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Sarthak Ranjan IPL 2026: Kolkata Knight Riders bought Delhi cricketer Sarthak Ranjan, son of MP Pappu Yadav for 30 lakh. The buy garnered considerable attention, eliciting an emotional public congratulatory message from the politician father. This modest pick added a personal touch to KKR's extensive squad rebuilding efforts.
Watch: Messi shares India tour video, hopes for 'bright future' for football
Lionel Messi concluded his highly anticipated India tour with a heartwarming video montage, expressing gratitude for the immense love received across Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. He shared optimism for Indian football's future, highlighting his visit to Jamnagar's Vantara wildlife center and interactions with young players and dignitaries, marking a significant moment for the sport in the nation.
Around 1.36 crore voters will be called for SIR hearings in West Bengal: CEO
KOLKATA : Around 1.36 crore voters will be called for hearings as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, a senior Election Commission official said. He said the state has completed the SIR exercise within the stipulated timeframe. Among the big states, we finished in time. Others have asked for more time, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal said on Tuesday. Around 1 crore 36 lakh voters will be called for hearings, though this number may reduce. If someone cannot attend a hearing due to a genuine reason, it will certainly be considered, he said. Agarwal said the names of these voters were flagged during the exercise. The Commission on Tuesday published West Bengal's draft electoral rolls following SIR, deleting the names of more than 58 lakh voters on various grounds, including death and migration, and redrawing voter profiles across districts and border belts ahead of the 2026 assembly polls. He said some names have been removed from the draft rolls due to mismatches and procedural reasons. They will also be called, and there will be no difficulty, he said, adding that voters whose names do not appear in the draft rolls should submit Form 6 along with Annexure 4. Booth-level officers (BLOs) have already started making door-to-door visits to notify those who would be called for hearing, he said. The CEO also called for greater delegation of powers. In Bihar, the EROs were given the responsibility for disposals. We are asking that AEROs be given more powers, he said. Agarwal also acknowledged the role of political parties in the process. Agents of political parties have helped us, and we are thanking them for their cooperation, he said. He said complaints or information related to the draft rolls could be shared with the observers. Special camps have been opened, and BLA-BLO meetings have been held, he said.
Wayne Madsen To Lead Italy In T20 World Cup Next Year
The Italian Cricket Federation: The Italian Cricket Federation (Federazione Cricket Italia) have confirmed Wayne Madsen will lead the side for their historic ICC Men's T20 World Cup tilt next year, replacing Joe Burns who will be omitted from the squad for the tournament. The Italians are yet to submit their player list for the tournament next year, their first appearance at a cricket global tournament at any level of the game. Despite preliminary discussions regarding Burns' availability in recent weeks, however, a final agreement has not been reached and, consequently, no contract has been formalized. At the same time, internal technical and organizational evaluations have led to the identification of Wayne Madsen as the most suitable choice to lead the team, Federazione Cricket Italia said in a statement. Burns wore the Italian national team jersey in the 2024 tournaments in Rome and Uganda and captained the national team during the qualifying campaign in the Netherlands in July 2025, which culminated in Italy's historic qualification for the Men's T20 World Cup, the first in the history of the sport. The Federation would like to thank Joe Burns for his contribution to Italian cricket, both on the field and as captain, it added. Italy begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Bangladesh in Kolkata on February 9, with the team also scheduled to play against England, West Indies and Nepal in Group C. Italy will play three-match T20I series against Ireland in Dubai as both teams continue their preparations for the ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026. Italy begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Bangladesh in Kolkata on February 9, with the team also scheduled to play against England, West Indies and Nepal in Group C. Also Read: Live Cricket Score It also offers a valuable opportunity for both sides to fine-tune their squads ahead of the marquee event. Article Source: IANS
Kareena Kapoor Reacts As Messi Includes Her In His Goodbye Post Following India Visit
Shah Rukh Khan: After concluding the last leg of his India tour, legendary footballer Lionel Messi decided to post a special montage video on social media, incorporating memories from his visit to the country. Amidst several moments that apparently stood out for the G.O.A.T. was his meeting with Bollywood beauty Kareena Kapoor and her two boys, Taimur and Jeh. Elated about featuring in Messi's farewell video, Bebo gave a shout-out to her elder son Taimur. Kareena re-posted Messi's video on the Stories section of her Instagram and wrote, Ok Tim then this happened (heart emoji) for you (heart emoji) (sic). During his visit to India, Messi met many bigwigs from B-town such as Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, Tiger Shroff, Shilpa Shetty, and Geeta Basra, to name just a few. On Wednesday, Messi took to his IG and treated the netizens with a special video, along with a special goodbye message for all his Indian fans. The clip had glimpses of Messi meeting the children at the stadium, along with his meeting with the cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar. However, picking from all his Bollywood interactions, Messi chose to include only Kareena and her sons in the montage. The footballer captioned the post, Namaste India! What incredible visits to Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. Thanks for the warm welcome, great hospitality, and all the expressions of love throughout my tour. I hope football has a bright future in India (sic). As part of his Indian tour, Messi landed in Mumbai on Sunday. However, this tour did not start on a great note, as he encountered an embarrassing situation in Kolkata. The footballer captioned the post, Namaste India! What incredible visits to Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. Thanks for the warm welcome, great hospitality, and all the expressions of love throughout my tour. I hope football has a bright future in India (sic). Also Read: Live Cricket Score After Kolkata, Messi also went to Hyderabad and then Mumbai as part of his itinerary. Article Source: IANS
Four Flights Cancelled at Srinagar Airport
SRINAGAR: Four flights were cancelled at Srinagar International Airport on Wednesday morning due to bad weather and operational reasons, officials said. According to airport authorities, IndiGo flight 6E-6164 scheduled to depart for Amritsar at 9 am was cancelled due to bad weather at the destination airport. Another IndiGo flight, 6E-6962 to Kolkata, scheduled for departure []
Lionel Messi thanked Indian fans after concluding his GOAT India Tour across Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi. The tour featured massive fanfare, cricket-football crossovers, meetings with leaders and athletes, and memorable moments despite brief chaos in Kolkata.
Bengal SIR: 58 Lakh Names Deleted As North Kolkata Tops Districts, One Crore More Under Scanner
At the constituency level, Chowringhee has recorded the highest number of deletions, with more than 74,000 voter names removed.
Cameron Green becomes most expensive overseas buy in IPL history
Australia all-rounder Cameron Green became the most expensive overseas buy in Indian Premier League history on Tuesday. Green was in the first set of players in the auction in Abu Dhabi and his name triggered a bidding war with former champions Kolkata Knight Riders finally signing him for next season for 252 million rupees ($2.77 million). In rupees, Green surpassed the previous overseas record of 247.5 million rupees paid by Kolkata in the 2024 auction for Mitchell Starc. The fall of the rupee means Starc's 2024 price was higher in dollars at $2.98 million. Three-time winners Kolkata also acquired Sri Lankan speedster Matheesha Pathirana for 180 million rupees. England's Liam Livingstone went to Sunrisers Hyderabad for 130 million rupees in the accelerated round after he went unsold in the first phase. Green has a capped salary of 180 million rupees due to a new maximum fee rule, with the remainder going to the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Very happy, something we were focused on and hoping. Happy with the price with which we got him, Kolkata chief executive Venky Mysore told reporters. He adds a lot to our team, especially with our new power coach Andre Russell. Very nice to have a young all-rounder. We know what he does with bat and ball. - Jackpot for uncapped Indians - Green, 26, becomes the third most expensive player in the IPL, after India's Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer. He has scored 707 runs in 29 IPL matches for five-time winners Mumbai Indians and defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He missed the 2025 edition with a back injury but is currently playing in the Ashes against England. Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings made a splash with when they bought uncapped Indians Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma for 142 million rupees each. The duo's value jumped from their base price of 3 million rupees to become joint-holders of the record for costliest uncapped players in IPL. Another uncapped Indian Auqib Nabi -- an up and coming fast bowler from Indian-administered Kashmir -- went for 28 times over his base price for 84 million rupees to Delhi Capitals. Delhi got lucky landing explosive South African batter David Miller for his base price of 20 million. At that price it's an absolute steal for Delhi Capitals, India's spin great Anil Kumble said on JioStar. Overall, it's a genius move by Delhi Capitals to add experience -- something they were missing last season. Mumbai brought wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock for the 10 million rupees the South African had picked as his base price. Australian Jake Fraser-McGurk, England's Jonny Bairstow and New Zealand batter Devon Conway went unsold. The business value of the world's richest cricket tournament was estimated earlier this year at $18.5 billion, by US investment bank Houlihan Lokey. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The 19th edition of the IPL begins on March 26.
Ministers letter of resignation should come to me, not CM: West Bengal Governor
NEW DELHI: West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose said on Tuesday that he was yet to receive official correspondence from the Mamata government about Arup Biswas regisnation. The constitution stipulates that the resignation of a minister and reallocation of portfolios should be done with the approval of the governor. I am waiting for official correspondence from the government, he told reporters in New Delhi. He added that people made many demands in the case of mismanagement at the Lionel Messi event, including immediate resignation of the state sports minister, who was there at the event on the fateful day. First, through a representative of the Lok Bhavan and, then, in a letter, an advisory was given to the government that the sports minister and those responsible candidly admit their vicarious liability in the matter and resign. Also, an inquiry is needed to establish responsibility of those who committed lapses, Bose said. He also said there was specific, perceptible, and systemic failure in managing the event. It is surprising that a metropolis like Kolkata does not have standard operating procedures for congregation management, he said. The governor demanded an insurance scheme for spectators at such events, with the premium to be paid by organisers.
