Category: Sports

A move back to one ball per innings in the last 16 overs in a One Day International, a new ruling pertaining to boundary catches and the use of stop clocks introduced in Test matches headline a range of changes in the updated ICC (International Cricket Council) Playing Conditions.

The new playing conditions also include changes to concussion replacement processes, the DRS wicket zone and deliberate short runs.

The changes were recommended by the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee, headed by Sourav Ganguly and including playing participation in over 2000 international matches across its members.

Playing Conditions Changes
Stop clock
After a successful introduction in white-ball cricket, Test cricket will also see a stop clock, with the bowling team needing to be ready to bowl the first ball of their next over within 60 seconds of the previous over being completed.

Failure to do so for the third time in an innings (following two warnings) will result in a five-run penalty imposed against the fielding team on each occasion.

Two warning sanctions will be reset to zero after 80 overs have passed, in line with a new ball becoming available, and again after any future blocks of 80 overs in that innings.

Number of balls per ODI innings
Two new balls will be used for the first 34 overs of an ODI innings, after which the fielding team will choose one of the balls for the remaining overs.

Boundary catches
Changes to the playing conditions now require a fielder who makes airborne contact with the ball beyond the boundary to then land and remain inside the boundary.

A fielder, after making their first contact with the ball subsequently leaves the field of play, can only make contact with the ball once more while airborne beyond the boundary.

Having done so, they must land and remain wholly within the boundary. This applies even if another player completes the fielding. This change will be implemented in international cricket before it is included in the MCC Laws of Cricket next year.

Deliberate short runs
Adding to the present five-run penalty for a deliberate short run, the fielding team will also choose which of the two batters takes strike for the next delivery.

DRS wicket zone
The wicket zone will now be the actual outline of the stumps and bails.

Concussion protocols
There are two changes to the concussion protocols.

Teams will now be required to nominate their designated concussion replacements for the match. This curbs the advantage previously held by home teams, who have typically been able to choose from a larger pool of potential replacements.

A player diagnosed with a concussion during a match must observe a minimum stand-down period of a minimum of seven days before returning to play. This change has been recommended by the ICC Medical Advisory Committee to support players’ safety and well-being.

Further playing conditions to be trialled by Full Members
From October 2025 and for an initial six-month period, there are additional changes.

Replacement players (domestic first-class cricket)
A player who suffers a serious injury on the field of play at any time after the match has started (including any pre-match warm-up period) may be replaced for the remainder of the match by a fully participating like-for-like player.

Wide Ball Trial (ODI and T20I cricket)
In an effort to provide leniency for a bowler who sees the batter moving around prior or during a delivery, a new wide ball rule will be trialled.

As part of the changes, the position of the batter’s legs at the point of delivery will now be used as the reference point for a wide, even if the batter subsequently moves across to the off side.

The trial will see a ball that passes the popping crease between the leg stump and the protected area marker not being called a Wide. To help with this, the protected area marker line will be extended to the popping crease and act as a guide for the umpires.

Any leg side delivery that passes behind the batter’s legs and outside of the line at the time the ball reaches the popping crease may still be called a Wide.

Previously, a wide had been called for a delivery that would not have been called wide if the batter had retained their normal batting position.

Starting dates for new international playing conditions
The new playing conditions commenced with the first match of the new World Test Championship on the 17 June, played between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh

The new playing conditions for ODIs and T20Is will commence during the same Sri Lanka against Bangladesh series, with the first of three ODIs from 2 July, and a three-match T20I series from 10 July. All Test, ODI and T20I matches after these dates will be played under the new playing conditions. ICC-Cricket

Young speedster Harshit Rana, who was added as a cover to the Indian squad for the opening Test against England at Leeds, has been released by the team management on Wednesday. Rana, who played two Tests in Australia with modest results, was a part of India A squad but hardly made an impact in the unofficial Test against England Lions in Canterbury where he was hit for 99 runs for a solitary wicket in 27 overs. “Harshit Rana has been released from the squad. He hasn’t travelled with the Indian squad to Birmingham for the second Test starting July 4,” a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity. The 23-year-old Rana, a protege of head coach Gautam Gambhir, is a bustling hit-the-deck bowler who hit the headlines with a lovely off-cutter which breached Travis Head’s defence in Perth.

However, over time it has been evident that he is not ready to play top flight red-ball cricket and is a work in progress.

