Friday, May 08
India's gamble of sending Axar Patel at number three backfired in the second T20I against South Africa. Patel struggled to find form, scoring 21 off 21 balls as wickets tumbled. South Africa posted a formidable 213/4, powered by Quinton de Kock's explosive 90. Varun Chakaravarthy was India's standout bowler with two wickets.
Levon Aronian clinched the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam title in Grootbos. He defeated Magnus Carlsen in the Grand Final. Aronian secured the win with a 1.5-0.5 score. He earned $200,000. Magnus Carlsen had already won the overall Grand Slam Tour. Vincent Keymer secured third place. Fabiano Caruana finished fifth. Hans Niemann took seventh place.
Shubman Gill's T20I struggles persisted with a golden duck against South Africa, drawing criticism. Meanwhile, Quinton de Kock's explosive 90 powered the visitors to a formidable 213/4. India's bowlers, including Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah, faced a tough outing, conceding heavily in the death overs, leaving the hosts with a challenging chase.
Aayan Khan's exceptional spell of 3/17 was the highlight as Gulf Giants secured a six-wicket victory over Sharjah Warriorz. Despite a strong start from the Warriorz's openers, Khan's bowling dismantled their middle order, setting up a chase that saw the Giants reach 157 with two balls to spare.
Manchester City staged a dramatic comeback at the Santiago Bernabeu, defeating Real Madrid 2-1. Despite an early Rodrygo goal, City capitalized on defensive errors and a penalty to secure the victory, intensifying pressure on manager Xabi Alonso.
Arshdeep Singh endured a difficult outing in the second T20I against South Africa, bowling an unprecedented 13-ball over. This lengthy spell, featuring seven wides and a six, conceded 18 runs and drew visible frustration from coach Gautam Gambhir. The pacer's struggles coincided with Quinton de Kock's dominant 70 off 35 balls, as South Africa reached 108/1.
Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma face the challenge of proving themselves as a formidable T20I opening pair against South Africa. Despite Sanju Samson's strong performances, Gill has been reinstated as opener, with management citing his vice-captaincy. Gill's recent T20I form has been underwhelming, and he needs to find a balance between anchoring and matching Abhishek's aggressive style.
India's cricket star and World Cup-winning batter Smriti Mandhana spoke about her passion for the game. She emphasised that wearing the Indian jersey brings immense focus. Mandhana shared her journey and the lessons learned from cricket. She highlighted the importance of playing for teammates. Her commitment to the sport remains strong.