Messi thanks India for warm welcome, great hospitality following GOAT India Tour conclusion
Football legend Lionel Messi concluded his 'GOAT India Tour' with a visit to Delhi, expressing gratitude for India's love. He met ICC Chairman Jay Shah, receiving Indian cricket jerseys and an autographed bat. The tour, which included stops in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, saw memorable interactions and some fan chaos.
On December 17, 2025, gold prices in India range from Rs 13,385 per 1 gram for 24K gold and Rs 12,269 per 1 gram for 22K gold. Silver is priced at Rs 1,99,000 per kilogram. Check city-wise rates here.
Cameron Green breaks IPL overseas record in move to Kolkata Knight Riders
The Australia allrounder was part of a bidding war which saw him finish with a AU$4.2 million deal
Record bids for Green, uncapped Indians steal spotlight
Pathirana; uncapped Prashant, Kartik go to CSK for Rs 14.20 cr each IPL AUCTION 2025 Abu Dhabi, Dec 16: Kolkata Knight Riders splurged a record-breaking Rs 25.20 to land top Australian all-rounder Cameron Green and Rs 18 crore to acquire the services of Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana in the Indian Premier League players auction []
Dense fog disrupts flights for second day; 131 services cancelled at Delhi airport
NEW DELHI: Dense fog led to flight cancellations across northern India for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, though the impact was less severe than on Monday. Disruptions are expected to continue on Wednesday as low-visibility conditions persist. At Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport alone, a total of 131 flights of various airlines were cancelled upto 9 pm on Wednesday, said a senior official. Due to low visibility, 52 departures and 79 arrivals have been cancelled, he said. On Tuesday, 228 domestic flights had been cancelled from IGIA At airports across the country, Indias largest domestic airport Indigo had cancelled 110 flights. Among them were flights from Delhi to Ahmedabad, Indore, Hyderabad, Jeddah, Kolkata, Chennai, Pune, Guwahati, reveals its website. Air India had cancelled 40 of its flights to and from Delhi airport. An Air India source aid the flights cancelled on Tuesday were pre-planned ones with passengers intimated about them. An Air India Express spokesperson said that four of its flights were cancelled. They were the routes from Delhi to Jaipur as well as Varanasi as well their return journeys. Spicejet as well as Akasa Air said none of their flights were impacted. Low visibility was the reason flights could not take-off. The minimum Runway Visual Range required for airplanes to take off is 125 metres. Flights can land when there is a visibility of 100 metres and hence most flights were able to land, said an official.
Green becomes most expensive overseas IPL player
Kolkata Knight Riders sign Australia all-rounder Cameron Green for 25.2 crore (2.1m) for next year's Indian Premier League.
ED conducts searches in Muzaffarpur PNB fraud case, freezes Rs83 lakhs
In a significant operation, the Enforcement Directorate targeted Muzaffarpur, revealing a complex banking fraud that led to the theft of Rs 1.29 crore from PNB accounts. Criminal masterminds employed SIM swapping and digital manipulation techniques to carry out their scheme, with funds withdrawn at ATMs in Kolkata before being funneled into the fraudsters' accounts.
The Messi Mess: Money, Power and Politics of Bengal Elections
Aafreen Hussain From Kolkata The Lionel Messi event in Kolkata has rapidly evolved from a sports celebration into a political scandal with unmistakable electoral overtones. What was marketed as a landmark moment for Bengals football culture has instead triggered allegations of elite capture, administrative failure, and questionable financial priorities providing the opposition with a powerful []
200 BLOs demo against voter deletion in West Bengal
Kolkata: Around 200 members of a forum of booth-level officers (BLOs) held a demonstration outside the West Bengal CEOs office here on Tuesday, protesting against the alleged deletion of thousands of genuine voters in the draft electoral roll under the SIR. Members of the BLO Oikyo Manch (BLO Unity Platform) raised slogans against the Election Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
IPL 2026 Auction: From Cameron Green To Prashant Veer - Updated Player List Of All Ten Teams
From Cameron Green: Australia all-rounder Cameron Green made headlines on Tuesday after being roped in by the Kolkata Knight Riders for a record sum of Rs. 25.20 crore, becoming the third most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League at the mini auction at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. India's Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma became the highest-priced uncapped players in IPL history as Chennai Super Kings went all out for the young Indian talent, whereas Matheesha Pathirana stole the limelight by fetching Rs. 18 crore from Kolkata Knight Riders and becoming the highest-paid Sri Lankan player in IPL history. Overall, all the 10 teams managed to fill all the 77 vacant slots for which they splurged a combined Rs 215.45 crore. Here is the updated list of players for all 10 teams: Lucknow Super Giants: Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat Singh, Rishabh Pant (c), Nicholas Pooran, Mitchell Marsh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Arshin Kulkarni, Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Manimaran Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, Prince Yadav, Akash Singh, Mohammed Shami, Arjun Tendulkar, Wanindu Hasaranga, Anrich Nortje, Mukul Choudhary, Naman Tiwari, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Josh Inglis. Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, Cameron Green, Finn Allen, Matheesha Pathirana, Tejasvi Singh, Kartik Tyagi, Prashant Solanki, Rahul Tripathi, Tim Seifert, Mustafizur Rahman, Sarthak Ranjan, Daksh Kamra, Rachin Ravindra, Akash Deep. Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins (c), Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Aniket Verma, R. Smaran, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Kamindu Mendis, Harshal Patel, Brydon Carse, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga, Zeeshan Ansari, Shivang Kumar, Salil Arora, Sakib Hussain, Onkar Tarmale, Amit Kumar, Praful Hinge, Krains Fuletra, Liam Livingstone, Shivam Mavi, Jack Edwards. Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ryan Rickleton, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa, Raghu Sharma, Mitchell Santner, Corbin Bosch, Naman Dhir, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Allah Ghafanzar, Ashwani Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Will Jacks, Sherfane Rutherford, Mayank Markande, Shardul Thakur, Quinton de Kock, Danish Malewar, Mohammad Izhar, Atharva Ankolekar, Mayank Rawat. Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer, Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyala Avinash, Harnoor Pannu, Suryansh Shedge, Mitchell Owen, Xavier Bartlett, Lockie Ferguson, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yash Thakur, Vishnu Vinod, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Pravin Dubey, Vishal Nishad. Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Ayush Mhatre, M.S. Dhoni, Sanju Samson, Dewald Brevis, Urvil Patel, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Shreyas Gopal, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Akeal Hosein, Prashant Veer, Kartik Sharma, Matthew Short, Aman Khan, Sarfaraz Khan, Matt Henry, Rahul Chahar, Zak Foulkes. Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Rajat Patidar (c), Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Salam, Abhinandan Singh, Suyash Sharma, Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy, Satvik Deswal, Mangesh Yadav, Jordan Cox, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanishk Chouhan. Rajasthan Royals: Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Donovan Ferreira, Sandeep Sharma, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger, Ravi Bishnoi, Sushant Mishra, Yash Raj Punja, Vignesh Puthur, Ravi Singh, Aman Rao, Brijesh Sharma, Adam Milne, Kuldeep Sen. Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Rajat Patidar (c), Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Salam, Abhinandan Singh, Suyash Sharma, Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy, Satvik Deswal, Mangesh Yadav, Jordan Cox, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanishk Chouhan. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Kumar Kushagra, Anuj Rawat, Jos Buttler, Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Arshad Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Ishant Sharma, Gurnoor Singh Brar, Rashid Khan, Manav Suthar, Sai Kishore, Jayant Yadav, Ashok Sharma, Jason Holder, Tom Banton, Prithvi Raj Yarra, Luke Wood. Article Source: IANS
The Indian-born woman who almost became Queen of Jordan, has this Pakistani connection, she is...
Jordon's Princess Sarvath El Hassan is the living connection between India and the West Asian country. Born in Kolkata (then Calcutta) in pre-independent India, El Hassan is a highly educated woman who worked for various social issues, including education.
WB CM Mamata meets BLAs in Bhawanipore hours after ECI released draft electoral rolls for the State
KOLKATA: Hours after the Election Commission of India (ECI) released the draft electoral rolls on Tuesday, the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a meeting with Booth Level Agents (BLAs) in Bhawanipore assembly constituency this evening. Senior leaders and Kolkata civic body councillors of the party and ministers like Firhad Hakim attended the meeting. Bhawanipore constituency recorded around 44,000 dead and bogus voters as per the draft electoral rolls after completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls for West Bengal. The release of the draft rolls has prompted the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition to go for political equations in terms of electoral advantage ahead of the assembly polls scheduled next year in the State. EC releases draft electoral rolls in West Bengal post completion of SIR exercise phase one, 58 lakh voters deleted This afternoon, Mamata asked the party leaders and BLAs to verify the alleged reports of alive voters whose names have been deleted as dead in the draft electoral rolls. The Trinamool Congress supremo, who has been strongly opposing the SIR exercise since the ECI announced dates of voters list revision in the State in October, instructed the party BLA to check the draft rolls so that no genuine voter is deleted. She asked them to conduct door-to-door visits to help voters in every booth. Significantly, the names of 127 voters that have been deleted in the draft roll of Mitra Institution of polling booth (no. 260), is where Mamata casts her votes. Thirteen out of these deleted voters are dead, while the rest have been shifted permanently. The draft rolls seem to be a setback for the BJP camp as well with the deletion of 86,000 voters in the Matua-dominated Bongaon subdivision in North 24 Parganas district. There had been a phenomenal rise for BJP in Matua vote bank in Nadia, North 24 Parganas and parts of Jalpaiguri districts since 2019.
