Running is vital for life, a belief championed by PUMA ambassadors, Harmanpreet Kaur, Indian cricket team captain, and Sarabjot Singh, Olympic bronze medallist. Putting the spotlight on it, the two sports icons fronted a colourful march through Lodhi Colony today in the capital to launch the new Race Day Tee (RDT) for Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon (VDHM), designed exclusively by official sports partner PUMA India. The 19th edition of VDHM is set to electrify Delhi’s streets on Sunday, October 20 with #AaRangDeDilli. In the run up to the main race day, sports brand PUMA India organised a larger-than-life celebrity march featuring drones and giant tees.

The launch event saw Harmanpreet and Sarabjot leadinga dynamic contingent through Delhi’s Lodhi Colony. The contingent carried a gigantic version of the RDT and some tees were unfurled by drones, adding to the visual spectacle. Reflecting #AaRangDeDilli, the new RDTs come in 4 colour stories: pink and orange for men, purple and red for women.

Commenting on the occasion, Karthik Balagopalan, Managing Director of PUMA India, said, “Running has emerged as one of the fastest growing sports in India and is heavily invested in this discipline, PUMA India is constantly looking for opportunities to build and engage with this dynamic community. Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon is an iconic event in India’s sporting calendar and our long-standing partnership urges us to create newer experiences for this great capital of ours. The vibrant launch of our Race Day Tee with icons Harmanpreet Kaur and Sarabjot Singh today has been a remarkable spectacle and will set the stage for many more unforgettable moments on the main race day. As we mark our 11th year of collaboration, we are confident that our high-performance tees will continue to enhance every runner’s experience and performance.”

According to industry estimates, India today boasts of over 2 million registered runners. Professional athletes, especially, have been advocating runs as a vital part of their training and recovery.

Commenting on the occasion, Indian cricket captain and PUMA ambassador Harmanpreet Kaur, said: “Running is the simplest yet the most powerful form of exercise. It has played a critical role in my sportingcareer, building both physical endurance and mental resilience. Leading this colourful march today in the capital to launch the new PUMA Race Day Tee for Vedanta DelhiHalf Marathon is my way of sharing our love for running.”

Sarabjot Singh, Paris 2024 shootingmedallist and PUMA athlete, added,”Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon is a fantastic platform to celebrate the joy of running and inspiring people to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Running has been my go-to exercise before every important match as it helps clear my mind. Excited to be part of this journey through PUMA and I look forward to seeing the streets of Delhi come alive with runners on the main race day in October.”

A Race ThatUnites

Promoted by Procam International, VDHM’s participation has grown steadily each year. Since its inception, the prestigious half-marathon has expanded from a few hundred local runners to over 5,30,000 participants from across the country and the globe. PUMA India has been the official sports partner for VDHM for over a decade now

Anil Singh, Managing Director, Procam International, said, “Each year 1000-plus new runners take up the sport of running, a clear indication of its growing popularity in our country. Moreover, running has proven to be an effective experiential platform for brands. In our decade-long association, PUMA has set new benchmarks with innovative offerings and this VDHM Race Day Tee will certainly boost the morale and performance of our participants. Look forward to a spirited Race Day and reverberate #AaRangDeDilli.”

As the countdown to the main race day begins, the grand launch of the Race Day Tee in Delhi today by PUMA India serves as a reminder of the energy and excitement that the VDHM brings to the city of Delhi each year.

Ahead of the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup, India will play two warm-up matches against West Indies and South Africa in Dubai on September 29 and October 1 respectively, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Tuesday. ICC released the schedule for the 10 warm-up matches to be from September 28 to October 1 in the United Arab Emirates before the start of the showpiece event. All 10 teams that have qualified for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 will participate in the practice games, with every side playing two warm-up games each.

The warm-up fixtures will start on September 28 with Pakistan taking on Scotland and Sri Lanka facing Bangladesh. Defending champions Australia will feature in a clash against arch-rivals England the following day, while India take on 2016 edition champions West Indies on the same day.

These warm-up fixtures will be 20 overs per side and will not have international T20 status, allowing teams to field all members of their 15-player squad. No two sides who belong to the same group will take on each other in the warm-up round.

In the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup, Group A comprises defending champions Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Group B has England, South Africa, West Indies, Scotland and Bangladesh.

