Cricket

Former Cricketers Face Police Complaint for Mocking DisabilitiesA police complaint has been filed against former Indian cricketers Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, and Gurkeerat Mann for allegedly mocking people with disabilities in a video posted on Instagram. The complaint was lodged by Arman Ali, the executive director of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP), with the SHO of the Amar Colony police station in Delhi.The video, which was uploaded after India Champions beat Pakistan Champions in the World Championship of Legends final, shows the cricketers limping and holding their backs to depict the physical toll taken by the matches. The caption of the video read, "Body ki Tauba Tauba ho Gayi in 15 days legends cricket... Every part of the body is sore. Straight competition to our brothers @vickykaushal09 @karanaujla our version of Tauba Tauba dance. What a SONG."Disability activists have condemned the video as being in poor taste. The National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled called it "totally disgraceful." The complaint alleges that Instagram, which is owned by Meta, violated the Information Technology Act, 2000, by allowing such content to be posted.A police officer confirmed that the complaint had been received and would be shared with the district's cyber cell for further investigation.The complaint states that Instagram failed to adhere to its user guidelines, thus enabling the dissemination of derogatory content. "This video is a blatant violation of Article 21 of the Constitution of India, which guarantees every person the right to life with dignity," Ali said. "It also breaches Section 92 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and contravenes the Supreme Court's guidelines established in the case of Nipun Malhotra v. Sony Pictures Films India Private Limited (2004 SCC Online SC 1639)."Ali urged the authorities to take immediate and appropriate action against the individuals involved and emphasized the need to hold public figures accountable for their actions, especially when they undermine the dignity of vulnerable communities.Speaking to PTI after lodging the complaint, Ali said a simple apology from these cricketers would not suffice. "They must be penalized for their actions," he said.

Over two decades after the infamous cricket match-fixing scandal rocked the sport, a Delhi court has charged four individuals, including Sanjeev Chawla, a London-based bookie, and actor Krishan Kumar, with cheating and criminal conspiracy.The 68-page order, which paves the way for the trial, outlines the alleged roles of Chawla, Kumar, Delhi-based bookie Rajesh Kalra, and Sunil Dara alias Bittoo. Delhi Police had named them in a chargesheet filed in 2013 in connection with the 2000 cricket match-fixing scandal involving the late South African captain Hansie Cronje.According to the investigation, Chawla played a "vital role by acting as a conduit between bookies and fixing matches in connivance with Hansie Cronje." The court noted that "the entire match-fixing would not have been possible without the active involvement of South African captain, Hansie Cronje, who confessed to his role and involvement before the King's Commission of Enquiry."The King's Commission was appointed by the South African government to investigate allegations of match-fixing against the country's players.Chawla's advocate argued that there was no prima facie evidence that the person appearing before the court as Sanjeev Chawla was the same as the person named in the chargesheet. However, the court dismissed this argument, stating that Chawla had been absconding for nearly 20 years and was apprehended only after painstaking extradition proceedings.The court also noted that Chawla moved around with Cronje "as his shadow" for most of the tournament, staying in the same hotels. "The deals fixed with Cronje are onward shared with the other accused persons, who then proceed to further discuss it amongst themselves and place bets accordingly," the court said.Regarding the charges against the other accused, the court noted that Kalra had allegedly met Cronje in the presence of Chawla on March 14, 2000, at a hotel in Delhi and made constant telephonic conversations with the South African captain. He is also alleged to have purchased a mobile connection in his name and handed it over to Cronje through Chawla.The court also noted that call transcriptions revealed that Dara spoke to Chawla regarding betting and match-fixing, including how much money should be paid to Cronje and what they would earn.According to the chargesheet, Kumar accompanied Chawla to a hotel in Mumbai on March 20 and booked a room for him using his credit card, where the London-based bookie and Cronje conspired to fix matches. The court noted that hotel staff statements corroborate this.The case came to light during an anti-extortion cell investigation into extortion calls being made from Dubai. The interception of the accused's telephonic calls revealed that they were discussing match-fixing and betting about the ongoing 'Pepsi Cup' in India.The Crime Branch of Delhi Police had stumbled upon the match-fixing scandal in April 2000 when they intercepted calls of a London-based bookie.

India's journey through the Group A stage of the T20 World Cup 2024 in the United States was a tale of resilience and tactical brilliance. The team's opening match against Ireland was a straightforward affair, but the subsequent clash against arch-rivals Pakistan tested their mettle.Recognizing the challenging conditions on the New York pitch, India employed clever tactics. They promoted Axar Patel up the batting order to provide stability, while Jasprit Bumrah was brought back into the attack at a crucial juncture to neutralize Pakistan's momentum. These strategic moves proved effective, as India secured a hard-fought victory.The match against the United States was a gritty affair, with India digging deep to overcome a determined opposition. However, a washout in the final group match against Canada left the team disappointed. The Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium was expected to host a shortened game, but the outfield remained unfit for play due to inadequate ground coverage.India's batting coach, Vikram Rathour, expressed his frustration at the lack of match practice. He emphasized the importance of getting a game ahead of the Super 8 stage in the West Indies, especially considering Virat Kohli's poor form. Kohli, who has managed only five runs in three outings, was expected to find his rhythm in the West Indies, where pitches are more conducive to batting.Rathour, however, expressed confidence in Kohli's ability to bounce back. He stated that Kohli is "hungrier than ever" to prove his worth and is eager to make a significant contribution to the team's success.