Trinamool Leader's Last Rites Demand After Being Marked Dead In Draft Roll
A Trinamool Congress councillor on Tuesday walked into a crematorium near Kolkata and demanded that his last rites be performed, claiming that the Election Commission listed him among the dead in the draft electoral rolls.
Indian Navy commissions first of the five Diving Support Craft to boost operational efficiency
NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy commissioned DSC A20, the first of the five Diving Support Craft (DSC), built indigenously by M/s Titagarh Rail System Limited, during a ceremony held at Naval Base, Kochi, on Tuesday. As per the MoD, the Craft features a catamaran hull form, the ship offers superior stability, enhanced deck area, improved seakeeping characteristics, and has a displacement of approximately 390 tons. Fitted with state-of-the-art Diving Equipment, the vessel would play a vital role in underwater repairs & inspections, harbour clearances and critical diving missions in coastal waters. With its induction, the Indian Navy's capability in diving support, underwater inspection, salvage assistance, and coastal operational deployment will be substantially strengthened. As per the MoD, DSC A20 is the lead ship in a series of five Diving Support Craft being built by M/s Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL), Kolkata. Purpose-built for a wide spectrum of diving and underwater missions in coastal waters, the vessel is equipped with advanced, state-of-the-art diving systems that meet the highest standards of safety and operational efficiency. The event was presided over by Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command and hosted by Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition (CWP&A), with senior naval officers, representatives of M/s Titagarh Rail System Limited, Kolkata and distinguished guests in attendance. The contract for building five Diving Support Craft was signed between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Titagarh Rail System Limited, Kolkata, on 12 February 21. The Hydrodynamic Analysis and Model Testing of the ship during the design stage was undertaken at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam. DSC A20 has been designed and constructed as per the classification rules of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS). At the time of contract signing, the Diving Support Craft was said to be a game changer in conducting diving operations and will serve as an ideal platform for conducting training of the Indian Navy's diving cadre. Commissioning of DSC A20 is yet another milestone in the Indian Navy's quest for indigenous shipbuilding, upholding the Government's vision of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'. The indigenous construction of such a specialised platform in the Indian Navy stands as a testament to growing domestic capabilities, self-reliance and reducing dependency on imports. It will be based at Kochi and operate under the Southern Naval Command.
T20 World Cup 2026 Trophy Tour Kicks Off At Ram Setu Bridge
Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground: The ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026 Trophy Tour was launched on Tuesday over the Adams Bridge, culturally revered in India as the Ram Setu, a symbolic gateway linking the two co-hosts, India and Sri Lanka. The 10th edition of the ICC Mens T20 World Cup, featuring 20 teams, 29 days of high-intensity cricket and eight world-class venues (five in India and three in Sri Lanka), will take place from 7 February to 8 March 2026, promising to be one of the most compelling editions yet of the sports most explosive format. The Trophy Tour will journey across Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Qatar, Oman, Nepal, Bahrain, and Mongolia, giving millions of fans the chance to see the iconic silverware up close, participate in interactive experiences, and build excitement ahead of the global event. In a unique initiative, the trophy will also be taken to schools and colleges associated with players set to participate in the ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026, offering young fans an inspiring, once-in-a-lifetime connection to the global stage. In addition, aligning with the international cricket calendar, the trophy will be showcased at major T20 leagues as well as select bilateral series, extending its presence across competitive cricket environments and reinforcing the build-up to the tournament across formats and geographies. ICC Chairman, Jay Shah, said, Launching the ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026 Trophy Tour with DP World above the Ram Setu, a site steeped in history, symbolism, and shared cultural identity, sets an inspiring tone as we build towards this landmark event. This tour represents far more than the physical movement of a trophy. It is a unifying journey that brings continents, cultures, and cricketing communities together, igniting passion among fans worldwide and strengthening the shared spirit that defines our game. As we prepare for the 10th edition of this global spectacle, our aim is for supporters everywhere to feel connected to the road to India and Sri Lanka. With every stop, the Trophy Tour will heighten the sense of anticipation and invite fans across the world to join us in celebrating what promises to be an unforgettable ICC Mens T20 World Cup. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said, The T20 World Cup brings a unique intensity and emotion, and launching the Trophy Tour at the iconic Ram Setu perfectly captures the magnitude of the journey ahead. India has successfully hosted two 50-over World Cups in the last three years, and we are delighted to welcome fans to yet another world-class event. This edition will showcase the extraordinary growth and depth of the T20 format in India. As co-host, the BCCI remains fully committed to providing outstanding facilities for players and curating a tournament experience for fans that will resonate long after the final ball is bowled. The Trophy Tour marks the beginning of a campaign that will gather immense momentum as it travels across the cricketing world. Sri Lanka Cricket president Shammi Silva said, As co-host, Sri Lanka Cricket welcomes the launch of the ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2026 Trophy Tour with DP World with great enthusiasm. This moment signals the start of an exciting journey as we prepare to host fans from across the globe. As co-host, the BCCI remains fully committed to providing outstanding facilities for players and curating a tournament experience for fans that will resonate long after the final ball is bowled. The Trophy Tour marks the beginning of a campaign that will gather immense momentum as it travels across the cricketing world. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The tournament venues are: Narendra Modi Stadium (Ahmedabad), MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chennai), Arun Jaitley Stadium (New Delhi), Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai), Eden Gardens (Kolkata), R. Premadasa Stadium (Colombo), Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground (Colombo), and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium (Kandy). Article Source: IANS
Why CSK bid Rs 14.2 crore for Prashant and Kartik, coach Fleming explains
Chennai Super Kings made significant moves at the IPL 2026 auction, securing uncapped talents Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer for Rs 14.2 crore each. Head coach Stephen Fleming cited a need for specific skillsets and lessons learned from the previous season. Meanwhile, Cameron Green became the most expensive overseas player, acquired by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 25.20 crore.
Match Centre Live Auction: Lucknow Super Giants suffered a heartbreak in their attempts to bag Sri Lanka star Matheesha Pathirana, losing him to the Kolkata Knight Riders. But LSG expressed satisfaction with their auction strategy, having secured key international targets aligned with their team requirements. LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka highlighted the successful acquisition of Wanindu Hasaranga and Anrich Nortje as part of a well-planned and disciplined bidding approach in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction. Pathirana stole the limelight in early bidding by fetching Rs. 18 crore from Kolkata Knight Riders. He sparked a bidding war between the Delhi Capitals and LSG, with the sum crossing Rs. 15 crore. Just when Delhi backed out, KKR joined in, taking the youngsters fee even higher. The three-time champions eventually won the battle and roped in the 22-year-old pacer for a massive sum of Rs. 18 crore. Pathirana made his IPL debut for the Chennai Super Kings and represented them till the 2025 edition of the tournament. On losing Matheesha to KKR, Goenka said they went to their absolute limit to get him as he was their priority, but that was not to be. Yes, our captain and vice-captain were both very keen on Matheesha Pathirana, as was I. We were also very interested in Anrich Nortje. Pathirana was our priority, and we went up to 17.8 crore, which was our absolute limit we didnt have the purse to go beyond that. When Anrich Nortje came up later, we were pleasantly surprised and delighted to secure him at the base price. So overall, it was a very considered, concerted, and well-thought-out decision, Dr Goenka said on JioHotstars Match Centre Live Auction 2026. Pathirana made his IPL debut for the Chennai Super Kings and represented them till the 2025 edition of the tournament. Also Read: Live Cricket Score We are very close to our primary targets. Our key objectives were to secure one quality international leg-spinner and one reputed international fast bowler. Wanindu Hasaranga was our first-choice leg-spinner, and for the fast-bowling option, it was between Matheesha Pathirana and Anrich Nortje. We are delighted to have acquired two players who were part of our shortlisted three, so we are extremely happy with how the auction has unfolded, he said. Article Source: IANS
IPL Auction 2026's most expensive buys: From Cameron Green to Prashant Veer
Kolkata Knight Riders made a record-breaking Rs 25.20 crore bid for Australian all-rounder Cameron Green at the IPL 2026 auction. Uncapped Indian spinner Prashant Veer also fetched a historic Rs 14.20 crore from Chennai Super Kings, becoming the most expensive uncapped player ever. Matheesha Pathirana was also secured by KKR for Rs 18 crore.
IPL Auction 2026: Full list of sold and unsold players for all teams
Cameron Greens deal rewrote the record books as he went past fellow Australian Mitchell Starcs previous mark of Rs 24.75 crore to become the most expensive overseas player in IPL auction history. The bidding for Green turned into a fierce contest between KKR and Chennai Super Kings, before Kolkata eventually outbid their rivals.