That Harshit, and not a far more potent Mukesh Kumar or Anshul Kamboj were kept as cover, was a big surprise since the Delhi man’s bowling is unsuitable for these conditions.

“Harshit Rana, I will discuss with chairman of selectors. He was held back because of some niggles… everything is fine. I will discuss, and we will then take that call,” Gambhir said after India lost the opening Test by five wickets.

Experts have cried out for Kuldeep Yadav’s inclusion in the series opener and now he is most likely to replace Shardul with the surface expected to aid the spinners in Birmingham..

“Kuldeep needs to be there. There is no point playing with four pacers. Either of Shardul or Prasidh can make way for him,” former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar.

There is a tendency to play with four pace options in England but with dry conditions expected for the majority of the English summer, there is a case of playing Kuldeep and Ravindra Jadeja in the same eleven.

Having said that, Jadeja too will under the scanner having not gotten a lot out of the rough on day five at Headingley.

“Kuldeep Yadav has to come back. I’m sorry to say, but Shardul Thakur has to go out,” former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar said on JioStar.

“That is one change India will have to make. As for Nitish Kumar Reddy — I backed him for the first Test purely based on what he did in Australia.

“It’s an unpopular choice, because when he comes in, the balance does get affected a bit. He won’t quite bowl like a fourth seamer, so India need to take a hard call: even in English conditions, they must go with quality bowlers. If that means playing two spinners, so be it.” Sports NDTV

India’s Olympic ambitions go beyond infrastructure—it is aiming for a higher medal tally too. In the lead-up to hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2030 and the Olympics in 2036, the government is overhauling the country’s sports management system.

“We will soon be announcing the National Sports Policy. Additionally, we are working on a sports governance policy,” said a person aware of the developments.

Last year, the government released a draft policy focusing on areas like sports science, which are standard practice in developed nations. The new framework, sources indicate, aims to help India achieve athletic success in international competitions and make sports a viable career option for the youth.

Catch ’em young
The government is building a bottom-up framework to identify athletic talent in children aged 8 to 14 and train them in specialised centres.

“We are developing a block-level approach, scaling up to the district level, from where students can graduate to national centres,” the person noted.

The plan includes establishing district-level sports schools—similar to initiatives in a few states—which will integrate academic and athletic training.

The Khelo India programme, launched in FY18, was a key step toward grassroots talent identification. “We are also mapping skills across the country to determine which regions excel in particular sports,” the person added.

Focus on science
In addition to grassroots development, the government is looking to integrate science into sports training to ensure athlete longevity and peak performance.

“We are planning to use genetic mapping to gain valuable insights,” one official said.

Genetic testing can be used to assess athletic potential, optimise training regimens, and reduce injury risk. In 2017, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) introduced genetic testing for cricketers.

Notably, cricket is set to return to the Olympics in 2028, expanding the government’s interest in scientific preparation.

To support this, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is implementing a hub-and-spoke model for promoting sports science research. In April, Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya announced the creation of the National Centre for Sports Science and Research (NCSSR).

“NCSSR will serve as a hub for high-level research, education, and innovation aimed at enhancing elite athlete performance… Let us all work together to build a strong sports culture for a new India,” the minister stated.

36 for 2036
India is aiming to significantly improve its Olympic medal tally by the time it plans to host the Games in 2036.

In the 2024 Olympics, India finished 71st in the medal tally, with one silver and five bronze medals. The country failed to secure a gold and fell one medal short of its 2020 Tokyo Games tally. Moneycontrol

Major sporting events like the Wimbledon 2025 and the ongoing Formula 1 season are sparking off visa-related enquiries, according to a report.

Wimbledon 2025, scheduled in London from June 30 to July 13, has sparked a 28 per cent surge in UK visa application queries, said Atlys, a visa processing platform.

The showpiece tournament has evolved into more than just a tennis championship.

“Fans are extending their trips, combining matches with leisure and sightseeing, and turning Wimbledon into the centerpiece of broader summer travel plans,” Atlys said in a release.

Not just Wimbledon, the Formula 1 calendar — spanning 24 races across 21 countries — is also shaping global travel trends.

Since the season kicked off in March, visa search activity around key host nations has risen on the platform by 18-30 per cent.

“Countries like Italy, Monaco, Japan, and the UK have seen elevated query volumes, aligning with the mid-season stretch of marquee races,” the release said.

