ISL 2024: Odisha FC vs Kerala Blasters FC; What To Expect
The upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 encounter at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, will see Odisha FC clash with Kerala Blasters FC on Thursday, October 3, at 7:30 pm IST. ISL 2024 Season so Far Both teams had so far made an uneven performance in the season with one win each from three opening games. Odisha FC had coined a name for the team-the Juggernauts, managed to win its first game of the season by beating Jamshedpur FC 2-1. Kerala Blasters FC could only play out a 1-1 draw against NorthEast United FC in its last encounter. Odisha FC’s Dominance Over Kerala Blasters FC With Sergio Lobera at the helm, Odisha FC will take on Kerala Blasters with an impressive winning record. Having won nine of their last eleven ISL encounters against Kerala Blasters, his success rate stands at a whopping 82%. That’s the highest success rate he has achieved against any team for whom he has played at least five times in the tournament. Odisha FC need to not take this fact lightly as they try to consolidate on their win going forward and move up the ladder. Agenda For Kerala Blasters FC Under head coach Mikael Stahre, Kerala Blasters FC will be hoping to improve their dismal form away from home. The team has managed to win just once in eight matches played away from home this calendar year and have conceded in all of those matches. Stahre is more than happy with how his team has been progressing, though he’s not entirely satisfied with the way things have been going for his team. Kerala Blasters have shown glimpses of solidity but haven’t yet gotten into a rhythm at full steam. Head to Head Kerala Blasters FC lead with nine wins in the 23 games played between these two, while Odisha FC won seven and the other seven matches were drawn. Key Players Odisha FC has Mourtada Fall, who recently became part of history, as he is the player who equalled the ISL record for the maximum headed goals scored in a single season with 18 headed goals. Kerala Blasters will have the services of Noah Sadaoui, the player who scored four goals against Odisha-his career best against any team. As the rivalry between Odisha FC and Kerala Blaster resume, fans anticipate an action packed clash. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Women’s T20 WC 2024: Players Who Have Featured In All Editions
The ninth edition of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will start today, 3rd October 2024 in the United Arab Emirates and cricket enthusiasts will get to see seven big names in women’s cricket who have been a part of every single edition of the tournament since the first one in 2009. Here’s an up-close-and-personal view of the cricketers who have been regular attendees to this carnival. 1. Ellyse Perry (Australia) Ellyse Perry is arguably the greatest player to ever play the game in women’s cricket. She has appeared most frequently in the history of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup with 42 matches and counting in 2024. Perry is the third-highest wicket-taker in tournament history with 40 scalps. Her wickets have been a contribution to Australia’s hegemony, which they have won six times in eight editions so far. 2. Suzie Bates (New Zealand) Suzie Bates was one of the most dominant players after New Zealand’s T20 World Cup debut back in 2009. She was the highest run-scorer in the tournament, surpassing 1000 runs with ease. This is an individual achievement that no other batter has managed so far; thus, Bates has epitomized consistency for the White Ferns, who are expected to be led by veteran batter Sophie Devine in tandem in 2024 to go all the way and win their first-ever title. 3. Harmanpreet Kaur (India) Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur for years has been the face of Indian Women’s cricket and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 will see her head again at the helm of affairs. For 35 World Cup matches, Harmanpreet remains the only Indian player to score a hundred for the side. Experience and leadership now with India continuing its quest for its maiden ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title will be crucial assets in the UAE for Harmanpreet. 4. Sophie Devine (New Zealand) Sophie Devine will be alongside her long-time teammate Bates, since 2009 in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. Devine who has played 32 matches for New Zealand has led the country in 2024 as well where she will hand over the charge to some other player post World Cup to concentrate solely on the job of a pure player. Sophie Devine’s all-round skill will be integral as New Zealand will look to end the title drought. 