The Times of India

Sanju Samson's coach Biju George expressed disappointment over his omission from the Zimbabwe T20Is. George stated Samson deserved more opportunities after his World Cup heroics. He questioned the selectors' decisions regarding player treatment and opportunities. Samson's past junior career also saw similar perceived unfairness. The coach hopes Samson proves his critics wrong with future performances.

Argentina's Facundo Tello will referee the France-Morocco World Cup quarter-final, drawing attention for his strict officiating style after famously showing 10 red cards in an Argentine Super Cup match. FIFA's decision to appoint an all-Argentine refereeing team has sparked debate, but France's players dismissed concerns, insisting they are focused solely on preparing for Morocco.

Axar Patel will play his 100th T20 International match soon. This milestone follows his 100th T20I wicket taken recently. He expressed surprise at reaching this significant career landmark. Axar credited teammates, coaches, and family for his success. Representing India remains a cricketer's ultimate dream.

At just 15, Sooryavanshi has already made a name for himself after finishing as the highest run-scorer, leading six-hitter and Most Valuable Player in this year's Indian Premier League.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur believes the historic women's Test against England at Lord's is a chance to restore confidence after the T20 World Cup disappointment. She called playing at Lord's a dream and admitted adapting to red-ball cricket is challenging. Harmanpreet also hopes for more women's Tests in future and backed debutant spinner Shree Charani to make an impact.

Former Romania midfielder Gabriel Muresan has died at 44 after drowning in a lake near Apold, where he had served as mayor since 2020. The Romanian Football Federation and local authorities paid tribute to him. Muresan earned nine caps for Romania, won three league titles and three domestic cups with Cluj, and played in the UEFA Champions League.

Harmanpreet Kaur on Lord's Test, Team India's preparation & womens cricket

The video was shared on X, with footage showing how one passenger's laptop became the centre of attention during the flight.

Parthiv Patel believes Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will continue facing short-pitched bowling as opponents target his weakness against pace and bounce. After the youngster's modest scores against England, Patel said the tactic was evident during the IPL. He also urged India's batters to show greater patience, adapt to English conditions, and avoid rushing their innings after the third T20I collapse.

Expressing his discontent, former cricketer Mohammad Kaif criticized the team selectors for their choice of leaders, specifically targeting Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma. Kaif feels these selections have had a negative impact on Sanju Samson's potential role in the squad. He argues that the selectors should face accountability for their choices, while Iyer and Varma maintain their leadership in the ongoing series.

Ravichandran Ashwin supports maintaining the same Indian team for the fourth T20I match. He believes this stability sends a strong message to the squad. The spinner acknowledges Sanju Samson will likely miss out again. Ashwin noted India's young batting unit struggles in different conditions. He hopes the team gains experience and improves with time.

Ravichandran Ashwin voiced strong disapproval of Sanju Samson's exclusion from the T20I squad. He believes frequent team changes create player insecurity and harm the T20 setup. Ashwin questioned the logic behind dropping Samson after a few recent poor scores. He warned that players might focus on self-preservation instead of winning matches. This decision has sparked considerable debate within Indian cricket circles.

From Rajasthan to Texas Super Kings: Abhimanyu Lamba's Untold Story

Ben Stokes posted Sack him... on social media, reigniting retirement speculation. The International Cricket Council is investigating the England and Wales Cricket Board over footage. This footage was filmed inside the dressing room before Stokes announced his retirement. The ICC alleges the ECB breached regulations by releasing the video early. The investigation occurs as the ECB searches for a new Test captain.

Afghanistan cricket bid an emotional farewell to former fast bowler Shapoor Zadran. He passed away in India at the age of 38 after a prolonged illness. Zadran represented Afghanistan in 44 ODIs and 36 T20Is between 2009 and 2020. He had been undergoing treatment in New Delhi for a rare life-threatening condition. His contributions and fighting spirit will remain an important part of cricket history.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 final will feature a historic halftime show. Justin Bieber joins Madonna, Shakira, and BTS as co-headliners for this event. Chris Martin is curating the eleven-minute performance which supports children's education. Burna Boy and Gustavo Dudamel will also perform during the groundbreaking show. This landmark event aims to unite sport, music, and social impact globally.