“We’re witnessing a global shift where major sporting events aren’t just being watched, they’re being chased across borders,” said Mohak Nahta, founder & chief executive officer at Atlys.

“Fans are planning entire international trips around these experiences, turning events like Wimbledon and Formula 1 into powerful travel magnets. From what we see in visa search trends, sports have become one of the most influential forces shaping global mobility. It’s not just about attending a match or a race anymore; it’s about being part of something bigger, something unforgettable,” Nahta added.

During the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year in Dubai, there was a notable spike in sports-related travel. Overall, bookings to Dubai rose by nearly 45 per cent when h.

“This reinforces the growing influence of cricket in shaping regional mobility trends,” the report added.

In 2024, ahead of the Paris Olympics, the platform witnessed a 60 per cent increase in visa applications from India, along with a 50 per cent rise in sports tourism-related inquiries and a 45 per cent jump in group visa applications. Business Standard

International pay-TV sports heavyweight BeIN has renewed its media rights agreement in France for German soccer’s elite Bundesliga, covering the next four seasons.

This deal once again includes every Bundesliga match as well as the season-opening Super Cup competition, and the season-ending promotion and relegation playoffs.

Additionally, BeIN will also continue the Europe Arena magazine show, which examines highlights of Bundesliga fixtures each week.

Running through the 2028-29 season, this new deal brings the total broadcast partnership between the pair to 15 years.

Speaking on the renewal, Bundesliga International managing director and chief marketing officer Peer Naubert commented: “Bein Sports has a strong international presence and we are proud to be working with a long-standing partner in a constantly evolving market.

France is by far the most represented non-German nationality in the Bundesliga, with 34 players from France, 12% of all Bundesliga players, featuring in the 2024-25 campaign.

This includes French national team stars such as Michael Olise, Dayot Upamecano, and Kingsley Coman (all Bayern Munich), as well as up-and-comers such as Castello Lukeba (RB Leipzig), Hugo Ekitike (Eintracht Frankfurt), and Enzo Millot (VfB Stuttgart).

Naubert continued: “The number of Bundesliga fans in France has exploded over the past two seasons thanks to the performances of the stars of the France team, such as Michael Olise and Kingsley Coman.

Alongside the broadcast deal, BeIN engages in promotional activities around the league, including sending fans to Germany for Bundesliga fixtures.

BeIN is perhaps the most prominent sports broadcaster in France, holding a myriad of elite soccer rights that include the country’s Ligue 1 and second-tier Ligue 2 domestic soccer championships, Spain’s top-flight LaLiga, and England’s FA Cup knockout competition and EFL lower tiers.

Most recently, the broadcaster also tied up the rights to European rugby union’s Champions Cup and Challenge Cup tournaments. Sportcal

Sport 24, the in-flight and on-ship entertainment service owned by international sports agency IMG, has added to its extensive soccer rights stable by striking a deal for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup (CWC).

The 32-team tournament, taking place across 12 US venues between June 14 and July 13, will be aired to flight and ship passengers (on a wide range of cruise and air lines), through a sub-licensing deal between IMG and DAZN. The latter global sports streaming service holds worldwide CWC rights through a deal unveiled late last year.

Through a tie-up announced today, Sport 24 will cover over 55 matches and 115 hours of coverage from the CWC (which in total contains 63 games).

The deal extends across the range of airlines and cruise lines with Sport 24 as an entertainment option – this list includes Etihad Airways, Emirates, Turkish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Carnival Group, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Fred Olsen.

This comes quickly after an agreement unveiled earlier this week for Sport 24 to also cover the upcoming UEFA Women’s European Championships national team soccer tournament (taking place in Switzerland in July).

Other live sport to be shown by Sport 24 over the coming months include tennis’ Wimbledon grand slam from London, golf’s The Open, as well as motor racing’s iconic Formula 1.

The channel is produced from the IMG studio facilities near London, UK.

In March, meanwhile, Sport 24 added the 2026 FIFA World Cup to its rights stable, in what will be the fourth consecutive World Cup to be aired by the service.

This year’s Club World Cup is a revamped property, featuring 32 teams, up from below 10 in previous editions. The new format will take place once every four years.

Over recent weeks and months, DAZN has been unveiling significant numbers of sub-licensing deals. Sportcal

North American ice hockey’s NHL has announced a major global partnership with Japanese technology and media conglomerate Sony, aiming to enhance the viewing experience for fans watching at home.