5. Stafanie Taylor (West Indies) Stafanie Taylor topped off her sparkling career with glory when she led the West Indies to their first and only ICC Women’s T20 World Cup triumph back in 2016 as she steered her team to triumph over the overwhelming Australians in the final. Here today, she is a player and not a skipper although with her rich experience of 31 matches, she still remains an invaluable asset to the West Indies in 2024 and would definitely guide the younger players under the present skipper Hayley Matthews well. 6. Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka) Chamari Athapaththu has been a source of inspiration for Sri Lanka over the years.. Recently, she led Sri Lanka to their first Women’s Asia Cup title after overcoming the mighty Indian Women’s Cricket Team in the final. Athapaththu will look to replicate the same success as she heads to her ninth ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, hoping Sri Lanka goes deep into the tournament. 7. Marizanne Kapp (South Africa) All-rounder Marizanne Kapp has been the jewel of South African cricket’s journey forward for many years. Kapp played a vital role in guiding the Proteas to their maiden final in ICC Women’s World Cup 2023. She is a known specialist who gets the ball to swing. The 34-year-old will be contributing both with bat in hand for South Africa as they hope to have their maiden title in the UAE. These cricketing stalwarts have left their mark in the history of the Women’s T20 World Cup, first through consistency and then excellence over the last decade. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Casting Light on Science Of Health in Athletes and the Female Athlete Triad
With just a day to go for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, the focus should not only be on the extraordinary performances that these athletes will display but also the silent battles they may be facing, especially in health-related issues. What is the Female Athlete Triad? The major problem is the Female Athlete Triad, an interrelationship between inadequate calorie intake, menstrual dysfunction and decreased bone density. The Triad is extremely common among elite athletes who push their bodies to the limits of what is safe, without ever knowing it. Women cricketers preparing for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 are no exception. Balancing Performance with Health Some benefits of habitual exercise on women are quite apparent-these are the strengthening of bone density, decrease in anxiety and building of muscles. However, when the caloric intake is deficient coupled with regular exercise, the menstrual cycle alterations like amenorrhea or missed periods lead to low estrogen production. This hormonal imbalance affects both muscle function and the levels of cholesterol, even fertility. Energy Availability A third factor is calorie intake or more precisely energy availability, in which female athletes by necessity consume fewer calories than they burn. There has been pre-T20 World Cup training and this may unwittingly result in lower calorie intakes among players. Such circumstances can result in low stress fractures by bone density because of the presence of reduced bone density—another feature of the Triad. This may impede further bone development in the growing adolescent athlete, such as newly arising cricket stars and hence might increase the risk of injuries both now and in life. Ensuring Athlete Well-Being With the world’s top athletes about to hit the pitch, an athlete’s diet and general health is of equal importance. With the Female Athlete Triad already addressed, not only will she play at the best of her ability, but do so in a healthy, sustainable way, as her calorie intake is bolstered by energy balance, which is restored. While cricketing fans lean forward to make some solid predictions during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, what is more important to note is the challenge faced by female athletes The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
ISL 2024: Hyderabad FC vs Chennaiyin FC; What To Expect