Smriti Mandhana's magnificent century (117 off 127 balls, 12 fours, 1 six) propelled India to a resounding 143-run victory over South Africa in the first of three One-Day Internationals at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday.Opting to bat first, India recovered from a shaky start to post a competitive total of 265. The hosts were reeling at 99 for five before Mandhana's heroics rescued them. The left-handed opener played a patient and composed innings, anchoring India's recovery and setting the platform for a big score.Mandhana received valuable support from Jemimah Rodrigues (17), Deepti Sharma (37), and Pooja Vastrakar (31 not out). The Indian batters took advantage of some sloppy fielding from South Africa, with Nonkululeko Mlaba's dropped catch of Vastrakar proving particularly costly.In reply, South Africa never looked like chasing down the target. Debutant leg-spinner Asha Sobhana wreaked havoc with her accurate bowling, claiming four wickets for just 21 runs in 8.4 overs. Skipper Laura Wolvaardt was dismissed in the very first over, while Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, and Marizanne Kapp all fell cheaply.Annerie Dercksen and Sune Luus offered some resistance, but their efforts were in vain as South Africa were bundled out for a mere 122. Sobhana's impressive performance earned her the Player of the Match award.The victory gives India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The second ODI will be played in Lucknow on June 19, followed by the third and final match in Visakhapatnam on June 22.

Karnataka's historic Ranji Trophy triumph in 1973-74, which broke Bombay's 15-year dominance, was celebrated with a grand felicitation ceremony at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The event honored the victorious team members, who shared their memories and anecdotes from that unforgettable season.Led by the legendary off-spin wizard EAS Prasanna, Karnataka defeated a formidable Rajasthan side captained by Hanumant Singh by 185 runs in Jaipur on March 27, 1974. The victory marked the first of eight Ranji Trophy titles for the state.The nostalgia-filled event was graced by Prasanna, G.R. Viswanath, B.S. Chandrasekhar, Brijesh Patel, Syed Kirmani, A.V. Jayaprakash, B. Sudhakar Rao, Sanjay Desai, S. Vijayprakash, B. Siddaramu, R. Arunkumar, and B. Raghunath. Tributes were also paid to the three departed souls: V.S. Vijay Kumar, B. Vijayakrishna, and K. Lakshman."The win was very satisfying," recalled Prasanna. "The likes of Kirmani, Jayaprakash, and Vijayakrishna lifted their games and scored on a wicket that was conducive to our kind of bowling. The Karnataka team may not have looked very good on paper, but we were very effective on the pitch."However, the victory was not without its share of drama. On the rest day between the third and fourth days, the team members had partaken in Holi festivities and ingested Bhang, unknowingly."It took us two days to come down to earth [from the high]," said Viswanath, as the audience guffawed. "Everybody in the team was just laughing. But I had become very serious. The England tour was coming up, and I was a bit worried about that. I didn't get runs in the final.""But the important thing was that we won," Viswanath added. "The train journey back to Bangalore, which was supposed to be for two days, took nearly 3.5 days as the train stopped everywhere. But not a single passenger complained that the train was late."One of the highlights of the triumphant campaign was Karnataka's victory over Bombay in the semifinal, and Prasanna's dismissal of Sunil Gavaskar."It is one of the greatest deliveries I have ever seen," said Viswanath. "I was standing at first slip. It wasn't a doosra, teesra, or leg-cutter. Just a proper off-spinner that left the batter slightly. Sunil had covered everything, but may have just left a millimetre open. And Pras got him."The golden jubilee celebration was a fitting tribute to the Karnataka team that broke Bombay's stranglehold on the Ranji Trophy and etched their names in the annals of Indian cricket history.

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a prestigious Test cricket series between India and Australia, is set to expand to five matches for the first time since the 1991-92 season. The announcement was made by Cricket Australia (CA) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).The extended series will be a highlight of the 2024-25 home summer schedule for Australia. The full schedule is expected to be released soon. The opening Test of the five-match series is scheduled to be played in Perth.The Border-Gavaskar Trophy has been a fiercely contested rivalry between India and Australia. India has won the last four series, including back-to-back away Test series victories in 2018-19 and 2020-21. However, Australia, led by Pat Cummins, defeated India in the World Test Championship final in London last year.The extension of the series to five Tests is a testament to the intense rivalry between the two cricketing nations. It will provide more opportunities for both teams to showcase their skills and compete for the coveted trophy.The BCCI and CA have expressed their commitment to preserving the rich heritage of Test cricket. The extended series is seen as a way to elevate the significance of Test cricket and uphold its legacy.The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is one of the most anticipated events in the cricketing calendar. The five-match series promises to deliver thrilling contests and unforgettable moments.