DPL 2026: South Delhi Superstarz cruise to five-wicket win over New D…

New Delhi [India], August 25 (ANI): South Delhi Superstarz registered a commanding five-wicket win over New Delhi Tigers in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2026, chasing down a target of 169 with more than an over to spare. chickenroadslot.pro

Batting first, New Delhi Tigers posted 168/9 in 20 overs, with Lakshay Thareja leading the way with a well-made 62 off 47 balls. He held the innings together and helped the Tigers put up a competitive total, according to a press release.

Towards the end, Naman Tiwari provided a quick boost with 10 off just two balls, while Revaan Rakyan added a brisk 17 off six deliveries to take the Tigers close to the 170-run mark.

For South Delhi Superstarz, Ankit Dabas was impressive with the ball, finishing with figures of 2/16 in his four overs.

Divansh Rawat was expensive, conceding 25 runs in his two overs, but made a strong impact by claiming four wickets.

Chasing 169, South Delhi Superstarz made a steady start. Anmol Sharma continued his excellent form with another half-century and gave his team a solid platform in the chase.

He was eventually dismissed in the 16th over, but Ekansh Dobal remained composed at the other end and kept the innings on track.

Ankit then provided the late fireworks, smashing three consecutive sixes off Parth in the 18th over to take the game firmly away from the Tigers.

He was eventually caught in the deep after scoring a quick 18 off just five balls. Ekansh remained unbeaten at 38 off 18.

With the required runs coming down rapidly, South Delhi Superstarz completed the chase in the 18th over, sealing a convincing victory. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

New Delhi [India], August 25 (ANI): Former India men’s hockey captain and Olympic medallist PR Sreejesh questioned the lack of accountability in Indian hockey after both the men’s and women’s teams failed to reach the semifinals of the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026.

Sreejesh raised pointed questions about the teams’ performances and preparations after India’s men’s side crashed out following a 3-5 defeat to Argentina on Monday, while the women’s team had earlier missed out on the semifinals after a 0-0 draw against Australia.

Sharing a post on X after the men’s team’s exit, Sreejesh asked whether India were building a team capable of beating the world’s best or merely one that could produce good performances.

He wrote on X, “But here’s the uncomfortable question: Are we building a team to PLAY good hockey, or a team capable of WINNING against the best in the world? Stop hiding behind “learning", “good hockey" and future tournaments. The World Cup is not a rehearsal. It is the World Cup. So who is going to ask the difficult questions? Who is going to demand accountability? And most importantly… Does anyone actually care?"

Don’t worry… the World Cup doesn’t matter.

The Asian Games are coming. Win a medal there, and then we can start dreaming about LA 2028. Apparently, that’s enough to cover everything that went wrong at the World Cup.

Women’s chief coach on holiday just before the World…

— sreejesh p r (@16Sreejesh) August 24, 2026

The former goalkeeper also questioned the approach of looking towards the Asian Games as the next major target after the World Cup disappointment.

“Don’t worry… the World Cup doesn’t matter. The Asian Games are coming. Win a medal there, and then we can start dreaming about LA 2028. Apparently, that’s enough to cover everything that went wrong at the World Cup," said the former head coach of the India men’s U-21 junior team.

Sreejesh also criticised the circumstances surrounding the women’s team’s preparation and questioned the absence of chief coach Sjoerd Marijne during the final phase before the World Cup.

He said, “Women’s chief coach on holiday just before the World Cup — and the girls still fought their hearts out and exceeded expectations. Credit to the players. But where is the accountability? Do we really expect a team to perform at its best when the chief coach is away during the final phase of preparation?"

He further questioned whether India’s men’s team were being judged by the right standards and said, “Men’s team loses to a top team → “It’s a learning experience." Beats an Asian team → “Great victory." Plays good hockey → “Good performance."

Former India captain and Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ) CEO Viren Rasquinha also voiced concerns over the state of Indian men’s hockey, warning that a gold medal at the Asian Games could mask deeper issues.

Sharing a post on X, he wrote, “Asian hockey is currently at its worst ever, seeing the performance of Japan, Pakistan and Malaysia at FIH World Cup. My worry is that gold medal for India at Asian Games will paper over a lot of cracks in Indian Men’s hockey. Serious introspection is needed post the Asian Games – fitness, selection, tactics, squad depth etc."

Asian hockey is currently at its worst ever, seeing the performance of , & at FIH World Cup. My worry is thatmedal for at AG will paper over a lot of cracks in Indian Men’s

Serious introspection is needed post the AG-fitness, selection, tactics, squad depth etc

— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) August 24, 2026

India’s men’s team needed to defeat Argentina by at least two goals to keep their semifinal hopes alive but conceded five goals in a disappointing defensive display. Sukhjeet Singh scored twice, and Hardik Singh converted a penalty stroke, but Argentina’s attacking pressure proved decisive.

The defeat extended India’s wait for a men’s World Cup podium finish to 51 years. India had won their only World Cup title in 1975 and have not returned to the podium since.

India will now face Belgium in the seventh-eighth place classification match.

The women’s team’s campaign had ended earlier after their goalless draw against Australia. The two sides finished level on points and goal difference, but Australia advanced to the semifinals by virtue of scoring more goals in the tournament.

With the World Cup campaigns over, attention now turns to the Asian Games in Japan, where India will look to secure strong results and strengthen their qualification hopes for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

Opening batsman Ibrahim Zadran was officially named Afghanistan's T20I captain on Monday for the upcoming three-match series against India. Marking his first series as Afghanistan's full-time T20I skipper, Zadran will lead a full-strength team in what serves as Afghanistan's designated 'home series' hosted at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi from September 13 to 17.