Hyderabad FC will host Chennaiyin FC on Tuesday, 01st of October, 2024 as both teams hope to bounce back from defeat into the Matchweek 4 of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25. Hyderabad FC was defeated 2-0 by Punjab FC, while Chennaiyin FC lost out 1-0 to Mohammedan SC. Defensive Resilience Hyderabad FC have been impenetrable in front of defenses against Chennaiyin FC in the last few games. In their last eight ISL meetings, Hyderabad have conceded one or fewer goals, with four wins, drawn twice and have lost just twice. Hyderabad FC haven’t allowed Chennaiyin to score more than one goal in a match since January 2020, where Chennaiyin won 3-1. Chennaiyin’s Goal-Scoring Streak The Chennaiyin side can exploit any weakness in Hyderabad’s defense as they have scored at least once in each of their last four away games. That too comes after a series of four matches without a back of the net before the current streak of scoring goals, making it all the more impressive. Head-to-Head Both teams are neck and neck as both teams have won four games from their ten previous meetings in the ISL, while two matches have ended as draws. Players to Watch Out For Some of the names to look out for include Chennaiyin FC’s Farukh Choudhary, who has registered eight shots from inside the box so far this season, and Abdul Rabeeh of Hyderabad FC with 50 touches inside the opposition’s box since the beginning of 2024. Daniel Chima Chukwu of Chennaiyin FC will also be a threat as he scored five goals against Hyderabad FC, including getting a hat-trick in the last edition. The stakes are high and this game can ultimately form the perfect recipe for a thrilling clash at Gachibowli, where both teams would be desperate to return to winning ways. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
All You Need To Know About GMR Group’s Deal With Hampshire
Hampshire announces the deal with GMR Group, becoming the first English county cricket club owned by an overseas investor. Here’s what the deal means in practice. Have Delhi Capitals bought Hampshire? Not exactly. Delhi Capitals is a 50-50 joint venture between the two sports arms of Indian conglomerates JSW Group and GMR Group. GMR had bought the Delhi franchise – then called Delhi Daredevils – before the first season of the IPL in 2008 and sold 50% to JSW in 2018. GMR are the only relevant party in the Hampshire deal. Who are GMR and why have they invested in cricket? The GMR group describe themselves as a leading infrastructure developer who own and manage projects in a number of different areas. They own and run six airports, including Delhi and Hyderabad. GMR says its sports division has the social objective of promoting and nurturing potential talent at the grassroot level in Delhi while the IPL has proved a lucrative investment: having paid US$84 million for the Delhi franchise in 2008, they sold a 50% stake in 2018 for US$66m. Do GMR own any other teams? Yes. GMR are the owners of Dubai Capitals in the UAE’s ILT20, India Capitals in the Legends League Cricket (LLC) and have a stake in Seattle Orcas (MLC). JSW, their IPL co-owners, run Pretoria Capitals in South Africa’s SA20 and the two companies also co-own Delhi Capitals Women in India’s WPL. GMR also owns teams in kabaddi and kho-kho. Has GMR taken over at Hampshire? Hampshire Cricket announced on Monday morning that GMR have bought a majority stake – reported to be 53%-in Hampshire Sport & Leisure Holdings Ltd, with a full buyout to be completed in two years. Rod Bransgrove, chair, and David Mann, chief executive, will stay in place until that two-year period has elapsed. What does this mean for the Hundred? In effect, the ECB began the process of disposing stakes in the eight Hundred teams at the beginning of the month. Under this model, the ECB would sell 49% stakes in every team to private investors and transfer 51% to the host venue or county, which in Southern Brave’s case would be Hampshire. Will GMR become the majority owners of Southern Brave by default? No, it isn’t. The ECB’s sales process contains a clause which allows the ECB the discretion whether or not to sell 51% stakes to hosts. They can decide to hold onto it if they feel that an investor is trying to bypass the wider sale process or buying a franchise up the backstairs. The deal is not dependent on getting a Hundred franchise. But in reality…? The ECB have consulted with every franchise in the IPL and WPL to invest into Hundred teams, and GMR seem very likely to make a bid for the remaining 49% in the sales process of Southern Brave. If GMR’s bid is accepted by the ECB as being at fair market value, Hampshire would then be sold the other 51% and GMR would, therefore, be considered 100% owners of the Hundred franchise. What’s in it for Hampshire? Most obviously, money. Hampshire said in a statement that the deal was designed to strengthen the financial position of their parent company, which also runs the on-site hotel and golf course at the Utilita Bowl. GMR will provide a material injection of capital to reduce the leveraging of the company – in other words, starting to pay off Hampshire’s £60 million debt. Bransgrove