Chasing a modest target of 144, the young South African wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 102 off just 52 balls, hitting 10 fours and five sixes. He reached his maiden T20 hundred at a strike rate of 196.15 and guided the Unicorns home in just 15.4 overs. Pretorius was adjudged Player of the Match. The massive victory helped San Francisco Unicorns move to the top of the points table.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani voiced support for Egypt after their World Cup loss. He stated that the African team was obbed during their match against Argentina. This remark quickly gained attention amid ongoing officiating debates. Egypt's players and fans also alleged unfair refereeing decisions favoured Argentina. FIFA's head of refereeing defended the VAR interventions and warned against unfounded claims.

Texas Super Kings pacer Abhimanyu Lamba opens up on leaving Rajasthan to pursue cricket in the USA, overcoming homesickness, working as a part-time coach, and earning his place in the Major League Cricket (MLC). He also discussed cricket's rapid growth in America and his dream of one day representing the USA.

Shreyas Iyer's sister has supported him after recent T20I losses. She believes he will become one of India's greatest captains. India suffered their biggest T20I defeat by runs against England. Iyer's captaincy has seen one win and ten defeats in twelve matches. India must win the next match to keep the series alive.

India's 98th Grandmaster, Aswath S, achieved the coveted title after securing his final GM norm at the Pune International GM Round Robin 2026. The Tamil Nadu teenager overcame a four-month break for his Class 10 board exams, drawing inspiration from his family of chess coaches and mentors, and now has his sights set on breaking into the world's elite.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino faces a formal ethics complaint to the IOC. This complaint stems from alleged breaches of political neutrality rules. The issue arose after Folarin Balogun's World Cup suspension was overturned. US President Donald Trump publicly claimed credit for influencing FIFA's decision. FairSquare organisation lodged the complaint, citing Infantino's conduct and ties.

Rohit Sharma is aware of the challenges of playing in these conditions and wants to be fully prepared before action gets underway. The 39-year-old enjoys playing in England and has a phenomenal ODI record. In the 27 matches, the right-hander has accumulated 1428 runs at an average of 64.9 and hit seven hundreds - the most by a visiting batter.

Morocco's forward Ismael Saibari is out of the France quarter-final match due to a hamstring injury. Coach Mohamed Ouahbi confirmed the influential player's absence before the crucial game. Despite this setback, Ouahbi stated Morocco will maintain their established playing style against France. France enters the match with a perfect record and aims for a third consecutive semi-final appearance.

Following a troubling series of defeats, the Indian T20 cricket team faces a critical juncture. Team captain Shreyas Iyer has criticized the current batting efforts, labeling them unacceptable. In light of recent lineup changes, head coach Gautam Gambhir describes this phase as a vital 'reset.' The team must overcome difficulties in adjusting to international playstyles while shedding IPL habits for enhanced future performance.

Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla intensified her verbal attacks on Kylian Mbappe. She accused the French captain of disrespecting Paraguay's goalkeeper after their match. Amarilla refused to apologise for her earlier racist and dehumanising remarks. The controversy has drawn condemnation from French and international bodies. Mbappe remains focused on the World Cup despite the ongoing off-field dispute.

Young Indian tennis player Arnav Paparkar reached the Wimbledon boys' singles quarterfinals. He became the first Indian in 36 years to achieve this prestigious feat. Paparkar defeated Japan's Ryo Tabata in a dominant performance on Wednesday. This historic achievement places him among elite Indian tennis players. He will now face American qualifier Jordan Lee in the next round.

British wildcard Arthur Fery has reached the Wimbledon semifinals in a remarkable achievement. He defeated Flavio Cobolli to become only the second men's singles wildcard in history to do so. Fery's surprising run has earned the nickname Ferytale among fans and media. He will now face second seed Alexander Zverev in the next round.

Cristiano Ronaldo's FIFA World Cup journey concluded after Portugal's Round of 16 loss to Spain. He shared an emotional message on Instagram, stating Portugal Forever after the match. Ronaldo became the oldest player to appear in a World Cup knockout game at 41. He also set a record for most shots without creating a chance. This marked the end of his illustrious World Cup career.

Priya Punia's selection for the one-off Test against England comes on the back of an excellent series for India A against England A. She scored 23 in the opening match before following it up with 87 and 61 in the next two games. She finished as India A's highest run-scorer in the three-match One-Day series with 171 runs and played a key role in India's 2-1 series victory.

In an exclusive conversation with Timesofindia.com, Sandhagen discusses how Bautista has evolved since their first meeting, why he dismisses the wrestling narrative, the lessons from his latest title defeat, and why he believes a showdown with Sean O'Malley makes the most sense if he gets past Bautista.

Amol Muzumdar on historic Lords Test, Pratika Rawal injury & Indias red-ball challenge

India left-arm spinner R. Sai Kishore has joined Gloucestershire for the final six matches of the 2026 County Championship season, starting against Worcestershire on August 20. After a successful spell with Surrey in 2025, Kishore said he was excited to test himself in English conditions. Gloucestershire coach Jon Lewis backed the Indian spinner to make a significant impact.

India's Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ashwini Ponnappa has criticised badminton's new 15x3 scoring system, saying it removes the drama, momentum shifts and memorable comebacks of the traditional 21-point format. While acknowledging players must adapt, she suggested adding extra breaks instead of changing the scoring system, arguing shorter matches could hurt the sport's appeal.

The Chennai Grand Masters 2026 will be held from July 16-22 in Chennai, featuring World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju, Arjun Erigaisi, Hans Niemann and other top grandmasters. The eight-player single round-robin tournament offers a Rs 75 lakh prize pool and crucial FIDE Circuit points. Organisers have confirmed there will be no Challengers section this year.

The 35-year-old will bring the curtain down on an international career that began in 2009.

ISL clubs set for big test on and off the field

Argentina looked on the verge of elimination after falling 2-0 behind in the 67th minute. But the defending champions scored three goals in the final 13 minutes, with Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernandez finding the net to complete the turnaround.

Former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran has died aged 38 after battling the rare immune disorder HLH. The Afghanistan Cricket Board and ICC Chairman Jay Shah paid tribute, hailing him as a pioneer of Afghan cricket. Shah remembered Zadran's match-winning heroics in Afghanistan's first-ever World Cup victory in 2015. He played 80 international matches between 2009 and 2020.

The strike came just before what was expected to be a major occasion for football fans in Gaza, where many had gathered to watch Egypt face defending champions Argentina.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni broke down in tears after his side's dramatic 3-2 World Cup comeback win over Egypt, walking away from a live TV interview after apologising. Argentina overturned a 2-0 deficit with late goals from Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernndez. Scaloni later said, I cried because I'm too emotional, praising his team's fighting spirit.

The AIFF has clarified that signing Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) players for the 2026-27 ISL season is optional, with any OCI recruit counting towards the six-player foreign quota. It also confirmed that fielding an Indian striker for the full 90 minutes is only a recommendation, not a mandate, leaving team selection and tactics entirely to individual clubs and coaches.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Indian Super League (ISL) clubs have agreed to a four-year club-led model for India's top football league, with a special purpose vehicle managing its commercial operations. The AIFF will receive annual administration fees and 10% of net profits while overseeing governance matters. The agreement resolves key disputes, includes a two-year exit option for clubs, and leaves the door open for Genius Sports' involvement.

The Egyptian camp was unhappy with several refereeing decisions during the match. These included a goal ruled out after a VAR review and a penalty appeal that was not reviewed in the build-up to Argentina's winning goal.