The squad features key returns, headlined by experienced pacer Naveen-ul-Haq. The bowler re-enters the national lineup following his recovery from a right shoulder stress fracture that sidelined him from the West Indies series and the T20 World Cup 2026. Naveen reinforces a pace attack alongside Fazal Haq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai, and Azmatullah Omarzai.

Veteran all-rounder Gulbadin Naib also steps back into the team to bolster the middle order and offer an additional medium-pace option. Spin star Rashid Khan headlines an elite spin unit alongside Noor Ahmad and Nangyal Kharoti, joined by veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi. Uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Noor Rahman has earned a call-up to support first-choice wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz following strong domestic and Shpageeza Cricket League displays.

Highlighting the selection, ACB CEO Naseeb Khan shared the board's outlook.

"The Afghanistan Cricket Board has always made every effort to select a well-balanced and fully prepared squad for all relevant competitions."

"We have followed the same approach for the upcoming series against India, and I hope the Afghanistan team will deliver an outstanding performance in these matches," he said.

The Afghanistan contingent is scheduled to arrive in India shortly to start final preparations and acclimatisation sessions ahead of the fixture opener.

Earlier in the year, India hosted Afghanistan in a one-off Test match, which India won comfortably, as Manav Suthar starred with the ball and Shubman Gill scored a century with the bat.

Afghanistan squad for Indian tour:

Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Noor Rahman (WK), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Naveen-ul-Haq.

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Reserves: Ijaz Ahmadzai, Shahidullah Kamal, Fareed Ahmad Malik.

T20I Series Schedule (New Delhi):

1st T20I: September 13
2nd T20I: September 15
3rd T20I: September 17

India’s men’s hockey team arrived at the 2026 World Cup with genuine hopes of going deep into the tournament. Instead, their campaign ended in the championship stage, leaving behind a familiar feeling of frustration. The quality was there, the experience was there, and the team had already shown during the Pro League that it could compete with the best. But when the World Cup demanded something different, India could not find the answers quickly enough.

The warning signs were visible from the beginning. India’s opening defeat to England put them under pressure early. They had led 2-1 but eventually lost 4-2, leaving little room for another slip-up. The win over Pakistan kept the campaign alive, but the bigger challenge was always going to come against teams such as the Netherlands and Argentina. Those matches exposed the areas India had struggled with throughout the tournament.

Craig Fulton’s team has been built around defensive organisation and quick attacks after winning the ball. It is a style that has worked for India. The problem was not the philosophy itself. The problem was what happened when opponents stopped giving India the space required to make that approach effective.

Against stronger teams, India struggled to take control through the middle of the pitch. Hardik Singh and Manpreet Singh were still important figures, but India often found it difficult to turn possession recoveries into sustained pressure. Too many attacks ended before they could properly develop, leaving the forwards with limited opportunities.

That also explains why it would be unfair to put the entire burden of criticism on the forward line. Players such as Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh and Dilpreet Singh still have important roles to play, but forwards need service. When the ball does not reach the attacking third with enough quality or regularity, finishing becomes only part of the problem.

The other concern was tempo. India had looked sharper in transition during the Pro League. At the World Cup, particularly against the better sides, the movement of the ball was not always quick enough. For a team that relies heavily on turning defensive recoveries into attacking opportunities, even a small delay can allow the opposition to regroup.

There was also a tactical question. India needed another route when the counterattack was not available. Fulton has spoken about the team being capable of playing faster attacking hockey, but the tournament did not show India executing that alternative consistently enough. If that was the second plan, it needed to become a more familiar part of the team’s game before the pressure matches arrived.

The players cannot escape responsibility either. Experienced internationals are expected to recognise when a match is drifting away from the original plan. Against Argentina, India looked flat for periods despite having enough time to change the contest. Harmanpreet Singh eventually moved higher and tried to influence the game from another area, showing the kind of initiative that India needed more consistently.

The comparison with Paris 2024 is important. Many of these players were part of the Olympic bronze-winning side. The quality has not disappeared overnight. At Paris, India were able to rely on their defensive structure and showed remarkable resilience, including in the quarter-final against Great Britain after playing much of the match with ten men.

The World Cup offered a different challenge. The new format left less room for recovery, while the championship stage forced India to chase results. That exposed a weakness in their ability to dictate games when patience and counterattacking alone were not enough.

So where does India go from here?

The next major target is the Asian Games, where India will enter as defending champions. They have been placed in Pool A alongside Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Pakistan, Malaysia, China, Oman, Uzbekistan and Thailand are in the other group, meaning the traditional rivalry with Pakistan can only happen once the knockout rounds arrive.

For India, this tournament carries significance beyond another gold medal. Winning the Asian Games would secure direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Given India’s standing in Asian hockey, anything less will be viewed as a disappointment.

But the Asian Games should not simply become an opportunity to forget the World Cup. It should be used to address what went wrong. India need greater control in midfield, quicker ball movement and a more reliable attacking option when opponents sit deep. The balance between attacking numbers and defensive security also needs work.

The core of this team still has plenty to offer. Harmanpreet Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh and Jarmanpreet Singh bring experience, while the younger players need to be given the responsibility to grow alongside them.

The World Cup has ended, but the road to Los Angeles is already beginning. India’s next challenge is not just to win the Asian Games. It is to make sure that when the next major tournament forces them outside their comfort zone, they have the answers ready.

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