Hobart Hurricanes delivered a masterclass in clinical T20 cricket, securing a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Melbourne Renegades in the eighth match of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025-26. A stellar four-wicket haul by Chris Jordan followed by a blistering batting display from Nikhil Chaudhary and Ben McDermott ensured the Hurricanes chased down their target with more than six overs to spare.

Chris Jordan’s bowling masterclass stifles Renegades

After winning the toss and opting to bowl first, the Hurricanes’ pace attack immediately put the Renegades on the back foot. Riley Meredith set the tone early, dismissing Josh Brown for an 8-ball duck. While Tim Seifert (34) and Mohammad Rizwan (32) attempted to stabilize the innings with a 62-run partnership, the momentum shifted once the Hurricanes’ spinners entered the fray.

The middle order collapsed under pressure as Rishad Hossain and Rehan Ahmed picked up crucial wickets, including the dangerous Jake Fraser-McGurk. However, it was Chris Jordan who emerged as the wrecker-in-chief. Jordan dismantled the lower order, finishing with remarkable figures of 4/19. His ability to execute yorkers and slower balls left the Renegades reeling at 145-9 after their allotted 20 overs. Nathan Ellis supported well with 2/43, ensuring no late-inning fireworks from the Melbourne tail.

Nikhil Chaudhary’s explosive cameo sets the tone

The Hurricanes’ chase started with a minor hiccup as Mitchell Owen fell to Jason Behrendorff on the very first ball of the innings. Despite the early setback, the Hurricanes did not retreat. Nikhil Chaudhary walked to the crease and completely hijacked the game’s tempo.

Chaudhary played a sensational knock of 79 off just 38 deliveries, boasting a massive strike rate of 207.89. His innings was peppered with seven boundaries and four towering sixes, effectively killing the contest during the powerplay and the middle overs. By the time he was caught off the bowling of Gurinder Sandhu, the Hurricanes were already sitting comfortably at 131-3, needing less than 20 runs for victory.

Ben McDermott and Tim David seal the deal for Hobart

While Chaudhary provided the fireworks, Ben McDermott played the perfect anchor-turned-aggressor role. McDermott remained unbeaten on 49 from 33 balls, hitting four boundaries and two sixes. His composure ensured that the Renegades’ bowling attack, led by Adam Zampa and Will Sutherland, never had a chance to build sustained pressure.

Also READ: England captain Ben Stokes opens up on another Ashes series defeat in Australia

The chase was wrapped up in just 13.5 overs when Tim David joined McDermott to apply the finishing touches. The Hurricanes finished at 149-3, recording a run rate of 10.77 – a testament to their aggressive approach.

A clinical victory for Hobart Hurricanes 🔥#Cricket #BBL2025 #HobartHurricanes pic.twitter.com/0cdnE5SSzc

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) December 21, 2025

This victory provides a significant boost to the Hurricanes’ net run rate, making them a formidable force early in the season. For Renegades, the lack of a substantial total despite having wickets in hand during the middle overs will be a point of concern for captain Will Sutherland.

Also READ: BBL|15 – Josh Philippe and Babar Azam guide Sydney Sixers to 47-run win over Sydney Thunder

Mumbai: The residents of Worli’s Sagar Darshan and Chaitanya Sai Janata Colony SRA Housing Societies protested on Sunday against the Slum Rehabilitation Authority’s (SRA) decision to terminate the current developer just over a year after issuing a Letter of Intent (LoI) and attempting to appoint a new developer.The slum tenants stated that 2,500 families would be in jeopardy if the SRA proceeds with terminating the LoI given to Chintaharni Chintpurni Realtors in Oct 2024. Several residents mentioned that if the developer is abruptly terminated by the SRA, they will boycott the BMC elections. The two slum projects are located in BMC’s Ward No. 193. The SRA issued notices to the developer earlier this month, and a hearing is scheduled for Dec 24.SRA officials, however, stated that the LoI for Sagar Darshan was given in Oct 2023, and so far, the builder has not even completed work up to the plinth level. In the case of Chaitanya Sai Janata Colony, SRA officials said the project was accepted in Feb 2023, but the builder failed to clear the ongoing litigation and make any progress in the work. The SRA mentioned that reviewing stuck projects is a routine process, and there was nothing irregular in its notice since a fair hearing will be given to all parties before any final decision is made.“We expected the project to be delivered in 2-3 years, but hardly any progress has been made. The builder has only taken the LoI and not done any work. It was expected that the builder would get the litigation cleared in two years in the case of Chaitanya Sai Janata Colony, which he has not been able to do. Reviewing stuck projects is part of the routine process, and it is done by the CEDO in his quasi-judicial capacity. A fair hearing will be given to the builder and residents. Saying that SRA must not even conduct a review of a stuck project is unfair,” the official said.“The project that finally gained momentum after three decades of delay now faces fresh uncertainty due to controversial administrative decisions by the SRA. The project, stalled for nearly 30 years, was recently revived by a legally appointed, capable developer who followed all statutory procedures. After thorough scrutiny, the SRA itself granted formal construction approval in October 2024, following which work commenced at full speed. However, while construction was progressing smoothly, SRA issued a notice under Section 13(2) seeking to remove the developer—without citing any clear, transparent, or justifiable reason. This sudden move has pushed the project back into limbo and placed thousands of families at risk once again,” said Advocate Nilesh Haldankar, lawyer for the Chaitanya Sai Janata Housing Society.The project-affected residents held a symbolic protest at the Koli Samaj Bhavan in Worli to voice their grievances.“This is not an isolated incident. In an adjacent SRA project involving 2,054 families, where judicial proceedings are currently underway, similar action under Section 13(2) has reportedly been initiated. Such steps raise serious concerns about whether the SRA administration is undermining due process and disregarding the authority of the High Court (HC). The developer remains fully capable and willing to complete the project, and crucially, has the clear support of the residents. With no technical, legal, or financial shortcomings on record, a pressing question arises: Why is the SRA creating obstacles in a project meant to provide rightful homes to eligible slum dwellers?” said Rajesh Dhawan, Chief Promoter of Sagar Darshan Society.Shekhar Keer, chief promoter of the Chaitanya Sai Janata Colony Society, said, “Our demand is simple—justice and our homes.”Worli residents have now warned of a large-scale public agitation against what they describe as the SRA’s anti-people stance.

Financial analysts hinted at possible slowdown in gold and silver prices during the week while investors await crucial US economic data. Market activity is expected to be light due to the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays, with key indicators like GDP, housing data, and consumer confidence figures affecting precious metal prices.Trading volumes are likely to decrease during the Christmas week, with many traders taking an extended weekend starting Wednesday. However, Pranav Mer from JM Financial Services warned that despite lower participation, market volatility could increase. “Moving into the Christmas week, traders expect some consolidation/correction in the markets as volumes are expected to remain low with major trader’s staying away due to long-weekend starting late on Wednesday. However, volatility/price swing may be higher due to low participation,” he said, as quoted by PTI.Gold has shown remarkable rally recently. MCX gold futures rose by Rs 574 (0.43%) last week, reaching an all-time high of Rs 1,35,590 per 10 grams on Thursday. This marked the fourth straight weekly gain and puts gold on track for its twelfth consecutive monthly increase.“The weak dollar, dovish federal reserve, lower inflation data in the US triggered the momentum in gold prices in the recent week,” said Angel One’s Prathamesh Mallya. Although gold has had a significant surge, silver has been the star, outshining the yellow metal with 8.08% gain last week. It touched a record high of Rs 2,08,603 per kilogram on Friday. The white metal has surged over 130% this year, driven by strong ETF flows and concerns about yen carry trades following the Bank of Japan’s expected rate hike.Looking ahead, experts remain positive about both metals but caution against immediate price corrections. Pranav Mer predicted that silver could test Rs 2,25,000-2,45,000 per kilogram “Silver remains positive, but risk reward remains unfavourable. In the near-term prices may test Rs 2,25,000-2,45,000 per kilogram. On the technical front… we continue to maintain positive view in gold and expect prices to rise further to Rs 1,40,000-1,45,000 by early next year, with support for reversal placed at Rs 1,29,000 per 10 grams,” he said.This bullish trend in precious metals isn’t just a regular market cycle. According to Pankaj Singh of SmartWealth.AI, similar price patterns have only occurred twice in the past fifty years, during periods of significant monetary and geopolitical stress.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the asset classes given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

Mohsin Naqvi presents trophy to U19 Asia Cup champions (screengrabs)

Pakistan beat India to clinch the U19 Asia Cup title in Dubai on Sunday. With Pakistan winning the trophy, the tournament managed to avoid what could’ve been a possible trophy-presentation controversy. The match was played at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai, where Pakistan defeated India by a huge margin of 191 runs to lift the U19 Asia Cup for only the second time in their history.

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Mohsin Naqvi was present at the stadium, which brought back memories of the drama that followed the senior Asia Cup final earlier this year. Watch Naqvi greeting players after the win here:At that time, the Indian team had refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who is also a minister in the Pakistani government. Because of that incident, many wondered if a similar situation would arise again during the U19 final.India had come into the match as favourites. They had a strong history in the U19 Asia Cup and had already beaten Pakistan comfortably in the group stage. Naqvi’s presence in the stands added to the tension, especially since there was no handshake between players during both the group match and the final.However, this time there was no controversy. Pakistan completely outplayed India and left no room for confusion during the trophy ceremony. Pakistan’s batting was led by Sameer Minhas, who played a stunning knock of 172 runs from 113 balls. His innings helped Pakistan post a massive total of 347 for eight in their 50 overs.India’s chase never got going. Their batters struggled against Pakistan’s fast bowlers, who used pace and bounce effectively. Ali Raza picked up four wickets, while Mohammad Sayyam and Abdul Subhan chipped in with two each. India were bowled out for just 156 runs in 26.2 overs.After the match, Indian players chose not to go on stage where Naqvi was present. Instead, they collected their runners-up medals separately from another ACC official. Naqvi then presented the winners’ medals to the Pakistan U19 players and posed for photos with them.Later, Naqvi stepped into his role as Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and joined the team’s celebrations. He stood at the centre as the young players lifted the trophy and celebrated their victory.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan (ANI file photo)

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, currently incarcerated for now over two years, on Saturday called on his supporters to prepare for nationwide protests and announced his intention to challenge the recent Toshakhana-II verdict, which he alleged was delivered in “haste” by the Islamabad high court. Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were sentenced to 17 years in prison in the corruption case earlier this week.He also alleged that Pakistan is being governed by solely under “Asim law.”

With no access to his social media accounts, Khan conveyed his message through his legal team. According to a post on X summarising a conversation between the PTI founder and his lawyer, Khan instructed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Sohail Afridi to begin preparations for a mass street movement.In the detailed message shared by his team, Khan said: “To strive for justice is a sacred duty, and I am ready to lay down my life for Haqeeqi Azadi (true freedom) of my nation. At this moment, Pakistan is being governed solely under ‘Asim Law’. Here, verdicts are pre-written and merely announced aloud. Like the baseless decisions and sentences of the past three years, the Toshakhana 2 verdict is nothing new for me. This ruling, too, was delivered in haste, without any evidence and without fulfilling legal requirements. Neither we nor our lawyers were even given opportunity to present our case.”He alleged that both he and Bushra Bibi were being subjected to harsh solitary confinement. “The sustained solitary confinement imposed on me and my wife constitutes severe mental torture. We are barred from books, television, and meetings… The books sent by my family are confiscated by jail authorities, and we are kept in solitary confinement for weeks at a time. This treatment is inhumane, yet all this oppression and brutality cannot weaken my resolve.”Khan also accused the authorities of persecuting women linked to PTI. “It is not our tradition to target women and children… I am deeply saddened and distressed by the mistreatment and brutality faced by my sisters and other women outside Adiala Jail. The treatment meted out to Bushra Bibi, Dr. Yasmin, Mahrang Baloch, and other women stands in clear violation of Islamic traditions and moral values.”The former prime minister again directed his criticism at army chief Asim Munir. “The army is mine and belongs to the people of Pakistan. When I criticise Asim Munir, it is criticism of an individual… Whatever is happening to me in jail is being carried out on the instructions of a colonel acting under Asim Munir’s orders.”Urging the legal fraternity to mobilise, Khan said: “For the struggle to restore the rule of law and uphold the Constitution, it is essential for the Insaf Lawyers Forum and legal fraternity to step forward decisively.”He added that he had instructed his legal team to appeal the verdict: “I have full confidence in Salman Safdar and his team and have instructed them to file an appeal against these bogus decisions in the Islamabad high court.” Concluding his message, he said: “My message for Sohail Afridi is to prepare for a street movement. The entire nation must rise for their rights!! To strive for justice is a sacred duty, and I am ready to lay down my life for Haqeeqi Azadi (true freedom) of my nation.”The message was signed off as: “Illegally Incarcerated Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, speaking to his lawyers after the verdict of a military-style trial in Adiala Jail.”In an official statement, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) described the verdict as “blatantly unconstitutional, illegal, malicious and the worst form of political revenge and a textbook case of victimisation.” The party-led by Imran Khan alleged that the conviction aimed to prolong Khan’s imprisonment and ease pressure on what it called a “petrified ruling clique,” claiming political vendetta was being executed through a “subservient” judiciary.Addressing a press conference alongside senior party leader Asad Qaiser, PTI secretary general Salman Akram Raja said Khan had met his lead counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar, in the courtroom and shared a message for the nation. He quoted Khan as saying, “I am standing firm and resolute and will not seek an apology from anyone, come what may.”Raja added that the case lacked substantive evidence. “They have no witnesses except the person whom the PTI founder himself brought forward,” he said.

NEW DELHI: Public procurement portal GeM has enabled government departments and entities to raise Rs 2,200 crore over the last about four years through the disposal of assets such as scrap, e-waste, old vehicles, machinery, and leasehold properties, an official statement said on Sunday. The government e-marketplace (GeM) operates as a digital platform through which ministries, departments, and public sector entities procure goods and services. In addition to this function, GeM facilitates disposal of government assets through its “Forward Auction” module, introducing online competitive bidding and improving transparency, efficiency, and value discovery in a process that was traditionally fragmented and paperwork-intensive. “Between December 2021 and November 2025, GeM’s Forward Auction module facilitated auctions worth more than Rs 2,200 crore, conducted over 13,000 auctions, onboarded more than 23,000 registered bidders and enabled participation from over 17,000 auctioneers,” the commerce ministry said. These figures underscore that forward auctions are no longer a pilot initiative but have evolved into a nationwide digital mechanism for government asset disposal, it said. A forward auction is a digital bidding process through which government departments sell assets such as scrap, e-waste, old vehicles, machinery and leasehold properties, including buildings and land, to the highest bidder. In this process, the government lists an item on the platform, registered bidders place competing bids and the highest offer is declared successful. Through GeM’s secure digital interface, departments are able to set reserve prices, define participation conditions and monitor bidding in real time, ensuring efficiency and transparency throughout the auction lifecycle. Citing an example, it said the State Bank of India auctioned 100 EWS (Economic Weaker Sections) flats in Lucknow and realised Rs 34.53 crore through the GeM platform. The other auctions through this module include the sale of unusable and obsolete articles by National Zoological Park here, and screened gypsum worth Rs 3.35 crore by FCI Aravali Gypsum and Minerals India.

NEW DELHI: Congress MP P Chidambaram on Sunday launched a sharp attack on Centre’s move to replace the MGNREGA, calling the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the scheme the “second killing of Mahatma Gandhi.”Addressing a press conference in Chennai, Chidambaram said the Congress would continue to oppose the new law until the earlier employment guarantee framework is restored, reported PTI. “The party will expose this fraud by going from house by house, village by village, and our struggle will continue until this Act is repealed,” he said. Parliament on December 18 passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G Bill), which seeks to replace the 20-year-old MGNREGA and promises 125 days of rural wage employment annually.Reacting to the change, the former Union finance minister said, “According to me, it’s the second killing of Mahatma Gandhi. He was killed once on January 30,1948. They have killed him again — they have killed his memory again.” He added, “You can try to erase Gandhi and Nehru from official records, but they live in the deep consciousness of the Indian people, like the Buddha or Jesus. No government order can wipe them out.”The senior Congress leader argued that the new legislation reverses the nature of the employment guarantee by turning a legal entitlement into a discretionary scheme. “Under the original law, if a person demanded work, the government was legally bound to provide it. Now, people can only ask for work if the government first offers it,” he said.He also questioned the naming of the new programme, referring to the use of “Hindi words written in English letters,” and said titles such as “Viksit Bharat G Ram G” would be confusing for rural populations in southern states. “Even ministers may not understand what these names mean. The law now says that unless states use this exact name, they will not receive funds,” he said. The Congress leader further claimed that the scheme’s coverage would be curtailed, saying it would now apply only to “notified districts” chosen by the Centre, unlike MGNREGA’s national scope. He also alleged that responsibility for the funds was being shifted to states, warning that implementation would suffer if states lacked resources. “Four years ago, the allocation was Rs 1,11,000 crore. For the past three years, Rs 86,000 crore. Next year, it is only Rs 65,000 crore. Any cost above Rs 65,000 crore is the state government’s responsibility,” he fadded. Chidambaram said the rollback would hurt the “ultra-poor,” particularly women and daily wage earners. “The scheme is a safety net for 12 crore people who depend on daily wages. In Tamil Nadu, 90 to 95 per cent of workers are women; they will suffer the most,” he further said.He also dismissed the Centre’s claim of increasing workdays to 125 as “unrealistic,” noting that the national average currently stood at 50 days. Recalling that MGNREGA was passed unanimously in 2005, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had once described it as a “living monument” of the UPA’s failures. “Now the same government is dismantling it,” he added.

RAIPUR: A chilling case of mob violence has emerged from Kerala’s Palakkad district, where a Dalit migrant labourer from Chhattisgarh was allegedly beaten to death by a group of people after being mistaken for a Bangladeshi national, according to initial reports. The incident has sparked outrage and fear among migrant workers in the region.

The deceased has been identified as Ramnarayan Baghel (31), a resident of Karhi village in Sakti district, Chhattisgarh. He had travelled to Palakkad on December 13 in search of work and was employed as a daily-wage labourer at a construction site.According to his relative Kishan Baghel, who lives in Karhi village, Ramnarayan had gone to Kerala at the request of Shashikant Baghel, a distant relative from the same village. “Ramnarayan was extremely poor and is survived by his wife Lalita and two young sons, aged around eight and nine,” Kishan told TOI.Other sources claimed that Ramnarayan was allegedly mistaken for a thief following a local theft incident and was brutally assaulted with sticks by a group of people, resulting in his death. Kishan said Ramnarayan’s wife left for Palakkad on Friday after receiving the news, though she had not reached the destination at the time of reporting.Following the incident, tension prevailed in the area, prompting police to step up security to prevent any escalation.Kerala police have arrested five people in connection with the lynching and said a detailed investigation is underway to establish the exact sequence of events and the motive behind the crime.The news of Ramnarayan’s death has devastated his family in Sakti, plunging the village into mourning. Police said that after completion of legal formalities, including the post-mortem examination, the body will be sent back to his native place for the last rites.A case has been registered at Walayar police station under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Police confirmed Ramnarayan’s identity through his Aadhaar card, following which Sakti police were informed about his death.

The IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi has been rocked by a bizarre controversy involving former India legend Ravichandran Ashwin and his long-time franchise, Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Following his retirement from the IPL in August 2025, Ashwin has transitioned into a popular digital analyst, but his recent ‘perfect’ predictions have landed him in hot water with a section of the CSK faithful.

The off-spinner correctly forecasted that the Super Kings would break the bank for uncapped Indian domestic stars Kartik Sharma and Prashant Veer, a prediction that came true just minutes later when CSK secured both for a staggering 14.2 crore each. This uncanny accuracy led to viral accusations that Ashwin had “leaked” the franchise’s confidential scouting targets, potentially allowing rival teams to drive up the prices. Amidst a flurry of memes and angry tweets, Ashwin finally broke his silence on December 18, 2025, using his trademark wit to dismiss the claims and defend his analytical prowess in a high-stakes digital era.

Former off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin denies leaking CSK’s IPL 2026 auction plans

The primary catalyst for the backlash was the record-breaking nature of CSK’s acquisitions. By spending a combined 28.4 crore on two uncapped players, CSK effectively set a new benchmark for domestic valuations, but many fans felt the “heads-up” from Ashwin’s social media gave teams like Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders the leverage to inflate the bids.

Ashwin, however, found the idea that billion-dollar franchises base their strategies on his tweets inherently hilarious. Addressing a fan on X who asked how happy he was after “leaking all the picks,” Ashwin retorted with laughing emojis: “How are you guys able to believe these lies? The ‘Orange Army’ (SRH) had Muralitharan, Vettori, analysts, and scouts sitting at the table and yet showed faith in my tweets? Use some logic!” His response showcased a critical reality of modern IPL auctions, every team now employs rigorous scouting networks that identify the same “hidden gems,” making it inevitable that top-tier domestic performers like Kartik and Prashant would trigger massive bidding wars regardless of social media chatter.

How are you guys able to believe these lies?🤣🤣 https://t.co/5yzWUZjuta

— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) December 17, 2025

The Orange Army had Muralitharan, Vettori, Analysts and scouts sitting at the table and yet showed faith in my tweets.🤓🤓 https://t.co/Q5r9W07VCW

— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) December 17, 2025

Also READ: Rishabh Pant to captain Delhi as Virat Kohli makes historic Vijay Hazare Trophy return; squad announced for first two games

CSK’s evolution: From Dad’s army to a youth-driven future

Beyond the Ashwin drama, the 2026 auction signaled a historic shift in the Chennai Super Kings’ DNA, moving away from their traditional reliance on veteran experience toward a high-risk, high-reward youth policy. Head coach Stephen Fleming clarified that the scouting for Kartik, a 19-year-old Rajasthan keeper-batter, and Prashant, a versatile Uttar Pradesh all-rounder, had been ongoing for over a year.

Fleming stated, “We’ve been watching Kartik for some time; he was with us last year as a net bowler. These weren’t ‘leaks’ or impulsive buys; they were targeted replacements for the core we lost after the Ravindra Jadeja trade.” While Ashwin’s retirement has left a void in the locker room, his role as a public “explorer of the game” continues to bridge the gap between fans and the technical side of the sport. Despite missing out on targets like Cameron Green, who went to KKR for a record 25.2 crore, CSK management remains confident that their 28 crore investment in youth will provide the long-term stability needed to reclaim the trophy in the post-Dhoni era.

Also READ: Mumbai announces squad for Vijay Hazare Trophy; Rohit Sharma makes historic return

Indian footballer Bhaichung Bhutia (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Former India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia has strongly criticised the chaos that took place during Lionel Messi’s public event at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. Speaking on Sunday, Bhutia called the incident unfortunate and said sports events should always be treated with importance, without unnecessary delays caused by politics or formalities.

He said fans come to stadiums to enjoy the sport and watch their favourite players, not to sit through long speeches or wait for VIPs to arrive. “I think when there is a sports event, sports should get priority,” he said. He also pointed out that this problem is seen often across India. According to Bhutia, many sporting events are delayed because organisers wait for politicians or chief guests. He said such practices only harm the experience for fans and players. “Many times across India, we see sporting events getting delayed because of political speeches, chief guest handshakes and all that. That is not necessary. Fans and players are coming to watch the sport, and the sport should begin rather than waiting for VIPs.” Talking about Lionel Messi’s recent G.O.A.T. Tour of India, Bhutia said the response from fans clearly showed what people really want. He said fans in Kolkata and other cities only wanted to see Messi and enjoy the sport, without any extra drama. “It was good to see not just in Kolkata, but across different cities, fans just wanted to see the sporting event, who just wanted to see Messi and nothing else.” Bhutia hopes that what happened in Kolkata will act as a wake-up call for organisers and authorities in the future. “I hope this is a lesson we will learn and that this trend will change,” he added. The promotional event featuring Lionel Messi turned chaotic due to poor planning and crowd control. Thousands of fans were disappointed as politicians, celebrities and officials surrounded Messi, limiting his interaction with the public. His time on the field was also cut short. Frustrated by the situation, some spectators created disturbances inside the stadium.