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Mumbai: The Asia Cup games between India and Pakistan will be held in Sri Lanka as the Rohit Sharma-led team won’t travel to Pakistan according to  IPL chairman Arun Dhumal.

Dhumal, who is in Durban for the ICC Chief Executives Meet (CEC) also said that BCCI secretary Jay Shah and PCB representative head Zaka Ashraf met ahead of the ICC Board meeting scheduled on Thursday to finalise the schedule.

He rubbished reports emerging from Pakistan media that India will travel to neighbouring country as their sports minister Ehsan Mazari had been claiming in some quarters.

India in all likelihood will play Pakistan in Sri Lanka’s Dambulla just like the 2010 edition.

Mumbai: Ritika Singh, the acclaimed Indian actress known for her exceptional role in the film “Saala Khadoos,” and recipient of the prestigious National Award and three Filmfare awards, is all set to represent India at the highly anticipated KSI, Karate World Championship in South Africa.

Ritika Singh, an accomplished martial artist herself, has not only made a mark in the Indian film industry but has also been a proud representative of India in various combat sports such as Karate, Kickboxing, and MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). Her dedication, passion, and exceptional skills have earned her recognition and accolades both nationally and internationally.

As she departs for South Africa today, Ritika Singh embraces a new challenge as she competes against world-class athletes at the Karate World Championship. She said, “I am honoured to represent India at the Karate World Championship in South Africa. It’s a privilege to showcase the talent and potential of Indian athletes on such a global platform. I have trained rigorously for this competition, and I am ready to give my best and make my country proud”.

Ritika Singh’s portrayal of a determined female boxer in “Saala Khadoos” was hailed as exceptional, further establishing her as a versatile and talented actress in the Indian film industry.

Ritika Singh will now compete against world-class athletes at the Karate World Championship. This event serves as a testament to her relentless pursuit of excellence and her desire to push the boundaries of her abilities.

Mumbai: Viacom18, the exclusive media rights partner for Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), unveiled its commercial for season 4 of the high-octane table tennis league. The launch commercial, titled, ‘Every Table is a Playground’, aims to spark a buzz among viewers for the upcoming season and whets the appetite of fans to catch the best players in the world playing alongside some of India’s most exciting Table Tennis talent.

The commercial is a quirky take that personifies tables and explains how their single-purpose use is a disservice to their existence. The film describes the painful genesis of the tables used for different causes and attempts to convince the viewer that the tables were always destined for a greater purpose. It then switches mood and showcases how every table is destined to be a playground, showing a glimpse of the fast-paced action from UTT.

The 2023 season of Ultimate Table Tennis kicks off with defending champions Chennai Lions taking on Puneri Paltan Table Tennis on 13 July. The league will feature a total of 18 ties, including the semi-finals and final, and will feature six teams, namely Chennai Lions, Puneri Paltan Table Tennis, Bengaluru Smashers, Dabang Delhi TTC, Goa Challengers, and U Mumba TT. Matches will feature every day at 7:30 PM on JioCinema and Sports18.

Mumbai: In preparation for the forthcoming MotoGP Bharat scheduled to take place at the Buddh International Circuit from 22 to 24 September, a crucial tri-party meeting was held on 10 July, to assess the security arrangements. The meeting, attended by key stakeholders including the Gautam Buddha Nagar police administration, officials of MotoGP Bharat and Jaypee Group, focused on various aspects related to ensuring the safety and smooth conduct of the event.

Representatives from the side of the local police administration, including Anand Kulkarni (ACP), Saad Mirza Khan (DCP), Ashok Kumar (Addl DCP), Pawan Kumar Gautam (ACP-3), Sanjay Kumar Singh (SHO Dankaur), and his team, were present for the security recce.

Members from Jaypee Group included S M Azmat, Brigadier Sudhir Lanba, and Major Nishant Srivastava, attended the meeting along with FairStreet Sports officials.

“It was a fruitful meeting. The local police understand the importance of MotoGP Bharat to India and have promised full cooperation in every way possible. After the meeting the focus has been to amplify the smooth organisation and logistics of the event,” said the Indian counterpart of MotoGP in India, Fairstreet Sports chief operating officer Pushkar Nath Srivastava.

Key points of discussion included a comprehensive review of the security arrangements and traffic plan for the race. The attendees also discussed feasibility of helipad access for VIP movements and the ability of handling VIP arrivals with utmost priority.

The team also conducted a thorough inspection of the circuit and evaluated the traffic management plans. Moreover, the team visited the track to gain insights into spectator management and ensure a seamless experience for the audience.

Following the meeting, Joint CP instructed the concerned authorities to develop a detailed plan, incorporating the discussed points, and submit it to DCP Greater Noida for further review within the next 10 days.