said GMR was selected following a rigorous selection process due to its aligned values and commitment to our vision. The Utilita Bowl has awarded the first men’s Ashes Test in 2027, with Bransgrove saying it needed investment to allow Hampshire to remain at the top table. Didn’t Hampshire do something like this previously? Yes. Hampshire were formerly part of a remarkably short-lived tie-in with Rajasthan Royals back in 2010, playing as Hampshire Royals for four years as one of five ‘Royals2020’ teams globally. The arrangement was quietly mothballed after a row between Rajasthan’s owners and the IPL saw the franchise briefly expelled from the competition. What’s Kevin Pietersen got to do with it? Kevin Pietersen played a behind-the-scenes role to try to grease the wheels of the deal as a common link between Bransgrove and GMR’s Kiran Kumar Grandhi. Pietersen played for both Hampshire and Delhi Daredevils (as they were then known) during his playing career. Will Hampshire’s deal be the first of many in county cricket? Maybe, but not straight away. Hampshire are one of only three counties, the others being Durham and Northamptonshire, that are private limited companies rather than member-run mutual ‘societies’, though Yorkshire’s chairman Colin Graves is trying to demutualise the club to unlock the door for private investment. Most of the counties rely on ECB central funding for revenue and therefore might consider private investment as an alternative source. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Ravichandran Ashwin Creates World Record By Spinning A Web
India’s Ravichandran Ashwin on Monday became the first bowler to bag at least 50 wickets in each of the three World Test Championship (WTC) cycles played so far. The incredible feat came with the dismissal of Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan for nine runs, which took him to 182 WTC wickets overall, six short of Nathan Lyon’s record of 187-the most in WTC history. Let’s take a glance at Ashwin’s amazing WTC record so far: RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN’S RECORD IN THE WTC CYCLE MATCHES WICKETS BEST FIGURES 2019-2021 14 71 7-145 2021-2023 13 61 6-91 2023-2025* 10* 50* 7-71 TOTAL 37* 182* 7-71 (*Running) Ashwin Closes in on All-Time WTC Records Ashwin has now become the second-highest wicket-taker in WTC history, with 182 wickets after a little over 37 matches. Nathan Lyon of Australia still remains on the top rung with 187 dismissals, but Ashwin still needs a few more wickets to surpass that figure. And if Ashwin takes two more wickets in the current match, then he will become the first cricketer to cross Josh Hazlewood’s record for most wickets in the ongoing WTC cycle (2023-25), where Hazlewood tops the list with 51 wickets in 11 matches. MOST WICKETS IN WTC HISTORY PLAYER COUNTRY WICKETS Nathan Lyon Australia 187* Ravichandran Ashwin India 182* Pat Cummins Australia 175* Mitchell Starc Australia 147* Stuart Broad England 134 (*Running) WTC 2023-25: Battle for Most Wickets Taken Ashwin enters the race with 50 wickets in 10 games as he reaches the second spot. He is a wicket away from moving past Australia’s Josh Hazlewood in the WTC cycle, and he is set to finish the series short of doing so. MOST WICKETS IN WTC 2023-2025 CYCLE PLAYER COUNTRY WICKETS Josh Hazlewood Australia 51* Ravichandran Ashwin India 50* Pat Cummins Australia 48* Mitchell Starc Australia 48* Chris Woakes England 43* (*Running) IND vs BAN: Ashwin Levels Zaheer Khan’s Record Second wicket in Bangladesh’s first innings also took him to level with Zaheer Khan for India-Bangladesh Test wickets. Each now stands with 31 wickets taken across this Test rivalry. MOST WICKETS IN IND vs BAN TEST SERIES PLAYER COUNTRY WICKETS Ravichandran Ashwin India 31* Zaheer Khan India 31 Ishant Sharma India 25* Umesh Yadav India 22* Shakib Al Hasan Bangladesh 21 (*Running) Ashwin In Pursuit of Test Cricket Milestones Ashwin, who had taken 6/88 in the first test of this series, is inching closer to yet another coveted milestone. He needs three more wickets to complete his 38th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. Should he do it here, he would also surpass Shane Warne’s record so far who had 37 five-wicket hauls in his career. Ashwin’s record string of performances and the fact that he had always delivered on the biggest stages made him one of the most decorated spinners in the world, but with history books continually being rewritten, the question remained how much further he would be able to take such remarkable records. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Antoine Griezmann Bids Adieu After Glorious Spell with France
