Pakistan get boost as injured Shan Masood returns to training ahead o…

New Delhi [India], August 12 (ANI): Pakistan have received a major boost ahead of their first Test match against England, with experienced batter Shan Masood returning to training, according to the ICC. capturengo.org

The upcoming three-match Test series between Pakistan and the hosts will be part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2025-2027 cycle.

Masood sustained a finger injury during the opening Test of Pakistan’s recent series against the West Indies in the Caribbean. He subsequently missed the second Test, where Pakistan ended a three-year wait for an away victory by defeating the hosts.

The left-handed batter resumed training with the Pakistan squad at Beckenham on Tuesday, raising hopes of his return for the opening Test against England in Leeds, beginning August 19.

“The national Test squad took part in a practice session at Kent County Cricket Club in Beckenham. The players participated in batting and bowling net practice during the session," Pakistan confirmed, as quoted by ICC.

“Injured batter Shan Masood also took part in the practice session. Under the supervision of the medical team, he carried out batting practice."

Pakistan currently sit in eighth place on the World Test Championship standings and will be looking to continue their recent resurgence in England under new skipper Babar Azam, with the side to play a three-day tour match in Beckenham before the first Test.

The clash against a Professional County Club Select XI was originally scheduled to take place across four days, starting on August 12, but the match has now been reduced to a three-day fixture that commences on August 13, according to the ICC.

Pakistan Test squad: Babar Azam (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood, Ubaid Shah

Series schedule:

First Test: August 19-23, Headingley

Second Test: August 27-31, Lord’s

Third Test: September 9-13, Edgbaston (ANI)

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Indian sport is clearly on an upswing. We are playing host to the BWF World Championships, and crores have been spent on upgrading the venue. The Khelo India budget has increased exponentially, from ₹3,000 crore to ₹30,000 crore. Each IPL team is now a billion-dollar enterprise, while Commonwealth Games medal winners are increasingly becoming top earners, with state governments and corporates showering them with rewards.

Much of this, however, is reactive. After you win, people take notice and reward you with money. That’s the general norm.

Why RCB and RR have become case studies is because they were relatively small investments that have now yielded a 20X upside. From ₹400 crore to ₹18,000 crore is a crazy story. That’s the potential sport has demonstrated. While the IPL is indeed an aberration, sport can surely be a strong investment option.

So, what are the three sports properties that I think are growth propositions for the next decade? Which ones can increase in value and become strong revenue earners?

The first I would suggest is para sport.

India is only just waking up to para sport, and anyone looking to get into sports management or athlete management should seriously consider this domain. Cricket, or rather men’s cricket, is a cluttered space and the initial investment is huge. Para sport, by contrast, is still a relatively virgin field, with very little research or deep-dive analysis.

And yet, if an athlete makes it big, there are serious opportunities out there. If a company had invested in Sharmila Dhankar ahead of the CWG, it would have made serious returns on its investment today. Sharmila, as we speak, is shooting for KBC.

India stands to win 100-plus medals at the Para Asian Games, and once again, new stars will be born. For brands, this is the time to act. They need to be proactive rather than reactive and back the sport early. That investment can yield serious returns in the long run.

In cricket, I would say Test Twenty is a very worthy investment proposition.

The initial outlay is modest at the moment, and the property ticks all the right boxes. Equality is at its core, and it is a leveller in the sense that it calls for teams comprising both men and women. Joint leadership is a seriously attractive proposition, while the fact that you have both red-ball and white-ball cricket on the same day in Test Twenty makes it a true disruptor.

It is a serious punt, and a calculated one at that. With the likes of Clive Lloyd, Matthew Hayden, Rajkumar Sharma, AB de Villiers and Gaurav Bahirvani behind the concept, you know there is credibility and vision. That’s what makes it a really attractive business proposition.

The final property where I see a real investment opportunity is shooting.

It is certainly India’s go-to medal sport at the Asian Games and the Olympics. If India is to win 10-plus medals at LA28, shooting will have to deliver half of them. And with the talent available, that is a realistic target.

Can shooting yield returns in the long run? A sure yes.

And that’s why it is yet another strong investment opportunity.

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India is set to face Sri Lanka in a Test series starting August 15 in Galle. Former Sri Lankan all-rounder Farveez Maharoof has expressed his support for uncapped pacer Gurnoor Brar, stating that his bounce, pace, and competitive nature could prove crucial. Additionally, Maharoof praised Indian captain Shubman Gill, noting his impressive Test average of around seventy this year, highlighting his skill and consistency.

Missouri [US], August 12 (ANI): Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa continued his impressive run at the Sinquefield Cup, defeating World Championship challenger Javokhir Sindarov in the second round to move into a share of the early lead, according to ESPN.

Praggnanandhaa secured the victory after a marathon encounter that remained largely balanced for most of the game. However, Sindarov blundered on the 82nd move, allowing the Indian to find a series of accurate responses before the Uzbek player resigned 13 moves later.

With the win, Praggnanandhaa has collected 1.5 points from two rounds and is tied at the top of the standings with Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, Levon Aronian and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.

Meanwhile, Indian players endured a difficult second round at the Cairns Cup in St. Louis, with R Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy managing just half a point between them, according to ESPN.

Vaishali drew against Bibisara Assaubayeva, while Divya suffered a defeat against Alice Lee and Humpy went down to Tan Zhongyi.

Vaishali and Humpy have 0.5 points each after two rounds, while Divya has one point. Zhongyi and Lee lead the standings with two wins from as many rounds.

Earlier this month, Praggnanandhaa secured the Grand Chess Tour St Louis Rapid and Blitz title. The 20-year-old drew against Javokhir Sindarov during the penultimate round to seal the tournament with a score of 23/35 points, finishing 1.5 points ahead of everyone else.

In June, the Indian Grandmaster scripted history by claiming the Norway Chess 2026 crown in Oslo after defeating Germany’s Vincent Keymer in the tenth and final round. The victory completed a remarkable late surge by the Indian star, who registered four consecutive classical wins to secure one of the biggest titles of his career.

Following this, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday felicitated the Indian Grandmaster and presented him with a cash reward of Rs 50 lakh on behalf of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu. The felicitation ceremony was held at the Chief Secretariat in Chennai, where the Chief Minister also played a game of chess with the 20-year-old Grandmaster. (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.)