Mumbai: In their quest of qualifying for the 15th World Esports Championships, India’s DOTA 2 team is gearing up to go all out against the top teams from the continent in the Asian LAN qualifiers taking place in Saudi Arabia, Riyadh.

A total of eight elite DOTA 2 teams will be competing in the Asian qualifiers for the prize pool of $12,500 across two groups from July 10-13. Team India led by captain Manav Kunte (mnz), alongside Vishal Vernekar (HBK), Abhishek Yadav (Abhi-), Shahbaz Hussain (PinkMaN), and Krish Gupta (Krish`) will begin their campaign against Mongolia and the Philippines on the opening day before going head-to-head with Kyrgyzstan on Day 2.

All group stage matches will be contested in the best-of-one format followed by the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and grand finals which will be played in the best-of-three format. The champions will be rewarded with $7000 in prize money with the second and third-placed teams being awarded $3,500 and $2,000 respectively.

Talking about the preparations and goals of the unit, team captain Manav Kunte commented, “Going into the Asian qualifiers, our goal is crystal clear: to qualify for the 15th World Esports Championships. The journey will be challenging against some of the best DOTA 2 outfits from Asia but we will go out all guns blazing and leave no room for errors. We are confident of our talent as a team and apart from our preparations, our team bonding as well as strategies will help us come out on top. Together, we strive to make our nation proud and qualify for the prestigious event.”

Having triumphed in the National Esports Championships (NESC) 2023, conducted by the Esports Federation of India (ESFI) earlier this year, the team made their way to the Asian qualifiers by convincingly defeating Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal in the South Asian qualifiers in May. The squad’s prominent players Vishal and Abhishek were also part of the historic DOTA 2 team that won the bronze medal at the Commonwealth Esports Championships in 2022.

“Our DOTA 2 team has been working diligently in their preparation for the Asian qualifiers. They have shown exceptional dedication and commitment in order to excel against the top teams from Asia. Judging by the team’s performances in the NESC 2023 followed by the South Asian qualifiers we have no doubt that they will utilize their experience and expertise to ace these qualifiers. Everyone at ESFI wishes them the best of luck in their pursuit of victory,” said Esports Federation of India president Vinod Tiwari.

One of the country’s top sports & Esports communication agencies, Artsmith-Concepts & Visions, will continue its support to the Esports Federation of India as their official communication partner long with Hama, FITGMR, Mandeha, Upthrust & Inox as Training, Coaching, Psychology, Execution & Multiplex Partners.

Following the DOTA 2 qualifiers, India’s male and female CS:GO teams will also begin with their Asian qualifiers. The male team’s qualifiers will take place from 13 – 17 July while the female team’s qualifiers will be held from 15 – 17 July.

The country’s well-renowned Tekken 7 professional Abhinav Tejan and eFootball athlete Ibrahim Gulrez have already secured their qualification at the 15th WEC that has a whopping prize pool of $500,000 (Rs 4.12 crore) and is set to be the largest edition of the tournament to date with at least 130 countries participating in eFootball, DOTA 2, Tekken7, Mobile Legends, PUBG: Mobile and CS:GO.

Mumbai: Even though it was pouring heavily, excitement filled the air as MotoGP Bharat team gathered at the residence of Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports, Anurag Singh Thakur, to invite him as the Guest of Honour for India’s most awaited MotoGP race, scheduled to be held at the Buddh International Circuit on 22 – 24 September.

“The helmet in my hand says a lot. MotoGP is going to take place in India for the very first time and it’s one of the biggest motorsports event for the country which will take place in Gautambuddh Nagar. This race will also be special as for the very first time an Indian racer will also be taking part. This is a great initiative and moment for the racing community. The event will also act as a catalyst in promoting racing bikes and the growth of automobile industry. For many racers and young bike enthusiasts who want to pursue racing will get an opportunity to watch and learn about the sport in India itself. Going forward, I firmly believe that racing will really become big and like many other sports create milestones and glory for the country,” Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports, Anurag Singh Thakur said after his meeting.

The Union Sports Minister also showcased his daredevil spirit braving the torrential rain as he hopped on a bike and joined the group of bikers for a spin who had come along with the officials of FairStreet Sports, the Indian promoters of  MotoGP Bharat.

“Despite the rain, we were filled with excitement as we extended our invitation to Hon’ble Minister as the Guest of Honour for MotoGP Bharat igniting the passion that drives us all. Together, we aim to create an unforgettable MotoGP Bharat experience. With Anurag Thakur joining the bikers to take a ride despite the weather only shows how gripping MotoGP fever is and has every potential to rave up Bharat,” commented FairStreet Sports chief operating officer Pushkar Nath Srivastava.

The Union Minister also interacted with the team, signed a helmet as memorabilia and later thanked the bikers for the adventurous ride.