French football icon Antoine Griezmann, a thorn in the flesh of the opposition for nearly a decade, on Monday announced his retirement from international football. The Atletico Madrid striker bows out of Les Bleus after an illustrious career that saw him amass 137 caps and score 44 times in national colors. World Cup Glory in 2018 An overall World Cup success acted as the ultimate glory for Griezmann, as he marshaled France to the World Cup after conquering Croatia 4-2 in the final in Russia. But apart from the World Cup, Griezmann also played a key role in the realization of the victory of France’s 2021 UEFA Nations League victory after they uprooted Spain 2-1 in a summit clash thriller. A Decade of Continuity Coming through the ranks, Griezmann wore the jersey at every level – from U-19 to U-21 and the senior side. This served as his first appearance for the senior side, playing a friendly against the Netherlands on March 5, 2014. On that date, he would become probably France’s most dependable player over the next decade; that is underlined by his all-time record of playing for Les Bleus in 84 consecutive games. End Griezmann has played out the last chapter of this magnificent career that France has ever seen, and he was the last one to bring about the era of amazing consistency, determination and success on the international level. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Reliance Foundation And Nita Ambani Rewards Indian Olympians And Paralympians at ‘United in Triumph’
The Reliance Foundation under Nita M. Ambani hosted ‘United in Triumph’ at Antilia, Mumbai, in celebration of the Olympic and Paralympic athletes of India. It happened after India’s record-breaking performance in the Paris Paralympics 2024, wherein Indian athletes grabbed 29 medals, out of which, seven were gold medals. Nita Ambani throws spotlight on sporting excellence and equality Speaking to over 140 Olympians and Paralympians, Nita Ambani specifically focused on the unifying strength of sport. She saluted their collective efforts, stating how Indian athletes have proudly taken the tricolor to the world in recent months. Mrs. Ambani also spoke of the challenges that female athletes face in India, mostly from rural backgrounds, who defy societal and economic odds to succeed in the international arena. She extolled the achievement of making a powerful statement to teenage girls that nothing is impossible. Akash Ambani Wonders at Athletes’ Influence and Mother’s Vision Akash Ambani thanked the athletes as a source of inspiration for which he credits to his mother, Nita Ambani, who visualized the event and is working to help towards the vision of an inclusive sporting culture in India. Celebration of Sporting Icons from India and Stars in the Rise The event salutes Olympic and Paralympic legends like Neeraj Chopra, Manu Bhaker and Devendra Jhajharia, among others, however also acknowledges some of the faces for the future, such as the young Dhinidhi Desinghu, who is the youngest Indian athlete competing at Paris 2024. A Special Tribute to Nita Ambani’s Contribution In a special gesture, Paralympic champions Devendra Jhajharia and Sumit Antil presented the torch of the Paris Paralympics 2024 to Nita Ambani. This was in recognition of her contributions to inclusive sports development. Event Enthused On Inclusivity and Excellence An event like ‘United in Triumph’ is a defining moment for Indian sports, exemplifying the need for inclusivity and excellence in all arenas. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
IND vs BAN: India Scripts History With Fastest Fifty In Test Match Cricket
Forget slow and steady; this was full-throttle fireworks at the bat, as the Indian Cricket Team shattered records for the fastest team fifty and the fastest team hundred in test cricket history on day four against Bangladesh in Kanpur. These are matches that even experts would have deemed too patience-intensive; think again! Blistering Start By Openers Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal, not more eager than a kid in a candy store, exploded out of the blocks. In three overs, they reached the milestone of fifty runs, catching everyone, both fans and bowlers, in a state of shock. That was just the beginning by Rohit himself to a 19-run juggernaut from just six balls, while Jaiswal was the live wire, racing to 30 runs from a mere 13 deliveries. It was like viewing a firecracker display—exciting, colourful and leaving you wondering what just happened! Rohit’s whirlwind innings ended when he was clean bowled by Mehidy Hasan Miraz for 23 runs off 11 balls, however by then, the damage was done. Indian batters Flexing