The multi-year deal sees Sony become the NHL’s official global technology partner, with the league expanding its use of the tech company’s Beyond Sports’ animated data visualizations and Hawk-Eye tracking technologies to boost viewer engagement during matches.

Daid Lehanski, NHL executive vice president of business development and innovation, has said: “Advancing the development and implementation of technology on and off the ice is a key priority for the league … to bring fans closer to our great game and showcase the NHL as a worldwide technology leader.”

The NHL has used Sony technology specifically for replay reviews since 2015, and later for supporting team medical and player health and safety reviews. All 32 NHL arenas now feature 60-frames-per-second optical tracking setups that follow 29 points on each player and three points on each stick.

The league will now use Hawk-Eye for evaluating line-to-gain decisions starting this season and is evaluating the potential use of the technology to weigh in on infraction decisions and goals.

Sony’s Beyond Sports, meanwhile, has been utilized by the NHL for its data visualization since 2018, creating fan content and digital activations, which will now be used to help the league recreate hockey games as animated visualizations in real time.

Theresa Alesso, president of imaging products and solutions Americas at Sony Electronics, said: “From imaging and broadcast to some of the world’s most advanced data visualization and tracking innovations, Sony remains committed to helping create the future of sports through technology.

“This partnership builds upon a successful history of collaborations between the NHL and Sony, and we are excited to reinforce our commitment to the game, fans, and players.”

The NHL’s focus on broadcast visualizations comes shortly after it confirmed a lucrative 12-year, $7.7 billion media rights extension with Canadian telecommunications giant Rogers for the 2026-27 campaign.

This expanded deal includes unilateral national rights covering all broadcast platforms (TV, digital, and streaming) for every national game, with rights covering both English and French-language telecasts.

Additionally, national rights to the showpiece Stanley Cup finals and special events such as the league’s all-star game are also included, as are out-of-market rights for regional broadcasts.

Under the deal, Rogers holds the exclusive category sponsorship rights for both the NHL itself in Canada, as well as any major NHL event held in the country.

In the US, meanwhile, national broadcast rights to live NHL action are held by ESPN and Warner Bros Discovery-owned TNT. Those agreements run for seven years from 2021.

The Sony deal announcement also comes ahead of the 2024-25 NHL Stanley Cup finals, with the Edmonton Oilers taking on the Florida Panthers in a seven-game series starting tonight (June 4). Sportcal

After 18 years of heartbreak, hope, and unwavering fan support, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have finally clinched their first Indian Premier League (IPL) title, defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) by a thrilling six-run margin in the IPL 2025 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The victory, celebrated with the iconic Kannada chant “Ee Sala Cup Namdu” (This year, the cup is ours), marked the end of a long-standing title drought for one of the IPL’s most passionate franchises.

A Historic Night for RCB
The final on June 3, 2025, was a rollercoaster of emotions. Batting first after losing the toss, RCB posted a competitive 190/9 in their 20 overs, anchored by Virat Kohli’s gritty 43 off 35 balls. Contributions from Mayank Agarwal (28) and captain Rajat Patidar (26 off 16) provided momentum, though Punjab’s bowlers, led by Arshdeep Singh (3/40) and Kyle Jamieson (3/48), triggered a late collapse, with RCB losing four wickets for 19 runs in the final overs.

Chasing 191, Punjab Kings started strongly, with openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh scoring 32 runs in the first four overs. However, RCB’s bowlers, led by Krunal Pandya’s economical 2/17 and Josh Hazlewood’s crucial breakthroughs, turned the tide. A stunning catch by Phil Salt to dismiss Arya and Pandya’s tight bowling in the middle overs left PBKS at 184/7, falling agonizingly short. Shashank Singh’s valiant 61 off 30 balls kept Punjab in the hunt, but RCB held their nerve to seal the victory.

Emotional Triumph for Virat Kohli
At the heart of RCB’s triumph was Virat Kohli, the franchise’s talisman since its inception in 2008. Overcome with emotion, Kohli collapsed to the ground after the final ball, later sharing a tearful embrace with his wife, Anushka Sharma, and former teammate AB de Villiers, who had flown in to witness the historic moment. “I never thought this day would come. I’ve given everything to this team. This win means everything,” Kohli said, his voice breaking. He dedicated the victory to RCB’s loyal fans, stating, “This is as much for them as it is for us. They’ve waited 18 years.”

Kohli, joined by former RCB stars Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers, celebrated by chanting “Ee Sala Cup Namdu” on air, a moment that resonated deeply with fans. “This title is as much theirs as it’s mine,” Kohli said of his former teammates, acknowledging their contributions to the franchise’s legacy.

Bengaluru Erupts in Celebration
The victory sparked euphoria across Bengaluru, with fans flooding the streets, waving red and gold flags, and lighting fireworks. The chant “Ee Sala Cup Namdu,” long a symbol of hope and often a target of memes, was proclaimed with pride. Social media exploded with tributes, with one fan writing, “18 years of pain, trolling, and loyalty. This is redemption.” Another post read, “For every ‘mundin sala’ (last year), this one’s for ‘Ee Sala’!”

A victory parade is planned today, June 4, from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy Stadium, where fans will join the team in an open-bus celebration. Celebrities, including Shiva Rajkumar, Allu Arjun, and Kiccha Sudeep, congratulated RCB, with Rajkumar calling it an “emotional tribute to Bengaluru’s spirit.”

Rajat Patidar’s Leadership Shines
RCB captain Rajat Patidar etched his name in history as the first to lift the IPL trophy for the franchise. Reflecting on the win, Patidar said, “This is special for Virat, the fans, and everyone who’s supported us. Ee Sala Cup Namdu!” He praised Krunal Pandya’s pivotal role, noting, “Whenever we’re under pressure, I look for KP.”

A New Chapter for RCB
The win not only ended RCB’s 17-year wait but also marked a turning point for a franchise long criticized for underachieving despite star-studded squads. With contributions from Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone, and Jitesh Sharma, alongside Kohli’s experience and Patidar’s leadership, RCB showcased a balanced unit that delivered when it mattered most.

As Bengaluru celebrates, the victory parade and the echoes of “Ee Sala Cup Namdu” signal a new era for RCB. For fans who stood by through years of near-misses, this triumph is more than a trophy—it’s a testament to loyalty, resilience, and the belief that, finally, the cup is theirs.
TheNewsBit Bureau

Global basketball governing body FIBA has agreed a new broadcast partnership with French commercial broadcaster TF1, ensuring widespread distribution for the country’s national team.

TF1 linear channels, including the primary TM1, Monaco-focused TMC, and entertainment-focused TFX, will showcase all French men’s and women’s national team fixtures through 2029, as will the group’s TF1 Plus streaming service.

This will include major tournament coverage from the likes of FIBA’s quadrennial men’s and biennial women’s EuroBasket continental competition.

The deal will begin with the 2025 Women’s EuroBasket, which will begin on June 18 and run through June 29, with France (third-placed side in 2023 and 2024 Olympic runners-up) among the favorites.

Also included will be FIBA’s top-line Basketball World Cup events, with the next women’s edition to be held in 2026, and the men’s tournament the following year.

This new broadcast partnership was brokered by FIBA Media, the body’s commercial joint venture with sports OTT service DAZN.

As with the French women’s team at Paris 2024, the men’s team also finished runners-up, losing out in a narrow contest with the US 67-66.

This has helped to spark an “unprecedented” basketball interest in France, according to FIBA director general for media and marketing services, Frank Leenders, with prominent US-based players such as Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert, Guerschon Yabusele, and Bilal Coulibaly all representing the national team.

TF1 Group head of sports Julien Millereux added: “After silver medals in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and with the brilliant generation of talents coming up for both men’s and women’s national teams, basketball is reaching a momentum in France.

“With the unique marketing and exposure power of TF1 Group linear channels and streaming platform TF1+, we trust our Group can bring basketball to the next level in France.”

This is the second such enhanced broadcast deal in Western Europe for FIBA in the first half of 2025, after securing an expanded deal with Germany’s ProSieben and Deutsche Telekom in April.

Last week (May 23), the body also announced Estonia, Greece, Slovenia, and Spain, as the joint hosts of the 2029 men’s EuroBasket.

Most basketball coverage in France is provided by OTT streaming service DAZN, which holds the rights to the domestic LNB Elite competition and FIBA’s Basketball Champions League continental club tournament.

The NBA, meanwhile, is shown by pay-TV heavyweight BeIN Sports, as well as OTT streaming service Prime Video. Sportcal