IPL 2026 Auction: Prashant Veer And Kartik Sharma Become Highest-paid Uncapped Players
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Young stars Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma became the highest-priced uncapped players in Indian Premier League (IPL) history as Chennai Super Kings went all out for young Indian talent at the mini auction for the 2026 edition at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. CSK paid a staggering Rs 14.20 crore each for the duo, both coming in at a base price of Rs 30 lakh, underlining the franchises aggressive shift towards investing in emerging players. Uttar Pradesh all-rounder Prashant Veers price soared 47.3 times his base value after CSK fought off early interest from Rajasthan Royals and a late, intense challenge from Sunrisers Hyderabad to secure the 20-year-old left-arm spinner and middle-order batter. Veer, who will make his IPL debut, first caught attention while representing Noida Super Kings in the UP T20 League and has since built an impressive domestic record. In 12 T20 matches, he has scored 112 runs at a strike rate of 167.16 and taken 12 wickets in nine innings at an economy of 6.45. His strong showing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy further boosted his credentials, with CSK viewing him as a long-term successor to Ravindra Jadeja. Moments later, CSK matched that investment by signing Rajasthan power-hitter Kartik Sharma for the same 14.20 crore, following another fierce bidding war involving Mumbai Indians, Lucknow Super Giants, and Kolkata Knight Riders. Kartik, known for his explosive middle-order batting and dependable wicketkeeping, has scored 334 runs in 12 T20s at a strike rate of 164, smashing 28 sixes, and was among the leading six-hitters in the Ranji Trophy. Moments later, CSK matched that investment by signing Rajasthan power-hitter Kartik Sharma for the same 14.20 crore, following another fierce bidding war involving Mumbai Indians, Lucknow Super Giants, and Kolkata Knight Riders. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Kartik had trained with the CSK squad last season and has drawn praise across the domestic circuit for his ability to dominate spin and pace alike. Article Source: IANS
IPL 2026 team and squad list: Full updated players list for all 10 teams
The 2026 IPL player auction kicked off in Abu Dhabi with a record-breaking 25.20 crore spent by Kolkata Knight Riders on Cameron Green. Despite the high bid, Green's salary is capped at 18 crore. The auction also saw surprising unsold players like Prithvi Shaw and Devon Conway.
Venkatesh Iyer takes 70% pay cut, joins RCB
Venkatesh Iyer saw a significant drop in his IPL 2026 auction price, moving from Rs 23.75 crore to Rs 7 crore after Royal Challengers Bengaluru outbid Kolkata Knight Riders. Despite a recent strong domestic performance, Iyer's previous IPL season was disappointing, leading to this substantial pay cut.
IPL Auction: Paid Rs 25.20 Cr For Cameron Green As He Was In Our Range, Says KKR CEO Venky Mysore
KKR CEO Venky Mysore: Kolkata Knight Riders' CEO Venky Mysore has said that they paid a hefty sum to rope in Australian all-rounder Cameron Green because he was in the range they had thought. Claiming that having a young all-rounder just after appointing a power coach was a very nice move and went with their plans. Green was roped in by the Kolkata Knight Riders for a record sum of Rs. 25.20 crore at the Indian Premier League 2026 auction, underway at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Well, first of all, we're very happy. This is something that we were really focused on and hoping for. Always fingers crossed because of the auction, anything can happen. I think we were quite happy with the price at which we got him. He adds immense value to the squad, and with Andre Russell coming on board as our new power coach, having a young all-rounder with IPL and international experience is ideal. Given his impact with both bat and ball and the conditions at Eden, we couldnt be happier with the outcome, he told the broadcasters, said Mysore in a press conference on Tuesday. At the same time, the KKR CEO clarified that they would have gone totally berserk in trying to get Green if they felt it would have impacted their overall auction plan. You know, there was always a concern that it had gone higher. What would we have done? I think the fact is that we were very keen but not so attached. So, at some level, if we felt that it could affect the rest of the auction, we would have let him go. And so, fortunately, that didn't happen. It came within the range that we were looking at. So, extremely happy with that. I think he adds a lot to our team, said Venky Mysore. Asked whether he was surprised to see Chennai Super Kings jump into the bidding war over Cameron Green after Rajasthan Royals had dropped out at INR 12 crore, There were no surprises. We all tried to prepare as well as possible. The surprise was Rajasthan coming in with their purse to bid. So, we knew that it was maybe to warm up the room or whatever it was. But that's okay. That happens, and that's absolutely fine. But no, no surprises at all. We fully expected CSK to come. And try their best to get it to a level that would have worked for them, perhaps. But we were just happy to have that one more bid that allowed us, said Mysore. He also supported the restrictions imposed on the number of foreign players that can be taken up by a franchise, and also the rule about capping the overall salary for a player to 18 crore. I think the rule, BCCI/IPL have made it in their wisdom on capping it at 18 crore. I think that's what you were talking about. From our standpoint, I don't think there is any concern in that regard. Whether it had gone to the player or gone this way, this is something that's an outflow for the franchise. So, we are okay. We are okay with that. And I don't think it changes anything as far as the auction is concerned, said Venky Mysore. Asked whether the lower price bagged by former KKR Venkatesh Iyer in this auction after being roped in for a massive price in the previous one was a kind of 'price correction', he said it all depended on the strategy for the auction. You know, it's so difficult to sort of give an answer to that. Because a lot of it is, you know, we did go for him, and then how all of these things work. But he has been a terrific player for us. He will be dearly missed. It's just one of these things that happens in an auction. When you're faced with an auction, you have opportunities to sort of think about your strategy. And if that strategy is taking you in a slightly different direction, sometimes these are things that happen. Not for the first time or the last time for us, or for that matter, other teams as well. So, it's a bit sad for us. But that's the way all of these things go, he added. Asked about what areas they are trying to strengthen in this auction, he said they had to sort of hit a reset button. When you're faced with an auction, you have opportunities to sort of think about your strategy. And if that strategy is taking you in a slightly different direction, sometimes these are things that happen. Not for the first time or the last time for us, or for that matter, other teams as well. So, it's a bit sad for us. But that's the way all of these things go, he added. Also Read: Live Cricket Score What kind of structure will allow us to be a very competitive team. We just felt last year we were missing out on a couple of areas. And so, based on that, I think that we have more work to do in the auction. But I think it's been a good start for us, said Mysore on their plans ahead. Article Source: IANS
Cameron Green becomes most expensive overseas player; uncapped Indians go big
Kolkata Knight Riders won a bidding war with Chennai Super Kings to buy the Australian allrounder
Kolkata Knight Riders entered the IPL Auction 2026 with the largest purse after a disappointing 2025 season. Having retained 12 players and released key figures like Andre Russell, KKR aimed to rebuild their squad with a focus on filling batting, bowling, and leadership gaps. The franchise sought to reset after finishing eighth last season.
Kolkata air pollution worse than Delhi; experts seek more monitoring stations
After Kolkatas air quality remained worse than Delhis for seven consecutive days, environmentalists urged authorities to install more automatic air quality monitoring stations in densely populated and traffic-heavy areas to ensure accurate, real-time pollution data
KKR Full Squad, IPL 2026: List Of Players Bought By Kolkata Knight Riders
KKR Full Squad, IPL 2026: Here is the full list of players bought by Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2026 auction.
Cameron Green Becomes Most Expensive Overseas Player in IPL Auction History
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 25.2 crore, becoming the most expensive overseas player ever in IPL auction history.
KKR Land Green For Record-Breaking Rs 25.20 Crore, Spend Rs 18 Crore For Pathirana
Abu Dhabi, Dec 16: Kolkata Knight Riders splurged a record-breaking Rs 25.20 to land top Australian all-rounder Cameron Green and Rs 18 crore to acquire the services of Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana in the Indian Premier League players auction here on Tuesday. Indian stars Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan, however, went unsold in the auction despite their good run of form with the bat. Green surpassed compatriot Mitchell Starc (Rs 24.75 crore) to become the most expensive overseas player [] The post KKR Land Green For Record-Breaking Rs 25.20 Crore, Spend Rs 18 Crore For Pathirana appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Indian Premier League: Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer, while sharing insights into the teams approach to decision-making, said the franchise knows exactly what they want from the auction, which is underway here at the Etihad Arena on Tuesday. Shreyas Iyer joined Punjab Kings management at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction, becoming only the second cricketer, after Rishabh Pant, to be a part of the process. There is no pressure as such. We had several meetings before coming here, and the way we have planned and prepared, everyone feels quite relaxed. We know exactly what we want, Iyer told JioStar. On the role of analytical data in auction strategy, he said, Analytical data definitely plays a big role. We have two analysts in our team, and the experience and depth of information they provide is immense. I dont know everything thats on the table yet, but once I sit down, Ill get a clearer picture. Im sure things are already buzzing. I can see it on the screen, and Im really looking forward to the experience and what it has to offer. Iyer, who left Kolkata Knight Riders after the teams victorious IPL 2024 campaign, was roped in by PBKS at the IPL 2025 mega-auction for a whopping Rs. 26.75 crore and handed the leadership duties. His captaincy proved critical for the team, as they reached only their second final in the tournaments history, only to lose the title to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who lifted their maiden cup. Iyer further recognised the transition the team has undergone over the past year to build a more stable squad. Crediting head coach Ricky Ponting for this change, he said, I feel it all started with Ricky coming on board. He is fabulous. His player management skills are amazing. He provides confidence and freedom to every individual, from the most senior player to the newcomers. He continued: When you have people like that alongside you, it gives a player immense motivation and confidence. I felt that basically gave us the liberty to go out there and perform to the best of our abilities. Iyer further recognised the transition the team has undergone over the past year to build a more stable squad. Crediting head coach Ricky Ponting for this change, he said, I feel it all started with Ricky coming on board. He is fabulous. His player management skills are amazing. He provides confidence and freedom to every individual, from the most senior player to the newcomers. Also Read: Live Cricket Score He further added, We have to rebuild the family. A lot of players will be returning from international duty, so I dont think we can implement changes immediately. We need a practice game to gel and bond as a team. Then we can identify what we want to work on. Article Source: IANS
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green has become the IPLs most expensive overseas player after Kolkata Knight Riders signed him for 252 million at the 2026 auction, a milestone that has also drawn attention to his long-standing health challenge. Green was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease before birth and currently functions with around 60% kidney capacity, placing him at stage two of the condition.
