It was a historic day for entire India. Indeed, it was. Manu Bhaker’s name has been reverberating across the nation as she become the first athlete from Indian contingent to bag a medal at the Paris Olympics. The Jhajjar-born clinched Bronze medal at 10m air pistol shooting. Apart from this, the men’s cricket team claimed their 3-match T20I series against Sri Lanka by taking 2-0 lead. However, all was not rosy as the women’s team failed to pass the final hurdle, losing the Women’s Asia Cup Final against the Lankans.
Rohit Sharma is back!
India ODI and Test team captain Rohit Sharma have arrived in Sri Lanka for the upcoming 3-match ODI series starting August 2. Rohit, alongside Shreyas Iyer returned to Mumbai from vacation just days after being included in the ODI squad by Gautam Gambhir, along with Virat Kohli. Nine team members were already in Sri Lanka, with KL Rahul and Kuldeep Yadav joining recently.
Manu Bhaker thanks GOAT of cricket!
Manu Bhaker received plethora of praise and applause over her historic achievement. Apart from a voice call by PM Narendra Modi, many cricketers waxed lyrical about the shooter. Among many, Sachin Tendulkar also acknowledged Manu Bhaker, who then thanked the GOAT of cricket for his encouragement words.
IND 2 SL 0
And with that, the era of Gautam Gambhir as new head coach has started with a bang. After winning the opening T20I, Suryakumar Yadav and his men have clinched the second bout by 7 wickets and 9 balls to spare. Bowlers did well again and cameos by Jaiswal and Pandya sealed the deal. The third T20I is scheduled to take place on Tuesday (July 30).
Heartbreak for Harmanpreet, delight for Athapaththu
Stage looked set for a dominant Team India, who eyed their eighth Women’s Asia Cup title. They made 165 and hoped to easily defend the target until Chamari Athapaththu and her players did the unthinkable. In front of their packed home crowd, the Lankan created history and upstaged India, who got a reality check before the Women’s T20 World Cup later this year.
Ben ‘record-breaking’ Stokes
Ben Stokes redefined Test batting with a blistering 24-ball fifty, the fastest ever by an Englishman. The England captain’s innings against West Indies was a masterclass in aggression, as he pummeled the bowlers to all parts. This incredible feat also places him joint-third on the list of fastest Test fifties in history. Stokes and Duckett’s opening stand set the platform for a dominant England victory, sealing the series 3-0.
Taste your own medicine, R Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin, almost a modern-day pioneer of running out non-strikers, found himself on the receiving end in a TNPL match. While batting for Dindigul Dragons, the bowler warned Ashwin to stay in his crease, mirroring the tactic Ashwin famously employed against Jos Buttler. The incident sparked amusement, highlighting the irony of the situation. Ashwin, known for his aggressive tactics, experienced firsthand the pressure felt by batsmen facing a similar threat.