Warm-up fixture schedule:

28 September, Saturday, Pakistan v Scotland, Sevens, Dubai, 6 PM

28 September, Saturday, Sri Lanka v Bangladesh, ICCA1, Dubai, 6 PM

29 September, Sunday, New Zealand v South Africa, Sevens, Dubai, 6 PM

29 September, Sunday, India v West Indies, ICCA2, Dubai, 6 PM

29 September, Sunday, Australia v England, ICCA1, Dubai, 6 PM

30 September, Monday, Sri Lanka v Scotland, Sevens, Dubai, 6 PM

30 September, Monday, Bangladesh v Pakistan, ICCA2, Dubai, 6 PM

1 October, Tuesday, West Indies v Australia, Sevens, Dubai, 6 PM

1 October, Tuesday, England v New Zealand, ICCA2, Dubai, 6 PM

1 October, Tuesday, South Africa v India, ICCA1, Dubai, 6 PM

India will be taking on arch-rivals Pakistan on October 6 here as per the revamped fixtures of the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup released by the ICC on Monday. The tournament starts on October 3. The global competition, initially scheduled to be held in Bangladesh, was moved out of the country by the ICC after many players expressed concerns around security due to the prevailing political unrest. Dubai and Sharjah are the only two venues in the event hosting a total of 23 matches.

The groups remain the same, with defending champion Australia clubbed alongside India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Group B comprises South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh and Scotland.

Each side will play four group matches at the tournament, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the semi-finals on October 17 and 18 ahead of the final in Dubai on October 20.

A reserve day has been fixed for both the semi-finals and the final. If India advance, they will feature in the first semi-final.

Sri Lanka and Scotland qualified for the tournament via the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier event held in Abu Dhabi earlier this year. There will be 10 warm-up matches held prior to the tournament from September 28 through to October 1.

Tournament fixtures:

3 October, Thursday, Bangladesh v Scotland, Sharjah

3 October, Thursday, Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Sharjah 

4 October, Friday, South Africa v West Indies, Dubai 

4 October, Friday, India v New Zealand, Dubai 

5 October, Saturday, Bangladesh v England, Sharjah 

5 October, Saturday, Australia v Sri Lanka, Sharjah 

6 October, Sunday, India v Pakistan, Dubai 

6 October, Sunday, West Indies v Scotland, Dubai 

7 October, Monday, England v South Africa, Sharjah 

8 October, Tuesday, Australia v New Zealand, Sharjah 

9 October, Wednesday, South Africa v Scotland, Dubai 

9 October, Wednesday, India v Sri Lanka, Dubai 

10 October, Thursday, Bangladesh v West Indies, Sharjah 

11 October, Friday, Australia v Pakistan, Dubai 

12 October, Saturday, New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Sharjah 

12 October, Saturday, Bangladesh v South Africa, Dubai 

13 October, Sunday, England v Scotland, Sharjah 

13 October, Sunday, India v Australia, Sharjah 

14 October, Monday, Pakistan v New Zealand, Dubai 

15 October, Tuesday, England v West Indies, Dubai 

17 October, Thursday, Semi-final 1, Dubai 

18 October, Friday, Semi-final 2, Sharjah 

20 October, Sunday, Final, Dubai

File image of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma.© X (Twitter)

With Jay Shah, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ruling out India hosting the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as a potential host for the tournament. At the same time, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has asked for more time to save the tournament from being moved out of the country. In May this year, the ICC had unveiled the schedule of Women’s T20 World Cup to be hosted by Bangladesh from October 3-20, with warm-up matches scheduled to begin from September 27.

According to a report in Cricbuzz, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is believed to be looking at Dubai and Abu Dhabi as the options for hosting the tournament, though the BCB has sought more time. It added the ICC is expected to make a decision likely on August 20, when an online meeting of the directors is scheduled, though the agenda is different.

“A BCB official said on Thursday that it has requested the ICC for five more days before making a call. If the ICC grants the extra time, then it would have to decide on August 20, the day of the board meeting. It is understood that the ICC was originally expected to take the call on the Women’s World Cup by August 15,” said the report.

With Shah’s statement ruling out India as an alternative venue, the report also said BCB requesting for extra time is because they are confident of coming up with a plan that will meet the ICC’s requirements to host the tournament.

“The ICC is seeking a host country with a time zone similar to that of Bangladesh and clear weather conditions, and UAE fits that criteria well. Besides, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) boasts world-class infrastructure.

“And more importantly, the ECB is believed to be keen on hosting the event. It is understood that Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka are also interested. With just about 50 days remaining for the start of the tournament, time is running out,” added the report.

The report further said the agenda for the August 20 meeting by the ICC is believed to be finalizing the terms of reference for an inquiry into the delivery of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup co-hosted by the USA and West Indies, from June 1-29.

At the ICC Annual Conference in Colombo last month, cricket’s global governing body formed a panel comprising three directors – Roger Twose, Lawson Naidoo, and Imran Khwaja – to report on this matter. “The meeting has been mainly called to address this issue but a decision on the Women’s World Cup cannot be ruled out,” concluded the report.

A distraught India captain Harmanpreet Kaur admitted that there is room for a lot of improvement before the upcoming T20 World Cup and her team won’t easily forget the eight-wicket humbling at the hands of Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final here on Sunday. India scored a decent 165 for 6 but rival skipper Chamari Athapaththu (62) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (69 not out) were severe on the visiting bowlers, finishing the match in 18.4 overs. The women’s T20 World Cup will be held in Bangladesh later this October.