'Ami KKR'! Cameron Green's first message after Rs 25.20 crore KKR move
Kolkata Knight Riders made history at the IPL auction, securing Australian all-rounder Cameron Green for a record Rs 25.20 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player ever. Despite the massive bid, Green will earn Rs 18 crore, with the remainder supporting BCCI development. Green expressed his excitement to join KKR and play at Eden Gardens.
IPL 2026 Auction: Cameron Green To Get Rs 18 Crore Despite KKR's Rs 25.2 Cr Bid
Indian Premier League: Though Cameron became the most expensive overseas buy in the Indian Premier League history after fetching a staggering Rs 25.20 crore bid from three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the Australian all-rounder will only take home Rs 18 crore, in accordance with the new maximum fee rule. The rule was introduced last year to address the shared concern of franchises that some overseas players were registering solely at mini auctions to exploit the supply-demand imbalance. According to the rule, the overseas player cannot be paid more than Rs 18 crore, which was the highest bracket for franchises retaining players ahead of the 2025 mega auction. If the bid exceeded the Rs 18-crore threshold, the additional money would be used by the BCCI for player welfare. In a note to franchises last year, the IPL said, Any overseas player's auction fee at small auction will be lower than the highest retention price of Rs 18 crore and the highest auction price at the big auction. In case the highest auction price at the big auction is Rs 20 crore, then Rs 18 crore will be the cap. If the highest auction price at big auction is Rs 16 crore, then the cap will be Rs 16 crore. Registered as a batter due to an oversight by his manager during the player auction registration, Green surpassed the previous record set by his Australia teammate Mitchell Starc, whom KKR bought for Rs 24.75 crore in IPL 2024 auction. Overall, he became the third most expensive player in the history of the IPL auction after Rishabh Pant (Rs 27 crore to Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2025 mega auction) and Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer (26.75 crore in the IPL 2025 auction). Registered as a batter due to an oversight by his manager during the player auction registration, Green surpassed the previous record set by his Australia teammate Mitchell Starc, whom KKR bought for Rs 24.75 crore in IPL 2024 auction. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Most recently, he played in IPL 2024 for RCB after being traded in from MI. In 12 innings, he scored 255 runs at a strike rate of 143.25 and took 10 wickets in 13 matches with the ball at an economy rate of 8.61. Article Source: IANS
Messi event fiasco: CM Mamata Banerjee to take sports charge; Aroop Biswas quits ministry
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is reportedly set to take over the state's sports ministry. This follows Sports Minister Aroop Biswas offering to resign amid allegations of mismanagement and security lapses during the Lionel Messi event in Kolkata. The controversy led to spectator anger and damage to stadium property.
IPL Auction: Top 10 most expensive overseas players in history
Cameron Green has shattered records, becoming the most expensive overseas player in IPL history after being acquired by Kolkata Knight Riders for a staggering Rs 25.20 Crore in the 2026 mini-auction. This highlights the growing value of international talent, with recent seasons witnessing massive bids for players like Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, underscoring their impact and versatility.
Transcript of the media interaction with Venky Mysore, CEO, Kolkata Knight Riders
IPL 2026 Auction: Duckett Goes To DC; De Kock Joins MI
Indian Premier League: England wicketkeeper-batter Ben Duckett was sold to Delhi Capitals for a base price of Rs 2 crore in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini auction, taking place here at the Etihad Arena. Duckett made his T20 debut in 2012 and has scored 5,397 runs in 216 T20 matches, including 34 half-centuries. With a best score of 84, he has amassed 527 runs for England in 20 games at an average of 29.27 and a strike rate of 153.64. He has played for Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League, Brisbane Heat and Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League, and Welsh Fire in The Hundred, among other T20 competitions worldwide. South Africa wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock, who has showcased great form during the ongoing white-ball series, was signed by the Mumbai Indians for a base price of Rs 1 crore. De Kock was released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) following the IPL 2025. De Kock has represented Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Daredevils, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Mumbai Indians, Lucknow Super Giants, and Kolkata Knight Riders across his IPL career. In 115 games, he has amassed 3309 runs at a strike rate of 134.02 and an average of 30.63. The wicket-keeper batter scored an incredible 90 off 46 balls against India in Chandigarh in the second T20I of the ongoing five-match series. South Africa wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock, who has showcased great form during the ongoing white-ball series, was signed by the Mumbai Indians for a base price of Rs 1 crore. De Kock was released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) following the IPL 2025. Also Read: Live Cricket Score This marks Allens second IPL franchise after an earlier stint with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Meanwhile, England wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith and Jonny Bairstow, Afghanistan's Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and India's KS Bharat remained unsold. Article Source: IANS
Pathirana makes IPL history! KKR secures Sri Lankan pacer for record price
Kolkata Knight Riders made a strong statement at the IPL Auctions. They secured Australian all-rounder Cameron Green for a record Rs 25.20 crore. Sri Lanka pacer Matheesha Pathirana was also acquired for Rs 18 crore. These signings highlight KKR's aggressive approach to building a powerful squad for the upcoming season.
After Cameron Green, SRK's KKR land Matheesha Pathirana for Rs 18 crore at IPL 2026 auction
Shah Rukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders went on a spending spree at the IPL 2026 auction. After securing Cameron Green for a record Rs 25.20 crore, KKR splurged Rs 18 crore on Sri Lankan pace star Matheesa Pathirana, underlining their aggressive rebuild strategy.
IPL 2026 Auction: Green Goes To KKK For Record Fee Of 25.20 Cr; RCB Takes Venkatesh For Rs 7 Cr
Indian Premier League: Australian allrounder Cameron Green batted for the biggest pay cheque at the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction here at the Etihad Arena, when three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) acquired his services for a whopping price of Rs 25 crore, while reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru bought India allrounder Venkatesh Iyer for Rs 7 crore. Registered as a batter, owing to a goof-up by his manager during the player auction registration, Green went past the previous record set by his Australia teammate Mitchell Starc, who was bought by KKR for Rs 24.75 crore in the IPL 2024 auction. Cameron made his IPL debut in the 2023 season after Mumbai Indians (MI) bought him for Rs 17.5 crore. Notably, at the time, he became the second most expensive overseas player in IPL auction history, besides being the most expensive Australian player. Most recently, he played in IPL 2024 for RCB. In 12 innings, he made 255 runs at a strike rate of 143.25. Picked up 10 wickets in 13 matches with the ball at an economy rate of 8.61. Has also played for Mumbai Indians - from where he was traded. Further down the capped batter's list, South Africa's David Miller went to Delhi Capitals at a base price of Rs 2 crore, while India's Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan and New Zealand opener Devon Conway, along with Australian batter Jake Fraser-McGurk, went unsold. Most recently, he played in IPL 2024 for RCB. In 12 innings, he made 255 runs at a strike rate of 143.25. Picked up 10 wickets in 13 matches with the ball at an economy rate of 8.61. Has also played for Mumbai Indians - from where he was traded. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Meanwhile, other capped all-rounders, including England's Gus Atkinson, India's Deepak Hooda, New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra, and South Africa's Wiaan Mulder, remained unsold. Article Source: IANS
Cameron Green Tops IPL 2026 Mini-Auction Charts with Rs 25.20 Crore KKR Deal
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green bagged the biggest pay cheque at the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction here at the Etihad Arena, when three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) acquired his services for a whopping price of Rs 25.20 crore, while reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru bought India all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer for Rs 7 crore. Registered as a batter, owing to a goof-up by his manager during the player auction registration, Green went past the previous record set by his Australia teammate Mitchell Starc, whom KKR bought for Rs 24.75 crore in the IPL 2024 auction. Green made his IPL debut in the 2023 season after the Mumbai Indians (MI) bought him for Rs 17.5 crore. Notably, at the time, he became the second-most-expensive overseas player in IPL auction history, and the most expensive Australian player. Most recently, he played in IPL 2024 for RCB after being traded in from MI. In 12 innings, he made 255 runs at a strike rate of 143.25 and picked up 10 wickets in 13 matches with the ball at an economy of 8.61. Further in the capped batter's list, South Africa's David Miller went to Delhi Capitals at his base price of Rs 2 crore, while India's Prithvi Shaw, Sarfaraz Khan and New Zealand opener Devon Conway, formerly with Chennai Super Kings, and Australia batter Jake Fraser-McGurk, formerly with DC, went unsold. Green made his IPL debut in the 2023 season after the Mumbai Indians (MI) bought him for Rs 17.5 crore. Notably, at the time, he became the second-most-expensive overseas player in IPL auction history, and the most expensive Australian player. Most recently, he played in IPL 2024 for RCB after being traded in from MI. In 12 innings, he made 255 runs at a strike rate of 143.25 and picked up 10 wickets in 13 matches with the ball at an economy of 8.61. Also Read: Live Cricket Score A total of 1390 players registered for the Player Auction, out of which 350 players were shortlisted; 240 Indian and 110 are overseas recruits. The pool comprises 224 uncapped Indian players and 14 uncapped overseas players, adding significant depth and fresh talent to this year's auction roster. Article Source: IANS
During the Lionel Messi event, angry spectators resorted to an indiscriminate rampage and clashed with the police, causing an estimated damage of Rs 2 crore to stadium furniture.