Their Muscle Somebody said, “Slow and steady wins the race.” Not today! After their blistering start, the Indian Cricket Team surpassed 100 in just 10.1 overs. This scintillating feat broke the record set by them itself-only against West Indies-in 2023, when they reached 100 runs in 12.2 overs. Overriding Earlier Records FASTEST TEAM 50S RECORDED IN TEST MATCH CRICKET Rank Team Opponent Location Year 1 India Bangladesh Kanpur 2024 2 England West Indies Nottingham 2024 3 England West Indies Birmingham 2024 4 England South Africa The Oval 1994 5 England Sri Lanka Menchester 2002 The most delicious twist of all is that India’s record-breaking fifty also meant they over-rode England’s earlier record of 4.2 overs for the fastest fifty, which was only this July against the West Indies at Trent Bridge. India not only took away from England their status as the fastest team to fifty but also sounded a loud message: they are here to make test match cricket exciting again. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Know Your Physical Conditioning For Your Performance In Sports
Physical Conditioning is vital to enhance your athletic performances. It comprises various elements such as strength, power, balance, agility, coordination and endurance. Here are the answers to some of the lesser known, yet vital questions on Physical Conditioning. What does physical conditioning mean and why should athletes care? Physical Conditioning is basically the integration of all these components including power, strength, speed, balance, agility, coordination and endurance, which also plays an important role in the enhancement of fitness and sports performance. In the case of tailored conditioning according to specific demands of the sport, then the performance capability of the athlete increases and the performance shows great improvement. How to structure an effective conditioning program? It should be remembered when developing a conditioning program that the athlete is targeting specific goals and pertinent to their sport, their needs. The right strength and conditioning professional should then be consulted to optimize their performance and hopefully minimize their risk of injury. Specialist strength and conditioning professionals will assess the athlete’s current levels of fitness and then orchestrate a cross-training program designed to introduce different stresses in other directions; such other stresses will then generate greater all-round performance and minimize overuse injury. What are some typical conditioning program risks? The main forms of injury resulting from conditioning are acute and overuse injuries. Acute injuries, including muscle strains and fractures, usually result from a sudden traumatic event, whereas overuse injuries, such as stress fractures and tendinosis, result from increasing training intensity or duration too rapidly. Appropriate treatment and recovery strategies both apply. How do athletes avoid conditioning injury? Prevention starts with providing training plans that ensure ample time to achieve performance goals. For example, an athlete should increase their mileage gradually to allow adequate time for marathon training to avoid overuse injuries. The kind of variation during training allows the loads to be spread throughout other parts of the body. In their nutrition and hydration, together with proper support in resting, they will adequately fulfill their needs in their training and later recover perfectly. When should an athlete consult a doctor on injuries? See a physician if symptoms are painful and the athlete cannot train. There can be such severe pain that would not let him or her exercise and even slight pain while running or feeling tight in the shoulder that limits performance. Early detection prevents worsening of the injury or secondary complications. Where does nutrition fit in with physical conditioning? Nutrition is a very important factor and should be right in athletes, especially those that focus on losing weight or wanting better performance. Adequate calories and proper provision of vitamins, minerals, and fluids are fundamental requirements for athletes to reap the benefits of training. Consulting with a sports nutritionist would be pivotal for personal guidance on how to actually improve dietary habits to boost performance. Knowing the principles of physical conditioning and taking proactive steps in training can help athletes improve their performance with minimal injury risk. Of course, a good program must take into account one’s specific goals and his or her health needs for successful conditioning. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye