very talented player but today I was also playing well, and I just tried to make it physical. 

“I tried to go forward more, to attack more, push up the court a little bit, so it’s amazing. 

“It’s my first time here in Houston, and the court is very good. I’m happy to get the win today and it’s a good New Year for me.” 

Leung was joined in round two by Egypt’s Karim El Hammamy, who came through a five-game test of his own, beating England’s Simon Herbert. 

Like Leung, El Hammamy had to fight back from 2-1 down, showcasing his speed and movement around the court along the way.

Never was that more noticeable than at 2-2 in game four, when he followed a sprawling dive at the back of the court with a delicate dropshot winner at the front, setting the tone for his comeback. 

“In the beginning, I was struggling to find a little bit of length,” El Hammamy said, speaking on court after his win. 

“When it’s not going your way and you’re not feeling your shots, you just have to run, so that was my thought, and credit to Simon. He was playing really well, and he was taking the middle of the court from me, so I’m glad I managed to get through this. 

“I will have to improve for the next round.” 

Unseeded trio Farkas Balazs, Juan Camilo Vargas and Cesar Salazar also progressed, beating Yahya Elnawasany, David Baillargeon and Rory Stewart respectively. 

The second round of the HSC 2024 Houston Men’s Squash Open commences at 17:00 (GMT-6) on Wednesday, 14th February, with action live on SQUASHTV.

For more on the PSA World Tour, visit the PSA website or follow the PSA on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Results: HSC 2024 Houston Men’s Squash Open RD1

Farkas Balazs (HUN) bt Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) 3-1: 11-5, 8-11, 14-12, 11-6 (59m) 
Leung Chi Hin Henry (HKG) bt Ramit Tandon (IND) 3-2: 5-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-6, 11-6 (56m) 
Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt Rory Stewart (SCO) 3-1: 11-8, 11-8, 7-11, 11-1 (48m) 
Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) bt Andrew Douglas (USA) 3-1: 11-6, 12-14, 11-6, 11-3 (51m) 
Timothy Brownell (USA) bt [WC] Muhammad Huzaifa Ibrahim (PAK) 3-0: 12-10, 11-2, 11-6 (31m) 
Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA) bt Faraz Khan (USA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-2, 11-7 (35m) 

Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) bt David Baillargeon (CAN) 3-1: 8-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-5 (52m) 

Karim El Hammamy (EGY) bt Simon Herbert (ENG) 3-2: 6-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-5, 11-7 (64m) 

Draw: HSC 2024 Houston Men’s Squash Open RD2 (top half – to be played February 14th)

[1] Ali Farag (EGY) v Farkas Balazs (HUN) 
Leung Chi Hin Henry (HKG) v [6] Tarek Momen (EGY) 
Timothy Brownell (USA) v [4] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 
[8] Baptiste Masotti (FRA) v Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) 

Draw: HSC 2024 Houston Men’s Squash Open RD2 (bottom half – to be played Februry 15th)

Cesar Salazar (MEX) v [2] Mohamed Elshorbagy (ENG) 
[7] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) v Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA) 
[3] Mostafa Asal (EGY) v Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) 

Karim El Hammamy (EGY) v [5] Mazen Hesham (EGY) 

by Abhishek Shukla

Anrich Nortje: The legacy of the U19 Men’s CWC 2024 is that it will continue to inspire more future stars for years to come

The last few weeks, which I spent being the event ambassador for the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, was an exhilarating experience, especially watching the young talent on show in this special tournament.

It was nerve-racking to do commentary and work behind the mic – I haven’t been that nervous in a while – but it was great to see how everyone worked together to make it a successful production. I was immersed in the World Cup and I enjoyed every moment of it.

The tournament benefited enormously from a vibrant atmosphere at each of the five venues, and this will no doubt have helped bring the best out of the exceptional talent and formidable teams on display. Australia emerged as the deserving winners, but before delving into their triumph, it’s essential to acknowledge how remarkable it is to organise such a significant event in such a short space of time. 

It will have taken a huge amount of work and I must give a lot of credit to the ICC and Cricket South Africa for making this tournament successful with such little time to prepare.

While we saw glimpses of brilliance from players throughout the tournament, I think the two semi-finals summed up how close some of the top teams were. It was pleasing to see these youngsters playing fearless cricket under this amount of pressure in front of packed crowds.

It’s hard to imagine what must go through the minds of the young fans watching on. It will have no doubt been an inspirational experience for a 10-year-old child. After all, it could be a dream for them to one day represent their country on this stage, a stepping stone to making it to a higher level.

Being on the ground, you couldn’t help but notice how the fans streamed through the gates in big numbers. On the grass banks, you saw a lot of families, even on weekdays. It was great to have parents deciding to bring their kids along to witness the action.

South Africa is a place that loves sport, especially cricket. An event like this brings people together, and it creates memorable experiences for families to cherish for a long time. 

When you see cricket happening in your country, in your own backyard rather than on TV, it just feels more realistic, more accessible. You see the young guys, you see the players, you see the opportunity that there is. And that makes it special. That’s what the tournament is about. 

On to the cricket itself, India and Australia were really impressive and deserved to be in the final. But, naturally, I always kept a close eye on South Africa, and I thought they were exceptional. Their semi-final against India was a high-quality game, and it could have gone either way. In all, the South African team can keep their head high – they were one of the top teams in the tournament, and they made all those fans who came down to watch them proud. 

After those closely-fought semi-finals, the final was perhaps a bit one-sided, but you could see the quality in Australia. They were the team with the most all-round strength, and it showed, especially in the final when they needed a big team contribution. They had four different fast bowlers who all bowled well, a dependable captain, and different players who all stepped up at different stages of the tournament. 

For instance, in the final, Harjas Singh contributed with the all-important half-century – he did not have the greatest of tournaments up until then, but he came good when it mattered. As a team, you don’t want to be relying on one or two players. The whole team needs to contribute, and Australia had more players who they could rely on than the other semi-finalists. And that’s the mark of a good team.

As a fast bowler, I always keep a particularly keen eye on that discipline, and I came away very impressed with the pace-bowling on display in the tournament. Many pacers made an impression in the tournament, particularly the Australian attack – I thought they complemented each other well. I’m not going to put pressure on the players by naming who stood out to me, however. All these players still have a long way to go.

Make no mistake, playing in this World Cup would have been an invaluable experience for every player who turned out for their countries in the last few weeks. They’d have all learnt so many things; what you need to do at certain stages in matches, how you need to react when the pressure is on – these are things you can only learn from playing high-pressure tournaments. 

I didn’t have that till much later in my journey as I didn’t transition to the senior team through the U19 World Cup route. After not making the squad, I tried as hard as I could to reach every other level there was. And I was a better player for it when I finally got my breakthrough at senior level. That’s a valuable reminder to everyone – the work doesn’t stop. The journey has just begun.

It’s also, of course, important to savour the good moments. So I’d urge all the players to take some time to reflect on the last few weeks – it’s a great honour and a massive step in your career to make the jump into an international U19 team. After that, just keep on doing what you’ve been doing. You don’t have to change things to be the best version of yourself. 