Cameron Green shattered the overseas IPL auction record after Kolkata Knight Riders outbid Chennai Super Kings in a fierce bidding war. However, despite the historic Rs 25.2 crore bid, the Australian all-rounder will not receive the full amount due to IPL salary cap rules.
West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas has reportedly offered to resign following allegations of mismanagement and security lapses at the Lionel Messi event in Kolkata. The move comes after angry spectators clashed with police, causing significant damage to stadium property. A Trinamool Congress leader shared a purported resignation letter, though its authenticity is being questioned.
Explained: Why Green will earn only Rs 18 crore despite a Rs 25.20 crore bid
Cameron Green became the most expensive overseas player in IPL auction history after Kolkata Knight Riders snapped him up for Rs 25.20 crore in Abu Dhabi. However, due to the IPLs newly introduced maximum fee rule for overseas players at mini-auctions, the Australian all-rounder will earn only 18 crore with the remaining amount diverted for player welfare.
IPL auction 2026: RCB snap up Venkatesh Iyer for 7 crore after intense bidding war
Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer was bought by RCB for 7 crore at the IPL 2026 mini-auction after being released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Despite a muted 2025 season, his base price of 2 crore reflected his value in the domestic circuit. A left-handed batter and medium-pace bowler, Venkatesh made his IPL debut with KKR in 2021 and earned national call-ups, with his peak IPL value reaching 23.75 crore in 2025.
Captain Shreyas Iyer Joins PBKS Think Tank At IPL 2026 Auction Table
Captain Shreyas Iyer: Shreyas Iyer joined Punjab Kings management at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction table, becoming only the second cricketer, after Rishabh Pant, to be a part of the process. The IPL 2026 auction is currently underway here at the Etihad Arena. Pant was part of the auction table when he was the Delhi Capitals skipper, for the 2024 edition of the event. IPL 2024 was Pants comeback to the league after his near-death accident. That edition, notably, was also his last with the franchise, as he was roped in by the Lucknow Super Giants at the IPL 2025 mega auction last year. Iyer, who left Kolkata Knight Riders after the teams victorious IPL 2024 campaign, was roped in by PBKS at the IPL 2025 mega-auction for a whopping Rs. 26.75 crore and handed the leadership duties. His captaincy proved critical for the team, as they reached only their second final in the tournaments history, only to lose the title to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who lifted their maiden cup. The IPL 2025 runners-up have already retained a core group of 21 players, providing a stable base as they plan to fill a few important gaps with the 11.5 crore they still have. With four remaining slots, including two for overseas players, PBKS has the structure and flexibility to make precise, high-impact additions. With a near-complete roster, Punjab Kings will mainly focus on targeted, minor upgrades during the auction rather than major overhauls. They aim to acquire a powerful middle-order batter to boost late-game scoring and increase batting lineup flexibility. The IPL 2025 runners-up have already retained a core group of 21 players, providing a stable base as they plan to fill a few important gaps with the 11.5 crore they still have. With four remaining slots, including two for overseas players, PBKS has the structure and flexibility to make precise, high-impact additions. Also Read: Live Cricket Score PBKS squad before IPL 2026 auction: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Suryansh Shedge, Vishnu Vinod, Xavier Bartlett, Yash Thakur, Mitchell Owen, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson. Article Source: IANS
Cameron Green Becomes Costliest Overseas Buy In IPL History, Sold To KKR For Rs 25.20 Cr
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green was roped in by Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping sum of Rs. 25.20 crore at the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, underway here at the Etihad Arena. With that, he became the most expensive overseas player in the history of the tournament. As his bidding reached the Rs 25 crore mark, he went past the previous record set by his Australia teammate Mitchell Starc, who was bought by KKR for Rs 24.75 crore in the IPL 2024 auction. Overall, he became the third costliest player in the history of the IPL auction after Rishabh Pant (Rs 27 crore to Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2025 mega auction) and Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer (26.75 crore in IPL 2025 auction). Green went under the hammer at his base price of Rs. 2 crore and initiated a bidding war between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals, before the latter team backed out when the figures touched Rs. 13 crore. Just then, five-time champions Chennai Super Kings lifted the paddle as the battle intensified. KKR and CSK entered the auction as the teams with the heaviest purses, with the three-time champions having Rs. 64.30 crore and the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team having Rs. 43.40 crore. After a few tense moments and several discussions among members of the think tanks of both sides, Green became the first player of the eve to cross the Rs. 20 crore mark before KKR sealed the deal for a whopping 25.20 crore. Just then, five-time champions Chennai Super Kings lifted the paddle as the battle intensified. KKR and CSK entered the auction as the teams with the heaviest purses, with the three-time champions having Rs. 64.30 crore and the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team having Rs. 43.40 crore. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The all-rounders most recent IPL outing was in IPL 2024, when he represented RCB. In 12 innings, he made 255 runs at a strike rate of 143.25. Picked up 10 wickets in 13 matches with the ball at an economy of 8.61. Has also played for the Mumbai Indians before being traded. Article Source: IANS
Green surpassed the previous record bid for an overseas player held by fellow Aussie Mitchell Starc (24.75 crore), also by Kolkata Knight Riders
IPL Auction 2026: Full List Of All Sold And Unsold Players, And Salaries
IPL Auction 2026: Full List of Sold and Unsold Players - The IPL 2026 auction has seen an all-time record break in the first set.Cameron Greenwas roped in by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 25.20 crore
Cameron Green scripts history, becomes costliest overseas buy as KKR outbid CSK at IPL 2026 auction
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green created history at the IPL auction as he became the costliest overseas player. Kolkata Knight Riders won a fierce bidding war against Chennai Super Kings, securing Green after an intense contest that sent the auction room buzzing.
MI, RR, CSK, KKR: As it happened - How Green became a 'Knight'
An intense bidding war erupted for Australian all-rounder Cameron Green at the IPL auction, with three teams vying for his signature. Ultimately, the Kolkata Knight Riders secured Green for a staggering Rs 25.20 crore, potentially making him the most expensive player of the auction.
Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas Resigns Over Chaos At Lionel Messi Kolkata Event
Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas Resigns Over Chaos At Lionel Messi Kolkata Event
IPL Auction Record Buy: Cameron Green fetched a massive bid at the IPL Auction, becoming the most expensive player in IPL Auction. Multiple teams vied for the Australian all-rounder but Kolkata Knight Riders finally bought him. Cameron Green's ability with bat and ball made him a top target. He offers power hitting and bowling skills. This makes him a valuable asset for any franchise. His proven T20 performance justifies the high price.
The Jordan Royal Family's India Connection: A 'Princess' From Kolkata
Sarvath Ikramullah was born in British-ruled India weeks before Partition.
West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas Offers To Resign Over Kolkata Messi Event Mess
The West Bengal government had initiated major administrative action following the mismanagement of the event.
IPL Auction: Updated players for all 10 Teams; who got whom
The IPL 2026 player auction in Abu Dhabi saw Australian all-rounder Cameron Green become the costliest overseas player, snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders for a staggering Rs 25.20 crore. David Miller found a home with Delhi Capitals for his base price, while Matheesha Pathirana also fetched a hefty sum for KKR. Several domestic talents went unsold.
Messi's Kolkata Event: Probe panel flags 'grave procedural violations' at stadium, recommends SIT
An inquiry committee investigating vandalism at Salt Lake Stadium during Lionel Messi's visit has recommended a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident. The preliminary report highlighted violations of standard operating procedures, particularly concerning water bottles being available inside the stadium, and suggested departmental action against stadium management agencies.
Bengal SIR: EC publishes draft electoral rolls; over 58 lakh names deleted
Kolkata: The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday published West Bengals draft electoral rolls following SIR, with officials indicating that the names of more than 58 lakh voters have been deleted on various grounds, including death, migration and non-submission of enumeration forms. After these deletions, the states draft electoral rolls are expected to carry the names Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
IPL 2026 to be held between March 26 and May 31 window
The mini-auction for IPL 2026 will be held in Abu Dhabi today with three-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders coming in with the biggest purse
Venkatesh Iyer Smashes Timely 70 Off 43 In SMAT On IPL 2026 Auction Day
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Elite: India all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer delivered a timely reminder of his credentials with a polished 70 off 43 deliveries for Madhya Pradesh in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Elite 2025 Super League Group A fixture against Punjab at the DY Patil Academy, Ambi, Pune, on Tuesday. His innings was laced with eight boundaries and two sixes, underlining his ability to control the tempo in the middle order. The performance came just a few hours before the IPL 2026 auction, set to take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, making the knock particularly significant. With franchises reconsidering their choices, Venkateshs fluent display arrived at a most timely moment. Venkatesh burst onto the national radar after an impressive IPL debut season with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2021, a campaign that earned him an India call-up and marked him out as one of the most promising all-rounders in the domestic circuit. His rise had begun earlier with a strong showing for Madhya Pradesh during the 202021 limited-overs season. While his IPL 2022 performance was relatively modest, Venkatesh recovered in 2023, scoring 404 runs for KKR, including a century, at a strike rate of 145.85. His status within the franchise increased to the point that he captained the side a few times and was considered for the captaincy before Ajinkya Rahane took over last season. However, the 2025 IPL proved to be a challenging campaign. Despite being retained at a hefty Rs 23.75 crore following the mega auction, Venkatesh managed only 142 runs across 11 matches, with a batting average of 20.28. The decline in performance ultimately prompted KKR to part ways with the left-hander, bringing an end to an association that had spanned his entire IPL career. While his IPL 2022 performance was relatively modest, Venkatesh recovered in 2023, scoring 404 runs for KKR, including a century, at a strike rate of 145.85. His status within the franchise increased to the point that he captained the side a few times and was considered for the captaincy before Ajinkya Rahane took over last season. Also Read: Live Cricket Score KKR enter the auction with the biggest purse among all ten teams, of 64.30 crore, and will eye rebuilding the outfit with 13 slots to fill. Article Source: IANS
Messi's GOAT Tour Ends: Argentina star leaves India after four-city farewell
Football legend Lionel Messi concluded his GOAT India Tour 2025 in Jamnagar after visiting Vantara, following stops in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi. The tour featured celebrity matches, fan interactions, and meetings with prominent figures, leaving a lasting impression on Indian football fandom despite an initial controversy in Kolkata.