“We are looking to improve in some areas. We will definitely work hard and remember this day. They have played such good cricket for so long and they played good cricket throughout this tournament,” Harmanpreet said at the post-match presentation ceremony on Sunday.

She admitted that her side’s bowling didn’t work as per plans with hardly any breakthroughs to show for their efforts.

“We played good cricket throughout the tournament and, no doubt, we made a lot of fumbles today and that cost us.

“It was a decent total, we were looking for breakthroughs in the powerplay but it didn’t go according to plan and Sri Lanka batted really well,” the India skipper added.

Her Lankan counterpart Athapaththu was delighted after the island nation’s first major success in women’s international cricket.

“I am really happy about our team performance, especially the batting performances, especially Harshitha and Dilhari.

“We have played really good cricket in the last 12 months and we want to continue it. Never saw such a crowd, so special thanks go to the Sri Lankan people who came out to watch the game.

“This win is good not only for the team but the whole Sri Lanka because we have to inspire the next generation,” Chamari said.

Athapaththu played the most important knock of her life while anchoring the chase.

“I have to lead from the front, that’s my duty for my country. We always talk about positive things in the dressing room, for which the credit goes to the head coach and the support staff. Our next target is the (T20) World Cup,” she concluded.

India vs Sri Lanka, Women’s Asia Cup Final, Live Streaming: India to face Sri Lanka in the final of the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 on Sunday in Dambulla. Both the teams are yet to face a defeat in the ongoing tournament. Harmanpreet Kaur and co thrashed Bangladesh by 10 wickets in the semi-finals and entered the summit clash. On the other hand, hosts Sri Lanka edged past Pakistan. It will be a crucial game as Team India eyes eighth title.

When will the India vs Sri Lanka, Women’s Asia Cup 2024, final match be played?

The India vs Sri Lanka, Women’s Asia Cup 2024, final match will be played on Sunday, July 28.

Where will the India vs Sri Lanka, Women’s Asia Cup 2024, final match be played?

The India vs Sri Lanka, Women’s Asia Cup 2024, final match will be played at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla.

What time will the India vs Sri Lanka, Women’s Asia Cup 2024, final match start?

The India vs Sri Lanka, Women’s Asia Cup 2024, final match will start at 3:00 PM IST.

Which TV channels will telecast the India vs Sri Lanka, Women’s Asia Cup 2024, final match?

The India vs Sri Lanka, Women’s Asia Cup 2024, final match will be telecast on the Star Sports Network.

Where to follow the live streaming of the India vs Sri Lanka, Women’s Asia Cup 2024, final match?

The India vs Sri Lanka, Women’s Asia Cup 2024, final match will be streamed live on Hotstar.

(All the details are as per the information provided by the broadcaster)

IND vs BAN, Women’s Asia Cup 2024 Semi-Final, Live Updates© X (Twitter)

Ahead of India facing Bangladesh in the first semi-final of 2024 Women’s Asia Cup, big-hitting opener Shafali Verma said the defending champions do realise that the knockout clash is a very important thing for them. So far in the tournament, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led India have been unbeaten – defeating Pakistan by seven wickets, winning by 78 runs against UAE and beating Nepal by 82 runs to top Group A. “Really happy with the way we all have gelled up with each other and are winning the matches. The semi-finals is a very important thing for us. Today, we all have come up for practice and hopefully, we will do our best thing to do good tomorrow,” said Shafali in the pre-match press conference.

With 158 runs, Shafali has been the second highest run-scorer in the tournament so far in an Indian batting line-up which has seen Harmanpreet, Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh come good with the bat. She feels the lower-order batters like Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar are capable off pulling off big hits if needed.

“We just back ourselves and as a batting unit, we are backing our strengths. The bowlers are doing a great job, but day by day, we have to keep improving ourselves. Every day, they (lower-order batters) are batting in the nets. Whenever they get a chance, I hope they get to hit sixes.”

Shafali signed off by saying India are putting in the hard yards to be better at fielding, an aspect which has been lukewarm for them in the Asia Cup. “We are working hard on our fielding. So, we will look to tick mark all the things – batting, bowling and fielding – and contribute for the best things in the semi-finals.”

Squads:

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Richa Ghosh (wk), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Renuka Singh Thakur, Dayalan Hemalatha, Uma Chetry (wk), Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Tanuja Kanwer, Sajana Sajeevan.

Bangladesh: Nigar Sultana Joty (captain & wk), Shorna Akter, Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Shorifa Khatun, Ritu Moni, Rubya Haider Jhelik, Sultana Khatun, Jahanara Alam, Dilara Akter, Ishma Tanjim, Rabeya Khan, Rumana Ahmed, Marufa Akter, Sabikun Nahar Jesmin.

India vs Nepal, Women’s Asia Cup T20 LIVE Updates© X (Twitter)