Keep on doing what you’ve been doing, and hopefully, I’ll play with and against some of you soon at international level

by Abhishek Shukla

‘Management kept faith in us throughout:’ Dubai Capitals spinner Haider Ali

Abu Dhabi, 14 February, 2024: The Dubai Capitals dominated the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders to secure an important 85-run victory in their DP World ILT20 Season 2 playoff clash at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. The batters for the Dubai Capitals helped their team to a score of 188, which was then easily defended by the GMR Sports-owned team.
Slow left arm orthodox spinner Haider Ali spoke highly of the coaching staff’s support after the game, “As a team, the way we have come from the bottom to reach the playoffs, we deserve to win the final. I would especially like to credit my management because despite us losing matches, they never lost their faith in us. We came back very well after we found the right combinations.”
He also credited the ILT20, saying, “As a youngster, playing in the ILT20 is a very big opportunity. We get to learn a lot of new things. When you play well among all the international stars in the ILT20, then you get noticed in the cricket world as well. As a UAE player, it is important to do well in this tournament.
Haider Ali was joined by Tom Adell, who said, “Mood is great in the camp. Winning always breeds confidence, and being in the position that we are is important because then it helps us carry that momentum for the big knockout games.
He is also looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead for his team, “It’s obviously great when all six teams go into last few group games with a chance to qualify. We are obviously delighted that we could make it to the top four. Every game now is equivalent to a final now.”

by Abhishek Shukla

ONE Championship And U-NEXT Announce Exclusive Partnership To Broadcast Live ONE Events In Japan

February 14, 2024 – Tokyo: U-NEXT, a video streaming service operated by USEN-NEXT GROUP, has announced an official broadcast partnership with ONE Championship, the world’s largest martial arts organization, to provide exclusive live and on-demand access to ONE’s blockbuster events to fans in Japan.

ONE Championship features world-class martial arts action across several combat sports disciplines including mixed martial arts (MMA), Muay Thai, kickboxing, and submission grappling. 

With flyweight kickboxing megastar Takeru, former ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion Shinya Aoki, former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Hiroki Akimoto, atomweight MMA contenders Itsuki Hirata and Ayaka Miura, and many more, U-NEXT will showcase the very best martial artists from not only Japan, but all across the globe.  

Programming will be available with both English and Japanese commentary.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “ONE is honored to kick off this partnership with U-NEXT, one of Japan’s hottest platforms for live sports content. Bringing ONE back to Tokyo last month allowed us to once again feel the deep-rooted passion for martial arts in the region. Through this partnership with U-NEXT, we can’t wait to continue delivering world-class martial arts action to all of our fans in Japan.” 

Tenshin Tsutsumi, President and CEO of U-NEXT, stated: “We are delighted to announce that the world’s largest martial arts organization, ONE Championship, with millions of passionate fans in over 190 countries worldwide, is now our exclusive partner in Japan. U-NEXT strives to provide our beloved Japanese athletes a global platform to showcase their skills and share their incredible stories. ONE Championship is known for its thrilling live events, and the organization features a plethora of Japanese martial artists who compete on the world stage. We are committed to closely collaborating with ONE and bringing our heroes close to the fans. Please stay tuned for more exciting developments.”

by Abhishek Shukla

Indian Men’s Hockey Team looks to continue momentum against Australia in FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24

Bhubaneswar, 14th February 2024: The Indian Men’s Hockey Team will look to continue their winning momentum when they take on Australia in their third match of FIH Pro League 2023/24 at Kalinga Hockey Stadium, Bhubaneswar on Thursday.

They started their season with a 4-1 win over Spain and registered a thrilling 2 – 2 (4 – 2 SO) shootout win against the defending Champions the Netherlands in their first two matches of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24.

Reflecting on the performance so far, Indian Men’s Hockey Team Chief Coach Craig Fulton said, “It’s been a good performance so far from the team, but there’s a lot to improve, and we are trying to make the most out of these matches. Playing back-to-back matches against top teams is always tough, but we got a good break to recover and now the focus is on the last two games of the Bhubaneswar leg.”

Australia, on the other hand, have registered two wins in two matches so far in Bhubaneswar. They began their campaign with a 4-3 win against Spain and defeated Ireland 5-0 in their second match.  

The last time India and Australia faced each other was during the previous edition of the FIH Hockey Pro League in Rourkela. It was India that got better of the Aussies, having registered a 5-4 win and a 2-2 (4 – 3 SO) shootout win in the two-legged tie. 

Fulton added, “It is surely going to be a tough match. They are coming off solid back-to-back wins. For us, there were a few learnings from the first two games, and our focus will be to improve and better our performance. We are up for the challenge and look to keep the momentum going.”

India will then take on Ireland in their last match of the Bhubaneswar leg on Friday before moving to Rourkela for the return fixtures.

India will face Australia in their third match on Thursday, 15th February at 1930 hrs IST.

All matches of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 will be streamed on JioCinema, additionally, all India matches will be telecast on Sports18 – Khel.

by Abhishek Shukla

Beth Mooney back as captain of Adani’s Gujarat Giants, Sneh Rana to be her deputy

Bengaluru, 14 February, 2024: With the second season of WPL around the corner, the Adani Sportsline-owned Gujarat Giants has announced that Australian batter Beth Mooney will captain the team and Indian all-rounder Sneh Rana will be her deputy. They will be part of the leadership group with head coach Michael Klinger, mentor and advisor Mithali Raj, and assistant coach Nooshin Al Khadeer.

Mooney was appointed captain of Gujarat Giants in the inaugural season of WPL. However, she had to leave the tournament after the first game due to an injury.

Mooney is one of the best batters in international T20 cricket. In addition to being part of the team that won the T20 World Cup in 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2023, she was also in the squad that won the 2022 ODI World Cup and Gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Despite being in the 2014 T20 World Cup-winning squad, she did not make her international debut for Australia till January 2016. In December 2017, she won both the inaugural ICC T20I Player of the Year and Emerging Player of the Year awards. She was named Wisden’s Leading Woman Cricketer in the World in 2021 and 2022. Her 24 half-centuries is the second-most by a batter in T20I cricket; she was also the fastest women’s cricketer to reach 2,000 runs in the shortest format of the game.

Rana, an off-break bowler and a right-handed batter, is one of India’s top cricketers. She made her ODI and T20I debut against Sri Lanka in 2014, and in Tests against England in 2021. In season 1 of the WPL, she was named the skipper of Gujarat Giants following Mooney’s injury, and bagged 6 wickets in 7 innings. She was part of the team that won Silver for India at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

“I am delighted to be back with Gujarat Giants and grateful for the team’s trust in me. We have a fantastic squad, and I am confident we will put up a good show. It is good WPL will be played in Bengaluru and New Delhi, which are new to the tournament,” said Mooney.

“The second season of WPL will be another festival of cricket. That Beth is back as skipper is fantastic news, and I will do everything I can to support her. The squad is well-balanced, and we are in a good place as a team,” said Rana. 

“Mooney and Rana are stalwarts, and we at Adani Sportsline are delighted to have them leading the team. WPL is an important part of cricketing history, and we are proud to be associated with it. We have some of the best minds in the game working towards a common goal of glory, and I am sure that will be reflected on the field,” said Sanjay Adesara, CBO, Adani Sportsline. 

Gujarat Giants will open its campaign at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru against Mumbai Indians on 25 February.

by Abhishek Shukla

Patna Pirates make enthralling comeback to beat Telugu Titans, become 5th team to qualify for playoffs

13th February, Kolkata: Patna Pirates showcased a stunning come-from-behind win to become the 5th team to qualify for the Pro Kabaddi League Season 10’s playoffs as they clinched a 38-36 victory over Telugu Titans in their clash at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata on Tuesday. Manjeet starred for Patna Pirates with 8 points, while Telugu Titans skipper Pawan Sehrawat’s superb 16-point show went in vain.  

Patna Pirates were the in-form team coming into the game with a 7-game unbeaten streak, but they were handed a rude jolt by a resurgent Telugu Titans. Pawan began the onslaught as he produced 2 back to back multi-point raids and some woeful defending from the Patna Pirates saw Telugu Titans inflict an ALL OUT within 4 minutes. 

Telugu Titans had a shock 10-3 lead, which further increased as Patna Pirates’ defence simply failed to click. Pawan ran circles around the men in green and brought up his Super 10 in the 15th minute, at which point the scorecard read 20-12 in Telugu Titans’ favour.

Patna Pirates upped the ante in the final 5 minutes of the half as Sandeep Kumar produced a couple of key raids and a strong tackle from Krishan Dhull on Pawan saw the Telugu Titans reduced to just 2 men. Patna Pirates’ captain Sachin then eased past the defensive duo of Milad Jabbari and Parvesh Bhainswal to bag the ALL OUT and reduce his side’s deficit to just 2 points at 22-20.

Patna Pirates took the lead for the 1st time in the game in the 23rd minute and Sachin soon reduced the opposition to just 1 defender, but Omkar Patil came off the bench to snatch a brilliant SUPER RAID and save Telugu Titans from the clutches of an ALL OUT. A SUPER TACKLE from Jabbari put his team up again as they led 28-27 with 10 minutes to go.

The 3-time champions brought Manjeet off the bench and he made the difference in the closing stages of the match with a SUPER TACKLE and a series of sharp raids, which enabled his side to bag a much-needed ALL OUT in the 36th minute. Patna Pirates led by 5 at 36-31 and held on to their lead to extend their unbeaten run to 8 games. More importantly, they also sealed their spot in the playoffs for the 7th time.

Pro Kabaddi League Season 10, 2023
Points Table
PositionTeamMatchesWonLostTiedPointsScore DiffPoints concededPoints scored
1Jaipur Pink Panthers20143382125595720
2Puneri Paltan19142381233532765
3Dabang Delhi K.C.2011636943660703
4Patna Pirates2111736857727784
5Gujarat Giants2012806534654688
6Haryana Steelers181161603659662
7Bengal Warriors2099254-3760757
8Bengaluru Bulls20711248-73716643
9Tamil Thalaivas20812045-3718715
10U Mumba20612241-73784711
11U.P. Yoddhas20415129-107783676
12Telugu Titans20218017-236883647

Please see below the PKL Season 10 schedule for 14th February

Game 1 – Dabang Delhi K.C. vs Tamil Thailaivas- 8 pm

Game 2- Bengal Warriors vs Puneri Paltan- 9 pm

Venue: Kolkata

Season 10 of the Pro Kabaddi League will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network and for free on Disney+ Hotstar.  

by Abhishek Shukla

Indian Street Premier League’s Chennai Singams Unveils its Brand Identity

Mumbai, February 14th, 2024: The Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) franchise Chennai Singams unveiled their logo for the highly anticipated inaugural edition of the league. Rajdipkumar Gupta, Sandipkumar Gupta- promoters of Route Mobile Ltd and Actor Suriya Sivakumar are the co-owners of Chennai Singams, a Chennai-based franchise.

The logo with a roaring lion depicts the great strength and valour of Chennai. The standout logo perfectly aligns with ISPL’s mission to merge the spirit of the streets with the grandeur of stadium cricket. Additionally, the highlighted yellow colour in the logo visually depicts the radiance of Chennai.

Rajdipkumar Gupta, Co-Owner of Chennai Singams said “Both I and Sandip besides being entrepreneurs are very passionate towards sports and the same reflects in our ownership of multiple clubs in MCA that have produced talented players like Sudhir Naik, Zaheer Khan, Wasim Jaffer, Rajesh Pawar, Raju Sutar, Nilesh Kulkarni besides our ownership of North Mumbai Panthers that plays at the Mumbai T20 Premiere League and Saraswati Sports Complex in Mumbai that provides good sporting amenities.

Additionally,he stated, “Women’s Cricket is another focus area we would like to develop and currently we have set up a team via National Cricket Club from which 5 women and 5 men are part of the Mumbai State team in BCCI”

ISPL is scheduled to kick off from March 6th to March 15th 2024, in Mumbai, The Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) is India’s first-ever T10 tennis ball cricket tournament. Promising an enthralling display of cricketing brilliance, the tournament will feature 19 high-intensity matches, boasting a line-up of six teams – Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, and Srinagar.

by Abhishek Shukla

PAIR OF NUMBER ONE CONTENDER FIGHTS ADDED TO BELLATOR CHAMPIONS SERIES BELFAST ON MARCH 22

NEW YORK (February 13, 2024) – The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest growing and most innovative sports league, today announced seven additional action-packed matchups for the debut of Bellator Champions Series Belfast including two clashes between number one contenders on Friday, March 22 at The SSE Arena, Belfast in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The first battle of number one contenders takes place in the Middleweight division when England’s gifted southpaw striker Fabian Edwards (12-3), will look to use his power to neutralize Canada’s Aaron Jeffery’s (14-4) relentless ground and grappling game. Featherweight number one contenders collide when Ireland’s submission machine James Gallagher (12-2) faces Canada’s jiu-jitsu standout Jeremy Kennedy (19-3) in what will be a battle of wit and stamina. Rounding out the five-fight main card will be a Lightweight fight featuring England’s Tim Wilde (17-4-1) versus undefeated PFL Challengers Series veteran Manoel Sousa (10-0).

The debut Bellator Champions Series Belfast event on March 22 is anchored by a battle for the vacant Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship pitting former title challenger Corey Anderson (17-6, 1 NC) against Northern Ireland’s Karl Moore (12-2), and co-main evented by a Women’s Featherweight rematch between Belfast’s Leah McCourt (8-3) and Dublin’s Sinead Kavanagh (9-6).

The card can be seen live in the U.K. on DAZN beginning at 5 pm GMT / 12 pm ET, additional distribution information including a U.S. broadcast partner will be announced in coming weeks.

The preliminary portion of the event is also beginning to take shape, with the news that homegrown Bellator prospect Ciaran Clarke (8-0) will try to remain undefeated against Darius Mafi (4-1) at 135-pounds, former Bellator Lightweight World Grand Prix quarterfinalist Tofiq Musayev (21-5) tangles with London Shootfighters standout Alfie Davis (16-4-1) at Lightweight, Bellator and PFL veteran Nathan Kelly (9-2) of SBG Ireland goes up against India’s Vikas Singh Ruhil (12-7) at Featherweight, and finally undefeated Heavyweights collide when Abraham Bably (3-0) goes toe-to-toe with Isaiah Pinson (3-0).

Updated Bellator Champions Series Belfast Main Card

Light Heavyweight World Title Bout: Corey Anderson (17-6, 1 NC) vs. Karl Moore (12-2)

Women’s Featherweight Co-Main Event: Leah McCourt (8-3) vs. Sinead Kavanagh (9-6)

Middleweight No. 1 Contender Bout: Fabian Edwards (12-3) vs. Aaron Jeffery (14-4)

Featherweight No. 1 Contender Bout: Jeremy Kennedy (19-3) vs James Gallagher (12-2)

Lightweight Main Card Bout: Tim Wilde (17-4-1) vs. Manoel Sousa (10-0)

Preliminary Card:

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Ciaran Clarke (8-0) vs. Darius Mafi (4-1)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Tofiq Musayev (21-5) Alfie Davis (16-4-1)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Nathan Kelly (9-2) vs.Vikas Singh Ruhil (12-7)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Abraham Bably (3-0) vs. Isaiah Pinson (3-0)
 

Tickets for Bellator Champions Series in Belfast are available now beginning at ticketmaster.ie. Doors for Bellator 302 open at 4 pm local time, with the first preliminary bout taking place one hour later at 5 pm.

Prior to the Professional Fighter’s Leagues industry shaping acquisition of Bellator in November of 2023, Bellator held 301 events building a recognized worldwide roster of elite talent. In re-imagining Bellator the PFL will continue the commitment of investing in athletes from underserved regions while continuing to add global stars to the roster.

PFL is the only organization in MMA with the sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in a regular season, playoffs, and championship each year. The combined roster of PFL and Bellator boasts 30% of its fighters independently world-ranked in the top 25 of their respective weight-class, the same percentage as UFC. PFL has an expansive global vision for the sport and is building the “Champions League of MMA” with PFL Europe, PFL MENA, and more international leagues in development. PFL leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage, powering fight analytics, real-time betting, AI scoring, and a next- generation viewing experience. PFL is primetime on ESPN/ESPN+ in the U.S. and is broadcast and streamed in 150 countries with 20 premium media distribution partners.

by Abhishek Shukla

January window continues trend in international transfers

A total of 4,716 international transfers were completed in men’s football during the 2024 January window, another increase of 0.6% compared to the previous January window, according to FIFA’s International Transfer Snapshot.

In women’s football, spending on transfer fees reached a new record with USD 2.1 million, which is 165.5% higher than in January 2023. The total number of international women’s transfers remained relatively stable, with 357 transfers across borders, an increase of 0.3% compared to January 2023.

With total spending on transfer fees of USD 1.46 billion in men’s football during the 2024 January window, clubs’ total outlay is 8.2% short of the record spending observed in January 2023, yet still at the second highest level ever.

French clubs topped the table for spending on international transfer fees of male players in January 2024, with a total outlay of USD 291.9 million, more than double the amount they spent in the previous January window. January spending by English clubs decreased sharply by almost 80% compared to their record spending in January 2023. Nevertheless, their combined total still represented the second highest out of all the associations.

The list of incoming transfers in the women’s game was jointly headed by England and Spain, each with 29 transfers, whereas Sweden and the USA were joint top of the table for outgoing transfers, with 30 apiece.

This is the fourth consecutive year that FIFA has published such a snapshot shortly after the conclusion of the international January transfer window, providing an overview of global transfers involving both male and female players.

by Abhishek Shukla

Squash: Farag and Gilis to Headline 2024 Optasia Championships

Men’s World No.1 Ali Farag and Women’s World No.4 Nele Gilis will headline the 2024 Optasia Championships when The Wimbledon Club plays host to a range of the world’s top professional squash players between March 12-17.

Farag will return to the PSA World Tour Gold tournament after winning the event in 2022. The 31-year-old features alongside New Zealand’s World No.3 Paul Coll – who won the 2016 event – Egypt’s World No.4 Mostafa Asal and England’s World No.5 Mohamed ElShorbagy, who captured the 2017 trophy.

Karim Abdel Gawad returns to defend the title he won last year, while Welshman Joel Makin, ElShorbagy’s younger brother Marwan and France’s Baptiste Masotti take up the other top eight seeded positions.

The men’s wildcard will be World No.62 Charlie Lee. The 25-year-old from London upset Mohamed ElShorbagy in the second round of last year’s tournament as he reached the quarter-finals.

A women’s PSA World Tour Bronze event has been added to the schedule for the first time and Gilis will look to win her third PSA title of the season. England’s World No.14 Sarah-Jane Perry will also be going for glory, while Egypt’s World No.18 Nada Abbas and Japan’s World No.21 Satomi Watanabe are also amongst the title favourites.

Further British interest comes in the form of Wales’ Tesni Murphy and British National Champion Jasmine Hutton – the No.5 and No.6 seeds, respectively – while France’s World No.25 Melissa Alves and Egypt’s World No.34 Hana Moataz are also in contention.

Scotland’s World No.89 Alison Thomson takes the wildcard spot for the inaugural women’s event.

Tickets for the Optasia Championships are on sale now and available for purchase via the tournament website.

The tournament will also be streamed live on SQUASHTV, while the semi-finals and finals will be shown by PSA’s broadcast partners.

2024 Optasia Championships – Men’s Entry List

  1. Ali Farag (EGY)
  2. Paul Coll (NZL)
  3. Mostafa Asal (EGY)
  4. Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG)
  5. Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
  6. Joel Makin (WAL)
  7. Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG)
  8. Baptiste Masotti (FRA)
  9. Iker Pajares (ESP)
  10. Nicolas Mueller (SUI)
  11. Patrick Rooney (ENG)
  12. Nick Wall (ENG)
  13. Raphael Kandra (GER)
  14. Leandro Romiglio (GER)
  15. Dimitri Steinmann (SUI)
  16. Karim El Hammamy (EGY)
  17. Rory Stewart (SCO)
  18. Curtis Malik (ENG)
  19. Shahjahan Khan (USA)
  20. George Parker (ENG)
  21. Andrew Douglas (USA)
  22. Juan Camilo Vargas (USA)
  23. Simon Herbert (ENG)

Wildcard) Charlie Lee (ENG)

2024 Optasia Championships – Women’s Entry List

  1. Nele Gilis (BEL)
  2. Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
  3. Nada Abbas (EGY)
  4. Satomi Watanabe (JPN)
  5. Tesni Murphy (WAL)
  6. Jasmine Hutton (ENG)
  7. Melissa Alves (FRA)
  8. Hana Moataz (EGY)
  9. Katie Malliff (ENG)
  10. Chan Sin Yuk (HKG)
  11. Emilia Soini (FIN)
  12. Enora Villard (FRA)
  13. Millie Tomlinson (ENG)
  14. Cindy Merlo (SUI)
  15. Alicia Mead (ENG)
  16. Ainaa Amani (MAS)
  17. Torrie Malik (ENG)
  18. Marta Dominguez (ESP)
  19. Saskia Beinhard (GER)
  20. Nardine Garas (EGY)
  21. Asia Harris (ENG)
  22. Nadia Pfister (SUI)
  23. Akanksha Salunkhe (IND)

Wildcard) Alison Thomson (SCO)

by Abhishek Shukla

Penny Taylor and Carmelo Anthony to perform draws for the Olympic Basketball Tournaments on March 19

MIES (Switzerland) – The highly anticipated Olympic Basketball Tournaments Paris 2024 Draws for both men and women are scheduled for March 19 and will take place at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball in Mies, Switzerland, at 19:00 CET.

International basketball legends Penny Taylor of Australia and Carmelo Anthony of the USA will perform as hosts for the Draws.

Taylor, the MVP of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2006 after leading the Opals to the title, claimed Olympic silver medals at the 2004 and 2008 Games. She also played at the 2016 Olympics when Australia were fifth. She was recently inducted to the 2023 Class of FIBA Hall of Fame.

Anthony is second on the all-time scoring list for the USA. He won gold medals at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics and bronze at the 2004 Athens Games.

With the conclusion of the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2024 held in Belgium, Brazil, China, and Hungary, all 12 teams for the women’s draw are now confirmed:

Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Serbia, Spain and USA

Eight of the 12 teams for the men’s tournament are already known:

Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Serbia, South Sudan and USA.

France are qualified as hosts and the other nations have qualified at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.

Slots in the men’s draw will also be reserved for the winners of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments 2024 to be held from July 2nd to July 7th in Riga, Valencia, Piraeus, and San Juan.

The draw principles will be announced at a later stage and will be based on the FIBA World Ranking Men and the FIBA World Ranking Women, presented by Nike, and geographical principles.

The draws will be livestreamed on FIBA’s YouTube channel

by Abhishek Shukla

Australian Professional Leagues Support Football Australia’s Call for Unified Stand for Respect and Safety

February 13, 2024 – After recent concerns regarding the safety and conduct towards match officials, the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) supports Football Australia’s stand for safety and respect for all participants in Australian Football.

Speaking in support, the APL’s Independent Chair, Stephen Conroy said, “The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) supports Football Australia’s call for a unified stand for respect and safety across Australian football.

“Match officials play a vital role in all levels of football and APL is committed to working to improve the culture surrounding them at the League level.”

In regards to recent events involving match officials at A-Leagues matches, Stephen Conroy said, “APL is unable to comment on Football Australia run disciplinary processes stemming from recent events, however, clearly we don’t condone poor behaviour towards League match officials who should be able to work in a safe and respectful environment.”

by Abhishek Shukla

Joseph and Hunter win ICC Player of the Month awards for January

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed the ICC Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month award winners for January 2024 after shortlists were announced last week.

Shamar Joseph celebrates a maiden ICC Men’s Player of the Month crown after making a sensational debut for the West Indies in their dramatic Test series in Australia.

Amy Hunter is named the ICC Women’s Player of the Month thanks to her rapid run-scoring feats in Ireland’s T20I series victory over Zimbabwe last month.

Men’s Player of the Month Joseph enjoyed a stellar start to his West Indies career. Brought into the side for their Test series against Australia, the 24-year-old made an instant impact, removing Steve Smith with his first ball in international cricket.

His first outing in Test cricket saw him claim five wickets in the first innings in Adelaide, taking the prized wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green as well as Smith, but it will be his efforts in the second Test in Brisbane which will long be remembered.

Defending a modest 216 to prevent an Australian victory in the second innings, Joseph produced an unforgettable display of fast bowling, taking seven for 68 – four of which were bowled – to skittle the home side out in dramatic fashion eight runs short of the target.

The win saw the West Indies claim a historic 1-1 draw, with Joseph sealing the Player of the Series award for his impressive debut. This latest accolade means he is the first West Indian to win the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award since its inception in January 2021.

ICC Men’s Player of the Month for January, Shamar Joseph, said, “I am extremely delighted to win this award. To get such an award on the world stage feels special. I totally enjoyed every moment of that experience playing for West Indies in Australia, especially the magic of the final day at the Gabba. Taking the wicket to win the match was a dream!

“It was a truly memorable moment for me, and I just want to continue to work hard and deliver more match-winning performances for the West Indies with the ball; and when required also with the bat.

“I want to say special thanks to the teammates and support staff in Australia who backed me from the start to get the job done. I will be the one receiving the award, but this is also for the team, and all the fans in the West Indies as well.”

ICC Women’s Player of the Month Amy Hunter is another of the young talents lighting up the international stage, and she celebrates her maiden award on the back of significant scores with the bat as Ireland won decisively in Zimbabwe last month.

After a subdued ODI series to start the month, Hunter followed up with an explosive series of knocks in the T20I series in Harare.

The first T20I match saw the 18-year-old wicketkeeper-batter smash a glittering 101 not out in just 66 balls from atop the order as the away side won by 57 runs. Hunter hit a further 77 and 42 runs in the second and third outings respectively as Ireland comfortably secured the series win away from home.

Across her three T20Is during the month, her 220 runs came at an impressive strike rate of 144.73, helping her become the first Ireland player to win the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award since Arlene Kelly won back in August 2023.

ICC Women’s Player of the Month for January, Amy Hunter said, “It’s an honour to win the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for January. To be on a shortlist alongside two of the world’s best is something that I am immensely proud of.

“It’s been an amazing start to the year, with two convincing series wins against Zimbabwe. I am pleased to have been able to contribute to the team’s success and hope to continue to do so.”

Joseph and Hunter win their awards following votes gathered from global fans registered at icc-cricket.com and a specialist panel comprising ICC Hall of Famers, former international players, and media representatives.

Joseph overcame other top performers in Tests during the month: England’s Ollie Pope and Australia’s Josh Hazlewood, while Hunter wins from the Australian duo of Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney.

by Abhishek Shukla

Crucial points on offer for FC Goa and Mohun Bagan Super Giant as table dynamics get stiffer

Goa, February 13: The unbeaten FC Goa unit will welcome Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) as the two title contenders try to build pressure on table toppers Odisha FC at the Fatorda Stadium in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 at 7:30 pm IST on February 14, Wednesday.

With eight victories and four draws, the Manolo Marquez-coached side have been on a roll since the offset of the ISL campaign. They (28) are merely three points adrift of the Juggernauts (31) despite playing three (12) fewer games than Sergio Lobera & Co (15).

Winning this game, they will get level on points with Odisha FC and thus replace them at the pole position, thus staking a realistic claim of lifting the League Winners Shield. The team had inflicted mayhem upon the Mariners the last time these teams clashed in the ISL in December. Winning 4-1 courtesy of a Noah Sadaoui brace, the Gaurs made light work of the Kolkata-based side at the Salt Lake Stadium.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant raced to their first after four games when they overcame Hyderabad FC by 2-0 on Saturday. The team must be pleased with under-firing stars like Anirudh Thapa and Jason Cummings getting on the scoresheet, and will want their power-packed squad to strike in coordination to deliver improved performances in their coming 10 league matches.

What’s at stake?

FC Goa

FC Goa boasts of a formidable recent record against the Mariners, having won two out of their last three fixtures. However, a league double over the concerned opposition has eluded them still. Manolo Marquez will be eyeing to get that under their belt, as a victory against one of the competitors for the top spot will give their run in the season a significant boost. The Gaurs had incidentally failed to score in their latest league encounter at home, which was a goalless draw against Mumbai City FC.

Never has the team failed to find the back of the net twice consecutively at home, and hence one can bank on Carlos Martinez and his fellow forwards to be constantly teasing the Mohun Bagan Super Giant backline. The Gaurs have averaged 36 penalty area entries per game this season, which is the highest amongst all teams. In addition to this, they have conceded the least goals (6) amongst all teams and the entire team right from the back to the top appears to be functioning with tremendous coordination and consistency.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant

Mohun Bagan Super Giant are separated with league leaders Odisha FC (31) by eight points (23), having played three fewer games (12) than the Juggernauts (15). Despite the three consecutive defeats they faced in December and then the draw in the Kolkata Derby, the Mariners are well-placed to bridge this gap and have a definite chance of challenging for the League Winners Shield. The team has been on an impressive streak on the road lately.

They lost their most recent away encounter by 2-1 against Mumbai City FC, but were on a six-match unbeaten streak away from home before that. They have netted once each in each of their last five away games. The team has shown a remarkable spirit in storming their way back into games, having won eight points from losing positions in ISL 2023-24. The squad thus has it in it to ride over the difficulties they faced earlier in this campaign and if the win against Hyderabad FC is anything to go by, then an enthralling contest is on the cards for Wednesday.

Key Players

Jay Gupta (FC Goa)

The fullback has been a revelation for FC Goa this season, emerging as one of the finest fullbacks in the competition. With two goals and assists each, he has made his mark felt upfront in 12 appearances thus far. Jay Gupta has 12 interceptions, 20 clearances, and 25 appearances as he has been extremely active on the defensive front.

The 22-year-old has created 13 goal-scoring opportunities, averaging 42 passes per game at an accuracy of 75%. He scored a breath-taking equaliser against Odisha FC in the last match and will be eager to deliver another impactful outing in this major encounter. His skills at the back will be put to test by the likes of Manvir Singh and Dimitrios Petratos, and hence Gupta will have to find a fine balance between his duties on both ends of the pitch against the Mariners.

Sahal Abdul Samad (Mohun Bagan Super Giant)

The Mohun Bagan Super Giant attacking midfielder has influenced proceedings extensively in his limited appearances in the league so far. With four assists in eight games, Sahal Abdul Samad has made his presence felt in the frontline, even setting up the equaliser by Petratos in the Kolkata Derby in the 88th minute of the match. He has been impressive in finding pockets of spaces in the final third and delivering key, precise passes that have been converted by his forwards. Sahal has averaged 27 passes per game, with a 78% accuracy overall. He has earned nine fouls, making six interceptions as well. Having taken eight shots, he has often been in the lookout for goals as well. Will he net for the first time this ISL season in the game against the Gaurs? Only time will tell.

Head-to-Head

Played – 7

FC Goa – 2

Mohun Bagan Super Giant – 4

Draws – 1

Trivia: Liston Colaco is one away from becoming the leading assist provider in Mohun Bagan Super Giant history. He is currently tied on 12 assists with Roy Krishna.

Team Talk

“My feeling is that we have two big injuries in Sandesh (Jhingan) and Victor (Rodriguez), and even then the playing style is practically the same. Some things in the team will or are changing. We need to adapt in our ideas, minus the situation, in some games I feel that we will play with two foreign centre-backs, which will be the first time that I will do that in India, or in some games we will play with an Indian and a foreign centre-back,” FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez said in the pre-match press conference.

“We are thinking about the entire team and our opponents, i.e. FC Goa, not one particular player, because for me the most important things are my players and my team. We can analyse our opponents, sure, but the focus must always be on our side,” Mohun Bagan Super Giant head coach Antonio Lopez Habas quipped ahead of the game.

ISL Fantasy

Jay Gupta (3.6cr)

Four goal contributions in the ISL this season

Arshdeep Singh (3.5cr)

Has helped the team keep seven clean sheets this season

Jason Cummings (9.1cr)

Scored in the last game vs Hyderabad FC

Where to Watch

Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam. Fans can watch the action on linear channels like Sports18 Khel (Hindi), Sports18 1 HD (English), Sports18 3 SD (English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali), VH1 SD & HD (English), Surya Movies (Malayalam), News 18 Kerala (Malayalam – select matches) & DD Bangla (Bengali). Fans can also catch the action streaming Live for free on JioCinema, the home of Indian football. In addition to this, as part of FSDL’s partnership with OneFootball, ISL live streams and highlights of all matches of the upcoming 2023-24 season will be delivered across more than 190 countries.

Points Table

by Abhishek Shukla

JioCinema Amps Up Advertiser Advantage for IPL 2024 with a Slew of Innovations

Mumbai, February 13, 2024: Viacom18 announced the launch of multiple innovations for advertisers around the upcoming IPL season, including unique offerings that are a first for the Indian broadcasting ecosystem. After digital ad revenues surpassed that of linear TV’s last IPL, reinforcing digital as advertisers’ preferred platform, JioCinema has now expanded the breadth of its offerings to aid advertisers irrespective of their marketing goals or the scale of the business. Each proposition being unveiled this year has been carefully curated to enhance the brand’s proposition and increase the potential of scale and targeting possibilities they can extract on digital.

Every proposition from JioCinema this season has been developed to address a specific use case, such as creating better brand impact, sharper brand integration, friction-free lead generation, and drive better engagement through innovation. Here is a snapshot of JioCinema’s offerings for IPL 2024 with their exciting use cases for advertisers:

Impact

JioCinema has launched its newest high-impact feature, Brand Spotlight that latches on the IPL’s ability to aggregate India in an unrivalled way, especially on opening day. It elevates brand visibility by providing an industry-first opportunity during the first game for five select brands to unveil their IPL campaigns in the opening moments of the first match. This offering will facilitate a marketer’s moment without the conventional boundaries of a mass media campaign. Having a priority spot to launch their engaging IPL opening day blitz will help these five brands play on the audience minds that are on the lookout for the most fun ad campaigns of the season. Brands will be able to even tell the story behind their IPL campaigns through the JioCinema app.

In addition to Brand Spotlight, JioCinema’s Masthead will also support video from this season, making it the go-to destination for brands to launch new products, announce sales, unveil new creatives, and more. Another impact property entering the scene this year is Scorecard Branding, which will allow advertisers to build salience among an audience set displaying sticky behaviour by allowing, the advertiser to own a scorecard, stats, and match analytics.

Innovation

After piloting more than a dozen feeds last IPL, now JioCinema is offering advertisers a chance to own an entire feed. Custom Feeds can be tailored to a brand’s brief to offer them a way to drive the deepest visibility, storytelling, and consideration possible. JioCinema’s innovation for this season has also stretched itself to include Vertical Highlights, packaging match highlights in a shorter vertical orientation akin to trending social media short-form videos.

Engagement

India’s largest live fan engagement opportunity, Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan, saw over 50 million participants last season, with over a billion game plays. This season, JioCinema is opening up the high engagement avenue for brands to partner with them offering salience, special brand message integration, deeper engagements on rewards, and an opportunity to gamify their communication at scale.

Ads for Business

An entire set from JioCinema’s advertiser proposition this season is designed to aid seamless lead generation for advertisers without intruding on the fan’s viewing experience. One such feature is Click to WhatsApp which takes the viewer to a brand’s WhatsApp business chat through a click, while the ad plays on the screen. By overhauling the process of redirecting consumers, JioCinema will help brands talk to their audience one to one on WhatsApp while they watch the IPL in PIP mode. On the other hand, Auto-fill Ads is devised to simplify consumer data collection by removing several layers of friction in this process. These hard-working midrolls reflect already captured data, leaving the user with just one field to fill, no matter what the product, service, or experience they are signing up for.

Integration

One leg of JioCinema’s proposition also focuses on better integration through which brands will now be able to create their own stories and campaigns to reach a wider audience by accessing Cricket’s biggest social media influencer pool, comprising 100+ cricketing legends/influencers and celebs for their social media activations.

“The launch of our array of offerings around IPL 2024 showcase the degree to which customisations are possible in digital advertising along with bringing great value to the table,” said Viacom18 Sports Head of Revenue, Anup Govindan. “For the consumer, we continue removing barriers to accessibility, affordability, and language, while for the advertiser, we continue innovating, democratising the process, and setting new industry benchmarks. Brand Spotlight, in particular, will become an anchor offering in the years to come for its compelling proposition.”

After clocking a record-breaking reach of 450 million during IPL 2023, JioCinema is targeting over 650 million throughout the 2024 season, thus making the launch of JioCinema’s plethora of ad innovations a high stakes game for advertisers. With the advent of soaring CTV sales and Ultra HD 4K devices commanding a 35% market share within the CTV category, JioCinema will offer advertisers to target the premium universe on IPL for the very first time with the innovative formats available this season.

The JioPhone and JioBharat 4G enabled feature phones from Reliance have democratized internet access, connecting blue-collar workers, farmers, and artisans across urban & rural India. With IPL streaming on these devices, an incremental 35-40 Mn users are expected to be enthralled in their regional language of choice, making the tournament bigger than ever before.

by Abhishek Shukla

‘We’re entering the most important phase of the tournament’ says Jaipur Pink Panthers’ Sunil Kumar

KOLKATA, 13 FEBRUARY 2024: Jaipur Pink Panthers coasted into the Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 Semi-Finals after registering a mammoth 67-30 victory over U.P. Yoddhas in Kolkata on Monday. The Panthers recorded the biggest win and the most points in a match this season so far.

Speaking about booking a Semi-Finals spot, Jaipur Pink Panthers’ Sunil Kumar said, “It feels great to reach the Semi-Finals. We qualified for the Semis directly last season and won the trophy as well. We’ve played well to reach the last four this season. However, we’ll certainly prepare well for the Semis and the Final. We are entering the most important phase of the tournament.”

When asked about the team’s performance in the match, the skipper said, “The defence unit made a few mistakes in the opening minutes of the game. However, we got better as the match went on and won the game by a huge margin in the end. Arjun Deshwal is certainly a Raid Machine. He doesn’t let the pressure fall on the rest of his teammates.”

The Jaipur Pink Panthers have two more league-stage matches before heading into the Playoffs. Speaking about how they’ll approach their last two games, Sunil expressed, “We’ll not take any match lightly. We’ll continue to give our best in our next two league-stage matches as well. Additionally, it felt great to play in Kolkata. We received a lot of support from the fans here. It felt good to see Jaipur fans in Kolkata as well.”

The Jaipur Pink Panthers will be next in action when they take on Telugu Titans at the Tau Devilal indoor stadium, Panchkula on Friday.
 

Season 10 of the Pro Kabaddi League will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network and for free on Disney+ hotstar.  

by Abhishek Shukla

Excitement soars as Herschelle Gibbs to lead Red Carpet Delhi in Indian Veteran Premier League

Dehradun (Uttrakhand) [India], February 13: Former South African batting maestro Herschelle Gibbs is set to return to cricket after a considerable amount of time when he will take the field for Red Carpet Delhi as the captain of the side in the upcoming first edition of the Indian Veteran Premier League (IVPL).

Known for his swashbuckling style at the crease, Gibbs brings a wealth of experience and leadership to the Red Carpet Delhi team. His presence is sure to electrify the IVPL, scheduled to take place from February 23 to March 3, 2024, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Dehradun.

Joining Gibbs in the Red Carpet Delhi squad are former Afghanistan cricketer Asghar Afghan, Sri Lanka all-rounder Thisara Perera, and South African spinner Imran Tahir, all serving as icon players. Adding to the team’s depth is former IPL champion Manvinder Bisla.

Expressing his excitement on joining IVPL, Herschelle Gibbs said, “Hi everyone, Herschelle Gibbs here and I’m very excited to announce that I’ll be playing in the Indian Veteran Premier League (IVPL). I’ll be representing the Red Carpet Delhi Team and can’t wait to get started and see you all then.”

Organized by the Board for Veteran Cricket in India (BVCI) and managed by 100 Sports, the IVPL is bringing together veterans such as Sehwag, Munaf Patel, Suresh Raina, Rajat Bhatia, Chris Gayle, Praveen Kumar, Yusuf Pathan, Gibbs, and many more.

Shri Praveen Tyagi, the Acting President of BVCI and Chairman of IVPL said, “We are thrilled to have Herschelle Gibbs in the Indian Veteran Premier League. Fans are excited to see his explosive batting. We look forward to witnessing Gibbs and his fellow veterans showcase their talents on the grand stage of the IVPL.”

The participating teams include VVIP Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan Legends, Red Carpet Delhi, Chhattisgarh Warriors, Telangana Tigers, and Mumbai Champions. Each team is a powerhouse of talent, as cricketing legends and regional stars come together to relive their passion for the game. Each team will have four to five iconic players from across the World.

The matches will be broadcasted live in India on the Eurosport channel, DD Sports, and Fancode, and tickets for the matches at the iconic Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium will soon be available for purchase.

Fans eagerly awaiting the opportunity to experience the live cricketing extravaganza firsthand can secure their seats and be part of the electric atmosphere at the stadium.

Red Carpet Delhi:

Squad: Herschelle Gibbs (C), Asghar Afghan, Thisara Perera, Imran Tahir, Abhimanyu Mithun, Rajeev Tyagi, Jitendra Kumar, Shajil B, Kapil Rana Vikram Dhanraj Batra, Baburao Yadav, Ashu Sharma Yujvender Singh, Amit Sharma, Aashis Sharma, Manvinder Bisla, Rakesh Tandel, Vikrant Yadav, Amit Tomar

Icon Players: Asghar Afghan, Thisara Perera, Imran Tahir, Abhimanyu Mithun

Reserve Player: Pankaj Tyagi, Deepak C.M Kerla, Manish Tyagi

by Abhishek Shukla

Indian Women’s Hockey Team ready to take on the Netherlands in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24

Rourkela, 13th February 2024: The Indian Women’s Hockey Team will play their sixth game of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 on 14th February when they take on the Netherlands at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, Rourkela.

The Indian Women’s Hockey Team has had a tough time at the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 having lost four of their five matches. After suffering a 1-2 defeat in their first match against China, the Indian Women’s Hockey team went on to lose 1-3 to the Netherlands and 0-3 to Australia before beating the United States 3-1 in their final match of the Bhubaneswar leg. In their first match of the Rourkela leg, India took the lead early in the game but China came back strongly to win the game 2-1.

“We haven’t got the results we have wanted but I believe we have what it takes to put on a good show and get a few points on our side. I think we are playing well in patches so if we can get more consistent with that, we can definitely go on to win more games,” said Indian Women’s Hockey Captain Savita.

While the World’s No.1 team the Netherlands has had the edge over the Indian Women’s Hockey Team, the latter has shown glimpses of what they’re capable of throughout the tournament. The results haven’t been in India’s favour but they will look to turn it around and go up the table when they play the Dutch on Wednesday.

The Indian Women’s Hockey Team Chief Coach Janneke Schopman said, “The Netherlands is a quality side but we are not short on talent or ability. We will be patient while keeping the intensity of our hockey high and try to convert any scoring opportunities we have.”  

The Indian Women’s Hockey Team will face the Netherlands at 1930hrs IST on 14th February.

All matches of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 will be streamed on JioCinema, additionally, all India matches will be telecast on Sports18 – Khel.

by Abhishek Shukla

Men’s Softball World Cup groups unveiled; World No. 1 Australia to start title defence in Group A

The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) announced today the groups of the XVIII Men’s Softball World Cup, which is scheduled to open this year with the 18-team Group Stage. World champions and world No. 1 Australia will start their title defence in Group A, to be played in Hermosillo, Mexico in June.

A total of 10 national teams have booked their tickets to the World Cup. Besides one wild card, an African Qualifier (two available spots), which will take place in South Africa from 29 February to 2 March, and an Americas Qualifier (five available spots) scheduled to be played in April, will decide the seven remaining participants in the biggest men’s softball event in the world. The 10 qualified nations are:

  • Asia (3) No. 2 Japan, No. 11 Singapore, No. 14 Philippines
  • Europe (2) No. 5 Czechia, No. 17 Netherlands
  • Oceania (2) No. 1 Australia, No. 8 New Zealand
  • Hosts (3) No. 3 Canada, No. 6 USA, No. 9 Mexico
  • Wild Card (1) TBD
Men's Softball World Cup Groups

The field of teams will be split into three groups to open the tournament. 

Mexico will host the Group A, with the participation of the defending World Champions Australia, Czechia, Philippines, and two teams coming from the Americas Qualifier. This group will be held in June in Hermosillo.

Group B is scheduled to be played between 10 and 14 July in Prince Albert, Canada, where the hosts and four-time world champions will compete against New Zealand (winners of seven World Cup titles), and Singapore. One team from the Americas Qualifier, one from the African Qualifier and one wild card (to be announced) will complete the group.

The third and final group will be hosted by USA in Oklahoma City, from 17 to 21 September. The 2022 World Cup bronze medallists and hosts will receive Japan, the Netherlands, two teams coming from the Americas Qualifier and one representative from the African continent.

The final composition of the groups will be announced after the completion of the two remaining continental qualifiers.

A total of 57 games will be played across the Group Stage. Each group will play a 15-game round robin with the top four teams advancing to the Play-Offs. The top two sides will play each other with a ticket to the Finals at stake, while the loser of the first play-off game will then play against the third v fourth winner for the second spot in the Finals.

by Abhishek Shukla

Luge elite starts again in Thuringia, second of three Sprint World Cups on  Sunday

Oberhof (FIL) After the World Cup is before the World Cup. This weekend, from  February 16 to 18, 2024, the world’s top luge athletes will once again be hunting for  points in the Oberhof ice track at the 7th EBERSPAECHER Luge World Cup. A total  of 90 sleds from 19 nations will compete in the second World Cup in Oberhof. A total  of 122 athletes have registered, including 29 women’s and 29 men’s singles as well  as 11 women’s and 21 men’s doubles. In addition to the World Cup races, the second  Sprint World Cup of the season will be held on Sunday. The qualification process  takes place during the World Cup race. The top 15 lugers are also eligible to compete  in the sprint on Sunday. 

Three Sprint World Cups are on the program this season. At the season opener on  the selective Olympic track in Lake Placid, Julia Taubitz and Max Langenhan (both  GER) triumphed in the singles as well as Selina Egle and Lara Kipp (AUT) and  Latvians Martins Bots and Robert Plume in the doubles. They lead the corresponding  Sprint World Cup rankings. None of last year’s winners managed to defend their titles  in the sprint competitions at the 52nd FIL Luge World Championships in Altenberg (GER). However, this was largely due to retirements and external conditions, as the  ice had suffered greatly in plus seven degrees and sometimes heavy rain. While Julia  Taubitz (GER) took the second sprint title of her career in the women’s singles,  Austria’s David Gleirscher triumphed in the men’s event. Latvian Martins Bots, who  together with his partner Roberts Plume were the fastest men’s doubles, spoke of  luck with the starting number. In the women’s doubles, the Italians Andrea Vötter and  Marion Oberhofer came out on top. 

Taubitz, Langenhan, Degenhardt/Rosenthal and Steu/Kindl lead the  overall World Cup standings. 

After seven of twelve World Cup races, a look at the overall standings shows that the  action remains exciting. Julia Taubitz is the only woman to have stood on the podium  at all World Cups and leads with 624 points ahead of Madeleine Egle (AUT, 542  points) and team-mate Anna Berreiter (417 points). In the men’s event, Max  Langenhan is aiming for his first victory in the overall World Cup. The 24-year-old  from Thuringia is the only one to have finished on the podium in all races, five of

them at the top. He is clearly in the lead with 655 points ahead of Jonas Müller (AUT,  479 points) and Kristers Aparjods (LAT, 470 points). It remains particularly exciting in  the doubles: In the men’s doubles, the Austrians Thomas Steu/Wolfgang Kindl  

extend their lead in the overall World Cup after their victory in Oberhof with 586  points, followed by Tobias Wendl/Tobias Arlt (GER, 475 p.) and Martins Bots/Roberts  Plume (LAT, 470 p.). In the women’s doubles, Germany’s Jessica  Degenhardt/Cheyenne Rosenthal took the lead again after their fourth win of the  season and are just ahead of Andrea Vötter/Marion Oberhofer (ITA, 555 points) and  Selina Egle/Lara Kipp (AUT, 484 points) on 565 points. 

Capricious weather in the ice track 

For the second week in a row, the international luge elite had to struggle with  changing weather conditions at last weekend’s World Cup. Despite all the efforts of  the track workers, it became clear in the men’s race on Sunday that it was going to  be a bib poker race in high temperatures and that those starting later would be at a  considerable disadvantage. As a result, some of the top athletes even deliberately  slowed down their first run to secure an earlier starting place for the second run. This  tactic did not always work and caused a lot of discussion off the ice channel. 

„When the weather is like today, it’s never really fair. In terms of the regulations, we  actually had the opportunity to make changes. If we had changed it in the first run of  the men’s race so that the best athletes started at the beginning, it would have meant  that they would have started at the very end in the second run. We saw scenes that  weren’t so nice because some athletes slowed down. If they had raced right at the  start, it would have been even worse because they would still have raced at the end  in the second run,“ FIL Sports Director Matthias Böhmer explained in an TV interview  with German ARD. „In principle, I’m against juggling with the rules, because with an  offside rule in soccer, you don’t decide one way this week and another the next. We  have various authorities in the international federation, and dealing with such weather  conditions is definitely an issue that we will discuss in the relevant commissions after  the season.“

Quotes: 

Max Langenhan (GER): „I really didn’t think I’d make it onto the podium in the  second run in Oberhof. We also slowed down a bit in the first run and it still wasn’t  enough. We were victims of the weather on our home track today, but that’s just the  way it is. I still think it’s great that Kristers won. I think he really, really deserved it. Of  course, it’s not fair to slow yourself down, even if you could always claim that the sled  broke out or the ice was slippery. I think we need to think about changing the starting  order in the future so that all the top athletes are together. It’s a bit of a shame for the  sport, but in the end it’s always the same people at the top. It’s not as if one of the  smaller nations won here today. As far as the overall World Cup is concerned,  nothing is certain. You can get injured in training or have a bad race, but I have a  small buffer. There are still plenty of races to come, a lot can happen, and the lead  isn’t that big.“ (Source: ARD) 

Felix Loch (GER): „It was more poker than luge today. I don’t often criticize, but  today they really should have thought about letting the seeded athletes go first in the  first run. That’s the general demand from us top athletes. I think it’s a bit ridiculous if 

you have to slow down in the first run in order to have a good starting number in the  second run. We wanted to get to the bottom as quickly as possible here and not to  place after the first run. It’s obviously annoying, also for the spectators, but it’s great  that Max still came in at the front. I’m definitely happy with seventh place under the  circumstances. The FIL should think about how to improve this. That would be  

relatively easy, and the regulations would even allow the seeded riders to ride away  at the front in really, really bad weather conditions. That could have been done today.  We saw it last week in Altenberg, next week it looks like that again – so I hope they  learn something and react to it. As far as Max is concerned, I assume that he will  continue to ride at the front in the future. We have another race here next week and  the sprint, so there are another 200 points up for grabs. Max will score a lot of points  there and then he should bring it home in Sigulda. After all, he showed last year that  he’s good on the track. I would be really happy if he won the overall World Cup this  year, he would have more than earned it after this season.“ (Source: ARD) 

Kristers Aparjods (LAT): „That’s fine with me. I’m an outdoor athlete and the  conditions change. You can’t change that. There are such and such races. I will cope  with the rules. I don’t make the rules. Last Sunday at the World Cup in Oberhof, I  didn’t expect to be so fast in the second run. The win is nice and I’m very happy. I  didn’t slow down either. And things will be different again another time. That’s the  sport.“ 

David Gleirscher (AUT): „I’m totally happy with the result. Finishing on the podium in  a race like this also requires a bit of luck. The conditions were very questionable, I  think it’s about time the international federation came up with some solutions for the  future, so that maybe the first run could be organized a little differently. I was a bit too  slow in the relay, we tried a few things with the equipment, but it didn’t work out so  well. Nevertheless, we are very happy with third place.“ 

Jessica Degenhardt (GER): „These are really tears of joy today, pure relief. The last  three weeks in Altenberg weren’t easy for us and we tried to fight our way back here.  It’s a huge relief that it turned out like this. We doubted ourselves in Altenberg with  that stupid turn nine. Today everything went great again in the second run and we  also managed to find ourselves a bit.“ 

Norbert Loch, Head Coach Germany: „Of course it’s great for us to be able to race  in front of a crowd like this here in Oberhof. That’s why it’s even more important that 

we have our German World Cups. It’s also always an event here for the international  federation and for all the athletes, and that simply makes luge more fun. Apart from  that, the weather meant that a certain amount of tactics was required, especially in  the men’s event. It was clearly a start-number-race in this large field. Well, in the end  

there are always those at the front who are also at the front in the World Cup. We got  off lucky with Max’s 2nd place. With a little more luck, we could have done better.  Speaking of luck: we certainly had it in the team relay. The Latvians made a mistake  in the straight away, which probably tipped the scales. It was a great performance by  our team, who showed that they can do it. “ 

Christian Eigentler, Head Coach Austria: „We set ourselves the goal of podium  places in all disciplines this weekend and achieved this goal again, which is not a  matter of course given the circumstances and makes us absolutely happy. We hadn’t  originally planned to do this, but due to the progress of the men’s race we were  almost forced to take a tactical approach. A circumstance that neither our athletes  nor the coaching team approved of. On the other hand, we had no other choice if we  wanted to keep up with the music. We must not forget that we are practicing an  outdoor sport. If something really needs to change in the regulations, we all need to  think about solutions. There is a lot of discussion, which is positive as a general  principle, but concrete ideas are needed. We need to work on this together.“ 

Schedule & TV coverage 

7. EBERSPÄCHER Luge World Cup, Oberhof 2 (GER) 

Local start time (=CET/MEZ) 

Friday, February 16, 2024 

09:00 Uhr Nations Cup 

14:30 Uhr Training seeded group 

Saturday, 17. February 2024 

09:15 Men’s Doubles, 1st run 

10:03 Women’s Doubles, 1st run 

11:00 Men’s Doubles, 2nd run  

11:51 Women’s Doubles, 2nd run  

13:15 Men’s Singles, 1st run  

14:48 Men’s Singles, 2nd run

Sunday, February 18, 2024 

09:30 Women’s Singles, 1st run 

10:55 Women’s Singles, 2nd run 

12:30 Sprint Men’s Singles 

13:20 Sprint Men’s Doubles 

13:50 Sprint Women’s Doubles 

14:35 Sprint Women’s Singles 

Subject to change without notice! 

Live TV-Broadcast: fil-luge.org/en/multimedia/eberspaecher-world-cup-29