EC publishes draft electoral rolls, list of deleted voters in Bengal under SIR 2026
KOLKATA: The EC on Tuesday published the draft electoral rolls of West Bengal based on its enumeration feedback. The commission also published on its website the names of voters whose names were included in the electoral rolls of the state in 2025 but were deleted from the draft rolls of 2026, stating reasons for their deletion. The draft rolls have been made available on the official website of CEO, West Bengal, ceowestbengal.wb.gov.in/Electors as well as the voter portal of the EC, voters.eci.gov.in, and also on the ECINET application. The list of deleted voters is currently available on the commission's portal link ceowestbengal.wb.gov.in/asd_sir. The number of uncollectable SIR enumeration forms, according to commission sources, exceed 58 lakh and were deleted on grounds of either remaining absent from their registered addresses, permanently shifted, dead or marked as 'duplicate' voters in more than one constituencies. While over 24 lakh voters have been marked as 'dead', more than 12 lakh voters couldn't be traced in their registered addresses, close to 20 lakh voters were found to have permanently shifted from their previous constituencies and another 1.38 lakh voters were found to have duplicate name entries, commission sources said. The names of over 57,000 voters were deleted on grounds of other complications that were unearthed during the enumeration phase, they added. Aggrieved persons can submit their claims in Form 6 along with the Declaration Form and supporting documents after publication of draft roll during the period fixed for receiving claims and objections i.e.16/12/2025 till 15/01/2026, the commission website stated. Elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly are due early next year.
EC publishes list of voters deleted from draft electoral rolls in Bengal under SIR 2026
KOLKATA: Barely hours ahead of the publication of the draft electoral rolls of West Bengal , where assembly elections are due early next year, the Election Commission on Tuesday morning released the names of deleted voters on its website. The list features voters whose names were included in the electoral rolls of the state in 2025 but were deleted from the draft rolls of 2026. The list is currently available on the commission's portal link ceowestbengal.wb.gov.in/asd_sir. The number of uncollectable SIR enumeration forms, according to commission sources, exceeds 58 lakh, and were deleted on grounds of either remaining absent from their registered addresses, permanently shifted, dead or marked as 'duplicate' voters in more than one constituencies. Aggrieved persons can submit their claims in Form 6 along with the Declaration Form and supporting documents after publication of draft roll during the period fixed for receiving claims and objections i.e.16/12/2025 till 15/01/2026, the commission website stated. Elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly are due early next year.
Bengal SIR: Draft voters list to be published on Tuesday
Kolkata: The first stage of the three-level Special Intensive Revision in West Bengal will end on Tuesday, with over 58.08 lakh names already being identified as excludable for various reasons. Along with West Bengal, the draft voters lists will also be published during the day for the two other states of Goa and Rajasthan, as Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
IPL 2026 Auction News Live: The IPL Auction 2026 kicks off in Abu Dhabi with a 237.50 crore purse across 10 teams vying for 77 slots. Kolkata Knight Riders lead with the largest purse, while Mumbai Indians face significant budget constraints, setting the stage for tactical bidding and potential team overhauls.
On December 16, 2025, gold prices in India range from Rs 13,390 per 1 gram for 24K gold and Rs 12,274 per 1 gram for 22K gold. Silver is priced at Rs 1,97,100 per kilogram. Check city-wise rates here.
Prez withholds assent to University amendment bills, Guv to continue as chancellor
KOLKATA, Dec 15 : There will be no immediate change in the post of Chancellor of state-aided universities in West Bengal after President Droupadi Murmu withheld assent to two amendment bills proposed by the state government. As a result, the proposal to replace the Governor with the Chief Minister as Chancellor has not come into effect, and Governor C V Ananda Bose will continue to hold the post. According to an official communication from Lok Bhawan, formerly Raj Bhawan, Kolkata, [] The post Prez withholds assent to University amendment bills, Guv to continue as chancellor appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
IPL 2026: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ben Sears, Ethan Bosch Among Late Additions To Auction List
Indian Premier League: Bengal opening batter Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has been on the verge of international debut on a couple of occasions, along with New Zealand pacer Ben Sears and South Africa's Ethan Bosch, are among the late additions made to the auction list for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Monday night. Easwaran, who was part of the Indian squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in the 2024-25 season, was included in the list of 19 players that were added to the list. Ethan, brother of South African all-rounder Corbin Bosch, has played one ODI for South Africa, while Ben Sears has appeared for the Black Caps in one Test and four ODIs so far. The list also includes Virandeep Singh of Malaysia and Chris Green of Australia, besides Kyle Verreyanne of South Africa and Blessing Muzarabani of Zimbabwe, another international player, who will be part of the auction, which will be held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. It also has some uncapped players, mostly from India, including Kerala wicketkeeper-batter K.L. Shrijith. The addition of these 19 names takes the total players in the auction pool to 369. The spotlight will be on the likes of Cameron Green, Liam Livingstone, and Ravi Bishnoi as ten franchises gear up for the IPL 2026 auction, set to take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. It will mark the third straight time of an IPL auction happening outside India after Dubai (2024) and Jeddah (2025). All ten teams are expected to loosen their purse strings in pursuit of marquee talent and have a squad that can win the IPL 2026 trophy. A total of 77 slots are available, including 31 for overseas players. Three-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have the most vacancies with 13, followed by 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) with ten. From a longlist of 1,355 players, 359 have been shortlisted 244 Indian and 115 overseas. Forty players have entered at the maximum base price of Rs 2 crore, with Bishnoi and Venkatesh Iyer the only Indians in that group. All ten teams are expected to loosen their purse strings in pursuit of marquee talent and have a squad that can win the IPL 2026 trophy. A total of 77 slots are available, including 31 for overseas players. Three-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have the most vacancies with 13, followed by 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) with ten. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Apart from Bishnoi and Green, the England duo of Liam Livingstone and Jamie Smith, along with NZ pacer Matt Henry, keeper-batter Tim Seifert, and South Africa batter David Miller, are also likely to attract strong interest from all ten teams, as is Sri Lanka pacer Matheesha Pathirana, who was let go of by Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Article Source: IANS
Watch: Lionel Messi ends G.O.A.T. India Tour with grand Delhi finale
Lionel Messi brought his much-anticipated G.O.A.T. India Tour to a spectacular close in Delhi, thrilling thousands of fans after a chaotic start in Kolkata on December 13.
New Delhi roars as Lionel Messi wraps up the G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025 in style
Football legend Lionel Messi completed his 'G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025' in New Delhi. The tour included stops in Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. Messi interacted with fans, young players, and prominent figures. The events aimed to inspire aspiring footballers and promote India as a sports destination. The tour concluded with a grand finale in the capital.
Kolkata celebrated the 54th Vijay Diwas with a grand Military Tattoo. The Eastern Command organized a series of events. Lt Gen RC Tiwari spoke about Indo-Bangladesh friendship and the bravery of Indian forces. The event featured impressive military displays, including helicopter fly-pasts and combat maneuvers.
Kolkata celebrated the 54th Vijay Diwas with a grand Military Tattoo. The Eastern Command organized a series of events. Lt Gen RC Tiwari spoke about Indo-Bangladesh friendship and the bravery of Indian forces. The event featured impressive military displays, including helicopter fly-pasts and combat maneuvers.
IPL 2026 Auction: Meet The Uncapped Indian Players Set To Attract Attention Of The Franchises
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: With the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction now a day away, all eyes will be on the uncapped domestic players expected to land big paydays and instant recognition from the cricketing world. Once the IPL 2025 season was over, coaches and scouts of all ten teams were busy criss-crossing the country to see various state T20 league games and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches to identify the gems who can be of great value to their teams. With limited purses and multiple slots to fill, uncapped Indian cricketers are expected to be in huge demand. IANS looks at five players who could attract significant interest when auction bidding begins in Abu Dhabi. Prashant Veer Base price of Rs 30 lakh The slow left-arm spin bowling all-rounder from Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, has been talked highly of for his skills, which have earned him comparison with Ravindra Jadeja. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Veer scored 112 runs at a strike rate of 169.69 and claimed nine wickets at an economy of 6.76, highlighted by a 3-20 and an unbeaten 40. His exploits in the UP T20 League for Noida Super Kings further underlined his batting prowess amassing 320 runs along with taking eight wickets across 10 matches. Having already attended IPL trials, including those of five-time champions Chennai Super Kings, eyeing to fill a Jadeja-sized void, the 23-year-old allrounder is expected to be firmly on the radar of all teams. Auqib Nabi Dar - Base price of Rs 30 lakh The seam-bowling all-rounder from Jammu & Kashmir has emerged as one of Indias most consistent performers in domestic cricket. In the first half of the Ranji Trophy, Nabi has taken 29 wickets in five matches at an average of 13.27, including a best haul of 7-24. Nabis white-ball form has been equally impressive. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he claimed 15 wickets in seven matches at an economy of 7.41. attributes that have drawn the attention of franchise scouts. He would be hoping this time he gets an IPL deal after having two net bowling stints before in the tournament. Ashok Sharma - Base price of Rs 30 lakh The fast bowler has been on top of the wicket-taking chart in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy picking 20 wickets in nine matches, including best figures of 4-16, and consistently clocking speeds above 140 kmph. Sharma was a net bowler with the Rajasthan Royals and was part of their squad in IPL 2025, but didnt get a game. He didnt get a game with the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2023. But his consistent performance in the SMAT and attending trials with multiple franchises means he will attract aggressive bidding from teams looking to bolster their fast-bowling stocks. Kartik Sharma - Base price of Rs 30 lakh There were curious eyes when he was signed up by JSW, which manages cricketers like Axar Patel, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Shafali Verma. But his reputation as a clean striker and lower-order finisher with a penchant to hit big sixes all of this at just 19 has already excited many onlookers. Such was the effect that he was spotted at CSK trials ahead of the auction. He was Rajasthan's highest run-getter in the previous edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy with 445 runs in eight innings, coming at a strike rate of 118.03. Kartik scored 133 runs in five games at a strike rate of over 160 in Rajasthans group stage campaign in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, before a finger injury ruled him out of the Super League phase. Tejasvi Singh Dahiya - Base price of Rs 30 lakh The wicketkeeper-batter from New Delhi is on the radar of franchises after a superlative showing in the past few months, earning him spots in trials of various franchises. He was one of the standout performers in the 2025 Delhi Premier League (DPL), scoring 339 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 190.45, and that paved his way into selection to the Delhi team for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Tejasvi Singh Dahiya - Base price of Rs 30 lakh Also Read: Live Cricket Score Other uncapped players on the radar of franchises are Tushar Raheja, Ravi Singh, Krains Fuletra, Sairaj Patil, Arpit Rana, Yash Dhull, Sarthak Ranjan, Abhishek Pathak, Mangesh Yadav, Naman Tiwari, Salman Nizar, Yash Raj Punja, Raj Limbani, Sunny Sandhu, Salil Arora, Money Grewal, Sushant Mishra, and Ravi Kumar. Article Source: IANS
Election Commissioner to release West Bengal voter list on Dec 16
Kolkata: The Election Commission is set to publish the draft electoral rolls for West Bengal on Tuesday following the completion of the statewide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) ahead of the 2026 assembly polls. The election authorities are racing to complete last-minute preparations, with officials saying on Monday that the exercise is on track to meet Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
KOLKATA: The West Bengal government's bid to make the Chief Minister the chancellor of state universities suffered a setback om Monday when President Droupadi Murmu rejected the West Bengal University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2022. With the Presidents disapproval of the Bill, there will be no change in the post of chancellors in government-aided and sponsored universities in the state. As per the existing system, the Bengal Governor holds the chancellor portfolio in government universities across the state. Governor C V Ananda Bose will remain in the post of chancellor of the universities as usual, according to Lok Bhavan sources. In 2024, Bose had sent the Bill, which was passed in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, to the President for her consideration. The West Bengal cabinet in 2022 had approved a proposal to appoint the CM Mamata Banerjee as the chancellor. The state government had claimed that academic and administrative activities in these universities would gain momentum if the chief minister is made chancellor. Former Governor Jagdeep Dhankar during whose regime the move was initiated had alleged that the state government was appointing VCs in various universities without consulting him. He had alleged that vice-chancellors of 24 universities have been appointed illegally without the chancellor's approval. The Opposition BJP and CPI-M had also come down heavily on the Trinamool Congress government for its bid to make the CM the chancellor. The opposition camp had also alleged that the Mamata government wanted to establish its political influence in higher academic institutes in the state through the Bill.
A Tale of Two Visits: Why Pele's Kolkata visit endures but Lionel Messi's collapsed
Lionel Messi's Kolkata visit descended into chaos, unlike Pele's iconic 1977 tour. A story of VIP culture, fan fury, and football mismanagement.
Fans Applaud DDCA, Delhi Police For Smooth Messi Visit At Arun Jaitley Stadium
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta: History was witnessed at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday as Argentina football legend Lionel Messi made his much-awaited visit, drawing massive crowds and admiration from fans in Delhi. Thousands gathered to see the global icon, and the event passed off smoothly, earning widespread praise for the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) and Delhi Police. Fans were delighted with the seamless arrangements and unobstructed views, with no VIP or political hijacking of the occasion. This was truly for fans. Everything was well managed and peaceful, said a college student. Another supporter added, Hats off to DDCA and Delhi Police for such disciplined crowd control. At the fag end of the event, DDCA president Rohan Jaitley, ICC chairman Jay Shah, and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta met Messi. Jay Shah presented Messi with tickets for the India vs USA Mens T20 World Cup 2026, while the football legend, along with Rodrigo de Paul and Luis Suarez, was gifted a framed cricket bat and a Team India jersey. Former India goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan also presented signed t-shirts to the trio, bringing a memorable close to the GOAT India Tour. It was apparent that the local governments and police in Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi took more control of security and other arrangements for Messi's India GOAT Tour after his visit to Kolkata ended in riots in the stadium. On Saturday, there were reports that one of the main organisers of the GOAT Tour was arrested by Kolkata police for alleged mismanagement at the event in Salt Lake Stadium. Messi's visit to Kolkata ended in chaos after agitated spectators, angered over limited access to the Argentine despite purchasing tickets at what they described as exorbitant prices, went on a rampage inside the stadium. It was apparent that the local governments and police in Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi took more control of security and other arrangements for Messi's India GOAT Tour after his visit to Kolkata ended in riots in the stadium. On Saturday, there were reports that one of the main organisers of the GOAT Tour was arrested by Kolkata police for alleged mismanagement at the event in Salt Lake Stadium. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was on her way to the stadium at the time of the incident. However, after being informed about the ruckus and vandalism, she instructed her driver to turn back. Shortly thereafter, the Chief Minister announced the constitution of a judicial committee to probe the mismanagement that led to the chaos. Article Source: IANS
IPL 2026 Auction: Cameron Green Fetches Rs 30 Crore From KKR In Mock Bidding
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Australias seam bowling all-rounder Cameron Green underlined his status as the most sought-after player ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, fetching Rs 30.5 crore from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a mock bidding exercise. Registered as a batter, owing to a goof-up by his manager during the player auction registration, Green is expected to be hotly pursued by both KKR and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) when the real auction begins at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. I knew CSK would also go after a middle-order all-rounder. I thought they would go somewhere around 2528 crore. Realistically, I think they would go up to around Rs 20 crore in the actual auction, because they would want to keep space for other Indian and overseas players as well. But in the mock auctions, I was ready to go up to 35 crore for a player like Green. I think Cameron Green should bat at No. 3 in the order, said JioStar expert and former India player Robin Uthappa, who was the KKR representative in the mock auction held on Monday. In the mock auction, Sri Lanka fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana was picked by KKR for 13 crore. Its all about planning and keeping things simple. We needed a good death bowler. With the kind of coaching staff KKR have, Pathirana can be very effective at the death. He has been a little off colour recently and has gone back into the auction pool, which I think will make him more motivated to perform. A change of franchise can also help. With Pathirana, Varun Chakravarthy and Vaibhav Arora, if youre asking who bats in the first XI, it would be Vaibhav Arora. Also, Varun has been working on his batting, hes not too far away from clearing the ropes either, added Uthappa. Former India cricketer Suresh Raina, who was CSKs representative in the mock exercise, commented on picking Sarfaraz Khan for Rs 7 crore. I think he is in great form. We saw earlier that when Venkatesh Iyer was bought for a big amount, the form wasnt quite there. Sarfaraz, on the other hand, is batting really well right now. You dont get that kind of player easilythe range of shots he plays, the confidence he has. The form Sarfaraz is in, even if he plays four or six matches and wins you two games, that 7 crore will be fully justified. After his first-class performances, he has also been included in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He is a form player, following a process. Chennais wicket is technically sound, and if he gets set in a system like CSK, where the focus is on winning games, I think CSK will benefit greatly from his form. On CSKs overall auction strategy executed by him, Raina explained picking leg-spinners Rahul Chahar and Wanindu Hasaranga, as well as pacer Anrich Nortje. I think we have addressed key areas in the auction war room. We picked Rahul Chahar as a leg-spinner and Wanindu Hasaranga because we dont have Jadeja and Ashwin. We also strengthened our pace attackAnrich Nortje is there, he has pace and can bowl yorkers consistently. The form Sarfaraz is in, even if he plays four or six matches and wins you two games, that 7 crore will be fully justified. After his first-class performances, he has also been included in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He is a form player, following a process. Chennais wicket is technically sound, and if he gets set in a system like CSK, where the focus is on winning games, I think CSK will benefit greatly from his form. Also Read: Live Cricket Score You need that fireplayers who go out and express themselves fearlessly. In the main auction, many more players will be available. CSK may even look to buy Matheesha Pathirana again, given their concern around death bowling. That will be one of their key focus areas, he concluded. Article Source: IANS
'Hasta pronto': With promise to 'surely return', Messi concludes India tour
Lionel Messi concluded his GOAT India Tour in Delhi, a stark contrast to its chaotic Kolkata start. Fans at Arun Jaitley Stadium cheered as the football icon expressed gratitude for the overwhelming affection shown during his brief but memorable visit. Messi promised a return, leaving a lasting impression on his admirers.
